PhilAsify 101

Note: Though this article is directed towards Muslims, it applies to everyone in the realm of dating, those looking for love and coming up unsatisfied etc. Staggering Statistics: - More than 50% of marriages in America end in divorce (Source: New York Times) -Cheating and casual no string attached premarital sex are at all time highs. (Source: USA Today ) Is dating against the Qur’an? Believe me, I have spent many nights racking my brain trying to figure this one out for myself back in my teenage years. I yearned for that one magical verse or explanation that makes everything clear.  Let me break the suspense by saying that I have yet to find that one verse. The good news is that my search has given me a much better understanding of this difficult question. My findings brought me to the realization that dating is a process which occupies a great deal of your emotions and tempts you physically so fast that you don't realize what hit you.  To put it bluntly: It sucks out...

Note: Guess who's baaack! I know what you're thinking. I've had this ridiculously huge gap between updates. I know I've been MIA but life has kind of gotten in the way of regularly posting. Don't expect this to be a normal thing for now, but I really wanted to just come back because I had such a great thought that came to mind during this blessed month of Ramadan that I wanted to share it in blog form.  While up at night during one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan, I was thinking very deeply about Allah's generosity. Like, man, oh, man, it's crazy how much we can underestimate that Allah is Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate) and Ar-Raheem (The Most Merciful). Let me elaborate. Good Deeds vs. Bad Deeds So one night before bed I was talking to my little 5-year-old son about Allah and how generous he is. I had already been telling him in bits and pieces about good deeds and bad deeds and how there's an angel on each of our shoulders: one that ...

"Aaaagh! It's another friggin Muslim guy!" I blurted out to my wife while sitting on the couch scrolling the news sites to find out information early Sunday Morning about the Orlando Mass shooting. My family and I woke up and turned on the TV to news of a tragic shooting at a gay night club in Orlando where a whopping 50 people were killed and 53 were injured. Those were the headlines plastered across the screen of a scene where it showed men, bloody and injured being carried away from the club by friends. Others were traumatized, crying from the carnage they had just experienced. It was horrifying. All we could say while captivated by the coverage was, "Man he (the shooter) better not be Muslim." That's what prompted the search on my phone and sure enough, the idiot was. And sure enough, I reacted like Homer Simpson would when he heard something horrible happened and is praying to himself "Don't be the boy, don't be the boy" and then wh...

What a terrible, terrible movie. Though I haven't blogged much during my hiatus from PhilAsify 101, I did keep up with the activity the blog had gotten over the 6 months I was inactive. I was surprised to see that I would have on average 100 page views daily of people clicking on PhilAsify from all over the world. A modest amount sure, but for me it's pretty huge that at least 100 pairs of eyes read my blog or come across it everyday which is humbling to say the least cause I can't even get my close friends to even read a Facebook status I put up much less my blog. For strangers who don't know me to click on an article of mine they found interesting and check it out is really astonishing to me. Also despite not having new content up during the timespan, I noticed I would get comments for my different blogposts. Most of them would be comments on what I've learned has been my most popular blog post to date: Dating In Islam: Why Muslims shouldn't date a...

A trend that is starting to catch fire on the interwebs are viral video pranksters going off the beaten path and showing off their charitable side by recording a video of them either helping out the homeless with a makeover, some money, groceries etc.  Popular Youtubers like Vitalyzd, FouseyTube, MagicofRahat are just a few of those folks. Look at this recent video just released of MagicofRahat giving a homeless man a fake lottery ticket and following him to go cash his winnings. The heartwarming video above I must admit brought tears to my eyes. These videos are usually very inspirational and emotional. It's no surprise videos like these go viral because it's not common for charitable acts to be seen up close and personal from a third person perspective. The majority of folks appreciate the random acts of kindness but others expose a different side, one that is usually disliked or overlooked. I'm talking about comments such as these: Emotional porn?...

A phrase which crept up out of nowhere on social media and has been the subject of many memes, jokes and gags is the often hashtagged "First World Problems" (#firstworldproblems). Anyone that has a Facebook page or a Twitter feed has  probably  seen and chuckled at different examples of "first world problems". In the last year or so, the phrase has circulated to the point of being accepted in common everyday lingo. UrbanDictionary.com  defines the phrase as: First World Problems Problems from living in a wealthy, industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their eyes at. In other words, "first world problems" are the magnified complaints of the spoiled--gripes from people that are made significant despite having easy daily access to basic life necessities of food, water, clothing and shelter. 

Any fool with a d*** can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children. -- Furious Styles, Boyz in The Hood The title of this article may seem cliché but I really don't think folks truly grasp the reality the phrase holds. At the time of this post, I have been a father just a little over three months and with every passing day I realize more and more just how crucial of a role fatherhood is. In this short time, I have discovered--surprising to no one--that being a father is no joke. I mean, I knew going in things were not going to be a walk in the park. I anticipated my sleep time being cut short by fusses and grunts. I had prepared my mind to expect getting pissed and spit up on. I had already sucked it up and said my tearful goodbyes to one of my greatest loves--disposable income. I even let sink in the statement a lot of baby articles declare tongue-in-cheek, "your life is over."

The Disgusting Side Effect of the Social Media/Viral Video Age Have you heard the story of Kitty Genovese ? She was a woman who was brutally stabbed to death nearby her New York apartment by a lunatic assailant. She was attacked by the man on three separate occasions during a time span of 35 minutes, all the while crying and screaming for help. Police reports declared that over 38 people heard or saw the attack—which occurred out in public—and no one intervened or even bothered to call police until AFTER the third attack when Kitty was already dead and the man fled the scene. Do you know when this incident occurred? 1964. But judging from the subject matter, you would think it just happened the other day. In fact, if it did happen today, I can’t promise you that someone would’ve intervened and helped the poor woman out but I can wholeheartedly assure you without a doubt in my mind there would be live tweets, Facebook statuses and perhaps even footage of the murder captured on ...

A few days into Ramadan, your boy is checking in with a quick thought. At the midpoint of last night's Taraweeh prayer, which I like to describe as the "Taraweeh Halftime Show", the Imam spoke about the virtues of fasting. It was formulaic and typical (not that I'm complaining) but what stood out to me was him saying that your fasts will intercede for you on the day of judgment. My first reaction to that was: Whaaa? But once I gave it more thought, I realized that the Day of Judgment for everyone is going to go down like the most EPIC episode of Law and Order .  Now theres Qur'an verses which explicitly state that no person can intercede on behalf of someone else on the Day of Judgment. So essentially you're on your own. But when it comes to authentic and sound hadiths, you do have intercessors or defense attorneys on that Ultimate Court date. They just aren't your average joes like you or me.

Chances are before stumbling upon this blog, you may have recently seen some sort of pop up ad on some fat burning miracle pill or how you can get a six pack in 12 days. Or perhaps you saw a commercial on TV where Shaun T is telling you to get up off your fat bum and get ripped with the Insanity workout. Let's face it man, the world is obsessed with the way we look. It's the reason fitness centers are chock full of sweaty folks trying to sculpt themselves into their fantasy bodies and the reason why Chuck Norris is still on TV, pimping out Total Gym equipment. Everybody wants to be ripped, everyone wants to be toned, everyone wants to be SWOLE . Of course that's not totally a bad thing. It's good to be in peak physical condition. It's good for your overall health and wellness, it keeps you more active and gives you more energy, not to mention it does wonders for a person's self esteem when there's muscles bulging out of them every which way.

Can you believe it? The month of Shaban is here which means Ramadan is just around the corner. Now regardless of the fact that Ramadan is one of the most blessed months of the year and how it’s a chance for Muslims to cleanse ourselves of sins and get a spiritual boost, the emotions for its arrival are undoubtedly mixed. Don’t get me wrong, there is a great number of the faithful who are excited for Ramadan and are looking forward to the abundance of good the month contains. However, I’m sure there are folks out there dreading this month. They dread the dropkick their schedules receive, whether it be work/school or their regular eating pattern. They groan at the thought of starving all day, cutting out all the fun shenanigans they occupy themselves with on the daily and spending the nights assembled in the congregation lines at the crowded masajid for Tarawih prayer. The thought of listening to the Imam drone on as they stand with aching feet and full stomachs for an extra lo...

Hey gang. Back from another hiatus to bring you more of that PhilAsify you love so much. If you haven't already, please bookmark this page, share these blogs with your friends, like PhilAsify101 on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and do all the other social media hook ups so you can stay in the loop. *** "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty" --Prophet Muhammad Recently, I came across an excellent article on the popular news and opinion site Slate.com entitled "Marry Young" . What was more interesting than the headline was the sub heading that accompanied it: "I got married at 23. What are you all waiting for?" I was instantly hooked for the next 10 minutes. Washington, DC writer Julia Shaw started the column by speaking about how marriage--especially in today's society--is held off and procrastinated to the max. Whether it be lack of maturity, social status ...

Disclaimer: Please take note that this article is mainly for humorous purposes and should be taken lightly though there are some valid and true information in some instances. So, please do not get your halal panties in a bunch over these hacks. You know what I've been loving lately? Life hacks. These have been sweeping the internet recently and I can't get enough of them. For those who don't know what life hacks are they have been defined as a  "productivity trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life; in other words, anything that solves an everyday problem in a clever or non-obvious way might be called a life hack". There are plenty of life hacks lists posted on the internet which demonstrate a plethora of different neat tricks. For example, using a dustpan to fill a container that doesn't fit in a sink, take a picture of a friend holding something he wants to borrow so you won't...

Oh,you don't say? You mean to tell me that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew what he was talking about when he encouraged men to let their beards grow like nature intended? I got a good kick out of this article  from NewNowNext, an online magazine centered on pop culture, fashion and health. Apparently, sunnah beards do wonders for your skin and keep you looking haha, yes...younger, fresh-faced and handsome! Another score for the Bearded boys! Beards. Gentlemen, they’re not just for hipsters and the homeless any more. While both dead sexy and totally awesome, beards are also a boon to your overall health. Researchers discovered that men with beards and moustaches actually enjoy numerous benefits including, but not limited to, instant handsomeness. A study from the University of Southern Queensland, published in the  Radiation Protection Dosimetry  journal, found that beards block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, thereby slowing the aging process and reducing the risk of ...

Have you ever had one of those Jummah' s where you head over to the mosque, hear an excellent khutbah that revives your spirit and gives you a much needed iman boost, followed by being immersed in a wonderfully recited salat , only to exit the premises and have the entire experience nearly pissed away by some frustrating and infuriating incident? I've had one of those days recently.

All I have to say about this trailer is "It's ABOUT TIME!". Bringing the negative side of the mosques in America and their unwelcoming and anti-user friendly atmosphere is long overdue. I wholeheartedly support those who are making this interesting documentary and cannot wait to see it in it's entirety. At best, this video should be screened at every mosque across the USA, especially to all of those with prominent positions in their community mosque should watch and take note and make the necessary changes because this issue is make or break when it comes to progress in the US and changing the perceptions of Islam in many peoples eyes, both Muslim and non-Muslim.

Talk about inspirational and heartwarming! The award for "Random Acts of Kindess 2013" goes to: Dominic Giamo! One of my favorite and--in my opinion--one of the best hidden camera shows on TV right now "What Would You Do?" aired this segment recently and showed that people can overlook stereotypes and preconceived notions and just be a good human being and neighbor.  You can watch the video below: For those who aren't familiar with "What Would You Do?" it's a popular program that's part of the ABC News Primetime series. The premise of the show is essentially a social experiment where everyday situations are set up in front of unsuspecting citizens who's reactions are being recorded by hidden cameras. It's kind of like Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd but with less douchbaggery.  Usually there is an injustice happening or something that you just don't see everyday staged by actors. Ideally, the unsuspecting passerb...