iMuslim.tv

What’s a nice girl like you doing on a blog like this?

// November 11th, 2006 // 4 Comments » // Blog

Friends are wonderful aren’t they? I mean good friends. Ones that bring out the best in you. Not the kind that would dare you to steal a cherry-flavoured lip-gloss from Superdrug, but the kind that would help you to find a job so you could buy it instead.

I am so grateful to God for the good friends i have in my life, mashallah. Truly they are a (not very well disguised) blessing. In fact, the word sister is so much more appropriate. I used to find that term so awkward to say. It would immediately conjure up thoughts of the “Praise Jesus!” posse. Now it slips from my lips as gently as a summer breeze, and is just as refreshing to hear. God may not have granted me siblings by blood, but it warms my heart to know that He has instead granted me one billion siblings in Islam.

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My Faith in Faith Schools

// November 8th, 2006 // 6 Comments » // Blog

I recently discovered a handy website called They Work For You.com. You select an MP and/or a keyword and the service alerts you via email whenever said MP makes a contribution in the House, or when your topic of interest is mentioned in a debate. I am currently keeping tabs on my local MP and am also informed whenever the word “Islam” pops up (surprise, surprise). My MP is involved with the Treasury, so his alerts aren’t always very interesting (to me anyway), however the “Islam” alert did remind me of a recent political hot-topic; that of faith schools. Warning: the debate does go on for a bit – in fact, I was too lazy to read the whole thing. As a side, I find the manner of address “hon. gentlemen” rather quaint. I wonder if it encourages civilized dialogue?

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Plunging into the deep end

// November 6th, 2006 // 13 Comments » // Blog

I have set myself two challenges in the past week that both require some serious time and effort – well, they aren’t called challenges for nothing.

The first is to write about evolution and the origins of man from an islamic perspective.

The second is to explain why disbelief in God can be construed as being the greatest crime against oneself and humanity.

Sounds melodramatic, i know, but it’s serious stuff folks.

I have all the ideas of what i want to say up here [points to skull], but how to get it onto there [points to the screen]?

I also have a bad habit of going on and on and on… i need to be concise for the sake of the reader.

A massive task for a newbie like me.

If only i was still on holiday!

Anyway, don’t expect to see these entries for a while. I am far too bogged down in the lab these days. I will definitely try though as pent up thoughts tend to bug me and must be released asap.

Thank Allah for blogger.com! [end of plug]

Women answer the call

// November 5th, 2006 // 3 Comments » // Blog

This might be old news, but i’ve wanted to discuss the Beit Hanoun incident since i heard about it on Friday.

I’m not going to discuss which party was in the “wrong” or “right”. Can I even tell anymore? Especially when media reports are not entirely objective, and that’s all i have to judge with at present.

I just wanted to point out something i feel may have been overlooked in all the drama.

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Doppelganger

// November 2nd, 2006 // No Comments » // Blog

Whilst searching through Blogger.com’s help section, i was reminded that all blogs are automatically listed on Google. So naturally i Googled myself to see how low down the index i would appear. Wonderfully enough the first hit on the list was a blog – hurrah! But not mine – oh.

It seems that i wasn’t so original in my choice of username. Oh well, using ‘i’ as a prefix isn’t exactly cutting edge these days!

Turns out that my doppelganger on the net is so in more than just name. Firstly, like me, she is a she. Currently a college [Mercan for university] student. Well, i’ve moved on a little past that stage. I’m a postgrad don’t you know? A quick read of her latest entry suggests her blog has a similar theme to it. Do i need to point out that she’s also a muslim?

Major difference is she is based on the other side of the Atlantic and her blog design is far more stunning than mine, mashallah. Between us we have the western hemisphere covered!

Broadening the Scope of the Pope

// November 1st, 2006 // No Comments » // Blog

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf responds to controversial remarks by the Pope.

Watch video [Copyright, Zaytuna Institute 2006]

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I only found this video podcast yesterday, so i hope it doesn’t seem like i’m picking at old wounds! Mashallah Shaykh Yusuf has impressed me yet again. May Allah bless us all with patience and forbearance in these turbulent times.

Disclaimer & Justification

// November 1st, 2006 // 6 Comments » // Blog

Thanks to all those who have commented on my blog. I only started blogging very recently so i apologize in advance if my manner of response is not to the standard you are used to.

I would like to state at this point that i am only an authority on Islam in so far as i am a follower of it. You will have to trust me when i say that i am not a muslim “missionary”. I do not speak about Islam as a living and i’ve only recently become more confident w.r.t. discussing my faith, even in the anonymous setting of the internet. Due to my “layman” understanding it is quite possible i may misrepresent Islam at some point, God-forbid. If a muslim or non-muslim was to come across any alternative views to mine they should always be considered in the light of Islamic textual evidence, i.e., quotes from the Qur’an, or proven sayings/actions of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). In addition the interpretation of these texts should be those that are widely accepted by the Islamic scholarly community. We all know how easy it can be to pluck out a single verse and analyse it subjectively for an unsuitable end.

Some advice for myself and to those whom the argument is being presented: in order to recognize and benefit from the truth one must be prepared to be objective, abandon any previous beliefs and most importantly, be prepared to swallow any pride one may have.

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