Muslims

[caybee 21]

I asked my husband about the laughing and snorting. He told me it's just generally considered unattractive or disrespectful for anyone, male or female, to laugh loudly with their mouth wide open so that all their teeth are showing or they're snorting, and that just applies to the kind of laughter you can control, especially in public. He says it is compared to the sound a donkey makes, which he says Allah does not like (I've asked him why Allah would dislike a sound he created, but I didn't get a clear answer -- maybe someone could help me with that -- though he did say that donkeys bray like that when they see shaytan). We've both certainly lost it on occasion and laughed loudly and uncontrollably. In any case, he's never heard anything about it invalidating the salat.

Allah subhanahu wa talah; has to show you an example of both things he likes and dislikes so He can make it easier for us to recognise between them.

This makes sense to me. Thank you.

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

there are a couple places we go. the store on 99, by the panda print shop is one, as well as barbur world foods, further north on 99. there's another small somali shop on 99 that we've been to a few times, and a couple in beaverton that are alright.

I have a hard time with the sanitation issues at the two Halal stores mentioned... Barbur World Foods?... they are not Muslims. Do they sell fresh meat they label halal? I've seen halal products in their freezer section but not in the butcher shop... I live only a mile from them and love what they have done with the store! WONDERFUL produce!

There is another Halal store in Beaverton across from Beaverton Town Center, but the last time I went in it I had to RUN OUT before I could buy anything because of the STENCH. In all my adult life I have NEVER smelled anything so foul in a place where food was sold... And one on Canyon Road (it's BIG) that is really pretty clean looking.. but actually come to think of it you can't see behind the meat counter...

I hate how they cut up meat in those places.. You have 3 choices.. ground meat, meat with bones, and meat without bones.. No steaks, no roasts, nothing recognizeable in fact... And if the Somali Halali guys ask if you want them to cut up your chicken... say no... My friend said SURE and they took her frozen chicken and ran it through a power saw 5 times and she had 9 chicken chunks to go... GREAT!!! No fighting over dark or light meat... you couldn't TELL!!!

Oh to live closer to Anaheim... the home of 1000 Halal stores with REAL meat counters!

I personally like Oregon Country Beef from New Seasons. http://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/ On their website it tells where you can buy their products in MANY states... not just here. I think they are doing it the right way... and I am PRETTY SURE they are as close as you can get to eating the meat of the "People of the Book"... Take a look at their website.. go to the FAQ's http://countrynaturalbeef.com/index.php?op...8&Itemid=68 they actually describe their slaughter process... which sounds as humane as you can get for a meat processing plant..

I prefer to buy their products over the "unknown" products from the Halal stores.. The Halal Store on 99 (near Burger King) get their meat at the auction... who knows where it came from or what it was fed...

Here in Oregon there are several Muslims with farms that grow sheep for sale.. I believe the biggest one is near Corvallis... people drive down there go buy their lambs at the Eid... And most farmers here will allow you to do the zabiha yourself if you want.. just do it at their farm, it's illegal to do it in the city limits... My ex did it once... the meat was wonderful but the process was too stressful for him to do it again... He almost ended up in a fist fight with the professional "butcher" who was there killing the other sheep... because of the man's inhumanity towards the poor things...

So glad for Morningstar products... Give me a Loma Linda Big Frank any day... right Tina??

Edited June 30, 2009 by KHPerfectMatch

[doodlebugg 10]

Can't you request the butcher to cut your meat as you like it just in any other store?

[sandinista! 1,816]

there are a couple places we go. the store on 99, by the panda print shop is one, as well as barbur world foods, further north on 99. there's another small somali shop on 99 that we've been to a few times, and a couple in beaverton that are alright.

I have a hard time with the sanitation issues at the two Halal stores mentioned... Barbur World Foods?... they are not Muslims. Do they sell fresh meat they label halal? I've seen halal products in their freezer section but not in the butcher shop... I live only a mile from them and love what they have done with the store! WONDERFUL produce!

There is another Halal store in Beaverton across from Beaverton Town Center, but the last time I went in it I had to RUN OUT before I could buy anything because of the STENCH. In all my adult life I have NEVER smelled anything so foul in a place where food was sold... And one on Canyon Road (it's BIG) that is really pretty clean looking.. but actually come to think of it you can't see behind the meat counter...

I hate how they cut up meat in those places.. You have 3 choices.. ground meat, meat with bones, and meat without bones.. No steaks, no roasts, nothing recognizeable in fact... And if the Somali Halali guys ask if you want them to cut up your chicken... say no... My friend said SURE and they took her frozen chicken and ran it through a power saw 5 times and she had 9 chicken chunks to go... GREAT!!! No fighting over dark or light meat... you couldn't TELL!!!

Oh to live closer to Anaheim... the home of 1000 Halal stores with REAL meat counters!

I personally like Oregon Country Beef from New Seasons. http://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/ On their website it tells where you can buy their products in MANY states... not just here. I think they are doing it the right way... and I am PRETTY SURE they are as close as you can get to eating the meat of the "People of the Book"... Take a look at their website.. go to the FAQ's http://countrynaturalbeef.com/index.php?op...8&Itemid=68 they actually describe their slaughter process... which sounds as humane as you can get for a meat processing plant..

I prefer to buy their products over the "unknown" products from the Halal stores.. The Halal Store on 99 (near Burger King) get their meat at the auction... who knows where it came from or what it was fed...

Here in Oregon there are several Muslims with farms that grow sheep for sale.. I believe the biggest one is near Corvallis... people drive down there go buy their lambs at the Eid... And most farmers here will allow you to do the zabiha yourself if you want.. just do it at their farm, it's illegal to do it in the city limits... My ex did it once... the meat was wonderful but the process was too stressful for him to do it again... He almost ended up in a fist fight with the professional "butcher" who was there killing the other sheep... because of the man's inhumanity towards the poor things...

So glad for Morningstar products... Give me a Loma Linda Big Frank any day... right Tina??

i know the attars aren't muslim. they've been our neighbours for years. they do sell frozen crescent chicken and the frozen lamb that i mentioned before though. i'm blissfully ignorant about what the meat counters are like because the stuff we buy is already frozen and shrink wrapped. i looked up where it's from and am comfortable eating it. the rest of the meat there, not so much.

i won't eat meat from new seasons, but i'll eat just about anything else from there! when i'm too lazy to cook, it's one of the first places i want to go. there are entirely too many yummy things to eat there. thank God for boca too, we buy it by the case at costco.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Practical Tips in Preparation for Ramadan (with added links by moi)

Ramadan is an event that occurs in the life of the faithful, as individuals and as an Ummah, once a year. It is intended by Allah to help us to recharge our spiritual batteries and thus prepare us for the great mission of realizing His will on earth. Therefore, in order to benefit from Ramadan, we may do well to prepare for it by opening our hearts and minds to embrace it. Let me offer a few tips:

1. We should empower ourselves by learning as much as we can about the precise laws as well as the benefits of fasting. Fiqh of Fasting Hanafi, Basics of Fasting - Shafi'i, Maliki book on Fasting, Fiqh us Sunnah on Fasting, general

2. We should ensure that we gain true benefits from our fasting, let us make sure to realize the spirit of fasting: this can only be done by abstaining, not only from food, drink, and sex, but also by strictly restraining our minds, hearts as well as our eyes, ears, hands, tongue, and so on. Inner Dimensions of Fasting by Imam al Ghazali

3.We must embrace the spirit of fasting as stressed in Hadith: to be charitable and compassionate as much as we can. The Concept of Charity in Islam, Muslim Character by Muhammad Ghazali

4. We should strengthen our relationship with the Qur’an; for Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an. Way to the Qur'an, Ulum al Qur'an

5. We should engage in dhikr and condition ourselves to make it second nature. My page of dhikr resources

6. Last but not least, we should build up our community through acts of charity and compassion and extending help to those in need as much as we can. Agenda to Change our Condition

Let us pray that we come out of Ramadan with our faith recharged, gaining strength in our faith and commitment and relationship with Allah.

[Nothing1234 2]

I saw these and thought of you Rahma!

[Staashi 371]

Jen, I love your pic of Squeaky! That is beautiful!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

*snags kitty pics* thanks Nawal!

Staashi - thanks It took 2 dozen attempts to actually get a decent picture of her with the book. She's like, dood wat u using me as a book stand 4?

[Staashi 371]

*snags kitty pics* thanks Nawal!

Staashi - thanks It took 2 dozen attempts to actually get a decent picture of her with the book. She's like, dood wat u using me as a book stand 4?

Well, she looks like that...plus, oooooh big book - good to scratch my chin on it.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

*snags kitty pics* thanks Nawal!

Staashi - thanks It took 2 dozen attempts to actually get a decent picture of her with the book. She's like, dood wat u using me as a book stand 4?

Well, she looks like that...plus, oooooh big book - good to scratch my chin on it.

And then attempt to eat it nom nom nom. She's been eating the corners of my coffee table as of late

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Can't you request the butcher to cut your meat as you like it just in any other store?

Not where I live (unless you live in a large muslim community like Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, etc...) If I asked for short ribs, or a t-bone steak they wouldn't even know what I was talking about... or where on the animal the cut even comes from... They grind filet mignon into hamburger...

These guys are NOT trained/professional butchers American style... they are Arab meat chopper/whacker/hackers. If they were butchers they wouldn't cut a chicken in 9 square chunks with a table saw...

Edited July 1, 2009 by KHPerfectMatch

[doodlebugg 10]

Can't you request the butcher to cut your meat as you like it just in any other store?

Not where I live (unless you live in a large muslim community like Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, etc...) If I asked for short ribs, or a t-bone steak they wouldn't even know what I was talking about... or where on the animal the cut even comes from... They grind filet mignon into hamburger...

These guys are NOT trained/professional butchers American style... they are Arab meat chopper/whacker/hackers. If they were butchers they wouldn't cut a chicken in 9 square chunks with a table saw...

That's why I never bought the meat at the halal butchers that we've been to. I can't identify what it is! I prefer ny sirloin strips and porterhouses and I've never seen anything in there that looks remotely like either of those. I wish I had liked being a vegetarian, it was so much easier since the kids and hubster aren't too picky about the meat they eat.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Summer Nights - free online courses taught by Azharis

I'm planning on taking:

Brief History of Islamic Legislation (Mondays)

Tafsir and Servitude (Tuesdays)

Lesson's on Allah's names (Wednesday)

Fiqh of Priorities (Thursdays)

Heart Softeners (Fridays)

If of course, I can convince AbuS to let me have the computer for an hour and a half every night of the week

Edited July 1, 2009 by UmmSqueakster

[Sandrila 1]

As always thanks for sharing your knowledge and resources about Islam.

[Ahmed N Tina 2]

there are a couple places we go. the store on 99, by the panda print shop is one, as well as barbur world foods, further north on 99. there's another small somali shop on 99 that we've been to a few times, and a couple in beaverton that are alright.

I have a hard time with the sanitation issues at the two Halal stores mentioned... Barbur World Foods?... they are not Muslims. Do they sell fresh meat they label halal? I've seen halal products in their freezer section but not in the butcher shop... I live only a mile from them and love what they have done with the store! WONDERFUL produce!

There is another Halal store in Beaverton across from Beaverton Town Center, but the last time I went in it I had to RUN OUT before I could buy anything because of the STENCH. In all my adult life I have NEVER smelled anything so foul in a place where food was sold... And one on Canyon Road (it's BIG) that is really pretty clean looking.. but actually come to think of it you can't see behind the meat counter...

I hate how they cut up meat in those places.. You have 3 choices.. ground meat, meat with bones, and meat without bones.. No steaks, no roasts, nothing recognizeable in fact... And if the Somali Halali guys ask if you want them to cut up your chicken... say no... My friend said SURE and they took her frozen chicken and ran it through a power saw 5 times and she had 9 chicken chunks to go... GREAT!!! No fighting over dark or light meat... you couldn't TELL!!!

Oh to live closer to Anaheim... the home of 1000 Halal stores with REAL meat counters!

I personally like Oregon Country Beef from New Seasons. http://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/ On their website it tells where you can buy their products in MANY states... not just here. I think they are doing it the right way... and I am PRETTY SURE they are as close as you can get to eating the meat of the "People of the Book"... Take a look at their website.. go to the FAQ's http://countrynaturalbeef.com/index.php?op...8&Itemid=68 they actually describe their slaughter process... which sounds as humane as you can get for a meat processing plant..

I prefer to buy their products over the "unknown" products from the Halal stores.. The Halal Store on 99 (near Burger King) get their meat at the auction... who knows where it came from or what it was fed...

Here in Oregon there are several Muslims with farms that grow sheep for sale.. I believe the biggest one is near Corvallis... people drive down there go buy their lambs at the Eid... And most farmers here will allow you to do the zabiha yourself if you want.. just do it at their farm, it's illegal to do it in the city limits... My ex did it once... the meat was wonderful but the process was too stressful for him to do it again... He almost ended up in a fist fight with the professional "butcher" who was there killing the other sheep... because of the man's inhumanity towards the poor things...

So glad for Morningstar products... Give me a Loma Linda Big Frank any day... right Tina??

Amen to that! I tried to get Ahmed to try a frank and he spit it out!