Your Employment & Expenditure: Keeping it Halal!

<In our struggle to make ends meet, we need to realise that as Muslims; we have to be very careful with our choices, dealing and earning. What drives you…or what are you aiming at? Please avoid earning wealth that brings you closer to Allah wrath. It not exactly an easy task/ decision/ practice but we should at least try and ask Allah to help us. This is a piece By Taha Ghayyur- titled A Young Muslim’s Guide to Halal Employment. Enjoy!>

Every summer young Muslim students go through stressful times trying to find a means of earning that is decent, professional, yet Islamically lawful. While many do land good and Halal jobs, others resort to any work or industry, often out of desperation and hopes of ‘quick big cash’, that may not be pleasing to Allah, the source of all our Rizq (wealth, sustenance and blessings).

It is important that we, the Muslim youth, work hard and with honestly to earn money, instead of sitting idle at home or stealing other’s money. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once reminded us, “It is better that a person should a take a rope and bring bundles of wood on his back to sell so that Allah may preserve his honour than that he should beg from people.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

Consumerism’s Promise: You will Never be ‘Content’

As we strive to sustain ourselves with part time jobs, we need to learn the ethics of ‘right’ and ‘pure’ earning and spending. How many youth are out there whose sole purpose of earning is to buy a new set of brand name shoes, the latest game, or the nail polish in vogue on weekly basis! This is indeed the destructive outcome of our consumer teen culture.

Why is it crucial to not to fall for this culture of greed? The Prophet, peace be upon him, has told us, “Riches are sweet, and a source of blessing to those who acquire them (lawfully) by the way; but those who seek them out of greed are like people who eat but are never full (or satisfied). “

Therefore, this kind of greed to have ‘everything cool or every fad out there’ will never satisfy you, no matter how much of it you have. Ever wonder, why the music and film industry never loses money? The idea is to keep every young person in our society ‘hooked’ on to the music, lyrics, and the ‘stars’, that are strategically released to the public gradually, in stages, so that everyone keeps coming back for ‘more’.

Reality of ‘Entertainment’ and your Employment

This material instant gratification is not going to buy you happiness and peace, as promised by the allurings ads and persuasive salespersons. At the end of the day, we realise how hollow and temporary this ‘entertainment’ is— something that destroys our soul by taking our mind and feelings to another realm of fantasy, only to discover we are is back to the same harsh realities of this life as soon as the screen turns off!

The way we ‘kill our time’ in our leisure activities has a great influence on the type of job we look for. If our priority in life is to serve our family, community, and Islam, as well as improving our own relationship with Allah, then certainly we would look for a job or a profession that accommodates all such commitments.

It helps to keep in mind the following portrayal of reality by our Prophet, peace be upon him: “Whoever sets this world as his goal, Allah divides his affairs for him. He will place poverty between his eyes, and nothing will come to him from this world except what Allah has written for him. Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, Allah gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” [Ibn Majah & Ibn Hibban]

“It is not poverty which I fear….”

Is it any wonder that the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once commented, “It is not poverty which I fear for you, but that you might desire the world as others before you desired it, and it might destroy you, as it destroyed them.”

How do we suppress our love for this world? We can do so by spending less on ourselves and contributing as much as possible to those in need. Even a regular, nominal donation to your local masjid, charity organisation, youth group, Islamic publication, or a poor person would greatly bless your limited income from employment as a student; it will also serve a profound reminder to cut the greed. Your regular contribution to other’s well-being will make you think, every time you are window shopping in a mall, “Do I really need it? Or am I tempted to buy this shirt because my friend always talks about it?

5 Reasons to avoid working for Riba (interest) based institutions

1. Riba (interest) involves earning income without actually working to earn it;
2. Riba based companies involve taking advantage of the need or financial circumstances of the borrower of loan;
3. Taking Riba, or working for institutions that promote it, contribute to great injustice and devastation, both at individual and global level, such as, bankruptcy, corporate scandals, economic recession, credit crunch, debts, and staggering unemployment to name a few.
4. Daily toil has become a never-ending struggle to pay off interest on mortgages or business loans, and societies have become class-ridden structures in which huge wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.
5. As Salih Al-Munajjid argues, “Perhaps all this is a manifestation of the war threatened by Allah to those who deal in Riba….The least harm that a job involving Riba does is to destroy the blessing (Barakah) of the money, even if a person’s income is great. The Prophet, peace be upon him, himself once said, ‘Even if Riba is much, it will end up being a small amount.’ [Al-Hakim]“

Employment Search: Tips on keeping it Halal

This time when you go out searching for employment, look for a job that is pure and Halal. Make sure it’s work-environment allows you to maintain your Islamic identity, including time and space for the daily prayers and allowance to observe Hijab or Islamically modest clothing. Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood in her book Living with Teenagers and Yusuf al-Qaradawi in his research work The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam provide the following useful tips on what type of job to stay away from:

1. any form of activity deriving money from pornography, prostitution and indecency (such as theatres, movie stores, clubs….etc.), as Allah reminds us, “And do not come near Zina (fornication); indeed it is an abomination and an evil way” [17:32];
2. any form of drama or dance entertainment that is deliberately or suggestive;
3. making statues of living creatures or photography that is sexually provocative, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, once said, “Allah will punish anyone who makes figures (of living beings), until he breathes spirit into them, which he can never do” [Bukhari];
4. manufacturing, trading, or serving intoxicants and drugs;
5. working in a bar, off-licence, nightclub, dance hall, etc.;
6. being involved in armed forces fighting against other Muslims or killing innocent people;
7. working in banks, stock exchanges, futures markets, insurance companies, and other usurious or Riba-based institutions.

How do I tell….

How do we tell what is a Haram (unlawful) or Halal (lawful) work? A general principle, as Ruqaiyyah W. Maqsood explains, “is that if anybody’s means of earning a living hurts another, or results in another’s loss or corruption, then it is Haram. If it is fair and beneficial to others as well, then it is Halal. Obviously, any business or job that involves dishonesty, bribery, gambling, cheating (do deceptive marketing strategies ring a bell?), fraud, sexual degradation, or any other means of making a profit by exploiting others (such as lottery/raffle tickets), is forbidden to us Muslims.

The best practice is to ignore or leave any job opportunity that seems to fall in the grey area. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, advised us, “Leave alone what puts you in doubt and turn toward what does not create any doubt.” [Ahmad & Tirmidhi] This is perhaps the most practical tip to use in employment search.

The Road Ahead…

Before we give up all the hope of finding a good Halal job after reading this list of precautions, remember there are innumerable sources of employment, including Muslim and non-Muslim owned businesses, that offer a decent, honorable, professional, and above all Halal, environment. We may begin our job search with the local Muslim business directory!

We would never despair if we realised the truth of a Prophetic statement, “If you give up something for the sake of Allah, He will replace it with something (even) better.” Let’s have the following words of Allah etched in our heart, “Whoever has Taqwa (consciousness) of Allah, He will make a way out for him” [Surah Talaq: 3]. This verse should boost he confidence, faith, and optimism of all the young Muslims striving to adopt a pure and Islamic lifestyle and to benefit their society as responsible citizens.

SOURCE: http://myinkspiration.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/your-employment-expenditure-keeping-it-halal/

Meet the 13 most powerful Muslim women in Britain

<Salam peeps! Got this  article from TIMES online.. . specially for our sisters to stay motivated and remember is not out of place to be a career woman.( So far as you keep the value and will of Allah in place… ) We say raise and shine …Go for your dreams!!>

Meet the 13 most powerful Muslim women in Britain (Source: http://www.crescentsofbrisbane.org)

More Muslim women than ever are in leading positions in society, a fact that is at worst misrepresented and at best under-reported. Britain’s first Muslim Women Power List aims to change all that and recognize the women who are making a difference

Imtaz Khaliq, 44, bespoke tailor
“I was brought up in Bradford, in quite a closed Muslim community. I always wanted to be a tailor, but the traditional route [for girls like me] was to get married at an early age. I had to really scream and shout to get [my parents’ agreement] for my course in Leeds, but once they saw my work on TV…

“Is being a Muslim compatible with having a public profile? Yeah, it hasn’t really held me back. People are going to stereotype you anyway, so you might as well own your own identity. My family have been so supportive, and that pushes me on.

“I think women in the Muslim community probably have to fight a little bit harder than women elsewhere, especially if you’re involved in the creative arts.”

Baroness Warsi, 37, Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action
“I’d prefer to work in a world where we didn’t have to single out Muslim women for their achievements in order to make a point. Having said that, I’m honoured to be on this list, because the man in the street simply doesn’t think of Muslim women as high achievers.

“Of course I’ve encountered prejudice as a woman, and as a Muslim woman. One of the most specific forms of prejudice is journalists who ask, “Are you a Muslim first or British first?”, as if to say the two can’t be reconciled.

“I think that Islam is a hugely liberating religion for women. If Islam is interpreted properly, it is a religion that respects, supports and reveres women. Unfortunately, I don’t necessarily think that’s always the way that the Muslim community interprets it.”

Professor Farida Fortune, in her forties, dean of dentistry & professor of medicine in relation to oral health, Queen Mary’s, London University
“Until [9/11 and 7/7], I would never stand out from the crowd as being a Muslim. But then my son… said he was scared of anyone finding out he was a Muslim at school… and we had to say, ‘Never be ashamed of who you are.’

“Being on the dental faculty of the Royal College of Surgeons, I’m on the podium when people get their diplomas, and one girl said to me, ‘When I heard you were voted on, I knew I could do it too.’ I don’t think I encountered any prejudice in my career until two years ago, when there was a discussion within the university about dress code and Muslim sensitivities. I had to say, ‘Excuse me, being the only Muslim woman here…’, and they looked shocked.

“I aspire to support all my staff and students and many from diverse backgrounds. I don’t want to be seen to be supporting or representing a particular group or that my achievements or failures have been because I am a Muslim.”

Bushra Nasir, 56, first Muslim state-school head teacher

“Being Muslim is my core being. It’s guided me in my way of working and thinking. I came to Britain when I was 8, so I went through the education system here. My life chances were changed by teachers who nurtured me.

“I haven’t encountered prejudice in the workplace, but I have found that people weigh me up to see if I’ve got the capabilities to do the job. I don’t think it’s prejudice, I think it’s naivety, and it makes me want to do my job even better.

“The stereotype of Muslim women hidden away in burkas doesn’t annoy me, but I do see images that are not necessarily the most positive role models. I think it’s important to be proud to be a Muslim woman, and I feel in a very privileged position as a British Muslim.”

Dr Gülnur Aybet, 44, lecturer in international relations, political scientist and principal investigator of a British Academy project on Nato and EU state-building in Bosnia

“In a predominantly male-dominated career like mine, women are constantly up against challenges. Being a Muslim woman makes it three times as hard. It creates barriers in the workplace in terms of recognition and promotion. I have experienced both. I’m the only Muslim woman that I know of in my field.

“My religion has been very important to me. I don’t find any contradictions between my faith and having a high-flying career.I come from Istanbul and a family embedded in European culture. I came here when I was 3. I don’t think there is a cohesive Muslim community [here] as yet. I don’t think in Britain it’s centred so much on religion as the culture of the country from which you originate.

“I was always encouraged to achieve and succeed and… I do a lot of mentoring for young women, Muslim or otherwise. I think for Muslim women it’s much more pressing, because I do feel they’re under-represented.

“But it is wrong to generalise that most Muslim women are disadvantaged. I strongly believe that being European or Western and being of the Muslim faith are not mutually exclusive. One can have multiple identities.”

Mehmuda Mian, 46, BBC trustee, qualified solicitor and commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission

“My father and grandfather were university-educated. I had three siblings and we were all expected to go to university. In fact, it would have been a big deal if we hadn’t.

“Being a Muslim is the bedrock of my existence. Islam is about peace and justice, though unfortunately some of those precepts have been taken over and there are some very odd views as to what Islam means.

“There was racism when I was growing up in the Seventies… but professionally it’s never really been an issue. I work on the Lokahi Foundation [an organisation that promotes harmony in society], and meet Muslims from right across the country. Some of their experiences bring it home to me that I’ve been very privileged. I went to a pretty awful estate in East London and a shaven-headed guy just started shouting abuse at some Bengali women.

“This list is great because it’s portraying a positive image of Muslim women, but it is still a label. I don’t particularly like labels.”

Reedah N. El-Saie, 38, founder and director, Islamic Art and Design

“My father died when I was 13, and this has always made me strive to be the best I can be. I read law at LSE, did a masters at UCL, qualified as a barrister and worked as a management consultant. Then I opened a club in Clerkenwell promoting Islamic art and culture.

“I have two sons and my husband’s Egyptian, so we’ve had a few stares and stops at the airport, which has made me aware that my sons are growing up in a climate of fear and mistrust. I think the media perpetuates the myth by using words like “Islamic terrorists”, so there’s a link in the average person’s mind between Islam and terrorism. Pre 9/11, there wasn’t that link.

“I’m running a national art competition, ArRum, to explore what it means to be a British Muslim. There is a responsibility on our community to step forward more, and a project like the Muslim Women Power List, which highlights and celebrates the contributions that Muslim women are making, is definitely a great thing.”

Salma Yaqoob, 37, leader of the Respect political party and elected member of Birmingham City Council
“9/11 was a turning point for me. I felt like I was being associated with it because it was called ‘Islamic terrorism’… In the playground people would shun me, on the bus I would hear people saying they wanted to stab Muslims. I was spat upon. I was waiting to hear someone speak up, but nobody did, so I did it myself.

“Muslim women are most definitely stereotyped: that we’re all oppressed, repressed, depressed! I think there’s a seed of truth in that we have issues within our own community; there’s a lot of rhetoric about equality and the Koran and the Prophet, but the practice is definitely far from the theory. I saw many of my own cousins coming under pressure [to get married straight from school]. My sister and I were the first to go to university. Now it’s the norm. I remember going to my father and showing him the verses [in the Koran] and saying, ‘Well, you say you believe this stuff, but actually we do have a right [to study].’

“I saw how the faith was being used – well, misused – to deprive women of rights, and I found that I could assert my rights through going back to the faith. I hope that’s made it easier for other women.”

Rimla Akhtar, 26, chairwoman of the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation

“I think there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of understanding the Muslim community. All the people here today are working to get the message across that we’re basically the same as anyone else. We have a faith that defines us, but that doesn’t make us different. We’re doing positive things for the whole of the UK. I’ve been playing sport for a long time, and I haven’t encountered any prejudice at all.

“Being Muslim totally defines me as a person. It’s about being a good human being. Do unto others – that’s the only motto I live by. I don’t think Islam would ever stop a woman doing anything as long as it doesn’t contradict her faith.”

Zahida Manzoor CBE, 50, legal services complaints commissioner and legal services ombudsman for England and Wales

“Having a supportive family is very important to my success. My father encouraged me to do as well as I could at a time when Muslim girls didn’t leave home to go to university.

“There is evidence that ethnic-minority women feel discrimination on three fronts: as women, as a minority and as Muslims. I’ve not encountered it, but the reality is there are still not that many Muslim women in public life, [although] there is a greater acceptance in the [Muslim] community that women are going out to work.

“I would like to think the stereotype of subservient women is changing. For women generally we talk about the glass ceiling, but for ethnic minority women, particularly Muslim women, we’re talking about breaking the concrete skirting board. It is that difficult. There needs to be more family support and community support. I have two daughters. One just qualified as a lawyer and I’m hopeful that some of the barriers I’ve faced in my life won’t even be issues for her.”

THE LONG LIST{ we suggest you goggle them to find out more }

Baroness Afshar Professor of politics and women’s studies

Zareen Ahmed Chief executive, the Lightbox Consultancy

Rimla Akhtar Chairwoman of Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation

Rushanara Ali Associate director, the Young Foundation

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Columnist

Naheed Arshad-Mather Various community activities, magistrate

Dr Gülnur Aybet Lecturer in political science, University of Kent

Farmida Bi Banking partner, Norton Rose LLP

Riazat Butt Religious affairs correspondent, The Guardian

Dr Reefat Drabu Various chairs/committee work within Muslim Council of Britain

Reedah N. El-Saie Director, Islamic Art and Design Company

Baroness Faulkner Life peer

Prof. Farida Fortune Dean of dentistry and oral health, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine

Shaista Gohir Director of Muslim Voice UK, exec director of Muslim Women’s Network UK

Shahbaz Hamid Principal and actuary, client relationship director Scotland, Aon Consulting

Prof. Roszaini Haniffa School of Management, University of Bradford

Dr Fatima Husain Consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, Heatherwood and Wrexham Park NHS Trust

Mishal Husain Journalist and presenter

Razia Iqbal Arts correspondent, BBC News

Sabina Iqbal Chairwoman and founder of Deaf Parenting UK

Shelina Janmohamed Writer and commentator

Wasfi Kani Chief executive, Grange Park Opera

Haifa Al Kaylani Board director and founder chairman of Arab International Women’s Forum

Imtaz Khaliq Designer/tailor

Sara Khan Community development specialist

Hawa Bibi Laher Head teacher, Spring Grove JI&N School

Pinky Lilani Entrepreneur, diversity specialist and cookery writer

Nahid Majid Deputy director/head of area initiatives and communities, DWP

Adeeba Malik Deputy chief executive, QED-UK

Aiysha Malik Vice president, employee relations, Deutsche Bank

Naseem Malik IPCC commissioner and judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal

Dr Zahida Manzoor Legal services complaints commissioner and legal services ombudsman for England and Wales

Mehmuda Mian BBC trustee, non-executive director of ISA, commissioner IPCC

Shazia Mirza Comedian and columnist

Dr Shehla Mohammed Consultant clinical geneticist

Dr Yasmin Naqushbandi Medical director, Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust

Bushra Nasir Head teacher, Plashet Comprehensive School

Ifath Nawaz Lawyer/President of the Association of Muslim Lawyers (UK)

Yvonne Ridley Journalist, broadcaster and author

Fatiha Serour Director, Commonwealth Youth Programme

Dr Robina Shah Chairwoman of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Julie Siddiqui Various community activities

Dr Elneil Sohier Consultant urogynaecologist, UCH

Baroness Uddin Life peer

Baroness Warsi Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social

Cllr Salma Yaqoob Birmingham City Council

Source: http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article5918094.ece

The balancing act: work and home

<Salam salam!! i found more career article for you. Though was written from the sister’s angle… we all can learn one or two things off this lovely piece i found on islamweb- ladies’ .. Enjoy and share!!>

In this day and age, we see more and more Muslim women entering the world of work. Sometimes this is out of necessity; sometimes it is due to the woman’s need to contribute to society in some way or to use the knowledge and skills that she has acquired.

In other instances, it is due to the wishes of a spouse, parent, or other family member. Whatever the situation, the fact is that a significant proportion of Muslim women are working. At the same time, many of these women are also shouldering the responsibilities of motherhood and management of the home. How do these women cope? How do they manage to balance work and home? What are the best options for a woman and her family?

First, the trend

Muslim women in many parts of the world are being indoctrinated to believe that in order to have value they must be “career women” who work outside the home. This is part of the “women’s liberation” movement that is being promoted by the U.N. and various international groups. And it is not occurring without serious side effects, most of which are only beginning to appear. Women are choosing to delay or forego marriage all together in order to pursue their education and careers. Many have also decided that if they do get married, they will only have a few children. They would not dream of having the 10 or 12 that their mothers had! Others are suffering emotional and physical problems as they attempt to compete in a male-dominated world.

What women need to understand is that while there is nothing wrong with becoming educated and developing a career, they should not neglect the most important career in life — motherhood. While it may be necessary for some women to work outside of the home, in a normal society, the majority of women with children (particularly young children) should be in the home. So rule number one related to the balancing act is that if it is possible to stay at home, this would be the best option for both the mother and the family. Children have many needs that a mother is best suited to meet. Motherhood is a career and it carries with it immense rewards!

Practical tips

For women who do not have the option, the following tips may be useful:

1. Try to focus on careers that match the qualities of a woman and that will be less competitive and less stressful. Attempting to compete in male-dominated careers can have serious effects upon women, such as encouraging aggressive, dominating, and controlling traits that are more characteristic of men. This, in turn, may impact the family. The stress of the job itself may be carried home as well. Women who work in predominately masculine jobs interact more with men, increasing the temptations that may arise between genders.

Teaching, social work, nursing, and child care are good examples of careers that fit more with the nurturing and caring nature of women. These types of careers enhance those natural traits and ease the transition between work and home. They also provide valuable contributions to society.

2. Find careers or jobs that offer more flexibility in terms of scheduling and hours. Teaching is a good example since the mother’s schedule is often the same as the children. Part-time work is also preferable to full-time work, if this is possible. Some companies have programs for employees with families, such as flex-time and time-sharing. Working from home or establishing a home business may be other suitable options for women.

3. Find someone that can be completely trusted to take care of the children, preferably a Muslim sister or a close family member. Children are able to bond with an unlimited number of people as long as they are cared for and loved. A Muslim sister or family member may become like a “second mother” for the children, which can alleviate separation anxiety and other negative effects caused by separation. Home-based childcare is the best option for young children. Older children may be fine in a daycare center or preschool.

4. Spend quality time with your children at home. Children need time and attention more than anything and the time of a working mother is limited. When a mother is with her children, she needs to focus on them and enjoy activities, games, and reading with them. Good quality time is more important than quantity.

5. Arrange for housecleaning and cooking, if possible. A major stressor for working mothers is going through a day of work and then coming home in the evening to find cooking and cleaning to be done. This problem itself leaves little time for family bonding and sharing. The best solution is to hire someone to assist with the household chores so time will be freed for care of the children. In fact, a working woman has a right to this assistance according to Sharee‘ah (Islamic law). If the family is not able to afford to hire someone, maybe extended family members could pinch in to help.

The most important issue for women to remember is that her family should be her first priority. If a woman is able to balance a family and a career, this is acceptable. If the family begins to suffer, she needs to reconsider her priorities and choose the option that would be most pleasing to Allaah. An insightful person once said, “After so much time and energy put into a career, I discovered that the most precious gift I have is my family.” Don’t let the time go by before you come to this realization.

SOURCE: http://www.islamweb.net/womane/nindex.php?page=readart&id=148885