Arriving at the Right Airport: Worshipping Allah the Right Way

Alhamdolillah, today was my first day of the Texas Dawah Convention. The facilities are impressive, but the best part of the day for me was reuniting with Al Maghrib Institute students I met in Chicago and New York, as well as other Muslims from all over the US. Sadly, all the lectures of Shaykh Yasser Birjas were cancelled today... [edited 12/24 -- Yesterday I was told by a convention volunteer that the Shaykh had been prevented from returning to the US from visiting his family abroad. Today I heard from an equally reliable source that the Shaykh had only had laryngitis. So I have edited the text to remove comments made when I only had one explanation. Still, there has been no definitive explanation for his absence.] Today's video is basically an audio lecture. Yasir Birjas gave this lecture -- no joke, that's the lecture's title -- and he was talking about a (different) trip to Houston, alhamdolillah. Here is the Google Video description: "Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left -- Shaytaan (al Anfaal, verse 7:17) Imagine, if you will, that after many years of hard work and saving money, you decide to take a vacation to somewhere nice and relaxing, somewhere with warm weather, beautiful sunsets, and fun galore. "You plan the vacation, getting the best online rates for flights and hotel, and planning out the different tourist attractions you'll visit. It's gonna be a great month. "The day finally arrives - you're packed up and ready to go. You drive to the airport and check in all your belongings. Paradise is just a few hours away and you couldn't be happier. "You're so happy, in fact, that you don't PAY ATTENTION to where you're going, and end up taking the wrong flight...To Antarctica...And there are no return flights for another 3 months. "How would you feel about something like that happening to you? Could it be possible that you'll be landing on Judgement Day at the wrong airport? Could all the years of past worship just go in vain? "This is lecture is for you if: 1. You have a hard time enjoying your ibaadah. 2. You're interested in increasing your Iman. 3. You're pretty sure you're going to Jannah."

Turning Muslim in Texas. People reverting to Islam in Texas.

In sha Allah, tomorrow is the start of the largest Muslim convention in Texas, the sixth annual Texas Dawah Convention at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Here's their web site: http://www.texasdawah.org/txdawah/ When I went to Chicago for the Al Maghrib Institute's History of the Khulufaa class in August, alhamdolillah, every person I met who learned I was from Texas asked about TDC. And when I went to New York for the Al Maghrib Institute Aqeedah 101 class, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi gave an unreserved endorsement of the convention calling it the finest Muslim gathering in North America, ma sha Allah. I have never been to TDC before, but I plan to go this year, in sha Allah. Here's a link to the program: http://www.texasdawah.org/txdawah/TDCVI_Schedule.pdf And here is a slice of Texas, recorded apparently by the BBC, and showing the strength of Dawah here, alhamdolillah. The Google Video description follows: "The documentary explores the lives of several Texan families. Muslim and Non Muslim, and their views about Islam and life in the West. "George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw. The Bible belt is transferring its allegiance to the Quran because, for many erstwhile Christians, believe it or not, the church is too liberal. "Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day and even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim burka. Islam, says Eric, is everything I wanted Christianity to be. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her sons conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: Then he will be a dynamic preacher. Eric says: 'Maybe some day she will embrace Islam.' "Please Visit http://www.turntoislam.com for more documentaries."