APRIL 2022 / VOLUME 28 / ISSUE I.5
BEHIND THE PAGES The Muslim Voice Magazine (TMV)
The Muslim Voice (TMV) is a non-profit magazine published by the Muslim Students Association at the University of Toronto. All the writing, artwork, and editing is done independently by the student led team of TMV. We have been publishing a children’s magazine, dubbed The Petite Edition for the past four years. This year, we decided to focus on creating a holistic magazine, aimed towards children to learn about their faith, community, and history. In this issue, we touch on many different topics relevant to children today, ranging from physical issues to Islamic knowledge and morals. The stories and activities have been carefully curated to present children with messages of growth, improvement, and love to help them develop a healthy and close relationship with Islam. Throughout the magazine there are various activities including a word association game and word puzzles. We hope that this issue serves as a companion to any child who navigates the tumultuous world around us with hope and compassion. With love, The Muslim Voice Magazine Team Muslim Students’ Association The Muslim Students’ Association at the University of Toronto was founded in 1965 and was the first MSA to be established in Canada. We serve and represent the Muslim students at the university. What started as a club to facilitate prayer for some 20 students has now grown to a club that is at the forefront of social justice, community service, faith practices, academic support and campus social life. One of the MSA’s community lead projects is the publishing of The Muslim Voice Magazine Petite Edition. This, along with all the other important work we do can only be done through the help of the donations from the Muslim Community. If you would like to donate to the MSA please check our website for more information: www.uoftmsa.com
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CONTENTS "Suns Out? Get Out." Staying Active During 04 the Summer Break Little Zuzu's Baking Corner
06
Yusuf's Story: A guide on how to live
09
Word Association
12
Word Search
14
Chuckle Corner
15
Editor-in-Chief: Zoya Merchant Editing Lead: Talha Chaudhry Senior Editor: Erfan Ehsan
Edited By: Rawan Aladdin Soundous Louardiane Firdous Qasim Ayah Abu-Hijleh Zarfishan Qureshi
Written By: Rasoul Kailani Easa Khan Soundous Louardiane Madiha Syed
Illustrated By: Nuha Wani Maarya Zafar Cover Art By: Maarya Zafar
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“Suns Out? Get Out.”
Staying Active During the Summer Break
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W
ith the summer break slowly approaching, it can be exciting to begin to plan your summer activities. While hobbies like video games, drawing, model-building, writing, watching movies, and reading are all fun, they don’t require a lot of movement. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing since they work the mind and can be relaxing, but you must remember that too much sitting can be harmful for your body and mind. You should try to stay active during the break to keep your body healthy. Your bodies and mind are growing, so whatever habits you develop now may affect your life in the future. People who are always sitting and slouching can develop bad posture. Sitting is bad for your lower back and your hips because it causes them to tighten up and that makes them easily injured by seemingly simple activities. Another effect of being a ‘couch potato’ is that your internal organs don’t get any sort of cleansing either. Staying active works your heart and your lungs, keeping them strong and ensuring they continue to do their jobs. Sweating also helps release some of the bad chemicals that have begun to pile up from all the summer snacks, like popsicles. In a hadith narrated by Ar-Rafi’i, “The Messenger of God (PBUH) said, ‘Stay clean as best you can, for God established Islam upon cleanliness.” While this hadith technically talks about outer purity, it can’t hurt to clean out your insides by staying active for the sake of God, either! Staying active also works your body and makes you tired. There are two effects of sitting around all day. One, you can feel tired all the time because your body thinks it doesn’t need to use as much energy anymore. Two, you may feel restless because your body has energy that needs to be used. Physical activity helps maintain a balance by demanding energy from your body and using up any extra. That way, you’ll be able to focus better on more mindful tasks, and the activity tires your body out enough so that you’re able to get a full night's rest. In a hadith narrated by Ad-Daylami, “The Messenger of God (PBUH) said, ‘God loves to see His servant exhausted after an honest day’s work.’” In this case, an honest day’s play. The Prophet (PBUH) also encouraged a healthy lifestyle. He was a very active man. He could swim, ride horses, shoot arrows, and wrestle men almost twice his size! If you stay active for the sake of Allah, or to follow the sunnah, then any of your outdoor play can be considered worship! Now, how best to stay active? Well, it can be anything really. Intense sports like basketball, volleyball, and hockey are great because they help improve your hand-eye coordination and your stamina. They are also team sports, so by participating in them, you can meet new people. Less intense activities like yoga, hiking, or walking are good for the mind as you get to experience nature, help limber your joints, and similarly improve your stamina. Make sure that whatever activity you choose is safe and, most importantly, fun! There’s no point spending your free time doing things that aren’t fun to you. So, this summer, no matter what you choose to do, be sure to get outside, soak in some sun rays, stay active, and have fun! For some last words of encouragement, let me share my family’s saying that got my siblings and I out the door: “if the sun’s out, get out.” APRIL 2022 | THE MUSLIM VOICE PETITE EDITION | 5
Little Zuzu’s Baking Corner Hi everyone! My name is Madiha and I love eating baked goodies. If I could, I would eat yummy cookies and cakes all day every day. Except, I have one problem - I do not bake nor do I have the patience for it. That’s why I have my little sister Zuhaa! She makes all the goodies in the house and I eat all the goodies in the house. Today, I wanted to share recipes that she likes making that will be easy for you all to make with some adults around to supervise.
Who is Zuhaa?
Hi, I’m Zuhaa. I’m 12 years old and I love to bake. I like science, arts, and math. I started to bake with my other, better, older sister, and when I got older, I started to bake by myself. I love to eat delicious food with my family. We all come together and enjoy the food, and I get to lick the bowl, which is my favourite part. My sister, Madiha, annoys me when I am baking. She tries to eat and put stuff in the batter. She is very loud and frustrating. I hope you enjoy these recipes!
Lava Cake Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 6 cakes INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter unsalted 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate ½ tsp instant coffee powder 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 1 pinch salt 2 tbsp flour
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INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Butter your ramekins. 2. Preheat your oven to 450 °C degrees 3. Melt the butter with the chocolate in the microwave with 15 second intervals. Whisk until smooth 4. Add the coffee powder, whisk until incorporated 5. Using an electric mixer, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks (2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks), sugar and salt until it thickens and the colour turns pale 6. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture 7. Fold in your flour to the chocolate mixture until just combined 8. Add flour to your buttered ramekins 9. Pour the batter into the ramekins and bake at 450°C for 6-8 minutes, the center should be gooey 10. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for a minute 11. Serve with sifted icing sugar, ice cream and berries
Chocolate chip cookies Cook time:10 minutes Servings: 24 cookies INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °C 2. Using an electric mixer, mix the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until all the ingredients are smooth 3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time 4. Add in the vanilla. 5. Add baking soda and salt into the batter 6. Slowly add in the flour until it is all combined 7. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips 8. Add parchment paper or a silicone cooking pad to your trays 9. Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, plop the cookie dough on the tray. Remember, the cookies will spread, so give an inch of space between the cookies 10. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned *Baking Tip: Refrigerate your cookie dough for at least an hour
(up to 48 hours), let thaw for 10 minutes before scooping.
Apple Crisp Cook Time: 25 minutes Servings: 12 pieces
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °C 2. Place the sliced apples in a baking pan. INGREDIENTS: 3. In a separate bowl mix white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tsp 6-8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced ground cinnamon together 1 cup white sugar 4. Sprinkle evenly over the apples. 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 5. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon baking soda and melted butter and remaining cinnamon, this should 1 cup quick-cooking oats make a dry crumbly mixture 1 cup all-purpose flour 6. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. 1 cup packed brown sugar 7. Bake at 350 °C for about 45 minutes. ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda *Baking Tip: Add some lemon juice to the apple so they don’t ½ cup butter, melted brown * Apple recommendation: for a more tart apple crisp, use Granny Smith apples. For a sweeter crisp, use Gala apples
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Sponsor an Orphan CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE FOR AS LOW AS $1/DAY Donate Online at www.icnareliefcanada.ca/orphan-sponsorship 8 | THE MUSLIM VOICE PETITE EDITION | APRIL 2022
Yusuf’s Story:
A guide on how to live A
ssalamu Alaikum brothers and sisters,
I assume most of you reading this are middle schoolers. You are at an important age. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, but you’re at a crossroads, for you are exiting childhood and meeting the working world and its wonders. High school, university, and then a career, Inshallah. If you apply yourself and keep your faith, your path will be filled with success and you will create great memories. But sometimes, you will run into obstacles and forks in the road. I hate to put it bluntly, but you may learn this the hard way. Do not worry though! It is a part of life, and I promise you that every person in history who has ever had a goal had to get through all sorts of leaps and bounds to achieve it. So, we know that trial and tribulation is a part of Allah’s (S.W.T) plan for us, and we know that we plan, but Allah ( S.W.T) is the best of planners. We then realize that the goal is not to avoid rough times, but to take them and allow them to make us stronger. When you develop this mentality, you get mentally stronger with every difficulty until you gain a true state of Sabr (patience), a calm mind, and peace with your surroundings. It’s like most video game campaigns. Every boss you fight is tougher, but every victory makes you stronger. Just as you can max out your level in the game, you can mold your character in real life too. In Islamic history and the Holy Quran, we have dozens of examples of legendary figures who weathered every storm imaginable but came out on top with firm resilience and unbreakable faith in Allah (S.W.T) The person I want to tell you about is our Prophet Yusuf A.S. He went through tragedies that we may consider unimaginable, the first of which was in his childhood when his jealous brothers threw him down a well. He was captured, taken from his homeland in Palestine and sold into slavery in Egypt. From there, he went through many ups and downs, before being reunited with his family, and becoming one of Egypt’s most important men. Now, I will share three important lessons from “the best of stories.”
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Yusuf (A.S). was bought by an important Egyptian official and lived lavishly. However, he faced a test. The owner’s wife noticed Yusuf’s good looks and tried to make him go astray. But he resisted her advances, for his master had treated him well, and more importantly, his love for Allah (S.W.T) trumped any worldly desire. Allah (S.W.T) has sent us his commands for a reason. It is the way of determining right and wrong and what actions are to be taken. Not only that, He has ordered that we follow them, and if we do so, there is a great reward. The Prophet Yusuf (A.S.) was put in a tricky situation,but still, he stuck to the laws of Allah (S.W.T). After this, the woman accused him of being the perpetrator. However, someone noticed that his shirt was ripped from the back, not the front, and he was found innocent. The moral here? Even when it seems like no one is supporting you, you should still stick to your faith, for Allah (S.W.T) protects against the oppressors. .After this incident, the woman brought her friends over to observe Yusuf’s beauty. Astonished, they cut themselves out of shock. She then said, as recounted in the 32nd verse of Surat Yusuf, “This is the one for whose love you criticized me! I did try to seduce him but he ‘firmly’ refused. And if he does not do what I order him to, he will certainly be imprisoned and ‘fully’ disgraced.” Following this. Yusuf (A. S) cried out to Allah, “My Lord! I would rather be in jail than do what they invite me to. And if You do not turn their cunning away from me, I might yield to them and fall into ignorance.” That is exactly what happened: Yusuf (A.S) was thrown in jail. It sounds ironic, but Yusuf (A.S) was willing to go to that length to avoid grave sin, Subhanallah. Every Prophet performed a miracle to prove their Prophethood, and Yusuf (A.S) was no exception. He was given the ability to interpret dreams and use them to predict the future. Despite all the hardship he had lived through, Yusuf (A.S) persevered. One day, Egypt’s King (this was before they were called Pharaohs) had a strange dream that needed interpreting. None of his esteemed advisors could make any sense of it. Then, Subhanallah, the former inmate remembered Yusuf’s (A.S) special skill, whereupon he accurately interpreted the dream. After this, Yusuf (A.S) told the King to ask his old master’s wife about the incident of the shirt, where she confessed that she had lied. Finally, Yusuf (A.S) was released from prison and was made the Vizier, which was the second highest position in Egypt.
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Reflecting upon Yusuf ’s (A.S) path to liberation, Allah declares in the 56th verse of Surat Yusuf, “This is how We established Yusuf in the land to settle wherever he pleased. We shower Our mercy on whoever We will, and We never discount the reward of the good-doers.” In spite of all the disappointment and sorrow, Yusuf (A.S) never lost faith in Allah and remained firm in his belief, even in prison, where he shared The Message with his inmates. Even when it may seem like there is no end in sight to suffering, Allah (S.W.T) eventually rewards those who maintain faith and continue to do good deeds. The verse above is proof of this! This is the second lesson. No matter how bleak everything seems, whether academically, socially, or spiritually, hold onto your hope, for there is always hope as long as Allah (S.W.T) is watching. Because of his trustworthiness, Yusuf (A.S) was put in charge of Egypt’s storehouses. At that time, a famine had hit Palestine, so his family traveled to Egypt to get food. They did not know that Yusuf (A.S) held a high position, so when his brothers got to the storehouse, Yusuf (A.S) told his brother Binyamin of his identity and not to worry about the older brother’s misdeeds, then slipped the King’s cup in his grain bag. This way, Binyamin would have to stay with Yusuf (A.S) and the others went home without him. Their father, Yaqub (A.S) made the brothers go back. When the brothers returned, he revealed himself to them, and they expressed their regret. Yusuf (A.S) chose the path of forgiveness over the path of rage. After this, Yusuf (A.S) was reunited with his brothers and parents. His father had gone blind from grief over the loss of his son, but when Yusuf (A.S) sent back his shirt with his brothers, who then rubbed it on his face, he regained his vision, Mashallah, he lived in prosperity until he died at the age of 110, surrounded by loved ones. Yusuf (A.S) would have been fine without forgiving and could have even gained revenge on his brothers. But he chose to do the right thing, and as a result, he was awarded with the greatest gift of all, his family. This is the third lesson. As Muslims, we must do our best not to hold grudges and maintain anger, for there is inner and outer peace that comes with forgiveness. My brothers and sisters, whenever you are going through a tough time and feel as though there is no end in sight, remember that Yusuf (A.S) suffered tremendously, but his unwavering devotion to Rab El Alaameen meant that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Allah (S.W.T) truly rewards the good-doers. Life is not always easy, but when it gets hard, I hope this glorious tale and its teachings inspire you to keep pushing and reaching for the stars.
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Word Association Associate the names of the following companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to the right description.
Asma bint Abi Bakr
Bilal ibn Rabah
Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib
Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Umar ibn al-Khattab
Umm Salama (Hind bint Abi Umayya)
Umm Ayman (Barakah bint Tha’alaba)
1. She was the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) first wife and mother of his four daughters. Also, she was the first one to believe in his prophetic mission and embrace Islam.
3. She was one of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s wives and a very influential, intelligent, and politically active woman. She is responsible for narrating many Hadiths (records about the Prophet (SAW)).
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Fatimah al-Zahra Salman al Farisi
Zayd ibn Haritha
2. The second caliph of Islam. He was known for his very pious and just nature, for which he earned the nickname “al-Farooq” (the one who distinguishes between right and wrong).
4. She was the youngest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the wife of Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA). Known to be a woman of strong faith and extreme patience.
5. He was a former slave who was greatly tortured by his polytheist master Umayyah ibn Khalaf for being Muslim. He had a beautiful voice and was chosen by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to be the first Muazzin (reciter of the Adhan).
7. She was an Abyssinian slave who helped raise the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He considered her to be a mother figure. She later married Zayd ibn Haritha (RA), with whom she had a son, Usama ibn Zayd (RA).
9. He was a slave in Khadija’s (RA) household before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) freed him and Islamically adopted him. He was one of the first people to accept Islam and served as a military commander in the early Muslim army.
6. She helped the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Abu Bakr (RA) when they hid in the cave of Thawr outside Mecca before migrating to Medina by bringing them food under the cover of darkness.
8. He was Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s paternal uncle and close companion and was martyred during the Battle of Uhud.
10. The first Persian convert to Islam, he played a crucial role during the Battle of the Trench by suggesting that the Muslims dig a great trench around the city of Medina to defend it against the attack planned by Quraysh and their disbelieving allies. This military tactic enabled the Muslims to win the battle.
6. Asma bint Abi Bakr 7. Umm Ayman (Barakah bint Tha’alaba) 2. Umar ibn al-Khattab 3. Umm Salama (Hind bint Abi Umayya) 8. Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib 9. Zayd ibn Haritha 4. Fatimah al-Zahra 10. Salman al Farisi 5. Bilal ibn Rabah 1. Khadija bint Khuwaylid
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Abu Bakr Aisha Ali Bilal Fatima
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Hafsa Hamza Khadija Muhammad (PBUH) Umar
Uthman Zaynab
CHUCKLE CORNER 1. Always say "Bismillah" before drinking water, especially since there are jinns in your cup... 2. What did the Muslim lettuce say to the Muslim cucumber? 3. Son: "Dad, why do all the prophets have the same last name?" Dad: "Really? what is it?" 4. What did the girl say when her hijab kept falling off?
1. Two hydro-jinns and one oxy-jinn!
3. Son: "Alayhi Salaam"
2. Let's make salat!
4. "I have to abuya a new one!"
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