^I agree. I've seen quality budget films from Africa and by quality I mean a good original storyline, meaningful dialogue and decent acting. It's all about respecting your viewers. Somal have long graduated from the stand-up riwaayad and BWood era.

Xula I love it when they shoo the men to the side. That's how it should be everywhere, ladies first and all Rose I’m working in Education which isn’t for the money lovers amongst us. Honesita There's the Preston University in Ajman. Bilal Philips set up the Islamic Studies Department. I'd recommend it, in fact if the IOU is not finalised by this summer I'm going to join them next fall inshaAllah. Apart from being too bloody crammed, Sharjah is wonderful in so many ways. I just love the place. If I had the choice and the Dubai-Sharjah commute wasn't a nightmare, I'd choose it over Dubai any day. BTW, Bloom. Mabruuk walaal.

I hope it comes to Dubai, not much Somali activity here. It was made in similar fashion to all other attepmts of Somali film makers-not a class act, but in relation to Somali audiences, quite OK. This is curious. So it's okay to keep throwing shabby, second rate productions at us? I can’t stand people who base their lack of professional standards on having an unsophisticated audience / consumers. You always get that from Somalis, it's annoying :rolleyes:

Yoonis How about I give you these two hadiths, free of charge. 1589. 'Iyad ibn Himar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah Almighty has revealed to me that you should be humble in such a way that no one is either overbearing or boastful towards another person." [Muslim] 1590. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When a man says, 'The people are destroyed,' then he is of all of them, the most destroyed.'" [Muslim] On the topic. It's a norm here but I did used say it with none-Muslim friends when I was in London.

^You’re an Eritriean sis? MashaAllah, My nieces are ¼ Eritriean :cool: My parents initially had reservations about intermarriage but my sister fought that battle and won. Though half the trouble was with distant relatives that just wanted to create fitnah I think people are just worried about not having full access to the mans (foreign women tend to be more accepted) background, especially with our closed nit communities where you can do an ECR (enhanced character reference) on someone within days. It shows the lack of unity and trust between Muslims. I was watching a discussion about prayers where the brothers were saying that the benefits of the congregational prayer was that it creates a sense of community and brotherhood in the masjid. You pray side by side with the same guys on a daily basis. You all pray to Allah, make the same dua and action in unity – every prayer every day. That inevitably causes love and consideration within the masjid attendees. At the time of the Messenger (sallaAllahu Alaihi Wassalam) the companions (radiAllahu anhum) would notice if a brother missed one prayer. They would enquire about him and see what has kept him from the masjid. It’s difficult to imagine that people who have such a connection would worry about passport details if one of their brothers asks for their sisters hand in marriage. I don’t know about the US but in the UK we have a situation where there are masjids that cater to specific communities. There is no true Islamic unity. I think inter-marriage is good for our community.

Salaams, You guys might be interested in this. Haneefaay, are you signed up? Also have a look at these tips on how to learn and implement hadiths. Great topic. Please continue. Jizaakum Allah.

Being Somali hasn't given me problems at all. In fact, I find that I get respect and preferential treatment (power of hijaab) which is in total contrast to what I was told to expect. Arabs tend to warm to you more when you speak Arabic. They assume that all Somalis speak Arabic and speaking to them in English kinds makes you look like a dhaqan celis brat. You have to Indifie your English too sometimes. The other day I took a taxi and tried to tell the guy to park closer to the building because I've a child with me. He was like what, what, what? After 5 minutes I told him- go baarking. He was like, okay and goes I no understand your English; you speak like you are English. LOL! The people are generaly much more open and friendlier than in London.

^MashaAllah! You must be proud. I'm a Friday borne too and I dream to leave this world on a sunny Friday in Madinah. I know my hijri birthday already but I've checked my babys. 4 7 1426, a Tuesday. It's kinda odd because I'll be turning a hijri year older than my Gregorian age only a month after my birthday.

Salaams, It is said that true believers will always be a minority. It's scary stuff. I say, instead of focusing on the shortcoming of fellow Muslims, we should first look within. AL-GHURABAA' -THE STRANGERS The concept of Ghurbah - Strangeness: The Arabic word “Ghurabaa`”, is the plural of the word “Ghareeb” which is a derivative of the word “Gharaba” – which means, “to go away, depart, absent o.s., withdraw (from), leave (s.o., s.th.)”. The word “Ghareeb” means, “strange, foreign, alien, extraneous” (see Hans Wehr Dictionary). It has been reported from the Messenger of Allah SAW, which has been authenticated by al-‘Allaamah al-Muhaddith al-Albaani in his Sahih al-Jami’ as-Sagheer – that he SAW said: “Indeed Islaam began as something strange. And it will return as something strange the way it began. So give glad tidings to the strangers”. Indeed this is the promise of the Messenger of Allah SAW who... “... does not speak from his desire. It is only a Revelation revealed...” (Qur'ân. 53:3-4). This Hadeeth from the blessed tongue of Muhammad SAW shows us the true nature of the Islaamic revival. The Islaamic revival that took place over 1400 years from now in the Arabian Peninsula had this nature of “strangeness” and indeed, the revival we are witnessing in our time also has the very same nature. This is so because the history is the proof that the people who rejected faith in Allah and disobeyed Him usually outnumbered those who were loyal to Allah and His Messenger SAW. Those who confirmed to the oneness of Allah were always in the minority and thus became the “Strangers” in the community for going against the current of the society they were living in. Sheikh Jamaalud-Deen Zarabozo outlines this in “The Friday Prayer Part III” p.62: “Allah says in the Qur'ân: ‘And most of the mankind would not believe even if you desire it eagerly’ (Qur'ân Yusuf 103). Allah also says: ‘But most of Mankind refuses [the truth and accepts nothing] but disbelief’ (Qur'ân Al-Isra 89) In yet another verse, Allah states: ‘Indeed we have brought the truth to you but most of them have a hatred for the truth’ (Qur'ân al-Zukhruf 78). In these verses and, in fact, in numerous other places in the Qur'ân, Allah has told us that the majority of mankind refuses to follow the truth. Indeed, a hadeeth in Sahih Muslim describes that all of mankind, nine hundred and ninety nine out of every one thousand will be in the Hellfire. This means that the true believers will always be in minority. As they look around themselves they will see the majority of mankind turning their backs on the teachings and guidance of Allah. They prefer disbelief and disobedience to faith and obedience to Allah. The believer will look like a stranger in their midst. His beliefs, actions and way of life will be completely different from theirs. The disbelievers may even do their best to make him feel like a stranger, someone who does not belong, someone with strange ideas and practices. They may be ridiculed. Psychological pressures may be put upon them. The media may attack them and so forth.” "Indeed Islaam began as something Strange..." This strangeness is not something new with this Ummah in particular, rather it existed amongst all the others Prophets and Messengers before Muhammad SAW. From amongst them was the great messenger, Nooh, who gave Da’wah to his people for 950 years and they rejected and mocked him. Lut gave da’wah to his people but the Kuffaar in response mocked him and tried to exile him and attacked his honour. Ibraaheem called his people to Allah by which he went against the norm of his community and consequently stepped on people’s feet, for which he was persecuted, and thrown into the fire. Moosa also called the Fir’awn and his people to worship Allah alone, where the former rejected his call from the first day and was destroyed, and the latter ones, in the absence of Moosa began to worship a calf besides Allah. ‘Isa ibnu Maryam called the people to worship Allah alone and he had to pay the price just like his predecessors, by being persecuted and mocked by his own people, so Allah raised him up and he is alive until this day of ours and will return before the Day of Judgment. Then how may one forget the most noble of the sons of Adam – Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah – may Allah’s Salaah and Salaam be upon him. His entire biography from the beginning till the end shows us how he stood up with the call of Tawheed on the methodology of the Prophets who went before him. How his own people turned against him and mocked him and how this “truthful” and “trustworthy” person was overnight labeled as a magician, a poet, a mad man, ‘the one who seeks power’ and so on. So the Muslims in the early stages were in a state of “Ghurbah” – Strangeness, as the Messenger of Allah SAW said, "Indeed Islaam began as something strange...". "... and it will return as something strange the way it began..." This indicates that the return of Islaam is a fact and that it must take the same route and methodology, and must go through the same phases of difficulties and hardship that the early Muslims went through. This is why Imaam Maalik – May Allah have mercy upon him – said "That the latter part of this Ummah will not be corrected except by what corrected its earliest part" Therefore it is inevitable that this path of Islaamic revival must consist of firm faith in all that Allah has sent down. Likewise it is inevitable that the Muslims will have to go through hardship, endless struggle, persecution, exile and all that the first part of this Ummah went through due to their correct faith. So we noticed the decline of Islaam as the time went until the Muslims were left without Khilaafah, and Kufr and Shirk began to creep into the Muslim ranks in its various forms, from grave worshipping to secularism. The people of innovations and desires were at last set free to spread their diseases throughout the Muslim lands. The aggressive Kuffaar invaded Muslim lands and enforced their religion of Kufr over the Muslim people. Even when they left, they installed a person with a Muslim name who implemented the same Kufr as his predecessors. This caused Islaam to nearly fade away from the lives of the Muslims. In the midst of this calamity, Allah raised amongst this Ummah various personalities amongst the scholars, the du’aat (those who call to Islaam), intellectuals, thinkers, authors and the Mujaahideen in order to help and aid His Deen. The appearance of these personalities is not something new in this century; rather these people appeared through out the Islaamic history. It is the promise of Allah, by the tongue of His Messenger SAW, that there will always be a party amongst this Ummah, which will hold the flag of Tawheed high up, as the Prophet SAW said: “There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah being apparent on the truth, those who forsake them will not be able to harm them.” (Muslim). They will cure this Ummah of the diseases and corruption and will act as shields against foreign beliefs, ideologies and innovations that steal away the beauty of Islaam. These people are indeed very few in number, so consequently they will become the victims of strangeness. As the Prophet SAW said about them that they are... “Those who are righteous when the people have become corrupt.” (Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan and others. Sahih by supporting evidences, see "The Friday Prayer" by Jamalud-Deen Zarabozo) Or in another narration: “A small group of pious people in a large group of evil people. Those who disobey them are more than those who obey them.” (Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan and others. Hasan, see "The Friday Prayer" by Jamalud-Deen Zarabozo) Today by the grace of Allah we can see the return of Islaam in front of our very eyes, by the return of the youth to Islaam and Jihaad. Many of us who started practicing this Deen most probably went through the early stages of strangeness. When a person merely begins to take interest in Islaam, and the materialistic society around him/her begins to view this person as a stranger. When this interest leads a person to increase his knowledge in Islaam, this person becomes more of a stranger by actually spending some of the time reading so-called ‘religious’ books, where as the time could have been spent reading some fiction-novel. Then this individual puts the knowledge to practice by making Wudoo and establishing Salaah five times a day, giving Zakaah, fasting in Ramadhaan and making Hajj. If this person is a brother then he grows a beard and if this is a sister, then she wears the Islaamic Hijaab and thus becomes even more of a stranger in her own household! Then this person takes on the duty of spreading the Message of the Messengers on his/her shoulders, by either speaking to the lost sheep of this Ummah on one-to-one basis, writing articles or giving lectures. Thus becoming a stranger amongst those practicing Muslims who practice the basics of Islaam but do not take the responsibility of taking it to others. Then this person goes a step further and devotes his/her life either seeking knowledge of Islaam, or living his entire life on a mountain in some trench writing the history of Islaam with his blood. This person becomes even more of a stranger amongst those practicing Muslims who take this message to others, but could not devote their lives to seeking knowledge or making Jihaad in His way. These are the strangers who are the torchbearers of Tawheed, those who restore the honour of this Ummah and bring back to her the peace and security she once enjoyed. These are the strangers who were given the glad tidings of the Paradise, as in the last part of the Hadeeth the Prophet SAW said: “So Toobah for the Ghurabaa`”. “...So Tooba for the Ghurabaa`” The word “Tooba” is the name of a tree in Paradise that is promised to the strangers in this world. Regarding the word “Tooba”, Sheikh Jamaalud-Deen Zarabozo said the following in his work, “The Friday Prayer Part III” p. 66. “The Prophet SAW has given the glad tidings of a tree in Paradise for those who have to live as strangers because the people are deviating from the teachings of the Qur'ân and sunnah. What is the characteristic of this tree in Paradise? The Prophet SAW explained that also when he said, “Tuba is a tree in Paradise. The time it takes to transverse it is one hundred years. The clothing of the inhabitants of Paradise are taken from its sheaths.” [sh. Al-Albaani called it Hasan in Silsila al-Ahadeeth as-Sahihah, v. 4 p. 639] This glad tiding of the tree of Tuba for the strangers should make us all wish, strive and aspire to be from among the strangers in this time in which Islam has truly become strange again.” May Allah make us from the strangers in this world and the inheritors of Tooba in the Hereafter – Ameen. Source

^LOL you want to start. On second thoughts, I think posting photos and telling our real age is a little too intimate. Give the name thing another 10 years Valenteenah This my answer your question about April kids. April Active and dynamic. Decisive and haste but tends to regret.Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their luver can see. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attentiont --- yep! It has Ngonge written all over it What Does Your Birth Month Reveal About You? I'm 26 --->27.

*high fives* Ole. I'm an April baby too, how about we do a gift swap since we're only two days apart. I don't mind telling my real age at all but I do like to make people guess because people never believe that as old as I am. Not that I'm old, I just look like a school kid.

Ibs You live in London and only have 6 Somalis in your contact list, damn. How did you manage that? Anyway can't help you much from my shack in the desert but if you PM me your email, I can put you in contact with people who know people. To those in the know: What ever happened to the Somali Coordinating Committee?

The Bad: You don't have papers.

3 of the 5 Law Lords held that Begum's rights had not been interfered with (Lord Bingham, Lord Scott of Foscote and Lord Hoffmann), and 2 held that they had (Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead and Baroness Hale of Richmond). All 5 agreed, however, that in this particular case there were justifiable grounds for interference, one of the grounds being to protect the rights of other female students at the school who would not wish to be pressurised into adopting a more extreme form of dress. You were saying something about a red herring... Well, the Lords decision is (unsurprisingly)disapointing. This does not only highlight the level of ignorance surrounding the islamic dress code but also a very shallow understanding of diversity of Islamic hijaab. In any case, one positive result of this case is that it has started a public debate on the hijab and in Shabinas case an LEA review of its uniform policy. Not so counterproductive, eh? I found the following qoute and articles interesting, was this really about hijab or extremism. The school's supporters had claimed that after Begum's parents had died, she had come under the undue influence of her brother Shuweb Rahman, a supporter of the radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. They also argued that if Begum was allowed to attend classes wearing jilbab, other pupils would feel under pressure to adopt stricter forms of Islamic dress. Heh Funny Your argument, after all is said and done, seems to be: "I shall do what I want and to hell with the consequences". It’s confrontational, futile and counterproductive. Think it over, ayaayo. I see you’ve refashioned your analogy; did you think that I didn’t get it the first time? I’ve already said, when you live in a so called democracy where there are protocols put in place for seeking redress one has every right to do so. I’ve already suggested that a different approach would be wiser but unlike you NG, I respect that others would take a different approach. And my stance is simple. My faith is not up for compromise and seems like I’m in good company.

^LOL! Most ppl would describe me as quiet but with my hubby I'm like the radio. Yadaddadaa! It's good that women talk more, they generally have more meaningful (and some mean) realtionships and tend to share problems whilst men bottle up and die younger.

I was at the dirac store a few nights back and this couple came. The man a northerner the lady a had a xamari accent. She was clearly a regular because she a had a prolonged salaam with the keeper who was a little too sugary, intee ka dhacdey waa kuu xiisney. Her husband says, waar bal naga dhaaf oo, wax cusub mahaysaan. The keeper says, kuwaan maantaa la keeney. He replies, waar sheeko xamarida naga dhaafoo dharkii bisha soo saar . Whenever the keeper tries to do a bit of marketing he'd repeat that line. It seemed so rude to me but they looked like that they knew each other well.

I got curious too only recognise Mohammed Ali. Looks like he's had a name change.

^All the best!

^I love the new look casual jilbaabs too. I'm thinking about ordering one. Report back when you get it; the fit, the flow the overall look. Gabdhaha dhaaf, I'm sure that you were there too and besides those cloths are fine if worn under abaya.

^Macruufka, more please. I've always wanted to learn Afmaay.

^You have, ama xaal soo aruuri ama bada cas ku dhex dhac. NG It’s all good and well to stick up for your fellow Muslims and, here, we don’t need to do this. We are discussing it amongst ourselves, ayaayo. Don’t let it get to you. You misunderstood. I won’t go against the family because I agree with their stance on the uncompromising validity of niqaab and that it has a right to exist in British society. The act is selfish and has/will have a bad impact on all other girls. Remember the last time we had a similar argument here and your stance that if the laws exist they should be used? What happened to the Niqab-wearing teacher? Remember the Jilbab-wearing schoolgirl? Both lost their cases (I think). Sorry to disappoint you but Sabina, the girl didn’t lose. The Teacher’s case was a bit more complicated as the Prime Minister, a Muslim MP and every Dick and Harry had something to say about it, the court passed a mixed judgment. It’s not over though and common sense will prevail, I feel it me wa’ers. Get the story here; http://www.education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,1927251,00.html On the case of this 12-year-old, the Headmaster has made a reasonable request. The one before him might have used his own discretion but this one (going by reason alone) is within his rights (as a headmaster) to demand that the young girl ditch her niqaab whilst at school. Not if he is working under an equality of opportunity and access policies which all British schools do. You said the same with regsrds to Sabinas case and how did that end. As a teenager way before Usaama, Murdoch and senile politicians confused the hell out society, I had a niqaabi classmate (and a few other girls in other departments). It wasn’t much of an issue with the college Admin; in fact teachers would go out of their way to acquaint students with the Colleges policies of tolerance and respect. Currently, I work in a mixed coed British school with both male and female teachers, many of them none-Muslim and yet there is not a concern about the practicality of having niqaabi teachers (there are 3). The niqaab works in schools, this uproar and unnecessary fighting highlights deeper concerns. It’s saddening to see a head teacher spearheading an intolerant, arrogant campaign against a child or in the Teachers case another adult. What message does this send to that girl and her peers and all British children? On a side note, I wonder if they have an anti-bullying policy. It’s about a school’s ability to apply rules and policies. No court will allow the girl to get away with her choice of clothing (faith aside). Exactly on the first line but you can't put faith aside, it is after all, the central policy issue here. A ban on niqaab in the school can only be passed if they change the laws and policies on religious freedoms.

Originally posted by Cambarro: On the other hand this issue is one of freedom of religion which the West likes to mouth off - like other maxims like innocent until proven guilty and ensuring civil treatment of people in jails. Yet, they hesitate to apply these laws as far as Muslims are concerned.

Ngonge, We meet again, seems like we both enjoy these tug-of-hijab wars. There are strict rules to adhere to and then there are compromises. The niqaab, by the agreement of most scholars, is not a strict necessity. Yet, everyday you get some Muslim women causing a furore over their insistence to wear the niqaab and their freedom of expression! I personally pass up on any discussion focused on appropriate or invalid forms of hijaab. There are differences of opinion, we should not only respect them but also put them aside when it concerns the defense of another Muslim. Whether the family / niqaabis are being selfish or unnecessary would depend entirely on their conviction with regards to the obligation of niqaab and their intentions. Unfortunately, we don’t have any knowledge of either, so I’ll choose not to pass any judgment. However, I do think that the family could employ some wisdom in this case. For starters, I would advice them to look for alternative schooling for their child. A Muslim child least of all a niqaab wearing child would fare much better if they weren’t placed in a state school. In saying so, this case has obviously moved to another level and we are now dealing with a court case and a Muslim organization that has sided with an anti-niqaab institution. It is at this point that we join the debate. My main concern on this issue is that it opens up a can of worms where we could sleep walk into a situation where people feel that they are at liberty to discard aspects of Islam that they deem unaccebtable. As Xula pointed out, it may be the niqaab today but what happens when some institutions start banning the hijaab as it too is a symbol of division? This business of ‘freedom of expression’ that you speak about, ayaayo, is akin to the old Islamic tale of the guy in the boat that decided to dig a hole in his own section knowing full well that the boat will sink as a result. It’s all about his freedom of expression, after all! LOL! Silly analogy dear, take two [i don’t mean wives ] One, surely, cannot have two masters. Are you fighting for Islamic rights or for Western style freedoms? You are fighting for an Islamic dress style using the freedoms granted by the laws of the western countries that you live in. There is no contradiction between the two and it's certainlys not about having two masters, that’s something Khayr would say. A Muslim living in a none-Muslim country does so with the understanding that you respect the laws and customs of that country. We both abide by and apply these laws when we seek redress in legal matters. Why do you have a problem with my reference to them with regards to hijab? Most western nations pride themselves in granting individuals the rights to freedom of religion [as long as this doesn’t bring harm to anyone]. Until these laws are changed niqaabis are have the right to demand inclusion in British society.

Originally posted by Johnny B: Honour killings, forced marriages and FGM are unique problems for the modren Muslim-women of today, while wife beating is universasl. Getting humoured ,i don't see how you'd address these issues unlike Ayan, without considering the theo-socio factors that help stablish these harmful social traits in the first place. Be it Culture or Religion, according to some sociologists, certain traits can only blomster in a society either by having a sound direct usefullness or having a theological shoulder to lean on. Now, i do understand that you're of the idea that 'if it's good it's Islam,if it is bad it is Culture', but can you explain why those socially harmful traits (Honour killings, forced marriages and FGM ) survived Islam, and are almost unique to the Muslim societies.? Trust you to drop another chestnut. It's as though you have a hole in your brain. We address your retarded, redundant ideas and questions only to have you repeat them over and over again. :rolleyes:

I say, it furthers divisions within the Muslim community, confuses the non-Muslims on the veil and tramples upon individual freedoms, which is most un-Islamic. Also, in response to the head teachers excuse, divisive is to impose your own ideas on appropriate dress on others.