Produce is a big blessing from our creator, and growing them make us one step closer to the source of this blessing. Scholars have said that farmers appreciate such blessings much more than others who take food on the tables for granted.

And Summer is a good time to start learning and getting your hands in that soil.

Check out how to grow your tomato upside down and other interesting
techniques at http://cheapvegetablegardener.com

Here is the link to the full interview with Mr. Shawn Verrall
(Software engineer; The Cheap Vegetable Gardener):

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127240673

[Update] Here is another cool link our member suggested: http://muslimgrower.com

NPR Market Place just ran their story on Greeen Zabiha and KOL Foods. Give it a listen, leave a comment, share it, and let us know what you think.

Green Zabiha (Right Click Save Target As)

This is part of the project: Cleaning Up Our Own Backyard, One Episode At A Time.

We collect things that bother us as Muslims, and try to fix them.

The first step to solve our problems, is to humbly admit them.

Here is episode #1.

It was my first Eid prayer. I showed up early, by myself, and found a place on the floor to sit. I noticed that no one made eye contact with me or said salaam or anything. Everyone kept to themselves. As more people streamed in, people sat around me. When it came close to prayer time, a sister walked up to me and–I’m not exaggerating here–started yelling at me for apparently single-handedly making the line crooked. I looked around and saw that there was no straight line at all for me to conform to, but I was so freaked out that I tried adjusting my prayer rug just to make her happy. This only made her ANGRIER, and she yelled at me some more. Finally she left me alone, but I was crying through the whole prayer. It would be one of many experiences of people in the Muslim community following Islam to the letter, but not the spirit. I don’t mean to be negative about my experience as a Muslim, as there are many positive things I’ve experienced in the community as well. This just popped into my head.

In Islam, our duty is to protect and preserve the earth. Islam teaches us to preserve, consume in moderation, plant trees, and clearn our environment.

In-sha-Allah, LivingHalal is working to compile a list of Quranic verses and hadiths that are related to eco-friendly practices. If you want to contribute to this list, post them as comments.

This is a nice podcast about environment and philanthropy. Tactical Philanthropy Podcast: Fred Krupp

In the authentic hadith collected by Muslim:

عرضت علي أعمال أمتي حسنها وسيئها فوجدت في محاسن أعمالها الأذى يماط عن الطريق
It is presented to me my Ummah’s deeds, the good and the bad, so I found that among the good deeds: removing the filth from the road.

Waste Concern, a waste management not-for profit organization in Bangladesh, recently got covered by Marketplace Philanthropy Series.

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This is part of the project: Cleaning Up Our Own Backyard, One Episode At A Time.

We collect things that bother us as Muslims, and try to fix them.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
الرعد 11

Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.
Al-Ra’ad 13:11

Here is episode #1 (remix): Harsh Treatments

Please don’t give people this Eid gift!

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ
سورة آل عمران 159

So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
Aal-Emran 3:159

Tags: livinghalal ummah muslim islam, being harsh correcting advice reminder films audio video Cleaning up, eid gifts, bad customs, calm, nice, courtesy

We collect things that bother us as Muslims, and try to fix them.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
الرعد 11

Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.
Al-Ra’ad 13:11

The first step to solve our problems, is to humbly admit them.

Here is episode #3.

Tags: muslim ummah islam livinghalal double standard lowering gaze men women Cleaning up, advice, reminder, I have a question

This is part of the project: Cleaning Up Our Own Backyard, One Episode At A Time.

We collect things that bother us as Muslims, and try to fix them.

The first step to solve our problems, is to humbly admit them.

Here is episode #2.

Tags: livinghalal ummah muslim islam judgement on appearance correcting advice reminder films audio video Cleaning up

You can view a higher quality version (11 min) at Earthship

Tags: Earthship, bio architecture, eco-friendly, recycling, green

Part of living halal is to use the resources that Allah has blessed us without wastage or harms to others (e.g. pollution).

This is a nice Web site for “Halal” architectures, Earthship Biotecture.