Farrakhan by request....

Don, who is my loyal blog buddy recently watched this video and recommended it.

Of course I've seen it but I wanted to share it. I strive to watch and listen to each of of Min. Farrakhan's lectures.

I relate to this lecture a lot. The Minister's description of how the woman's feelings toward men changed when she saw her man tortured by the slavemaster struck a chord with me. The woman described, lost hope in Black men as protectors.  That happened to me in a previous relationship, to a lesser degree.

The guy that was interested in me worked at McDonald's and was the only Black guy there and allowed the people to call him "Homey''. He even had it on his name tag. From there I began to lose respect and faith in him as a provider and protector.

I didn't call him a ''punk'' but I began to treat him as if he didn't matter and as if I needed to be the one in charge.

Obviously, that one didn't work out.  

The point I took from this was that we don't always realize how we are conditioned to react in certain ways that have little to do with the person or the situation at hand. At the time I was considering that relationship, it was not clear to me what my future held. But I knew for sure that I needed a strong man with me who would protect and defend me. I wasn't smart enough to leave right away, this courtship led to a marriage that failed.

Only after accepting Islam and studying about our history here in America did I understand why that union failed. In part, because he wasn't leading me anywhere that I desired to go and he was not equipped to protect me there. But he may have not known how because of the fear instilled in him by his parents, who thought they were protecting him by doing so. Little did they know, they made him unfit to head a family.

I stand with Farrakhan because the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad can make MEN and WOMEN. Strong, brave, men and women who fear none but Allah. (swt)

Islam dignifies.

Tell me what you got from this snippet!  Great pick Don!

Muslim women uplifted, inspired by MGT Vanguard Retreat

Muslim women uplifted, inspired by MGT Vanguard Retreat

For the sake of conversation, I'll bite...

Ramadan Mubarak! (Day 8)

I get questioned a LOT about my decision to join the Nation of Islam and follow the Teachings of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

I tend to not mind the questions, but it does become time consuming. I decided to post my most recent exchange here and will begin directing people here to start and hopefully, get those initial questions out of the way.

So here goes....This exchange is with a person that I know who is a Baptist minister.

Q-Didn't you tell me that once upon a time you were Baptist? I thought I remember talking about it once, but can't remember if you did it as part of your relationship with your husband or if you met him thru it. Anyway, my question is why did you leave the faith?

Answer: I was in the Church of God In Christ (COGIC) in Detroit. My mothers family brought one of the first COGIC ministers to the city and set him up. We grew up in the same Cathedral as the Clark(sisters) and Winans families. I would say that my study of and practice of Islam is a result of my growth. I did not get the answers from Pastors that I needed to remain in any Christian church. Basic questions like "Where did God come from?" "Jeremiah 10-is this talking about Christmas trees?" 

So leading into the Million Man March in 1995 I went to hear Min. Ava Muhammad in Dayton, OH and this was around the time that Susan Smith killed her sons in the Carolina's and blamed a Black man. The reasoning and logic that she put onto that subject was fascinating and I knew that day that I wanted to hear more of that kind of teaching. (I was married to someone else at the time and went to hear Min. Ava on my own).

When my current husband and I reconnected, I knew he was Muslim but did not know that he was in the Nation. I had not registered into the Nation and was still attending a multi-cultural/Caucasian pastor/non-denominational type of church when I left Dayton. Once in Chicago in 1998 I visited several churches and the mosque and felt that was the best choice for me and my future family. I married my husband in 2000 and it was never a "requirement" that I join and he actually encouraged me to visit churches first. I had to ask him several times to even take me to the mosque, he wanted me to go on my own. After the first visit I knew how to get there and we never rode together again, even after getting married :o) We take religion VERY personally and both are responsible for our own "salvation". So I'd say that Islam brought us together "officially" because his lack of religion was the reason we parted back in 1997. 


Question- So the reason you changed from Christianity to Islam was because folks didn't answer your questions? You said you see Islam as an extension of your growth, so what has changed? Same God? Understanding of Jesus? Personal responsibility requirements? You're unique in that you have been a part of both. Help me understand the difference and thus the choice. Just curious at this point.


Answer - "So the reason you changed from Christianity to Islam was because folks didn't answer your questions?" - Yes! The Teachings of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad answered my questions and the social dynamics were similar to the fundamental COGIC that I was raised in. There are three Abrahamic religions and Islam is the last of the three so it was not a stretch. There is much overlapping in the three teachings. So I chose to stay where I found the answers. Islam honors all the Prophets of God (including Jesus) and the Nation has the social dynamic and justice quest that I believe should be tied to religion. I do not feel that I changed religions. I have always worshipped GOD and still do. I changed my worship practice.

Q-"You said you see Islam as an extension of your growth, so what has changed? Same God? Understanding of Jesus? Personal responsibility requirements?" 

PM-My study of the Bible left me with questions which is a sign of growth to me. My search for answers led me to the NOI. Only my practice has changed not my belief in God. 

Also, I don't feel unique as part of both, I don't know many people who are over 30 and not raised in the church. I only PERSONALLY know 2 or 3 people raised in Islam. My husband was raised in Catholic and Episcopal churches, I have a local Muslim friend whose father is a Baptist minister. 

People who didn't grow up Pentecostal don't always realize how restrictive traditional Churches of God in Christ are. And I like that. I believe that believers should have limits and daily practices to remain focused on God and His work and both the NOI and COGIC promote that to members. Also, I like teaching more than preaching style messages and I found that there too. I like structure and rules :o)




Photo: Me, my husband and our daughter who was born in 2004. This was taken after the Eid prayer in 2010.

The Lessons From The Lessons That I Can Actually Share :o)

What I'll say to you both @Awa and @Don, who commented on my last post is this:

My personal growth is not so much about the actual material that I am studying. It's more about the process. It's the fact that I'm devoting time to intense study. Intense study is when you stop at EVERY WORD that you can not define with your own words and look up the definition and then write it down so that it can become embedded in your memory.

It's the discipline. I'm awaking earlier just to complete the work. I'm exercising first thing in the morning so I'll have proper blood flow to my brain and organs for the day. I'm going to bed earlier so I can get up. I'm eating earlier so I can go to bed earlier. I'm planning my meals in advance so I can cook more efficiently. Get the cycle?

My new study techniques have allowed me to alter my daughters homeschool lessons in a way that she is retaining information much faster. And also I'm learning to integrate reading into to every subject. All because I'm studying something myself.

This can be done with any Bible study course, Rich Dad Poor Dad money course or anything you'd like to learn to understand COMPLETELY.

We can only share what we know for sure. And I desire to know for sure that what I do in my daily life is the best for me and my family.

Thanks again for reading these words!

The lesson in THE LESSONS

I've been really studying my "lessons". If you didn't know, many Muslims study and learn from a book affectionately called "the lessons". Many rappers rap about them and make sayings from the facts found there. The saying "word is bond" comes from this book of lessons too.

This recent dedication to intense study has allowed me to reach a great place that I never knew existed within me. I have developed the desire and ability to pay attention to detail and work in a much more detailed and precise manner.

My cleaning, cooking, sewing, instruction and business affairs all look as if completed by someone other than me.

I'm looking at my outfits, shoes, home decor and hair with new eyes.

Just getting it done is no longer enough. I want to do it all in the correct manner.

It's actually less work to do things properly the first time. Who knew?

Sort of Green Monday - Vegetarian Bread at Kroger

Happy Monday!

So I decided to stretch the legal limits of "Green Monday" today.

My entry is around bread.  Where is the meat free bread?  In my opinion, anyone who tries not to eat pork or pork by products is challenged most by BREAD and CANDY.

Both often have deceptive labeling and rarely have symbols.  So my recent hunt for Kosher (pork free) hot dog size buns lead me to this discovery.

My bread brand of choice is Brownberry/Arnold and in my area there are hoagie rolls but not hotdog size buns.  (You can do a zip code search to find products in your area.  There are not hot dog buns within 20 mi. !!)

However, I did see a new labeling system on Kroger bread. It said, "vegetarian".  So I went online only to find NOTHING about whether they are indeed meat (including pork) free.

So I emailed and got this response:

Dear Sister P:

Thank you for contacting Kroger. I am sorry that you are having trouble finding Kosher buns. Products that are labeled vegetarian contain no animal derived ingredients except eggs, milk or both. Vegan products would contain no animal derived ingredients. All of our bread products are vegetarian.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to us. If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to contact us again.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Diggs, Consumer Affairs

Reference: 9154874

So, no animal derived ingredients.

*The above information is provided for informational purposes only and not intended to substitute the advise of your religious leader* 
(chuckling as I type but that was necessary for some)

What does Christmas really mean?

The older babygirl gets, the more I have to ponder this question.

My husband and I are the only Muslims in our families.

We strive to live our lives as examples of our practice of Islam and very rarely talk "against" the practices our families have chosen to adopt. What I try to get them to do, however, is think about what they are doing and why.

For about three years my husband has tried to beat my family and his over the head with Jeremiah 10:2-5. He asks them what is means and most say it is a general reference to idolotry. We believe it is a condemnation of the people who decorate and worship the tree and it warns us not to do the same. So if you think you can have a tree up and not worship it, I guess you can do it. But are you really sure you are NOT worshipping the tree and the gifts? How can you be sure? Those are the real questions.

This year we are in LasVegas for the holidays. Two weeks here to be exact.

On Christmas Eve my sister in law and her family were still putting ornaments on the tree and I asked my daughter not to join them. She was cool, the fam was cool. End of Round 1.

Her husband is a minister, so I asked what I could expect on Christmas day. Prayer? Devotion? Any religious practice? He said, No. Hmmm? Muslims are taught to stop 5 times each day for the rememberence of Allah and on this one day, we have no time set aside? My sister is a minister as well and there is no family devotion on Christmas day there either. Though I am quick to remind people that Christmas is not the equivalent of Ramadan, I still have an expectation. I wonder why that is?

On Christmas Day, I awoke and my sister in law was cooking. Gifts sat under the tree, people lazily awakened and about 3 hours after stirring my brother in law asks the family to gather (we're in his home). He said he had an empty feeling and he knew what it was, he wanted to lead us in prayer and said that it was prompted by my question, "How do you worship on Christmas?" Before opening gifts, he said he honestly wondered how this was going to work with our new family dynamic. He is a Christian minister, we are Muslims and my other sister-in-law recently married so here come a whole lot of traditions and customs and no one took the lead.

We decided that we have to create our own tradition for this day we call Christmas. We decided on fewer gifts, more devotion and more love for our family. (2 days later the children still have unopened gifts under the tree. Can you say toy overload?) End of Round 2.

We can't stop our family from doing the tree and wrapping paper thing, but we did get them to stop and spend some time honoring the Creator and teaching our children why we gather on this day. Partly we do because most are off work during this time. Another reason is that my husbands mother, the matriarch, wants it this way. She even bought our plane tickets to get us here. We can't boycott, even though we want to at times, because we are taught to respect our elders. I don't think that anyone thinks that Jesus was born on December 25. But we should tell our children why we think he is important enough to celebrate his birthday (if we believe this). Otherwise, lets just call it a family reunion and skip the decorations (my idea :o)....So we find ways to satisfy the requirements and desires of our faith while being good guests and physical reminders to our family. End of Round 3.

Ramadan activities and lessons for children

I wanted to do activities that were fun for Ramadan. I also wanted each activity to cover several content areas so that we could minimize "school time" since we have so much Qur'an reading to accomplish.

I am not creative but I am really picky LOL. I found this list and scrubbed it down to about 2 possible activities and the rest I had to search for or make up. What I found online was pretty redundant and I will be really working to expand these each year. I usually get my best ideas as we are working so I'll write them down and see if I can turn them into complete lessons.

Here is what we are working on and will post pics and lesson plan (including content areas) of each activity.

Lesson #1 - The Five Pillars of Islam - create pillars made of construction paper
Lesson #2 - Fasting and Shahada - coloring activities
Lesson #3 - Prayer - homemade prayer rug
Lesson #4 - Prayer continued
Lesson #5 - Hajj - Kabah craft
Lesson #6 - Charity - jar decoration
Lesson #7 - Charity - clothing donation

Ramadan Prep 2009 - Get my mind right!

Each year, since acknowledging my desire to become one with Allah I have faced a different challenge come Ramadan.

This year is no exception.

However, this year I am so determined to make this month easier on myself with proper planning.

Knowing that the day light hours are going to be long and knowing how hectic my schedule is that time of year I have to prepare mentally for several things:

1. What we'll eat and what time to prep each day.
2. Getting my daughter ready. This will be the first one she can remember so I want to include her in prayer and reading of the Quran.
3. I need some Ramadan crafts and activities for her.
4. Ramadan cards, which I have NEVER sent out!
5. Family Eid photo.
6. Scheduling reading times.
7. I plan to go back to the Study Group on Friday's during Ramadan.

Number 7 is the biggest one.  I've stayed away to give myself time to heal.  I had to get where I could better handle the things that tested my maturity, patience and fortitude.  I know more challenge will come but I think I'm where I need to be to handle them in a manner that will be pleasing to Allah.

The countdown to the Holy Days has begun: 31 days to Ramadan (estimated to begin August 21)

45 minute tam!

Social Networking

I cannot say enough good things about Facebook and those Ning groups.

I have reconnected in a meaningful way with some of the people I didn't even realize I missed.

The MGT in Chicago are the truth! With have withstood and stood for and stood against some incredible things and we are all better for it.  Being in touch with them again has made me dream bigger, strive harder and just be a better person. We could have been in touch before, but these sites make it so much easier to connect in places that feel like we are in each others living room or at our favorite Jamaican spot on the Southside.

I've been good, real good! And 15 pounds lighter...

I told you I was coming

I am getting more and more inspired to make my own clothes FOR REAL.

This sister is THE TRUTH in modest fashions for "us".

Confession

One of the first things that came to mind when I considered becoming Muslim was, "What am I going to wear???"

I know, sounds shallow. But that is real.

I had a seamstress when I lived in Chicago and this sister kept me "fresh to death" (how old school is that? LOL)

But now, a few years and a baby later, those garments are either too snug, too short or just tired.

I have resorted to buying longer tops from 'regular' stores and they are not right but I rock them since there's nobody here who knows what I should be wearing.

But the truth is, I'm not fooling myself. I don't feel good about myself when I am not wearing what I should. Tops that barely hit the thigh are not it.

I can't use the excuse that I don't sew since I've been knocking out projects around here.
I've done valances and garments and jackets and hats for BabyGirl.

So, I'm about to get my style back. I promise myself this!

Gone for a bit....

As I mentally and spritually prepare myself for the ending days of Ramadan I won't be posting. I am even taking three weekdays off work! I wish you all peace during these days and if it is the will of Allah, I'll return to posting Friday, October 3rd. Hold it down for me bloggers!

If you haven't seen the Muslim sisters on the b-ball court, check them out (from '06). It's my new favorite video.

Thought this was cool to see...enjoy!

A few days into Ramadan...

RAMADAN MUBARAK!!!

I'm feeling stronger each day. People often ask how difficult it is to not eat or drink from sun up to sun down each day (about 12-13 hours). The refrain from food is not the most difficult part for me.

For me:
It is taking the time to read the Holy Qu'ran (we read the entire book in 30 days, it is in 30 parts).

It is the not gossiping and slandering (which I shouldn't do anyway on any day).

It is trying to be energetic and pleasant though my mouth feels like it is full of cotton at times.

It is remembering to call on Allah when I am feeling weak in the mind and spirit.

I am feeling stronger and feel like this is my most successful Ramadan to date and it's not even a third finished. Please pray for our success as I will do for you.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Wishing a blessed Ramadan to those who observe. May Allah bless your efforts and accept your prayers, amin.

Weather condition.....combination rain and hail with gusty winds.

It's about to get deep in here. I go through these periods of growth that are usually painful to go through and equally painful to watch.

I have to get to the root of my discomfort and fear so I can get to the next level.

At this point in 2008, I have everything in place to make this my most productive and professionally rewarding year in history. I just have to get over a few personal and emotional hurdles/obstacles and I then I can run like the wind.

So I'm saying that to say...here I go. You can read along for the ride or catch me in a few. I hope to hear from you along the journey, but it really is my trip to take.

Before this goes too far - part 2....

As one who is striving to be a Muslim (one in complete submission to God) and is a member of The Nation, I am often asked about things that Min. Farrakhan has said.

If you check the store on The Final Call website you will find THOUSANDS of lectures and speeches he has given so I can't always confirm whether he even said what I'm being asked about.

But I do know that the Minister speaks very well for himself and in defense of anything he has said.

So with that said, I want to offer this as good information to know regarding The Minister's position on what the mass media is attempting to do to diminish Black people's support of Sen. Obama and also a chance to read something published more than ten years ago about the Minister's alleged attack of The Pope.

I wish you all peace, sincerely.

Ahhh...the weekend

I have been making a conscious effort to enjoy my weekends. Even the Creator took a rest and He knows I need one. I've been successful for two weeks straight. I only work a bit finalizing my radio show details for Sunday evening. But thats IT! I focus on my family now each weekend.

This weekend...
Hubby, Baby-Girl and I went to our local African-Caribbean grocery to buy as much of our groceries there as we could. We can get whole wheat flour, farina (for farina muffins, which are like cornbread just with wheat instead of cornmeal), parboiled rice, real shea butter and my husbands stinky soap, LOL. It smells good on him but on it's own it is funky. It's called Dudu-Osun. Oh and of course we buy Ting too.

Then we went to the Halal butcher. There we purchased some lamb. My husband goes into the freezer and looks at the carcasses (sp) to pick which we want to cut from and then they cut it for you right where you can watch. We got chops and some for a "pot roast". We brought it home, Hubby seasoned it and I separated it into serving sizes and froze it using my Food Saver. They have other meats and a grinder so you can pick your meat before its ground so you know you're not just getting random parts of something. We've been vegetarian for a while but decided to eat some Halal meats for a little change.

Then, based on what I could get from our special stores I planned our two week menu.
Sunday I got up early and hit the grocery store for everything I couldn't get at the other markets.

Over the weekend, I also got a couple more lesson plans written up. I'll share my lesson plan book soon. Hopefully it can help anyone who is homeschooling full time and for everyone else who SHOULD be homeschooling part time. (Even if you send your children to public and private school you have to supplement with your family's cultural and religious practices. And also a child can never get enough reading and math.)

Overall, it was relaxing and just chilled.