Part 2: Rules & Etiquette Guidelines For Your Halaqa

“Al-Adab (manners and etiquette) always precede knowledge.”

 – Ibn Al-Munaya

Etiquette Guidelines for Halaqa Sessions 

v    Please arrive on time, or call the host to inform her that you will be late or unable to attend. We should respect another person’s time. Sessions will begin promptly at 6:30pm. Plan to arrive at least 5-10 minutes earlier to get situated and remember to plan for traffic. If you are late, we will not re-start the session from the beginning.

v    We should greet each other with, “As’salaamu Alaikum”, not, “Hi” or “Heyyy Girl” (Self-explanatory!) and begin our session with, "Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim."

v  Please bring a notebook. We will make time for a question/answer session.

v    Please TURN OFF CELL PHONES. Vibrating is also a distraction in small groups. Make sure your parent(s), husband, or children know where you are and that you will only be available for emergency situations. (And not because they can’t find the remote control or because the Wi-Fi isn’t working!)

v    Foul, offensive or incendiary remarks will NOT be tolerated. I have a zero-tolerance policy in my home for any racial slurs or defamatory language. You will only receive one warning, because we should know better. Race is irrelevant, unless it is used in the context of the topic, for instance if we discuss the Prophet’s last sermon when he stated, “No race is superior to another…” (Exactly my point!)

v    Please check your judgmental attitude at the door! None of us are even close to perfection and none of us has the right to determine who is or isn’t “religious.”

v    Be conscious of your words. We live, work and socialize with people from other races and various socio-economic backgrounds. I hope that our Halaqa sessions become a welcoming space for people from all walks of life and ethnicities. Insha’Allah. Let’s truly learn to   

 

v    Please do not interrupt the speaker during her lecture. If you have a question, wait for a pause in discussion – please make sure your question is relevant and about the topic being discussed. If the topic is about Salah, please don’t ask if we can eat kosher hotdogs, or where you can find a decent spouse! (Trust me, if I had the answer to that, I wouldn’t be single!)

v    The host will be responsible for bringing any discussion back on topic, so please don’t make her job difficult!

v    Remember that we are here to discuss matters pertaining to our Deen, and because we have a desire to increase our knowledge and our Iman. This is not a place to backbite or discuss non-relevant issues.  We don’t want any of the blessings that we may receive be stripped because of our inability to guard our tongues.

v    Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussions and should feel comfortable enough to ask questions. We are here to learn from each other, and become stronger Muslims. Insha’Allah.

Part 1: Do You Want To Start Your Own Halaqa?

If you want to join or start a Halaqa - a gathering or group established to discuss Qur'an and Sunnah and other topics faced by our ummah- then let me begin by explalining why you should, and then  explain how spending time engaged in a Halaqa will answer a lot of questions; even those we ask ourselves. Insha'Allah.

Versus In The Qur'an Stating The Importance of

Praising and Remembering God:

"Those men and women who engage much in God's praise, for them God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (33:35)

"Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of God. Behold in the remembrance of God do hearts find satisfaction." (13:28)

"O believers, let not your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of God. Whoso does this, the loss is their own." (63:9)

Sayings of The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) That Support The Importance of Praising and Remembering God (Alone and In A Group).

"Those who remember Me in their heart, I remember them in My heart, and those who remember Me in a gathering (i.e. who make mention of Me), I remember them (i.e. make mention of them) in a gathering better than theirs."

This is a Hadith Qudsi: Which means a direct revelation by God expressed in the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The Prophet, peace be upon him said, "No group of people will gather in a house (which the scholars agree does not mean only a house of worship, but any place where people gather to remember God) and they come together to recite the book of Allah -The Qur'an - and to study it, and ponder it, except that tranquility from Allah will descend on them, and that they will be covered with Rahma, (God's mercy) and that the angels will come to this gathering and cover them and shower them (with blessings). And the gathering of Angels will go all the way to the heavens, and Allah will mention them by name, because of their studying of the Qur'an."

The prophet, peace be upon him, also said, " The best people are the people who study the Qur'an." (Sahih)

Obviously, this means those who act upon what they learn after studying and reading the Qur'an.

This is further indicated by the Hadith Qudsi (see definition above), "Allah says, I am to my servant as he expects of Me, I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him to Myself, and if he mentions me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly better than his..." (Bukhari & Muslim: Narrators of A'Hadeeth).

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This should be your intention: Doing that which pleases Allah (God). So now that you know the Qur'anic versus and Hadith Qudsi/Hadith of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that support the remembrance of God, I will share with you why I felt the need to host a Halaqa, and had the desire to begin one in my own small town. (Insha'Allah, In the next post, I will share some of the basic tools needed to organize a Halaqa.)

I've been feeling discontent for many years, and I haven't been able to figure out exactly what this nagging, persistent feeling is trying to tell me. I'm sure it's telling me more than one thing since I don't believe in simple one-step solutions, and because, I know I have more than one area in my life that needs to be addressed!

We live in a culture that says you must be busy doing something 24/7 and that you must be making money during most of those hours. You're led to believe that your resume must read like a person who Oprah would be jealous of, and that you must be exhausted by the time your head hits the pillow, or you haven't been living hard enough or working hard enough...I'm exhausted just typing that!

So what do you do if you manage to carve out relaxation time after work or after putting your kids to sleep? What do I do? I don't have an adult to talk to after my brat falls asleep, (yes, I wrote brat!) so I'm usually asleep when he is, or praying Isha salat, or falling asleep while reading a book, or watching T.V., or talking to my cat. (Yes, I said cat!) Unless it's Ramadan, I am ashamed to admit, I rarely read the Qur'an on my "downtime".

Yet, the quote above tells us that we will "find comfort in the remembrance of Allah!" We are told by our very own Creator that tranquility can be found in praising and remembering Him. He wouldn't make that up! Think of how content you feel during the month of Ramadan. I'm not suggesting we throw out our T.V.'s. I know that a lot of us take the time out of our busy schedules to pray our obligatory salat (five prayers). I do too, but unless I'm doing them with complete devotion and focus, I know I'm missing out on the benefits and blessings from this act of worship. I won't give up praying because of that, but I should probably lock my son and cat out of the room, and put my mental "To-Do" list in the recycle bin before I begin to pray! 

I realize now that the nagging feeling I've been experiencing is not, believe it or not, my impatience at finding a decent human being on the plethora of Muslim Matrimonial sites, or the fact that I haven't found my million dollar capital venture, or found a job closer to home. It's much deeper than that, and I know that what's truly missing is the fulfillment for a deeper meaning to life and a quest for inner peace. (Full disclosure: The honest, handsome brotha and his million dollar salary would not be rejected!)

I also know that this struggle for inner peace should never end, because as long as we're alive and breathing, we're still in need of improvement. For example, my thoughts can always be better, my time can always be better spent, (confessions of an avid facebooker!) my money could also be better spent. As much as I like adding to my shoe collection, true joy and peace is not found on my shoe shelves! My adorable elementary-aged nieces find great joy there, and are the biggest fans of my collection, and I have to admit, it does make me smile to see them plodding around my home in my knee-high boots and high heeled shoes! 

Earlier this month, the nagging was in full force after returning from ISNA, and I finally figured out what my soul was hungry for; Nourishment!  So I sent out a mass email (to all four of my Muslim friends in York! lol) and waited eagerly for their response! The first response came from a good friend, Rabyia Ahmed, who I had spent the 3 day weekend with at the ISNA conference in D.C.. She was thrilled that I finally initiated the idea and was as excited as I was with the idea of a "sisters" gathering.

I spend a lot of time volunteering for area non-profits, but because of the lack of Muslim organizations in our area, I don't get the opportunity to work with Muslims. Starting a non-profit takes a lot of fundraising money and a lot more manpower than the four friends on my email list, so I decided to devote my time to something smaller, but just as fulfilling. I didn't have to quit my job, or stop shopping for new fall boots, I simply started my own Halaqa.

None of us are scholars or Hafiz (memorizers) of the Qur'an. You don't have to be to lead a meaningful study group. Of course if helps when people have questions, but what I found is, that the more questions that arise during the discussion, the more I'm compelled to seek answers, and as stated above, taking the time to learn and study the words of God are rewarded with TRANQUILITY IN OUR HEARTS. That nagging feeling that I felt was telling me that I wasn't doing enough has begun to wane. I'm not spending every hour in the day researching and studying, as that would mean that I'm neglecting my other duties, but when I am making more time to understand my religion and in doing so, I have the comforting words of my Lord and The Prophet (Peace be upon him) to remind me that I am receiving blessings and being protected by angels. Most importantly, I'm equipping myself with a deeper understanding and connection to my faith. God says in the Qur'an, "I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship me!" (51:57)

What greater good (Hasanah) is there to offer my son, my cat, and myself? Feeling alone is one thing, but feeling deprived, and knowing that you are the one depriving yourself of something is a lot worse.

Insha'Allah, (God Willing) even if we remain a small group, I know I will still benefit from these sessions. Knowing I have a group of women in my home who are gathered for the sole purpose of getting closer to Allah and to increase their knowledge, Alhumdulillah, I couldn't ask for better companions.

If you also feel physically and emotionally spent from your daily chores, yet find yourself spiritually hungry and thirsty for more, I hope you feel inspired to start your own group. It is more rewarding than any "Mom's Club" or "Mummy-n-Me" session I've ever attended or hosted. A lot of moms use that time to catch-up on gossip or to complain about their kids and husbands! Yes, I know this is cathartic for stay-at-home mums, but what do you gain from such a gathering...a massive headache from all the noisy children and recipes for dinner? I'm not a fan of little kids or the kitchen, so I'd rather find a group that provides me with something I won't need to pack Advil for or over-cook. I seek the protection from God and His angels and an honorable mention in a better gathering. Surahs for the soul!

The next post will include rules/etiquettes that I chose to read aloud to my group on the first day. It's important to have codes of ethics or rules so everyone is clear about acceptable and unacceptable practices etc. Just don't be a hypocrite like I was, and forget to turn off your own cell phone, and have your sitar sounding ringer go off in the middle of your discussion...then have to answer it, because it was your MOTHER!

I wish you all the best in your endeavor to grow spiritually. Insha'Allah. It will be worth every ounce of effort!

A picture of my small, but sweet group of sisters for our very first Halaqa session. I was so excited to host this, that I made them my homemade lasagna! Food is well-deserved after spending quality time learning about our faith.
Alhumdulillah!







Eat, Pray, Love... With A Twist!

The following is taken from an article published in the New York Times, on August 16, 2011. Written by Dan Barry. (Submitted by my friend, Salima Chaudhry and slightly edited by me for this blog!)


This post is dedicated to my late grandfather, Hamid Ahmed Khan, because it reminded me so much of him. “Baba” moved to America in the 80’s after retiring from his job in London, England, where he had lived most of his life. My grandfather introduced Indian food to the tiny town of Columbia, Pennsylvania in Lancaster, long before anyone had heard the words “Tandoori and Tikkah Masala.” His restaurant, Taj Mahal, was something of a novelty for this small town! His restaurant quickly became the hangout spot for all the locals (who would have brushed him off as a “foreigner” if he hadn’t introduced himself.) He was greatly loved, but soon learned that his generosity and desire to feed everyone who walked into his small restaurant –with or without money to pay – wouldn’t afford him to cover the costs of running a restaurant. That still didn’t stop him from handing out free mango lassi’s (mango shakes made with yogurt) to all the children who stopped by after their karate class. The kids were sad to see his restaurant close in the dead heat of summer and the adults all mourned the man who had graced them with his generosity, love, fresh spicy samosas and a hot cup of chai. On the house!


Good Will to All, With a Side of Soft-Serve

The Dairy Queen at Kenhorst Plaza outside the city of Reading, [at first glance] seems no different from the 5,000 others lighting up the country’s summer nights. It has the standard freezer filled with Dilly Bars, and the black-and-white photographs evoking a past that includes the first Dairy Queen in prison-centric Joliet, Illinois, in 1940. But [what’s different are the] plaques, letters and children’s handwritten notes that cover nearly every inch of available wall [space], all praising someone clearly without Pennsylvania Dutch roots; someone named Hamid.

The Cumru Elementary School thanks Hamid. The Mifflin Park Elementary School thanks Hamid. The Brecknock Elementary School thanks Hamid. The Governor Mifflin Intermediate, middle and high schools thank Hamid. The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, the soccer leagues and the baseball leagues, the Crime Alert program, the home for adults with mental retardation — they all thank Hamid.

And here comes the owner, Hamid Chaudhry, in the midst of another 80-hour workweek, fresh from curling another soft-serve. As he makes his way to a corner table, customers hunched over chicken-strip baskets and sundaes call out his name, and he calls back theirs.

“Hi, Tracey; I have that check for you.” “Bye, Mrs. Brady. All good for the homecoming?” “Bye, Mr. Rush. How was the Blizzard? Want another one?”

With such familiarity, you might think that Mr. Chaudhry, 40, grew up rooting for the Reading Phillies and taking late-night rides up to the iconic Pagoda on Mount Penn. But in words inflected by his Pakistani roots and slight speech impediment, he explains that he has lived in southeastern Pennsylvania only since the uncertain year of 2002, not long after September 11th.

As a couple of local officials he knows catch up by the window, and a former state police officer he knows picks up a frozen cake, and while the regular Mennonite customers eat his soft-serve out on the patio, Hamid from the Dairy Queen tells his American story.

He was the youngest of six in a Muslim family in Karachi. His father, an accountant, was physically and mentally damaged after being hit by a car; his mother, a schoolteacher, took care of her husband and insisted that her son go to America for a better life. That meant Chicago, where a brother was driving a cab while studying to become a college professor.

Mr. Chaudhry took several years to earn a college degree in finance, partly because of language difficulties, and partly because he was always working — mostly at the celebrated Drake Hotel. He was the unseen busboy, working his way up to assistant manager from room service and minibars, serving Caesar salad to President-elect Bill Clinton, delivering unsatisfactory apple pancakes to Jack Nicholson, tending to the dietary needs of a guest named Lassie. The Drake became an immersion course in Western pop culture.

He became an American citizen and started a career in financial-accounting software, eventually moving to New York, where he got fired. (“Wall Street wasn’t for me,” he says.) But he did meet a medical student named Sana Syed. Their first meeting was with her parents; the second was for a coffee at Starbucks; the third a brunch at a diner; and finally, a dinner date at an Outback Steakhouse.

After they married in 2001, Sana landed a residency at the Reading Hospital and Medical Center. While his wife worked 90 hours a week, Mr. Chaudhry mustered the nerve to ask the owner of the local Dairy Queen, at Kenhorst Plaza, whether he wanted to sell. When he heard yes, Mr. Chaudhry scraped, mortgaged and borrowed to meet the asking price of $413,000.00

He completed his classroom training at Dairy Queen’s headquarters in Minnesota, where he studied everything from labor management to the proper way to hand a customer a Blizzard. On June 27, 2003, he finally opened the doors to his Dairy Queen, but he was so jittery, intent on making every customer feel extra, extra special, that one employee quit on the spot. Oh, and the soft-serve machine malfunctioned.

Once he found his footing, Mr. Chaudhry decided to give back to the community, and held an elementary-school fund-raiser in which he provided the parent-teacher organization with 25 percent of the sales. Though the $450 seemed a generous amount, the publicity he received did not seem right to him.

“It felt like I got more in return than what I was giving,” he says.

Just like that, the Dairy Queen began to become the center of communal good, notwithstanding its contribution to the high obesity rate recorded among adults in Berks County! Mr. Chaudhry immersed himself in fund-raising, splitting everything 50-50 so that he only covered his costs. Good for promoting the business, yes, but also good for Hamid.

Fund-raisers for a father of four with cancer; for the Children’s Miracle Network; for soccer teams and Little League teams and the widow of a deputy sheriff recently killed in a shootout — he was a regular customer who liked Blizzards. Sponsorship of car washes and high school homecomings and blood drives four times a year. (Donate a pint of blood and get a $20 frozen cake.) Free parties held at every local elementary school, as well as at a Bible school run by the Mennonite church.

“My customers have made me well-to-do,” Mr. Chaudhry explains. “They patronize me, so why wouldn’t I give back?”

He gets up to hand a check to Tracey Naugle, the president of one of the local parent-teacher organizations who sits at a nearby table, enjoying a chocolate cone. [Tracey] recently helped to organize a modest fund-raising event at Dairy Queen for a children’s swim team. “Hamid gave me a check for $1, 000.00” she says. “And I know we didn’t make $1,000 that night.”

Every community has its magnetizing place: a post office, a diner, a coffee shop. Here, it’s the Dairy Queen, Ms. Naugle says, mostly because of Mr. Chaudhry. He randomly shows up at schools with frozen treats for teachers. He once set up a petting zoo outside his store. He even bought his own dunk tank to use on the patio.  

“He knows everybody and everybody knows Hamid,” Ms. Naugle says. “We’re so lucky to have him.”

The soft-serve has been a welcome balm, but it is time to toss those balled-up napkins and get back on the nerve-rattling road. Time to say goodbye to Mr. Chaudhry, who can tell you that younger people prefer Oreo Blizzards and older people prefer dipped cones, but he cannot say more about his motives than that he is lucky, and thanks God.

Living in Pennsylvania, he says, with a wife, two children, a thriving business, and many friends. For Hamid, the Dairy Queen is home.

Hope this blog post made you smile…and on a hot day like today, why not go out and treat yourself to a soft serve!

SOHO: A Space of Her Own

For today’s Happy Hour: SOHO – a nonprofit working to give underprivileged girls their wings!

Since I recently left my position at Dress for Success, a nonprofit that empowers disadvantaged women, I thought it quite fitting to write my first blog entry about a nonprofit that empowers disadvantaged girls.

Linda Odell is the Founder &  Executive Director of SOHO, the Space Of Her Own nonprofit based in Alexandria, Va. Linda is the sister-in-law of my long-time friend, Katie Leed Odell. Katie and I met almost 24 years ago in 6^th grade at Letort Elementary school in the country side of Conestoga, PA. She’s more than a friend; she’s my sister…from another mister! In the words of our favorite childhood character, Anne Shirley, we are “Kindred Spirits!"

I wasn’t surprised when Katie, who is a busy wife and mother of three very young children, as well as an active member of her church and volunteer community, was the first to respond to my email about my desire to create my own (kosher and halal) Happy Hour! She told me about her sister-in-law’s non-profit, SOHO, and I had the privilege of learning more about it. Below are excerpts of my interview with Linda Odell.

What is the mission of SOHO? Our mission is to provide disadvantaged girls with social, emotional, academic and creative enrichment through mentorship and arts instruction. We aim to reach underprivileged girls in local communities and prevent juvenile criminal involvement. We strive to inspire young girls to create a better future for themselves by designing a space of her own.

When & How did you learn about SOHO?  I started SOHO in Virginia, in 2003 through my work with the juvenile court, at a time when crimes committed by girls were skyrocketing, particularly in the areas of shoplifting & fighting. Too many [girls] were running away from home and too many were getting pregnant. I’d had a long history of developing crime prevention and afterschool programs, but this population was difficult to “hook.” They were disinclined to attend anything unless it was “fun.” A few years ago, I was contacted by someone from Lancaster, PA’s juvenile probation office about starting a SOHO program there. He had learned about SOHO at a conference  where I had presented and had no idea that I’d grown up in Lancaster. Unfortunately there was no follow-through, most likely due to massive cuts in prevention program funding. If anyone is interested in starting a Lancaster, Pennsylvania SOHO program, I'd be more than happy to help.

What motivated you to start your own chapter? I wanted to start a mentoring program for girls, because mentoring has been proven to be a highly successful approach to helping girls develop into capable, secure and happy adults. A survey of local middle school girls indicated that 97% had an interest in art. I came up with the SOHO—Space of Her Own concept when reading a Teen People Magazine article. Oprah had teamed up with a popular designer and renovated two girls’ bedrooms, Trading Spaces-style. What struck me was that both of the girls were white and appeared to live in highly affluent homes. I thought to myself, “How could Oprah, of all people, help these girls when there are so many other girls who need it more?”  That’s when a “ding” went off in my brain and SOHO was conceived. I knew that virtually every girl in Alexandria would want to participate and that I’d have no problem recruiting volunteers. I needed to find a nonprofit partner to apply for grant funding, so I approached a local arts organization. It took four visits before I met someone who was interested, and willing to help get things rolling. Alice Merrill and I are now Living Legends of Alexandria for starting SOHO!

What did you NOT expect? What has surprised me the most is the number of girls and women who apply to SOHO. We currently have 53 women to invite to our summer orientation sessions who will vie to serve as SOHO mentors this fall. We only have the capacity to select a maximum of 12 girls and 12 mentors for each of our 2 locations. Girls cry when they find out they have not been selected. It’s heartbreaking.

How has SOHO transformed your life: I have been inspired a million times throughout the SOHO journey, watching girls transform from [feeling] insecure to confident, from friendless to social butterflies, from sad to happy, from rude to classy. I’ve watched rooms transform from moldy, roach-infested spaces with personal items stored in trash bags, to gorgeous spaces that the girls adore. I’ve seen a crack-addicted mother borrow our room renovation cleaning supplies and scrub her entire house. I’ve met a single, unemployed father who stayed up all night installing the carpet we had donated so that his 3 daughters could enjoy a clean, fresh new bedroom. One family was slated for eviction from their government-subsidized home when SOHO stepped in to enable them to stay. SOHO mentors have been phenomenal. It’s incredible to see the extremes they go to enrich the lives of their mentees and, with a shoestring budget and a lot of networking and creativity, create beautiful new bedrooms.

Four years ago, I was contacted by an arts center in Richmond, VA and helped them to start a SOHO program. Three years ago, a school teacher and longtime SOHO volunteer started our second SOHO site.

SOHO’s Achievements & Future Goals:

v  In 2011, SOHO received nonprofit status and a strategic planning grant. I invited several of my respected volunteers to attend a full-day planning session. I was thrilled when 22 out of 25 of them attended! We now have a comprehensive working plan for SOHO’s upcoming years.

v  Last November, SOHO won a free marketing campaign from a young advertising professionals group. Over a dozen volunteers have worked to create a website, promotional video, marketing campaign, fundraising event, free business cards and letterhead, donated web space and e-mail accounts. Their work has been valued at over $150,000. All this for a new nonprofit with a mere $16,000 in the bank.

v  Last month I met with a brilliant man who, along with his equally brilliant wife, founded a nonprofit in Nairobi, Kenya. After watching the new SOHO video, he said, “So the room renovations are about giving the girls dignity? We distribute dignity kits to girls living in a refugee camp in Nairobi, which include flashlights and rape whistles. Could you adapt SOHO to meet those girls’ needs?” I suggested we match girls with trained college student mentors to learn life, coping and safety skills who would work together to design personalized bedroll backpacks with Velcro pockets to store safety and personal items. He loved the idea and has invited me to Nairobi in June to get the ball rolling. I shared this with three of this season’s SOHO girls, all of whom, by US standards live in extreme poverty. One responded gleefully, “We could be pen pals!”  Another said, “We can send them flashlights and whistles!”  The possibilities are endless.

I am working harder than I have in my life, juggling my paying job with my volunteer work directing SOHO. But it’s pretty darn exciting! – Linda Odell, founder of SOHO.

To learn more about this amazing nonprofit, or to find out how you can help, please watch this video and visit their website:

http://spaceofherown.org/index.php/videos

www.spaceofherown.org

Don’t forget to share this with your friends and family. They might be inspired to become mentors themselves…or at least, smile and feel happy knowing that people like Linda are helping to create happy girls become happy women. As a woman myself, I know the world needs all the happy women it can get! Now, if only we could get some men to understand this need! OK, I won’t go there…at least not today! ;)

Introduction to my take on Happy Hour!

Dearest Friends & Family,

I need your valuable ideas! Don’t worry, it won't cost you a penny, unless "your time is money!" All you need to do is read and share this blog! Not to be confused with the self-obsessed Me, Myself & I...that needs to be edited or deleted; a task that I'm not ready to tackle yet!

After a trip to England, Wales and Italy two years ago, I (reluctantly!) came home with fresh new ideas to fuel my love of writing. I was thrilled to meet such inspirational people on my travels, and wanted to keep that connection alive by finding a way to share positive stories or ideas with them.

Not long after my trip to Europe, I forgot about this mission when we suffered the unexpected and tragic loss of Hamzah's father. The term, "single parent" took on a whole new meaning, and two months later, I was working for the first time in a professional setting, commuting almost an hour each way. It was a wonderful experience, and I'm proud of my contributions, but after a year, I found the commute too expensive and taxing and needed to find something closer; preferably downtown, where I'm renting and living alone for the first time!  The search for work continues, but in the meantime, I’d like to make good use of my “downtime!”

On April 4th, 2012, I had the honor of meeting Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, known for helping the poor around the world by offering small loans through Grameen Bank (micro-finance). After his lecture, my friends and I had the pleasure of speaking with him. When he said, "Yes! You can do it, start something," while he was holding onto my arm, I literally felt his positive energy, and knew it was time to do SOMETHING!

This isn't a money-making venture or a fame-seeking adventure. This is what Mr. Yunus would call a type of social business. However, instead of offering goods or services that people buy and sell at a cost, I'm simply offering...Good News! FOR FREE!

It's called, "Happy Hour" just to throw people off!

I know you're probably wondering, ‘How is that going to help the world, Raboh?’ Well, think about it for a moment. When you hear about a country or neighborhood – mostly plagued and bombarded by negativity – and learn that someone/something affected it in a positive way, how do you feel?

Good? Hopeful? Inspired? Does it make you smile?

I know for instance, when the clients we serve at Dress for Success become employed and economically independent, we are uplifted and inspired to help more women in need.  After hearing how Dr. Yunus helped villagers in Bangladesh with only the $27.00 in his pocket, I knew I could easily use my writing to spread the good news of people and organizations who inspire me.

I also see the need for my own transformation, both spiritually and emotionally! Don’t worry, I'm not going to turn in a bowl of sunshine overnight, but I want to turn my attention and focus on admirable people/stories - without ignoring the horrible events that plague the world. I understand the need for balance in journalism, yet also realize the need for tipping the scale on the side of good media outlets! We have enough people spreading corruption and negativity, (like fox news!).

Some of you have travelled the world, and have seen and reported on the sadness and depravity of the people around you, their stories also need to be told. However, I challenge you to look for that ray of hope and peace amidst the loss of life and endless piles of rubble. It’s out there, we just have to dig a little deeper to search for it! Maybe we can bring attention to both the good and bad at the same time. I've seen pictures of children living in war-torn countries with big smiles on their faces, and I've often wondered what they could possibly be smiling about. Those images evoke many questions and emotions that I would like to explore.

If we get involved with challenging the norm of negative media attention, we may be able to see a shift...hopefully within ourselves...as Gandhi famously said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world."

Thank you for taking the time to read this/skim this! Please let me know what you think, even if you think I'm full of crap!

All ideas and thoughts are welcome...just don't be surprised if you find yourself de-friended on facebook!

Here's the link: http://goodnewshappyhour.blogspot.com
I’m still formatting and editing the page. Any feedback on the blog layout etc. is also welcome, but not mandatory!

Love Always,

Rabiya
xxx

Rabiya B. Khan
B.S. Communications/Journalism