ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Ooo, post lots of turkish recipes, and any turkish cookboos that they recommend! I'll have to put turkish cooking on my list. I'm cooking my way around the world, country by country. I'm currently doing India, and then next is either Vietnam or the Carribean.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-12 09:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
And these are some appetizers I threw together recently. Belgian endives topped with home made hummus, tuna mixed with sweet curry powder and topped with a calamata olive. Don't use the first 4 or 5 leaves from the endives, as they're a bit too bitter


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-11 11:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
http://www.pbs.org/e..._plum_tart.htmlEveryday Baking . Recipes . Rustic Plum Tart | Everyday Food | PBS

I couldn't find any plums at the store, so I substituted 1 16 oz package frozen peaches and 1/2 16 oz package frozen strawberries. This ended up making too much filling, so I baked some filling by itself, which was very tasty.

Mine doesn't look as pretty as the Martha Stewart picture, but it was delicious.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-11 11:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
From my favorite cookbook, Varied Kitchens of India

Piaju, Two-Lentil Fritters

1 cup yellow lentils/chana ka dal
1/2 cup red lentils/eygptian
1/2 t crushed fresh ginger root - I just used powder
1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste - used garlic powder
1/2 t chopped fresh hot chili - don't keep chilis on hand, so used chili powder
1/2 t ground turmeric
1/2 t salt
2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
1 T fresh coriander - didn't have this, so I threw in some ground coriander seeds. Next time I may use parsley
1 c oil for frying - I used probably 1/3 c

1. Soak the yellow and red lentils separately in water for 4 hours. Drain. Crush them to a coarse paste in a processor.
2. Mix the lentils and the gingerroot, garlic, chili, turmeric, salt, onions and coriander together - I divided the lentils in half and put half the ingredients in with each half into the food processor
3. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over moderate heat. Take 1 heaping T of the lentil mixture and shape into a 2 inch fritter about 3/8 inch thick. Continue to shape firtters with the rest of the mixture. Brown them in oil for about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels

Serve warm with lemon wedges - I just squeezed lemon juice into a bowl. Mmm, tasty.

When I make these again, I'll only make up what we're going to eat just then. They're not as good reheated.




UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-11 10:54:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Anyone else's spouse an okra fan? If so, I have an excellent recipe for beef and okra from my Varied Kitchens of India cookbook that I can type out and post here. The husband gives is good.gif good.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-05 09:12:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Ah, I found several recipes from my Varied Kitchens of India cookbook online

http://recipes.wuzzle.org/index.php/61


I've been going through the Tibetan section of the book and was surprised to see how much tamarind was being used. I always associate tamarind with the MENA and the Phillipines, but wasn't aware it was used in south/central asian cooking.

Another recipe online from the book is Chicken and Potato Curry (Murgi Aloo Kari) - at the bottom of the article.


It looks like it's available cheapest from a muslim bookstore - http://www.halalco.com/cookbook.html - although I didn't have a good experience when I ordered from halalco 6 years ago. Perhaps they've gotten better with time?
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-30 15:42:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
I looooooooooove indian food, but the husband is not a big fan. Until now. I found the best cookbook ever at a used bookstore 2 weekends ago:

"The Varied Kitchens of India - Cuisines of the Anglo-Indians of Calcutta, Bengalis, Jews of Calcutta, Kashmiris, Parsis and Tibetans of Darjeeling" by Copeland Marks

I've made probably 7 things from it, and each has gotten a rave review from the husband. It's rare that he'll give unsolicited comments on my cooking, but the spiced potatoes I made this weekend got 2 thumbs waaaay up and a request for more ASAP.

I'm seriously contemplating starting at the beginning and working my way through the entire cookbook. I will be avoiding the recipes that call for brains and stomachs though.

Here's a fish curry recipe that I *heart*

Muchli ka Kari (Jewish fish curry)

5 medium sized onions, chopped fine
1/4 cup corn or peanut oil (I always use less oil in my indian cooking and it's still tasty. I'd probably use 2 T here instead of 1/4 c)
1 T crushed fresh gingerroot (I used powder)
2 t crushed fresh hot red chili (I used a shake of aleppo chili I have, which is less spicy)
1 t salt
1 t ground turmeric
1 c chopped ripe tomatoes, fresh or canned (I used a whole can)
1/2 c water
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound whole fish (they recommend betki, sea bass, red snapper or flounder, but I used catfish fillets)
2 bay leaves

1. Fry the oinions in the oil in a pan over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add the gingerroot, garlic, chili, salt and turmeric. Stir-fry the imxture for 5 minutes to develop a thick paste
2. Add the tomatoes and water and continue to stir and chop at the ingredients for 10 minutes
3. Cut the fish into 1 inch wide slices, including the head (yeah, my fish had no head, and I wouldn't use a fish head, bleck!). Add this to the curry and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Baste now and then. Finally, add the bay leaves, if used and cook for 5 minutes

Serve warm, over rice
Note - although shrimps or prawns are not considered kosher by the traditional calcutta jews, the preparation would be the same for a shrimp curry. Substitute 1 pound medium shrip, peeled, for the fish.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-17 11:14:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
My sister gave me a north african cookbook as a wedding present. Unfortunately, NA cooking isn't egyptian cooking, so I haven't used it very much. Howeva, I did use an awesome recipe for squash soup. Soooooooooooo tasty and sooooo healthy.

http://www.cookingca....shtml?rdid=rc1

I haven't made the mint puree, and I've used fresh butternut squash both times I've made the recipe. Freakin delicious!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-09-29 07:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
We have a new favorite dessert in our household, beingets. OMgosh, so freakin tasty!



http://allrecipes.co...ets/Detail.aspx

I halved the recipe, because I couldn't imagine how many one could make if you added 7 cups of flour.


I had these years ago when I visited New Orleans and my craving for them was recently re-ignited. We were suppose to have a hearing down in NOLA. I was going to ask the lawyers to bring me back of beinget mix, but the hearing got canceled. Thus, had to find out how to make it on my own. It was really quite easy.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-09-21 12:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
I made pizza last night star_smile.gif

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

It's definately enough for 2 12 inch pizzas. I have one of those pizza pans that fits a frozen pizza. I stuck all the dough on there and woh, puffy pizza. Next time, I'm going to divide it in half. I prebaked the crust for 10 minutes at 325 before I topped it and baked it for 15 minutes at 425.


I used a pesto base, and then sprinked it with kalamate olives and chunks of the soft egyptian cheese. Note to self, soft egyptian cheese does not melt. Ah well, it was still tasty, even if it was puffy.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-09-17 08:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
QUOTE (MarocAmer @ Sep 7 2008, 12:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I thought maybe this recipe might be similar to the south african one you saw on PBS. Enjoy smile.gif

Lion's Head Meatballs in Spicy Coconut Sauce


Mmm, those look quite tasty, and I have everything but the fish sauce and chilis. Since the husband doesn't like chilis anyways, I think I"ll try to make it with what I have on hand. Thanks!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-09-07 11:48:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
PBS's Cooking Academy is the bane of my existence during Ramadan, but at least I get good ideas for iftar.

Turkish Beef Kabob


Unfortunately, there was a great recipe for a south african hamburger that was done in a coconut sauce, but the recipe isn't on the website crying.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-09-06 10:19:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Not a ME/NA food, but very tasty and very easy to make.

Quick Asparagus Lasgana




I made it with asparagus and broccoli.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-08-31 09:12:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
rahma's mahshy

1.5 cups rice
1 small can tomato paste
1 onion diced uber fine
Garlic Salt to taste
2 T butter, melted
Grape leaves - rinsed
Broth - either chicken or vegetarian
2 T butter
Salt, Pepper to taste

Stir the first 5 ingredients together. Make sure to rinse the grape leaves well. If you don't, then they have a sour, acidic taste, like greek dolmas, which I really don't like.

Add a single spoonful (~Tablespoon, less if it's a small leaf). Don't overstuff. Again, I repeat, don't overstuff. The rice expands when it cooks, and if it's too full, your leaves will unfold.

To fold, follow these instructions:

How to Stuff Grape Leaves Step-by-Step with Photos - Basic Technique for Stuffing Grape Leaves

Then pack tightly at the bottom of a large pot. Pour broth over the grape leaves, enough to cover plus 1/2 inch. Add the second 2 T butter, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until broth is absorbed.



There are quite a few variations on the theme. You can use tomato sauce, or diced tomatos instead of the paste. You can throw in browned ground beef or lamb. Add different spices to taste. The sky's the lmiit.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-08-27 16:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Hmm, now I'm curious. According the Shaykh Google:

http://www.islamlife...mp;thread_id=60

The Dhaahiri - Literalist position

According to the Literalist School: Ibn Hazm, the exponent of the Literalist school wrote in his manual (Al Muhalla) volume 1, page 166, problem no. 132: ‘If the excretion of the animal is burnt down or changed and becomes ashes or dust, all that becomes pure and can be used for tayammum (earth purification) . The proof of that is the fact that rules are in accordance with what Allah Most High, has ruled regarding the objects in what the object is named. If the name of the object is changed or dropped, the previous rule is dropped as well. It is something from that which Allah has named’. As such, excretion is different from dust, as it is different from ashes. The same thing with wine which is different from vinegar and human being is different from the blood from which he is created. The dead thing is different from dust or ashes.

In problem 136, page 178, he goes on to say: ‘If the quality of the substance of naturally impure object changes the name which was given to it so that it is no more applicable to it and it is given a new name which is given to a pure object, so it is no more an impure thing. It becomes a new object, with a new rule.

The same thing is true of a pure thing changing into impure thing such as juice becoming wine or the wine becoming vinegar. The pork flesh eaten by a chicken and becoming a chicken flesh. It is halal. The water becoming wine or the food turning into excretion, the excretion and the wine used as fertilizer or becoming a fruit and so many other things.


I wonder if my sweet zahari husband has this Ibn Hazm book. He likes Ibn Hazm's logic, so I'll see how he reads this, and then maybe I can start getting some wine vinegars. But then again, I already have 4 kinds, and the last one I bought, the husband was like :blink: why do we need 4 kinds of vinegar?


Also, Shafi'i perspective
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2007-08-09 15:40:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Oooo, muchas gracias! I'm going to print this out and stick it in my recipes folder asap.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2007-08-09 15:21:00
Middle East and North AfricaSultan's Kitchen
Does anyone know of a good subsitute for wine in recipes? There are a lot of tasty looking things that call for cooking wine, which we don't use :unsure:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2007-08-09 14:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
One of my favorite bloggers UmmBilal has some good links about the battle at Karbela from the sunni perspective.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 16:35:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Just an FYI, 4 pm GMT is 10 am american central time star_smile.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 15:29:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Free Live Sunnipath Event on Sunday. Sh. Sohail is probably my favorite sunnipath teacher. I'm registered. If anyone else registers, let me know and we cant get together on yahoo afterwards to chat.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 15:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Turia @ Jan 6 2009, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My husband is such a poop. I showed him this and he says no i don't like the material. He thinks i need to get everything from Morocco but we won't be going for a while. And to have someone ship something to us, it would be cheaper to just order it off line. I don't understand him. It makes me so angry.



Ah men, pooey laughing.gif I'm always whining about my weight, so my husband says I can order new abayas when I lose x pounds, as motivation. Of course, it's not 2 and a half years later, and guess who hasn't ordered any new abayas yet no0pb.gif

Another idea if you can't order online is to go to your local goodwill and look for those long denim dresses that used to be in years ago. I have a few of those that I wear either closed or open over a skirt and a shirt. It's like this, but much cheaper.

QUOTE (Staashi @ Jan 6 2009, 01:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (rahma @ Jan 6 2009, 02:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Staashi @ Jan 6 2009, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Rahma - I love the Burberry Abaya - tres chic and the pink embroidered one is very eye-catching. I think that would be so sharp with a pretty lime green or aqua thread, too. good.gif


Girl, you speak my language good.gif I'm known as the girl in the hot (insert color here) hijab. I've got hot pink, hunter orange and lime green. Still looking for a good electric blue however laughing.gif


Honey, I wear color - lots of it. laughing.gif Actually, it was funny, when I was in Birmingham, AL to visit my sis at Thanksgiving, I was out at a mall with my mom. A Muslima walked in front our car and she was wearing a floral printed tunic and a hot plum hijab. I said, "Mom, check out her hijab." My mom said, "Fabulous color - I was just thinking the same thing." rofl.gif



Ooo hot plum! South East Asians have a lot of brightly colored scarves and tunics in their wardrobes, egyptians to a lesser extent. We americans are just a whole big mix of everything.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 14:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Turia @ Jan 6 2009, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I love athat one too. I don't have any place to find abaya's at around here.


I was really lucky to have the return center for jelbab.com in Minneapolis. When I first moved here, I called em up and asked if I could pick through the returns. They ship from Jordan, but for US customers, they send the returns to Minnesota (or at least they did, haven't ordered from them for awhile). I got 2 abayas and a jelbab for $30 each. My very first abaya that I still wear often is from there. It's black with a mock coat and white embroidery running down the openings of the coat. Let's see what they have now that i like, hmmm:



There Granted, I don't think it's necessary to wear an abaya or a jelbab, so long as your clothes are lose and modest. But, I do like the convenience of throwing it on over my lounging around the house clothes and heading out the door quickly.

There are a ton of good places to buy online. An aquaintence of mine maintains a directory - http://modestclothes.com/

I've only purchased clothing from jelbab.com, Islamicboutique, and Shukr. Shukr is by far my favorite, and I wear something from them almost every day.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 14:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Staashi @ Jan 6 2009, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Rahma - I love the Burberry Abaya - tres chic and the pink embroidered one is very eye-catching. I think that would be so sharp with a pretty lime green or aqua thread, too. good.gif


Girl, you speak my language good.gif I'm known as the girl in the hot (insert color here) hijab. I've got hot pink, hunter orange and lime green. Still looking for a good electric blue however laughing.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 14:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Fluffy post time. It's been awhile since I've been abaya shopping. I'll probably just wait until the husband goes back to egypt later this year and have a tailor make knock offs of gulf abayas. I love love love black abayas, and the mini renaisance in gulf abayas has me swooning.

I do want to order this one though:






These are a bit too expensive, so I'll have the husband look for something like them in Egypt or get ones custom made:








I also really really love the Silk Route abayaat, but apparently they're made for sisters without any curves. If you're above a US size 10, apparently, you're out of luck.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 12:50:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Today is the 8th of Muharram, which means it's almost the 9th and 10th. This means different things for sunnis and shias.

For the sunnis:

Fiqh of Islamic Months: Muharram
  • It's good to fast the first 10 days
  • It's good to make the night prayer
  • It's especially good to fast the 9th and 10th, as the 10th is Ashura, aka passover, in the muslim calendar
Historical Significance of Ashura


For shias:

It is a commemoration of the battle of Karbela, a great fitna that caused the death of the Prophet's (saws) grandson Hussein.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-05 08:35:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Rajaa_Reda @ Dec 31 2008, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
good idea but what time are we talking here unsure.gif I usually stay up until 10 hehe


Sorry this is late, but just FYI for any future night prayer prayers: Night Prayer can be at any time. You can pray it after isha, before you go to sleep, or you can sleep and get up in the night to pray. This is an order from Allah (swt) to the Prophet (saws) to pray the night prayer. It was obligatory for him, but only optional for us.

And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory. 17:79

For the specifics of the prayer after one sleeps, this is a helpful read.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-05 08:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
If you're staying up for New Years tonight, set aside a little time for Allah (swt) and join in the Global Qiyam ul Layl (Night Prayer) Campaign for Peace and Justice in the entire World.



QUOTE
In the name of God
Bismillah

May the peace, blessings and mercy of God be upon you
Asalamualykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Many of you have read the news. Many of you have seen the pictures. Many of you are protesting or writing letters. Many of you have blogged about it. Many of you have made dua.

What if we all did something together in unison on one night, Thursday January 1, 2009? What if we all stood in prayer in our homes, offices, schools, dorms or wherever we may be on Thursday night? What if we could get at least one thousand Muslims around the world making the same dua? Think of the probability of one dua being accepted out of a thousand.

Viral marketing spreads like wildfire. So I’m calling this viral dua! Spread this viral dua to everyone!

We will stand on this night to ask Allah (God) to…

  • …end all the suffering of all the innocent people around the world.
  • …bring justice to all the oppressive rulers and regimes around the world.
  • …seek forgiveness for all our sins.
  • …to grant us when we die and all those believers who have died, heaven.
Let’s try to get at least 1 person in all the cities where Muslims live to sacrifice one night to ask Allah (swt) to end the suffering in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and all around the world where there is suffering.

I’ll start off with myself. I intend to stand on the night of Thursday January 1, 2009 in prayer for justice around the world.

Join us and comment your location (see example below). Why? The more locations the more people will join, because they’ll realize they are not alone on this night. You can even advertise a link if you want to. You can even add your link/name and keep your location blank.


The Excellence of Prayer at Night
Qiyam al Layl: Merits & Significance




UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-31 16:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
When I go to the distance learning page, it says 2009 registration is open. Emailing them couldn't hurt.

Ooo, oo, I just realized that the marriage and family course is the same program Imam Zaid gave here last May. It is 100% awesome. I have half a notebook full of notes I took. I was waiting for it to come out on CD to give to people as newlywed gifts, but now I can just tell them to take the course instead biggrin.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-31 10:03:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Rajaa_Reda @ Dec 30 2008, 09:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
you know i went to the Zaytuna institude to sign up for a distance course they have but they still say "upcoming" courses are Fall???? blink.gif


Yeah, their web design is a little behind, but the courses are excellent mashaAllah. I really like that they're MP3s that you download and can keep forever. I have a few classes on my ipod rotation. Getting Right with Allah with Imam Zaid is one of my favorite lecture series of all time.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-31 08:48:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Duas for your Dad rose.gif rose.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-30 10:50:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Rajaa_Reda @ Dec 29 2008, 11:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
isn't today the Muslim new year??


That's why I wished everyone a happy 1430 wink.gif

The Islamic new year is tied to the Prophet's (saws) migration from Mecca to Medina.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-29 12:42:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Aww, thanks guys blush.gif If you benefit from what I write, please make dua for me rose.gif


Now, on to the content:

Happy 1430!

1430 lunar years ago, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) made hijra (migrated) from Mecca to Yathrib, later to be known as Medina al-Munawwarah, the Luminous City.

The 1430 Hijri Page at IslamOnline
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-29 12:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Something for those who drool over the fancy hijab wraps but have no idea how to do it:

http://hijabstyle.bl...uct-review.html

Apparently the website is only in arabic, but they're working on putting it out in english. I really like the style in the first video. It doesn't seem too complicated. The problem with a lot of the hijab styles in egypt these days is that they use too many scarves and defeat the purpose of hijab. Sure, wrap your scarf in a quirky way, but don't make it so flashy that everyone stares at you when you walk down the street.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-22 11:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Yusuf Estes definately represents a different strain of Islam than the people I mentioned earlier, but hey, to each their own.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-19 11:07:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
This calls for some major linkage!

HalalTube - some of the speakers I enjoy listed here are Abdal Hakim Jackson, Abdul Hakim Murad, Faraz Rabbani, Hamza Yusuf, Khalil Moore, Ingrid Mattson, Muhammad al-Yaqoubi, Muhammad al Shareef, Siraj Wahaj, Suhaib Webb, Yasir Qadhi and Zaid Shakir

Suhaib Webb's Blog - has a lot of awesome lectures by Br. Suhaib. He's an american convert who's currently studying at al Azhar in Egypt.

Zaytuna's Multimedia - good talks by various Zaytuna staff, including Hamza Yusuf, Zaid Shakir and Yayha Rhodus

Radical Middle Way - an increadible variety of speakers, including Habib Ali, Tariq Ramadan and a ton of others



UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-19 10:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
You're welcome star_smile.gif My favorite speakers, Sh. Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Dr. Umar Abd-Allah, Sh. Abdul Hakim Murad and Sh. Nuh Keller, all converts, are all proponents of the madhab based system, so if you listen to anything by them, that's the perspective they'll portray.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-19 08:48:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
For reads on the subject of madhabs:

Why have madhabs when we have the Qur'an and Sunnah?
The Way of Sunni Islam - a Reader


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-15 11:36:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Sh. Hamza Yusuf has been called a sheikh for a number of years. There's no licensing board that determines who gets to be a sheikh and who doesn't. He's studied with respectable teachers like Sh. bin Bayyah and Sh. Murabit al Hajj, and I would guess that when they felt he was ready to take the title, they gave it to him.

Sh. Hamza is a maliki in fiqh. Imam Zaid Shakir is a shafi'i in fiqh.

They're both leading voices of the "traditionalist" movement in the western muslim world, ie a return to the madhab based system, as opposed to the more salafi approach funded by the Saudis that has dominated islam in the west in the past few decades.

Edited by rahma, 15 December 2008 - 11:03 AM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-15 11:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Exciting times to be a muslim in america. I'm uber excited about the idea of Zaytuna College. I wonder if I can get a second bachelors degree?

Introducing Zaytuna Collegehttp://guest.cvent.c...47-8506af774dfe
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-11 12:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
It really depends on the customs of the area. Everywhere I've been in Egypt and the US are just fine by it. There are quite a few mosques that are tourist destinations in Cairo. If it's in the US, contact their office and let them know you're interested in visiting. They may set up someone to meet you and show you around. We frequently have college classes attend our jummah (friday) prayers. I'm the unofficial greeter/question answer-er star_smile.gif

There's only a few things to remember:
*Dress modestly. Both men and women should wear loose-ish pants and long sleeve tops. Depending on the community, men may wear short sleeves, but I always think better safe than sorry. Women can bring along a scarf to throw over their hair, although it doesn't need to be tied on pretty.
*Take off your shoes where you see the big pile of shoes.
*If you're observing a prayer, when everyone gets up and starts to stand in a line, that's the time to pray. Scoot to the back and sit or stand against the wall, so you aren't in anyone's way.


Here are a few mosque FAQs that may be helpful before you visit.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2008-12-09 11:32:00