Hey G..waz up? I hear the students nowdays speak like that! About Tuujiye and his groupies (waiting for the attack now ...bring it ON girls---only after ramadhan yea?) I have reminisced fondly about somali 'ciyaal' xamarka ay ku hadli jireen. What Tuujiye and KK are speaking is not proper somali per se but it is quite funny once you get the hang of it. Waayo waayo aan soo xasuustey. What is even more hilarious is when afkaas lagugu shukaansado. It is so full on

Nathan's fast show Ann Gripper 06/10/2007 Aidy Boothroyd is looking forward to a feast of goals from Nathan Ellington - just as soon as his new striker has finished fasting for Ramadan. The Islamic festival, when Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours, began on September 13 and does not end until next Thursday. In that time Watford have moved to the top of the Championship and Ellington has scored his debut goal following his club record £3.25million move from West Brom. But the man known as The Duke did not get on the pitch in Tuesday's win over Sheffield Wednesday, and only appeared as a substitute in the previous two draws. And Hornets boss Boothroyd cannot wait to unleash him at full strength. He said: "When you can't eat or drink in daylight hours, if you're a professional footballer it's going to give you a problem. "When I signed him he told me all about it. I'm interested, I like to know about my players and what they do and their faith and everything else. "Their faith doesn't give me a problem - if they were going down the betting shop then that would probably be a problem. "He explained it to me and I said, 'Well, that's going to be a problem for you.' He said 'It's not because Nicolas Anelka is a Muslim and he doesn't eat and drink'. "I said 'Well that's great, but he doesn't have to run the channels like you.' I guess that sums it up really. "He's all right. He's enjoying it, he's getting a little bit of stick - all friendly and good mannered. "I really like him, he's a terrific lad and he's going to be a really wonderful player for us. "It's limiting what I can do with him at the minute but he'll be all right. He said to me today 'I've only got one more week to go.' Oh, great. One more week, fantastic." Two points clear at the top, Watford travel to newly-promoted Scunthorpe tomorrow. Nigel Adkins' side are eighth after a promising start, with the other sides who came up from League One also going well. And Boothroyd has warned that it could spell the end for some big names in the Championship. He said: "The start that Blackpool have made, that Bristol have made and that Scunthorpe have made says 'We want to be in this league.' "It may be that some team that was conceived as a big fish a couple of years ago might drop out. I think that's great. I love games like this. Of course my players love them - they have to. "If you're asking whether I think we're a team of prima donnas, absolutely not. I would never, ever, ever have anybody in or around who was like that. The staff are like that but the players, never. "It's harder than going to places like Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. Your mindset changes - you were once the hunter, now you become the hunted. "Everybody wants to get you, to kill you, to hunt you down to beat you and take you off the top." http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2007/10/06/nathan-s-fast-show-89520-19906642/

29/09/2007 09:01:00 PM GMT BARCELONA Muslim stars in giant teams at the Spanish League (La Liga) are the talk of the city, but this time not because of their breathtaking per (more) BARCELONA — Muslim stars in giant teams at the Spanish League (La Liga) are the talk of the city, but this time not because of their breathtaking performance but rather their religion. Spanish dailies have for days been splashing headlines about the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Spanish courts. FC Barcelona's fans are wondering if their favorite players Yaya Toure, Eric Abidal and Lilian Thuram are fasting or not. The Muslim footballers are in a real dilemma after the team's doctors ruled out in press statements allowing the trio to fast during match days. During Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex. After moving from France's Monaco for 10 million euros, talented midfielder Toure made it clear that practicing Islam, including fasting, does not affect his successful soccer career. He was named by Eurosport in 2005 as one of the most promising young players in the world. Compatriot defenders Abidal and Thuram are also playing for the 2006-07 runner-up and a twice winner of the UEFA Champions League. Abidal, a former Lyon player who signed last season a four-year contract for FC Barcelona for 15 million euros, is known for being an observant Muslim. He has been photographed many times carrying a copy of the Noble Qur'an at his training kits. No Contradiction The league's last season winner Real Madrid was adamant to let its Muslim midfielder and the backbone of the royal team Mammadou Diarra fast during Ramadan. But both sides have finally reached an agreement preventing Diarra from fasting only in match days. Frederick Kanoute, the striker of Seville FC, the 2006-07 league's third and the holder of last season's cup championship, has ridiculed suggestions that fasting might affect his performance. "Those who know Islam understand that fasting empowers and does not weaken the Muslim." Kanoute proved his point last season after being crowned the league's top scorer with 20 goals, outperforming football legends such as Brazilian Ronaldinho. This has convinced his club not to pressure him on his religious beliefs, according to the ABC daily. Kanoute, a practicing Muslim who regularly performs his prayers even in the locker room, refused last season to wear a jersey advertising for an inte gambling site, because gambling is forbidden in Islam. His team had to give him a brand-free jersey until he accepted wearing the sponsored jersey in return for money to an Islamic charity http://www.islamonline.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=41277

Mido Survives Ramadan in Premiership, Ignores Racists Fri, 28 Sep 2007 - 04:34 Mido enjoys life at Boro By: Amro Hassan from London Egypt striker Ahmed Hossam "Mido" is one of Premiership's several Muslim players, who face an additional task during the fasting month of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset for the whole month. Some players admit they never fast because it would be too difficult for them to fulfil their professional duties in a physical competition like the Premiership while fasting. Middlesbrough's new star has been plying his trade in Europe since 2000, but he insists that living abroad never changed his Ramadan religious customs. "I've never had any problems with Ramadan. It's not as difficult as people here in England think, after the first few days your body adapts," Mido told The Guardian. All Premiership clubs including Middlesbrough deploy a daily double training-session system with both sessions held before 4 pm. Fast-breaking time in Britain during this year's Ramadan varies between 7:30 pm and 6:30 pm throughout the whole month. "I try my best and it's never a problem fasting during training days. However, I don't do it on the day of games." http://sports.filbalad.com/English/News.asp?NewsID=36221

I always thought Rudy was from Los Angeles, and not from Laas Aanood.

I asked..whether they couldnt find someone to flavour Bush's dinner.

Muslim moms join forces, open law firm October 5, 2007 By Shenequa A. Golding, Staff writer When asked what kind of attorney she is, Janaan Hashim has a sharp reply. "A good one," Hashim said with a laugh. She is one of six attorneys in a new, all-female, all-Muslim, all-working-mother law firm in Palos Heights. The women named their venture Amal Law Group. "Amal," which is Arabic for "hope," is what these attorneys hope to bring to their clients. Ranging in age from 27 to 40, the women practice a variety of specialties. Their law firm will offer general litigation, family law, immigration and civil rights law and more. Family law and real estate attorney Maryam Khan said the firm's makeup will seem a little unusual to some clients. "I think we're breaking quite a few stereotypes," Khan said. Despite the characteristics they share as Muslim American women, the lawyers have many differences - beginning with appearance. Rima Kapitan, an employment and estate planning attorney, and Majdel Musa, a business and real estate lawyer, do not wear the traditional hijab that adorns the heads of some Muslim women. They also don't look like what many might expect. Kapitan - who has short, strawberry-blond hair and freckles -is a bi-racial Palestinian-American. Musa, who has a Belgian mother and Palestinian father, also doesn't have what many might consider typical features. Musa believes that's why she hasn't experienced much prejudice. "I haven't experienced a lot of discrimination because I don't necessarily look Arab," Musa said. Hashim said she has been pleasantly surprised to find many people have a positive reaction to her as a Muslim attorney. Nikia Bilal, who practices general litigation and family law, said not every experience is negative and, at times, individuals try to overcompensate. "There is that instantaneous 'who are you, and what's your purpose here?' " Bilal said. "(Sometimes) people try to prove how open-minded they are." Heena Musabji, who practices immigration law, hasn't encountered much discrimination because of her faith. More often, Musabji said, it's because of her gender. At her former job, she said, clients expected her to work twice as hard as male counterparts to prove herself - particularly with male clients. Many reacted as if they were thinking, "Oh, you're the women taking my case," Musabji said. Khan, who wears a hijab, said some clients judge her based on appearance. "The only difference between me and the next attorney is the cloth on my head," she said. "Which makes everyone else think that my IQ is lower, which it is not." Bilal, Kapitan Hashim and Musabji all earned their law degrees from DePaul University, where Bilal attended school on a full scholarship and Hashim graduated cum laude. Khan graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law, and Musa earned her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Not all the women originally planned on legal careers. Musa's parents told her she should be a lawyer, and Musabji originally wanted to be a dentist but had a change of heart when she realized she needed something she considered a higher purpose. Bilal set her sights a little bigger. "I wanted to be the Muslim equivalent of Oprah," Bilal said. Hashim said it was her husband's idea she go into law. He supported her and took care of their kids in the evenings while she went to law school. Along with being attorneys, the six women have another full-time role as moms. Khan and Musabji both are mothers of two; Hashim and Bilal have three children each. The youngsters often are in the law firm offices, where their mothers juggle work with caring for them. So do these women who chose careers in the legal profession watch any of the dozens of legal television shows? Musa use to watch "Boston Legal." Bilal loved "Alley McBeal," and Khan enjoyed "The Practice." But Hashim said she doesn't care for television shows based on her line of work because she believes they minimize serious issues. She recalled the graphic crime scene photos from a case in which she represented a man appealing his first-degree murder conviction. The victim's hands and feet had been tied, and the murderer had beaten and tried to drown him. Eventually, the killer used a razor to slit the victim's throat and shot him in the neck. It wasn't material for prime-time entertainment, she said. "Its hard to look at this kind of entertainment, but this is real, and they're making money off it." Hashim said. "To me, it doesn't sit right that we make this entertainment." These women take on different types of cases and have different personalities, but they share a passion for the law and a faith in the American judicial system. "Better for 10 guilty men to go free than for one innocent man to be convicted," Hashim said. Shenequa A. Golding can be reached at sgolding@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5991. Amal's Angels Amal Law Group's lawyers enjoy working together and, when given the chance, are happy to describe one another. Maryam Khan: According to her partners, Khan is feisty. And when she wants to have fun, she does everything everyone else does, "minus the drinking." Rima Kapitan: She plays the piano and the viola and, her peers said, stands her ground. Majdel Musa: She is never too serious and is the self-proclaimed "mellow one." She enjoys photography. Heena Musabji: The other attorneys refer to Musabji as the "negotiator," does yoga and travels. She also loves to salsa dance. Janaan Hashim: She likes to read and garden and is content with taking walks with her husband. The other lawyers said Hashim's the one with all the jokes. Nikia Bilal: This lawyer enjoys traveling and has gone to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. She soon will be traveling to Asia. Bilal's the orderly one who has to make sure all the T's are crossed and all the I's are dotted. http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/589781,100507Amal.article

Qof ma la waayey oo wax ku qasa?

Africa: Sound Institutions Could Quickly Boost Muslim Science SciDev.Net (London) ANALYSIS 3 October 2007 Posted to the web 4 October 2007 Athar Osama Describing scientific productivity in the 57 countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as abysmal is perhaps an understatement. More than 1.5 billion Muslims living across the Islamic world -- about a quarter of the world's population -- generate a little over one per cent of the world's scientific literature and have produced only two scientific Nobel Prize winners. Commentators often attribute this malaise to a host of cultural, religious and historical factors. But this misses an important element: the absence of quality institutions and incentives for science in the Islamic world. To paraphrase a Bill Clinton campaign slogan: It's the economics, ******. In the past, science and innovation flourished through the patronage of kings, sultans and noblemen. Today, it is economic and professional incentives that are crucial, and the organisations and institutions that channel them. The big picture The overall inadequacy of resources for science and innovation reflects Muslim governments' poor commitment to developing indigenous science and technology. This failure is common to most governments in the developing world. Colonial rule played a part, too, consciously keeping large parts of the Islamic world as producers, not processors, of raw materials. This created dependency and removed incentives for innovation. Muslim scientists' contribution to their societies' well-being and prosperity was not recognised. There is still no 'social contract' between the scientist-inventor and society, as exists elsewhere. All these factors eventually translate into less money for research. And because science fails to attract the best and the brightest, the money is not used to maximum advantage. Loyalty and conformity On a smaller scale, institutions play a critical role in providing an environment that nurtures scientific talent. When, in an informal survey, I questioned around 60 expatriate Pakistani researchers and doctoral students working around the world, they identified a number of impediments to developing scientific careers in Pakistan, including poor leadership of scientific institutions and lack of equipment and resources, as well as of academic freedom and camaraderie. The picture is similar in other parts of the Muslim world, and in the developing world as a whole. Institutions are often run as personal fiefdoms, where loyalty and conformity are the pathway to individual progress and promotion. Personal incentives, such as financial security and professional recognition, are also important in motivating scientists. No wonder then that of the 60 or so respondents in my survey, less than four per cent thought the research environment in their home country was capable of making good use of their talents. More than half said they wanted to do quality research regardless of where the work was performed. The inevitable result is a large-scale migration of talent. I believe that economic and institutional issues offer a far more powerful explanation of the lacklustre performance of science and technology in Muslim countries than cultural and religious factors alone. Religion and culture matter, but cannot be the only explanation, because islands of scientific and technological excellence do thrive in the Muslim world (for example, the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry in Karachi or the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Sciences and Technology). Nor does religion explain the low scientific productivity, compared with their counterparts in the West, of the many scientists and engineers in the Muslim world who live largely secular everyday lives. The effects of institutions and incentives manifest themselves in multifarious ways, including personal financial security, motivation, intellectual freedom and research autonomy. All these factors are well-established contributors to productivity and quality of science and innovation. Good results for little effort Because people fail to understand this, prescriptions for how to fix Muslim science often call for radical changes in culture, thought processes and religious values -- changes that are hard to 'force' externally, and are likely to take decades, even centuries, to take root. Management specialists have an '80/20 rule' which suggests that 80 per cent of a desired outcome can often be achieved with 20 per cent of the total effort, while the final 20 per cent of the outcome may require the remaining 80 per cent of the effort. I believe that the relatively small step of setting up quality institutions with appropriate incentive systems could largely solve the problem of low productivity amongst Muslim scientists. This could be achieved relatively quickly -- perhaps by expending only 20 per cent of the effort required to change all the other factors. Socio-cultural changes may ultimately be required to unleash the full potential of Muslim science, but they must not hold up progress on other, more eminently do-able, pieces of the overall puzzle. Dr. Athar Osama is a public policy analyst specialising in science and innovation policy. He is also the founder of Muslim-Science.com. He is currently conducting an online survey on research environment, perceptions and motivations of local and expatriate scientists and engineers from developing countries. http://allafrica.com/stories/200710040637.html

Muslim Somali Workers Say They Lost Jobs for Praying at Work By Kane Farabaugh Grand Island, Nebraska 04 October 2007 Last December, JBS Swift and Company -- the world's second largest processor of beef and pork -- temporarily suspended operations when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided plants in several states. More than 250 workers at a plant in Grand Island, Nebraska were detained. No charges were filed against JBS Swift and Company, but the loss of its employees led to increased recruiting efforts to ease the shortfall. Several hundred Somali refugees moved to Grand Island and now work at the processing plant. But as VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports, hiring Muslim workers has brought new issues into the spotlight for the company. Muslims praying at the Islamic Center in Omaha At the Islamic Center in Omaha, Nebraska, Muslims break their fast ahead of evening prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. It is a religious obligation for Muslims during the holiest period in their faith. It is an observance that Mohammad Rage says JBS Swift prevents its Somali Muslim workers in Grand Island, Nebraska from following. "When they see Somalian women, or Somalian men leaving the line, they would prevent them from doing so, and say that the work is going on and you have to keep on working. We don't pay you to pray, we pay you to work." Rage, who is also Somali, is acting as an advocate for an estimated 400 workers in Grand Island. At one of two Somali-owned restaurants in this town of 45,000 people, he listens to their concerns. Ali Shira says he initially believed JBS Swift understood the needs of Muslim workers. "All of a sudden it just started to change. They said, 'Either you work here, or you give us the badge and leave. We're not going to let you pray'." Shira says he felt a moral obligation to continue practicing his evening prayers, which ultimately led to his dismissal. JBS Swift and Company declined to be interviewed on camera for this story, but issued a written statement to Voice of America which reads: "JBS Swift & Company does everything it can to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of its employees. In addition, we do not condone or tolerate any discrimination or harassment of any sort. Specifically, we are working closely with the Center for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to find a prayer solution for our Muslim employees that adequately addresses everyone's interests." Rima Kapitan "It's a very short break," says Rima Kapitan who is an attorney for the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, in Chicago. Earlier this year, CAIR submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the Somali workers in Grand Island. It includes testimony from more than 40 of those workers who claim they were verbally and physically harassed for praying. CAIR continues to appeal to the company to allow Muslim workers short breaks to pray. "Workers are permitted bathroom breaks anyway, so it's not like they would be treated differently. It would be akin to a bathroom break," Kapitan said. JBS Swift maintains it has not terminated any employees for their religious beliefs or practices, including praying in the workplace. Kapitan says she hopes to reach an out of court settlement with the company. "Initially they said that any break would be an undue burden on the company. Then recently we had an encouraging letter from them in response to our suggestions, adapting them in part or proposing they adapt them in part. They proposed to move the break time for all workers." Ali Shira is now employed at a plant in a neighboring town, where he says he is allowed to observe his religious customs. He says his experience with JBS Swift is causing him to doubt religious freedom in the United States. "We were given an orientation before we were brought here about the United States Constitution, and we never thought this would happen to us. We were told there was freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of practices." http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-10-04-voa24.cfm

President Bush at Iftaar Dinner with ambassadors and Muslim leaders in the State Dining Room. White House photo by Chris Greenberg by Mark Silva Lt. Commander Abuhena Saifulislam, an imam said to be only the second Muslim chaplain commissioned in the U.S. Navy, gave a blessing at last night’s Iftaar Dinner at the White House which stirred a little laughter in the State Dining Room. He started his prayer with a preamble in which he explained that the prophet Mohammed said that whomever in the month of Ramadan invites a person to break fast with him "gets the same reward as the person who fasts." “Mr. President, we've got you covered," Saifulislam said. Saifulislam, a native of Bangladesh, last year received a Joint Service Commendation Medal for work at Guantanamo Bay, where, the Armed Services Press Service reports, he performed death rites for three Muslim detainees who committed suicide. Last night, he helped the White House celebrate its seventh Iftaar Dinner – where President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush played host to ambassadors from Muslim nations and guests who had fasted during the day and turned out for dinner, all in observance of the 22nd day of Ramadan. For Bush, these events serve as a platform for not only an ecumenical message, but also a statement about American defiance of terrorism. Among the guests: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (table 5); Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (table 3); Vice President Dick Cheney (table 2); wife Lynne Cheney (table 1); chief of staff Josh Bolten and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. (President at table 8, first lady at 9). The guests also included “American Muslim women who have made a significant contribution to our nation in key fields such as science and education, civil society, and the arts and culture,’’ according to Dana Perino, White House press secretary. The president wore a dark suit and blue tie, the first lady black. The room was set for 90 guests -- nine at each of 10 tables, which were covered with champagne-colored embroidered tablecloths and pink roses as a centerpiece. The menu: Squash soup with lavash, spiced rack of lamb; cucumber-tomato salad with minted yogurt dressing, and baklava with pomegranate for dessert. And a heavy helping of the ecumenical message behind these annual dinners in observance of Ramadan – the seventh which the Bush White House has hosted: “Tonight we celebrate traditions of Islamic faith, which brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people,’’ Bush told his guests. “For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is a special time of prayer and fasting… “Ramadan is also a good time for Americans of all faiths to reflect on the values we hold in common -- including love of family, gratitude to the Almighty, devotion to community, and a commitment to religious liberty,’’ he said. “ The freedom of worship is central to the American character. It's the first protection in the Bill of Rights. It holds together the fabric of American society “Today, our world is at war with violent extremists who seek to tear the fabric of our society -- and stop the advance of freedom in Muslim societies around the world,’’ he said. “They attack holy sites, destroy mosques and minarets, and kill innocent men, women and children -- including Muslims who do not share their radical views. "They believe that by spreading chaos and violence they can frustrate the desire of Muslims to live in freedom and peace,'' Bush said. "We say to them, you don't represent Muslims, you do not represent Islam -- and you will not succeed.’’ And with that, it was time for dinner. With thanks to David Nitkin of the Baltimore Sun, able pool reporter on duty at the dinner. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/bush_dines_with_muslims_shares.html

I got 9

Cos of deadlines and heavy workload to be unloaded before I leave. I am barely getting eid day off.

I have less than 3 weeks left at work anyway before I become free as a bird, break my employment shackles of the 9 to 5. Many ladies sleep at the masjid for salatul layl. They bring all sorts of food for suhuur and they wake up about 2 for prayers and finish at 4. They wait for fajr and leave the masjid about 6am. That is great

Is it easier for men I wonder?

I am having finding time to enjoy Ramadan and for more cibaada. I wake up at 8am, get ready for work, on my desk at 9am. Dont have lunch hour, so I leave early at 4.30. Get home at 5pm, prepare aftar and suhuur, break my fast at 6.40pm. Leave home early for taraweeh and picking people to the masjid. Finish taraweeh at 10.30pm. Drop people off and get home by 11.30pm to 12. By then, I am knackered, so I go to bed. I am still so tired that I find it hard to get up for fajr prayers, let alone any tahajjud prayers which I am so in need of at the moment. If only I could squeeze in 30min Quran or something! Pray for me people that I get time before this blessing month ends. With regards to fried coke, how does it look Nomadique?

Val Alle ha u naxariisto. Hana ka waraabiyo Janatul Fardows...ameen.

The future is Gold my friend. Gold

Is there a masjid near you? Attend that masjid to pray as many salaah as possible. Pray taraaweeh at your local masjid. Read Quran for 30min a day. Translations of the Quran is quite important as this will peirce your heart. I tend to find that Quran mostly speaks to me directly. Avoid watching TV or hanging out with friends in the last few days left. Avoid all sins, if you can. Break the fast with your family or other muslims. Inshallah I will pray for you tonight.

Dahia Do you think maybe that most people talk about the responsibilities of the wife whilst the men get free ride? It is not mostly spoken about the issues relating to men and his responsibilities to his wife. When the prophet (saw) said "the best among you is the best towards his family and I am the best amongst you towards my family" So obedience to a husband would be much easier if the husband was best to his family. If he is not, the family suffers and the wife will not (perhaps can not) be obedient to a husband who isnt fulfiling his duties to His Creator and to his family. Men has the leadership role in the family and as such it raises the question of responsibility, consultation and justice. I think this issue should be discussed bit more.

This concept of "she is adult, therefore she can do anything" doesnt wash with somali muslims. Being 30 yr old doesnt absolve my parents their responsibilites as parents to me and my rights over them. Our elders back home used to tell of their kids even if the kids are 50yr old adults. Therefore I agree with KK. Another thing I will do inshallah is 'not to bring up kids in the west' inshallah. About the dua, KK, if every effort is made, one can/will remember. A lot is riding on it

That is the life. Allaha kuu ziyaadiyo.

Salaam aleykum Truly a difficult thing to do. But again, nobody said entering jannah was easy. Allow nin fiican oo na dhibin nagu aadi.

Shuqul asian baan keeney. Somalideena waxa lagu yaqaanaa in la deyriyo gabadha/wiilka markey xumaadaan.

Good to see you Sophist.