PRAYER TIMINGS Effective 01/15 MCA NOOR Fajr 6:30 6:30 Dhuhr 12:35 12:35 Asr 3:15 3:45 Maghrib Sunset Sunset Isha 7:00 7:00 Juma 1 12:15 12:15 Juma 2 01:00 01:00 Newsletter Juma 2 01:45 01:45 Published Weekly by the Muslim Community Association of San Francisco Bay Area www.mcabayarea.org Jamadi ‘I 25, 1442 AH Friday, January 15, 2021 You Are Not Alone! If you’re struggling with food or rent due to Covid-19, we’re offering FREE GROCERY DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR! Geneva Mosque, Switzerland Easy Application process! Yes, I want a delivery! AL-QURAN Donate Prescribed for you when approaches any of you [the] Volunteer to Deliver death, if he leaves good (making) the will for the parents and the near relatives with due fairness a duty on the righteous ones. Quran: 2:180 HADITH Anas (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me, “Beware of looking around in Salah (prayer), because random looks in Salah are a cause of destruction. If there should be no help from it, it is permissible in the voluntary and not in obligatory Salat.” At-Tirmidhi, Book 18, 1756 Final Deadline to submit Advertisements is Tuesday at 5:00 PM www.mcabayarea.org/newsletter Post your Ad online mca.inhood.me 2 42.Al-Kareem The Bountiful One The Generous One, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.” [Quran 7:180] 3 3 C’s For a Successful 2021 Abdul Malik Mujahid of public policy and media. In 2021, Muslims Can you spend your Zakat in your city versus must turn this around insha Allah. But we overseas, as both Islamic Fiqh and the Khalifa Alhamdu lillah, in 2020, Muslims went above must first evaluate ourselves, plan ahead, and Omar ibn al-Khattab used to practice? and beyond to serve and contribute to adopt the three “Cs” that were the hallmarks America and the world. We donated millions How can you budget to consume less and of the Prophet Muhammad’s success. God’s to COVID-19 relief; we cared for the sick, give more? peace and blessings be upon him: hungry, and dying not just as doctors, How can you volunteer to serve the hungry nurses, and other medical personnel, but 1. Care of people and connection to God. and needy in your area? also as volunteers and relief workers in our 2. Coalition-building and networking. neighborhoods; we were at the forefront 3. Communication. Collective Action Items: of developing the vaccine that is currently being rolled out to end this pandemic. 1. Care and Connection with Can Muslims start 1,000 new food pantries in Humanity in Service America this year? That would mean every However, we weren’t as effective as we third Masjid will have a food pantry. You could be because we remain weak, thanks to Serving others makes us better human can work on this as a network of mosques, Islamophobia, our civic isolation, and lack of beings - something we sorely need in a instead of just focusing on your own Masjid. effective communication. world where genocide, oppression, and tyranny are rising. Can Muslims start 100 new health centers American Muslim doctors, (there are next to Masjids, which offer free healthcare more than 50,000 in the U.S.) who are in In Surah Al-Maun (Quran, chapter 107), God to the local community? a profession that is both high status and mentions two characteristics of the person high-paying, routinely face discrimination who denies faith. The first is selfishness: s/he Muslim social services are for all. Islam does because of their faith, something does not care for the hungry, turns away the not differentiate between Muslim and non- documented even before the pandemic. orphan, and does not share what s/he has. Muslim when it comes to the right of those The second is that s/he is lazy in his or her in need. Outside of the hospital, Islamophobia prayers. Taking care of God’s creation along is very common: in 2020, 60 percent of with worshiping the Creator are, therefore, 2. Coalition-building and American Muslims said they experienced inextricably linked and twin tests of one’s Networking discrimination. faith. Building coalitions and alliances that crossed According to the Institute for Social God expects us to care for others to please religious and tribal lines was essential to the Policy and Understanding’s Islamophobia Him, without expecting a thank you or Prophet’s success. He reached out to those Index 2020, more than any other group reward in return (Quran 76:9). The Prophet were not Muslim for assistance, even as he that experiences religious discrimination, did so not only when he had power in sought help with Allah for his struggles. Muslims do so on an institutional, not just Madinah, but also when he and the Muslims The Prophet negotiated 12 treaties in interpersonal, level. were weak and suffering in Makkah. Madinah that established the religious rights Globally, we are even weaker. The Chinese For example, a stranger approached of Jews, Christians, and pagans in the city- government has thrown Uighurs into the him seeking help because Abu Jahl, the state. These emphasized the importance world’s largest concentration camps since tormentor of Muslims, had taken his goods of Muslims treating their non-Muslim co- Nazi Germany; Rohingya refugees are being without payment. The Prophet could have citizens with liberty, justice, respect, and forcibly evacuated to a flooding island; turned away, given the desperate state of dignity. Sri Lankan Muslims are being forced to the Muslims at the time. But he did not. He The Prophet began developing alliances cremate loved ones who have died from approached Abu Jahl, who returned the and coalitions even in Makkah, when, on his COVID; Kashmiris are enduring an ongoing money - despite his ongoing abuse of the return from his trip from Taif, he was barred Indian government crackdown, stripping Prophet. them of their land and their human rights; from the city by Abu Lahab. This would be Indian Muslims in Assam are being denied Service Items to Include in Your 2021 Plan: like stripping him of citizenship from the land citizenship. of his birth. He sought help. Only Mutam ibn Personal Plan Adi, a Mushrik who never accepted Islam, Islamophobia is not due to ignorance. Rather, stepped forward. He was his sponsor, and Can you double your Zakat giving for the it is because of individual and collective ensured that the Prophet returned to Makkah poor? Muslim weakness, especially in the realms unharmed. 4 The Prophet recognized and praised Mutam, communication available to him to achieve seminars to learn to produce. and the Muslims of Madinah honored him in that mission. Write letters to the editor. This is the most the best way they could when he died: with Good communication benefits us read part of the newspapers. And yes, Hassan bin Thabit, the poet of the Prophet, collectively and individually. Expressing newspapers are not dead! reciting poetry in his praise as he stood in ourselves in a way that is sincere, truthful, the Prophet’s Masjid. If you are a student, no matter your major, and persuasive strengthens relationships; it take courses in writing, public speaking, In 2021, we need to build similar coalitions opens up opportunities at work and school, journalism, audio/video, multimedia and networks, not just to strengthen our own as well as networking for the greater good. production, etc. position in society, but to work together to In 2021, more of us need to learn how to build a better one for all. Consider switching your major to journalism, produce, write, speak, sing, and draw. We broadcasting, creative writing or at least “And do not let the hatred of a people in need to be able to share our message, “tell make these programs your minor. shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque our story” as many like to say, effectively. The lead you to transgress. Still cooperate story of how Muslims have contributed to the Develop overlapping media skills. A TV in righteousness and piety, but do not fight against COVID-19 is largely unknown. reporter today should be able to film and cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear What is known about us is primarily negative edit her report as well. God; indeed, God is severe in penalty” news. (Quran 5:2). Organize your family to write a book This, in turn, affects public policy. For together. Items to Incorporate in Your Personal Plan: example, it is surprising that President-Elect Joe Biden has not, at this writing, selected Have a monthly family circle in which writing Coalitions and networks can be open to even one Muslim to be a health leader, is shared or a presentation is made. participation by individuals, organizations, or despite the tremendous contributions of both. So consider being a part of one. Have your Masjid start classes on Muslim scientists and doctors during the interpersonal communication, writing, pandemic. Find out how to be a better networker. speech, and accent improvement. Contrast this with Muslims in the U.K. Survey what human rights networks and Collective Action Items: coalitions exist which you can be a part of. Generally less educated and wealthy than Then join one. American Muslims, about 20 years ago, Muslims have no newspaper or radio outlet they were a weak community.