^^ No matter how Somali sisters express their opinions, their looked down upon, if they speak out. I suppose is the social norm for somalis to think the females are supposed to be silent, not take part of what is happening in our soceity, becuase that's not a role for a female.

P.S. Rahmah and all the sisters who are studying May Allaah make your matters easier- Ameen. Jazakallah Bro- May it for the whole muslim ummah. Ameen. Khayr- Alxamdulilah I've learned to put Islam first. Nothing is more important to me than learning about my deen, and it's possible to learn abt Islam, while getting UNI education. And why would someone set a bad example for someone they really cared about? :confused: Someone ought to know, they will be sharing the sin. You can't judge what is best for someone, you can just help them. How I decide what is best for me is by experience - that's the best teacher I've had. Salaams

Aight Mujahid I see where the argument is headed to. I've heard this scenario so much it has been drilled into my head. True we seek education to find a good paying job, but also education can be vital in our lives and learning never hurts, it might be time consuming but it will be worth it in the long run. If not looking for a career, we can use what we have learned to enhance our lives and more importantly teach our children so we dont have to wait for daddy to come home to help them with their homework. And also there are those of us who want to get education, so we can be of significance in helping our shattered country, for some it might be for the money, but I know many sistas who want the education so they can make a difference in Somalia. The young woman is supported financially by her husband, bills paid on her behalf, her clothes paid for, anything she wants given to her and so on - obviously this sounds too good to be true in some cases but then lets imagine this situation for argument's sake occurs. I know this is not reality, in this country unless the husband is making decent wage, the more reason for the wife to get a job. I know as a wife I'm responsible for the care of her home and the welfare of the family, and as long as he can support his family, GREAT, what a better thing to do than stay home increase my iman and take care of my children. BUT I have seen so many cases, where young Somali mothers end up on welfare and I'm sure we know how well that works. I'm not working 40-50 hours a week right now to keep my family off welfare, I wouldn't want to end up on it after I get married. And beleive it or not it's almost impossible to find a brother who makes enough to take care of a family. In my opinion, they dont want to get education and take advantage of the oppurtunity they have, but they rather be driving cabs.( I might be generalizing, but this is the case where I live at). Despite the many somali guys around here, I yet have to see them at school. Working and going to school is possible, Of course they do have time for school. but alas who will sit around cafes every night and talk about qabil and other senseless crab. Wa Salaam

Personally, I didnt have the choice of not getting a degree, because if I didnt make the effort, my sisters definitely wouldnt. And that would be squarely on my head. Not only that but I have to work 5 times as hard just to smoothen the road for them and to make sure they follow. Exactly, setting good examples for my younger sisters has been the driving force for me to go college. If I didn't I know I would have ended up like my older sisters, high school dropouts to get married to make my parents happy, I really admire them for that and respect my parents but I would have never agreed to arranged marriage cause I have seen my sister's marriage fail bc of it. Even though they consider me to be stubborn, having 3 sisters follow your steps in taking their education seriously have been a great acheivement, I dont want for them to settle down for anything, instead their potential limit.

Asalamu Alaikum I would really loved to go but I'm not sure if I will find someone to go with me, it's really a long drive from michigan. Inshallah I will drag couple friends to drive with me, hopefully they agree. Did anyone go last year? What is the convention like?

Age: 18-20 Inshallah this is just my goals, but as we know allah has our life planned out, and anything is possible. 1. Education 2. Marriage/Career - For marriage it depends if there is a prospective partner when I'm done with school, but obviosly if no one yet then career. I can go job hunting, but man hunting is not even worth it, I would say waste of my time. 3. Children

I've heard many differing hadiths refering to women traveling with a mahram, I'm not denying the condition of a woman travelling with a mahram, you either beleive it or not, but somehow when all different madhabs have a different opinion it makes you doubt. However, in my opinion with the changed circumstances of modern times, travelling has become a lot different from what it used to be in previous days. There are some travels in which safety both physical as well as moral is ensured. So, in such travels the mahram condition no longer applies. As far as the decision as to which journeys have become so safe is concerned, the traveller must decide for herself.

This is so sad, I dont even want to imagine that so many somalis being at risk to get aids, but its reality. There is this somali-italian girl in my school who has aids, she is trying so hard to educate the somali community on aids, but Somalis always hard headed beleive muslims can't get aids, I invited her to talk to girls at the Islamic School I work at, and got in trouble by the Somali "elders" becuase this topics shouldn't be discussed at all and blah blah blah. I just hope they realize soon that the reality of AIDS, and how it will effect the somali community if they go on acting they way they are going right now.

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions.For that reason,the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. "Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!" Very motivated for the boss' words, the woodcutter try harder the next day,but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees." Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to sharpen the axe. In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp? There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But God doesn't want us to get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like taking time to pray, to read quran. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate to learn about our deen and grow spiritually. If we don't take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So start today. Think about the ways by which you could do your job more effectively and add a lot of value to it.

Well I cant complain, I was lucky enough to go to eid prayers this year, unlike last year, but had to go to school, had 2 exams. I would say it was kinda depressing, but i'm glad I have those exams out of my way.

Salaams When am stressed out, I usually go drive on the expressway for however long I feel like I need it. Can't do that often though, or every penny I earn will be spent on gas. Also reading the quran, is always helpful for me.

May Allah Subhaanahu wa Taalaa make this year and every year a blessed year for our Ummah and bestow on us forgiveness of sins and may Allah Subhaanahu wa Taalaa guide me and you to what Allah loves and is pleased with and grant us a beautiful return to Him. Ameen. We ask Allah Subhaanahu wa Taalaa to keep us safe and grant us victory over our naffs (ego - desires) and to take out the hateness to each other in our hearts until we again become one nation humble towards the believers - stern against the unbelievers and to give us again the upper hand over His and our enemies. Ameen. Eid Mubarak

I really find jilbaab to be overbearing to my daily activities, I dont think its a must for one to wear it to be a true muslimah, I dont wear abaya nor jilbaab, just a casual skirt and long sleeve shirt is fine for me plus hijab, but somalis around here have to make comments no matter how you dress, really could care less what those ladies wearing layred of clothes have to tell me cause the way I dress is just as modest compared to the way they dress.

Eid Mubarak! May allah accept our efforts in ramadan, and help us in keeping us in the straigh path inshallah!

Jewel good luck sis, wearing hijab is beautiful journey you will never regret. Even though hijab is a piece of cloth around your head, it says alot about you -- When i wear my hijab am not looking for respect cause as a human being we all deserve respect and should demand it whether we wear hijab or not. For me wearing my hijab reinforces my iman, am not picking and choosing what i should follow and what i shouldn't, wearing hijab is part of your deen. Just wearing hijab is a means of dawah, people are curios and some do ask about it, and there is your chance to tell some about your beautiful deen. Any true muslimah wouldn't question the importance of hijab, after all god has made it mandatory for us to wear it. The stares, the degrading comments, being a terrorist that comes with wearing hijab doesn't mean a thing, cause you are wearing for the pleasure of allah, and anything you do for the sake of allah is rewarded.

Mujahid I knew the miswak is sunnah, but using in public like there's no tommorrow would be rude, don't you think? We have to consider how others will be effected by our actions.

Who wouldn't want to marry a pious person? As Bee said that's the individual everyones aspires to marry. Being true muslim comes from the heart, it doesn't have to be the way one dresses, or what others think of that individuals. Khayr It takes a lot of courage for one to wear niqaab especially in the west, I have the utmost respect for the sisters who wear it, but its not required of one to wear it, and no matter how a muslimah dresses non-muslims will always think them as being oppressed weather is niqaab or hijab. As for the turban I would have to say whatever floats ur boat, I dont many brothers who would wear turban even though they are devoted muslims, if I was interested in the person I would consider marrying them it really wouldn't bother me, as long as am not being told how to dress, bc as a muslimah I know how to dress. I think the miswak is taking a bit too far though.

The most annoying co worker...she laughs for no reason loudly for about 10 minutes non stop. my manager who doesn't know what she is supposed to do and am supposed to know or else she is going to be mad.

Khayr Alhamdulilah I really dont have a problem reading a juz a day, the recitation on some juzes were difficult, but with transliteration and a listening to the quran had made it easy.

Asalamu alaikum. Thanks all for the kind words! I wanted to share this experiance, for it had great impact on me, it really opened my eyes and made me realize it could have been me. It should not have to come to that for us (me) to realize that our time could be NOW, or in 30 seconds, or in 30 years. Is there a single one of us that is prepared to stand before Allah (swt) and be held accountable for our deeds done on this earth? Let me answer that for you, if any of you say yes, than you apparently have no idea what this day will be like, Yowm al-Qiyama, Yowm al-Hissab. The day when your legs, eyes, hearts, arms, ears will all testify against you, spilling your entire lives mistakes to Allah (swt). Basically to answer that question for all of you I can honestly and VERY confidently say Not a single one of you us, myself definitely included. Death is a drink and EVEYRONE of us will take our sip, the question is when. We need to begin living for akhira, for hereafter as if we are going to die tomorrow. PLS make dua for their families, it's so sad they will see their daughters in coffins being shipped back to malaysia.

Asalamu alaikum Last night, after coming out from taraweeh, walking towards my car I stopped to say salaams to 2 malaysian sisters on their way to campus. Chated for a minute about the exam we will have to take tommorrow, and went our separate ways, I haven't reached my car I turned around to see the 2 sisters I just talked to were hit by a car going 65 miles an hour, and they died instantly. I was so shocked, I didn't know what to do. young 20 year old healthy sisters who had aspiration of becoming physicians. Such is the reality of death and what comes after it. Every one of us shall taste it whether poor or rich; healthy or sick, old or young; leader or led and none of us can escape it. Allaah says, “Whosesoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in a fortress built up strong and high.” (An-Nisaa: 78). I wanted to share a reminder death can knock at the door, anywhere, anytime at any given age. So many of us youth, the last thing in our mind is Death. I enjoin you and myself to fear Allaah, for it is the provision and safety in this world and the Last Day, “the day when neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who brings to Allaah a clean heart.” (Ash Shu’araa’: 88-89).

^^ ameen sis. I guess the problem is everywhere. So many of us are lost, may allah guide us. The boy/girl friend thing became second nature to so many somalis around here, may allah guide them on the staight path.

You are welcome bro--btw i'm sister.

I thought I should share this, it really puts our status in life in perspective. It is narrated that the Prophet (saw) has said: One who has even a particle of pride in his heart, shall not enter paradise. (Muslim) Pride comes when you see your intelligence, wealth, friends, influence, titles and life as your own achievements, instead of as gifts from ALLAH, the Al-Mighty. When you finally view them as responsibilities that you must fulfill, you will be thankful for these gifts, and be afraid that you will be unable to fulfill them. The syukur and fear (khauf) will drown away the pride. Remember, you will not bring even an atom of wealth, stocks, bonds, land or property, to the grave. you will not bring a string of degrees or qualifications from prestigious Universities to the grave. you will not bring your circle of friends, powerful connections, celebrities, and peers who hail you, to your grave. you will not bring your beloved parents, children, spouses or relatives to the grave. you will not bring your fame, reputation, honour to the grave. you will not bring your millions of adoring fans, and admiring colleagues to the grave. you will not bring any of the fine clothes in your closet, nor the expensive furniture in your living room, nor the million dollar apartment you saved a lifetime to purchase, to the grave. you will not even be able to prevent your carefully groomed hair, face and body from rotting, eaten by worms and maggots, when you are in the grave. So when you have died, and your body has rotted away, you will then be asked by Allah, where is the dunia (all that you once possessed) that you so loved? where is the dunia (all that you once possessed) that you were so proud of? where are your supporters (the admiring fans, the loving family, the approving peers, the powerful colleagues, the people who idolised and praised you always), who worshipped you? The grim reality sets in the....you are now as you were when you were in your mother’s womb. Then, you were in the dark womb of your mother, completely helpless, at Allah's mercy, and ....you had no friends, no wealth, no power, no authority, no knowledge, no property ... you possessed nothing, and you were then born, in humility, naked, covered in slime... you were nothing. Then Allah showered you with His love and guidance, and gave you a portion of this worldly life, so that you may be thankful, and grateful, and that you bow humbly in submission. But no, Man is rebellious. 36:77. Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah (mixed male and female discharge semen drops). Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open opponent! Today, once again, you are in the womb, the dark, dark womb of Mother Earth, completely helpless, at Allah's mercy, and .... once again, you have no friends, no wealth, no power, no authority, no knowledge, no property ... you possess nothing, you have come full circle. You are waiting to stand trial, on Judgement Day, a Day when you will face Allah in humility and fear, naked, covered in sin... and you will have to account to Allah, what you did with His gifts. And if you had walked the earth with pride, today, you will truly fear Allah, but that fear will not help you. Because... One who has even a particle of pride in his heart, shall not enter paradise. (Muslim) Seek out your pride, and repent. Every single atom. Beg Allah for His Mercy and His help to cleanse your hearts. Seek out Allah's blessings to you, and be grateful. Every single blessing. From being able to wake up, to being able to swallow, see, smell and walk. For the gift of health. Wealth. Education. Realisation. Happiness. Love. Rizq. Fresh air. Clean water. Food on the table. The list in endless. Only that, sometimes, we are too blind to see. [31:18] And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not each arrogant boaster. Brothers and sisters, Fear Allah! He Possesses the Heavens and the Earth, and all that lies in between. And, we, his creation, possess nothing. Realize, repent, and humble yourself before your Rabb.

Here's another question: What in the morning has four legs, Has two legs in the afternoon, And then has three legs by nightfall? Answer is MEN! Man—in infancy he crawls, at his prime he walks, in his golden years he leans on a cane. Here is one of my favorites! I am sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but I am nobody's fool. For there is no language that I cannot speak, though I never went to school. What am I?