Humans should take a leaf from that qooleey-style shukaansi book. It bothers stalking, I agree; laakiinse runtii waa xariif qooleeyda. I still sometimes observe for minutes, always amazed this kinda of shukaansi. I think I better jot them down from now on, and eventually make it a researched paper. Al doobs out there, rejoice, this thorough researched paper will be published soon. Now I know where some Jaamac's get their rather odd shukaansi tips from, ileen qoolayda ayeey darsaan Speaking of qooley, I adore white ones, wouldn't mind having some.

No doubt new graduates find themselves facing a tough dilemma nowadays. I think partly because the value of an undergraduate degree has depreciated, and is no longer valued the same way it was say, 15-20 yrs back. Another reason is that formal education is far more accessible to people nowadays than it was in the early days, therefore as the demand for professional positions rises, more competition is created. Also, one flaw I see in many students is that they set high expectations to begin with and forget to familiarize themselves with the real world while in school; thinking that those 4 whole years will perfectly pay off after graduation and they will secure their ideal position. Of course, they're only setting themselves up for a disappointment as we all know that's not how things work in the real world. My philosophy is think long-term and strategize. Where do you see yourself 5-10 years from now? Then be determined and persistent to attain that goal, however challenging the means might seem. This could mean going back to school to do graduate studies or getting into professional school or gaining practical experience in the workforce to achieve your ultimate career goals. Whatever one does, they should never fall into despair and conclude all of their efforts are fruitless. That will only make them susceptible to failure. So, keep your head up high and always aim to improve yourself!

Originally posted by Legend of Zu: there is no universal or uniform purpose of life is always my conclusion. I can't help but be slightly confused here. How is it that you've come to that conclusion while you know and clearly believe in the purpose Allah (swt) dictates for us? I mean this well walal, I'm only trying to understand. "Wamaa khalaqtul Jinna Wal Insa Ilaa Liyacbuduun" is as precise and as specific as it can get: It was revealed for all of mankind across time. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih." The meaning of this Ayah (51:56) is that, Allah the Exalted, the Blessed created the creatures so that they worship Him Alone without partners. Those who obey Him will be rewarded with the best rewards, while those who disobey Him will receive the worst punishment from Him. Allah stated that He does not need creatures, but rather, they are in need of Him in all conditions (Ibn Kathir). Therefore, if the only purpose of our existence in this life is to worship our Creator and nothing else, how is it that you deem it unspecific (or general) for the individual who happens to be the creaton of Allah? Furthermore, Allah adds that He created death and life so that He may test which one of us is best in deed. So basically, we were created from nothingness (death) in order to fulfill the pupose of worshipping Him and going through His test, then we return to Him, then we are again created from death to be shown the result of our test in this dunya which decides where we end up in the akhira. What is My Purpose? As Legend..why Am I created instead of some other Ahmed or Ali etc. Why Me? What is my purpose in this life? Again, the purpose of every Ali, Legend, Jack or Jill is exactly the same. However, they are given the authority and the caql to choose whether they want to fulfull that purpose or not. In other words, while the decree of Allah remains the same for all of us, the trajectories we so choose to follow can differ. I suspect this might be what you are referring to. For Instance, Johnny the atheist who has clearly rejected the real purpose of life might dedicate his life to feeding the poor because he believes that is his purpose in life, while Fatima the Muslim, might also set out to achieve the same goal, only she knows that this is not her purpose in life but rather a means to achieving her purpose in life (she's performing ihsaan which is a good deed that pleases Allah, and doing that which pleases Allah is worshipping Him). In essence, the goals (personalized) we set out to accomplish in life are not the end themselves, but we can tailor them towards being a means to attain the end. I'm hope I making some sense to you Insha'Allah. Allah Knows best.

SB, Though engaging in critical thinking (assessing, evaluating, questioning etc.) is very much encouraged in Islam in hopes of attaining knowledge and becoming enlightened, there's nonetheless clear boundaries imposed on the one who believes in Allah and submits to His will. Therefore, if one doesn't approach this matter with much needed caution and self-restraint, and they willingly cross those boundaries, they are but bound to be trapped by shaytan and led to a point of self-destruction. Indeed, many have unfortunately fallen into that trap as a result of their own illusive intellect which has only brought about their inevitable downfall. This religion of Islam is the truth, the final revelation and the chosen path for mankind by their creator: As Allah (swt) states in His book, "This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."A fundamental component of it is Aqeeda-matter of faith, the firm belief in one's heart-which is attained by knowledge and Iman. And the source of knowledge and Iman is the Qur'an (Allah's speech), and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw)(embodiment of the Qur'an). Furthermore, if one possesses that firm belief in his heart, there cannot be any room for suspicion, doubt and questioning. Hence, the fundamental beliefs of Islam are not open for debating and arguments, NO!, not even for those who are blessed with high intellect and ability to reason: You either submit to Allah and accept that which He dictates for His creation, or you simply don't! my opinions and intelligence is better than anything the Ulema says. I don't worship Imaam Bukhari either, so no Sunnah for me. Quran is my only guide. Again, this is a matter of basic aqeedah. In order for one to become a Muslim, they have to bear witness that There is no God but Allah and that Muhammad (saw) is His messenger. Muhammad (saw) is the chosen one by Allah (swt) and he was honoured to convey the Message of Islam to mankind, thus he lived the Qur'an: In other words, the sunnah is only the application of the Qur'an. Therefore, one cannot accept the Qur'an as guidance for mankind whilst simultaneously rejecting it's application. Too many people walk through life with their eyes fully shut or half shut. Rather, it is the qalb that becomes blind; the eyes only reflect the condition of the heart. Unfortunately, when the heart of mankind rusts and it becomes completely darkened, no amount of truth, advice, lecturing can really permeate, unless Allah wills. Hidaya is only from Allah (swt). Verily, Allah guides those whom He wills and He leads astray those whom He wills. All in all, you have every right to believe what you want to believe and to follow which ever path you so choose to follow, and it's not our intention to impose our belief system on you under any circumstance. However, it is our obligation to point out the right path to anyone who may be heedless of it, or to remind those who might have forgotten. It's not befitting of any rational and respectful human being to attack others' belief system and what they hold to be sacred. Resorting to blasphemy and degrading the scholars of this religion (read: your postings in the Islamic section) while continuously criticizing and questioning the motives of the believers is something we will not tolerate, nor does it convey whatever point you are stuggling to convey (though I suspect you have no point to get across at all). May Allah guide us all to the straight path!

Well you'd have to excuse me for not picking up on the 'Socratic Method' he was employing there, you shoulda given me a heads up, I'm just a poor biologist, you know Besides, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt til I read this post: I understand the emotional and sentimental reasons for wanting the language to survive but that's not what I'm thinking of. I'm thinking of the practical and tangible benefits of having a common language. A language is a means for communication. If that communication is encumbered by different languages, it impedes progress and hinders understanding of your neighbors. It creates mistrust, misunderstanding and miscommunication. Look at Africa where unfortunately today, every 100 miles or so there's a different language; yet another barrier to progress so to speak. Even as Somalis on this board, when everyone writes in English one can't tell who's from what region and who carries a "heavy" certain accent. It makes for judgements based on what someone writes and not how they'd sound if they had read it aloud. Plus of course, his direct questions for me. I kinda became a little concerned for our good ol' Castro...waaxanba is idhi xaaladiisu waa bariga dhexe kix kix kix @ the gabey comment, I bet he does, superbly waliba

Originally posted by SOO MAAL: Isbaheysiga la dagaalanka Argagixisada oo sheegayay in Jabhada ONLF ay ka mid tahay dadka ajaaniibta ah ee ay doonayaan in gacanta ku dhigaan isla markaana weeraro iyo dhibaatooyinka loo geysto deegaanada ismaamulka Soomaalida ee Itoobiya ka fuliyaan falal argagixiso ah. So let me get this right, I stand up against atrocious crimes against humanity, oppression and cruelty, continuously carried out against my people; I fight for what is rightly mine through all possible means; I only seek justice and refuse to turn a blind eye to my people's desperate plight; all the while my own people with whom I share faith, ethnicity, culture and language are considering me a stranger and are more than willing to hand me over to my worst enemies? To Kufars? Are accusing me of causing terror in my own land? La Xawala Wala Quwata Ilaa Billah. Caqli intaa dhaama horta kamaanan fileyn Somalida qaarkood, saa waa dad diin iyo imaan toona aan laheyn, oo xaqiina baadil la noqdey baadilkuna xaq la noqdey. Lakiin, waxaan is weydiiya waxa baas ey ka helaan jab ka taliska iyo xaasidnimada intaa la eg. Why must we be our own worst enemies? What can some Somalis possibly stand to gain from doing such evil? What could be the cause of such deeply rooted hatred for one another? Ya Allah... And even worse, who would've thought we had our own little 'war on terror' going on in little Somalia, Isbaheysiga la dagaalanka argagaxisada they say, cajaaib. Of course, the horrific terror warlords impose on innocent Somalis everyday, the lives lost, homes and infrastractures destroyed on a continuous basis merits no la dagaalan...but the so called dangerous terror caused by Islamic fundamentalists does eh?...akhas caleyk, guul beydun waligiin muteysan walee, uf. Kuwani Somalinimada ayeeyba dadka nacsiinayaan :rolleyes:

Old Castro, on one hand you seem to be discussing the slim chance of survival for certain world languages due to foreign popular cultural/linguistic pressures, and on another, you seem to be arguing against the preservation of one's native laguage for you see no significance associated with it, right? ok. Well, to the former argument, you may be raising some valid points. I reckon that with increased globalization, the American cultural hegemony/imperialism being more pervasive than ever (through media, entertainment industry, the web, marketing, trade etc), it would be almost naive for anyone not to foresee the threat imposed by homogenization and the fact that some cultures and laguages face marginalization. Especially, more susceptible are those that continue to struggle with post-colonial impact and carry their ideological imprint (this would include us I believe). However, to conclude that these laguages stand no chance for survival and will soon be completely wiped out due to foreign predominant culture is an oversimplification, to say the least. This indicates that you're presuming these languages are all frail and don't have any strong fabric to begin with, hence why it would seem impossible for them to withstand or resist any foreign pressures; this to me is just absurd. You have to have a certain level of appreciation for linguistic diversity and understand that all human languages are equal (though it may not seem so in today's world). On your latter argument, well I can't help but seem a bit stunned at your comments. I think some of the nomads mentioned good points. Language, dear brother, is an invaluable tool we use to communicate with our people, to understand and get a feel of our traditional background. It's a marker of our cultural identity, part of our heritage and more importantly, it represents our cultural history. It is what differentiates us from other social groups and creates a special unique bond between us. While I happen to be no linguist or even a social scientist, I also think that our language plays a crucial role in how we view the world and how we interpret our surroundings. I may just seem to be rambling on and on...but I sincerely hope you can reconsider that 'your native language holds no significance' mentality. Let me ask you this though, what then do you propose should be the alternative if you are so adamant that maintaining one's native tongue has absolutely no benefits whatsoever :confused: With respect to our language specifically, I agree that we may be facing a risk here. It's only true that as Somalis we've been an oral community from the very beginning, and the written portion of this language was only introduced in the early 70s. Even then, it was very much influenced by foreign languages (ie. Arabic, English, Italian), thus, there was really never pure Somali so to speak. Another fact is the impact of the civil war, millions of Somalis are now in the diaspora, many adapting other languages, assimilating into different cultures, and accepting foreign values and norms. In addition, colonial impact has left many with inferiority complex: The mentality that anything that has to do with Somalinimo is backward and only hinders the highly sought after progress or 'reer-magaalnimo' as some would term, and the idea that everything belonging to others is somehow better. As a result, I have seen some familes who have completely abandoned their native language and resorted to speaking a foreign tongue, even in their own homes. These are all facts that to me somehow reduce the survival chances, though I too truly hope our language beats all the odds that may work against it. So shall we worry? Absolutly yes. For worrying means that we are at least conscious of the problems facing us, and only then will we understand the need to take precautionary actions collectively in order to preserve our language and culture (its positive aspects, that is).

Miss Leeyeey, I knew you were one clever young lady, Masha'Allah, so proud of you I'm thinking If only my brothers weren't all taken, you'd sure get a flying arji coming your way

Originally posted by Blessed: Remember money spent in charity only increases your wealth. Indeed. Innallaha yarzuqu man yashaa'u bigheyri xisaab, wallahu yuxibul muxsiniin. So let us be selfless and give while we have the chance and the means before it is too late. This dunya is after all very transitory and merely for testing while it lasts, some of us are tested with hardships while others are with blessings. Human Concern International is another Islamic NGO based in Canada through which you can DONATE as well.

Seeing that some of you here are already questioning the benefits of maintaining our mother tongue, I'm pretty sure it won't take 100 whole years for it to face extinction. Alloow luuqadayada ha nagu dirin oo anaan ka faanin...luuqadaadii iloow oo tu dadeed u dhuro waaba habaar inteeda la'eg.

I've been to some of Imam Siraj Wahaj's lectures, such a powerful speaker masha'Allah, he's got a natural speaker system that sure keeps an audience awake and interested. I've heard many of his success stories with respect to da'wa in the Brooklyn area, for the African Americans esp, Masha'Allah! I'm also quite familiar with Dr. Badawis work, though I'm not very sure whether I've seen him live or not, I've been to so many lectures and Islamic conferences but I also continuously listen to lec's on the net, so I can't even tell whether I know the faces through video/internet or live. Favourite among those you've listed? It has to be the one and only shaykh Mukhtar Maghroui! I was first introduced to him through Reviving The Islamic Spirit/04 conference, and subhanallah I was literally mesmerized by his lectures, thus I became hooked ever since. Truly inspirational shaykh he is; takes you to a whole different level subhanallah, though I reckon his lectures are not for the average lay folks. One's qalb/soul has to be at a certain degree of purification to truly comperehend this shaykh, or better yet, feel his words. Hence why it usually takes me after couple of processings to really follow him. BTW, he's done quite a bit of work on the struggle of the inner self and cultivating its good/purification among other topics, absolutely worth checking out!

Salam sis...I can understand your confusion with the name changes...it's become quite common around here, u should join us So I have finally registered for the course alhamdulilah. I figured I could use some upgrading and recapturing on my aqeedah, and I'm absolutely positive there's much more I stand to learn. I'm looking very much forward to it Insha'allah, though I have yet to receive all the course details. The one you'll be doing during the same weekend sounds quite interesting as well...It just won't be very feasible for me to come to Windsor But I hope sister Tamina and her sisters are informed, I'm sure they'd want to attend since they live in the area. Again, Jazakallah Khayr sis.

Originally posted by Socod_badne: I'm not Somali. My parents are. How classic! Didn't know non-somalis whose parents are Somalis existed, but I guess you learn something everyday, eh?

[Edit]^he beat me to it...yes, the CDC link provides a thorough explaination of TB. It's called Tuberculosis, and its short form-TB-is usually used. It's actually quite different from flu in that TB is a bacterial disease rather than viral; and it's caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, some of the symptoms of the active form of disease include severe coughing which is probably why you are mistaking it for a flu. Unfortunately, this is a disease that's more prevalent in the developing world, increasingly inflicting those who are already suffering from malnutrition and whose immune systems are already compromised.

^At the end of the day, anu umbaa dadka indin ka jecel and no doubt that I'd rush to your rescue in the blink of an eye bes khalas, sheekadu was a bit too spicy and tempting to refute dee And about Xabasoowda, warkadoon iska daaye hadh iyo habeen baa iyada iyo malab iyo flax seeds (and the ever-dreaded xulbad, gag) la idaba wada, thanks to my self-licensed homeopathic doctor mother who is convinced that I need serious baanid, go figure, bal maxaa la iga baananayaa...lakin it just beats me the fact that a middle-aged married brother would be promoting these precious seeds Raulay, usheeg, that our strong immune system is well equipped to withstand many of the ailments our male counterparts tend to suffer from, lol.

^there's nothing more amusing than seeing two oldies accuse one another of old age war heedhahaya, embrace it baan idin nidhi, it's a God given gift many don't live to experience Originally posted by LayZieGirl: XIIN and Bishaaro were seen holding hands outside of the SOL FIREWALL, sources close to rumors(not actual rumor sources) reported this shortly. I hereby express my utmost disappointment and dislike for Rumor Central for coming up with such lame and pathetic rumours that hold no merit whatsoever. They couldn't be any further from the truth and were only initiated by a vile man who was seeking revenge for being ditched without any remorse Quite frankly, these so called rumours are causing my good friend Bishaaro a lot of worries and distress which is compromising her health and personal relationships. Therefore, I refuse to allow this to continue and demand this be stopped immediately. Or else... :mad: at rumour folks! Is jira hadaba, waa iga digniin

O Lord! If I worship You from fear of Hell, cast me into Hell. If I worship You from desire for Paradise, deny me Paradise but if I worship You for Your own sake, then withhold not from me Your Eternal Beauty - Rabia al-Adawiya Masha'Allah, how profound and unmatchable was her Iman-this is true love for Allah subhanauhu watacala! ps: why the rollies?

It is indeed the year of the Prophet may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. This is an excellent initiative Masha'Allah, it was very much called for esp during these pivotal moments. This is exactly what the westerners need; to get informed and to rid themselves of the deep ignorance and misconceptions they have of Islam and to really understand the true message of this religion. Despite all of these conroversies surrounding the cartoons and all the pain and disress it brough upon all the Muslims, I still somehow felt that something good was going to come out of it. It is after all the qadr of Allah (swt), and may be this is the final turning point for these non-believers, the moment of hidaya. JZK dear Blessed!

Originally posted by xiinfaniin: I am sure Bishaaro will come back, of course with strong rebuts of these rumors ala Bishaaro style She won't unless you read for her one your alluring 'dhuubo' poems, and while you're at it, "Soo noqo adoo nabada.." ugu dar. After all, you are the SOL version of Richard Gere, our very own Oday Charming ok, it's just a rumor Raulay, maskiinad baad tahay inleen...ninku caadi buu hadh cad kuugu dhiibay ee iska dhici

^Horta waxaan ku idhi, rumors-ka meelaha yaacaya wax ma ka maqashey, khaasatan kuwa laba anaga inaga mid ah ku saabsan, waaba yaabee show wax baa ka jira..sootan la wada waayey halmar maaha Khaalid, waa laguu fiicanyahay inaabti. Maxaa isugu kaa dhacaya adu.

well well, this has got be the best proposal put forth in my 3 long yrs of stay on this board. Bravo to Kat, waxaas baa gabadh lagaa yidhaa! I hope Che is man enough to do something quickly Rendezvous, wa iyaaki walal. And surely, you'll come around to agreeing with me more often...don't rush

Bismillah Masha'Allah, the protest today was amazing. I went there along with my older brothers and subhanallah, it was quite moving and tear-inducing; to see thousands of Muslim brothers and sisters gathered and showing their love for the prophet (saw) and to feel that intense Islamic atmosphere was a great experience. Though the weather was bitter cold and somewhat unbearable, it mattered not and it stopped no one (from the very young to the elderly). I personally kept thinking about the rightly guided sahabas (may Allah be pleased with them) and the great lengths they used to go to protect our beloved Rasul (SAW) and to profess their utmost love and respect for him--how blessed were they to have been granted those opportunities. Insha'Allah, our message (and that of Muslims around the whole world) was received well and hopefully it will make a difference.

Here's a message to the world by the very famous and inspirational speaker Mr. Amr Khalid, it's rather lengthy but quite worth the read. In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. All praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. This is my message to the Muslim Nation, the Muslim youth, the Western civilization, and the whole world. I present this message through Amrkhaled.net to reach the Life-Makers youth and the youth of the forum. I ask them to deliver it exactly as I have said it to the Muslim Nation, the Muslim and Arab youth, the West through all their contacts there and surely to the whole world. My first message is to the Muslim Nation and the Muslim youth: Allah (TWT)[1] says what can be translated as, “Say, “In case your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your spouses, and your kinsmen, and riches that you have scored (Literally: committed) and commerce whose slackening you are apprehensive of, and dwellings you are satisfied with, in case these are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way, then await till Allah comes up with His Command; and Allah does not guide the immoral people†(TMQ[2], 9:24). If any of these eight things is dearer to you than Allah, the Messenger of Allah (SAWS)[3] and striving in the way of Allah and His Prophet; if your sons are dearer to you than the Messenger of Allah; if your money is dearer to you than the Messenger of Allah; if your country is dearer to you then the Messenger of Allah; if your wife is dearer to you than the Messenger of Allah, then expect the dreadful anger of Allah (TWT) to be near. To you I emphasize that dignifying and loving Allah’s Prophet is a divine precept in the same way that loving Allah (TWT) is. Again listen, “Say, “In case your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren… in case these are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger …†observe the status of loving Allah’s Messenger (SAWS). Why should there be all that love? There is another ayah[4] in the Qur’an in which Allah says what can be translated as, “Indeed there has already come to you a Messenger from (among) yourselves. Mighty (i.e., burdensome) to him is whatever distresses you. Most eager is he for your (welfare), to the believers (he is) constantly compassionate, constantly merciful.†(TMQ, 9:128). It is because he is such that we love him in this way. Accordingly the relationship between us and him is just like the ayah in which Allah describes what can be translated as, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and (the ones) who are with him are strict against the steadfast disbelievers, constantly merciful among themselves. You see them constantly bowing themselves, (and) constantly prostrating themselves, seeking Grace from Allah and all-blessed Satisfaction…â€(TMQ, 48:29). In order to ensure that such a relationship remains like that for ever, in an ayah in surat[5] Al-Hujuraat, which continuously rings in our ears, Allah (TWT) states what can be translated as, “And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah…â€(TMQ, 49:7). The Messenger of Allah is among us?! Who is this ayah addressing? The sahaba[6] at time of the sahaba? No, this ayah is everlasting and effective everywhere and forever. O youth, O mothers, O ladies… Everyone must “know†that in the year 2006, in the year 2010, in the coming century, in the past century: during any age or time, know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. He is among you with his shari’ah[7], he is among you with his sunnah[8] and he is among you with his mercy. He is among you with his path, among you with his way and among you with the light and guidance he left behind. He is among you with his love to you. He is among you with the fact that each time anyone prays for him (conveying him peace and blessings), Allah returns his soul back to him so that he can answer us. He is among us with the fact that all our deeds are presented to him every Thursday, so whatever good there is he thanks Allah for it, and whatever evil there is, he asks Allah to forgive us for it. Again, the four ayahs I mentioned order us to love him because, “… Mighty (i.e., burdensome) to him is whatever distresses you. Most eager is he for your (welfare), to the believers (he is) constantly compassionate, constantly mercifulâ€. So the relationship between us and him is, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and (the ones) who are with him are strict against the steadfast disbelievers, constantly merciful among themselves…â€. Allah continues to remind us of this relationship by saying, “And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah…â€. All prayers and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad (SAWS). My message to the Muslim Nation and Muslim youth is, loving Allah’s Messenger, dignifying Allah’s messenger, defending Allah’s messenger and living on the path of Allah’s messenger is a duty and a responsibility that we will be asked about on the Day of Judgment. O youth, there is a responsibility resting on our shoulders. O Life-Makers, there is a responsibility resting on our shoulders. O ladies, there is a responsibility resting on our shoulders that dignifying Allah’s Messenger is a trust that we will present to him on the Day of Judgment when we meet him at the hawd[9]. We will go to him (SAWS) and tell him we are your ummah[10], we have fulfilled our duty. Perhaps we may have been wrongdoers, perhaps we sinned and perhaps we did not always work perfectly to reform and revive your ummah but we could not but dignify you and make the whole world dignify you. This is a responsibility that we return to you on the Day of Judgment that you may use to intercede for us and allow us to drink from your hawd while patting us happily. You (SAWS) would then say to us, yes, you made mistakes and committed sins, but dignifying me was so dear to you. Then you would make us drink from your hawd. This is a trust. My message to the ummah is that we can never betray that trust whatever happens; it is the trust of dignifying the Prophet (SAWS) and making the world dignify Allah’s Messenger (SAWS). This is in addition to loving him and living on his sunnah and on his path. This is my message to the Muslim Nation. We will never neglect dignifying our Prophet, our beloved and our role model (SAWS). Now this is my message to the West: There exists a cultural vagueness in the West. This vagueness results from the presence of two different concepts. The first is a great Western concept that we respect, appraise, and need. That concept is freedom of speech. This is a great humane and civilized concept. On the other hand, there is the great Islamic concept of dignifying Allah’s Messenger (SAWS). The problem arises due to the lack of understanding of the Islamic Civilization and the Western Civilization regarding these two concepts. The non-Muslims cannot value the rank of dignifying the Prophet (SAWS). On the other hand, due to the below-average quality of practical application of freedom of speech, Muslims have a vague understanding of the concept of respecting freedom of speech. Accordingly, what is required now? We do not want to refuse the concept of freedom of speech, absolutely not. However, the West should alter the freedom of speech so that it does not collide with the very important Islamic value of dignifying the Prophet (SAWS). Here lies the vagueness and ambiguity. The West understands very well the freedom of speech (which we appreciate) but it does not understand Islamic values, such as dignifying the Prophet (SAWS) and other Islamic sanctities. This is where the Western cultural vagueness lies. I clearly say to the West, you have a problem. You cannot comprehend how much the Muslims love Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). You are still unable to understand this point. If you had really encompassed its significance, you would never have accepted what happened. The West, in general, governments and people, does not apprehend that Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) is dearer to us than our parents, dearer to me than my father and dearer than my mother. I am sure that any Muslim woman listening to me now, be her religious or not, will swear on that fact. Just ask, what does Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) mean to you? It is not even necessary to do that because it is so evident, but you may conduct surveys for yourselves, and you will realize how true what I am saying is. Ask any youth, be he heedless or pious; ask any Muslim anywhere, in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Yemen or in Egypt. Ask any Muslim in any village ...regardless of how religious he is, be he an obedient Muslim or not, a drug user or not, successful in his life or a failure, old or young, ask them, what does Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) mean to you? O West, I affirm that Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) is dearer to all Muslims than their own parents. O West, Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) is dearer to us, Muslims, than our children and grandchildren. O West, Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) is dearer to us than our money, dearer to us than our own selves. He is dearer to us than our own countries. O Egyptian, who is dearer to you, Egypt or Allah’s Prophet? O Saudi, who is dearer to you, Saudi Arabia or Allah’s Prophet? O Yemeni, O Moroccan, O Algerian, who is dearer to you, your country or Allah’s Messenger (SAWS)? O West, comprehend that meaning, Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) is dearer to Muslims than their children and their own selves. We can never forget the hadith that I repeatedly mentioned during the episodes of “On the Path of the Belovedâ€. O West, listen to this hadith[11] as it forms part of the sentimental make-up of the Islamic personality: “We were with the Prophet and he was holding the hand of Omar Ibnul-Khattab. Omar said to him, ‘O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self.’ The Prophet said, ‘No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self.’ Then Omar said to him, ‘However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self.’ The Prophet said, ‘Now, O Omar, (now you are a believer).’â€[12] Being a true believer is conditioned with loving Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) more than our own selves. O West, this is our notion and this is our love for Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). I know that the West resists racism as they realize very well what it means. I also know that they stand up against any anti-Semitic assaults as they recognize the serious consequences of such acts. Yet, true contradiction lies in respecting Semitism and resisting racialism on the one hand, while humiliating the most valued figure for Muslims, the Prophet (SAWS), on the other. Six months ago, a famous journalist of the BBC attacked Arabs describing them as a worthless nation. In spite of being a renowned figure with a daily program in Britain, his slandering was rejected by the British as racist and he was fired from the BBC. At that time, I was preparing a program on family matters, and knowing that he had articles and shows tackling this subject, I wanted to refer to them. To my surprise, none of his works were available due to his intolerant views against Arabs. There is no way to compare the Prophet (SAWS) to the Arabic nation, as slandering them is of a diminutive nature when compared to offending the Prophet (SAWS). My message to the West then is that freedom of speech, which we indeed respect, honor, and actually need, should be modified so that it does not clash with the highly revered Muslim value of dignifying the Prophet (SAWS). The West respects monarchies, Semitism, all races, and different ethnicities, and its respect to the Prophet (SAWS) and to sacred Muslim values should be no less. Thus, my message to the Muslim ummah is that we should not forsake dignifying the Prophet (SAWS) under any circumstance. On the other hand, my message to the West is that the value of freedom of speech should be adapted to Muslim values. My third message is to the whole world. This offense does not aim at the Prophet (SAWS) alone, but rather to one billion, two hundred thousand Muslims; or rather to all humanity. To explain this further to everyone, whether Muslim or not, I believe that Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) is the greatest personality that existed on earth. There is no doubt that his model of reform was most successful so far and whoever denies this fact is indeed most ungrateful. Slandering him is actually slandering humanity. Great men that existed throughout history were qualified as such due to a certain trait in their characters. Gandhi for example, was a great politician, Shakespeare a great dramatist, Voltaire a great writer, Napoleon a great military leader and so on. They were all great in one aspect or the other, while the Prophet (SAWS) was great in every aspect of his life. He was so great morally that he never hit or humiliated a soul, never beat a woman, never betrayed or lied, never went back on his word or avenged himself. He was always called 'the truthful and honest one' before bearing the message of Islam, and after becoming a prophet, the values and principles of the Qur’an were the model for his behavior. He was also great in his political insight. After the Battle of the Trench, for example, he knew that it was a turning point that would not be followed by a defeat. Moreover, he was great in his submissiveness to Allah as he bowed when praying, saying, “O Allah, it is for Thee that I bowed. I affirm my faith in Thee and I submit to Thee, and submit humbly before Thee my hearing, my eyesight, my marrow, my bone, my sinew.â€[13] He (SAWS) also used to stand (in prayer) until both his feet swelled. When asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) he said, “Should I not be a thankful slave?†[14] He was great in the way he believed in freedom of opinion. In the Battle of Badr, he changed the location of the battlefield upon the advice of a soldier. He also agreed to dig the trench around Madinah according to Salman al-Faresy’s suggestion, and changed the fighting plan of the Battle of Uhud to respect the opinion of some of his companions. This is how he respected freedom of speech 1400 years ago! He was great at forgiving others. On the day of the Conquest of Makkah, his companions were rejoicing saying, “Today is the day of a great battle and today Quraysh will be humiliated by Allahâ€. Conversely, the prophet's (SAWS) response was that today is the day of mercy in which Allah will bestow honor on Quraysh. He was great in his voluntary renunciation of worldly luxuries when he could have been the richest man on earth had he wished to be. He was also great in the way he dealt with young people motivating them to exercise. For example, he once passed by some of the young companions of the tribe of Aslam practicing archery and he said to them, “O offspring of Ishmael! Practice archery as your father was a great archer. I am with (on the side of) the son of so-and-so-.†Hearing that, one of the two teams stopped throwing. The Prophet (SAWS) asked them, “Why are you not throwing?†They replied, “O Allah's Apostle! How shall we throw when you are with the opposite team?†He said, “Throw, for I am with you all.â€[15] His enemies were never able to slander him due to any bad trait. He lived with them for 40 years before the divine message and another 13 years after it, and never were they able to smear him with a single bad trait that marred his character, or doubt his outstanding abilities. They even testified that he had never lied in his life. That is how great he was and that is how humiliating him smears every American, Indian, Pakistani etc.; everyone, whether Muslim or not. It is an insult to all humankind when such a great man is insulted. He was great in his mercy. When he was persecuted by the people of At-Ta’ef and stoned until his feet kept bleeding, the angel of the mountains asked for his permission to destroy them. Yet his response was to supplicate Allah to guide them and to save them. Furthermore, in the Battle of Uhud, he was injured, overcome by his enemies, had his front teeth broken, and fell into a pit with blood gushing from his wounds. Nevertheless, when his companions asked him to curse them and to invoke Allah to punish them, he declined stressing the fact that he was sent as a mercy to all of humankind. He even invoked Allah to guide them to the right path and to excuse them for their ignorance. He was merciful even with animals narrating that, “A man saw a dog eating mud from (the severity of) thirst. So, that man took a shoe (and filled it) with water and kept on pouring the water for the dog till it quenched its thirst. So Allah approved of his deed and made him enter Paradise.â€[16] Similarly, he (SAWS) said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.â€[17] This is our Prophet and this is how great he was. Unlike that of other great human figures in history, the Prophet’s greatness is lasting throughout the generations. He believed in co-existence. He trusted the Jews and gave them all the rights of citizenship in Madinah, guaranteeing that no one would harm them, take any of their money, force them to convert, or intercede with their freedom to worship. He was also great in co-existence when he was against using the Muslims loyal to him in Makkah to create tension among the people of Quraysh, even during the war between Makkah and Madinah. At the time of the Hudaybeya treaty, he could have waged war against Quraysh but resorted to peace instead. He could have turned it into a bloodbath, but he chose peace and forced it on his enemies. The human race should be proud that Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) existed one day, whether they were Muslims, Hindu, Jews, Christians, believers of any kind, or even non-believers. He is a turning point in the course of humanity. This is Muhammad (SAWS) and this is how humanity was humiliated the day he was. People around the world are demanding an international law that protects the dignity of this great Prophet. That was my message to Muslims, to the West, and to the whole world. One final question remains here, which is, what is it that we want? We do not need speeches. It took me some time to deliver this speech, as I believe that speeches alone cannot solve this problem. We do not even want superficial apologies that are not as deep as our wounds. We do need effective actions that denote Western respect for the Prophet (SAWS). We will not stop our protests until our Prophet regains the dignity he duly deserves as our great leader. Thus empty words and shallow apologies are not enough, actions must be taken. Until then, I need everyone to convey this message to their families and friends. I want it to be translated by Dar al-Tarjama to all languages and to be distributed everywhere to reach the West. This speech will be broadcast on Iqraa’ channel soon and I want as many people as possible to watch it. Meanwhile we should do our best to let the people know about our Prophet (SAWS). ‘On the Path of the Beloved’ for example, a program about the Prophet’s life, is being replayed now on Iqraa’ every Tuesday and Friday. Dr Tarek Suweidan, A’aed al-Qarny, Al-Habib Aly al-Jifry and Dr. Al-Buty are all renowned modern Muslims scholars who have speeches and articles about the life of the Prophet. Please do your best to make good use of their works as well as the tapes of ‘On the Path of the Beloved’ to enlighten the whole world about the Prophet (SAWS), until this predicament is unraveled and until Muslim requests are answered with real actions. Thus, what I am asking everyone to do is to distribute this message everywhere and to let everyone know about who the Prophet (SAWS) is. Our duty is double fold, we need to distribute this speech and make it available everywhere, and we need to introduce the Prophet (SAWS) and tell his story to everyone, among Muslims and non-Muslims. This speech is to be continued and I am indeed not done yet with this issue. Thank you. May peace and Allah’s blessing and mercy be upon you all, and let us get to work. Amr Khaled Source

^Salaamaat sis I hope inaad hadda roonaatey.

Speaking of tira mi su, I've just had a big piece (my homemade version which mind you is a lot more fattening than the original), and I'm still feeling a bit guilty Didn't know it meant 'lift me up'...neat! That was a very inspiring read Nur, as are all of your written pieces...Jazakallah Khair. I'll come back to read the 2nd article insha'Allah.