Originally posted by *Blessed: Were there any judges besides the Prophet (saw)? There was only judge during the time of the Messenger of Allah and his name was Muhammad (saw). Although during the battle of AzHab, Sa'd Ibn Mu'aadh was given the permission to rule between the Muslims and the Jews as the Messenger of Allah stood to the side. But that only occured because the Jews requested Sa'd be the one to give the ruling on their fate. Didn't he ask or 'burden' a woman to give her opinion on matters of jihad? [/QB] Sure. Perhaps the reason is due to the fact that Jihad was not all about a man going to fight for a cause but it also had a huge impact on the family life of that particular fighter. Therefore the Messenger (saw) requested advice which is different from allowing the women to give the ruling on such a matter. Didn't the early khalifs and many sahabas seek counsel on law matters, from learned women?[/QB] Without a doubt and we should def seeking advice and couseling from the knowledgable women of our time because that was the practise of the people before us. However there is a difference between seeking advice/counseling and allowing Women to stand as judges who will give rulings and Allah knows best. For the record, I hope Im not coming off like I support the oppression of Muslim women or something...which I dont. Maybe your right but during the period in which I started to study Islamic history, I have yet to come across a woman who judged the affairs of the believers. Aisha (RA) taught the companions much of the knowledge she aquired from living with the Messenger of Allah (saw) but she wasn't a judge amongst the companions. If there is such a woman from history please share her name and knowledge with me until may Allah have mercy on you.

Why would you consider to be discrimination when the Scholar in the article mentioned a very good point. He said at no point in history, whether now or the days of the Messenger of Allah (saw) have women been allowed to take upon such a duty. We can all agree that the people before us were better than us in every aspect of life. The Muslim countries should have societies that resemble the society of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and the society of his companions. We shouldnt be different then them in any aspect. I'm not saying woman should be prevented such roles but all I know is...the Messenger of Allah knew best and if his community did not allow then we should at least look into the reasons before we label the same practise as "discrimination" in our period of time.

^^^Are you really afraid of the dark? Oh right...you said you're gonna stop explaining why you are scared of the dark. My BAD...*smiles* Today (Yes, once again, today), Im fighting the shaitan for the control of my own soul.

Originally posted by Lois Lane: Also I came across brother Ameen's blog..looks like i'll be reading it for a while now. By the way keep up the good work brother Thanks sis. Stay tuned for more interesting posts. By the way, if there is a topic you want me to shade some light on..feel free to share it with me. Ma'salaam Today, Im going to try to entertain Sister L.Lane

Today, I realized many people think its actually going to be the year 2008. We're Muslim so open the Islamic calendar and you'll notice its only 1428. Enjoy the night but dont ever forget that the year is 1428.

If this was a professional assisination, that would cause us to believe that the Pakistani Gonvernment had some involvement in the whole plan. Just imagine if the Pakistani people found out the woman they've been worshipping has been killed by the current government, how would they re-act to that news?

SeekKnowledge, I'll tell you what he did. Come closer so that you can hear it clearly without any misunderstandings... HE SPOKE THE TRUTH. Imam Anwar spoke about matters that "regular" shieks shouldnt go near because its not "politically correct" to discuss. In reality, what he really did was cause fear to enter the heart of Uncle Sam. See what you may not understand is, Uncle Sam doesn't want the next generation of Muslim youth to hear the truth behind Islam and decide to embark upon that same path. If such youth were to hear it, that would cause much "future" problems. So the way to solve such a problem is by locking down all the means to find the truth. Which in this case was our beloved Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki. I hope, I answered your question.

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This is great news and maybe a beginning for another stage. A stage where fear wont cause anyone to conceal the Truth. May Allah have mercy on Imam Anwar and the rest of us (Aameen)

^^Are you Muslim? If so, than your Islam and the imam that is experienced within your heart would cause you to realize that this is not an issue of fear and panic. I'm Muslim but Islam doesn't need me. Islam is the truth and it will shine bright with or without my services. It's more about firmness and truth rather than panic and fear. On the other hand, if your not Muslim, than that would explain the misunderstanding about Islam in your question.

SubhanAllah, what has become of the "Western Somali's". To the Poster: I don’t know if your intention is to beautify Christianity and thus call us to your new” so-called” light but let me put this in the must basic terms so that you can understand. I would rather die than leave my Islam. Yes, that’s right. If the West took away my rights and freedoms, that’s fine. Death is better than life without dignity. But if the West tried to take away my Islam, I would ask them to allow to pray two rakahs before they kill me. And how much I would love for that to be my final outcome. By the way, when you post, write upon facts and not just feelings that you hold dear to your heart, which by the way, have now been exposed. Come back to Islam, the real understanding of Islam or your abode shall be Hell.

SubhanAllah, this thread has become three whole pages and counting. She's dead. It was bound to happen. Believe it or not, discussing her death causes more harm for us than any benefit that may become a result of it. For someone to accuse her of curruption without proof is serious. Well in my mind she was.....I am forbidden to talk evil so let me stop here before I get into trouble Instead, lets just remember that each one of us will embark upon the same road that she's currently on..Lets also hope that when we're dead, those of us who are still alive, will find it in their hearts to make dou'aa for us..therefore, lets make dou'aa for her. In the end, may Allah have mercy on her.

Originally posted by AAliyah416: Ameen brother your blog is amazing. Thanks for sharing. Assalam AAliyah I see you got a chance to drop by and view the Blog. I guess you like it. Well thanks for the nice words and inshAllah I will try to keep them coming so make sure you dont get left behind. Today, I will try to leave Sister AAliyah behind with the speed of my posts.

Today I dedicated my time at work for my Blog. My blog which is an extention of my thoughts and reflections. Which is based upon Islam.

Originally posted by Al-Mu'minah: one who gets up in the morning and goes to the masjid to pray Fajr There was this brother that I knew. He would be tired throughout the day and I would wonder why until one day he told me that he spends the whole night talking on the phone. I was like, for WHAT? Better yet, with who? I didnt get an answer for the who but he told me he does that cause it helps him stay up and go to the masjid for Fajr. I was like, Okay there body if you really wanna get up, you can join our Brotherhood calling list (which we dont do anymore )

Umm Zakaria, do you perfer those type of brothers because they would treat you right and take care of your family? If that is so, you are wise my sister. You are indeed wise. May Allah have mercy on you

Today, Im carefully selecting the words I write due to some paranoia as to who may be paying attention to such words. Also,Today (inshAllah) Im working on adding more interesting posts, comments, reflections on my new Blog (by the way, check it out at brotherameen.wordpress.com)

Today I just realized Pucca is very attentive... Than again, I already knew Pucca paid great attention to minor details.. *better watch my words around her inshAllah*

Dumped by a Jewish man? Now what would give you that impression? Ohh...I see where you could have got that from …. But seriously, her words were deep. I'm sure that our sisters don’t need a non-Muslim woman reminding them of the positive out-comes for wearing the hijab but its refreshing to know that some intelligent Western women understand the wisdom behind the hijab. Most are hesitant to speak out against the oppressing lifestyle of women in the West so I applaud her for being so brave and speaking the truth about the matter. I just hope that her words and even more, her reflection over the whole situation guides her to Islam. In other words, I hope Allah admits her into His religion.

My greatest desire is to succeed and I mean, really succeed in this life and especially the afterlife. My desire is to die with honor and feel a sense of security from Allah. I want to be like Khalid Ibn Waleed, lying on my death bed, cursing the cowards who hid behind fake words. But most of all, my greatest desire is to enjoy the ever-lasting life of Junnah with our Messenger, Muhammad (saw) and my parents.

Today I spent my Eid at an Islamic book store and bought an amazing "MashAllah" book. I can't wait to get deeper into the pages inshAllah...

Today I reached the peak of my frustration with my roommate. Time after time I pick up after him and I just realized, I need to let homeboy know that I aint his wife and he aint a small child... But other than that...I love him for the sake of Allah.

I actually started writing a book called, " Behind the Veil" it was actually called, "Behind the Hijab" and it was designed to compare the events of the people before me to the situation we are currently living under. Unlike some people, my intention was never to get it published or to make it available to the people of my time. I just wanted to write about the situation of the Muslims and the society I was a product of and hopefully the book would be useful for my children and their children inshAllah. But than writers block reached me and I kept myself busy with useless things until Allah caused my laptop to fall and my book to disappear. So I'm starting all over again inshAllah and this time Im gonna call my book, ...well let me just keep that part a secret But I support the idea that we should leave something behind for those who come after us. For some, that thing would be a book and for others, maybe a history changing event. Unfortunately though, for many of us, we will live and die without improving the state of our existance or adding to the great accomplishments of history and Allah knows best.

Assalam alaikum I found this article while I was searching another forum and I found it to be motivating for our Muslim sisters and the men can also benefit from it inshAllah: (It may be a little long but be patient when you read it inshAllah) To My Muslim Sisters: Between the Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist “war on terror,” the Muslim world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I can’t help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines through. But it’s not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy. But I can’t help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all, your happiness. Yes, it’s strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy. Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and moral corruption. They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after they’ve finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes. They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions of us are on anti-depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent tempting Eve with the apple. Don’t bite. I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the “pearl of great value” spoken of in the Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are priceless, but they convince us that they’re cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect staring back at you. The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show self-respect and confidence. A woman’s sexuality should be guarded from unworthy eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than your best. Our men don’t even want purity anymore. They don’t recognize the pearl of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too. Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don’t let them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan’s trap. It is fool’s gold. I’ll let you in on a little secret, just in case you’re curious: pre-marital sex is not even that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that was the way to make them love us and want to marry us. Just as we had seen on television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge that he will always stay with us, it’s not even enjoyable! That’s the irony. It was just a waste. It leaves you in tears. Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already. Because only a woman can truly understand what’s in another woman’s heart. We really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman’s heart is the same everywhere. We love. That’s what we do best. We nurture our families and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose. That is not freedom. And that is not love. Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman’s body and heart be safe to love. Don’t settle for anything less. It’s not worth it. You won’t even like it and you’ll like yourself even less afterwards. Then he’ll leave you. Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor, there’s still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated. We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. Please do not look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It’s not our fault. Most of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot. Don’t be fooled, my sisters. Don’t let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity. Remember: you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your “toothpaste” carefully! I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister – with love. © 2006+ Joanna Francis

The Reality of Today: I'm trapped between two dimensions Between civilians who consider themselves citizens Of a corrupt civilization Without fully understanding and accepting the realization That time is of great essence We're living in a period of time that calls for separation, We desperately need division. Draw a straight line, Get the believers to stand together on one side Facing the evil doers and those who hide behind lies. Than and there, if you wish, we can fight. But let it be known, only the strong will survive, Those who posses faith and light And don't fear death because that is the result of living life And let it be known that I wasn't born to be weak Nor was I raised to live life without dignity I'd rather raise my sword and fall in defeat. Ultimately my end comes through His decree.