How Long is Your Hand?

A'ishah, radiAllahu anha, was reported to have said...

Some of the wives of the Prophet (salAllahu 'alayhi wasallam) asked him, "Who amongst you will be the first to follow you (die after you)?" He said, "Whoever has the longest hand." So they started measuring their hands with a stick and Sawdah's hand turned out to be the longest. When Zainab bint Jahsh died first, we came to know that the long hand was a symbol of practicing charity, so she was the first to follow the Prophet (salAllahu 'alayhi wasallam) as she used to love to practice charity.

Al Bukhari (1221) and Muslim (4490)

This story does not only show how good charity is, but it's yet another example of the sweetness and wisdom of the speech of our Prophet, salAllahu 'alayhi wasallam. If he were to straight out tell them 'the one who gives the most charity will follow me first', they could have stretched their charity just for that sake, forgetting where their real intentions should be. But the real meaning of these words became apparent to them after-the-fact.

Never belittle any charity, and that's not just monetary, charity goes way beyond that.

Oops..

I really haven't been here since September?
My bad.. =/

As salaamu alaikum =)

Ramadan Drummer

Mohammad Boota, a Ramadan drummer in Brooklyn, plays to wake Muslims before their daily fast.

This is why you don't get tattoos...

I have a lot of old high school friends added on facebook, but I don't usually go to their pages. One friend mentioned in her status that she got a new tattoo and out of curiosity I wanted to see what it was.

I was surprised when I enlarged the pic to see a mess of Arabic letters on her shoulder. It was supposed to say 'black beauty' in Arabic... however, it looked more like this:

د و س ا ب ا ل ا م ج ل ا

That's exactly how it looks... spaces and all. The letters aren't even connected. The best I can make out is that maybe it said al-jamaal something. I asked her who translated it and she said her and a friend looked it up on a free translating site. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! LOL!! You're gonna put something on your body which will be there forever and you rely on some site to do it for you?? I feel bad for her, but hey, this is why you DON'T get tattoos. This is almost as bad as the girl I know who got her name tattooed in huge letters on her back, without giving the artist the spelling of her name... so instead of saying Juajnita it said Huaneeta hahaha! I shouldn't laugh... it's really sad.. but... wowwww..

The Souq's Free Eid Giveaway *update*

Alhamdulillah we have 60 subscribers, but need over 100 to do the giveaway.

Some brothers have expressed interest in subscribing, so the prize for brothers is $12 worth of halal snacks, yummm.

Again for those who don't know, www.shopthesouq.com will be giving away from free items to 3 random people on the 15th inshaAllah, so you have until then to enter! All you need to do is go to the site and simply subscribe to our newsletter and you'll be put into the raffle! Tell your friends, spread the word, if we don't get enough people we can't do the giveaway, boo.

Oh, we're also giving some things away free, for orders placed before the 18th... but we're already running out of free items, so act fast!

All pPrizes are from a wide selection of...
-An assortment of hijabs
-Swarovski crystal hijab pins (ooh la la) and other accessories
-Halal snacks: halal Doritos, halal Starbursts, and more!

Eid Giveaway! Free hijab, pin, and halal snack!

Alhamdulillah my website is finally up and running. For those of you who didn't know, I've been selling hijabs and accessories, as well as halal snacks and candies.

I'm having an Eid Giveaway inshaAllah, to enter just sign up for The Souq's newsletter on the website, but do so before the deadline!

www.SHOPTHESOUQ.com

Spread the word like buttaaaa =)

THIS is a Terrorist.

"A Muslim-hating Long Island man threatened to murder two women wearing traditional Islamic robes, then tried to run them over at a gas station, police said yesterday..." (click to read the rest of the article)

"She's lying... she's trying to fit in"

The other night my husband and I went to a masjid in the next town for Taraweeh salah. The masjid is dominantly Egyptian with some other Arabs and few Somalis. After the first 4 raka'at the Imam gave a short talk - in Arabic. Since I couldn't understand and no one seemed to be translating for the sisters (pshh, no one was even listening!) I took a Qur'an and sat in a corner reading.

A sister with her friend came and sat near me and after a while one of them tapped me on the shoulder, "Excuse me sister, I think your friend is trying to get your attention".

"My friend?" I asked her, thinking no one even talks to me when I go to that masjid... at least they do answer my salaams though. She pointed to 2 Indian women, a mother and daughter, sticking out like a sore thumb among a sea of Arabs. They were staring dead at me. They smiled at me, and I smiled back slightly shaking my head. They probably thought I was Indian. They must have been happy thinking they finally found someone of "their own kind" at the masjid.

After the rest of salah and witr during the mad dash to make it out the door they pulled through the crowd towards me. The daughter said salaam to me and then said "Aap.." something something in Urdu, probably asking, 'Are you from Pakistan?'

I looked at her and said, "I only speak English.."

Her mother asked, "WHY?"

"Because that's the only language I know.."

"Are you Pakistani?" the daughter finally said in English.

"No.." I said smiling. The daughter translated the 'no' to her mom, even though she understood. She grabbed her moms hand and pulled ahead of me before I could even explain that I'm technically from Guyana, but my ancestors went there from India.

"But she's look Bakistani!" the mother told the daughter.

"She must be. But look at her, she is trying to be like them!" She was refering to the Arabs. "See how she is dressing in their clothes, I think she doesn't want anyone to know she is really Pakistani!" And they were lost in the crowd before I could hear more.

Seriously? How can you have that attitude after standing in nafl salah for 2 hours? They couldn't even continue a conversation with me after they heard my answer? It really irritated me for a while but then I reminded myself that it's Ramadan and I should just focus on that fact and get over some people who I met for a couple seconds and had such a negative way of interacting with people. Sigh.. nice to see the spirit of Ramadan is really reflecting in peoples' attitudes!

Ramadan `09 - Pics from around the world!

A villager climbs up a date palm tree during the Festival of Dates ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, in Buraidah, north of Riyadh


A Palestinian vendor displays traditional pastries

A Muslim madrasa (Islamic school) student looks up while learning to read the Koran at the Muthurwa Mosque in the capital Nairobi

A vendor carries a tray of bread as he rides a bicycle past a stall selling traditional tin lanterns known as Fawanis, used to decorate during the fasting month of Ramadan, in Cairo

A Palestinian Muslim man, decorates an alley of Jerusalem's old city with festive lights in preparation for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

Muslim women perform an evening prayer called 'Tarawih' marking the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia

Pakistani Muslims recite holy book 'Quran' as a worshipper cleans the ceiling of the Mohabbat Khan mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan

A boy holds sweets as he reads the Koran in a mosque during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Amman

A man prays on the side of a street during sunset in Kabul

Palestinian youth play with fireworks in Gaza City

A man sells dates in Amman, JordanA man sells dates in Amman, Jordan

A man takes a nap in between prayers at a mosque in Kabul

Muslim pilgrims are seen wearing medical masks in Mecca. The jump in swine flu cases and deaths across the Middle East has cast a cloud over Ramadan, with a plunge in the number of people undertaking umrah

Women look at a giant copy of the Muslim holy book, the Koran on display at a hotel in Jakarta

Men prepare food for breaking fast (iftar) on a street in Lahore

A physically challenged Muslim man walks outside a mosque before the evening prayers on the first-day of the holy month of Ramadan, in Jammu

A crescent moon is seen next to to the King Hussein Bin Talal Mosque in Amman, August 23, 2009

Female officers dress as Muslim women for a day

Police defend Muslim dress scheme

A police force has been accused of wasting time after three officers spent the day dressed as Muslim women in an attempt to improve community relations.

The officers dressed in traditional clothing and spent the day in Sheffield city centre with four Muslim women.

The scheme has been described as a "politically correct gimmick" and a "dressing-up game" by critics.

South Yorkshire Police said the scheme was designed to help police interact better with the Islamic community.

The officers wore brightly-coloured traditional Muslim outfits and a full-length black jilbab plus a niqab, which covers the face leaving slits for eyes.

South Yorkshire Police said the officers attracted "quite a few stares in the street, particularly from young children".

A group of Muslim women were also invited into police cells, a CCTV control room and shown other daily duties of a police officer as part of the "In Your Shoes" initiative.

I have gained an appreciation and understanding of what Muslim females experience when they walk out in public in clothing appropriate to their beliefs"
Sgt Deb Leonard

Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "This is an absurd diversion from real policing.

"People want the police out catching criminals, not indulging in politically correct gimmicks.

"The police are overstretched as it is without officers being paid to do other things than their real job."

Douglas Murray, director of British extremism think-tank the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: "Like most people who have been a victim of crime, I am amazed and flabbergasted that they have solved all the crimes so they can spend a day playing dressing-up games."

A police spokesman said said the aim of the scheme was for police officers to "interact with the Muslim community, learn about the Islamic faith and better understand their issues and the perceptions of local people".

Sgt Deb Leonard, who wore some of the clothing, said: "I have gained an appreciation and understanding of what Muslim females experience when they walk out in public in clothing appropriate to their beliefs."

Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick's family's home was damaged by a fire this weekend!

I came across an article a friend posted on Facebook and it linked me back to Imam Suhaib Webb's website where he wrote that Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick's family's home was severely damaged by a fire. SubhanAllah, if anyone would like to donate I have a ChipIn account set up where you can donate via PayPal below inshaAllah, and I can have the money wired to their bank account up in Canada. I won't have it up for too long so don't wait a while to contribute, and even $1 will do! Ramadan is on it's way, let's get in the sadaqa spirit more than we usually are in!

Here is the email Shaikh Abdullah sent me:

Sister Umm Yusuf, wlsm Jazaakallahu khairan for your support. My Daughter and family have sustained major losses and have no insurance. Any support can be transferred to:

took out personal info in case there are any creeps lurking on my page ;)

May Allah accept your Zakat and Sadaqah
Hasbunallahu wa Ni'mal-Wakeel
Sh Abdullah Hakim Quick

Click here to check out the info at Imam Suhaib Webb's website

Funny article about hijab

I found this in my inbox from back in 2005. It's an article someone whipped up about their observances regarding hijab. I can't remember where I found it or why I even saved it by emailing it to myself, but I thought I'd share!

Article: The Observations of the Muslimah wearing Hijab

It has been my personal observation that some Muslim girls and women do not realize the significance of hijab. Hijab is Arabic for protection and cover. Some people put a lot effort into their hijab, yet it serves no purpose. I am referring to the pointless hijab that some girls wear.

The first pointless hijab is referred to as the headband hijab. It is a band of fabric approximately 4 inches wide. It covers the back of the head and allows all the hair to be exposed. It doesn't serve much in terms of modesty, but at least it comes in handy in case of an unexpected tennis match.

The second pointless hijab is the dupatta, also known as the Saran wrap hijab. It covers all the hair, but it is totally transparent. Again it doesn't serve much in terms of modesty, but it keeps the hair nice and fresh.

The third type of hijab is known as the Mickey Mouse Hijab. It is when a girl wears a black scarf and tucks it behind her ear, so that her ears stick out.

-We now move to my favorites: - The yo-yo hijabs. The first yo-yo hijab, is the scarf that keeps falling down and needs to be constantly pulled back up....up, down, up, down, just like a yo-yo.

The second yo-yo hijab is also referred to as the convertible hijab. This type of hijab is predominant at any type of social event, i.e. an Aqeeqah, Bismillah party, Ameen party, wedding, etc. This is when an Imam or Qari comes up to the microphone and starts to recite Qur'an. At this point, all the convertible hijabs come up...until he says "Sadaqallahul adheem" (saying Sadaqullahul adheem has NO basis in the Quran or Sunnah and should NOT be said after reciting a surah). I'm not sure, but apparently in some cultures that translates to "ok sisters, you may now take off your scarves".

I'm sure this may seem odd, but what's even funnier is when people do not anticipate the recitation of Qur'an at a social event, and are forced to be creative and use accessories such as a purse to cover one's hair. I was surprised to see a women hold her purse over her head as "hijab"...as if the multitudes of men surrounding her are not a good enough reason to wear hijab, but some guy reciting du'aa compels her to hold a purse over her head. Her friends were more creative...one friend used her dinner napkin. I was also laughing when I saw the communal hijab -- two or more girls draped under one dinner napkin during the recitation of Qur'an. Her other friend was still more creative. She used her coffee saucer on the back of her head. I wasn't sure if it was hijab or a yamaka.....

And, people should remember that hijab is not just a protection from guys, but from a girl's nafs (ego) as well. It should prevent girls from having to spend hours in front of the mirror doing her hair. But, unfortunately, you see girls in front of the mirror for hours doing their hijab as they would do their hair, with all sorts of elaborate braids and the like. I wanted to go up to a sister and say "Is your hijab naturally curly?” I also felt compelled to go up to another girl and say "pardon me, but is your hijab naturally that color, or did you dye it?"

Well, the point to remember is that some people make an effort to wear hijab, but it is futile, because it is not fulfilling its purpose. It's like using an umbrella with holes in it. Hijab is used for protection from guys as well as from the girl herself, and should not be used as an accessory or for beautifying one's self.

Bus driver tells Muslim woman to 'take off mask'

Recently in Australia, a niqaabi sister was told by the bus driver she could not enter into the bus without showing her face, read what happened here

MashaAllah I really admire how sister Khadijah handled the situation. A lot of women would feel flustered and do as the man said and not enter the bus and feel defeated. Most of the time we summon the proper words and courage long after an ordeal is over. However, this sister stood her ground,maintained her composure, and didn't seem to get an attitude or be rude mashaAllah. She didn't break down, instead she tried in the best way possible to educate the bus driver about niqaab and let him know that she is just another average person.

"Boys ages 9 to 14 charged with gang-raping 8-year-old girl in Phoenix"

SubhanAllah, an 8 year old gang raped by mere pre-teens?! This is just so disgusting! Kids that age should be obsessing over video games, not making wretched plots like this. What saddens me more about this is the girls father told authorities "take her, I don't want her" claiming that she's brought shame to their family with what happened. She brought shame to her family? She was brutally victimized! She's just a kid! How can a parent say that to their child, in their presense, after she's been through something so traumatizing?? I wanted to cry after reading this! This poor, little girl doesn't even have the people she thought loved her the most right now to hold her and console her. Allah help us all! Ameen

Check out the article here.

Memorizing The Qur'an!

SubhanAllah, to memorize the Qur'an requires patience and persistence. It isn't something that comes easily to some, and neither is it something done once and put aside. Even if you memorize a single ayah from the Qur'an, time and time again you will have to go back and revise and practice that ayah so you do not forget it! However, the hard work and dedication put into it is more than worth it, because it is a glorious deed with many wonderful virtues. Let us take a look see...

Al-Bukhari (4937) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (SAW) said: “The likeness of the one who reads Qur’aan and memorizes it is that he is with the righteous honourable scribes. The likeness of the one who reads it and tries hard to memorize it even though it is difficult for him, he will have two rewards.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (SAW) said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord, adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honour.’ Then it will say, ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed).”

It was narrated that Buraydah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads the Qur’aan, learns it and acts in accordance with it, on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “Why have we been given this to wear?” It will be said, “Because your child learned the Qur’aan.”’” (Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/756)

SubhanAllah! Allah knows best who is worthy of what, but I truly feel my parents are more than deserving of such an honor in the aakhira, and anything I give them in this world cannot amount to such a gift in the hereafter, inshaAllah. I would love to be the one to give them such a gift !

Now, I see in my community, and also in many others, that memorizing the Qur'an is encouraged for younger kids... but not so much for everyone else. Why has memorizing the Qur'an become a phenomenon among kids, and once someone reaches high school/college it takes the backseat? What was it? ..something to pass time until 'more important' things came along??

It doesn't matter if you are male or female, 6 or 60, working or unemployed, rich or poor... this is something we should all strive towards. I know it's a big goal for some of us, but we really do not give the Qur'an it's due. MashaAllah I know of a 6 year old boy who memorized the Quran, and an 80+ year old Muslimah who memorized the Qur'an. A revert sister I know learned to read the Qur'an and eventually memorized it just by listening to the audio on her mp3 player and playing it in her car, despite being in med school! This is not an impossible feat, you just really need to motivate yourself.

Being weak in reading Arabic is no excuse, as quoted above Allah has promised (at least) DOUBLE the reward for those who struggle in reading and still make the effort to memorize the Qur'an. This is the PERFECT regiment for slow readers, because the constant reading will only help improve your speed and agility in reciting Qur'an. Memorizing helps in giving you an extra connection with the Qur'an. For those who have problems with focusing in salah, it gives you a whole new surah to recite. It leads you to read the meaning and the tafseer and understand ayaat from a whole different perspective! We really do have time in our lives to do this, saying you don't is an excuse. There's always something you can do less of or even do without so you can give the Qur'an some time.

So please, if you know 20 juz (parts) or just 20 words from the Qur'an... set a goal for yourself to memorize something! Do a page a day, or a week, or a month! Do something! Get your friends invloved, meet once a week to test one another. See if there are any qualified people in your area who can listen to you once in a while.... make a chart and keep track of how much you memorize. Start with a surah that appeals to you or one which you love to listen to or like the meaning of. Use the audio to aid you in your memorizing and reading. We have so much at our fingertips right here online to help us in memorizing, so lets make it happen inshaAllah. Allah has already beautified the text of the Qur'an and the language of Arabic that these surahs are poetry and aren't a language that is too hard to pronounce, mashaAllah these verses can slide off our tongues like butta!

Abayas for sale!

Okay, so I was looking though my closet and decided it was time to do something about the abayas sitting in there that are new and I never got to wearing because my abaya preferences have changed, and a few that I wore seldom just for Eid or so.

I took some pictures of them, please email me at lazeena.hosain@yahoo.com if you're interested in any. I'll respond back with any answers to your questions, abaya measurements, and shipping cost inshaAllah.

Purple Floral Abaya

This abaya is plain black, except for some simple floral patterns on both sleeves. The embroidery is accented with matching purple beads and multi colored-pearl rhinestones.
(Comes with matching, lightweight shayla, with the floral embroidery in 2 opposite corners)
Size: 45" bust, 49" hips, 54" length

CONDITION: Brand new
PRICE: $58

Sleeve

Closeup

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Green Ribbon Abaya

This black abaya has 2 rows of green and black ribbon trimming along the end of both sleeves and on the bottom of the abaya. Between the 2 rows of trimming are some lovely, green colored rhinestones
Size: 45" bust, 49" hips, 54" length

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $56

Sleeve (embroidery pattern is the same on the bottom)

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Rhinestone Vines Abaya

This lovely black abaya has vine designs on the sleeves and bottom made entirely of gray colored rhinestones. The design on the bottom is in a v-shape.
Size: 45" bust, 49" hips, 54" length

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $54

Sleeve

Closeup

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Black Ribbon Abaya

This abaya is made from a ribbed jersey material, giving it some extra texture. The bodice and sleeves have 2 ruffled, satin ribbons with a multi colored edged trimming.
Size: 42"-44" bust, 44"-48" hip

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $55

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Golden Trim Abaya

Black abaya with a golden colored diagonal ribbon, making it look like a wrap style abaya. There is also a golden ribbon pattern embroidered on the trimming, both sleeves, and on the bottom.
Size: 42"-44" bust, 44"-48" hip

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $55

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Maroon Abaya

Lovely marron abaya with a pink ribbon on the bodice and around the sleeves. To keep it from being too plain there are some rhinestones on the pink ribbon! Very cute yet simple abaya mashaAllah
Size: 42"-44" bust, 44"-48" hip

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $58

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Stars Abaya

Black abaya accented with silver stones. The sleeves have the stones arranged in diamond shapes all around. The top of the abaya has some lovely stars and so does the bottom right corner. One of the very few abayas where the stones seem stuck on REAL good mashaAllah.
Size: 42"-44" bust, 44"-48" hip

CONDITION: Brand new!
PRICE: $58

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Red & Black Beaded Abaya

This black abaya has red colored pinstripes and is lined with maroon colored fabric. There is intricate red embroidery and black beadwork along the neckline, sleeves, and across the bottom

CONDITION: In mint condition, worn once for Eid
PRICE: $52

Top

Sleeve (bottom has this embroidery design on it as well)

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Black & Maroon Double Layered Abaya

Al-Karam double layered abaya; the inside lining is maroon, and the outside is black with faint maroon pinstripes. The sleeves and bottom contains intricate embroidery in pink, beige, and maroon, along with a few rhinestones. Because of the double layer look, the top layer is "opened" showing the beautiful maroon color which is underneath.

PRICE: $58
CONDITION: Brand new

Sleeve

Bottom

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Black Beaded Abaya

Beautiful black, lightweight abaya with a double layer look from Al-Karam. The outer "layer" fastens together in the front. The neckline has beadwork in solid black beads and the underlayer features a small zipper. The "top layer" of the abaya has beadwork going down the opening of the abaya and the gorgeous layered bell sleeve has beadwork as well. This is definitely a fancier abaya.
Size: 42" bust, 48" hips

PRICE: $42
CONDITION: I wore this abaya A LOT, but it really doesn't show any wear or tear. The only problem is in the front some beads seemed to have gotten loose in 1 area. I went for a while still wearing it like that, it isn't too noticeable, nonetheless, I don't want to conceal that from you guys either. But it still is a really nice abaya mashaAllah

Neckline

Sleeve <3

Down the middle of the abaya

Missing beads =x

Shipping fee is on you, of course. I'll ship it to anywhere inshaAllah. Prefered payment would be PayPal, but I don't mind a check/money order in the mail either inshaAllah. JazakAllah khayr!

For those of you who haven't heard the tragic news already, here is the BBC article:

Egypt mourns 'headscarf martyr'

The body of a Muslim woman, killed in a German courtroom by a man convicted of insulting her religion, has been taken back to her native Egypt for burial.

Marwa Sherbini, 31, was stabbed 18 times by Axel W, who is now under arrest in Dresden for suspected murder.

Husband Elwi Okaz is also in a critical condition in hospital, after being injured as he tried to save his wife.

Ms Sherbini had sued her killer after he called her a "terrorist" because of her headscarf.

The case has attracted much attention in Egypt and the Muslim world.

German prosecutors have said the 28-year-old attacker, identified only as Axel W, was driven by a deep hatred of foreigners and Muslims.

'Martyr'

Medics were unable to save Ms Sherbini who was three months pregnant with her second child. Her three-year-old son was with the family in court when she was killed.

Axel W and Ms Sherbini and family were in court for his appeal against a fine of 750 euros ($1,050) for insulting her in 2008, apparently because she was wearing the Muslim headscarf or Hijab.

Newspapers in Egypt have expressed outrage at the case, asking how it was allowed to happen and dubbing Ms Sherbini "the martyr of the Hijab".

Senior Egyptian officials and German diplomatic staff attended the funeral in Alexandria along with hundreds of mourners.

Media reports say Mr Okaz was injured both by the attacker and when a policeman opened fire in the courtroom.

I conquered the world...

"This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction."

-Muhammad Ali

Deviant Sect: Ansaru Allah

A few weeks back I went shoe shopping (no luck, everything was open toed, and I don't do those...) Anyway, my son was running wild up and down the aisles and my husband was keeping an eye on him while I browsed around. A woman, looking like the average American, came in and was looking in the same area as I was. I said "Hi" to her and she smiled at me and said, "As salaamu alaikum." I responded back to her.

Just minutes later my husband went outside the store with my son and the sister said to me, "Lemme ask you something now that your husband's gone.."

"Sure...?"

"How do you live in that thing? Like don't you ever just wanna rip it off your face? Do you ever tell him you don't want to wear it?"

Of course she was talking about my niqaab. I laughed. "I've been wearing this before I even married him! He has nothing to do with this, this is between myself and my Lord."

"Oh... okay... so he didn't make you?"

"No, not at all."

"Aight, cuz he look like that reallllll strict religious type... like hardcore religious..."

I laughed again. My husband looks so stern in person, but in reality I'm the one who tells him what to do ;) haha. "No, he's good alhamdulillah, not strict at all."

"Okay, thats good. I took my shahadah back when I was 17, I was part of the Bushwick movement, you heard of them?"

"Yeah, but I don't know too much about them..." I could recall the term, but that was really it. I couldn't remember anything that set them apart from other Muslims.

"Yeah I even moved out to Georgia with them. But then they started getting into all this Hebrew type stuff... myself and my then spouse weren't feelin it, so we came back here. Maybe you've seen me before, I used to sell scented oils and hand out da'wah information by the monument in the early 90's.." I didn't want to tell her I was just a toddler at that time haha. I didn't want to get into a whole conversation about age, and I didn't want her to feel old either.

We spoke for a couple more minutes and then I left the store. I came back to the car and mentioned to my husband that she said she was part of the Bushwick community. It wasn't until he mentioned the Arabic term the group used to refer to themselves as that I wished I could have ran back inside to talk to her.


The Bushwick community goes by a number of names, and so does their founder, Dwight (Malachi) York. But they're most commonly known as Ansaru Allah, or the Nubian Islamic Hebrews. I'd never heard of this group until a couple years ago, when I got my hands on a book about them a couple years back. My grandfather had passed away and my dad went to clean through his apartment and found a book about Ansaru Allah which I delved into in awe.

Their practices were just so bizarre, and so was their founder.

In short, this group was founded in NY in the 80s by York, a self proclaimed Prophet. who believed he was 76 trillion years old and came from some unknown planet onto Earth in the form of a comet. His sect followed a distorted mix of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -with a strong emphasis on black nationalism as well. He yielded hundreds of followers, who soon moved out to other parts of NY and later to Georgia where they built their own communities. In Georgia they even built some pyramids and temples in their own community (known as the Tama-Re coumpound). As many cult leaders, he was eventually convicted in 2004 with at least 100 counts of child molestation. Though with him in prison, he probably has more supporters now than when he was a free man! SubhanAllah, and Allah knows best. May these people be guided to the true Islam, ameen.

I wish she'd said ANSARU ALLAH rather than Bushwick, or I wish I knew some people refered to them as the Bushwick community because I would have been all over her with questions!!

The book I have is focused on women who cover in niqaab, but it sheds light on some of Yorks teachings. It's written by York himself, he's written more than 450 books. Here are some excerpts from the one I have:

"These mortals can't teach you anything you can't look up or find yourself. But I am 76 trillion years old. I have seen many kingdoms fall and rise, nations fall and raise and galaxies fall and rise. Don't turn away from me. You have prayed for me for many years while in slavery and now I am with you again. Don't reject me. I am the way, the truth, the light, the doorway to our father - Allah most glorified and exhalted."

"Through radio, television, and newspapers he, the devil (CH), has promoted products such as Cover Girl, Revlon, Jerri Curl, and Jordache. Such diversions are designed to keep you, the Nubian (Black), in total darkness..."

"The Devil (CH, pale man) would like you to believe that Sarah was fair or as they'd say light skinned so they can justify their claims of being the descendents of the Prophets (PBUT). But that is why I am here to clean up the lies made by these lying devils (CH). No, the Prophets (PBUT) were not pale, they were all of Nubian stock as their father, the Prophet Adam (PBUH), was and as you are. Don't let the Devil (CH) trick you as he tricked your father, the Prophet Adam (PBUH)."

And one of my favorites: "In certain cartoons for instance, the term 'Salami Bologna' is used. This phrase is an outright mockery of the Muslim salutation - as salaamu alaykum!!!"

How he says Muslim men and women MUST dress




What the...?