Salaams, Another group who also do home financing are the Samad Group, based in Ohio. I heard they were strictly Islam. Website The most important thing is to note that they have a shariah advsiory board, and read the background of the shariah advisors.

Xu girl I feel yah, but that's what makes us stronger. I never regretted being a women, alxamdulilah my mom and dad have always called me "wiil ka roon" (sp). I love being a women, and those hardships that we go through personally I think is what makes us great.

What an oxymoron, Halal dating... since when.. May allah protect us. we are definitey reaching the end of this world that we are so attached. Salaaams

Salaams What a touching article. A story I bet our grandmas can relate to. A wonderful read, thanks for sharing.

Salaams This topic is a favorite one among my class mates. The idea of cousins marrying each other and their children not coming out as retards was not existent. I just sat there…and listened, heard the same story million times. I told them that my parents are cousins, grandpa’s are brothers and grandma’s are sisters, my parents have 10 kids and none are retards…they just sat there looking at me with a look that says that is not possible, and my professor finished for me saying ohh your parents must have been lucky, but still you guys shoud go see a doctor, you might have something you dont know. :mad: Grrrrrrr....Lady wouldn't give up. So I had to go on and on about how many cousins have married each other and their children are healthy. Anyways I just thought share that. Marrying cousins is halal, there’s nothing wrong with it. Personally though, the thought of marrying my cousin is just out of the question, I don’t know most of my cousins, most of them, I have never met…but still the thought just doesn’t appeal to me.

Nur Thanx for starting such a valuable topic. Xanta is something most of us dont realize how much it can hurt us, before we even think about the persons character they are trying to defame. Only if we knew that everytime we backbitted, we are eating the flesh of that person. At one time, the Prophet was visited by two fasting women who were dying of thirst. Initially the prophet refused to help them, but eventually, he said to one of the women to vomit into a bowl. She did, and out came a mixture of vomit, blood, pus and half-digested pieces of flesh. He asked the other woman to do the same, and a similar thing happened. When the Prophet saw this, he said: ``Verily, these women have fasted from what Allah has made Halaal and broke their fast on what Allah has made Haraam. They spent their fast eating the flesh of others.'' Like the others above mentioned it's a bad habit and hard to break away from. On character assasination, I have noticed no matter how hard you try, there will be people who will not like you... so chances are people will say negative, untrue things abt you.. I try not to judge from what i hear from people.

Bee...I know sometime you might not hear it, but here I'm talking about people who look you blankly at the face roll their eyes, and walk away, sad part is they have no reason to. Just couple hours ago I was on my way to the library, I saw a sister walking towards my direction, said my salaams, she just ignored me as if I wasnt even there, I was surprised to hear a brother respond to my salaams, and told me to ignore his sister becuase she has issues. :confused:

Salaams This is a wonderful read I thought I should share. Please without turning into battle of the sexes, share your opinions on the article. Do you guys think such attitudes toward women exist, or is it just another article advocating for "women's rights". Inshallah I will come back later to share my thoughts. ----------------------------------------- By Jeewan Chanicka From the pulpit to the preachers, many often proclaim Islam’s liberation of women 1,400 years ago. After all, Islam did recognize that women possess souls—this was acknowledged only over the past 100 years in Christianity— and Islam did give women the right to vote, yet another relatively recent phenomenon in Western society. We are quick to convince skeptics of Islam’s superiority in that the first martyr in Islam was a woman, the first to accept Islam was Khadijah, the first nurse was Rufaida, that the one from whom we have learned one third of our deen was `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them all. And why should we not feel proud of such a legacy when this legacy has produced scholarship and numerous examples of leadership, virtue and excellence? Women, for all intents and purposes outshone many of their male counterparts despite their “gender.†However if we were to take a critical look at our community today we would be hard-pressed to find the likes of `A’ishah, Fatimah, Nusaibah, and many others. We would first have to look behind the barriers erected in the masjid, or call on them at their homes where they have been relegated to housework by the male-dominated and chauvinistic practices that have permeated the Muslim community. Virtue today as imposed (or should say “encouragedâ€) upon Muslim women dictates that a woman should be fully covered (the more the better), that she stay at home and raise the children and fulfill her husband’s every wish and desire. It is better that she stay inside than walk outside lest she be a temptress and cause someone to commit sin by looking at her, and that she should be silent because her voice is her `awrah. Should she have questions, it is best that she write them and “fly them†over the barriers so that someone would by chance pick it up and read it and perhaps give her an answer. We men, the “proper leaders,†know that women come from the rib of man and that it is bent and cannot be made straight, that women are highly emotional and, of course, have that “menstrual thing,†which incapacitates their ability to make proper decisions and to function in a “normal way.†There is no way that they can contribute to Islamic work because their voices and “grace†make them weaknesses for men and so it is in keeping with piety that we shut them out and lock them away. After all, we men, being the rational thinkers, are capable of making decisions for women, who are in constant need of our superior knowledge. Hence we do not need them on the boards of our institutions. We fail to put them in leadership positions because it is not compatible with their “feminine nature.†As one imam once said, they may start to “fraternize with the men.†In keeping with this, we do not really need to give them a big space at the mosque because they should pray at home. Should we be so generous as to offer them some space, we must ensure that it is fully sealed so that there is not enough ventilation and that they are trapped within the confines of limited space with 20 crying babies. It is OK if they don’t hear anything because they don’t really need that much knowledge, even though the lap of the mother is the first school of the Ummah. As long as we don’t hear or see them, then all is well. We should not shame them by giving them the ability to communicate their ideas, thoughts, or wishes because we already know them. So we are locking them up for their own good. Anyone who dares to question this must be outside of the proper understanding of Islam. There seems to be some discrepancy between what is said on the pulpit about the excellence of the earlier women and how it translates to reality for our sisters. It has further allowed the perpetuation of blatant double standards in terms of what women and men can and cannot do. Usually men can engage in numerous activities, which if done by women, would cause their commitment to Islam to be questioned. Women comprise about half of our community, yet they must still compete to have their voices heard, to have space, to be able to go to functions that take into consideration that they need to bring their children. More often than not, when there are issues involving our sisters, they are “dealt with†by the men. When any sisters dare to challenge this, they automatically are branded as Western-styled feminists who are trying to sully the sanctity of Islamic values and ideals. Yet if one were to look on campuses and in general community work the da`wah of this community is being carried on the shoulders of Muslim women. Many who would ordinarily be silenced are finding their niches and are doing their bit to fulfill their covenant in enjoining right and forbidding evil and in spreading this deen. In fact, women in our community are the flag-bearers of Islam, particularly those who wear hijab because they are easily identifiable. When walking down the street, it is those whom we notice as being Muslim and those who are approached and asked about Islam. We tend to answer in utopian terms when asked about our glorious past and ignore the wrongdoing that is taking place today. It behooves us men to believe that we can be wrong or may have WRONG understandings of the seerah (life of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) and the place of women in society. It would appear, though, that having shut women out of the community has allowed them now to approach Islam and Islamic work with less baggage than men. Men have inherited much cultural baggage that they still keep with them today, cultural practices that have become engrained in our daily practices as being Islamic. As Muslim women return to the authentic understanding of the Qur’an and seerah, they are in a better position to take on this work and fulfill its requirements. Islamic work in North America and the world will never be successful until women are completely integrated within the framework of leadership, decision-making, and shura (mutual consultation). While no one is arguing for “free intermingling†or a neglect of duties of motherhood or the negation of fiqh (and its proper application), there is a need for discussion and critical deconstruction of some of the cultural practices that have become mainstays in our community. The argument that the time of the Prophet was different and now is a time of fitnah (temptation) holds no weight, especially when one considers that the earliest generation of Muslims was in one of the most corrupt societies that existed. Yet women played a vibrant part of its growth and development. They were consulted when decisions were to be made, they were included in matters affecting society’s growth and development, some were teachers and others were poets, others fought in wars—all this while still following Allah’s commands and the examples of His Prophet. There are no shortages of examples of this in the seerah, though they tend to be ignored. We are quick to point to the fact that we are leaders and have the “last say.†Perhaps there is a need to analyze our understanding of leadership. Is a leader one who ignores the needs of others, makes all the decisions, and is scared of debate and consultation? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the opposite of this. He was the best of leaders as he consulted with others and led by example. He was most kind and in fact said, “The one who is best is the one who is best to his family, and I am the best to my family.†It may be that we are afraid that women will perform some of the duties we have been doing better than we have, that their knowledge may be sounder, and that they may be fitter for leadership positions than those who have traditionally held the reigns. Even in this regard, we seem to forget the just leadership of the Queen of Sheba or a tradition that is rich with female scholarship. If we are sincere in wanting to do what Allah requires of us, we need to be open to this dialogue, admit our injustices to our sisters, ask for forgiveness, and try to move forward. A bird can only fly if it flaps both wings. Allah has made women our equal counterparts, and they bring value and insight inherent with their nature that we may not think about or know of. Some scholars explain that women are the spiritual anchors of society. If we are sincere, we need to realize that in many ways we are oppressing our sisters; when we shut women out of leadership roles, banish them to domestic spaces, pretend that we can speak on their behalf, we are oppressing the very ones under whose feet lies Paradise. The issues of leadership and involvement are not black and white, and those sisters and brothers advocating for change are not asking for all values and standards to be dropped or changed. Instead, we are asking for justice and fairness. Sisters should be a part of the shura council in the masjid and various institutions because leadership (and I am not speaking about being imam here) should be defined based on qualification and not sex. Shura entails that we take the voices of the varying members of our community into consideration. We need to ensure that sisters are able to have equal access to speakers and knowledge so that they, too, are able to grow and learn. Our primary consideration should not be how big a barrier is and whether or not it touches the ceiling. Most importantly we have to let sisters represent themselves; we should not speak for them but with them. The realization should be based upon the trust that women are our partners in establishing Islam in the world and do not have ulterior motives of “fraternizing with the opposite sex.†They, too, want to work with us to benefit Islam, Muslims, and society in general. Muslims have a standard that has to be adhered to as defined by the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). We need to rise to the challenge of implementing this within our daily lives, to adhere to its boundaries, and to challenge our own bias and (mis)-interpretations of its application. As men, it is time that we acknowledge the struggles of our sisters (both within and without our community), and it is even more important to recognize the privilege that we have enjoyed due to no real merit but simply because of our sex. If we want to please Allah and to be true to our covenant of bringing this deen to the people around us, it is necessary for us to address these issues. Until such time we will be held accountable before Allah when people reject our self-styled versions of Islam.

Thanks Tamina. Inshallah I will make it this year.

Gongrats sister. I love these names: Rania Ruweida Rashida Rumeisa

Salaams Mashallah Ameenah thanks for sharing. Definitely rock on sisters. On the topic about sisters not responding to salaams. I have seen it, but not only in Somalis though. I guess is just kibir, especially not responding to salaams. Keep sayign it, if you dont get a response, angels will respond to your salaams.

Asalamu alaikum It's long over do, mashallah there isn't a better person to moderate this section. Good luck walaal.

EID MUBAAAARAK EVERYONE. INSHALLAH IT WAS A JOYFUL DAY FOR FOR ALL. MAY ALLAH ACCEPT OUR FASTING AND PRAYERS.

^^ amin Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajicoon May allah grant him the highest level in pradise.

Asalamu alaikum jazakallah khairan walaal. Its an awesome software.

Asalamu alaikum Sis I'm not sure if I understand your question, but what i'm getting out of it, is that you are asking if we should preparing for death. I have been told before to enjoy life as if I will live thousand years, but be prepared for death at any moment. Thats why we are encouraged in Islam to visit graveyards, to remember we are only visitors in this world. We dont know the day we will die, so it's only reasonable to think that we might not be here tommorow, a year from now, even thousand years from now but at the end we will die, so we have to prepare ourselves for what our books will say on the day of judgement. Salaams

^^ oh dont worry his next plan is to find more WMD in the middle east. I cant beleive Bush won, :mad: who in their right mind would vote for him. I wish they would get rid of electoral college. I actually had my hopes up, counting all those ballots who voted for Kerry, oh well at least my pay check make up for it.

Asalamu alaikum, I'm definitely going to vote, I think it matters if you vote. The permisabilty of voting was brought up at a discussion I went and for the most part they encouraged us to vote. Here is couple paragraphs that discuss the issue: Islam encourages Muslims to have a positive and interactive role in their communities, especially in non-Muslim countries where people need to know about Islam and its tolerant teachings in today’s world. Refraining from voting is nothing more than a defeat for Muslims, who are not supposed to isolate themselves. Rather, they should rise to the situation and come out from their cocoons. Responding to your question, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, Director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas, states the following: "According to the juristic rule, the action of the Prophet implies at least permissibility, and his leaving (that is, not doing something) does not necessarily mean that it is forbidden. To say that such and such is haram since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it is not a good way of reasoning. Voting for a non-Muslim candidate who would serve the Muslim community in the country and deal with Muslim countries on the basis of justice and fairness is not only permissible but required. It is the responsibility of the Muslim minorities in non-Muslim democratic countries to participate in public life, including voting and financing campaigns in order to be able to positively influence the political decision in these countries." salaams

MSA - Muslim STudent Association - Secretary ASA - African Student Association - Commitee Black Student Union - member

Salaams Thanks walaal for the great reminder, funny thing is I just got out of MSA, it was my turn to talk about a topic, this what I talked about. Its great advice, some of us females just forget that, this is not a month of cooking, it for worship. Remember part of the reason for fasting is to feel the hunger others feel, so you can give sadaqa, if it's just going back to our tummies, we really haven't accomplished anything. Remember to eat healthy foods and drink as much liquid as you can..

Asalamu alaikum everyone Nur since you are making us pick, I would love to read about: 8. Let us shape how Islam is perceived by Non Muslims, through our kind actions 9. Freedom is like light, the higher the source, the wider its scope. 11. Run Away from your problems, literally, Long Distance running and Taraawiih Prayers, Soul Body and Mind tuning, an e-Nuri Analogy.

I saw the 20/20 piece on Yusuf Islam. I agree Tamina their agenda was not only to talk about his deportation, still I think it made difference for him to about the incidence. Khayr The media and what they say about Islam might not have an effect on you, but it does to the people who make dawah, it makes it difficult for them to spread Islam, When Islam is being seen as threat. The media does help get the message out about Islam and what it stands for.

You are welcome, i'm glad you benefited from the article. It really helped me a great deal. May allah accept our prayers, for the fist of his actions for which a servant of Allah will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers.

Interesting classes....Comparative religion, Cross culture and Health Ethics. Boring classes...History of Civilazation...I tried so hard not to burst in the middle of lecture.. and say why in the world are you telling us this crab. Prof. didn't make it any better. Lol @ Libaax what possesed u to take this class. When I was taking it there was only one guy in the class -- One day in the middle of lecture, yelled I dont give a sh!t about women b!tching what they been thru, and walked out... Good for me, teacher decided to cancel class, she was very infuriated.

Salaams Health Adminstration and Accounting. Inshallah I'm hoping to get into health finance management.