Thursday 28 January 2016
Tuesday 26 January 2016
The Hidden Stories in Ribat
Reported by a brother in Somalia:
“One Day, during ribat, we were attack by the kuffar, one of our brothers, got lost in the road during the night; he was injured and couldn’t walk so he decided to sleep under a tree.
He was bleeding a lot and due to the smell of blood, some wild animals started to approach as he was an easy prey.
At this time, a big lion appeared; the lion came close and sat next to the brother, looking around and keeping the other animals far.
Meanwhile, we were searching for our brother… we found his footprints, then we saw our brother, and next to him, the big lion. When the lion saw us, he just got up and left… without hurting anyone.”
At this time, a big lion appeared; the lion came close and sat next to the brother, looking around and keeping the other animals far.
Meanwhile, we were searching for our brother… we found his footprints, then we saw our brother, and next to him, the big lion. When the lion saw us, he just got up and left… without hurting anyone.”
Monday 18 January 2016
My Revert Story
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said :
Around two years ago, when my parents were working a lot in their store, I used to spend a lot of time with some Lebanese friends that I had; they also worked in the same “mall” so we used to see each other very often.
Back in that time they worked in a restaurant and, as we don’t have many visitors in the winter, I used to go there to sit and chat with them. As our cultures are very different, we normally talked about costumes and traditional aspects that we have.
Living in the west makes you have a totally different idea of how life is supposed to be in the other side of the world, everything seems to be exotic and different, and you find yourself creating a kind of expectation. But, in the end, we ended up realizing life is the same all over the world.
Ok, let’s go back to the restaurant: The day I got more fascinated was the day my friends told me they followed a different religion than most of people here…. they were Muslims.
Sincerely, I just got amazed by the idea of having friends that followed a different religion, I actually never cared much about religion, I was raised in a Christian family who don’t have a proper religion but I always considered myself as an Agnostic Theist (believe in at least one deity but consider it as unknown or inherently unknowable). We almost don’t have Muslims here in my country and the only thing we know about them is that what the TV shows us (you can imagine what kind of things) so everything was a mystery regarding Islam for me.
Actually, my first reaction when they told me (yes we knew each other for a good time and I didn’t know till that very moment) as to be kind of afraid of them, that was the moment I made the most scared face in my life, I believe, because even nowadays people remember my reaction.
After the shock, the questions appeared, I had SO many questions, I wanted to know everything and hear everything, it was like a whole new world and I couldn’t handle myself. They didn’t seem to get bothered explaining me Alhamdulillah, they always had too much patience; they seemed to be exciting to tell me everything actually.
Some days later, my mom arrived home with a book; she gave it to me and told me it was a gift from my friends who asked her to advice me to read this book so that I would find the answer for many questions that I had. At first I thought it was a ridiculous idea, I mean, how come I would find the answers to my question in that book, it seemed too big and old, and kind of boring, I thought. But I decided to give that book a chance and started to read the Quran.
The more I read the more I love it; I started to find out that what the Quran said was not the same things we hear in the media, that being a Muslim meant things totally different than what I thought, and actually the most important thing was that, the principles that the Quran taught us were exactly those that my mom taught me when I was younger, and that I missed in the society now a days.
The Quran gives us directions and limits; it keeps the society in order and gives you a North to follow. It teaches you how to deal with different situations and how to interact with people in good manners, it is basically a guide of “how to live” that you could follow and be sure it would work in any place.
While I started to learn about Islam and read the Quran I got engaged to a Muslim man, when I first met him he seemed to be ok, he was very kind and treated me very well, but as we didn’t spend much time together I didn’t have the opportunity to see how he really was. After sometime he started to show off and I just realized he was not the right man for me, he basically wanted me to follow everything in the Quran, while he didn’t follow anything at all. He got me very confused, even before reverting, I used to try to show him what he needed to follow as a Muslim but he used to be harsh with me telling me I didn’t know anything and I that I had no rights to correct him.
After sometime I decided to give up on that future marriage. Of course his family got very sad but they understood my reasons, the guy got very mad and my mom disappointed. But what has to be, will be and Allah knows best.
With all this events going on around me, I started to ask myself why not to revert, even as a kafirah I saw myself following the Quran the more I could, most of the rules I was already used to. Accepting Islam’s principles wouldn’t be hard as I have been following many since a child.
It was in the beginning of Ramadan of last year (2014) when I decided to take my shahadah, my friends were all reunited and we were all discussing about Ramadan. As we don’t have mosques nearby I decided to take my shahadah in front of all my friends, and so I did.
In a country where Muslims are few and mosques can be counted with your fingers, being a revert is, indeed, not something easy and demands dedication, any help and support is welcome.
Now a days, besides my mini collection of Qurans and Islamic books, I study the deen at the Islamic Online University, and besides my Lebanese friends who are still around giving me support, I can’t forget to mention one of the best friends I ever had, that even thought living far, is with me basically since I reverted, teaching me and answering my question with patience, being the Imam I never had.
Ameen.
Assalam alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
“Every child is born in a state of fitrah (the natural state of man, i.e., Islam), then his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Magian.”
Around two years ago, when my parents were working a lot in their store, I used to spend a lot of time with some Lebanese friends that I had; they also worked in the same “mall” so we used to see each other very often.
Back in that time they worked in a restaurant and, as we don’t have many visitors in the winter, I used to go there to sit and chat with them. As our cultures are very different, we normally talked about costumes and traditional aspects that we have.
Living in the west makes you have a totally different idea of how life is supposed to be in the other side of the world, everything seems to be exotic and different, and you find yourself creating a kind of expectation. But, in the end, we ended up realizing life is the same all over the world.
Ok, let’s go back to the restaurant: The day I got more fascinated was the day my friends told me they followed a different religion than most of people here…. they were Muslims.
Sincerely, I just got amazed by the idea of having friends that followed a different religion, I actually never cared much about religion, I was raised in a Christian family who don’t have a proper religion but I always considered myself as an Agnostic Theist (believe in at least one deity but consider it as unknown or inherently unknowable). We almost don’t have Muslims here in my country and the only thing we know about them is that what the TV shows us (you can imagine what kind of things) so everything was a mystery regarding Islam for me.
Actually, my first reaction when they told me (yes we knew each other for a good time and I didn’t know till that very moment) as to be kind of afraid of them, that was the moment I made the most scared face in my life, I believe, because even nowadays people remember my reaction.
After the shock, the questions appeared, I had SO many questions, I wanted to know everything and hear everything, it was like a whole new world and I couldn’t handle myself. They didn’t seem to get bothered explaining me Alhamdulillah, they always had too much patience; they seemed to be exciting to tell me everything actually.
Some days later, my mom arrived home with a book; she gave it to me and told me it was a gift from my friends who asked her to advice me to read this book so that I would find the answer for many questions that I had. At first I thought it was a ridiculous idea, I mean, how come I would find the answers to my question in that book, it seemed too big and old, and kind of boring, I thought. But I decided to give that book a chance and started to read the Quran.
The more I read the more I love it; I started to find out that what the Quran said was not the same things we hear in the media, that being a Muslim meant things totally different than what I thought, and actually the most important thing was that, the principles that the Quran taught us were exactly those that my mom taught me when I was younger, and that I missed in the society now a days.
The Quran gives us directions and limits; it keeps the society in order and gives you a North to follow. It teaches you how to deal with different situations and how to interact with people in good manners, it is basically a guide of “how to live” that you could follow and be sure it would work in any place.
While I started to learn about Islam and read the Quran I got engaged to a Muslim man, when I first met him he seemed to be ok, he was very kind and treated me very well, but as we didn’t spend much time together I didn’t have the opportunity to see how he really was. After sometime he started to show off and I just realized he was not the right man for me, he basically wanted me to follow everything in the Quran, while he didn’t follow anything at all. He got me very confused, even before reverting, I used to try to show him what he needed to follow as a Muslim but he used to be harsh with me telling me I didn’t know anything and I that I had no rights to correct him.
After sometime I decided to give up on that future marriage. Of course his family got very sad but they understood my reasons, the guy got very mad and my mom disappointed. But what has to be, will be and Allah knows best.
With all this events going on around me, I started to ask myself why not to revert, even as a kafirah I saw myself following the Quran the more I could, most of the rules I was already used to. Accepting Islam’s principles wouldn’t be hard as I have been following many since a child.
It was in the beginning of Ramadan of last year (2014) when I decided to take my shahadah, my friends were all reunited and we were all discussing about Ramadan. As we don’t have mosques nearby I decided to take my shahadah in front of all my friends, and so I did.
In a country where Muslims are few and mosques can be counted with your fingers, being a revert is, indeed, not something easy and demands dedication, any help and support is welcome.
Now a days, besides my mini collection of Qurans and Islamic books, I study the deen at the Islamic Online University, and besides my Lebanese friends who are still around giving me support, I can’t forget to mention one of the best friends I ever had, that even thought living far, is with me basically since I reverted, teaching me and answering my question with patience, being the Imam I never had.
May Allah open the hearts of those who still didn’t accept Islam and guide us to the truth keeping us in the right path.
Ameen.
Assalam alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
The Pashtun Cat.
Thursday 14 January 2016
Monday 11 January 2016
Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim,
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
For some reason, I feel attracted by wars and everything that is related to it, the political environment, strategy, and the life of people who are under this kind of situation.
War is not only about death, it is the combination of different factors that generates great changes not only for those who are fighting, but also for the rest of the globe, directly or indirectly.
I have been following conflicts for a good time already; I followed the Arab Spring, made lots of friends due the circumstances.
Following the Arab Spring, came the Syrian Civil War, which I also have been following since its beginning in 2011. From its beginning till now, lots of things changed including myself, I met lots of people who made me see the situation in lots of different ways till I develop the vision I have today (my own vision and own opinion regarding things).
I created this page with the goal of sharing my thoughts and some of the small knowledge I have, also as a way to develop those topics that Twitter makes impossible to develop.
I’m not a journalist, I’m not a reporter, and I’m not a researcher (yes they are not the same thing) therefore I’m not here gathering anybody’s information nor selling out anybody’s information. I’m just the same cat in a hat that you see around on Twitter.
I’m not different than the people who will probably read this page, so if you are seeking some knowledge, we are probably in the same boat then, if you have any knowledge or information that I do not, and want to share it, or if I made some mistake and you feel like correcting me, please feel free to do so.
Regards,
Pashtun Cat
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
For some reason, I feel attracted by wars and everything that is related to it, the political environment, strategy, and the life of people who are under this kind of situation.
War is not only about death, it is the combination of different factors that generates great changes not only for those who are fighting, but also for the rest of the globe, directly or indirectly.
I have been following conflicts for a good time already; I followed the Arab Spring, made lots of friends due the circumstances.
Following the Arab Spring, came the Syrian Civil War, which I also have been following since its beginning in 2011. From its beginning till now, lots of things changed including myself, I met lots of people who made me see the situation in lots of different ways till I develop the vision I have today (my own vision and own opinion regarding things).
I created this page with the goal of sharing my thoughts and some of the small knowledge I have, also as a way to develop those topics that Twitter makes impossible to develop.
I’m not a journalist, I’m not a reporter, and I’m not a researcher (yes they are not the same thing) therefore I’m not here gathering anybody’s information nor selling out anybody’s information. I’m just the same cat in a hat that you see around on Twitter.
I’m not different than the people who will probably read this page, so if you are seeking some knowledge, we are probably in the same boat then, if you have any knowledge or information that I do not, and want to share it, or if I made some mistake and you feel like correcting me, please feel free to do so.
Regards,
Pashtun Cat
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