Books and Media

[Sofiyya 1,687]

In 1991, Bill Moyers did a series on the Arab World. It may be out on dvd by now, but the series was released in 5 parts in 1997.

The arabs, who they are, who they are not

Bill Moyers and several prominent experts of Arab descent explore how the image of Arabs as religious fanatics was formed. Edward Said, professor of English at Columbia University, discusses the richness, diversity, and distinguished history of the Arab culture. Former United States Senator James Abourezk, and Jack Shaheen, author of The TV Arab, discuss the dehumanization of Arabs in the American media.

The bonds of pride

Bill Moyers explores the nature of the Arab identity and the main cultural ties that hold the Arab world together--language, the Koran, historical vision, literature and poetry, and humor. Cultural diversity among various Arab groups is examined, along with the role of women in Islamic society. Methods of education, the ancient Arab technique stressing memory versus more modern methods introduced during the period of European colonization, are compared.

The image of god

Bill Moyers and experts discuss the religion of Islam--its history, sectarian divisions, core beliefs, and use by Arab politicians as a legitimizing force. Distortions of the Islamic image in the American media are discussed. Holy War, Jihad, is defined and put into context.

The historic memory

In this program, Bill Moyers and three recognized Arab historians, Michael Suleiman, Afaf Marsot, and Yvonne Haddad, discuss the major historical periods in the Arab world, from its ancient past as a leader in science, mathematics, and literature, through colonization by the French and British, to the present. The Koran is discussed as a constitutional document, and the role of the West in Arab political affairs in analyzed.

Arabs and the west

Bill Moyers interviews scholar, writer, and economist Charles Issawi about the sources of Arab resentment toward the West and the possibility of better relations in the future. Issawi explains the Arab world's reluctance to modernize and its aversion to the secular nature of Western society--especially in the area of sexual freedom. The history of Islamic fundamentalism in the Arab world is traced, and its impact on Arab/West relations is discussed.

Pre-9/11 and not so paranoid.

Rahma, oh, no! You have my sympathy!

[AngelK96 0]

Love always wins out in the end books

That reminds me of something very beautiful. Be right back!

This is one of the most beautiful essays I have ever read about love, sweet love. Use it on your husbands, ladies.

A Wife

This article has been widely atributed to a lecture given by Sheikh Abdullah Adhami, but I have been informed that he is not the actual author, so for now it is, Author Unknown.

By getting married you are not just getting a wife, you are getting your whole world. From now until the rest of your days your wife will be your partner, your companion, and your best friend.

She will share your moments, your days, and your years. She will share your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your dreams and your fears. When you are ill, she will take the best care of you; when you need help, she will do all she can for you; when you have a secret, she will keep it; when you need advice, she will give you the best advice. She will always be with you: when you wake up in the morning the first thing your eyes will see will be hers; during the day, she will be with you, if for some time she is not with you by her physical body, she will be thinking of you, praying for you with all her heart, mind, and soul; when you go to sleep at night, the last thing your eyes will see will be her; and when you are asleep you will still see her in your dreams. In short, she will be your whole world and you will be her whole world.

The best description that I personally have ever read describing the closeness of the spouses to each other is the Qur'anic verse which says: "They are your garments and you are their garments." (Surah Al Baqarah 2:187). Indeed, spouses are like garments to each other because they provide one another with the protection, the comfort, the cover, the support, and the adornment that garments provide to humans. Just imagine a journey in the winter of Alaska without garments! Our spouses provide us with the same level of comfort, protection, cover, and support in the journey of our lives on this earth as garments would do in the Alaskan journey.

The relationship between the spouses is the most amazing of all human relations: the amount of love and affection, intimacy and closeness, mercy and compassion, peace and tranquillity that fills the hearts of the spouses is simply inexplicable. The only rational explanation for these most amazing of all human feelings is that: it is an act of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, "And Allah has made for you Mates (and Companions of your own nature ..." (Surah Al Nahl 16:72)

Only our Almighty Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala in His Infinite Power, Boundless Mercy, and Great Wisdom can create and ingrain these amazing and blessed feelings in the hearts of the spouses. In fact Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is reminding those who search for His signs in the universe that these feelings in the hearts of the spouses are among the signs that should guide humans to His existence as He says in the Qur'an, "And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Surah Al Rum 30:21)

But Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala knows that the human heart is not a static entity, it is sometimes weak and at times dynamic. Feelings can and do change with time. Love may wither and fade away. The marital bond might weaken if not properly cared for. Happiness in marriage cannot be taken for granted; continuous happiness requires constant giving from both sides. For the tree of marital love to remain alive and keep growing, the soil has to be sustained, maintained, watered and nurtured.

Remember that our Prophet Muhammad Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam had found the time to go out to the desert and race with his wife Aisha. She outran him but later after she had gained some weight, he outran her. Remember that the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam took his wife to watch the young Ethiopians playing and dancing their folk dances. The show of emotions is necessary to keep the marital bond away from rusting and disintegrating. Remember that you will be rewarded by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala for any emotions you show to your wife as the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam said "One would be rewarded for anything that he does seeking the pleasure of Allah even the food that he puts in the mouth of his wife"

Never underestimate the importance of seemingly little things as putting food in your wife's mouth, opening the car door for her, etc. Remember that the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam used to extend his knee to his wife to assist her up to ride the camel.

Try to always find some time for both of you to pray together. Strengthening the bond between you and Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is the best guarantee that your own marital bond would always remain strong. Having peace with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala will always result in having more peace at home.

Remember that the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam gave glad tidings for those couples who wake up at night to pray together. The Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam even urged the spouse who rises up first to wake the other spouse up, even by splashing cold water on his/her face.

Always try your best to be good to your wife by words and by deeds. Talk to her, smile to her, seek her advice, ask for her opinion, spend quality time with her and always remember that the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam said, "The best of you are those who are best to their wives"

Finally, it is common that spouses vow to love and honor their spouses until death do them part. I do believe that this vow is good or even great, but not enough! It is not enough that you love your wife. You have to love what she loves as well. Her family, her loved ones must also become your loved ones. Don't be like my colleague who was unhappy about his wife's parents coming to visit for few weeks. He candidly said to her "I don't like your parents." Naturally she angrily looked at him straight in the eye and said, "I don't like yours either." Also, it is not enough that you love her until death do you part. Love should never end and we do believe there is life after death where those who did righteousness in this world will be joined by their spouses (Surah Al Zukhruf 43:70) and offsprings.

The best example in this regard is the Prophet Salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallaam whose love for Khadija, his wife of 25 years, extended to include all those she loved; this love of his continued even after her death. It was many years after her death and he never forgot her and whenever a goat was slaughtered in his house he would send portions of it to Khadija's family and friends and whenever he felt that the visitor at the door might be Khadija's sister Hala, he would pray saying, "O Allah let it be Hala."

I used to know how to add music to a thread, but I don't remember now. We could add some arabic, rock, whatever, bumper music, if someone knows how

That was a very nice essay

If you want to add music from any site like mazikana or 6arab or 6rb or any other, right click on the song link and click copy shortcut and paste it to your post if there is another way maybe someone can post it.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

An unconventional look at male-female issues is found in "The Tao of Islam; A Sourcebook on Gender Relationships in Islamic Thought", by Sachiko Murata.

Together, with her husband, William C. Chittick, she also wrote "The Vision of Islam", another tome that has stirred a lot of commentary.

Angel, please, pick something you like and try that, see if it works here.

[AngelK96 0]

hahaha the pressure is on, now i can't think of a song to post. but you know it's a link and you have to click on it

I'll play some old school from Najwa Karam

http://music.6arab.com/najwa..ma3'rooma.rm

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I'm big on books and videos/dvds and have hundreds of them, particularly those about the Muslim American experience. I'll have to learn about music from you guys.

In the theme of Jeffrey Lang's "Struggling to Surrender: Some Impressions of an American Convert to Islam", J. Lynn Jones' "Believing As Ourselves" offers a frank, fierce and very personal account of her struggle as a convert to Islam and the coming to terms with the reality of life as a western convert married to an Arab Muslim in contrast opposed to her initial romanticim.

Daughters of Another Path: Experiences of American Women Choosing Islam is the accounting of a mother's reconciliation and acceptance of her daughter's conversion to Islam.

Islam Our Choice: Portraits of Modern American Muslim Women provides insight into the lives of six American converts.

Jeffrey Lang's http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159008027...&n=283155is his answer to the questions and longings of Muslims who wrote to him after reading his first books. It deals with the alienation and pain some Muslims feel, torn between modernity and tradition, and offers suggestions to deal with the contradictions.

I'll play some old school from Najwa Karam

That worked! Thanks!

[babybunny 2]

The only books I read are my School Text books. I am to busy to read books like I used to. I do alot of reading on line. I think thats most of us on VJ. Media I love to watch TIVO. mostly I watch Judge Judy and food net work. music I like Heavy metal. I dont listion to it like I used to. but, sometimes I like a little metallica. sometimes I want easy music like 70s.

[iceyspots 0]

my mom in algeria got me a book.. called N'zid.. the story of a woman's life living in the Sahara...

[jpaula 20]

I love fiction but have had trouble finding books in English in Algeria but for a few Penguin Classics so my reading list of late is a bit odd. I just re-read Jane Eyre and some James Joyce and Henry James (that was the Penguin Classics list). I do drag back a few books anytime I make it to the States or Europe and have loved a few of them. Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" is wonderful and so was "The Time of Our Singing" by Richard Powers. Almost through "The Electirc Michelangelo" by Sarah Hall. Fantastic. I started "Alchemy of Desire" but got a little bored.

I try to follow book reviews of new fiction on-line so I have an evolving "to buy when I get a chance" list and I would be thrilled to hear any recommendations from other fiction fans.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

If one would like to keep their booklist online, try reader2. I'm putting one up today at http://reader2.com/rahma

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Well, the weekend is coming, and you all have given me some great ideas for things to add over the next couple of days. Rahma, I love the idea of the online booklist, bravo!

Shonnie, links to substantive online articles would be a wonderful and readily accessible way of sharing information. I have printed hundreds of them in notebooks, and can see if they are still available online.

Ipaula, would you be able to get ebooks in Algeria? Maybe we can rangle some up for you!

Thanks, all!

Edited July 21, 2006 by szsz