Ramadan 2008

[HLM 1]

Yes i think its better if u re doing so when u re calm and know at heart peacefully u want to do this! Your anger shows u r compassionate about the religion and u believe in it in my opinion. From what i ve seen so far from 'some' americans; they re soooooo scared of religion and they re so worried that someone someday controls them!! Which i want to reassure them wont ever happen!! Its America no one will let it happen without them even trying! Calm down ppl

[Muh and me 18]

Yes i think its better if u re doing so when u re calm and know at heart peacefully u want to do this! Your anger shows u r compassionate about the religion and u believe in it in my opinion. From what i ve seen so far from 'some' americans; they re soooooo scared of religion and they re so worried that someone someday controls them!! Which i want to reassure them wont ever happen!! Its America no one will let it happen without them even trying! Calm down ppl

Thanks HLM, I am calm now. I was so darn angry at that man!! I am still studying and do want to say my sha da but for all the right reasons. Not because some stupid person made me angry. I just don't beleive some people about this subject.

[~Jackie~ 30]

Regarding the timing for saying shahada...don't wait til it's too late.

jJ

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ack, usually bigots are good about keeping their opinions to themselves, but sometimes they just can't help splattering it everywhere.

Perhaps it's a sign to you from God, nudging you down the straight path. Did you listen to the SP lesson yet? The shaykh talked about how surah al fatiha is the gateway to the Qur'an. It's the first and most important thing we read, and what is in it? A prayer. It's all a prayer from the believer to her Lord. Ayah 6 of the surah speaks of this - Ihdina alssirata almustaqeem - "Guide us on the Straight Path"

[Aymsgirl 0]

That is one of my favorite parts Rahma!! Terrie, you will hear all kinds of things and those feelings that you heard seem genuine. When it is your religion you do take offense but you have to overlook ignorance.

I agree with Jackie and HLM about your shahada, don't wait until its too late but be calm and let it be a wonderful experience between you and Allah.

[sandinista! 1,816]

just throwing this out here, but my conversion to islam was not thrown into high gear because i got fed up one afternoon overhearing a couple of bigots saying a bunch of ####### about islam while waiting for my caramel macchiato to be made at starbucks. it was decidedly a little bit more contemplative than that.

my family, my friends, all of them would get plenty upset upon overhearing such a conversation as well. some of them might even go off on the retards they heard saying that kind of #######. but none of them suddenly feel compelled to convert to islam as a result of such incidents. i get plenty upset too when i hear people say rubbish about other people's religious beliefs that are not the same as mine. i'll go off on people if i think they're saying something anti-semitic, etc., but i don't suddenly feel compelled to convert to judaism or whatever, after such an incident either. and i would find someone saying 'perhaps that's G-d leading you to judaism' or whatever, under those circumstances, slightly ridiculous. i don't see what one has to do with the other at all. religious beliefs are just a little more in-depth than that. but maybe that's just me.

[merijan 0]

Oh how i wish i had some of my sisters with me just a little bit ago!!! I went to a rummage sale, and there were two men talking. One was black, the other white. And i happen to catch some of the conversation as the black one was talking about Islam. I thought hm, this should be interesting. Well the more i heard, the madder i got. He was talking about people converting to Islam and how they are gonna come over here and take over. And how we have to stop them. I was like, OMG, Terrie, just slow down. I wanted to tell him how much he just insulted me. And I got mad and left without a word. I am so bad, it makes me want to say my Shada now. But my thinking is, thats not a good reason. Advice?

Its happened to me before too, and I felt so angry I just wanted to say so many things back. But saying them in anger will not make the point. And when you are ready you will know its time for you to take Shahada. I have been reading Mena posts alot lately and I see how much you have grown and how you are trying to seek the truth. Inshallah , you will know the right time. Allah will show you.

Be patient.

P.S. Ramadan has always been a struggle for me too. and I have been Muslim for over 12 years. Be patient with yourself.

[Muh and me 18]

Oh how i wish i had some of my sisters with me just a little bit ago!!! I went to a rummage sale, and there were two men talking. One was black, the other white. And i happen to catch some of the conversation as the black one was talking about Islam. I thought hm, this should be interesting. Well the more i heard, the madder i got. He was talking about people converting to Islam and how they are gonna come over here and take over. And how we have to stop them. I was like, OMG, Terrie, just slow down. I wanted to tell him how much he just insulted me. And I got mad and left without a word. I am so bad, it makes me want to say my Shada now. But my thinking is, thats not a good reason. Advice?

Its happened to me before too, and I felt so angry I just wanted to say so many things back. But saying them in anger will not make the point. And when you are ready you will know its time for you to take Shahada. I have been reading Mena posts alot lately and I see how much you have grown and how you are trying to seek the truth. Inshallah , you will know the right time. Allah will show you.

Be patient.

P.S. Ramadan has always been a struggle for me too. and I have been Muslim for over 12 years. Be patient with yourself.

Thank you, that means so much to me.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

. and i would find someone saying 'perhaps that's G-d leading you to judaism' or whatever, under those circumstances, slightly ridiculous. i don't see what one has to do with the other at all. religious beliefs are just a little more in-depth than that. but maybe that's just me.

There are signs in everything in this life, if people look.

In the earth, there are signs for those who (seek truth to) believe (51:20)

And while it is important to build your faith upon solid ground, sometimes the conversion experience is sudden. 'Umar (ra) hated Islam and hated the Prophet (saws) to the extent he vowed he would kill the Prophet (saws). On his way to kill him, he was diverted to the home of his sister, who had converted to Islam. All it took was for him to read the first few verses of surah 20 and all the mallice in his heart was wiped away. He went and declared shahada immediately.

[doodlebugg 10]

. and i would find someone saying 'perhaps that's G-d leading you to judaism' or whatever, under those circumstances, slightly ridiculous. i don't see what one has to do with the other at all. religious beliefs are just a little more in-depth than that. but maybe that's just me.

There are signs in everything in this life, if people look.

In the earth, there are signs for those who (seek truth to) believe (51:20)

And while it is important to build your faith upon solid ground, sometimes the conversion experience is sudden. 'Umar (ra) hated Islam and hated the Prophet (saws) to the extent he vowed he would kill the Prophet (saws). On his way to kill him, he was diverted to the home of his sister, who had converted to Islam. All it took was for him to read the first few verses of surah 20 and all the mallice in his heart was wiped away. He went and declared shahada immediately.

This is totally unrelated to the point you were trying to make but my favorite story of the Prophet, pbuh, is the one where a woman kept leaving trash in front of his house day after day. When no trash was there for a few days he went by her house and asked if she was ok. I think she converted that day or shortly thereafter but of course I can't find the exact description of what happened.

Terrie fasting this month is difficult for me too for some reason and this is my third year doing it so cut yourself some slack. I think fasting in the warm weather is just really really tough since you can get dehydrated soooo easily! I feel best when I'm in a cool environment. When I'm so thirsty I can't take it then I let myself take a nap and I splash myself with water. So far that's worked though it's not possible when I'm at the office.

So I totally think last night was the night of Al Qadr (sp???) Almost EVERYTHING I asked for came true! What a powerful month this is!!!

[doodlebugg 10]

Does anyone else have a certain system when they break their fast? My kids think I'm nuts. Not sure what my husband thinks since he's kind of the same as me.

Ok first thing I do when I get home is put a sparkling water and a coke in the freezer. Then I cook dinner. Then about 15 minutes before iftar I pour a HUGE glass of cranberry juice with ice and let it sit.

As soon as it's time to eat I totally chug that cranberry juice and then drink 1/2 of the sparkling water. Then I have some soup and some of the main course (usually 1/2) and then I HAVE to have 1/2 of the coke.

btw I NEVER liked cranberry juice before. Now I CRAVE it each night!

[doodlebugg 10]

Oh I forgot....a few things about my husband:

He insists on waiting until a certain part of the call to prayer is done before eating. I understand it (it's the shahada) but OMG those last 10 seconds are a KILLER!!!!!!! I literally have the glass of juice to my lips when it starts so I'll be ready. lol.

He thinks it's really strange that I drink while I eat.

He HATES leftovers. I find that fascinating since he grew up so poor but they never ever ate leftovers. I would think they'd always have them to save money!

[~Jackie~ 30]

For me... about 5 minutes til the adnan...I start a pot of coffee. There has never been a sweeter smell to me as that pot brewing. Then I make a few slices of toast with butter.....hmmm I better use these next few months and learn to cook.

[doodlebugg 10]

For me... about 5 minutes til the adnan...I start a pot of coffee. There has never been a sweeter smell to me as that pot brewing. Then I make a few slices of toast with butter.....hmmm I better use these next few months and learn to cook.

If I make coffee it's with dessert which is normally around 9ish. No wonder I'm up all night and exhausted during the day!!!! That smell rocks my world though!

[Jenn! 918]

Oh I forgot....a few things about my husband:

He insists on waiting until a certain part of the call to prayer is done before eating. I understand it (it's the shahada) but OMG those last 10 seconds are a KILLER!!!!!!! I literally have the glass of juice to my lips when it starts so I'll be ready. lol.

He thinks it's really strange that I drink while I eat.

He HATES leftovers. I find that fascinating since he grew up so poor but they never ever ate leftovers. I would think they'd always have them to save money!

Wadi likes to drink a smoothie first thing (if he's home for iftar). I don't know how he downs it so fast, it would give me brain freeze.

Oh and we love leftovers - when I cook, I usually plan for at least 2 meals. What's the idea behind hating leftovers? The food is not fresh anymore or what?