I love Islam and cream soda

It is often reported that the "Al Aqsa" (arabic: "the farthest") mosque in Jerusalem is the "third holiest shrine" in Islam, due to its mention in the Quran and prophetic tradition. There's a bit of historical confusion here, which also gives fodder to islamophobic arguments about the Quran having a questionable origin, since the present mosque at the Jewish holy site was built AFTER Muhammad's death and not completed until 705 CE. Technically the "Al Aqsa" mosque - the third holiest Islamic site - is the actual site of the Jewish Temple II. The Quran itself mentions the mystical trip Muhammad took to the "farthest mosque", a reference to the temple site, in 621, which had no structure there since 70 CE. (In Islam, a mosque does not have to have a specific structure, and is technically any place a Muslim regularly prays/prostrates). One night, Muhammad was transported there by a mystical horse-like creature. There, he p...

As I come up on my 49th year and my 26th as a Muslim, I'm reflecting on the amazing fact, and a fact that a lot of our older grumpy uncles and aunties don't realize, that our future lies at the feet of our youth. I became Muslim because of Hip Hop, Black Culture, and Prison - three things that most of the Muslims of the world do not want to even recognize as sources of Islamic culture itself. Despite their ignoring, discriminating, and even abject horror, droves and droves o f people enter into the religion through these very avenues. In our pop culture, Islam is extremely prevalent - something that would make Trump and his ilk lose a lot of sleep if they even knew. If you watch the last episode of season 8 of The Walking Dead then you know that Rick's quote at the end comes from a Hadith of the prophet Muhammad. If you listen to the Jon Jones interview with Joe Rogan at the end of his last fight, you heard him make an Islamic exclamation - the same one made in ASAP ...

In 2000, Shwayyah got married for the first time, to a young brother from Egypt named Mohammed. The backdrop of this event saw me and her mother Asiyah going thru a brief separation, one that extended to my relationship with Shwayyah as well. In the meantime, Mohammed approached some of the brothers in my mosque, inquiring about marriage to any available sisters - they brought up Shway for consideration and one of the brothers in a leadership role, Mikal, stepped into the role as her wali (representative), a role that was mine traditionally but for my absence... Asiyah and I reconciled as Shway's marriage entered its final stages of confirmation - the signing of the marriage contract. It was a poignant time because one of the things that drove our separation was us battling over my role as head of household and as a father and stepfather. My marriage to Asiyah was my first, but her third, and it came after a long period where she was a single divorcée of 4 kids and, I felt, us...

Clink the link below and catch me at minute 12:00 in this amazing project conducted by renowned poet Mohamed Hassan. http://www.radionz.co.nz/programmes/public-enemy/story/201826249/public-enemy-episode-1