Page 22 Page 23 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 Every Bosnian child knows the story of a poor woman who caught a golden fish, released it and in return gained wealth and happiness. Its a Balkan fairy tale, but it turned into reality for one poor family. “What happened here is beyond good luck, it really is a fable,” said Admir Malkoc, reflecting on how his fleeing relatives freed two goldfish and were repaid hundredfold. The 150 Muslim families in Jezero, a northwestern village surrounding a lake, lived a quiet life before the Bosnian war, except for holidays, when the men returned from jobs in western Europe loaded with presents. In 1990, Smajo Malkoc came back from Austria with a gift for his teenage sons, an aquarium with two goldfish. Two years passed, and war arrived. As Serb forces advanced on Jezero, women and children fled while the men resisted. Malkoc was killed. When his wife, Fehima, sneaked back to the village to bury her husband and take their remaining belongings, she saw the fish in the aquarium. She let them out into the lake. “This way they might be more fortunate than us” she thought. Fast forward to 1995. Mrs. Malkoc returned to Jezero to find ruins, nothing left except memories. Sadly, she turned toward the lake and glimpsed something strange. “The whole lake was shining from the myriad golden fish in it,” she said. “I thought of my husband, he left me something that I never hoped for.” During the years of war around the lake, life underwater had flourished. Soon Mrs. Malkoc and her sons started feeding and selling the fish. Now, homes and coffee shops in the region are filled with aquariums containing fish from Jezero. The two boys are grown and Mrs. Malkoc is a proud grandmother. The Malkoc house, rebuilt from the ruins, is one of the biggest in the village. Two new cars are parked in front, and the family has enough money not to worry about the future. “It was a special gift from our father.” In winter, when the ice is thick enough to skate on the lake, the fish survive, although “before it was impossible to keep them even in a home aquarium without a heater”, Malkoc said. Some are as big as 4.5 pounds, some have two tails, which the villagers say is something magical. Others are welcome to catch and sell the fish. But most defer to the Malkocs. “They threw the fish into the lake,” said a villager, “It’s their miracle.” With the incredible growth of Islam in America we are being asked more and more often for clarification as to what Islam stands for. Many are becoming confused with their previous misconceptions of Islam as viewed through the eyes of an antagonistic press and the reality of a growing number of ‘mainstream’ Americans embracing it. We shall endeavor through this column to bring a clearer understanding of basic Islamic principles and practices. - Editor In a world swayed by misunderstanding of cultural differences, Islam and its adherents often are stereotyped and caricatured, branded with a violent or sexist image. In reality, Islam is no better characterized by acts of Middle Eastern terrorists, for example, than is Christianity by acts of Northern Ireland’s terrorists or in America as typified by Klu Klux Klan activities with their burning crosses. Islam is an ancient religion with profound historical and theological ties to Judaism and Christianity. All three religions worship the same God, acknowledge large parts of the same Bible and revere Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses to name a few of the Prophets. Muslims regard Jesus as one of the greatest prophets. In fact, Islam teaches that it represents the modern mainstream of a primordial, monotheistic religion that began with the earliest humans. Over millennia, the religion took form with the early Jewish prophets, was modified significantly by Jesus and finally shaped by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the final prophet, who died in 632. Among Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) most important acts was rejection of the old Jewish concept of a “chosen people.” Instead, he taught that all people are born Muslim (subject to ‘submission to God’) and that anyone regardless of color, nationality or social standing can join the Muslim community simply by submitting to God and reciting the words known as the Shahada: “There is no deity but Allah (God), and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger.” Because of its powerful, cross-cultural appeal, Islam has won the hearts and minds of an estimated 1.2 billion people around the world, making it the second largest religion. Christianity has about 2 billion adherents, and Hinduism is third largest with about 800 million. Despite its association in the Western mind with things Arabic, about 85 percent of Islam’s faithful are not Arabs. South Asia has the largest Muslim population, with 275 million believers. Africa is second largest, with 200 million. And, according to the American Muslim Council, China has about as many Muslims as better-known Islamic strongholds such as Iran, Egypt, or Turkey. According to The Muslim Almanac, an estimated 2 percent of Americans, or about 5 million people, are Muslim. It is difficult to determine the exact number of Muslims anywhere because they do not belong to congregations and because mosques are open to all and do not maintain membership rolls. is considered and act of worship. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’As told of God’s messenger, “Have you not been informed, ‘Abdullah, that you fast during the day and get up at night for prayer?” When he replied that this was so, he said to him, “Do not do it. Fast and break your fast, get up for prayer and sleep, for you have a duty to your body, your eye, your wife, and your visitors. May he who observes a perpetual fast never fast! Fasting three days a month is equivalent to a perpetual fast. Fast three days every month and recite Qur’an every month.” A Muslim is advised to avoid extremes and to choose a moderate course in all his affairs, including his eating habits. “Eat of the good things we have provided for your sustenance, but commit not excess therein.” (Qur’an 20:81) We are also encouraged to enjoy life within certain limits which are drawn from the Shari’ah which was built on the Islamic ‘Golden Rule’, “Do not harm or be a cause of harm”, whether for oneself or others. We are cautioned to avoid greed and to enjoy the pleasures of sharing, especially in regard to eating. 7) Eating together: The benefits of enjoying meals together applies whether it’s a family sitting down together, a husband and wife dining out, or a young couple getting to know one another. The Prophet (pbuh) emphasized the importance of this when he said, “Eat together and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company.” (Ibn Majah) DRINKING HABITS It is recommended not to drain a glass of liquid in one continuous draught. The pharynx serves as a common passageway for both food and air, and the pathways for these cross. Intervals while drinking are also recommended to avoid choking. Sitting down while drinking is also recommended. The Holy Prophet said, “Do not drink water in one gulp (or one breath) like a camel, but take it in two or three installments (with breaks for breath). Take the name of Allah (recite “Bismallah”) when you start drinking and praise Him (say “Alhamdullillah”) when you finish. (Tirmizi) TABLE MANNERS As Muslims we are required to show compassion, grace, gentleness, and consideration for others. This also extends to the table and how we conduct ourselves with others: 1) Sitting down while eating. 2) Eating together and sharing of food. 3) Serving others first, especially guests. 4) Host is the first to start eating and the last to finish. (This is the opposite of Western table manners.) 5) Taking food in smaller portions than needed. 6) Finishing (cleaning) the plate without leftovers (this too is different fromWestern tradition where we are taught to always leave a small bit on the plate.) 7) Eating with the right hand. 8) Waiting for everyone to finish before finally leaving the table or floor cloth. 9) Washing hands and mouth before and after eating. 10) Brushing teeth before and after eating (Miswak). 11) Sharing food with relatives, friends, neighbors, the needy and destitute. 12) Eat from the corner of the plate from your side (for one dish communal eating), don’t eat from the middle or the other side of the dish. 13) As an invited guest it is permissible to ask your host for water or salt. Accept what is offered and don’t request additional items your host may not have available. 14) When eating in a group, if quantities are limited, share from your plate with the others. The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) is reported to have said, “A plate for one is enough for two, and a plate for two is enough for four. It is reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said that one who serves drinks should himself be the last person to drink. (Tirmizi) It is also said that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) never found fault with any food; if he had the inclination, he would eat it, and if he disliked it, he would leave it. “If a person takes the name of Allah (i.e., recites Bismillah or Assalamu Alaikum) when he enters his home and when he eats, Satan tells his companions, “Let us go. There is no room for you to pass the night in this house nor food.” If he enters his house without calling to Allah, Satan says to his companions: “You have at least secured lodging.” Then if he does not remember Allah at the time of eating also, Satan says, “You have secured both lodging and food.” (Muslim) Editors Note: Recently scientists in France discovered that eating with ones hands is beneficial as certain enzymes present on our fingertips act as an aid in digestion. Those elements are not present when using cutlery which is why it’s called “finger lickin good”! It’s Their Miracle! Islam 101
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