So there was this kid a few years ago, youngest of 5. Rest of his siblings were Either in University or part of the workforce. He was a bit of a trouble maker and had been in some run ins with the police. In his last year of high school he began hanging with a cousin who was bit of a wadaad. Incredibly, the kids character changed, he became polite, his grades shot up and he was involved in a bunch of community projects. It was all good until he announced his intention to enroll in an Islamic University and continue his religious educations. Hooyo hit the ceiling! "extremists have brainwashed my boy!" 1st she banned the gar-dheer cousin from the house, then she called everyone else to an "intervention" all the suit and tie wearing people she could find were dragged there to explain to him is 'unnatural' to give up a western education and head off to the desert... lots of "Don't throw away your life" comments thrown around. Talk about confused Priorities.

So here's the big confusion, a whole bunch of people with limited knowledge on the plant are gathering to to share their one-sided opinion on the matter. Lets separate 'use' and 'abuse'. as with every other cultural pastime, abuse of khat will lead to all the negative outcomes. BUT like the man said "Guns don't kill people, People kill people!" From seeing a wide range of Khat users, business men, scholars, artist and community leader, I can say the problem may not be the herb but the person chewing it. If your loser a$$ wasn't going anywhere to begin with, it might be a little short-sighted to blame the visible rather than the individual's will to succeed. So we know a ton of people who are currently working their way through education systems worldwide, and an equal number who completed their education. a + b = c a being quality of the education b being testicular fortitude, will and ability of the person. c being the level of success You all know damn well there'll be a few cases where b will equal to 0. Thats when all the narrow minded peeps and the ones that want to cover for the integrity of a friend or family member with find every excuse expect the real one. "everything went to hell when he started chewing jaad" "that woman he married ruined him" "the white people at that company wouldn't give him a chance" etc etc... Bottom line, some people are losers. We can't all win. If you wanna chew khat because it relaxes you and you just like the marqaan feeling, more power to ya. If you already know where you want to go, an evening of giza won't derail your train ... but let moderation be your guide.

Long time no see indeed, Nephew. 10,000 kulaha! I don't have that much to say at the moment. However, if I recall correctly certain member of our online family have always given me something to speak up about so I'm looking forward to Mofos speaking out of turn and out of context. I'll be listening. ...and you better believe that!

Tirxi is tuqsi aa ka dhacday.... just chillin' mindin' our own business and a grammar lesson broke out. What in the h@ll is goings on???? Tuunji, saaxib, I'm always the underdog, whenever I succeed to a new level I gotta start from the bottom. So I'm always in a constant state of progress. also... There is also a natural and very, very strong empathy with the underdog, with people who have suffered, people who have been pushed around by foreigners in particular, but also by their own people. So I'm the Voice and the Right hand of the silent majority stepped on by the Loud Minority.

Tuujiye, Hore aa kabilaawde miyaa? LOL.. anaa wayeel ah miyaa, saaxib Social insurance numberkaadana 000 oo kabilawda. spotlight aa igu shiday saaxib, kashifaad culus aa wadaa. Laakin, sheekoyin badan aa kaa dambeeyey. We'll discuss that some other time. By the way, SheekhaJacaylka, saaxib, magaca waa kaa bedeleenaa...hada kadib waxalagu bixinaa Sheekojacayl. WTF? how do you have 8500 posts in less than 4 yrs. War badanaa!!!

Maxaa dhacay? Y'all so confrontational!!!! In just one page of comments, there's already a stand off with sijuis on one side, an unknown faction on the other side and a single bajaq on a third side. Why can't we all just get along????????

I see they let you out early for good behaviour, saaxib.

Originally posted by Ghanima: underdog He is not solving a problem with a second wife in that case is he now?? Avoidance is a childish way of dealing with problems, he should be able to communicate whatever it is to his wife and work it out, no one said it was going to be smooth sailing. Further more there is nothing to say his new wife will be everything and more is there now? I fully agree with you. Problems will always come up and the logical thing to do is to find the cause of the problem and work out a solution for all involved. However, this is what I was refering to when I said general solutions can not and will not apply to individual case. Each household will face problems that may seem similar from the outset but very different in the details and unique solutions.

8 pages of hate and insecurity. Ain't this a b!tch!!! I guess this is what 'they' were talking about when 'they' said you can't use logic & reason with women. I'm no expert on these things but logic and reason leads me to believe if the man's interviewing for a wife #2, there's parts of the job wife #1 is 'lacking' at. Kudos to all the ladies here that are so full of themselves that their over inflated egos are all they see. Babe, if you're an all in one package, he wouldn't be scouting a relief pitcher. Obviously there has to be a situation in the household that you as a wife need to address. I like how some SOLs 'new age' women have never considered shouldering the blame for anything. Its all roses until a second woman is brought in to do YOUR job - and it won't cross your mind even for a second that you weren't everything he wanted, or you couldn't do everything he needed. yep, IT COULD ACTUALLY BE YOUR FAULT. But besides that, so he got a new wife and you're jealous. You're not the first woman to be in that postion, you sure as h3ll won't be the last. Some multi-spousal households work, some don't. Stop trying to apply general themes, to individual cases... it won't work. Sometimes you just need to step back and check out the big picture to see how small and to the lower right your role is.

The French society does not deem hijab 'unacceptable'. If it did, it would be fully prohibited. Your example is flawed. Can you think of anything else that is obligatory in islam but 'unacceptable' in the West? you suggested the flaw in my argument to be Hijabs are ok in general society. My comeback was the law refers to hijabs in schools. so my argument still stands. I piece of legislation was passed in France to prohibit a mandatory Islamic practise. Based on your theory, this should mean anyone who wants they're daughter in school and wearing hijab should pack it up and move out of the country. Doesn't "you're argument was flawed" simply mean that your argument was flawed? yes it does simply mean my argument is flawed if you just said it with no real meaning behind it....Just beautiful words huh?

Originally posted by Nef.Ari.ous: The French society does not deem hijab 'unacceptable'. If it did, it would be fully prohibited. Your example is flawed. Can you think of anything else that is obligatory in islam but 'unacceptable' in the West? Is it flawed? really? hmmm, lemme see.... religious symbols prohibited in public schools. But she can wear her hijab after school and at home and on the weekends. wow! you're right, that throws my entire argument out the window. No one in their right mind would have any reason to object to 'No hijabs in public school'. Originally posted by Nef.Ari.ous: I disagree. I think that's just a bunch of pretty words. That says it all right there. all just nice sounding words to you. Don't rock the boat, its hard enough to just fit in without having to actually stand for something you claim to believe. “By far the most dangerous foe we have to fight is apathy - indifference from whatever cause, not from a lack of knowledge, but from carelessness, from absorption in other pursuits, from a contempt bred of self satisfaction”

Originally posted by Nef.Ari.ous: Every muslim would stand behind the Imam in a sense that they would acknowledge where he is coming from, without following him in the matter, as what the Imam be preaching would not be obligatory. I think what you're saying is if an Imaam in France was to speak against the Hijab ban, you'd say "I agree with you but I not with you on this. Lets go to an Islamic country so I can vocally be on your side" is that accurate?

So who gets to decided if an Imaam is good or bad? Why do we assume getting an education and applying that education are the same thing? What if he has all the proper certificates and qualifications but his heart is full of hate? If we don't fully understand the Diin, how can we know if our Islamic scholars are leading us the right way? And if we educate ourself in the Diin, why would we need a scholar to lead us on a path we already know? I'm sure we all know there are things in Islam that are deemed unacceptable by man's law. So if the Imaam brings up one such thing in a khutbah and he gets called on it, will you stand with him or against him? In other words, WHO GETS TO DECIDE?

I'm sorry, I missed your point. are you in favor of having only American raised educated clerics? and Institutions for training them (clerics) to do what? Local Imams with local knowledge? Are we trying to do away with all the parts of the eastern version that are unsuitable? "we don't like that part, just stick to this curriculum". I understand there are elements of extreme misrepresentation going around, but lets not forget the there's 2 extremes to everything and I personally doubt having clerics prepped and approved by some Federal agency is the way to go. Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water

One extra large Black coffee, no sugar. One can Red bull. Isku qas. It'll be a VERY GOOD day.

Rahima: A woman, who chooses to return to work and sends her child to childcare, even though her husband makes enough, does not love her child any less than a stay-at-home mother. She doesn't care about her child any less, so let's stop painting her as a heartless individual who doesn't care enough for her child. Unless she's going out there to save lives, she's either a)Greedy and just wants more money b)Cold and doesn't love the baby enough c)Just doesn't know how to care for a child. Either way, she just put career before her child and there's no way to respect that decision. Sacdiya: In our community we are seeing women doing both roles trying to balance work and at the same time caring for their kids. It's a shame that you belittling women thinking that they are not capable of doing more and are better off being housewives. Nowadays you will see few men doing their role as a breadwinners and willing to spent quality time with their families. What happened to the majority of the men? why aren't they doing their role? Funny enough I actually agree with you, I just don't like how you generalized the argument you were making. There's too much "Men this" "Women that". Break this down to an individual level. 1) There's good men and there's bum-a$$ men (we don't have the numbers so we can't say who the majority are) 2)There's good women and there's bad women (again, numbers unknown) 3)If you're married to a bum (man or woman), its your fault. consequences and repercussions of your marital choice. Deal with it. I know better than to say anything about Single mothers especially in the western world. They have mountains to climb and they do what they can with what they got.

Atleast they present themselves as just abdi That they do. and there's reasons for that. People outside the Arabic speaking/understanding/culturally-linked world sometime have difficulties pronouncing the name the correct way. so for the sake of simplicity Abdi is expectable. On the other hand I know of more than few (especially Pakistani) people who drop the 'Abd' part and stick with names such as Rahim,Salam and Aziz. I think that might be more disturbing that having Abdi by itself.

Originally posted by LayZieGirl: I'm sorry, do you know something I don't? Do you think there are white audience in these parts that might give you an inside as to why few white girls give you the looks? What were you thinking posting this topic? we are not white, we don't know why those girls in the two incidents did what they did, but let me be frank with you here, without sounding rude. This thread pissed me off, and the more lines I read, the more pissed off I got and here I thought the snow storm outside of my home was bad, but your topic just flat out angered me. Please, isku noqo oo quraan isku aqri and thank allah that these pple ineynan ku cayuumin. I must have been gone too long, never thought the day would come that I would be agreeing with/ lending 100% support to LayZie girl...BUT Aisha, Ya know ya got self esteem issues when: - you see a conspiracy where none exists. the white girls with black boyfriends club is out to get you. The had a meeting back October to kill you with dirty looks - You need some kind of validation from people you meet. the girl behind the counter at Mcdonalds didn't give you your free smile, your day's wrecked - boo hoo hoo. - You've given your paranoid ramblings so much thought that you you've convinced yourself everyone else is going thru it too - then you made an a$$ out of yourself and posted it trying to sound all normal about this lame sh*t. Damn, there's a 10 IQ point cover charge for coming into this thread...Thanks to you everyone who read that is a little dumber than before.

Can she cook? did she take Culinary arts 101 as an elective? Just asking!

This is an Conversation between a Kenyan Policeman and an Innocent Citizen who simply happens to be walking home from work late at night. Karau: Gijana Untatoga wabi? Jina yago nani? Baba yago nani? Unataga nini? Gan you Broduce your ID? Basi if you gannot broduce your ID Wapi Gitambulisho? If you gannot broduce Gitambulisho Wapi drivers licence If you gannot broduce the three gavament tocuments Twende mbele! (But I am innocent….) Innocent gitu gani? Haguna mutu innozent Genya We gan charge you with anything Unataga gani? Smoking with violence Looging at a female gender with breach of gontract Looging at a government building zuzbiciously With indend to gommit murder Unataga gani? Unaweza gujitetea? Gitu gani hii? Ati fifty bob Hata haiwezi gununua jwing gum Toa besa gijana (…nibakishie bus fare) Ogay, You are a law abiding zitizen Unataga tuguzindikishe?

Defense Attorney: Will you please state your age? Little Old Lady: I am 86 years old. Defense Attorney: Will you tell us, in your own words, what happened the night of April 1st? Little Old Lady: There I was, sitting there in my swing on my front porch on a warm spring evening, when a young man comes creeping up on the porch and sat down beside me. Defense Attorney: Did you know him? Lttle Old Lady: No, but he sure was friendly. Defense Attorney: What happened after he sat down? Little Old Lady: He started to rub my thigh. Defense Attorney: Did you stop him? Little Old Lady: No, I didn't stop him. Defense Attorney: Why not? Little Old Lady: It felt good. Nobody had done that since my Abner died some 30 years ago. Defense Attorney: What happened next? Little Old Lady: He began to rub my breasts. Defense Attorney: Did you stop him then? Little Old Lady: No, I did not stop him. Defense Attorney: Why not? Little Old Lady: His rubbing made me feel all alive and excited I haven't felt that good in years! Defense Attorney: What happened next? Little Old Lady: Well, by then, I was feeling so "spicy" that I just laid down and told him "Take me, young man. Take me!" Defense Attorney: Did he take you? Little Old Lady: Hell, no! He just yelled, "April Fool!"! And that's when I shot him, the little ba$tard.

That's the best explanation I've heard to date. I think you're right, Some old-skool parents seem to keep their girls as a retirement plan. an 'Investment' of sorts

Oh and Underdog, gold digger or not...isn't a woman's company enough, why would you need to twin it with prostitution Lost One, She's the one who twinned it with hoein' when she made her requirement a financial one. If we're being capitalist about it, she'll get her money in exchange for whatever service he demands and if she's unwilling then she can hop on a bus back to Hooyo's crib in the projects. Originally posted by cynical lady: He was not wealthy enough! Taksim do you really consider that labeling off the bat? somalida yaab ayey leeyihiin...it is her preference..you might gve her advice lakin haku qasbin in ay qarsato ama badasho.. M-I-M, Badel madhihin, qarso na madhihin. Waxeega waa beec eey tiri. and I just stated my requirements. whats the problem? "Hey babe, here's an AMEX card, show me what you can do for it"

For the final test, the CIA agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun. "We must know that you will follow your instructions no matter what the circumstances. Inside the room you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Kill Her!!!" The man said, "You can't be serious, I could never shoot my wife" The agent said, "Then you're not the right man for this job. Take your wife and go home." The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about 5 minutes. The man came out with tears in his eyes, "I tried, but I can't kill my wife." The agent said, "You don't have what it takes. Take your wife and go home." Finally, it was the woman's turn. She was given the same instructions, to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one after another. They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman, She wiped the sweat from her brow. "This gun is loaded with blanks" she said. "I had to beat him to death with the chair."

Alive and well