Birthdays

I used to celebrate birthdays when I was a kid but I never really understood to whom we are celebrating the birthday. Now I tell people I do not celebrate it and you are dying to give me a present give it charity instead. If we are celebrating the day one is born, one should really give sadaqa (alms) to the poor to thank god for the day you were born. I never understood why people give you presents for your birthday. It is not like you did anything to come into this world, for it is god who brought you in and will eventually take you. Birthdays are really a Western phenomenom. My dad told me that they never celebrated birthday's when he was young. If you look at the sunnah there is no mention of birthdays.
This begs the question why do we do it. Well look at muslim weddings now and the celebration of valentines. We slowly absorb and practice Western mores because we want to be like them. We want to dress like them, eat like them, talk like them, marry like them, date like them. We aspire for the material world which the prophet (pbuh) warned us about hoob al dunya (love of this world) and imitating people of the book. We as muslims need to take a closer look at ourselves, our practices, our thinking, our outlook on life, and our goals and get back to the true sunnah.

Superstars

I am always amazed in Western culture, which has infiltrated over into the Muslim societies, at the obsequious followers of movie stars, athletes, wealthy people. This weekend in the US illustrates this point. This Sunday was the superbowl (American football championship). Across the US were superbowl parties where friends got together to watch and celebrate the game. Many of my colleagues at work are asking me where I am going to watch the game. Women I know who know nothing about football can't wait for the game.
This is part of the herd mentality Western culture indoctrinates into people. You must conform to the crowd. You have to support your team whether it is your college team or your hometown professional team because "they need your support." You have to party with your friends, getting drunk while supporting your team.
In college, many students would camp out hours in the cold for tickets. Then there was the ritual before the game where they partied before the game and after the game if their team won. You had to dress up in your college paraphanelia and chant slogans. The students know many of the players statistics and are awed when they see them on campus asking for their autographs, as if these players contribute anything significant to society. Many students walk around wearing players' jerseys to signify that they want to be like them. Talk about a loss of identity.
This infatuation and blind worshipping of athletes carries over to movie stars and wealthy people. We always are inquiring into their personal lives looking at their clothes, food, house, lovers. When they talk we seek out their comments as if they will have something important to say.
In Muslim societies this phenomenom is not any less. Muslims constantly follow Hollywood and its stars. They also religiously follow the local film industry. During Ramadan in the Arab world, the best shows are broadcast then.
These are all distractions from more important issues. We tend to concern ourselves with these worldly things and strive to dress like them, eat like them, and know their personal lives. I always wonder why people support certain teams. Why should I care if this or that team wins? Their win or loss does not affect my life and is of no significance. These players are already overpaid so why should I continue to support their decadent lifestyle. I would rather put my efforts to helping others, learning more about my history and religion. I see nothing wrong watching a game but to worship these players and constantly follow their lives really destroys ones identity and distracts us.
In Egypt most of the middle and upper class have no true identity. They blindly aquiesce to Western culture, for they dress like them, try to speak like them, and seek out their food. Beauty is defined as being white. The lighter skin color the prettier you are. Birthdays which are a Western phenomenam are common place. Fast food culture is becoming more common place. Very few people read about history, religion, literature. They are constantly chasing the material world.