Alhumdulillah for everything and for His providing us with our sustenance and an abundance of knowledge regarding the human body and health maintenance. 

In the last few years, I've spent a lot of time learning about food health. I'm certainly no food health-nut by any means, and hardly an authority on the information I will provide here, but I have found a particular interest in learning about the subject of food health after I saw a documentary a few years ago which opened my eyes to the idea that so- called "food safety" agencies maybe don't keep us so safe after all. This documentary, , Started me out on a journey where I have made many discoveries. I have an itching feeling that this post might upset some people but there's been very little said by Muslims publicly on the subject so here goes...and first, a little background:

In the United States we have a federally funded and regulated agency called the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) whose job it is to monitor and regulate the approval of the food and drugs available both directly and indirectly to the American public. Prior to my research, I had no reason to doubt my assumption that their work was integrity-based and legitimate. I believed that they would prohibit the distribution of any health threatening products from reaching the public.

Come to find out, this belief of mine was completely false, based entirely on blind faith and lies! Here’s just some of what I’ve found:

The FDA (as well as the EPA-the Environmental Protection Agency) is "in bed” with a huge and powerful corporation, the “agricultural”/chemical corporation known as Monsanto, and is heavily influenced by the latter. Monsanto, maker of Round-up and many , has a history of pushing the ubiquity of  such as rBGH (a hormone given to livestock to increase their milk production). For instance, Monsanto has deemed this specific product rBGH as “safe” -- but this claim has been made based on their own NON-independently funded research (clearly unreliable!- Please see  taken from the documentary “). Moreover, in what many have termed "the revolving door," Monsanto hires and recruits politicians and government officials from the FDA. Many of the executives at Monsanto are former big wigs in U.S. government positions, and vice versa. The government officials they hire know the legal system, and their "former" employees go to the FDA and continue to advance Monsanto's agenda. In some instances, former Monsanto employees have even  when they later go to work for the FDA! (See photo below for the names and titles of some of these double agents)

It's clearly a conflict of interest for heath-regulating governmental agencies to have relationships with organizations while at the same time claiming to take interest in the health of the people under its umbrella. Corporations' immense wealth coupled with the structure of the American electoral process (in which candidates depend on large donations to get elected into office, many given by rich corporations who hope to protect their interests) allows special interests to wield enormous, unchecked power and influence future legislation in their favor...very dangerous for us all! (See a gross example of how Monsanto and other biotech firms have been given legislative protection). It’s no wonder the past two decades has seen a bevy of health disfunctions skyrocketing with such little oversight given to monitoring potential health risks. Autism, diabetes, colitis, food allergies and sensitivities, to name a few, have all increased exponentially in the last 2 decades. 

Some say Monsanto is “feeding the world”. To rebuke this claim, it is widely known that about  is wasted each year (!) according to a . Therefore, as much as Monsanto would like everyone to believe that it's goal of “feeding the world” is so very noble and honorable, it's factually incorrect, and driven by greed. Rather, solving world hunger requires an improved logistical system of getting food to the ones needing it.

Here’s something else really scary about Monsanto: This corporation has invested in scientific processes which alter the genetic makeup of seeds. 

That’s right -- that awe-inspiring mini package of life-- the humble and perfect seed, wide-ranging in its biodiversity, subhanallah-- created ALONE by Allah Al Muqit (المقيت The Nourisher), Al Mubdi' (المبدئ The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of all)-- is now, and has been for nearly 2 decades, been changed through a scientific process called genetic engineering, This process includes splicing "desirable" genetic traits into a seeds’ DNA (the blueprints for life) and is then mass-produced. This gene manipulation of an organism can and does include the insertion of gene traits which have built-in resistance to chemical pesticides. This means that the corporation is able to distribute and profit from both the seeds and the chemical pesticide(s) it has been formulated to withstand. The resulting products of genetic engineering are called GMOs (genetically modified organisms). And remember, THIS PROCESS IS DONE BY CORPORATIONS who are out to make PROFITS by their very nature. Ethics play very little role, if any, in their operations. The scientific experiment that are GMOs is being carried out now in much of the foods that we consume every day in the United States and globally. Some countries have even banned the importing of foods containing GMOs (below).

Have they no idea, or care, that they are destroying a perfect creation? Since the FDA has given that green light to GMOs, without the proper independent studies on possible health effects from their consumption, we can only IMAGINE the detriment GMOs cause, given that there is NO reliable data on their proven safety. So who IS looking out for our health? 

Further disheartening is the funding that the Grocery Manufacturers Association has funneled into campaigns to defeat the mandated labeling of products containing GMO’s. Literally we do not know which products we eat do and do not contain GMOs. But knowing that profits are the number one concern of corporations, I think it’s fair to assume that cheaper and more inferior ingredients will be a part of the corporate plan to increase profit margins.

Let’s look at what Allah SWT says about His creation: In the Qur'an, surat translated to say: "Who has created the seven heavens one above another? You can see no fault in the creations of the Most-Beneficent. Then look again: 'Can you see any rifts?' Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out." (see a beautiful recitation of this in video below)

In another Qur'anic verse, Allah says, "...'And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.' And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss."

To Allah and Allah alone will I rely on to provide the most perfect sustenance which has been, Subhanallah, feeding mankind since the Prophet Adam (AS) via the life-sustaining seeds that He alone has created. Anything else which has altered this perfection I deem to be defective and certain to threaten our health and existence, as mankind could without a doubt could never come even close to the perfection of the creation of the One and only Creator. 

There’s really so much more to say on the subject of ethics in the food industry, such as the wide prevalence of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), but perhaps I’ll write a post on that subject in the future inshallah. Clearly, though, such practices as outlined only briefly here clearly conflict with the bounty Allah has provided us for sustenance and good health.

Please visit the links within the post for more information on this important subject. For an excellent book with more information in much more depth , I suggest "" by . She can also be found on and . Also feel free to comment. If you wish to counter my evidence here, please make well-informed comments and present your evidence. In Islam we deal in evidence for everything, so it's no less important here. 

I get it ALL the time: "Where are you from?" People see my hijab
and commonly think I'm a foreigner. And then when I tell them
Detroit, somehow I think they aren’t really satisfied with that
answer because what they really wanted to know is what
country am I from. We might have even had a conversation
at great length, and I see the wheels spinning in their head...
Hmmm...impeccable American accent...fair skin....blue eyes.....but
wait, there’s that headscarf....so she’s an IMMIGRANT! 

Once someone even asked me, just upon seeing my hijab, "Do you
speak English?" Yes, quite well, thank you.

Most recently, I completed a banking transaction which involved
the usual small talk and the associate's necessity to access my driver's
license. She absolutely marveled over my blue eyes. We spoke about
them for some time; the variation in color, analyzing how I inherited
them, etc. Then once she turned her attention to my license, she
marveled over my name (very American sounding and "usual").
"Wow!" She paused and took it all in. She said, "Your name-- it
sounds so American!" 

I said, "Well, that's because I AM American!" with a smile, of course.
She meant absolutely no harm by it, and it was amusing to me.
Although there is no necessity to have a "strange" ethnic name to be
Muslim, I knew the reason she got this idea that I was somehow not
American -- that FABRIC up top. Then I felt I had to explain to her,
because my eyes, name and accent weren't enough to “prove” my
American identity, that I was born and raised in the U.S. and that
I chose to embrace Islam. 

It was a pleasant enough interaction and I wasn't offended really,
but it just reminded me of how many people still see the hijab and
Muslims in general as foreign imports only. Some can't imagine that
an American born could be Muslim, even though 2.6+ million
Americans call themselves Muslim, many of them 2nd or 3rd
generation Americans. They've been here all their lives, this is their
home, and it's where they are "from." My best guess is that they
would mainly identify themselves as "American."

I see the American Muslim as a living example of the so-called
American dream -- an expression of the 1st amendment to the
Constitution found in the Bill of Rights, the Freedom of Religion.
America was founded on diversity, at least the acceptance of it,
even if it didn't start out so diverse. The beautiful thing about this
established American right is that you can be Muslim if you chose
and not be persecuted. And the beautiful thing about Islam is that
ANYONE can be Muslim, no matter your age, race, ethnicity,
nationality, previous faith, heritage, background, lineage -- or eye
color! Even blue eyes! Everyone is welcome into the fold of Islam, it's
for everyone.

Why is it that Muslims are still somehow equated as being
contradictory to being American? In sha Allah I have faith that this
idea will be going by the wayside. Many examples in this country's
short but tumultuous history tell me that one day people won't see
any contradiction, and maybe even will see Islam for what it is, as
the greatest of any freedom guarantor.

It's not uncommon for inanimate objects to stir in humans certain feelings and bring out various emotions when they are viewed or interacted with. The examples of this are infinite.

However, there is one object that is responsible for bringing out the most polarizing results like no other object can. On the two extremes, one person sees this object and immediately feels a sense of loving, sisterly bond, or a sense of comfort and safely. Another can see this same object and a feeling disgust is aroused, maybe even full on rage and anger. I'm speaking of course about a piece of fabric.

A fabric, you say? How can a fabric possibly do that?

Yes, a fabric. And yes, it can. That little 3 ft. square piece of cloth, or 2 ft x 5ft, which ever is preferred; the shape not so relevant, just how that fabric is used.

I'm speaking of course about what I like to call the Hijab Effect.

Once this fabric is wrapped around your head, it's transformed from being simply a fabric; somehow people's attitudes and social interactions do a swift pivot to mirror the individual's preconceived ideas. The fabric (your hijab) is now a catalyst of mood change.

I see this every day. When I interact with someone new, this fabric lets me know immediately that person's perception of Islam, as the scarf immediately signals, "this person is Muslim." Their behavior adjusts based on the sight of that scarf. In many cases it has nothing to do with me, it's what I represent wearing this fabric.

In all honesty, most of the interactions related to this thing have been very positive. In relation to the negative, I haven't been discouraged  in the least towards the decision I made to wear it. Surely, this all depends on where you call home.

By my observation, here's some of the affects of the Hijab Effect:

Color-blindness
There are color divisions in our societies. I hate to note that, but it is true in most cases. But with the Hijab Effect, to an African American person I am no longer just another stuck-up self-righteous white girl. They can relate with me that I'm sometimes prejudiced against too. I especially love meeting other African American Muslim women. There's an immediate connection there that's sometimes hard to make without the presence of that fabric. This is remarkable, and I  truly love this affect. It demonstrates the idea that we are all brothers and sisters.

Respect
You can feel that some people respect you for having the guts to wear hijab when you are the clear minority.  They see you as courageous, principled, and disciplined. There's an almost admiration for you. I can't pinpoint exactly in what way people give off this vibe, it's just some subtlety in their behavior that tells you.

Sisterly Love
When other Muslims see me wearing hijab, especially if she is wearing hijab also, we become sisters. We are in this game together fighting out the same battles, struggling with the same day to day stuff. You are complete strangers and yet your eyes may meet across the room and there's an instant connection. I love this affect because it gives me the chance that I never would have had, without wearing this fabric, to earn more rewards: we say Assalamu Alaikum to one another, maybe we shake hands, and exchange some pleasantries, all rewarded by Allah SWT. All of these good deeds happened because of the hijab.

Extreme Enthusiasm
This effect is when a social interaction is trumped by the other person's strong and concerted effort to be extra kind and friendly with you. This effect goes beyond just general politeness. They don't articulate this to you, of course, but to me they are saying, " I don't believe what the media says about Muslims. You're all right to me!"

The Cold Shoulder
These people see your hijab and what's going through their head is all the garbage they saw on the nightly news about how Muslims are terrorist, suicide-vest wearing, barbaric fools. They have nothing to say to you and any attempt on your part to keep the social exchange normal is rebuffed.

Extreme Hostility
Thankfully, I haven't seen or taken part in this effect. It's the horror stories you hear: women having their hijabs violently ripped off, the shouts of "go back to your country," and other hostile threats and hate crimes. All of this prompted by, YES, that fabric on your head. Amazing isn't it?

In reflecting on all these types of attitudes, particularly the neutral to negative ones, what a gigantic and some might say insurmountable opportunity you have wearing that fabric on your head, to alter, disrupt and change perceptions and reactions. Can you shock a "Cold Shoulder" persona by violating their ill-conceived notion of what a Muslim is? Your kindness, compassion, friendliness, attitude, fairness, and other positive traits have the power to move mountains. Likewise, show a negative side of yourself in public and you just might end up confirming someone's negative stereotype of what the Muslims are really all like. You might just be the only Muslim that that person ever had contact with. Will you be a good reflection, via your hijab, for the whole of the Muslim ummah? We have to remember we are ambassadors of our faith, meant to shine a light into people's worlds, wake them up from their sleep, spread Islam. What a huge and awesome responsibility it is to wear hijab. Alhumdulilah for my Islam, for my iman, and alhumdulillah for Allah choosing me to be a vehicle through which Islam is shown.
O Allah, let all of the Muslims represent Islam in the best way, Ameen! 

For years and years, I paid absolutely no attention to whether or not Halloween was "halal" to celebrate or not; Actually, to be perfectly honest, the thought never even had occurred to me until years after converting to Islam that this "holiday" might contradict Islamic principles. It's just been since the birth of my kids, and especially in the last few years, as my kids are now fully conscious of Halloween enough to create a barrage of inquiry about it, that I have been confronted with the need for a clarified stance on it.

First a little background and history:

The etymology of the word Halloween is derived from a Scottish term "All Hallows' Evening" and is the night of October 31st. Some groups recognize the festival as a collection of 3 significant days known as Hallowmas: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day (also known as the "Day of the Dead," Oct.31 - Nov.2); these 3 days each year are traditionally "dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers," (Wikipedia).

Many scholars believe Halloween has its roots in Christianity, influenced by customs and beliefs from Celtic-speaking countries. Historically, there are many and various rituals associated with Halloween which can include lighting candles, praying for dead relatives, playing games, collecting treats, wearing disguises, and lighting bonfires. The smoke and flames from a bonfire were thought to have special powers to protect and cleanse. In Gaelic and Welsh regions, games and rituals for the festival were thought to enhance divination (which is the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.) All Saints' Day and All Hallows' Eve have been thought to be days on which dead souls had one last chance to seek vengeance on their enemies, their souls wandering until these days; accordingly, people wore disguises in order to not be recognized by angry dead souls. This belief and practice is thought to be the origin of the Halloween costume tradition. Dating back to the 16th century, the festival also included going home-to-home in disguise and reciting songs/verses for food. Additionally, in 12th century Europe, poor children used to go door-to-door to collect "soul cakes" in exchange for prayer for souls in purgatory (temporary punishment in the afterlife, a Roman Catholic teaching); it is thought that this is the origin of the trick-or-treating tradition commonly practiced in many countries. Trick or treating is when children dress in costumes and go door to door collecting treats.

As you can see from this brief and truncated sketch of the historical origins of Halloween, its current common practice as we know them today, came into being over time. It includes adapted customs which evolved gradually, shaping modern practices, which in different geographic areas might even still have just as much variation as it did in the past (I didn't research that). Additionally, the celebrated customs are rituals which have foundations in faiths outside of Islam. Therefore Halloween is a festival which violates Islamic principles, and the conscious Muslims should not take part in its festivities. 

I know....you might be thinking right now how frivolous I am being. After all, Halloween has lost any sort of religious significance it may have once held in the past. And now Halloween could be considered nothing more than just harmless fun, and a shame for children to miss out on the fantastic chance to collect candy and dress up in costumes. There's nothing wrong with eating candy or wearing costumes. You can allow your kids to eat candy and wear costumes, just don't do it on Halloween and in celebration of it!

And since when should the Muslimeen look to the common culture to dictate which things are halal and haram? Should we really look to an evolved holiday with pagan and/or Christian origins to tell us how to behave? In a hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Umar, the Prophet SAW said: ‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them,’ (Abu Dawood).

Also, whereas helping others is generally considered good, I caution anyone in having any hand whatsoever in promoting or helping with a Halloween celebration/event. I base this caution around the following ayah, found in Qur'an Al Ma'idah verse 2:

“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.”

Here are some relevant hadith on the subject:

• The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected," Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 49, Number 861, Narrated Aisha (RA)

• The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) warned the Muslims: "Every innovation is a misguidance and every misguidance goes to Hell fire," [Sahih Muslim]. Innovation is defined by Islamic scholars as "to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet" (SAW)
  

• The Prophet (SAW) said: "Allah, the Exalted and Glorious looks down on the middle night of Sha'ban and forgives all His creation except a polytheist or one who is mushahin (innovator in religion and out of the main stream of the community),"  Tirmidhi #1306, Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, Transmitted by Ibn Majah.

Therefore, based on the research and these evidences I have outlined here, my family and I don't celebrate Halloween. I don't let my kids participate in any and all Halloween activities. Since my kids' school recognizes it and makes parties and such, I made the decision to keep my kids home that day. Teachers for the most part should respect such a decision and accommodate your wishes (and my kids' teachers have, thankfully).  ***See below for a sample letter you can edit and print and give to schools or teachers to put your wishes in writing.  

Allah the All-Mighty knows what is best for us. Let us have fear in Allah SWT who will weigh our deeds on the Day of Judgement. Will you earn for yourself more weight in bad deeds over something so inconsequential as participation in the innovated festival of Halloween? May Allah SWT guide us all on the right path, Ameen. 

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Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.

So, I'm thinking more and more to ditch my toothbrush in favor of a better, far more superior tooth care method.

Why would I want to do that? Well, there are a few good reasons that I've been beating myself over the head in regards to, one of which is that modern commercial toothpaste is plain and simple POISON.

Yes that's right, fluoride is poison. It is a long standing myth that fluoride, which is an ingredient in all toothpastes available (I have never seen one available without it), helps prevent cavities. This is untrue and a total fabrication. There is no evidence of this. In fact, fluoride is actually a chemical byproduct! . Moreover, the FDA has never even approved this drug.

I won't get into the "Why?" behind the fact of fluoride's widespead use, but since I have learned the fact of its danger, it's been driving me nuts that it's difficult to find alternatives to fluoridated toothpaste in a modern American city. I spent some efforts to find DIY toothpaste recipes to make it myself; there are many recipes for making your own toothpaste, including the ever popular ingredient baking soda. I did actually make one using it, but it was so bitter and unbearable for me (I'm a wimp) that I dreaded brushing. And I rejected it. I found another one which seemed quite promising, after you pull together the uncommon ingredients (search "Susie Castillo blog toothpaste"), so I didn't make it, yet.

And another reason fluoridated toothpaste has been driving me crazy is that I am asking my kids to put poison in their mouths, and just hope that, kids being kids, they won't swallow any of it. Is that just insane?! Poison in kids toothpaste!

Another reason to ditch the toothbrush is the harm of the actual toothbrush itself. The abrasiveness of the bristles (which are made of nylon) against the tooth enamel will wear it down, creating another undesirable dental problem. Also, the manufacturing of the handle of the toothbrush is known to include BPA, PVC and phthalates, all of which are known as toxic to humans and the environment. And we put it in our mouths?!

Then it dawned on me: SIWAK.

This would solve the problem of fluoridated toothpaste (never mind the fluoridated tap water!). If you don't know what siwak is, it is a natural twig from the arak tree (seen in above picture). It's actually sunnah to use it; the Prophet (SAW) used to use it to clean his teeth. There are a few hadiths regarding the use of siwak:

• Aisha (RA) said, "The Prophet (SAW) said, "It (i.e. Siwak) is a purification for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah's pleasures." [Bukhari]

• 'Amir bin Rabi'a (RA) said: "I saw the Prophet (SAW) cleaning his teeth with Siwak while he was fasting so many times as I can't count."
  

• Abu Huraira (RA) said, "The Prophet (SAW) said, 'But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak on every performance of ablution."

I did some research and found one researcher published*** his findings which found that siwak "contains substances which purify and kill microbes." There are natural acids in the siwak which will kill germs and break down plaque, which are the source of bad breath. And the bristles of siwak are rigid yet soft enough to not cause harm to teeth.

So why NOT use siwak? Allah SWT the Creator knows what is best for us and subhanallah He made innumerable things in nature which benefit us alhumdulillah. Why use something man-made, which could never even come close to the creation of Allah SWT which is perfect; man-made products will definitely have harms as they are without this perfection, and are usually created with the idea of profit in mind and don't take into serious contemplation possible health risks.

So after all that worry, research, and thought, I think I'm going to......

See Cleanliness page for more on Siwak and video on how to prepare and use the stick. 


***Published in journal "Oral Medicine and Dentistry", by the research of Dr. James Turner, Faculty of Medicine in the American University of Tennessee.

Assalamu Alaikum and welcome to everyone! This and future posts, as well as the whole of the website, are for new and "old" Muslims alike, as well as anyone with an open heart interested in the subject of Islam and its practice.

The idea of this website came to me a couple of years ago when I found there wasn't really much content available on the internet which spoke exclusively to the needs of new Muslim converts, and all in one place. Being a convert to Islam myself, alhumdulillah, I embarked on creating my own website which I hope will be helpful to people in the same shoes as me.

Posts contained here are most likely to be (I don't know, as I am just getting started!) any reflection or topic related to Islamic practice, and something which may not fit into the framing of the rest of the website. Although as a citizen I consider myself to be "awake" and politically aware, I will allow every effort to maintain a politically free atmosphere here on this website and blog, and I ask you please to do the same if you respond with any comments.

The only exception to this rule, which I will post right here and now, is the need for all Muslims to take interest in the plight of our Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world. In fact, you have a responsibility to do so. These days there are many unfortunate examples of such oppression, and in many cases the situations of the Ummah who are suffering are a direct result of politics. I will not make the suggestion how or where you should learn about those examples, just that you take the responsibility to be aware and hopefully take some actions if possible. I hope there is some clarity in my vagueness here!

One reason I mention for Muslims to be aware of the state of the Ummah is from my own experience: When I converted to Islam, suddenly a whole new world opened up to me in every which way (alhumdulillah!). And one, which I didn't expect or anticipate, was a new understanding about how Muslims are oppressed throughout the globe. This was something that was filtered out of my consciousness in my pre-conversion days. So, it's relevant to new Muslim converts who may very well have been like me and didn't know about this spin in media.

That's it, I am done with my politics speech!

So, please stay tuned for future posts to this blog, inshallah!

May Allah SWT bless all the Muslims, protect them, relieve their suffering, increase their knowledge, and set them on the straight path. Ameen!