You heard Nomads, Northener wants your 500 word essay ASAP. Get cracking and remember to back up your source eg no waffling As for the initial topic. WHY are you even debating about something Islam forbids?

Question: Remaining Single for the Whole Life: Acceptable? Answer: By Sheikh Ahmad Kutty In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Islam, being a moderate religion, generally encourages marriage as the pure and legitimate way to regulate man’s sexual appetite and procreate. It is against curbing man’s desire through celibacy. Marriage was the Sunnah of the Prophet, as explained in the following Hadith reported Al-Bukhari on the authority of Anas ibn Malik: A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshiped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, “How can we attain the Prophet’s status, as his past and future sins have been forgiven!” Then one of them said, “I will offer Prayer throughout the night forever.” Another said, “I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from women and will not marry forever.” Allah’s Messenger came to them and said, “Are you the same people who said such-and-such? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers).” However, the Islamic ruling on marriage differs according to the state and conditions of each person. It can be highly recommended in some cases, or even obligatory under certain conditions. It can also be prohibited or only permitted under other circumstances. In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “If a person has no strong desire for sexual union, and he is confident of safeguarding himself from temptations, then it is not at all obligatory for him to get married, although it is considered highly recommended if he can afford to provide for his spouse and fulfill his spousal obligations towards her. Marriage is the ideal way in Islam. But at the same time, if a person thinks that he cannot fulfill his spousal obligations, and he has no desire for sexual union, then it shall be considered as permissible for him to remain unmarried. It for reasons mentioned above we find a number of great scholars of the past remained life-long bachelors. Imam Ibn Jarir At-Tabari, the famous author of the most outstanding work on tafsir (exegesis of Qur’an and Sunnah); Imam An-Nawawi, a great scholar of Hadith and a jurist and well known for his piety; Imam Ibn Taymiyah, a great scholar and reformer, were all bachelors. All of these scholars were totally preoccupied with their own scholarly work and life mission so that they did not find any time to think of marriage. Also, they did not have any fear of falling into temptations. So, ultimately, a person should ask himself where he belongs in this matter. If he has a life mission that is so absorbing and so time consuming, and he is not at all bothered by any temptations of any kind and, therefore, has no fear of falling into sins, then it shall be considered as permissible for him to remain unmarried. Coming to the question of evidence in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, there is nothing in the sources that makes marriage obligatory unless someone were unable to protect himself from temptations. We learn from the sources that the two Prophets of Allah Yahya (John) and `Isa (Jesus) (peace and blessings be upon them) were bachelors; if it had been sinful to be bachelors, then they would not have led such a life. To conclude, although marriage is the ideal way in Islam, there is nothing wrong for a person to remain a bachelor, if he has no desire for union and he finds himself capable of protecting himself from temptations. What we said above applies equally to males and females, since there is nothing in the sources to indicate otherwise.” Allah Almighty knows best.

The sparkle in your eyes tells me I am destined to discover the beauty of your endless love and devotion The smile on your face has the tendency to trigger my deepest affection Is incredible how I long for your tender touch, your sensuous smile, your exhilarating eyes and lips so irresistible As time passes by the only thing I fear is deception the notion of corruption, but we're only human and there is no such thing as perfection However, I stand corrected, trusted, as I reflect on your characteristics I know you will do your best to ovoid such temptation, fornications and complications Your love is like the ocean, deep full of passion, strength and most of all immeasurable it has no limitations, expectations or regulations, you remain respectable with your good reputation i feel totally dependable on your kindness and compassion.

Mahathir: Jews rule the world Thursday, October 16, 2003 Posted: 0516 GMT ( 1:16 PM HKT) PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (CNN) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mohamad Mahathir has urged Muslims to unite against Jews who, he says, rule the world by "proxy." Opening the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Malaysia Thursday, the veteran leader also took aim at Islam, blaming a shift towards theological interpretations of the Koran that shunned science and development. In his speech Thursday to open the two-day summit at Putrajaya -- Malaysia's new administrative capital -- the outgoing Malaysian leader named Israel as "the enemy allied with most powerful nations." In a blistering attack, Mahathir said Jews ruled the world and got others to fight and die for them, but added that they would not be able to defeat the world's 1.3 billion Muslims. "We are actually very strong, 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them," he said. Mahathir called on Muslims to emulate the Jewish response to oppression, arguing the Jewish people had "survived 2,000 years of pogroms not by hitting back, but by thinking." "They invented Socialism, Communism, human rights and democracy, so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so that they can enjoy equal rights with others," he said. "With these they have gained control of the most powerful countries and they, this tiny community, have become a world power." "We cannot fight them through brawn alone, we must use our brains also." Malaysia, a moderate mostly Muslim nation has long been a critic of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Under Mahathir's leadership it has also opposed the U.S. policy in the Middle East, including the backing of the Jewish state and the recent war in Iraq. Mahathir -- who steps down this month as prime minister -- has become notorious for his controversial speeches during his 22 years as leader and has been a key proponent of a unified political stance among Muslim nations. Mahathir said for too long Muslims have mistakenly believed Islam rejected new technology and progress. He told the biggest gathering of Muslim leaders since the September 11 attacks in the U.S.,. that such interpretations, combined with the accusation that Islam promoted terrorism, were the major reasons all Muslim people were suffering "oppression and humiliation." "Islam is not just for the 7th century AD. Times have changed. Whether we like it or not we have to change," Mahathir said. "Not our teaching ... Islam is not wrong, but the interpretations by our scholars can be wrong." Mahathir suggested new tactics for Muslims to vent their anger and frustration over their oppression. "Is there no other way than to ask our young people to blow themselves up and kill people and invite the massacre of more of our own people?" he asked. "It cannot be that there is no other way ... we must not antagonize everyone. We must win their hearts and minds." The OIC -- which comprises of 57 nations -- must act on a unified front, Mahathir said, and use its political, economic and demographic clout to reverse 50 years of "bitter defeat". "The Koran tells us that when the enemy sues for peace we must react positively. True the treaty offered to us is not favorable. But we can negotiate. The Prophet did," he added. "And in the end he triumphed." -- CNN Correspondent Maria Ressa contributed to this report.

O.G. girl thank you walalo, alxamdulilah I have lived to tell the tale. Qoslaaye. I have good mind to take that qosal off your face so much that you piss me off when you said I ALSO BELIEVE THE POEM YOU WROTE IS FROM YOUR ASYLUM CASE, IT WAS WORTHY OF GRANTING AN ASYLUM. THE REASON WHY I SAID IS THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OVERSEAS ARE THE ONES WHO DIDNT FACE LITTLE OR NONE OF THE TRAGEDY OK. How the f*&% can you say my unfortunate experience was all for the benefit of an asylum case and this was simply to acquire a refugee status?? How the F&*% do you know what I went through when the war began??? Yes, I was 8 years old and I remember every detail believe it or not. I was not expecting sympathy, but a mere acknowledgement; instead you sit there and make such horrendous assumptions. You have the nerve to call me a f*%&!*% liar after all I have been through. You know what, I am going to stop here, b/c if I continue this post will be full off &*%$ symbols. I am too emotional right now and I can’t think straight. I shall come back to this, Insha Allah.

I see we have had a lot of riposte since my last visit, and it seems that a lot of Somali Weyn supporters have managed to yet again derail my initial concern; I guess you were too busy soaking up testimony in your sponge of a so called brain and exercising your political agenda. Although your arguments were rather resounding, but was just it, there was nothing true to life as far as Somaliland was concerned. What you have to understand is that people in Somaliland have made their minds up with regards to the rest of Somalia. I don’t get it if someone says I do not want you to come to my house ever again; there is your side of the fence stick to it, why would you force yourself upon them? Is simple as that, Somaliland wants separation, why is it so hard for you guys to accept that? :confused: Another thing, you have the audacity to say we should join Somalia, yet your backyard is on fire and all hell braking loose. First you make sure you have reasonable grounds in order to be taken seriously, b/c as it stands the people of Somaliland can see that the south has a long way to go before we can begin to contemplate. But as A.J.Timacade. said “the people of Somaliland would rather die then to re-unite.” I guess they are wise enough not make the same mistake twice.

Baashi & Sophist. Every dictator has people who support him and the people in the south supported Siyad Bare and his regime for one reason or another otherwise he will have stayed in power and continue with the carnage for as long as he had.. Secondly, have you asked yourself WHY a single Somali Lander does not want to re-unite with the rest of Somalia? Is it because there are one too many unforgivable and unforgettable acts that have been committed? Seems to me all this efforts of “Somali Weyn” is one sided, because the people of Somaliland have learned their lesson, they do not want to want to merge with the rest of Somalia, so why can’t they just let it be? The people of Somaliland are content with the way they are right now. Why are they so keen on “Somali Weyn”? Shouldn’t they prioritize their concerns and deal with the violence and lawlessness in the south? Their wounds have not yet healed and will not begin to heal as long as you keep bringing up the subject of “Somali Weyn” I got 3 words for those of you who are in favour of “Somali Weyn” LET IT GO

I am not politically opinionated (though I am politically aware) But I would like to share something with you, b/c I am sick and tired of certain individuals who keep going on about “United Somalia” I was 8 years old…………………… I was 8 years old when I fled my home, I was 8 years old when I walked 70km on a hot summer’s day, I was 8 years old when I stepped over dozens of dead bodies, I was 8 years old when I hid under a tree from the air raids. Yet I am nothing out of the ordinary, Some lost their lives, Some lost their parents, Some lost it all, I count myself LUCKY because I survived it all, thanks to Allah. They talk about how we should “Unite”, They say “united Somalia” would be the best interest of Somalis, They insist on saying we are “brothers/sisters”. Yet they have destroyed homes, They have shattered lives, They have tortured hundreds in ways you cannot imagine They have slathered woman and children by the thousands. Tell me WHY, I should “unite” with these murderous, Tell WHY I would consider these hooligans my brothers/sisters, Tell me HOW I could have these home wreckers as my neighbours. For the slightest chance of that happening AGAIN, even if it is a 1% NEVER will I support “United Somalia” In time I will forgive, but Never will I forget..

"Was it a mere curiosity that got you here ? " You guessed it right.. Moreover, I was enquiring why anyone would "hate" someone whom they never met?? Adios. p.s. you must have alot of time your hands to write such nuisance.

The one that comes to my head right now is “Here’s looking at you kid” Casablanca

Brotha-Man. I wouldn't go that far. Guled. I've been called many things but never a Shrink. I'll be sure to add that to the list. The topic was interesting and it was well thought of. People can relate to it in one way or another. I just think that you have overlooked small detail that I have mentioned. Peace p.s. Was I that Analytic? --------------------- --** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--** Unique & Matchless

Kool Kat. It makes sense and I can see your point, but I do think "Bitter" was a strong word to use for such circumstances. lol. Guled lets agree to disagree. Macasalaama.

Guled. You also said “But for some, the grief and devastation are so severe that they end up hospitalized, and even suicidal. Others remain either bitter or so afraid of getting hurt that they never date again, closing off their hearts to just about everyone.” From my understanding this covers all others you have not mentioned. So, my question still stands. If the love ended because they no longer felt the same about each other and that agreement was due to mutual understanding, why would they be “bitter or suicidal”?

Is an interesting analysis Guled92. My question is when love ends should it not depend on the circumstances the relationship ended. ? For instance, if it was a mutual agreement between the two parties concerned, then surely you would agree that not every one goes through the “Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally Acceptance” process. --------------------- --** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--** Faridah = Unique & Matchless

MALAIKA I don't think we are alone when it comes to Sophist and the content of his post, as Khayr said only he can comprehend. I sometimes wonder if some of the words he uses even go together, the brother tries too hard. (Just my opinion) Whether, it was from a religion aspect or just your opinion SomaliLand Patriot and Khayr have just said it all. “There is Beauty in Allah's creation and ugliness is created when Allah doesn't give His blessing to something and that Thing is going against the Shariah of Allah.” I think what Sophist failed to distinguish was love in terms of the Islam and love when it comes to his philosophical impression. --------------------- --** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--** Faridah = Unique & Matchless

Aduunka ninka aan dhiman maxuu towalba arki.... Did I just read a Sophist post without having to refer to a dictionary??? It is amazing what one carefully chosen provocative comment could lead to. I am fairly new here, but when I get the chance I do glance at one or two constructive topics raised by some of the proactive members of this forum. However, whenever I come across a topic sophist has posted I can't help to refer to the dictionary. It is just so typical of sophist and I admit "learning new words only itself can be beneficial and entertaining." but to an extent. I mean by the time one finishes reading your post one forgets what the topic was about. So a little advice my brother KEEP IT SIMPLE simplicity is the notion for flexibility. No offence intended --------------------- --** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--** Unique & Matchless

If had to pick just one word to describe myself, I would have to say C autious U nderstanding T houghtful E nigmatic As you can see each letter has its own attributes. --*** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--*** Unique & Matchless

Good piece of poetry and indeed a captivating poem. Keep them coming brother --*** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--*** Unique & Matchless

Thanks for the support guys, I appreciate it very much. --*** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--*** Unique & Matchless

Very smooth, I like that comeback. Keep it up brother. I am blessed to have the best of you love, Having had your undeniable riposte, I am now rest assured, as we enter a world of endless edginess No longer encountering restless nights, No longer fighting the tides, Just sharing our lives and seeing what lies Always admire our enduring connection Each time, your touch exhilarates my body in all directions I am determined not to deter the existence of our love, Because you and I are rare to witness, so lets not extinguish the love we share --** Each day is new, and living one day at a time enables us to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.--** Unique & Matchless

+ 1 In addition to this submission, I am enticed to be advised in disguise, as I confess to this mess I am caught up in your nest, I did not commit but I insist on clearing this mist, I summit my indefinite list of blissful wish to become close knit, I will not neglect nor will I regret, but only to reflect on the affection I’ve consumed, I resume our love once more to escalate the happiness we share, I only hope you will not dismiss my desire in despair.

LOVE IS... Love is like the wind you never be sure what it might bring Love is your principle it would be gratifying if you follow it Love is a riddle is up to you to disentagle it Love is indelible it will bring you happyness and joy Love is an asset hold on to it as long as you can Love is a celebration of life enjoy it while you can Love is the key to eternal life let it be your guide for the rest of your life