Salaams It's a beautiful poem sis. jazaka allah Kheyran for sharing.

Ina lilah wa inaa illahi rajicun May allah hav emercy on his soul. Its so sad the way he died, I was just reading about it yesterday. I still dont understand why the doctors said he was okay to go home.

Salaams Islam is the sulotion to every problem we face in soceity - It's that we just fail to recognize it. May allah show us the right path and keep us in that path.

I dont understand why dark skinned people want to get lighter and light skinned ppl want to get darker. That just baffles me.

^^ LOL Ihave the same problem I wait until the last minute -Like right now I should be writing a paper but am here at SOL. I get better grades working under pressure but as Ilhaam said it's not a good habit. It usually helps to go through the notes you took in class and even sometimes rewrite it that really helps you remember info. Just manage your time wisely and don't cram for tests. And always make dua - Lucky posted some duas that are very helpful. Good luck all.

Wa calaykum salam wrwb Welcome aboard sis- enjoy your stay at SOL.

^^ I know islam is not based on what we feel comfrtable with I was implying as long as we are modestly dressed I dont see what the difference would be jilbaab or loose clothing and hijab. One is covering my body just like the other so there is nothing wrong with going whichever you feel comfortable in.

Salaams sis There's nothing wrong with being shy to some extent- but don't let it imprison you. Don't change who you are but just your actions - by interacting more with people.

salaams Great website ameenah thanks a bunch sis.

Salaams Sis as you already said this is a controversial topic, we all have different interpretion of hadiths and sometimes verses in the quran. as long as you know you are dressed modestly like allah orders us to - stick to what you feel comfortable in.

Ina Lilah wa Ina Ilhey Rajicun. May allah have mercy on his soul.

Salaams It great helping those ppl in need. But knowing most of homeless ppl spend it on alcohol its not good idea to give them money, I was reading this on the news paper the other day, if you going give something give them food.

Jazakallah Nur A wonderful reminder, we should definitely take advantage of this ten days. Ameenah- is best to fast all the 9 days of dhul hijjah-for those of us who can't we should atleast try to fast on the day of arafah it has great benefits. (the arafah is the 9th day). Narrated Abu Qatadah, that the Messenger of Allah said, "Fasting on the Day of Arafah is an expiation (of the sins, by Allah) for two years, the year before it and the year following it," (Sahih Muslim). Wa salam

Baashi We all have our difinition of traditions - so what they thought to be un-somali might be fine with you. I work with teens and we discuss Islam and basicall what is important to us and how we can beeter ourselves. I thought the topic of AIDS was importan and invited a muslimfriend who has aids to talk about her experience and talk to this teens what they can do about it, how to protect themselves and such things. Parents got mad, I was told I did it to give them ideas- LOL what ideas I still don't know. I was told to be disrespecting their tradition-which just happens to be mines too. The whole thing irritated me. I still don't understand how such an important topic be a taboo to talk about especially in this soceity.

Traditions are not statutes that everyone has to live by; every individual has their own value system. Some value traditions more than others. I personally don’t think there is anything wrong with that. We’ve all had different experiences, and we’ve all been raised in different environments. Traditions has not gotten in my way doing things I want to do, some people don't like what I do sometimes because it's so UNSOMALIAN, but what do I care, I do it anyway even though some consider it untraditional, as long as it does not contradict my diin. There is a tug of cultural war for Somali youth in western countries for both genders-most people commented on females becoming so westernized, you’d be surprised by how many Somali guys are worse off, but it never fails no matter how dire the guys are changing it’s always the females who are becoming too westernized, beside the point but anyways no matter how much we ignore our traditions, as we grow older and wiser, we will eventually realize how significant most not ALL of our traditions are in our lives. At the end that’s where we will identify ourselves, with Somali traditions and people whether we like it or not. Beyond doubt though there are things in our traditions that I have an aversion to, but that’s in every tradition. No culture is perfect and Somalian culture is no exception.

We see that most of humanity has become infected with the virus of ghaflah caused by shaytan. Shaytan is like a virulent disease - and this disease is like the AIDS virus in that it weakens the human being, and allows other evils to penetrate the heart. The only cure for ghaflah, like you said is thikr, it took me long enough to find out thikr of allah is the greatest thing, rememberance of allah all the time will put your whole in perspective. Most of us, if not all search for a perspective daily, but most of us don't know that thikr could be the answer to our search. Jazakallah Kheyr Nur walal-your posts are always informative and inspiring.May allah reward you for sharing your knowledge.

Salaams Mashallah it must have been a wonderful convention. I wasn't furtunate enough to make it, For those who attended walah you had a wonderful oppurtunity, implement what you learned in your lives and please share what you learned with us. I can't beleive I missed Hamza Yusuf speak, I love his lectures. Just wondering Was Sudais there?

Salaams Lol-Sorry can't help but laugh. Haven't had any cops stop me yet, but this past summer I was with my uncle, cop stoped for runnig a stop sign, but the guy is very smart. He had a bottle of water in the car poured on his pants, even before the cop said license and registration he said he had to go bad, and the cop said fine go go go. Me I was almost dying holding my laughter back.

What's the point of defending either lauren Hill or the catholics-It isn't really benefitting us as muslims in anyway. I guess she had an opinion, and she said, but I think she should have taken her opinion to the right place.

I think I somehow this post It was scary thinking about being possesed by sheitan, may allah guide us and keep us in this strainght path. Jazakallah Nur, we need more essays like this to open our eyes b4 its too late.

Eight Lessons that will definitely change us for the better inshallah. Jazakallah Nur for sharing.

very amusing bro. Thanks for sharing the news.

I heard this on BBC, and they were covering it as if Islamic standards don't require the hijab for modesty. I cannot believe their ignorance. Even if they feel the need to listen to modern interpretations, it should be obvious to media outlets such as BBC that there is a strong contingent of Muslims who do indeed see the hijab as required. Jacque Chirac is also banning Jewish skullcaps. The man is an anti-semite and an Islamophobe! How a nation which cries Liberty and Fraternity elect such a racist as their leader is completely beyond me. Inshallah muslims learn to stand for their beleifs, or we will be headed in a direction I dont even want to imagine.

Several years ago an imaam moved to London. He often took the bus from his home to the downtown area. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the same bus. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him twenty pence too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the twenty pence back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, oh forget it, it's only twenty pence. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from Almighty Allah and keep quiet. When his stop came, the Imaam paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the twenty pence back to the driver and said " Here, you gave me too much change." The driver with a smile replied " Aren't you the new Imaam in this area? I have been thinking lately about going to worship at your mosque. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change." When the Imaam stepped off the bus, his knees became weak and soft. He had to grab the nearest light pole and held for support, and looked up to the heavens and cried "Oh Allah, I almost sold Islam for twenty pence! Remember, we may never see the impact our actions have on people. Sometimes we are the only knowledge of Quran someone will read, or the only Islam a non-Muslim will see. What we need to provide, Insha Allah is an example for others to see. Be careful and be honest everyday, because you never know who is watching your actions and judging you as a Muslim. Taken from 'The Muslim Woman vol. 4 Ed 1'

Congratulations Inshallah you are embarking on a blessed journey of marriage. Inshallah an everlasting bliss for both of you.