ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Ahmed N Tina @ Jan 30 2009, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Jen, your knowledge astounds me every time I read something you post. My hat is totally off to you!


blush.gif It's all the fault of high school debate. I learned how research research research as a debater. But really, what I know is nothing in the grand scheme of things. I'm just a student at the beginning of the path.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-30 12:08:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I'm not familiar with the shia view of bida (innovation), so I can't help you on that front.

Bida within sunni islam refers to innovations in religious practices. While at times in history, groups of muslims have been reticent to accept techonological innovations (the Ottomans and the printing press, the Saudis and the radio), when muslims speak about bida, they're using it in the religious practices sense of the word.

There's a disagreement as to whether the prophetic injunction against bida is absolute or conditional. My increadibly simplistic take on the matter - either you accept bida hasana (good bida), or you don't, and that's what colors your whole view of islam.

Sh. Nuh Keller provides the "classical" view of bida, in that certain types of innovation are allowed.

Sh. al-Uthaimeen provides the view that there is no such thing as a good bida.

In general, the former view was the majority view throughout most of history, and the later view has only come into force in the last few centuries.


If you want to see a good illustration of this debate, look at any argument over sufism's role in Islam. It's either, ooooo sufism is all bida thus it's haram, or sufi practices are good bida, which are allowed under most jurists. That's the debate that goes on in my household weekly whistling.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-29 15:15:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon - to God we belong and to Him is our return rose.gif

We pray as we saw the Prophet (saws) pray. This goes through the sequence of what happens after a muslim dies. This explains how the actual prayer itself is prayed.

Do you guys go to jummah? If so, have Kamal tell the imam that your niece has passed away, and that you'd like for the congregation to pray the funeral prayer for her. We often pray the funeral prayer here for someone's parents who have passed away overseas. I think there may be a difference of opinion between the madhabs as to whether it is permissible or not, but I do know that it is ok to do in the shafi'i madhab (and, as my husband would be quick to point out, ok with ibn Hazm and the zaharis).

But, now that I'm writing it, morocco is majority maliki, and I think malikis do not allow for the funeral prayer in abstenia. Check with Kamal to see if that's something he'd like to do, and if he knows the fiqh details on it.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-29 10:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I should really stop internet window shopping. From Imaan Collection:



Ok, the tight pants are a definite no no for a hijabi, bit if you wore this with a skirt or wide leg pants, it would be o so awesome



I really love the overcoat look


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-26 17:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Maybe it's the browser you're using? I can see it fine on firefox.

The basic gist is that Allah (swt) created us in peoples and nations, so we should have to do away with that when we convert to Islam. One doesn't need to become a pakistani or an arab to be muslim. But on the other hand, one shouldn't look down their noses at muslims of other ethnic groups and think that everything would be just hunky dory if converts took over everything.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-23 20:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Did it work if you reboot? While that particular one isn't there I don't think, the Cambridge Khutbas website has a ton more speeches/lectures/sermons by Abdal Hakim Murad.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-23 10:18:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Great video by Sh. Abdal Hakim Murad. It was an address to converts, but I think it would be of interest to muslims in general. He discusses several pitfalls facing new muslims and how to navigate them.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-22 20:16:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I believe it's 10:30. Right now it's 2:46 GMT.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-18 09:46:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
wa alaikum assalam wr wb,

They should be emailing a link to the course an hour or 2 before it starts inshaAllah. Unfortunately, I have to go in to work today, so I won't be able to make it sad.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-18 07:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Woo, Staashi star_smile.gif

This brings to mind something that happened when I was at a friend's around new years. We were playing Fact or #######, where basically you have a card with statements, and people have to guess if the statement is true (fact) or false (#######). It was my turn to ask, and it was a question about the Ismaeli's leader being the Agha Khan. I was like, noooo, I actually have real knowledge on this one, and I don't even get to benefit?
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-15 11:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (faryan @ Jan 13 2009, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
U kidding me??? its A LOT scary!! LOL

Oooohhh.... me loike food and malls (its a malaysian past time!).. what's zabiha though? i am game for anything, but i know hubby not into lamb and seafood he eats mostly chicken and veges..


Zabiha is the arabic term for meat that's slaughtered islamically, ie with the bismillah, throat cut and all the blood drained out.

Here's the restaurant near the mall of america. There's lots of options on their menu, although I don't know how anyone wouldn't like lamb. I go to the middle eastern buffet specifically to eat a ton of lamb, lol.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 14:51:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (faryan @ Jan 13 2009, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I just registered too. The title of the class alone is really intriguing, hehehe whistling.gif


LOL, I noticed they changed the title to on the path of sacred knowledge or something. Guess the hell in the title was a little scary.

QUOTE
Rahma, we are going to be in Iowa City.. anyone from there? However, my MIL and her husband live in Duluth.. Is that near where u are at? Maybe when we go visit her we can meet up!


You'd probably be driving up 35 to get to Duluth, so you'd go right through the Twin Cities, were we're at. We could do lunch good.gif We only eat zabiha, so that limits the options, but I do know of indian/pakistani restaurants that has halal meat, and there's good middle eastern and afghan zabiha options available. Oh heck, if you're coming through the Twin Cities, you have to stop at the mecca of american consumerism, the Mall of America. No halal food there, but there's an indian/indo-chinese restaurant around there that I've been interested in trying.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 14:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (just_Jackie @ Jan 13 2009, 11:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I just registered for Sundays course. smile.gif


Yaay. inshaAllah we can chat before or after the course.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 13:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Aymsgirl @ Jan 13 2009, 10:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (UmmSqueakster @ Jan 13 2009, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sorry, I realized the link in my Sunnipath course post didn't work. To sign up, click

http://walkingapatht...eventbrite.com/



Im wondering if I will be back from the airport by then. You crack me up with your screen name squeakster!


The Squeakster is my kitty (aka Squeaky, Kitty!, my little elephant, couch cat, lap lion, and sofa sphynx) wink.gif I'm the Umm (mommy) of my kitty laughing.gif I'm reviving a sunnah here - one of the companions of the Prophet (saws) was Abu Huraira (ra) - father of the kitten. I figure if he can be called that, why can't I be the mother of my cat?

If you can make it back in time, sign up! The course I took last weekend was fabulous!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 11:54:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Sorry, I realized the link in my Sunnipath course post didn't work. To sign up, click

http://walkingapatht...eventbrite.com/
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 11:31:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (faryan @ Jan 12 2009, 12:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Very exciting indeed! I like the word you used, reclaiming the legacy of islamic scholarship.. I used to work one year for a progressive muslim women org here in KL a few years back, i was just organising events for them, but its a very important turning point for me personally, as i was surrounded by strong, kind, opinionated and diverse muslimas, and made me believe in myself more rather than follow blindly for the sake of. If there's a wishlist that i can make or a new year resolution, it will be so that i can read books and articles and retain them in my brain, and be able to eloquently string sound opinions or at least sentences like them and of course you guys too. Sometimes i think i can be a tad airheaded.. ha ha.. sad!


Ha, I can be airheaded when it's very inconvenient - like at work. I'm a paralegal, and when I'm trying to explain something to an attorney, sometimes my words get jumbled, like this morning sad.gif Everything is so clear in my head, but when I try to articulate it, it gets messed up. That's why I like to communicate via email - more time to think and refine what I want to say.



QUOTE
Probably will want to get settled in a bit first - there's a summer semester that will start in June probably.

Definitely! Theres a lot to get used to...


Yeah, don't do too much at once. My husband signed up for a tax course that started 2 days after he arrived, and it was really tough for him to make it through with everything else he had to do.



Oh, we have our share of firey preachers here too. If you're in a bigger city, there should at least be a choice. If there's only one masjid in town, you're kinda stuck sad.gif

QUOTE
Yeahh i know what you mean.. Hubby not so keen on the mosque in town-imam was new, gruff, dont speak much english at all (according to him). there was one congregate, a student, who was nice and helpful to him, but i'd say the whole experience of the couple of visits he had there wasnt pleasant for him, very overwhelming.. initially i told him to stick to it coz maybe they are just being extra friendly or something, but then again i realise that i also have the same kind of aversion to being overwhelmed etc, and i said to him that IMHO mosques is a social place where people congregate, pray, learn, so its ok to admit not being comfy at one place and search for an atmosphere we most feel more at home. he visited one 2 hours away and like that mosque. seems like they even have classes etc. in the weekends. the head of the mosque there is a uni professor, they had nice chats, and was very helpful to him. thats a good start i think. smile.gif


Ah, good good. We do have a problem with imams being imported and not connecting with the local people and culture. I think more and more people are aware of this problem and are seeking out people who are at least fluent in english. There's a new muslim college being started by the people at Zaytuna with the aim to create imams and scholars with a knowledge and understanding of american culture


QUOTE
Good idea! smile.gif I love to cook, so been finding out re alternative ingredients that i can use.. May have to send some packed spices way ahead for the days that i want my food just so, altho i can usually adjust and experiment with things there. There's quite a number of malaysian students in the uni in town, so maybe if i get homesick for malaysian chatters and want to feed people i can touch base with them. smile.gif Oh.. and i worry about not making friends, but will figure that one out i suppose.. i hope there will be some of you guys here living in the area, will be nice talking to people who actually know what we go through, u know what i mean?


I went to the University of Wisconsin and there were quite a few Malaysian students there as well. They tended to stick together and had quite a few events, especially during Ramadan. inshaAllah they'd be happy to have you join them smile.gif

I'm in Minnesota, not sure where you'll be ending up, but if we're close, that would be cool biggrin.gif

Edited by UmmSqueakster, 13 January 2009 - 11:22 AM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 11:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Staashi @ Jan 13 2009, 09:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Rahma - I had to let you know that I showed my husband the dresses from that site you posted the other day - he loved them! He was like...someday you need to order something from them. I would love to find a great tunic or a dress for a really special occasion. Although I'm not a hijabie princess, I love the look. Plus, I could use the wrap for something else like a scarf or a head band. good.gif


They are pretty spiffy aren't there? I think that there are plenty of occasions where a long flowy sparkly dress could be appropriate. Formal wear doesn't always have to be about the little black dress laughing.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 11:11:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Another free event from Sunnipath next week!

Free Live Event "Walking on a Path to Hell" This Sunday
Sacred knowledge is vital for our own eternal salvation: without it, we could be walking on a path to Hell without even realizing it. Yet fewer and fewer people are learning in our times, causing a profound negative impact both on ourselves and on our communities as a whole.

Join us this Sunday, January 18th for a live online event entitled "Walking on a Path to Hell: Redirecting Our Footsteps with Sacred Knowledge" with Shaykh Sulayman Van Ael. Using two Sahih hadiths as the basis of his talk, Shaykh Sulayman will address the importance of seeking sacred knowledge, motivating us towards Paradise.

* 8:30am PST (LA, SF, Seattle, Vancouver)
* 9:30am MST (Denver, Phoenix, Edmonton, Calgary)
* 10:30am CST (Chicago, Houston)
* 11:30am EST (NYC, Miami, Atlanta, D.C., Toronto)
* 4:30pm GMT (London)
* 8:30pm GST (Abu Dhabi, Dubai)
* 3:30am Monday (Sydney, Melbourne)

Register now for “Walking on a Path to Hell”


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-13 10:13:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (faryan @ Jan 11 2009, 12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi Rahma! smile.gif That's great, keep on sharing! Yeah you are correct, Malaysia is predominantly shafi'i smile.gif and my hubby is a new convert smile.gif Awesome that they're giving out discounts for newbies!! I'm thinking that we will look at a few classes when i finally get there, so that we can "attend" together and talk about it later. InsyaAllah it will be in February that I can finally join him there, really really hope so, will be interesting (re the finally moving in full time together part).. hehehe


Probably will want to get settled in a bit first - there's a summer semester that will start in June probably.

QUOTE
Will be nice to "shop around" for a mosque that me and hubby will feel comfortable in to participate and study too.. one that is welcoming of people of different opinions, lifestyles, etc but who are muslims and want to be part of a society. i think the lack of this might be what repels many people from mosques here in malaysia.. from my bedroom i can hear very loud sermons every week from my local neighbourhood masjid, talking about the same kind of things as usual, but always in angry tone. a lot of rhetorics and politics and not so much on teaching smile.gif i guess its kinda cool here for sermons to sound fiery; i guess while its not my personal cup of tea, it might be others'.


Oh, we have our share of firey preachers here too. If you're in a bigger city, there should at least be a choice. If there's only one masjid in town, you're kinda stuck sad.gif

QUOTE
without close family nearby during ramadhan, eid, etc for example, i dont look forward to that.. i would be able to prepare the local fares that we have at home, but my extended family is very close and we always have get-togethers at each others' house often to eat and also pray together and recite surah Yassin... and that is not something i can recreate alone... my hubby was great on his first ramadhan, he only not able to complete 2 days out of the month and im really proud of him.. smile.gif but its such a lonely ramadhan and eid for him.. good thing that i will be with him for this year's ramadhan, and i want to make it feel festive too for him, not only serene.. ah well... we shall see eh?


Ramadan/Eids can be tough here. I spent many a lonely ones in the years before my husband came. inshaAllah you guys will be able to make it up. You really have to work hard to make your own traditions, although nothing is quite like "back home." If there's anything that's unique to Malaysia for these times, ask your husband if it's available here, and if not, bring it. In Egypt, fanoos (lanterns) are an important ramadan decoration. I haven't been able to find traditional egyptian fanoos here for a decent price, so the husband is bringing some back when he finally gets to go back to egypt in a few months inshaAllah.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-12 09:08:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
New awesomeness from Sunnipath:

http://sunnipath.com/tafsir



QUOTE
There is no serious Muslim on the face of the earth who does not want to grasp the true significance of the Quran. Yet the resources available up to now to English-speaking Muslims have been mostly confined to ordinary translations into their own language. Virtually none of these have adequately reflected the sciences that alone form the criteria for a knowledge-based understanding of the Divine Word: hadith; Arabic grammar, diction, and rhetoric; and especially, the prolific and excellent works of Islam's greatest exegetes, the Imams of tafsir. The often puzzling renderings in English, and verses that seem to bear no relation to what precedes or follows them, are not the result of revelation, but of a lack of the light of understanding in which all parts of the text fit together and make perfect sense.

This special offering from SunniPath represents the talaqqi or 'personal instruction' of a contemporary master in the sciences of the Quran, Sheikh Ali Hani, from the most authoritative sources, in private sessions to Sheikh Nuh Keller also audited by his wife Umm Sahl. The latter now presents this material to the public in detail for the first time. She exposits the text of the Quran verse-by-verse, providing a living window onto the traditional method of scholarly Quranic transmission, and making plain the order and perfection of the revelation as a whole. The result is quite different from anything in English before.

Begin your voyage of discovery today.

Click here to download a Free introduction to this series.



We're in an exciting time here, where more and more women are stepping up and reclaiming the legacy of islamic scholarship. I don't know of any other way to learn from Umm Sahl other than to go to Jordan and sit with her. Now, at least some of it is available online.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-12 09:03:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Awww, seriously, I'm just a student at the beginning of my journey to acquire sacred knowledge. I just like to read a lot, and when I find something cool, I want to share good.gif


Sunnipath is mashaAllah awesome. I was actually in a class while ya'll were typing, ha. Faryan, is your husband a convert? If he's been muslim less than a year, there are several excellent courses available at 75% off. I think malaysian is predominantely shafi'i? There's an Essentials of Islam (Shafi'i) course starting in a few weeks that's at a reduced price. I'm currently taking Introduction to Islamic Belief this semester, and that's also one that's at a reduced price for newbies. Others that are reduced at Essentials of Islam (Hanafi) and Understanding Islam. That last one is also 75% off for interested non muslims.

SP just keeps growing and growing. There are still kinks they have to work out, but it's amazing what they've done in just 5 short years. They introduced an associates degree program, so one can earn a college degree taking their courses. That's what I'm working on, but slowly. Courses are $200-300, so it can get a little costly.

I think you'll find the US to be very intersting in terms of muslim women participating here. Women frequently go to the masjid, and if you're in a city with a significant muslim population, there are a lot of classes and activities offered. We actually have a mini muslim women conference coming up at the end of the month here in Minnesota.

If your husband wants more to read, I'm working on a list of resources for converts on my blog. It goes in fits and bursts, but inshaAllah I'll keep adding.

Turia - the fatiha course is excellent! It really helps with the prayer, so that when you're reciting al fatiha, it's not just a bunch of sounds, there's a lot more meaning behind it. Is Sh. Sohail teaching it?
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-10 18:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (humpkinpumpkin @ Jan 9 2009, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I can't fit my big fat azz into their clothes. Some day perhaps. *sigh*


New year, new go at the weight loss game? I'm thinking of putting the black one up as a goal to lose weight by eid. Of course, I've been trying to lose weight for 10 years, and the weight goes up, but never down crying.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-09 16:32:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Oh goodness look at this dress:




This would be pretty for a wedding:




Oh heck, I love almost all their dresses! Haven't ever ordered from them. Maybe next eid inshaAllah.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-09 15:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
The Rules of Backbiting

QUOTE
Imam Nawawi says "It is obligatory for every sane adult to guard his tongue against talking, except when it contains a clear benefit. If talking and remaining silent are of equal benefit, it is sunnah to abstain, for permissible talking might lead to something undesirable or forbidden, as in fact is very often the case, and nothing matches safety."
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah :

"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say [something] good, or he should keep silent." [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

Nawawi says, "This hadith is quite explicit that it is imperative to not talk unless the speech is good, which is that wherein there is some benefit. If a person is in doubt as to whether there will be any benefit, then he should remain silent."




UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-09 12:45:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Jackie, if you sign up, let me know.


And now for ya'lls entertainment, my first attempt at muslim lolcats!





FYI, when a person prays alone, they can set an object out in front of them known as a sutra. Anyone passing in front of the praying person should pass in front of the sutra.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-07 09:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Turia @ Jan 6 2009, 03:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (rahma @ Jan 6 2009, 02:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just an FYI, 4 pm GMT is 10 am american central time star_smile.gif

\
ya i know i got to the center at 9 til 1.


Ah, darn. I sometimes forget the time differences. Once, they had a time change in GMT, but not here in the US, so I missed by class crying.gif

Edited by rahma, 06 January 2009 - 04:43 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-01-06 16:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (lancer1655 @ Jul 9 2009, 01:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was reading his interpretation of the Quran and the end times. Thats why I wanted to know if he was respected or not. He says that Jesus is both a prophet and Messiah but not God. That He was able to fool the Roman and Jewish record keepers into thinking He was dead on the cross but survived and was taken into heaven. He went on to say that He will return to earth and live for 40 years before dying. In the end time, he says that all peoples will be killed except those who believe in Allah. 144,000 Jews will be spared (this is also in the New Testament btw) and that Christians will be spared. He goes on to explain that Allah will rule over the Jews with the Torah and will repair the Gospel to its original state which will be used to rule over the Christians. Obviously those who follow Islam will be ruled over by the Quran and will have a special place.

Is this the general conclusion of most who follow Islam? I realize that the End Times are interpreted differently depending on what sect you are ie. I think he is Sunni?



There was actually a hadith related by Bukhari (an authentic hadith collection) I came across recently that relates to the end times:

Narrated Anas (ra): A bedouin came to the Prophet (saws) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! When will The Hour [the end times] be established?" The Prophet said, "Wailaka (Woe to you), What have you prepared for it?" The bedouin said, "I have not prepared anything for it, except that I love Allah and H is Apostle." The Prophet said, "You will be with those whom you love." We (the companions of the Prophet ) said, "And will we too be so? The Prophet said, "Yes." So we became very glad on that day.


My husband and I have been having an ongoing discussion of more than a year with a Jehovah's Witness and she will often want to talk about the end times. That's one of the areas I don't really delve into. When I look at this hadith, I see that instead of telling the man the information, the Prophet (saws) emphasizes the importance of working in the here and now, so that when the hour does come, we'll be ready.

I had asked on my blog recently for a recommendation on a good book on the end times to give to the JW, and one of my friends passed on to me that a teacher we both respect said that there wasn't a really good book out there, because many of the narrations of hadith are unsound. Hadith (sayings of the prophet) have a science behind them, classifying how sound a hadith is, how reliable the narrators were, how sound the chain of transmition was. There are collections of sahih (sound) hadiths that are generally accepted by (sunni) muslims, such as Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Tirhmidi are the big ones, with the collections of al-Nasa'i, Imam Malik and Ibn Majah.

I found this Harun Yahya book online - http://www.harunyahy...mahdi02.php#top - and did a quick read through. I'm not sure about the soundness of some of the hadith he is using. If you don't mind waiting, I can ask AbuS to look through it and see how accurate it is.

The general narration you gave seems right. Jesus (as) is al Masih, the messiah, but not the son of God, nor God himself. He didn't die, and will return at the end of times. I'm unsure where he gets the 144,000 number from islamically, aside from poaching it from the bible. Unsure about that last bit as well.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 14:00:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (Sandrila @ Jul 9 2009, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I visited the site...it is very informative, thank you.


16th of Rajab 1430
means what exactly?

Does the sighting of the moon "actually" seeing it.
What if it is cloudy but the moon is there?
It tends to get a little confusing.
When and what in Maroc....when and what here, technically, as far as times, dates and seeing the moon.


inshaAllah I'll dig up a post I've done on this in the past and stick it in the Ramadan thread with some updates. It's kinda complicated and often contentious here - another year, another moon fight.


QUOTE
I respect all what you have learned and share here Squeaks and I sensed no harshness.
I just know it may seem odd, to devout practicing Muslims, and feel he is not truly "Muslim" due to his
lack of devotion, however he seems Muslim enough to me in alot of other ways and things that he says.
i would very much like to see him become more active and responsible in his religion and practice. I guess everyone is different but not quite sure why he is not.


I suppose it's odd, but sadly it's not uncommon here. But then, christianity has it's easter and christmas christains and we have our ramadan and eid muslims.



QUOTE
Last year the fasting.
This year fasting and maybe the smoking blush.gif

Thanks again


you're welcome and best of luck! I know smoking is a hard habit to kick, but inshaAllah you can do it kicking.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 13:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Sorry, I didn't meant to come across as harsh. I am very glad that he wants to fast ramadan. After all, something is better than nothing star_smile.gif Just (gently) remind him that he should stop drinking 40 days before Ramadan, and should think about adding the prayers in too, to make his fast more complete.

One of my personal pet peeves is how muslim men who drink often get a pass, where as muslim women who don't wear hijab are ganged up upon and beaten down, when drinking is much more strongly condemend islamically then not wearing hijab. Well, at least that's how it was when I was in college. Lots of gulf boys came over wearing armani, driving big fancy cars and partying all night with the ladies wacko.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 12:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
The islamic month before Ramadan is named Shaban. What does he mean by no drinking? Alcohol? To state the obvious, there's no drinking alcohol at any time during the year, not just during Shaban. But if he feels like he needs to give it up for Ramadan, then he better do it 40 days before, so that his prayers are accepted during the month of Ramadan. We're now on the 16th of Rajab. Shaban will start on the 23rd or 24th of July.

As for a Ramadan schedule, one would refer to the prayer times to figure out when one starts fasting and when one breaks the fast

*Go to http://islamicfinder.org/
*enter your zip code
*click on the link on the right that says "monthly prayer times"
*click the link that says "monthly/annual schedule"
*on the right side, go to the second drop down menu that says Muharam and then select Ramadan
*That will give him a calendar of the approximate start of the month of Ramadan (based on calculation, although some would argue [like myself] that technically the month starts when the moon is actually seen. For moon sighting in north america, visit Crescent Watch). I'm sure he's aware that he needs to start his fast at the beginning of fajr, and can break it at the beginning of maghrib.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 10:54:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (lancer1655 @ Jul 8 2009, 11:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Also I've been reading books by Adnan Oktar. Is he generally a respected theologian of Islam? His writings are very interesting but I did a quick Wikipedia search on him and noticed he had some legal problems in the past.


I'm not a Harun Yahya fan, mainly beause I don't like to get into the whole evolution vs. creationism debate. He's not really a theologian - more of a self educated crusader against evolution.

Is there a reason you're reading his books? If there is something in particular you're looking for, perhaps I or someone else here can point you towards other things to read as well.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 08:38:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
In the Qur'an, Allah (swt) tells us:

QUOTE
"The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). See how we make Our signs clear to them; and see where they are turning away!" (5:75).


Basically, Jesus, Isa in arabic (alayhi salaam, upon him be peace), was one in a long line of messengers who taught the same basic truth - submission to God, islam.

QUOTE
"And when Jesus perceived their leaning towards unbelief, he asked, "Who will be my helpers in the way of God?" The disciples said, "We are helpers of God. We believe in Allah, and our witness that we have submitted ourselves exclusively to God. Our Lord! We believe in the commandment You have revealed and we obey the Messenger; make us, then, one of those who bear witness." (3:52-53).

"And when I put in the hearts of the disciples (of Jesus) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims." (5:111)


As had happened with the message that had been brought by the previous Prophets (saws), the injeel (gospel) of Jesus (as) was distorted and muddled. Muhammad (saws) was sent as the final Messenger, the seal of the Prophets, to bring the final revelation.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-09 08:35:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Yay or nay to a seperate Ramadan 2009 thread?
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-08 13:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Beyond Hijab: Modesty in Islam

In this lecture, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani gives advice on reframing the question of Hijab from one of form (clothing) to one of essence (modesty) by using the Prophetic example and the example of the best of women: Khadijah, Fatima, Maryam, A’isha, and Asiya (May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) be pleased with them all).
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-08 12:03:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I say convert. I find the term revert to be awkward, and have never felt comfortable using it.

Revert is used because Islam is the religion of our fitra, our original nature, and in embracing islam, they are returning, reverting to that original state.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-08 11:20:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (doodlebugg @ Jul 7 2009, 12:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Decided on the coral. In a bad mood so shopping made me feel all betterer blush.gif

Found this cool blog and I'm loving the pink number here:



Let us know how it is when you get it smile.gif

And I'm friends with the blog author. Small world star_smile.gif
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-07 12:54:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I don't have children yet, but I do have links. Imagine that innocent.gif

Barakah Life - makes beauuuuutiful Ramadan calendars. The new website just went live, so it's a little buggy. You can see a better picture of the calendar here. I loved advent calendars as a child, and this would be the perfect thing for a muslim child - stick a little toy, a piece of candy, etc in each pouch and at iftar time, they get a little treat. She also maintains a site called Ramadan Joy that has craft projects and decoration ideas.

Mutmaina - unfortunately a geocities site that frequently goes over it's bandwith, but keep checking back, because it's totally worth it. Cute posters, coloring pages, children's stories.

Islamic Bookstore - has a large number of children's books, but I can't comment on the quality of most of them. There are a couple of really cool newer products that I've had my eye on by Learning Roots. In particular, I wanted to get the prayer practice calendar for myself, but I ended up making one on my own instead laughing.gif

Learning Roots - their direct webpage. They have a number of books on the prophets (as) that look to be the right age.

Muslim Sticker Company - cuz I loved stickers as a kid. Oh heck, I still love stickers!

Noor Arts - online muslim store aimed at kids.


UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-07 08:17:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
For those who didn't make it to ISNA this weekend (somehow my non muslim sister got to go and I didn't mad.gif ), they've put up some sessions from years past. Nothing from this year yet however.

http://www.isna.net/...ns-Webcast.aspx - last year

In particular, there was a session on Ramadan and the Qur'an - http://video.google....4...84343&hl=en
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-06 08:13:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (doodlebugg @ Jul 2 2009, 07:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (UmmSqueakster @ Jul 1 2009, 06:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
2. Submit a question to Seeker's Guidance about your situation.



I tried fruitlessly to find how to register so that I can log in and submit a question but I'm just too darn stooopid in the am I guess because I can't figure it out. I can't figure out how to start the farm on facebook either so that's not saying much. tongue.gif (I did however just learn how to change the font on my blackberry so all hope is not lost!)


I don't believe you need to register. Just click here - http://seekersguidan...mit-a-question/
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-02 08:29:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
Doods, 2 thoughts:

1. Find a doctor who is either a. muslim or b. not completely against fasting for any reason and seek their advice. There are doctors who would advise you not to fast, even if you were perfectly healthy (such as my mother's doctor, who she has apparently consulted on my behalf, and will now tell me every chance she gets that I should at least drink water during my fasts, despite the fact I have been fasting consistently for years and never had any trouble aside from the occasional headache). It may be that fasting simply isn't healthy for you, and in that case, you could simply pay the fidyah, compensation for a person who is unable to fast.

2. Submit a question to Seeker's Guidance about your situation. I submitted a question this afternoon, and they sent an actual personal response letting me know they would be getting to my question soon, not an automatically generated response saying they recieved my question.


Fasting can be a physical test with discomforts, but it isn't something that should make us seriously and chronically ill.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2009-07-01 17:59:00