Quarantined

I won't be blogging much the next couple of days.  Mostly because my head still hurts and its hard to focus.  And why is that you might ask?

Because I got the horrible, the dreaded,

H1N1

I'm totally serious.  I just got it 3 days ago.  I am past the "I feel like I'm going to die or hack up a lung" stage and now I'm just in the "I'm tired and congested" stage.  Either way this flu sucks.

And on top of that they quarantine you in your home for 6 days.  So I can't go back to work till Thursday which is bad because I actually don't remember much from Wednesday-Thursday and I'm a little afraid I may have forgotten to do things at work.  Which is never good and apparently normal when you get the flu.   It starts off as a bad head cold with a cough and headache, rapidly turning into a super illness in only a day or two.  I guess you forget about stuff when your head hurts and you have a 102 fever huh?

If you start coughing (Its a deep, painful cough), get stomach cramps, and get congested out of no where go to your doctor immediately.  They can give you tamiflu if the illness is caught within 72 hours.  And it is mighty helpful.

Basically, I can't think enough or look at a computer long enough to blog about anything meaningful.  Hopefully, I will feel better and can use my days off to do some drawing.  I've already watched the entire fourth season of How I Met Your Mother but I still have season two of Greek and season one of Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia to keep me company.  I can't read yet, gives me a headache :(

Stay well!  And pray that I didn't screw up anything at the office :)

Supplication When Faced With A Worrisome Task

1	Title: His Supplication When Faced With A Worrisome Task, Or When Misfortune Descended, And At The Time of Distress Psalms of Islam - Imam Zayn ul-A'Bideen Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem  O He through whom the knots of detested things are untied!            O He through whom the cutting edge of hardships is blunted!            O He from whom is begged the outlet to the freshness of relief!
2	Intractable affairs yield to Thy power,            means are made ready by Thy gentleness,            the decree goes into effect through Thy power,            and all things proceed according to Thy desire.
3	By Thy desire they follow Thy command                      without Thy word            and by Thy will they obey Thy bans                      without Thy prohibition.
4	Thou art the supplicated in worries                      and the place of flight in misfortunes;            none of them is repelled unless Thou repellest,                      none is removed unless Thou removest.
5	Upon me has come down, My Lord,                      something whose weight burdens me            and upon me has fallen                      something whose carrying oppresses me.
6	Through Thy power                      Thou hast brought it down upon me            and through Thy authority                      Thou hast turned it toward me.
7	None can send away what Thou hast brought,            none can deflect what Thou hast turned,            none can open what Thou hast closed,            none can close what Thou hast opened,            none can make easy what Thou hast made difficult,            none can help him whom Thou hast abandoned.
8	So bless Muhammad and his Household,            open for me, my Lord, the door of relief through Thy graciousness,            break from me the authority of worry by Thy strength,            confer the beauty of Thy gaze upon my complaint,            let me taste the sweetness of benefaction in what I ask,            give me from Thyself mercy and wholesome relief,            and appoint for me from Thyself a quick way out!
9	Distract me not through worry            from observing Thy obligations            and acting in accordance with Thy prescriptions.
10	My capacity has been straitened, my Lord,                      by what has come down on me,            and I am filled with worry                      by carrying what has happened to me,            while Thou hast power to remove what has afflicted me                      and to repel that into which I have fallen.            So do that for me                      though I merit it not from Thee,                      O Possessor of the Mighty Throne!

Review: Mere Christianity

Title: Mere Christianity **

Author: C.S. Lewis

Genre: Non-Fiction, Christian

Content:

C.S. Lewis gives the reader his insight on the truth of Christianity and what really makes someone a Christian. He dives deep into dogma, faith, and the understanding of Christ as God.

Opinion:

I have mixed feelings. We will start with the good.

The book is rather interesting and written in a conversational manner. He does have a unique perspective on the Christian existence. He writes with great passion and love for his religion as he is a revert to Christianity. His book on the trinity is particularly interesting. The way he describes the relationship between God, Son of God, and Holy Spirit is unique. His concept almost made sense to me.

bad seems like the wrong word so we will say The Other:

Do not expect this book to answer your questions. It will not. It may in fact confuse you even more. I had high hopes for this book when I was 3 chapters in and had not yet been bombarded by the things which frustrate me about Christian literature. Funny enough, I ran into them by chapter 4. He, as many, takes the view that only Christians will be saved in the end and somehow everyone is Christian or will realize that they are Christian at the end of days. All will accept Jesus as the savior of man in the end. After this happened it got hard for me to read the book because this belief pushes my buttons in a bad way. He also attributed a lot of things such as forgiveness, avoidance of pride, and the "Cardinal Virtues" (Prudence, Temperance, Justice, and Fortitude) souly to Christianity and no other religion. He states that these ideas are only seen in Christianity and no other religion can see them as clearly as those who accept Christ. Obviously, I highly disagree.

I also had previously posted that CS Lewis was able to say that either the man or the woman could be dominate in their relationship. Looking back at the chapter, I realized this is NOT what he said but that we are incapable of being the leaders in a relationship do to lack of rationale or heightened emotions. Sorry CS Lewis but no. Its the whole "Man was made for God, and woman for man" thing all over again.

Buy or Library: Depends. If you are truly settled into the Christian religion then I would say buy it. You will enjoy it and most likely want to read it again. You may even be able to gain some insight from it. If you are not settled into Christianity or you are frustrated with Christianity this book will only frustrate you further. I do recommend giving it a read, but get it from the library. You most likely won't want to read it again.

If you like this you may like: Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis, When Bad Things Happen to Good People - Harold Kushner, Living Buddha, Living Christ - Thich Naht Hanh

This is Halloween, This is Halloween...

"Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! This is Halloween everybody make a scene, Trick or Treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright!"

Oh how I LOVE The Nightmare Before Christmas. One of the greatest movies of all time.

Halloween is on its way and I find myself not really caring. Halloween was cool when I was a kid and went trick or treating. Now it just doesn't fit with my lifestyle. Trick or treating in cute costumes has been replaced by bouncing to bars asking for alcohol in the sluttiest outfits possible. Not my scene. Haunted houses terrify me and I hate scary movies. The only thing I really like about Halloween is dressing in costumes, which can be done any time of the year. Costume parties are not limited to Halloween.

Halloween is a weird holiday in general. It was yet another pagan holiday that the Christians adopted and turned into a religious holiday (All Saints Day Eve so to speak). All Saints Day is when the Christians honor the saints and martyrs of the past. It's a nice idea but its still based off a pagan holiday...then again so are a lot of Christmas and Easter practices (dying eggs and decorating trees has nothing to do with Christianity). I think this was done to make the pagans feel more at home in their new religion but its still weird to me. Its like by giving it a Christian connotation you can make pagan things ok. Yet I will admit, I like dying eggs and decorating trees.

For Halloween I will most likely be doing nothing. Unless of course all my friends are bored and we want to play the Wii.

If you do go out, be safe.

Salaam.

Sura Al-Anfal/ Qur'an Structure/Repeated Ayahs

What's with the sura on war?

I'm now on Sura Al-Anfal.  The majority of the sura is on war.  There have also been a couple of other ayahs on war as well.  I'm not sure how I feel about an entire part of a holy book being dedicated to war.  Especially when I know that the religion itself is suppose to be dedicated to peaceful resolutions, not war.  So why all the war talk?  

I would like to take it as a metaphor for protecting ones beliefs.  One should "fight" against the unbelievers and protect their religion.  One should stand up for what one believes in to the end. This seems very possible because the Qur'an likes metaphors, however I think it is this sura that causes so much trouble.  That gives "jihad" a bad name so to speak.  If a person uneducated in Islam read this sura they would think it confirmed the notion that Islam promotes war and wants all non-muslims eliminated (most would take "unbelievers" to be all non-muslims even though it really means "those who do not believe in one God").  It also allows extremists the opportunity to twist the Qur'an to promote their less peaceful and deadly "jihad".

Yet its weird because on and off it goes on tangents about obeying God and his Apostle and about listening to the word of God.  And preaches of peace for your self in your belief in God.

I don't think the sura is talking about actual war.  But then, what is it talking about?  Anyone have info they can share?

I am still not use to how the Qur'an is set up.  It is definitely in some sort of order but I'm not sure what.  It also doesn't tell stories like the Bible but gives you snipits of stories.  Its almost like its saying "ok you know this story from the Torah/Bible, the information you are given now should fill in the missing parts of said story".  The stories are also broken up throughout the book so you almost have to go back and forth reading to make sense of it all.

Also I have noticed things that like to repeat such as:

O ye who believe

Obey God and his Apostle 

and turn not away from him

when ye hear (him speak)

Nor be like those who say

"We hear" , but listen not.

And with that collection of random notes, good night!

The Whispered Prayer of the Thankful

	Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem 1  My God,           the uninterrupted flow of Thy graciousness              hast distracted me from thanking Thee!              The flood of Thy bounty has rendered me incapable              of counting Thy praises!              The succession of Thy kind acts has diverted me             from mentioning Thee in laudation!            The continuous rush of Thy benefits has thwarted me           from spreading the news of Thy gentle favours!           This is the station of him who            confesses to the lavishness of favours,            meets them with shortcomings,           and witnesses to his own disregard and negligence.           Thou art the Clement, the Compassionate,            the Good, the Generous,            who does not disappoint those who aim for Him,            nor cast out from His courtyard those who expect from Him!           In Thy yard are put down the saddlebags of the hopeful           and in Thy plain stand the hopes of the help-seekers!           So meet not our hopes by disappointing and disheartening            and clothe us not in the shirt of despair and despondency!
2	My God,           my thanksgiving is small            before Thy great boons,            and my praise and news-spreading shrink            beside Thy generosity toward me!           Thy favours have wrapped me            in the robes of the lights of faith,            and the gentlenesses of Thy goodness have let down over me           delicate curtains of might!           Thy kindnesses           have collared me with collars not to be moved           and adorned me with neck-rings not to be broken!           Thy boons are abundant -           my tongue is too weak to count them!           Thy favours are many -           my understanding falls short of grasping them,           not to speak of exhausting them!           So how can I achieve thanksgiving?           For my thanking Thee requires thanksgiving.           Whenever I say, 'To Thee belongs praise!',           it becomes thereby incumbent upon me to say,           'To Thee belongs praise'!
3	My God,           as Thou hast fed us through Thy gentleness           and nurtured us through Thy benefaction,           so also complete for us lavish favours,           repel from us detested acts of vengeance,           and of the shares of the two abodes,           give us their most elevated and their greatest,           both the immediate and the deferred!           To Thee belongs praise           for Thy good trial and the lavishness of Thy favours,           a praise           conforming to Thy good pleasure           and attracting Thy great goodness and magnanimity.           O All-mighty,           O All-generous!           By Thy mercy,          O Most Merciful of the merciful! Psalms of Islam (Al-Sahifah Al-Sajjadiyyah Al-Kamilah) by Imam Al-I Ibnul-Husayn Zaynul-AA'Bideen As-Sajjad

Istikhara: I think it works

As you all know I am on hiatus for a reason. I've been going through some rough things, even having trouble figuring out the small stuff. I am incredibly lost and confused, stuck in the never-ending religion limbo.

I needed some guidance on doing a particular thing to farther my journey into Islam. I remembered a prayer Tuttie liked, The Guidance Prayer or Istikhara, and thought it was time to give it a try. I was unable to do the ritual prayer that is suppose to go along with the supplication because I frankly don't know how. The supplication seems to have been enough. I really enjoy this prayer. It speaks my language and says exactly what I am trying to say. Before I said the prayer, I told God what it was that I was praying about. Then, in a quiet voice, I did the prayer.

So today, I am reading blogs as I do every morning and I come back across Sarah's post about feeling far away from God. And she talks about how it is possible that you need to make a commitment to move forward. That you just have to say "this is what I am going to do." And do it. One second guesses oneself out of fear. Fear keeps us from empowering ourselves. You have to step over fear to move forward.

So that is what I am going to do. Step over my fear of other muslims, of possibly being teased, of naseeha.

I'm going to the school. Mash'Allah.

Istikhara/Guidance Prayer

Book On Muhammad (PBUH)?

Anyone know of a good book on the prophet Muhammad(PBUH)?  Something about his life, who he was as a person.  I have realized that although I have been studying the religion for quite some time I have neglected my studies on its messenger.  I have spent more time studying Jesus (PBUH) in Islam than Muhammad (PBUH).  Which makes sense since Christianity is what I come from and I am trying to make sense of a rather large change but knowing the prophet of a religion is important in the quest to gain a well rounded understanding.

Any thoughts?  If there is a collection of hadiths by the prophet in print I would love that as well!

Goodbye Qur'an, Hello Aunt Flo

A weird habit has developed over the last couple of weeks. I, without trying, always wake up between 3pm and 4pm. I find myself unexplainably awake way too early. I found myself reading the Qur'an for about twenty minutes or so during this time. It calms me and I am able to go back to sleep. This is good I would think...except...

Aunt Flo came to visit and I forgot.

Now I don't think God will banish me into eternal darkness for forgetting that I can't read the Qur'an while Aunt Flo is visiting. That's not the problem. The problem is I am annoyed because now I can't read the Qur'an. I do finally get the point of the whole "no salat, no Qu'ran during Flo's visit" concept. It makes sense. It is a bodily fluid so just like any bodily fluid you would make sure it was cleaned off before reading or praying. Bad part is, Aunt Flo doesn't leave right away, she loves to stick around for a week. I'm also a bit frustrated because the prayer I desperately need again, "Prayer for the removal of worries" has suras and ayahs from the Qur'an in it and I need my Qur'an to look them up. This means no prayer, but I NEED IT. Le Sigh.

But I have made an interesting observation:

I miss the Qur'an. I am really starting to enjoy it. I particularly enjoy the half hour every evening that I sit and read it. Now, for about 5 days, I cannot. Sad face.

Also, Aunt Flo reminded me that I found something interesting a long time ago that I wanted to share with you all. Apparently, you can pray depending on severity of Aunt Flo's stay:

Haiz - Normal period length for the individual. During this, women do not perform their 5 daily prayers (Du'a is allowed). For most this is 5-7 days.

Istehaza - If the period extends beyond its normal length or is irregular:

a) In small quantities, insufficient to wet a cotton pad through

b) In somewhat larger quantities, enough to soak a cotton pad, but not completely

c) In large quantity

The discharge of Istehaza is usually not so dark in color and not so dense as the blood of Haiz. In the case of Istehaza in small quantity all that is necessary is to change the sanitary pad and it is not necessary to take a bath. In the case of larger quantity a bath should be taken in the morning and the sanitary pad be changed, but only the Wuzu should be performed before each prayer. In the case of Istehaza excessive discharge of blood is in such quantities as to soak through the sanitary pad completely, a bath must be taken before each prayer, without which the prayer would be invalid.

Know Your Islam - Yousuf N. Lalljee

Just thought it was interesting. Somehow this passage made me ok with the no prayer thing. That and I read an article that I can no longer find that compared Haiz to being like any other bodily fluid. That made me feel less attacked and made it seem more practical.

Anywho food for thought.

Review: Persepolis

Title: Persepolis

Author: Marjane Satrapi

Genre: Memoir, Graphic Novel

Content:

Persepolis depicts the life of one Marjane during the revolution in Iran.  It takes you through her young life, through her experiences moving to Austria for school, and back to Iran as an adult.  This book pays particular attention to hystorial events and takes a deep, gritty look into Iranian hystory.  It really takes a deep look into how government and religion should not mix - that religion will end up taking a back seat to the vendetta of the government.  The people will even forget why they do certain religious acts, such as wearing a veil.   I won't say anymore or it will ruin the book for all.  

The artwork is stunning.  Done is only shapes of black and white, the art itself tells the majority of the story.  Her work is incredibly unique and fluid.  

Buy or Library: Buy it.  You will want to read it again to see what you missed.

If you like this you may like: Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman and David Polonsky, Blankets by Craig Thompson, Maus by Art Spiegelman

Is it sad that I've already Bought a Christmas Present?

Because I have. I can't believe it either. It seems too early but I HATE the Christmas crowds and try to get anything store related out of the way before Thanksgiving. I can't stand fighting through the crowds for something that I easily could have gotten a month ago without any trouble. Plus we have tourists here (AHHHH!)

Still, this is crazy. I mean I haven't even bought Eid gifts but I've started on Christmas. I even started planning what I'm going to get for people. All in hopes of avoiding crowds and getting things shipped home before the shipping prices skyrocket or it takes twice as long to send a package because of the heavy mail traffic.

Then again its probably smart to spread out the buying. Then you don't end up with one massive credit card bill in December. Budget Smart!

Crazy. Bah Humbug.

Halal Mix Tape

Hillarious.  Watch the whole thing.  And then watch "I'm Bringing Sunnah Back".

They to "Tearing Up My Heart" NSYNC...I needed nothing else to absolutely loose it.

ROTFL

Why Can't I Get The Respect Without The Scarf?

I talked with a friend of mine today about this.  She is fascinated with my excursion into Islam and I was telling her about how I've been out in hijab and how I loved how I was treated.  And she said to me:

"Thats wonderful!  It's too bad we can't get that type of respect anyway."

I stopped and thought, "You know, why can't we get that type of respect without a scarf?"  Why does it take a scarf to get a man to give me space on the train or for them to say "excuse me" before passing?  Or if they do bump in to you they apologize at least.  Or to let me go first through the door so as to not shove me ( I LOVE that one the most).  Shouldn't they do that anyway because I am a woman and it is respectful/polite to do so?  What happened to manners in this world.  Even when I am in modest clothing sans scarf I still do not get the type of respect I deserve as a woman.  My personal bubble is constantly invaded.  Yes I live in a very crowded place but that does not excuse rudeness or disrespect.  

Any thoughts ladies?

Hijab Take 2!

HAPPY!

It has gotten quite cold here so I figured today would be a good, yet inconspicuous, day to try wearing hijab on my own.  I used one of those cloth headbands as an underscarf (thank you Amber) and put on my scarf like anyone would if they were using it to keep warm/using it as a hood.  I took a walk to the grocery store which is about half a mile from my apartment.  No issues but I noticed some things:

1) Most women don't even notice you.  But the muslim women sometimes look at you in pure shock.  I wonder if it is the shock of seeing a white woman in hijab that does it.

2) Men are so polite when you are in hijab.  They say "excuse me" before they pass you or walk around you all together.  

3) Young muslim men are funny.  They look at you then get embarrassed when you spot them looking at you.  I wonder if they are having the "oh look at the white muslim" reaction or "look at the convert".  Not sure.

I then decided to take a trip to my halal butcher.  I have been going to this butcher for over a year now and the two brothers that own it have always been very polite to me.  The look on the elder brothers face when I walked in to the shop in hijab was priceless.  He got a huge smile on his face when he recognized me and yelled out "Salaam Aleikum!".  That got the other brother's attention at the meat counter who also got a huge smile on his face and replied to me "Asalaam Aleikum!  What can I do for you today sister?"  Teehee they called me sister!  It was so nice, they were so happy.  I think they may have also been happy to have finally figured me out after over a year.  My bill was also less than usual...coincidence?

So good day today.  Now off to make dinner. Mmmmm chili.

Salaam!

When People Bash Shi'as it makes me sad

:( Everytime I hear someone call Shi'as unbelievers or say they "do everything different. They are wrong" it makes me really sad. It is like the Protestant religions against the Catholics all over again. It is not fair for it is always done without research on the accusers part. All because they pray with a minuscule difference and believe that the Ahul'bayt are the rightful successors? Nope because most attack due to horrendous rumors that have built over time. Ridiculous things that are so ludicrous I find it unfathomable that people still believe them.  

There really is no difference outside outside of 3 things: One small difference in prayer, the Ahul'bayt as successors, and Ashura. That is it people! They are muslims, they pray 5 times a day, they use the SAME Qur'an, believe in the same God. They are not zealots, extremists, traitors, or anything of the like. I refuse to be one or the other. Why? Because it doesn't matter since they are BOTH ISLAM! Yes I am studying in the way of Shi'a Islam because that is what I choose but I am not going to run around going "I'm Shi'a, Sunnis suck". Oh hells no I'm not doing that! I will read Naghul Balagha and Muslim. Understanding both sects is NECESSARY to truly understanding Islam. 

Shite Encyclopedia

Ellen at Steadily Emerging with Grace also did a great question and answer post here

 

Hussanain Rajabali - Q&A on Achieving Shia Sunni Unity

Now you have tools, please use them.

Lets play nice.  The rest of the world is already against the muslims, the muslims do not need to be against each other.

Peace Out Girl Scout.

Live Action Sailor Moon!!!!!

Sura Al-Maida Sections 14-16

Sections 14-16 speak of Jesus and his mother Mary.

Sura Al Madia 16: 116-118

And behold!  God  will say:

"O Jesus he son of Mary!

Didst thou say unto men,

'Worship me and mother

as gods in derogation of God?'"

He will say: "Glory to Thee!

Never could I say

what I had no right

(to say). Had I said

such a thing, Thou wouldst

indeed have known it.

Thou knowest what is 

in my heart though I

know not what is

in Thine. For Thou

knowest in full

all that is hidden"

"Never said I to them

aught except what Thou

didst command me

to say, to witness, "Worship

God, my Lord and your Lord."

and I was a witness

over them whilst I dwelt

amongst them; when Thou

didst take me up

Thou wast the watcher

over hem, and Thou

art a witness to all things.

"If Thou dost punish them,

they are Thy servants:

if Thou dost forgive them,

Thou art  the Exalted in power,

the Wise.

Why are women so mean to each other?

Seriously, does anyone know why? I really don't understand. You don't see men going out of their way to purposely bring another man down or to slander their reputation. So why do women do it so often? What do we gain by the gossip, by bringing other women down?

Any thoughts? I think jealousy can have a lot to do with it.

Pause the Thinking

Do you ever wish you could just stop thinking for a second or two?  Just a blank mind, a little rest.  I sure do!

Biblical Translations and Muhammad (AS)

Hijab Chic just posted a really interesting post on the passages in the bible that mention the coming of another prophet.  I know that it is popular to attribute these passages to Jesus or the Holy  Spirit.  Often they are removed all together.  

Out of curiosity I grabbed my bible "The New American Bible" (Catholic bible; 1987; student edition)  to see what they looked like in mine.  Here are the differences.  

HC: "The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the line of the prophets comes to end, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent."

[Jeremiah 28:9]

Skipped.  It goes directly from 7 to 10.  8 and 9 are not present.

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee Moses and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
[Deuteronomy 18:18-19]

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from amongst their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth: he shall tell them all I command him.  If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. ----- goes on to say-----But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.

The reasoning behind leaving this passage in is the Christians feel they can easily say Muhammad (AS) is not a prophet because false prophets will come preaching in the name of God as in line 20

"Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, 'Please read this.' And he will say, I cannot read."
[Isaiah 29:12]

Not in my bible.  Goes from line 11 to 13

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
[John 14:16-17]

"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."
[John 16:7-14]

And I will ask the father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.  the Spirit of Truth which the world cannot accept because it neither sees nor knows it.  But you know it because it remains with you and will be in you.

But I tell you the truth: it is better for that I go.  For if I do not go the Advocate will no come to you.  But if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation sin because they do not believe in me; righteous because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me condemnation because the ruler of this world has been condemned.  I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.  But when he comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you all to truth.  He will not speak on his own but he will speak what he hears and will declare to you the things that are coming.  He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

 Interesting huh?  Same book, very different translations.  Some verses missing all together.  I wish I had an older bible or a newer christian denomination's bible.  Many newer churches put back a lot of the verses the Catholic church took out way back in the day.

Just thought it would be interesting.  Thanks Hijab Chic.

Note: this is why when you take religion class they assign a particular edition of the bible.

This is also why reading the bible is incredibly frustrating for me and why it is hard to believe it is the "word of God" when many editions can be drastically different.

Confirmation: Adjustments for safety

I  had something I already knew confirmed today by the Qur'an.  In Islam, you are allowed to make adjustments to certain things for your safety reasons.  The two mentioned in that last few passages I read are:

1) You may adjust how you wear hijab if it threatens your safety.  If you live somewhere that won't let you wear a scarf or an abaya you may use other clothing to fullfill the same purpose.  This is good to know because even in America there are places that would not be safe if you went in a scarf or abaya (like my home town).  I will post hat opinions at a later date :)

2) You are permitted to combine/ make-up prayers if praying in a public setting would threaten your safety.  I know even in the most progressive areas of the US, praying in public would threaten one's safety.  

3) This happened earlier in the Qur'an but I like this one.  If you cannot fast for a medical reason then you do not need to.  However, you should try to do your best to fast and make sure that you eat only what is needed during Ramadan.  You should also make food for the poor and those who are fasting.

However, the Qur'an also states that you should make an effort to live in places that will allow you to practice Islam to its fullest.  Places you will not feel threatened.  Unfortunately, even Islamic countries threaten one's ability to completely practice Islam so there really isn't a place on earth that seems to allow full peace to practice (except for maybe Deerborne, Michigan (USA))

Tidbit of wisdom, Salaam.

The Cuteness is Almost Painful!

This has to be the cutest fashion store ever: Cute Code

Cute Code is an online Japanese clothing store with some of the most adorable clothing I have ever seen.  A lot of it is flowy enough for a modest wardrobe and is so cute it makes your teeth hurt from all the sugar.  Definitely check our their dress section.  Most of the dresses would make wonderful shirts.

Also the prices are super cheap.  I didn't see anything for over $35USD.  And they have free express shipping worldwide!

I am so buying something after my next paycheck.  I need something adorable for Thanksgiving and Christmas after all :).  When you see the fam, you have to dress up.

Thanks Hijab Chic for bringing this store to our attention.

Enjoy!  Salaam.

Review: Shukr Clothing

Store: Shukr Clothing

Store Type: Online, Islamic

Price: $$$ (out of 5. 5 being the most expensive)

Shipping: ***** Fast.  When they say 5 days they really mean it.

Returns:  ** I had to return the first batch because they were too big and the denim skirt's zipper wouldn't go up.  They ran out of the original skirt I wanted so I had to get something else.  They also would not fully honor my 20% off coupon I used for some reason so I ended up paying an extra $12.  Plus I had to pay to ship it back with a service that has a tracking # or they would not give me store credit which means I had to use FedEx which cost me another $7.   They also hate to give refunds so don't expect to get your money back outside of store credit.  So I ended up spending an extra $19, not cool.  However, I did receive my store credit within 48 hours of giving them the tracking number and they processed my new order right away.

Sizing: *** Their size chart is odd.  Pay attention to the waist size.  If you are above 27" around at your NATURAL waist the small will not fit you.  I thought I needed the medium because it was my exact measurements but I was wrong.  I'm 5'5" and the small, which says its for 5'1" fit me perfectly.  And yes they sit on your natural waist, not your hip.   I must say though, I have never had a better fit in a skirt.

Quality: ***** I bought two skirts from Shukr.  One in denim as seen below.

The quality is excellent.  The stitching is so beautiful.  I don't think I have seen such well-made clothing in a long time.  This skirt is particularly light weight and perfect for all year round.  It also floats when you walk which is so cool!

The other was this navy skirt.  It rocks.  Reminds me of Japanese school girl skirts.  The fabric is a little heavy but perfect for fall and it has pockets.

Buy from them again:  I most likely will because I have no other place to get skirts like these.  Be aware of the sizing and you will be all good if you order from them.

Overall: ***

Anyone know where I can find info on....

Major Sin 48. Making statues and pictures 

NOT making a deep, inner post.  :)  And yes I have known about this "sin" for awhile.  I just want to know if anyone knows where i might find info on what exactly this sin is referring.  Because if it refers to what it could refer to, I'm done.  

I also want to know why it isn't just written as idolatry because that is the sin they are talking about, not art.

Thanks ladies :)

Salaam

The Solution to Tight Winter Clothing

Has anyone else noticed that the winter clothes this year look like you need a vac-u-form  to get it to fit just the way they want it?  I was really hoping that since flowy outfits were all the rage this summer, they would carry over to the fall.  I even had the gall to think that long sleeved maxi dresses would come back in style.  Not so.  I have never seen such tight clothes in all my life!  Yes there are a lot of adorable long cardigan sweaters this winter but I don't want to wear one every day for the next five months.  

My plan turned to hunting down sweater dresses to use as shirts.  Figured this was a good idea, they are comfy and cute.  Only problem is they are all super figure hugging and totally defeat the purpose of using them as a modest top unless you buy them 2 sizes too big.  But then they look silly and oversized.   Don't even get me started on how short they are and the tights these girls are wearing.  Ick.

So what is my solution you ask?

When the sleeveless cardigan came out in the summer I thought it was hideous due to the look below.

What is the point of this article of clothing!  And they wore it in the middle of super hot summer when it clearly looks like a fall item.  This was an especially odd look with tiny shorts.  It was all like "Where'd your shorts go?  I don't know!"

But because I found one on sale I bought one at the end of summer.  I was going out one night and I hadn't done laundry in forever (ooops).  All I had left was my long sleeved t-shirts that I use for layering.  So, I grabbed one added the sleeveless cardigan and went "Oh!"  It was super cute!  You can get something that looks like this (I used not so tight a t-shirt though)

I like this look a lot more.  It is perfect for keeping your backside covered and making a tight top turn into flowy one.  I now own quite a few and feel this is an essential for any modest woman's wardrobe.

Happy shopping!

Went out in hijab/Break

I finally went out in public in hijab and it went very well. I learned 2 things.

I am super comfortable in it.

Men really do move out of your way. I wasn't bumped into once. Not even on the train! I am LOVING that.

I hope to do it again soon.

On another note I'm taking a break. Not from blogging completely, but from the heavy intellectual stuff. I am fried right now and rather stretched to my limits. My last religious post was my breaking point. I am confused, frustrated, and feel more stuck in religion purgatory now than I ever have. My feelings are mixed up, my beliefs are jumbled. My brain needs a break and I am going to give it just that.

I do have to say one thing: I have some very intelligent, thoughtful women who read my blog. Women who can give an opinion without chastising. Constructive opinions, brilliant.

Salaam

Top 3 Anime, Top 3 Manga

I gotta play this game.  I have been a fan since I was a teen.

I'm not doing Utena because Heather already did :).  But it is AWESOME.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

This anime is so twisted, so complicated I have watched it straight through at least 6 times and still catch new things.  The world is ending, "angels" have come to reak havok on the planet.  The world's only hope is Evangelion - living mechas with an unknown origin based in the secret operation known as NERV.   How can Shinji and the others cope as they learn the true secrets behind NERV, the mysterious pilot known as Rei, and the Angels?

Fav Quote "What's wrong with running away from reality if it sucks?"  Shinji Ikari

Serial Experiments Lain

Stuck in the middle of the world known as the wired and reality Lain is left to answer one question: who is she really?  Lain of the wired, or Lain of the present reality?  Further more is the reality she knows really real or is it the wired?  And who is God?

Fav quote " Present day, present time HAHAHAHA!"  - opening

Boogiepop Phantom

Who is the real Boogiepop, and what does she want?

A series of strange murders have been taking place in Tokyo.  All are blamed on this mysterious being known as the Boogiepop Phantom.  But there is more to this than it seems.  Shown out of chronological order, Boogiepop will indeed make your head ache with its constant twist and turns.  But who is Boogiepop....and "can you see my red balloon?"

Fav quote - " Existence does not rely on matter.  Everything is phantom" - the Boogiepop

Others of note:  Kodomo no Omocha, X, Shinesman (parody of the Power Rangers), Trigun, and Hellsing.

BEST MANGA

Sailor Moon

Truly is the best manga I have ever read.  It has been out of print forever, check it out if you ever find it.

X/1999 by CLAMP

Chobits by CLAMP

I Guess I'm Not Christian

The following was just posted on my friend's facebook. We will call her C.

C: was informed this week that apparently her belief in evolution means she is not a Christian, despite her belief that Christ was God's one and only son who died for our sins so that we might be forgiven and go to heaven, which is really the only ...requirement of being a "Christian" when you get right down to it.

And I replied:

yes what makes Christianity Christianity is the belief that Christ is God's son and that Jesus died to save us from original sin and bring us forgiveness. That is it, not evolution. Silly uneducated people.

I do not believe in original sin nor do I believe that Jesus is God, nor do I believe that Jesus is the direct "son" of God. No more than Adam is a son of God. I also don't believe that Jesus died to absolve our sins since I don't believe in original sin to begin with and I believe we are responsible for our sins. Otherwise that would mean that no one went to Heaven before the death of Christ because we did not have the capability to have our sins forgiven. So this can only mean one thing:

I am not Christian.

I'm not sure I ever was since I have always struggled with these concepts. But I am not a muslim.

So what am I?

O_O *so confused*

NOTE: I have no issues with anyone believing such things, it is only my personal feelings. I do not consider this train of thought wrong in any way.

Looking for a Christian Book

No You didn't read that wrong, I am in fact looking for a Christian book.

Why you ask would I want to do that? I've read the Bible a couple of times, got that down. But the thing is I've come to learn it can be a little difficult to explain Christianity to a muslim. My Love asked me today why Easter moves around every year but for the life of me I didn't know. We never question it, you just look on your calendar that year and boom there it is. Such a simple thing but I didn't know. I can remember full Bible passages but I can't tell you why Easter moves around. Guess that is why my mother says "You don't learn about Christianity from the Bible!".

So I want to read a book that is written for non-Christians to better understand things. Sadly, "101 Questions and Answers on Christianity" does not exist. "101 Q &A on The Bible" and "101 Q&A on the Church" do, however, exist. They could be quite entertaining.

Does anyone know of a book similar to "101 Q&A on Islam" but about Christianity? I would be especially interested in one like this about Catholicism.

Thanks!

Review: 101 Questions and Answers on Islam

Book:

 101 Questions and Answers on Islam

By: 

John Renard

Intended Audience: 

Beginners, students 11th grade through early college, parents of converts/those thinking of converting

Content:

The book in itself is basic.  It lays out typical inquires about Islam in an easy to understand, unbiased format.  The content is accurate and to the the point leaving little room for the author to express his personal opinion.  The text often brings up a lot of historical facts that many would overlook while studying Islam along with cultural and social issues of Islam today.  It also has a chapter devoted to the relationship between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  Most of the content is geared toward helping Christians understand the similarities in Islam.  Very little, if any, Jewish content is mentioned.

Opinion:

This book would have been awesome a year and half ago when I first started studying Islam. I breezed through it in a matter of hours.  "101 Questions" is perfect for a Christian trying to understand Islam.  It is also simple which makes it great for parents.  My mother will be getting this book.  I highly recommend using this book as a way to help parents understand the true nature of Islam.  I think it could really open the eyes of a convert/potential convert's family and friends.

Check it out from the library or buy it?:

Buy it and give it to your family if you are a convert.

The Teacher Is Also The Student

I learned something interesting yesterday.  I was discussing with My Love about how I need to get over my fear of hijab in public in order to attend the school.  I mentioned that it would be rude for me to show up without a scarf and I feel that the scarf is necessary so I am going to wear it.  I then asked him what he thought about my education in Islam.  And he said something along these lines:

"I like it a lot.  It is wonderful to see you have these revelations, I don't know what else to call them.  You seem so much happier, so at peace.  And I am more than happy to help you learn.  By teaching you I have discovered a lot about myself and my religion.  That book you gave me (Daughters of Another Path) really has helped me to understand what a blessing it is to be born into Islam and how much you will go through.  Watching you learn, watching you show me how important certain things are, I can't help but want to be a better Muslim.  You may have learned a lot from me, but I have learned a lot from you too."

I reminded him that this often happens with converts, he smiled and informed me that's what the book (Daughters) says.  I have even inspired him to try and get up for fajr!  

It just never occurred to me that through teaching me he would become a better muslim.  Through nurturing my curiosity he would learn something about his precious religion.  It fills my heart with joy to know that I have indirectly helped him as well.  I suppose it is true that teaching another person is one of the best ways to learn.

Need Advice: Islamic School

Books are a great learning tool. I have definitely found the Qur'an to be eye opening. However, one can only learn so much from books. Where I live seems to be void of classes for non-muslims or beginners looking to convert. Sis is also so busy with school she does not really have time to answer my questions or help out. What is a girl to do?

I told My Love all about how I feel stuck in my education. That even though I am reading a lot I feel that my learning is not really progressing. I have always thought that you learn more when in the company of others. So, My Love suggested the Islamic school that is nearby where I live. This school is for muslims looking to gain more knowledge on their religion. Non-muslims have attended the school but usually with or by the suggestion of a student. My Love is willing to speak to the principal to see if I can sit in a on a class or two. He has assured me that everyone is quite friendly and respectful. A friend of his from when he was young went to the school to learn about Islam and about a year later converted. He had a wonderful experience with all his classmates and learned a great deal.

However, women are different from men. The school is usually separated and I fear that the women will not be nearly as welcoming. I am afraid of walking in and being bombarded by naseeha. Although, the school could open doors for me to befriend more muslims, learn from those that live the religion, and gain contacts such as another convert whom I can obtain advice.

I am still not sure this is a good idea. I worry I don't have enough knowledge yet, especially since I do not know how to pray properly. I don't want to be made fun of for not being up to speed.

What do you all think? Should I take My Love up on his offer and have him contact the principal or should I wait till I am more educated?