You have an everyday link to Muslims. Yes, you do. You may not realize it, but there are many things we use in our daily lives that come from a “Muslim” background. From math and science to education and commerce, it may surprise you how much Muslim inventions have influenced the world, starting centuries ago and making their overlooked way into our day-to-day lives.

You were taught that the Greeks were the developers of trigonometry, right? Not exactly. Take out the word developers and replace it with “continuers.” Trigonometry was “developed to a level of modern perfection” by Muslim scholars, meaning that it’s of Muslim origin, even though the Greeks take the credit.

Such inventions vary from equipment, to concepts, to food, to science and medicine—you name it.

Al-Jabr was the founder of algebra, hence the root of that word. Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain was the first, long before the Wright brothers, to theoretically develop the concept of flight. He also tested his ideas in the 800′s, and left written records of these findings. The pendulum was discovered by Ibn Yunus al-Masri during the 10th century, who was the first to study and document its oscillatory motion. Al-Haytham of the 11th century studied lenses, light and prisms, and formed the foundation of optics. Al-Jazari invented the crank-connecting rod system, which was used for lifting huge buckets of water with minimal effort. A blind Syrian professor, Zain-Din Al-Amidi, was an expert in reading Braille 600 years before Louis Braille invented such a system.

Even the all-so-amazing coffee that we drink today has its historic roots back during these times – a Muslim by the name of Khalid was tending goats in South Ethiopia when he noticed that the goats became more energetic after eating from a certain berry. He invented the first cup of coffee after boiling the berries. After the drink traveled to Turkey, Italy, and the rest of the world, the Arabic “qahwa” was converted to Turkish “kahve,” then the Italian “caffe,” and finally the English “coffee.” These are just few of the many, many examples of how we have benefited from Muslim inventions that were created decades ago.

Current Society Can’t Be Understood Without Untold History

Many of these indispensable items were invented during the time called the “Dark Ages,” from around the 6th century after the Roman Empire to about the 16th century before the Renaissance, a time in which some history is missing, inaccessible, vague or unknown. While Europe was in the “Dark Ages,” The Islamic Empire experienced its “Golden Age” or “Islamic Renaissance.”

The Islamic Empire, one of the largest ten empires in history, arose during the Muslim conquests of the 7th and early 8th centuries, when the Abbasid Caliphate transferred its capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The Abbasids were inspired by some Quranic verses and hadith of the prophet (pbuh) such as “The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of martyrs,” which emphasized the significance of knowledge. It was during this time that the Muslim world became the heart of development in many fields, such as science, math, philosophy, education, and medicine.

The Abbasids then formed the “House of Wisdom” in Baghdad, where Muslim and non-Muslim scholars sought to translate all of the world’s knowledge into Arabic. Many of the important works, such as those of ancient Rome, Egypt, China, Persia, and Greece, that would have otherwise been lost, were translated into Arabic and then later translated into the various languages of the world.

Much of the learning and development that occurred during this time was linked to trade, which provided a method of exchanging ideas as well as goods. Muslim merchants had a large influence on the African-Arabian as well as the Arabian-Asian trade routes. This allowed the Islamic civilization to grow alongside the prospering merchant economy.

And So…?

So before you assume that you have nothing to do with Muslims, take a moment to reflect upon this largely untaught history. It may amaze you how well the past ties into the present. For if there had really been nothing but a thousand years of “Dark Ages,” we wouldn’t have our present light.

As Prince Charles, Heir to the British Monarchy in a public speech at Oxford University stated:

“If there is much misunderstanding in the West about the nature of Islam, there is also much ignorance about the debt our own culture and civilization owe to the Islamic world. It is a failure, which stems, I think, from the straight-jacket of history, which we have inherited. The medieval Islamic world, from central Asia to the shores of the Atlantic, was a world where scholars and men of learning flourished. But because we have tended to see Islam as the enemy of the West, as an alien culture, society, and system of belief, we have tended to ignore or erase its great relevance to our own history.” (www.muslimheritage.com)

Sites where you can learn more:

• www.1001inventions.com. This site lists 1,001 Muslim inventions.
• www.zero-net.net. This site tells how the number “zero” was invented by Muslim mathematicians, specifically Al-Khawarizmi, and is the link between the Muslim civilization of the second millennium and the 21st century.
• www.muslimheritage.com. Discover 1,000 years of missing history.

Heba Abdel-Karim currently resides in Fridley, Minn. and is a student at the University of Minnesota.

By Heba Abdel-Karim and Lolla Mohammed Nur, Engage Minnesota

“Imagine a world where people from different religious backgrounds come together to create understanding and respect by serving their communities.” – Interfaith Youth Core (www.ifyc.org)

On April 9, the Hillel Jewish Center, in union with the University of Minnesota’s Muslim Student Association, hosted and organized an interfaith discussion that brought together people of different faiths. The topic of the event was “humanity’s future,” and representatives of a number of different faiths spoke about how they see humanity progressing, and how our differences, as well as similarities, can better the community.

A little over a hundred people entered the room, determined to try something different: to go beyond their normal routine, talk to others of various faiths, and get to know them. Unsurprisingly, that’s what made the event—believed to be the first of its kind at the U—such a success. Attendees left politics aside and peacefully interacted with one another. In the end, they saw how similar, yet diverse and unique, we all were.

“I think that what group representatives, members, and the audience all liked the most was the atmosphere: nobody was on the defensive, nobody was being hostile, no group was being labeled with negative stereotypes,” comments EngageMN writer Lolla Mohammed Nur, pictured above to the left of Heba Abdel-Karim.

“The positive atmosphere was almost contagious!” says Mohammed Nur. “Some asked very insightful and sincere questions, and it was obvious that all audience members were there to genuinely learn about different faiths and beliefs. Everybody was there to help promote the message of religious tolerance and awareness.”

The panelists came from various campus organizations, such as Campus Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists (CASH), Baha’i Campus Association, Muslim Student Association (MSA), Hillel Jewish Center and the American Baptist Church.

“We are not here to prove that our religion is the correct belief, but we are here to acknowledge our differences, for it builds our identity,” said the American Baptist Church’s Jon Hartman in his introduction. “It’s important to recognize differences, so as to learn from them, but what’s more important is to recognize that we have common goals to better the community.”

A Baptist’s Peaceful Message

Hartman, the son of an American Baptist pastor, talked about the importance of religious pluralism in our society.

“Religious pluralism goes beyond mere tolerance for diversity and requires that we build positive relationships and work with one another. It is a state in which we respect one another’s religious identities, develop mutually enriching relationships with each other, and work together to make this world a better place.” Hartman quoted from the Bible, where it states that a “nation will not take up sword against sword…” (Micah 4:3) to reiterate his, and the panel’s, message of peace.

“Peace will restore in the future,” Hartman optimistically stated in his part of the discussion, “and everyone will have a place in the world.”

An Atheist’s View

Andrew Buttler, co-chair of CASH, gave a view of how atheists envision humanity’s future. “It’s impossible for me to represent all atheists,” he started out. “Many resist any label for their beliefs at all.”

Buttler then explained the main aspects of atheism as he saw them. Empiricism was an important one: Atheists believe that everything they know about the world comes from observations. “Through empiricism, it is viewed that ethical values are derived from human need as tested by experience.”

Buttler also acknowledged, as did Hartman, that working to benefit society maximizes happiness. “Do good work for your society and you feel happy. The two are almost always associated with each other.”

The Baha’i Faith: Working to Eliminate Prejudice

The Baha’i Faith also spreads the belief of the unity of mankind (as well as religions), and aims to eliminate all forms of prejudice.

Ben Grimes, treasurer of the Baha’i Campus Association, described the faith by stating, “It is the newest of the world’s major religions and is founded upon the principle of unity in diversity, embracing the cultural and religious diversity of the world and striving to show how such diversity adds beauty and color to the world of humanity. We must search for ways to bring humanity together.”

Muslim Student Association: Islam a Progressive Way to Define Humanity

Members of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), James Faghmous and Malik Harfi, spoke about how Islam envisions humanity’s future compared to the other faiths. Harfi began: “Our realities begin with one true God, the all-knower, the all-knowledgeable who created all of humanity. When he created existence, he also created the laws by which everything runs. But humans have the choice of which path we take. We are all born, we all die, and we all take a path. To follow this path harmoniously to God,” he continued, “is Islam.”

Faghmous added that Islam was sent to all humanity, not to a specific tribe or group. “It came as a progressive way to define humanity.” For instance, Faghmous explained that Muslims must pay zakat (charity) to the poor and needy, for it is one of the five pillars of Islam. This zakat must comprise 2.5 percent of one’s annual savings.

For the same reason that Muslims pay zakat to the needy, they also wish for a better world. “We are held accountable for everything because it is essentially not ours; we believe that it is all owned by Allah and to him everything shall return,” Faghmous said. Muslims believe that money, for instance, is granted by God, and that He knows how much we own.

In the same manner, we care for the world because it is was created and is owned by God. For this reason along with others, “We need to create harmonious existence, and be sensitive to everyone’s religious differences.”

The Story of Rabbi Hillel

Eve Shapiro and Brad Serber, representatives of the Hillel Jewish Student Center, began their discussion with the story of Rabbi Hillel, one of the most important figures in Jewish history.

The story begins with a non-Jewish man who wanted to become a follower of Judaism. While standing on one foot, the man asked different rabbis to teach him the Torah. Each rabbi declined, saying that Judaism was too complex to understand.

However, when the man asked Rabbi Hillel to teach him, Hillel agreed by replying with the following quote: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation [commentary]; go and learn.” Although there are other renditions of the story, all have the same message: love your neighbor as you love yourself. This powerful message of loving one another was the embodiment of the interfaith panel discussion, and all present could relate to it.

The Jewish panelists also explained the concept of Sadakah in Judaism, which is the act of paying ten percent of one’s annual income to ensure that people are helping each other. The simple fact that the same word for charity is used in both Islam and Judaism illustrates the similarities shared in diverse religions when it comes to supporting the humanitarian cause.

As Eve Shapiro said, “We are all people–humans. We all deserve rights to a fulfilling life.”

What Next?

Unfortunately, for many participants, the panel discussion ended too soon. All present-–whether they were Atheist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Baha’i–-seemed to have enjoyed themselves. After the panel discussion, audience members held informal conversations, walking around and introducing themselves to one another. It was wonderful to see believers of various or no faiths to come together, and to start on the path of understanding each other.

The event was such a success that “the Interfaith Youth Core wants to work with the organizations that participated in the panel on doing future activities such as the interfaith discussion,” says Kafiya Ahmed, MSA advertising coordinator. “They hope to continue a tradition of interfaith dialogue at the University of Minnesota.”

The Interfaith Panel Discussion was a huge step forward, and although communication is just the beginning, the panel left everyone with the message that open dialogue is the basis of teaching tolerance and understanding one another.

Heba Abdel-Karim currently resides in Fridley, Minn. and is a student at the University of Minnesota. Lolla Mohammed Nur is a freshman and an international student from Saudi Arabia. She is currently a biology major at the University of Minnesota but is exploring her newfound interest in poetry and cultural diversity.

Sitting at Borders on an early Saturday morning, I noticed an elderly couple coming to sit in an area near me. It was crowded, and the only two seats were quite far apart. One of them was right next to me. Being raised to respect the elderly, I happily gave up my seat for the man to sit by his wife. Not expecting a response, I started walking away to find another seat. He stopped me, however, and said something that amazed me, yet left me feeling cheerful until today. He said: “By the way, that was a true act of a Muslim.”

At that time, I was very happy with his comment, and I still am today. But now that I think back and reflect upon it, I am left pondering a question: How are we to know what is considered a true act of a Muslim and what isn’t?

Some may think that there really is no distinct answer to this question, and they may be right. It is difficult to discern which actions can be considered part of a religion, and which are part of human nature. The media often define how we make these distinctions. Because the U.S. media focus on a few ongoing stories, often covering them in an exaggerated or distorted fashion, the public may be misled into thinking that some aspects, such as terrorism or violence, are true Islam when they are not.

Media consumers may be led to believe that some deviant Muslims are actually practicing their religion. However, Muslims must try not to let these misconceptions frustrate them, as Allah (SWT) said in the glorious Qur’an: “Tolerate patiently what they [the non-Muslims] say and part with them in a polite manner” (73:10).

An Act of Kindness Can’t Only Be Considered ‘Muslim,’ and Neither Can an Act of Violence

Perhaps giving up my seat in Borders was just an act of kindness, which can come from any religion. But on the same note, just as an act of kindness cannot be used as a symbol for a particular religion, neither can an act of violence. There is nothing at all “Islamic” about acts of violence and terrorism. In fact, to the contrary, Islam is completely against such actions, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Faith is a restraint against all violence, let no mu’min [believer] commit violence.” Acts of violence and the like are simply the other side of human behavior: stirred emotions that come as a result of any group that feels itself less valued, no matter what its race or religion. Thus, in general, there are no concrete symbols that point to a certain human act as “Islamic.” The same follows for Christianity, Judaism, and other world religions.

The main facet of Islam that could be considered unique, however, is that Muslims consider their religion as a way of life, as a guiding factor and preparation for the hereafter. Life, for Muslims, should be a mere path that leads to the hereafter, in which we are held accountable for every second we spend on that path following the commands of God. We must accumulate as many good deeds as we can so as to guarantee a higher place in heaven. In this manner, every act done, whether small or big is considered as being part of the Shariah, or Islamic law, and everything is done for the sake of Allah (SWT) in order to compile good deeds for the hereafter.

The Shariah explains the specifics of how a Muslim should act and behave, how to sit and speak and how to care and share. A Muslim must treat others the way he wishes to be treated, with kindness and respect. Smiling at others is considered a form of charity. Most importantly, a Muslim is taught to care for and respect his or her elders and listen to his or her parents. Some of the qualities required of Muslims include being honest, truthful, trustworthy, modest, patient, tolerant, punctual, kind, generous, forgiving, brave and hard-working. Perhaps these qualities should be the basics of any human life. But that is the main reason why they are a must in Islam.

If you look through the Islamic law, you will find a saying of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding each of these qualities. As an example, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said: “Nothing will weigh more heavily in the balance of the believing servant on the Day of Resurrection than a good attitude (towards others). Verily Allah hates those who utter vile words and obscene speech.” [Compiled by Al-Tirmidhi]

So Then, What’s the Moral of the Story?

As I gave up my seat for the elderly man to sit by his wife, I was doing a simple act that I had been raised to do, as my parents and religion had taught me, while expecting nothing in return. As the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: “Do not think little of any good deed even if it is just greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance [face]” (Muslim). So even this little act of kindness is an important part of Islam, but cannot be judged as only a part of Islam. However, it is because such acts of kindness are the best part of human nature that they also should be considered the true acts of a Muslim.

Heba Abdel-Karim currently resides in Fridley, Minn. and is a student at the University of Minnesota.

Imagine this scenario: You live in the same area with your Minnesotan Muslim neighbor. This person, his actions, beliefs, and practices seem a bit peculiar to you, as you have not encountered many Muslims. All you know about Muslims is what you hear others say, from the media and the like, but they are otherwise unfamiliar.

You wish to get in contact with him or her—even with a simple “hi”—but you may subconsciously have second thoughts because of how Muslims are negatively labeled by others. This, along with some other reasons, makes it seem like the gap between you and your Muslim neighbor is too large to even give it a try.

This takes place a lot nowadays, and even more so ever since 9/11, as Muslims have been negatively portrayed by the media. But something as large as improving relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims, and increasing awareness of Islam, begins by something as small as improving Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors’ relationships with one another.

What many people do not know is that the rules regarding relationships with one’s neighbors is clearly stated in Islam, and is an integral part of a Muslim’s belief.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about how a Muslim should treat his neighbors in general, be they Muslim or non-Muslim. He stated: “Angel Gabriel kept exhorting me about [obligations towards] the neighbor, so much that I imagined that he might be included as one of the heirs” (compied by Bukhari and Muslim, two very knowledgeable scholars of Islam who worked for many years to gather and record the chain of narratations of the sayings, or hadiths, of the Prophet). It is thus that a Muslim is obligated to treat his neighbor—so that one might think that he is part of the family.

In another instance, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) spoke to women and said: “O Muslim women! Do not consider your neighbors despicable even though she may send you a piece of a goat’s shank as a present” (Bukhari and Muslim). In this case, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is implying that no matter how rude one’s neighbor is, one should always react in a manner that avoids clashes.

In some areas, such as Southern California, Muslims have taken steps to increase awareness of Islam and Muslims in their neighborhoods. An advertising campaign in Los Angeles and Orange County used billboards to help promote good relations with Muslims and their neighbors. The slogans posted on the billboards included major themes of Islam, such as “‘Even a smile is Charity’ —a message from your Muslim neighbor,” “Kindness is a mark of faith,” and “A nice thought is an act of worship.” See more here.

Although Minnesota is considered the “Friendliest State” by the Guinness Book of World Records, there have been, however, some instances of a lack of understanding between non-Muslims and their Muslim neighbors. One such instance includes the vandalizing of Al-Amal School, a private Islamic school in Fridley: Toilet paper was thrown around the bushes and trees a couple weeks after the horrible incidents of 9/11. (Link) More recently, Al-Amal School received offensive faxes that made such statements as saying that the Qur’an was a “terrorist manual.” (Link) In many of such instances, Muslims feel unwelcomed by their fellow Minnesotan neighbors. According to a report done by the Council of American Islamic Relations, this lack of understanding is due, in part, to non-Muslims’ lack of knowledge about Islam and Muslims. But most of these have been dealt with in the correct manner by the Muslim neighbors, many without the use of law enforcement; simply by using the best approach of all: interacting one-on-one with one’s neighbors. And this was the approach that produced the best results: By doing this, the neighbor is better educated about Islam and Muslims and is therefore given an impression about the religion much better than what he had to start with.

In addition to the person-to-person strategy, many organizations in Minnesota, such as the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, have taken steps to initiate interaction between people of various religions, one neighborhood at a time. JRLC holds meetings that enable Muslims and non-Muslims to discuss matters that pertain to both of their needs, showing them that they have many similarities rather than focusing only on the differences. One annual meeting in particular, which usually takes place in March and is called “The Day on the Hill,” allows people of different religious backgrounds to gather together at the RiverCentre and the State Capitol and discuss political issues of concern to Minnesotans with their legislators such as housing, health care, and human rights.

Recently, the Islamic Center of Minnesota became an official member of JRLC, bringing the Muslim community’s voice to Minnesota’s oldest and largest religiously sponsored political-affairs group. Muslims will now join with Jews, Protestants, and Catholics in Minnesota to cooperatively research public-policy questions and jointly make recommendations to the state Legislature. For more information about JRLC and its upcoming events, visit www.jrlc.org.

Reconsider the original scenario: You attend a JRLC meeting at the State Capitol. Looking around, you see people of different religious backgrounds discussing issues of concern to everyone sitting in the room. It gives you a sense of commonality between you and your Muslim neighbor, and makes you feel more comfortable approaching him or her to simply say “hi” or to ask a question about Islam. There finally seems to be a bridge that connects you to your Minnesotan Muslim neighbor, and leaves both of you happier in the sense that you can now work together to reach a common goal.

Heba Abdel-Karim currently resides in Fridley, Minn. and is a student at the University of Minnesota.

Have you ever wondered why a newborn cries when he first sets eyes on our world?

The underlying rationale is that the child experiences an enormous difference between the warmth of his mother’s small, comfy womb and the vastness of this “new world” that he has just been thrown into. Before being born, the infant did not know that another world existed, and therefore could not have distinguished between what is “baby” and what is “womb.” Because of his inability to distinguish between the two, the baby cannot realize the importance and love for his mother’s womb until he is forced to leave it.
Just as a the baby feels a difference after leaving his “home,” adults leaving behind their own culture have an opportunity to re-see their religion, and to realize what is actually religion and what is actually culture.

Many non-Muslim Minnesotans, and even Muslims for that matter, do not realize the difference between culture and religion. Although the religion of Islam and the cultures where it flourishes are distinct, the two are sometimes unintentionally combined or inter-switched. Some cultural aspects can be mistaken for religious beliefs, and may therefore be interpreted by non-Muslims to be Islamic practices when in fact they are no more than the individual’s cultural background. This is especially the case since there are over 10 million Muslims in the U.S. representing more than 150 cultures.

There are many misconceptions about Islam formed as a result of various cultural and religious intermingling.

Some very common instances include the role of women and dress. Different cultures have different (maybe restricted) roles for women, many of which do not necessarily hold true with respect to Islamic law. Women have a unique role in Islam…no, they are not oppressed by their men, nor are they required to only stay home, cook, clean and take care of the kids. But in some cultures, that may be the case, and women might be looked down upon if they do not conform to those cultural aspects. In such a case, culture is overriding religion.

The second instance refers to how Muslims dress, inside and outside of religion. Some Muslims may not wear the proper clothing as a result of a cultural influence, and will give the public nothing more than yet another misconception about Islam. There also exist many other beliefs that may sprout from a cultural background and that have nothing to do with Islam. How are non-Muslims (as well as Muslims) to know where the limits between culture and religion lie?

Living in another country, with a different culture, gives one the opportunity to reflect back on this, and it gives one the chance to discern what is culture and what is religion. This is not only because there are eyes watching your every move as a foreigner, but also because one wishes to know who he is and what he believes before he is given the chance to discuss such topics with others. It gives one the chance of discovering one’s own individuality amongst others of different identities.

Yes, we may all come from many different cultural backgrounds which may create conflicts with respect to how Minnesotan Muslims relate to one another, but what’s better is that such a large and diverse group of people are all bonded by a common religion. In this way, we are similar to the newborn; living happily in our tiny world until we are given a chance to realize the separation of ourselves and our “womb.”

Heba Abdel-Karim currently resides in Fridley, Minn. and is a student at the University of Minnesota.