On June 17, 2009, the Mayor’s office of San Francisco, the Indonesian Consulate, the California College of the Arts welcomed the batik collection of Ann Dunham, the late beloved mother of President Barack Hussein Obama.

Much thanks to the Alhadi / Usman family, we were given invites to attend this exclusive event. The photo gallery slideshow above is also on our Flickr page: Ann Dunham Batik Collection

A Lady Found a Culture in Its Cloth: Barack Obama’s Mother and Indonesian Batiks

This exhibition features 20 large fabrics and two scarves from the batik collection of Ann Dunham, President Barack Obama’s late mother. The collection has been in storage for many years and this is a valuable opportunity for the public to see it. The presentation is part of a national tour that is also passing through New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, and Washington DC this summer.

Indonesia is home to the ancient tradition of batik, in which fabric is decorated using a wax-resist dyeing process. Batiks are often intricately patterned and vividly colored, and they come in a wide variety of styles, from classic to contemporary.

The San Francisco presentation of the exhibition will also feature selected works by students in the Textiles and Fashion Design programs at California College of the Arts. These works will complement Dunham’s collection and indicate some of the contemporary directions this centuries-old art has taken. (Source: California College of the Arts)

Press release link.

Amir Sulaiman presents DUNYA:::Directed by Mustafa Davis from amir sulaiman on Vimeo.

“The 1st of The Meccan Openings music film series is premiering today. creating these music films has been a great experience for me as an artist. God willing it will be a great experience for you. this is only the beginning. go watch it. tell all your homies to watch it. and tell them to tell all their homies to watch it.” – Amir Sulaiman

http://www.amirsulaiman.com

Directed by Mustafa Davis. See what happened behind-the-scenes – http://amirsulaiman.com/film-making-of

Preacher Moss, world renowned comedian and motivational speaker, is working on his upcoming (and possibly last) comedy album. The album cover was just released for worldwide preview. Preacher has informed us that he will be providing more information and details about this highly anticipated project. In the meantime, you can get a sneak peek of the interim website for Everyday People here: http://everydaypeoplecd.com/

You can follow Preacher Moss on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/preachermoss

Check out our interview with Preacher Moss we conducted in February 2008 for Black History Month.

IslamCrunch is offering 2 free tickets to sold out film screening of New Muslim Cool. For a chance to win these tickets, simply post a comment here and describe another important element of Islam in the West (besides hip-hop).

Here’s an example: Technology is an important element of Islam in the West. We have so many Muslim engineers, scientists, computer specialists. Plus we have the benefit of centuries of jurisprudence, Islamic law and spiritual teachings. We can use this extensive knowledge to lead the technology front in order to benefit humanity.

The most appealing answer will be given the tickets. Video comments would be very cool too. Screening will be on Sunday, April 26 at 3pm in San Francisco. More details here: http://fest09.sffs.org/films/film_details.php?id=63

We would like to request that the winner provide a review of the film. Your review may get posted on IslamCrunch!

This contest is sponsored by Kinza Academy – Muslim home education.

I Can’t Explain You (Oh Messenger of God)
by Aaron Haroon Sellars 4/24/08

I could not write about you
For fear
Fear of your presence
And fear of
My hearts’ brittleness
That I might die
In this pursuit
Yet wishing to die
In this state of intoxicated love
This is the conflict within me
Language cannot explain
Except the language
Of tears and laughter
Even the molecules
Of my body
Shake and tremble
With awe and excitement!

I just can’t explain!
Oh Messenger of God!
I can’t explain you!

Sometimes I forget
To say “Prophet” before your name
Not from heedlessness
But from desirous haste
To just say your name!
Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad!

I just can’t explain!
Oh Messenger of God!
I can’t explain you!

Oh the mystery of how
You have captured my heart
As a Christian
I loved the Prophets
Before you
But with you
I get them all!
I can love
Abraham, Moses and Jesus
Just by loving you!
Without this love
Your nation falls
With it
They are purified and irresistible!
Let those who
Possess this love
Not be stingy
Take it to the marketplace!
The workplace
And especially the home

It’s hard to explain!
Oh Messenger of God!
I can’t explain you!

Seeing the land of your life
Causes some to live
And seeing your grave
Causes some to die
Nothing is more difficult
Than you

In my youth
I have written easily
My love for many
But when I encountered you
The translator of my heart
Fell mute
Lost in inexplicable wonder!

That is hard to explain!
Oh Messenger of God!
I can’t explain you!

You sacrificed for me
Before I was even born
How should I thank you
As I now walk upon the earth?
My heart holds your love
My tongue sends you blessings
But it is my limbs
That often fall short
All this controversy about you
A proof of the veil
On the hearts of your enemies
And a proof against those
Who only follow you with words
But don’t turn your face from me
As I reach for a drink
From your soft hands

Because it’s hard to explain!
Oh Messenger of God!
I can’t explain you!

I heard one of my teachers say that upon the poet is to write about the Messenger of God, may His peace and blessings be upon him. As a person who often writes things in a form that some call poetry, I have been haunted by the weight of this statement since hearing it!
I converted to the way of life called “Islam” because of an overwhelming sense of the divine origin and authority of the Quran and after a mere glimpse at the life of the Prophet Muhammad, may His peace and blessings be upon him.
So the feeling of love and debt is immense – yet every time I have tried to write something about him… I get stuck! I just sit there frozen with my pen hovering over a piece of paper that ultimately is left blank!
Then, one of my closest companions sent me a link to a YouTube video about the “Mahabbah Awards” which is a unique awards program done in the spirit of love for God and His Messenger.
Unexpectedly, this short and simple video clip opened a flash-flood of emotions and tears within me that I could not control or contain! I jumped up from my chair to try and regain my composure but felt a rumble inside like someone was boiling water in my chest! My knees started to buckle so I sat back down and felt a pressure in my head and heat in my heart that I knew from experience would lead to words!
“Finally!” I said to myself, I have a chance to say something about this amazing Messenger! I quickly grabbed my pen and an orange Post-it notes pad and started to scribble as fast as I could, the English translation of this stream of consciousness and love.
May the Giver of Gifts gift us with loving His beloved more than our own selves.

From the book, Ash-Shifa’ of Qadi ‘Iyad…
Anas said that a man came to the Prophet and asked, “When will the Last Hour come, Messenger of God?” He said, “What have you prepared for it?” He said, “I have not prepared a lot of prayer or fasting or charity for it, but I love God and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “You will be with the one you love.” (al-Bukhari)

It is related that a woman said to A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her), “Show me the grave of the Messenger of God.” She showed it to her and the woman wept until she died.

Originally posted here on Sidi Haroon’s blog.

Recited in commemoration of the Prophet’s birth here: http://islamcrunch.com/archives/bay-area-mawlid-2009/