lol@" Halkeed ku nooleyd waayahaan oo dhan?" I must admit I read the replies with great amusement , especially those of you Nur,lool. Tanag you for your concern, but what I meant was my expectations I think were too high, I was expecting someone who does not exist anywhere in the world. Australia is not lacking in Faaraxs, but as Baashi rightly pointed out, there are other issues one must look out for aside from character and diin, like what is your family going to think, his family, his future prospects (someone with goals), his appearance etc. As for being ready, personally (as I cannot speak for all sisters) I don’t believe I’m ready to take on the responsibilities of marriage, not to mention I still have to finish off school (which I know is not a good enough excuse, but I have been going for so long, why waste it?) therefore I believe it is best I put it off for some time. Haboon, mahadsanid walaal, i shall take your advice on board. Who knows oneday i might need to put it into practice

Welcolm back brother

May Allah have mercy on them, forgive them of their sins, save them from the hell fire and grant them jannatul firdows.

Ramadaan Kariim to all. Its tuesday morning here in Australia, second day of Ramadan. I'm so happy this year, it's probably the first time in the almost 14 years that we have been here that all the Muslims have started on the same day, even the Turks.

JZK brother. Inshallah i shall try this ramadan again. For the sisters though, make sure you read more than a juz per day. I hope you are all getting my drift

Asalaamu Calaykum Wr Wb, Nur, reading minds are you? I believe that you cannot change a person, which is one of the most tragic mistakes women make when tying the knot. Sure enough maybe you can influence the person to better themselves, but it must be for Allah and not for you. Often sisters have this view that so long as he believes and loves Allah, I’ll work on the rest with him AFTER we get married, and what happens often enough? He never changes; in fact she begins to find out about even more outrageous habits of his. I must admit, that I have come to a sad realization, my dream husband does not exist, which means I will have to priorities when i am ready. I would never marry (Allah forbid) someone who does not pray, definitely a big NO NO. Subxanallah, the scholars debate on the faith of that person, so how can I live with him. However, I personally believe character and love for the religion are THE most important elements, for if he loves the religion sure enough with knowledge he will see the error of his ways and maybe assist me in seeing mine. how do you know if someone is ready to get rid of their bad habits? I would probably wait some time and see if he adheres to this new found way. An actor can’t keep going forever, only the sincere will last the distance. Ramadaan Kariim to all

It tells me i too am an authoritarian Leftist, somewhere near the pope. What do i think? Load of garbage, there weren't enough options and at times was forced to just give an answer. But i must admit I’m a happy woman that i have not been classified with the wicked of the world. . I shudder at the thought of sharing anything with Sharon, Blair, Bush and the despicable prime minister of ours Howard. Better leave it at that, wouldn't want ASIO ransacking my home

Islamic Republic of Somalia I pray I live to see it. Even sweeter would be to see it as part of the re-establishment of the khalifa system. BTW, democracy is against Islam, therefore to say a democratic Islamic state is nothing more than an oxymoron. In an Islamic state Allah is given sovereignty, whereas in a democratic state the people are given sovereignty. The Shariah is set and no amount of disagreement to it can change it.

Mujahid, JZK. Ok the next Q: In which way did the Jews and Christians take their Rabbis and Priests to be Gods? Daleel is required folks! Hint: it is clearly stated in a hadith.

Another masterpiece Nur, JZK! Unfortunately, there is not much I can add but rest assured as always I shall keep you in my ducas and share this with my fellow brothers and sisters.

ASC, Hope am not too late. My vote goes to: Key words in Quraan that Open Huge doors to Knowledge!

Makes me proud to be from UK!. Don't let them fool you brother, the British have done far more damage to the Muslims than the French could ever dream of. Trust me, the British are the big daddy of them all, not even the USA has reached their level (only because they are late runners in the game). It's always uplifting to see the actions of groups such as CAIR.

What saddens and angers me the most is knowing that had we as Somalis not destroyed our land we would not be in such a situation. Even more disgusting is we continue to create havoc and then it’s always the women who suffer the most.

Who truly believes that this article has a drop of credibility in it? Not I :rolleyes: Can we savely say, Somalia is over, done? No, there is still hope inshallah

I vote for a tripartite agreement with Muqdisho as executive capital, Hargeisa as legislative, and Galkacyo as judicial. Totally agree!!! Anything to make everyone happy (if that is possible). :confused: But i suppose we could always do what the Aussies did, establish a small city where no particular group of people reside (in the Somali case, no particular qabiil) and make it our capital. Canberra was the solution to the Melbourne vs. Sydney battle in Australia.

May Allah have mercy on him, forgive him of his sins and grant him janatul firdows. Sometimes things just seem to get worse, truly a sad day for all Somalis

Inaali laahi wa inaa ilayhi raajicuun. May Allah have mercy on him and grant him jannatul firdows. Subxanallah, the Muslims have lost a great soul. He achieved so much for our Bosnian brethren, a lot more than the nationalistic issues mentioned in the article. It was because of his struggle that the Bosnians began to return to their roots of Islam. I have many Bosnian friends and to hear them speak of this man and what he did in terms of establishing an Islamic re-awakening in Bosnia is just inspiring. Before the war, most of the Bosnians knew nothing about Islam other than who Allah was, prophet Muhammad (s.c.w) and the Qur'an. Since the war mainly due to the efforts of this man, many Islamic schools were established and the people are been taught Islam. He will be greatly missed.

Mashallah, this is the type of good news we like to hear coming out of the Horn. Samurai Warrior, muchos gracias

May Allah bless Dr. Mahathir, even if one does not agree with him, it is a must that they admit he is indeed a strong leader. I’m thinking he should teach a few lessons to the Arabs- some lessons on how to be real men instead of American lackeys. But what i love most is the way he gives John Howard nightmares

Also waiting (tapping table)

PRIDE by Shariffa Carlo (Al Andalusia) Today I am going to talk to you about a topic that will touch onto many diffferent subjects. I want to talk about pride. But, don't get me wrong. I am not going to say what most people say when they talk about pride. Usually, when this topic is discussed, you will get hadiths and verses which condemn pride. I am here to tell you to have pride. I am going to tell you that pride is good. I am going to tell you, that you need to let your chests expand with pride till they are ready to burst. Confused? Don't be. I don't mean pride as in looking down upon people. Because this pride was forbidden. Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) observed: He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise. A person (amongst his hearers) said: Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine. He (the Prophet) remarked: Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people. Sahih Muslim: Book 1, Number 0164. I don't mean pride in the conceited, hurtful sense. I mean pride as in recognizing and acting like what you are -- the best nation ever raised by Allah. For Allah says, You are the best of the nations raised up for (the benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah; and if the followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them; of them (some) are believers and most of them are transgressors. (3:110) (And) lo! those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings. (98:7) We are the highest of creation. We were created in the best stature and will remain so, so long as we do what we must to obey Allah. Allah says, Surely We created man of the best stature; Then we reduced him to the lowest of the low; Except such as believe and do righteous deeds: For they shall have a reward unfailing. (95:4-6) We, the Muslims, are the best nation created. We are the leaders of this world. The companions of rasool Allah recognized this. They embraced it, and it is for this reason that they were able to defeat the non-believers and conquer so much of the world. they did not cower in the corners, afraid to declare their faith. They did not sit back and allow themselves to be humiliated except when it was a command from Allah and/or His messenger that they do so. They were strong. They were confident, and they wore their pride in their deen like a badge of honor. An excellent example of this was Abu Dharr al-Ghifari. He accepted Islam at a time when the Muslims were weak and persecuted. Yet, instead of hiding his religion, he announced it for all to know. In his own words, "...After that I stayed with the Prophet in Makkah and he taught me Islam and taught me to read the Quran. Then he said to me, 'Don't tell anyone in Makkah about your acceptance of Islam. I fear that they will kill you." "By Him in whose hands is my soul, I shall not leave Makkah until I go to the Sacred Mosque and proclaim the call of Truth in the midst of the Quraysh," vowed Abu Dharr. The Prophet remained silent. I went to the Mosque. The Quraysh were sitting and talking. I went in their midst and called out at the top of my voice, "O people of Quraysh, I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." My words had an immediate effect on them. They jumped up and said, 'Get this one who has left his religion.' They pounced on me and began to beat me mercilessly. They clearly meant to kill me. But Abbas ibn Abdulmuttalib, the uncle of the Prophet, recognized me. He bent over and protected me from them. He told them: "Woe to you! Would you kill a man from the Ghifar tribe and your caravans must pass through their territory?" They then released me..." (ISL Software). This companion had so much pride in his religion, that he could do nothing better than to announce it for all to hear, even at the risk of his life. Even though it was an unwise thing to do, and the prophet had disliked the act (he did not forbid it though), this man felt a compulsion to let the people know that he had accepted Islam. This is a sign of true pride. And it was the foolish act, not the pride that the Prophet, May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, had disapproved. We are supposed to be proud of our religion. We are not supposed to hide it unless we feel fear for our lives, as the Muslims did while they were being persecuted in Makka, but once they had the strength to defend themselves, they announced it far and wide, for all to hear. They did not back down in the face of hardship. They spread the religion. They took the Prophet's announcements to Kings and peasants alike. They were proud of their religion because they knew - without any doubt what so ever - that Islam was and is the truth. They knew that only by accepting Islam could people be saved. They knew that it was through them that this deen would survive and thrive, and they knew if they neglected their duty that Allah would bring a better people for this duty. So, they embraced their duty. That is why they are the best nation from among the Muslims. So, what has happened to us? Where is our pride in Allah and His religion? Where is our desire to do anything it takes to make this religion supreme? So many of us are so ashamed of our religion that we change ourselves, to blend in. We all know a Samer who has become Sam or a Mohammad who calls himself Mo. We all know the woman who wears a Western Hijab: jeans, a long shirt and the obligatory headpiece. What is wrong with us? We need to look and sound and act like those around us. Why? The kafirs have a saying, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." What does this mean? It means that by imitating someone, you are essentially saying that they are better -- even in that small aspect. You would never give up the best for the worst. You trade upwards. So, why are we constantly trading downwards and accepting the ways of the kafirs? Unless, we believe that their way is better (MAY ALLAH FORBID US FROM THIS HORRIBLE BELIEF!) Immitation is a sign of defeat. Immitation is a sign of inferiority. Immitation is a sign of no faith in what you have. We are the best nation ever raised. These people should be copying us, not us them. And they know it. One day, a covered Muslim sister was on the shuttle at the university where she was studying. This young American woman boarded the bus. She was wearing a skirt so short, it left nothing to the imagination. She sat across from the muhajiba sister. The sister looked up and noticed that the American woman was staring at her, and shaking her head. She apparently disapproved of her dress. No matter. If she had not believed that hers was the superior way, she might have felt embarrassed or humiliated. But it seemed that she knew, believed and accepted that Islam is the right way, because instead of pulling back, she looked right at the non- Muslim American woman with a look of severe disapproval. She then looked to the woman's exposed legs and tisked while shaking her head. The American woman responded by tugging at the bottom of her skirt, like she was trying to cover her legs more. The American woman felt the shame and humiliation of her exposure. This woman recognized her inferior status and reacted accordingly, because the Muslim woman did not back down or allow the non-Muslim to make her feel inferior. This is the way we should all act. How many times do Muslim women take off the hijab because of the pressures of society. How many times have you heard: "I can't get a job; I can't handle the stares: I can't cope with the pressures of life in America if I cover." Or worse yet, "We need to blend in to this society." We so not need to blend, and we do not need to compromise. When we do so, we admit defeat. We need to become trail-blazers, leaders, the example for others. Subhana Allah! We are the BEST NATION. Our way is the only way to salvation. Never forget that. The Prophet forbid us from imitating the kafirs. Not only that, in many hadiths, he commanded us to purposely be different. He commanded us to be mukhalifa (The one who does the opposite): Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Trim closely the moustache, and grow the beard, be mukhalifa (be not like) the fire-worshippers. Sahih Muslim: Book 2, Number 0501: Also, the Prophet warned us that in imitating the bad one, we are like them. (I will take only the pertinent part of the hadith): Narrated Umm Salamah about the evil Amir: The Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: ... But one who approves of their bad deeds and imitates them is spiritually ruined... Sahih Muslim: Book 19, Number 4569. This last hadith talks of the bad Muslim. So what does this say about the kafiruun? We are not to imitate the kafir. We are to purposely be differerent. How can we do this? I know one sister who took the idea of being mukhalifa to the extent that on Thanksgiving, a day of feasting and overindulging, she fasted. I know of others who simply refuse to compromise their faith and practices, which is the least we MUST do. At the very least, we should not dress like them, talk like them, celebrate like them or take on their practices. I can't tell you how many times I have been asked why I do not wear a wedding ring. I have to answer, because it is not only not a Muslim custom, it is the custom of the Christians. I have to teach them that: "Since the earliest times, the giving or exchanging of rings cememted any contract. Amongst early christians, the thumb and the first two fingers typified the trinity, and the husband placed the ring on his wife's finger in the treefold holy name. Some authorities believe that the third finger of the left hand was connected by neerve or artery with the heart, hence it was chosen for this purpose." (The State Newspaper- Columbia, South Carolina) Brothers and sisters, ignorance is not an excuse when we make no efort to learn the truth. We are in a kafir country, it is our duty and obligation to seek this type of knowledge so that we can avoid misguidance. So simply not knowing is not acceptable. The one who does not know how to pray will not be forgiven for it if he made no effort to learn how to pray. We are not held accountable for that which has not reached us yet, but we always have to be making an effort to seek out the knowledge. Futrther, for those who say -- "That is not my intention, and deeds are by intentions." I say, your deeds are by intention, but an evil deed can not be cleaned up with a good intention. I can not steal money to give it to the mosque. Stealing is haram, as imitation is haram, and once we recognize that something is haram, we must cease immediately. Once again, it all goes down to pride. I am proud to be a Muslim. I will not cease saying inshallah because I am talking to a kafir -- let him learn the word -- it might so him some good. I am not going to stop reading my Quran because someone will see me and think me a fanatic. I am not going to change or "mute" my hijab because I want to blend in. I have to be mukhalifa, inshallah. Let me warn you, if you do not already know. We are Muslims, and even if we forget it, they will not. Prime example: Bosnia. The Bosnians forgot their Islam. They blended in. They would marry each other, entertain together; take each others names, and were "one" with the non-muslims in their society. One Muslim Bosnian brother once told me, " They did not destroy the masjids. The masjids were already dead." The Muslims of Bosnia had forgotten their deen, but the minute the Kafirs had a chance -- they began to exterminate them. They killed not just the good practicing Muslim, but also the one who did not even know how to pray. They remembered. Why do we forget? But let's take this a step further. Recognize that what you do is not only affecting you. When we do things in this society, we set precedents. Not a single Muslim woman who wears hijab has not heard, "...but so and so is a Muslim, and she does not wear like that." Nor has a brother who has a beard not heard, "but so and so is a Muslim, and he shaves." We hurt each other when we abandon a part of our practice. We have to help each other, not be among those who help to oppress us. Narrated 'Abdullah bin Umar: Allah's Apostle said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection . " Sahih Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 43, Number 622: We are Muslims. We have consciously recognized that Allah is the only Lord. We have accepted Muhammad as the final Messenger and Prophet. Our deen is Islam and our constitution is Quraan and Sunnah. We are the saved nation, the only true followers of the one true God. We are the best, and what we do as practicing Muslims is the only way, not just the best way to act and follow. So why must we consistently follow the non-Muslim? Where is our pride in Islam? when I see a young Muslim man in the latest gangsta fashion, talking like a kafir rapper, I cringe. When I see a young Muslim girl wearing pants instead of jilbab, my heart breaks. When I see a shaved Muslim man or an uncovered Muslim woman, I fear for our future. Our beloved Prophet warned us... Narrated Abu Said: The Prophet said, "You will follow the wrong ways, of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they should go into the hole of a lizard, you too will go there." We said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He replied, "Whom else?" (Meaning, of course, the Jews and the Christians.) Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 56, Number 662: I pray that we stop doing this. I pray that Allah gives us the pride we lost. I pray He return to us the sense of superiority that we need to not just practice our deen for ourselves, but to spread it to those who need it. I pray to Allah, the Most Wise, the Most Generous that He make us all proud to be Muslim and proud to be mukhalifa. Ameen. "Knowledge is that which benefits,not which is memorized"

There are so many to choose from, but to narrow it down: Ar-Raxmaan, Qaf, Al-Ikhlas, Fatixa, Al-Muiminuun and Surah Al-Inshiqaaq (something about the way Allah takes so many vows in this surah makes my hair stand on end when it is recited). I also love the two last ayahs of surah Al-Baqara.

I can't wait . My iman is in need of a boost and inshallah as every year Ramadan will do the trick. More than anything i can't wait for taraawiix and the night prayers at the masaajid. Nur and fellow bretheren Ramadan Kariim and May Allah make it a beneficial one for you all.

May Allah guide them and us. I can think of other things that they could be doing which would benefit them both in this world and in the akhira. This is not something to be proud of as Muslims- i don't want to seem as a hater but Allah has said in the Quran that the believers are those who forbid evil and enjoin what is good.

SUBXANALLAH!!! This is by far one of the most profound posts i've read, jazaakum Allahu Khayr macaan for sharing it with us. If only you knew how much i needed to read such a post. Subxanallah, sometimes we get so caught with school, exams and life in general that we forget what is important. Thanks for the reminder