Category: Published Elsewhere

We all have some good in us.

On By FalakIn Huffington Post, Islam, Published Elsewhere, Religion, WritingLeave a comment

Originally published in the Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/falak-zaffer-ghatala/when-satan-isnt-the-bad-g_b_10889654.html

This past Ramadan I was on a spiritual high. I felt the power of prayers, fasting, charity, and enduring patience. Satan is supposed to be locked away in Ramadan and any sins we procured are considered to be purely from our own nafs (self). I believe this is the hardest test to endure in Ramadan. To realize what our own self is willing to do without the constant waswas (whispers) of Shaitan (Satan). So this Ramadan when we were being terrorized with multiple atrocities in Orlando, Istanbul, Baghdad, etc. There was no Satan! It was the pure evil of man shedding blood for unforetold reasons.

It constantly reminded me of the question the angels asked Allah (SWT) and I couldn’t grasp the resolution behind His divine puzzle.

“And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”” (Qur’an 2:30)

It led me to question more about human kind? And before I knew it Ramadan was gone, Satan was back, and the killings were multiplied.

It seems as though we are doomed by our own self-destructing prophecy; but God does go on to inform the angels that He was giving human kind not only freewill but also knowledge of His other creations.

“And He taught Adam the names of all things…” (Qur’an 2:31)

That the destruction the angels feared was just a small part of what humans were meant to be. That perhaps God gave us knowledge to atone the sins of our freewill.

The knowledge to understand and question things, the knowledge to seek good from bad, the knowledge to know the right from wrong, and the knowledge to recognize His other creations.

We are all different no doubt but the first thing God taught Adam (AS) was to learn the names of His other creations.

So what is it about us humans that we have disregarded the basic principles of seeking and understanding the creations of Allah (SWT)? That we have lost our sense of right and wrong? That we have forgotten that ‘justice’ is one of the basic guiding principles in the Qur’an?

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Qur’an 5:8)

…And that in order to be ‘just’ we must first learn about the other side.

This segmentation, this constant disregard of others is blinding us from true justice. It is making us take sides, and causing even more hatred towards one another other.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” (Qur’an 4:135)

I guess my plea to humankind is to seek knowledge, to be open-minded, and to try and learn about the ‘other’ before passing judgment. I am sure I am guilty of this myself, but I am hoping we are able to move beyond our prejudices to realize that we are but mere creations!

The Muslims, the Hindus, the Christians, the Jews, the atheist, the blacks, the whites, the gays, the lesbians, the transsexuals, the poets, the Sufis, the politicians, the lawyers, the doctors, the cops, the Trumps… All of Us!

We all have some good in us. We all have the power to seek knowledge of the other.

Using Religion for Peace

On By FalakIn Huffington Post, Religion, WritingLeave a comment

 

Originally published in the Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/falak-zaffer-ghatala/using-religion-for-peace_b_9682640.html

You can only fight a war you believe in. Even if it isn’t for ideals, it must be on some level worth your individualistic need and time. What if we could strive for peace using the same narrative?

What if we could all believe that working for peace somehow was worth our individualistic need and time?

I visited Israel and Palestine this past December (2015). I had the opportunity to meet with several dignitaries, one being Yossi Klein Halevi. Yossi is an amazing author who is genuinely trying to bridge the Jewish-Muslim divide. A line from his book ‘At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden’ struck a chord with me. It said:

‘For peace: you must be willing to enter dangerous territories and have “courageous indifference to the judgment of your own communities”, who are unwilling to make peace with the enemy.’

I chose to visit Israel and Palestine because I wanted to hear both sides of the dialogue. I sought to understand the lives of my Palestinian and Jewish friends close to home. Comprehend from peace negotiators and researchers the challenges and frustrations everyday people faced. I wanted to see firsthand how failed peace attempts affected the morale of humans living on either side. For a more selfish reason however, I really wanted to visit Jerusalem.

Jerusalem the holy city of Prophets and Kings. The city of crusades and spiritual & religious enlightenment, a place where most people see conflict, I was naïve enough to see a semblance of cultures, intermingling, becoming one.

What I loved the most about Jerusalem also happens to be the reason for all the conflict. Church bells going off right after the ‘adhan’ (the Muslim call to prayer), worshippers of three different faiths covering their heads, seeking peace in the divine, walking in devotion overcoming their fears.

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I met with Israeli Arabs, Arab Israelis, Christian Arabs, Jewish Arabs, and even Palestinian Israelis. Pretty much any multitude of combinations you can sum up. But mostly I met with every day people.

People who just wanted peace – kids who just sought brilliance through education, and folks who pursued spirituality. Individuals who went beyond their everyday difficulties of crossing checkpoints, braving knife attacks, and enduring aftermaths of missile attacks, to achieve some form of normalcy.

No matter your cause of who is right and wrong, no matter your reasoning of the discourse. No matter your side; looking at these relentless people striving towards normalcy, we must gather some form of hope.

We must realize that, as we foster our religious differences, we need to start focusing on religious commonalities. Considering that religion can be a medium for peace.

Understanding that it isn’t about ‘My religion’ or ‘Your religion’, but rather it is ‘HIS religion’.

For God has sent down His religion for all of humanity and with the sole purpose of upholding our duty towards good deeds.

“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into races and families so that you may know each other. The most honored of you in Allah’s sight are those who best keep their duty.” (Qur’an: 49:13)

“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” (Qur’an 67:2)

Recognizing that these ‘Three faiths’ collide in ‘One city’ for ‘One GOD’.

And realizing that it isn’t about ‘My land’ or ‘Your land’, but rather, ‘We are a part of this land’, and will someday return to it.

“Every person has to have two pockets and in each pocket they have to carry a different note. And the note in one pocket says the universe was created for me. And in the other pocket the note says I am just dust and ashes.” (Rabbi Jonathan Spira-Savett)

Labeling Myself ‘Muslim’ For What It Really Matters

On By FalakIn Huffington Post, Published Elsewhere, WritingLeave a comment

Published on 02/29/2016 on the Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/falak-zaffer-ghatala/labeling-myself-muslim-for-what-it-really-matters_b_9320880.html

Wars, killing, genocide in the name of religion have never really been in our control, i.e. you and me, everyday individuals, who live our life in simple ways believing in love and respect for all, but what about things that are in our control? Things such as: Righteousness, Justice and Well-doing? “For religion standeth in righteousness, justice, and well-doing.” – Latimer (c. 1485-1555).

I work as the National Program Director of a volunteer based non-profit called Hunger Van | Muslims Against Hunger, whose founder is Zamir Hassan. Zamir is retired but has been working tirelessly as champion for interfaith feeding events for the hungry and homeless for over 10 years now.

We at Muslims Against Hunger want everyone to understand, learn and acknowledge that ‘Hunger has no religion’ and our goal is to engage communities through service.

I have always believed through my up bringing that religion shouldn’t be a factor in terms of whom we are helping, but a practical question often begged to differ: ‘If hunger has no religion what does religion have to do with feeding the hungry’? Why do so many non-profits constantly coin themselves as a religious group against a social injustice?

At Muslims Against Hunger we do not hand out any practical teachings about Islam except promoting the act of charity and yet we pride ourselves in being called ‘Muslims Against Hunger’. Our projects, on interfaith feeding, have grown so big that we even have a branch called ‘Faiths Against Hunger’. Religion somehow seems to overshadow our genuine will to do good in this world.

I do believe that having an ethical perimeter and a moral compass are inherent and there really should be no need for religion in that. So what makes religion so vital from an already moral standpoint?

All major religions force us to focus on issues that we forgo in our everyday lives. They teach us to pause, go beyond our daily interactions, and look at the injustice and suffering in the world, constantly commanding us to do something about it.

As a Muslim I am forced to reckon with the 5 pillars of faith, one of which is Charity (Zakah), on a daily basis. I am also commanded to be righteous, just and work on the well doing of the world.

“We have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you. Had God willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to God and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed.” (Qur’an, 5:48)

“God commands justice and fair dealing…” (Qur’an 16:90)

Justice is a common theme found in most religions:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. (Deuteronomy 16:18-20)

Justice or being just is a moral virtue, an equal distribution of sorts, and or understanding it as evenhandedness. In Jewish traditions, Tzedek or justice is more than a legal system, it is ‘tempered by compassion’.

And I honestly believe that even though compassion is something we are born with it is in constant need of nurturing.

I personally love and live by this quote, often attributed to Mother Teresa: “The problem with this world is that we draw the circle of family too small”. We easily forget the person panhandling for food or the homeless person shivering on the sidewalk as we rush to work. We forget about compassion! And religion is here to remind us, to not forget our humanity in this busy world of being just humans.

If someone is able to do this without the help of religion, I think that it is completely fine as long as they have a way to nurture compassion, a method to keep this constant reminder in their heart.

As human beings we must all value and know what compassion is worth, and we must be willing to spend time working on it, any which way. And as a Muslim if I am able to remind myself or even one person of our necessary commitment towards righteousness, justice, and well-doing I guess it is worth putting it in my title.

– Falak Zaffer Ghatala, American Muslim (Muslims Against Hunger)

Twinning of Muslims & Jews at Beth Shalom for Hunger Van.

On By FalakIn Hunger Van | Muslims Against Hunger Website, Published Elsewhere, WritingLeave a comment

Published January 20, 2015

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith” [Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 184].

“When you see something that isn’t right you have an obligation to make it right.” – Member of Beth Shalom congregation, repeated by Rabbi Marc Rudolph.

A YouTube video of the Rabbi can be found here: 

Members of the congregation at Beth Shalom, hosted the Hunger Vanon December 7th, 2014, in Naperville/Aurora. Joined in for this deed were members of Islamic Center of Naperville and other friends of Hunger Van. Together they worked towards one cause, i.e. to correct an injustice in the world!

Even if it was for a single meal, it was difference worth making. It was hope given to the hundreds of homeless men and women living in the area. It was a life saved. It was two different communities working together towards a common idea of ‘Sadaqah’ / ‘S’daqah’ / ‘Tzedakha’ / ‘Charity’, and trying to make a difference in the world. It was humanity prevailing.

Sadaqah or S’daqah isn’t just about generosity and charity it is about the importance of justice prevailing in societies. There are millions of people who suffer from injustice, injustice of not being able to survive in today’s fast moving society.

A lot of homeless members are educated, hard working individuals who have had one giant crisis that has made them fall into an abyss of homelessness. These people find it hard to combat homelessness without the proper tools. When food should be the least of their concerns for getting back on their feet it is a huge hurdle faced by the millions homeless. In a society where food wastage is at an all time high, [according to the Environmental Protection Agency, “food leftovers are the single-largest component of the waste stream by weight in the United States.”], it is an injustice to see hundreds of people going hungry every day. In a world of surplus there is a shortage of humanity. It is our responsibility as humble citizens to fill this gap.

Zamir Hassan created the Hunger Van project just to pursue this cause. A cause that he thought was worth devoting all of his time to. He currently runs feeding programs in 20 plus cities with the help of 3000 plus volunteers from various faiths. He has been able to join forces for the common good of society, which is a great feat on its own.

On Dec 7th, 2014, he joined hands with the congregation of Beth Shalom and the members of the Islamic Center of Naperville to provide meals to the homeless in the Naperville/Aurora community. To see volunteers in action please click here.

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The turn out of volunteers (see more pictures here) was unprecedented and people worked hard to make sandwiches and salad containers with love, purpose and dedication.

Crews were divided into stations: The sandwich station consisted of a row of Z shaped honey scribblers, cinnamon sprinklers, sunflower butter spreaders and banana choppers and placers. The salad station consisted of green mixers, special ingredients blenders, salad packers and lid sealers.

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The packing crew was responsible for strategically placing uneven containers to avoid spillage and wrapping the completed product with love, the cleaning crew made sure the Temple kitchen was returned to its spotless features.

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Everyone had a job to do and it was a fantastic venture, which ended in great success.

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A few members of the team also went out on the local streets to hand food to the homeless.

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If you would like to be a part of the Hunger Van project or would like to bring the project to your area please register to volunteer for a Hunger Run at http://www.hungervan.org