[caadam]

Assalamu alaikum.

My name is Candice and I am a Christian. Well... I follow the scriptures of the bible, but truthfully I don't associate myself to Christianity in the mainstream. I don't even feel very comfortable calling myself a Christian, only because it tends to lead to a lot of stigma and assumptions about what I follow. People automatically think that I'm some bible-bashing Christian, or a half-hearted Christian.

I don't fit in with that crowd very much, mostly because I want to follow the traditions and customs of the churches in scripture. Such as... covering my head as a woman, being modest in clothing, having a meek and submissive spirit, and respecting the authority of men as being teachers of the congregation. If I were to be a teacher, I would want to be a teacher to younger women and children; I wouldn't believe it my place to teach men.

Because of these things, I tend to get into many disagreements with Christian women in particular. :exhausted I don't try to, but I'm not willing to compromise customs for the sake of modern culture. Such things shouldn't change according to culture, I believe. There would be no spiritual meaning to them, then. At least that's what I believe.

I have been curious and wanting to learn more about Islam recently because of this, as well as a flyer I saw about Islam two weeks ago. It was called Muslims for Peace; I checked out the Website, because like the average person, I had my prejudices about Islam. Peaceful Muslims, right? I got the chance to read Q&A's with scripture from the Qu'ran. I was very taken back by the reality that my assumptions were way off from the truth about Islam. The truth being that Islam is to be a religion of peace and life for Allah every day.

With that being said, I'm very thankful to be on this board and get to talk to you all. I know not everyone here is Muslim, but I will definitely be asking questions and get involved.

 

[جوري]

:welcome: aboard Candice.. I just adore your name -- hope you enjoy your stay with us..

 

[S.Belle]

Welcome hope you enjoy it here

 

[caadam]

Oh, trust me: I have found some, some Christian women who do indeed cover their heads. No doubt. Sadly, though, I live in a very liberal area where there are very liberal Christians. They simply don't understand nor want to understand the custom of covering a woman's head. Because of that, I tend to be very isolated in my practice. It's very discouraging because I find it to be a spiritual necessity in my faith, where as I'm not being supported by most Christian women in my area to do what I do. The Christians I have found who do cover their head are living in other states, or are Mennonite or Amish here in Washington. As well, I don't find many Christian women here who practice a sense of modesty. It's all about fashion. Being my age (23), I don't get along with my generation for obvious reasons. :exhausted I also get a lot of heat for saying that I don't believe women should be teaching the congregation from people my age and younger. It's hard.​

 

[tango92]

welcome to teh forums.

may we all be guided IA

 

[Woodrow]

Oh, trust me: I have found some, some Christian women who do indeed cover their heads. No doubt. Sadly, though, I live in a very liberal area where there are very liberal Christians. They simply don't understand nor want to understand the custom of covering a woman's head. Because of that, I tend to be very isolated in my practice. It's very discouraging because I find it to be a spiritual necessity in my faith, where as I'm not being supported by most Christian women in my area to do what I do. The Christians I have found who do cover their head are living in other states, or are Mennonite or Amish here in Washington. As well, I don't find many Christian women here who practice a sense of modesty. It's all about fashion. Being my age (23), I don't get along with my generation for obvious reasons. :exhausted I also get a lot of heat for saying that I don't believe women should be teaching the congregation from people my age and younger. It's hard.​

Many or us here are reverts from Christianity. a strange thing you will often hear us reverts say is our love for Jesus(as) and wanting to live as he taught was a step in leading us to Islam.

Washington does have many Muslims, especially in the Seattle area, use this as an opportunity to learn first hand about Islam. I am certain that you can find helpful literature at any nearby Mosque. also feel free to ask any questions here. Here you may not always get the best scholarly answers, but you will learn more about how us typical Muslims live on a day to day basis. You will discover we come in a lot of different flavors. You will meet members of all shapes and colors and from very diverse backgrounds we have members who have lived their entire life as Muslims and very recent reverts. But we all have one thing in common, we are equal as Muslims. A person who just became Muslim, is as much Muslim as a 100 year old Scholar who lived his entire life as a pious Muslim. The new revert is even closer to Jannah (Heaven) as their sins have been erased and they are beginning life as a new born with a fresh pure start.

 

[Amat Allah]

wellcome my sweet heart, May Allah lead your way to the path of the endless happiness and give you the best of this life and of the hereafter Ameeeen

you are now a dear and precious member of the IB`s big family, please feel free to ask whatever you want ^^

May Allah open for you all the doors of real success and goodness...Ameeeeen

leaving you under Allah`s sight...

with all my respect and humility, your sister:

Amat Allah

 

[Asiyah3]

Wa alaykum as-salaam,

Welcome.

 

[YusufNoor]

Oh, trust me: I have found some, some Christian women who do indeed cover their heads. No doubt. Sadly, though, I live in a very liberal area where there are very liberal Christians.

King County, eh?;D

They simply don't understand nor want to understand the custom of covering a woman's head. Because of that, I tend to be very isolated in my practice. It's very discouraging because I find it to be a spiritual necessity in my faith, where as I'm not being supported by most Christian women in my area to do what I do. The Christians I have found who do cover their head are living in other states, or are Mennonite or Amish here in Washington. As well, I don't find many Christian women here who practice a sense of modesty. It's all about fashion. Being my age (23), I don't get along with my generation for obvious reasons. :exhausted I also get a lot of heat for saying that I don't believe women should be teaching the congregation from people my age and younger. It's hard.​

i answered you in the other section before i saw this. of great benefit to you might be Khalid Yasin. he opened a new Community Center 2 MLK and Juneau, just on the south side of the Filipino Community Center. link:

http://www.purposeoflifecenter.com/

i keep [well, i try to keep. got 3 at the moment] media packages for new Muslims, you are welcome to have one. anything that can be copied that you might be interested in, i would attempt so as well.

my 2 favorite speakers are Mufti Ismail Menk, of Zimbabwe, and Dr Bashar Shala of Memphis Tennessee. please listen to Dr Shala's Owner of the 2 Gardens:

http://www.pleasantviewschool.com/m...tories+of+Quran/14_Stories_from_Surah_Al-Kahf

there are many areas that the good Doctor has spoken on:

http://www.pleasantviewschool.com/media/default.asp

it appears that Jamal has been re-posting everything, but i haven't asked why as of yet.

Mufti Menk has alot of lectures here:

http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html

please listen to: Muslim Women! Are they Oppressed?

http://www.nazirakoob.com/menk/Vol1.html#Part8

for in-depth, Scholarly material, we have Dr Bilal Philips. he has a website here:

http://www.bilalphilips.com/index.php

there is a great series of lectures on the Foundations of Islamic Studies, found at the bottom of the video download page:

http://www.bilalphilips.com/bilal_pages.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=288

i have it on 3dvds and it is in the packet i have that i can give you.

there are also, if you click the link to the Online Islamic University, some free courses:

http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/

click the free short courses:

http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1

and then the Free Courses Gallery:

http://www.islamiconlineuniversity....ery&view=category&id=1:free-courses&Itemid=20

each course has some combo of Written work or audio or video. Dr Philips has a Phd in Islamic Studies and his knowledge is vast.

let me know if i can help you in any way. i also have a big collection of media on the JFK assassination, 9/11 and related topics.

:wa:

 

[caadam]

YusufNoor-

Close: Snohomish County. Haha. ;D I used to live right smack dab in the middle of the University District of Seattle. You can probably imagine...
Anyway, again, thank you for all these resources; I will check out every one of them. I will definitely reply back to you in the very near future about those DVDs and CDs you mentioned. Sounds interesting. This is all very helpful!

 

[YusufNoor]

here's a list of local Mosques:

http://seattle.citysearch.com/listings/seattle-wa-metro/mosques/82096_3832

there are 2 that are not on there. one on 19th Ave NE [which turns into 56th Ave W] and one on 25th Ave NE, both north of Ballinger Way. BOTH have minarets or domes, hard to miss. haven't been to the one in Lynnwood.

if you cannot make it Khalid's place, i could drive up on a weekend after Duhr, In Sha'a Allah. we have a HUGE Masjid in Tukwila on 99. it used to be giggles and a casino, it's now a Somali Masjid, Alhumdulillah!

i could make some 9/11 dvds for your folks, they might be surprised.

:wa:

 

[caadam]

I've been watching Khalid Yasin speak in some YouTube videos tonight. Amazing! I also found the Challenge Your Soul Website, too. This is great. So much to learn.
I'm extremely interested in visiting his center in the near future. I would have to take the bus, though; I don't drive, and even if I could I can't afford a car. lol I've been looking at bus schedules, though... it's only an hour-and-a-half bus ride. *shrugs*

 

[Rafeeq]

Welcome to IB and it is very pleasing knowing that you are understanding the true sprit of Islam, unlike what media portray about Islam.

 

[YusufNoor]

Assalamu alaikum.

My name is Candice and I am a Christian. Well... I follow the scriptures of the bible, but truthfully I don't associate myself to Christianity in the mainstream. I don't even feel very comfortable calling myself a Christian, only because it tends to lead to a lot of stigma and assumptions about what I follow. People automatically think that I'm some bible-bashing Christian, or a half-hearted Christian.

i recognized faults in the scripture years ago and didn't refer to myself as a Christian. i tired to follow the Sunnah[Way] of Jesus and people just assumed i was a Jew.

I don't fit in with that crowd very much, mostly because I want to follow the traditions and customs of the churches in scripture. Such as... covering my head as a woman, being modest in clothing, having a meek and submissive spirit,

these are Islamic concepts also.

and respecting the authority of men as being teachers of the congregation. If I were to be a teacher, I would want to be a teacher to younger women and children; I wouldn't believe it my place to teach men.

these as well

Because of these things, I tend to get into many disagreements with Christian women in particular. :exhausted I don't try to, but I'm not willing to compromise customs for the sake of modern culture. Such things shouldn't change according to culture, I believe. There would be no spiritual meaning to them, then. At least that's what I believe.

we believe so as well!

I have been curious and wanting to learn more about Islam recently because of this, as well as a flyer I saw about Islam two weeks ago. It was called Muslims for Peace; I checked out the Website, because like the average person, I had my prejudices about Islam. Peaceful Muslims, right? I got the chance to read Q&A's with scripture from the Qu'ran. I was very taken back by the reality that my assumptions were way off from the truth about Islam. The truth being that Islam is to be a religion of peace and life for Allah every day.

With that being said, I'm very thankful to be on this board and get to talk to you all. I know not everyone here is Muslim, but I will definitely be asking questions and get involved.

did you know, that instead of what you may have seen...oh, somewhere else, that Jesus, Peace be upon him AND his Mother, IS the Jewish Messiah in Islam?

while Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Peace be upon him, IS the final Messenger, as an Ummah [Nation], we are awaiting the return of Jesus, the son of Mary, May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon both of them?

this is not conveyed the way it should be.

so like the way Jesus used to rush to the Temple as the Sabbath time came, healthy men must attend the Mosque for prayer! as Jesus only ate Kosher food, we only eat Halaal food [no pork!] as Jesus followed the 10 commandments, so do we! NO other nation observes the 10 Commandments like we, not even the Jews, they are a secular nation. and while there is no TRULY Islamic Country, those with some form of Shariah follow the 10 commandments pretty well. as i say, CLOSER than ANYONE!

AND we await Jesus' return! [Peace be upon him]

just some food for though!

:wa:

 

[جوري]

having a meek and submissive spirit,

I don't think having a meek submissive spirit is Islamic.. we have a dignified, elated spirit...

[SIZE=-1]Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed it had been better for them. Some of them are believers; but most of them are evil-livers.


[/SIZE]

 

[aminahjaan]

Agreed! Meek and Submissive? There are so many muslims out there....we're not all meek and submissive, we're empowered yet classy and dignified!


However, I'm proud of your interest in Islam and I encourage you to find out more about it!

 

[YusufNoor]

I don't think having a meek submissive spirit is Islamic.. we have a dignified, elated spirit...

[SIZE=-1]Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed it had been better for them. Some of them are believers; but most of them are evil-livers.


[/SIZE]

please forgive me if i have offended you, sister. i cut the others sister's statement in half, it read:

I want to follow the traditions and customs of the churches in scripture. Such as... covering my head as a woman, being modest in clothing, having a meek and submissive spirit, and respecting the authority of men as being teachers of the congregation. If I were to be a teacher, I would want to be a teacher to younger women and children; I wouldn't believe it my place to teach men.

and it brought to mind the portion of the verse 4:43:

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.)

http://quran.com/4

and a few hadeeth as well:

Volume 8, Book 74, Number 273:

Narrated 'Aisha:

A group of Jews came to Allah's Apostle and said, "As-samu 'Alaika " (Death be on you), and I understood it and said to them, "Alaikum AsSamu wa-l-la'na (Death and curse be on you)." Allah's Apostle said, "Be calm! O 'Aisha, for Allah loves that one should be kind and lenient in all matters." I said. "O Allah's Apostle! Haven't you heard what they have said?" Allah's Apostle said, "I have (already) said (to them), 'Alaikum (upon you).' "

http://bukharishareef.blogspot.com/2008/03/translation-of-sahih-bukhari-book-74.html


Volume 8, Book 73, Number 38:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "While a man was walking on a road. he became very thirsty. Then he came across a well, got down into it, drank (of its water) and then came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. The man said to himself "This dog is suffering from the same state of thirst as I did." So he went down the well (again) and filled his shoe (with water) and held it in his mouth and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him." The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?" He said, "(Yes) There is a reward for serving any animate (living being) ."

http://bukharishareef.blogspot.com/2008/03/translation-of-sahih-bukhari-book-73.html

we have a meek and submissive attitude to Allah and His Messenger. it is where we get our dignity. and Allah knows best!

:wa:

 

[caadam]

I like to say that I find no connection between meek and weak, as most people would like to connect. Just because they sound alike, it doesn't necessarily mean they relate. To be meek is to suffer without resentment, without hate. With that being said, I believe meekness takes a lot of strength. To have suffering in one's life and not hate whatever or whoever makes you suffer is something many people can't do. To be meek is to be strong.

As well, when I mean submissive, I mean respecting and honoring the authority of a husband. If I were to ever have a husband, my submission to him would be me having respect for him; to honor and glorify him as my husband and mate; to always trust his decisions as well as help him in his decisions.

That's what I mean by having a meek and submissive spirit.

 

[caadam]

Side note: I would also add onto the authority of a husband, that of a father and mother too.

 

[جوري]

please forgive me if i have offended you, sister.

you never offend me akhi-- I owe a great deal of what I know especially as pertain to christianity to you.. Jazaka Allah khyran