First Harvest!

As Salaamu Alaikum, and Greetings of Peace

I was out in the garden, and decided to thin out the radishes.  Thin them out?!  Holy Moly - they are ready for harvest!

Alhamdulillah!  And also saw signs of harvest to come.

Squash:

Berries:

Just in case you are wondering where my gardening Buddy is, well, when I was putting all my tools away in the garage, guess who I saw waaaaaaay up in the garage rafters:

That's my Buddy.  Always supervising my work from somewhere :)  From his vantage point, he can look out the garage windows and see me in the garden!

"Keep Telling People the Reality about Israel"

As Salaamu Alaikum and Greetings of Peace:

I had been text messaging my friend in Istanbul like crazy because she works for one of the largest aid organizations in Turkey, Yardimeli.  I was so panicky that she was on the Turkish ship. 

She usually responds to my texts within a day, and I hadn't heard from her since the Freedom Flotilla business began.  I was sick with worry and anxiety.

This morning, Alhamdulillah, I heard from her.  Here is what she says:

"I have been so busy and soo upset since then Safiyyah as you can guess.  I haven't slept until they have arrived here in Istanbul, and always out for the demonstrations.  I feel soo regretful that I wasn't in that ship but Insha Allah I will go in the next one.  But one of my friends died in the ship.  I'm soo upset for him.  I had many friends in the ship.  Anyway, today we are burying the shuhada'a.

The rest are telling such bad stories Safiyyah about how disgusting torture they were having.  They were killing doctors who was trying to help those injured and after killing throwing them in the sea.  They took all their clothes, made them naked, and then pour on them sea water in the ship, and so on ...

Anyhow, keep making dua and boycott Israel with all your power.  Keep telling people the reality about Israel.

Let My People Go!!!

(Copyrighted by me - ask me if you want to use ... I will say "yes" as long as you attribute the image to me!)

Trying to Find My Voice

As Salaamu Alaikum and Greetings of Peace:

My heart is heavy ... I have a lot going on.  Alhamdulillah, it's not as bad as some people have it.  It's merely another test, or rather a series of them, and it will be okay, Insha Allaah.

The thing about it is that it has paralyzed my writing voice.  Some people get writer's block.  I'm not blocked.  I have a lot to say.  But my friend Aaminah put a quote on her Facebook page that describes it perfectly for me:

""One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter." (James Earl Jones)

In addition to my own problems, it just seems to me that the whole world has gone crazy - The BP oil catastrophe on the Gulf Coast, the Arizona immigration law ...

And the fitnah on a lot of the Muslim blogs is also depressing.  It seems like every click on my list of blog feeds, takes me to a place that gives me a grand headache.  More than once, I have started to write a comment, but canceled it.  What's the use?

But, a recent court battle won by Gisha of its Freedom of Information Act petition got me thinking (after I got over my waves of nausea), and has motivated me to write. 

You can go to the link and read for yourself and see the lists of items that the Israelis consider contraband for Gaza in the name of national security (like coriander, lol), but what REALLY caught my eye was that Israel admits the existence of a "red line" document that establishes the minimum nutritional requirements for the residents of Gaza BUT REFUSES TO REVEAL IT!  I read somewhere else that the Israeli government is trying to determine how much food a person from Gaza needs based on gender, age, etc., to prevent starvation.

Ya Allah ... Ya Rabb

How can a people who suffered the cruel atrocities of the Nazis even dream up such a plan?

And now this morning - we wake up to the news of the Israeli IDF assault on the Freedom Flotilla that was taking aid to the people in Gaza.  This flotilla was the 9th such trip of international peace activists, mainly organized by the Free Gaza Movement.  Seventy-five miles off the coast of Isreal, in international waters, the IDF attacked the flotilla of six ships, and then boarded the Turkish vessel, Mavi Marmara.  All of this is in direct violation of international law.  (And so is the blockade of Gaza, by the way ...)  Facts are hard to come by at this time, but what is known is that a number of civilians have been murdered by the IDF, and some 800+ activists are being held by the Israelis out of communication with their familes and embassies. 

Until this incident, Turkey was the only Muslim friend of Israel.

Lately, however, there have been problems and tensions have risen.

When I was in Istabul a few months ago, we were the guests of a Turkish aid organization called Yardimeli that does a lot of work in Gaza.  Shortly before we arrived, a Yardimeli group had gone to Gaza to bring aid.  When the group prepared for return to Turkey, one of its team members was not permitted by the Israeli government to come home.  For no reason.  Except to discourage people and organizations from helping the Gazans.  Alhamdulillah, on the day we left, the brother was allowed to return to Turkey.  But, the Turkish government had to get involved.  All of Yardimeli's efforts to resolve any "problem" the Israelis might of had was in vain. 

Well, the Turkish government is now pissed.  Allaah only knows where this Flotilla crime will lead.

Say dua.  Please.

Insha Allaah I will be writing a series of posts about Jewish people and Israel.  But, I leave you with this fact: not all Jewish people are Zionists.  Even some Zionists in Israel do not like what's going on with Gaza.  Please remember this.

A Morning of Potting Flowers

As Salaamu Alaikum

and

Greetings of Peace!

Over the past few years, I have always bought potted flowers and hanging plants in the Spring.

This year, I decided to buy a few trays of flowers, and make up the pots myself!  I wanted to make good use of all of those plastic pots, and various fancy ones I have:

Here is the result:

 

Next year, Insha Allaah, maybe I'll buy bulk flowers early, make up some pots, and vend them somewhere.  What do you think?  Good idea?

In the next picture, I made good use of the tons of cinder blocks I have in back of the garage:

Look at the huge bee!  I'd hate to get stung by one of them :(

Rose on the side of the house:

One of the hummingbird feeders I got at the Dollar Store.  I made my own nectar from water and sugar! 

Last but not least ... Buddy!

He found the Catnip patch.  I planted two of them for him.  He only found this one so far :)

Shaam - Jashne Aamede Rasool (Live)

I was searching on You Tube for some daff (duff) drumming to practice along with.  Came across this group and their nasheed in Urdu.

Absolutely beautiful, Masha Allah.

Enjoy!

2010 Garden

Anas bin Malik (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: "There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him." (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2320)

Alhamdulillah, the time has arrived! After all of the digging and roto-tilling, the time to plant for our time zone has arrived.

Our time zone claims that it is relatively safe to plant on Mother's Day. However, last year, we had a hard frost a week after Mother's Day. My garden at that time was only a space behind my garage. It was a great jihad for my husband and I to scramble to put a tarp over that area. This year, I extended my garden all the way across my property. It is now THREE times as large, Masha Allah!

During the winter (because gardeners dream of their gardens the entire year long, lol), I read a great book called "Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening" by Louise Riotte.

She also wrote another book about companion planting called "Roses Love Garlic."

In the Introduction of the book, she states "The magic and mystery of companion planting have intrigued and fascinated humans for centuries, yet it is a part of the gardening world that has never been fully explored. Even today we are just on the threshold." Ms. Riotte says that some plants "assist each other to grow well" and that other plants repel insects and even other plants.

For example, "a major enemy of the carrot is the carrot fly, whereas the leek suffers from the onion flt and leek moth. Yet when leek and carrot live together in companionship, the strong and strangely different smell of the partner plant repels the insects so much that they do not even attempt to lay their eggs on the neighbor plant. They take off speedily to get away from the smell."

So, during the winter, I mapped out a companion garden. And, with notebook in hand, my feline companion, Buddy, and I headed out to our garden.

This is what the garden looked like after roto-tilling. Some weeds have grown around the edges, and strong winds from a few weeks ago had scattered maple seeds all over.

In the background, are some mums from last year, and a sage plant that survived the winter.

I used to have chives and lemon grass back there, too, but I moved them out of the garden to another area of my yard.  In that area, I also planted two strawberry plants and a big thyme plant lives there that was also transplanted from the garden area.  (Strawberries and thyme are hidden in the background of this image.)

With tomato cages and other supplies at the ready, Buddy and I begin our work of weeding and planting.

Wait a minute!  Where did my helper, Buddy, go?  Oh no!  There he is!  Can you believe it?

After a few hours of work, the garden starts to take shape!

Look who comes strolling in now that most of the work is done!

After all the work was done, the initial layout looks like the picture below.  What looks like bare areas were actually planted with seeds, and will Insha Allaah, be filled up when I separate the seedlings after they come up.

As you can see, Buddy approves! (Those are pepper plant starters.)

Seen At The Supermarket This Morning ...

WTF?!!!

Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding? hee hee

Hmmm ... I was afraid to ask! Expensive stuff, too. $5.99 a can!

Anyone know what this stuff is?

Yes, I'm Still Around!

Alhamdulillah! I've been too busy. More than I like.

Gardening season is upon us, and I'm taking an Adobe image editing course at our local university.

Here's a picture of one of my garden Poppies that I hope you will accept as an apology :)

Morning Dua

Oh Allaah,

Please.

Get me all the way down safely.

Ameen.

I don't even know what to title this post.

"Naseehah to Muslim bloggers?" Allahu Alim.

But ... I read a lot of blogs. Especially those from the Middle East and Saudi in particular. Many of the bloggers who live there write of various problems in the region.

Some problems are problems of culture. Others are "problems" that have to do with Allaah's religion that some Muslims particularly do not agree with, or like; for example, plural marriage.

Lately, I have been reading a lot of posts on these blogs that have to do with niqab and child marriage.

Muslims are entitled to their opinions.

In the case of the niqab, some Muslim women view niqab as fard, and it is not a matter of opinion for them.

And child marriages, and mostly everyone agrees that disgusting child marriages between old geezer Muslim men and 10 and 11 year old virgin children are just plain not right. The media loves to print stories, and lately even the Arabic media, about these young girls who die in childbirth.

(If anyone is reading this and is confused, I just hit "publish" before I was done, lol.)

What I object to is the lack of manners and adab of the commenters on these posts. In many cases, they end up confusing culture with Islam, or even up slandering the Prophet Muhammad, saw.

I think we can discuss the issues like intelligent people without doing this.

And of course, there are non Muslim people who troll Muslim blogs looking for posts on these issues.

As a Muslim blogger, I wouldn't allow anyone to slander Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, saw, on my blog or website.

As a Muslim we are bound to defend Islam and the Prophet saw. It is an obligation upon Muslims.

A look at some of these posts reveals 100 plus comments, which are not comments at all, but are actually arguments.

I know this post seems disjointed, but I just had to write and get my feelings out.

Insha Allah you all are having a nice day :)

I have photographed a lot of orchids. I absolutely adore them. I never tire of their endless variations.

But THIS orchid is special. It's the first orchid plant that I have been able to winter over to spring flower! It's not for lack of trying. I have scores of orchid pots all over the house. I buy them all the time, and after the blooms die off, I set them aside ... and hope!

The one pictured above is the first to bud and flower, Subhan'Allah.

I'm so thrilled. Isn't it lovely, Masha Allah?!!

On another note, I hate the quality of images uploaded to Blogger. They always look so dark. I have been fighting switching to Wordpress ... will have to think of something, Insha Allah.

Sujood

("Sujood" - taken in the Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
Copyright 2010 S. E. Jihad Levine)

This morning I made sujood during my Fajr prayer.

"Big deal, Safiyyah. What's so unusual about that?" you may wonder.

It IS a big deal for me. Because I rarely get to do it.

Between MS and Arthritis, I cannot always make my salaat without the use of a chair. I also have a very stubborn Baker's Cyst behind my left knee. They are supposed to dissolve on their own, but oh joy, mine actually comes and goes. I've had it for about two years. This cyst and the Arthritis make it very painful and nearly impossible for me to sit between the two sajdahs, or to sit for the Tashahhud.

Even though Allaah swt granted the use of a chair as His Mercy for Muslims like me, I still grieve. When I have to make salaat in a chair, I mourn the full physical movements that lend so much spirituality to the prayer. I miss the involvement of my entire body in praising Allah swt. More than anything, I miss the feeling of my forehead on the prayer carpet.

Sujood has a position of excellence in the salaat.

In the time of the Prophet saw, one time during the month of Ramadan, there was a a rainstorm that washed the roof of the mosque away. The roof was made of palm-branches. The Messenger saw of Allah swt was making salaat when this happened. He didn't stop his prayer, but continued and MADE SUJOOD IN THE MUD! Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ro) said, "So I saw, with my own eyes, the Messenger of Allah, with traces of mud and water on his forehead and nose."

Subhan'Allaah!

The Prophet saw also "used to say, 'There is no one among my ummah whom I will not recognise on the Day of Resurrection.' They said, 'How will you recognise them, O Messenger of Allaah, among the multitude of created things?' He said, 'Do you not see that were one of you to enter an enclosure in which there was a jet black steed and a horse with a white forehead and legs, would you not recognise the latter from the former?' They said, 'Of course.' He said, 'Thus, my ummah on that day will surely have white faces because of sujood, and white arms and feet because of ablution.'"

Also, when Allaah swt wants to have mercy on the people of the Fire, he orders the angels to pull out those people who used to worship Him. The angels will recognise those people from their sujood marks because Allaah swt has prohibited the Fire from consuming the sujood marks.

In his book, Du'a: The Weapon of the Believer, Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi describes sujood as "the most noble posture that a worshipper can be in, for it is the epitome of humility and submissiveness."

"And how can it not be," he writes, "when a person in prostration lowers his face - the most noble and sacred part of his body - to the dust, seeking the pleasure of his Lord? This is why this posture is the most beloved by Allaah."

The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is while he is in prostration, so increase your duas in it. (Muslim)

Ya Allaah! I want to be close to You!

Ya Allaah! Cure me, and make it easy for me to make sujood! Make it easy for Your messenger to recognise me on the Day of Resurrection. Make it easy for the angels to recognise me. Ameen!

Video Release of Attack on Reuters Employees and Iraqi Civialians

As a Muslim, a photographer, and an American - this video makes me sick.

I have a special affection and admiration for war correspondents and war photographers. It was the war photographers of the great "Look" and "Life" magazines which initially got me interested in photography nearly 40 years ago.

This video and article shows the proof of what happened to Reuters photographer, Namir Noor-Eldeen, and his driver, Saeed Chmagh, as well as the Iraqi civilians who tried to assist them after they were attacked.

The US military tried to cover up what happened, and even lied about it.

THEIR video, shot from the air, with THEIR voices documenting what happened, reveals the truth.

With all of the sophisticated equipment the military has, one would think they could see the difference between an AK47 and a camera slung over someone's shoulder.

New York Times article here.

Video here.

Thanks to American Muslim Journalists Association (MAJA) for sharing these links.

May Allah swt forgive the sins of Reuters employees Namir Noor-Eldeen, age 22, his driver, Saeed Chmagh, age 40, and the Iraqi civilians who tried to help. May Allah swt comfort their families, and grant the deceased the best place in the Hereafter/Ameen.

UPDATE:

I just saw retired US Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt on CNN. I am deeply disappointed that CNN has helped the military to yet go on another attempt to cover up and lie about what happened. Giving sympathy to the military does no justice. The story was NOT about how mistakes can be made in a war zone, but was about how the military lied and obstructed Reuters from doing the investigation. CNN failed to tell the REAL story. And CNN failed to make the viewers aware that there were children in the van with the civilians when it was attacked. Kimmitt proudly told CNN viewers about the sophisticated cameras and equipment in the Apache helicopters. Couldn't it see cameras and children? Then he blamed the victims by saying that the Reuters staff weren't wearing identifying clothes.

I hope Reuters does not let this story die.

AlJazeera video coverage here.

Yard Sale Dawah

For the most part, the garden roto-tilling is done. My husband and my neighbor put up a new garden fence for me yesterday (thank you!). The winter yard clean-up is done. The mulch has been spread. The plant containers around the house have been filled with mulch and are waiting for new occupants.

Soon I will be starting seedlings on my sun porch, Insha Allah.

Whew!

So, while I wait for Mother's Day - the time for planting in my gardening "zone" - my attention is turned to what else but YARD SALES!

Scouring my house for things to sell!

Yard sales - I love to go to them, and I love to have them.

I had my first one last year. I was initially a bit intimidated because I had no experience in having one for myelf, and I didn't know what to expect.

But let me tell you, when the people started waltzing down my driveway, and the money started filling my coffers, I got right into the groove! You would have thought I was an old pro. Even my husband was surprised and wished he would have listened to me and put a thing or two of all the stuff he hoardes into the sale.

I keep trying to get him to let go of some of his movie DVDs. We have never watched a movie together twice, so why keep them? Okay. Okay. They're his. I guess I wouldn't be too understanding and patient if he wanted me to yard sale some of my stuff that he perceives to be senseless to keep :)

There are many facets to yard sale-ing.

Some people love to yard sale, but other people find it difficult to let go of things. If you want a good laugh about "things," Insha Allah one day you will see George Carlin's comedy skit on "stuff."

Me? Well, I don't have a difficult time letting go of too much. I think it comes from my history of poverty. When I was a kid, we were poor. We lived in a housing project, and my mother tried to get by on the meager child support my father sent when and if he felt like sending it. Otherwise, we went without. And without ... we were a lot. There was also a problem in my house with most of the money being spent on alcohol. Therefore, food and things like school clothes took a back seat.

Anyhoo.

Easy come - easy go. That's my motto.

And that goes for people, too. I have no problem x-ing toxic people out of my life. I will put up with your fitnah for awhile, but after that, you gotta go. Oh, I may amuse myself and play your game with you for awhile before I split, but trust me, I will split after I am no longer entertained, or if you aggravate me too much.

I had to let go of my father when he wouldn't accept that I had become a Muslim. I didn't cut him off, because Muslims are not permitted to break the ties of kinship. But knowing him, I KNEW he wouldn't change his mind unless Allah swt changed it for him. So, I just left him where he was at so to speak. I called him occasionally, because I knew he wouldn't call me, and the phone calls were always cold. But I continued to call for two reasons: 1 - to please and obey Allah swt, and 2 - it was my duty. Alhamdulillah, my father died upset with me. But, Subhan'Allah, I am still a Muslim.

I could go on and on here with examples, but I think you get my point. If you assume that I have many aquaintances, but few friends, you are correct.

Allah is sufficient for me/Ameen.

Just think! If you let go of some of your stuff, you can then go to someone else's yard sale and bring their stuff to your house, lol.

The best thing about my yard sale last year was meeting my neighbors. We had just moved into the house, and had been in the neighborhood less than a year. We live on a small island that has less than 100 houses on it. Everyone knows most everyone here.

My husband and I stick out because he is the only African American here, and I am the only garbed Muslim woman here.

Trust me - they all know us :)

We know our immediate neighbors, but didn't know any of the other ones.

When I had my yard sale, I think a lot of them came to see me up close. Some of them introduced theirselves and told me where they lived. When I told one man that I ride by his house on my bicycle, he said, "Yeah, I've seen you."

Ooookaaay ...

Anyhow, the basic understanding of dawah is to invite people to Islam. You can invite people to Islam or at least introduce them to it through your own behavior and character.

My neighbors got to see that it's okay to have a Muslim neighbor. I'll willing to bet that many of them have never seen a real live covered Muslim woman up close before. Or chatted to one, yet alone been to the house of a Muslim for a yard sale.

One of them even got to drum with me!!! Below is a picture my neighbor took of me and her mother-in-law. I was showing her how to drum. You can see some of the stuff I had in my sale in my garage in the background. (We were having a joint yard sale.) I had both drums in my yard sale (posted about getting rid of them before). Anyhow, Grammy (yes, I now call her "Grammy") was so happy with the drum that her husband bought it for her :)




There was a study done awhile back where the survey participants were divided into two group: for who knew a Muslim, and those who didn't.

The question was, "Would you want to have a Muslim for a neighbor?"

The group who didn't know any Muslims responded "no," they would not want to have a Muslim for a neighbor.

The group who knew Muslims responsed that "yes," they wouldn't mind having Muslims for neighbors.

What is the carry-away here?

It's that we Muslims should make ourselves known to our neighbors and our community. Interfaith activities are a good way to do this. I also try to smile at each and every person I see when I go to the grocery store, pharmacy, etc., in my neighborhood.

It's just plain good dawah!

So, gather up your "stuff," put on your hijab," and do some yard sale dawah. I guarantee you a wonderful day!

Almost Time!

(It's That Time of the Year Again ... Almost!)


It's almost "that time" for us gardeners!

In my area, it is generally considered safe to plant after Mother's Day (May).

But I couldn't resist picking up these wonderful seeds while I was at the supermarket yesterday.

Am busy reading about "companion planting" (more on that later, Insha Allah) and sketching the layout of my proposed garden.

Toward the end of April, I will start some of the seeds indoors on my sunporch Insha Allah.

In the meantime, I continue to roto-till ......

Bad Consequences of the Tongue

(Viper-Tongued Orchid, 2010)


"Oh Allaah

do not punish me for
what they say about me and
make good that which they
conject about me, and
forgive me for that
which they do not know about me."

Ameen.


*dua of Abdulilah Ibn Rabah Lahmami as-Salafi, translator of Sheikh Ahmad Zamzami's advice on "The Bad Consequences of the Tongue"

Dreary Monday ... and Thoughts About Water

As Salaamu Alaikum and Greetings of Peace to All Who May Read Me Today!

It rained like crazy last night, and is still raining a bit as a I write. To most people, rain makes for a dreary day. We complain that the bad weather keeps us indoors, preventing us from enjoying the sunshine.

But the Muslim doesn't, or shouldn't, complain about rain because we know that rain is a mercy from Allah swt.

Allah swt tells us in the Qur'an, An-Nur: 43, "See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers."

(Rain clouds dissipating over the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, Turkey, shortly after Shuruq)

After the clouds, comes the rain.

"It is He Who sends down water from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds." Al-An'am: 99

(Tomatoes from my 2009 harvest, Masha Allah!)

It is supposed to rain here on and off for a few days, but toward the end of the week, we are expecting warm temperatures and sunshine, Insha Allah. I am so excited for my flowers to come up. The other day, I was driving in "town" and there were daffodils everywhere. Mine are still in bud.

("Morning Drink" - My orchid after getting its morning spritz)

We had a lot of snow in the northeast United States, so we don't have the drought conditions that we have occasionally had due to lack of abundant snow over the winter. Actually, in some areas, like New Jersey, they have had severe flooding lately.

But for the most part, the Muslim welcomes rain storms that fill the rivers, lakes, streams, oceans, seas, and reservoirs.

(Seagulls over the Bosporus, Istanbul, Turkey)

Allah swt tells us, "He it is Who sends down water from the sky; from it you drink." An-Nahl: 10

Outside of my office window at the prison Chapel, there is a beautiful fruit tree. The inmates are not permitted to eat from that tree (sound familiar, lol?!), but they do. The tree has such beautiful, fragrant blossoms, Masha Allah. He said,

"See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and we produce therewith fruits of various colors." Fatir: 27

One of my sisters in Islam lives about a half an hour from me, and her husband planted beautiful fruit trees in their yard. The sister makes jams and preserves which are very good, Alhamdulillah.

I have roto-tilled my old garden behind my garage, and have extended it clear across my property. The new area will get more sunshine, and it will also give me the opportunity to plant more. I bought a nice chest freezer and put it in the garage last year. So, Insha Allah, more vegetables and herbs to freeze and to share with neighbors and friends!

In the current issue of National Geographic, they have highlighted many of the global water problems.

A number of these problems exist in Muslim lands ... Palestine, Syria, Jordan ... countries in Africa, etc.

The problems are caused by water-wars, droughts, and pollution, etc. Many people around the globe would fall on their knees and thank Allah swt for rain.

Next time you are faced with a rainy day, grab a cup of coffee or tea and your Qur'an, and go sit on your porch glider and give thanks to Allah swt.

... just some thoughts on a not-so-dreary rainy Monday morning by a grateful Muslim!

(Coastal masjid along the Bosporous in Istanbul, Turkey)

Truth and Consequences: The Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy

(Reminder: my photography is copyrighted and cannot be used without my permission. Hint: if you ask and attribute me, I'll probably tell you "yes" you can use my work!)

Last night, I attended a lecture at Susquehanna University on the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" (DADT) policy and its consequences on men and women in the US military and our country as a whole.

The guest speaker was US Army Lt. Daniel Choi, West Point graduate, Arabic linguist, Iraq veteran, and activist for the repeal of the DADT policy.

When Lt. Choi "came out" on The Rachel Maddow Show by publically announcing, "I am gay," the Army notified him one month later that they were beginning discharge proceedings against him.

Since then, Lt. Choi has been a tireless advocate for the repeal of the DADT policy. He appears on television, gives lectures, and participates in public demonstrations, and as of late, engages in civil disobedience as evidenced by his arrest last week for chaining himself to the White House fence.

"The DADT policy is the common term for the policy restricting the United States military from efforts to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members or applicants, while barring those that are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service. The restrictions are mandated by federal law... the policy prohibits anyone who 'demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts' from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because 'it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability'... the act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces." (from lecture program)

Lt. Choi and others believe that it is time to hold President Obama to his campaign promise to end DADT.

Numerous foreign armies, including Britain and Israel, have integrated openly gay people into their ranks with little negative effect on effectiveness and recruitment. In Britain, this change was a result of an order from the European Court of Human Rights. Gay partners are now afforded full benefits.

What about the US? America? Land of the free and home of the brave? Where all citizens are guaranteed the right to freedom and happiness?

If the partner of a gay American military person dies overseas, the partner is not even notified by the military, yet alone given any benefits!

America: where a gay Mississippi high school student, Constance McMillan, was barred from taking her girlfriend to the prom?

Hello?! Most of us can remember being at high school dances and proms and going with another girl (or your big brother or cousin, lol) because we couldn't get a date with a boy. No one said anything about it.

And it's probably still okay in a lot of situations -- unless you TELL that your female friend is actually your lesbian girlfriend.

Why should gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) people be harrassed and discriminated against, have their human and civil rights taken away in a country like America?!

Why should GLBT be fired from jobs or have their child custody challenged because of their sexual preference?

Why are identity politics such a big deal in our beautiful United States?

At a time, when America is engaged in two wars, at a time when the forces and their families are stretched by multiple deployments, etc., why should we be denying otherwise qualified military applicants from serving soley on them being truthful about their sexual identity?

It just doesn't make sense. It just a'int right!

No matter where you personally stand, no matter what your personal position is, you have to admit that it is a national shame in a great country like America to have a military policy such as DADT.

Hasn't this country been here before? Excluding folks from the military based on identity politics? Blacks? Women? Japanese? All people with criminal records no matter what their crime is?

As Muslims, we know that our deen tells us that homosexuality is not an option for us. The only "halal" sex between Muslims is that between a married man and his wife/wives.

DADT is an Islamic concept in a way. After all, most Muslims know it is bad adab (manners) to ask someone something deeply personal or something that the person might not want to discuss, reveal, or have known about himself.

Allah swt also tells us in the Qur'an not to reveal our "sins" to anyone else. He promises us His mercy and forgiveness as long as we don't "lift the veil" in the morning by talking about it.

And of course, there are NO LGBT MUSLIMS now, are there?!!!! I'm sure there are no LGBT Muslims serving in the Muslim-populated countries' military forces now, are there?!!!

Of course not! LOL!

As Muslims, we know that no one has the right to oppress anyone ... for any reason.

Allah swt even prohibited oppression for Himself!

Finally, you don't have to be LGBT to have a "propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts." Remember Abu Ghrayb? Or ask anyone who is incarcerated who is "gay for the stay."

As Muslims, we stand up for justice. It's not just for our government to oppress any of its citizens for any reason. It can be us (Muslims) next. Think they're keeping an eye on Muslim service men and women after what Major Hasan did?!

Congratulations and thanks to Susquehanna University, The Gender & Sexuality Alliance, Susquehanna University College Democrats, and The Center for Diversity and Social Justice for sponsoring Lt. Choi's lecture, and for making it free and open to the public.

The reception, coffee, brownies, and cookies at the end weren't bad either :)

Intrusive Photography?

(Disclaimer: Please do not turn this post into a negative religious debate about photography. If you do, I will delete your comment.)

I took the above photograph in the women's section of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

I think it is a touching and beautiful photograph. I especially like the little boy sitting in the window waiting for his mom. I posted it to one of my Flickr groups and a sister left the following comment:

"I think it is a speacial connection between the person and alaha we should not inteuup this realtionship"

I felt hurt when I read her comment. To be more accurate, it pushed my shame button.

When I take photographs of this nature, I usually stand a distance off, and bring the photograph nearer in the editing process. I also turn off my flash, and put my camera on "museum mode" so that no shutter click is heard. Unless someone physically sees me take the picture, no one knows it is being taken. Therefore, I don't think I was interrupting anything.

I am not a papperatzi (spelling, lol?) who sticks my camera in the faces of people. As a matter of fact, I do frequently ask people if I may photograph them in certain instances (like when I photographed the Turkish police, lol).

I believe the camera is like another "eye" in the room. It capture what I see with my own set of eyes.

Is the masjid "hands off" for picture taking?

Is it in bad taste to photograph someone while they're in prayer with their Rabb?

I think the sister's comment pushed a button in me because it reminds me of some of the criticism I have received in my writing.

I feel the same way when someone tells me what I should write or not write.

Photojournalism has always been my strength, Masha Allah. When I first became a Muslim, I gave up photojournalism until later in my deen when I became convinced that there is nothing wrong with photographing people. I came to this conclusion after examining all of the evidence from respected Muslims.

But, why not photograph Muslims in the beautiful act of communication with Allah swt?

There are so many images of Muslims involved in violence and other haraam. I think my Istanbul street photography is a refreshing change.

Your thoughts?

Istanbul

We're back! And I spent most of this past week recovering from my awesome experience.

I took incredible photographs which I've been posting to my Flickr site a few at a time. The above shot was taken while we were waiting on the boat to leave for a tour by way of the Bosphorous Sea.

Insha Allah this coming week I will write a post about the whole trip. In the meantime, check me out at Flickr if you want.