Halim Naeem.com

Muslim Masculinity and Islamic Manhood

The Need for More Positive Males

Unity: It Starts with U (Part 4 of 5)…

There is great news. Even though there is division within the Muslims, the great news is that a portion of the Muslim Ummah is united and will always be united. Allah says so in the Quran about this section of Muslims called Mu’minoon (believers). Allah says in the 49th chapter (Al Hujarat) in the 10th verse: The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and harmony between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy. Allah declares that we are always united if we are believers.

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Unity: It Starts With U (Part 3 of 5)…

My father-in-law told me something wise one day. He said the problems the Muslims have today is because the Muslim males do not know how to be men. He said if the males were properly developed Muslim men, then the females would follow suit as it is the female’s nature to follow the one who desires her (the male). Properly developed men are those who are best to their families. Abu Hurairah (r) narrated that the Prophet (s) said: “Among the Muslims the most perfect, as regards his faith, is the one whose character is excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well.” (Tirmidhi 278, 628, 3264 and Abu Dawud).

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Unity: It Starts With U (Part 2 of 5)…

Many years ago, my father said something to me that was deeply connected to what the prophet said. It has influenced my work in psychology. He was telling me of a man who had become Muslim, but had improper development before reverting. He said of the person “he felt like a nobody before entering Islam, and after reverting, he still acts like a nobody.” Abu Hurairah (r) narrated that the Prophet (s) said, “Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge.” (Bukhari 4/572 and Muslim). I have heard amazing stories of change. What connects all those stories is the people wanted the change for themselves first.

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Unity Begins With U (Part 1 of 5)…

Unity starts with you. It ends with you. We hear people talk about unity all the time. Everywhere Muslims live, people are crying for unity of the Ummah, our Muslim Community. With all the talk, how come it has not happened? People have many different answers: we are divided as a community, we do not care about one another, and we love this life too much. While many of those contribute to an answer, I have my own answer. Each man and woman is divided within their own souls. They bear witness to this. Most of the people who thrive on speaking about negativity in others suggest verbally and nonverbally there is a conflict inside their soul. So how can a heart with conflict see so clearly? If there is a conflict in someone’s eyes such as bleach or sand or something inhibiting clear vision, can one say they see perfectly? I do not think so.

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Fortitude towards Islamic Masculinity…

Remember we talked about the difference between Islamic Masculinity and Muslim Masculinity. Islamic Masculinity is the goal, the endpoint where Allah wants us to be as men of his creation. Muslim masculinity is the road to get to that goal. A significant checkpoint on that road to the completion of manhood and the desirable state of Islamic Masculinity is Fortitude. Webster defines fortitude as strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage. It is the next step after a man attaches to and lives by his principles. Once a man has some principles, the next situation to occur is that those principles will be tested. This is where the adversity, pain, and other obstacles come into play. A man needs to have the internal strength to bear the burdens of these various tests of ones character. Once the principles are in place they must be assessed to determine how strong those principles are, thus determining how strong you are as a man.

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Islamic Masculinity & Muslim Masculinity…

Islamic Masculinity and Muslim Masculinity are two different constructs the way that I see it. I see the former being the end goal and the latter as being the journey to get there. Islam and Islamic Masculinity does not need correcting or redefining. We simply need to make its definition clear to us as men and Muslims. When we have completed our manhood, then we simply eptomize what Islamic Masculinity is supposed to be. Muslim Masculinity on the other hand is a dynamic and an incessantly evolving state of manhood that is possessed by Muslims. That is deficient because human's and Human error is involved with that. Whereas Islam there is absolutely no error in it since Islam involves two things: Allah, and what God wants for his creation. Hopefully through Principles, Fortitude, Composure, and Submission, we may get there some day.

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Male Bonding and Muslim Masculinity…

I was talking to some brothers yesterday and eventually we got onto the subject of the struggles of being married and Muslim Masculinity. I guess you could call it Male Bonding. I had some extra time this past weekend so I went to the local Muslim Owned restaurant called the Fish Dock. I stayed there for most of the day which was about 5pm to 11:30pm. We started discussing community issues and then it blended into personal lives.

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How to Treat a Woman…

I do not profess to be an expert on Women. I doubt that anyone except Allah would claim that with confidence. But I do know how to treat a woman. There are a few basics to keep in mind that most people forget. These points are things that I have experienced throughout my lifetime through talking to people, taking in experiences, studying, reading, researching, and simply living the natural trial and errors of life.

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Hard Work

Hard work is something that is part of our destiny to our completion of Manhood. Putting hard work and making a difference in the world through your efforts is a trait that we as men must naturally have. Part of the emasculation that occurs in the impoverished and the minority communities is a lazy and bad work ethic. I am not talking about people who do not have jobs or are going through rough times. I am simply stating a mental and spiritual phase that unfortunately most of our brothers in humanity possess. We as men must move beyond our state as it is unhealthy for us to have other women, children and men who do not invest in our community or loved ones make decisions and provide for us.

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The G Word

Eventually I was going to have to address this topic especially being a Mens Issues blog. That topic is gay males. My beliefs in terms of faith and principle are the foundation of my being opposed to the practice of homosexuality in both males and females. I understand and can sympathize that people can have feelings for others of the same sex. However the practice of same sex intimacy and relationships is where I am apposed to. One of the main reasons is that there is a severe lack of perpetuation or sustainability of the Human race. No reproduction comes out of it. Another reason is that homosexuality goes against the physiological and spiritual nature of Man. The clearest of proof is by simply observing your genitals. Your hands were created for you to use to grab things and eat. Your feet help you walk and kick and stand. Your nose is meant to smell things and your ears to hear and your eyes to see. Thus your penis was made to inject semen into a vagina, thus creating the beginnings of new life.

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