Converting to Islam

[deemabrouk 0]

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked!

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

cause arabic was the chosen language.. and there are words in arabic that can NOT be accuratly translated into another language.. So to get the True meaning it is better to read/ learn/ recite in arabic

[Saddle Bronc 124]

no i meant islamically. i know i'm legally married.

I'll hazard a guess on this one: it will probably depend on the maulvi you ask.

[m&n 0]

doodlebug.....as moody told you too, you definitely are legally married cuz the ministry has a ma`zoon that signed your marriage contract and in the contract it states your religion. Egypt doesn't require a piece of paper to prove that you're muslim because, when you signed the contract, it also signified that you agreed that anything written in the contract was true.

i know i'll regret asking this but......................

what is the difference in getting married in a mosque as opposed to getting married in the ministry of marriage building in cairo, other than the fact that one is recognized by the US and one is not?

I kinda feel jipped since I only did that ministry of marriage one and no one ever asked me to prove that I'm a muslim. I've never gotten any type of certificate. Just said my shahada to a friend and that was that. Never was I ever aware that I needed a piece of paper to be a muslim. I mean......it's not goin' with me when my time comes, ya know what I mean?

hmmmm...lemme rephrase......................am I really married since I didn't do the mosque thing?

maulvi?

Edited March 29, 2007 by m&n

[Saddle Bronc 124]

maulvi?

Mawlawi (also spelled: Maulvi, Moulvi and Mawlvi Persian: مولوی) is an honorific Islamic religious title often, but not exclusively, given to Sunni Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names, similar to the titles Maulana, Mullah or Shaykh

Wiki Link, I quoted only opening sentence

[deemabrouk 0]

no i meant islamically. i know i'm legally married.

I'll hazard a guess on this one: it will probably depend on the maulvi you ask.

and WHY would you say that??? she was married in a Islamic Country..

[rclouse 0]

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked!

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

cause arabic was the chosen language.. and there are words in arabic that can NOT be accuratly translated into another language.. So to get the True meaning it is better to read/ learn/ recite in arabic

OK, if you're not born speaking Arabic, you haven't learned Arabic fluently and you pray in Arabic, then you're just reciting a bunch of sounds. How is that better to God than for one to pray in their native language?

[ya falaha! 0]

That's why you have to learn what the words or "sounds" mean.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked!

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

cause arabic was the chosen language.. and there are words in arabic that can NOT be accuratly translated into another language.. So to get the True meaning it is better to read/ learn/ recite in arabic

OK, if you're not born speaking Arabic, you haven't learned Arabic fluently and you pray in Arabic, then you're just reciting a bunch of sounds. How is that better to God than for one to pray in their native language?

This was also an issue within the Catholic Church (which used LATIN as its official language, and was even opposed to having Bibles printed in local-language--read Foxe's Book of Martyrs, referencing William Hunter--one of the many issues that led up to the Reformation).

[rclouse 0]

That's why you have to learn what the words or "sounds" mean.

So native Arabic speakers have a natural advantage, --favored, if you will--, in the religion. They don't need to learn a foreign language in order to properly pray to God. Everyone else unlucky enough to have been born someplace else is at a disadvantage.

As you can tell, this is one of my pet peeves. Islam needs to reform itself in this and many other places, IMHO.

[ya falaha! 0]

I agree.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked!

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

Actually, you can. The only people that received the Quran and prayed in Arabic were the Arabs. Jesus prayed in Aramaic and other prophets and messengers prayed in their own languages. Their prayers were acceptable to God. Praying in Arabic is simply another cultural tradition that has been inculcated as Islamic. But the Message of Islam is universal, not about a particular language. The Quran itself says that its verses were sent in Arabic so that the people receiving it from the Prophet Muhammad would understand it. God understands all languages and knows what's in our hearts. There is nothing sacred about Arabic or the Arabs, nor is it the chosen language.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Green-eyed girl

[SALAM-DEEN 0]

Hmm....so the certificate IS important....eh....

Together4ever : in which kind of circumstances, if you don't mind me asking?

Salam Sister,

I am originally from Morocco, my wife is American and she converted way before we got married. When we tried to get married at the mosque in Dallas, the Imam there may God forgive him, asked to see my wife and conduct some sort of a quiz. I was like where the h.. did you get that from...he was like I am trying to be sure that she is sure what she is doing blah blah...Anyway to make a long story short, I went to another mosque in Plano Texas, all I was asked is to bring them my American Civil certificat and pay a fee...

Speaking about the ISlam Certificat, no one can tell you that you are or are not Muslim but Allah. from the moment you say Chahada you are reborn Muslim...However, if you think you will need that Certificate, I am sure you will find another mosque...

if you want I can ask my wife to email you or get in contact with you( she is not into Internet or VJ)

Good luck,

[deemabrouk 0]

It took me a little over a month to be able to do my prayers without using my cheat sheets. Not because I didn't know the physical gestures but to learn arabic was hard! If I had to do that before being officially a muslim I think I would have freaked!

I may have asked this before, but why does a Muslim have to pray in Arabic? Can't one pray in their language of preference and it be acceptable to God?

cause arabic was the chosen language.. and there are words in arabic that can NOT be accuratly translated into another language.. So to get the True meaning it is better to read/ learn/ recite in arabic

OK, if you're not born speaking Arabic, you haven't learned Arabic fluently and you pray in Arabic, then you're just reciting a bunch of sounds. How is that better to God than for one to pray in their native language?

well NO.. cause you learn the english first(or whatever your native language is .. spanish, italian, chiense).. so that you know what you are saying.. Another way you can look at it... It helps connect everyone around the world... it brings everyone together... and on top of that you educate yourself in the process.. adding another language is a great asset in someones life.

You might be trying to Cut it up... But

i think it is wonderful enhancement..

[deemabrouk 0]

That's why you have to learn what the words or "sounds" mean.

So native Arabic speakers have a natural advantage, --favored, if you will--, in the religion. They don't need to learn a foreign language in order to properly pray to God. Everyone else unlucky enough to have been born someplace else is at a disadvantage.

As you can tell, this is one of my pet peeves. Islam needs to reform itself in this and many other places, IMHO.

Some reform may be needed.. but using Arabic has a purpose.. AND i dont think of it as a disadvantage.. but then again.. I try not to be the "looking at the glass half empty" type of person

[Detty2809 0]

Hello eveyrone,

Thank you very much for your comments. Hmm...at the moment still trying to find a place that is not too strict. My fiance is pretty much pouting at the moment because he's afraid that he won't be able to memorize the prayers before our wedding...hehe... poor guy.

Seems like the Islamic Center of Orlando is pretty moderate. I'm mailing them now, and hopefully my fiance can convert there when we go to Florida to visit his parents. Wish us luck!

Wassalam.