#people in islam

People in Islam: Sayyed Mahdi al-Modarresi

Born in Kuwait in 1977 from the well known Modarresi family which contains many scholars and jurists like his father Sayyed Hadi Almodarresi, following his father’s footsteps, Sayyed Mahdi pursued his studies at al Qa’em Theological Research Institute in Damascus, the Islamic Seminary in Qum, Iran, and supplementary education in the United States and Australia finally graduating after studying core studies in Islam, philosophy, sociology, and politics.

Writing his first book, About the Signs of Allah and His Greatness at age 15, Sayyed Mahdi has since written many books in English and Arabic. He often spends his time traveling around the world speaking to Muslim youths on the dangers of this dunya, understanding the role of the Muslim in the 21st century, and the effects of our sins.

If you would like to know about Sayyed Mahdi al-Modarresi, you can see more of his lectures on Youtube.

People in Islam: Shaykh Yahya Rhodus

Among many inspiring young Muslim leaders, Sh. Yahya Rhodus stands above the rest for his concise style of speaking and delivering advice to Muslims in how to balance family life with the constant search of knowledge.

Born in Missouri, at age 19 he embraced Islam and began studying with Sheikh Hamza Yusuf and after a time traveled to Mauritania to pursue full-time studies in Islam where he studied hadith, tafsir, fiqh and many other pursuits.

Sh. Yahya has a masterful control of knowledge, speaking at length about Islamic History,being active in faith, the rewards to be reaped, and sessions on disciplining the soul.

If you would like to read more about Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, please click his Facebook page here or his bio here, and if you are interested in more Youtube videos, please click here.

People in Islam:Eidition – The Prophet Muhammad (saws)

Bismillah r-Rahman r-Raheem.

There are very few men who, in the course of history have changed it forever.

If there is anything in this article that is factually incorrect, it is because I spoke without definite knowledge and that is my own mistake. If there is anything in this article that is factual and good, it is from Allah (swt).

The Prophet Muhammad is the seal of the prophets that came before him, the final messenger to which there would be none after. His life and his mission from Allah (swt) takes him from what his enemies called a madman to what his enemies called Rasool Allah (the Messenger of God) in only a few short years.

Born within the Quraysh tribe of then polytheistic Arabian Peninsula to the Banu Hashim clan in Mecca in the year 570. He was orphaned at a very early age and raised by first his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib and then his uncle Abu Talib, father of Ali, one of Muhammad’s (saws) most trusted companions and steadfast believers in Allah sending his cousin as a mercy to mankind. Under his uncle’s protection Muhammad (saws) as a young man traveled to many places to learn commercial trade with his uncle’s caravan. This experience as a tradesman and arbitrator led him to, at the age of 25 to receive a marriage proposal from a wealthy widow, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.

15 years later, in the cave of Hira outside Mecca, Muhammad (saws) was struck with revelation from the angel Jibra'il (Gabriel) “Iqra!”, commonly translated as “read” or “recite”, the rest of the first revelation continues for the first 5 ayah of Surah Al-‘Alaq. Muhammad (saws) rushed home to his wife for support and as time passed, received more revelations and began preaching them in Mecca. Few joined him at first, although starting with Khadijah, Ali, Muhammad’s (saws) friend Abu Bakr, and Muhammad’s (saws) adopted son Zaid, they quickly accepted Muhammad (saws) as the prophet of God and the divine revelations he was receiving.

Early on in Mecca Muhammad (saws) received intense opposition, where the first Muslims had to hide to hear the revelations, some Muslims paid with their lives, this includes the first martyr of Islam, Summayah bint Khayyat. After the death of Summayah, some of Muhammad’s followers fled to Abyssinia to seek the protection of the Christian king, Ashama ibn Abjar who accepted Islam, while Muhammad and other remained in Mecca.

In the year 619, known as “the Year of Sorrow”, both Khadijah and Abu Talib died, leaving the Prophet without his clan’s protection and forcing him to partake in one of the most important events in Islamic history, the Hijra, by which even the Islamic calendar begins. The Hijra is year 0 for Islam, and the start of the meteoric rise of a humble prophet and his handful of followers into arguably the most defining force of the modern world and religion.

The Hijra is the migration, in the middle of the night to avoid assassination by Muhammad (saws) and his followers to the city of Medina.

In Medina Muhammad (saws) faced treachery, the Quraysh twice in battle (first at the Battle of Badr where Muslims scored a decisive victory and the Battle of Uhud, where he experienced the death of many of his initial brothers in Islam who died defending the faith). Muhammad (saws) also experienced the first mosque to be built (also to be his house), the explosive growth of Islam among the population of Medina and the changing of the Qibla from Jerusalem to the Ka'aba, Mecca’s center of worship initially built by the prophet Ibrahim (as) to praise the One God.

From Medina the Muslims moved onto Mecca and after a brief siege and the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Islam began spreading through the Arab tribes at an amazing rate. At the time when Muhammad (saws) and the Sahaba (early followers of Islam) entered Mecca, Muhammad (saws) was a man of 60 years of age.

His final pilgrimage to Mecca took place in 632 (10 After Hijra, or AH), he gave a farewell sermon that can be read here, where he spoke to those present to spread his words and the Qur'an to those who are could not be with them, to generations to come.

A few months after his Farewell Pilgrimage, the greatest of all prophets, thehabib (beloved one of) Allah and the man who delivered revelations from God and led a new nation on earth to spread the message of uncorrupted religion, of God without partners, of life with love, respect, charity, tolerance and peace, died, buried in the bedchamber of his youngest wife, Aisha.

His legacy extended far beyond the trading routes of Arabia, his contribution to humanity pushes the borders of nationality and the narrow minded adherence to racism. Muhammad (saws) was sent as a mercy unto mankind, and that legacy exists in the hearts and minds of every Muslim nearly 1400 years after the passing of the greatest human being to ever walk on earth.

May Allah be pleased with all whom Muhammad (saws) has inspired, and the billions of people throughout history who have accepted him as the seal of the prophets, the final messenger who has perfected the religion of Ibrahim (as) and Isa (Jesus as).

May Allah be pleased with all of us as we come to close this year’s Ramadan, may our good deeds be acceptable and may our good habits picked up in Ramadan last all year long. Jazakallah khair for reading, everyone.

People in Islam: Dawud Wharnsby

Brother Wharnsby is a Canadian folk and nasheed artist who contributes greatly to the spread of Islam in an art form more prone to negative attitudes and topics that do not benefit the young Muslim soul.

Working with several artists like Zain Bhikha,Yusuf Islam and others, brother Dawud’s music is highly influenced by Yusuf Islam, where he worked with him on the nasheed “Bismillah”. Named one of the 500 most influential MuslimsbyThe Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan, Dawud sings praise of Allah swt in every track, seeking to bring the listener in constant awareness of Allah swt and His prophet Muhammad (saws).

Some personal favorite nasheeds are “Afraid To Read”, “The Prophet”, and “The Story of Ibrahim”.

People in Islam: Amir Khadir

Islam and politics are often seen as one system, where influences of Islam dominate politics, one’s ideology can often, even unintentionally, be supported by the basic ideals of our faith.

Readers say “bonjour!” to Quebec politician, Brother Amir Khadir. Born in Tehran in 1961, Br. Amir is now a Member of the National Assembly in Quebec as the lone sitting member of the minor provincial party, Quebec Solidaire. Quebec Solidaire is a political party in Quebec set on gender equality, altermondialisme(seethis for further explanation, and further pursuits that although politically to the left, once you understand their views, you can see Islam at the heart of it.

Br. Amir Khadir often finds himself in controversy, accused of anti-semitism when defending Palestinian rights,worker’s rights (sorry it’s in French!), and the general pursuit of social justice, even being arrested for the causes in which he fights. Generally unknown outside Quebec, Amir Khadir is one of the few gaining popularity in the face of protests for economic equality by Quebecois students.

In the coming election in Quebec, we will see how Br. Khadir does in bringing his vision of fairness, tolerance, and equality to a region of the world so afraid of Muslims and what we have to bring to the table when it comes to governing the nations we live in.

People in Islam: Ani Zonneveld

A Malaysian-born singer, Sister Ani Zonneveld is a Grammy Award winning musician and LGBT-rights, interfaith activist within the Muslim community, being the president and co-founder of Muslims for Progressive Values and editor of the book Progressive Muslim Stories.

Before her time as a notable activist, Ani was a well established musician who wrote songs in the style of hymns for Muslims, some of her songs are Prayer of LightandIn My Soul.

If you would like to know more about Ani Zonneveld, you can find her website here.

People in Islam: Imam Suhaib Webb - Lecturer, Activist, Imam & Scholar

Suhaib Webb is one of the most influential of contemporary scholars in the U.S. and has impacted the lives of thousands in his journey through Islam. Imam Suhaib Webb went from a pre-Islam life of gangs, shootings and a career of DJ-ing to his spiritual awakening and conversion to Islam in 1992, after which he pursued a bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Suhaib Webb eventually got his education in Fiqh, Shariah, Islamic knowledge and the Arabic language from the world renowned Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. 

Prior to his current posting as the Imam of the extremely influential Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC), Suhaib Webb had been active in numerous causes dealing with American youth and reverts, seeing as how he could genuinely relate to some of the most pressing troubles they might face in today’s society. Personally, Suhaib Webb has truly inspired me and helped me reach out to the spiritual side of my deen. Alongside Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Usama Canon, and the like, Suhaib Webb sought to popularize the spread of the softer side of Islam and reach out to the younger generation of the Bay Area, California. Their talks and lectures sparked somewhat of a movement in the youth of the West Coast that still resonates throughout the country. The message of acceptance, peace, serenity, knowledge and wisdom became a central essence of most of the lectures we hear from these folks today. His move to the ISBCC as an Imam was met with bittersweet partings and most of us in the Bay Area still feel the loss of a great Scholar. 

However, before he left, he started a website that he hoped could serve as a virtual mosque experience where people could read, ask, learn, and relate. Visit the website, look around, and learn more about Imam Suhaib Webb and his influence across the country.

People in Islam: Susan Carland – sociologist, teacher, lecturer

Named in 2009 as one of several Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow by the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Susan Carland is a Muslim sociologist. She is a lecturer in politics, sociology and gender studies at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. 

Viewed by many as a great example of Muslim woman, Susan completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science and in 2007, she was completing her PhD, researching leadership challenges facing Western Muslim women. In 2004, she received the Australian Woman of the Year award. Unsurprisingly, she is the co-creator of the Victorian Convert Support Service, and has managed the Islamic Council of Victoria’s youth wing, Grassroots. 

To read little more about Susan, read this interview here. To watch someof her panel appearances here. Also, you can read some of her transcripts here (just scroll to the bottom).

People in Islam: Nihad Awad

In the United States, the Muslim population is a growing and diversified force in the American political sphere. One of the leading groups advocating for Muslim rights, human rights, and a more human foreign policy, is CAIR, and at the head of CAIR is brother Nihad Awad.

Born in a refugee camp in Amman, Jordan, Nihad Awad studied in Jordan and Italy before coming to the United States to pursue higher education.

Since his time in the United States and since taking his role in founding CAIR, Nihad, on behalf of the American Muslim community has given aid to the victims of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1997, speaks routinely about the situation in Syria, and Islamophobia in the United States. His message is one of seeking understanding between non-Muslims and Muslims in the United States, being a signatory of A Common Word Between Us and You, a interfaith document intended to create interfaith dialogue, and standing with President Bush after the 9/11 attacks in a show of condemnation against the terror attacks.

Nihad Awad has consistently for nearly two decades provided a powerful voice for Muslims in the political arena, and has constantly spoken to the trialsandtribulations American Muslims face in the modern age, and in the western world.

People in Islam: Imam Johari Abdul-Malik

Many misconceptions are abound about Islam in this day and age, the most prevailing is that there are no Muslims standing up against terrorism, and by not doing so are giving silent agreement to the war tactic.

Imam Johari Abdul-Malik is not an exception, but the rule. A convert from a Anglican home, as the first higher education Muslim Chaplain in the United States at Howard University, Imam Johari has spent his years fighting against perceptions about Islam, against Israel apartheid, interfaith dialogue on issues like HIV and AIDS, and domestic violence.

His speaking ventures include a presentation on the Family of the Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), the issues within the Ummah and the larger perception of Islam in American culture for both Muslims and non-Muslims. If you’d like to know more about Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, feel free to go to his website and download his podcasts and read his blog.