“Be a part of history! Join us and the Guiness World Record” as we build the world’s biggest (42 foot) kabob known to man!”

My ego is a blindfold

Covering my sight.

You are The Light;

The raison d’etre for all Life.

I am helpless save for my hope in You.

Remove the blindfold from my vision.

My love, my heart and my life

All belong to You.

]]> http://meccastars.com/2013/06/18/dua/feed/ 0 making-ramadan-dua-1 meccastars making-ramadan-dua-1 http://meccastars.com/2013/06/14/mustafa-akyol-faith-versus-tradition-in-islam/ http://meccastars.com/2013/06/14/mustafa-akyol-faith-versus-tradition-in-islam/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:26:54 +0000 Saleem Safdar http://meccastars.com/?p=1202 ]]> Dear Friends,

This is our 100th post.  Thank you very much for being wonderfully patient companions on this journey.

Sincerely,

The MeccaStars Team

When I heard that the multi-talented Idris Abdul Zahir was involved in a project aimed at dispelling stereotypes about Muslims, I knew it was worth paying attention to.  Idris Abdul Zahir is a musician and producer, and has been involved in many creative projects and is running his own company, Nur Media.

Please take a moment to check out his compelling videos for which Nur Media won a grant at http://www.youtube.com/user/AskAMuslimSeries .

As a fitness enthusiast and gym junkie (rat), a lot of people come and ask me, “What workout routine/exercises should I follow?”, or “How much protein should I eat in a day”, “How do I get big?”, and the list goes on.  I reply with some simple questions, and quickly realize that the person is not on the right track.  I have been seriously working out through various methods for 15 years, and have been on all sides of the spectrum in terms of physique.

In this article, I will articulate a few things I have learned over the years in order to help you succeed in your fitness goals.  (Mainly geared from the male point of view, however females can learn from this as well)

1. What are your fitness goals?

This is a simple question, but so many people fail to clearly articulate this.  Many people “want to get bigger and cut”, but “don’t want to get too big.”  First off, you will not “get too big”, it’s not that easy.  But in all seriousness, you need to first assess where you currently are at, and where you want to be.  Do you want to be able to run 5 miles?  Do you want to gain muscle mass?  Do you want to lose weight?  Beginners usually are in need a mix of these things, but identifying what your goals are is the first step.  Think of it as your end product.  How can you get somewhere when you don’t have a goal?

2.  Creating a plan

You MUST have a plan in order to meet your goals.  The plan must be maintainable and realistic.  I suggest speaking to a personal trainer to create a plan based on your goals.  Your plan should include both a strength/weight training portion, cardiovascular portion, as well as diet portion.  Each of these ingredients will be critical for success.

3.  Executing your plan

#1 and #2 are easy, so far you didn’t have to do anything.  Now is the hard part.  You must follow your plan, to the “T”.  Below are some areas where I have seen people fail because of lack of execution.

• Motivation:  Plain and simple, you have to be motivated.  Just like anything in life, you have to be determined to succeed, at all costs.  Motivation is the engine that will keep you pushing and going in order to reach your goals, I cannot teach you motivation, you need to have it.  Everything else is useless otherwise.
• Consistency:  Many people fail to see results because they are inconsistent in their execution.  For example, some may skip cardio days, or eat meals that are not part of the program, which can significantly hinder progress.  This is a snowball affect, which delays or slows progress.  The person then feels less motivated based on the lack of results.
• Discipline:  You will run into obstacles in trying to reach your goals.  Pizza, chicken wings, and cheese steaks may come your way, you need to be disciplined enough to resist.  Your work out must take priority over television.
• Intensity:  In order to get results in the gym, you need to have high energy and intensity.  You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. 
• Tracking:  How will you know if you are progressing if you are not tracking progress to your goal?  You must put check points in place to keep you motivated, and also see what is working and what isn’t.

         4. Long term sustainability

If you are able to succeed and meet your goals, you need to develop a plan to sustain the successes you have achieved.  Fitness is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.  Developing a long term plan after you have met your objectives is critical to a healthy life.

Above is some general advice on how you should be approaching your fitness goals.  Notice how I didn’t mention anything about what weights to use, how much cardio you should be doing, and what you should be eating.  One should understand the above before embarking on your journey.  Without it, you won’t have the base to succeed.

Caution: Video may be disturbing to children.

Reblogged from GOATMILK: An intellectual playground edited by Wajahat Ali:

Soon after a recent tornado devastated Oklahoma, ICNA Relief was on the ground setting up to help the victims.  Named the New Yorker of The Week by NY Channel NY1 for its outstanding service after Hurricane Sandy, ICNA Relief is again ready to respond.  Please read more about ICNA Relief’s efforts here and donate here.

Islamic Relief, another well established charitable organization, has been on the ground working in Oklahoma as well.  You can read about Islamic Relief’s efforts here.  Islamic Relief is working in shelters, distributing aid and first aid, and conducting disaster assessment.  Please support Islamic Relief’s efforts by donating here.

I enjoy learning from interesting people.  One such person is my friend, Obaid Siddiqui.  He always has an unique and interesting perspective on the happenings of the world.  His unique point of view has led him to a career in marketing and writing, with an emphasis on journalism.

He is making a name for himself at a relatively young age and has a bright future ahead of him.  He has been featured in and contributed to “All-American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim.”  Also, he has conducted extensive research and work that has culminated in his publication in magazines such as Illume Magazine.

Most recently, Obaid has published an article on the fallout from the Boston Marathon bombings for AltMuslim on Patheos, which can be read here.  Keep an eye out for this writer as he is making his mark on the world in a big way!