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786 MCCUC NEWSLETTER Muslim Community Center of Union County - 60 Prince St, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 - (908) 965-1001 A Letter from Dr. Sheikh In order to achieve the right understanding and practice of Islam, we recognize the extreme importance of establishing Islamic Centers for preserving our beautiful Deen. With this goal in mind, by the grace of Allah (swt) our efforts to buy a suitable place is a humble and earnest attempt to provide a place to fulfill the current and future religious needs of Muslims in this area. It becomes our individual responsibility to support such a project in order to practice and spread our Deen here, which is a future home for our next generation. Any contribution for an Islamic Center is a Sadaqah-e-Jariah, May Allah (swt) help us all to spend more in His cause and to partake of the great rewards He has promised. Please donate generously for a permanent Islamic Center. The devotion to serve one’s community comes from Islamic teachings that accentuate desiring good for others. I would like to invite you to become active members of MCCUC, participate in activities, increase your attendance in prayers and help us keep your Masjid clean and ready for all religious events. I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate executive members, trustees, overseers and volunteers for their efforts in spending time out of their busy personal lives, working FiSabilillah to assist community to fulfill religious duties and raising funds for a new place. Hypertension is harmful because it is a sign that the heart is working too hard and may lead to damaged blood vessels. Hypertension is also linked to severe diseases such as heart disease, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and blindness. The most frightening aspect After much negotiations, Bank of Popular has given us a FINAL offer of $750,000 for the Church Property. MCCUC members have accepted the offer and are now communicating with the attorneys on both sides to draft a contract. Please help bring this vision to life by donating on our website! Our Executive Committee is working hard on purchasing a new building. May Allah (swt) bless all for their efforts. I admire our members who are working tirelessly to introduce new programs including Youth, Fundraising, Sunday school, newsletter, website and other projects to increase awareness and improve communication among the Muslim community. Community members and volunteers have set good examples by increasing their attendance for daily prayers, maintaining the masjid and teaching Quran to children. Donate Online on our website at : http://www.mccuc.org Ad Space Help sponsor this newsletter by placing your ad here. Email [email protected] Thank you all and May Allah (swt) bless you and your family members. Ameen. Islam and Your Health: Hypertension High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a dangerous health problem that many Muslims face. Put simply, blood pressure is the force that blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels in your body. February 2012 Church Property Update Chair, Board of Trustee Countless praise is due to Allah (SWT) who blessed us with the gift of Islam which is the perfect way of life and suitable for all times and places. Along with peace and tranquility, it offers humanity an easy guideline towards the ultimate success in this world and Hereafter. | by Saad Yousuf of hypertension lies in the fact that people who have hypertension show no physical signs until an organ is damaged, which is why it is appropriately referred to as the “silent killer.” Hypertension is a health condition that is prevalent in many Muslim families and communities. Many brothers and sisters have an unfortunate habit of overeating and cooking dishes with unnecessarily high amounts of salt. Increased salt consumption and obesity are major contributors to high blood pressure. It is important that we take care of our loved one’s health to ensure that they do not develop hypertension. If someone you know has hypertension, lifestyle changes such as decreasing salt intake and losing weight must be made. To prevent obesity and its many complications (such as hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and sleeping problems), it is stated in the Qur’an, “Oh children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess” (Qur’an, 7:31). Muhammad (SAW) says, “Eat less, you will be healthier,” and describes the quantity of food and drink we should have (i.e. how the stomach should be 1/3 for food, 1/3 for liquids, and 1/3 for air). In order to prevent high blood pressure and obesity in Muslim communities, Muslims must practice the good eating habits that Allah (SWT) has described and that Muhammad (SAW) has practiced and preached. An Introduction to Humility by Zagham Chaudry According to the English dictionary, humility is the quality of being modest and respectful. However, to us Muslims, humility should mean so much more than that. In fact, our entire religion is based on humility. In my opinion, humility may be one of the best, if not the best traits to have in an individual. Humility, in various interpretations, is widely seen as a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions, being connected with notions of transcendent unity with the universe or the divine, and of selflessness. However, no one was as humble as the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). His actions, his life, and he himself was the most humble man that ever lived. Despite being the best of God’s creation, he showed utmost humility in his dealings with the events of his daily life. For example, he looked down when he walked, he slept and ate on the floor, he was modest in speech and spoke very little. By the time of his death, he was the virtual King of Arabia, yet his mannerisms were of those of a very humble and poor man. In order to better understand our religion and how it connects to humility, simply take the word “Muslim” itself. A Muslim by definition is one who submits his or her will to almighty God, kind of like a slave or servant. So, if you submit your will, your desires, and your needs and wants, you are a humble person. Therefore, one cannot be a true Muslim if one is not humble. But unfortunately, in today’s modern and quick paced world, humility is not always looked upon as a good thing. In order to succeed in this country, in the market, and in the business-world for example, we are expected to be quick, strong, and cutthroat competitive in order to reach the top. Showing off one’s accomplishments and boasting have become a part of everyday society. However, in Islam the life of this world is only a temporary one and nothing but our good deeds will really matter. The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said that “Humility is a virtue through and through.” This hadith tells us that there is nothing wrong with too much humility. Therefore if something is purely good, then however much you have of it, it can only be good for you. What we have to realize is that there is no reason to not be humble. There is no reason to boast or be arrogant at all. The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: “By Allah, this world in comparison to the hereafter is nothing, but as though one of you dipped his finger in the sea. So ponder how much water the finger returns with.” So, the point of this hadith is that the world and everything in it even if you obtain it, it is nothing to boast about or be arrogant about because it is insignificant. Even in prayer, Muslims prostrate themselves to the ground, acknowledging human beings’ lowliness and humility before the Lord of the Worlds. The Quran says that “Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers.” (Al-Muminoon 23:1-2). In the times of Jahiliyya (before the coming of the Islam), humility and modesty was unheard of. The pre-Islamic Arabs followed the rules of no one except themselves, and preserved their personal honor above all else. They would humble themselves to no one, neither a man nor a God. They were proud of their absolute independence, their human power; they had limitless self-confidence and refused to bow down to any authority. Also, the story of Satan or Iblis’ story also has to do with the Satan not being humble but rather being proud and arrogant. Indeed, the sin of Iblis (Satan) was his arrogant refusal to humble himself to the will of Allah. He believed himself of elevated status better than any other creation. As you can see, the lessons of humility are part of the Muslim story and the Muslim tradition. The Quran repeatedly reminds us about humility. For example the following verse does exactly that: “O Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) give good news to the humble, whose hearts tremble with awe at the mention of God, who endure adversity with patience, who establish regular prayer, and who spend in charity out of what we have given them.” (Quran 22:34-35) The Quran also says: “And the slaves of God are those who walk on the earth in humility and calmness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.” (Quran 25:63) Again, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) warns us to be humble by saying that “Allah has inspired to me that you are all to be humble towards each other such that no one transgresses against or exalts himself above another.” As you can see, humility is a very important part of Islam and so we should work harder to understand what humility is and how we can apply it to our lives. May Allah make us more humble so that we can be better Muslims. Youth Program Date February March April May June 19 18 14 19 16 Monthy Program Dates Time Speaker Date Time 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM Hafiz Omar Usman Siddiqui Maraj Sahib Atif Chaudhry Dr. Farooqui February 11 March 3 April 7 May 5 June 2 July 7 August 4 September 1 October 6 November 3 December 1 Magrib to Isha Magrib to Isha Asar to Magrib Asar to Magrib Asar to Magrib Asar to Magrib Asar to Magrib Asar to Magrib Magrib to Isha Magrib to Isha Magrib to Isha More events to come in next Newsletter. For any questions please email us at: [email protected] Canned Food Drive MCCUC is participating in a canned food drive now until March 31. All contributions will go to American Muslims for Hunger Relief. Please bring your non-perishable items and canned goods such as: • • • • • • • Peanut butter/ Jelly Canned Tuna Macaroni & Cheese Dried canned beans Dry grains: Rice, any lentils Canned vegetables Canned Fruit, Canned Soup