ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam?

Here are some etymological and historical minutiae that probably only you will appreciate, Sriniv --

The eggplant was well-known in the Arab world long before it made its way to France in the 17th century. It remains a very popular vegetable -- many different eggplant dishes are standard in Arabic cuisine.

In fact, the French word "aubergine" is actually derived from the Arabic word "badinjan" (or "bathinjan," depending on your accent.)

Eggplant was introduced to Spain, Portugal and North Africa by Arab traders in the Middle Ages, where the word entered the Spanish language as "berenjena," and Portugeuse as "berinjela." It made its transformation into French from there.

The Arabic word "badinjan" is almost identical to its Persian root, "badnjan."

And as you already mentioned, the Hindi name "brinjal" is also very close to that.

The eggplant consumption rate in my house has skyrocketed since Mahmoud arrived. We planted some in the garden, and the plants kept producing all summer and fall -- they finally petered out just 6 weeks ago.

(F)

-MK
"Eggplant Lover"

Middle East had trade with Sub-continent since Harappan times, so probably arrived there (the vegetable is native to Shivaliks) in near-prehistoric times.

I'm not exactly fond of aubergines or "English aubergines" (translation of near universal desi term, aka "Bangalore aubergine", for chayote squash--I have no clue how those name got juxtaposed on as the chayote is neither native to England nor Bangalore, nor even related to the aubergine), but I have had to consume some recently in the interest of marital harmony (as I had to handle considerable pouting the first few times Pras put them in the cart).

(she doesn't have that much of a taste for the chayote though so I'm safe on that score).
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-24 10:46:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam?
So are you saying that one should not say "I hate aubergines" or "I hate English class"?

(for those used to Americanese-only, aubergines = eggplants = brinjals)
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-24 09:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam?
*********** HIJACK *****************

Was this thread started because I made comments about donaal's posting on The South Asian "did you change religion for desi SO

******** RETURN *****************
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-24 08:20:00
Middle East and North AfricaNeed a new siggy image
:huh:

People saw the gun in the third one, rahma!
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-26 17:15:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

...
And I think it's ridiculous to pretend the MSM wouldn't pick up a story like this should the tables turn, and make a huge deal of it. Case in point, the absolute bastardization of Ahmadinejad's speech as MK outlined.

Again, the fact that American "mainstream" media (I won't use "MSM" here as the acronym has a different meaning for South Indians) missed a major international story on its own doorstep belies this.

The bastardisation could easily be due to a multihand translation, as many of them don't have reporters on ground. This is shown by the oft-reported (since 1990--when it had been untrue for 10 years by then, no change since) "cow slaughter is banned in almost all Indian states" (which tells me the "reporter" never actually set foot in India--where beef is actually readily available for those who have a taste for it).
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-27 11:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

:lol: I don't think Canadians get heated up like the rest of us over politics. Or at least they know how to take it in stride.

Only partly true--they vent out in full at election time.

That is why:
  • Liberals (aka "Grits") in 1984 elections fell from 135/267 (15 vacant seats at that time) to 40/282
  • Progressive-Conservatives aka "Tories" in 1993 fell from 151/291 (4 vacant) to 2/295

Saddle BroncMale02007-01-26 19:52:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

You're saying the US media wouldn't pick this up and go to town with it, should say, Hezbollah built a town like this after an Israeli town, make pictures of it available to the press, announcing their new tactical training Fake Israeli Town?

Exactly.

You remember the "Internet Twins" case about six years ago where the St. Louisian natural mum decided to swap adoption (of the then-six-month-old twins) from a San Diego couple to a Swansea (Welsh) couple? None of the American media covered it until a Welsh judge ruled that the twins should go back to US (after the natural mum had decided she wanted to now KEEP them, and her estranged husband had gotten in there)--but it was big story in the London Times (probably others such as Guardian, Telegraph, etc) and BBC.

And this was with the story happening partly on their own doorstep!
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-26 15:29:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

So no one really answered what would happen in the media were the subject changed from building a fake Arab town to building a fake Israeli town.

Yank and Canuck media, with the exception of The Globe And Mail, is notorious for missing such stories.

In London papers or BBC, probably would get a few letters-to-editor and then interest would disappear (little reaction in US or Canada as only a few people even peruse Brit media here).
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-26 13:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town
Now, I'll need to figure out a way to Can-divert this thread. :lol: :lol:

Edited by CherryXS, 25 January 2007 - 04:24 PM.

Saddle BroncMale02007-01-25 16:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

How do you think the coverage of this story would be if it was Iran's military building a fake Israeli town?

I'll strongly suggest you read Clive Cussler's "Vixen 03".

While it is fiction, it confirms that almost every country has war/invasion plans about other countries (even if they are absurd).
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-25 09:15:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town

...i would not find it anti semitic. all countries build models to practice warfare. if iran planned to invade israel, they would be stupid not to build a model....

Good point; but why would a country build a model of an area where NO enemy (or potential) soldiers or civilians are present (of course, I'm only referring to the Aksai Chin scale-models here)?
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-25 08:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaIDF builds fake Arab town
In reality, it's LESS newsworthy than PRC's mil training models of Aksai Chin (an area occupied by PRC since 1962)

Second Link.
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-25 05:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....

...u will find that the Arabian started the civilization a long time ago and theres a highly educated , and at least they descover the number - 0 - ...

A correction for you -- the "0" was actually from Harappa (ancestral to most Hinduism), not Arab areas.



Arabes contributed many new ideas, but 0 as Cherry said is not one of them. They inherited the knowledge from the Hindus'and introduced the concept to the masses.They did not come up with it. But I have also read compeling agruements that the Mayan first came up with the concept of 0 some 900 years before the Hindus'.

For your information:Which would make it considerably difficult for Mayan use of "0" to precede that of Harappans by 9 centuries.

Edited by CherryXS, 31 January 2007 - 02:48 PM.

Saddle BroncMale02007-01-31 14:48:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....

...u will find that the Arabian started the civilization a long time ago and theres a highly educated , and at least they descover the number - 0 - ...

A correction for you -- the "0" was actually from Harappa (ancestral to most Hinduism), not Arab areas.
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-31 09:47:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....

I think this trend is stupid

Geez, you must be completely lacking in humour--it was SUPPOSED to be a "joke-thread" in the first place (I seem to have gotten closer to it in spirit than you, anyway--and I'm considered fairly "dry").

and I hope they lock it, however what you said is the dumbest thing I ever heard. This is the worse thing I have every seen on here and you r comments has nothing to do with the culture of the Arab community, which is what I am assuming the trend is about. No one approves of the behavior of a select few and if you understood the history of the people and the position that are in, you would understand somethings better. I am a service member and I have been to a combat zone and most of the time you only see 2% of the population on 100% of the news.

IMO, you and ilvasian both should go elsewhere--as the Vietnamese is rather bigoted, while you are baked harder than a brick.

I think this trend is stupid

Geez, you must be completely lacking in humour--it was SUPPOSED to be a "joke-thread" in the first place (I seem to have gotten closer to it in spirit than you, anyway--and I'm considered fairly "dry").

and I hope they lock it, however what you said is the dumbest thing I ever heard. This is the worse thing I have every seen on here and you r comments has nothing to do with the culture of the Arab community, which is what I am assuming the trend is about. No one approves of the behavior of a select few and if you understood the history of the people and the position that are in, you would understand somethings better. I am a service member and I have been to a combat zone and most of the time you only see 2% of the population on 100% of the news.

What do you have against "joke" threads? If you're into post-boosting, you can just play along with them (there are lots to choose from, especially in "Off Topic").
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-30 09:20:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....

The only unique to Arabs are:

  • You curse at your teachers or strangers in Arabic
  • You teach Westerners swearwords in your Arabic
  • You are proud to be an Arab
  • You talk really really loud in Arabic together (with others in a group)
All other qualities are "borrowed" from other lists (desi, Pinoy, etc.) and combined.

:lol: Your mom threw a shoe at you too?!?! :lol:

WHO'JA THINK ORIGINATED THAT NASTINESS, EH--desis only! :lol: :lol:
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-29 15:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....
The only unique to Arabs are:
  • You curse at your teachers or strangers in Arabic
  • You teach Westerners swearwords in your Arabic
  • You are proud to be an Arab
  • You talk really really loud in Arabic together (with others in a group)
All other qualities are "borrowed" from other lists (desi, Pinoy, etc.) and combined.
Saddle BroncMale02007-01-29 08:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaYou know you are an Arab....

...
- You arrive one or two hours late to a party and think it's normal.
- You are standing next to the largest suitcases at the Airport.
...
- Your relatives alone could populate a small city.
...
- When your parents meet strangers and talk for a few minutes, you discover they know one of your uncles back home.
...
- You still came back home to live with your parents after you graduate.
...
- You have at least thirty cousins.
...
- Your parents want you to become a doctor or engineer.
...
- A visa is not a credit card.
...
- You have been told to not walk barefoot on the floor in order to avoid a cold.

Methinks the above were pilfered from "you know you're a desi" list.
:lol:

Edited by CherryXS, 27 January 2007 - 03:24 PM.

Saddle BroncMale02007-01-27 15:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaPhone call from POE

He can call from a payphone in the terminal.

Note that this could have been a general question (in "Moving to America" area maybe?).

Answer correct--also applies to Canuck airport PFI's; slightly more difficult, but not impossible from Dublin or Shannon PFI's.
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-12 08:48:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?
IMO, Memphis (due to airport being simple, like Calgary's--though substantially larger) would be your best bet.

(I've actually been through all three--Memphis, DFW and O'Hare--before, though never as POE; I can tolerate, but don't really like, using DFW for transit-stop to Calgary; unfortunately, no nonstop YYC-MEM flights exist)
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-14 15:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?

Atlanta is one the worst places for POE. I feel for the ME/NA person who uses it. :( In fact, I feel sorry for anyone ethnic looking person....
I know NYC and Chicago are pleasant, but slightly longer POE. Detroit, I know takes about 20minutes to get throu. ME/NA or any other countries....easy entry.

Maybe for someone making connexions. I've used Atlanta TWICE as POE (once from Gatwick, other from Brussels) with no probs (of course, I lived in metro-Atlanta at the time, so no further connexions); and I am of OBVIOUS visible-minority.

NYC pleasant? Maybe at Newark, definitely not at JFK.

Agree on Detroit (which Pras came through).

Houston and San Diego also seem to be tuff POEs (checking the POE reviews)
http://www.visajourn...ne/poestats.php

Ahmkri: Your choices depend on which airline your SO is coming in on, but in TX POE is Dallas (which seems to be easy) and Houston (seems to be difficult)

In which case you get "six-of-one/half-dozen-of-other" exchange. IAH is a fairly simple (similar to Dorval) airport, while DFW is extremely confusing (and I happen to like Dallas as a city).


I came throuh Detroit ..was really good small Airport and people are super nice there It didn't take me 5 minutes to be done with the immigration ,,everyone was really nice there was an Arabic man working there he is an officer ..Detroit has alot of Arab though it's common for them to see araic people there in the Airport ..
Good Luck

julianna, would using Detroit as POE, then to Memphis, then fly home work?
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-14 08:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?
Last option I can think of would be to find a job in the POE city (Memphis and Dallas are reasonable for this purpose; airportwise, I agree that Memphis is much easier) before summer--a partial solution, as this would eliminate the connexion (and also some of the confusion in the case of Dallas) issues.
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-12 14:17:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?

Not easily. it would be memphis, which is about 8 hours (one way). To fly from one of these adds between 45 minutes and 2 hours, so I think you see a slight time disparity :) That would involve renting a car since mine probably wouldn't make it. It would be a huge hassel. I get violently car sick and that would be a horrid nightmare for me :) It's just easier to fly. Our airport goes to DFW, Chicago, Memphis, Denver, and like 2 others. We have 3 airlines which come in.

Are you sure though that Memphis is closer to you than DFW?

(having actually driven from Memphis to Dallas before).
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-12 11:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?

Do you live in Nashville? If so, another possible POE is Atlanta.


No, NW Arkansas, Our airport only flies to a select number of airports so it has to be through one of them or routed through one of them. DFW is actually another one.

Another question (which I should have asked the first time)--instead of trying to FLY into AR, is it possible for you to DRIVE to the POE airport? Admittedly, you may need a full day to do this--but the tension of waiting will be inconducive to working that day anyway.
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-12 11:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaPOEs.. any one better than another?

Because of where I live, I figured my Dh would enter through Chicago. Memphis is basically the only other place he could go, and I have never heard of someone coming through memphis?

So have any of you found any POE to be better from what you've heard? I heard Chicago was pretty good for Arabs entering, but I have also heard of people being held there for 8 hours or more without even being spoken to at all.

Would you reccomend trying to schedule a layover inbetween that's of a decent length of time? my layovers are usually 2-2.5 hours and I am running around like crazy. I figured he needed AT LEAST 4 hours to figure out where he is going in a strange airport.

Do you live in Nashville? If so, another possible POE is Atlanta.
Saddle BroncMale02007-02-12 10:16:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked! :blink:

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

cause arabic was the chosen language.. and there are words in arabic that can NOT be accuratly translated into another language.. So to get the True meaning it is better to read/ learn/ recite in arabic

OK, if you're not born speaking Arabic, you haven't learned Arabic fluently and you pray in Arabic, then you're just reciting a bunch of sounds. How is that better to God than for one to pray in their native language?

This was also an issue within the Catholic Church (which used LATIN as its official language, and was even opposed to having Bibles printed in local-language--read Foxe's Book of Martyrs, referencing William Hunter--one of the many issues that led up to the Reformation).
Saddle BroncMale02007-03-29 15:57:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

maulvi?

Mawlawi (also spelled: Maulvi, Moulvi and Mawlvi Persian: ?????) is an honorific Islamic religious title often, but not exclusively, given to Sunni Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names, similar to the titles Maulana, Mullah or Shaykh


Wiki Link, I quoted only opening sentence
Saddle BroncMale02007-03-29 15:41:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

no i meant islamically. i know i'm legally married.

I'll hazard a guess on this one: it will probably depend on the maulvi you ask.
Saddle BroncMale02007-03-29 15:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

i know i'll regret asking this but......................

what is the difference in getting married in a mosque as opposed to getting married in the ministry of marriage building in cairo, other than the fact that one is recognized by the US and one is not?

I kinda feel jipped since I only did that ministry of marriage one and no one ever asked me to prove that I'm a muslim. I've never gotten any type of certificate. Just said my shahada to a friend and that was that. Never was I ever aware that I needed a piece of paper to be a muslim. I mean......it's not goin' with me when my time comes, ya know what I mean?

hmmmm...lemme rephrase......................am I really married since I didn't do the mosque thing? :unsure:

Your question is a little vague.

Are you asking "for K-3 (or CR-1) petition, is there a difference between getting married in a mosque as opposed to the ministry of marriage building"?

(obviously, the question makes no sense for K-1 as the marriage MUST be done in the US).

If the maulvi is authorised by government to sign marriage certificates, no diff (maybe time-saving as ONE step vs. two).
Saddle BroncMale02007-03-29 13:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Passover!!!
Aptly, Passover was the same day I marked completion of Lent.

Pras had the idea (she didn't know why--till I checked the day using Wiki, for different reason) to make chapatis (FLEXIBLE unleavened bread) yesterday.

(could anyone tell me if gefilte fish could be made with tilapia instead of carp--as we can get properly-fresh tilapia, but carp can only be gotten iced or frozen).
Saddle BroncMale02007-04-03 10:11:00
Middle East and North AfricaWhen do i have to adjust status?
You can mail in the Lift-conditions form up to 90 days prior to the expiry (based on your siggy, around December 2007).
Saddle BroncMale02007-07-21 10:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaAge a factor ?
Age only becomes a factor when:
  • the age difference is considerable
  • CO considers the age difference "unusual" (commonly, "woman older than husband") as in the case of AjazBashir (though in that case, the CO--in Delhi--should have known that this is NOT uncommon in Northern India)
L_B, the only headaches I foresee in yours are processing time (at CSC/NVC) and interview. :thumbs: :D
Saddle BroncMale02006-03-22 08:39:00
Middle East and North AfricaBaby names

when i was pregnant with my son, I came up with Lyric Hope for a girl and I have stuck with it ever since. I am not sure what the arabic meaning for lyric is ..but amal is the meaning of hope.. so maybe it will be lyric amal ...


as far as most of us using names outside western names...I, personally, am tired of western names. I grew up with a very very very rare name and I want my kids to have rare names as well. It helps to get a better sense of self when nobody else in your class has your name. I am happy to give my child an arabian name since it will be different here in the USA but my husband will feel comfortable with it :)

I haven't heard too many names that i really like yet.....
hmm..as i sit here thinking...maybe aidoun would be a good name for a boy??.... hehehe :whistle: dunno where that came from :lol: ..

There is a Western name (rarely used) which looks very similar--Aiden (the first name of A.W. Tozer)
Saddle BroncMale02006-10-26 14:05:00
Middle East and North AfricaBaby names

Oh if it's a boy we'll go with Tunk.

Did you get this name from the comic strip "Alley Oop" ('coz that's the only place I've seen it--and in context, not complimentary).
Saddle BroncMale02006-10-25 17:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaEgyptian Food-- Help!

My brother in law is from India and Adam is Egyptian. I would say similar but totally different if that makes sense. Riz likes alot of briyani and chicken dishes, Adam pretty much only likes Egyptian rice and mostly beef dishes. Garlic, cumin, onions,turmeric, corriander, and that stuff seems to be similar but Riz's dishes are alot more spicy than Adams IMO. Adam does like spicy, but mostly from jalapenos. Oh and curry for Riz but not for Adam

Yes--as I would say similar about Lebanese-to-Indian comparison (I actually have tasted authentic Lebanese food in US--at Cedars Restaurant, Lenox Rd, Atlanta).
Saddle BroncMale02011-06-10 19:26:00
Middle East and North AfricaEgyptian Food-- Help!

I wouldn't say there's a formula to making Egyptian food. It isn't quite like other Mid Eastern foods with the usual - tomatoes, garlic, onions, cumin, coriander, etc. A lot of the foods do contain those things but some don't. This site has some decent recipes - http://members.cox.n...a/Recipnew.html I can make quite a few things that are typically Egyptian if you want to PM me and I'll type some out for you. I don't have set recipes so it won't be too accurate but it turns out well for me. :) I'm a pinch of this, pinch of that type person.

I'm inferring from your post that the OP could easily get away with making Indian food, as it is fairly similar to Egyptian.
Saddle BroncMale02011-06-09 19:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresfree immigration attorney
RTFG (read the f##### guides), that's the closest you'll get to a free attorney.
Saddle BroncMale02011-03-01 08:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPregnant...
Your best approach may be what I'm inferring--you have the baby in Canada and register the birth at the US Consulate/Embassy so the child can be dual-citizen.
Saddle BroncMale02011-05-24 11:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-864 or I-864A
I-864A is needed if you have joint sponsors. I-864 is ok generally (and there is also I-864EZ for simplest case, sole sponsor of one-beneficiary immigrant petition).
Saddle BroncMale02011-05-27 07:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGetting married at U.S. embassy?

...
If we do get married there, are there like small courts taht we can go get married through the justice of the peace? without having a big wedding...thanks!! :yes:

Ethiopia definitely has marriage courts (or registrars) for civil weddings.
Saddle BroncMale02011-05-30 18:31:00