Al l
Vol. 3 Issue 2
A R O U ND
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
27 Sept 2006
Spiritually Speaking...
We may not always look to it, but our spirituality and religion play a significant role in our personal lives. This issue is dedicated to just that, bringing out the inner spirituality of our student
body. All Around brings to you a coverage of the various religious sides of CMU-Q, and the different attitudes students have regarding their personal beliefs. Read on for an insight into opinions, news and controversies which dominate the world of religion today.
Inside this issue...
STUDENT OPINION
Find out what motivates Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s student
body to believe in a higher
being.
See page 3
FASTING: NOT JUST
FOR MUSLIMS
Students of all religions observe fasting at different
times and in different ways.
Read about the similarities
and differences between several religious practices.
See page 4
ACCEPT THY
BROTHER
Mona Maher writes about
tolerance between religions
and cultures, something practiced daily at Carnegie Mellon’s Qatar campus
See page 6
LIVING THE CARNEGIE MELLON DREAM
One freshman’s take on his
first half semester at Carnegie Mellon. Md Shahriar
Haque tells it like it is for the
class of 2010.
See page 7
ENTERTAINMENT
Check out our new and improved entertainment section!
See page 8
Armed and dangerous? From left - Illiano Cervesato, Erik Helin and Kevin Lamb played Business Associates of Italian mob boss, Tony Giovanni.
ANNUAL MURDER MYSTERY DINNER:
A MAFIOSO HIT
By Mohammed Abo Zainab
Activities Coordinator
So…Murder Mystery Mafioso Wedding…Big Hit (Ha Ha)…Yeah, I think so. I’m
glad to have witnessed both sided therefore
being able to tell you how true that really is.
Everyone had a great time, I’m sure. The SG
members, one and all worked long and hard at
what I think was a fun experience planning,
organizing and preparing for this event.
Come Six O’clock everyone was look-
ing greater than ever. Some dressed to impress…others to kill (okay enough with the
play-on words). The venue was in Cornell’s
very own faculty lounge, and the setting was set
for a glamorous wedding reception. Caterers
were on standby, and our Mafia security was
alert and on-guard, checking everyone at the
door for any miscellaneous items.
Everyone was anxious and excited. I
was greeting everyone at the door…
...continued on page 5…
2
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
All Around’s
Directory
Meet the All Around Team
Executive Editor-in-Chief
NOOR AL-ATHIRAH
Managing Editor-in-Chief
YASMINE ABDELRAHMAN
Content Editor
NOORA AL-ANSARI
Copy Editors
AYSHA SIDDIQUE
WALID KHWAJA
Layout Editor
JINANNE TABRA
Assistant Layout
RANA EL SAKHAWY
Theme Editor
AMUN BASHIR
Business Manager
NOOR AL-JASSIM
Staff Writers
ROODA AL-NEAMA
MARIUM CHANDNA
DANA HADAN
MD SHAHRIAR HAQUE
MONA MAHER
MAHA OBAIDAN
Publishing Coordinator
ABDULLAH AL-OTHMAN
Photographer
YASSER KHAN
All Around is a bimonthly
student led newsletter.
It is Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s budding
student body voice. The
first issue was published
on the 28th of September
2004. A team of four students were successful in
publishing 8 issues in the
first year.
You may forward any contributions, enquiries,
questions, or suggestions to our official email address
<all-around@qatar.cmu.edu>
A Word from the Editorial Board
The All Around team wishes
you “Ramadan Kareem”. During this
holly month of self restraint, we really
see what we are capable of given the circumstances.
Food and sleep deprived, we
search for the means to be patient and
satisfied with what we have available.
This issue provides you with a
religious insight on how to connect with
your inner soul and open your mind to
different perspectives.
This time around, it is our
pleasure to welcome on board, David
Stanfield, All Around’s Advisor. Dave,
our new Director of Student Activities,
will assist us in managing and advising
issues when required. We are glad to
have him.
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
3
STUDENT OPINION: RELIGION BOUND
Assembled by Amun Bashir (Theme Editor)
This week’s question: What gives you the motivation to believe in a higher being?
Our staff at All Around are aware of the controversial nature of this question, but we are in fact keen to learn what gives our student
body that spiritual motivation to strengthen their faith and go that extra mile.
Marium Chandana: “Well,
frankly speaking, it's nothing but
the fact that every time I'm in an
unbelievably sticky situation, I do
somehow manage to get out of it,
and then as my mind and body get
stronger, so does my faith.”
Amer Obeidah: “What makes me
believe in God is just looking at the way everything was
created. I mean just look at the skies, Earth, universe, and
human beings.”
Salma Kayali: “Common sense and
logic drive my faith and my belief in
the existence of Allah. In my mind I
see the world as a great puzzle. Without a higher power it will be missing
most of its parts. Without Him/Her/It,
there is no justice at the end of the
game (life) and that doesn't make
sense because then we would be living randomly, and of our experience,
the world is anything but random.”
Wesam Said: “It's easy to doubt the
things that we never see, but exist.
What makes me so sure that there is a
God, is that there is no way that the
universe created itself. Even if it did,
HOW?! How would it make itself
before existence?”
Mona Maher: "If there wasn't a
higher being, there would be no hope and no purpose for
people to go on in their darkest hour, and that is one thing I
DO believe in."
Bayan Taha: “We can’t control life and
death, and we can’t control day and night.
That gives me the motivation to believe
that there is someone greater doing these
things for us.”
Hend Gedawy: “Simply because it is
beyond the human or any creature's ability to attain the soul in their bodies.”
Ibrahim Hassan: “One of the things
that pushes me, as well as many others,
to keep that belief is hope or actually
the need to have hope. When people
face difficulties in their lives, and when
it seems there is no way out, one would
look for some source of hope. We hope
for miracles, and God is the one responsible for these "miracles." Thus we
go to Him for help. I personally believe
that humans can never live without
hope as it is a part of our daily life.”
Mohammed Khan: “The fact that there
is no other realistic explanation for why
we're here, or why the universe exists.”
Rooda Al Naema: “Although I physically cannot see Him, the miracle that I
am still surviving in this crazy world
assures me that there is someone up there
looking out for me!”
Ramsey Ramadan: “Because I don’t believe in coincidences. Everything happens for a reason.”
Hicham Nedjari: “You can find an answer to any question you have and that is
very comforting. There is so much in the
world you can't really explain. Take gravity for instance. If you believe in God and
His word however, you can understand
why it exists.”
Next issue, in Student Opinion:
WHAT WAS THE HARDEST EXPERIENCE FOR
YOU DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN?
Whether your opinion is a deep, funny, nonchalant, thoughtful or aggressive one—Amun
Bashir is a sucker for your opinion. Forward
your thoughts to:
akbashir@qatar.cmu.edu
Your answer could feature in the next issue!
4
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
Fasting: Not just for Muslims
By Rooda Al Neama
Staff Writer
“All of man good deeds are for
himself, except fasting it is for Allah”
‘Prophet Mohammed’ (PBUH)
Once again Carnegie Mellon
Qatar will experience Ramadan as a
community. Whether you are fasting or
not, you will notice a difference in the
atmosphere around the university: all
the couches are occupied by napping
students who were up all night, the
Quran is now the top priority on people’s reading list, and as a community
we’re all more tolerant as it is the month
of tolerance.
Fasting exists in many religions, just around campus we can see
students who practice fasting within
their own religions. Nasser Rowhani, a
Junior Computer Science major, practices Bahá'í faith, where fasting takes
place from March 2nd to March 20th in
the Bahá'í month of Ala’.
As Muslims, those who are
Bahá'í fast from sunrise and break their
fast at sunset, where fasting is observed
to remind believers of their spiritual
being, and to assist them from abstaining from selfish desires.
Nasser comments saying:
“Fasting is a spiritual and cleansing
experience. It has been scientifically
proven how it benefits us physically.
The spiritual benefits are greater when
fasting as we abstain from many daily desires; allowing the believer to concentrate
on appreciation of faith, worship and expanding inner growth. Fasting acts as a
ladder that allows us to ascend closer to
our creator.”
Siddharth Arora a Freshman Business Administration major practices Hinduism. He states that “Hinduism is a religion founded on very strong fundamentals
and beliefs and represents a majority of the
population of India, a secular country.”
Hindus like Muslims follow a lunar calendar and thus they fast on specific days according to the lunar cycle, for example
when it is a full moon.
Siddharth also explains an important fasting ritual observed by Hindu
women called ‘Karwa Chauth’ saying,
“Quite a few Hindu ladies fast the entire
day until the moon comes up, and only
break their fast after they pray and see their
husband’s face. This is done for the longevity of their husband’s life”.
In Christianity, the believer fasts
40 days from animal products, this varies
according to which sect you belong to.
When asking Adib Abu Saba a
Christian Junior Computer Science major
about how he practiced fasting he said
“unfortunately, fasting has become outdated, most of the new generation in Lebanon don’t fast, while older generation such
as my parents and especially grandparents
take it very seriously.
“I personally fast sometimes if
I feel like it, but I feel that it isn’t necessary to fast for me to be a good Christian. I realize that fasting does allow
me to experience what Jesus went
through without food for 40 days, but I
do not believe God will punish me if I
eat chocolate for example throughout
lent.
“I would much rather tip a taxi
driver 20 extra Riyals rather than not eat
a certain product, but that’s just how I
feel I would be a better Christian.
Don’t tell my aunt or grandmother they
would kill me if they heard this!”
In Islam, Allah tells us in the
Quran to “fast like those who did before
us (Christians and Jews).” Fasting
helps us remember that we are all
equals, that we have to share and give
charity, be on good behavior, and gain
spiritual growth by doing what Allah
has asked from us.
Rasha Mkachar a Junior Business Administration major says
“personally speaking, I think fasting is
like an annual reminder that I can give
up the things I normally think I cant live
without such as music and other materialistic pleasures that waste my time
rather than benefit me. Fasting reminds
me of a religious purpose in my life that
I tend to forget whilst caught up in
every day practices.”
May Allah accept all of our
deeds and give us the strength to fast.
Iftar hosted in loving memory of Fahad Al-Jefairi
By Noor Al-Athirah
Executive Editor-In-Chief
Fahad was a significant figure in
Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s community. No
words can describe the void he left
through CMU-Q world. Although he
parted from us, many of us refuse to let
his memory fade away with time. Few of
us, though, were determined enough to
organize an event to honor and freshen all
his memories.
The first event in process is an
Iftar that will be held at the end of the first
week of Ramadan. The Student Affairs
team and a number of students are collaboratively working on it with intense
preparations taking place. This event is
different from any other. There is an emphasis on perfection as to ensure that the
event turns out to be one of the best events
ever organized.
The committee working on it was
very concerned about what to do for Fahad’s best interest. We spent a fair amount
of time thinking of his favorite activities,
and ways by which we could implement
few of these activities in a memorial specially dedicated to him. Therefore, we decided to have an Iftar for all those that love
and remember him. Charity donations will
be collected throughout the evening and all
returns will be distributed on the poor and
hungry, an activity he admirably mastered.
We are hoping his family, close
friends, and the CMU-Q community will
attend this Iftar to praise his spirit. This
Iftar is more than just an event to many of
us; it’s an attempt to remember and honor
Fahad. It’s a chance for us to pray for him
together, and wish that his spirit rests in
peace.
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
5
Yvonne Ridley: An extraordinary perspective
By Noor Al-Athirah
Executive Editor –In-Chief
Members of the Carnegie Mellon Qatar community
were privileged to have Ms. Yvonne Ridley
on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th,
where she presented two lectures titled
‘Islamaphobia in the West’ and ‘Beneath
the Veil’. Ms. Ridley is a political editor in
the Islamic Channel who was kidnapped by
the Afghani Taliban for ten days and was
released after giving them an oath to read
the Quran.
After learning about Islam through
reading the Quran, she converted few
months after her release. Her experience in
Afghanistan and growing knowledge of
Islam influenced her as to spread the word
about the “pure faith”. She is on a mission
to erode the stereotypes about Islam &
Muslims that are widely spread in the West.
Ms. Ridley has a glaring personality and is a very
convincing speaker. In her lecture titled ‘Beneath the Veil’,
she talked about the rights of women and how Muslim women
should take a stand as to proof to non-Muslims that the subjugation and abuse of women in Islam is nothing but a misconception. The beauty of Ms. Ridley’s speech is the logic in
which she presents her analysis of religious
fact & Western perceptions. Against the perception of women being under-estimated,
she stated that the first guardian of the first
written Quran was a woman and that the first
Muslim convert was a woman too.
Many students, staff, and faculty
attended her lectures. The audience was very
attentive and raised various good questions
towards the end. An interesting question was
asked by one of Carnegie Mellon’s students
saying: ‘What should we do to get out
there?’ In response, Ms. Ridley powerfully
replied “we should be more combative and
proactive when it comes to Islam.”
To learn more about Ms. Yvonne Ridley, log on to:
http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21
Student Government hosts a night of murder and mystery
...continued from front page…
little did they expect to see Tony’s
‘Cousin from Arabia’ there to welcome
them.
With me MC-ing, the events
took place as follows: Tony’s welcome
speech, a dance with the father and the
bride, followed directly by a dance with
the groom and the bride, a bouquet toss,
and Stanley, the groom, keeping with
traditions and tossing his glasses…
hmmm.
After everyone had a wonderful
dinner, in the midst of the Maid of
Honor and Best Man speeches did the
lights go out, and shots were fired.
The lights were turned back on
to have us all find our lovely bride shot
and murdered. Distraught, fear and
mystery filled the room as our Hotel
Security guided everyone to follow the
clues as to discover who had committed
this almost irreprehensible crime. The
culprit was revealed; it was the groom's
brother. He did it for the life insurance
policy.
In this night of fun, mystery
and action, we could not help but notice
Pictured: Extravagant greetings between
mother of the bride, played by Gloria Khoury
and father of the bride, played by Lynn Carter.
the astonishing acting talents of our
CMU-Q community. Everyone did a great
job of fooling, deceiving and gathering
information out of each other while in
character. It was all very convincing.
So to the audience, a well deserved clap and congrats on your great
performance. But to also our staff, of devoted SG Members that made it all the
worthwhile…whether it was Reem’s intense search tactics routine, during show,
or Walid’s decorating and styling talents
behind-the-scenes along with many others.
It was all immense fun for everyone, and a great experience for a heartfelt
effort and an outcome delivered with
gratefulness and joy.
Pictured: What wedding would be complete without a bouquet toss? Becky Giovanni, our blushing bride, played by Mona Maher, tosses the bouquet to female friends at the reception.
6
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
Accept Thy Brother Unconditionally
By Mona Maher
Staff Writer
It was my grandmother who taught me how to
pray and it was also she that told me, "In al afa'al b'il niyat" (Actions are judged through the doer's intentions).
This is a religious idiom said by Prophet
Mohammed, may peace be upon him that
many Muslims live by.
Unfortunately, "The road to hell
is paved with good intentions" is a common idiom recited and believed by many
as well. I believe that both idioms hold
true for many cases and especially when
people try to advise others upon matters
of religion.
Almost everyone has experienced the religious sermons of concerned
family and friends; 'If you do this, you
will become a better Muslim…If you do
this, you will be a true Christian…You
must do this if you wish to get into
heaven.' At times we are the advisor and
at times we are the student, but rarely are we the acceptor
of another's beliefs; beliefs that are in opposition to what
Ramadan,
The Egyptian Picture
we steadfastly 'know' is right. Instead of accepting each
other's explanations, we mistakenly view them as an evil
ploy to disintegrate the pinnacles upon which resides our
faith.
An example of this would be a child's belief in
the tooth fairy and a father's belief that it is time for that
child to stop believing in fairy tales.
While the father's intention is good; to
prepare his child for the real ways of the
world, the child does not see the good
intention and purely views it as a cruel
action. Perhaps if that child could say, "I
don't ask that you believe what I believe,
but only that you still accept me in spite
of the differences in our faith. That way,
we don't lose each other's love over
things we may never agree upon."
If we start to understand that we cannot
all have the same set of beliefs, because
it is unnatural that we are all identical,
then perhaps we can stop making enemies of each other, when we should instead be trying to accept each other unconditionally.
This brings me to something a friend of mine
once told me of a young man that he met. He said, "He is
an Arab that is a Buddhist; the child of Jewish parents,
that believes in the lessons of the Holy Quran, and is tolerant of everyone else's religious beliefs, no matter what
they are."
While many would view this as ridiculous and
unsanctified, I would point those many people to remember one thing. The tooth fairy is only as true as those who
believe in it, and if you believe in something else, then all
the power to you.
By Yasmine Abdelrahman
Managing Editor-in-Cheif
Coming from an Egyptian background, I can say that we are mostly
known for our ‘large groups’. Family in
Egypt is an important part of every individual’s life and is in fact the largest group
that we will ever have. Ramadan represents
the peak of family-gatherings throughout
the year.
I have now missed four Egyptian
Ramadans ever since I moved to Qatar.
However I shall never forget our long lasting tradition of gathering in my eldest uncle’s apartment for Iftar on the first day of
Ramadan. My mother has 5 siblings whom
we share the last two floors of a family
building with. As a matter of fact, my uncle’s apartment is not more than a meter
away from ours.
My uncle’s wife would paste the
famous “Ramadan to-cook list” on her
fridge about two weeks before every
Ramadan. Everyone had the right to ask
for one dish to be cooked on the first day.
A week before Ramadan, the rest of the
women in the family would start their
own list of dishes, either as delegated by
my uncle’s wife or as volunteer work.
The chaos would begin as the
first day of Ramadan drew close. Everyone in my mother’s family would come
back from nursery, school, university, or
work around 1-2 o’clock. By 2:30 we
were all expected to report to duty
where my uncle’s wife would distribute
amongst us the different chores.
However, the duties were always divided in the same pattern; the
sons would carry the dining tables,
chairs and Chinas from everyone’s
apartment and set them up along my
uncle’s apartment; the daughters would
set up the tables using the China in everyone’s house. All the fathers would sit
in front of the big television, and watch
while about 25 old and young, male and
female people ran around the place preparing for Iftar. They would remind us
that they’ve been working hard all these
years, and that “now is the time we pay
them back”.
Around 4:00 pm or an hour before
Iftar, the wives would get frustrated by the
husbands’ attitudes, come out of the
kitchen, turn off the Television, and have
the husbands help everyone else. Well, I
have to admit; this is one of the funniest
moments of the day… just picture 6 Egyptian women storming out of the kitchen to
force their 6 respective Egyptian husbands
to work, and you’ll know why.
I will always miss those Iftars and
though my small family in Qatar can’t contribute to that tradition any more, we have
started our own tradition in Doha. My
mother is the one starting the list and all
our family and “Egyptian” friends gather
around in our house, just like we did in my
uncle’s apartment in Egypt.
All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
7
Living the Carnegie Mellon dream
By Md Shahriar Haque
Staff Writer
For some freshmen, Carnegie Mellon is the beginning of a new adventure. For some others, it is the
outcome of an uncertain decision. For some poor folks,
university life is an ongoing emotional roller coaster ride
while it's "something exciting" for others.
For me though, Carnegie Mellon is a dream
come true. Just like any other freshman, I came to
CMUQ not knowing what to expect. It was a whole new
world for me. I had no idea what the word 'orientation'
meant. In fact I had just learnt the definition of a
'freshman' through TAMUQ's website. A year back, I
couldn’t have imagined that I would end up here. I
thought I’d have to go to Bangladesh after graduation
from high school, just like my predecessors.
Then something happened… TOEFL, SAT,
personal interview, placement exam and voila, I am in
Carnegie Mellon! As I stepped into the CMU-Q building
on the first day of the ‘orientation’, I found myself
amongst a group of people from different parts of the
world. As the week progressed, I felt a kind of bond develop between us. I finally understood the ‘real’ meaning
and purpose of Orientation.
'Orientation' doesn’t mean going to City Center to
watch a movie or dining out at Benningan's; Orientation was
a process of creating love; Love for your university, love for
your peers, love for your seniors, and above all love for your
new identity. I felt this love for the first time when I entered
the LAS building as a part of the E.C. tour.
It was a weird sensation; the kind you feel on entering an unknown land. When we came back to CMUQ, I gave
a sigh of relief. Subconsciously, I had been missing "my
university". It was a great turning point for me.
Over the weekend I felt the urge to get back to university. I kept seeing things in my dream. Yasmine running
after Omar yelling at the top of her voice, Samiha leading
the girls of the "Funky Express", Imran and AZ's ever welcoming faces, Basit's friendly hi-hellos… I was missing
them all.
Today, after about a month of classes, I think of the
Dean's speech during the orientation, "It's not the buildings
but students that really make up a university." His words
ultimately proved themselves right. Sincerely speaking, you
guys have made Carnegie Mellon a special place for me. It is
because of you guys that I can proudly say, I LOVE YOU
CARNEGIE MELLON.
Pictured Left: Shahriar takes part in an organized Scavenger Hunt with fellow
freshmen Md. Rezwan Islam and Iyed Jouini. Pictured Above: Already absorbed
in work… Java, perhaps?
Have you missed our past issues?
Would you like an electronic copy of this issue?
ALL AROUND IS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Please visit our website at:
http://www.qatar.cmu.edu/student/index.php?pg=allaround
8 All Around, Vol. 3 Issue 2
THE BUCKETS:
DID YOU KNOW?
In every episode of Seinfeld
there is a Superman somewhere.
Grapes explode when you put
them in the microwave. Go
on, try it then!
Poem of the issue
RELIGION
And an old priest said, "Speak to us of Religion."
And he said:
Have I spoken this day of aught else?
Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,
And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and a
surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the
stone or tend the loom?
Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?
Who can spread his hours before him, saying, "This for God and this
for myself; This for my soul, and this other for my body?"
All your hours are wings that beat through space from self to self.
He who wears his morality but as his best garment were better naked.
The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.
And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in
a cage.
The freest song comes not through bars and wires.
And he to whom worshipping is a window, to open but also to shut,
has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from
dawn to dawn.
Your daily life is your temple and your religion.
Whenever you enter into it take with you your all.
Take the plough and the forge and the mallet and the lute,
The things you have fashioned in necessity or for delight.
For in reverie you cannot rise above your achievements nor fall
lower than your failures.
And take with you all men:
For in adoration you cannot fly higher than their hopes nor humble
yourself lower than their despair.
And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.
Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.
And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.
You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His
hands in trees.
KHALIL GIBRAN
Poet Seers. 5 September 2006.
The "sixth sick sheik's sixth
sheep's sick" is said to be
the toughest tongue twister
in the English language.
The greatest recorded number of children that have
been born by one mother is
69! She gave birth to 16
pairs of twins, seven sets of
triplets and a measly 4 sets
of quadruplets. Even in the
days before IVF!
http://www.geocities.com/area51newmexico/
page8.html
RIDDLE OF
THE ISSUE
Who is your father's only
son's brother's uncle's
wife's daughter's
brother's father's son?
Can you place six X's on a
Tic Tac Toe board without
making three-in-a-row in
any direction?
Ans: No-one, an only son cannot have a brother, although
they may have a sister.
http://www.comics.com/comics/buckets/