Salaamu Aleeykum It is actually sad to say that the Muslims are bad but the reality is that WE ARE BAD...!! I could not have agreed more with what Castro said....it is really wise when we acknowledge our own problems, admit that we have problems and dont over exagerate in our greatness...!! The Muslim Ummah is NOT great, it is Islam that is great and perfect...!! Islam is invulnerable and Muslims are vulnerable...!! I'm actually standing up and cant say much but I'll come back and try to cite the incident of Omar ibn Al-Khatab when he said that we only attain honor when we stick to Islam and we reach the peak of humility when we leave Islam...!! Just because you speak the truth it doesnt mean you hate Muslims...subhanna Allah, Allah Him self says that Izza is for the Mu'mineen..!! Truthfuly speaking how far have we come from the truth believers who used to rule by the Qur'an and Sunnah...!! Be back later...!! Fii Amaani'Laah

I was listening to a lecture by shaykh Yasir Qadhi the other day titled "Responding to Allegations of Male Chauvinism and Leadership Role"....it was a great must hear lecture by a really good speaker...!! Here are some of my notes, i'd like to share with you in light of the topic...!! People coped with the new phenomena of Muslim Women's Role in three different ways: 1. Drop Islam and pick westernization-> take off the hijab in 1920. This was not so successful, it was too radical. 2. Apologists: always are in the middle ground, take the good of the two. (very popular until today, they water-down Islam to please others) 3. Fundamentalists: Stick to perfect system (ISLAM). This was not the first time the Muslims had to deal with outside phenomena: During the 3rd and 4th century Muslims were exposed to Greek Philosophy..the works of Aristotle were translated to Arabic in Dar-AlHikmah and the results were: 1. Adopted philosophy and rejected Islam: Ibn Sina, Farabi 2. Middle Path Sympathizers: take the best of each-> Mu'tazila and Asha'ira 3. Pure Orthodoxy: Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'-> Ibnu Hanbal, Abu Hanefa, Imam Ahmad and Maliki. People coped with the new phenomena of Muslim Women's Role in three different ways: 1. Drop Islam and pick westernization-> take off the hijab in 1920. This was not so successful, it was too radical. 2. Appologists: always are in the middle ground, take the good of the two. (very popular until today, they water-down Islam to please others) 3. Fundamentalists: Stick to perfect system (ISLAM). This was not the first time the Muslims had to deal with outside phenomena: During the 3rd and 4th century Muslims were exposed to Greek Philosophy..the works of Aristotle were translated to Arabic in Dar-AlHikmah and the results were: 1. Adopted philosophy and rejected Islam: Ibn Sina, Farabi 2. Middle Path Sympathizers: take the best of each-> Mu'tazila and Asha'ira 3. Pure Orthodoxy: Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'-> Ibnu Hanbal, Abu Hanefa, Imam Ahmad and Maliki. How is it related, well any actions done by Muslims fit in the category of new phenomena....and those apologizing and holding press conferences and stuff fit right into category # 2 in my opinion...!! Did you realize how non-Muslims always call people that appear to be modernized Muslims to talk to them and explain things to them, and sometimes they'll even call Christian Arabs.....why...cuz they want to hear what they like to hear, and the only thing we can do about it is KEEP QUITE AND IGNORE...!! Another aspect of your question...how come the Muslims never ask for an apology, well, we are puppets to the west..so i think of it...we want to please them at any given moment...!! Did we ever think about why the Holocaust is over emphasized and not the genocides of any other nation including the Muslims....well, because the Jews make it a point to talk about it, teach it to their children and to others and simply demand sympathy for them...!! However, we Muslims, the vast majority of us are not even aware of the genocides that took away Muslim lives....for the simple fact that they were Muslims...!! Fii Amaani'Laah

Salaamu Aleeykum I kinda dont agree, Qabil or rather Asabiya is one of the problems we have, the bigger problem I see is ignorance of Islam...!! Allow me to explain myself..!! First of all Somalis -walhamdulilah- are or maybe were 99.9% Muslims...!! However we, like any other Muslim country in the world at the time, did not identify ourselves as Muslims but rather we decided to be Somalis..!! We forgot the fact that Islam was a spritual boundry that connected us to many more Muslims in the world and we decided to make our circle of connections smaller by saying we are Somalis...!! Anything other than Islam is doomed to end and it so happened that the Somali legacy ended with an extremely ugly civil war that used Qabil as a tool and basis for the war...!! I think that the problem was deeper than that...we left our Islamic identity, our Islamic Shari'a and our Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood...!! If i tell you just some of the ways we left Islam you just might try to analyze it yourself and see if we are improving or...going down the drain..!! If i start with children, i think every child went to dugsi (no child left behind), but we failed to teach our children the meaning of the Qur'an that they memorize and we failed to teach them about the Great Creator of All...!! Our culture and what ever we picked up from the western cultures that colonized us almost replaced Islamic in the ways we interact with others..!! Dating was okey, mixed schools was the norm, not wearing Hijab was perfectly fine, and even though alcohol and drugs were bad, those who drank went unpunished and Qad eaters were just the ordinary people...!! I can not begin to tell you about the government and how un-Islamic it was...let me just let you decide for yourself...!! Also, our Aqeeda, with all the Bid'as that were being practiced in our own backyards such as Mingis, mawlid, siyaro (visiting the graves) and worse of all AbdulQadir Jeelaaniyooow..!!!! I mean we should always say Alhumdulilah we are Muslims, but we have a long way as a nation from truely practicing Islam the way it is...and maybe that will or will not happen....Allah knows best...!! All i know is, we do not worship Qabil, but we just dont practice Islam properly...!! Fii Amaani'Laah

Salaamu Aleeykum Forgot to add, when all the tension rises around the Muslims, that is when majority of the people go back to Allah...!! Non-practicing Muslims start practicing and non-Muslims start converting...!! Beautiful isn't it...!! Subhanna Allah..!! Fii Amaani'Laah

Originally posted by Nur: The question of this forum is: What are the new strategies for reaching and teaching Islam to the masses in todays everchanging digital world? What are the priorities in this period? What can we learn from achievements and failures of islamic revival movements? 2006 e-Nuri Islamic Revival Neutralize Your Enemy, be kind To Him Salaamu Aleeykum I can only attempt to answer 3 of the questions, i'll try my best shot...!! First of all, there are many ways we can try to reach out target audience for Da'wah, all we need to do is be creative and interesting...!! We usually tend to think of only non-Muslims for Da'wah projects, but what about non practicing Muslims...!! As more and more people are surfing the net, maybe we should make sure authentic website address are floating around..!! When ever we are in charge of an event or a gathering, maybe burning CD's that contain Qur'an or lectures can be distributed to the guests....flyers can also do the same thing, but most people will throw away a peice of paper but value a CD...!! The priorities at any given time should be TAWHEED....!! (((Verily, the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) taught his Companions to begin their call to the people with tawheed, so he said to Mu'aadh ibn Jabal, when he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) sent him to Yemen: "You are going to a people who are People of the Scripture, so let the first thing you call them to, be the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah." And in another narration: "...that they worship Allaah alone." [bukhari and Muslim]))) I dont know much about the failures and success of Islamic Revivals, but i do know that the only time we will have successfuly conveyed the message is when we completely follow the Qur'an And Sunnah and stay away from innovations...!! May Allah guide us all..!! Fii Amaani'Laah

Salaamu Aleeykum Abrar...so sorry to have taken so long to answer your question sis...actually Light of Guidance is scheduled for March 10-12 and 17-19 insha Allah...!! They are almost running out of seats so if you would like to register go to http://www.almaghrib.org/enroll.php That was my first class, it was basically about Aqeedah...it was so sad how little i knew about Tawheed....truely has an after effect on you....Alhamdulilah its a good one...!! I would have taken the class again but I'll be taking Code of Scholars in Windsor on the same weekend insha Allah...!! Let me know if you do sign up for it...!! P.S. Yeah, it's been so long that i didnt come here, i see so many new names, i get confused, i read and i just run...!! I'm doing good, thanx for askin'...hope the same for u...!! Fii Amaani'Laah

Salaamz everyone.. Is anyone familiar with Al-Maghrib Islamic institue... www.almaghrib.org Has anyone taken its classes? I took the Light of Guidance 101 and currently taking Islam Invurnable..!! Please share your experience..!! Fii Amaani'Laah

I dont mean to defend anyone, but Rudy, were you not able to fight the issue instead of the person..!! Haddad pointed out a fact of life, going to an ivy league school grants u a name, however it does not ensure u'll live the life of a millionaire...!! Graduating from any school gives you a decent job where u'll be able to make the real money, its not the school lately, its your rank, your gpa, your extra curricular activities, your experience and how you sell yourself...!! Many of us have not lived in our home country b/c of the civil war...!! We have this whole misconception about our pple and country and thus i dont blame anyone for asking if Somalis go to schools such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford or what eva....!! We belong to a bigger community, it gives some of us a little more self confidence knowing that we belong to a community that is cabeable of attending schools with such a big name...!! If I'm not wrong, the first Somali PHD holder was Dr Hassan Ali Mire who lives in Columbus Ohio..he graduated from Princeton University back in the 60's...!! Salaamz

I really dont know much about medical school and its process...however, how come the article says he's the first Somali to graduate from Medical School...!!! We have many Somali doctors...in Columbus Ohio only there are 4 doctors that I know of...!! Someone Explain por favor..!! Salaamz...!

I once had a Kurdish friend who converted to Christianity....she was the sweetest person ever..!! Islam is a way of life not just a religion....the Koran is an amazing miracle in our hands today.....and simply...Islam is the religion of truth.....which is why those who convert are greatly admired..!! However, when i hear of a Muslim who converted to any other religion, i feel so sorry for them walaahi..!! Simply because they have not studied Islam enough to leave it...! My Kurdish friend had never read the Quran or even prayed before she decided Islam was not the religion for her. She knew her father forced her to wear the hijab, forced her mother to wear hijab, beat the hell out of her mother and got drunk every night...!! When she questioned, he reasoned that in Islam men can do what ever they want...!! StPaulChick...not to speaking to someone who neglected Islam wont help them realize their wrong doing......talking to them and understanding their reason might help..!! As for Ayan Hirsi....waa caaqad....pple her type are the ones who convince me that Shaytaan exists and is quite persistant..!! Salaamz...!!

Lovely topic.....!! I actually dreamt about my honey moon since i was a lil' kid too....so it'll defintely be worth while.....!! I dont believe in extravagant weddings....i dont actually believe in having a wedding period...so all those expenses will definitely go to a beautiful place and an unforgetable month or two long honey moon...!! Where...hmm...countries i think of are Egypt, Spain, Italy or Dubai...!! Or maybe even two or more of those countries.....!!! And of course, he'll have no choice if i dont like his idea...!!! Dawoco....i like that sis....if my guy gave me a diomond ring, i would actually either sell it, or throw it back at him....on top...i'll make sure i manage his money...since he doesnt know how to spend it wisely...!! Raula....girl i heard lots about Zanzibar....i might actually check it out this summer....i'm going to Tanzania insha allah....!!! Wiilo.....maandheey meesha magac maleh miyaa, misa in la gaaga hor maro baad ka baqeeysaa...!! Ilaahay aa dhulka iska leh huuno...so share the place dear...!!! Plus...what do u mean long time baa ka haray....u mean u still have 6 more years, then 8 more years...then..maxaa ba haray walaalo...lol!! Jacaylbaro....waa wareey...r u for real....i meant...wouldnt u get bored...lol...!! Salaamz

I actually noticed that too...i always asked my self not why are somalis loud...but why in the world am i so loud...!! I'm always told keep it down, talk about quarrels with white chicks in the library.....so it doesnt really bother me when i hear other somalis loud...i just smile, cuz it reminds me of my beautiful loud voice...lol..!! Last nite, me and my friends were hanging out at this lounge, and as we were getting really loud, this egyptian group of men were leaving, the guy jokingly said to me, we're leaving because u were so loud (looking at me)..i knew he was serious (ouch)...!! Salaamz

Oh my, we're hating on the Arabs again...do we not get tired, really...?! I was wondering, since when did we believe this is a perfect world with absolutely no negatives, a world where everyone is happy, educated, not starving and people are also, absolutely in love with each others...!! Hmm..does it really exist...!! We're talking about why dont the Arabs, (i'm assuming the rich Gulf countries), spend all their money to feed the starving Muslims all over the world...!! Yeah Umar Bin Al-Khatab did that, but when was that, and according to Islamic forcasting, when will it happen again...!! Why do we Somalis deserve any help....i mean when nations try to help us, do we take up the chance and do the best we can...or do we turn around and kill reer hebel...!! For god's sake, we are a nation that was granted freedom almost 10 years before the UAE, we have far more population than they do, we have more natural resources, we have mostly beautiful, good, and smart people...and why on god's earth are we the destructed nation...has anyone ever gave it a thought...since we're saying the Arab leaders lack this and that, what do we have...i mean really have...!! In my opinion, we deserve no help what so ever...!! Instead of hating the arabs for their accomplishments and critisizing what they do with their own money, how about we at least talk about and dream about the beautiful Somalia and how we can turn it into a heaven...or maybe rebuild the ruins, since Allah gave us a heaven anywayz...!! Oh I forgot, our priority at this moment is bash arabs..lets wait a few more decades..!! Someone up there actually praised Turkey....a country that bans Hijab in schools, and bans Aadaan.....hmmm...i'm guessing they're better than the UAE, where you'll hear at least 5 aadaans from 5 different corners...!! I am so honestly pleased with Dubai...it aint perfect....but its better than any other dhul gaalo, and since we dont have a dhul of our own, we might as well live in the next best heaven...!! I'm going back to Dubai this summer insha allah after 10 years of no aadaan hearing....i am looking forward to maybe going back and living there after school.....maybe i wont be granted a visa as Somali, maybe i will be treated as a black woman, but hey, i really hope the American passport will work magic for moi...!! As for now, let me focus on my own human development...!! Salaamz B.S. Goodness Sha Ruk Khan looks good...!!

I actually dont see anything wrong with those brothers praying....yes during safar we are allowed to combine 2 prayers...but if u're taking a long flight that does not stop and more than 2 prayer's times came around, wouldnt you have to do it...!! I remember back in June on my brother's trial date, hundreds of somalis showed up and stood outside of the courthouse to pray salatul duhur.....their picture was on the front page of the local paper the next day and all over the news as well...!! I think it makes a statement about Muslims...that we actually stick to our prayers since it has certain times, we dont neglect it and do it later if we are stuck in awckward places...!!! Those of us that dont feel comfortable praying in public when they have to (including me), i think we need to pray for a stronger iman...!! Salaamz

Wilo...allah sis, from now on u'll be the one i call to fill my somali collection...!! You know ciilka iqabta when i hear somali music....i love it so much but i dont understand it....i can sing with it, but af jini baan ku heesaa.....and the day few words make sense to me, goodness u cant imagine my excitement...!!! Some of my fav are: (keep in mind i make my own words sometimes) Laba miirlaa lay muthaa...waa lay imaadiyaa... Ma muujiyee jacelkaa waan haldhahayaa....nafteeyda waan, waan, waaan maaweeliyaa... Waa duulestiinee dayaxaa, dayaxaa Nafteeydaa ku jiraban....waxay haysa jamashadaa. Jacayl aayatile baan abuurnoo waad ogeeydoo...intan ubadkiisi muday baan iyalushoo waan adkeeyoo... Adna sidaasaa, meel iiga taalee, makaa maarmi karaayee... Bilaneey kalgaceeylku waa, waa, waa Waxan uurka kaa jirin, afka laga ma sheegoo... Xadiyo shimbaraha war kama helayee...midan diray hadal ma soo cilinee, hurdo waayoo, harsan waayay, ee xaga hodaneey aad ... Zaynab Cige Koshin's last album, the third song.... Juba Most Xamari Allah dhaantadu dhimatayee dhulkay ku dhacdayee, dhaantada dhulka maa ka qaadaanee... Maskiin....thanx for the excellent link....i was looking for such a site...list more if you know of them please...!! Salaamz

I'm not quite a sweet person, but my favorite text was: Good Morning Sunshine! My Second favorite was: Humans fall in love, thats normal. Cows eat grass, thats ok. But monkeys using mobile, incredible!! Still pressing? Unbleivable. NGNONE, you know, waa u naxaa old people when they complain about computers, internet, and automated phone services...!! Iyaka camal aa noqotay.....complaining about mobiles and listing all the disadvantages...havent you watched the movie Cell Phone! Well i have not watched it either, but it would help you recognize all the benefits of cell phones if you see it...!! Salaamz

Wooow...Thanks a loooot Wiilo and Raula....!! The truth is, you guys are BRILLIANT people which is why you appreciate our humble hospitality and welcoming...and much love to you sweet people...!! No doubt next time's gathering will be more sophisticated, entertaining, and definitely fun....!!! However, why attack the buildings of Ohio State University, and the State it self....last time i checked whether we live in Ohio, Minnesota or even Florida....this is not our land...and we better stop judging whats not ours....we're just guests...!!! Wiilo, sistah the qabiil thing runs in our blood.....i dont think any somalis no matter where they live are free of it....i just think it is less of a value here in Ohio....or maybe so it appears to me.....i really dont know....i refuse to accept people's judgemental words about other qabils so it seems so that it does not exist...!! Salaamz

Wiilo....looooooooooooool....u remind me of my friends that came from minnesota.....one of them said "reer ohio hadii aad xanaaqdaan, xabbad aa la saa baxdaan.."!! Does that ring a bell...!!! Salaamz

You're most welcome Wiilo...i hope u were there and enjoyed the event sis...!! Salaamz

Just incase the link above did not work for you: The Ohio Somali Student Associations would like to invite you to their After-Eid Celebration on Saturday November 27, 2004 @5pm. Held in the Ohio State University, Hitchcock Hall. Food will be served and a $3 admission fee will apply. Comedian of the night is Isse Dirie aka Oday Abdulle (from Minneapolis). Directions from Columbus State Community College: Start at N High Street heading OSU Take left on W Woodruff Ave, go .5 mi Turn left on Tuttle Park Place Part at Northwest parking garage A on your left, it is located right in front of Hitchcock Hall. Salaamz

Wiilo...i actually came to another computer just to see if it will work and it did...!!! If anyone can let me know how i can properly add this so that you'de be able to see it, i have it as a .doc format...!! Thanks..! Salaamz

Salaamz everyone... I just wanna invite Somalis in Ohio (and those visiting Ohio during this time) to join us at our After-Eid Celebration...!! It'll be really worth your time...!! Click on the link for more info and spread the word, por favor...!! Salaamz https://webmail.osu.edu/attach/FinalFlyer.doc?sid=v9xsNcpEp1o&mbox=INBOX&charset=escaped_unicode&uid=806&number=2&filename=FinalFlyer.doc

I WILL DEFINITELY LET MY VOICE BE HEARD THIS YEAR..!! Me, my mom, my 2 brothers, my bestfriend, her father, her sister, her mother, and any somali that is a citizen that i know from the state of OHIO...!!! Ya'll know it is a state that can actually make a difference...!!! To those that dont have the voting right...i honestly encourage ya'll to to push the citizen ones u know of to vote....even if u have to buy their vote...!! My girl is paying this white guy $20 so he can vote..!! Salaamz

Very funny how she had an affain with Bin Laden 'unwillingly', did he threaten to bomb her...!! Plus, since when did we consider Oromos=Somalis...i've always known oromos to claim they're oromos not somalis nor ethiopians for that matter...!! Salaamz

Oh god those stories r so sweet, i wish most marriages today are like the old ones....not madax wareer, ceeb iyo ceer...!!! Anywayz...i heard this story from my mom of course...my dad passed away 12 years ago allaha unaxariisto.....my mom came from a pretty well known wealthy family....my dad came from a poor family....he had to drop out of college to support his brothers and sisters.....he saw my mom at her brother's house....and sent some1 to talk to my abti and see if my mom was interested...!! My mom of course said no....her reason was the guy is poor....my abti told her we got the money, he's got the akhlaaq and good reputation....so dont worry about it...i'm ur brother and i'll always got ur back...!! She agreed to get to know him....they talked for 3 months.....i have a picture of my mom and dad dancing together...she's like wearing a minni dress (she would of course kill me if she saw piece of my hair out now)...and they were not even married then...!! My uncle then said, sheekadiina tirada bay ka badatay...u guys r getting married...!! My mom still says she wasnt okey with it...but she said ok cuz my dad was nice and she loved her brother too much to say no...!! They had 6 boys and moi....then he passed away while my mom was still very beautiful....she never got married again...!! When i ask her if she loved my dad, she says isagaa ijeclaa...when u ask her why she neva got married again...she says she wants to be with my dad in jannah insha allah...!! Is that love or what...!!! Ya'll parents r really young...getting married in the 70's and 80's...my mom and dad got married in 1968.....she was 25 and he was 28...!!! My mom says nothing is wrong with getting married at 25..for me...but i say hell freeze over...!! Salaamz