TagZahir Muhammad Mannan

Ashura, a Muslim holiday amid the tinsel and candle lighting

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Originally Published on the Hartfordfavs.com     It’s truly “beginning to look a lot like Christmas” not only for Christians but for believers of many faiths!   Although Christmas may not be observed similarly or even called the same throughout Christianity, Islam, or Judaism, its essence is certainly shared by all this time of year.   With Christmas and Hanukkah already...

Our Purpose Exposed

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Originally Published on the Hartfordfavs.com   On Thanksgiving, this Muslim American gave thanks for enjoying religious freedom in America. The first pilgrims to the New World, the Puritans, wearing their traditional bonnets and trousers, fled an intolerant Europe. Today, in places like France, Muslim women are banned from wearing headscarves in public places. constantly escaping into the...

Let’s follow a peaceful prophet

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Originally Published in Hartfordfavs.com The recent film “Innocence of Muslims” which sparked riots and protests around the Muslim world was not the worst or last deranged attempt to ignite unjust hatred. Indeed, since Prophet Muhammad’s birth to a beautiful couple named Aminah and Abdullah, the meek, poor, unlettered orphan of Arabia’s desert has tearfully been the target of...

The relentless chaos in the Middle East

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Originally Published on HartfordFavs.com       “Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you. No, you can’t. Yes, I can. No, you can’t. Yes, I can…” Though only some know the Broadway musical to which these charmingly obnoxious lyrics belong, all of us are undeniably accustomed to such immature vanity. The real life repercussions of this age-old feud...

Consider those in need this Black Friday

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Originally Posted on The Hartford FAVS Instead of shopping this Black Friday, why don’t we consider the ones who lost everything? My Ahmadi Muslim brothers had the best response after Hurricane Sandy devasted homes. We traveled to New York and joined volunteers with Humanity First and the American Red Cross. We dove right in to aide several families, removing rubble from destroyed homes. “An...

An interpretation of dreams

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Originally Posted on The Hartford FAVS Dreams, they are an uncertain yet intriguing dimension. The question is, however, are they simply insignificant ramblings of our own incoherent thoughts lying, apparently, dormant in our subconscious, or are they secret eye-opening communications from unseen worlds that we merely just don’t understand? Maybe both, but who’s really to say? Does the answer lie...

Connecticut Muslims aide New York storm victims

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Originally Posted on The Hartford FAVS “Labbayk” or “Here I am and ready to serve” was what we exclaimed when Hurricane Sandy made her devastation known. Four of us from the Meriden- based Connecticut chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community energetically left for New York on Saturday (Nov. 3) for a three hour trip to provide assistance to those in need. On the way we filled...

Eid-ul- Adha and Abraham’s sacrifice

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Originally Posted on The Hartford FAVS We all know of the upright Patriarch and “Friend” of the Divine (4:126), Abraham (on him is peace), of whom we find an honorable mention in almost every religion. So what’s so special about him? Well, the answer lies within a special commemoration being observed these very days by over one third of the world’s population; ‘Eid ul Adha or the honoring...

Poem: A believer’s search for the beloved

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Originally Posted on The Hartford FAVS We live in search of truth Yet distract ourselves with lies We blindly shop every bazaar in vain And never hearken to our inner cry What ugliness you haply invite What beauty you let slip away You give up immortality tomorrow Foolishly to satisfy your lust today The answer you seek is tightly enclosed Beyond a gate of icy darkness and fiery light Kindle...