Ramadan Kareem.

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne: May be our home-grown or western-grown stoogies are the worst than those who truly consider as the enemy of the Ummah. Emhm, what I said. But, one thing I always respect is their foreign-made-views, because that is the only way you can respect them. What are u saying other than nothing?

Shukriya. Don't the Somalis say,'Waah Waah'? Last night I went to bed feeling sorry for myself and was rewarded with violent dreams. I am running out of that beautiful thing called patience and am glad Ramadan is here to help me refocus and pray longer and offer thanks. I re-read what I wrote above and I'm struck by how blessed I have been. When things get bad I have a habit of re-reading old thoughts to help rebalance my negative view. I went in search of my old emails and found this one sent from Manali: ..... Hi Your very own email. Hehe. Sorry if your email is attached too; it just takes too long doing anything online up here in the Himalayan Ranges. Let me say that again...Himalayan Ranges..teehee. So X knows about my bowel movements. Sh*t. Pun intended. He thinks I'm cuckoo enough, heyna? LOL. It's lovely here. Today for the first time I woke up unburdened by memories or doubt. It was just perfect. I've finally relaxed and am enjoying myself. Hearing about work and ish sounds so alien. Work? What's that, pray tell? U MUST DO THIS, Y. ABSOLUTELY MUST DO IT. The change in environment is very liberating. Eventually the life you left behind fades- especially the ugly bits. I can't believe how I used to stress myself over things. The perspective is also great. Everything we moan about is still a blessing- work, education and our relationships. All provide some kind of nourishment. Poverty, illiteracy and destitution is rife here. I'm trying to bottle the humility, gratitude and empathy for when I'm back to 'normality' and start whinging. Perhaps I'll dig out these emails. ........ And so I have. Internal whinging STOPS. Alhamdullilah. Ramadan Mubarak. Count your belssings.

Love the pen pal idea. Mention it to kids u know who study with other Somalis and spread the word. A teacher out there may be interested in being part of this. The further away from California, the better for the kids.

How do you know that? Are u one of them? gulp

My God! We Muslims have a serious problem when one woman namely Rahima can not voice her responsible CHOICE without her being questioned in every which way. Despite her continued level-headed responses to your probes and accusations and BTW she does not need to convince you or me of her life choices, there continues to be a strong objection and several big bad Somali buts. It is shameful. The one man who has confessed his choice of two while declaring his inability to take full control of the financial side of the future marriages has been encouraged or wished the best. Whilst Rahima who has no taste for being part of a polygamous relationship and has taken pains to make that clear contractually is painted pictures of Romeo or has her faith questioned. She has her head screwed on very well and there are attempts to turn her into Juliet or a misguided soul. Oh, ye lovers of the faith, hypocrisy has no part in it. Why does a woman's choice have u up in arms?

Here, catch! An old but clean hijab to wipe away the camel tears, the green(loyalty!) snot and muffle the hypocritical sobs. Xu: It bugs me that the fate of the muslim woman is a topic more widely discussed in the West than in Muslim countries where one would think it mattered the most. The enemy from without is fair game, the one from within is, is, is us.

In the UK if u make a purchase that is over £100 with a credit card and there is a problem, you can claim back from either the trader or the credit card company. If u give yr debit card details and some unscrupulous creature gets his/her hands on it, he can separate you from your hard-earned cash. Easier to deal with the loss of money that was never yours and that is covered by an Act than money that was yours and no longer is. Boo hoo. I'm an online fan. See it, touch it, love it when shopping, then buy online if cheaper. Some things don't need the personal experience though- like books, start here if u're nervous. Also look out for the url, once u get to inputting the sensitive info the url shoud have: https://www.. That 's' means u're now on a secure page. There should also be a padlock at the bottom right of your browser. Keep a copy of your purchase; print it or keep a screen shot.

Muhammad, I have eaten octupus. Femme, I knew that fruit was ehem intense- I'd read about it and smelled it b4 that day. I wanted once and for all wanted to know what it was like. The others around me hesitated but when they saw that I had the woman's consent, they followed me(5-6 of them). We all picked up our pieces, held them up and the rest was nausea inducing. I can't believe that people can't cook! I see it as a necessary skill besides nothing beats eating something u have made to your taste buds. I cook everything I like: chapati, samosa(from scratch, including the dough), curries, pizza, khamiir(mandazi), baked chicken, salmon... When I eat a new dish, I can pick out the ingredients added, go home and mimick it. I have had only one disaster- I used oyster paste over-liberally- and nearly passed out in the kitchen. A good idea is to taste as you cook and savour as u eat. Hmm, pizza this weekend

We glow, darling, we glow.

^ Whole families would fall part if that triangular wonder wasn't on the menu during Ramadan. Muhammed, durian described here. A snippet: Due to the fruit's strong odour, it is forbidden to bring durians as hand luggage onto aircraft belonging to some airlines, to carry them on the Singapore public transit system, or to store or eat them in many hotels. I get squint-eyed remembering the day I took the plunge. It was like eating a putrifying, sulphurous rubbish heap. To think I walked up to a woman eating it and asked if I could have a piece. I had to apologise over and over after nearly throwing up, spitting into my hands, spluttering, suffocating and drinking a half litre of water. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was just me but a whole group of people I'd been sitting with had followed me and asked if they too could try the legendary fruit. There was a simultaneous scramble for the rubbish bin, gags, shouts, swearing and some ummms. One guy drooled over it but he was Malaysian and had probably grown up on it. The King of all fruits, he called it. The rest of us had to apologise to this stranger, having helped ourselves to her food and spewed it out unceremoniously.

^like the fungus that it is. Teehee. I will try all halal food but u will NEVER EVER get me to eat durian EVER again. Cut down on shaah during Ramadan, it's a diuretic.

Lol. Nice. Ladies don't sweat! Oh poohpooh. Mostly I'm a dhabar type but when I get smart about it and the beads form on my head life gets easier, I get happier. I haven't been there for many months but I remember being richer(financially), creative and energetic. That reminds me of something I could be doing, ta.

La Femme for some bizarre reason I have lost my appetite lately. I don't eat until about 3pm and then too it's a force-feed scenario. Ramadan's imminent hunger will be easier to endure however I am worried there shall be nothing left of me by its end. Yesterday I saw bones I haven't seen for a long time. Having said that I do enjoy cooking- so long as I'm allowed to get creative. I don't like cooking for fussy people; it takes the adventure out of it. Yesterday I threw together this(because it was in the fridge) Fry a whole onion lightly(slice the onions long and thin) Add prawns, allow to cook Add lots of mushrooms Then heaps of creme fraiche Salt and pepper to taste Allow to simmer away It was very quick and different(I couldn't hack the usual spices that overwhelm my cupboards). I threw it over rice although pasta would have been a better choice. I was starving by the time I ate it(the only way I can eat) and it was heavenly. I got a whole lot of dua from my friend for that one.

Make sure it's a reputable online firm- look for their address on the website, skim-read their long small print(with a magnifying glass), check for hidden costs(is the shipping cost worth the buy?) and buy, buy, buy. Also, use your credit card not your debit card.

Thank you. And u know why- I'm up to here with stating the obvious.

Originally posted by checkmate: ^^Marijuana. All Mods smoke that. Pass it over already! Spliff-hoggers. Ugh.

Muhammad Howell - Niinka Cadaan, you said: Also, you are right about it being out of place somewhat because I posted it in response to some statements on the previous couple of pages, same topic though.. No hostility from me. If u're going to paste without referring to what or whom or the topic then it's a waste of space and may cause harm that u did not intend. If the copy and paste piece was intended for someone who's responded to this topic(the alleged mocker), do engage them. That's participation. Congratulations on the call.

Muhammad Howell - Niinka Cadaan, I URGE you not copy/paste hither tither. Nobody wants to call u(no offence), if u can't explain yrself here we're not going to be tempted to lose money on a long distance call are we? Naasir, Ashwarya Rai, eh? Cause u're worth it I suppose?

U're fuming. Now imagine being one and all that comes with it. Last week alone I had two instances where I am pretty certain my hijab and or my black backside were 'used' against me. I was practically promised something on the telephone and when I arrived oops I didn't LOOK like that on the phone! Promise withdrawn. I left not yet fuming but certainly starting to simmer and bought myself a cold drink. As I was walking out the wide doors of the supermarket, people walking in and out, one man walking in spots me and FREEZES. For a moment I think, Allah, what has he seen and I stop too. His fists clench, his eyes dart this way and that and he gulps. I then realise he was afraid of me. LoL. Moi. I started walking away and fumed for about a half hour. A chocolate bar helped settle the nerves. I have made a promise not to let stuff like that bother me for more than a half hour. Or I'd be walking around with a chip on my shoulder, nestling under my beautiful hijab and that won't do. The Media will do all that it can to ridicule Islam. They have no reason to distinguish Muslims from the deen(not newsworthy). We give them some ammunition, in fact a lot where women are concerned; they take that and a lot more that they make up and blow it up. Boom. And we're the terrorists. don't get me started

Originally posted by Sky: What's wrong with Koh Phangan? Somalia could use a Kok Phangan. They are so easily fooled. Besides, I thought you were a Moderator. I am. What's your point? And who is so easily fooled? White people? Somalis?

Ehehehehe. Classic responses.

^and turn it into Koh Phangan? God, no. I have Africa on the brain- Namibia, Mozambique, Mali.

Originally posted by Brown: ) Anyone who refuses to listen to da'wah and the good word, is infested with shaydan demons. I wonder, do they use that to get teenage boys to go blow up civvies? Infest them with the demons they warn them of? We MUSN'T swallow everything that's spouted.

Hate that question. Just say: In igu filan, alhamdullilah. If they persist say: Yaahuu. Never could do it though. Ishu wey kulushahey or something.