I think everyone is fascinated by the American Presidential Race, but clearly the introduction of Sarah Palin truly jazzed up an already interesting situation.
But I have a problem: after my study of what Palin has to offer, I think I can sum up the key characteristics that she’s counting on:
1. She’s a girl. There’s clearly some kind of novelty factor there.
2. She’s a pretty girl (hey don’t be shy, admit it, just don’t look twice that’s all). No doubt Palin will look far better than Biden on the special design White House Xmas card.
3. She’s a family woman – sorry, I mean she’s a “hockey mom” (said in your most irritating Yank accent)
4. She’s got a record of giving people money back in her governing of the State of Alaska.
5. She’s got foreign policy experience because she can see the Russian tundra from her attic window.
6. She can seduce 3rd-rate foreign leaders when they come round for tea. Come on Zardari saab, it’s all over Youtube for crying out loud.
With that in mind, I wish to urge my fellow American brothers and sisters that Angelina Jolie will make a far more effective Vice President, at the very least because:
1. She’s definitely a girl.
2. She’s an oh-so pretty girl at that too, I’m told on reliable authority.
3. She’s most certainly a family woman. How many kids exactly?
4. She’s given more or her own money away in charity than Palin gave back to her people from their own money.
5. She’s got plenty of foreign policy experience. She actually lived in Pakistan for a while for crying out loud – surely she deserves a medal and the Presidency just for that alone! Oh, she also has the entire United Nations amongst her kids. Beat that Palin.
6. Well, she’s married to the world’s most desired bloke and she also has a track-record with 3rd-rate leaders. Ask Shaukat Aziz…
Gosh, this blogging bakwas is fun sometimes!
October 7, 2008 at 9:02 pm
AE – brilliant post, too funny!
Question. How come the blog was out of action for a while?
October 7, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Check this out on Palin…
October 7, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Bro AE,
Did you write that blog ? a novelty indeed.
You’re right, Palin is Pretty, if she converts, I’ll marry her.
Angelina is the best person for the job. Yes, you’re right, she has the true United Nations at home. She adopted children from different parts of the World. Talk about having a sense of unity (something we could do with right now).
If she divorces Pitt, I’ll marry her too.
As for Obama or McCain getting elected. It will be good to see a Black President; that’ll hurt the right-wing Republicans in the South.
However, a question comes to mind. Does it really matter for the Muslims who gets elected as President ? What is written (in Hadith) for the Muslims is unavoidable, instead, all events lead-up-to the inevitable, various outcomes.
What do you think ?
October 7, 2008 at 10:41 pm
and now for some “non bakwaas”
Stoke Eid Event
Venue: Kings Hall, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 1HH
Our guest speaker, Yvonne Ridley (Author & Broadcaster) will be joining us. Following a presentation by Yvonne Ridley, buffet dinner will be provided. . Tickets are £15 for adults and £5 for children. All welcome.
Spaces are limited.
For more information please contact:
Web: http://www.eidstoke.com
Tel: 0845 224 3802
October 7, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Assalaamu alaykum al akh ,
I would like to inform you of a new site : detailing and clarifying the deviance of the shia rawaafidh – as from their own books.
This is the link :
http://theshia.wordpress.com/
Please link to us on your blog , and please spread the word and let people read and know the truth against the enemies of the Sunnah .
BarakaAllaahu feeka.
October 7, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Dear Sully,
You want to know what I think?
I think you’ve done a grave injustice to sister Palin, who you insist on converting before marriage when in fact she is about as halal as they come in this confused world of the People of the Book, whereas the temptress pagan that is Jolie you marry without even a whisper of a shahadah!
Be off with you!
Anyway, it doesn’t really matter who wins for the Muslims. It’s all heading for Armageddon anyway bro. And if our dear friends at ILM-SA ever allow us to see light of my recorded detailed answer to this question, I’ll post my analysis of this in full.
In the meantime, it seems that you won’t be marrying anyone anytime soon…
October 8, 2008 at 1:38 am
Slmz AE,
it’s great to be reading your (high standard) blog again; informative, witty, conversant… need i go on?!?
October 8, 2008 at 2:17 pm
asalaamu ‘alaikum
glad to see you back!!
since your not accepting emails, please can you let us know if you will be doing Hajj lessons at Makki Masjid??
and when are the most inspiring adab classes starting up again? i think you’ve had quite a break Mr, we need you back on the scene!!
wa a’alaikum asalaam
October 8, 2008 at 2:52 pm
asalaamu ‘alaikum
me again…..
quick question….. is having a pension fund with work haraam? im guessing it is because of the interest thats put on top of it but i need some clarification please
jazak’Allahu khair
wa ‘alaikum asalaam
October 8, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Madame Noor Jahan for Vice President (you can marry her if you want Sully, shes muslim!)
Oh and guess what?
WHISPAS ARE BACK AGAIN!!!!
Woohoo!
October 8, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Islamic Bank of Britain should be renamed to Islamic Skank of Britain. They charge you for using the counter. It’s not even a nominal charge it’s £10 of hard earned cash.
Therefore I am officially starting a campaign to boycott the Islamic Skank of Britain.
Feel free to join, as anybody that has an account with them will undoubtedly agree that it has to be the worst banking experience ever. What a shame they have to use the word Islamic in their title.
October 8, 2008 at 11:10 pm
OMG! WISPA AS IN CADBURY’S CHOCOLATE… IS BACK?! Al-Hamdulillah!
October 9, 2008 at 1:25 am
Obama bidden – yeah check it closer….
Obamabidden….
Obama-bidden…..
Obama-bidden-laden….???!!!????
Yeah, he chose a great named running mate(!), especially since like 12% of Americans still think he’s Muslim!!!
But joking aside, Obama wants to invade Pakistan and the Republicans already have – so yeah, it ain’t looking good.
I have no idea why you are saying it’s gonna be armaggedon though – it’s just a whole way to create a ‘martyr’ mentality.
I think we have too many wannabe ‘martyrs’
October 10, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahmatullah
The lessons are still postponed indefinitely. There will be replacements organised for Cheadle insha’Allah for the general fiqh class, and the others I don’t have time for unfortunately.
quick question….. is having a pension fund with work haraam?
The fund itself is not haram, but where the money is invested is the issue: if it’s not investing under direct supervision from yourself and direction to ethical non-riba dominated businesses, with large equity-backed assets as a percentage etc, then it probably is haram. The businesses that pensions use are haram as a principle, not an exception.
My advice would be to consult the standards and pensions funds used by companies like 1stEthical, and avoid those used by work, if not because they’re haram, then at least because Capitalism doesn’t deserve a single penny of our money: neither before, and especially not now.
I think we have too many wannabe ‘martyrs’
اللهم أرزقني الشهادة في سبيلك
October 11, 2008 at 8:43 pm
AssalamuAlaikum Umm M above is not umm Maymoonah by the way.
October 11, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Thanks for the clarification hayath.
=/
Wa’alaikumus-salam
October 12, 2008 at 2:41 am
http://wickedy.blogspot.com/
October 12, 2008 at 11:07 pm
AE
Why are you being prevented from releasing your recordings ?
I would be very keen on reading your discourse which addresses my enquiry with regards to the inevitable outcomes.
October 12, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Sorry to be long winded about this one…
AE Said “In the meantime, it seems that you won’t be marrying anyone anytime soon…”
No problem. Marriage is over-rated anyway. No-one looks at character. Modern-day Muslim marriages and lifestyles have become pre-dominantly materialistic. In other words wealth and parading.
Astagfirullah !! and so, why not marry another person of “The Book”, if she has a down-to-earth character and agrees to be a partner in marriage.
October 13, 2008 at 1:17 am
‘Marriage is over-rated anyway. No-one looks at character. Modern-day Muslim marriages and lifestyles have become pre-dominantly materialistic. In other words wealth and parading’
erm no Sully. I aint done that when it came to marrying my fella.
Dont generalise my friend.
wait..were you joking?
As salaamu’alaykum dear Abu Eesa! miss those adab classes for reals. Are there still circles on a saturday night at Makki masjid?
Wispa’s are mad nice.
October 13, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Who is a person of the book nowadays anyway?
My husbands ex wife who he remained married to for a while after he came to Islam was a church going christian.
Even if they have good character at the end of the day would you like to marry somebody without taqwa?
This was a person who is very well mannered. My husband grew up with her and they knew each other very well.
Don’t forget this isn’t going to be just a ‘wife’, but someone who will also parent your children and more often than not – it is the mother who is the stronger influence.
Many reverts tell similar stories – their children were given pork behind their backs, or the wife had a hidden bottle of gin in the glove compartment or would flirt with the post man.
These things DON’T necessarily mean they have bad character in a non Muslim do they? They simply don’t understand why they shouldn’t do these things. And they will not have the taqwa of a Muslim woman.
October 13, 2008 at 9:11 pm
oh and a quote from my husband when asked if he would marry someone from Ahlul Kitab or a non Muslim:
His eyes go bright in almost fright, ‘Never Again!’
October 13, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Just for the record I know a lot of Muslim women think Obama is very handsome MashaAllah – but we refrain from saying. It just seems more honorable not to talk in the way that you guys have.
October 13, 2008 at 10:35 pm
I dont think there’s anythin wrong with calling someone handsome or pretty….its just appreciating beauty. It’s bad when your like PERVIN’ on the person though get me.
Attractiveness is one of the things people marry for.
I think Abu Eesa is handsome…I think my Grand dad is handsome…etc.
October 13, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Anon said:
“Just for the record I know a lot of Muslim women think Obama is very handsome MashaAllah”
Of course they do; I know you-all think that way… so… what’s new ??
“it just seems more honourable not to talk in the way that you guys have.”
And what way is that ? I complemented them on their beauty and ‘personified’ character. It was a complement; and I showed no-ill intention, just marriage – which is responsible and a serious commitment.
It is not fair to judge the honour of men, for the complements that they give. I would rather pay respectable open complements to women, than talk dirty behind closed doors smoking Huka (bong) and dancing to arabian music – which I personally have known (truly) many ‘prominent’ Muslimah (with Islamic attire) who are seen as respectable, within their communities to do such things (from their own confessions).
Umm Said (in reference to people of The Book):
“Even if they have good character at the end of the day would you like to marry somebody without taqwa?”
Well, I would prefer a Pious Muslim woman (Inshallah). However, a lot I’ve seen come-across as innocent Roses, but in-fact are like ‘Thorns’ on its’ stem, as they cannot help but manifest their true personality in the second meeting for marriage. You wonder what happened to the first personality.
So, what’s stopping a man from seeking a woman with good character, as long as it is Halal (i.e. to marry a women of The Book). Muslim women showing consistent bad character, repels and forces the Man to look elsewhere.
I am not anti-women, I am just a concerned brother, airing observations, all-be-it blatantly.
October 13, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Bro Sully…your last post looks like a profile for singlemuslim.com…lol.
(not that I know)
October 13, 2008 at 11:12 pm
my dear brother sully
don’t let negative experiences dishearten you. There are plenty of innocent beautiful roses around!
October 13, 2008 at 11:13 pm
true say…my husband got one.
October 13, 2008 at 11:33 pm
oh, are we amused…very well…then
October 13, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Red – you’re cool sis!
Mine too! And I got a man with good character alhamdulillah. As much as i sometimes try to think of things to say when I’m angry I can never find anything wrong with him in terms of character. So there are people who look at character.
I don’t think anyone could say anything bad about my husbands character – apart from George W Bush and his crew!
I must admit – unfortunately I am probably a thorn sometimes.
October 13, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Umm – “I must admit – unfortunately I am probably a thorn sometimes.”
Sometimes a thorn is okay; but for first impressions, very bad. It basically means they have the manner of a goat.
October 14, 2008 at 12:03 am
Red Said:
“Bro Sully…your last post looks like a profile for singlemuslim.com…lol.”
Have you ever been on a website like the above. Here goes:
-Firstly you get women that have been divorced 2 times, and arrogantly demands a high-earning husband, with a high-profile and all the trimmings (get real woman)
- some of them are wearing shades (probably because they have a black-eye)
- some of them look like they’ve been punched in the nose
- some of them both…
The above three points are a metaphor, although wouldn’t rule out that it may be literally true.
forget it… will find the traditional route, through family and pious friends.
October 14, 2008 at 12:54 am
NIKAAH MATRIMONIAL SERVICE
Its a free service- email service for brothers and sisters- all types and non-practising muslims. All ages/ ethnicitys/ single/ divorced/ widowed/ all academic backgrounds etc etc.
I would like you to send out this email- to EVERYONE in your address book. The more people that it is forwarded to the better chance we have of building a network throughout the muslim community inshaAllah.
I would like to see this email forwarded to people across London and the UK.
In the first round of emails- we reached people up north- but we did not reach West London.
We are in urgent need of brothers profiles- as we have many sisters.
Our efforts are for the sake of Allah seeking his pleasure alone and we ask you to join us in this.
Wasalamu aleykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
NIKAAH MATRIMONIAL SERVICE
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and I bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant, the example to mankind and the seal of His Messengers.
A FREE matrimonial service for brothers and sisters looking for a prospective spouse.
We are networking brothers and sisters all over the UK who are looking to marry.
Nikaah has been set up by a husband and wife couple who are acting as a middle man in providing profiles for singles/ divorced of any ethnic origin and of all levels/ types of practising.
What we require:
Send us your marital profile in Word format, including:
* Name
* Age
* Height
* Education background
* Ethnicity
* Marital Status
* Level/ Type of practising
* Sisters- your type of hijaab-i.e.- scarf/ abayyah/ nikaab etc
* Brothers- your beard- i.e.- full/ designer/ clean shaven etc
* Requirements- i.e. – what you are looking for in a prospective spouse
Send us an email at abuummqasim@hotmail.com with your profile attached.
We will NOT send out any profiles/ contact details/ telephone numbers etc without your prior consent. Please be aware that we NOT asking for references- this will be your responsibility.
Once we have found a suitable match we will send you their profile to view and when necessary mahrams contact numbers can be exchanged.
Please pass this on to all brothers and sisters who are looking for a spouse.
October 14, 2008 at 10:26 am
Assalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah
shaykhuna wa habeebuna AE.
Here is my first post on your blog, and i came here to learn something
October 14, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Oh dear…what have I started.
sis UMM you seem like a cook chica too…may Allah protect you and your hubby always…and may Allah facilitate yours paths to Paradise through each other. Ameen…
That dua is to all the married couples out there.
Peace n Blessings
October 14, 2008 at 5:00 pm
cook – cool*
October 14, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Dear Qasim matrimonial-couple (abuummqasim@hotmail.com)
Yet another Muslim matrimonial website or off-line service; pay as you go (to see Women – and men).
Sad, the Ummah has become. Internet matrimonies bypass essential guidance and knowledge from the Parents, family and/or Ulemah and spiritually guided people.
It encourages people to put ownership of their lives into their own hands and not seek the guidance of the Pious and Allah(swt). They will not listen to the respectful; like a spoilt child they will insist that they know what they are doing with their lives – astagfirullah !!
Some will exchange phone numbers prematurely; They will claim to then fall in-love; then, divorce after 2 weeks – I have actually heard accounts of this from respectable people. Then it’s their mug-shot back on the matrimony service again – only to financially benefit the hosts of the service.
Some will not marry, because their parents or ‘life circumstances’ (even if they don’t have parents/family) will not allow it; instead they will date each other for a while; perhaps break-up, then move onto the next. You’ll end-up running a Fitnah service, without you realising this is, what is actually occurring.
What spiritual guidance do you offer these people. It is not a dating game.
This happens quite frequently.
The Fitnah potential is sky-high as you are arranging meetings for people that are:
- Either desperate to marry; because they have left it too late for ‘whatever’ reason, hence their lack of focus and clarity clouds their judgement
- Or, those that deliberately wish to use the sight to ‘hook-up’ (so to speak) in order to have casual relationships.
May Allah(swt) save us from such Fitnah. Ameen.
October 14, 2008 at 7:35 pm
sully youre just jealous
October 14, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Anonymous – get a life man!
October 14, 2008 at 8:59 pm
sully – ameen!
October 14, 2008 at 9:09 pm
some of you are so immature
October 14, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Anonymous said: “sully youre just jealous”
Of what, Fitnah ??
Alhamdolillah, I have many choices… but which to choose.. I thank Allah (swt) for all the choices He has granted me, and saving me from one of the biggest Fitnah in our time (fornication).
Indeed Allah(swt) is The Most Merciful. Ameen !!!
—————————————
sis Says:
“sully – ameen!”
Jazakallah sis; I am pleased to hear from a believer who understands the ills of contemporary Muslims.
October 14, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Sorry post no. 42 was me Sully, I copied and pasted the spelling of anonymous, but accidentally in the Name field.
October 14, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Sully you sound bitter, i think a holiday to a retreat will do you good
October 14, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Retreat, what type ?
October 14, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Sorry, that was me again on post no.45.
I’ve corrected the problem on my browser.
Regardless, never mind.
May Allah (swt) guide us all to ‘true’ eternal happiness, that is Jannat. Ameen !!
October 14, 2008 at 11:12 pm
single brothers & sisters looking to get married don’t listen to sullys rant, i think he’s just having a bad day, abu&umm qasim have sincere intention, you should go ahead and send your details to them, they will not pass your details to anyone without your permission inshaAllah
October 14, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Before you all Give your details to these ‘Anonymous’ people. First email them and ask for:
- All the names of the Staff
- Address of Business Operation
- Telephone Numbers & Fax numbers
- Registered Company info, inc. VAT reg no, if applicable
- Reference to any of there websites
and other such info.
Don’t take this the wrong way ‘matrimonial business dudes’; put you can’t post a blog with an email address saying; go-on, give us your name, address, phone number, hight, appearance etc… I mean of course you won’t sell this information onto third party companies ??? you can trust us, because we’re posting on an Islamic forum !
At least ask for information on who they are. Don’t just email them all your personal details.
Matrimonial business people: you can’t just post a blog, asking people for their personal details. It’s just not a done thing !
Keep Hifaazat (protection) of yourselves when conducting business. And, Anonymous, you can’t slate me for giving sound advice, can you !
October 14, 2008 at 11:33 pm
sully you have issues
*sigh*
October 14, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Sully though I agree with your point about these ‘Muslim matriominal’ sites and the like – I think you should keep should harsh dicta to yourself. Why? Because many people have gone through these sites, embarassed that they have had to, and then people like you just screw the nut tighter – it’s not far especially as so many of these people really strive to make it as halaal as they possibly can, and a lot of the time it IS and DOES become more halaal than other, more conventional methods.
So how about saving the dignity of those who have had to resort to matrimonial sites insteas of blasting them because Allah (swt) has granted you another way?
“Either desperate to marry; because they have left it too late for ‘whatever’ reason, hence their lack of focus and clarity clouds their judgement”
Or maybe their “whatever” reason is truly because no man/woman has stepped up to the plate who is a decent Muslim/Muslimah who is non-judgemental and truly into the true Deen in the truest sense (and I swear to you, there are hardly any I have met who are) and they are protecting themselves from the fitnah of marrying a person who believes they are religious but turns out, as many of us do, to be fundamentally narrow-minded hypocrites, and hence saving themselves from the fitnah of bringing their kids up in such an enviroment.
You all talk about how the Muslims have become so bad nowadays, well maybe waiting for the right time and right person is something that is a blessing and what Allah (swt) wants for certain individuals and who are you to critisise them for doing something when you have no idea if the intention is as beautiful as that?
Look properly into the true Islamic history – and look to those who did not marry, or did not marry early, and think, “why?”
October 14, 2008 at 11:48 pm
“Anonymous Says:
sully you have issues
*sigh* ”
All I’m saying is, if you’re going to ask for personal information, then you need to prove yourselves as a trustworthy company. In today’s fraudulent, data-selling world, it is important.
October 15, 2008 at 12:20 am
yep,
I know what you’re talking about. It is important to wait… Sabr is the key… and if one uses matrimonial sites, then so-be-it, but be-careful of your conduct, otherwise the help that you seek from Allah (swt) may be withdrawn. If your conduct is fine and does not become corrupted, then good.
Everybody with an understanding of the Dunya and Aakhirah waits for Allah (swt) to present them with a Pious spouse – Inshallah, they will get it.
Inshallah, from what I heave learned, Allah (swt) has ‘paired’ everybody. Regardless of my criticisms, it will happen as Allah (swt) has Intended it, whether it is via matrimonial services, or family, it doesn’t make a difference, the pairing will occur – Inshallah.
I am merely expressing concerns.
yep also States: “So how about saving the dignity of those who have had to resort to matrimonial sites insteas of blasting them because Allah (swt) has granted you another way?”
Firstly, what makes you think that I do in-fact have ‘another way’ in the classical sense. I have a fragmented family and is difficult for me too; but the choices I have I appreciate, and I will not allow myself to go through e-matrimonial solutions, because (of the potential fitnah and) there is no way of doing research on the people that you are interested in.
Normally, whatever family you have left, would do the research and then it is upto the individual to perform Salaat-ul-Istikharah and asks The Wisdom of Allah(swt), which a significant population of us, seldom perform (including myself).
Those that choose to go through these sites through lack of choice i.e. no family and was not in a privileged position to marry to begin with, I fully appreciate. But they must not be gullible and allow this potentially last resort solution, to dictate their outcome through a feeling of lack-of-choice; or any other ’spontaneous feeling’.
Upon reflection, everybody will exercise their choices and methods for looking; and will be ‘paired’ with who ever is written for them.
October 15, 2008 at 12:22 am
dear yep
thank you
sully sort your issues out
October 15, 2008 at 12:39 am
As a final comment.
Whether you are looking via matrimonial websites or through family…
May Allah (swt) make it easy for you and find you a companion that is worthy of Jannat, who will hold your hand and walk you on the path of light.
May Allah(swt) create such love between your hearts, that every glance of each other, will create a deeper and more seamless bond.
May Allah(swt) create peace between you, so much so, that the Earth will embrace your footsteps and ask Allah(swt) to keep you united.
May Allah(swt) guide you to love each other for His sake, so that He may increase this feeling, so that you may continue to love each other for the sake of Allah(swt).
May Allah(swt) create a love between you, as it was between our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Hazrat Ayesha (RA).
May Allah(swt) create yearning between your hearts, as the yearning was for Adam (AS) and Hawa to find each other when Allah(swt) sent them to this Earth.
May Allah(swt) create new love between you everyday.
May Allah(swt) gift you with children who will love Allah(swt) and please you with noble conduct, and serve you with the greatest respect.
Assalaamualaikum warahamatuallahi wabarkaatuh
October 15, 2008 at 1:11 am
Subhanallah this post was about the vice presidency and look where it got to lol!
Anyway just wanted to post this link…you may have already seen it no matter..it’s to do with Palin and simply too funny for it’s own good…
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C6urw_PWHYk
October 15, 2008 at 10:19 am
When I said when Allah (swt) has granted you another way, I didn’t neccessarily mean you as a singular; I meant it generally to anyone who read it.
Anyway, I’ve met lots of people through the conventional way – introduction through parents and the like, and what happens? Ya’ni they ring and ring and ring to the point of woah hold up! This is definately not halaal!!!
Maybe I should’ve gone to a matrimonial site!
Also the argument, “you can’t check up on them” holds no water. Actually Sully, if you read books and studies on deception, you will actually find that the best deception is done face to face and people find it much easier to lie like that. I know people who have married, “the conventional way” or were engaged “the conventional way” and found out later tht their husband was already married, or 10years older than his WHOLE ENITRE FAMILY said he was, or that the husband-to-be was only after her daddy’s money.
You make the same enquiries in matrionial site situations – when you meet the people and their family. The site only acts as an introduction.
It’s just totally sitting on one’s high horse to judge this mehtod and go on about fitnah – it really is, when most fitnah is caused by other methods – eg when parents introduce you to someone and then insist that “you two go out once by yourselves – to a coffee shop or something”….hmmmmm
Don’t make someone feel low when they already feel so embarassed by something that the ‘Muslim’ community takes the mic out of and ridicules anyway. It’s not Islamic and is actually the reason I keep away from ‘Muslims’. The fact that anyone can make someone feel so down when they are in such a vulnerable emotional state anyway can only be done so expertly by our lot!
Like I said, have an opinion on these things by all means, but do not blast it to make yourself seem pious at the expense at someone else’s dignity, well-being, emotional state of mind and, above al, their feelings.
October 15, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahmatullah
Clearly half of the world seems to have lost the plot in this particular comments sections! Nice to see that everything’s back to normal then.
There’s loads of points above that need correcting, clarifying etc but for now I’ll restrict myself to saying:
1. Yes indeed, I agree I’m very handsome. It’s just a shame that no-one else but you thinks so…
2. I’m from that old-skool of people who love beauty and love to talk about it, and I ask Allah to protect me from any possible fitnah arising from it! I’ll post a nice poem from one of my hero Shaykh poets in a minute to make you all feel better…
3. On a more serious note, there really is nothing wrong in praising or appreciating someone’s beauty. It’s what happens afterwards that matters. Of course Jolie is beautiful, but now fear Allah. Of course Barack Obama is handsome (any bloke will admit the same!) but now fear Allah. Of course Allah informs us that Sayyidina Yusuf was the most handsome man around, but then all the women had to fear Allah! Of course many male and female Companions tell us about the sheer beauty and countenance of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) but guess what, the people have got to fear Allah!
I think you get the point.
Appreciation of something or recognising a virtue/blessing/gift/whatever is fine as long as it is done in a halal fashion. What can be haram is the feeling/emotion that follows it. It’s like most things: halal in their set amount and haram when taken out of its boundaries, whether that’s sleep, food, money etc.
That’s why Allah jalla wa ‘ala allowed us to have the first look at a beautiful woman, but then not the second because that is the cut-off for further fitnah.
And that’s why in the books of fiqh, you’ll see the majority of the ‘Ulema agree that if a blessing/virtue/reality is so powerful and overwhelming, then it might even be that first contact which is cut off. Hence they said that a very beautiful woman was obligated to wear the niqab.
So, I say we campaign to get Jolie niqab-ed up and then we can work on the rest of womankind.
4. I will say though that there is little doubt that it is far more difficult for a woman to publicly pronounce such statements simply because men have a higher natural amount of gheerah (jealousy and honour mixed together – ish) which leads to anger and shame far quicker than it does in a woman. It’s a fact right? Simple history throughout the ages show men far more likely to kill their wives out of rage than the other way round when it comes to their gheerah (although have you noticed that women are getting more in on the act, or am I just a sucker to my missus?)
Anyway, Allah knows best. Let’s have some poetry instead…
October 15, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Of course Allah informs us that Sayyidina Yusuf was the most handsome man around.
…..where did Allah inform of this exactly?
October 15, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Dear “yep”
Please show a little adab in your questions and how you ask them. I saw your question the first time, and there’s no need to post it three times, jazakallahu khayr.
Allah jalla wa ‘ala tells us in Surah Yusuf (No.12) in Verse 31:
The majority of the scholars of tafsir say that this is because he was the most strikingly handsome of creation at that time as is suggested by the shock of the women who saw him.
This is well supported by many authentic hadith, from them the narration in Sahih Muslim in which the Prophet (s) said, “He (Yusuf) had been given half of all beauty” and in the narration of al-Tabarani where the Prophet (s) was narrating about the Prophets he met on the Mi’raj Journey, “…and then I was with a man (Sayyidina Yusuf) who was the most handsome of that which Allah has created; superior over the rest of mankind in his beauty like the full moon over the rest of the stars.”
Ay na’m.
October 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm
That said ya sheikh, I would hate for my husband to comment that such and such a woman was beautiful, even if it was the ‘ijma of the world that she was. And I’m sure men would hate their wife saying that of any man even more!
And whoever called you handsome should learn some manners, even if they are hiding behind anonymity; it’s totally inappropriate… Unless she’s your wife and if she isn’t your wife would have every right to be seething and demand you to close your blog.
October 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Apologies but it was only to bring your attention to a serious matter.
I quote….
“Of course Allah informs us that Sayyidina Yusuf was the most handsome man around.”
But you haven’t shown that at all….you have said that the majority of tafsir say this…not the Qur’an.
Furthermore you then say that the hadith say this. That, is, according to you, that the Prophet (saw) informed us of this. Apart from the fact that you cannot prove that such words were 100% uttered from the mouth of the beloved (saw), the fact is that you claim the Prophet (saw) said this, and not Allah (swt). You haven’t shown anywhere that Allah (swt) indeed informed us of such a thing with 100% certainty and you move from teh Qur’an to prove your point.
So if we are to talk about adab, do not attribute to Allah (swt) what you do not in fact, know whether he informed us off.
October 15, 2008 at 9:53 pm
‘S Says:
And whoever called you handsome should learn some manners, even if they are hiding behind anonymity; it’s totally inappropriate… Unless she’s your wife and if she isn’t your wife would have every right to be seething and demand you to close your blog.’
woah nelly! chill mamacita. you married or was it hypothetical?
October 16, 2008 at 9:59 pm
yep,
You have refuted the narration from Sahih Muslim. Ordinary plebs do not write narrations. Very learned scholars of Hadith write these based upon the principles of Hadith and they fully understand the parameters of narrating a Hadith.
So why do you object to great Scholarly works ?
The narration that AE quoted is accepted by high-ranking scholars across the known Muslim World.
Did you gain knowledge of Hadith in an Orientalist institution? I ask out of shear curiosity, and no disrespect at all. It’s just how your reply came across.
October 16, 2008 at 10:10 pm
It doesn’t matter if I’m versed in hadith or not. The statement Abu Essa made was incorrect – and he attributed to Allah (swt) what He did not say
October 17, 2008 at 9:23 am
‘It doesn’t matter if I’m versed in hadith or not. The statement Abu Essa made was incorrect – and he attributed to Allah (swt) what He did not say’
As AE said ‘Allah informs us.’ And in the Qur’an we find the women exclaimed and said this is nothing but an angel. What does this mean here, it is talking about Yusuf (alayhi salam)beauty, why would he be described as an angel otherwise. Besides that, there are hadith narrations to support this. We take our understanding of the Qur’an from tafsir of our pious predecessors. They have related that what is meant here is the beauty of Yusuf (Alayhi salam). AE did not say the ‘beauty of prophet Yusuf’ was the actual the Word of Allah (if you want to get into technicalities), rather he said Allah informs us and hadith is also inspiration from Allah to prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallaam) as he does not speak from his desires on matters of the Deen. So indeed Allah did inform us through the prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) and through his righteous servants (radi Allahu anhum) who give us tafsir of the Qur’an.
I do not wish to argue but to educate as you seem to be missing some key principles in studies of Qur’an and hadith.
October 18, 2008 at 12:56 am
Assalamu ‘alaykum
Dear Yep
I can only apologise for answering your original question and thereby leading you on to make a response to my answer and thus taking you closer to deviancy and misguidance than you may ever imagine. We can only ask Allah jalla wa ‘ala for protection.
I take my share of responsibility of not appreciating the level of knowledge (or lack thereof) and mental state of the questioner before shooting off a quick answer. Thus, I ask you to forgive me.
I ask Allah to guide me and yourself to that which He loves and has chosen for us as the perfect way of life: al-Islam as practised by his Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) as understood by his illustrious Companions (radhy Allahu ‘anhum) and the great Imams that followed their way.
Wa Allahu Musta’an.
October 21, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Assalamu alaikum
I mean no disrespect to you Abu Eesa, but I followed this thread with interest when I read what you wrote in the original blog. By the time I checked back today I noted that some had expressed less than positive views about the way you referred to Ms Palin & Ms Jolie, which was my gut reaction as well. Notwithstanding the natural judgement human beings might instantly make on the outward beauty of one another, I instinctively felt that it isn’t appropriate to broadcast ones opinions on this topic. I would be grateful for any examples there might be (that I in my ignorance am not aware of) of the Prophet (pbuh) making public comments concerning the beauty of particular women, in his lifetime, who he (pbuh) was not married to or did not subsequently marry.
Pardon me, but I also don’t think your response to yep (in #66) showed a great deal of adab either.
Please forgive me for any lack of etiquette I have shown in making these comments.
October 21, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Salaam’alaykum,
I think we need a group hug!
October 22, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Abu Eesa, I meant no disrespect – I was asking a legitimate question and instead of answering me, you say that I am misguided. Now, if I were a Christian, would you have answered me with such rudeness or would you have had a little patience? The truth is, you haven’t answered my question from the Qur’an, and that’s all I was asking for. Not to prove you right or wrong, but to simply ask, and to be curious of where Allah (swt) said what you purport that He said. Yes, I know the women cut their hands, and they called Yusuf (as) a noble angel, but that does not mean it was due to him being the most beautiful man on earth, ever. It may be that he had a massive amount of noor emanating for him, or was very beautiful, but not neccesarily the most beautiful in the whole of time, or anything of that nature. You simply try to prove that Allah (swt) informed us of such a thing with the use of hadith, which you subsequently refute by saying that the Prophet (saw) was the most beautiful but he didn’t mention himself in these hadith as the one speaking does not include himself, but that is an opinion of scholars hundreds of years later and we have ahadith to prove that opinion incorrect. Then you further try to prove the point with tafsir, which again, is not Allah (swt)’s word, but rather people’s interpretations, and hence opinions. All I meant was, if Allah (SWT) did not specifically say it, then maybe we are perhaps mistaken for believing this opinion, especially as you refuted it by mentioning the Prophet (Saw) was the most beautiful, something which I, personally, totally and utterly concur with. Just for the record, the hadith about Yusuf (as) having half of all beauty has been said to mean a number of things: -half the whole beauty of the world, -half the beauty of Mohammed (saw) – half the beauty of Adam(as), as he was made by Allah (swt) directly. All are put forward by scholars – which is correct? And they cannot all be correct – hence they are opinions and probabilites, possibilities and the like, and not fact, and I was simply asking for clarification.
If you put yourself forward as an Imam and shaykh, the you have to deal with your ‘flock’ accordingly, and if they have questions, you have to answer them and help them come to the truth, not throw out accusations in blind paranoia that everyone is attacking the deen.
October 22, 2008 at 2:56 pm
P.s. no, I don’t forgive you, because the ‘mental state of the person asking’ I am unsure of and I am not sure if you were sincere as the context of the request seems otherwise.
See, I can make judgements without facts too
October 22, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Assalaam alaikum Ustadh
I just want to repeat to you something you once told us in a lecture:
“Don’t wrestle with pigs. You’ll only get dirty…”
I’m not saying that bro/sis Yep is a pig (astaghfirullah) but you said earlier back in the day on this blog that people should go and ask questions from their local imams/muftis and not on this website. So if you keep answering people’s questions, you’re always going to get them trying to argue back whether sincerely/unsincerely and make you angry, or they’ll just come out with ignorant statements like the one:
Apart from the fact that you cannot prove that such words were 100% uttered from the mouth of the beloved (saw)
about one of the most authenticated hadith in SAHIH MUSLIM. SO Ustadh, you asked for it!
Keep away from them!!!
May Allah guide us all!
October 22, 2008 at 5:24 pm
ps: I appreciate your time spent on preparing these posts of benefit and your light relief for the times of misery for everyone. I equally deplore the efforts of those who detract from it.
If no-one else will say it then at least from me, jazaakallaaho khairan.
October 22, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Slave of God – that is incredibly rude.
Number 1 – Maybe I AM asking MY local Imam. Did you ever think about that?
Number 2 – I AM asking to clarify my knowledge and not to fight. If AE gets angry then maybe he should check himself as I’m positive that the Prophet (saw) never got angry when someone asked him (saw) a legitimate question.
Number 3 – I’m not fighting about hadith. It’s a fact that if you didn’t hear something you can’t claim 100% it is true. That is basic logic. Similarly, here is a hadith from sahih Bukhari which encourages us to drink something which is najasa:
Some people got sick in Madina. The Prophet advised them to drink camel’s urine and milk. After they became well, they killed a shepherd. The Prophet ordered that their hands and feet be chopped off and their eyes gouged out. They were laid on burning sand. When they asked for water it was denied them. So much so that they tasted sand until they died (Bukhari Kitabul Mahrabain and Kitabut Tib p.254).
Oh yeah, and encourages us to gouge people’s eyes out.
So I guess the way Bukhari did his sahih wasn’t infalliable, and Muslim’s was not as precise as his.
October 22, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Asalamu alaikum Yep
Let me firstly say that I do not know your good self or Sheikh AE personally and I have been reading this thread and also wondering why he wrote what he did in response to you.
I have finally realised now. I wish to apologise to you Sheikh for thinking to myslf that you were being harsh. You obviously saw something that we all missed.
As soon as brother Yep said what they’ve just said about Imam alBukhari and his Sahih and then trying to build an argument of the orientalist rationalists, this showed what the scholars called “serious ignorance” i.e. more than just the simple ignorance of not knowing something, but rather worse because then they make an affirmative statement based upon their belief which shows a major worry.
SOmetimes you do have to come down like a tonne of bricks upon people propagating such heresy, rejecting hadith because they can’t themselves understand them and going against their “logic”, doubting in the Sahih of Bukhari about which I am sure the ulamaa have said no-one doubts it except that he is from the heretics.
Yep, no-one knows your sincerity but giving a real name and taking accountability for what you say would be a starter. May Allah guide you and all the Muslims.
October 22, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Sorry yep,
but your comments do not encourage the understanding of Hadith, but encourage contradiction of Scholarly works. I am not saying follow blindly, but follow with the Wisdom and Guidance from people who have devoted their lives to Deen. Just sitting in silence with people who possess life-long knowledge of Deen and consequently gained Spirituality and Wisdom, helps to build Taqwah.
Yep, I am not attacking you, but this is of genuine concern.
October 22, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Ustaad AE,
Forgive me for the suggestion, but seriously, you should consider deleting this entire blog entry of yours. You will have people who are new in understanding Hadith, and people that question to contradict Hadith or narration of Hadith by renound pious scholars; will no doubt corrupt those that are new to Hadith.
I am no-where near perfect.
However, I think, that the comments made by Yep are abhorrent, and shows a lack of wisdom in his/her responses.
This cannot be propagated to new Students of Islam.
October 22, 2008 at 10:24 pm
wow – what a great answer to my question
especially since I don’t actually refute the hadith
October 23, 2008 at 1:13 am
Ok, I was thinking about whether to write anything ‘in my defense’ as it were, or to leave it.
I thought I’d do the former just so I can make it abundantly clear that you are attacking a Muslim.
I do not deny hadith. I just think one should be wary as the above example proves. If hadith go against the Qur’an, despite the sanad its a no no, as we all know. But if they conform with Qur’an, then obviously they are most probably correct and by default, we follow them.
All I asked is if the hadiths which AE mentioned conformed to Qur’an via the wording of Allah (swt). To that question I have recieved no answer.
Call me a heretic or misguided or a deviant or a pig or an orientalist or whatever you guys called me, the fact remains I am still allowed to ask the question, and the fact remains I have not received any answer to it.
I asked a question, that is all. Am I allowed to? Yes. The Qur’an encourages it. Why am I asking? Because I seriously want to know the answer. Why is it so important? Because Deen is so important to me.
If I wanted to start a fight/argument/debate about the futility of hadith, or whatever you think I want to do (and seriously, I don’t want to start any such debate about the hadith at all!!!), trust me, it would not be through an internet blog!
If I wanted to attack AE, I could easily go to one of his classes and attack him. Or go to Juma’ah and attack him. Or go to salah and attack him. I don’t wish to. It is really that simple.
I will not pose further questions to AE about any topic on this blog. For all those who insulted me, look to yourselves and the hypocrisy you engage in in the name of religion.
I AM a Muslim, Alhamdulillah. I am actually Sunni as well.
Yet you insulted me without knowing me; misconstrued my intentions; twisted my words and then put it all down to a lack of wisdom, covering it all in your cloaks of self-dellusionary piety.
October 23, 2008 at 7:34 am
DEAR BROTHER/SISTER
I’M A FIRST-TIMER ON THIS SITE SO I WON’T BRING ANY PRECONCEIVED IDEAS AND I WILL EXPLAIN SOMETHING WHICH I HOPE IS IN GOOD MANNERS AND MAYBE EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY NO-ONE IS INTERESTED IN ANSWERING YOUR ‘QUESTION’ BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY:
I’m not fighting about hadith. It’s a fact that if you didn’t hear something you can’t claim 100% it is true. That is basic logic. Similarly, here is a hadith from sahih Bukhari which encourages us to drink something which is najasa:
Some people got sick in Madina. The Prophet advised them to drink camel’s urine and milk. After they became well, they killed a shepherd. The Prophet ordered that their hands and feet be chopped off and their eyes gouged out. They were laid on burning sand. When they asked for water it was denied them. So much so that they tasted sand until they died (Bukhari Kitabul Mahrabain and Kitabut Tib p.254).
Oh yeah, and encourages us to gouge people’s eyes out.
So I guess the way Bukhari did his sahih wasn’t infalliable, and Muslim’s was not as precise as his.
YOU HAVE TO REALISE THAT NO SCHOLAR FROM THE HISTORY OF AHLE-SUNNAH I.E. SUNNI MUSLIMS HAS EVER SAID WHAT YOU HAVE SAID. NEVER. THEY NEVER REASONED AS YOU DID, THEY NEVER QUESTIONED THE LOGIC BEHIND THE HADITH IN BUKHARI, THEY NEVER MADE SARCASTIC REMARKS ABOUT WHAT THE PROPHET (SAW) DID (>>>Oh yeah, and encourages us to gouge people’s eyes out.>>>), AND THEY NEVER DOUBTED THE PRINCIPLE THAT WHEN A HADITH HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY CHAIN THEN WE AS MUSLIMS BELIEVE IT TO BE 100% FROM THE PROPHET (SAW). THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE BASIC OF OUR EMAN AND THE IDEAS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE MORE SUITED TO THE EARLY SECTS OF MUTAZILAH AND THE CURRENT RATIONALISTS.
PLEASE DON’T TAKE THAT STATEMENT PERSONALLY BUT THAT IS THE REASON WHY YOUR STATEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES ARE SO CONFUSED. I REALLY HOPE I HAVEN’T SHOWN BAD ADAB IN THIS REPLY AND TO PROVE MY POINT, YOU ASK ANY IMAM FROM THE SUNNI MUSLIMS WHETHER SALAFI, SUFI, DEOBANDI, BRELWI ETC AND THEY’LL GIVE YOU THE SAME ANSWER BECAUSE THIS IS CONSENSUS POINT.
FORGIVE ME IF I HAVE SAID ANYTHING THE WRONG WAY.
PS: WHEN WE USE TAFSIR FROM THE RIGHTLY GUIDED SCHOLARS, THEN IT IS AS “IF ALLAH IS SAYING”. IF YOU READ THE VARIOUS SCHOLARS OF TAFSIR WORKS YOU WILL SEE THE EXACT SAME STATEMENT JUST FROM ONE OF THEM I.E. “ALLAH TAALA SAYS ….. IN HIS BOOK AND THIS MEANS … AS WAS NARRATED FROM …. SO IT IS AS IF HE TAALA IS SAYING …. THEREFORE THE LESSONS FOR US ARE …”
THIS IS THEIR STYLE AND THIS IS THE MEANING OF TAFSIR. I APOLOGISE BECAUSE ENGLISH IS NOT MY 1ST LANGUAGE BUT YOU CAN CHECK WITH YOUR PEOPLE THAT YOU TRSUT FROM SUNNI ISLAM AND THEY WILL EXPLAIN THE SAME AND THEREFORE THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE AUTHOR HAS SAID ABOVE WHICH ISN’T AGREED UPON FROM SUNNI ISLAM.
I HOPE THAT HELPS DEAR BROTHER/SISTER.
October 23, 2008 at 7:36 am
oops! sorry for the capitals and spelling!
October 24, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Dear Sister yep,
We ‘ALL’ learn every moment of everyday about ‘life skills’. And I hope that we (most of all, especially me) have also learnt about patience, etiquette and not to let our emotions get the better of us. Hence, we should not fly off the handle about sensitive or controversial issues, but seek out knowledge and guidance and act with the council of others.
Assalaamualaikum Sister.