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Healthy Snacks For The Summer

By Kena Sosa

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the child obesity rate in the United States has skyrocketed in recent years, up to 19.6% of 6- to 11-year-olds now qualifying as obese, spurring First Lady Michelle Obama to take action. She thus created the Childhood Obesity Task Force, whose goal is “to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in a generation.” She wants better food in schools, responsible advertisers, and families to eat together in order to support this mission. Really, most of the efforts have to come from home where parents need to demon-strate and encourage healthy eating. Though parents are fi nding that their children do not always have the same goals in mind, parents have their tricks. Here are a few more to help willing families out.

TIP 1: AVOID SUGARY DRINKS The fi rst thing children ask for when burst-ing through the door, escaping the hot summer sun, is something cold. Instead of handing them a soda, hand them a glass of something less sugary but still sweet and delicious. Try giving them aguas frescas

(fresh water), a concoction from across the border. Basically, you blend together the fruit of your choice with ice and water, creat-ing an incred-ibly refreshing and still healthy drink. The easiest fl avor to make in the

summer time is watermelon, however, aguas frescas can be made with virtually any fruit, even some vegetables.

TIP 2: A POPSICLE CAN BE MORE FUNIf the children are more than just thirsty, try offering up some healthy frozen snacks, such as juice-sicles or yogurt-cicles. All one needs to do to make juice-sicles is to pour pure juice into ice trays, cover the ice trays with Saran Wrap and place toothpicks standing up in each cube. The wrap will keep the toothpicks standing until the juice freezes. Once frozen, children can grab the toothpick and pull out a delicious frozen snack. An alternative to juice-sicles would be creating yogurt-sicles. Most children’s yogurt comes in individual cups. Simply stand a popsicle stick in the middle of the yogurt cup and put them in the freezer. Similarly to the juice-sicle, once frozen, just pull them out and enjoy this serving of fruit and dairy in a new way!

TIP 3: DISGUISE FRUIT & VEGETABLESSome children are harder to convince than others. For the more discerning little guys,>> Continues on page 03

The Man Who “Halaled” Crispy Treats

Ratib Habbal lives in Canton, MI, were he works as a legal mediator helping dispu-tants settle their civil lawsuits. His wife Eamann teaches at Crescent Academy International and both are proud parents of two boys. He can be reached at: ratib@juno.com.

By Sakina Al-Amin

As the American Muslim popula-tion booms, so does the need for Islamic products, and nine years ago, one Muslim businessman saw the potential in the halal food industry. Ratib Habbal formed the company Halal Select Snacks and started making the Halal Crispy Treat, all while he was completing his Masters in Busi-ness Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit.

His product, a marshmallow treat based off of the American youth staple Rice Krispies Treat, gained popularity in Muslim circles all around the nation, especially in Illinois and Ohio. The treat continues to sell well in Islamic schools, camps, and events.

Habbal discussed his thoughts with The Lone Star Crescent on the Islamic products industry and experiences he had launch-ing merchandise geared toward

Muslims living in America. Hab-bal said he came across many dilemmas when dealing with the “non-mature” business market of American Muslims, and he shared insight about starting and maintaining an Islamic business in North America.

Q: What was the impetus for creat-ing Halal Crispy Treats?A: Well – I hadn’t eaten one for more than 10 years! It was actually when I had to do a business plan for my MBA class in 1999, and I drew up a proposal for the idea not know-ing much about what it would entail. When I stood up on the spot in class that day and said I wanted to do something like this, both Muslims non-Muslims alike couldn’t fathom what I meant. I knew that I wanted to do something that would im-pact Muslims. Three months after I graduated in 2000, I decided to leave my auto company job and give life to my idea for halal treats. I founded Halal Select Snacks, and produced two items: Halal Crispy Treats and American Halal marshmallows. Continues on page 13 >>

More insideMarium Mohiuddin shares tips on keeping your sanity during family travel

Noman Azhar on Gaining Immigration Through Investing

Qalam Institute’s khateeb workshop for future imams aims to train and inspire

Galloway visits Richardson again

Chicago’s IMAN takes it to the streets with arts and music

DFW event listings

Community Briefs

Travel to Costa Rica & EPCOT

Opinion and Comments

02 COMMUNITY REPORT

03 SUMMER FAMILY FOOD & FUN

>> from page 01try serving up fruits and vegetables in a dif-ferent way. Squirt lime juice over vegeta-bles to give them an added kick. Kids with spicy tastes could may enjoy a fruit such as jicama. Dousing it with lime juice and add-ing chile pepper, will give the healthy snack a real zing.

TIP 4: DO-IT-YOURSELF FOODChildren love trying what they made them-selves, so allow them to take ownership of their diet. Well, not complete owner-ship. Have them help you dry fruits and

vegetables for their own fruit jerky. Dry most fruits and veggies in the sun; plus, it’s a good way to teach the skill of care-ful observation, or maybe even inspire a future science project. You’ll need at least three consecutive days of very hot weather. Thankfully, Texas summers make this one easy. Just leave the fruit out and observe how it changes until it is dry and yummy enough to eat.

Another way to have children help is to allow them to help make anti-chips. Choose veggies that can be sliced thinly like carrots

and beets. Thinly slice them and bake to eat; it’s a better treat than potato chips.

TIP 5: RENAME THE FOODOther kids might just need to be coerced, and simple trick could just be calling it by another name. Toddlers might know they don’t like broccoli, but they may want to try “tasty green trees.”. Even allowing frozen fruits and veggies (pre-cooked) as samplers works to cool some kids down.

TIP 6: COMPETITION CAN BE HEALTHYLastly, convince them to eat healthily by

making a competition of it. Little brother won’t like being beaten in a veggie eating contest any more than he would in a pie-eating contest. Be creative with how you approach the sub-ject and how you serve up fruits and veg-etables. You might be surprised how much more willing kids are than you thought........................................................................

Have any ideas for healthy snacks? Share online at www.myCrescent.com

PUBLISHERMelanz, LLC.P.O. Box 851764 Richardson, TX 75085 USAT: (214) 306-7920

EDITOR Marium Mohiuddinmarium@myCrescent.com(512) 657-7819

LAYOUT & GRAPHICSHazrat Amin ADVERTISING & SALEST: (214) 306-7920E: ads@myCrescent.comEDITORIAL LETTERS / INQUIRIES /WRITING OPPORTUNITIESmarium@myCrescent.comEVENTScalendar@myCrescent.com

CONTRIBUTORSKena Sosa, Zubair Fattani -PhD, Sakina Al-Amin, Ron Stern, Naeem Randhawa, Maryum Shaheed, Annie Ghazi, Ali Luq-man, Ruqayyah Khalifa, Komal Khan, So-nia Lafl amme, Omar Usman, Hazrat Amin, Sara Ghazi, Hassan Usmani, Jamal Saqib

The Lone Star Crescent is published monthly by Melanz, LLC. We welcome and encourage readers’ feedback and opinions. All materials, articles, photos, comments or samples submitted to the The Lone Star Crescent will become property of the pub-lisher and may be printed at our discretion. The publisher / paper takes no responsibility of claims made by advertisers, fi nancial, legal, family and/or educational advise in its content. Readers must check and inquire themselves. Join free online at www.myCrescent.com.

By Marium Mohiuddin

Besides 100-degree days, the search for air-conditioned buildings, and no more school – summer also means planning vacations. If you are headed on the road (or air) with your family, the most important thing to do is plan. Planning can help avoid the heart-ache of long trip and the dreaded “Are were there yet?” These traveling tips can assist with the planning and make your trip easier and more enjoyable for the whole family.

TIP NO. 1. BUILDING EXCITEMENTThe fi rst thing to do starts at home before the trip even arrives – anticipation and excitement. Mark the calendar and start a countdown for the trip. This excitement will help build the anticipation for the trip, and signal to the kids that they will be experiencing something out of the norm, and therefore out-of-the norm behavior is expected. According to Travelwithkids.com if you treat the trip like an adventure, “an-noyances, missteps and mishaps simply be-come small obstacles for your hearty band of explorers to overcome. I mean, seriously, do you think Dora would let a two-hour delay get to her?” This trick also applies to parents, children can sense fear, so present a strong-front. “If you get stressed when you can’t fi nd your hotel, your kids will get stressed too,” suggests the website.

TIP NO. 2 – INVOLVEMENT Aside from building excitement, getting your kids involved helps them feel as if they are part of this trip, especially if your children are older. Give them options of what they might want to see, and if they are mature and responsible enough, try let-ting them pick an activity that they can do themselves. Inform them about how much time the family has and how much money can be spent, this will help older children see what they can and cannot do. On “Good Morning Texas,” child neuropsychologist Dr. Pete Stavinoha suggested that involve-ment for younger kids can mean showing them pictures or website of the sites you will be touring, as well as showing them the different things that can be done there.

TIP NO. 3. - BREAK THE TRIP DOWNIf you are hitting the road, and the trip is going to take longer than four to fi ve hours, plan pit stops along the way. Long distance traveling is hard for children, but a welcomed pit stop can also be made into a mini-vacation. Your trip from Dallas down to Walt Disney World Resort, can be broken into four mini trips – stops in Shreveport, La, to go to the Sci-Port Discovery Center; Baton Rouge, La, to the Baton Rouge Zoo; Pensacola, Fla., for some time on the beach;

How To Keep ‘Are we there yet?’ At BayKeep these tips in mind when traveling with the kids this summer

Tallahassee for a quick museum tour; and then on to your fi nal Disney destination.

TIP NO. 4. - DON’T OVERBOOKOver-planning is not good planning. Yes there may be a lot to do on the trip, but re-member that kids are kids and they may not be able to keep up with your excited pace. Plan some down time, plan some rest time, and plan some nap time. This will make the kids less whiny and more apt to go to that museum you bought tickets for. Try not to overbook, you don’t want your money wast-ed on tickets that may get unused because of grumpy children. Equal rest time can be just as important as equal busy time.

TIP NO. 5 – KEEP THEM OCCUPIEDIf traveling by air is on your agenda, the golden rule here is to keep your children occupied. DVD players, video games, and laptops are handy, Dr. Stavinoha suggests teaching your kids “to learn how to occupy themselves without those kinds of passive stimulations.” What’s the solution? Try puz-zles, coloring books, cards, and snacks. But be mindful that you are sitting in a closed, tight space – loud toys may not be the best solution. For the car ride, keeping them occupied is equally as important, but try to make this family time. Aside from breaking up the trip, sing songs, play games, and try to talk to your kids.

TIP NO. 6 – MAINTAIN THEIR SCHED-ULEThe fi nal and one of the most important tips is to try and keep the kids on a somewhat normal schedule. Maintaining sleep times and meal times will help them regulate their biological clocks, Dr. Stavinoha said. It may not be possible, but try to stick to those as much as possible so that your children won’t be too tired or lethargic to enjoy the vacation. It is a vacation, so some rules should go, but keep in mind they are kids and schedules work to keep them function-ing.

Have a great time this summer. Enjoy the weather, enjoy your family time, and enjoy your trip.

04 IMMIGRATION

By Noaman Azhar, Attorney at Law

Foreign nationals looking to come to the US typically need someone to fi le a petition for them – either an employer or a family mem-ber. What happens, though, when there is no offer of employment and no family member in the US who can fi le a petition? In this situation, an investor visa can become an attractive option. There are two types of investor visas, an EB-5 Investor Visa and an E-2 Treaty Investor. An EB-5 Investor Visa is an immi-grant visa, in other words, if it is approved, the applicant can eventually become a per-manent resident. The minimum investment is $1 million, or $500,000 in certain under-served areas. In addition, the company that the applicant invests in must employ at least 10 full-time workers and produce a service or product that benefi ts the US economy. An E-2 Treaty Investor visa is a non-immigrant visa, so there is no possibil-ity of permanent residency. However, the visa can be renewed indefi nitely, as long as the investment continues. The fi rst and most important factor to consider in an E-2 Inves-tor Visa is whether the US has a treaty with the foreign national’s country of citizenship. The list of countries that qualify are found at Volume 9 of the Foreign Affairs Manual (§41.51). Assuming that a treaty exists, the applicant must ensure that the company is at least 50% owned by citizens of the treaty country, that the applicant will be coming to work in the company as a key employee (director, manager, executive, etc.), and that the investment will eventually generate

more than just marginal profi ts. The minimum investment for an E-2 Investor Visa is somewhat ambiguous. An E-2 Investor Visa requires a “substantial investment,” which can differ based on the specifi c industry. For example, $150,000 may be appropriate for an oil company to be successful, whereas only $50,000 may be enough for a restaurant. In some cases, employing US workers can overcome a relatively small investment. For example, this offi ce has had an E-2 visa approved in which the applicant invested as little as $26,000. The embassy offi cial who reviewed the applica-tion and approved it noted that the reason that they were willing to approve the visa was because the applicant had invested in a company that was employing more than 6 US workers. The US government encour-ages investment as a means by which to stimulate the economy. Therefore, the South Asian community, which has proven their success in entrepreneurship and various business matters, should take advantage of this opportunity. This offi ce encourages those who believe they may qualify for an investor visa to seek the assistance of a competent immigration attorney. Noaman is an attorney at Azhar & Azhar, PLLC. The information provided in this article is not immigration advice and should not be interpreted as immigration advice. This arti-cle is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. As always, readers should consult with an experienced immigration attorney before making any immigration decisions on their case.

ADVERTISING & SALES INQUIRIES?CALL (214) 306-7920 | E: ADS@MYCRESCENT.COM

Gaining Immigration Through InvestingGaining Immigration Through Investing

05 COMMUNITY REPORT

06 COMMUNITY REPORT

TRAIN & INSPIREBy Omar Usman

Fifty students from –cities around North America converged upon the Colleyville Masjid for Qalam Institute’s Khateeb Work-shop on June 3 through the 7.

The ground-breaking seminar, “Stand & Deliver,” was hosted by Qalam Institute in an effort to address the growing com-munity need for qualifi ed, well-spoken, and relevant khateebs. Students, who traveled from far distances such as Toronto, Chicago, Califor-nia and North Carolina, received four days of instruction from nationally renowned scholars -- Yaser Birjas with AlMaghrib Institute, AbdulNasir Jangda with Bayyinah Institute, Nouman Ali Khan with Bayyinah Institute, and Imam Zia Sheikh with the Is-lamic Center of Irving. Several well-known guest speakers, such as Azhar Azeez with Islamic Relief, Imam Nadim Bashir with the Mansfi eld Islamic Center, and Abdel-Rahman Murphy with the Islamic Associa-tion of North Texas (IANT), also took part.

Students from different back-grounds were in attendance. Some had never delivered a khutbah, while others were well-seasoned khateebs. A muslim chaplain and two full-time imams also at-tended the program as students. With everyone assembled, the workshop began Friday morning. The fi rst item on the agenda was reviewing a nation-wide online survey that gauged the average person’s khutbah experiences. After tallying the results, it was found that, on average, in the span of one month a person hears roughly one or two khutbahs that inspire him/her or bring a positive change to their lives. The workshop then kicked into high gear with a 3-hour tafseer on Surah Al-Jumu’ah. Friday continued with sessions on the etiquettes of the khateeb, etiquettes of the minbar, khutbah preparation and orga-nization, logistical issues, public speaking/communication, and khutbahs by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Saturday was an intensive day

geared towards fi qh - tim-ing of Juma, requirements for Juma, minimum num-ber of people required to attend, traveling, multiple Juma prayers, language of the khutbah, leading the salah, Eid salah, and, fi nally, the fi qh of leading Janaza in case a khateeb. Students also were given a practical walk-through on how to research a khutbah utilizing English resources. Saturday concluded with a look at the importance of Surah Kahf in relation to Fri-day’s tafseer, as well as an extended Q&A session. On Sunday, students were taught by Azeez how to respond to natural disas-ters and hold fundraisers. Imam Sheikh delivered a session on how to manage Juma and deliver khutbahs with interfaith groups present. Murphy, IANT’s new youth direc-tor, taught students how to deliver khutbahs in Muslim Student Association settings. Sunday concluded with extended sessions by Jangda and Ali Khan on how to effec-tively quote and utilize Islamic texts (the Qur’an and Hadith) during a khutbah. After three intense days, Monday presented one of the highlight of the work-shop. Students were split into groups and presented 10-minute pre-prepared khutbahs to their groups, which included one of the instructors. These Each student was then given a full critique of their khutbah. This was followed by innovative impromptu exercise – students were asked to deliver on-their-feet speeches in hypothetical situ-ations. One of the impromptu topics was: addressing angry neighbors after Muslims parked on their grass during Eid salah.

Attendees returned home with a fi rm understanding of the roles and respon-sibilities of a khateeb, especially as it relates to conveying a positive message of change and inspiration to every member of the congregation. Qalam Institute began as part of the Islamic Association of Mid-Cities in February 2009 as an effort to bring educa-tional seminar-style Islamic programs for the family to the Dallas/Fort Worth commu-nity. Imams from all around DFW metro-plex have participated in in many Qalam Institute programs, with more being planned for this year and next. Events have been held in Colleyville, Irving, Plano, Mans-fi eld, and Richardson masjids. The khateeb workshop was the fi rst Qalam program done at a national level, with MSA National joining in to help pro-mote the event. Workshop organizers said they hope that these types of workshops and seminars can continue in the DFW metro-plex and be successful by the will of Allah.

Share your stories with us at dallas@myCrescent.com

Khateeb Workshop For Future ImamsABDUL-NASIR JANGDA & NOUMAN ALI KHAN

07 COMMUNITY REPORT

By R. “Ruqayyah” Khalifa

Outspoken Palestinian activist George Galloway again made headway in promoting justice to improve U.S. policy in the Middle East as a keynote speaker through a benefi t dinner sponsored by the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA). Galloway, a member of British Parliament since 1987, is a strong advocate for peace for the Gaza strip. Speaking at the benefi t dinner was one stop in Galloway’s long journey in raising awareness for the upcoming fourth convoy he will lead to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Sept. 12, Galloway said this convoy is going to Gaza because with one goal in mind – the Palestinian people cannot be left to suffer. Dr. Nia MacKay and the Rev. Diane Baker, two of several spokespersons con-tributing to the press conference before the main event at the Hyatt Regency North Dallas in Richardson on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. The spokespersons stressed that there must be divestment and sanctions against Israel to stop the blockade of humanitarian as-sistance to the Palestinians in Gaza. Although the last convoy sent was attacked on international waters by Israel, the fourth convoy being organized by Viva Palestina, a Brisish-based pro-Palestine charity that tries to highlight “the causes of results of wars with a view to achieving peace,,” will be going back by land and by sea two days after Eid ul-Fitr, leaving London for the mainland tour through Europe and Syria picking up many trucks, vans, and volunteers along the way until they reach Turkey with thousands of people. Galloway, who is the founder of Viva Palestina, is asking Egypt for its cooperation this time and to allow the humanitarian aid through Rafah, in southern Gaza, in hopes to end the siege there. Viva Palestina is trying to gather about 60 ships, and get them to enter Gaza in hopes that they all arrive at the same time, entering as the world’s largest aid ever. Organizers said they aare hoping to work in co-operation with all governments and agencies necessary to make this a success. For more than 35 years, Galloway has tried to help the Palestinian people gain rights to Gaza.He said that his devotion has nothing to do with religion but instead imperi-alism, to which he is not a fan of. He said he sees what is taking place in Gaza as a creation of a swamp of bitterness, hatred, and anger. And out of this swamp is the creation of many toxic things with ugly and nasty materials and this must stop; the killing and massacre of innocent people must stop. In the previous convoy and the upcoming one, there is much diversity with people from all walks of life, as well as non-Muslims, joining in. He said he feels people should help out in any way they can to make a difference. In addition, he talked about how the bil-lions of dollars being sent to Israel by the United States is making the world hate America, which is not good business for America. However, he added that through the atrocities in the Israel/Palestinian, the Palestinians determination will never die.

Galloway Speaks @ MLFA Dinner About Gaza

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THE ENGLISH FOR HERITAGE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS (EHLS) PROGRAM

scholarships, a living stipend (during the full-time portion of the program), and a relocation reimbursement are available for qualifi ed applicants. For 2011, the program is recruiting native speakers of Arabic, Dari, Hausa, Hindi, Igbo, Mandarin Chi-nese, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Punjabi, So-mali, Swahili, or Urdu. Please visit http://www.cal.org/ehls/ for more information about the program and application process. CONTACT INFORMATIONGenesis Ingersoll, Associate DirectorEnglish for Heritage Language Speakers Programwww.cal.org/ehls Center for Applied Linguistics4646 40th Street NWWashington, DC 20016T: 202-355-1574 F: 202-362-3740 www.cal.org

08 COMMUNITY REPORT

By Kena Sosa

This past June, the Takin’ It To The Streets festival in Chicago proved that the number 13 is not always unlucky. Started in 1997, the festival, a brainchild of the the Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN), was organized as a way to pull up the impover-ished citizens from their despair. And since then it has fl ourished with this summer’s attendance reaching more than 200,000 people from 10,000 during the fi rst year. Amal Ali, a co-founder of IMAN who is also involved in promoting social justice in the community, and other IMAN members saw the need to encourage the growth of arts and culture, as well as cre-ate and foster opportunities for inner-city residents who often feel forgotten. Thus, in 1997, the Takin’ It To The Streets festival marked its fi rst year, and thirteen years laterthe event drew in 200 vendors and 100 artists who gave their most inspiring and motivating performances packed into one day. This year’s festival included per-formances by qawwail singer Amjad Sabri, Moroccan afro beat star Malika Zarra, and hip-hop star and Grammy Award win-ner, Mos Def, as well as other artists who express themselves through a variety of genres and styles of music from all around the world. In fact, rapper Lupe Fiasco performed at a previous Takin’ It To The Streets event. Although, organized by a Muslim

Chicago’s Takin’ It to the Streets for Inner-City Tolerance and the Arts

group, the festival was open to anyone interested in coexisting, and enjoying good music and entertainment from all over the world. Marquette Park was the perfect venue for such as event because though it is known for its atmosphere of tension and confl ict, it is a place where the air needs to be cleared for a bigger purpose of peace and unity. Lasting half a day, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the performers were spread across four stages: Streets Stage, Unity Stage, World Music Stage, and Hip Hop Pavilion. The Park was also the site of a basketball tournament, informational booths, and other family-friendly events, including puppet shows and games. For those searching for a more one-to-one interaction there were also interactive sessions with spiritual leaders, community member and activists, and event organizers. Best of all, and a surefi re way to make all attendees feel included was that this gargantuan festival was free for all 200,000 who came.

SAY SALAAM TO FILMSNew this year to the Takin It To The Streets festival was the inclusion of the Salaam Film Festival. The Film Festival featured docu-mentaries and fi lms that highlighted and demonstrated the depth and beauty of artis-tic expression displayed by Muslim fi lmmak-ers as well as others. The Film Festival was three days long, running from June 13 to 15. http://streets2010.com/salaam-fi lm-festival

09 ADVERTISEMENTS

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10 COMMUNITY REPORT

July 6, 2010Bodies The ExhibitionWest End MarketPlace603 Munger Ave.(866) 312-3931The Exhibition provides an informative view into the human body. Using an innovative preservation process, the Exhibition allows you to see and celebrate your body’s inner beauty in ways you never dreamed pos-sible. Runs until Aug. 29, 2010.

Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, GeniusFort Worth Museum of Science and History1600 Gendry St. Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest geniuses the world has ever known. More than 500 years ago, Da Vinci designed fl y-ing machines,robots, submarines, under-water breathing gear and solar powered industries. This remarkable internationally acclaimed exhibition displays more than 60 models of Da Vinci’s famous machines, inventions and designs based on ancient

Happenings Around The Town

codices. Runs until Aug. 31, 2010.

Hugh Adams: Photography of IndiaIrving Arts Center3333 North MacArthur Blvd. (972) 252-2787Hugh Adams stunning photographs capture the essence of the people and culture of India by documenting the lives of the Indian people, from colorful markets and cus-tomary dress to the sacred traditions that surround the Ganges in the Dupree Theater Lobby. Runs until Aug. 1, 2010.

Israel/Palestine Film: For My Father7 - 8:30 p.m.Temple Emanu-El, Tobian Auditorium8500 Hillcrest Road(214) 706-0000A riveting drama about a Palestinian forced to make the decision of his life when he is sent to Tel Aviv as a suicide bomber to redeem his family honor. The fi lm weaves together the lives of this young man, an em-

bittered Israeli couple and beautiful young woman.

July 9, 201024th Annual Taste of DallasFair Park Dallas1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd. (214) 670-8400The Taste of Dallas moves indoors this year to Fair Park. The festival boasts more than 150,000 square feet of air conditioned space for culinary demonstrations, a marketplace, an Artists Enclave and more. Admission is $5 for adults, free for children 12 and under. Runs until July 11, 2010.

July 10, 20102010 Annual Parker County Peach Festival8 a.m – 5 p.m.Weatherford, TXwww.peachfestivaltx.comJoin us for the 26th Annual Parker County Peach Festival. Stroll through beautiful historic downtown Weatherford and enjoy the more than 200 art/craft, food, live music, and activity booths. Admission is $5 for 12 and older and free for children under the age of 12.

July 11, 2010Basically Beethoven FestivalEvery Sunday for the month of July3 p.m.Texas Discovery Gardens

3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (214) 428-7476Join us for this classical chamber music concert and recitals performed inside the Grand Hall in Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park. Free

The Story of India: The Meeting of Two OceansKimbell Art Museum3333 Camp Bowie Blvd (817) 332-8451Acclaimed writer and historian Michael Wood guides this six-part adventure reveal-ing the incredible richness and diversity of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Dazzling scenes fi lmed across India’s vast territories – from the towering Himalayas to the palm-fringed shores of southern Kerala – invoke its dramatic past, cultural achieve-ments, and relevance in the modern age.

July 15, 201027th Annual Book Sale by Friends of the Plano Public LibraryPlano Centre 2000 E. Spring Creek Pkwy(972) 941-7193www.friendofplanolibrary.orgMore than 100,000 gently-used hardbacks, paperbacks, DVDs, and CDs, all priced at $2 or less and organized by subject. All pro-ceed fun materials and programs at Plano.

July 19, 2010Third Thursday9 a.m. - 9 p.m.Trinity River Audubon CenterAdmission to Trinity River Audubon Cen-ter is free on the Third Thursday of every month. Join us for guided hikes throughout the day. Bring your lunch, and enjoy our shady new riverbend picnic site, overlook-ing the Trinity River

July 21, 2010Asian Chamber Annual Awards Gala6 p.m.Westin Galleria13340 Dallas Parkway(972) 241-8250Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce

July 24, 2010Dallas/Fort Worth Tour de CureTexas Motor Speedwaytour.diabetes.orgIn more than 40 states from coast to coast, thousands of cyclists will be pedaling to-ward fi nding a cure for this deadly disease. Join us for this wonderful day of fun, fi tness, friendship, and the thrill of completing a ride that moves us closer to fi nding a CURE for DIABETES

July 26, 2010Camp Asia: Celebrate Asian Heritage: Families with Children from China9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Crow Collection of Asian Art2010 Flora Street(214) 979-6430Celebrate the rich culture, traditions, and arts of China through performances, cui-sine, and games. Make your own dragon boats, learn how to perform a lion dance, and create beautiful family scrapbook to share with your loved ones. Ages 6-12. Runs through July 30, 2010.

July 28, 2010Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus American Airlines Center2500 Victory Avenue(214) 222-3687The Greatest Show on Earth comes back to entertain children and families of all ages! Runs through Aug. 8, 2010.

July 31, 2010Dallas Bridal ShowDallas Market Hall2200 Stemmons Fwy. (214) 655-6181Looking to create the perfect wedding? Choose your colors, fl oral arrangements, dresses, rings and honeymoon, all at the same location. Runs through Aug. 1, 2010.....................................................................E: calendar@myCrescent.com

11 COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Protest rallies show support for slain protestorsKomal Khan & Marium Mohiuddin

Bold signs, rally gear, and passionate individuals were a few of the factors that helped capture the spirit of dissent last month at the rally for the Gaza Strip at Dealy Plaza. With almost 200 hundred people in attendance, both Israeli and Palestinian supporters gathered along opposite sides of Elm Street and faced off at 6 p.m., separated only by rush hour traffi c. This protest effort organized by Viva Palestina, a British-based charitable organization that establishes convoys to break Israel blockades, was trying to get the message out about the Gaza, the plight of the Palestin-ians living there, and the loss of life. The Dallas rally also was one of many worldwide protests that was organized to bring to light to and show support for the nine Turkish activists who, as part of a fl otilla, were killed trying to break an Israel blockade of the Gaza. There was no room for doubt as to the protestors goal. Catchy slogans such as “No justice; No peace” and “1, 2, 3, 4; We don’t want your bloody war” made it easy to sum up protestors passion for peace. A post on Youtube of the protest quickly put a synagogue into action to assemble a counter-protest . Though the two sides exchanged chants back-and-forth, the pre-planned pro-Palestinian side had an array of speakers from the Dallas Peace Institute, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Rev. L. Charles Stovall of Munger Place United Methodist Church. After an hour of speeches and chants, the protest came to an end with a memorial prayer for the nine activists and a march to Memorial Park.…………………………………………………………..................................

Jai Ho postponed till SeptemberA.R. Rahman has decided to postpone the remaining North American dates of the “Jai Hor Concert: The Journey Home World Tour.” with plans to reschedule for September. The Dallas date has been reschedule for Sept. 18 and will still be at the American Airlines Center. Tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates, and refund information will be made available soon, according to the site. In a statement released by Rahman, he said the event was postponed because scaffolding collapsed, sending several workers to the hospital and damaging the main stage set while setting up for the June 19 concert at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. Rahman said that his organization is “working to recoup all that has been lost (the lights, the sets) which will take us over three weeks to complete. The vision for the show includes beautiful choreography and circus acts and it feels less than, not to include them. All the world over, the show has received a very positive response from those who have seen it, which makes it absolutely necessary for us to present a complete show and feature all the components that were lost due to the incident.”..........................................................................................................................

IAA’s fundraiser is a successThe Islamic Association of Allen held its First Annual Fundraising Din-ner on June 27, 2010, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Frisco. IAA held the fundraiser with the intention of gaining support for the building of a masjid in Allen. On its website, IAA thanked its volunteers who “worked with great zeal and spirit for the success of this event and have shown a great deal of discipline, organization and passion before, during and after the fundraising event.”..........................................................................................................................

APPNA lands in DallasThe Association of Physician of Pakistani Descent in North America (AP-PNA) hosted their 33rd annual summer meeting at the Gaylord Texan from June 30 to July 4. Representing more than 15,000 physician and healthcare professionals across the United States and Canada, APPNA scheduled sev-eral events for participants including youth conferences, physician work-shops, an expo feature more than 200 vendors, and the Colors of Pakistan variety show.

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13 BUSINESS Q & A

Continues from page 01 >>

I owned the company for eight years, and after I had expanded as much as I could, I sold my company to a Muslim distributor in Virginia named Barakat Foods.

Q: Why did you think this was a profi table market?A: Any time that you are making a product that is not available, you are fi lling a void. So I knew it was going to be profi table because there was nothing like it on the market. There was one other brand of halal marshmallows, and they were making them in Belgium using beef gelatin. Our advan-tage, from the beginning, was that we were using fi sh gelatin to guarantee halal worthi-ness, while our competition was using beef gelatin, which may raise questions on whether it is really halal or not. Using fi sh gelatin was more expensive, but defi nitely worth gaining the automatic trust from cus-tomers on our authenticity of being halal.

Q: When you have a product like this, how do you market it to Muslims? A: Marketing was the easy part. People already wanted this product. Moms were calling me up requesting the snack. We also set up a booth at the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) conference; we utilized Youtube’s popular Muslim characters Baba Ali in his episode “Haram Police”. We also put an advertisement in The Muslim Busi-ness Link directory. Word of mouth was amazing. Muslims are longing for a product that would cater to their needs. It was nice to make something that was appreciated. I loved what I did.

ONE MAIN ROADBLOCK IN MARKETING WAS THE DISTRIBU-TION CHANNEL. MANY MUSLIMS

WANT PRODUCTS THAT CATER TO THEIR NEEDS, BUT THE BUSINESS SYSTEM AMONGST MUSLIMS IS NOT SET UP TO SUPPORT THIS

Q: What were some challenges you encoun-tered in selling your product?A: One main roadblock in marketing was the distribution channel. Many Muslims want products that cater to their needs, but the business system amongst Muslims is not set up to support this. For example, Muslim grocery stores never have a consistent

CHICAGO HAD THE HIGHEST SALES FIGURES.... AND IT WAS

TOPED OFF WITH THE FACT THAT THEY (MUSLIMS IN CHICAGO)

SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT EATING ZABIHA-HALAL

FOODS MORE THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES

supply of any products they carry. This is

mainly due to the Muslim food distribu-tors not being set up effi ciently to service the Muslim grocery stores. Another issue was that most Muslim store owners are immigrants from Arab and Indo/Pakistani countries, so when I introduced a product that they were not familiar with, they were quite skeptical about carrying it in their store. They thought that I invented crispy treats rather than simply providing a halal version. But after they carried the Halal Crispy Treats, they realized that there was a demand for it. Common business practices are also missing from most Muslim grocery stores, like the use of barcodes during checkout to improve effi ciency. Out of all the cities in the USA that I sold

to, Chicago had the highest sales fi gures because of the large Indo/Pakistani Muslim population, and it was toped off with the fact that they seem to be more concerned about eating zabiha-halal foods more than other communities. In the eight years that I ran the company, I had around 827 customers with about one-quarter of them being Islamic schools. By the time I sold my business in 2008, I could count only 59 great customers that always paid me on time. About the issue of receiving pay-ment on time, I was told by many Muslim grocery store owners that the reason they delayed in paying me was because they had to pay their non-Muslim vendors fi rst to avoid paying interest. They know that a fellow Muslim will not charge interest fees on a late payment, so they take their time paying back Muslim companies like mine. I understand this wholeheartedly, yet at the same time, it’s discouraging.

MANY HALAL CERTIFYING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE STRUG-GLED TO ESTABLISH A HALAL

STANDARD, BUT THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN AS CHALLENGING AS THOSE WHO HAVE STRUGGLED

TO GET EID DAY STATED ON NON-MUSLIM CALENDARS.

Q: Are non-Muslims interested in your product? Did you try to sell Halal Crispy Treats to a non-Muslim store? A: Non-Muslims still don’t know what halal is; halal has not yet worked its way into the American vernacular. One reason it may be a while before that happens is because amongst themselves, Muslims are unde-cided on its exact defi nition of what is halal based on different rulings. It’s not black and white; it’s not straightforward like kosher is. The defi nition of halal among Muslims in America is right up there with deciding when Ramadan and Eid starts. Many halal certifying organizations have struggled to establish a halal standard, but their efforts have been as challenging as those who have struggled to get Eid day stated on non-Mus-lim calendars.

Q: Do you think Muslims need to get a good handhold in the business fi eld (more than other fi elds)? Why or why not?A: In regards to being a Muslim business-person in America, my opinion is that there are few jobs that do not involve some form of haram somewhere in them. A few jobs are halal all-around, such as being a Muslim school-teacher. Other than that, it is up to

each person to decide how much haram contamination they are willing to tolerate in their chosen career. From my experience, services tend to have less haram aspects that selling products so that might be a way to go as well.

Q: Your product has ‘Halal’ in the title, how did you defi ne halal?A: It is halal because on the wrapping in clear print it says “100% fi sh gelatin.” Fish is automatically halal per the verse in the Qur’an, we decided to label the product Halal because it’s the halal version of a product that is available in haram form in the general American market.

THE SECOND GENERATION THINKS THE MEAT ISSUE IS

SMALL COMPARED TO THE BIG-GER PROBLEMS OF TERRORISM AND THE MISUNDERSTANDING

OF ISLAM. SO, THERE WAS SOME-TIMES A LACK OF INTEREST IN

THE HALAL FOOD ISSUE BECAUSE OF THIS FACT.

Q: What take home lessons did you learn during the process of creating, marketing, and selling your product, and ultimately, your business?A: Being in the Halal business for 8 years, my perception is that that the second generation of Muslims who are busy, 30-somethings, didn’t grow up hearing that the halalness of meat was a top priority in their lives like their immigrant parents did. The second generation thinks the meat issue is small compared to the bigger problems of terrorism and the misunderstanding of Islam. So, there was sometimes a lack of interest in the halal food issue because of this fact. Lastly, I did not know how much of a challenge it was going to be selling to Islamic schools in the USA. Looking back, I would have avoided this market all together because of the delay in payment issue. One of the best decisions I made was selling my company to Barakat Foods (www.barakat-foods.com), and all thanks to Allah they are keeping the product alive with no changes to the packaging.

So I pray to Allah to bless our efforts as Muslims in American trying to stick to what is halal, and if anyone wants to start a prod-uct target at the Muslim consumer I would love to hear from you anytime........................................................................Halal Crispy Treats can be purchased online at www.halalcrispytreats.com

14 COMMUNITY REPORT

15 TRAVEL

By Zubair Fattani, PhD

The summer is here, and, boy, it is hot! However, the dog days of summer are still upon us, as well as Shab-e- Miraj, Rama-dan, and the fi rst day of school. And this summer, our vacation is going to be a nice memory. Have you ever been to the Epcot Theme Park at the Walt Disney World Re-sort? My family and I went last year; it was hot and wet and hot, too. The Epcot Theme Park, in case you didn’t know, is the adult-oriented section of the Walt Disney World Resort. No, that doesn’t mean the seven dwarfs are running around wearing Chippendale’s outfi ts; it means that it is an experience that is geared toward a grown-up’s tastes. You may be wondering what Epcot stand for?” Well, I did a little checking. It seems that it is an acronym for Extremely Pricey Complicated Overdose of Travel. (Actually, the acronym is Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). Don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed it. When you compare the Epcot Theme Park rates to those of other Orlando attractions, it’s not bad. It was a bit overwhelming, though. The fi rst thing that I noticed was the European style of the fi rst bathroom I used – meaning there was a little picture of a man and a woman on the door. Yes, if you don’t lock it, there’s no telling WHO might

pop in! Bathrooms are always necessary, of course, especially in light of my second discovery: lassi. Experiencing different na-tions includes sampling different beverages. That’s right! I bought lassi at Epcot, and I was in heaven. If you are so inclined, you can start with a faluda in Pakistan, work your way through Norway, China, Germany, and Italy; sampling all kinds of foreign foods and delights.Don’t worry; I didn’t overindulge, and neither did anyone in my party. You see, Epcot is based on the premise that people will behave themselves if you give them the chance to. Alcoholic beverages are not sold there. This, too, makes good sense. The multitudes there are perhaps not quite as responsible as your average college crowd. People go to college to have a blast, while people go to Epcot to learn something. Epcot was a realistic look at the world. If you’ve never been there, but you have been to a world’s fair, then you have an idea of what it’s about. Each nation has its own section, complete with restaurants, shops, and entertainment. There are also sections devoted to inventions, the land, the seas, etc. However, I made a beeline straight for Spaceship Earth, presented by AT&T, which is the icon of the Epcot Theme Park. The white ball that houses a 16-minute ride through time and space and features 20

SKIP DISNEY WORLD, AND HEAD TO EPCOT THEME PARKit’s perfect for adults; plus, there is lassi!

By Maryum Shaheed

In June 2001, my sister and two of our friends spent a week in New York City. Well, in truth we spent a week of days in New York City and a week of nights in Hoboken, NJ.

It was cheaper that way.

detailed show scenes that depict the history of mankind from the dawn of recorded time to the 21st century internet age. Picture my situation: I had been on vacation for a week. It had been seven days since my last email check. I had gone seven days without engaging in an activity that I usually did 10 times per day! I was told by my next door neigh-bors (who are regular Epcot visitors) that in the AT&T section, you could log on and check your email. I ran at a full gallop into the big ball-shaped building. I trotted up to a tele-phone of the future. It had a bewildering set of options, including voice transmission, data transmission, and four-speed over-drive transmission. I selected “data.” The phone fl ashed this message: “This feature is currently not available.” Wow! Just like my provider back home! I was REALLY impressed. So, if you fi nd yourself in Florida, I recommend the Epcot Theme Park. Rumor has it that next month there may be fake ri-

ots staged in the Gulf of Mexico section, in honor of the anticipated obliteration of the ecosystem around the Gulf due to the BP oil spill. Have fun, and of course, don’t drink the water in Mexico or Pakistan!

......................................................................Zubair Fattani, PhD, is an as-sociate professor of economics at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is also a guest lecturer this sum-

mer at the Uni-versity of California at Berkeley. You can write to him at dr_fattani@hotmail.com. Dr. Fattani is from Karachi, Pakistan, where his parents still live. His wife, Shazia, is a hafi za and studying to be an alimah. They have one daughter, Zakia, who is 2 years old.

Eight years later, a dream of Costa Rica, fulfi lled

We shopped. We strolled. We climbed to the top of the Statue of Liberty. We listened to the diaries of immigrants who had long ago crossed the ocean and landed tired and hopeful on Ellis Island. We smiled through Chinatown. We dined in Little Italy. There at a small fair on , we stumbled upon Miguel, a Costa Rican jewelry maker selling rings, necklaces, and key chains that he and his wife had fashioned by hand. I bought one of my now favorite pieces of jewelry from him. It is a simple ring with a thin wire band, which twists through a carved black stone, accented on

either side by a small silver bead. It is simple – nothing extraordi-nary. It cost $8 dollars, which I happily paid. What was extraordinary to me that day was the soft and peaceful spirit of the jewelry maker. Miguel asked me about Texas and wanted me to know about Costa

Rica. He told me of its breathtaking black and white sand beaches, its lush tropical rainforests, and the legendary kindness of its people. He told me I had to visit some-day. Then, he gave me his wife Rosa’s email address and wished me a pleasant stay in New York. For years, whenever I looked at that simple, handcrafted ring I remem-bered Miguel’s kindness and sincerity and dreamed of traveling to Costa Rica. Finally, in May of this year, I booked my ticket, grabbed my 8-year old Central American guidebook, packed a carry-on and headed to enchanting Costa Rica for two weeks. I spent my fi rst two days in the crowded capital of San Jose. I had picked up a small city map at the airport and used it to navigate myself up and down the wide avenidas and calles to museums, parks, and shopping centers. The map was helpful, but I found myself lost more than once. I had to use my painfully broken Spanish to ask for directions from shopkeepers, doormen, and passersby. Each time I asked for help it was graciously delivered “con gusto” – with pleasure. After getting my historical bear-ings in San Jose, I headed to the small Caribbean village of Cahuita about 4 hours east of the capital. Cahuita is home to an expansive national park, which extends about 6 miles along the coast. I spent the better half of a day, strolling down the park’s sandy trail, marveling at the brightly colored birds, butterfl ies, insects, fl owers, and crabs, all along the way. One morning after Fajr prayer, I walked to the beach and watched the sunrise over the sea. A troop of white-faced monkeys gathered in the tree above me and

picked fruit from the low-lying branches. A crane patiently waded in the surf searching for guppies slower than its darting beak. An older lady passed by me on her morning walk. I greeted her with my best Spanish accent. “Buenos dias,” I said with a smile. “Buenos dias, mi amor,” she replied softly, effortlessly.

This was the Costa Rica of my dreams.

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16 OPINION

By Hassan Usmani

When my generation (the second genera-tion) was growing up, we had two choices: We could either be like our parents who clung to foreign culture and customs or we could assimilate into this society and, what was feared, lose our values, ethics, and mor-als. However, some of my generation took another route and managed to fi nd a balance between the two options; We created a new identity – a balance between our ancestral customs with modern western ideals. We became American Muslims. We adopted the new identity and became the people who would drink apple juice on the rocks as everyone else con-sumed alcohol or went out with the opposite gender in groups and maintained proper akhlaq (manners). Though, the other two extremes survived, as well: the liberal who

It’s Time For Our Generation To Pick Up The ReignsSHOW THEM A BALANCED WAY TO LIVE IN AMERICA

caved in and drank and dated openly and the conservative who wouldn’t communi-cate with the opposite gender and made a point to disprove of others by bringing up daleels (reasons or arguements). Between these three groups, our masajids have had a lot of ground to cover, and now are worried that the youth from the next generation is being lost as they are not present at the masajid. Today, when a youth turns 16, they are liberated from the order of their parents by a driver’s license. This can lead to immense freedom, and coupled with other pressures, such as school, and gender relations, it becomes easier and more diffi cult for children to attend the masajid. Going to the masajid, sadly, over time, loses priority. Our current masajid structure tends to service the immigrant generation and their young children; programs, activities,

and lectures are geared toward them. This creates yet another barrier or reason for younger generations (junior high and high schoolers) not to attend masajids, especially when they can dole out excuses such as “There’s nothing there for me.” Unfortu-nately, this is a legitimate excuse. It is human nature to do something and then expect something in return; we need incentives. We try to be good Muslims so that we can make our way to Jannah. The point is that if you want a group to come to the masajid, you must offer them an incentive. And though this is working for some groups, the reality is that how can we expect the youth to attend the masajid when it doesn’t service their needs? In order to bring the youth to the masajid, we must en-gineer social and educational activities for them and them only, not just Sunday school More and more of the younger generation that are coming through junior high and high school now are being lost to drugs and alcohol. More and more kids fi nd it easier to assimilate to this culture and adopt traditional Western traditions rather than fi nding a happy middle ground. Who is to blame for this mess? Some people blame the immigrant gen-eration for institutionalizing Islam in the United States to service them and them only. As their kids grew up, there weren’t enough opportunities for them besides at-tending Sunday school. Nevertheless, I would split the blame on the immigrant generation AND our generation, the second generation. Our generation was able to fi nd a balance be-tween both the Western and Islamic worlds. What we failed to do, for the most part, is to pass along this information to the next generation and serve as a role models. We found this balance through trial and error, and we are not making a sincere effort to convince the next generation that they, too, can fi nd a route that falls in the middle.

Our generation is non-existent from the masajid scene. During college, we become heavily involved with our local masajids and MSAs, but when we gradu-ated and moved back home or to a new city, we didn’t seek refuge in the local masajids. How are we to set an example for the next generation if we don’t attend our local masajids and become the next pillars for our community to stand on? If we are not there, how are we to help the masajids or hear their cry when they ask for assistance in getting the attention of the younger gen-eration? Yes, there are plenty of masajids who don’t give a hoot about this issue and turn the other cheek, but there are a lot of masajids that are trying to work towards a solution. We need to work together and mold our masajids into centers that attract and service people of all ages, especially the next generation who are right on our heels to take over. Real change in the West will be made by the following generations, not ours. Previous generations laid the ground work to the best of their ability, and though we are a new community in the U.S., we can’t stand idly by and let out ideals, be completely washed away by lack of interest on our part and the next generation’s.

.......................................................................Hassan Usmani graduated from Texas A&M University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s in Science in Eco-nomics. Originally from Houston, he is currently residing in Cleveland, OH, and studying medicine at Ohio State University. He is also involved with Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) and writes articles for Livestrong.com

By Jamal Saqib

Facebook -- it’s huge. Everyone has a pro-fi le. From conservative religios uncle from Pakistan to every single friend you know. Facebook has injected itself into the veins of our social lives, a virus perhaps, which has transformed the social construc-tions of the past into the intertwining mess of technology and human relationships we call the present. But what is Facebook’s signifi -cance in archetypal terms? Meaning, what role does Facebook play in Allah’s absolute and perfect design and will?

I cannot say that I know, but I can guess. Here we go:

Facebook has given our generation a mark in all of history. We are the Facebook gen-eration. We are the technological generation and the entire spectrum of technological advancement increases the signifi cance of our historical infl uence. With this technology (Facebook, social networks, blogging, etc.) we are the “fi rst” people to experience new types of human-interactivity, which may prove to be healthy or bitterly harmful to our emotional well-being. Remember, we are human be-ings, and we have emotions and souls. Our technology is synthetic and may not always benefi t the effi cacy of exercising human relationships. I believe the American-Muslim generation will feel a dramatic emotional shock wave in the near future due to the interconnectedness of published activity available on Facebook. This truly cyber space, or digital relationship plane of exis-tence, will be the “space” of determination or measuring stick with which we judge the progress of our lives as Muslims, career

The Secret of Facebook

-HOW DIVINE WISDOM RECTIFIES A GENERATION?seekers, soon-to-be-parents (insha’Allah Amin), professionals, and unfortunately in many cases, public status or rank. Facebook is a vessel for a dramatic wave of Divine Energy to change the way 21st century Muslim singles fi nd marriage. But hold it just a second! I’m not saying that people will get married by meet-ing each other through Facebook. What I’m saying is Facebook’s contorted “intra-pub-lic” sphere of published activity and social accomplishment has turned us into human-billboards in which single Muslims market themselves to surfers on the Facebook information wave More and more people are infl u-enced by their close friends and relatives getting married and posting tagged pictures and videos of perhaps the most important day of their lives. This pushes marriage to the forefront of our daily inboxes, Facebook home pages, and in reality, our entire life. With an entire generation collec-tively experiencing this change in social structure, perhaps a new light shall be cast upon the infamous topic The age of mar-riage”. With Facebook, the social black hole which packs your entire social life into an iPhone, creating such phony interac-tions trying to pass for meaningful human communication, many of us are beginning to seek more organically involved and so-cially healthy relationships. Young Muslim Americans are turning to marriage in order to fi nd balance in life. And Allah knows best. In the Qur’an He states, “Wed those among you who are unmarried, even the virtuous of your servants and maids. If they are poor, Allah will relieve them from the divine bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing” [24:32].