Quiet Summer Days - Good For Reflection
Most of us welcome summer for it's fun. It is good to have fun and even better to have lots of it. By the same token it is not a bad idea to also take time out during these pressure-free quiet days of summer season to reflect.
One of the issue that parents and young adults are generally found to be discussing during summer holidays, is the future academic and career pursuits. Although Islam does not define the fields of education and career a person should choose but clearly offers a value system. And that is (1) we must recognize that the Ultimate Knowledge of everything belongs to Him alone (2) our choices should serve larger good in addition to our own, and (3) such choices should not conflict with the Islamic value system, also known as Sharia.
It is our fervent hope that we draw the attention of parents and young adults to consider an area largely ignored by Muslims, the Media, in their academic and career planning. Neither we find Muslims as Journalists nor are there any Muslim media institutions today. In absence of both, it is not fair to blame others for their biases.
In today's globalized communications environment it is neither possible to silent the sender of the message nor to stop the recipient. Satellites do not recognize borders. Case in point is the MTV enterprise that reaches 1 billion people in 18 languages in 164 countries and 8 out of 10 of it's subscribers live outside the United States. It is only logical then that Zaid in Cairo dreams for Michael Jordan shoes, Siddiqa in Jeddah chows on McDonald burgers and Ahmed keeps gulping the Pepsi & Coca Colas in Kuala Lumpur.
US Administration is not shy in recruiting American media and marketing talent to perpetuate this campaign with even more urgency. Late last year the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced Initiative 911 requesting half a billion dollars for a channel to 'compete' with al-Jazeera. The chief aim of this channel is to target young Muslims in the Middle East offering American and Arabic pop music along with a mix of current events and talk shows. This represents a new phase of the propaganda war and a third prong for the US in the media onslaught upon the world.
The vision of the US Administration is crystal clear - (1) a clear strategic mission and vision for U.S. international broadcasting, (2) to provide the financial resources to get the job done, and (3) use the talent that the United States has, all of it, to communicate that vision to the world.
Words may not do justice to record the importance of media for Muslims today. The tiny infant al-Jazeera is not challenged by the peers but monstrously huge US Government itself. And, when a State decides to fight a meagerly funded small private enterprise, the result is obvious.
Young Muslims and parents must begin to think above and beyond themselves and for the larger good. Young Muslims must prefer to pursue the discipline of media as their primary choice and Parents must discourage them to become Doctors and encourage them to become Writers, Broadcasters, Producers and all else.
Let us ask Allah to bless us enjoy our summer and also to give us time and wisdom to reflect and listen to the silent cries of the world and wipe her tears and free her from the bondage of man and the pangs of hunger and pain of injustices so brutally inflicted upon her.
Related Suggestions
sabbo
I very much support the call for young Muslims in Media as a career. Any parent wishing to put their children may like to consider the Mass Communication program in the Kulliyah of Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences at the International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. the fees are very reasonable. where the student will be exposed to both Islamic Sciences and Mass Comm. A graduate will be equipped with the necessary skills to fight the media war against Islam. webpage www.iiu.edu.my
wasalam
Your idea of making more jornalist is really good, That's the only way we can overcome the U.S. I am an engineer and I too have an idea of being a journalist what am I to do.Your information is really valuable. Please keep sending such informations.
Wassalam
I hope to see some such day when Muslims can express their views in a way that the outer world can hear.
Insha Allah.
Khuda Haafiz.
We actually need to sponsor Islamic programs on National T.V...at least 2-3 hours a week. We can rent the time, we have to broadcast our points of views, the reality of what is happening in the Middle East..........Muslims all over the U.S. are more concerned to build mosques and Islamic schools instead of buying a radio station or as I mentioned earlier to rent T.V time to get the truth and facts heard. People here are sympathising more with Israel point of view because they hear their side of the story on every radio station and on every t.v. channel...I am sure we 'Muslims' have the money but we need the will...I can pledge $1-2000 a year to initiate the fund for Islamic broadcasting, for educating people about Islam and make our world wide distorted immage clear and clean.We need to talk loud about our issues and what we need to establish and negotiate for our cause. What do you think?
i read this current article alhamdolillah its exellent advice
i have a ? for you why behrin puts band on al-zazira news?walaikum
On the other hand as a confessed "not very political" (or I again assume) must be completely apolitical, I easily understand why Sabra totally missed the point.
Besides my nagging, I have a question for everyone, if anyone knows how we can support al-Jazeera in any way, please provide the information on this site.
Allah Hafiz
Thanks for the latest newsletter. I just graduated with a degree in Journalism in May. My dream is to Insh'Allah establish either a nationwide Muslim newspaper or TV network, or perhaps both if I can. I would like to encourage as many people as I can to enter into the Mass Communications field so that these dreams of mine can become a reality for the whole U.S. Muslim communtiy and the Ummah at large.
that parents should force their children to adopt one field or another. I have taught Physics at University level at several colleges and universities in various countries including Pakistan, United States and Canada and I have always found that when a student is not performing well it has been because he was forced by parents to choose certain field. The field thus chosen may not be compatible with the talent of the person and thus not useful to him/her.
It will be best if the parents just guide their children to choose the field that they like and excel in. This way the student will enjoy the studies and be successful. I am sure, inshaAllah, some of them will choose fields that we are lacking in at the time.
May Allah help and advance the Muslims. Aameen.
To all my muslim people i love you all for you are my brothers and my sisters
your sister in islam Leila
Iam very happy that muslims have relised this problem . My suggestion is that the concentration must not be on satelite T. V. which most of the worls poor people cant still afford it. The concentration must be of something like muslims helping to set up radio stations and and news papers in poor countries such as my country Ghana . I have progressive ideas for such a thing to help concientize muslims so if anybody knows somebody who is interested in that and want to invest ,please let me know and Inshalaah it would be a success.
Salaam Alaikum.
Osman Ahmed
i fully agree with you ,but how we must do it cuz when some poor man tries todo it he is repressed by own muslims .may Allah help you to have this goal and achieve the required things . if i can help in this i am ready for .
I just finished reading the article on Islamic broadcasting and media. I totally agree with this mission and support any and all Muslims that are in this field or trying to become broadcastors. Insha-Allah I pray that Allah ta'ala allows us to be successful in completing this mission ameen. I also wanted to know if this idea was going to be represented at the 37th annual ISNA conference? I would looove to help out in anyway that is possible Insha-Allah.
My Salaams,
Sabriyah
This was a very interesting article on encouraging young Muslims to become media people (reporters). However, perhaps the only avenue open to them when they pursue this endeavour will continue to be the Internet and even then they can expect to have their work destroyed and/or interfered with by those who are afraid of letting the truth come out.
I'm afraid I am very skeptical of their chances for employment in the mainstream media which is pushed onto the hapless world **free of charge** these days. The people who OWN the media keep very close control over the opinions and attitudes expressed therein. In fact, that's why they own the media in the first place: in order to control and influence public opinion. Perhaps we should instead encourage youngsters to Insha'Allah become media OWNERS or to establish new and competing media organisations of their (our)own? To do otherwise is akin to what the Tobagonians describe as 'spinning top in mud'.
Masalama
Laila
Jaza'k Allah Khair. I might reproduce some of your ideas in my next column with due credit of course. Take care & Ma' Assalam.
Encouraging Muslim kids to become media barons will yeild as many journalists worth their name on the world scene. Let's try to build attitude in our kids instead and encourage them to excel in whatever they wish to do. InshAllah...we will find an all round development.
If this was posted by an individual I probably would not comment. However, because it appears as a bulletin, I will. I strongly disagree with the paragraph near the end that states
"Young Muslims must prefer to pursue the discipline of media as their primary choice and Parents must discourage them to become Doctors and encourage them to become Writers, Broadcasters, Producers and all else."
Do you somehow think that it would be good to have excellent media coverage by Muslims but trust non-Muslims for ALL (remember, doctors are to be discouraged) of our medical needs as Muslims? Do we want our wives, sisters and daughters being patients of White, non-Muslim, male OB/GYNs? If you listen to the Muslim sisters then you know that female, Muslim OB/GYNs are near the top of their medical wish list.
I think it is wrong to suggest discouraging our children from becoming doctors. Media coverage is by far less important than medical care.
I hope to see a statement that will either clarify or retract the statement.
I feel that parents should encourage their children to pursue a career in journalism.
However if a youth has an ambition of pursuing a career other than journalism, then the youth should pursue his ambition and should be completly supported. A Muslim journalist who is not satisfied with a career that has been chosen for him will make a poor jounrnalist.
I likes your mail and it is true but parents should not discourage ppl from bein doctors becoz it is up to a person but instead encourage them to b wateva dey want to b
But I've been dreaming of becomind a doctor inshaallah when I grow up. And in this article, you mentioned that PARENTS MUST DISCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN FROM BECOMING DOCTORS. Why is this so? In't a doctor doing good to many?
I am quite confused- Please reply.
Allah (S.W.) Bless You All.
More money to be pumped in projects that will address training needs of Muslim media personnel.
One living example is myself. As a muslim journalist I have been offered a place to study for a masters Degree in Mass comm but no sponsor from the Muslim community has come forward to fund me despite my several efforts to apply for muslim sponsoring agents. As of now the course begins in September and I have no sponsor and I will painfully watch that chance by pass me like that .
Muslims its high time we realised the need to hollistically make use of media if at all we need to counter attack efforts of enemies of Islam like USA.Wasallam
PRINCE MTELERA , Blantyre Malawi.
Wasallam.
Salaam
With my heart really touched with this I pray for Al-Jazeerah and support this point of our youngsters to join these fields, as this is really the call of time. For the others brothers and sisters who are not in this field, atleast we can keep our choice of watching the TV concentrated on channels which talk for us.
May Allah Bless the Ummah.
Regards,
I am a father of four children.The only motivation our children need is that whatever field of study they follow, must be understood in terms of the koran and sunnah.If they cannot see this logic , I question their motivation for following that particular field.Our rich heritage
will lead the way as it did our beloved Prophet(SAW)and his companions - a small infant who challenged not only the minds of the Quraysh but
is still challenging the world today.
Yes the media and the way it manufacture the news
fool many muslims and thereby make fools of them
as more become consumers of so-called brands.
Our skills as muslims in every sense of Islamic
Philosophy needs to be relearned and sharpened.
For example:How many Muslim institutions have made clear the meaning of "suicide bombing" as it
is reflected in the western media today.We still
read articles by muslim scholars confirming the slander(suicide bombing).Our children are asked
about "jihad". What is their response and what should it be? How many muslim students read Noam Chomsky or question the video by Steven Emerson?
Your American President says that freedom was attacked on 9-11.How can you be free when your logic is clouded by manufactured news.
In conclusion gain as much knowledge in the name
of ALLAH and read in the name of ALLAH as we are all commanded in the first revealed verse.
Al-ghamdu lillah.
ALLAH knows best.
Anwar.
I particularly enjoyed reading this article as I hope to go into journalism after my English degree (I'm currently in the 1st year). The problem is that I am blind and need some advice on how to get into this study field and make the most of it. Please write with any helpful suggestions. Thanks again for a wonderful peice of work to spread the Islamic beauty to the Muslims.
Was Salaam
I find it appalling that the Muslim American Society that is lead by Imam Warith Deen Mohammed is not considered for the journalism it provides. I can see that no matter what African Americans do they will not be acknowledged and recognized as Muslims by the so-called foreign born Muslims.
Why are we overlooked and disregarded? Look at the record of African American Muslims and give them some credit for their accomplishments in the areas of media and dawah to America. They still face racism and prejudice from fair to light skined Muslims. Al-Islam is the answer to all of humanity's problems and nothing else will negate this truth. African American Black Muslims are doing what they can to spread Al-Islam and should be joined by foreign and non-black Muslims.
Re: your Weekly Editorial-encouraging youth to
become involved in the media.
While a STAUNCH ADVOCATE for our youth in this
field, we, as Muslim Americans cannot go "off" & ignore
the other needed/necessary OTHER PROFESSIONS:
We need more muslims in government, education,
social work, drug & alcohol abuse programs(sadly, we
do have brothers & sisters who are addicted).We need
Qualified, understanding muslims in
counseling-marriage, parenting, marriage preparation;
in parent, spousal & child abuse-as well as Islamic
teaching on homosexuality & AIDS.
We need more training for Imams & Boards in
communication, reorganization, DIVERSITY
TRAINING, DIVERSITY TRAINING- ... the lists go on...
PLEASE continue your advocacy for "Media Trained
Personnel", but please DO NOT forget to encourage our
youth and the rest of the Ummah to pray for guidance
from A llah to learn how tp deal in an Islamic manner
with the situations presented in America to many
immigrant muslims, as well as muslim Americans.
May Allah Bless & guide us all. Ameen.
My salaams,
Sr. Mary
parent, spousal & child abuse, AIDS, homosexuality
This article is really about what exactly needed today. There is need to have such institute along with technical colleges and universities to produce good journalists and other meida persons. Its total media war now. Muslim should understand the importance of media. This is really thought provoking for parents and youngsters. Thanks a ton for such good stuff.
Assalam-O-alaikum,
I do not know what continuous exhorting to do this and do not do this helps much anyone.
We have to give practical, tangible advise for the youth. Too much of this and that is just idle talk.
Furthermore, it does not help at all to tell Muslims not to become doctors. They become doctors not because that is a noble profession, but because it offers not only high regard in the community but it pays and pays and pays. Even the regard and respect in the community is because they can have bigger houses and better cars and all the trappings that superflous cash can bring.
I am prepared to help you provide solid advice to your audiences which will uplift not only their morale but also give then what is needed to really help Muslims in this world.
Please respond to this message and we can start a dialogue with people responsible in your organisation to Really help Muslim.
First the leaders must know what is good for us before thrusting various things at the public willy nilly.
Hope we can start a serious discussion and also form a serious group of people willing to do something other than idle talk and more talk.
Fi Aman Ullah
Nafees Ahmad
MAY ALLAH HELP YOU ALL YOUR EFFORT WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO SHOW TO THE YOUNG KIDS TO THE RIGHT PATH.
OUR JOURNEY IS FAR AND A LOT WORK TO DO.MAY ALLAH BE WITH US ALL THE TIME.AMEEN.
LET FORGET ABOUT MOST ARABS LEADERS THEY ARE GOOD FOR NOTHIG.ALLAH GAVE US ALL NEEDS,BUT UNFORTUNETLY ON THE WRONG HAND.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK TO THE ALMIGHTY THE MOST MERCIFUL.AMEEN.
may Allah reward you for that