Muslims

[nunyab 0]

My husband is also brutally honest, but I've come to like it, or at least accept it most of the time. He will tell me straight up that I need to lose weight (which I do). He has even poked me in the stomach -- playfully, in public -- and told me I would enjoy life more if I lost "that." But it's something about the way he says it; I don't feel threatened by that kind of honesty.

As for the God willing part, he told me his dad used to drive him crazy with that too, the way parents here often say, "We'll see."

"Dad, can I have a bicycle?" "Inshallah." He got soooo tired of hearing Inshallah when he was a kid.

lol.... mine also says "after" didn't understand it drove me nuts... finally i figured and had to ask "after what" he shrugged his shoulders and said "just after" ??? lol...

yeah my sweety asked if i "won kilos" hehehehe time for more crunches

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hajj is almost here, and the hajjis are beginning to arive in Medina. One of my favorite bloggers has pictures

http://almiskeenah.com/?p=809

Of hajj related interest:

To watch

Channel 4's Hajj Program

National Geographic's Inside Mecca Documentary

Discovery Channel's Revealed: the Hajj

CNN's 2006 coverage

Al Jazeera English Youtube videos - search "hajj"

To read

One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Traveler's Writings on the Muslim Pilgrimage

Mecca, the Blessed - Medina, the Radiant

IslamOnline's Hajj Page

To Listen:

NPR - Learning to Endure Hajj - stories of american pilgrims

May Allah (swt) grant us the life and the means to make this journey soon, amin.

[sereia 0]

Hey Rahma, is there a certain point in one's life when its optimal to go on Hajj? Or just whenever you can? Silly question, I know. But its something I really don't know. I assume its whenever you can get the time/money together but.......?

Edited November 18, 2008 by Sheherazade

[UmmSqueakster 54]

A lot of people view it as something to do when they get old. Partly, that's a function of the monetary situation - it often takes their entire lives to save up for it. But also, if hajj is done properly, you are forgiven all your previous sins, so going late in life is good to get a clean slate. It's also a blessing to die while making hajj and to be buried in Mecca, so you'll often get the very old or ill making hajj.

The problem with that second idea though, is that you never know how long your life is decreed for. If you have the money and you keep putting it off and you die before you go, then it's on you for not performing the right when you had the chance.

In general, hajj is obligatory, but only in certain conditions. In the shafi'i school, it only becomes obligatory if the person is morally responsible (ie they've reached puberty and are sane) and they can afford the provisions and transporation without depriving their family of support. I'm not sure about how the other schools view it, as I've only studied it from the shafi'i perspective.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

For those of us not fortunate enough to be making hajj this year, there's still stuff to do! The first days of Dhul-hijjah (the month hajj is in) are good days to fast. And, there's Eid al Adha and the Qurbani, the sacrifice we all should make.

[sereia 0]

Great! Thanks for the answer!

[~Jackie~ 30]

Thank you rahma for the links !

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I'm reallying hoping (and making dua) that we can save up for hajj in the next few years. Any longer, and it will be getting towards summer. I'd like to do it all walking, and I don't think I could manage that in a Saudi summer.

[nunyab 0]

I have a question... I have to make up a week from Ramadan... is this a obligatory fasting week during Hajj or just good time to make up?

[UmmSqueakster 54]

The only obligatory days to fast are during Ramadan, and those from Ramadan that need to be made up. The Prophet (saws) fasted a whole heck of a lot more then that, and many of the days he fasted are recommended also for us to fast. Among these days are the 13th through 15th of the lunar month, Mondays and Thursdays, and the first 9 days of Dul-Hijja (the coming islamic month during which is hajj). The 9th day, when the pilgrims are standing on arafah, is an especially powerful day to fast

Benefits from the First 10 days

Fasting is especially mentioned as a most meritorious act of devotion to be performed in the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah; this is true of those who are not performing Hajj. According to some traditions, by fasting these days, one is accorded a tremendous opportunity to gain repentance and forgiveness. If, however, a person cannot afford to fast all nine days, he may at least fast the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is known as the Day of `Arafah. However, it is also worth mentioning that while fasting the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah is recommended, it is forbidden to fast during the days of the `Eid. This prohibition is not limited to the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah; rather it extends also to the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth, for all of these are days of festivities and celebrations.

In addition, the Prophet (saws) said this about these 10 days:

"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said, "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing."

[sahih al-Bukhari]

If one has fasts to make up from Ramadan, there's no time like the present. It's actually better to do make up acts of worship sooner rather than later. We don't know how much time Allah (swt) has given us in this life, and we don't want to meet Him on the day of Judgment owing these good deeds.

More here.

[nunyab 0]

ok so the 1st of december??? just trying to make sure sorry if these questions are strange

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Here again, as with Ramadan, we have the question of when does the month start? Based on a local moon sighting or on the global moon sighting? Because the Prophet (saws) emphasized fasting on the day with the pilgrims are on Arafah (ie the 9th), most people fast on the day the Saudis say is the 9th.

Based on the moon, we would start fasting either the 29th or 30th of November, if we're fasting the first 9 days based on the local sighting. If we're following what Saudia says for the hajj, we just sit back and wait til they make up their mind.

http://moonsighting.com/1429zhj.html

[ZARQA 0]

Official date of Eid Al Adha 2008 1429

Eid Al Adha will be celebrated this year on 8 or 9 December 2008 depending on the country, the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims, Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar.

Here in USA will be the 8 ?

[Muh and me 18]

Official date of Eid Al Adha 2008 1429

Eid Al Adha will be celebrated this year on 8 or 9 December 2008 depending on the country, the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims, Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar.

Here in USA will be the 8 ?

We were told at the islamic center here it is the 8th.

[ZARQA 0]

Official date of Eid Al Adha 2008 1429

Eid Al Adha will be celebrated this year on 8 or 9 December 2008 depending on the country, the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims, Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar.

Here in USA will be the 8 ?

We were told at the islamic center here it is the 8th.

Thank you Turia my brother-inlaw think is the 6 or 7 and I was happy because is in the weekend now I feel so sad because I have to work that day

Edited November 20, 2008 by ZARQA