Archive for the ‘Youth’ Category

By: Wasi Momin 

Ramadan. I spend every year in anticipation for it, eager for it to arrive. And when it comes, it just seems to fly by. And when it has passed, I’m wondering where it went. They say that good things don’t last forever. I try to take with me for the rest of my life the little bit of goodness I take from it every year.

The Islamic Center hosts a pre-Ramadan banquet every year, which is titled, “Ramadan: A Time of Renewal.” The word, “renewal,” sums up Ramadan to me pretty well. Ramadan to me is a time of renewal of spirituality, family, a sense of community, belonging, and most importantly, of faith. Going through about our lives, we seem to compromise with our faith at times. This may mean to not do things that we know we’re supposed to and do some things that we know we’re not.

I feel sometimes that we neglect ourselves, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Ramadan is a perfect time for me to reconnect with myself and God. It’s a time of spiritual healing. It is also, however, a time to grow spiritually, to grow in faith, and to become a better person. The Quran says that the purpose of fasting is to attain taqwa, God-consciousness/awareness of God. That for me is the essence of faith. Muslims all over the world during this time of the month fast and pray diligently to grow in spirituality, in faith, to become better people, in the Cause of God. Ramadan for me is a blessing from God, Alhamdulillah.

–Reposted from spr.org/news

Aug. 29, 2011 | KPCC

Thousands of Muslims will gather at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Tuesday morning to kick off Eid al-Fitr, a three-day celebration that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

In many parts of the world Muslims rely on the new moon to determine the end of the holy holiday, but Jihad Turk of the Islamic Center of Southern California says most Muslims in North America and Western Europe use astronomical calculations instead.

He called the calculations very precise and said, “We actually have a couple of our members who work at JPL, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, who are astronomers and so we’ve had numerous conference calls with them over the last several years to determine exactly when the start and end of each month is.”

Muslims commemorate Ramadan by engaging in prayer and dawn-to-dusk fasting. Turk says Eid al-Fitr is a chance for Muslims to get together with family and celebrate after 29 days of intense spiritual discipline.

Video interview:

Click here to view the full article.

By: Soha Yassine, MYG Coordinator 

Click here to View KCRW’s Photos from the interview. 

By: Maha Kamel 

A quiet moment of reflection during the MYG Youth Night

I felt the tears fall upon my cheeks as I turned left and right to end my prayer. I had just finished a prayer that would not only change my entire mindset but that simply touched my soul. That blessed night I attended a youth group qiyam and as a part of the program Jihad Turk led us in a prayer in both Arabic and English. I entered the prayer like any other but left it with a determination to strengthen my relationship with Allah.

As the prayer began, I placed my hands over one another and listened to the Al-Fatiha being recited, but as the English translation began I felt something change in me. The words didn’t enter through my right ear out my left, rather they entered and touching my soul and sending tears down my cheeks.

I asked myself why was this prayer so special? But all I could think of was how I was standing amongst such a beautiful Umma pushing away all the opportunities God sent my way. I knew exiting that prayer that my priorities were set and my faith would be strengthened from that moment on.

I knew at that moment on my knees before Allah, amongst the members of my umma, tears down my face, with the words of salam in my ears that I was a Muslim.

MYG is a place I never thought I would end up loving. It’s more than just lectures our parents drag us to every Sunday, in fact it has become a family to me as well as for others within the group. It teaches us everything from morals to gender relations. It has taught me how to apply my religion on a daily basis while taking into consideration that I am an American-Muslim, who sometimes struggles when it comes to balancing my Muslim and American identity.

This year, MYG is planning on making our group more spiritual than it was before. Our goal is to not only make our Muslim relationships stronger, but to build our relationships with Allah (SWT) stronger. The group is here to make us love one another for the sake of Allah (SWT) and to help us better connect and understand our struggles as young Muslim Americans. For example, the group is having a 1-week summer program “A Young Muslim’s Guide to Surviving Ramadan” starting July 26 for middle school kids and August 2 for high schoolers and college students (don’t miss it!).

Some of the events we have had in the past will continue to happen in the upcoming year, such as: our Ski Trip in Big Bear, Spiritual Nights at the ICSC, our Annual Summer Retreat, as well as many different community service activities throughout the year. These events are the main events that many “MYG-ers” look forward to attending every year, however, we are also planning other exciting events so we can create new traditions to look forward to.

MYG wants to attract new members so that more kids can join the big loving family we have here at the ICSC. I’m sad that MYG will resume after summer vacation, but I am looking forward to a new year with new additions to the family. And, most importantly, I’m excited to see what the new board has in store for us!

For additional information, visit www.MYG.org as well as the “MYG at the ICSC” Facebook page.

The Muslim Youth Group’s annual Ski Trip is the highlight of the winter season. It’s an occasion for the Muslim youth of Southern California to get together, meet other young Muslims and take some time out of their hectic lives to learn and appreciate Islam. The youth form irretractable bonds during those three days, bonds that very often bloom into lifelong friendships. The Ski Trip’s Islamic ambience harks back to that of the Islamic Center of Southern California’s belief that worshipping Allah can, and should be, fun.

This ideology is apparent upon taking a closer look at the activities that take place during the Ski Trip. Every day starts with Fajr Prayer as a group, despite the freezing temperatures; everyone gets up to pray with their cabin-mates and start the day off thanking Allah. Read the rest of this entry »

What is a youth group? Is it mainly just a place where youth come to hang out with their friends? Is it a place where they can meet individuals like themselves? Could it simply be a place for parents to drop off their children in order to have a day or night of relaxation? In essence it’s all of these things and so much more.

via Creative Commons

A youth group should be a place to change youth for the better in almost every avenue their lives are a part of. At the Muslim Youth Group of the Islamic Center of Southern California we pride ourselves in making sure that our youth are strong in academics, life skills and the deen of Islam. Read the rest of this entry »

Ramadan at the Islamic Center of Southern California was indeed a unique experience. We were able to serve Iftar every night to an average of 400 people.  We hosted hundreds for taraweeh prayers and spiritual nights. And we engaged young community members who recited impressive Quranic excerpts in for the community

The ICSC iftars were made possible thanks to the generous contribution of our gracious donors whose response was overwhelming.  Exotic meals were provided by various restaurants and served by a group of volunteers, who went beyond the call of duty to host the community and make the breaking of fast a truly spiritual experience.  Everyone was trying to gain the pleasure of Allah (swt) by maximizing their good deeds, providing Iftar, serving Iftar, or simply cleaning up afterward.  Read the rest of this entry »

This past Ramadan had been a time of renewal for the Muslim Youth Group of the Islamic Center of Southern California- a renewal of faith and of friendship. Earlier in the summer, the MYG Board had decided not to hold many events during Ramadan, but to have at least two spiritual nights as well as a Toy Drive.

The first spiritual night was a success in numbers; it seems that our weekly activities during the summer were able to draw a good crowd for our Ramadan activities. We had at least 35 youth at our first spiritual night. After the usual taraweeh prayers downstairs, the youth would gather inside or outside to play basketball, board games, or just socialize. Around midnight we gathered everyone upstairs in the MYG room and began wrapping gifts for our Toy Drive. Read the rest of this entry »

Sending children back to school can put a lot on a parent’s mind, but perhaps just as important as buying new lunchboxes, arranging class schedules and planning after-school sports is your child’s social life, particularly in high school.

Creative Commons

Friends play a huge role in a teenager’s life, because they affect who they are as a person and the type of activities they participate in. Knowing who your children’s friends are will help you with providing them a good atmosphere that can influence them in a positive way.

Being well acquainted with your children and their friends can also widen your perspective on how they are growing up and what activities they are engaging themselves in. One way to positively influence your child might be through participation in the ICSC’s Muslim Youth Group. Read the rest of this entry »