Continue reading »]]>

Words: Sami Yusuf
Music: Sami Yusuf
Produced by Sami Yusuf

Lyrics

I dream for a day
When there’ll be
No more misery

When there’s no more hunger
No need for shelter
Isn’t there enough to share
Or is that we just don’t care?

We’re here for a day or two…

Let me show my way…
Salaamu alaik, Salaamu alaik, Salaamu alaikum
I pray for a day
When there’ll be
Justice and unity

Where we put aside our differences
Fighting makes no sense
Just a little faith
To make it a better place

We’re here for a day or two…

Let me show my way…
Salaamu alaik, Salaamu alaik, Salaamu alaikum
Salaamu alaikum Ya ahlas-salaam, Salamu alaikum
Salaamu alaikum Sayyid al-Kiram, Salaamu alaikum
Let me show my way…

Salaamu alaikum, alaikum, alaikum

Continue reading »]]> It takes a true calling to make faith a way of life. The Calling is a four-hour documentary series that follows seven Muslims, Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Jews on a dramatic journey as they train to become professional clergy. Embarking on life paths that demand tremendous personal sacrifice and commitment, these seminarians must uphold timeless truths in an era that values quick fixes and hot trends, and face a public that challenges the very relevance of their mission. A new look at an old job, The Calling takes viewers into the unknown world of seminaries to tell entertaining and compelling personal stories of how faith is lived in today.

The Calling intercuts its characters’ stories from their first days of training, through years of study, and into their early practice as religious professionals. We follow them within and beyond the walls of their schools, confronting the sacrifices they’ve made to pursue this path. We see them debate theology and philosophy, learn to deliver sermons, perform their first weddings and funerals, and counsel people in crisis. We also experience them as young people at the crossroads of their lives, struggling with dating, partners, family, and other challenges of coming of age.

Watch the full episode. See more Independent Lens.

These young people are charismatic and real, driven and self-reflective, confident and humble. They are seeking to reconcile the modern world and their faith through music and activism; balancing their egos and their desire to serve, and blazing new paths to leadership while conserving age-old traditions.

As this new generation of religious leaders prepares to take its place in our society, our characters’ unfolding stories explore some of the current issues facing America’s religious communities. Islam strives to establish its American identity. The Catholic Church responds to sexual abuse scandals and to the profound demographic shift to a Spanish-speaking majority. African American churches adapt to women taking more active leadership roles.

The United States is one of the most religiously observant and spiritually diverse countries in the world, yet mainstream media has underplayed the significance of faith in our lives, and our pluralism has been addressed almost exclusively in terms of race and culture. Most explorations of faith often focus on single faiths, church scandals, fundamentalist extremists, or religion’s polarizing effect on society. The Calling underscores our spiritual common ground and offers intimate portraits for a nuanced examination of faith in America.

source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/calling/film.html

Continue reading »]]> by Kenan Cetinkaya

kchetinkaya@hotmail.com

September 4, 2010

Similar to the example of a King or Queen who chooses certain days in a year to show his/her generosity and love toward his/her folk, God uses the holy times as a reasons to spread his mercy and blessings, much more than the common days and times, to his servants, Children of Adam. I believe that Holy months such as Ramadan and nights such as the night of the Qadir, has such a implication in Islamic faith. If we analyze the Holy Scriptures, mainly Quran and Bible, we can come cross the conclusion that all mankind is from a single person named Adam (pbuh). After him many people came and passed away and children Adam divided into very complex groups and nationalities. This division somehow made them forgets that they eventually came from the single father. I believe that the Holy nights remind us that we are all from the single parents and they were from the earth. Even though we as keeping specific

qualities different from each other, at last, can come together around the same table as the children of the same father in order to share celebration of the fasting.  Ramadan in this aspect, by keeping the self away from any kind of eating, drinking and sexual relationship, teaches Muslims that they must be humble in their action and be away from any kinds of arrogance. When a person abstains himself from these daily attitudes, he become weaker physically which help him to control the carnal desires. It is always easier to take in control the weaker person than strong and full person. Regarding to keeping the self and the society in control, Ramadan teaches Muslims that;

- They are not the real owner of their life and the possessions. God is the one who gives mankind whatever they have including their life. That is why Muslims generally pays their alms-giving (Zakat) in the Ramadan by acknowledging the reality that they all come from the real owner of the universe.
- Because Muslims feel weaker in strength they understand that in reality people are so weak. In every second they have everlasting demands and request from God. Because they exactly feel what the poor and the sick people feel, during their fasting they are commanded to pay fitr sadaqa (small amount of food given for the poor)
- By obeying God’s rules during the day and taking control the carnal self, they confess the reality that real owner of the universe asks from people to love God and serve him accordingly. In Islamic terms serving for humanity is serving for God also. That is why instead of staying away from the community and keeping themselves in seclusion, Muslims are encouraged to integrate into the community and strength their relationship with the others, which reaches to its peak during the Ramadan. Therefore, in Muslim societies it is not weird to see families host families, neighbors and relatives in Ramadan much more than other days. In the public squares of the towns Ramadan tents are set in order to entertain and teach Muslims about the wisdoms of Ramadan and being good citizen for their community and good servant for God. At the end of Ramadan this kinds of activities reaches their peak with the celebrations of Ramadan as the community.