#allah's five percent nation

[fivepercentgodsandearths]

“- Indians have been waiting for Kalki for 3,700 years.

- Buddhists have been waiting for Maitreya for 2,600 years.

- The Jews have been waiting for the Messiah for 2500 years.

- Christians have been waiting for Jesus for 2000 years.

- Sunnah waits for Prophet Issa 1400 years.

- Muslims have been waiting for a messiah from the line of Muhammad for 1300 years.

- Shiites have been waiting for Mandi for 1080 years.

- Drussians are waiting for Hamza ibn Ali for 1000 years.

Most religions adopt the idea of a “savior” and state that the world will remain filled with evil until this savior comes and fills it with goodness and righteousness.

Maybe our problem on this planet is that people expect someone else to come solve their problems instead of doing it themselves! ”

Riccardo Dablah

[precisereflections]

Supreme Mathematics: A Framework for the Righteous Understanding of Life

Supreme Mathematics, as interpreted by the 5% Nation, provides a clear lens through which reality and the self can be understood. It is not merely a system of numbers, but a symbolic code that offers insight into the universe, human potential, and the order of existence. Each number from 1 to 9, and the cipher (0), represents a concept that correlates with the natural laws and functions of life. This system serves as a practical tool to navigate life, providing guidance rooted in truth, knowledge, and self-awareness.

Origins and Purpose of Supreme Mathematics

Within the 5% Nation, Supreme Mathematics is not a religious doctrine but rather a method of uncovering the "right and exact" truths of existence. This knowledge is used to "civilize" the uncivilized, providing the keys to understanding the universe and one's place within it. Unlike the traditional religious practices of the masses, Supreme Mathematics teaches that the Black man is God, and that knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are the tools needed to unlock one’s divine potential.

Clarence 13X, righteously known as Allah or Father Allah, developed Supreme Mathematics to offer practical solutions for daily living, a system of empowerment for the oppressed, and a means of fostering unity. Each number in Supreme Mathematics corresponds to a foundational principle that governs both the physical and metaphysical realms, and when applied correctly, leads to the elevation of consciousness.

Breakdown of Supreme Mathematics

1. Knowledge

Knowledge is the foundation of all things in existence. It represents awareness, understanding, and the seed from which everything grows. In the 5% Nation, knowledge is the first step toward self-realization, as it opens the door to truth and the acquisition of more knowledge. Knowledge is seen as the light that dispels ignorance.

2. Wisdom

Wisdom is the reflection of knowledge in action. It is the wise application of one’s understanding, often symbolized by the Black woman, who is the complement of the Black man (knowledge). Wisdom represents the ability to speak and act from a place of knowledge, creating balance and harmony.

3. Understanding

Understanding is the clear mental picture that arises when knowledge and wisdom are properly aligned. It is the realization of truth and the ability to see things for what they are. Understanding is often equated with vision and is essential to achieving a higher state of consciousness.

4. Culture (Freedom when applied to 40 or more)

Culture represents one’s way of life, while freedom is the absence of mental and physical oppression. In the 5% Nation, the culture is I-God, which acknowledges the divinity of the Black man and woman. Living in accordance with this knowledge liberates the mind from false teachings and societal control.

5. Power

Power is the ability to influence and control reality based on knowledge and wisdom. Refinement is the constant purification of thoughts and actions to maintain clarity. Power in Supreme Mathematics is the ability to enact positive change in oneself and others, while refinement ensures one remains righteous.

6. Equality

Equality is the state of balance and fairness in all interactions. It represents the mutual respect and harmony necessary for collective progress. Within the 5% Nation, equality is achieved when all individuals recognize the God within themselves and treat others accordingly.

7. Allah God

The number 7 represents Allah God, symbolizing the completion and perfection of man. In the 5% Nation, Allah God is understood as the Black man, who possesses the true knowledge of self, the power to create and destroy based on his knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. This principle elevates the importance of self-awareness and personal responsibility. Allah is not a mystical or external force however resides within the Black man. Each Black man is the embodiment of Allah (Allah meaning “Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, Head”).

8. Build or Destroy

To build is to elevate and create, while to destroy is to tear down falsehoods and negativity. Build/Destroy represents the dual process of growth and deconstruction necessary to achieve a higher state of consciousness. The aim is to construct a righteous existence while eliminating harmful behaviors or mindsets.

9. Born

Born is the manifestation of all that has been built. It is the point at which knowledge, wisdom, and understanding give birth to new ideas, creations, or states of being. The number 9 represents the completion of a cycle, signifying that through proper application of Supreme Mathematics, one can manifest their reality.

0. Cipher

Cipher represents a complete circle, 360 degrees of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. It signifies the wholeness and interconnectedness of all things. The cipher is the environment in which all actions occur, and understanding the cipher allows one to move in harmony with the natural order.

Practical Application of Supreme Mathematics

Supreme Mathematics is not an abstract philosophy but a practical guide for living. It can be applied to every aspect of life—personal development, relationships, community building, and education. By understanding the meanings behind the numbers and their corresponding principles, one is able to navigate life with clarity, purpose, and self-determination.

For example, in a conflict situation, knowledge (1) can lead to wisdom (2) through the understanding (3) of the root cause. This allows for a constructive outcome that aligns with the principles of equality (6) and build (8), avoiding the destructive tendencies that come from ignorance or misunderstanding.

Supreme Mathematics is the key to unlocking the truth of existence within the 5% Nation. It is a comprehensive system that offers not only a metaphysical understanding of the universe but also a practical guide for righteous living. Through knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, the principles of Supreme Mathematics provide a foundation for personal and collective growth, empowering individuals to manifest their divinity and live in accordance with universal laws.

Todays Supreme Mathematics

Today's Supreme Mathematics is Wisdom (2) Cipher (0), being the 20th of the month. Wisdom Cipher emphasizes using insight and experience to shape and move within your environment, the Cipher. Wisdom is more than just knowledge; it's how you apply that knowledge in your life to guide yourself and others. The Cipher, representing your surroundings and the complete cycle of life, demands awareness, and it's through wise decisions and actions that you can build or transform what surrounds you. In this light, today's focus is on how you're using what you know to navigate your Cipher and make constructive moves. It’s about seeing where your actions can positively influence your environment and taking responsibility for those actions.

[ausetkmt]

RAKIM

William Michael Griffin Jr., better known by his stage name Rakim (born January 28, 1968), is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time.

Rakim is the nephew of the late American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown.  He grew up in Wyandanch, New York on Long Island, and became involved in the New York City hip hop scene when he was eighteen years old.

Rakim, then known as Kid Wizard in 1985, made his first recordings live at Wyandanch High School. Rakim was initially introduced to the Nation of Islam in 1986, and later joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), and adopted the name Rakim Allah.

ERIC B. & RAKIM

First meeting in 1985 after Rakim responded to Eric B.'s search for "New York's top MC", Eric B's friend and roommate Marley Marl allowed them to use his home studio. In 1986, Eric B. brought him to Marley Marl's house to record "Eric B. Is President".

Eric B. and Rakim went on to release four studio albums before their separation in 1992. The duo were described by journalist Tom Terrell of NPR as "the most influential DJ/MC combo in contemporary pop music period", while the editors of About.com ranked them as No. 4 on their list of the 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Duos of All-Time. They were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, although they did not make the final selection.

The first track they recorded—"Eric B. Is President"—was released as a single on the independent Zakia Records in 1986. After Def Jam Recordings founder Russell Simmons heard the single, the duo were signed to Island Records and began recording the album in Manhattan's Power Play Studios in early 1987.

On July 7, 1987, the duo released their debut album, Paid in Full, on the Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The album peaked at #58 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced five singles: "Eric B. Is President", "I Ain't No Joke", "I Know You Got Soul", "Move the Crowd", and "Paid in Full".[16]Eric B. & Rakim's album Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, while Rakim himself was ranked #4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time. Steve Huey of AllMusic stated that "Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs – perhaps the greatest – of all time within the hip-hop community."

The editors of About.com ranked him #2 on their list of the 'Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)'. Rakim began his career as the emcee of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, who in 2011 were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2012, The Source ranked him #1 on their list of the "Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.

SOLO CAREER

After his breakup with Eric B. in early 1993, Rakim kept a low profile, only making one notable appearance on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Gunmen. A reshuffling in MCA caused Rakim to be dropped from the label in 1994. As Rakim continued to struggle with legal problems, he secured a deal with Universal Records and began recording his solo debut album The 18th Letter in 1996. In November 1997, the album The 18th Letter was released. Expectations were high for Rakim, as the album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and went certified Gold by the RIAA.

In June 1999, Rakim appeared on three tracks of "The Seduction of Claude Debussy" by Art of Noise. AllMusic's Keith Farley notes that "the album charts the artistic use of sampled breakbeats -- pioneered by the Art of Noise themselves -- with nods to '80s hip-hop plus their '90s equivalent, drum'n'bass."

Rakim performing in Hamburg, Germany, June 3, 1998

In November 1999, Rakim released The Master, which received good reviews but sold poorly.

Rakim was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label in 2000, for work on an album tentatively titled Oh, My God. The album underwent numerous changes in artistic direction and personnel and was delayed several times. While working on the album, Rakim made guest appearances on numerous Aftermath projects, including the hit single "Addictive" by Truth Hurts, the Dr. Dre-produced "The Watcher Part 2" by Jay-Z, and Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack.

However, Rakim left the label in 2003 and Oh, My God was indefinitely shelved. After Rakim eventually left Aftermath Entertainment, he stated that the reason he departed the label was because of creative differences with Dr. Dre. Rakim used a metaphorical example that Dr. Dre wanted Rakim to write about killing someone, while Rakim wanted to write about the resurrection of someone.

[xxxjarchiexxx]

Key Developments

Palestinians entered 2024 with demonstrations in the occupied West Bank calling for an end to the Israeli carnage in Gaza, as thousands throughout the world joined a call for a ceasefire as the clock struck 12. 

As some countries canceled New Year’s Eve celebrations, others, like Turkey, saw mass gatherings in solidarity with Palestine. Activists in the U.S. are calling for a national week of action.

Israeli forces continued to bombard Gaza in the final hours of 2023, killing 156 Palestinians in the span of 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Palestinian armed groups launched a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv and its surroundings at midnight, “in response to the massacres of civilians.” 

Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich calls for more than 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants to be forcibly displaced after the war, as former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair denies reports that he was tapped to mediate efforts to send Palestinians to Western countries. 

Meanwhile, fellow Israeli settler and minister Itamar Ben-Gvir complains that the Israel Prison Service, already accused of beating, torturing, and mistreating Palestinian prisoners, had not complied with his orders to starve prisoners allegedly involved in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. 

The Israeli army pulls out five brigades from combat in Gaza in alleged strategic decision, as army officials say the war could continue long into 2024.

Israeli media reports that Israeli officials are very worried that the ICJ might find Tel Aviv guilty of genocide.

The Israeli army detains at least 32 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank overnight.

The U.S. Navy kills 10 Ansar Allah fighters in the Red Sea, as Iran sends warship to the key maritime area.

via Mondoweiss || Jan 1 2024

[janaelshamashergi]

Assignment 1

Khalik Allah’s photography is mainly portrait photography, as he focuses on photographing the less privileged people who are not usually given the basic recognition that humans need and are overlooked by almost everyone. Moreover, the genre of photography that Allah photographs is portrait photography, as according to Arts Institutes, the aim of portrait photography is to capture the character of a certain person or group of people ( Schumacher, 2018). He focuses on photographing the Five-Percent Nation, which is a movement that represents five percent of the population who are overlooked and need to be recognized by the rest of the world (n.d.).

He means to extend the light into peoples’ lives by photographing them for the world to see and not ignore them like they usually would. Furthermore, his intention is to help recognize them as members of society and for people to be able to see them from his perspective. Allah’s photographs help people establish a deeper connection with people who are overlooked,  which helps them in gaining the recognition they deserve. I agree that photography can add more light to people's lives since it provides a different method for educating people about subjects they may not have previously considered. Moreover, since they are easier to understand than other forms of communication, photographs are a more efficient way to educate people.

 Khalik argues that acquiring wisdom involves walking the streets with a camera and taking pictures of the things that present themselves. Additionally, he broadens his knowledge and self-understanding through engaging in street photography. Learning and development are the core of the whole process. People can learn more and become more knowledgeable about many different subjects by looking at photos.Khalik wanted people to know that people from less privileged backgrounds also have lives and feelings.

According to Khalik, the purpose of photography is to raise awareness of individuals who are less fortunate while also shedding light on their circumstances and the struggles they face. Additionally, it serves to raise awareness of the fact that those who are less fortunate should be treated with the same respect and courtesy as everyone else. Khalik also views photography as a tool for educating and informing people, not merely as a form of art.

 Yes, I agree that his style of photography promotes understanding since the images have great depth. Additionally, the participants' moods in each portrait depict people with various personalities, demonstrating that they are not different from those in other, wealthier locations. Additionally, the dark backgrounds throughout all of the images show that these people are all struggling to survive in the same awful circumstances. Khalik's portraits frequently use dark backdrops with people showing a variety of emotions, which mainly aid in bringing out an idea of the enlightenment of black people in particular. Furthermore, it demonstrates that their reality remains the same despite their best efforts in improving their quality of life. His photos contribute to eliminating the myth that black individuals in Harlem are not deserving of respect and recognition.

References

A. A. P. (n.d.). Khalik Allah. In All About Photo. https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/1285/khalik-allah

KHALIK ALLAH. (n.d.). In KHALIK ALLAH. 

7 Types of Photography Styles to Master. (2018, November 23). In 7 Types of Photography Styles to Master. https://www.artinstitutes.edu/about/blog/38780-v2-7-types-of-photography-styles-to-master

Papaspyropoulos, S. (2014, March 28). Street Photo of the week “Untitled” by Khalik Allah. In Street Hunters. https://www.streethunters.net/blog/2014/03/28/khalik-allah-street-photo/

Juxtapoz Magazine - Khalik Allah: Showing Us the Light. (n.d.). In Juxtapoz Magazine - Khalik Allah: Showing Us the Light. https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/photography/khalik-allah-showing-us-the-light/

[princenamor777]

Peace From Divine39A: A Man Called Allah The Five Percent Nation #divine39a

[liberty1776]

Jay Z’s New “Christian” Movie Has a Hidden Agenda

The movie The Book of Clarance, produced by Jay Z,  has been getting a lot of positive reviews from Christian sources. But many of these Christian media sources are unaware of the hidden agenda of the movie, that makes it clear what the goal of the movie is, and its hidden theology. This terrible film not Christian. It is based on the 5 % racist heresy. This terrible racist movie should be boycotted by all Christians.   

The Five-Percent Nation racist heresy, sometimes referred to as the Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE/NOGE) or the Five Percenters, is a Afro-American Nationalist movement influenced by Islam that was founded in 1964 in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, by Allah the Father, who was previously known as Clarence. It has nothing to do with real Christianity. 

[ear-worthy]

New Podcast About The Man Best Known As Ol' Dirty Bastard

 Most people remember Ol' Dirty Bastard as the stage-crashing, secret weapon of Wu-Tang Clan. A raw showman whose death left the world of music, and those closest to him, shocked and confused. But Ol' Dirty Bastard, aka Ason Unique, was far more complex. He was a man of many names, a God in hip hop, a father, husband, and someone who struggled with addiction and mental health.

Remarked Khalik Allah: "To me, Ol' Dirty Bastard is a legend and a prophet of Hip Hop. To lend my voice as a host to this podcast has been a true honor and a way of praising the life of one of the unique geniuses in music. Our lives intersected in many ways, from having mutual friends to both having been enrolled in the curriculum of the Five Percent Nation. Working on this podcast has been a privilege, and now I hope the world gains a new perspective on the short but profound life of Ason Unique, also known as the Ol' Dirty Bastard; the Brooklyn emcee stormed the 1998 Grammy stage and said 'Wu-Tang is for the children.'" The ODB Host Khalik Allah is a New York-based photographer and filmmaker whose work has been described as "street opera" – simultaneously visceral, hauntingly beautiful and penetrative. Khalik's passion for photography was sparked when he began photographing members of the Wu-Tang Clan with a camera he borrowed from his dad.

Through archival interviews with Popa Wu, who served as a mentor for both Ol' Dirty Bastard and Allah, and new interviews with Buddha Monk, Raekwon, detective Derrick Parker, Ol' Dirty Bastard's brother Ramsey Jones, biographer Jaime Lowe, lawyer Peter Frankel, writer and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib and more, ODB: A Son Unique offers an unforgettable story about Black life in America through the lens of a kindred spirit. The ODB podcast is produced by USG Audio, a division of Universal Studio Group, which creates fiction and non-fiction podcasts with series ranging from investigative true-crime to sports and genre-bending narratives. Novel is the leading independent premium podcast company making shows that go long on story, rich in detail and heavy on sonics.  Talkhouse is a Webby-Award-winning first-person media company and outlet for musicians, actors, filmmakers, and others in their respective fields. Talkhouse Network's slate of podcast series includes the hit show How Long Gone, Alison Roman's Solicited Advice, That's How I Remember It with Craig Finn, Santigold's Noble Champions, and Kimbra's Playing With Fire, as well as Listening. Subscribe to ODB: A Son Unique on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever podcasts are available.

[fivepercentgodsandearths]

Knowledge and Wisdom! In time You will gain an understanding!

[biglisbonnews]

12 Muslim Artists To Listen to on Muslim Women’s Day Whether you’re a hip-hop historian or a casual listener that’s heard an Arabic word or two in a Drake song, it’s hard to miss Islam’s influence on hip-hop, and, by extension, R&B. Poetry culture was popular in pre-Islamic Arabia. Poetry battles complete with creative insults (naqa'id) were commonplace and bore resemblance to battle rap culture. Rhymed Arabic poetry was fifteen meters; Al-Akhfash al-Akbar later identified a sixteenth meter. Hip-hop verses – 16 bars – are similar in theory. Upon the arrival of Islam, poetry retained its cultural significance, with the work of Muslim poets such as Hafez, Rumi and Omar Khayyam still relevant today. Much like hip-hop, their work spoke to the cultural, social and political climate of the time. None — (@) During the slave trade, large numbers of Muslims were enslaved and trafficked into the United States. Despite attempts to forcibly strip them of it, many held on tightly – and spread – their faith. Black Islam continued to influence generations of artists, including some of hip-hop’s pioneers like Afrika Bambaata and the Zulu Nation, Rakim, Public Enemy, Brand Nubian and other legends in the game whose protest rap was inspired by teachings from the Nation of Islam and Five Percenters. As educator and historian Zaheer Ali tweeted, “Because you can’t talk about Hip Hop without talking about Black Islam, which has shaped Black music from blues to jazz to R&B.”In honor of Muslim Women’s Day, we’re showcasing 12 talented Muslim artists (masha’Allah!) that deserve a spot on your playlist – and asked a few how their faith impacts their work. 1. SZASongstress SZA was born to a Muslim father and a Christian mother. She was raised Muslim and pays homage to Islam in her stage name. SZA is an acronym derived from the Supreme Alphabet that stands for “Sovereign Zig-Zag Allah.” The Grammy Award-winning artist told MuslimGirl.com that she realizes spirituality is “super-individualized,” elaborating that “everybody’s journey with God, source, spirit, Allah, whatever you want to call it, is very personal.” She reflects that she did wear a hijab at one point but removed it due to fears about the sociopolitical environment in a post-9/11 world. 2. ABIRAbir Haronni, known professionally as ABIR, was born in Fez, Morocco, arriving in the United States at age five. Young Abir’s penchant for song began soon after the family settled in Arlington, Virginia, when she would listen to Etta James with her father, a chauffeur. Her singing career began with her doing guest vocals for rappers like Fabolous. Within a few years, she made her debut as a solo artist with the song “Wave” and made waves internationally representing Morocco in the Europa Song Contest.Abir tells PAPER that her faith “permeates every aspect of my life and work. It’s in the brief minutes before I take the stage when my team and I recite a surah to bless the show and audience, it’s in the lyrics I compose in my songs that remind me of my faith and God and what a beautiful connection. It makes me feel protected and loved at my best and worst moments.”3. DouniaMoroccan-American Dounia’s original claim to fame was being an Instagram model known for body positivity and thrifting. Dounia’s otherworldly charm helped catch the eyes of the right brands and people, and instead, she ended up working as a professional model for major companies like Forever 21 and Refinery29 before launching her music career.Dounia credits her culture – and Islam – as being formative for her as both an artist and a person. “Growing up with a foundation in God is something I’ve always appreciated,” she says. “My mother always had this trust in a greater divine force; a trust which I’ve also continuously leaned on in music, career, and life in all facets. I remember the daily prayer in my childhood home in Morocco, breaking fasts with a large family, and the energy of love, comfort, and authentic laughter. More than anything, these moments represent a culture that shaped me into the unique human and artist I am today.”4. NeelamNeelam Hakeem is the first Black Muslim woman rapper to be featured in Vogue Arabia. Born in Seattle, Neelam moved to LA, where she currently lives, at the age of 15. She reverted to Islam in 2007. Neelam’s witty bars and smooth delivery captured the attention of music industry majors like Diddy and Erykah Badu.Neelam confessed to Vogue Arabia that she “never felt like I was fully ready to commit to hijab.” In an interview with Amaliah, she cites Muslim Women’s Day as inspiration for her decision to cover and ultimately launch her music career: “Social media is honestly what influenced me to wear modest fashion. On Muslim Women’s Day, I went through the hashtag and became inspired by all the beautiful and confident women and girls who displayed their modesty in such a gorgeous way. That day I decided to dress modestly and wear the hijab, wraps, and turbans. When my platform grew and girls continued to reach out to me telling me how much I inspired them, l felt compelled to do more with my platform and speak on issues going on in the world.”5. ElyannaElyanna is a Palestinian-Chilean singer and songwriter. Coming from a creative family – her mother is a poet and her grandfather is a poet and singer – it was only natural that Elyanna start singing at age seven. Encouraged by her musical family, she began posting covers on SoundCloud. Her family then relocated from Palestine to California to help her achieve her dreams of stardom. Once she arrived stateside, she started posting to Instagram as well, resulting in hundreds of thousands of followers. Her soulful signature sound is a very deliberate fusion of Arabic and English.“I always want to make sure my music sounds different. Yes, I have the Arabic lyrics but at the same time it’s not so Arabic, [and] not so American,” she explains. “It’s in-between and I want to keep that happening... it gets everybody to listen,” she told GQ Middle East.6. Saint LevantSaint Levant (born Marwan Abdelhamid) is an LA-based artist of Palestinian, French, Algerian and Serbian descent. Known for his effortless fusion of English, French and Arabic, Saint Levant was born in Palestine (Jerusalem) during the second intifada and raised in Gaza. His infectious style prompted him to go viral on social media, skyrocketing him to stardom.In an interview with Arab News, Saint Levant described the jarring contrasts of his childhood: “...childhood is very meaningful. And for me, it was a juxtaposition because I remember the sound of the drones and the sounds of the bones. But more than anything, I remember the warmth, and the smell of...and the taste of food and just the odd feeling of soil.”Related | Saint Levant Signs His Political Message 'From Gaza, With Love'7. RotanaRotana Tarabzouni, originally from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is a US-based artist and pleasure activist. Her work centers on women’s rights and addresses cultural and religious taboos around sex, pleasure, body image and more, encouraging women to shed their shame and embrace what it means to fully experience living in – and feeling good in – our bodies, because only then can we partake in the full experience of being alive. See on Instagram In 2021, Rotana released a comedy special, F*d & Blessed. “This show is me finally saying out loud that sexuality is not bad. It is good, and in fact, holy. It is a gift, and a portal to the divine,” she told MuslimGirl.com. 8. FelukahSara El Messiry’s stage name, Felukah, was inspired by a conversation with her mother. The Egyptian rapstress shared the story with PAPER: “A felucca is essentially a sailboat that the pharaohs used to travel along the Nile River, and modern-day Egyptians still use them for transport – and also celebrations! My mama and I were brainstorming names that were both Arabic and easily pronounced in the West when she thought of Felucca, which then became Felukah. I started developing the Felukah Philosophy around this name easily… we falayek (plural of felucca) are artistic travelers guided by the wind. The ebb and flow of the universe that many call turbulence is necessary for us to continue sailing/floating. It’s all part of the process.”Felukah’s faith takes center stage in her life. She says it brings her a sense of peace and certainty, telling PAPER, “My faith keeps me grounded when everything else feels up in the air. I can rely on the unlimited divine love that brought me here, and know in my heart I’ll always find my way because of it.”9. ilhamMoroccan-American artist ilham had dreams of becoming a singer from a young age. A classically trained vocalist, she initially resisted going to college but relented under pressure from her parents. She applied to Ivy Leagues in hopes of being rejected and pursuing her music but ended up attending Cornell University. Post-college, ilham headed to LA for an internship at Capitol Records. From there, her dreams started coming true, culminating in fellow Moroccan French Montana signing her.For ilham, success is bigger than herself. “Being a Muslim woman in the music industry pushes me to go ten times harder than the average artist because I know how it important it is for young Muslim girls and boys to have representation, especially in entertainment. I want our youth to know we can more than dream to exist in these spaces. We are here. I do it for them. I do it for us.”Her faith has given her the confidence to succeed in a tough business. “I think being in an industry like this requires you to have unshakeable faith or you’ll get lost. I love music so much, and it has been part of my life as far back as I can remember. That comes from a pure space, but the reality is not everyone will have pure intentions. My faith allows me to stay grounded when faced with circumstances and situations that conflict with my moral compass. In fact, it’s safe to say most people are trifling AF in this industry, so leaning on my faith is what keeps me going and motivated to achieve my goals as an artist,” she expressed to PAPER.10. NemahsisNemah Hasan’s clever wordplay should be evident from her stage name, Nemahsis. The Palestinian-born, Canada-raised crooner quickly gained a massive social media following for her fashion and beauty looks. She started showcasing her vocal prowess by posting covers on social media before releasing her original single “What If I Took It Off For You?” in 2021. Within a few months, she dropped her sophomore single, “Paper Thin” – a powerful song about her struggles with self-acceptance.11. Ain’t AfraidAin’t Afraid made their debut as musicians in June 2020. Twin sisters Inah and Yahzi have been singing since they were just two years old. The dynamic duo says their mission is to “empower, inspire, and motivate people all over the world.” Their music is a testament to their mission; in less than a year, Ain’t Afraid racked up millions of streams. The multitalented twins are creative souls, with talents including spoken word, dance, fashion, and creative direction, in addition to their music. Advocacy and allyship are at the center of their artistry and creative endeavors. Their work has been featured in HypeBae, GQ Middle East, Vogue Arabia and more. They are currently part of Meta’s “We the Culture” program committed to empowering and elevating Black creators. 12. NarcyYassin Alsalman, known to hip-hop heads as “Narcy,” is an Iraqi-Canadian rapper, writer, and professor. Alsalman teaches at Montreal’s Concordia University, where his curriculum focuses on music as a vessel for social change, as well as media and narrative. His work has been featured on the Netflix show Mo, as well as in the movies Voices of Iraq and Furious 7. His credits include collabs with Shadia Mansour and Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def).Narcy remains true to his roots on his tracks, often weaving in references to his faith. When we asked Narcy about his influences, Islam was undoubtedly at the forefront. “Islam directly impacts my creativity,” he tells PAPER. “I always start with intention whenever I have a show, studio session, creative build, or project. I think about what reverberations my words might have without literally censoring myself. Islam being my science of life, it permeates all my public works, from education to music and video.”If you’d like to read more on Islam’s influence on hip hop, check out Dr. Su'ad Abdul Khabeer’s book, Muslim Cool.Photos via Getty https://www.papermag.com/muslim-womens-day-artists-2659659843.html

[nationofgodsandearths]

Watch "P.E.A.C.E. Course session 9/2/21 (instructed by Sunez Allah)" on YouTube

[blaquemark]

Tenets of the Five Percent Nation

(1.) That black people are the original people of the planet Earth.

(2.) That black people are the fathers and mothers of civilization.

(3.) That the science of Supreme Mathematics is the key to understanding man's relationship to the universe.

(4.) Islam is a natural way of life, not a religion.

(5.) That education should be fashioned to enable us to be self-sufficient as a people.

(6.) That each one should teach one according to their knowledge.

(7.) That the black man is God and his proper name is ALLAH — Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, Head.

(8.) That our children are our link to the future and they must be nurtured, respected, loved, protected and educated.

(9.) That the unified black family is the vital building block of the nation.

[maddblackgemini]

William Michael Griffin Jr., better known by his stage name Rakim (born January 28, 1968), is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time. Rakim is the nephew of the late American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown.  He grew up in Wyandanch, New York on Long Island, and became involved in the New York City hip hop scene when he was eighteen years old. Rakim, then known as Kid Wizard in 1985, made his first recordings live at Wyandanch High School. Rakim was initially introduced to the Nation of Islam in 1986, and later joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), and adopted the name Rakim Allah. On July 7, 1987, the duo released their debut album, Paid in Full, on the Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The album peaked at #58 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced five singles: "Eric B. Is President", "I Ain't No Joke", "I Know You Got Soul", "Move the Crowd", and "Paid in Full".[16]Eric B. & Rakim's album Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, while Rakim himself was ranked #4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time. Steve Huey of AllMusic stated that "Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs – perhaps the greatest – of all time within the hip-hop community." A reshuffling in MCA caused Rakim to be dropped from the label in 1994. As Rakim continued to struggle with legal problems, he secured a deal with Universal Records and began recording his solo debut album The 18th Letter in 1996. In November 1997, the album The 18th Letter was released. Expectations were high for Rakim, as the album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and went certified Gold by the RIAA. Eric B. and Rakim reunited in 2018 for a series of live dates. Though Rakim hasn't released an album of new material in over a decade, his influence on hip-hop permeates the genre to this day. #rakim #ericb #ericbandrakim #musicthatraisedme #hiphop #rap #classic #legendary https://www.instagram.com/p/CPv_doULgCG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[creepingsharia]

“I Don’t Like Christians”: Muslim Persecution of Christians, April 2020

The following are among the abuses Muslims inflicted on Christians throughout the month of April, 2020:

The Slaughter of Christians

Nigeria: The first two days of April opened with machete-wielding Muslim Fulani herdsmen murdering at least 13 Christians to death. “[W]e woke up to bury seven people burnt to death  … from an overnight attack,” one source said.  Those killed “are mostly elderly Christians who were unable to escape as members of the community ran into surrounding bushes during the attack.”

Then, on April 7, the Islamic herdsmen slaughtered a pastor and three members of his congregation, including a 10-year-old boy.  The pastor, Matthew Tagwai, who was murdered in his home, is survived by a pregnant wife and two small children.

On April 10, the Fulani murdered pastor Stephen Akpor, 55.  “Two herdsmen came to a branch of our church, Celestial Church … where they shot him as he was praying and counseling five members in the church,” his colleagues said. “The herdsmen shot the pastor several times and then stabbed him to death.”  He is survived by five children and a wife.

On April 11, the Muslim herdsmen shot a Christian farmer dead.

On April 13, they decapitated two more Christians, in a manner that required them to be “buried without their heads.”

On April 14, Fulani butchered nine more Christians, six of whom were children, one a pregnant mother.  “They were armed with machetes and AK-47 rifles as they attacked us,” a survivor recalls: “They attacked our village at about 8 p.m., and they were shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar!’ as they shot into our houses.”  Thirty-three homes were set ablaze.

On April 16, they killed Sebastine Stephen, a young Christian student. “The Fulani herdsmen were over 50 carrying sophisticated guns and shooting sporadically.  After they killed the young man,” a survivor reported, “they then broke into the house of Mr. Jack Nweke and abducted him with his wife, leaving behind their three children.”

On April 19, the Muslim terrorists killed four more Christians. “Thirty-eight houses with 86 rooms were also razed down, while about 87 families are affected,” a source said.

On April 20, “A Christian farmer, Titus Nyitar, was shot to death, and his head was cut off,” an area resident said. Titus was “working on his farm when he was killed by the herdsmen.”  Afterwards they “proceeded to the village to burn down houses and kidnapped three villagers.”

On April 22, Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed another 12 Christians; earlier, the report notes, they kidnapped a couple as they were being married inside their church.

On April 23, the Fulani “killed two people, kidnapped another and burned down a church building that included the pastor’s home in attacks on predominantly Christian areas in north-central Nigeria.”

“What is the crime of these innocent people against Fulani herdsmen?” a local resident of one of the villages that was ravaged asked. “For how long shall we continue to experience this killing? For how long shall we continue to beg the government and the security agencies to come to the aid of our people?”

Congo:   The family of Batsemire Ngulongo Yesse, a Christian pastor and father of eight, who, along with 35 other Christians, was slaughtered at the hands of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamic rebel group that targets Christians, gave the details surrounding his execution in an April 9 report. According to his son,

[Islamic militia armed with machetes] came at night and knocked at the door. My father opened the door. They asked him why he had defiled their order of leaving Christianity and becoming a Muslim. He replied that he was raised in a Christian family, became a Christian and baptized in an Anglican church and he cannot convert to another religion. The Islamists threatened to kill him. He said that it is only God who knows the time of his death and if it is time for him to die then he is ready to die a Christian. Then they slaughtered him. I was in another house and I heard all that they were doing. When they had killed my father they left.

The martyr’s widow, who was hiding in the house that night, offered other details: on entering the house, “the people introduced themselves as Muslims….  They told him to convert to Islam if he wanted to live. He declined. Right there, they slew his neck and left. He died on the spot.”  The man’s son believes that the same Islamic rebel group earlier kidnapped his two brothers, whose fates remain unknown; he adds that “From that time our father used to encourage us to continue serving the local church instead of leaving as many pastors left the region.”  Reverend Wilson Kasereka, who knew the slain priest, elaborated on the overall situation:

The war against Christians has been escalating and people are dying daily… We have lost several pastors that have been serving Christians in Congo and we live in fear because we do not know when the ADF will come for us. We have many refugees … [who] need a lot of prayers and support.

Mozambique:  On April 7, Islamic terrorists known locally as “al-Shabaab” (“the youth”) and believed to be connected to ISIS, “cruelly and diabolically,” slaughtered 52 villagers in the Christian-majority nation.  Although reports do not indicate the religious affiliation of those slaughtered, Mozambique is 60 percent Christian and 19 percent Muslim.  The report adds that,

Militants have stepped up attacks in recent weeks as part of a campaign to establish an Islamist caliphate in the gas-rich region, seizing government buildings, blocking roads and briefly hoisting a black-and-white flag carrying religious symbols over towns and villages across Cabo Delgado province. The flag is also used by Isis and other Islamic extremists….  The insurgents have so far mainly targeted isolated villages, killing more than 900 people…  The unrest has forced hundreds of thousands of locals to flee and raised concern among big energy firms operating in the region.  More than 200,000 people have fled the area hit worst by the violence, according to a local Catholic archbishop, Dom Luiz Fernando.

Attacks on Churches and Easter Day

USA:  On April 14, a Muslim man with a history of anti-Christian hate crimes tried to torch a church.  Osama El Hannouny, 25, tried to burn down Sacred Heart Church in Palos Hills, Illinois.  Surveillance tapes indicate that he knew the church was occupied.  Firefighters quickly managed to extinguish the flames.   According to the report, “El Hannouny allegedly scratched, bit and spit at police when they tried to stop him,” and later “wrote a religious slur on the wall of his cell.”  Earlier, in November 2019, the Muslim man slashed the tires of 19 vehicles in the parking lots of two other churches (First Baptist and Sts. Helen and Constantine).  At that time, when he was arrested, he told police that he had damaged the cars because “I don’t like Christians.”  He was then released on $10,000 I-bond with electronic monitoring, which did little to deter his most recent church attack.

Osama El Hannouny (in mosque t-shirt)

Denmark:  Around 3:30 am on Easter Sunday, the holiest day for Christians around the world, the Vejleå Church in Ishøj was vandalized with phrases saying “We conquer Denmark,” and, in Arabic, “There is no God but Allah.”  Many Danes were reportedly “stunned” by the graffiti.  Police said they had surveillance pictures, but that they were not clear enough for publishing. This same church in Ishøj had been vandalized earlier, in 2015, when eight of its large windows were smashed by hurled stones.  Such attacks on churches in European regions with large Muslim migrant populations have become increasingly common.

Algeria:  For the first time in its history, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) added Algeria to its 2020 annual report on the worst violators of religious freedom around the world.  A portion of the report follows:

In 2019, Algeria escalated its ongoing repression of religious minorities. The government systematically cracked down on the Evangelical Protestant community in particular through a string of church closures and raids, including two of the largest Protestant churches in the country. The current crackdown mirrors the scale of past waves of church closures in 2008 and 2011, and has been ongoing since November 2017 and worsened in 2019. Officials have made arbitrary demands that churches cease all religious activities, accusing them of violating safety regulations, operating illegally, or evangelizing, or giving them other justifications for sealing off their places of worship. The Algerian government forcibly closed three of the country’s largest Protestant churches in October 2019….  The government of Algeria systematically restricts non-Muslims’ ability to register, operate houses of worship, proselytize, and practice their faith in other ways…. Ordinance 06-03 also limits proselytization by prohibiting anyone from “shaking the faith of a Muslim.”… These laws are actively used to arrest and charge individuals for proselytism, or for transporting or possessing religious objects such as Bibles.

Egypt:  On April 14, Egyptian security forces were involved in a gunfight with an Islamic terror cell ensconced in an apartment building in Cairo’s Amiriyah district, which is known for holding a large Christian population and several churches.  Seven would-be terrorists and one police officer were killed in the shootout.  Several ammunitions and automatic weapons were found and seized from their apartment.  The Egyptian ministry confirmed that “the suspects were planning attacks on the country’s Coptic Christians during the Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Christians, one the world’s oldest Christian communities, would celebrate Easter on April 19.”  Attacks on churches around Easter are not uncommon in Egypt.  On April 9, 2017—Palm Sunday, which initiates the holy week of Easter—two Christian churches were bombed during mass; at least 50 worshippers were killed and 130 injured and/or mutilated. Two days later, another terror attack targeting a Christian monastery was thwarted. On April 12, 2015, Easter Sunday, two explosions targeting two separate churches took place in Egypt. Similarly, on Sunday, April 5, 2015, as Christians were celebrating Palm Sunday, yet another church was attacked in Alexandria; gunmen in a vehicle opened fire on the church during the night injuring a police officer and two civilians.

Indonesia: Members of the Islamic Defenders Front raided and violently disbanded a house church meeting which consisted of about ten people.  According to the report, “Video footage … showed two men bursting into a home, Sunday [April 19] in Cikarang.”  One of the attackers, Ustad Muliana, was identified as a senior leader of the Islamic Defenders.  The video showed the Muslims threatening the worshippers: “One of them physically attacked Christians with a piece of wood,” the report says, adding:

Sunday’s incident followed a series of attacks or threats against churches involving Islamic parties or their supporters….  [W]hile Indonesia is officially secular, there has been a rise in politicians demanding a more significant role for Islam. Some groups, such as FPI, want to turn Indonesia in a full-blown Islamic state.

Greece: Muslim migrants in the island of Chios, according to a report, set fires and attacked police beginning on Holy Saturday and into the early morning hours of Easter Sunday, April 19, for Orthodox.   Although riots had erupted earlier, they were exacerbated by a false rumor that an Iraqi woman had died from COVID-19 in Chios, prompting the migrants to hurl stones at police; two cars, tents, a canteen inside of the migrant camp, and houses were burned during the riots.  It was later revealed that the woman in question had never even been infected.  Chios police arrested three migrants believed to be responsible for inciting the violence.

General Abuse of Christians

Syria: As occurred during the height of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, “jihadist rebels” continue to confiscate Christian properties in the name of “sharia.”  According to the report,

Christians in Idlib province face the injustice of jihadist organizations and violations by Islamic factions, in terms of applying ‘Islamic Sharia law’ to members of different religious communities. Islamic factions are clamping down on them and imposing levies ‘Jizya’ in order to force them to leave their homes to regime-controlled areas.

Pakistan:  In two separate incidents, Muslim men sexually assaulted very young Christian girls.  First, a group of Muslims attempted to kidnap Ishrat, aged 9.  According to the report,

The April 9 assault took place while Ishrat was walking in the street in Qutiba. There, a group of Muslim men approached her and asked her to convert to Islam and marry Asim, one of the men in the group. When Ishrat refused, the men beat Ishrat, made derogatory remarks against Ishrat and Christianity, and attempted to kidnap Ishrat. The kidnapping, however, was averted as local villagers intervened.  According to Ishrat, another man in the group named Ijaz had been harassing her before the assault. Ishrat claims that Ijaz followed her for a long time in an attempt to develop a physical relationship.  Ishrat and her family reported the assault to local police. However, after reporting the incident, a group of armed Muslims attacked Ishrat’s family home. According to Ishrat’s family, the group threatened the family with severe consequences for “creating hurdles to their mission.”

Two days later, on April 11, a Muslim man kidnapped and sexually assaulted Nadia, another Christian girl, aged 7.  According to the report,

Nadia was discovered to be missing at 7pm when her father Boota Masih returned home, and he and other neighbours immediately started to look for her.  Ghulam Sabir, a Muslim resident of Talwandi, heard a cry coming from a nearby wheat field.  There, Sabir found Nadia, who had been beaten and sexually assaulted, and her attacker Muhammad Shoaib.  He tried to escape, but he was caught and taken into police custody.

Iran: On April 21, Christian convert and human rights activist Mary Mohammadi was sentenced to three months in prison and flogging—above and beyond what she had already experienced—due to her criticism of the regime’s violations against human rights.  The 21-year-old presented her side on social media: “After suffering many types of torture and 46 days in jail in the terrible conditions of Vozara detention and Qarchak Prison [which has a “reputation for various types of gender abuse”], I have been sentenced to 3 months and 1 day in prison and 10 lashes.” Mary added that she was sentenced for protesting “against the slaughter of human beings” and for displaying “sympathy for the families of those who perished on the Ukraine airline crash.”  During her hearing, the judge harassed her about her conversion to Christianity even though charges against her had nothing to do with religion.   In 2017, Mary spent more than six months in prison for attending an unground church meeting.

Uganda:  In two separate instances, Muslims savagely beat two women—a six-month pregnant woman for converting to Christianity, and a Christian girl for evangelizing.

After converting to Christianity and attending church for six weeks, Sylvia Shamimu Nabafa, 27, was spotted by a Muslim neighbor leaving church.  He told her father, Haji Juma Suleiman, who proceeded to interrogate his daughter, then six months pregnant:  “I did not respond,” she recalls. “He began hitting me with kicks and blows.  He then took a blunt object and hit my right leg. I started bleeding, and the next thing I knew, I found myself in the hospital bed at Palissa Health Centre.”  She was discharged six weeks later.  [delete?] According to local church elder, “At the moment she needs support and encouragements as she recalls the ordeal she has gone through after giving her life to Jesus Christ. At times I find her weeping. She needs food, clothes, medication and hospital check-ups.”

As for Lydia Nabirye, the 23-year-old daughter of a Church of God evangelist, problems began for her after she shared her faith with a Muslim woman who subsequently became Christian.  The Muslim family of the apostate woman proceeded to threaten her life.  She took refuge with Lydia’s Christian family, where six other apostates from Islam had found sanctuary.  Then, on April 7, while traveling to grieve with a Muslim mother whose son died, Muslims ambushed Lydia.  “They held me and started beating me up,” Lydia explained. “They slapped me, and others hit me with sticks, saying that they were out to kill me because I was changing Muslims to become Christians.” An eyewitness provides more details: “[T]he Muslims ambushed, strangled and severely beat her. When she shouted and screamed, neighbors called police, and the assailants fled when officers arrived…  When I met her at her home on April 14, she was still in pain from multiple injuries – head, right eye and left hand injuries…”

Egypt: Several days after disappearing on April 22, Ranya Abd al-Masih (“servant of Christ”), 39, a Christian wife and mother appeared in a brief video, dressed in all black Islamic attire (niqab), saying that, “praise be to Allah,” she had willingly and secretly converted to Islam nine years earlier, and no longer wanted anyone—her husband, children, family—to bother about her anymore.  Her family insists that such claims are for public consumption, likely being made at gunpoint and/or even under the effects of drugs.  The Coptic Orthodox Christian Church added its voice in an appeal to President Sisi to intervene and “return our daughter,” whose own “three young daughters are heartbroken at her absence, as is her husband and her entire family.”  According to Remon, Ranya’s brother, “She was definitely kidnapped and forced to make that video, due to threats against her or her husband and children if she refused to comply.”   He said the idea that she had “secretly” embraced Islam was ludicrous, citing the fact that up until her disappearance she was regularly attending church, visiting and praying in monasteries—even fasting 55 days in the lead up to Easter.  “We are sure that Ranya, our beloved sister, whom we know so well, is not the one we saw on the video; that is a woman who is being threatened and coerced.”  After complaining that state security—which has been accused of complicity in similar cases—refuses to help, her brother wondered “What will we do about our Coptic mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters?  We are in an era when such things should not happen.”

Raymond Ibrahim, author of the recent book, Sword and Scimitar, Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

About this Series

The persecution of Christians in the Islamic world has become endemic.  Accordingly, “Muslim Persecution of Christians” was developed in 2011 to collate some—by no means all—of the instances of persecution that occur or are reported each month. It serves two purposes:

1)          To document that which the mainstream media does not: the habitual, if not chronic, persecution of Christians.

2)          To show that such persecution is not “random,” but systematic and interrelated—that it is rooted in a worldview inspired by Islamic Sharia.

Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of persecution, it typically fits under a specific theme, including hatred for churches and other Christian symbols; apostasy, blasphemy, and proselytism laws that criminalize and sometimes punish with death those who “offend” Islam; sexual abuse of Christian women; forced conversions to Islam;  theft and plunder in lieu of jizya (financial tribute expected from non-Muslims); overall expectations for Christians to behave like cowed dhimmis, or second-class, “tolerated” citizens; and simple violence and murder. Sometimes it is a combination thereof.

Because these accounts of persecution span different ethnicities, languages, and locales—from Morocco in the West, to Indonesia in the East—it should be clear that one thing alone binds them: Islam—whether the strict application of Islamic Sharia law, or the supremacist culture born of it.

Previous Reports:

[khutbahs]

Islam 101: Understanding the misunderstood religion

Currently, the Islamic faith is under tremendous scrutiny from all sides. I often suspect that pundits who deliver their ideological quips regarding my faith do not have much in the way of direct experience nor understanding when it comes to this tender subject. The purpose of this column is to communicate information on the needlessly enigmatic subject of Islam.

Islam is a popular religion. The faith has nearly 1.6 billion practitioners — thus making it the second most practiced religion behind Christianity. Nearly 23 percent of the world is Muslim. The faith is currently growing at a rate that is believed to be the fastest among all major belief systems. Unfortunately, the previous sentence might give some readers cause for alarm. However, these impulses might be neutralized with increased exposure to Muslims and knowledge of the Islamic faith.

The word "Islam" in Arabic means submission. Muslims are those who submit to Allah (“God”). The faith is not named after a particular people, like Judaism, or a particular individual, like Christianity.

Interesting side note: the word “God” is derived from the old Germanic word “Gott” or “Gud," meaning “to invoke or sacrifice to.” Knowing as much as we know about Jesus, or "Isa" in Arabic, he most likely never referred to his deity as “God.” However, there is ample evidence that the namesake he used for his deity had a pronunciation closer to “AaLaH” or “AlaHa," a generic root word for “God” in Aramaic.

The necessary beliefs in Islam are of Allah, the angels, the Quran (Islamic holy scripture), the prophets, the Last Day (day of judgement) and the afterlife. A pivotal belief in Islam is that there is an inherent separation between the Creator and the creation. In Islam, Allah is the one creator and deity, and his creations possess no holiness or supreme powers. This logic is extended to all of the prophets. We believe that the prophets were humans of the highest character and piety, yet they were not worthy of worship.

Also, since no humans hold holiness, we see no need to confess our sins to men, or to seek spiritual endowment from anyone other than Allah. Allah states in the Quran that He rewards good behaviors, among the most frequently mentioned of these are speaking the truth, being kind to family, honoring parents, giving charity, feeding the poor, freeing slaves and studying. Allah also states in the Quran that He punishes bad behaviors; among these are the worship of idols, stealing from orphans, disobeying one’s parents, cheating on one’s spouse, giving false testimony, committing murder or suicide, or enslaving a free person.

Interesting fact: the words "heaven" and "hell" are both repeated in the Quran exactly 77 times.

There is a profound degree of weight in Islam’s messages and, like all powerful messages, they can be used for depravity in the wrong hands. Many men, as we have seen throughout history, exploit feelings of fear, passion and awe to achieve the same old patriarchal end goals: autocracy, the subjugation of women and the suppression of freedom. This has happened with other faiths and other cultures, although Islam does not necessarily promote a single culture. The fault is not in the faith itself, but in the individual practitioners and the misguided outsiders.

This assertion is shared by top United States security officials. Current United States National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster states that terrorists are “un-Islamic” and that we should avoid the term “radical Islamic terrorism” because it is inaccurate.

In my opinion, the best way to neuter terrorism by self-proclaimed Muslims is to ensure that the majority of Muslims around the world have ensured human dignity and fair treatment. When groups of people feel that they are under attack, they tend to lose objectivity and are more prone to radicalization. When Muslims see the injustices being carried out in places like Syria, Palestine and Iraq, it causes many of them — us — to feel demoralized, threatened or resentful.

Under these conditions, the most brutal and archaic of voices in the Muslim world are granted credibility. This phenomenon is present across all societies, including the United States. The brutality here perhaps is not on the level of the Middle East, but neither is the perceived threat among the citizenry. Canada, in the minds of radicals, has issued the Muslim world few sleights, and as a result, their nation has experienced considerably fewer terror attacks than other western nations. Terrorism is unacceptable under any circumstance, but we would be wise to understand and limit its causes.

Back to discussing the faith itself — in Islam, practice is based upon five essential pillars:

Shahada: to declare one's belief in Allah and the prophetic role of Muhammad.

Salah: to pray five times a day (dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening).

Zakat: to give charity to those in need.

Sawn: to fast from food, liquids and other bodily pleasures during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.

Hajj: to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if it is physically and financially feasible.

Some other interesting nuggets pertaining to the practice of Islam:

Abstinence is to be practiced until marriage.

Mind-altering substances are prohibited.

The consumption of swine is prohibited.

While Islam is a strict faith compared to many other belief systems, an often under-communicated aspect of our faith is the great mercy of our Creator. Two epithets that we regularly use for Allah are “Al Rahman” and “Al Raheem," which translate to “the most compassionate” and “the most merciful.” Human beings sin, naturally — Allah understands, and He rewards our struggle and attempts at self-improvement. In fact, it could be said that Allah grades on a curve. The more difficult our fight to righteousness, the greater our reward with Him in the end.

A source of grave misunderstanding regarding the Islamic faith concerns the word "jihad," which literally means “struggle.” The concept of jihad revolves around a struggle for the greater good and the study, practice and preaching of Islam. Unfortunately, in the term’s original usage, there was a lot of room left for interpretation. While both suicide and murder are explicitly listed as some of the worst sins in our entire faith, many people imagine that some gruesome combination of the two ensures paradise and 72 virgins — I can assure you quite the contrary.

There are many ways to fight for the greater good; in fact, I hope I am enacting jihad right now.

Also, many people assume that the Islamic faith is hostile toward the world’s other religions. This is not so. Our Quran reads, “Rest assured that Believers (Muslims), Jews, Christians and Sabians — whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and performs good deeds — will be rewarded by their Lord; they will have nothing to fear or to regret (22.40).” The Prophet’s life mission, endowed upon him by his Creator, was to spread the word of Islam. Yet, when it came to the sizable Jewish community right in Madinah, he established a peace agreement with them and allowed them to continue practicing their religion in peace.

In a letter to the Christian king of Abyssinia, he ends, "I have conveyed the message and now it is up to you to accept it. Once again, peace be upon him who follows the true guidance.” He employed no harassment — and he was the Prophet. Muslims believe that they know the truth, when people believe they know a truth that others do not, they like to get others up to speed. However, many Muslims around the world today would be wise to remember the Prophet’s gentle and earnest ways.

Another source of misunderstanding regarding the Islamic faith revolves around the female usage of hijab — a garment often worn to cover hair. Many in the West have made the argument that the hijab and the burka, a garment that covers nearly the full female body, are instruments of female subjugation. While it is true that some men, like in all societies, attempt to levy control over what the women in their proximity wear, I would argue that the original and true purpose of these garments was to conduce female humility and equality.

Last time I checked, men like to see what women look like — and as candidly as possible. This ogling can have adverse effects for women, including the inciting of passions in unwanted onlookers and the disregard for female cognitive and personal abilities. Islamic scholar Muhammad al-Bukhari states that “a woman is married for her deen (piety), her wealth or her beauty. You must go for the one with deen.” This quote expresses that the quality of a woman should be determined by her character, rather than her beauty or wealth. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed his view on the very meaning of human equality when he stated that his children should “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Humility is an essential value in our faith, and it is not only mandated in the dress of females. Males must stay covered from their shoulders to their knees and refrain from accessorizing with gold or silk.

Contrary to the beliefs of many, Islam since the beginning has mandated women’s rights. In Islam, women have a right to property, education, lawsuit initiation, divorce initiation, alimony and suffrage. Also, falsely slandering a woman’s reputation is a grave sin — as well as spousal abuse and forced marriage. Our beloved Prophet’s own wife, Khadija, could arguably be seen as an original proponent of feminism. She was a reputable businesswoman who traded goods from Mecca to Yemen, had a history of turning down marriage proposals, asked the Prophet to marry her, gave charitably and was the very first person to accept Islam after our Prophet. We revere her.

Interesting fact: the words “man” and “woman” are both repeated in the Quran exactly 23 times.

I will end this article with 

Translations of some popular Muslim phrases:

Assalam Alaikom — “Peace be upon you.” — This phrase is a common greeting.

Allahu Akbar — “Allah is great.” — This phrase can be said out loud or simply thought of on a regular basis.

Alhamdulillah — “Praise be to Allah.” — This phrase is commonly used to express satisfaction with life.

Inshallah — “If Allah wills.” — This phrase is commonly used when Muslims plan or ponder future events.

Bismillah — “In the name of Allah.” — This phrase is commonly used before a Muslim starts something.

Subhanallah — “Glory to Allah.” — This phrase is commonly used to express amazement in regard to things.

Mashallah — “God has willed.” — This phrase is commonly used to express amazement in regard to human achievement.

La ilaha illa Allah — “There is no god but Allah.” — This phrase can used at any time.