The Essence of Islam: Are We Missing the Point?

The Essence of Islam: Are We Missing the Point?

Very good article mashallah! Good points to keep in mind!




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I love smart people!

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

Why Science fails to explain God.

A dialog between a Muslim student and a Philosophy professor

http://www.islamicweb.com/beliefs/science/philosophy_fails.htm

Did anyone watch this program from the past...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I know strange title but I couldn't think of anything else... anyway the program I am talking about is "Touched by an Angel" (I think only North Americans will know of this program)
anyway...it was a nice, mushy series about some angels who come to help out us humans, they are basically doing God's work here on earth... agree or not with it, it was a nice wholesome program that at least was trying to get across good values! So why am I bringing this up? Well because I have found the Turkish equivalent for it! LOL no really and its been translated into English! I first watched the Turkish version with hubby and he had to explain everything to me but somehow I kind of liked it! So now quite by accident I found a Turkish-American TV channel that shows them !
http://www.ebru.tv/en/ebrutv/Series/Fifth_Dimension/c.308.html

So if you feel like check out the episodes, (you can download and then watch them as well)

Actually the whole website shows different programs (most of them are religion based - which is nice!) I am slowly exploring the rest of the site...will let you all know of any more good programs!

Ebru TV

What a little bird said...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all


So this is what happens when I get bored...





Ack... I had to...well I didn't have too..but hey why not...
so who wants to follow me...or can I follow you??

You are not qualified to talk about Islam

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I came across this article and I think its worth the effort to read it,
I'll post 'snipits' of it here though!

"You are not qualified to talk about Islam". How many times have I heard and read that same line, again and again? And more often than not, the same sentence is uttered or written by precisely the sort of self-trained autodidact whose own knowledge of Islam came from whatever he or she read on the internet or some cassette he bought at the local market.

This is the point that is often lost in the over-heated debates that take place between Muslim progressives and the more conservative Ulama in our midst. Whenever there is an attempt to question, debate, reform or develop the normative religio-cultural praxis of Muslims anywhere in the world, we often see the same reaction from conservative Ulama who will never accept that those who didn't go to the same schools as they did have the right to speak on matters of religious praxis.

If, for instance, a Muslim feminist were to abide by the rules set by some conservative male Ulama, they would be forced to conform to all the standards set by men: They would have to start from the beginning, go to the same schools as the ulama did, read the same books, dress and behave the same way, etc. But in the end, they would still be faced with yet another barrier to their participation into the discursive domain: "No, you are not qualified to speak on Islam. Why? Because you are a woman of course!"

Muslim women are more intellectually emancipated and equipped than ever before. Rather than silencing the voices of Muslim women who are trying to understand and make relevant Islam for the age we live in, the conservatives among us should learn to listen to the critical and often constructive comments of others instead. If Islam is indeed a universal religion, then it has to be open for discussion for all. If Islam is indeed for everyone, then everyone has the right to have a say in it.

Read the whole article
http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0906-3886

I think it is important not to fall into the cultural aspects of Islam
and unfortunately so many people do! I look forward to a day when
Islam is taught from a non-cultural perspective and all kinds of
cultures are accepted to be as Muslims!

We should be thankful and remindful of our blessings each day!

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

This is just amazing...subhanallah that the child was not hurt!
Just goes to show you that everything is by the will of Allah

Turkish Boy Run Down in Horrific Car Crash (VIDEO)

A boy was walking along the street in Sanliurfa, Turkey, when a car swerved to avoid hitting a dog, lost control and slammed into him, knocking him down a set of concrete steps
. The accident was caught on CCTV video.

The boy, Muhammet Dirlik, was hit by the car which then crashed through a store window just a few feet away. Miraculously, he jumped up and ran to his father.

The boy’s father, Ibrahim Dirlik, said: “I saw my son come towards me crying, but we were not aware he had been hit by the car. We thought he was just scared by the crash. We only realised the next day that the car had hit my son.”

What kind of tea...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I am slowly crawling back to blogging life.
I know it has been a while and I have missed telling you all
about my 'oh so exciting lifestyle' (insert sarcasim)

I say over at Teabreak thoughts
some quizzes so of course I had to try them out!

You Are Tea

You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied. You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea. While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break. You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it.

Are You Coffee or Tea?

I kind of feel I am a coffee person more... but hey I do like making connections to people
and I do love to 'take a break' so maybe its right!

You Are White Tea

You are quite delicate and very sensitive. You are easily overwhelmed. Peace and serenity are important to you. You shy away from intensity of any sort. You appreciate a simple quiet moment. You can relax easily without feeling bored. You take the time to enjoy life. Even when things are busy, you make the time.

What Kind of Tea Are You?

So what type of Tea are you?

I think today will be filled with some mindless posts...but I am working on something
more interesting - stay tuned!

Your personality...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I saw this on another blog and thought I would post some of my more interesting results!

You Think Creatively

Your brain works best when you let your intuition be your guide. You like to imagine, speculate, and fantasize. You have fun playing with ideas. You are interested in theories. You enjoy studying and developing them. You are drawn toward art, philosophy, and even math. Almost every subject is interesting to you.

How Do You Think?

You Are a Mosaic

You are worldly and cultured. You draw inspiration from many sources. You appreciate vivid colors and busy scenes, but you like a bit of order too. You believe that art should have many layers. It should be beautiful up close and from afar. The best art gets more interesting the longer you look at it.

What Type of Art Are You?

Your Mind is 67% Cluttered

Your mind is quite cluttered. And like most clutter, it's a bunch of crap you don't need. Try writing down your worst problems and fears. And then put them out of your mind for a while.

How Cluttered is Your Mind?

You Belong in the Baby Boomer Generation

You fit in best with people born between 1943 and 1960. You are optimistic, rebellious, and even a little self centered. You still believe that you will change the world. You detest authority and rules. Deep down, you're a non conformist.

What Generation Do You Belong In?

You Are an Old Soul

You are an experienced soul who appreciates tradition. Mellow and wise, you like to be with others but also to be alone. Down to earth, you are sensible and impatient. A creature of habit, it takes you a while to warm up to new people. You hate injustice, and you're very protective of family and friends A bit demanding, you expect proper behavior from others. Extremely independent you don't mind living or being alone. But when you find love, you tend to want marriage right away. Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Degredation of the Family unit...some thoughts

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I have a news feed up on top of my browser window - its set to
Turkish news right now (Hubby is Turkish and I sometimes like to
surprise him with some knowledge about what's going on there!)
Anyway... off topic!
So I saw this article title

School Books are Turkish, Muslim, Male, Heterosexual and Racist

I thought....hmm this should be interesting.
The article starts off like this:

The findings of the second project of monitoring Turkish school
books for human rights violations, run by the History Foundation
and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, have been published
as a book.

"...The father is the person who makes the living for the family.
The mother is the father’s helper, and she provides the food, child care
and love in the family.”

Ok, what is so wrong with that? Yes there are women who make a living,
and yes it is a nice thing for the father to help out the mother. In most homes
the mother is the one cooking and cleaning and childcare. I know that this makes
it sound as if the women are at a disadvantage, but I have to disagree. I think
many of us grew up in such homes, did we turn out all misguided?

The article goes on:

“The groups most at risk of contracting AIDS are: people having unsafe
sexual relations, people with more than one sexual partner,
homosexuals, drug users, those dependent on blood products and health personnel.” (E.A. Kolukısa (2006) Primary School Social Studies
6, p. 147, Ankara: A Publications).

This sentence encourages prejudices towards both people who are not heterosexual and those who cannot live with one partner.

Um...this to me looks more like a fact not 'discrimination'?
Should text books write 'its ok to have more than one sexual partner'?
I mean really these books are for children in school, it should not
contain 'thoughts or ideals', I think facts are needed not opinions.

Ok this really boggles my mind - remember these are books made for
Turkish children IN Turkey.

Related to this issue is the choice of names that the characters in school
books have. They are always Muslim and Turkish names, such as
Ömer, Zeynep, Mustafa, Mehmet, Meral, Sema…In vain does one look
for Armenian, Kurdish or Jewish names, such as
Agop, Zilan, Baran, Moşe, Roni or Nayat.

We generally use 'English' sounding names here in Canada, and we have
so many different nationalities, so I don't think that is being racists. With so
many ethnicity's here the book makers would be dizzy from choosing names!
Would you really see a book here with the characters having a
Chinese or Indian name? I wouldn't mind, but realistically would it happen?
Perhaps Canada is in violation of Human Rights too then?

“For no one; we are Allah’s subjects…our hearts are full of belief,
our strong arms….”(A. Kapulu (2007) Primary School
Turkish 4, p. 29, Ankara: Koza Publications).

According to the report of the History Foundation, religious beliefs
are presented as positive suggestions in school books.
Traditions are shown as incompatible with a critical mind.
When religion is described as a “culture”, morality is reduced to religiosity.

Ok so teaching or 'promoting' religion is a bad thing? I think maybe if more people
were religious they wouldn't be so many wars?

“My mother bought a blanket from a door-to-door salesperson.
But when my father came home in the evening, he said that the blanket
could not be paid with this month’s budget, and said we would have
to give it back.” (E. A. Kolukısa (2007)
Primary School Social Studies 6, p. 22, Ankara: A Publications).

- Stop here and think of what that sentence means to you?
Then scroll down and see if you thought the same as they are claiming
in the article that this sentence portrays.

This sentence shows a woman who cannot make decisions, as well as a male-dominated family.

Are you kidding me? All I thought when I read that is that 'there is no money
this month and they could not afford it. Never would I have thought, 'the woman
is too stupid to know how much money they have and keeps spending! AACCKKK

Okey so after all these I have a few thoughts on how the world is progressing.
First of all I think the 'family unit' is broken down and not 'cherished' anymore.
Yes both sets of parents may be working and it is no longer only the man who is
the bread winner, but that does not mean that we need to forget about family life.

Women have babies, and usually those babies take about 6months to one year to
become able to be left with someone else other than their mother. So, yeah in
that time the "man" of the house is going to have to provide, and is that so wrong??
Morals and values have seem to been abandoned, in the pursuit of wealth and
success.

I really cannot believe that those books are being questioned, well ok,
I can believe they are being questioned (and there are some aspects
of the article that I agree with, some things really should be re-evaluated
by the Turkish schools) but to be accused of Human Rights violations
for printing such things? I mean come on people....lets be realistic!

If put under a microscope and analyzed in these terms I would like to know
which nation in the world would not be violating Human Rights?

I would really like some opinions on this article - well at least the quotes
I've posted above. Do you agree, or not or have another opinion?

New Layout

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

So I thought I would change up the layout... cleaned it up a bit but not
sure if I'm entirely happy with it - maybe just takes time to get used to it.

So what do you all think - like, dislike, don't care!

Interesting facts

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I haven't really blogged in a few days...nothing has been going on, just didn't have a good topic yet...but I think I have one 'brewing' ...so in the meantime here are some interesting facts....

Coyotes are extremely loyal to their mates. If one is caught in a trap, the other will bring small game for it to eat; it will soak itself in a river to allow its thirsty mate to chew on its damp fur for water. It has been documented that the free coyote will stay with its captive partner until death.

The human heart is no bigger than a fist and yet is wrapped in so much muscle that it can continue pumping even if a third of its muscle mass is destroyed.

The full chemical name for caffeine is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine and its chemical formula is C8H10N4O2. When coffee is roasted, and when the coffee beans begin to cool, they release about 700 chemical substances that make up the vaporizing aromas.

The reason honey is so easy to digest is that it’s already been digested by a bee.

Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.

It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cornea in the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

The human heart creates enough pressure while pumping to squirt blood 30 feet!!

The female Adelie penguin, desperate to obtain the stones she uses to build her nest, visits the nest of a bachelor Adelie, goes through the entire courtship routine, and mates with him. But once the two have had sex, the female collects the stones she came for as a sort of payment, and waddles back home to her actual mate, who’s been keeping the nest nice and warm for her return! She then stays with him for the rest of her life. Sometimes, especially cunning females engage in the courtship ritual, minus the mating part, grab the rocks, and dash home. Luckily, the males of this species, unlike humans, do not seem to bear a grudge.

There is no God...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

Toronto is a buzz with the latest advertising that will be featured on the transit system...

(this picture is from the UK)

Yeah you see it right...it apparently started in England
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7681914.stm

so some brilliant mind thought... hey this would be a good idea in Toronto, since it is so multi-cultural and all (I mean really!)

I was watching the news report last night its actually here:
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_31470.aspx

The chair of the transit commission is saying (go to min 1:30) that
"atheism is defined as a religion...so we are required to run it"

Oh really? Would they run this advertisement? (My take on it!)

(now doesn't that sound better!)

Yeah somehow I don't think so.

I don't like when things for the public are taken and twisted for some individuals. What I mean is if you are going to post (and in the words of the Chairman, "we are required to run it") something about atheism then you are going to have to post everything from Islam to Hinduism... that makes for a lot of advertising! Personally I like to keep things 'secular', meaning that for the most part things are non-religious. You can see from the advertisements that people are divided about how they feel. Could all that money not be spent to improve the situation of the transit? (They are currently in need of money to upgrade a very old system)

I do agree with one thing though...this will definitely open up talk about God...and that has to be a good thing!

So I like to open it up now and ask...what are all your thoughts on this?

The world through...

You See the World Through Blue Colored Glasses

You live your life with tranquility. You have faith that things will work themselves out with time. You judge all your interactions through the lens of hope. You try to get all the facts before forming your opinion. You face challenges with wisdom. You know that all bad things pass, and you have the confidence to see problems through. You see love as the utmost expression of trust. Your relationships tend to be peaceful and stable. At your worst, you can be cool, melancholy, and detached. You sometimes have to step back from emotionally charged situations. You are at your happiest when you are able to reflect and relax.

What Color Glasses Do You See the World Through?

This one is a bit more accurate! It's true that I live in 'hope' and that I am at my happiest when I can relax and nobody is bothering me with things that I cannot change!

These are a few of my favourite things...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

So I've been tagged (3 times I may add!) Here is my list... and I'm not tagging anyone because I don't think there is anyone left! But you are free to do this list on your own blog or if you don't have one post it on mine...lol

NOTE: You have to add one additional "favorite" thing to the end of the list when you answer


Favorite color: Blue

Favorite perfume (guys): Eternity

Favorite perfume (girls): Lovely (Sarah Jessica Parker's perfume -hubby's gift!)

Favorite pj brand: Don't have a fav (there are brands?) Just flannel comfy ones!

Favorite clothes brand in general: Love H&M

Favorite person in the entire world: Can't say I have a favourite, mom's are mom's, hubby's are hubby's they are all my fav's!

Favorite country: so far? Black Sea region in Turkey

Favorite car: BMW convertible, newer ones (well actually from the late 90's early 2000's not the current ones!)

Favorite sport: Cross country skiing (although I did get injured...still like it!)

Favorite sport player: N/A Don't really watch enough to have a 'fav'

Favorite spot in America: Niagara Falls (Canadian side)

Favorite animal: Like them all, especially fuzzy bunnies

Favorite movie: Lots of them, Wizard of Oz is a standard

Favorite singer: Don't have a favourite, listen to various things

Favorite day in the week: Friday!

Favorite time of the day: Night (after work)

Favorite holiday season: Spring (its not a holiday I know)

Favorite number: 10 (1 & 0 I can make a computer with that!)

Favorite food: Pizza (mmmmm Pizzzzaaaaa)

Favorite chocolate: ALL of them (haven't met a chocolate I don't like, well unless it has orange in it ..ick!)

Favorite cartoon: Bugs bunny (classic)

Favorite blogger: So many to choose from...love them all!

Favorite Flavor Ice Cream: Double Chocolate & Mint chocolate chip!!

Favorite Mobile Brand:Nokia (I've always had Nokia's, you drop them no problem!)

Favorite name: (female) Hajnal (Hungarian name, means Dawn) (male) Adam
(these are not names I would choose for my child though :) that will remain my
secrert...lol inshallah one day I'll use them)

Favorite hobby: Reading & Writing

Favorite room in my house: Kitchen & Living room

Favorite Fruit: Strawberry & Mango

Favorite flower: Roses

Favorite Word: Whatever

Favourite non religious book: Jean Auel novels

Im adding:
Favourite 'cold day' beverage: Hot chocolate with whipped cream
(if you are not in a cold climate then just your fav drink!)

I am...

You Are the King

You are natural leader. You like to rule, and people like to be ruled by you. You handle responsibility well. You enjoy providing for those who are loyal to you. You master anything you try, and you refuse to accept failure as an option. You're especially good at developing strategies and delegating tasks. You are a total perfectionist. Your standards are hard to live up to. However, you are also very generous ... at least to those in your inner circle.

What Role Do You Play?

I can't really say that that is entirely accurate. I mean I like perfection and yes, sometimes my standards are a bit high but I don't think I am a leader, or that I like to 'rule'. I handle responsibility like everyone else... because I have too!
I do not accept failure yes, delegating...well I'm ok at it not wonderful. I like to think that I am generous, and not only to my 'inner circle' (who ever that may be?)

Kind of an interesting quiz!!

There is a connection between the intellectual stasis of Muslim societies...

Assalam Alaikum & Peace to all

I have been going through my old blogs and thought I would re-post some of them... to get a feel for how I think of things today and see if anyone has any new thoughts on it!
This blog is from May 3 2006 - Sadly nothing has really changed in the world since then, especially how Muslims are treated.


Found this article...(a bit long but a good read) link : http://www3.naseeb.com/naseebvibes/interview-detail.php?aid=3405

Just one part I would like to hear comments on: "


VIBES: You are a strong advocate against a western perception of homogenized “Muslim world", what can be done to remove the perception?

"ASMA BARLAS: I think it’s pretty obvious that when we treat a group of people as if they are all the same, we deny them any individuality and, if on top of that, we assume that the group in question is radically different from everyone else, we demonize them as well. Doing this has often opened the door to genocide in the past. An obvious example from the last century is the Holocaust. After all, it was because they succeeded in misrepresenting the Jews as all the same that the Nazis were also able to carry out their genocide against them.
Regrettably, then, this is an old tendency in Western political discourse and you can see it at play not only in the history of Western colonialism, but also in the racism that persists in the West today. Muslims are simply its current victims. While I’m not sure that one can end this way of thinking about Others in the West, we can and should contest and challenge a worldview that presents one billion Muslims as one, big, violent beast."

I have to agree on the part that says:'that when we treat a group of people as if they are all the same, we deny them any individuality'. We are all created differently..and to lump everyone of the same ethnic, culture, or religion is just wrong...sadly that is what is happening right now
all over the world.

Anyone have any comments on this?

Thanks...

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

I get so tired of reading all the negative things about Islam. It grates on my nerves when uneducated (as well as educated ones - those are worse!) people go about spewing hatred and mis-quote and mis-interpreted verses from Quran. Well you know what, many other religions have quotations that can be taken the wrong way and they are never questioned...instead they are pushed aside yet with Islam it is plastered all over the place! Well you know what its about time I plaster some other things on the wall... this may come off as a 'two wrongs don't make a right' be it so but my intentions for posting these are to make people aware of their own sayings and writings.
Take it with a grain of salt, grow a tough skin, whatever you want but please be informed and knowledgeable - research it and defend it if you want - I would love to get some rebuttals for these verses. Had I seen these verses when I was Catholic I would have for sure run to my Bible to make sure it wasn't in there, and if I saw them in there, it would have made me question my faith. Perhaps there is a need for that? Inshallah (God-willing) we will all learn!

Bear with me its a long post but something I feel needs to be 'out there' for all to see!

The following is from the website www.bible.ca -the parts not in italics are the written words from that site - My comments are in red.

1 Corinthians 14:34-36 we read, "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church, for Adam was formed first, then Eve."

The reason women are to be submissive and not speak in the worship of the church is God has specified that the man is to rule over the woman. Many people do not approve of what God has done, but this is still God’s business. As we read in Romans 9:20,
"But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this?" Who are we to question God?

But then we find this in the New Testament : Luke 10:38-39
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.
Funny how the woman is supposed to learn from her husband, yet Jesus is in the house teaching women.
As well Jesus says:
Luke : 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.

Also Jesus refers to women as daughters of Abraham - it was a term only used for men at that time but Jesus used it for women as well...hmm makes you think doesn't it?
Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham

Jesus also had female disciples:
Luke 8:1-3 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2.And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3. And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

More ambiguity:
Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
So now they are equal?
I thought women were not to lead or to be 'learned' from (certainly should not have been a prophetess?)
Exodus 15:20, "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." And Micah gave her the rank of a leader as Moses and Aaron in Micah 6:4, "For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam."
So one has to think: How come God changed his mind (Astaghafirullah-I seek forgiveness from God) from the Old to New testament? So what is the real status of women then? Let's just look at a passage from the Quran:
4:124 As for those who lead a righteous life, male or female, while believing, they enter Paradise; without the slightest injustice.
3:35 The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense.
And just for the record - Adam and Eve have sinned...not like in Judeo-Christian beliefs that Eve is evil (astafiruallah)
7:20-22 The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence." He swore to them, "I am giving you good advice." He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: "Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?"

Now the ever popular statement, "Islam is spread by the sword" - This is kind of an interesting statement coming from Jesus who was proclaimed in Isaiah 9:6: A child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. He will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace.
Matthew 10: 34-39
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."

Luke 12:49-53
I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism* to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father* against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Luke 14:26
If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children
and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple."'

In the Quran:
Allah says: “The Messenger’s duty is but to proclaim the Message.” [Sûrah al-Mâ’idah: 99]

Allah says: “So if they dispute with you, say ‘I have submitted my whole self to Allah, and so have those who follow me.’ And say to the People of the Scripture and to the unlearned: ‘Do you also submit yourselves?’ If they do, then they are on right guidance. But if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message. And in Allah’s sight are all of His servants.” [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 20]

I really hope that people reading this will open their eyes and learn about their own religions. This is not meant to provoke hate or ill-feelings, no, it is only to show that everything must be researched and learned. Do not go out into the world and spew hatred, maybe learn about yourselves first.

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone...

Customizing your blog

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

As you may or may not have noticed I have been re-doing my blog format and as a result some of you have been asking me how I have done certain things...so here is a list of sites I've used to change the formats!

First I added a 'cute' background! Its from here http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/
actually most of my customization came from that site!

The there is the adding of the 3 columns
http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/secret.php?id=3
Read the instructions at the above site and then go to....
http://tips-for-new-bloggers.blogspot.com/2007/02/three-columns-blogger-template.html

For the 3 column steps...I would recommend that you do it slowly and step by step.
(Like it says on the cutest blog.com I did not find the 'update' portion and it worked just fine)

Also make sure that you change the column widths...you can play around until everything fits nicely!

Also I made a 'fav icon' its the little 'flower' that appears in the link bar
Now this process looks really difficult but it doesn't have to be - as I found out!
I would recommend using a .png or (even better and easier) a .gif picture. If you want to create an .ico image there is a long process involved (I couldn't be bothered!) buy hey if you feel like it go for it! OR you can do this to any image you find
http://www.animatedfavicon.com/ go to that site and enter the location of your file and
click on 'create' fav icon you will see your picture on the bottom as a 'preview' and then click on
'get it now' - it will download a zip file which you will extract and save the .png file to your computer.
The next step is to save it to a site like 'photobucket' so that you can get the URL of the image and insert the 'code' into your blog template...again just follow the instructions carefully!

I forgot originally to add in the 'label cloud' link
http://phy3blog.googlepages.com/Beta-Blogger-Label-Cloud.html

Hope this all helps - have fun customizing!!

All about the letter 'A'

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all

Ok its like TAG week here! LOL buy hey we all need some entertainment!

Rules: IT'S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS!

• USE THE 1ST LETTER OF YOUR NAME TO ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
• THEY HAVE TO BE REAL PLACES, NAMES,THINGS. NOTHING MADE UP!
• TRY TO USE DIFFERENT ANSWERS IF THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU HAD THE SAME 1ST INITIAL.
• YOU CAN'T USE YOUR NAME FOR THE BOY/GIRL NAME QUESTION.
  

1. What is your name: Aalya

2. A 4 Letter word: Alms

3. A Boys Name: Adam

4. A Girls Name: Ayse

5. An Occupation: Accountant

6. A Color: Aqua

7. Something you wear: Anklets

8. A Beverage: Apple Juice

9. A Food: Acorn Squash

10. Something found in the bathroom: Air

11. A place: Ankara

12. A Reason for being late: Anger

13. Something you shout: Arrrrr

One word answers

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all - Another 'game' to keep me occupied!!


1. Where is your cell phone? Purse

2. Where is your significant other? Work

3. Your hair color? Brown

4. Your mother? Home

5. Your father? Memory

6. Your favorite thing? Peace

7. Your dream last night? Strange

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. The room you're in? Office

10. Your hobby? Writing

11. Your fear? Bugs (with lots of legs)

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home (my own)

13. Where were you last night? Livingroom

14. What you're not? Dishonest

15. One of your wish-list items? Baby

16. Where you grew up? Canada

17. The last thing you did? East

18. What are you wearing? Sweater

19. Your TV? Small

20. Your pet? None

21. Your computer? Desktop

22. Your mood? Tense

23. Missing someone? Hubby

24. Your car? Hyundai

25. Something you're not wearing? Coat

26. Favorite store? H&M

27. Your summer? Gone

28. Love someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Last week