We Emplor you and Employ you?!

Beloveds I am writing this note due to we must not allow faulty thinking to limit us as individuals or as a community. We must seize every opportunity to improve ourselves and our community, in shaa Allah. We can't be afraid. We must not entertain fear. The Baitul Salaam Network, Inc. has been given a great opportunity to grow financially. We must not be afraid of asking for money, working hard for money and learning to manage money well. We must step out of our comfort zones to do this and grow as an organization, in shaa Allah. 

We were given an opportunity almost two years ago that has the potentional of bringing us hundreds of thousands per year, in shaa Allah. If we work it smart and be consistent, in shaa Allah. The recycling project has grown however it can do much more for us if we take it more seriously, in shaa Allah. We must treat it like a business for it to produce the yield we need. Right now we have enough drop off/drop box locations to bring us the money we need. We just need more people involved to make it grow. Right now we can pay people about $10-$11 dollars per hour to help us with this project, in shaa Allah. However we can't get people with trucks to assist. Now we have people who are not working in the Islamic community. Ummm! To me if you have a truck or van and you are not working you would want to help us with this project, in shaa Allah. Right now we are paying one person the same day he works and another one gets paid within 72 hours of working, in shaa Allah. We need some more people to help, in shaa Allah. We need people to call their family and friends and ask them to donate their clothes to us, in shaa Allah. 

I know when it comes to projects like this people don't believe it can really work so they don't talk about it, in shaa Allah. Also I am woman managing a project that usually is managed by men. Well, we have issues we need to discuss and resolve if we are going to move forward, in shaa Allah. We must get out of this narrow thinking about the ability of women to manage and lead (this includes many women). Please look to our Islamic history to see how women worked, managed and lead in many fields of endeavor. Just read the history of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and see how women were very active in the community at all levels. 

Now I ask who is on board? Who has a truck or van that can work fours to eight hours per day and help us expand the recycling project, in shaa Allah? Who is ready to step out of the comfort zone and be a part of true change and progress? If you are let me hear from you, in shaa Allah.

We have drop off locations/boxes inside and out side of I-285. Call 770-255-8500 and ask me about how you can earn $10-$11 per hour working to help bring in funds for the Baitul Salaam Network, Inc., in shaa Allah.

We Recycle 4 U!

Everyone who is supporting our recycling efforts here is an update. AS OF TODAY WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING BOOKS, SOFT OR HARD TOYS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED ALL OF THESE ITEMS THAT WE CAN AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE IN THE RECYCLING BUSINESS ACCEPTING THESE ITEMS ANY MORE. Please share! If you have scrap metal (aluminum, stainless steel, copper or iron) do not put them in the collection boxes call us for a separte pick up, in shaa Allah.

Drop Off Locations:

Masjid Ash Shurah

3905 Jonesboro Rd.

Atlanta, GA  30315

The Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam

560 Fayetteville Rd. SE

Atlanta, GA 30316

Masjid Al Momineen

837 N. Indian Creek Dr.

Clarkston, GA 

Roswell Community Masjid

345 Market Place 

Roswell, GA

Masjid Al Hedaya

968 Poweder Springs Rd.

Marietta, GA

Islamic Center of Marietta

1014 Powder Springs Rd.

Marietta, GA

Mohammed Schools (only during school session)

735 Fayetteville Rd. SE

Atlanta, GA

Masjid Al Farooq

442 14th Street

Atlanta, GA 30307

 

Maidah: Atlanta Food Consortium

2720 Sylvan Rd. SE

East Point, GA 30344

Soon to be in Lilburn, GA (about 10 days), in shaa Allah.

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Sisters Unite! Families Unite! Humanity Unite!

A lot of times women complain about how we are treated in the world. Most of our complaints are valid. I say look to the successful women of the world. The women men talk about positively and sometimes negatively. Look to the Oprah Winfrey's the local and national news commentators. The women who are doctors, attorneys, women in politics, engineering, science, agriculture, etc. Look to the women who are home with children teaching and nurturing them to become decent people. All of them have one thing in common. They did not wait on anyone to approve of them or what they were doing. They did not sit around complaining. They got busy helping themselves and others, in shaa Allah!

Many of these women are women of faith. They prayed to Allah (God) and then got busy. This is what a dear sister who is old enough to be my mom told me one day when I was whinning about something. "Sister cry if you must, take it to Allah (God) and then get up from the pray rug and get busy, real busy." I have learn to do just that very thing. Cry if I must, take it to Allah (God) and then get real busy.

We must do this women in general and Muslim women in particular. We have some silly non-sense going on in our communities as it pertains to women. We can continue to complain and do nothing. Or we can cry, take it to Allah (God) and get real busy. I pray we choose to get real busy. We can do anything good we choose to do with the help of Allah (God).

The Baitul Salaam Network, Inc.-International is an organization that is family centered and oriented. We have men, young people and children working with us daily. We cry about the ills in our community, take it to Allah (God) and then get real busy working on the solutions, in shaa Allah. Many times the solution begins with us. Change individuals for the better you will see a better world, in shaa Allah.

This is a formal invitation to all to join us around the globe in working on solutions to our problems. Join us today! Join Baitul Salaam Active Volunteers on Facebook, email us at haleem1@aol.com or call 770-255-8500. Let's get busy together, in shaa Allah.

Please share as often as possible!

International Purple Hijab and Kufi Day 2014 Baitul Salaam Network, Inc. Standing in Global Solidarity!

International Purple Hijab and Kufi Day 2014 Baitul Salaam Network, Inc.

This is an event that happens all over the world, in shaa Allah. We encourage people to take the time to reflect on why we have Muslim women, children and some men dying due to problems in their homes. Our organization has a verified list of about 50 Muslims (to include children) who have been lost due to violence in Muslim homes in the US. I know the number is not alarming to some however just think we have the Quran that clearly teaches against violence on all levels. If our homes are not safe what do we have left? Domestic Abuse is just another way the shayton attacks those who believe in Allah (God) and his messengers (Adam-Muhammad). It hurts productivity in our community. It causes problems in our Muslim schools. It hinders us in our propagation of Islam. One of the most ugly stereotypes is that Islam gives men the right to beat their wives, etc. We can stop this misconception today by showing that Muslims overall do not believe this way or act this way. As we develop the local program we will post more information, in shaa Allah. Start thinking about your program/activity. When you set your date, time and location send us the details so we can post it here and help you promote it, in shaa Allah. Men are invited to this event so wear your purple socks, jackets, ties, kufis, etc.

Dress to impress the World and bring much needed attention and awareness for true Peace in the home! Standing in Global Solidarity! 

Madina Institute U.S.A

4991 Burns Rd., Lilburn, Georgia 30047

https://www.facebook.com/events/225053337655476/

Intl. Purple Hijab and Kufi Pre-Event!

International Purple Hijab and Kufi Day pre-event February 14, 2014

This will be some get together for women only the night before the big day. Bring $5.00 with you so we can eat together. It will be informal and not expensive. The main event will be at the Madina Institute U.S.A in Lilburn Saturday, February 15, 11 am-3 pm, in shaa Allah.

Stand for PEACE in Global Solidarity!

Marie's at Ummat's From 6:pm-9:pm

566 Fayetteville Rd., Atlanta, Georgia 30316

BSN is having a Birthday!

17th Anniversary Baitul Salaam Network, Inc.

Our organization is approaching milestone in about three and half years (our 20th Anniversary and my retirement), in shaa Allah. I personally have a lot of work to do in getting ready. Our organization starts hosting conference calls September 12 that will help us find the people we need who are ready to step out front, in shaa Allah.

This work is too important to stop with me. We need to move forward after January 17, 2017 with new leadership that will build on the foundation built over the years and make this organization better, in shaa Allah.

We will celebrate 17 years of serving this community by going to dinner at Marie's we can order a huge plate and share it, in shaa Allah. Bring $5.00 with you and I will make sure it happens, in shaa Allah. Please RSVP so we can let them know what we are doing, in shaa Allah.

Thank you dearly & sincerely from the heart & home of peace!
https://www.facebook.com/events/519497671454489/

Self-Care Guide for Survivors

Self-Care Guide for Survivors

We wrote this brief self-care guide for people who have experienced trauma, especially rape and sexual assault. It suggests a number of practical ways to cope with the day-to-day stresses of being a survivor. Please take it, share it, and tailor it to your own needs. We hope it is helpful to you on your journey towards healing. 1.    Clear your space of the things that will trigger you. Toss their stuff out, Febreze rooms of their smell, delete pictures and emails and messages in your phone. Your trauma is real, and you don’t need external reminders of it.

2.    Exercise. Walk, run, stretch, swim, move. Do whatever you need to get your body to breathe. Massage tight places to release tension. Energy can get stuck there and you may not notice it for years. Moving your body allows it to talk to you, tell you what it needs. Be sure to listen.Eat right. Raw fruits and vegetables are your friends. Even if you don’t feel like eating, stay hydrated. Keeping physically healthy helps you hold on. You are precious, like water; the world cannot afford to lose even a single drop.

3.    Get familiar with your coping mechanisms. Make connections between your experiences of stress and drinking, or stress and drugs, or smoking, shopping, eating or not eating. Rate your coping mechanisms from good-for-you! to “bad” and “worst”. Aim to do more of the good, less of the bad, and eliminate those in the “worst” by substituting in better things. Don’t beat yourself up when you fall off, but have a plan in place for how to get back on.

4.    Stop blaming yourself. The story of your transition from victim to survivor is your vehicle to this. It will take some work but remember you are the protagonist, whoever hurt you is a bad person, and now you are writing how the story will end. If this method seems to wear thin, watch Staceyann Chin videos as often as you like to remind yourself that what happened to you was not your fault.

5.    You have already been through the war, but as in battle, it is good to know the difference between a strategy and a tactic. Strategies are long-range plans to reach an intended goal. First comes the goal. Make it a positive one in the present tense, for example, I love myself, so I take care of my body. The strategy might then be to practice loving yourself from one moment to the next.Tactics are the baby steps you take to make your strategy happen. A variety is needed for the many roads you’ll encounter. For example: when I feel like throwing up, I will leave the bathroom, take 5 deep breaths, sip peppermint tea. Or: when I want to self-harm, I will put on my jacket and go for a walk. Or: when I can’t stop crying, I will write in my journal. I will do yoga. I will call a friend. Use your tactics to support the hard work of day-to-day survival.

6.    Listen to yourself. You know more than you give yourself credit for: when to stop, when to seek help, when to steel yourself and push through the pain. Turn off the TV when the show starts to trigger you; leave the theatre when the film twists your insides into a knot. Speak your truth when a. you feel safe enough to do so, or b. when silence poses the greater danger. Force yourself to unplug from all digital devices when it is 3AM and you need to be up in the morning. Quiet the mind and open yourself to the sound of your inner voice. It is there to protect you, to keep you free, safe and out of harm’s way.

7.    When you meet anyone who doesn’t believe you, won’t listen to you, or reminds you of what happened, walk away. Don’t look back. Boundaries exist for a reason – use them. Don’t feel guilty for deleting their texts, not answering their calls, or responding to their mail. You owe them nothing. The future is a gift you should give to yourself. The occasion is imminent, and the best time is now.