Muslim Parenting

Meccacentric.com, which sells audio and video of lectures by prominent Muslim scholars such as Hamza Yusuf, Siraj Wahaj, Abdullah Hakim Quick and others, has decided to stop offering audio tapes.

So, they’ve put all of the audio tapes on 50% off clearance. There are a number of interesting titles available (a bunch of stuff on Muslim families and youth, for instance), but since they are discontinuing the line, once something is gone (in audio tape) it’s gone.

To check out the list of on sale audio tapes click through and then click on the red bordered Audio Tape Closeout Sale 50% Off box on the upper right.

They ship globally.

Meccacentric.com produces and sells Islamic audio and video lectures from such leading lights as Siraj Wahaj, Hamza Yusuf, Khalid Blankinship and others.

There are a ton of titles, on all sorts of topics from a Muslim perspective (there are a large number of titles devoted to youth, family issues and marriage).

They ship globally.

Anyway, you can get 10% off your Meccacentric purchase by entering the code “WEB” after you checkout.

English Translation of the Qur’an read by JD Hall

My rating: ****

JD Hall is an African-American actor, known as “The Voice” because of his extensive voice work. He is also a practicing Muslim and Imam. Here he has turned his attention and skills to reading an English translation of the Qur’an and the result is brilliant.

His voice is deep and resonant and unlike some translations I have listened to is used to great effect- expressing the emphasis and emotion for which the Qur’an calls.

I’m not sure which translation was used for this reading. However, it is a translation that uses modern, accessible language (no thous or thees here).

The translation is divided into 30 juz (a traditional division for Qur’an). This is my only issue with the translation since one surah comes pretty quickly after the next and it can be hard to figure out just which surah translation is being read. I find it easier listening when a translation or recitation is divided surah by surah - that way I don’t get lost. But maybe this way, insha’Allah, I’m forced to pay very close attention to what is being said.

I have not seen this translation for sale - but instead only for download on the Internet. You can find it at Aswat al Islam and at Islamicity.

JD Hall has also released a CD ‘Tawheed - The Oneness of God (Monotheistic Praise Songs Drawn from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian Tradition‘).

I found the message of the songs (lyrics) to be pretty squarely Islamic. The CD is heavy on percussion and synthesizer (I know that there are differing fatwa about whether this kind of audio is permissable) and features JD singing praises to God, describing Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his mission, tauheed, etc. The sound is a kind of folksy-bluesy rock.

The CD was not really to my personal taste, but I think it’s a commendable effort. I especially liked “R.U.A Believer” and “It Grieves My Soul.”

All of the CDs tracks can be previewed and it is available for sale at CDBaby.com.

First posted on July 25, 2006.