Canadian National Exhibition

I was telling an American colleague, "I went to the Ex on the weekend, and had a really fun time." There was a minute's pause, and then he said, "And your wife ... er ... let you?!!"

I have to remember it's us Canadians who know what the Ex is! The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day Monday. With approximately 1.3 million visitors each year, the CNE is Canada’s largest annual fair and the seventh largest in North America.

And it's an oddity that despite living for almost two decades in Toronto, I have never been to the Ex. It's almost an annual tradition for Torontonians to visit the CNE, marking the end of summer and getting ready for the upcoming back-to-school and Fall season. So this summer, I decided to try out the Ex.

There's a huge fair like component (we desis call it mela) at the Ex. You have the regular games, guess your age, and other impress-your-date-and-win-a-stuffed-toy variety. And not to mention, FOOD.

In addition to the regular fare variety such as corn dogs, frieds, waffles and other calorie-unconscious dietary assaults, there's a whole separate building devoted to food. And of the many exotic foods present, some are totally outrageous. Behold!

Because, you know, a regular Mars bar was too healthy. *smile* No, I didn't try it - and this time there was also the chocolate covered fried chicken if you wanted some meat.

For the religious Muslim, CNE also had halal options. I had the Original 8 inch Philly Steak sandwich and it was delicious! It was great not to be limited to just fish or veggies at yet another North American festival.

In fact, there was yet another bonus for the Muslim visitor - prayer rooms!

While there was plenty of grass and other semi-private areas you *could* say your prayers in if you really wanted to, the fact that there were two (yes, two!) official prayer areas meant we didn't have to. I even prayed Jummah prayers at the CNE!

The CNE has free shows throughout the day on a variety of stuff (sometimes at the same time so you have to choose). We chose to see the Mirage Acrobats show, and boy was it mesmerizing!

I really liked the hologram / laser part - it was absolutely amazing how the performer seemed to control the light beams as if they were sticks in his hand. I am still trying to figure out how technically this was made possible. There was also a dog show where ordinary pooches entertained the audience with fun and innovative tricks.

A big component of the CNE is the Farm. They had a multitude of animals in that building, and even a whole barn of cows and sheep. There was a milking demonstration, as well as a sheep rearing demonstration.

 

There was also a bee hive on display, with the sides transparent so we could peer in and see the worker bees and the queen bee. It was something I never had seen before in my life, and was something really educational. Not to mention, they were selling fresh honey right there!

The Farm also had something that is a staple of big fairs across North America - butter sculptures. These were huge structures built entirely out of butter.

The crowds are legendary, but only on the weekends and evenings.

We had gone early on Friday, so it wasn't too crowded to begin with, but it got busier after 5 pm. Even then, the CNE is so huge that it's manageable, and you don't feel claustrophobic.

Another notable part of the CNE is the Garden Show and the sand sculptures. Plus, the epic Rock Balancer was on show again this year.

We actually got to see the last sand sculpture being built in front of us (the iconic scene from Star Wars) and it was something novel (and looked like fun!).

Of course, if you ask anyone to describe what's the most fun thing to do at the CNE, you would get one word - rides. And thus the rides.

Some of the rides were really crazy - like the Mach 3. If you do it, props to you.

Over all, it was a really fun experience at the CNE, and I look forward to making the Ex an annual tradition. If you want some tips: arrive as early in the day as you can, and be prepared for a lot of walking. Dress for the weather and drink plenty of fluids. Plan the shows you want to see, and over all, have fun!

Why (Many) Muslims Have a Problem With (Most) Feminists

Yes. This is a very general, stereotyping and broad article. Read "The Way Forward" at the end.

Feminists. They used to be a good thing. Even Muslim feminists. At one stage of my life, I was very sympathetic to Muslim feminists. And who couldn't be? The way many women were treated in the Muslim countries (sometimes due to a history of colonial oppression and sometimes due to a lack of proper Islamic scholarship) would make anyone a Muslim feminist. Women are not allowed to attend mosques (places in Bangladesh), not allowed to vote or drive (Saudi Arabia), suffer domestic abuse (Pakistan) and don't have access to education (Afghanistan). Then some of those misogynistic folks running the establishment there immigrated to the West and brought their cultural baggage dressed as Islam here. Walk into any mosque run by "uncles", and you will become a Muslim feminist. Where is the women's prayer area? Oh, the broom closet. Why don't you have women on your Shariah board? Why can't women see the imam? Etc. and etc.

And yet, something started to give. Despite the myriad of issues that could raise support for their cause, Muslim feminists started to become shunned by most Muslims. I too started to develop a distaste for them, their writings and their fights. Ultimately it cultivated in me writing on Why Muslim Feminists Don't Win. After more than a year of reflection, I have come to the following conclusions on why most Muslims, even (and especially) the educated, young and liberal ones from the West, don't care for (most) Muslim feminists.

Insulting Respected Scholars and Using Derogative Terms for Them

No scholar, no matter how educated, knowledgeable, experienced or intelligent, can be hundred percent correct all the time. Similarly, you will not find a scholar whose views you agree with completely all the time. We are all human and the one perfect human being, the final Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), lived more than 1400 years ago and is no more. It is possible that a scholar today may have mountains of knowledge in one area, but say a completely stupid thing in another field.

This does NOT negate his (or her) expertise in other areas or disregard a lifetime of work. However, when a typical Muslim feminist encounters a scholar whose views (particularly on women, on gender relations etc.) they disagree with - suddenly this scholar is a dinosaur, a relic, a fossil, or worse.

During the whole AbuEesaGate, many scholars took issue with what Abu Eesa had to say, while some others (sadly) defended him. Some Muslim Feminists cheered those scholars that rebuked Abu Eesa as "allies" and "men who get it". It would have been similarly possible to disagree with the scholars who defended Abu Eesa in a polite manner - yet if you peruse many Muslim feminist blogs (and comments), many of them had harsh words and resorted to name calling of these scholars, and completely disregarding their work in other fields or even according them the respect that any scholar deserves. Calling someone's fatwa or Facebook posts "misogynist" or "having a frat boy mentality" or even "disgusting" is fair; however when you go into insulting the scholar themselves by calling them "vultures", "predators" etc. or their work as "public excretions", then you have crossed a line.

Insulting the Sahabah (Companions) and the Hadith

Many Muslim feminists reserve special vitriol for the Companion Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). Not only did this man record the most hadith, he also narrated some sayings that sharply go against the Western mindset of many feminists. They love to quote Dr Abou El Fadl's position on Abu Hurairah, where the professor apparently says (in his book) that this Companion has transmitted sayings that "denigrate the moral status of women". Similarly, many of such feminists openly denounce hadith which rubs them the wrong way, or try to belittle the Companion that has narrated the hadith. Most Muslims revere the Companions. We do not hold them as a perfect specimen (they are humans after all) but they were the best generation. For 1200 of the 1400 years of Islamic history, their values and their teachings have caused Muslims to rule the world; it is inconceivable that for all these years Muslims were missing something that some feminist has suddenly discovered with her keen eye.

Picking and Choosing Islam

Islam is not a buffet that you pick the things you like and ignore what you don't. If you are a Muslim, you accept the religion as a whole. This goes back to the previous point where some feminists try to cherry pick hadith which suits them, and ignore or try to classify as "weak" the ones they hate. Here's a classic example - a hadith that is widely shared by many feminists.

When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was travelling on the road with his cousin, Al-Fadl ibn Abbas, a woman stopped him to ask him a question. The woman was very beautiful, and Al-Fadl couldn’t help but stare at her. Seeing this, Prophet Muhammad reached out his hand and turned his cousin’s face away. - Bukhari Volume 8, Book 74, Number 247

He didn’t tell the woman to cover her face.
He didn’t tell her to change her clothing.
He didn’t tell her that her appearance was too tempting or indecent.
He averted his cousin’s impolite stare instead.

Note the emphasis (and added conclusions) that is attached to this hadith. It implies that a woman can dress as she wants, and if a man stares it's his fault. Yet, this ignores the numerous times that the Prophet (pbuh) has asked women (and men) to dress modestly, to make sure their appearance isn't indecent, and so on. It's even there in the Quran when Allah talks about how one of the daughters of the old man of Madian approached Musa (peace be upon him) - "She walked shyly".

Subverting and Changing Islam

In the 1400 years of Islamic history, you will not find a single, reputable scholar or madhab that had women leading a mixed congregation prayer. Yet this is a common cause celebre for many radical Muslim feminists - despite it having zero support from the average Muslim. Similarly they now wish to change Quranic laws on inheritance, while ignoring their reasons, or polygamy, or the very fact that these laws are coming from God Himself. Apparently God failed to understand the changes society would be undertaking in the 21st century, nauzubillah! Similarly the hijab is targeted, or the fact that Allah put the responsibility of earning a family's income primarily on the men, and so on. They now openly cheer on a woman's staying single as long as she wants (neglecting the Islamic injunction to get married as soon as feasible), or a woman's choosing career over her family or kids (despite the immense Islamic rewards attached with motherhood).

Lack of Adaab

If you refer to my post on Love Inshallah where I expound on my view that Muslims (men and women) should marry young, and women who are delaying their marriage are harming themselves, it elicited a ton of responses and comments. Most of the negative comments came from women (and those who are the Muslim feminist type) and the majority of these resorted to name calling, insults, derogatory terms and so on. And I am hardly a good example to use - several sheikhs and scholars have felt the brunt of these insults by the supposedly "enlightened and liberated" women. Yes, disagree with our views, bring your own, but why the vitriol? One famous feminist writer (who does not have any scholarly credentials for analyzing hadith but writes about them all the time) wrote about why she felt "unmosqued". Then she posted a private message from someone who asked her to get educated on hadith before writing about it, and made fun of this man. And others (her supporters) joined in the insults and name calling. And then they wonder why the rest of the Ummah completely ignores them!

Associating With Known Islamophobes

This one hardly needs a write up.

The Way Forward

This article is of course very general and broad. There are tons of Muslim feminists who are doing good (and great work). Wood Turtle and the Salafi Feminist are two women whose writings and work I very much admire, even if I don't agree with their views at times. The very fact that Muslim women are suffering in Muslim countries (and in Western institutions run by sometimes chauvinistic men) is not up for debate - it's true, and it's happening. Here are some things that happen in some of the mosques in Toronto that I have personally witnessed:

1. The women's prayer area is shut off and there is a physical barrier which prevents them from seeing the imam, contrary to the sunnah.
2. When there is a big crowd (such as Eid), the women lose their prayer area and are relegated to the basement (or gym).
3. Many mosques have no women on their advisory committee.

The way forward has to involve dialogue and education, and the pace of change will be slow. For example, Toronto has two great mosques (the Islamic Institute of Toronto, and the Sayeda Khadija Centre) which not only has great facilities for women, but also follow the sunnah style of prayer where women share the space with men and can see the imam. They have access to the scholars. Imam Hamid Slimi is a fantastic, down-to-earth man who is a jewel in the Islamic scholarship of Toronto. They understand the community and understand the needs and requirements of the community, and the change is happening in an inclusive manner which listens to concerns from all affected stakeholders and the changes are in accordance with the classical understanding of Islamic law. By insulting the imams, denigrating hadith, rebuking men and trying to change traditional Islam to suit Western sensibilities, many Muslim feminists risk doing more harm than good.

7 Life Lessons From the World Cup 2014 Final

1. No matter how big or small the opponent, teamwork and team organization is crucial.
   
   It was frequently said of Germany, that while Portugal had Ronaldo, Brazil had Neymar and Argentina had Messi, the Germans had a team. Their greatest strength was their team where everyone was organized, and everyone pulled for everyone else with the team's objective the main focus.
   
   Brazil, arguably a far better team than Algeria or Argentina, were hammered by Brazil 7-1 because their team was disorganized and the defence was in shambles. Argentina held off the Germans for 113 minutes because their defence was highly organized and every member of the team knew, and did, their job.
2. Life gives you chances - take them and don't miss them. Regret is another word for opportunities missed.
   
   Argentina had the best chance of the game - Gonzalo Higuain was clean through with just the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to beat, and he shot wide. Captain Lionel Messi and Rodrigo Palacio later had golden chances to put the Albiceleste in front, but squandered their chances. While the Germans also fluffed their chances, they took the one that mattered.
3. Always have a Plan D.
   
   Germany's Plan A was to start with Sami Khedira. He was injured during the warm ups. Plan B was to put Cristoph Kramer in the playing 11, and he was injured early on in the game. Plan C was then how the Die Mannschaft played the game and there was no winner by the end of normal time. And then Plan D, substitute Mario Gotze came into effect.
4. Reputations count for nothing on the battle field. It's what you do, when you do, that matters.
   
   Messi is arguably the best player of the game at the club level. He is the best player of the current generation. He has been compared to Pele and Maradona in terms of achievements. Yet, on the day, it was a formerly relatively unknown Mario Gotze who scored. Today, Gotze is a world champion, and Messi will always remain a club level wonder.
5. Great leaders know how to give a great speech.
   
   It is a fact of history that rarely do you have great leaders who have not mastered the art of oratory. Great leaders of men know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. Just before putting Gotze on, the German coach Low called him a "miracle boy" and told him to "outshine Messi".
   
   "Show the world you are better than Lionel Messi." It was the right thing to say, and would spur the man on to score the most famous goal for Germany this World Cup.
6. Success requires long term planning.
   
   It was after Euro 2004, when Germany drew two matches (1-1 with Holland and 0-0 with Latvia) and lost their final game (1-2 to Czech Republic) that the seeds of 2014 were sown. Despite being the World Cup finalists in 2002, Germany had exited the Euro with no wins. A complete overhaul of the system began, with coach Rudi Voller resigning and Jurgen Klinsmann taking over. He sat with every stake holder (the football association, the domestic league and their coaches, the players and so on) and drew up an ambitious plan were Germany decided to play their attacking, fast paced, dynamic brand of play. Everyone needed to pull in the same direction, from the club level to the national level, and everyone needed to buy in.
   
   The results started to come soon after.
7. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
   
   Two teams (out of many) did that this World Cup. Brazil penned their hopes on Neymar, and he got injured in the quarter finals. Brazil was unceremoniously dumped out in the semi final. Argentina also designed their team around their star Messi, and he didn't get injured but shone during the tournament, and his team reached the finals. And yet, they both lost to the Germans, whose focus was the team. So strong was their bench that they could make a change to their starting eleven right before the game and it didn't affect their plans. The winning goal was scored by someone coming off from the bench, such was their reserve strength.

World Cup 2014 Final Predictions

And then there were two: Germany, and Argentina.

If you go back to my very first set of predictions, I had picked Argentina to win. They are now one match away from proving me right.

There are basically three reasons why Argentina should win.

1) Messi
2) Messi
3) Messi

There is absolutely no logical reason Germany should NOT win the cup. They have been the team of the tournament so far.

Best goalkeeper in the world? Neuer. Check.
Best midfield/defender in the world? Schweinsteiger. Check.
Best striker in the world? Mesut Ozil, Klose, Podolski, Muller. Check, check, check and check.
Best support cast in the world? Khedira. Hummels. Boateng. Check, check, and yes, check.

The team oozes class from every position, and their dynamic, fast, attacking tempo of football is easy on the eyes and effective on the score sheet. They took apart Brazil (oh, how they took apart Brazil!) as if they were playing a school team. Germany is the #2 ranked team (and #1, Spain, is out in the first round). There is absolutely no footballing reason why Germany shouldn't win the cup.

And yet, Messi.

I have been picking Argentina to win simply because of a gut feeling, and because I was listening to my heart, not my head. But there are a few logical reasons why it's not a slam dunk for Germany.

Messi. He draws 2-3 defenders to him immediately as he nears the goal, thus creating space for others. And the genius of the man is that he still finds a way to pass or create space for himself despite the extra attention. And his support cast hasn't been bad either.

There has been a quiet steely resolve to Argentina this time. They haven't gone behind in any match, and in no match at all did they ever look to be in trouble or under pressure. And crucially, luck has favoured them just when they needed it (the 90th minute Holland chance - their first - comes to mind). They seem to have genuinely gelled as a team, and want to win it not just for Messi, but for their country. Yet they haven't let their passion or emotions drive them crazy (unlike Brazil).

Thus. Prediction: Argentina.

 

Surah Nuh Illustrated Quran Book Now for Sale

Alhamdulillah.

I wanted to personally give you the good news that the illustrated book on Surah Nuh (Noah), with 102 pages containing over 150 high resolution images, built using Lego bricks and other toys, is now out for sale. Just in time to make the perfect Eid gift, this book contains:

• An early history of humanity, including how idol worship first took root in society.
• The complete story of the Prophethood of Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him).
• The story of his prayer to Allah, and the resulting Great Flood, and what happened after.
• Lessons that can be drawn from the life of this illustrious Messenger of Allah

The book also features a bonus comic by Cartoon Muslim, on how one can implement a lesson from Surah Nuh in today's modern life. Improvements over the previous book (Surah Kahf) include better construction of the toy dioramas, higher resolution images leading to better print quality, consistent light and brightness quality across images, and keeping the lessons and dialogues informative and yet child friendly.

Here are the links to order the book:

• Amazon (for readers in USA, Canada, Asia and Africa)
• Amazon (for UK readers)
• Amazon (for readers in France, Europe)
• Amazon (for readers in Germany, Europe)

Currently there is a sale on the book (regular price $22.99, but discounted on Amazon.com) available for early orders. I have ordered several times through Amazon.com, and remain a highly satisfied customer.

For those living in the Greater Toronto Area, if they wish they can place their order through me and it will cost them only $20 (no taxes, no shipping). To do that, please email me with your contact info so I can get in touch with you.

Here are some images from the book:

 

The last book (Surah Kahf) alongside the new book (Surah Nuh)

A sample of pages from inside the book

 



The comic by Cartoon Muslim

Please note: that in keeping with Islamic traditions, the face of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) is not shown. Certain scenes will show an outline of his character from the back, just like in the last book.

World Cup 2014 Semi Final Predictions

So at last, the cream has risen to the top, and we have our final 4 contenders still standing from a crowded field of 32. In a week, only one of them will have written their names into the annals of history.

Brazil vs. Germany
England superstar Gary Lineker once famously quipped, "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win." In hindsight, it was foolish to pick France to reverse a 30 year old history and beat Germany in their quarter final match. Reviewing that game, the Germans got an early goal and then never let France pick up their game. By making the semi final for the fourth time in a row (a record) the Germans have shown that they are a tournament team, they know how to last the distance. The question is, they have been here before. Can they go on to win?

Certainly Brazil are no shmucks. While many were in angst after their match with Chile, I wasn't perturbed. As I said, they dominated and could have had 4-1 on another day. Brazil simply blew away Columbia and only a period of sustained pressure at the end of the game whittled down the goal difference and made it a thrilling 2-1 game. However, and this is a big deal, they are without two of their best players. Neymar and Silva are out (with an injury and a suspension, respectively). With Brazil weakened when they meet in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, Germany will never have a better opportunity to end the Selecao's unbeaten run on home soil that extends back to August 2002. The 2002 World Cup final will also be on their minds, and what a better revenge than to send Brazil out of their own world cup.
Prediction: Germany

Argentina vs. Holland
Quite a few folks were fearful of a Belgian upset, but I had picked Argentina over Belgium as they have the better quality of players, and they have Messi. There's one more thing they had in the Belgium game, and that was defence. I was actually quite surprised to see Argentina comfortable with a 1-0 lead, and content to defend it. Sure, they looked dangerous on the break, but that was because Belgium was attacking them to equalize. The early goal ruined Belgium's game plan.

Holland. Wow! So nearly, oh so nearly, did Costa Rica have it! However, by substituting their goalie at the 120th minute and then winning the penalty kicks, Holland has sent out a big message. They are here to win, and even if you want to take it to tie breakers, they are ready and have a game plan. However, I really hate the way Robben dives. If for this, and no other reason, I want to see them defeated. Life is sometimes unjust in the way it rewards cheaters, and we all remember how Germany won in 1990 via a questionable penalty, but this has been a great world cup and it shouldn't really reward divers and cheaters.

Also, the Messi factor. With Christiano Ronaldo out, Zlatan Ibrahimovic not even here, Neymar out with injury, and Spain's constellation long out, it's Messi who remains and the stars are aligning for him to take Argentina to glory. He knows it, and this is his year.

Prediction: Argentina

Wow. In the case my predictions work out, we are going to see a repeat of the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals!

World Cup 2014 Quarter Final Predictions

I wasn't going to continue these predictions; after all there's only a few games left and teams are very hard to call now. However, I decided to finish what I started, and since the Round-of-16 was 7 correct 1 incorrect for me, I decided to see how accurate my quarter final picks would be.

Germany vs. France
This should be a cracker of a match. Both teams are playing well and both had hard fought victories over plucky African sides in the Round of 16. Germany (then West Germany) had a tough match with France in 1982, with France leading 3-1 before Germany equalizing and then winning on penalties. Four years later, another German victory. It's almost 30 years for France, and I think this time they will get it. Why? This world cup, Germans had been playing at the same level (an excellent level) but the French - when they needed to - they could raise their game a level up. Case in point: the last quarter of the Nigeria game.
Prediction: France

Brazil vs. Columbia
Another cracker in store. They had contrasting games in the Round of 16. Brazil sneaked through against Chile on penalties, while Columbia had a great game (or rather, their star James Rodriguez had a great game). However, I don't think Brazil was as bad as everyone is making them out to be. Against Chile, especially in extra time, Brazil could have easily won 4-1 on another day. They had a legitimate goal disallowed.
Prediction: Brazil

Argentina vs. Belgium
Now this is a hard pick. On one side, I support Argentina and want them to win. On another side, Belgium played a fantastic game against USA when on any other day they would have won 10-0. Both sides have a habit of getting late winners. Against Switzerland though, Argentina looked stale and out of ideas against a stubborn opponent, while Belgium never looked like they were in trouble. However, I am picking Argentina because a) they have players of better quality than Belgium and in a game where the style and tempo is the same the quality will come through and b) MESSI. Messi has played a part in each victory of Argentina so far. Will Argentina qualify for the semi-final after 24 long years? I think so.
Prediction: Argentina

Netherlands vs. Costa Rica
The Dutch has played the beautiful game in a beautiful manner for all of one and half game. Against Spain in their opening fixture, and against Australia for a bit. After that, it has been the same ol' Dutch - dirty, scrappy, diving, and somehow finding a way to win. Costa Rica has played attractive soccer so far, but definitely they begin to tire as the game goes on and of course, they lack the quality of the Dutch. However, given that Netherlands was 3 minutes away from being knocked out last time around, I am going to listen to my heart instead of my head and pick them.
Prediction: Costa Rica
 

World Cup 2014 Round of 16 Predictions

Wow, that went fast. It seemed it was just yesterday that the World Cup kicked off. And yes, this is the best World Cup ever. The initial 32 nations have played 48 matches each, and the cream has risen to the top. As the Round of 16 begins, I see I haven't done too bad on my initial predictions.  So, without further ado, here are my predictions as the knock-out stages begin.

Brazil vs. Chile
While Chile has knocked out Spain, it would be a surprise if Brazil was knocked out tomorrow (Sat) by Chile. Scolari, the Brazil coach, has said he didn't want to face Chile, but still ... this is Brazil, in Brazil. The last two times Chile reached the knock out stages, they lost. And guess who they lost to? Brazil.
Prediction: Brazil

Columbia vs. Uruguay
Uruguay likes to get their teeth into their opponents defense, but it has to be seen if their offense has any bite left with Luis Suarez's departure. Columbia has looked good so far, and I don't expect them to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This could be an ugly game, heading into tie breakers (where any thing can happen), but I think Columbia has the edge.
Prediction: Columbia

France vs. Nigeria
I would have loved Nigeria to win. They have the capability to win. They have the desire to win. But then, they do this. France, unlike last time, is a happier camp and has looked the more professional team. Besides, Karim Benzema is one of my favourite players.
Prediction: France

Germany vs. Algeria
Algeria has surprised many people by being here. It remains to be seen if they have the power to knock out the Germans. They will of course have the 1982 World Cup on their minds. However, the Germans got a victory out of those pesky Americans with a clinical performance. And they won't be underestimating Algeria this time around. I really hope Algeria can pull off a shocker, but this one should be a comfortable victory for the Germans.
Prediction: Germany

Mexico vs. Netherlands
This is a lot closer than people think. Yes, Holland has played well (vs. Spain and Australia), and played dirty (vs. Chile) and managed to win all their group matches. But Mexico's no slouch either, holding off a stubborn Brazil (with their goalie being the man of the match). However, Holland is a much better team than Brazil and they have two strikers in form as opposed to one. There's only so much a goalie can do. I would love for Mexico to win, but Holland should take this the ugly way.
Prediction: Holland

Costa Rica vs. Greece
The less said about Greece the better.
Prediction: Costa Rica

Argentina vs. Switzerland
Messi vs. Shaqiri. And I think this is Messi's year. The guy has won everything except the World Cup. The Swiss will go to an ultra defense mode but Messi will not make a mess of it.
Prediction: Argentina

Belgium vs. USA
Everyone's dark horses, Belgium, has come up against the surprise qualifier USA. In retrospect, it shouldn't be a surprise, the US are a pretty decent team with a great coach. However, Belgium has managed to find a way to win, 1 goal margin wins, against tough opponents. USA however is a class above Algeria and Korea. If they can avoid giving up an early goal, they will take this.
Prediction: USA

World Cup 2014 Group Stage Predictions

It seems it was just yesterday the 2010 World Cup (forever associated with the awful vuvuzela cacophony) ended, and here the World Cup 2014 begins in a couple of days. Without much ado, here are my group stages prediction. And yes, for what it's worth, I am predicting Argentina to win the World Cup.

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

It would be a huge shock if Brazil failed at the first hurdle and failed to qualify out of the group. They are many people's favourites to win the Cup, and in my view, good enough to top the group and go deep into the tournament. The much talked about home pressure is less of a liability when it comes to the group games, which are not knock-outs, so their home support (and its subtle effect on the referees), plus the fact they are simply a very good squad, will see Brazil win all their matches. The real battle in the group will be for second place, which should go to Mexico. Croatia is not the force it once was, and Cameroon (like many African teams) have a leaky defence. Mexico's grit and flair should see them qualify out of the group.

Prediction: Brazil, Mexico

Group B: Spain, Holland, Chile, Australia

Spain has been winning everything since the last World Cup. Zinedine Zidane is reputed to have once said, "the day Spain starts winning, they won't stop". Yet they didn't win the last Confederations Cup (which may not be a bad thing; the winner of the Confederations never wins the World Cup). Spain won the 2008 Euros, the 2010 World Cup, the 2012 Euros, and are one of the favourites for 2014 World Cup. Yet, in the group lies Holland, their opponent in the 2010 finals (and also exiting 2012 Euros in the group stages). Chile, the South American team playing in conditions familiar to them, are no slouch either. Australia, I reckon, will be beaten by all other three teams and are hopelessly outclassed. Spain's class should see them through, and I expect Chile to surprise everyone by being 2nd. Depending on results, they could even top the group, though that's stretching it far.

Predictions: Spain, Chile

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

This is a tough to call group as it's a bunch of similarly matched mediocre level teams. I will go out and say I hope Greece does NOT qualify - they play the most boring soccer by putting ten men behind the ball (which led them to win an Euro, believe it or not), so I hope they go out. Yet Greece almost qualified in 2010 (in a group that included Nigeria, South Korea and Argentina), and DID make it out of the group in 2012. So this is a tough call, but I expect Columbia to be aided by familiar South American conditions, and Japan to let their professionalism dictate tough matches against the Greek defence and Ivory Coast flair.

Predictions: Columbia, Japan

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

This is the group of death. Poor Costa Rica. They play the Group B's Australia role of this group. This is one group where I think the order of matches matter.

Uruguay - Costa Rice; victor: Uruguay

England - Italy; Tie.

England tied their last match with Italy, and have enough workmanlike qualities to tie them this time too. They also historically tie their first match (focus on not losing, and getting at least a share of the spoils). Italy, I expect, will also be not too unhappy with a tie.

Uruguay - England; victor: England by a goal.

Somehow England will find a way to win this match. Whether it's a last minute header or a penalty, they know they have to win this. At the worst, it will be a tie, but I am calling a win for the English.

Italy - Costa Rica; victor: Italy

Italy goes up in the group, but it all comes down to the last round of matches.

England - Costa Rica; victor: England

With the pressure off after a victory in the previous match, England will outclass Costa Rica, probably winning by a brace of goals (let me say 3-0). Even if the last match was a tie, they still have enough class to beat Costa Rica.

Italy - Uruguay; victor: Uruguay

Yes, this is the virtual knock out, and Uruguay is dirty enough to win.

Prediction: England, Uruguay

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

Yuck, what a group. Can we just pretend this group never happened? Honestly, this tells you where Canadian soccer is that we cannot go past Honduras.

Prediction: France, Switzerland.

Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Argentina will win this group. Unless there is a complete collapse of their football, they are going to win this group rather easily. None of the other team has one player who is equal to the worst Argentina player, and Argentina has probably the world's best club player (Messi) in their squad. I had always rated Messi as overrated for international football as he has not performed in previous World Cups, but this is his year. I always had a soft spot for Iran (ever since their 2-1 victory over USA in 1998 when I was in the Middle East where everyone supported them), but Iran is many levels below Nigeria and Bosnia. Honestly, it's hard to say which is the better of these two teams. I am going out on a limb and call it for Bosnia, just because their defence is the better one.

Prediction: Argentina, Bosnia

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

If there's a cricket world cup semis list, you can bet New Zealand will find a way to be on it. If it's a soccer semis list, somehow Germany is there. This is a team for which 2nd place is a disaster. I cannot see Germany NOT qualifying out of the group, so the first place in this group will be Germany. The fourth place should be the Americans, because a) Why the hell is Landon Donovan not in the squad, and b) they are Americans who pretend this is soccer and football is something else. Portugal is a one star steam and he (CR) is also coming back from an injury, so this makes for an interesting Ghana - Portugal clash. I am going against logic and supporting the underdog here, so I am picking Ghana.

Prediction: Germany, Ghana

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea

Another mediocre group. Belgium is the dark horse of many in this tournament, and I expect them to at least dominate this group. They should dominate this group, especially with players with names such as Hazard. The Russians should qualify as well, but the South Koreans are a talented bunch as well. I am going to favour the Koreans slightly as they might be more used to the heat and humidity, playing as they do in Asia.

Prediction: Belgium, South Korea

How Al Maghrib Blew It

It is the situation every organization dreads. Some important executive within the company, or a high profile representative, makes a misogynistic, sexist, crude joke and an indefensible statement. The resulting reaction then goes viral, dragging the company's name down with it. Pressure grows on the organization to do "something" and to clarify where they stand.

In those cases, as a company you have two choices. You either move immediately, sharply distancing yourself from the  offending statements while at the same time appropriately disciplining your employee, and keep yourself accountable. It is an opportunity to prove yourself in the limelight, to demonstrate your integrity and to keep yourself accountable.

Or you try to hide and hope the situation blows away. You can issue a half non-apology or even fight back and defend the speaker, calling those who pointed out the rampant sexism and misogyny names and insults. There will be no sanction of your employee. It implicitly sends out a signal that such statements and jokes are appropriate, fit the company culture and that the criticism of your organization is actually correct.

Al Maghrib Institute, a widely respected association of sheikhs who teach Islamic courses throughout the world, found itself amidst such a dilemma on the weekend. Abu Eesa, one of their sheikhs, posted the following on twitter and Facebook.

 

If this was a "joke", it was retweeted by many of his followers. I thought at first someone pasted the photo of the sheikh as a false allegation - I was dumbfounded to see it was an actual post by him! And his twitter had a series of other posts.

 Joking about women was bad enough. The second twitter plays to the stereotype that women are bad drivers. The third one where talks about ""stick that in your oven and cook it"" is a dismissive mentality that some men have about women. These tweets were bad enough. However, a post soon surfaced about where he "jokes" about raping women.

No matter what the context, you just can't joke about raping women! Especially, AS A SHEIKH and ISLAMIC SCHOLAR, you cannot be giving out fatwas lightly or in jest! AND especially fatwas that says go ahead and rape! (I am ignoring the disgusting FGM mention here).

Of course, women did not keep quiet. And neither did many men. And the resulting outrage resulted in even more non-apology posts by our "sheikh".

 

Now this was high time Al Maghrib stepped in. Sheikh Abu Eesa is part of Al Maghrib Institute and their good name was being sullied and dragged through the mud by association. For a long time, despite calls for a reaction, their twitter post remained silent. Ironically, the last post was actually a tweet about a Sheikh Abu Eesa course.

 

Finally, there was a post.

 

Yes, we now know that Al Maghrib celebrated International Women's Day by talking about Muslim women who are our role models. This could have been a good first step, but it's still talk. Sheikh Abu Eesa made fun of International Women's Day, which Al Maghrib purportedly respects. The important question remains: what about Sheikh Abu Eesa and his comments?

 

Sheikh Waleed Basyouni of Al Maghrib Institute then posted on facebook.

 

This was a cop-out. It did not do any of the things a good response should have done. There was
a) no acknowledgement of guilt
b) no acknowledgement of hurt caused
c) no discipline or sanction of the guilty person
d) no condemnation of the offending statements

Instead, we saw the first signs of a fight back. He said he hates taking a statement out of context or blowing a joke out of proportion. Sorry sheikh, I respect your knowledge and your ilm, but even a man of limited knowledge like me understands that joking about raping women, female genital mutilation or stereotyping women is completely unacceptable. Had Sheikh Abu Eesa worked in any normal corporation in the West, these would be firing offenses.

And then Sheikh Yasir Qadhi, a sheikh whose knowledge I benefit greatly from, and whose seerah lectures are extremely detailed, posted an absolutely shocking facebook post.

Note, there was no reference to Sheikh Abu Eesa or his comments or the whole fiasco in the post. I actually sent him a tweet asking him to clarify what he is talking about. With no response, and given the nature of his tweet, the timing, and his recent endorsement of Sheikh Abu Eesa's Syria fatwa, I can only assume this tweet (and Facebook post) is about the current situation. And therein lies the problem.

Sheikh Abu Eesa is compared to a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who made a mistake, and those criticizing him are being compared to the enemies of Allah, the Quraish, who plotted to kill and assassinate the Prophet and wipe out the Muslims (i.e. a bigger mistake). So, if you found the tweets of Sheikh Abu Eesa misogynistic, sexist and offensive, guess what, you are an enemy of Allah. The Sheikh's sexists tweets - yes, they were bad, but you, by complaining about it, made a bigger faux pa and sin!

UPDATED: As of right now (1040 am Tuesday), there is still no post apologizing for his actions by either Sheikh Abu Eesa or Al Maghrib Institute. In fact, Sheikh Abu Eesa seems to have taken delight at the outrage and his non-apology post on facebook is amazingly even more vile.

This was a chance for Al Maghrib to demonstrate that such sexist and anti-women attitudes have no place in Islam and gets no encouragement from educated, Western scholars. Instead, they seem to have closed ranks to defend Sheikh Abu Eesa and call out anyone who finds his "jokes" offensive.

SOMETHING ABOUT ME: I am not what you would call a feminist. I am a guy who is of the opinion that a woman CANNOT lead prayers in a mixed congregation, and I do not think a non-mahram woman and a man should stand beside each other and pray. This is a classical, orthodox position held by the mainstream Muslim body. I think Amina Wadud is very much in the wrong. I agree completely with Allah's orders in the Quran regarding inheritance (of course, special circumstances can be evaluated by a reputed and learned scholar on a case-by-case basis). My post where I encourage Muslims to get married early by the age of 24 was hated by many feminists who called me (and my family) all types of names. I brush off their insults because a man calling to Allah's way will be insulted like Musa (pbuh) was insulted.

Yet. the truth is the truth, and the truth is that Sheikh Abu Eesa's statements crossed a line and he should have been sanctioned. I am not going to call for his firing and did not join the #fireAbuEesa hashtag because I don't like to knock a man's livelihood. He could have been given sensitivity training and taught the importance of moderating what you say as a public figure and a religious leader. Instead, I have been lumped into a "feminazi" camp by Sheikh Abu Eesa and a "Quraish" camp by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi and a "blown out of proportion" camp by Al Maghrib Institute while the sheikhs close ranks around one of their own and permit a frat boy mentality amongst the so-called premier religious educational institute in the West.

Such an act only harms Islam, ya shuyookh. Even a man of limited knowledge like me can see that, so why can't you all?

MORE LINKS ON THIS ISSUE:

• Wa'Mutasima!

UPDATE:

• Al Maghrib Statement on the controversy
• Abu Eesa apology to men, women and jinn
• Yasir Qadhi's later MM blog post on the controversy

7 Irritating Things Brown Uncles Say To Slightly Heavier Younger People

Now, I am not exactly Brad Pitt. And I also don't have a six pack (well technically I do, but it's not showing up). And I am not also exactly in shape (unless you count cutish-oval as a shape).

However, I don't also need 2 seats on a bus nor do I need to wear a thobe ala Homer Simpson style to hide my pounds. I am somewhere at that happy stage where I don't eat all the time, but when I am hungry, and I go to the gym or work out when I want to, not because I have to post about it on Facebook.

However, tell that to brown uncles, who all think they are certified personal physical trainers (despite the fact that some of them wouldn't last 1 lap at the pool). Here's some oh-no-you-just-didn't-say-that things that brown uncles say to younger brown men that they would never say to a white guy. And not just brown uncles. Cousins. "Well-wishers". Co-workers. This is to all of you.

1. You seemed to have gained some weight.

Tumi to ektu mota hoye geso.

Oh gee! Seriously! OMG! I didn't notice! I mean, the jeans I bought five years ago don't fit anymore (and that I kept out of some morbid hope that I would go back to five sizes), but I was so blaming the washing machine and the recently cold weather for shrinking my clothes. Thank you so much for this revelation! I mean, I didn't know AT ALL that I am not exactly in shape since 1990 but now I do!

And what do you mean seem? Don't you trust your eyes?

2. You know, you should join the gym.

No way! Really?!! No I totally didn't think of that one.... thank you for suggesting something so earth shattering!!! Btw, I am assuming you are going to foot my $55/month plan, and personal trainer costs ... ? Hello? BTW have you seen your wife, the Brown Aunty? Also known as The Bus?

3. Wow, 2 glasses of Coke!

Ei boyoshe ektu control dorkar.

Hey! No one really NEEDS that extra glass of Coke (or even that first glass) but you know what. I am going to drink it ANYWAYS because Goddamnit it's refreshing and I don't care how many chain letters you forward about how Coke can dissolve the Great Wall of China or firefighters use it to clean their hoses. It's Coke and I WANT IT.

4. Have you lost weight?
Either you are suffering from severe eye sight issues, or dementia, or you are a pathological liar. Just. Please. Stop commenting on other people's weight. Just don't.

5. You’d look better if you were thinner.

Tumi jodi ektu chikon hoita tahole to hero lagta.

Hey, I have seen myself naked in the mirror, and I LOVE me. I am sure I could look much better but hey, I could also have scared small children. Which I don't, just FYI. So, yeah, whatever. Someday we all will die and for sure we will get thinner after that. Don't know about the looks though. Speaking of morbid things ...

6. I heard the other day a 30 year old complete healthy and fit man had a heart attack!

That's good, as I am definitely not 30 years old any more ...

7. You should start eating healthy. How about sticking to salads only.

OMG someday I will punch the person who will say that to me! Jibone kokhono salad khao nai, and now they are a nutrition expert.

And as if Salad is the ONLY healthy food. Most brown uncles who say this are either eating horrible deep friend ground beef samosas themselves or are married to chiria aunties who have never been overweight a day in their lives and still think they look like Suchitra Sen after 2 tonnes of make up.

Wow.

I guess I should be happy I am not a girl. They get asked even weirder questions.