^That is just pathetic khalaf. I know you're trying to engage me into this useless discussion, laakiin know that the two of you share nothing. I find is suprising that you actually think that you do. I find even more suprising that you did not understand my objection to your arguments.

Originally posted by Rahima: So Kool Kat, I’m confused, is your objection with day care in itself or a mother not been there for her child’s first moments? I mean it seemed to me you were advocating for the latter and therefore a nanny isn’t the solution, in fact nothing is except that a mother stay home MY DEAREST RAHIMA (by the way I like the name), Both the day care and a mother not being there for her child's first years go hand and hand...If a mother is not there and is working, the child is in day care, right... I was referring to your suggestion of a nanny for our hypothetical gynaecologist mother. She is still not home with her child and misses all the priceless moments, so then why advocate for a nanny? Nanny and day care in this case as with regards to the missing of moments is still the same, no? 3 or so years of staying home is your opinion; others will say you that’s too early. You can never please all, and as I’ve said (to the point that my fingers are becoming contracted), it is a mother’s discretion. Besides, as you state, We as Muslims should be aiming to have as many children as possible... Please tell me how you plan to manage 5,6,7,8 or more children (God Willing) and your career????? I think you missed my jab at Aaliyah-re-read it . That said however, why make a point of it even if i made that comment seriously? I mean i would then only be doing what you guys are doing no? You believe that all mothers who can stay home should stay home and i would be deeming it that all mothers who can have the 8 children should- career or any other reason is just not good enough. ^^^Enlighten me on the above statement... Do you not think that the reason that some work is for more than money or a place on the ladder :confused: ? I’m sure you can come up with many many other reasons . I work for one of the many other reasons- believe you me my field of work does not have a ladder and the pay is not going to get buy me a mansion. I do however plan to make a move to something better paying so that one day inshallah i may be able to do what i actually want to do and have enough assets to sustain me, not lavish, just sustain. Every woman knows what's best for her and her family...Good luck to all of us...Ilaahey lee caruur cafimaad qabo hana siiyo, everything else will fall into place... Bingo!

The Greatest Losers Fahad Ansari Article ID: 1297 | 529 Reads [First published in Crescent International (March 2007)] Say: “Shall we not inform you regarding the greatest losers concerning their deeds? [They are] those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works.” (al-Qur’an, 18:103-104) Last month witnessed the continuing Zionist onslaught against the Palestinian people, and more specifically against the precincts of Masjid al-Aqsa. According to the Israelis, they were carrying out repair works to the walkway leading to the Moroccan Gate of the al-Aqsa sanctuary. When news emerged that they were also carrying out excavation work beneath the walkway, Muslims around the world erupted in protest. Despite Israeli reassurances that there is no ulterior motive, and token gestures such as setting up a live camera to record every second of the excavations, Muslims around the world remain deeply suspicious, and with good reason. Since the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, there has been a relentless series of plots against Masjid al-Aqsa: arson attacks, attempted bombings, repeated attacks on the sanctuary by Israeli troops firing teargas and live machine-guns. Excavation work by Israeli authorities beneath the sanctuary has been taking place for almost 40 years, causing many to suspect that these are part of a greater plan to destabilize the foundations of Masjid al-Aqsa, in preparation for the Zionist plan to build their Temple. Indeed, one need only remember the words of David Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, to be sure of the Zionists’ real intentions: “Israel is meaningless without al-Quds and al-Quds is meaningless without the Temple”, he said. In light of this historic enmity towards al-Aqsa, Muslims everywhere became enraged at this latest attack on the integrity of the masjid. In Britain too, calls were made to attend a vigil outside Downing Street to condemn Britain’s shameful silence in the matter and to display our love for al-Aqsa. I normally leave vigils, protests and demonstrations on a spiritual high, iman rushing through my veins. Some may argue that they are very limited in their effectiveness but even then, knowing that lots of people made a conscious decision to leave what they were doing and come together to speak out against injustice, is enough to confirm to me that the pulses of the Ummah are still beating. Yet after leaving this particular vigil I could not help but feel disheartened and saddened, with a bitter feeling of doom creeping into my heart. Although the numbers were low (only about 100 out of a possible 1.6 million Muslims turned out), far more disturbing was the attitude of several of the Muslims who did attend. As the vigil went on and the skies grew darker, a concerned brother approached us and reminded us that it was time for the maghrib prayer. Bearing in mind that the protestors were almost exclusively Muslim, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable to expect an announcement of sorts that it was time to pray, that adhaan would be made and the salah would be performed. When no such thing was forthcoming, we began to approach brothers to remind them of the prayer. The responses we received left me reeling. With the exception of a handful of people who were genuinely grateful for the reminder, the majority of the demonstrators shunned us. Many said they would pray later when they went home, others complained that the ground was wet, others remained embarrassingly silent, and some even seemed annoyed at these party-poopers coming to ruin their fun. Most troubling for me was the argument that it would “look bad for Islam” were we to pray together inside our pen outside Downing Street. Instead, they continued to repeatedly chant “bi ruh, bi dum nafdeeq li ya Aqsa” (with our souls and our blood, we will sacrifice ourselves for Aqsa) before bursting into childish giggles. The first qibla, the second masjid built on earth, and the third holiest place in the world is being destroyed, and everyone present knew it, but they were so terrified of offending the British public that they were oblivious to their duty to our Creator. Ibn-Rajab said, “If one realises that every creature walking on earth is from dust, how can he give priority in obedience to someone who is from dust to the Lord of lords? Or how can he please the dust and anger the Owner and the Bestower? This is something strange.” How can we expect Allah (swt) to bestow His Mercy upon us when we wilfully disobey His fundamental commands while believing we are engaged in doing good deeds? Muslims came to protest the attempted destruction of the third holiest mosque in the world, yet refused to pray at the appointed time for whatever reason. The irony of it is all too clear. This touches at a deeper malady within the Ummah at the moment, with “active” Muslims being those most likely to be affected by it. It is an illness which is one of the largest causes of our pitiful state today, something which if left unresolved will destroy us like a lethal cancer. In a nutshell, what I am referring to is a lack of real trust in Allah and an arrogance that we can emerge victorious without His help and assistance. I say all this first and foremost as a reminder to myself, because Allah knows best how I regularly fall into this devious plot of Shaytan. Recent events around the Muslim world have politicised the Muslims today to unprecedented levels. A global Islamic awakening and revival is under way in which Muslims are being compelled to take definite positions. It is no longer possible to sit on the fence, remain neutral and keep one’s head in the sand. Without a shadow of doubt, the international focus on Islam and Muslims has played a substantial role in engendering this revival. But while all this seems to appear positive and encouraging, on closer inspection we find that we may actually be on a cursed path to failure. Most worrying is that we are racing down it with our eyes tight shut. In our haste to politicise ourselves and struggle for Muslim rights, we have forgotten that our primary goal in this life is supposed to be gaining the pleasure and acceptance (ridwan) of Allah (swt). Adopting Machiavellian concepts such as “the end justifies the means” (for instance), we have forgotten about the akhirah. Demonstrations, electioneering, lobbying are only a means to gaining Allah’s pleasure but we have made them an end in themselves. What benefit will it be to us that we may manage to vote out a sitting MP if, in the process, we earn the wrath of our Creator? Of what benefit will our alliances with atheist groups and coalitions be if, in our efforts to achieve and maintain them, we compromise our deen and lose favour with the Most Supreme? Abandoning the prayer so as not to offend disbelievers, frequenting bars in order to network and attend meetings, leaving the Qur’an to engross ourselves with political science, abandoning the prayer to spend more time leafleting: the list of betrayals goes on and on until the question arises of whether anything remains to separate us from the atheist anti-war movement. The soul, the spirit, the intention behind our actions has dissipated so that, while Allah has made us “the best of people” (al-Qur’an 3:110) we have become no more than a pathetic extension of the secular left. We must always remind ourselves that victory is with Allah and is promised to the Ummah if we are truly believers (al-Qur’an 3: 139). When we see the oppression against Muslims escalating every day with victory not forthcoming, we must ask ourselves “are we truly believers?” It is only our straying from Allah’s commands that is delaying this victory. When Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) despatched the army of Sa’ad bin Abi-Waqqas (ra) to the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, he advised him: “Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy, because your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy. We Muslims are only victorious over our enemy because their sins outnumber ours, not for any other reason. If our sins were equal to those of our enemy, then they would defeat us due to their superior numbers and resources.” It is clear that the more we obey Allah, the more we hasten His victory; the more we disobey Allah the more we delay this victory. This is not to say that we must forsake the very important political work we are doing. On the contrary, it is obligatory on us to continue it, but we must recheck our framework of reference. We need to remind ourselves of our aims, our objectives and our ultimate goal, and continue our work with these kept clearly in mind. At the same time we need to gain a steady balance. Unfortunately, a problem with many Muslims today is their inability to strike a balance. Either they are too politicised, abandoning the spiritual side of the deen, or they focus solely on the inward actions and development of the self, without externalising it for the benefit of humanity. Hollow slogans and chants will not free al-Aqsa nor improve our plight; nor will spirituality without action. What is needed is a return to the ways of those people who were warriors by day and monks by night: the Companions (ra) of the Prophet (saw). The various revivalists the Ummah has produced over the centuries all had this hallmark of mixing spirituality and emotional strength with their struggle, for they knew that without it they could only fail, both in this world and in the Hereafter. We need to study the lives of people like Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Salahudeen Ayyubi, Ibn-Taymiyyah, Imam Shamil, Hassan al-Banna, Umar Mukhtar, Shaikh Ahmad Yassin and their like. If we do not, and thus carry on down the path we are on now, we are in danger of not only losing Masjid al-Aqsa but of becoming those whom Allah calls “the greatest losers”.

In defense of the Muslim sisterhood Yvonne Ridley Article ID: 1304 | 692 Reads In defense of the Muslim sisterhood I have a bee in my bonnet – or hijab to be more precise. On an almost daily basis there are horrific stories pouring out of Tunisia about how the state police are ripping off the hijabs of women living there. Some of these women, who are merely fulfilling their religious obligation to wear a hijab, have been assaulted, sexually abused and even locked up in prison by the authorities. Unbelievable when you consider western tourists are topless sunbathing on the coastal resorts, soaking up the Tunisian sun. So it is okay to get your kit off if you are a western tourist who pays handsomely for sun, sand, sex and sangria …but try wearing a hijab and see what happens in this so-called liberal, Muslim country. At the moment I am in Tehran where Iranian police are occasionally stopping women in the streets to remind them of their religious obligations by wearing a full hijab. There's been an outcry in the Western media about how the Iranian authorities are fining women who fail to wear their hijabs correctly in public. I call these women the half-jabis – you know the ones, they balance their designer scarfs precariously on the back of their heads and spend the rest of the day adjusting and picking their scarfs from the nape of their necks. It might have endeared Princess Diana to half the Muslim world when she 'covered' in Muslim countries, but most women who try and emulate the Di style just look plain ******. But what a pity those same journalists don't travel to Tunisia and write about a real story like the human rights abuses against women in down town Tunis instead of focusing on Tehran. Why do journalists choose to ignore the Amnesty International report which outlines in clinical detail how the Tunisian authorities have increased their "harassment of women who wear the hijab"? Is it because the Tunisian government is a craven devotee of the Bush Administration whereas Iran was identified as the now infamous Axis of Evil? Surely the media is not that fickle? (Rhetorical question merely for the benefit of the mentally challenged). The actions of the Tunisian regime make Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government look like a group of Tupperware party planners. For instance, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Interior and the Secretary-General of Tunisia's ruling political party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally, have stated they are so concerned about rise in the use of the hijab by women and girls and beards and the qamis (knee-level shirts) by men, that they have called for a strict implementation of decree 108 of 1985 of the Ministry of Education banning the hijab at educational institutions and when working in government. Police have ordered women to remove the head scarfs before being allowed into schools, universities or work places and others have been made to remove them in the street. According to Amnesty's report, some women were arrested and taken to police stations where they were forced to sign written commitment to stop wearing the hijab. Amnesty International states quite clearly it believes that individuals have the right to choose whether or not to wear a headscarf or other religious covering, consistent with their right to freedom of expression. They have called on the Tunisian government to "respect the country's obligations under both national law and international human rights law and standards, and to end the severe restrictions which continue to be used to prevent exercise of fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly". They have even kindly asked President Ben Ali's government to "end the harassment and attempted intimidation of human rights defenders". I would like to be more forthright with Mr Ben Ali and remind him of his Islamic obligations as a Muslim. I doubt if Zine Alabidin Ben Ali would take much notice. The man is clearly an arrogant fool and somewhere in Tunisia there is a village which is missing its ***** (Hamman-Sousse in the Sahel, actually). This is the man who once said the hijab was something foreign and not part of Tunisian culture. Hmm, he obviously has not seen pictures taken before he came to power, clearly show Tunisian women going about their business fully covered. He has a history of despising the French colonialists who occupied his country, but at least under the French, the Tunisian people had more freedom than they do now. And since I have no family, friends or connections in Tunisia I write this without fear or favour. Also, there is no rank in Islam so I care nothing for his title nor do I have any respect for him as a man. I would certainly never doff my cap to this particular President of Tunisia and would happily spit in his face if he told me to remove my hijab. Perhaps those Muslim women in Tehran might like to consider the plight of their sisters in Tunisia before trying to balance their hijabs on the backs of their heads. And I would ask them to read the harrowing report below before bellyaching to more journalists about their rights to parade around like Diana-look-a-likes. It was written by an imam from Tunisia who had it smuggled out and given to me because he wants the world to know exactly what is happening to the women in his country. Here is a snippet: "The police will randomly make their way into markets and rip the hijabs from women's heads as well as take away any fabrics being sold to make hijabs. "They will also go into factories where women are working and rip the hijabs off women's heads. This is the least of what they have done. "I will give you just one example of what these dogs with Arab faces but the hearts of devils, have done to our sisters. They have, at one time ordered a public bus to halt in the middle of the road while two plain clothes detectives went inside. The buses are similar to the ones in the west except they will usually have three times more people inside it. "They grabbed one women wearing hijab and took her outside of the bus. This was a sister who they had warned before. They brought her into the side of the street and began slapping her across her face and cursing at her with the worst language you could think of. "They took her hijab off and the main policeman said, "When are you going to stop wearing this ****. She said she would never stop and she was crying. The men took her around the corner by a public bathroom. "They ripped her clothes off. They grabbed a soda bottle, these bottles are made of glass, and they raped her with it. They were laughing and they were many people around but no one did anything. When they were done they made her wear a short skirt and a sleeveless shirt and made her walk home to her husband like this. I swear by Allah that this is true". The time is fast approaching when sisters across the world have to unite and come together in defence of the hijab and in defence of the Muslim sisterhood. My appeal goes out to feminists of all faiths and no faith but please don't think Muslim women are weak because the reality is that Islamic feminism can be just as radical as western feminism. Our parameters and values are slightly different as Muslims but that does not make us any better or lesser human beings than western feminists. There is certainly no room for sectarianism in the Muslim sisterhood and we have no time for petty squabbles, divisions, cultural or tribal affiliations. The bottom line is that we need to show solidarity with our sisters in Tunisia … it is a very small country which makes it easy for the army to control the people and brutally squash any signs of resistance. Even those Tunisians living abroad have a fear in their eyes because while they may be safe, members of their families left behind are often held to account for any actions overseas regarded as subversive. The brutality of the regime, combined with the happy clappy clerics and their narcotic-style preachings in praise of the Sufi-style government have also collectively subdued parts of the Tunisian population. No wonder the Muslim youth no longer clamour to get into masjids on Fridays to listen to these khateebs who spend half the khutbah praising the President and his followers. Which is why I salute the bravery of those sisters in Tunisia who are fighting for the right to fulfill their religious obligation as Muslim women, to wear the hijab. If you want to help, then copy and paste this article and send it to the nearest Tunisian Embassy demanding that Muslim womens' rights to wear the hijab are respected. http://www.as-sahwah.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=1304&

Mabruuk and may it be blessed.

Yet to meet him.

So Kool Kat, I’m confused, is your objection with day care in itself or a mother not been there for her child’s first moments? I mean it seemed to me you were advocating for the latter and therefore a nanny isn’t the solution, in fact nothing is except that a mother stay home. As for day care, the list you gave us is as according to you - which is your right as an intelligent woman who is able to make her own choices. I too as a woman who can make her own choices could perhaps come to write a list just as long where the pros outweigh the cons. I know day care has negatives, just as it has positives. I also know finding a good centre is extremely difficult. But even with all that, I’d rather day care than a nanny where there is interaction. That is my take on it, another woman might judge that a nanny is best and that is her right. Also, the two of you managed somehow to turn this into a discussion about me. You Kool Kat started off with insinuating that I was a career woman all about climbing the corporate ladder (when there was no reason for you to hold this view aside from me advocating for a woman’s choice) and that soon enough just like you who used to be a career woman I too would see the light and jump the fence. Perhaps I work for different reasons than money or seeking a high-flying career, perhaps I work for something more. But you don’t know, didn’t ask and instead just assumed. Aaliyah then put the icing on the cake; she made a heartfelt plea for my poor soon-to-be neglected children . Tell me then that the two of you did not turn this from a general discussion into a let’s save Rahima campaign? Ladies to each their own, and oddly enough that is exactly what I’m advocating, to each mother her own without receiving scrutiny and criticism- she knows what is best for her and her family- you do not, so let them be P.S. Aaliyah you best be be careful with the only wanting three children choice. I mean really, we as Muslims should be aiming to have as many children as possible- it really is extremely westernised of you to want to limit like that. What is that you say? It's your choice? You know what is best for you? I should mind my own business? I'm only teasing , but i hope you see my point. No one likes to be scrutinised over choices they thought long and hard about. And even more importantly no one likes to be patronized.

We’re not one the same wavelength here ladies. I’m not disagreeing with the point that in an ideal world the best for a child is for a mother to stay-at-home and be an attentive mother. I don’t think I argued such a point. That however is one aspect of it. Another woman might find that for her lifestyle choices other options also work and that perhaps her career is important to her, she has worked too hard and too long for it to give it up. Perhaps it makes her a better individual, a more well-rounded individual, a happier woman and therefore a better mother. You just don’t know what each person’s situation is. Perhaps this same mother is able to find appropriate care for her child, one that fits her standards and lifestyle. Perhaps she has weighed out the options and come to the decision that working does not gravely disadvantage her child. All of these perhaps are for her to ponder and decide over. Girls, you are two individuals, one Aaliyah and the other Kool Kat, you make choices for your life, not others. A woman for example who spent 6 years at medical school and another 4 at graduate school to become a gynaecologist so that she can treat Muslim women is going to find it very hard to give up something she worked so hard for, 10 years of school and thousand of hours at work. We all work for different intentions, for each of us work gives us something different. If a woman is able to compromise in a way befitting her and her child, then kudos to her. None of us are in a position to judge her. I for one do not believe that a child is disadvantaged simply by going to dar-care. What I do however believe is that there are other factors which contribute to this, mainly the attentiveness (or lack of) of a mother when she is with her child. Also, let’s not make it sound like we’ll only have two children, right after each other and we’ll be out of work for 5 years or so. No, in reality, we as Somalis tend to have slightly larger families than the 1.6 or 2.5 depending on which western nation you reside. Not to mention for most of your child rearing age mid 20s to late 30s, you’ll probably have a child under school age. That is a long time to be out of work, trying to get back into the work force after that is extremely difficult. But, please take few minutes and reflect on how life would be so much better if you could stay home and spend quality time with your child. I understand where Kool Kat is coming from (except for that she claims to agree with you), laakiin that is so patronizing Aaliyah. Do you not think that any sane mother would not think this through to the point that it hurts? Do you not think that she would probably loose sleep over deciding that which is best for her and her child? Do you think that a mother who decides to work does so on a whim without weighing out the pros and cons first, without deliberating extensively about the choices? You claim to not judge abaayo, but clearly you do, just by that plea. Ogow, any mother cares and loves for her child more than you would ever. Ogow, that she makes the decision that she feels is best for her child. Keep that in mind before you judge her choice. What i do or don't do is for me to decide, in all honesty i don't need for others to make a plea to me on behalf of my future child. I will make a decision which i believe is best for me and my child. That is my right. Respect mine (whatever it ends up to be) as i respect yours to stay home.

In all fairness to Aaliyah, you can't make a choice without judging it to be better than the alternative. It may be the best alternative for you but not for others, so let others be. Perhaps I believe that staying at home is best for me and my family, but I must at the same time keep in mind we’re not all clones and therefore have different alternatives best for us. You see I’m not judging those that want to stay, by all your means do if it is that which works for you. But similarly you mind your own business when it comes to my choice. It’s arrogant to assume that you made the better choice and are therefore the better mother (for whether or not they want to admit that is what is been insinuated). This is not a meaningless topic, it's very touchy and for one woman to assume a more superior ground then anothers is attacking her mothering. Wax lagu ciyaaro ma'aha. Just because I don’t see things eye-to-eye with a mother who chooses to work I am not going to have any less respect for her. But you do have less respect for her for you believe she doesn’t show her child enough love as you put it. Who’s to stay that 4 hours of quality time with a child are not far more cherished and a far greater indication of love then 12 hours of child minding by the television whilst she gossips with her friends? I am over-exaggerating the latter to show you that staying home does not necessarily make a mother more attentive (and we know that whilst over-exaggerated it is not unrealistic for it happens amongst Somali mothers). It is about the quality of the time, not how long. I do not have children yet, and perhaps once I have them I might change my mind about working full time (I’ll always works or else I’d go crazy) laakiin I’ll always keep in mind that it is a decision that works for me, and the Xaliima or Jane next door is not me. You are entitled to your opinion on your choices Aaliyah, but allow others to have the rights you would like for them to afford you. Allow them to be without judging them and scrutinising them (which you are doing- she doesn’t show her love you said). We’ve had many male Nomads, for example Baashi advocate for stay at homes, and that is fine, he is a man, he doesn’t get it, he doesn't get the struggle that goes on in the minds of women. I can let it go, laakiin a woman, I am dissapointed. We should be supporting each other, solidarity you know. You don’t have to agree with my choice for your life, laakiin fight for it as if it were your choice, for we all know how bad women have it, too much is never enough. She is forever not good enough as mother, never attentive enough, her child ends up been a rapist wal ciyaadu bilaah and it’s because he never received love from his mother so he has to force others. You get my drift I hope .

Anyone print and laminate 'NO PARKING' signs and stick them around a parking lot? It could be arranged . I have a friend who printed herself a disabled sticker so that she could park in the disabled parking which are free half the time. She also printed herself a concession card, which is given to low-income individuals or students (neither of which she is)- she uses it for public transport where it isn’t verified. Lastly, near her home, they had a parking sign which indicated that there was no parking past a particular point, in the middle of the night with her 4WD she rammed it down and threw it at the nearest tip. Now her family park wherever they wish along the strip. All of this done by a criminal 20 something hijabi who owes the government thousands of dollars in parking fines . I don’t know how she gets away with it :confused: . I need to stop being a square.

^Actually bold colours are hijab in a country where bold colours are the norm, as is the case for indonesia.

Monkey Magic (i watched it a few years ago and was disgusted, i cannot believe i watched that rubbish ). I did however love the X-men cartoon, the chipmunks and captain planet .

Aaliyah, You seem to be contradicting yourself. You can’t criticise a woman who makes the choice to work (even though her husband makes enough) and at the same time claim to respect her choice. I mean at the end of the day, you aren’t criticising her shoes or handbag, you’re criticising not only her mothering skills but also her love for her child. In essence you are arguing that a mother who chooses to stay at home loves her child more than a woman who chooses to work. I don't believe a woman who has been hired to take care of a child will be able to meet that standard of care that a child deserves. You see I for one (and I’m sure there are others who agree with me) disagree. I don’t judge you for choosing to stay at home for at the end of the day you feel that that situation is best for you and your family dynamics. It works. Just as that is the case for you, my family dynamics might work best in an environment where I work and provide for my children the best possible care whilst I’m gone and my upmost attention when I’m home. I am overall a healthier individual; my mental health and self-worth are somehow more intact- very important factors to assisting me to being a better mother. I feel as though I am achieving my goals. It may not be the case for you, but it for me (me being the operative word here). How many mothers do you know who stay at home and neglect their children, and how many do you know who work but are also loving and attentive mothers? I’m sure that work doesn’t make a difference- it’s the individual that’s the marker. Also, whereas you might see childcare as a death sentence to the child, I see many benefits, ranging from greater mental stimulation for the child to greater social interactions. I acknowledge that there are disadvantages (just as there are disadvantages for staying home); laakiin it is for every family to decide for themselves- scrutiny from outsiders is really unwarranted. Choosing to stay at home does not make you a better/more loving mother. Choosing to work does not make you any less loving. Zenobia, Thanks for the link. I too if ever I am blessed with children will be sending them to childcare at least a few days a week for I do believe that the positives that I would like a child of mine to experience are immense. It’s not even about work for me- I just believe that there are skills a child will gain from a proper centre that will be difficult for a child to attain at home. My mother has worked almost all of my life (meaning that i was cared for by others whilst she was away) and i did not miss out an ounce. Not once did i feel that my mother was not there for me, for when she was with us, it was precious time.

A sad day for Melbourne. The man must be mentally disturbed. I'm just glad that he isn't Muslim or a migrant. He's still on the loose, God i hope he is found soon- freaky to think that a murderer is running around free.

It’s about time that women stopped judging one another and let each others be. A woman, who chooses to return to work and sends her child to childcare, even though her husband makes enough, does not love her child any less than a stay-at-home mother. She doesn't care about her child any less, so let's stop painting her as a heartless individual who doesn't care enough for her child. At the end of the day, we are all different therefore our choices will be different. So long as the child is not neglected then really it is no ones business but the parents of the child. Yes, we all know there are horrible childcare centres, but just like they exist so do places where any child would receive good care.

^Could you please post the link for that?

but seriously, was she hired for a publicity stun, or does she really have a crush on the man? That's the question of the hour it seems. Rudy, The women's section is for matters of importance you see , soon, i will go on a cleaning rampage. All you boy nomads will pay for polluting our section .

Each day you think it can't get worse, and sadly it does. May Allah raise our status.

Iran: nose job nation June 6, 2007 - 11:23AM Iranians flouting Islamic street dress codes may risk being hauled in by police for questioning by "psychologists", but the frequent sight of bandaged faces from cosmetic surgery raises not so much as an official eyebrow. For a visitor to Tehran, the number of young women - as well as some men - sporting post-surgery gauze on their faces is striking. It prompted one US newspaper last year to label Iran a "nose-job nation". "Nose surgery is very popular," said Iranian plastic surgeon Nabiollah Shariati, as veiled women filled his waiting room eager to go under the knife. "It makes people feel good about life and themselves." Business is brisk for hundreds of doctors specialising in this highly visible trend in the conservative Islamic state, as nose and other facial surgery enhances the only features an Iranian woman is not obliged to conceal. More commonly associated with the rich and famous in Hollywood, surgery is in demand among trendy and well-off Iranians keen to correct perceived flaws in their looks. Speaking in the green marble-floored office of his private clinic in an affluent part of Tehran, Shariati said he carried out two or three nose operations a day, or 3,000 during 16 years in the profession. "Every year the figures go up," he said. "Compared with the United States and European countries they are much higher in Iran." This may seem a contradiction in a country where since the 1979 Islamic revolution sharia law has discouraged women from seeking to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Besides covering their hair and bodies with the Muslim headscarf and loose clothing, such as the head-to-toe black chador, women who use heavy make-up are frowned on and those who transgress modesty rules can be fined, lashed or jailed. But a senior Iranian cleric, Ayatollah Mahdi Hadavi, said Islam allowed facial surgery as long as it did not harm the person: "It is permitted based on Islamic rules," he said. "Being beautiful is not something prohibited in Islam." Shariati said the authorities had not raised any objections to his line of work, and he believes the Islamic dress code actually helps explain why nose surgery has become so popular in the Middle Eastern country. "Because of the hijab women have to wear the face becomes the most prominent part of the body," he said. Reducing the size of the nose was the most common request: "Iranian noses are on average a little bit larger than European and Asian noses." One of his patients, Arezoo Abbasi, complained of her big nose as she prepared for the hour-long procedure dressed in a blue hospital-style gown. "The beauty of Iranian women can only be seen in their faces," she said shortly before anaesthetics put her to sleep. Iranian-American journalist Azadeh Moaveni describes in her 2005 book Lipstick Jihad how demand for cosmetic facial surgery surged after the revolution, when women were banned from revealing the shape of their bodies. "It was an investment in feeling modern, in the midst of the seventh-century atmosphere the mullahs (Iran's ruling clerics) were trying to create," she wrote. "It assuaged so many urges at once - to look better, to self-express, to show off that you could afford it, to appear Westernised," Moaveni added. Shariati said he charges between 15 million and 20 million rials ($A1,936-$US2,200) a time - cheap by Western standards but a considerable amount in a country where many earn the equivalent of a few hundred dollars a month. Haniyeh Asli, a 20-year-old waiting for a check-up a few days after surgery, said her mother had encouraged her to go ahead with it and both were very happy with the result. "I want my daughter to be beautiful," said her mother, Manijeh E'tesami. "Her nose had a little bit of a high ridge and she also had some breathing difficulties." She would have surgery herself if she were younger, she said, adding Iranians tend to have large noses: "It seems to be something genetic." Shariati said most of his patients were women between 20 and 30 but more men were also coming to see him, even though they do not face the same dress restrictions. Mohammad Nasiri, a 20-year-old with long black hair, said he opted for surgery because his nose was slightly crooked. "Reaching a certain age you become more conscious about how you look," he said. "I have quite a fine face and the nose sort of stuck out. Now it is more balanced." But not everybody is satisfied: "It was much better before," said 28-year old Roya Soltanian of her long, thin nose. Others disapprove of the trend altogether. "I think I'm the only one who is not here for nose surgery," said Hadi Salimi, 27, whose baby son was suffering ear problems. "I feel sorry for some of these women," he said. "What matters is inner beauty." Reuters

Nur, i'm all for the sale. I could do a lot with that kind of dough; perhaps buy the citizenship of some other god-forsaken African nation which is not colonised by another god-forsaken African nation? At least then i'll have sovereignty, poverty won't sound so bad.

Inaali Allah wa inaa ilayhi raajicuun. Sophist brother may Allah grant your father the loftiest of all places in the akhira and may He grant him the company of the best of mankind. Aamiin.

Maanta ayaa waxaa xabsiga loo tabaaxay Madaxa Shirkadda AMAL ee Koonfurta Soomaaliya C/wali Muuse Maxamuud oo ay ciidammo ka tirsan kuwa Dowladda ka wadeen xarunta Shirkaddaas ee Muqd C/weli Muuse happens to be my uncle, as in his children and I are first cousins. Just so that you know Duke, he is a man with integrity and pride for his religion and land. That is all it takes to be arrested. As a family, we weren’t surprised when the call came through- all you have to do to be arrested is to be God conscious and oppose the occupation of your country. Mate you sit around here supporting a man who will forever be remembered as the leader who allowed the kufaar to murder and plunder his people and land. That is for you to live with, laakiin it is not befitting of a man such as yourself who supports such a warmonger (and hence shares the blame) to comment (forget judge) men who have backbones. You have absolutely no idea what goes on so I suggest in aad iska aamustid. The TFG tried to solicit the support of my uncles folks (they are influential amongst their clan but oppose the occupation), when they refused to support the destruction of their homeland, their arrest warrant was sent- unfortunately because only this uncle was left in Xamar, he was arrested. And also, they’ve told him to hand over considerable amounts of cash for his release- what a great government, such standards, so law-abiding. They’ll definitely go far. Duke, like I said, aamuus, some of us actually know what’s happening other than what comes out from the media outlets or is heard on the grapevines. May he be realsed soon, aamiin. And may he repay them for their hospitality.

^ Young man i suggest that you don't bother huffing if you can't knock over the brick house;).

Mashallah, an inspirational young man.