A Christian Arab Perspective on Ramadan Fasting

Christian Arabs in the Middle East are much like Jews in the West. When the official holidays roll around, we are both pretty much pushed off to the side and forced to sing along with everyone else. Jews in America experience this feeling of being left out during the Christian holidays that bring life in the country to a grinding halt, and so are Christian Arabs who sit back and watch as the Arab world turns its focus on Islam. For Jews in America, it was very difficult to be in a public school and not be told that Jesus was born on Christmas Day, or sing Christmas carols at the school holiday play, although I imagine it is like that for Arabs who live in Israel. Many American businesses shut down on Christmas and even Good Friday which precedes Easter, while most others stay open but spend their time relaxing as the Christian world around them comes to a grinding halt. Some Jews even put up “Christmas Trees” to help their children avoid the feeling of being left out. It’s much like that in the Middle East for Arab Christians where Islam is the dominant religion. The Christian presence, which began in the Holy Land centuries before Prophet Muhammad took up the call, has been dwindling significantly as a result of growing political turmoil, increasing Islamic activism and subtle anti-Christian pressures forbidden from being discussed openly and never discussed in the Arab world media. What once was the “Arab world”, a secular place where everyone no matter the size of your constituency were equals, is today the Islamic world, celebrating a religion in which, ironically, Arabs are becoming more and more the disappearing minority. The monthlong annual observance of one of Islam’s most important religious duties, Ramadan, began in the United States on Thursday, Sept. 12, when someone in the religious community declared they saw the first light of the crescent moon. As in Christianity and Judaism, the Islamic calendar is marked by the cycles of the moon, and the observance begins about 11 days earlier each year, unlike Christmas which is marked by a specific date, Dec. 25. During Ramadan, Muslims will abstain from food, drink and other indulgences, and they are inspired to “renew their devotion to God.” Just as the Christian world shuts down around Jews in the West, the Arab world shuts down around Christians in the Middle East. Although Islam, like Christianity, is based on a principle of tolerance of others, not all Muslims will tolerate Christians who engage in public displays of celebration during this month. Muslims frown on any public displays or celebrations during their religious observance, by themselves or by others, including Christian Arabs. I spent Ramadan in Bethlehem in 2004 and learned that Christians are forced to observe Ramadan, too. The Christians spent the entire time complaining about the secular impact of Ramadan. Christian-owned restaurants in this city that was once the birthplace of the Christian religion, are forced to close their outdoor patios and temper events such as Christian weddings, parties or large meetings. If you do stop at a restaurant and insist on eating outside, Muslims who walk by will frown and one even walked up to me to say in Arabic that I was being disrespectful for eating in front of Muslims who were in the midst of a difficult fast. Christian life comes to a grinding halt throughout the occupied territories, and in much of the Arab world where Islam has become the focus not only of the governments that have declared it their official religions, but in the societies, too. But it’s no different even here in “Christian America,” where the post-Sept. 11, 2001 terrorism attacks have forced Americans to open their eyes and minds more to learn about the 19 Arab Muslim hijackers who commandeered four commercial jets killing 3,000 innocent American civilians in the nation’s most brazen terrorist act. This week the Chicago Tribune, the Midwest’s largest newspaper, began a five-day series of full-page articles on the meaning of Ramadan. In one, an Arab girl was spotlighted as a Muslim, with scant mention of her Arab heritage. The word “Arab” has a bad connotation, these days, not only in the mainstream media, but among the Arabs themselves who prefer to refer to themselves now as “Muslims.” Ironically, the majority of Arabs in America are not Muslim, but Christian, though there are far more Muslims, more than one billion, in the world. There is no thought to “Arabs” at all and as an Arab and a Christian, I feel the double whammy of being cast aside not only by Muslims, but also by Americans who continue to remain naïve about the fundamentals of the Middle East and everything related to the “war on terrorism,” frequently mistake me for a Muslim. One Christian American once told me, “I can’t believe you abandoned your Christian faith to become an Arab.” So this month, as all Arab-American activities come to a halt until the sun sets and the iftar, breaking of the Ramadan fast is allowed, I will relax, read and quietly enjoy my own faith knowing that in this world, I am a vanishing breed. .

Why Women Are Forbidden To Marry More Than One Husband In One Time?

Why Women Are Forbidden To Marry More Than One Husband In One Time?

In a delightful report about how Imam Abu Hanifa received his name (his original name was Numan bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mah), an account of why the wife is forbidden to take more than one husband is recounted.

'Abu Hanifa' is an unusual name because it means 'the father of Hanifah', and Hanifah was his daughter. It was not the custom in those days to do this. Normally, the name would be 'the father of the name of a son.' How this came about is quite edifying.

One day Imam Abu Hanifa was asked a question that, for the first time in his illustrious career, he was unable to answer. The question was, "Why were women forbidden to marry more than one husband at a time?"

To make a long story short, Abu Hanifa's daughter said that she knew the answer and would solve this question if her father would make a promise to her that if she succeeded in solving this problem, he would then assure her a place in history. Abu Hanifa agreed.

So she gathered a group of women together and gave each of them a cup. Then she brought in a large bowl of milk and asked each of them to dip their cups in the milk and to fill their cups. They did so. She then asked them to pour back the milk into the bowl. They did this too. She then asked them to re-fill their cups taking back only their own milk that they had poured into the bowl.

This, obviously, was impossible to do. Hanifah had clearly demonstrated the kind of predicament that would be created if a woman had several husbands. With more than one husband, if she were to become pregnant, she would have exceptional difficulties determining who the actual father was? Identifying parentage and lineage would then be insurmountable for the offspring. Imam Abu Hanifa was so pleased with her answer that he took the name 'Abu Hanifa', 'the father of Hanifah', so his daughter did indeed earn a place in history.

Why do we read the Qur’an when we do not understand Arabic?

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Quran. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa! I try to read the Quran just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur’an do?”

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water. The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try in.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!”
“So you think it is useless?” The old man said, “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. Son, that’s what happens when you read the Qur’an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.”

~why muslim girl wear covers their body and hair?~

A non-Muslim guy asked a Muslim guy:"Why do your girls cover up their body & hair?"Muslim guy smiled & take 2 sweets & then he open one of the sweet. The other one he keep it close.He thrown both of tht sweets on sand & ask:"If I ask u to take one of the sweets which one u will choose then?"...The non-Muslim guy said:"The covered one"Then the Muslim guy said:

"That's why our women cover their aurah"

the most beautiful.. always hard to get and see it.. that is the muslim girl.

"A British man came to a Sheikh and asked: Why is not permissible in Islam for women to shake hands with a man? The Sheikh said: Can you shake hands with Queen Elizabeth? British man replied: Of course not, there are only certain people who can shake hands with Queen Elizabeth. Sheikh then replied: Our women are queens and queens do not shake hands with strange men":)

the clouds are soft and beautiful. but you could only see it from far and could never touch it. like a muslim girl..

History of Ramadhan

History of RAMADHAN

The origin of "Ramadan", the sacred Muslim occassion, can be traced partly to historic accounts as well as the various holy Islamic texts. A great part of the history of Ramadan depends on ancient Islamic folklore.

According to the Islamic texts, Ramadan began with Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam who was born in 570 CE in the Arabian city of Mecca. Orphaned at a young age, Muhammad was reared by his uncle Abu Talib. The boy grew up to be a merchant, as well as a shepherd. He was first married by age 25.

Gradually Muhammad began to be dissatisfied with his life in Mecca. Having an idealistic and religious temperament from his very early days, he retreated to the caves in the surrounding mountains of Mecca for meditation and reflection.

According to Islam, one night during the month of Ramadan in the year 610 A.D. when Muhammad was 40 years of age and was passing the month in meditation in Mount Hira, he had a vision of an angel appearing before him. This angel introduced himself as Jibril and revealed that Muhammad was the messenger of Allah and was born to be a prophet to his people. The angel asked Muhammad to recite what he said:

"Recite in the name of your Lord Who creates.
Creates man from a clot.
Recite: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful
Who teaches by the pen,
He teaches man what he does not know."

With a confounded mind, Muhammad descended from Mount Hira and told everything to his wife Khadijah. He feared that he had had an encounter with an evil spirit. But Khadijah allayed his fears reminding him of his good conduct until then and that it was impossible for him to be visited by a demon. She took him to her old cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal and told the latter everything about Muhammad's meeting with the angel. Waraqa ibn Nawfal was a much learned man and was well-versed in various sacred texts concerning different religion. The lettered man convinced Muhammad that he was indeed a messenger of God and the angel who visited Muhammad was the same divine messenger Gabriel who had also visited the Hebrew prophet Moses.

In the following twenty-three years, Muhammad was visited many times by Jibril who taught him the holy knowledge in verses. This sacred knowledge consists of the code of conduct that Allah wants his people to maintain on earth. It is inscribed in verses which are compiled in the holy Qur'an, the most sacred book in Islam.

It is said that the sacred knowledge was revealed to Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. "Laylat al-Qadr" - a night of the month is symbolically regarded as the same night on which the holy knowledge was gifted to Muhammad and mankind. The followers of Islam consider "Laylat al-Qadr" as the "Night of the Power", the holiest night of the year.

As a mark of respect to Allah and to show gratitude to him for the true knowledge that he gifted to his sons and daughters, the prophet asked his followers (and therefore the followers of Islam) to pass the month of Ramadan in fasting, prayers and other austerities and end the month-long non-indulgence with festive celebrations.

The Quran instructs us:
"Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. Allah wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify Allah for guiding you, and to express your appreciation." [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:185]

Thus was born the sacred occassion called Ramadan, a month-long period of austerity that sees devout Muslims across the world keep themselves away during the entire daytime, offering prayers and abstaining from almost every kind of enjoyment including drinking and abstaining from sex. For Muslims all over, it is a very special time - of introspection, meditation, self control, charitable activities, and spirituality and of course, devotion to God.

Benefits of Dates Fruit for Women and Men

Benefits of Dates Fruit for Women and Men

Dates are highly nutrient dense foods. They provide large quantities of dietary fiber, dates calcium, iron, sulfur, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, and magnesium. These essential nutrients are needed for optimum health.

• Dates provide instant energy and boost stamina and tolerance levels.
• Dates work wonderfully for the GI tract. It combats the most stubborn case of constipation and bowel irregularity. It reduces the transit time of stool within the colon.
• Beta glucan found in dates is very good for diabetes.
• It prevents spiking and excessive oscillation of the blood sugar level.
• Dates check the multiplication of worms and parasites in the bowel, and promote the growth of the friendly, beneficial bacteria.
• Dates are used to treat anemic conditions.
• It manages anemic headaches, breathlessness and dizziness successfully.
• Dates also promote healthy heart functioning. The fruit checks a range of cardiovascular diseases.
• Research also says that dates contain powerful anti-oxidants that ward off cancers by fighting the free radicals.

THE MORE YOU GIVE- THE MORE YOU GET

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

In this special Ramadan, MRC had planned a few program in order to enlighten this month. One of the program that will be done is a charity visit to old folk's home. So here, MRC NILAI really appreciate if there anybody who want to donate some of their belongings such as money, clothes and others which will be contributed to those less fortunate old folks.

A few members of MRC NILAI had visited them ( first visit ) last week to make a floor plan, making a few preparation and meet with it's founder, Puan Muji. She was a nurse at Hospital Serdang before this. She said that many of the old folks that staying in this charity home were taken from the hospital.

RUMAH JAGAAN & RAWATAN ORANG TUA AL IKHLAS really need support from us.

Insya Allah later, we will share the further information and story after been there, on this 21st August and will be participated by all MRC's committee.. Those who would like to give some donation, you may to do so by referring to us ( MRC NILAI ). Thank you.

RAMADAN KAREEM!

Wassalam.