Our Mission

The Lighthouse is a publication by the Muslim students of the greater St. Johns
community, who in this newsletter provide a peer perspective on contemporary issues
affecting our immediate surroundings as well as a means for self-expression. Why The
Lighthouse? As the lighthouse is a prominent structure perpetually projecting light
throughout the dark night guiding lost ships to the shore, so is Islam, whose transcen-
dent message serves as the light for those who seek answers.
2
theLighthouseneedsyou!
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e
Light
House
Haleema Sajid
Editor
Sami Ur Rabb
Editor
*All editorials are the sole opinions of the writers and do
not reect the views of the Lighthouse Newsletter or the
Muslim Students Association of St. Johns University.*
Formatting Sta:
Maryam Sallam
Haleema Sajid
Writing Sta:
Amina Sanders
Carlos Perez
Fatema Elias
Fawad Piracha
Mahbuba Rahman
Marwa Khairy
Mariam Abdelghany
Maryam Sallam
Rana Ferdous
Shaykh Abdurrahman Ubaid
Whoever works righteousness whether male or
female while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic
Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life
(in this world with respect, contentment and lawful
provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in
proportion to the best of what they used to do
(i.e. Paradise in the Hereaer)
[al-Nahl 16:97]
Cover design: Asif Ali
Cover image: portwallpaper.com
Duaa
By Mariam Asma Sallam
I think that its safe to assume everyone has a
Duaa that they use when they are in need. ere
is one Duaa that I know I can always count on.
e Duaa we say when we loose something, Al-
luhuma Rab I Dullah, Hadidullah, Tahti Minad
dallalah, Rud Aallay Dullati min sultanikah wa
min fudlik. ere are other things that you can
say when you lose something. Some people say
Suraat al Doha and others simply say, Ina Lillahi
wa Ina Ellahi Rajaoon but I nd that the rst duaa
always works.
My father has a set of headsets that no
one is allowed to touch. ey are black, chic, t
perfectly inside any human ear and, mind you,
I would never pay the amount he paid for those
headphones. You know headphones, they are
bipolar. ey like to break when youre in the
middle of your favorite song, or when you are
running they fall out of your ear. Sometimes for
their own amusement they only play music in one
bud and not the other. ese perfectly chic Bose
headsets did not. I wanted them.
So, when I started to notice that my father
wasnt using them as much I began using them
for my own needs. ey were amazing. I trusted
them. ey never ripped, they t perfectly and,
they managed to make a surround sound system
in my ear. I loved them. I didnt want to give them
back and I wasnt going to unless my dad began to
wonder where his headsets were.
One day as I was going to sleep, I gen-
tly placed the headsets on my bed. When I was
getting ready to sleep, I picked up his headsets
to put them back down in a safer location, my
dresser. Just as I was putting my fathers headsets
on my dresser I noticed that one of the headphone
comforters fell o! I started to panic. I looked
everywhere! I moved my bed from its place. I took
all the covers o my bed, I took my clothes out of
my closet, I retraced my steps, everything. I did
everything!
Like I said. Headphones are bipolar. I
took a deep breath and I said to myself, Duaa id
Dullah while looking around. Nothing. I must
admit that I was irritated. I felt like I had formed
such a powerful relationship with this duaa that
I expected everything I looked for to come right
away, the moment I said it. I still had faith in Al-
lah.
e next morning, my father woke me up. Mariam, have you
seen my headsets Great! e one day that I lose the headphone
comforter, my father asks for his headsets back.
Uh I didnt want to lie to him, so instead I said, Im sure
they will pop up soon. I was saying that for my own sake not his.
e whole day I said the duaa, over and over and over again. I
still couldnt nd it. I prayed Sunnah aer Salat hoping that Al-
lah would somehow direct the headphone comforter to me, but
nothing. at very night I had prayed Maghreb earlier than my
family. In a way praying right when the Athan sounded made me
feel better, it gave me hope that Allah would direct my headphone
comforter to me. Because of my promptness, my father had to
pray without me. Everyone likes to pray in my room because
its the only part of the house that has carpet and its more com-
fortable when making Sajood. So, while he was praying he
stepped on a small piece of rubber. Aer Salat he came and
sat next to me.
While he was praying
he stepped on a small
piece of rubber
Mariam, where are my headphones? Why? I answered.
I was just wondering if they were missing something. HOW
DID HE KNOW?! Did you nd something? Now it was as if we
were playing a game of cat and mouse. He wanted me to admit
to my loss while I wanted him to admit that he found the head-
phone comforter without me admitting that I had his headphones.
Yes. HE CAVED! I found one of the headphone comforters.
Subhanallah! I thought to myself. I had never been so grateful for
this duaa. Even though I didnt nd my headphones right away
I learned a couple of things. e rst was that you have to have
faith in Allah. Allah will never leave your side when you are in a
crisis, even if its as small as you lost your fathers headphones and
hes going to be irritated when he nds out. e next was that you
must have patience. Even when patience seems troublesome its
always benecial. Lastly, I felt as though I had a connection with
this duaa. Not only did my father nd the headphone comforter,
he found it during salat! I felt like Allah was a part of my life.
I honestly dont know what Id do without this duaa. I say it at least
three times a day. Oh, and I didnt get in trouble for taking my
fathers headphones either.
3
4
Meeting the Challenge Head On
BY: Fawad Piracha
We must remain consistant and
seek the guidance of the most high.
[laurasthoughtsonscripture.blogspot.com]
The level of stress and anxi-
ety that college students face today is
unprecedented. is pressure is results
in several factors. Among the most
profound include demanding societal
expectations and the realization of how
much is invested in education. ese
are, in fact, the underlying causes of
increased concern or worry when as-
signments or exams approach. Indeed,
weve all experienced the fear accom-
panied with this type of pressure. Due
to the gravity concerning this matter,
it is necessary for us all to adopt a new
perspective in approaching the dicul-
ties and obstacles that we face dur-
ing our college years, and for the rest
of our lives. ere are many ways in
which we can better equip ourselves to
overcome hurdles, which we will face
throughout our lives. In approaching
every diculty we must rst recognize
with full conviction that everything
will only occur if e Omnipotent
allows it to happen. We must fully
embrace this idea and attribute e
Originator to even the subtlest occur-
rences in our daily lives. Contrary to
common belief, this is not a farfetched
mode of understanding. It simply
requires understanding and rm faith.
Additionally, the more we increase in
our accepting of this concept, the more
well be able to appreciate the events in
our lives. Furthermore, it is important
that we do not impute ourselves to that
which we accomplish. Rather it is best
to attribute our accomplishments to
the gracious will of Allah. Moreover, to
fully acknowledge that e Sustainer is
the one who bestows such bounties will
enable one to appreciate and recognize
the innite glory of e All Mighty.
e maturation of this insight will
eventually lead to ones using supplica-
tion as a means by which to seek the
bounties of e Provider. By adopting
these basic principles, in addition to
fullling the prescribed obligations that
have been set forth for believers, one
will be able to approach any situation
with little fear or apprehension.
It is apparent that faith uctuates. is is in the basic nature of the hu-
man being. However, by remaining steadfast and sincere with e Most
Merciful (fullling obligations, having a pure intention, etc.), ones level
of faith will consistently remain high. With this in mind, if one prepares
adequately for an exam or anything of that sort and then rests his faith
completely in e Most Great, the outcome will always be positive. One
will almost always be satised with his or her results. In a broader sense,
if one holds the rm belief that e Most Exalted has control over all
aairs and trusts e Creator in all circumstances, then he or she will be
able to endure everything with a more optimistic attitude. is is not an
idealistic phenomenon; this is the fact. Furthermore, when one crosses a certain
threshold in living in this manner, one will notice that things automatically fall
into place. For instance, if one, who abides by the aforementioned principles,
arrives late to a class the day of an exam, some circumstance will cause the
exam to delay so as to allow the individual to arrive at the exam room on time.
Its true that this may be the mere force of coincidental luck. However, when
one begins to notice these small occurrences, one does not hesitate to impute
the resulting optimism to the grace of e Most Kind. e regular occurrence
of these types of things will allow one to conclude that this is indeed a blessing
from e Watchful.
It is important for us all to increase in our level of faith and under-
standing. In order to do this, we must rstly perform our duties as believers and
adopt the ways that have been taught to us by our beloved Prophet (May Allah
grant peace and honor to him and his family.) We must then remain consistent
and seek the guidance of e Most High. By doing this we will be able to live
life with much less stress and anxiety. We will be endowed with the ability to
overcome any task. More importantly, we will be truly satised with the passing
of every moment, fully understanding the purpose of our existence.

We ask these questions with
hopes of getiing answers and we
prematurely conclude that they can-
not be answered. Hence, we live
our lives passively while life throws
lemons at us here and there. It is
during those moments that we feel
tested. We console ourselves by say-
ing, Allah never gives us more than
we can handle. And so, we pray for
strength to do the right things and
for patience to persist in the right
direction. After we have overcome
our hardship, we give ourselves
credit for remaining steadfast in our
faith and prayers. We set off with all
this new knowledge from the expe-
rience and thank Allah for helping
us persevere and for answering our
duas.
How often, however, do we
thank Allah for those lemons? How
often do we look at the misfortune
in our lives retrospectively and actu-
ally appreciate it? We are grateful
for the knowledge the experiences
bare fruit of, but how often are we
grateful for having the chance to
prove ourselves worth of Allahs at-
tention?
I did not anticipate waking
up with a broken foot one random
summer morning. I am not an
athlete, nor am I overweight; I did
not injure myself in any way either.
Seeing my bone in two pieces was
an incredulous experience. That was
the rst stuge- my denu. 1hs cun't
be my foot theres no way I broke
it while sleeping.
But the pain searing through my
foot was more than enough to force
me to believe it.
This occurred exactly a
week before the start of Ramadan.
Immediately I thought, Ahh! There
go my plans for the rest of my sum-
mer vacation! There began the
second stage- my anger. Because, of
course, I already knew that I would
spend all of Ramadan praying at the
masjid and reading the Quran at
home, I wanted to spend some time
with family and friends beforehand.
And so, it slowly dawned on me- Id
be sitting at home all day in a cast,
unable to attend tarawih prayers as I
had intended.
The anger dissipated within
moments. I tried to throw myself
pity parties with friends over the re-
maining few days; my foot was bro-
ken and all, but why let it dampen
the summery mood? Even the third
stage terminated quickly. Bargaining
with an injury was the silliest thing
to do. It only aggravated the fracture
even more.
All too soon, I fell into a
very deep pit of depression. And
I could not snap out of this stage
as easily. Ramadan began and I
found myself less enthusiastic over
the blessings of the holy month. It
hurts to admit it. Sitting at a table
and praying did not feel right. Lying
around in bed and not helping my
mother prepare iftar made me feel
sad. Alone. The walls of my room
soon felt like a jail cell. The pain
in my foot was agonizing. I spent
too much time crying for the wrong
reasons. But still, I sat and read
the Quran, convincing myself that
there was more to all of this. I con-
sciously told myself, This is a test
of your faith; never let faith falter.
Bone healing takes four to
six weeks somehow extended itself
to three months. The new semester
began. I had no choice but to move
onto the nu stuge o ucceptunce.
All the physical activity further ham-
pered the healing process. Before I
knew it, I was in excruciating pain
again and back on crutches.
And then came my miracle.
Some random morning late in Oc-
tober, Allah (SWT) blessed me with
the ability to walk normally again,
without my big old black boot and
crutches and the strong medication.
It did not make much sense but I
vus overoyed. l coud nuy bend
my toe. l coud nuy prostrute n
sudu, l coud nuy pruy on the
oor ugun. lt brought me to teurs.
I knew that my prayers had been
answered. Alhamdulillah.
My foot healing was a
miracle. But my foot breaking was
a miracle in itself. Sure, it initially
felt like a nuisance; the pain was
physically and emotionally drain-
ing. But looking back on the course
of events, the fracture troubling me
right before, throughout, and after
Ramadan was one of Allahs great-
est gifts to me. Abu Hurairah reports
that Allahs Messenger (PBUH) said,
For every misfortune, illness, anxi-
ety, gre, or hurt thut ucts u Mus-
lim- even the hurt caused by the
pricking of a thorn- Allah removes
some of his sins. And when is there
an even better time to repent than
during the holy month of Ramadan?
Continued on page 8
Finding the Silver Lining
By: Tasnima Nabi
Too often, we forget to be thankful to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala.
But what exactly are we being thankful for? Better yet, where do we even start?
5
I was sitting in the library at 2 am
studying for my philosophy exam; in real-
ity I was sitting, munching on snacks and
talking to my friend about how much we
have to do, and how many exams are com-
ing up. In other words, I was procrastinat-
ing as much as possible to avoid studying. It
always takes me forever to begin studying;
its as if I am literally allergic to the text-
book. In fact, studying frustrates me, to the
point that I always look for an alternative
to school because I simply nd that I am
not committed to it. But anyways, while we
are sitting talking, a maintenance woman
comes into the room and starts to clean
the room. Our wrappers were everywhere
on the table from all the stu we had been
eating, and I quickly went to pick them up
noticing the mess we created, but she told
me to put it down and shed pick it up. Un-
believable, I thought. I started yelling at
myself in my mind, upset that I could not
even keep the table tidy while sitting there,
that a woman had to come and clean up af-
ter me.
Who did I think I was? And why
is she doing that to begin with? She isnt my
maid, nor is she my mom who shouldnt
be picking up aer me to begin with. Af-
ter she swept the room and le, I talked to
my friend about it. Its 2 am I told her, shes
cleaning a study room at 2 am. I know, my
friend replied, some people have it really
hard, and some of their stories are heart-
breaking, people come from dierent coun-
tries and work so much in order to aord a
living and provide for their families.
Aer this incident, I felt awful. I
wondered if this woman had a family at
home waiting for her, meanwhile in the
middle of the night she is in a school clean-
ing up. I have it so easy, I thought. I am ac-
tually in school, attaining an education, yet
almost every day I nd myself complaining
about how dicult I have it. And how is it
that I have a chance at an education? it is
all due to my parents.
What we so oen dont realize is
how much our parents sacrice for us, to
have a good life, a good education. eir
support for us is tremendous and invalu-
able, and how do we repay them? Is it by
complaining about all our classes? Or how
annoying and harsh our professors are?
It is so easy to get overwhelmed by our
studies that we never even devote time to
the amazing people who got us there in the
rst place. When we get home from school,
we just want to relax, or we want to study,
but the last thing we want is to talk to our
parents, ask them about their day or lis-
ten to any of their corny jokes. We claim
we have no time and that our work load is
strenuous , which it very well may be, how-
ever we have time to go on facebook and
talk to our friends, or check our emails con-
sistently.

e point is, in the midst of
college life, it is so easy to
get caught up with ourselves
and forget everyone around
us, including the very people who put
us there in the rst place, and sacriced
so much for us for our upbringing. ese
people are the ones who will be there for
us forever- if you have problems or an issue
arises between you and a friend they may
not be so forgiving and things may never be
the same with you again. With your parents
however, they will always love you, even if
they are not talking to you for whatever rea-
son, even if you have a million ghts, your
parents will always love you because you
are their children and they want the best for
you. If you dont believe me, ask them your-
self. In surah Isra, ayat 23 of the Quran,
Allah (SWT) says: And your Lord has de-
creed that you not worship except Him, and
to parents, good treatment. Whether one
or both of them reach old age [while] with
you, say not to them [so much as], u,
and do not repel them but speak to them a
noble word. Subhanallah- right aer your
Lord tells you to worship him, he tells you
to be dutiful and good in treatment to your
parents! is stresses the importance of be-
ing good to your parents-to the point that
even when we are older we shouldnt say a
simple uttering that may be displeasing to
them. ink about it, these are the people
who raised us, who provided for us, who
have been there for us whenever we were
in need, and most importantly who have
made us Muslims- people on the straight
path, people on the religion of God, and
for this we are forever indebted to them.
Even if we dont have so much time to be
with them because of school and studying,
a simple smile and a kiss on the cheek when
we see them goes a long way- especially for
mothers. is warms their heart and shows
them that you care about them, even with
such a small gesture.
Our time on earth is very
limited-, the Prophet pbuh said:
Live in this world as (if you are)
a wayfarer or a stranger. And
Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased
with them both) used to say: If you live till
night, then do not wait for the next day and
if you wake up in the morning do not have
hope that you will live till the night. And
take (advantage) from your health before
your sickness and take advantage of your
life before your death. We never know
when we are going to lose them. What
we do know is that our time here is eet-
ing, so Inshallah lets all take advantage of
it and show love and appreciation to these
remarkable people who deserve the best in
this life and the best in the hereaer.
Image pg 9:sparkoope.tumblr.com
Presidents pic:(back cover)
prophecyacademy.net
6
[facebook.com]
One Girls Opinion

By Mariam Abdelghany
Image pg 10:shutterstock.com]
Muslims On Campus
Il dehnileIy laughl ne lhe voilh of line and
hov lo nake noie oul of il. AIso incieased
ne in ny knovIedge and iefieshed ny Inan.
AIhanduIiIIah.
-Aqsa Asif, junior
These evenls aIvays slienglhen ne as a
MusIin. Il cieales laIance, and ieninds ne
of vhals liuIy inpoilanl in Iife. Il piioiilizes
piaying and leing a good MusIin.
-Maryam Khan
Il vas good evenl lhal giealIy inpacled ne
ly ieninding ne hov piecious and vaIualIe
line is. As a MusIin, line is of lhe essence,
and lhe line ve spend on sociaI nelvoiks,
and such, shouId le Iiniled. I viII dehnileIy
voik on lhal lhis seneslei.
-Donia Abdelazeem
Al lhe heail of pioduclivily is peispeclive
on vhal is inpoilanl and vhal isnl. iolhei
Alu Yusuf ieninds us lhal MusIins pul lhe
evenls of lhis voiId, vhelhei good oi lad, in
lhe conlexl of a lesl lo deleinine oui uIlinale
fale. To pass lhe lesl, ve need lo ienenlei
lhal lhis voiId is Iike a iollen coipse. OnIy
dogs chase aflei il (iolhei Alu Yusuf). We
shouId nevei Iel lhe goodies oi liiluIalions of
lhis voiId disliacl us fion oui uIlinale goaI
of pIeasing Cod.
-Tawfeek Khan

...continued from page 5

What the Kubler-Ross model of e Five Stages of
Grief disregards is the fundamental idea of gratitude that Islam
instills in each of us. And so, I am grateful for more than just the
resistance and strength I have endured aer this experience. I
am thankful that I woke up that random summer morning with
the broken foot. Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (PBUH)
said: When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him
with some hardship. It may be dicult to constantly be grate-
ful throughout the experience, but it is never late to bend down
before Allah and to thank Him for everything in this duniya.
Every situation has its positives and negatives, and our
limited minds keep us from fully understanding Allahs plans for
us. We are blessed in ways that we cannot fathom, but it is our
duty to always be grateful for everything. e gratitude itself leads
us to an overall satisfaction and closeness to Allah.
So, what exactly should we be grateful for? It is easiest
to say that we should be grateful for everything. But a good start
would be to focus in on the things that stress us most in life- the
things that aggravate or upset us, and lead to unhealthy thoughts
and actions. Remember that life is a test and that Allah tests those
who are dear to him. erefore, while praying for strength and pa-
tience, also thank Allah for giving the opportunity to grow. Oer
sadaqa. And inshaAllah, those who are righteous will grow closer
to Allah (SWT).

7
Question: How has tonights event impact-
ed your perception of everyday life?
e MSA hosted an event about the importance of time in
Islam. Here is a reection of some of the members of the audi-
ence.
Hadith on Gratitude:
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet Said,
He has not thanked
Allah who has not
Thanked people.
[Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 40, Number
4811]
Thanking people is part of
thanking Allah
8
THE
FIASIB SIAXBAL
Shaykh Abdurahman Ubaid
Just a few days ago, reknown Hip
Hop Artist, Lupe Fiasco made a politi-
cal statement that would shake the heads
of many people. In an interview with CBS
show Whats happening, he made the
following statement: In my ght against
terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is
Obama in the United States of America.
For me, Im trying to ght the terrorism
thats actually causing the other forms of
terrorism. e root cause of the terrorism
is the stu that you as a government allow
to happen and the foreign policies that we
have in place in dierent countries that in-
spire people to become terrorists.
And while many people in Ameri-
ca would criticize this notion, Mr. Fiasco is
stating a valid and reasonable notion held
by many people throughout the world. It is
no covert secret that America is regarded
as the most hated nation in the world. Lets
not get it twisted or anything, Mr. Fiasco
like myself is not any less American than
any other person born and raised here, we
are just exercising our rst Amendment
right, the freedom of speech, to state a
fact. Aer all, this nation was founded to
opposed the tyrannical rule of the English
King and the founding fathers incorpo-
rated the Bill of Rights as a way in which
the people could check the government if
it ever over stepped and transgressed its
bounds. And we the people will not be
silent until real change comes from the
doorsteps of the White House and not just
cheap talk.
Talk is cheap and action is golden.
As, history has it not told but acted, in
the pursuit of our Americas freedom and
happiness, we have negated the liberties
of countless ethnic and religious groups
at home and abroad. We have wiped out
the indigenous people of America o the
radar, stole a whole population of people
from their houses and used their complex-
ion as the sole justication for their slavery
and today we spread throughout the globe,
waging wars in the name of ghting terror-
ism.
More than ten years of
ghting and still it continues and
with no conclusion in sight. Not
even with the most wanted man
in the world nally put into the
dirt or in this case, water. We are
still in Afghanistan and Iraq and
in Yemen and Pakistan, dropping
bombs and spreading bloodshed.
When will it stop? Aer eight
years of the Bush Administration,
people, not just in America but
throughout the world were ex-
tremely optimistic when they
heard Barack Obama speak about
the Change he was going to
bring. It was not just what he spoke
about but the manner and cha-
risma in which he expressed his
words that captivated the hearts of
the frustrated. He vowed to nally
end the war: I will promise you
this, that if we have not gotten our
troops out by the time I am presi-
dent, it is the rst thing I will do. I
will get our troops home. We will
bring an end to this war. You can
take that to the bank. However, his
term is almost up and there has
been no change in the American
foreign policy. Obama has fallen
into the line of an ordinary politi-
cian, where he promises one thing
but doesanother. However, the
talks and lies will not deceive us
and we want change.
is war will never solve
anything; it will only cause more
hatred and more bloodshed. e
war is killing entire families and
destabilizing regions of the world.
And we sleep so content at night.
But do we not realize that our
future and life is in jeopardy due
to this war. With billions of dol-
lars being invested into weapons,
less money can be expendable to
such things as education, health-
care and the environment. ats
our future on the line. Even aer
aer graduating college with a solid
degree, we might not be able to get
a job because it might not be avail-
able. Is that not a crime? And crime
only leads to more crime. If a per-
son cant get a job or aord health
insurance, they will do whatever
it takes to make that paper and to
get treated. Again, they would do
whatever it takes.
When Lupe called Obama the big-
gest terrorist, he is stating that
Obama as the commander of this
nation is responsible for any harm
that he allows or endorses at home
or abroad. And as Americans it is
our duty to voice our grievances
if we see the government per-
form something unjustly. Until the
change of prosperity drops into the
pockets of poverty throughout the
globes, the words of people like Mr.
Fiasco will continue. No apology
needed.
[
a
d
a
y
i
n
t
h
a
l
i
f
e
o
f
.
w
o
r
d
p
r
e
s
s
.
c
o
m
]
9
Ash Hadu
By Marwa Khairy
I bear witness to the power
of truth and humility
to overcome the devastation
brought forth by humanity
I bear witness to the hope
of the sun rising tomorrow
letting in the joy and wonder
that shall ease our pain and sorrow
I bear witness that mankind is ill
and we must seek a remedy
for if we fail to reckon change
we are condemned with certainty
I bear witness to the end of time
a promise given to all
that verily the day will come
when all that we know shall fall
I bear witness that there is but One
whose mercy grants my every
breath
that it is from Him we are born
and to Him we return in death
Creative Corner
I was born bloody and screaming
st cle nched and eyes closed
ready to take the world
before my rst words were composed
I fell down one thousand times
reaching out to grab the sun
but my dream was big enough
so I stood up one thousand and one
I learned that pain cannot extinguish
the re that burns within
more than the breath that lled my lungs
I needed the will to win
Passion spawned perseverance
and faith solidied my goal
just as the blood pumped through my body
inspiration fueled my soul
And so I stand with battered feet
hands still reaching for the sky
knowing that I shall never rest
for my dreams shall never die
Untitled
By Marwa Khairy
At night, the sound of my dad beating up my mom didnt let me sleep.
So Id turn the volume all the way up on my 2Pac CDs and hoped I count some sheep.
I told myself Id never be like him; I got my feminine personality from her side.
A rebel since birth, my rebellious nature Ive never been one to hide.
As a result, many times I made her cry because of my troublemaking ways.
Sometimes my mind wanders o in class and it keeps replaying those days.
But I wouldnt change my past because that means Id never nd Malcolm X on that dusty bookshelf.
No Khalil El-Mam praying only to Allah, not for money, just for health.
I wouldve never met Young Meezy, Asad, Tiny, or Princy Ibrahim.
e wanna-be Outlandish, weve been like brothers since the jahiliyyah days, a state so dim.
No more Aer 8 until the next time Allah puts us in each other paths.
If I remembered all the good times, by myself no doubt I would let out a couple laughs.
Tiny, if I said I wouldnt miss your non-stop taps on my shoulder, Id be lying.
Walking in empty streets is sure to remind me of that fob who has always had my back since that
reading comp when she was dying.
Guys, I cant believe soon will be time for that last hug.
At times I turn around and see my parents tired faces when I get up from my prayer rug.
All I ask myself is should I sellout for the money, that promises capitalisms fruits.
Or should I do what I feel in my heart, represent for these juvenile delinquents and prostitutes.
Option A means I can get my parents what the whites on TV have, like their very own house.
Option B means I can ght for the poor masses while our leaders like Obama are quiet as a mouse.
At the end of the day, its all Allahs will.
When will I have a little Khadija is what I think as I walk to school up that familiar hill.
Life is too short like my height, so when I leave home I whisper Bismillah and hope it counts.
I end this by saying thank you Allah for every undeserved blessing youve given me in countless
amounts.
Simply Carlitos Keeping It Real.
By Carlos Perez
Creative Corner
10
Creative Corner
Spoken Word Piece: Senses to Make Sense
By: Fatema Elias
I hope that someday I can touch
Touch the inner souls of those bodies that remain lingering in the shadows of intermittent spaces I hope I
can see
See the possibilities that are opening all around me even in the wake of post 9-11 hatred and violence I
hope I can breathe
Breathe the air that Allah has so graciously provided me without being suocated by the audacity of hu-
mans and their lack of humanity I hope to never one-day taste
Taste the hatred of those people who speak ill of other nations and other tribes
Who feel the need to apply their demeaning opinions upon those who dont deserve the irrationality that
engulfs the minds of those that are ignorant enough to believe that they are better than you and I? I hope
to never smell
Smell the fear of the oppressed children in third world countries right before the very government that is
supposed to be on their side protecting their livelihood tramples them without any mercy I hope I can feel
Feel the sadness that our fellow brothers and sisters are feeling all around the world & not just for the short
period of time that it becomes a viral plot through media transmission I hope I can be
Be the person that I want to be as a subservient servant to my Creator and do like none other but to do as
He pleases
Because
Maybe then, I, along with every single man woman and able human being will rise up from behind our
shrouded elds of ignorance is bliss
& This, I can attest, is the pivoted moment of where our universe as an entity started experiencing the
downfall of man
Maybe then will people not let the misery that the black slaves experienced pre-civil war in America, go in
vain
Maybe then we will be more sensitive to the obstacles that our fellow members of humanity have suered
in countries like Syria, Africa, Palestine, China, Russia, & even in our own backyards
Maybe then we wont be so full of pride and satisfaction for the things we think we do
Maybe then we will strive as a reection of the immense blessings that we are living with today in America
Maybe then well stop neglecting the types of heresy and backslidden illogical fallacy that the media
throws as the readers catches every word like hungry cats and dogs awaiting their meals from their masters
Ive walked through many lines of calluses and bruises that shaped and formed the way I think & speak
I see the people around me and I hope that they see me too
I am just like them and they are just like me
Strangers in this ever-eeting, transient life
Even though I may be dierent in terms of where I came from and what I believe in
No one can deny the inevitable death that each person must confront
Humans are not immortal and we are not all powerful
Lets take the short time we have in this temporary abode and live life, as it should be
Filled with peace hope love faith and respect for each other even if we dont see eye to eye
I am on American land, full of energy and optimism that is characteristic of those who stand up for what
they believe in
11
I am in a place where I can freely do what I want and this sort of liberty is taken for granted and often times
misused in court cases and we see innocent people walk into jails as guilty people walk away unscathed,
another form of oppression
I live in a place where my love for Islam grows and I increasingly become more practicing
Where my identity as a Muslim formed and I condently started representing
A place where I found friends who shared the same worldview as me
& Thats when I became exposed to people of dierent shapes and sizes
& Where I regrettably found the reality of my fellow Muslims
& Its sad to say that in times like these my own people
my own people that once lived peacefully now live in fear of what could be
The fear of discovering the talent, the creativity, the status that they can be
The fear of dening themselves as charismatic and powerful as people that one day they will be
The fear of not tting in and feeling like they have to be followers.
Grasping the characteristics of those they would be,
If there was no Islam
So I have to ask,
What is it that you see when you look at me?
Is it the covering that I wear that liberates me
Do you see what others have said to me about who I am and where Im from
Not about all those things that make me, me. But about the things they see on TV and feel the need to
express their accusations at one who is living just like them who has been a citizen of this country since day
one
& Who has never known any other sense of pride besides the pride that I nd when I stand beside
Those who love this country for what it is and who abide by the laws of freedom that our country relied
upon nationwide
And I feel like sometimes Ive been cut and dried
By those who I thought were my fellow Americans who also came from far and wide
Often times words fail me and I take to my writing as a form of unleashing
But dont confuse my silence as submission to the never ending pulls of materialism
nor my covering for oppression
Dont confuse my peaceful campaign as lack of conviction
when you ask what sustains me
I say: not man, not America, But God, our God
Am I American, Bangladeshi, or Muslim?
On applications, I check none of the above, all of the above, some of the above, but ultimately I am a cre-
ation of God. God created us from mere dust
& I soon became me and you soon became you and these are my two ngers that signify peace
& These two ngers are more than just a peace sign
They are the foreshadowing to what my mind believes and to what my mouth speaks
I pray that humankind becomes more humanied
We need to open our minds to the fact that we are all the same and need to watch each others backs no
matter how hard it may be to try
PEACE is like the tree that has been planted at the roots of humanity
The oppressors who walk upon the earth without mercy take advantage and imprint injustice onto the
ground that we all try to walk on, with equality
Humanity is at its breach and we need to nd it
Use our senses to feel attuned with the reality of this sad world and common sense will lead our minds to
realize that we havent used our senses enough to combat the injustices of our day
Stand together not as you or me but as humanity working together to integrate human dignity
12
13
Creative Corner
14
Creative Corner
Event Review: Signs of the Day of Judement
By Amina Sanders


On October 18th St. Johns Muslim Students As-
sociation hosted their rst big event entitled the Signs of the
Day of Judgment. With more than 200 guests present, the
distinguished speaker Shakiel Humayun of the Foundation of
Knowledge and development gave a benecial talk.

Shaykh Humayun began with a hadith reciting, A man
asked the Prophet(PBUH) about the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgment)
saying, When will the Hour be? e Prophet(PBUH) said,
What have you prepared for it? e man said, Nothing, except
that I love Allah and His Apostle. e Prophet(PBUH) said,
You will be with those whom you love. Shaykh Humayun elabo-
rated by stressing that love is translated through obedience and
following RasulAllah. How oen do Muslims claim that they love
Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) unconditionally and act
contrary to that exact statement? We backbite and slander people,
lack empathy for those in need, neglect our salah, and neglect the
Quran and Sunnah of RasulAllah. It may be unrealistic to trans-
form over night, but taking steps toward creating a viable relation-
ship with Allah and RasulAllah is a huge step in itself. e key is
being consistent with the small deeds and progressing slowly
but surely. Hadith tells us, e deeds which Allah loves the most
are those done regularly, even if they are small. (Bukhari & Mus-
lim). As college students we need to keep these fundamentals in
mind especially when were bombarded with studying, exams, and
various other responsibilities. Taking a minute or two to rearm
our intentions and turning to Allah (SWT) is a testament of our
love for Him.

e former hadith conveys the signicance of not being
concerned with the exact coming of the Last Hour but rather the
state of our Imaan. When you stand before Allah how will you
defend your actions? As our limbs will testify against us, are we
proud of what they may confess to our Creator? We should be
worried about if well catch our book in our right or le hand.
ese are just some of the realities that one should ponder over,
not the specic calculations of the hour. Shaykh Humayun said
Muslims who practice Islam prevent the Last Day from happen-
ing. eir dhikr prevents the collapse of mountains, the volcanoes
from erupting, and the earth from` shaking violently. SubhanAl-
lah that is the power of the remembrance of Allah (SWT) and His
Lordship.
Major signs of the Last Day happen consecutively and
are very close to the Last Hour. Some of those signs include the
Land of Arabia turning back to being the land of rivers and gar-
dens. One day will seem like an entire year, and the Sun will rise
from the West and set in the East. One tnah (refers to situations
in which a Muslims faith is tested) is the coming of the Dajjal.
He is said to have three eyes, two of which are functional and the
third being covered with esh. He will come during a time when
there is great famine and drought throughout the world. While
people are suering and dying from starvation, Allah will give the
Dajjal the power to make it rain. Dajjal will then tell the people
that he is God, and they will worship him as such. Although Mec-
cah and Madinah are the sacred holy cities that he is denied entry
to; the Dajjal will stand at the edge of the cities and shake them.
ey will spit out all the disbelievers and hypocrites. Its reported
that Ibn Abi Mulaika said: I encountered thirty companions of
the Prophet (SAW) every one of them fears hypocrisy for himself
and Al-Hassan Al-Basri used to say about it: No one fears it but a
believer and no one feels safe from it but a hypocrite. (Bukhari)
e companions of the beloved Prophet of Allah(PBUH), ten of
which were promised Jannah, were petried of hypocrisy. ey
always practiced self-criticism and sought to judge themselves be-
fore they stood before Allah on the Last Day. ey were apprehen-
sive of being consumed by their egos and were humbled as they
grew closer to Allah(SWT). May Allah protect us from hypocrisy,
deciency in faith, committing shirk, and the trial of the Dajjal.



Signs of the last day was an illuminating talk and a practical
reminder.
Signs of the Last Day was an illuminating talk and prac-
tical reminder. Without being disillusioned by speculation and
mystics of the coming of the Day of Judgement, it struck a chord
on lifes purpose. As college students we study for midterms and
nals rigorously: attending class and oce hours, taking notes,
memorizing and learning the material backwards and forward in
preparation for our nal exam. We make sure to know the mate-
rial well enough so not to be fooled by tricks that professors lure
us into. If someone were to ask us questions on said topics, wed be
able to explain it inside and out. With that said, how much do we
prepare in the same manner for the Heraer? May Allah forgive
us and arm our hearts on His Deen Al-Islam. May He shade us
on the Day where there is no other shade but His shade. May Al-
lah protect us from the trials of the Last Day. 15
St. Johns University
Muslim Students Association
Executive Board Members
Naveed Akter
President
Fatema Elias
Vice President
Mahbuba Rahman
Community Service Coordinator
Mariam Abdelghany
Secretary
Fawad Piracha
Treasurer
2011-2012
Rad Huda
Public Relations