hi yall
for those who have read my posts... you know i'm thinking about thinking about reverting.... and i don't know arabic ( though i'd love to learn... ) .... but i have a question... there are a lot of threads that have words in the topics or a wide amount of words that are so very unfammillar w/ the words and so what the thread means is kinda lost.
Whats the best thing for me to do in that case..... try and use an online translator and hope its accurate enough to try and follow. To ask in the thread... to ask somewhere else?
This didnt seem like a help desk thread as its not just for mods and its kinda something for everyone ...
anyway i hope its okay that i ask this ... if it should be moved by all means...
Thank you to all that answer
salaam /peace
Serena
It's great to hear you're thinking about reverting - may Allaah facilitate that decision for you, Aameen.
I understand it must be quite frustrating at first when you see so many unfamiliar terms. Don't worry - you will pick these up gradually. I'm sure we had a kind of glossary thread somewhere which might be helpful - I'll try to find that for you. But it's fine to ask whenever you don't understand. You can ask in the thread or anywhere else you think is appropriate.
thank you both
though if i never hear another serena williams comment... it will be too soon.
A - i'm casper
B - i cant serve properlly....
C - i look horrible in tennis clothes
sorry couldn't reisist
Serena
hi yall
for those who have read my posts... you know i'm thinking about thinking about reverting.... and i don't know arabic ( though i'd love to learn... ) .... but i have a question... there are a lot of threads that have words in the topics or a wide amount of words that are so very unfammillar w/ the words and so what the thread means is kinda lost.
Whats the best thing for me to do in that case..... try and use an online translator and hope its accurate enough to try and follow. To ask in the thread... to ask somewhere else?
This didnt seem like a help desk thread as its not just for mods and its kinda something for everyone ...
anyway i hope its okay that i ask this ... if it should be moved by all means...
Thank you to all that answer
salaam /peace
Serena
Did you feel as frustrated as a Christian not always knowing what terms the original languages of Bible meant? These things happen, especially to us laypeople. I don't know what the majority of the 9,000,000,000,000 bits of pointless Arabic lingo mean either, but I've been a Muslim for many years. Mostly it's just jargon, thoughtless insider talk like you'll find with any large group of people.
If you have any lingering problems regarding the decision to revert, I'm here for you.
Last edited by IAmZamzam; 10-27-2010 at 04:19 PM.
Peace be to any prophets I may have mentioned above. Praised and exalted be my Maker, if I have mentioned Him. (Come to think of it praise Him anyway.)
Whats the best thing for me to do in that case..... try and use an online translator and hope its accurate enough to try and follow. To ask in the thread... to ask somewhere else?
if you dont understand something dont be ashamed/ embarassed just ask... or Google it I only understand a wee bit of arabic not every muslim understands it or even speaks it (outside of prayers and greeting) but it is good to know because the Quran is in arabic and when translated to another language you loose a bit of the original meaning
I want to ask you Serena do you already belive in your heart that there is One God (being Allah) and do you believe that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger. I know you say you are thinking about thinking about converting but do you already belive this?
Last edited by S.Belle; 10-27-2010 at 06:51 PM.
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why we call it 'The Present'."
I don't know what the majority of the 9,000,000,000,000 bits of pointless Arabic lingo mean either, but I've been a Muslim for many years. Mostly it's just jargon, thoughtless insider talk like you'll find with any large group of people.
Just to clarify... perhaps we have different things in mind. The words I was thinking of were good words like 'Inshallah', 'Alhamdulillah', 'Subhanallah' etc.
These kinds of words and phrases are encouraged to be used. They are specific invocations taught to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
EDIT: The etiquette of using the word 'Insha'Allaah' is actually mentioned in the Qur'an! (see Surah Kahf: 23-24). And perhaps examples of other words can also be found.
Of course it's mentioned in the Koran because the words are Arabic and the Koran is in Arabic. Had the Koran been in French, would you think that the point of it were to say the exact words "merci boucoup, mon Dei!" and "alhamdullihah" wouldn't suffice even for an Arab?
Peace be to any prophets I may have mentioned above. Praised and exalted be my Maker, if I have mentioned Him. (Come to think of it praise Him anyway.)
Just to clarify... perhaps we have different things in mind. The words I was thinking of were good words like 'Inshallah', 'Alhamdulillah', 'Subhanallah' etc.
These kinds of words and phrases are encouraged to be used. They are specific invocations taught to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
EDIT: The etiquette of using the word 'Insha'Allaah' is actually mentioned in the Qur'an! (see Surah Kahf: 23-24). And perhaps examples of other words can also be found.
no you hit the nail on the head. some... I've gotten lucky on....some like rasool .... (umm mispelling but i hope someone gets where i'm going on this... you know.... whether i ever revert or not.... every non muslim should be forced to spend time on a board like this.... you think there is a high reversion rate now....
Serena
I want to ask you Serena do you already belive in your heart that there is One God (being Allah) and do you believe that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger. I know you say you are thinking about thinking about converting but do you already belive this?
Hoping i didnt crop too much out of the post to make it make sense.
This is where i run into a problem. ( ummm one of many in some ways... the rest are much smaller ) .... you know in a way its frightening to believe that. Not because there's anything wrong with it... thats not how i mean that.... I think i'm quickly coming to believe that... at this point.... its not that i believe that to be false....
*just a side note... i'm high functioning autism.... when i focus on something it gets a LOT of focus... but that also means i have to be analytical of it.... i'm whats considered on the high end of the spectrum... but i always worry * as someone said in more words... some people tend to over think things...
I think i can say yes. I want to be more sure. However at the same time. I could not asnwer no to that question. Does that make sense?
I hope you know how blessed everyone is to have all of this group together .
Salaam
Serena
Did you feel as frustrated as a Christian not always knowing what terms the original languages of Bible meant? These things happen, especially to us laypeople. I don't know what the majority of the 9,000,000,000,000 bits of pointless Arabic lingo mean either, but I've been a Muslim for many years. Mostly it's just jargon, thoughtless insider talk like you'll find with any large group of people.
If you have any lingering problems regarding the decision to revert, I'm here for you.
no... as a christian i didnt feel as frustrated because everything is now done in english in catholicism..... there is a plan.... more than a plan... its been approved by the holy see to change a lot of things so that the english is closer to the latin - but there are very few phrases used in the church that aren't in English.... I've never seen the bible in the originial.... everything has been translated so many times its unreal. I felt some frustration in the bible as literature class i took because it talked so much about the different versions/translations....
Lingering problems .... it goes along w/ the frustration aspect... so i'll add them here....
Music being harem .. if you've played the violin/fiddle for 20 years ... knowing you have to give that up...
my parents... both atheists.... my mother does not wish me to marry... does want me to live here until they are gone..... and its a rural area.... hour or so to the closest mosque... and my car only likes me half the time.. but mechanics can't find out the other half.... lol
i do have a dog.... err... else my parents have dogs. one of which has adopted me... is neurotic and no one else woud ever want him... while its been suggested that i just make sure he never enters the room i pray in.. which makes sense and i know there are some different schools of thought on dogs... i do love the little rugrat! .... he's also only middle age.
fear of doing things that are harem without knowing i am.
and i mean i know everyone sins..... and i know it won't be perfect to start off with ....i get that.... i do....
but what if i can't learn the prayers right..... can i use youtube and recite along w/ it?
keep in mind i still want to take this slow.... even if al of those are answered i couldn't tomorrow revert...
i will say i'm proud of myself because of the amount of non pork substitutions i like. Turkey brats... are AWESOME!!!
other issue.... and i've mentioned it on the forum before... but am trying to answer completely.... is the meds issue. right now due to certain medications.... waking up for the last prayer and the first.... omg... even if i manage to wake up I wouldn't be coherent.... at the same time its finally a combo that is working.. and its the first time thats happened....
and fear. Conservative bible belt areas are a little unnerving to be probably the only muslimah in.
i hope i haven't been too honest in all of this.
Its not the prayers, the fasting, the beliefs of Allah and the prophets ... and the fact that there is no trinity ( oh what a relief actiually ) .....
and swimsuits are perfect they look much like wetsuits... i can do that.
i get that its all stupid little things.... i know that.... being afraid of not learning what i need to a bit bigger. and i know i don't have to tell my parents right off... my church however will freak if i leave... i have more jobs than the priest does it seems.... i could never tell them why i left. Its one thing that bothers me so much about the church... they are so closed minded.. so against certain things....
I'm sorry if i've said too much and i hope i didnt say the wrong thing.
Salaam to all
Serena
quick lesson, Al Fatihah [the Opening] in English:
1 In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
2 Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
3 Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
4 Master of the Day of Judgment.
5 Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
6 Show us the straight way,
7 The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
BismiAllah is in the name of Allah or more technically the ism in Bismi means in ALL of the Names of ...Allah is NOT god with a capitol G as opposed to god with a little g. it is a contraction of Al ilah. an "ilah" means something that someone worships or that they feel is worthy of worship, AL ilah denotes the ONLY One actually worthy of ALL worship.
so we begin "in [ALL of the] Name[s] of THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF WORSHIP,
ar Rahman ar Raheem, generally, the Most Beneficent, the most Merciful
the 1st Ar Rahman is the Mercy that Allah has for ALL of Creation and Ar Raheem is the Special Mercy of Allah for the Believers
Alhamdulillahi Rabbil AlAmin.
sometimes written LiLLAH Al Hamd. liLLAh means for Allah and AL Hamd means ALL heartfelt Thanks and Praises. similar to "Praise the Lord" that the Christians use, the Arabic means ALL heartfelt [you can't just say it, you have to mean it] Thanks AND Praise to due to Allah [THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF WORSHIP] Jamal Zarabozo is of the opinion that as correctly applied, La Ilaha IlAllah is contained in the phrase AlhamduliLLAH.
Rabbil contains the root Rabb, which in Arabic means Creator, Provider, Sustainer, Healer of...
AlAmin ALL that exists, ALL of creation!
so, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil AlAmin is BETTER tanslated as:
ALL Hearfelt Thanks AND Praise are due to Allah, THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF WORSHIP AND the Creator, Provider, Sustainer, Healer of ALL that exists!
this is the Beauty of the Arabic language
i'll stop here to give you a chance to digest!
i strongly recommend this lecture by Mufti Ismail Menk, which is a Tafseer[explanation of Al Fatihah] and one that i quote from ALOT:
now, even though Al Fatihah is ONLY 7 verses, Jamal Zarabozo has a 28 part lecture on Al Fatihah, some of which i've quoted from, here:
the 1st lecture is an overall explanation of the Importance of knowing what the Al Fatihah means. disc 2 is on BismiAllah! Disc 3 on Allah, Ar Rahman Ar Raheem. Disc 4 is on Alhumdulillah and Disc 5 on Rabbil AlAmin!
if you would like, i can post the name/content of each disc as i have the set. you learn ALOT about Islam when you learn about Al Fatihah and thr miraculous phrases included in it!
i hope i haven't written too much here. IF i have written Good, it is from Allah and if i have written ill, it is from me...
Had the non-believer known of all the Mercy which is in the Hands of Allah, he would not lose hope of entering Paradise, and had the believer known of all the punishment which is present with Allah, he would not consider himself safe from the Hell-Fire http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html
My parents are both Methodists but I manage to get by. My mom had a very serious problem with my Islam at first but she got over it. I’m pretty sure yours will too. You just have to give it time.
my mother does not wish me to marry... does want me to live here until they are gone.....
I’m afraid you’ll just have to take those things up with her.
and its a rural area.... hour or so to the closest mosque... and my car only likes me half the time.. but mechanics can't find out the other half.... lol
As surah 2 says, Allah does not place on any soul a greater burden than it can bear. In its favor it has only what it has merited and standing against it only what it has truly earned. Probably there are online broadcasts from mosques as there are from churches. You might want to look into that.
i do have a dog.... err... else my parents have dogs. one of which has adopted me... is neurotic and no one else woud ever want him... while its been suggested that i just make sure he never enters the room i pray in.. which makes sense and i know there are some different schools of thought on dogs... i do love the little rugrat! .... he's also only middle age.
It’s not your dog, and remember that you shouldn’t let a human interrupt your prayers either unless there’s some really urgent reason for them to do so. It’s not about the dog, it’s about the interruption.
fear of doing things that are harem without knowing i am. and i mean i know everyone sins..... and i know it won't be perfect to start off with ....i get that.... i do.... but what if i can't learn the prayers right..... can i use youtube and recite along w/ it?
There is more than one way to do the prayers, and the different ways are similar enough so as to make no difference. Allah judges us on our efforts, remember, our intents. That very same final verse from surah 2 I quoted above says that He does not punish people simply for making honest mistakes.
keep in mind i still want to take this slow.... even if al of those are answered i couldn't tomorrow revert...
Whatever other concerns you have, I am still here for you, God willing. Just be sure not to let reluctance to change be the true motivator. Not that I’m accusing.
i will say i'm proud of myself because of the amount of non pork substitutions i like. Turkey brats... are AWESOME!!!
I do enjoy beef franks, yes. They taste better than pork ones anyway.
other issue.... and i've mentioned it on the forum before... but am trying to answer completely.... is the meds issue. right now due to certain medications.... waking up for the last prayer and the first.... omg... even if i manage to wake up I wouldn't be coherent.... at the same time its finally a combo that is working.. and its the first time thats happened....
I’m sure you can figure it out, and if you can’t then, again, just do your best because that’s all God wants or expects. I suggest you ease into it gradually until you’ve got it just right.
and fear. Conservative bible belt areas are a little unnerving to be probably the only muslimah in.
I live in Arkansas, my sister, which is known across the U.S.A. as the BUCKLE of the Bible Belt. If I can get by, so can you.
i hope i haven't been too honest in all of this.
There is no such thing as “too honest”, though I’m sure (*rolls eyes*) that some would dispute that.
Its not the prayers, the fasting, the beliefs of Allah and the prophets ... and the fact that there is no trinity ( oh what a relief actiually ) .....
I know how you feel! I used to be Christian and it is truly a big relief to finally rip up that Moebius strip of rationalization and semantic self-hypnosis once and for all. Good luck trying to get other Christians to do it, though!
and swimsuits are perfect they look much like wetsuits... i can do that. i get that its all stupid little things.... i know that.... being afraid of not learning what i need to a bit bigger.
That very concern itself already makes you a bit bigger, my dear Sister.
and i know i don't have to tell my parents right off... my church however will freak if i leave... i have more jobs than the priest does it seems.... i could never tell them why i left. Its one thing that bothers me so much about the church... they are so closed minded.. so against certain things....
Almost everything in this life seems worse in anticipation than it does when the event finally arrives. And then it’s over and done with!
I'm sorry if i've said too much and i hope i didnt say the wrong thing. Salaam to all. Serena
Don’t worry about saying too much in a subject and situation like this; if anything, worry about saying too little.
Last edited by Woodrow; 10-31-2010 at 09:34 PM.
Reason: Modified two words to avoid confusion over intent
Peace be to any prophets I may have mentioned above. Praised and exalted be my Maker, if I have mentioned Him. (Come to think of it praise Him anyway.)
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i see princess sprinkles has branded you also
.... he's also only middle age.
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