Where in the World is Affad Shaikh

Since my last significant post, I would say its been two months or so. I have been pre-occupied. I went to go watch my Aunt die from Leukemia in Pakistan, so slowly died from the pollution and inept treatment of the physicians and staff at a so called "cancer specialty" hospital. (more on my adventures there later) These past few years, I have lost so many loved ones, that death has almost been a consistent guest in my life.

Then I came back and promptly saw a friend, former apartment mate, get married then a few other friends get married, met my other apartment mates fiance, and figured out my own living situation. I guess you can say, I now am a grown up, with my own studio in Orange County, having to take care of myself the whole nine yards.

I do admit the solitude in my new studio seems liberating. I haven't had to much time to enjoy its wonderful environment, as I have spent a lot of time moving, sorting, organizing my stuff. I lived a pretty chaotic, disorganized lifestyle these past few years. I guess that is what they call the "college years" and the "post undergrad" lifestyle. Its apparently settling in that I need to have stability of sorts.

Though my trip to Pakistan, subsequently to Mexico as well, re-enforced the fact that there is ever so much more to life then living in my bubble. I am reflecting on this fact and finding that my desire to see, and experience, the world is to strong to be neglected. For instance the Islam in Malaysia I experienced was something else, worth investigating further. The Islam in Pakistan, was actually a bit of a disappointment, such clash of ideas, like I might have mentioned to several people, its like Pakistan has several tracks that its traveling on, it happens that right now they all line up. In the near future the tracks will veer and that will be a dangerous thing to see. (Sadly, never did I think I would fear people with beards, but there I seriously questioned my security and well being as I went to the market, or filled up at a gas station, worse ride in a taxi.)

Work has occupied my life mostly- since I have gotten back its been hectic catching up with cases, deadlines, reports, requests, event attendance and the list goes on. But also I have been busy with this stupid desire to create a space of my own in my new studio. I have sort of brought out the inner interior designer our of me. But its not without help! I turn to Apartment Therapy to be my shining light, to figure out how to give my eclectic nature a physical form in the space I call my studio.

I know its a space that I rent. That I am limited in my ability to change the space, as well as the fact that I might move to some other situation at any given time, but I almost feel obligated to give manifestation to a sophisticated style of living rather then the "card board box dining table" I have been living these past several years. I believe my car will thank me for this change, its served as my closet, sometimes my bed, other times my study area.

One thing that excites me is that in the near future, I will come home from work, clean up, eat dinner and sit down with my long list of books to read and just begin reading. I miss that a lot. I want to read the book on my desk "Eastern Origins of Western Civilizations" or the book on "Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence" by Kamali, there is the historical fiction "Saracean Blade" and the Sci-Fi thrillers "Song of Ice and Fire" (4 of them, I highly recommend).

I don't mind coming and sitting on my couch and watching a movie, maybe the ending of "Jab we met"- Bollywood movie that got interrupted in Pakistan because of the regular power outages. Or even, finally sitting and playing Half Life for XBox, its sad, but as a college student doing all the things I did, I forced myself to stay away from video games. I think, I won't mind going to an Al-Maghrib seminar, in fact, if all goes well I hope to attend the one coming up later this month "The Torchbearers"- THIS WILL BE GREAT BOOST for my faith, especially with Ramadan coming up.

Its time to slow things down in life. To take it with a bit more ease. I get to caught up with things here, things there, and everywhere. My weakness has been my lack of focusing on "me" and having a place of my own, I look forward to that self dotting. I deserve it. I do.

Possibly even posting up some actually meaningful posts for you all to read, rather then the half-arsed nonesense you sometimes see posted by me.

Poetic Pilgrimage- Voices of Dissent

Islam was a vehicle of dissent. The Prophet SAW came and destroyed a system and in its placed provided a society that was just, long lasting and ever so connected. From across the Atlantic pond I want to introduce to you a duo, MUNEERA RASHIDA and SUKINA ABDUL NOOR, who make up Poetic Pilgrimage. You can read more about them here, here and here.

I was working on an op-ed piece to mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war. During that process I was stumbling over some ideas- disssent, music, the comparisons between the Iraq and Vietnam war, as well as this grand oppurtunity to be invited to the "House of Allah" in Mecca and to visit the city of the Prophet, Medina- so it was quite fitting that I ran across the song "Definition of a Pilgrim" by Poetic Pilgrimage, on a website touting dissent music for the Iraq war.

In the song, Poetic Pilgrimage begins by reciting "In the name of your Lord, Most Benificial and Most Merciful". They go on to say a verse from the Quran- "And proclaim the pilgrimage among people: they will come to you on foot and mounted on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways. That they may witness the benefits provided for them, and celebrate the name of Allah through the days appointed..." (22: 27-8).

Listen for yourselves, personally the video does not do justice to the song:

This song encompassed the things that I have been working on this past few weeks and it suited as a way to hopefully share with you all my intention to make Hajj this year. The struggle of maintaining the relevency of Islam in my life, and most of all applying its teachings in my dailly life has been a demanding task, yet filled with blessings and insight. To be invited for a once in a life time trip, is an answer to a silent prayer in the making for some time now.

I want to share with any other fellow believers, contemplating the Hajj this year, to make their intentions and begin to make your provisions. Here is an excellent post from muslimmatters.org on Hajj- Part 1, and Part 2. Please keep me in your duah's, so that I am able to accomplish the provision making and complete the journey, but most of all have my Hajj accepted, allowing me to begin a new chapter in my life.

The Color Orange

I like the color orange. It has this vibrancy that brings out emotions of joy, happiness, life and living. The way Orange makes me feel attracts me to the color even more. I prefer subdued hues, but orange is one of those colors that just attracts attention. Imagine had Arabic not influenced European culture the way it had we would be referring to Orange as geoluhread- roughly translated as "in between yellow and red."

(CW)Orange also represents Hinduism in India and Sri Lanka, the Dutch have it as a state color and here in the United States Orange is a familiar sight because we always seem to be on Orange State of Alert from the Department of Homeland (in)Security(CW) that is every time Chertoff has bowl movements.

There I go again, honestly, I promised I would refrain from being politically conscience, that now on my blog would be neutral and totally free from anything social or political. I mean (CW) Mr. CAIR-Watch had won his battle against me (CW). Kaufman scared the bejibbers out of me and I was going to lay low.

My dear friends who contacted me and provided me with advise on dealing with this situation, I am sorry to let you down. I know you all meant well. But you have to understand that THIS IS WHO I AM.

If Joe Kaufman and his Nazi ilk can carry out a smear campaign against me and other Muslims to marginalize and scare them into silence what do you think he thinks of Muslim who are neutral and silent already? He has nothing but despise and hatred for all Muslims. It was Kaufman that stated there are no Moderate American Muslims. So you think he will rest easy when all those who dare to speak out against his hatred stop doing so?

Listen we are not guests in this country. We are AMERICANS. It is time we start acting like Americans. We have nothing that bars us from melding our two identities together- we are American Muslims and lets act like it.

I understand your concern when you say that he is trying to manage a certain type of response and that I should not give him that opportunity. That in the emotional state that such a smear campaign might bring about I should lay low and play it safe.

There is no playing it safe. Me laying low is not being safe, its playing with matches surrounded by tons of hay in a barnyard 100 miles away from water. That is the danger of being silent. Muslims are on the cusp of history and we must not allow ourselves to be judged in future as being silent when the times demanded that we stand up for our rights and our liberties for all Americans, in the face of a country griped with hysteria willing to sacrifice the very freedoms and rights that make this place so great because of a few narrow minded extremists. We must not stand on the sidelines or else we will do a great injustice to all Americans.

This is our test, it is our burden and we are not alone. This is not us against everyone. This is America against those who breed fear, hate and extremism- in this case it is the likes of Kaufman.

Mabrooook!

Is the Islamophobes choice to pick on a person a compliment? Is it a reminder of the importance of maintaining humility? Maybe it is an indication that your activism is on the right track. Better yet maybe it means you're not yet influential enough for them to think twice about picking on you. Or is it just because they like the pictures of you that are available online?

I don't know.

But nonetheless Mabroook to our very own Affad. Shaikh. Masha'Allah his work has caught the attention of the hate mongering folks at CAIR Watch.

Check him out here at: Hate Mongering/Islamophobia Central!