Are you all ready to start fasting next month insh’Allah? Good news, Shaytan is getting ready to bounce and won’t bother us for one whole month.

Anyways, I came across a pretty cool production I wanted to share with all of you called Sameer’s Eats. Basically this brother Sameer travels across America and eats at Random halal spots and shares his personal review.

I think it’s a great idea for anyone who loves to explore new halal restaurants in advance. It’s definitely smart marketing for these restaurants who get a chance to come on Sameer’s show. Sameer gets to eat, we get the inside scoop, and the restaurants are happy. Well as long as Sameer is after he’s finished eating. Guess it’s a win-win-win situation.

So Here is the latest Episode. I’ll take the rest of the information from his own YouTube page.

Br.Sameer decides to take a weekend trip down to Maryland to visit RJ Cafe. This place is familiar to the local Washington DC crowd and highly recommended. Sameer is in for a surprise as he sits down for dinner! Not only does this restaurant serve food but it serves prayer rugs for all the guests! Sameer was humbled to see the Owner/Chef call the Adhaan (Call for Prayer) and lead his staff and the patrons in Salat! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

Shout out to Br.Saad Malik for the official video production, mash’Allah.

See the images below for proof…thanks Faraz!!

Before you start throwing Oreo cookies at me, check this out, it’s on their UK corporate website. Not sure how well researched this is from Muslim scholars, but if anyone has more insight on this please share it.

It might specific to markets outside of U.S., anyways click on the following link to contact Nabisco/Oreo.

Random Fact: The Oreo cookie has been America’s most popular cookie since it was introduced in 1912. More than 345 billion Oreo cookies have been consumed to date. More than 7.5 billion Oreo cookies are consumed each year, which comes out to 625 million per month and 20.5 million per day.

So since it’s my birthday, I decided to do a post about birthdays.

Yea I’m getting old! Chill old is gold, anyways like the pharmaceutical companies say “your only as old as you feel”.

I often come across Muslims who say celebrating birthdays is absolutely impressible in Islam and it’s haraam and blah blah because your imitating the disbelievers.

Now I’m not a scholar so I decided to do some research on this and clarify some misconceptions. I’m tired of hearing people make their own rulings without backing it up with proof.

It’s important that we be very specific when we talk, if a brother or sister wants to go eat at a halal restaurant on his/her birthday with some friends, there is nothing haraam with that, come on!

Now what I discovered was it all comes down to intention, now outwardly it may seem wrong to celebrate birthday since the disbelievers do it also, but it depends on how you practice it.

Obviously if you engage in direct haraam practices on your birthday, then that’s now allowed. In terms of what’s allowed and what’s not, that’s clear like windex.

So it comes down to what exactly we mean by the word “Celebrate”

Go to chucky cheese, not the bar.

I was able to come across the legal rulings from renowned scholars, Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah and Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari:

Get your pen and pad ready, I was able to get a clear anwser from the fatwa bank at Islamonline.net in which a group of muftis said: ” Islam supports the celebration of birthdays if it is an expression of gratitude to Allah for His bounties, sustenance and blessings in man’s life, as long as that celebration does not include anything that may displease Allah, the Almighty.”

Here is what the other scholars say:

My man the renowned scholar Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah (May Allah swt preserve him and all the rightly guided scholars) said:

“The holidays which are forbidden [for Muslims] to observe are those with religious overtones [such as Christmas and Easter*] not the festive gatherings people observe due to certain events. Therefore, people are allowed to celebrate wedding anniversaries, birthdays or any occasion as such celebrations are not related to religious holidays. It is imperative that we work to remove the confusion surrounding this misunderstanding and the doubts that have affected many people [regarding this issue]. [Because of this misunderstanding] people find hardship and difficulty in their religion. Especially when a religious minded person holds [such non religious celebrations] to be from the major sins or rejected acts when, in fact, they are not.

Moving forward, below is a response from Mufi Muhammad

If the origins of birthday celebrations are connected to a particular faith, then there is no doubt in its impressibility. If, however, it has no connections with the faith of the non-Muslims, then (and Allah knows best) it seems that it would be permissible to celebrate it (provided the evils mentioned above are avoided).

If one thanks Allah and shows gratitude for being blessed with one more year of his life, thus expresses happiness and joy, then there is nothing wrong with that. (See: al-Fatawa al-Rahimiyya (urdu), 6/320).

Mufti Muhammad also mentioned if the birthday involves specific practices and adaptations of customs from the disbelievers like The lighting of candles on a cake that number the years of one’s life and then blowing on them (Allah swt knows best about the candles), playing of music, singing, extravagant and lavish spending, showing off, etc are all unlawful and forbidden practices. Thus, if birthdays are celebrated by adopting the above-mentioned customs, it will not be permissible.

Check the full reading here

Anyways, it all depends on what you do on your birthday, what’s the purpose and most importantly what intentions you have. If you don’t want to do anything on your birthday, then it’s all good.

At the end of the day, everyone needs to make their own decisions.

Pass the ice cream cake yo, just make sure it doesn’t have no haraam marshmallows in it, ha.

May Allah swt guide us to the straight path, Ameen.

Andy Elliott may think that the suffering faced by animals slaughtered under Halal law is ‘unimaginable’ (Write Back, October 16), yet should he inadvertently cut himself with something sharp, he would not notice until he saw the bleeding, as happens from time to time when handling sheets of paper.

When the arteries in the neck are severed, blood pressure to the brain falls to negligible levels almost instantly, rendering the animal unconscious, certainly faster than the time lapse until any pain resulting from the cut could possibly be felt.

What Mr Elliott fails to appreciate is that the stunning process itself often fails to be effective at its first application, requiring repeated attempts which causes considerable pain and distress to the animal.

In reality, when performed by a skilled slaughterer, this is the most humane way of killing animals.

MARTIN D STERN

Salford, England

 

Source

That would be nice!

Anyways the new app is out and it’s only $2.99

If you have the Iphone, you should consider getting it. You never know where you can end up that you’ll need to find a local Halal Restaurant.

Remember you are what you eat! =)

Oh by the way if you care, check out the new Pizza Hut app below, it’s very impressive. Just don’t order anything haraam.

- Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

Don’t go into your freezer and pull out some halal beef and start stomping on it.

The title refers to beef as in ” conflict” between two party’s.

Who have disagreements and cannot be around each other. This obviously results from grudges, jealousy and some hater elements  (peep this article I wrote). Your familiar with the term “beef” in the context I’m using it if you live in the hood or your exposed to the streets. When we say “squash the beef” we mean dead it or it’s over.

The other day I had to be the peacemaker between two halal vendors outside of my college. One owned by a 45 year Arab Muslim man, and the other by a friend of mine, who was an Afghani Muslim. My friend is about 20 years old, trying to get his halal hustle on. He actually has trouble paying bills and figured the gyros and chicken and rice plates can help him get by. He also drives taxi.

So I come out and I see this big sign ” Halal Gyros” and I ran, I hadn’t ate gyros in a while because of Ramadan and what not, so my nufsi nufsi kicked in. So as I approach the vendor, I see my friend cooking up some magic. l immediately gave my Salams and motivated him that Inshallah Allah swt gives his business much blessings and he is able to capitalize and strategize and monopolize. No chill, no monopolizing in Islam. If you know what I mean.

So we continue our conversation and he starts telling me about this vendor next to him owned by the 45 year old Arab man. Here is where the beef starts between them. They are two halal vendors on the same block literally right next to each other. Quick joke, I told my friend ” no haram beef between you guys”, you both sell halal. So my friend starts laughing but he says the arab guy told him he can’t be here and that only one is allowed outside the school.

Why can’t both be there? Your product sell’s for itself. Everyone has the freedom to sell quality product or offer quality services. So My friend get’s heated and doesn’t want to go buck wild so he see’s the cops snooping around and so he calls them over. The cops come, he pulls out his vendor paper permit and he Tell’s the cops to tell the Arab dude to stop telling me to get out of here otherwise it’s going to be a problem.

Now most Afghanis I know don’t play, so I try to calm him down and keep him in check. The cop’s didn’t ask him for donuts, they told him to be professional and just go about your business. He responds by saying ” certainly, but he dosen’t want the Arab Muslim Vendor telling him he can’t be here”. Now I’m thinking in my head, money is the “root of all evil”.

So anyhow time passes and conflict escalates even more but eventually the cops tell both my friend and the other vendor to chill out and both just stay in their respected areas. Me being the monkey in the middle I try to tell both of them that it’s not worth getting all crazy. Again some dirty language get’s exchanged and I am highly disappointing by our own Muslim Brothers fighting over something like this. I was even more annoyed by the fact that the older uncle was purposely coming over to my friend’s vendor and just standing there, adding more fuel to the fire.

What I conclude from all this is we need to be just, honest, fair, and respectful of others. Business means competition and that requires behavioral etiquette. Most of all I refer again back to the Hadith by our beloved Prophet in which he said 

“None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself” and the beautiful verse in the Holy Quran where Allah swt say’s

“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin the ma`roof (all of Islam), and forbid the munkar (all that is evil; kufr): they observe regular prayers, pay Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.” (The Holy Qur’an, 9:71)

So don’t let money, jealousy, shatan or materialism destroy relationships. What brings us togetheir is far more than what brings us apart. We need understand that you get what you put in. Tie your camel and inshallah Allah swt will do the rest. Whether it’s selling halal gyro’s or selling a car. The strong survive and like Mufti Abdul Rehman Ibn Yusuf says” Do your best and Allah swt will do the rest. Aight? I’m out, Inshallah post again soon.

How did you find this article? Rate it or leave a comment at the top!

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I would like to say i like burger king fries better than McDonald fries anyway but since so many people eat Mcdonald especially Muslims, i would like to share this fabolous news with you which was sent to me by a person i trust, i bet it will turn as big as the doritoes issue!

[ Update: Jazakullah Brother Baba for sharing this information from the Corporate Mcdonalds Website on the ingredients of French Fries]

French Fries:
Potatoes, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)*, citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent)), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). *CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK (Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.)

McDonald’s announced in the 1990′s that it changed its frying oil from animal fat to vegetable oil for those who are vegetarian. However, it turned out that this information did not turn out to be completely true French fries are fried slightly in animal fat then frozen and shipped to all the McDonald’s stores for the final frying .

The following information was announced on the Arabic BBC channel. Basically, what they do is they cut the potatoes into slices and then coat them with a thin layer of lard (pig fat) or cow fat so that when it is fried it will crunch.

Then these fries are shipped to McDonald’s stores in different parts of the world including India and the Arab countries. McDonald’s apologized to the Indians after receiving complaints, since a good number of Indians do not eat anything that has ingredients derived from animals. And of course no apology has been made to the Arab countries.

So in summary, Mc Donald’s fries is coated with a layer of either cow fat or lard (pig fat which is thicker and cheaper) then shipped to all McDonald’s stores over the world, which is then fried in vegetable fat.
Please alert all those you know of this information.

Seems like a gray area, so brothers and sisters leave that which is doubtful as our beloved Prophet Muhammad told us.

Some interesting facts about Mcdonalds…

Ronald McDonald® speaks more than 25 different languages.

-The sun never sets on The Golden Arches®.

-McDonald’s opens a new restaurant every four hours.

-The oldest structure to house a McDonald’s restaurant is located in Shrewsbury, England. One of the restaurant’s exterior walls dates back to the thirteenth century.

-McDonald’s first restaurant in China opened in 1990.

-Every day, McDonald’s serves more than 46 million people.

-McDonald’s has sold well over 100 billion hamburgers.

Antarctica is the only continent that does not have a McDonald’s restaurant – yet.

-The shoe size of Ronald McDonald is 14 1/2 — or, as Ronald likes to say, “extra long, by extra wide, by extra red.”

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I hate when shatan gets people comfortable in there ways, everytime i try to talk to a brother who eats haram meat, he replys ” Brother we live in a kufr country, or I’m used to it because I’ve been eating it since I’m little or haram food is cheaper and thats all i can afford”, How slick, i should put castor oil on his tongue, but come on your old enough to read the laws which Allah has commanded us to follow in the Quran, so don’t try to play games.

Anyhows what im trying to say is Brother and Sisters eating unlawful meat, you have no reason to be eating it. Mashallah look around you you so many shops that provide halal meals and you still trying to hop around the bushes. At least in New York, we got Halal chinese, afghani, pakistani, and even halal mexican!. They might not be franchises but i hardly feel bad after eating Halal food, except if i eat too much.

Whats even more annoying is seeing Muslim justify haram consumption, I walked into a deli that had a sister in hijab at the cash register and a brother at the lotto machine, his store sold beer also. When i asked him “why does he sell haram products” he said “Alhumduillah, Brother this is america, we do business for everyone”. How weird. Inshallah Allah guide everyone stuck in that mentality.

Although statistics show that 75 pecent of Muslim Familys follow Halal Guidelines, but i feel as if when brothers and sisters leave there house they feel free to do haram things, astugfurillah, Allah is always watching, and what you complaining about you can even run to quiznos or subways and grab a tuna or veggie pattie, i don’t even want to start with alternatives. Recently when i went to canada i had Halal Popeyes, Mashallah it was mad good and now i know why its so popular. I wanna move to canada. Inshallah we can get some halal franchises in this country. I know their are scattered halal Kentucky fried chicken and when i went to las vegas they had a halal burger king, how suprising, but mashallah we all know our moms home cooked is the best.

Alot of products these days are sparking rumors of being haram, i dont wanna get into details but meat is meat, and its easy to clear up halal and haram in that situation. So my brothers and sisters, if you are eating unlawful meat, start making moves and eat halal otherwise you will be punished for it. Ramadan is here, now is your chance to start shifting. The ayah in the quran is

Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food
lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in Whom
ye are believers. (5:88)

and remember if a person who is selling to you tells you his or her meat is halal, then you can eat it, if it isn’t and they are lieing than they will be punished for it, but it is your obligation to make sure that it is first before you take your first bite, and we all can agree that our first bite is always the best bite, so think halal and act halal Inshallah!

(Animals such as cows, sheep, goats, deer, moose, chickens, ducks, game birds, etc., are also Halal, but they must be Zabihah (slaughtered according to Islamic Rites) in order to be suitable for consumption. The procedure is as follows: the animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim (or a Jew or Christian ). The animal should be put down on the ground (or held it if it is small) and its throat should be slit with a very sharp knife to make sure that the 3 main blood vessels are cut. While cutting the throat of the animal (without severing it), the person must pronounce the name of Allah or recite a blessing which contains the name of Allah, such as “Bismillah Allah-u-Akbar”)

[UPDATE: A letter from Wrigley Consumer Affairs Office addressed to A Member of the Sunniforum, who requested Confirmation on Product Information and Ingredients]

From:
PR@wrigley.com | Block Address | Add to Contacts
To:
[clip]
Date: 26 May 2006, 09:00:14 PM
Subject: Re: In Response to your Website Comments – Ref # 000159856A

Dear Akbar,
Thank you for contacting us about animal ingredients and our products.
To answer to your question, the vast majority of Wrigley products sold in the
U.S. are free from ingredients of animal origin, including egg and dairy
products. At present, the only chewing gum exceptions are Extra® Polar Ice
stick gum and Juicy Fruit® pellet gums.
Extra® Polar Ice gum and Orbit® Crystal Mint contain tiny flavor beads encased
in a microscopic layer of gelatin, which is animal based. We have requested the
development of a gelatin-free flavor bead that is currently being worked on by
our supplier. Juicy Fruit Grapermelon and Strappleberry gums use shellac as a
coating agent.
The different varieties of our ALTOIDS mints do contain very small quantities
of gelatin which is derived from pork. Gelatin does not impart any flavor to
ALTOIDS, but it’s a necessary ingredient for the texture of the mint. When we
use gelatin it is thoroughly purified and dried during its manufacturing
process. Our staff is continually looking at alternatives to animal gelatin,
but at the moment we’ve not been able to find a substitute that produces the
same quality you’ve come to love with ALTOIDS.
Our LifeSaver gummies do contain small quantities of gelatin, which is also
derived from pork. It follows the same drying and purifying process as with the
Altoids.
If your diet does not allow you to consume animal byproducts such as dairy, our
CremeSaver line does contain cream, which is a dairy byproduct. On the same
note, our LifeSaver Fusions and LifeSaver gummies are produced on the same line
as our CremeSavers, so there is a chance of cross contamination. Our CremeSaver
soft chews also contain a small amount of gelatin, which is pork based.
We hope this information has been helpful and thanks again for contacting the
Wrigley Company.
Sincerely,
Ryné King
Consumer Affairs Representative

============================================

Therefore according to the info above the following products of theirs are Haram:

Extra® Polar Ice Stick Gum
Juicy Fruit® pellet gums.
Extra® Polar Ice gum and Orbit® Crystal Mint
Juicy Fruit Grapermelon and Strappleberry gums
ALTOIDS mints
Our LifeSaver gummies
CremeSaver
LifeSaver Fusions and LifeSaver