Personal Development

Imam Yusef Maisonet, takes a camel ride in December in Al Ain, a city in one of the United Arab Emirates. He was leading a cultural exchange trip for American Muslim Woman sponsored by the American Muslim Leadership Program for Females. Imam Leads faith journeys far and wide Mobilian takes cultural exchange groups to the Middle East By Maurice Gandy-correspondent Yusef …

It is one of those unavoidable facts of life: sometimes we find ourselves in situations we don’t want to be in. Often, we have to do things or resist doing other things. The Qur’ān and Ḥadīth mention such occurrences, and also elaborate on our response to them. Thus the following verse: “And We will surely test you with something of …

A close friend introduced me to the idea that practicing martial arts has the potential to assist a Muslim in achieving a higher spiritual connection with God. Since I had always associated martial arts with Asian culture and Eastern religions such as Zen Buddhism, the connection with Islam did not immediately occur to me. But after sitting in on one …

Smoking was discovered by the Spanish conquistadors in America, about 500 years ago; from Spain, it spread to the rest of Europe, and thence to the Muslim world about 100 years later. Unfortunately, while the West has long realized the dangers of smoking and attempted to reduce it, in the Muslim lands, it has spread with little or no interference. …

I woke up to a text message from a friend. “I’m really sorry for texting you early on a weekend, but I need to ask you. How can you forget someone who caused a tragedy in your life? I’ve done many things to forget him, but until today I can’t seem to do so. And it is really bothering me. …