The Interrupters 2011 (Documentary)

Not too long ago, I came across a very moving documentary called 'The Interrupters'. It tackles the subject of urban violence with a focus on an innovative strategy being employed on the front-lines in hard hit communities in Chicago.

Innovative, because the Interrupters themselves comprise individuals who have been on the other side of the law and who for this reason can prove to be a huge credible asset in the battle against urban/gang violence.

The stories are sad, the interrupters heroic, but most of all in our damaged world to see people doing such important work is deeply inspiring. I say take uplifting where you can find it. A must-see.

RECIPE: Jalapeño Cheese Stuffers

This has fast become mine (and my guests!) favourite recipe. I mean who doesn't love oozing cheese, bread and jalapeños...together!! Pretzelmaker has a version of these, which inspired the recipe and an expansion in my waistline some years ago... I found a blog that contained elements of this recipe below. With a few modifications, I present to  you one of the most delicious appetizers on the planet earth.  

Dough, after an hour of rise.

• 1 tbsp Yeast
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp softened Butter
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 and 1/4 cup Flour (more if needed)
• 5-7 Jalapeño Peppers, sliced
• Cheddar Cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes
• Bit of oil 
• Bit of vinegar

Yields: 30-45 (depending on size) 

Now what?

1- If you are using the instant yeast, you will want to mix it in with salt, sugar, softened butter, two cups of flour, and about 3/4 of the water. Begin mixing!

2- You will want to slowly add the remaining dough and water, until the dough is neither sticky, nor too dry. Add more flour or water as necessary.

3- Knead until the dough is soft to the touch. 

4- Once your dough is soft, make it ball-shaped, cover with oil, along with the containing bowl. Seal the bowl with saran wrap, cover with towel, and put it in a warm place to allow rise- for 1-2 hours.

5- In the meantime, you will want to cut up your cheese cubes, and slice your jalapeño peppers. Pour some vinegar onto your peppers and allow them to soak for a bit for that extra kick!

6- Once the dough has doubled in size, you will want to make 1 inch balls and place 2-3 slices of jalapeño and 1 cheese cube inside of each of them. 

7- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, in a preheated oven of 350 degrees. 

8- You can drizzle melted butter over the cheese stuffers if you wish. 

On women & Islam

I came across this video on twitter and was just floored watching it. I had watched a bunch of videos of Habib Ali Al-Jifri, a very knowledgeable Islamic scholar speaking at various engagements in GB last week, but missed this one- the gem of them all. 

I don’t think I have shared too many of these types of videos on this blog, lord knows I watch many of them, ah. This one I thought should be viewed, widely. I very much appreciate the universality of positive, inclusive and uplifting messages, wherever they may be found and I hope my readers or anyone who comes across this can do so as well. Specifically as this video can offer some clarity about Islam’s position on women, to Muslims and others alike, I do hope you’ll have a look. If I can offer some cultural/religious context for this video and the wider discussion about women's rights, etc, I am more than happy to do so, on request :-)

The profoundness of Habib Ali’s words are simple.

It is unfortunately not as common a phenomenon  to hear learned members of the Muslim community speaking as clearly, inclusively, and decisively against the oppression, abuses, & relegation of women in the community. There are still an incredible number of scholars that are raising the prominence of this issue, to be clear.

Habib Ali lays it out very clearly for anyone who may be confused about justifying the treatment of women as second-class citizens/worshippers.

• No matter how many acts of worship you perform- you may fast all of Ramadan, pray/meditate into the night, but at the end of the day if you do not treat women as full and equal members of your communities/societies, the worship you participate in is in a word, meaningless.

• We have a communal obligation to prevent and take action to eliminate the mistreatment of women. Not doing so is tantamount to sinning. Tantamount to sinning.

• You may judge a health of a community by how it treats its female members. Read this again slowly...

• Muslims need to stop hiding behind the claim (however true it may have been), that historically when Islam came, it had liberated women, because saying this is meaningless in a world where women are so vastly oppressed- often while Islam is falsely used to justify this oppression in Muslim-majority countries. Think bans on women working, driving, leaving the house without 'permission', participating in sports, viewing sports, etc!

It is kind of ridiculous that such a simple clarification even has to occur. It is a sign of how bad things really are that what should be common-sense is widely UN-common.

#enoughsaid

RECIPE: Chipotle Mayo Sauce

Count me obsessed with sweet potato fries and chipotle sauce. It’s one of my fav restaurant appetizers. Not having had the chance to eat it in a few months, I thought I should try my hand at replicating the sauce at home. And mission accomplished. I was not able to find the Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, so I used canned Chipotles. They worked just fine.

3/4 - 1cup of Mayonnaise

2 Chipotle peppers

A dash of black pepper

A squirt of lemon juice

All you need to do to prepare this sauce is to add all of the above ingredients into a blender and blend until the chipotles are fully broken up as you do not want any chunks of skin remaining.

Simple and delicious.

Enjoy.

Prepare to have your mind blown...

I'll admit, the title might be a bit of an overstatement, but this one you cannot miss. Harvard University offered a free online lecture series/course on justice and philosophy. They also set up a website where viewers could participate in discussions, etc. Interestingly, the very first lecture received about a million views! I say interestingly because on youtube, stupid videos are much more likely to reach this target than educational ones, easy.

Watching this video brings back fond memories from my time in university. The thoughts this first lecture provokes is precisely what I see to be the value of university, especially today. My degree wasn't my ticket to full-time employment, or a clearly delineated career for that matter. But what I do credit it with doing- was helping me to develop a critical eye. Question, question, question became one of many mottos deeply embedded into my subconcious! haha

In a culture where conformity is the norm, we need more people questioning the way things are; the systems, structures, constructs, belief systems, institutions, policies, etc. We need to awaken from our zombie slumber! To be clear, I'm not saying that a post-secondary education is the sole pathway to becoming a critical thinking individual. Indeed it would be preposterous to suggest so! I only speak to my specific experience and what I felt was one of the biggest takeaways from my degree. Some of the most analytical people I know are wondrous readers and thinkers with no 'formal' higher education. Everyone gains and gleans differently.

#readwritequestion

The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement, being in unceasing antagonism to that disposition to aim at something better than the customary, which is called, according to circumstances, the spirit of liberty, or that of progress or improvement. - John Stuart Mill

Salvadora Persica: Nature's Toothbrush

Salvadora Persica, also known as the toothbrush tree, is native to the Middle Eastern/South Asian and African regions.

For centuries, people have used its branches or its roots as basically a toothbrush to promote good oral hygiene. The plant itself is known for its antibacterial and anti-septic properties, and high fluoride content. It also boasts a number of other properties which has influenced the World Health Organization recommending its use to promote oral hygiene, where other means are not available!

In the Islamic tradition, branches/roots of this tree when used as an oral cleaning instrument is called a miswak or siwak. The miswak has been encouraged as a means to clean ones teeth and purify one's mouth (a conventional toothbrush can accomplish the same, but the former is described as better. In fact, some studies have proven as much). When chewed, the head of the miswak with its bristles becomes a pretty snazzy toothbrush alternative!

Growing up, we have tried preparing the twig for use, but it always seemed a little tedious...

Having searched for alternatives to chemical-based cleaning products such as toothpaste (which the miswak does not require!) I am surprised that this didn’t come to mind sooner. Needless to say, I will be picking up a miswak from my nearest ethnic grocer as soon as I can.

Here's to liberating ourselves and ending our chemical dependency!

WTF???: My dream garden!

The Headline:

Illegal Front Yard Garden: Canadian Couple's Kitchen Garden Targeted by Authorities

The Lowlights:

Josée Landry and Michel Beauchamp, homeowners in Quebec have a front-yard veggie garden, but will be forced to remove 70% of it in order to comply with city by-laws. CBC is reporting that if they do not comply, they may face fines up to $300 per day! Yikes!

An extraordinary sight! I would be honoured to have such a garden in my neighbourhood

.

My Thoughts:

Holy hell, this can't be real! I can't think of a single way this garden could be seen to be offensive or problematic for neighbours or the city. Maybe I am missing something, but I don't understand the logic behind discouraging such innovative and sustainable practices among residents. If there are practical concerns, I'm sure these homeowners would be willing to work around reasonable limitations. But could there even be any?

This outdated bylaw illustrates that while we recklessly push our environment to its edge, those in power  have especially failed to grasp the seriousness of the impending environmental disaster we face as humans.

If you have been contemplating starting your own garden, I say go for it! There is nothing quite like eating food that you have participated in producing naturally and organically...in sharp and evident contrast to chemical laden produce you're used to purchasing at your local grocers. You will notice the difference, in  taste and size!

#enoughsaid #selfsufficiency

The Small Things, IX

I hope I do not receive any flak for posting this shocking video under this recurring post, but I really felt that this would be the most appropriate location for its sharing- particularly as it relates to nature.

Assuming your reaction was similar to mine upon viewing this video, I feel I should perhaps make extra clear why I find some beauty in this...

It may sound scary, but snake venom can be very useful to humans. In a study published last year in the Journal Of Biological Chemistry researchers noted important medical uses of the sinister stuff.

"Snake venom contains a vast number of toxins that target proteins in platelets," Yonchol Shin, an associate professor at Kogakuin University who specializes in snake toxins told ScienceDaily. "Some of those toxins prevent platelets from clotting, which can lead to profuse bleeding in snake bite victims. Others, like the one we've focused this research on, potently activate platelets, which results in blood clots. Identification of the molecular targets of many of these toxins has made an enormous contribution to our understanding of platelet activation and related diseases."

There is something to learn, everywhere.

Calculation or Moonsighting? How about both!

Each year, we seem to have the same discussion as a family and community over which method to accept/choose in determining when to start the holy month of Ramadan.

To be clear, it is not my intention to argue the merits of one method over the other. In fact, I’m here to do the opposite.

I often hear, in discussions a perspective that there is a ‘crisis of authority’ in the pan-Muslim community, owing to the lack of central figure or leader to guide and assist people in interpreting matters of faith. I’m not entirely sure this is something to be concerned about…but that is a conversation for another day.

On a smaller scale, people look at issues such as moonsighting and the disagreement that stems from the various methodologies, and describe the array of choices in a negative light. They consider the multiple start dates as a form of disunity in local communities.

What ends up creating more disunity, is the finger-pointing, and arguments that stem from one or both parties putting each other's perspectives down. This is especially problematic considering both the Fiqh Council and ‘naked-eye’ moonsighting methods both appear to have sound bases and are all accepted by many learned figures in every community.

The truth is, people are always going to be inclined towards different interpretations about anything and everything. And this variation in interpretation is something that not only is a healthy and acceptable part of our tradition, but it is something that makes human societies interesting and dynamic! So long as we do not differ on some of the fundamentals (five pillars, oneness of God, etc), and heck, even if we do, I think it behooves us to accept the interpretive differences between people.

It seems unnatural almost to assume that billions, millions, hundreds of thousands of people or more than two people really would just be able to see eye to eye on anything! There can be consensus, without doubt, but people should always be free to align with their conscience and in doing so, should not think invalid alternative ways of doing things.

Just want to end with an insanely relevant verse from the Quran...
To you be your Way, and to me mine 109: 6

Bottom line, a little acceptance and respect for our differences can go a long way. Let’s all do our part and embrace the true Islamic spirit. 

Benefits of fasting

Last year, in my 'Ramadan 1432' blogpost, I shared my perspective on the personal spiritual benefits of fasting. This year, I thought I would try something a bit different to usher in this special month, and have been busy reading up on the physiological/health benefits of fasting!

While I don't fast specifically for health reasons, as I realize some people do, I do get a sense of becoming physiologically recentred after the month. Certainly if there are any health benefits that result as a by-product of fasting, its an absolute bonus!

To quickly synthesize the articles I recently read, it looks as though intermittent fasting has been credited with:

• encouraging weight loss
• allowing the body to access fat deposits in the body, which results in embedded toxins (ex. bad cholesterol, etc) and waste being broken down and flushed out of the system (at a higher incidence)
• giving your digestive track a bit of a break since it is used to functioning all day, everyday, and redirecting energy towards your immune system
• protecting your brain from degenerative illnesses

Whether any of the above actually occurs or not, I think most people that practice intermittent fasting would testify to its seeming health benefits!

Just want to close off with a saying from the blessed Prophet (pbuh)... "The children of Adam fill no vessel worse than their stomach. Sufficient for him is a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third should be for his food, a third for his drink, and a third left for air." (Sunan al-Tirmidhî).