religion questions

[allousa 1]

My MIL will say part of the shahada all the time. She just says it randomly. I notice she does say it more often when she's annoyed. Maybe that's why the bus ppl were saying it. Kinda to prevent themselves from lashing out maybe. My ex used to always say, la hawla wa la quwatta illah billah, when he was angry. It means something like, there is no power or glory except for God's.

The funny thing is about that Egyptian Arabic phrasebook, it was written in the Cairene dialect. My husband recognizes most of the phrases and words used in that book. He did say that many of the phrases aren't really used.

I think my husband used to say something like that when we were fighting...but I thought he was cussing me out or something. I would tell him..."I don't know what you're saying....but it can't be good!!!!"

[Caladan 19]

What you will find more often as an American (in my experience) is other Americans (christians) who may freak if you use any of these words.

that just reminded me of the first time I went to Cairo in the winter and my mom called me and automatically I said "salam alaykum" and all I heard was her saying to my dad "holy sh!t Bill, she's one of THEM" and then she started crying. lol Good times, good times.

Oh my god, doodle, that's horrible and funny at the same time. Doesn't 'salaam alaikum' translate literally to something like 'Peace be with you'? (Like, she says, something that's, well, part of many Christian services and nothing to be afraid of?)

[Nasturtium 500]

Caladan-- yes. That's what's so bizarre about it all.

[Caladan 19]

Hey, I remembered something from my sixth-grade four weeks of Arabic.

[deadbird 2]

If there's one thing JWs are good at, it's prosyletizing in lots of language. Give him their arabic website - http://www.watchtower.org/a/index.html

My husband has now scared away the JWs in addition to the mormons. Now he has no one left to argue about the bible with.

Exactly, that's what I'm so afraid of! My grandmother is amazing when I brought some friends over in high school, she asked what languages they were taking and then pulled out that book they have that explains what JW are in like....EVERY language She was so smooth I was both shocked and impressed. lol

[deadbird 2]

My ENTIRE family are Jehovah's Witnesses, so I can sympathize with you. My mother has even went as far as studying Islam as to gain insight on how to get the last word in arguments. I was never baptised as a JW. She and my family now refer to me as an "Apostate"...lovely. She has finally come to accept that I have embraced Islam, the religious debates have ceased and she has even stopped feeding my kids pork hot dogs and bologna while I'm at work....

I remember trying to explain Jehovah's Witnesses to my husband, he was like what the?? I told him they kinda sorta have a few of the same ideas as muslims only they are Christians and they believe that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of God and associate partners. Thanks for the link to the website Rahma, maybe now my husband can finally see what he's getting into.

My parents were never baptized either and I wasn't. I studied for two years when I was 10-11 but that was it, and my parents were pisssssed when they found out my grandmothers had been going behind their backs to take me to meetings at the Kingdom Hall. I just want my fiance to have some knowledge of it first than get blindsided by it.

Thank you all so much for the replies! I feel a lot better now and will look into the Rosetta Stone CDs, I currently have something that's in the car so I don't know what it is (lol)...I'll post it when I bring it in the house.

Edited August 4, 2007 by the sparrow

[monnik 0]

I can't think of really anything a Christian wouldn't say that a Muslim would. Both say "inshallah", "alhamdulilah", "salaam alaikum". The difference is when a Muslim answers a Muslim after salaam alaikum it may include wa rahmantullah wa barakatuhu. A Muslim would never include this last part when responding to a Christian. Other than that I'll have to ask my husband. He has quite a few Christian friends and neighbors back home plus he attended Catholic school as a child.

moody - did your husband go to Catholic school in Egypt?

sparrow- your fiance's personal experiences might be the best ones for you to learn from (IMO)

Moody is basically right. The everyday phrases for Copts in Egypt are the same: God willing, Thanks be to God, Peace upon you (*see below). This is because they share a language. The differences come when using words that refer to tenets or beliefs pertaining to each faith.

Some differences I have noticed between the two religions is that Christians don't say any phrases that have to do with the prophet or don't say PBUH (peace be upon him). When Muslims say things like that or other phrases, most Christians just answer with "Taieb" or "Mashy".

On the flip side, Copts use phrases among theirselves that they can or will not use with others. Usually it is anything to do with Jesus or the cross.

In my observations (which are limited to Egypt only and to my Christian family), the usual greeting from a Christian is just "salaam" , but if someone says "salaam alikoum" they will answer "we alikoum salaam". Even though the English translation doesn't mean anything other than peace to you or peace upon you, it is considered a Muslim greeting (in this family, at least).

Caladan - peace to you or peace be upon you can be used in Christian services (in America or in other Arabic speaking countries) , but not in Coptic services - the closest thing they have to that is "Go with the peace of God" said at the end of services. Again, it's not the literal translation that makes it stand out, (wishing peace is very common in many languages and faiths) it is the recognized association with Islam.

That's about as far as I could go with this topic. This forum is public and I am living in Egypt! But, it is interesting, and my advice is for sparrow to ask her fiancee everything she is curious about.

Nik

[melly 0]

Some time ago, I talked to my honey about saying assalamu alaykum to people while in Egypt.

I told him that I had heard and read that you shouldn't greet non-muslims this way, and I was confused because how would I know if someone was muslim or not? lol

He said everyone uses it there as a form of greeting, not just muslims.

I'm not sure I feel right about it, because of what I read, but I can't exactly go around asking people what their religion is either.

[amal 4]

Moroccan FEstival in Houston today....mmmmm....couscous.....

I saw Hairspray yesterday. I am still unsure how I feel about it. It is a more white washed version of the original film for sure, but still quuite entertaining. I love musicals and movies with dancing. I have mixed feelings about John Travolta. anyone see it?

WHERE IS IT AT???

on the speaking to muslims/non-muslims.... The hubster told me a while back that "assalamo alaykom" is a greeting just for muslims. I said it to someone once and they said "oh, I'm not muslim" so I'm totally wary about saying it at all now.

[ya falaha! 0]

Yes, Moh attended Catholic school in Egypt. There's a large Christian population in his town and a very large Catholic church and school. He didn't attend religious classes with the Christian kids though. They had an imam come in to do religious instruction to the Muslim kids in the school. The Catholic school offered a better education than the public schools.

I can't think of really anything a Christian wouldn't say that a Muslim would. Both say "inshallah", "alhamdulilah", "salaam alaikum". The difference is when a Muslim answers a Muslim after salaam alaikum it may include wa rahmantullah wa barakatuhu. A Muslim would never include this last part when responding to a Christian. Other than that I'll have to ask my husband. He has quite a few Christian friends and neighbors back home plus he attended Catholic school as a child.

moody - did your husband go to Catholic school in Egypt?

sparrow- your fiance's personal experiences might be the best ones for you to learn from (IMO)

Moody is basically right. The everyday phrases for Copts in Egypt are the same: God willing, Thanks be to God, Peace upon you (*see below). This is because they share a language. The differences come when using words that refer to tenets or beliefs pertaining to each faith.

Some differences I have noticed between the two religions is that Christians don't say any phrases that have to do with the prophet or don't say PBUH (peace be upon him). When Muslims say things like that or other phrases, most Christians just answer with "Taieb" or "Mashy".

On the flip side, Copts use phrases among theirselves that they can or will not use with others. Usually it is anything to do with Jesus or the cross.

In my observations (which are limited to Egypt only and to my Christian family), the usual greeting from a Christian is just "salaam" , but if someone says "salaam alikoum" they will answer "we alikoum salaam". Even though the English translation doesn't mean anything other than peace to you or peace upon you, it is considered a Muslim greeting (in this family, at least).

Caladan - peace to you or peace be upon you can be used in Christian services (in America or in other Arabic speaking countries) , but not in Coptic services - the closest thing they have to that is "Go with the peace of God" said at the end of services. Again, it's not the literal translation that makes it stand out, (wishing peace is very common in many languages and faiths) it is the recognized association with Islam.

That's about as far as I could go with this topic. This forum is public and I am living in Egypt! But, it is interesting, and my advice is for sparrow to ask her fiancee everything she is curious about.

Nik

[Henia 11]

Allah” is the Arabic word for “God” and has been so long before the existence of Islam. The word Allah is not a new and unknown word and name. It is a word and name used for the Creator by past prophets and Messengers of the Creator.

The names “Allah” and “God” are generally interchangeable within the Muslim religion and in Middle Eastern cultures. And words used by Muslims are not exclusive "made-up" words, but words of the Arabe language. (which again is older then the construction of the religion of Islam) Esalaam still means the same for a Christian. The Arab Christians use the name Allah for God and Allah is also used as the name for God in Arab Christians' Bible.

Also Allah is not some "moon-god" or "god of the Arabs" as some Western authors have falsely attributed to Islam. Allah is the One True God, Who is the Creator, Unseen, Who has Power over everything. He is the God of the prophets and Messengers; Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (Peace be upon them all.) All of Gods' (Allahs') prophets and Messengers came with the same message that mankind should only worship the Creator Allah alone, and to not worship others besides Him or ascribe partners to Him in worship (ie. saints, sons, crosses, etc.).

The Arabic language is one of the great unifying and distinguishing characteristics of Arab people. It is divided by Muslim, Christian and Jews. Even so, colloquial Arabic differs from place to place. There are several categories: Levantine dialect (Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon), Egyptian and North African dialect, and Khalijji, or Gulf, dialect. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is a pan-Arabic language used in formal letters, books and newspapers. It is also spoken at Middle East peace conferences and on television news. Quaranic Arabic, like MSA, also is a widely spoken form of the language, but it differs in style and lexicon from MSA.

And throughout MENA arabe is NOT the only language spoken. Assyrian and Chaldeans use a dialect of the

original Aramaic. Berber and Kurdish are other non-Arabic languages of the Middle East. And with colonization of the last 100 years many people in MENA know French as well.

[deadbird 2]

Soo.....more than language, let's go for holidays!

Are there Muslim holidays that everyone celebrates anyway?

[Henia 11]

Generally Muslims *all* celebrate Islamic holidays. Well it would be assumed as Islam is the main religion in MENA, that all people who hav free days on the Eids. (Just like Christmas here)... Some celebrate New Year also. But generally holidays are celebrated based on religion and national indepedence (if this applies). Unlike here, there they do not celebrate holidays Halloween or Valentine's.

Edited August 12, 2007 by Henia

[deadbird 2]

well I would imagine Muslims celebrate Islamic holidays but I meant non-Muslims

My fiance said there was a holiday similar to Valentine's Day but not in February? I forgot when he said it was.

[Henia 11]

well I would imagine Muslims celebrate Islamic holidays but I meant non-Muslims

My fiance said there was a holiday similar to Valentine's Day but not in February? I forgot when he said it was.

Then that would a make-up Hallmark holiday... not MENA holiday. I only know of New Year and Mother's Day being observed universally. Not Valentine's Day...