Niomi Campbell is in trouble

^losing weight

How are they? Sounds like in ay kugu ciyaaraan at every opportunity

Ah, Ramadaan. Great timing :cool:

I need something sweet. Strawberry Cheese Cake ice cream......mmmmm

^not hating on him but he isn't 'world class'. Not by a long shot.

Afternoon all. Weekend!

Welcome back Marx

You said I didn't answer Duke's question but from your above question I obviously did. Wax fahan!

A Syrian and his associates want to buy LFC. I prefer the Chinese bid.

^Great idea. Job well done.

Reality show concludes hunt for 'ultimate young imam' Malaysia's latest reality television star is brimming with boyish charm, quiet confidence and stage presence. Crowned last Friday, Muhammad Asyraf Mohd Ridzuan is no run-of-the-mill entertainer. He is Malaysia's next top imam. Over 10 weeks, the 26-year-old ousted nine others in the reality TV programme Imam Muda, or "Young Imam", to clinch the coveted prize of a job at a prestigious Malaysian mosque, an all-expenses-paid pilgrimage to Mecca and a scholarship to al-Madinah International University in Saudi Arabia. Oozing the same razzmatazz appeal as Britain's 'The X Factor', Imam Muda is the brainchild of the Muslim lifestyle cable channel Astro Oasis and JAWI, a branch of the state's Islamic affairs department. Instead of the song and dance routine though, contenders face weekly challenges such as performing the Islamic ritual of cleansing two unclaimed corpses, preaching to young delinquents hauled in after a police raid and counselling unwed pregnant girls at a woman's shelter. Chosen from a pool of over 1000 applicants, 10 aspiring imams were housed in a mosque hostel with no access to the outside world for a period of three months as they underwent training in public speaking, Qu'ran recitation and Islamic doctrines. The show's creator Izelan Basar hopes that Imam Muda will make Islam more appealing to the nation's young Muslims by portraying it as a religion that is relevant to modern times. To this end, its producers were guided by feedback from a survey about the type of imams that the young wanted at their mosques. Izelan summarises its target audience's views thus: "They said, 'We want someone who can talk on the same wavelength, who can be one of us, an imam who can play football, can talk about the World Cup, can talk about the environment and UFOs, for example'". Judging from its official Facebook page which has garnered nearly 65,000 fans as I write this, the show is a runaway hit. Thousands who tuned in to last Friday's finale would have been delighted to find out that season two is scheduled for next year http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/aug/03/young-imam-malaysia

^I'm hungry now Ngonge, yes I was wearing my specs. But only to watch the game with (I don't need them to get around)

^ I met Ngonge at E Rd when I was there and he didn't see me until I was right in front of him

Afternoon all. Juxa, where is Bloomsbury? Ibti, ka gaarsii before Ramadaan

^go away

The 'surwaal gaab era' will leave behind Islamic schools for kids to attend, mosques here and there, courses here and there, book shops etc making Islam MORE visible in everyday life. So, kids born and bred in the west are growing up in an environment more Islamic than 20 years ago. My old home town only had 2 mosques when we moved there some years ago. Now I can count 6 with the 2 old ones being expanded to huge complexes. It also has a high number of reverts. Ever seen a white Muslim couple walking the streets? :cool:

^People in the UK rarely travel outside of their area or city. Somalis do because of relatives living elsewhere or for work. I have a friend who hated leaving his city (my home town) and would get really paranoid whenever we ventured out of town. So much so you wouldn't hear a word from him until he was back in his city UK is nice place (in the summer) so enjoy the outdoors folks.

One guess who this new nomad is

Mosque near Ground Zero site gets go-ahead Plans to build a mosque near the site of the World Trade Centre in New York City have cleared a major obstacle Plans to build an Islamic cultural centre in lower Manhattan, near the site of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre, today received approval for the first step in its construction process. The Landmarks Preservation Commission of New York City voted unanimously to allow demolition of the derelict building currently standing on the site in Park Place. Oz Sultan, a spokesman for the group behind the cultural centre, said in a statement after the result: "We are eager to begin working with our partners, supporters, neighbors and communities, to build a community center for everyone." Opponents of the plan to build what has been dubbed "the Ground Zero mosque" hoped to stop the project by having the existing building protected as an historic landmark – arguing it should be protected because debris from one of the hijacked planes hit the building on 9/11.(oh come oooon! ) Plans for the centre attracted the attention of Sarah Palin, who recently tweeted: "Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts. Pls reject it in interest of healing". The plan is also opposed by the Anti-Defamation League, which claimed: "Building an Islamic Center in the shadow of the World Trade Centre will cause some victims more pain – unnecessarily – and that is not right." The centre was strongly supported by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who declared after today's ruling: "To cave to popular sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists." Sharif El-Gamal, the owner of the Park Place property, told Reuters the building's location was accidental, and said it was purchased to meet the needs of a growing Muslim community. The plans for the 15-story building include a swimming pool and theatre. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/aug/03/mosque-ground-zero-new-york

'Ground Zero' mosque plans go ahead (UKPA) – 1 hour ago Planners have cleared the way for a mosque to be built near New York's Ground Zero site, despite fierce opposition. The Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision not to declare the building a landmark allows organisers to transform into an Islamic community centre, just blocks from the site of the September 11 terrorist attacks. National and local politicians and pressure groups spoke out against plans for the mosque, saying it "disrespected" the memory of September 11 victims. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has supported the mosque. The commission voted 9-0 against granting landmark status to the building. Commissioners said the building did not meet historic criteria to qualify as a landmark. Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved. Takbiir!

I think Ozil is staying where is but maybe next year.

^Are you sure? You couldn't wait to run away from it

^I'm not from Liverpool There is a hidden animosity between the English northerners and southerners. The northerners feel they're owed something and were left to struggle while the south got all the glitzy lights and streets from colonial gains. Hence my point about who sings the national anthem and who doesn't (Gerrard didn't before he was captain).

A man who believes in 'Somalinimo'/Somaliweyn but doesn't want to discuss it with anyone from SL