A Prelude: Gender Roles November 7, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in AlMaghrib, Islam, Women and Islam.Tags: Ahmed Deedat video
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Bismillah, so this is kind of a prelude to the Fiqh of Women’s Clothing. Just a brief talk on gender roles – and most importantly womens’ roles – in the world. They are not all Yasir Qadhi’s words. Some are mine, and some are from a lecture series I attended by Yasir Birjas (I think a CD set was made on it as well).
Never in the history of humanity have the gender roles been as they are today, especially in the western world – America. Read books even 100 years ago, the roles were much different. The fact that we have to compromise is a given. You cannot live in a eutopic land when there is not a eutopic land around you.
Before talking about the Islamic side – we are going to look at the western side.
The Road to Now
The feminist movement has gone through three phases:
Late 19th century – 1920s: woman’s right to vote and have her voice heard.
After world war I – the 60s: women had to take up the roles of men, working in factories, etc because the men were shipped off to war. Check out the “We can do it!” poster depicting a woman as masculine as possible.
The 70s bougth about the free expression of sexuality for women and the freedom to pursue an education. 80s – now: opportunities for women at the work place. Percentages of women working shot way up. Also, the idea that they should do exactly what the men do, such as female clergies, etc.
What is Equal?
The President of Harvard said in a speech: (more…)
An-Nawawi’s Introduction November 6, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Hadith, Islam.Tags: Al-Nawawi's 40 hadith
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Bismillah.
This is al-Nawawi’s introduction to his 40 hadith. The explanation in Jamal Az-Zarabozo’s book is very lengthy, 30 something pages, so I’m just going to put up the stuff that stood out to me 
The indented part is Al-Nawawi’s complete intro (in the beginning).
Also, the author of the book, Az-Zarabozo, goes into a SUPER lengthy discussion about dealing with weak hadith. I thought it was important, so inshaAllah I’ll do a seperate post on that.
Al-Nawawi’s Introduction
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the [One who] Sustains the Heavens and the Earth, Director of all that is created, who sent the messengers (peace and the blessings of Allah be upon them) to rational beings, to guide them and explain the religious laws to them with clear proofs and undeniable arguements. I praise Him for all of His bounties. I ask Him to increase His grace and generosity. I bear witness that there is none worhty of worship except Allah alone, who has no partner, the One Alone, the [One who] Subdues, the Generous, the Forgiving. I bear witness that our leader Muhammad is His servant and messenger, His beloved and dear one, the best of all creation. He was honored with the Glorious Quran that is the enduring miracle throughout all the years. He was also sent with his guiding sunnah that shows the way for those who seek guidance. Our leader Muhammad has been particularized with the characteristic of eloquent and pithy speech, and simplicity and ease in the religion. May the peace and blessings of Allah be uponhim, the other prophets and messengers, all of their families and the rest ofthe righteous.
To proceed:
We have narrated, through many chains of various narrations, from Ali ibn Abu Taalib, ‘Abdullah ibn Masood, Muaadh ibn Jabal, Abu al-Darda, ibn ‘Umar, ibn ‘Abbaas, Anas ibn Maalik, Abu Huraira and Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri – may Allah be pleased with all of them – that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever preserves for my Nation forty hadith related to its religion, Allah will then resurrect him in the company of the savants and scholars.”
Another narration states, (more…)
Love Me October 30, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Marriage.Tags: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
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This is part four of my Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus series.
How to Motivate the Opposite Sex
We already talked about how Martians (Men) and Venesians (Women) used to live on different planets and have completely different lifestyles. Well, for Venesians, their way of life was: “I give so you can win.” Martians had a completely different mentality – “I want to win, and I don’t care if you lose.”
When a man is in love, his selfish way of thinking changes, and he is motivated to be the best he can in order to serve others. Given the oppurtunity to prove his potential, he expresses his best self. Only when he feels he cannot succeed does he regress back to his old, selfish ways.
When a man doesn’t feel that he is making a positive difference in someone else’s life, it’s hard for him to care about his life and relationships. He has to feel needed to be motivated. Not being needed is a slow death for a man.
Women, by nature, are very giving. When they are with a man, they are happy to have someone taking care of them for a change. Basically, men want to love and take care of someone and women want to be loved and taken care of. It works out so perfectly, subhaanAllah
As a man matures, he learns (more…)
Globophobia October 29, 2009
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This post is so random…so excuse my ranting.
I have globophobia, which is an irrational fear of balloons. I’m not ashamed of it, it’s just something that’s a part of me. And I wouldn’t mind telling people, if they didn’t look at me as if I’ve sprouted antennae right after I tell them. Oh, and by “people”, I mean “desis.” Sadly, I don’t really think that the majority of people back home understand phobias. Every time it does happen to crop up, they’ll kind of stare at me as if I’m stupid or as if they’re waiting for me to take back what I said. My own parents won’t admit I have globophobia! Forget getting aquaintances and aunties to understand.
So – what is it exactly? I forgot who – but someone – asked me recently if I imagine the balloons attacking me or turning into monsters or something. I thought that was pretty hilarious 
No. That is most certainly not the case. I’m not a three year old 
I’m a healthy, (fairly) normal 24 year old woman. Globophobia – for me – isn’t the actual fear of the balloon, it’s the anticipation of it popping. Hence, the bigger and shinier they are, the more nervous I am. And, what gets even weirder is that I’m not afraid of the popping. I like it when they pop. Because then they are gone. Good riddance.
I hate it. I’d like to tell my parents – and all those desis and everyone else who looks at me strange when I mention it – trust me, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t be globophobic.
I think it took root at my first birthday party – kids kept coming in my face and popping balloons. Childhood trauma 
Now, any time I go to a party, the entire ride, my palms are sweating (literally), my heart is palpating and I’m on the verge of a panic attack. It’s quite horrible. I hate it. I’m gripped with this terror the whole time. It sounds ridiculous, perhaps, but there you have it. And the whole time, I’ll just be thinking about how I can leave early. Once there, I assess the situation quickly. I have to go through all these mental maneuvers and consolations to keep my heart from palpating, to keep my breathing even – “It’ll be over soon” – “Look, dessert! Ooh, cheesecake!” – “Don’t look that way – this side of the room doesn’t have any” – “It’s ok, just send the kids to their dad if they want balloons.”
There you have it. I admitted it to the world (or anyone willing to read through all of this waffle).
I have an irrational fear of balloons. And to anyone who thinks it’s stupid or doesn’t make sense — I. Don’t. Care.
A Spin on Rice Krispie Treats October 29, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Recipes.add a comment
My mom makes these Peanut Butter Rice Krispie treats – y’know, cause it’s so hard to find halal marshmallows? A looong time ago, she got the recipe from a friend. They’re really good – nice and chewy! I never tried to make them at home though.
Yesterday we had a bunch of guests over, so I thought I’d forego my usual trifle (I figure people are sick of it by now….) and look up something new. I made these “Crunchy Fudge Sandwiches.” Maaan they came out niiice. I know I’ll be making these a lot And they’re so easy to make too – takes 20 minutes tops!
Here’s the link to their site and I’ll put it here too, in case they take it down.
Ingredients:
Procedure:
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal to butterscotch mixture, stirring until well coated. Press half of cereal mixture into 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Chill in refrigerator while preparing filling. Set remaining cereal mixture aside.
3. Combine chocolate morsels, powdered sugar, butter and water. Stir over very low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is well blended. Spread over chilled cereal mixture. Spread remaining cereal mixture evenly over top. Press in gently. Chill. Remove from refrigerator for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Devour
Al-Nawawi & the People October 29, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Hadith, Islam.Tags: death of An-Nawawi
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This section is about how Al-Nawawi stood up in defense of the people against the sultan. It is quite lengthy and includes the actual text of the letters sent to the Sultan. If I were to discuss the stories, I might as well type up the whole chapter. So inshaAllah a few snippets and the gist of the letters will have to do.
Al-Nawawi understood very well the evil of disobeying Allah. He would not accept or remain silent in the presence of any evil, no matter who or what the source. He stood up for the sake of Allah and he feared the punishment of no one but Allah. He once stated that he considered dying for the sake of Allah an act of worship.
Hence, he would stand up to the king, the other scholars, the powers that be and anyone else for the sake of Allah.
At the same time, he understood very well the words of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
“The religion is sincere advice.”
He took it upon himself to advise those who were doing wrong. He used soft speech and convincing arguements from the Qur’an and Sunnah wherever appropriate. If this had no affect, then he would take a harsher approach to try to correct the wrong that appeared around him. 
The leader of the Muslims during much of Al-Nawawi’s lifetime was Sultan al-Dhaahir. He was the one who fought the Mongols and handed them a great defeat. However, his status and popularity did not prevent Al-Nawawi from standing up to him when he was wrong. He would approach him personally in the Hall of Justice (Daar al-’Adl) or write to him if necessary.
He wrote many letters to the Sultan in defense of the people. First, he wrote to him in regards to the unfair taxes on the people and later on because of the harsh treatment in regards to their properties.
Al-Nawawi also stood up for (more…)
Isbaal & The Beard October 25, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in AlMaghrib, Islam.Tags: Precious Provisions, Yasir Qadhi
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I realize that I have not been keeping up with my notes from Precious Provisions. I really need to take a time management class…Anyways, we shall continue inshaAllah with the Fiqh of Men’s Clothing.
After this is the sisters’ Fiqh of Clothing!
Precious Provisions
taught by Yasir Qadhi
Section 4: Fiqh of Men’s Clothing
Isbaal
Isbaal comes from the verb sabala, which means to proceed down. Sabeel means a path/tunnel. So Isbaal technically means to lower the garments below the ankles.
*For women, this ruling is irrelevant.*
Once upon a time, isbaal was a sign of extravagance and arrogance. Amongst the Arabs, cloth was a rare commodity. Most Arabs only had two garments that they owned. Even the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam probably had three garments, at most, at the same time. So, they would wear what clothes they had at a high level [as in, high on their bodies] so as not to soil the garments. The rich and elite that could flaunt their wealth would make a point to wear their garments very low. Every culture and society has a way of flaunting their wealth – whether it’s through designer brands, etc. The way the Arabs did it was by lowering the garments. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam forbade this act.
The question arose: why was it forbidden? Was it associated with the pride and arrogance? Or is the act itself haram, (more…)
The Cave Man October 21, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Marriage.Tags: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
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So this is part 3 of my Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus series.
Stress Relief: the Cave of Solitude
Men and women cope with stress VERY differently. Men tend to become increasingly focused and withdrawn, while women become increasingly overwhelmed and emotionally involved. Men feel better by solving their problems and women feel better by talking about them
That is because martians are cavemen at heart A man will retreat to his cave (deep, deep in his cave…) to find a solution to his problem. And he will become so focused on solving his problem that he will temporarily lose awareness of everything else. This translates into becoming distant, forgetful and preoccupied. After all, Martians feel good about themselves when they accomplish goals themselves; there is no reason to bother anyone else. When he does solve his problem, he’ll feel better and reemerge from his cave.
If he can’t find a solution, he will remain stuck in the save. To become unstuck – and to help him focus better – he may solve problems of a smaller degree to help him forget the bigger problem. For example, he may read the news, exercise, etc.
How Women Feel About the Cave
In three words (more…)
An-Nawawi: Aqeedah and Works October 11, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Hadith, Islam.Tags: Jamaal Zarabozo
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Aqeedah
An-Nawawi never wrote a book on aqeedah. His aqeedah may, however, be derived from his commentary on Sahih Muslim.
When talking about difference of aqeedah, at least from what I noted in the chapter, the author is referring to the Names and Attributes of Allah subhaana wa ta’aala. Whatever Allah and His Messenger have said about Allah’s Attributes is accepted and true; without needing to reinterpret. Reinterpretation is known as ta’weel. For example, interpreting “Allah’s Hand” to mean His Power or Mercy would be ta’weel. Allah says He has a Hand, therefore, we believe that He has a Hand. wAllahu ‘Alam (Allah knows best).
An-Nawawi made ta’weel in his commentary of Sahih Muslim, but it would seem that An-Nawawi (more…)
An-Nawawi: The Life October 7, 2009
Posted by ummibraheem in Hadith, Islam.Tags: 40 hadith An-Nawawi
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We can learn a lot by looking at the lives of the pious predecessors. They should be our role models and the ones we strive to immitate. I personally love to read about the companions, scholars and prophets. Their stories are so uplifting and really make me feel shameful for how much time I waste and the life I live. Their examples are such an inspiration for Muslims everywhere.
Their examples demonstrate that in every age, there were pious Muslims who followed the way of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam without compromise and without giving into the desires of this world.
A lot of the time, I think we tend to see scholars and companions as in a far off world, as if they lived in a Eutopic world in which they didn’t have to face the real life problems that we face. On the contrary, I believe that their problems were far worse than ours.
The author says that he kept the chapter on the Imam’s life brief, but it’s 40+ pages long, mashaAllah! And worth reading every letter Alhamdulillah I split the chapter on the Imam’s life into three parts: his life, his aqeedah and works, and lastly his bravery (which I believe are mostly stories of him standing up for justice to the rulers). A lot of it is just taken straight from the book, because his life was so amazing, I just didn’t want to leave anything out
An-Nawawi: The Life
Background and Childhood
An-Nawawi lived during very turbulent times for the Muslims. In the 7th Century after Hijra (or 11th century A.C), the Mongols were invading the Muslims from the East and the Crusaders from the West. Despite these difficult times, the scholars of Islam kept the light of Islamic knowledge strong. Noor al-Deen Zanki (d. 569) revived Islamic studies in Ash-Shaam (“Greater Syra”). He opened many schools, including the first Dar al-Hadith in Damascus, Aleppo.
His name was Muhi al-Deen Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Hizaami al-Nawawi.
Muhi al-Deen means (more…)
