“The museum will stand as evidence that Dubai is serious about extending bridges not only between the East and the West, but between the Islamic nation and the rest of the world as well," he added. In laymen's terms, "We just want to square the circle and appease the critics who say that we are too western oriented." Whats next, an island with a redesign of the kaaba and medina?

SubhanAllah, looks like a picture straight out of Iraq, saxib. The pace of the dunya and suddenly put to a halt by the reality of pain and suffering.

Ryerson student accused of cheating via Facebook group UPDATED: 2008-03-06 10:45:27 MST By THE CANADIAN PRESS Email Print Write Size: A A A Share: Facebook Digg Del.icio.us Google Stumble Upon Furl Newsvine Reddit Technorati Blinklist Feed Me Yahoo Socializer Ma.gnolia Raw Sugar Simpy Squidoo Spurl Blink Bits Rojo Blogmarks Shadows Netvouz Scuttle Co.mments Bloglines Tailrank Sitejot + Help TORONTO — A first-year Ryerson University student is being accused of cheating after helping to run an online study group on Facebook. Chris Avenir is accused of academic misconduct because of the site, where 146 classmates swapped tips on homework questions. The 18-year-old computer engineering student faces an expulsion hearing Tuesday before the engineering faculty appeals committee. Avenir, who is still attending classes at the Toronto school pending his hearing, can take his case to the university senate if he loses that appeal. Kim Neale of the student union, who will represent Avenir at the hearing, says the incident has sent shock waves through student ranks. Neale told the Toronto Star the Facebook site is no different than any study group working together on homework in a library. Ryerson officials have declined to comment while the case continues. web page

The prospective housemaid also has to be above 30 years old and she has to be given a mobile phone within two weeks of her arrival in the UAE. Why above 30yrs old? Whats being implied here? somali women ............ dahab asians...................... maids russians..................... (you know) Saxib, what should we know about russians? Why are the philipino's paid the highest? Is their "commodity" of more value then the other groups?

^^^^ Interesting thoughts. Maybe this topic could be moved over to the islam or camel milk section. The reason for this suggestion is topics get muddled and lost in the general thread.

I can't imagine what the driver must be going through right now, let alone the parents - SubhanAllah. May Allah perserve their iman and sanity in such a time of hardship.

Originally posted by Northerner: You will all get used to hearing the term 'Sharia Compliant' very soon. Isn't that how Dubai was built saxib.

Some points that I would like to hightlight from this article: He believes art, culture and music should be appreciated, rather than outlawed, and that while young Muslims should reject sex outside marriage, socialising with or even dating members of the opposite sex is acceptable as long as encounters are chaste. What the author really means to say is that he condones and promotes modern liberal values. e.g. Dating is acceptable. Hot topics include homosexuality, in which he calls on believers to hate the sin but love the sinner - evoking messages found in many Christian churches - and gender discrimination. Hating the Sin and not the Sinner is a protestant method. For if the Sinner is not hated, then their would be no need for reprimanding them for committing the Sin. So my question to him and the rest of the "Muslim Evanglical' supporters would be: Does this extend to say, a murderer or a pedophile? Would you invite them over to your house for a little 'dawa' and have your family make dinner for them? After all, Mr. Masoud is preaching the protestant slogan of "Hate the Sin but not the Sinner".....

^^^^ I guess any 'aadal imam'/joe blow can just get a show now, provided they know arabic and voula - the people will swallow their pill. I guess all those ulema who spent their entire lives in the study of the deen are of no value anymore. Just pick up a camera and validate everything in the name of Islam (Peace that is! )

maybe he sounds better in arabic. Must be the Egyptian Accent! This guy is a joke and I heard him speak.

Originally posted by NGONGE: Watched this last night --------- Mon 25 Feb, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins In Iran homosexuality is punishable by death, yet sex change operations are not only legal but are sanctioned by Islamic law. Iranian-American filmmaker Tanaz Eshaghian was given access to a leading gender reassignment clinic in Tehran and her film, Transsexual In Iran is an intimate and revealing film of the pressures that drive many young Iranians to extreme solutions. Sex changes have been legal in Iran since the late Ayatollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of the 1979 Islamic revolution, passed a fatwa authorising them nearly 25 years ago. Today, Iran carries out more sex change operations than any other nation in the world except Thailand, with the government providing up to half the cost for those needing financial assistance. In the film the religious cleric responsible for gender reassignment says Islam has no trouble justifying the operation. It is no more a sin than changing wheat to flour to bread.. Transsexual In Iran follows a number of young men facing-up to stark choices and challenges of gender reassignment. For many, daily harassment and the threat of arrest by the morality police add an element of fear and a pressure to conform, even as they struggle to reconcile their sexual identities with the wishes of their families and communities. According to Dr Bahram Mir-Jalali, Iran's most prominent sex-change surgeon, none of his patients have regretted their decision to proceed with surgery. He claims to have conducted in excess of 450 gender reassignment operations in 12 years. Yet, as the film reveals, there is a darker side to this picture. The pressure of life as a transsexual in Iran means that the only option for many is this radical surgery. Many do it reluctantly and face decisions that some ultimately live to regret. Adult themes. [AD,S] Source You do the math: Iran's most prominent sex-change surgeon, none of his patients have regretted their decision to proceed with surgery. He claims to have conducted in excess of 450 gender reassignment operations in 12 years. Population of Iran - 65,397,521 Hardly, an issue, even if we were to multiple that number 100 fold over a 30year span. The Imam's ruling was based on physiological issues. e.g. someone born with both genitals (male and female) and not psychological or personal perference circumstances. The real question that should be asked is this: Who benefits from such skewed news reporting?

You're putting on a Great show - Tuesday Matinee

^^^ Underdog saxib, You gave my abs a workout with those pics. Lazy G, How much do you get paid as a Bodyguard? Is Marcus playing the role of "Whitney" and you as a "Kevin Costner" ? Sing for us Marcus....

He's a Dumb Azz! Jay-z outsmarted him by pimping him and now he just another dumb azz rapper trying to sell his next album at ALL COST - dignity and self worth included. "It ain't hard to tell that you gettin' pimped....It ain't hard to tell..." Hellooo, somebody call Ashton and tell Nas that you can't PUNK YOURSELF on LIVE T.V.

Originally posted by underdog: Marc, Martin Luther King Jr. said "“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious *********.” Its bad enough you have both conditions but what makes it worse your dogged determination to make sure we know it over and over again. The only new 'excitement' you've injected in here is becoming a running joke. I'm going to leave you to it before your bodyguard layzie comes growling in Now thats quotable! Marcs, hold on tight to your shades.

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar: Gabadhaan qof u daliiga ayee raadineysaa, ee dadkiina Minnesota degan halkoo u taab taabto u raadiya yaaqeey, for waxaan frustration waa dhaaftee.

That win and how Manning dogged two tackles with less then 35 seconds remaing and threw a touch down - is for the story books. All kids who grew up loving football have dreamt that they would one day be put in that position. This loss will haunt the Patriots for a long time because there perfect season doesn't mean anything anymore because they didnt' win when it counted the most.

^^^ McCain and any other republican are just extra's (not serious contenders because of their party's recent history) in this Circus thanks to the hard campaigning of Bush for the past 7yrs. Anyways, Race or Gender? Pick one and why

Salams, I was listening to a talk show this morning and the question was asked - what is more significant in these elections: A black man becoming President? A women becoming President? In terms of the public image of for the states, which would be better? Can a black president really change RACISM in America, a country that was built on Racism and thrives on Racism? Can female president change american policy? Personally, this is just a Circus to me and African Obama Hussein would be a good head for the snake (in terms of world image - from Texas to Motown), however; a snake will always be a snake no matter how many times it sheds its skin.

Hi Johnny Boy, How about if we ask a few questions: What would the individually-most-compelling-argument for an Agnostic and/or an Atheist be? Don't like confirming to anything unless it envolves a paycheque or getting laid Too many religions, therefor all of them are wrong. Kind of like saying there are too many elevators in a building, so they must all be defunct/useless. I want to fight for those poor abused burqa clad women and those that have been forced to marry into polygamous marriages. Religion is responsible for most of the wrongs in the world God is not real because there are too may people suffering and too many wars I am wealthy enough not to need GOD anymore. So leave me alone and let me listen to song #8043 on my IPOD

Saxib, In a paragraph, could you summarize for us the point that you are trying to make. JZK

Inshallah, with the will and assistance of Allah, she will successed in her endeavour. May Allah preserve her Iman!

Originally posted by Northerner: Chris did win and become the President but Obama is nowhere near as funny Oh, Obama is funny... Mr. Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, shot back that he was in no way praising Republican ideas, but simply saying that Mr. Reagan had been able to bring political rivals together. When Ms. Clinton interrupted to say she had not mentioned Mr. Reagan, Mr. Obama said, “Your husband did.” “I'm here, he's not,” she tossed back. “Well I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes,” Mr. Obama replied, a sign of his increasing exasperation at the attack role Mr. Clinton is playing in her campaign.

Originally posted by Northerner: Alxamdullilah I'm fine where I am and tend to enjoy work (at least my current project). Also trying to get something going on the side (same discipline). A part-time football coaching role is on the agenda aswell (if I can finally make that phone call). Charity work is also something I would enjoy doing full time. Intel, the great outdoors indeed (typical Aussie ) Saxib, Exactly what line of work are you in, that allows you to report to duty on SOL several times a day and go on vacation - every month! Saxib, raaxa kujiirta! Bob, do the next best thing and be a coach.

I don't know of any islamic social services in your area but you should look into them and see what type of services they could provide to assist these children. I think that providing assistance in these matters is a praiseworthy thing provided it is done with the right intention - preservation of the muslim identity and lineage. Unfortunately, with the media's demonizing of muslims, the muslim family has come under greater scrutiny. Thus, an insidious person who just wants to spite a muslim because of some recent reporting on the sky or bbc news, can just pick up the phone and accuse your family of child abuse. In a blink of an eye, no questions asked, your child is sent away to a foster home - pending an investigation. Therefore, to prevent such occurances, providing alternatives or preventative measures to combat these issues can be praiseworthy. Fi Amanillah