I think a woman's modesty and taqwa make her beautiful. As the prophet (saw) said, the most precious thing in this world is a pious woman.

salaam, All four madhabs of Ahlu sunnah are considered correct and they do not differ on aqeedah only on fiqh, which is important because there's only ONE true Islamic aqeedah. I tend to lean more towards the Maliki fiqh except in salaat bc I just can't seem to get used to praying with my hands by my side.

asalaamu alaykum, I thought I'd share this with you all . As I read this I was reminded of the verse in the quran "they (the kufar) plot but Allah is the best of planners." Today marks the 80th anniversary of the abolishment of the Islamic Khilafah state. The state was formally abolished on this day by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the British agent who usurped power and established a secular Turkish state in the Muslim lands. The western powers had been plotting and planning a political and cultural assault on the Muslim world for several centuries prior to the events in 1924, but Ataturk’s treachery marked the jewel in their crown of successes. On the 3rd March 1924, the entire Muslim Ummah was completely without an Islamic ruling system, a system that had persisted for over 1000 years since the Prophet (SAW) had established it in Medina. Naturally without the Islamic ruling system, the rule of non-Islam was enforced over the Muslims and they were forced to swallow the non-Islamic culture and practices. Overnight the assault on the Islamic heritage had begun, the Muslim women were forbidden from wearing the Hijab and religious ceremonies and occasions were outlawed. Additionally the Islamic centres and buildings were forcefully put under the administration of the secular rulers, and they were instructed to stop their Islamic work. All of this happened under the direction of the British, who revelled in the fact they had removed Islam from the lives of the Muslims. This was most notably pointed out by Lord Curzon, who declared in the House of Commons: “the point at issue is that Turkey has been destroyed and shall never rise again, because we have destroyed her spiritual power: the Khilafah and Islam.” Such a statement indicates a state of mind amongst the western world that they had triumphed over Islam. But whilst this was a political defeat for the Muslims, had the western world won the intellectual battle? The next few decades saw the continuing promotion of the non-Islamic concepts and culture throughout the Muslim world. Women were encouraged to abandon the Islamic attire, men and women were encouraged to mix openly, alcohol was served in bars and clubs in the major cities, whilst the study of the western political doctrine was encouraged amongst the intellectuals. Ideas such as nationalism, patriotism and the nation state were heavily promoted in all corners of the Muslim world However, when the state of Israel was declared in the Islamic land of Palestine, the true test of the effects of the western culture was put in the spotlight. Rather than leaving the issue to the Palestinians, as nationalism would call for, Muslims all over the world were outraged and united behind the call for the liberation of Islamic land of Palestine. This state of affairs continued for decades and remains the case till this day. Though the western political culture was heavily promoted in the Islamic world, the western world remained wary of letting the Muslims build secular democratic systems for themselves. For decades they backed tyrants to rule over the Muslims with an iron fist, ensuring that any Islamic revival was crushed, and that the Islamic culture was continuously eroded. However, in the late 80’s and 90’s, several attempts were made to ‘legitimise’ the secular rule of law. The Muslims were given the opportunity to voluntarily authorise the rule of secularism by the holding of elections. When Algeria went to the polls in the early 90s, far from rubber-stamping secularism, the overwhelming support went to a party who represented Islamic rule, as opposed to a secular rule. The level of support expressed by the Muslims in Algeria for this Islamic party put western elections to shame. Yet this ‘democratic’ mandate was crushed by the Algerian army, in accordance with the wishes of the western powers. In Turkey, the place where the British removed the Islamic rule, elections were also held. Again, the Muslims overwhelmingly voted for a party deemed to represent the Islamic voice, albeit characterised by western thought. And again, the army forcefully opposed the will of the people, and took power for themselves to enforce the secular rule. Even after banning several groups deemed to be ‘pro-Islamic’, the support of the people was always behind the most ‘Islamic’ of the existing parties. These political experiments clearly showed that the Muslim world was far from being converted to the western political culture. Rather, they were adhering to Islam even after decades of being submerged in western propaganda and western culture. The first Gulf war demonstrated that the Muslim world remained loyal to their brethren, and were even prepared to put years of differences behind them, rather than capitulate to the demands of the western world. Rallies and protests were seen all over the Muslim world when Iraq was first invaded, and many were held in Iran, though Iraq and Iran had been forced to fight a bitter war for nearly a decade. It was clear that the western culture had failed to inspire the Muslim Ummah. After 9/11, the western world was not afraid of acting in accordance with this failure. Having lost the intellectual struggle, they resorted to the ways of old, by employing brute force and oppression. Hence Afghanistan was violently assaulted, and Iraq was viciously brought to its knees. All of this was driven by a frenzy that Islam and Muslims posed a security threat to the entire world. Not only were the tyrant regimes in Muslim countries given a green card to step up their oppression, but also the western world demonstrated their intellectually bankrupt state of mind, by passing oppressive legislation targeting their own Muslim citizens. Thousands of Muslims in the West were threatened, harassed and even imprisoned without proof of any wrongdoing. The secular traditions of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, or the much-vaunted value of ‘human rights’ were thrown to the rubbish heap, in a desperate attempt to beat the Muslim populations into submitting to the secular way of life. Legislation was passed to curb Muslims from marrying early in Sweden, whilst in Britain ‘citizenship’ classes were introduced where Muslims would forcefully have to swear an allegiance to the secular traditions. And in France and Germany legislation was passed to force Muslim women to remove the Islamic headscarf, undermining the very concept of ‘freedom of religion’ that was previously central to the western culture. Today in the Muslim countries there is a renewed effort to sow the seeds of decadence and corruption. A new Arabic news service has been established by the Americans, specifically to promote pro-western propaganda in the Muslim world. Whilst western movies, pornography and music are routinely being pumped into the occupied lands of Afghanistan and Iraq. Islamic charities have been closed down all over the world, and Islamic institutions have been severely restricted in what they can teach of Islam. Even an Arabic version of the ‘Big Brother’ reality show has been created, and pumped out via satellite to the entire Arab world. Yet, these measures are proving as ineffective as every other effort attempted by the western world. Muslims are protesting and forming groups to close down the purveyors of western culture in Afghanistan and Iraq. Almost all the Muslim world has greeted the American Arabic news channel with contempt and ridicule, and an unprecedented level of protests and complaints has seen the curtain fall very prematurely on the Arabic ‘Big Brother’ experience. The Muslim world today views the western culture itself with the same disdain and contempt that they view the western political manoeuvres in the Muslim lands. And we have the western world to thank for this, for showing openly and clearly the bankrupt nature of the western way of life. Muslims realise now that not only is the western way of life full of social, political and economic problems, as vividly seen in all western societies, but that the western way of life is innately against the Islamic way of life. This has led to a massive Islamic resurgence in all parts of the Muslim world, as Muslims realise that their status will never be elevated until they undo the actions of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1924. Without the Islamic system, the Muslims will remain politically weak, divided and easy prey for the western world. Though the western world will never succeed in making converts of Muslims to their secular way of life, they will be able to wreak tyranny on the Muslim Ummah with impunity. This reality is dawning on all Muslims, and for most the only solution in sight is a return to the Islamic ruling system. All of this state of affairs is far removed from the joyous claims of Lord Curzon when he claimed victory over Islam in 1924. Rather than having a free hand at winning over the Muslims, the western way of life has shown itself to be weak, uninspiring, unable to solve the human problems and has failed at every attempt to convince the Muslim Ummah. Today, the very values that were enshrined in the western way of life have been compromised in order to suppress the resurgence of Islam, leaving the western way of life in tatters. After 80 years after the abolishment of the Islamic Khilafah, the return of the Islamic rule can be sensed throughout the Islamic world. The hadith of the Prophet (SAW) in which he foretold the removal and reinstatement of the Islamic Khilafah, is foremost in the minds of all the believers, “Prophethood will last with you for as long as Allah wants it to last. Then He will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be Khilafah according to the method of Prophethood, and things will be as Allah wishes them to be. Then He will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be a hereditary rule, and things will be as Allah wishes them to be. Then He will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be an oppressive rule, and things will be as Allah wishes them to be. Then He will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be a Khilafah according to the method of Prophethood.” Then he (SAW) fell silent.” [Ahmad] Tanveer Ashraf For further Comments visit: www.1924.org/comment/

First of all, it must be said that no one makes bariis better than somali ppl... that's just a fact that can't be disputed. Second, everyone, male or female, should know how to cook. It's just a basic domestic skill we all need to have. I never enjoyed cooking but I'm glad my mother was wise enought to force me to learn bc now that I'm on my own I know how important it is. Trust me you can only live off of Kraft dinner and canned tuna for so long. Besides as someone else already said, knowing how to cooking enhances your profile and it can be a simple yet effective way of showing your loved one how much u appreciate them... imagine serving them a hot homemade meal after a stressful day. code: Bless the Bariis and behold the basstto

One Global Ummah September 23, 2003 www.1924.org There is no debate that the “War on Terrorism” equals a war on Islam and Muslims. US Vice President Dick Cheney made it very clear when he stated that the US is considering military or other action against "40 to 50 countries" and when he warned that the new war may last 50 years or more. So it is indeed a global war, led by America, Britain and their allies against this global Islamic Ummah. We can see how America is utilising military tactics against the Ummah in the Muslim lands. However, what may not be so apparent are the implications of the “War on Terror” against the Muslims in the West. It would be a grave error for us to believe that the absence of a military attack against Muslims living in Europe or America means that there are no implications of the “War on Terror” for Muslims in the West. It is vital that we understand that the tactics used against the Muslims in the West are intellectual and not military. This intellectual war against the Muslims is not a new style. These methods have been used since the time of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). We may be familiar with the incident where the Jew, Abdullah Ibnu Sabah, created the fitnah between Uthman (ra) and Ali (ra). One of the key concepts that the West wishes to implant in the minds of Muslims is that they are separate from the global Ummah. The West’s preoccupation with the danger of global Muslim unity is not something that should come as a surprise to Muslims in the West. The then British Foreign Secretary made the West’s malicious agenda for the Muslims very clear in a speech before World War Two, when he stated the following: “We must put an end to anything which brings about unity between the sons of the Muslim. As we have already succeeded in finishing off the Khilafah, so we must ensure that there will never arise again unity for the Muslims weather it be intellectual or cultural unity.” The US journalist Sam Francis wrote on October 22, 2001: “Most serious Christians and Jews would agree that they have no obligation to obey a nation or state that commands actions contrary to the laws of God, but most Christians and Jews in the United States don't feel the need to reach for that principle all the time or when we're in conflict with other, mainly Christian, states. If the Muslims who have invited themselves to this country do feel that need, they clearly aren't comfortable being here. Maybe they should go back where they belong as soon as possible, and if they don't, maybe the government and nation for which they feel so little attachment should encourage them.” Integration, inter-faith dialogue, nationalism and fear of losing material interests or the benefits of status have been employed in many different ways to undermine the Muslims vision of one Global Ummah. One example can be seen in 1992 where Edward Djerejian, US Assistant Secretary of State during the Bush administration, outlined a strategy of compromise rather than confrontation to defeat the Muslims. Djerejian's recommendations included the following: Use of the term ‘the Muslim countries’ rather than ‘world of Islam’ to shatter the sense of global unity. Provide books about Western values in languages of Muslim countries (Arabic, Urdu, Farsi) to indoctrinate the Ummah with pro-Western views. Make statements about religion which ‘emphasise common elements and values that unite Islam and Christianity’ and ' avoid divisive factors' to destroy Muslims distinct Islamic identity. This desire to break the strength of the Muslims’ worldwide bond with each other has been a consistent feature through out the colonialist exploits of the West, as practiced in the ‘divide and rule’ campaigns waged in our lands. President Bush gave his indirect ultimatum to American Muslims when he addressed the international community with his “War on Terror” plans hinting that only two types of citizens were possible - those that were “either with us or against us”. With these words echoing around the globe, Muslims in the West became faced with the dilemma of loyalty to their fellow Islamic brothers and sisters who were being massacred by the ever increasing might of America’s terror war machine and loyalty to their host nation, be it Britain, France, USA or other Western nations. The grave implications of not making the ‘right’ choice were hammered into the conscience of Muslims as arrests of Muslims citizens accused of treason or similar betrayal of their nation began to appear in the media. The US made suitable examples out of US born Yaser Esam Hamdi and John Walker Lindh, who were both captured and labelled as “enemy combatants” in Afghanistan whilst fighting US occupying forces. On the 31st of August 2002, CNN reported how Lindh has now asked Americans to forgive him for the crime of daring to support his fellow brothers in Islam. President Bush awarded his expression of devotion to the American nation by supporting a recommendation of a prison term of up to 20 years. Suitable deterrents to one global Ummah can be found in the arrests of many Muslims across Europe who are suspected of being sympathetic to Muslims in countries considered enemies of that person’s host nation. It is essential that Muslims in the West realise the implications of the West’s “War on Terror” if we are not to find ourselves falling far short of the commands of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) and thus eligible for His (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) punishment. The Kuffar are attempting to undermine the Hukm Shari governing the relationship of Muslims in the West with the rest of this global Ummah. They wish to create personalities who do not feel the pain or suffering of their fellow brothers or sisters in another part of the Muslim world. They wish to create a scenario, in which they will initiate aggression against the Ummah and expect the Muslims in the West to side and unite with the country that they live in. Essentially, the Kuffar desire that the Muslims of the West abandon all vision of working to unite the Ummah under one state, in order for us to accept the West as our homeland with the Kufr authority forever dominating and dividing us. It is essential that we are aware that the Muslim Ummah is one global Ummah, even if we are from a variety of backgrounds or have linguistic differences. This is the reality of the Shari’ah obligation and any other viewpoint is invalid in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala). Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) said in Surah ale-Imran: واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعاً ولا تفرقوا “And hold fast all of you to the rope of Allah and do not be divided amongst yourselves” [TMQ Ale-Imran: 103] Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) has verily ordered that the believers are brothers: إنما المؤمنون إخوة “The believers are naught else than brothers” [TMQ Al-Hujurat: 10] Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) also clearly indicates that the only significant difference between Muslims is that of Taqwa, as indicated in Surah Hujurat verse 13. إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم “Lo! The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct.” [TMQ Al-Hujurat: 13] So, if this Ummah is one, and our Deen is one Deen, and our Creator (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) is one Creator (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala), there should not be any division in this Ummah. It was narrated in the Madinah covenant, that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: المسلمون من قريش ويثرب ومن تبعهم فلحق بهم وجاهد معهم أمة واحدة من دون الناس “The Muslim from Yathrib and Quraish, and the people that fought with them are one Ummah to the exclusion of all other Ummah.” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: المسلمون كرجل واحد إن اشتكى عينُه اشتكى كلُّه، وإن اشتكى رأسُه اشتكى كلُّه “The Muslims are as one man, if the eye hurts, the whole body hurts, and if the head hurts, the whole body hurts” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) also said: - أيها الناس ألا إنّ ربكم واحد وإنّ أباكم واحد، ألا لا فضلَ لعربي على عجمي ولا عجمي على عربي ولا لأسود على أحمر ولا لأحمر على أسود إلا بالتقوى. ألا هل بلَّغتُ؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: فليبلِّغ الشاهدُ الغائبَذكره القرطبي في تفسيره وقال خرّجه الطبري “Indeed your father is one, your Lord is one. There is no preference over the Arab over the non-Arab, and a non- Arab over the Arab, nor black over the red or red over the black, except in Taqwa.” He then asked the Sahabah “Did I convey the message?” They replied, “Yes”. He then said “May the one who witnessed this, convey it to the one who is absent.” Then the Prophet spoke about nationalism, tribalism and patriotism and said: دعوها فإنها منتنة “Leave it, it is rotten” So it is an obligation upon the Muslims everywhere in the world to understand the Muslims as one Ummah, to the exclusion of other people. For all the Western nations’ attempts to undermine the global nature of the Ummah, we still remain unified on many levels. The history of Islam is the history of all Muslims; the Seerah of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a reference for all of us. And the Sahabah (ra) and Sahabiyat (ra) are for all of us. We cannot even count the number of the Ahkam that we implement without hesitation or force. The unity we have with respect to the love and affection for Islam is something that the Kuffar have not been successful in removing. For this is linked to our very Iman. An example of this can be seen in the feeling of the Muslims in the whole world about the affairs of the Muslims in Kashmir, Afghanistan, Palestine and the other Islamic lands. We say their feelings and not their action because the Ummah owns its feelings, emotions and beliefs but they do not own the power to act upon their sentiments because it has been stolen and is currently it is in the hands of the Kufr Western nations and the Muslim rulers who represent them and the Shayateen. The Muslims in the world are looking forward and are thirsty to aid their brothers everywhere and to remove their oppression. This global Ummah witnessed how Muslims rose up on the streets of Baghdad, Amman, Tehran, London, Jakarta, Cairo, and Paris and beyond, as we were agitated to assist our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Afghanistan. But the picture of the unity of this global Ummah is not complete. The Muslims of the West have an important role in completing this unity and achieving this concept of one global Ummah. The duty of the Muslims in the West is to maintain the identity of the Muslims and to be the ambassadors of Islam wherever they are - whether at work, at university or at home. We are obliged to follow the example of our beloved Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) who was indeed the “walking Qur’an”. The Muslims in the West have a responsibility to aid the work for the re-establishment of the Islamic state that will bring back the physical unity of this global Ummah as Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) ordered. Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib along with many other Sahabah lived in Abyssinia, which was ruled by the Christian King, the Negus. They, like the Muslims in the West ought to, maintained their identity as Muslims and never integrated or became assimilated into the Kufr culture. They were the ambassadors of Islam. They conveyed and discussed the message of Islam straight away. They were the best example in all areas of their life, which resulted in the fact that many embraced Islam, even the Negus himself. Yet they never forgot their duty to aid the work to establish Islam as a final authority unifying the Ummah as Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) had ordered. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) make us of those who remember our responsibility to this global Ummah and may He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) make us remember the words of the best of creation, Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), in the aforementioned hadith when he spoke to his Sahabah, as he speaks to us now: “May the one who witnessed this, convey it to the one who is absent.” Ammar Zalloum

He was quite a character, I really do miss him hope he comes back soon.

salaam wind talker, Whether they're dropping bombs or occuping Muslim minds and lands they'll never defeat this deen... " They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah. " We just gotta keep working to better ourselves, we can't let them waste our time responding to everything they say. History has recorded the superemcy of our deen and the future will be a witness to its rise once again inshaAllah. salaam

I'm relatively ignorant of this issue but I think in the end what women want the most is a man who can protect and provide for them... otherwise Allah wouldn't have made them "the maintainers of women".

salaam alaykum Originally posted by muraad: For example to be a member of parliment in Egypt, saudi arabia, Jordan Yemen etc. some uluma say these governments do not rule according ALLAH and his MESSNGERS will. therefore it is HARAAM to be a member of their parliment etc. in addition, they argue, when you're entering their parliment etc. you've to accept their constitution (which is man-made constitution) and to obbey the king, president etc (who doesn't rule according Quran and Sunnah), while others are saying although they're doing many wrong and sinfull things, it is permissble to be a member of their cabinet with the intention of reforming what they've damaged. these Uluma ae arguing that these rulers, desbite their crimes, are Muslim so we have to work with them to achieve our ends since there is no evidence prohibiting us to work with them. they argue that we can work with non-muslims in order to help muslims, therefore no problem at all to work with them to help muslims. Muraad, good example. The Ikhwaanul Muslimeen in egypt even go as far as to use the political role of Yusuf (as) to justify their actions and while I'm not aware of all the hukum related to this subject they seem to at least have a point worth arguing. What I can't get over is the "ulema" of the west and how they justify participation in the political process... work within the system to make it more Islam friendly. I remember the last elections when the Muslim organizations in the US rallied behind Bush urging Muslims to vote for him and we can see how well that turned out now can't we? I think the problem with us Muslims is we become too impatient and resort to haraam means forgeting that victory comes to those who strive with patience. May Allah grant us the wisdom and patience to restore ourselves to our rightful place. salaam

Revising the Islamic Identity The campaign to suppress Islam is lengthy, has many facets and comes from all quarters. Much of the assaults originate from the West and from within our own countries. It takes the form of the so-called war on terror and it is now being waged in our schools. A number of the Muslim Ummah’s rulers recently gathered to overhaul their school curricula in response to US pressure. Saudi Arabia was in the forefront of this reformation and nationwide introspection. The pressure became acute with the introduction of The Saudi Arabia Accountability Act by the US congress in November 2003. The bill seeks to place sanctions against the kingdom for not doing enough for the United States in its crusade. The Saudi government had started with a national dialogue on political and religious differences in June 2003. This was followed by a December 2003 meeting entitled “Exaggeration and Moderation: A Methodological Comprehensive Vision”. The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries also held a meeting that continued with the same theme. The council – consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – agreed to revise school textbooks that the West claims are inflammatory and encourage religious extremism. Tracts that are deemed too “extreme” like those that teach the difference between Muslims and non-Muslims will be removed. Saudi Arabia has been deleting such references from its school textbooks since October last year and Kuwait is following closely. The education Minister, Rashid al-Hamad, said the aim of the revision was to 'promote tolerance and ensure respect for other religions and opinions'. Meanwhile, Jordan is receiving books from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that will “teach” Muslim youngsters the difference between terrorism and legitimate resistance. Their Education Minister, Khalid Tuqan, said the new books would focus on "… the differentiation between terrorism and legitimate resistance, the concept of terrorism". The rulers want to place obstacles between the Muslims and the understanding of the Deen. They wish to continue to produce a generation that does not refer to Islam, who will admire and emulate the West while seeking the solutions to our problems from their institutions. After all, that is how the rulers themselves have been taught. They hail from a generation raised by the likes of Taha Hussein. Taha Hussein was a prominent personality who lived during the height of Middle Eastern nationalism. He was a central figure in the reformation of the educational system of Egypt in the 50’s and a strong advocate of liberal thinking. He once wrote “We must follow the path of the Europeans so as to be their equals and partners in civilization, in its good and evil, its sweetness and bitterness, what can be loved or hated, what can be praised or blamed.” The current rulers are products of his reforms and they have inherited this legacy. While our governments try to ingratiate themselves to the West by revising the textbooks of Muslim children to “promote tolerance and ensure respect for other religions and opinions” Western nations reciprocate by passing legislation that discriminates against Muslims. Led by the US, Western nations are implementing legislation that singles out Muslims as a security threat leading to acts of gross injustice against many innocent Muslims residing in the West. Nations like Germany and France are already outlawing the Hijab in their countries. In addition, they will be doing it with the full consent of people who are supposed to be the “inheritors of the Prophets”. The Chief Imam of Al-Azhar, Mohammad Sayed Tantawi, recently endorsed the French government’s position on the issue of banning the Hijab. On 30 December 2003, during his welcoming statement to visiting French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, Tantawi announced that France had the right to ban the Hijab in French state schools. The scholars are supposed to be the guardians of the knowledge of Islam not its destroyer. The assault on Islam comes from all sides. The West is constantly trying to portray Islam as a religion of violence. Words like “hate”, “aggressive” and “intolerant” are just some of the descriptions you will find juxtaposed with the word “Islam”. The media is filled with articles blaming religions – read “Islam” here – with inspiring terrorism. In a thinly veiled attack on Islam and Muslims, the BBC TV presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk, called Arabs "suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors". These attacks, when not specifically intended to undermine the Deen, are designed to terrify the Muslims into silent acquiescence. So, in light of the so-called war on terror it is Muslims who are required to change their Deen whilst our rulers are more than willing to undertake this task. One may wonder when they will deem it necessary to start revising the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah [subhanahu wa ta’aala] has mentioned these types of people and their fate in the Qur’an: فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا يَكْسِبُون “Then Woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby.” – [TMQ Baqarah: 79] The revision of school curricula to root out so-called extremism should not come as a surprise. The rulers consider teachings that preserve and protect the identity of the Muslims extreme and anything that may bring us closer to Western culture and subservience to the kuffaar as moderate. Just like Taha Hussein, they want to erase the Islamic identity of Muslims and raise a generation that cannot tell the difference between Islam and kufr.

The Necklace Ibn Rajab and others gave an account of a worshipper who ran out ofresources while he was in Makkah. He became extremely hungry and was about to die from lack of nourishment. One day, as he was wandering in the precincts of Makkah, he found an expensive necklace. He put it into his sleeves and headed for the Masjid. On his way he came acrossa man announcing that he had lost a necklace. The poor man later said, " I asked him to describe it to me, and he did so, perfectly,leaving no room for doubt. I gave him the necklace without taking reward from him. I said,: "O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is better." He went to the ocean and began a journey in a small boat. Only a brief period of time passed before a storm came with heavy winds crashing into the boat. The boat smashed into pieces and the man was forced to cling to a piece of wood. The winds were violent, propelling him to the left and to the right. Finally, he was washed ashore onto an island. He found there a Masjid filled with people who were praying, so he joined them. He found papers with parts of the Qur'an written on them and he began to recite from them. The people of the island asked him, "Do you read Qur'an?" He answered in the affirmative. They said, " Teach our children Qur'an." So he began to teach them and he took a salary for his services. One day, they saw him writing and they asked, " Will you teach our children to write?" Again he answered in the affirmative and began teaching them for a salary. A short time later, they said to him, " There is an orphaned girl with us whose father was a good man. Will you marry her?" He agreed to the marriage and later related, " I married her and found that she was wearing the exact same necklace. She said that her father lost it in Makkah and a man found it and returned to him. She said that her father would always supplicate while prostrating, for her daughter to become blessed with a husband similiar to the honest man. I then informed her that I was that man." " O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is better." Abandoning something for the sake and Pleasure of Allah- Allah will definitely compensate with something that is better, either sooner or later, in this world or Hereafter. Source: Don't be Sad - Shaykh Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarni Courtesy: www.everymuslim.com

Politicians are liars and politics is the art of deception. This is the common perception the general populace has regarding the men who run our world today. US President George W. Bush seems to be the foremost example of this after just one term in office. With an international political arena overrun by crime and greed, one cannot blame the masses for holding this view. From the government-backed international dominance of western multinational corporations, to hidden agendas behind the occupation of sovereign nations and overthrowing elected officials, to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians and then calling this “collateral damage”, trust seems to be all but lost in anyone even remotely related to politics. But is this understanding of politics true? Does the dominance of corruption in any one facet of society make it inherently evil? Is there any hope of reforming the field of politics so that it might be run by those who are not bent on genocide and world domination? The answers to these three questions lie in the history of Islam; specifically, in the history of Islamic state, the Islamic Khilafah. The first and second questions are answered directly from the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Rasool Allah (saw) said: “The prophets used to manage the affairs of Banu Israa’eel”. In this Hadith, the Messenger (saw) used the word “Tasoos-hum”, which is the verb tense of the Arabic word “Siyasa”, meaning “politics”. Thus, our own Messenger (saw) used the word “politics” as “the management of the affairs of the people”. Hence, politics is merely an area of life which can be administered either based on the laws of Allah (swt), making it good, or based on man-made laws and greed, making it evil. This dichotomy of political patterns is illustrated in the examples of American and European presidents and prime ministers in history, versus the long history of Islamic Khaleefahs (rulers) throughout the period of the Islamic state. To better elucidate this contrast, a comparison chart will be used to evaluate the differences between the two sides, as follows: Western Ruler Quote or Action Muslim Leader/Khaleefah Comparison Abraham Lincoln US President (1861-1865) Quote: “I can conceive of no greater calamity than the assimilation of the Negro into our social and political life as our equal.” August 14, 1862 The Messenger of Allah: Muhammed bin Abdullah (saw) Founder and first leader of the Islamic Khilafah (621-632) Quote: “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white man has no superiority over a black one, nor a black man has any superiority over a white one- except by piety and good action.” William J. Clinton US President (1995-1999) Performed indecent sexual acts with a White House intern, then lied, under oath, about his doing so. Umar bin Abdul-Aziz 12th Khaleefah of the Islamic State (720-723) Was well-known for his chastity, honor, and truthfulness. He would even lower his gaze when women passed by, out of respect for them and fear of Allah. Western Ruler Quote or Action Muslim Leader/Khaleefah Comparison Winston Churchill British Prime Minister (1940-1945 and 1951-1955) Quote: "It is sheer affectation to lacerate a man with the poisonous fragment of a bursting shell and then to boggle at making his eyes water by means of a lachrymatory gas”. "I am strongly in favor of using poisonous gas against uncivilized tribes" where it could "spread a lively terror". Abu Bakr Assiddeeq (ra) 1st Khaleefa of the Islamic State (632-634) Quote: "I advise you ten things (when fighting Jihad): Do not kill women or children or an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy an inhabited place. Do not slaughter sheep or camels except for food. Do not burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from the booty, and do not be cowardly." George W. Bush US President (2000-Present) All-time record holder for highest number of vacation days taken per year, taking the entire month of August 2001 off, as well as most campaign fundraising trips of any US president in history, all paid for using taxpayers’ dollars. Ali bin Abi Taalib (ra) 3rd Khaleefah of the Islamic State (635- A man came to Ali bin Abi Taalib (ra) in his study, and Ali (ra) asked him whether he comes for a state-related matter or a personal matter. The man replied “a personal matter”, so before the man could speak, Ali (ra) blew out a candle that was lit and lit another candle nearby. When the man asked Ali (ra) why he did this, Ali replied “The first candle was paid for using state funds, whereas the second one was paid for using my own personal funds”. Where are the rulers today from the examples set by such honorable men in the history of the Islamic Khilafah? These examples clearly show that not only can politics be run in a moral and honest manner, but it was run in a moral and honest manner for over 1300 years in the Muslim world. It must also be said that, like any facet of life occupied and managed my humans, this period in the Islamic world was not flawless. The area of politics is most coveted by the corrupt amongst us, as it allows them to change policies and further facilitate their fraudulent ways. Hence, the possibility of a number of corrupt individuals entering the field of politics, within an honest and morally run government, is not unheard of. When this is applied to our political reality today, a reality where felons fill almost every influential station in government, it is no wonder that we are taught from a young age that politics is only for those amongst us who are superior at deception and dishonesty. How else would you expect the honest and trustworthy be kept out of their way? It is also not unexpected that any sincere individuals who attain influential government positions are either forced to resign or are only allowed insignificant roles until they prove themselves worthy of working with the fraud elite. Undoubtedly, we live in dark times today, but the possibility of change is very strong. The likes of Ariel Sharon, Husni Mubarak, Vladmir Putin and George W. Bush will soon be nightmares of the past. Every corrupt empire throughout the history of the earth has fallen, and our modern-day empires are no different. It is in the very nature of the universe that good always overcomes evil in the end. The Messenger of Allah (saw) himself foretold the coming of dark times and corrupt rulers, and the subsequent rule of the trustworthy and the sincere. Islam will rule the world with justice once again. The return of Islamic Khilafah is a promise from Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). It is just a matter of time. The one question that remains is whether we will take up the challenge of this honorable work. Whether we will stand up to these regimes and work with sincerity and belief in Allah (swt) to uproot these fetid rulers and replace them with the guidance of Islam and the integrity of the Khulafaa’ of yesterday. The challenge remains, and Allah (swt) has control over all affairs, but most men know not.

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wa alaykum salaam, wlcm sister. Make urself at home

asalaam alaykum, Lucky thanks for posting the full article, I couldn't access the link I'm disappointed the two teams, SOA and Mujahideen, changed their names. But critics say such names as Intifada and Mujahideen glorify terrorism. Jihad/intifada = terrorism, Mujahid = terrorist, they want to re-define the language of our faith and expect us to comply.

asalaamu alaykum Geel-Jire, I think you need to have about 50posts before your status changes to a "Nomad"... so start posting salaam oh and wlcm to SOL I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here inshaAllah.

Breeding Anarchy at home, raising little anarchists LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL wat a noble cause!

salaam alaykum, Oh boy, once again the great U.S of A, our knight in shining armor to the rescue! Here's what they're really after; they want to establish a military presence in the region to "reign in terrorists" (but what they're really after is global domination, they want to have their armies in every corner of the globe)in the process installing a brutal pro-American dictator to keep anti-US elements (namely Islamic groups) in check just like in the rest of the Muslim countries. Let S.America, the middle east and even the rest of Africa testify that nothing the great satan ever got involved in benefited anyone else. Imaam Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that Allah punishes the unjust by the unjust and then takes revenge on both. So who knows maybe the Americans will be a punishment for the warlords. May Allah restore peace and justice in our homeland and in the rest of the Muslim world. salaam

I am mindful that because IRA or Aryan Nation or Macveighs exist Christians or Irish don’t suffer as a result. This is true, when was the last time we heard the term "christian terrorist" being used? They are not at war with a few "bad seeds" as they would like to have us think, they are at war with an ideaology that's destined for supremecy.

Saudi arabia bans everything from kids entertainment, they even banned Pokemon but happily they hand over the powerful sheikhs in the country to the US. what message are they trying to get across? that barbies are non-islamic? what is islamic about handing over the sheikhs to ur enemy? The Saudi government is WAY out of line! Exactly my thoughts! There's just no end to their hypocrisy. They'll ban teddy bears but allow riba based banks in Mekkah and Madina to exist. Ya Allah!

Modesty, inshaAllah soon sister...very soon.

asalaamu alaykum, I think there's a bright side to all this. For a long time the French has been trying to get Muslims to give up their Islamic identity and assimilate into the French society. The banning of the the Hijab in schools will inshaAllah motivate the Muslim community in France to establish Islamic schools and the next generation of French Muslims will inshaAllah be closer to Islam than the current one. I can't believe they are naive enough to think they'll make Muslims less Islamic by banning the hijab. salaam

salaam, Now going by the definition that Conscious M., is getting at, if the Ahl-Al-Kitab are Mushrikeen/Kuffar, then how come the rasul (salallahu caliyhe wasilm) allowed them to live in Madinah during his time and offered them protection as long as they honored the islamic state and payed Jaziyah (a tax that Ahl-Al Kitabiyyes have to pay). The ppl of the book have higher status in Islam (with respect to how we interact with them) than the Mushrikeen for the simple fact that their original message was from Allah. However this does not mean they're not kafirs and they won't have the same fate as the Mushrikeen. Hell-fire is hell-fire and that's the fate of people who deny Allah and His messenger. Look into what I said about the shari definition of the word kafir. salaam

salaam, Wow not a whole lot of Lauryn Hill fans huh? (obviously you folks haven't heard "the miseducation of Lauryn Hill" ) I personally am proud of Lauryn Hill. Most people are so concerned with being so politically correct that the truth is hardly spoken. Nothing she said was unture. Yes the Church is corrupt and yes they should be worshiping God not men. Khyr ppl of the book are not considered kufars?? innalatheena kafaroo min ahlil kitaabi wa'L mushrikeena fee naari jahanam.... the shari definition (maana shari) of a kaafir is someone who doesnt beleive in Islam and Muhammed (saws). You can't take the linguistic defintion (maana haqiqi) because linguistically salah means to make dua but the shari defintion is to pray as Muslims do. Anyway we're getting off topic. The point is Lauryn Hill spoke the truth and it was necessary! salaam