2/21/2008

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH:
Volume 13, February 3, 2008
Mehrun Yusuf Behavioral Care
St. Louis, Missouri


Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

UMMAH’S SACRED RELATIONSHIP WITH PLANET EARTH: THE ULTIMATE HOME THAT WAS BESTOWED BY ALLAH TO
HUMANITY.
(1) "AMONG HIS SIGNS IS THE CREATION OF THE COSMOS AND THE EARTH, THE DIVERSITY OF YOUR COMPLEXIONS AND LANGUAGES. SURELY IN THIS, THERE ARE SIGNS FOR THE KNOWLEDGEABLE".
HOLY QURAN (30:21:211).
(2) “KNOW THAT THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD IS BUT PLAY AND AMUSEMENT, POMP AND MUTUAL BOASTING AND MULTIPLYING, RIVALRY AMONG YOURSELVES REGARDING RICHES AND CHILDREN. IT IS LIKE RAIN AND THE GROWTH WHICH IT BRINGS FORTH, DELIGHTING THE HEARTS OF THE TILLERS; SOON IT WITHERS: YOU WILT SEE IT GROW YELLOW; THEN IT BCOMES DRY AND CRUMBLES AWAY…..AFTER ALL, WHAT IS THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD BUT (INDULGENCE IN TEMPORARY) THINGS OF DECEPTION?”
HOLY QURAN (57:20)

(3) “DO PEOPLE NOT SEE THAT IS ALLAH WHO CREATED THE HUMAN BEING FROM SPERM? YET BEHOLD, THE HUMAN BEING STANDS FORTH AS AN OPEN ADVERSARY AND MAKES COMPARISONS FOR US, AND FORGETS HIS OWN (ORIGIN) CREATION: HE SAYS, “WHO CAN GIVE LIFE TO DECOMPOSED BONES?” SAY, “HE WILL REVIVE THEM WHO CREATED THEM INITIALLY”. ALLAH IS FULLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT EVERY KIND OF CREATION.
HOLY QURAN (36:77-79).

(4) “IT IS ALLAH WHO HAS EVOLVED FOR YOU THE FACULTIES OF HEARING, SIGHT, FEELING AND UNDERSTANDING: LITTLE THANKS DO YOU GIVE. AND HE HAS MULTIPLIED YOU THROUGH THE EARTH, AND TO HIM SHALL YOU BE GATHERED TOGETHER. IT IS HE WHO GRANTS LIFE AND DEATH, AND TO HIM (IS DUE) THE ALTERNATE OF NIGHT AND DAY: WILL YOU NOT THEN UNDERSTAND?”
HOLY QURAN (23:77-80).

MAN'S ACCOUNTABILITY TO ALLAH:


Man's life is not limited to the short span of earthly existence. On the Day of Judgment the entire human race will be resurrected: everyone will appear before the Almighty Allah and face the consequences of his deeds in this life. Thus, life in the Hereafter is a continuation of the earthly life. Belief in man's accountability to Allah gives a sense and meaning to life and differentiates human beings from animals and inanimate objects. It serves as a reminder against crime (including suicide attacks killing innocent women and children), corruption, immorality, and injustice.

Several hadith emphasize on avoiding wastage in our lifestyles and by default encourages and supports recycling. With Muslims being one fifth of the world's population, the lifestyle of Ummah- both on an individual level and on a national level does contribute in impacting the earth’s environment.

DAMAGE ALREADY DONE BY HUMANS TO PLANET EARTH:

According to Robert Roy Britt: The major changes heralding this two century-old man-made epochs:

(1) Vastly altered sediment erosion and deposition patterns.
(2) Major disturbances to the carbon cycle and global temperature
(3) Wholesale changes in biology, from altered flowering times to new immigration patterns
(4) Acidification of the ocean, which threatens the marine life that forms the bottom of the food chain.

Humans have changed our planet Earth to such an extent that they have forced the Earth to start a new epoch in the planet’s geological history. Say goodbye to the 10,000-year-old Holocene Epoch, which initially began after first Ice Age and say “Hello” to the Anthropocene Epoch. (Anthropo-human; cene-new). “Sufficient evidence has emerged of stratigraphically significant change (both elapsed and imminent) for recognition of Anthropocene Epoch– currently a vivid yet informal metaphor of global environmental change –as a new geological epoch is considered for formalization by international discussion”, Jan Zalasiewicz’s team (from University of Leicester) had stated.

“With more than half of all soils on Earth now being cultivated for food crops, grazed or periodically logged for wood, how to sustain Earth’s soils is becoming a major scientific and policy issue,” said Duke University soil scientist Daniel Richter.

Earth’s 4.5 billion year history is divided into major eras, then periods and finally epochs. The Holocene Epoch began after last ice age.

URBANIZATION HAS… INCREASED TENFOLD IN THE PAST CENTURY. In a few generations mankind will exhaust the fossil fuel that were generated over several hundred million years.”

UP TO HALF OF EARTH’S LAND HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY, wrote Crutzen and Eugene Stoermer of the University of Michigan. They also noted the dramatic increase in greenhouse gases and other chemicals and pollutants humans have introduced into global ecosystems.
BIOLOGICAL DAMAGE: PROBLEMS TO HUMANS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS:

According to Dr. Mercola, over the past seven decades, humans have experienced significant changes in diet, lifestyle and social practices, all of which may have profound effects on human health.

According to researchers:

Environmental and lifestyle factors play a MAJOR ROLE IN HUMAN DISEASE – ACCOUNTING FOR PERHAPS 75 PERCENT OF MOST CANCERS.

They suggest that exposure to chemicals may pose the greatest threat to pregnant women, which then may affect the health of the fetus later in life. THEY RECOMMEND THAT WOMEN REDUCE THEIR USE OF COSMETICS AND BODY CREAMS, WHICH OFTEN CONTAIN CHEMICALS, AND SEEK TO AVOID OTHER CHEMICAL EXPOSURES PRIOR TO BECOMING PREGNANT TO LESSEN THIS RISK.

Several studies have shown associations between prenatal or postnatal exposure to certain pesticides or phthalates and REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS in humans.

They also recommend that where synthetic chemicals are found in raised concentrations in biological fluids such as breast milk and in tissues of humans, marine mammals or top predators, regulatory steps should be taken to remove them from the market immediately.

NEW LEGISLATION SHOULD PROHIBIT MARKETING OF ANY CHEMICAL FOR WHICH BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY DATA IS NOT REGISTERED.

According to Dr. Mercola, below is a list of health effects from just one type of chemical, phthalates, a chemical commonly used in plastics. They have been associated with (a) Declining sperm counts (b) Increase in sexual deformities (c) Increase in testicular cancer (d) Early puberty. The effects of these chemicals on the endocrine system, particularly during pregnancy, breastfeeding and childhood are very disturbing.

For more information on this important topic, check out Dr. Rapp’s book: “OUR TOXIC WORLD: A WAKE UP CALL”, which expands on this topic in great detail.

(1) HOW PLASTIC CHEMICALS ALTERS FEMALE BRAINS: Toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA). There are more than six billion pounds of BPA that are manufactured for use in products such as polycarbonate plastic – the resin lining food cans and dental sealants. City Supervisors in San Francisco had already banned the chemical for use in products such as baby bottles that are intended for use by children under 3 years of age. One study found that exposure to BPA is associated with recurrent miscarriage. Scientists also found that BPA can permanently alter DNA in rats. Ana Soto found that BPA can lead to problems of the reproductive tract in both male and female rodents. “There is plenty of evidence now that low-dose levels lead to problems” she added. In 2005, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 95% of Americans excrete at least 100 parts per trillion (ppt) of BPA in their urine.

(2) FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICAL FOUND IN HUMANS:
A chemical flame retardant commonly used in foam furniture padding, carpets, and draperies is accumulating so rapidly in the breast milk of nursing mothers that environmentalists and some scientists are calling for a BAN on it, the ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS NETWORK reports. Research suggests that these chemicals, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE’s) can cause harmful effects similar to those caused by PCB’s. Banned in the US in 1976, PCB’s are known to cause birth defects, neurological damage and thyroid imbalances. Fresh water fish in Virginia were found to contain the highest reported levels in the world of PBDE’s. The EUROPEAN COMMISSION has approved a BAN on PBDE effective July 2003.

(3) CHEMICALS FOUND IN DETERGENTS, COSMETICS DISRUPTING HORMONE ACTIVITY IN FISH AND HUMANS

The laundry detergent additive belongs to a family of “surfactants”, chemicals that lift dirt and help detergents and cleaning agents do a better job of stain removal. These chemicals also resulted in sex changes in frogs. The endocrine disruptors have been found to be the cause of enlarged breasts in young boys and feminization of almost all the fish in Jamaica Bay. The chemicals’ residues found their way into Jamaica Bay where the fish live and are contained in the hair gels and shampoos used by the boys featured in the study. After above study, the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH took the extraordinary step of advising doctors to ask patients what kinds of personal-care products they use at home. Researchers who reported about the boys who used the hair gel and shampoo products – made from lavender and tea-tree oil, say the growth stopped after they stopped using the estrogenic cosmetics.

Jeanne Rizzo stated that the average American is exposed to at least six endocrine disruptors before leaving home daily for work or school. Researchers suggest that endocrine disruptors may be associated with an elevated risk of testicular, breast and ovarian cancers. They also suggest that exposure may explain puberty occurring at younger ages in girls and the underdevelopment of genitals in some boys. The three cases of enlarged breasts in young boys prompted the National Institute of Health to advise doctors to suspect the use of cosmetics that act as endocrine disruptors. Any of the compounds tend to mimic the female hormone estrogen in the boys developed enlarged breasts. Researchers have found that fish are exquisitely sensitive to natural and synthetic steroid estrogens and in sewage rich streams, almost all fish become feminized.

(4) TEFLON CHEMICALS FOUND IN HUMANS:

Chemicals used in Teflon and Scotch guard are showing up in the bloodstream of humans throughout the world, with higher levels in the US and other highly developed nations. Perfluoronated compounds have been found in the blood of virtually every person tested for them in the United States, including children as young as 2 years. The compounds have been linked to cancer, developmental problems, liver damage and other ailments in animals, though there is no general agreement about their effects on humans. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) stepped up its investigation in 2003 because of concerns of potential links between the compounds and reproductive and developmental problems in young girls and women. Levels of the compounds in some children have been as high as those for chemical-plant workers and were close to levels that caused developmental problems in rats.

How best can Muslims work on issues of environmental discipline?

(1) Those Muslims that live in societies that have infrastructure to recycle should utilize every opportunity to use such facilities. This includes disposing the plastics, glass and paper in separate containers for recycling, this includes both at home and in Islamic Centers, specially when there are dinner functions held at such Centers. Even Holy Quran encourages to "Recycle".

(2) Muslims should do their best to ensure that they throw waste and garbage in the appropriate waste disposals whether they are in a park, public place and avoid throwing cups and other waste products in the waters from streams, rivers, lakes et.c.
(3) Muslims and Muslim organizations are encouraged to actively volunteer or network with organizations that are “green” in terms of working on projects that aim to minimize waste and are environmentally friendly.

(4) Islamic Centers across the United States are encouraged to enlist youth volunteers and sponsor one small section of their nearest freeway and regularly work to keep in clean. BONUS: In most cities of the US, you may be offered the option of posting a green board on that selected section indicating that your Masjid has sponsored that section for clean up. (Not only good public relations but also yet another evidence that the mainstream Muslim society is part of the American society and is there to HELP the local community).
(5) Support advocates like Dr. Mercola who believes that "it is just a ridiculous policy to place the burden of proof on the government to prove the chemicals are harmful in order for them to be restricted or removed. IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED THAT THE MANUFACTURERS PROVE THAT THEY ARE SAFE BEFORE THEY ARE EVEN ALLOWED ON THE MARKET".
(6) Many changes in a community start with a reframed mind-set. Muslims and Muslim organizations are strongly encouraged to go way beyond the basics of our great religion of ISLAM and its golden history. They need to draw symbolic building blocks from the contemporary times and use it to build over our Ummah’s historic Islamic foundation. This includes addressing all current problems that we face including issues of our lifestyle and the most recent environmentally harmful developments from an Islamic perspective. Muslims could participate and utilize existing available networks and interest groups to more efficiently achieve our goals to resolve such problems. This also includes other related concepts of “advancement” “progress” and their corresponding negative impact on our planet Earth, issues which HIKMA FOUNDATION has addressed below.

(7) WITH REGARD TO ABOVE ISSUES OF ADVANCEMENT, PROGRESS ET.C., THE AMERICAN UMMAH IS PROUD AND HONORED TO INTRODUCE TO THE “GLOBAL UMMAH” – “HIKMA FOUNDATION” based in California. It is a non-profit educational institution in California and was founded in 2005. It is a leader in spearheading a literacy initiative seeking to provide individuals with the intellectual tools that will enhance their understanding of Islamic tradition in the context of contemporary and enduring issues. Details of their FIRST PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR is mentioned below. However they also have a second program titled: “RELIGION IN AMERICA” on May 3 and 4th 2008 in Long Beach, CA and yet another program titled: “Transformative Spirituality” on October 2008 in Los Angeles, CA. To those of our brothers and sisters, especially who reside in California, we strongly encourage you to do your best to attend below Program on coming Saturday and be in their mailing list to get regular updates by emailing them at
contact@hikma.org. OR better, become a member of HIKMA and assist them in creating programs for the community by contacting them by e-mail at adam@hikma.org.

DETAILS OF PROGRAM SPONSORED BY HIKMA FOUNDATION:

“Our current times have witnessed the greatest technological advances in human history. An e-mail or instant message can be sent across the world in fractions of a second. Travel has been completely revolutionized. Great "advancements" have been made in the name of "progress." But given the severe negative impacts to our planet, can this really be considered "advancement" or "progress"? What has been the impact to our psychology as human beings? How does all this relate to our faith as Muslims? And how do we function as Muslims in this "Modern" world without being disconnected from our traditional values and principles? These are the questions that will be explored in a discussion that is imperative for all Muslims to engage in.
Y.M.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

MODERNITY AND THE MUSLIM:
One of the most important discussions Muslims can engage in, including discourses about the birth of modernity, its meaning to the conduct of human affairs, and its implications for posterity. Yet tragically, many Muslims don't recognize the need to engage in these discussions. After all, we live in a time where enlightenment byproducts have turned the world inside and out. Muslims—as well as most moderns—are thus left with little understanding of the conceptual and intellectual underpinnings that distinguish the age in which we live.

To Register Click Here:
http://www.hikmawinter.eventbrite.com

TOPIC:
PRE-MODERN MUSLIM IN A POST-MODERN WORLD

DATE:
FEB 23, 2008. More details at hikma.org.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Muneer Fareed, Dr. Aslam Abdallah, Br. Munir Shairk

LOCATION:
California State University
2555 E. Nutwood Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92834.
Contact:
adam@hikma.org (Tel:909-724-9747).
Adult: $35
Student: $25
Couple: $50
Employees of Non-Profit: Free Admission

Speaker Information:

Dr Muneer Fareed:

Dr. Muneer Fareed is currently the Secretary General for ISNA, the Islamic Society of North America and Instructor of ALIM (Alimprogram.com ). Previously, Dr. Fareed was an Associate Professor of Islamic studies in the Department of Near Eastern and Asian Studies at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

Dr. Fareed's fields of interest include Qur'anic Studies, Islamic Legal Reform, and Islam in the Modern World. He has to his credit several journal articles, a monograph entitled Legal Reform in the Muslim World, and translations of classics of the Islamic world, including the Síra Nabawiyya of Ibn Kathir, The Muqaddima of Ibn Saláh, and 'l-Itqán fi 'Ulúm 'l-Qur'an of Suyúti.

He obtained his diploma in Arabic Language and Literature from King Abdul Aziz University, Mecca, the Ijáza in Classical Islamic Studies from Dár al-`Ulúm, Deoband, and his doctorate in Islamic Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Since his arrival in the United States in 1989 he has served the Muslim community in various capacities, including Imam and Scholar-in-Residence for the Muslim community in Metropolitan Detroit.

Dr Aslam Abdullah

Dr. Aslam Abdullah holds three Masters degrees in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Sociology, and Journalism in addition to a Ph.D. in journalism. He has taught at Jamia Millia Islamia, India, and the American Islamic College, Chicago. He was former editor of Arabia magazine, published from London. Additionally, he has regularly given lectures at Punjab University- Lahore, Pakistan; Delhi University, New Delhi, India; Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and other places. He currently is the Chair of the publication division of the Lahore based International Iqbal Institute for Research, Education and Dialogue as well as the Director of the Islamic Society of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Dr. Abdullah has authored 16 books. The latest one is the treaties and letters of the Prophet. He translated Muhammad al Ghazali's Khulq Muslim distributed world wide under the title of “Morals and Manners in Islam”. His forthcoming titles include, history of the compilation of the Quran and an Encyclopedia of the Quran.

Br. Munir A. Shaikh

Is currently completing a PhD in Islamic Studies at UCLA, California with training in Muslim history, Arabic and Islamic Art & Architectural history. His primary research focuses on the social and cultural history of medieval Islamic Iberia (Spain & Portugal). He currently teaches Middle East History and World History at the University of Redlands, California. Br. Munir is Executive Director of the Institute on Religion and Civic Values (formerly known as the Council on Islamic Education), a National Non-profit Research Center that addresses issues of religious freedom, scholarship on world religions, civic engagement, and public policy. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Muslim Youth Camp of California, and is involved with various community organizations.

Acknowledgements:

(1) “Humans Force Earth into New Geologic Epoch” Robert Roy Britt: news.yahoo.com
(2) “Islam at a glance”: Islam at a glance: Islamic Society of North America-Canada.
(3) “Plastics chemical alters female brains: Research renews debate over the toxicity of bisphenol A, a plastic chemical found in humans”- Science News
(4) “Flame Retardant Chemical Found in Humans and Fish” – Children’s Health Environmental Coalition.
www.checnet.org
(5) “Teflon Chemicals Found in Humans” – www. consumeraffairs.com.
(6) “Chemicals Found in Detergents, Cosmetics Disrupting Hormone Activity in Fish and Humans” – Delthia Ricks – Redorbit NEWS.
(7) “Do Environmental Chemicals Harm Humans?”-www.mercola.com.

As usual, feel free to give your feedback by e-mailing us at info@mehrunyusuficds.com .