Anse’s Blogs

In Shaʿbān, in the second year of the hijra, fasting in Ramadan became an obligation upon the Muslims. The Battle of Badr occurred one month later, on the seventeenth of Ramadan. The Messenger ﷺ left Medina on the twelfth night of Ramadan with 314 men. They had only 70 camels, so every three men took […]

I am in shock. I cannot believe ten days of Ramadan have already passed. Where did they go? For ten days we have been of those whose prayer is answered. Abū Hurayra (r) tells us that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “Three are those whose prayer is not refused: a just leader, the fasting person until he

Bites of Spiritual Protein The disease, Anorexia Nervosa, is serious and can cause death. It is characterized by a fear of weight gain that leads to faulty eating patterns, malnutrition and extreme weight loss. Patients on the road to recovery find great difficulty attempting to eat right. A few bites seem like a banquet, and

We are experts in ‘what our bodies need’. We know what to eat and what not to eat, we can wax on for hours about appropriate exercises for weight loss, strengthening, and/or flexibility. We have read many articles about the negative effects of hormones on our systems and the dangers of the genetically modified grain

The Opportunity She walks quietly to her kitchen and pulls out the coffeemaker. As the rich smell of caffeine confuses the usual nighttime smells, she pulls out her prayer carpet and her expensive perfume. The night awaits her and she is seeking forgiveness and the pleasure of her Lord. It is Niṣf Shaʿbān. An argument

Messy Closets and Rajab Rajab has been a tough month for many people. Three weeks ago we started out, in this month of tawba and forgiveness, with images of sweet tears and background music guiding us through this month. Instead it has been a struggle, and hard work. No background music has been playing and

The USA has never done well in the World Cup and no one expects them to beat Ghana. The game starts and, miraculously, they score within in the first 21 seconds of the game! I cannot believe it and set my work aside. I want USA to win. I watch and worry, getting upset when

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 Proof! A delegation of seventeen men of Banī al-Azd came to the Prophet ﷺ in the ninth year after the hijra. It is said that the Prophet ﷺ was impressed with how they presented themselves before him and asked them, “Who are you?” Banī al-Azd had already entered Islam at the

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 Rajab Shopping Sometimes it feels overwhelming to think about becoming a better person. “I’m ok,” resonates easily in the breast and our ‘busyness’ helps us avoid thinking about it. But at Maghreb tonight we will herald in the month of Rajab and with it a golden opportunity. Anas b. Malik (r)

Tuesday, April 22nd 2014 Unmosqued, The Film Today I was privileged to view a private screening of the documentary Unmosqued. It was a powerful film that touched me deeply. In my early days of Islam I was shocked and horrified by my mosque experiences. I felt humiliated, isolated, oppressed, dejected and rejected. I never spoke