ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam


[size=3]Bismillah. Salaam and thank you very much, m&n, for your prompt and concise answer to the question posed. However, and with all due respect, it does not cite Quran nor Sunnah, the elements needed to make a ruling binding. Merely being mentioned in a list in a book of fiqh does not mean that the element is of the sharia, only that the element is of fiqh.


*snip*


holy #######...maybe arabic is the language of preference 'cause it's shorter! I didn't understand one word you just said. I like to keep things simple.

If you cannot understand that then you fail high school English. I thought it was very well written, intelligent, moderate and tolerant. Exactly what Islam needs more of today.
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-04-02 14:13:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

I mean I can understand someone here not learning arabic *maybe* and praying in English if they're really adamant about it but in Iran to have it commonplace to pray in Farsi I thought it was strange. I asked my husband and he said that it is because they are Shia and that they don't read the Quran either. Of course that's just what he says and I have never looked into it. Just thought it was interesting.


Ummmm... Iranians are not Arabs, and their native language is not Arabic, it's.... Farsi. So yeah, they'll naturally want to pray in Farsi.

And it's difficult for anyone not fluent in Arabic to read the Koran; all the rest of us get is a translation.
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-03-30 23:36:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverting to Islam

That's why you have to learn what the words or "sounds" mean.

So native Arabic speakers have a natural advantage, --favored, if you will--, in the religion. They don't need to learn a foreign language in order to properly pray to God. Everyone else unlucky enough to have been born someplace else is at a disadvantage.

As you can tell, this is one of my pet peeves. Islam needs to reform itself in this and many other places, IMHO.
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-03-29 16:10:00
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?
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-03-29 15:49:00
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?
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-03-29 14:28:00
Middle East and North AfricaFollow up to Casablanca cyber cafe bombing...

ETA: Its a terrible time for Morocco because it is the height of the tourist season.

April is the height of tourist season?
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-04-11 10:17:00
Middle East and North AfricaSalwa and Mark's baby cheerleading thread

I booked to my mum to come through Detroit since I know they have alot fo Arabs there working in the Airport ..so it was very easy for her and I sent her a paper to give to the officer in the airport with all the answer of the question they might have asked her ..

Thanks for the info Salwa.

My MIL would have to change planes at JFK. There's a traveller's aide association that says they can assist with that, but my wife is leery of it.

Give us the good news when baby Aisha makes her appearance! :)
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-04-25 14:41:00
Middle East and North AfricaSalwa and Mark's baby cheerleading thread

Yeah Noura Mum has been here for about 2 weeks now and it really does help I don't know what I would do without her..I am very happy she is with me ..Mark is very excited and can't wait till she is here everyday he says "ha is today is the day?" :)

Salwa, tell us (me) how your mom negotiated the airports. Aicha wants her mom here for our baby boy's birth and that information would really help us.

Good luck on the big day, and don't forget the epidural!
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-04-24 17:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaConverstation btwn Muslim student and Professor
I saw this anti-evolution tripe before, except it was a Christian student that time.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?


The correct answer to this is "yes".
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-04-30 14:47:00
Middle East and North AfricaAny word on M+S's baby?

oh congrats salwa and mark. How wonderful, a baby girl? What's her name?

Her baby girl's name is Aisha. My wife says she's spelling it wrong, should be "Aicha". ;)


Aisha is a beautiful name and spelling it "Aicha" is actually the WRONG way...;)

In Arabic the word is spelled with a SHEEN...Arabic has no "CHA" sound...only "SHA"...

Also, there is really no "right" or "wrong" way to transliterate Arabic words into English, it's all a matter of opinion...however the "cha" issue is pretty clear because there is no "cha" in Arabic.

True, but "ch" in French is pronounced "sh"...


But the name is an Arabic name, not a French name...

But, whatever floats people's boats!

By the way, I am sorry if I'm coming off as rude..not my intention, I'm just tired and pregnant and so I tend to be a bit more blunt than when I'm more well rested and have normal hormone levels flowing through my body!!!

MABROUK TO THE NEW BABY AND HER FAMILY!!!

I was teasing the whole time. My wife is from Morocco, and the first language kids learn in school is French. So the transliteration from Arabic (?????) gets spelled "Aicha".

Also, that's her name. ;)

Hope you get home soon Salwa and can post pictures!
rclouseMaleMorocco2007-05-14 10:34:00