Abu Maymunah's blogge

There - we're better than you blokes - na na na naa na

2009-02-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Mater hospital 2005 shortly after the birth of Maymunah. We were there trying to fix up some baby constipation problems. The nurse noticed that we had shaved the head. I thought it would be a nice opportunity to give an example of the Islamic way of welcoming the child to the world:

Me: You see what we do is shave the head on the seventh day, and give the weight of the hair in the silver away in charity.

Nurse: Oh really? Well in the Catholic tradition ...., we don't wait for a week, we wait for a WHOLE YEAR! AND we don't weigh the hair, we weigh the WHOLE BABY! AND what's more, we don't give the weight in silver away in charity, we give the weight in GOLD away in charity.

Me: Oh really.

I was silenced. This woman had really outgunned me, even though I was not trying to outgun her in the first place.

Only later I realised the ridiculousness.

Baby's weight at birth - typically 3-4kg.

Baby's weight at 1 year - typically 7 - 10kg.

THAT'S ABOUT $250,000 - $400,000 IN GOLD!!!!

Specks of dust in rays of sunlight

2008-03-31T06:10:00.000-07:00

This is just a gem from Sayyidi Shaykh Nuh, he was relating a lesson from one of the Shuyukh, I think it was Shaykh Abdurrahman, raddiyallahu anhu:

Imagine yourself in a dark room, in which through a small window shines a beam of light, thus illuminating the thousands of specks of dust which would otherwise be imperceptible. Each one of us is like one of these specks. Suddenly we are there, and moments later we are gone. Subhanallah. What a fitting description in three aspects:

1) Time - Our life is just a short series of moments, we are here one moment / day and gone the next.
2) Size - We are insignificant in size, just like a speck of dust, in the bigger scheme of things.
3) Number - One small speck, is but one of many thousands, millions, all in the power of the Almighty.

Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin

Names

2008-03-31T05:34:00.000-07:00

When I was young, I always wished I had a cool name. One with a "Z" in it. "Z" names always sounded cool, they sounded razzy, snazzy. Or thats what it seemed anyway. My cousin had a Z name and he always seemed to get comments about the cool name. I once heard of a guy named Shane (well thats how it was pronounced - in actual fact it was Shaheen). How did this Muslim guy get a cool (read: white?) name like that? His parents must have been pretty cool.

My name on the other hand sounded like a smelly herb. Khalik. Khalik - Garlic, get it? AlhamdulilLah when I discovered my Islam in university (thanks largely to the Malay students with whom I spent a lot of time with), I discovered that my name is really quite cool. Abdul-Khalik, pronounced 'abdul-Khaaliq. Servant of the Creator. And my parents actually registered the whole name with the hyphen and all. May Allah reward them for choosing a name which reflects my (and our all) station with my Lord. We are all servants of our Creator. I am glad therefore and I praise Allah Almighty for giving me a name that reminds me of Him, and not of snazz, razz and sometimes even jazz.

Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin.

I hate ebay

2008-03-26T19:46:00.001-07:00

I hope ebay dies a slow painful death.

Fuel station conversation

2008-03-24T01:17:00.000-07:00

After filling up fuel, went in to pay. The fuel guy seemed to be your average football lovin', meat pie eatin', beer drinkin' okka:

Fuel guy: G'day how are ya mate
Me: Good thanks mate
Fuel guy: Anything else with that?
Me: Nah just the fuel thanks mate
Me: Oh hang on I think we have a fly buys card
Me: Gesturing to the wife in the car about Fly Buys card
Wife: Gestures from car not to wory about Fly Buys card
Me: She says not to worry about it
Fuel guy: The boss has spoken
Me: Even us Muslims have our wife as the boss
Fuel guy: Well I don't have to worry about that .. (very short silence follows)
Me: (Thinking obviously he is going to say that he is not married, getting ready to say something like "well you're your own boss then" or something like that)
Fuel guy: I'm gay
Me: Can I have a receipt for that please?
Fuel guy: Sure here you go
Me: OK bye

Less chicken tonight? Should we eat fewer chooks - but pay more?

2008-03-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

http://blogs.theage.com.au/lifestyle/chewonthis/archives/2008/03/_buy_certified.html

Too much if a bad thing ...

2008-02-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

The case for eating less processed food.

Dubai's rags-to-riches miracle built on the toil of exploited foreign workers

2008-02-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

Heavenly for the visiting few, but hell for the many workers. Mass slavery in the modern world.

Plastic cups

2008-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

Is there anyone else out there who cares??? People in my office want to buy polystyrene cups so they can use it once for tea and chuck away, just so they don't have to wash up. And they think this is fine. Aren't Muslims supposed to also care for our earth? Jeez...

No reincarnations without approval

2008-01-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23096265-23109,00.html

DIY religions more harm than good

2008-01-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

The research found non-traditional belief was linked with higher rates of anxiety, depression, disturbed and suspicious ways of thinking and anti-social behaviour.

Pre-emptive strike coming up

2008-01-13T04:48:00.000-08:00

BBC

"natural flavor"

2008-01-05T03:20:00.000-08:00

In 1990, amid a barrage of criticism over the amount of cholesterol in its fries, McDonald's switched to pure vegetable oil. This presented the company with a challenge: how to make fries that subtly taste like beef without cooking them in beef tallow.

Amyl acetate, for example, provides the dominant note of banana flavor. When it is distilled from bananas with a solvent, amyl acetate is a natural flavor. When it is produced by mixing vinegar with amyl alcohol and adding sulfuric acid as a catalyst, amyl acetate is an artificial flavor. Either way it smells and tastes the same. "Natural flavor" is now listed among the ingredients of everything from Health Valley Blueberry Granola Bars to Taco Bell Hot Taco Sauce.

Curbing the "gimme" syndrome

2008-01-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

Lifting a child's self-esteem can be an effective counter to juvenile-onset materialism

Friend or faux

2008-01-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

Online chums might dilute your real-world relationships

Google ACCC

2007-11-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

ACCC takes Trading Post and Google to court

Visit your relatives.

2007-11-09T05:29:00.000-08:00

Blood relations matter.

What a hypocrite

2007-11-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

The PM says sorry for the interest rate rise, even though it was not in his control.

But refuses to say sorry to the native Australian people, because it was not in his control.

The hypocrisy is nauseating. I really dislike this man.

And here's what other people said.

Australian National Security Hotline

2007-11-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

Them Muslims are shifty lookin characters

LOL

2007-11-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

Ghar Jamai

You'd have to be indian to understand this one.

Blog of the ..... web

2007-10-16T05:38:00.000-07:00

This blog is probably the best blog I have ever seen: Arabic Gems

A million bux

2007-10-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

Question: What would you do if you won a million bucks in a lottery? If someone (a Muslim someone) out there visits this blog and sees this question, please let me know what you would do.

And you can't answer "well I would not allow myself to get into this situation".

Basically you were in a rush one day and bought some ticket that your mate was selling without realising it, and suddenly you get a call saying "Congratulations! You've won a million dollars!!"

What do you do?

Media power

2007-10-15T03:59:00.000-07:00

Halal standards and market forces

2007-10-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

Plan-to-push-for-halal-standard-rejected.
More to write about this.

Baby

2007-10-06T08:30:00.001-07:00

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bank account smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for"

-someone

Traditional Islamic Texts

2007-10-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

From what I can see (or perhaps more correctly what I cannot see), there seems to be a lack of traditional islamic books in Brisbane. So, I am gonna get some and start selling. Even if I only sell one a year, it will be worth it inshallah.

What are traditional texts? Well, in a nutshell, these are books of knowledge which are written by people who come from a tradition of an unbroken succession of learning that goes all the way back to the Mercy of the Alamin sallallahu alaihi wa sallam!

What exactly is terror?

2007-07-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Is rape terrorism? Murder? Robbery? Or is terrorism specific to blowing things up and flying planes etc?

Now sue their stinking pants off !!!!!

2007-07-26T22:29:00.001-07:00

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22143899-29277,00.html

Dr Haneef: And the Mealy-Mouthed Man says "yeah its all good"

2007-07-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/26/1988927.htm

Dr Haneef: Bugg decides to review

2007-07-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,22135760-2702,00.html?from=public_rss

Dr Haneef: Hedley Thomas ask the Pertinent Questions

2007-07-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22132438-5013452,00.html

Raat-Raani

2007-07-01T04:11:00.000-07:00

We got home at about 7pm tonite from Farrell's house. Got of the car and smelt a lovely smell which I was sure I have smelt before, at night:

Me: Hey is that Raat-Raani
Me: Yeah that's Raat-Raani
Wife: No, its Deg smoke
Me: Realises it is in fact deg smoke (pakistan neighbours are cooking for a wedding)

Laughter.

Hicks' lawyer to be honoured

2007-06-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Be interesting to see what the Australia's white Australia right wingers have to say about this:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21935247-1702,00.html

Bolt, Albrechtsen, Hirsi Ali etc...

That's ok! Just make a few new laws to deal with this little hiccup...

2007-06-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

...it is unclear whether the Combatant Status Review Tribunals will have to reclassify all detainees.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/us-judge-throws-out-case-against-canadian/2007/06/05/1180809459735.html

Flaxseed.

2007-06-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

This is not a funny, witty or particularly stylish entry (none of mine are anyway) - but this is a very useful piece of info if you have men in the house, which is probably about 50% of households out there, unless of course you live in Malta.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=72990

O Christian

2007-06-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

O ye Christian! How can ye think that Islam is not the truth if you have not read the Qur'an? Give yourself a chance - at least read it first - without any preconceptions - and then make up your mind. And here is our chapter on the Blessed Virgin Mary.

I want to study more about this..

2007-05-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

I learnt early in my university studies that there is a difference between a logical argument and a sound argument. The difference being that a logical argument does not denote accuracy or truth and is indeed often a fallacy. Why is it that A***** B*** continues to make fallacious logical arguments. The answer is that he doesn't really care what he says, he just wants to be heard. Where there's smoke there is not always fire.

Posted by: roger simpson of Richmond 2:08pm today
Comment 94 of 102

2 days with a Muslim family

2007-05-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/comment/0,,2078473,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=19

Planet Irf

2007-05-30T02:28:00.000-07:00

This fella is a good friend of mine. Very intelligent.
http://planetirf.blogspot.com/

Smoking and Television

2007-05-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

First published in the Queensland Muslim Times May Edition

Late last night I was walking outside a supermarket and was approached by a brother who greeted me with the salaam and immediately proceeded to ask me a favour. He wanted me to buy for him, 10 cartons of cigarettes. He had already bought 10, and that must have been the limit. Presumably this brother runs a tobacco shop and the cigarettes must have been going cheap at the supermarket.

I refused. I then tried to politely explain why. Unfortunately this was not well received. I do know that some Imams from the Indo-Pak subcontinent have the opinion that smoking is makruh, but the Ulama I studied from in Syria and Jordan state that smoking is haram – no less. Since this is the opinion I follow, it would be haram for me to buy the cigarettes.

The brother proceeded to question my own line of work.

Amongst fridges, freezers, washing machines and deep fryers, we sell televisions. Not only televisions in fact, but dvd players and hi-fi systems as well. All of these evil instruments of sin. Or are they? The brother questioned how I could make such a statement on smoking yet be happy enough to continue to sell televisions.

This made me think. Did he have a point? One can always learn something and furthermore it can always happen at a time you least expect, like late at night in front of a supermarket. I looked at all the possible uses for a cigarette and all involve smoking it one way or the other. I don’t think it could be used for anything beneficial at all.

Then I looked at the TV. Yes one could watch pornographic movies on it (this was his argument), but on the same token you could also watch the news. Or motor racing. Or then again you could watch the Tarawih from Makkah.

Clearly this is chalk and cheese. You could not possibly compare the two. The use of one is inherently harmful (ie. smoking harms the health) and anyone who seriously doubts this lives in blissful ignorance, whilst the other can either be harmful or not, depending on what the user chooses to do with it.

I know some of the most pious people in Brisbane who own televisions. My late tajweed teacher Muhammad Nabih Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him ) once asked me for a TV and I am sure he took it back to Egypt with him (he did ask me if he could keep it first, of course!).

Saying that TV's are haram is analogous to saying that cars are haram, because one day you might just hop in your car and pick up a prostitute. It all depends on what you do with it.

To the brother, if you are reading this, I am sorry if my refusal upset you, but please respect the opinion that I follow, and furthermore please respect the fact that a difference of opinion exists on this issue between ones more learned than either you or I.

As a final thought, even if I was of the more relaxed belief that smoking was “only” makruh, how could one get upset at another because he didn’t want to perform a makruh action? Avoiding makruh is a praiseworthy action…

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=677&CATE=115

And Allah knows best
Abdul-Khalik Kassim

Imam Ashraf Ali Thanvi’s Fatwa On the Shadhili Loud Dhikr

2007-05-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of seekersdigest.com

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

Imam Ashraf Ali Thanvi’s Fatwa On the Shadhili Loud Dhikr

Question:

In the Shadhili tariq, they perform loud group dhikr while standing. Is this permitted or not?

Answer:

[After quoting the hadiths and Qur’anic verses related to the permissibility of loud group dhikr]

….And it is mentioned in al-Tafsirat al-Ahmadiyya[1]
in the discussion on loud and silent dhikr that, ‘This is a matter differed upon among people in our times, though there is no reason for is—for the purpose of all is to reach Allah, by any possible means.’

It is thus established that all forms of loud dhikr are permitted, and no one should be stopped from any particular form. This is the correct (rajih) position. Furthermore, one should not stop common Muslims from such actions even if one were to hold that such dhikr is not permissible, because this is a means for them to be doing some form of good….

Source:

Mawlana
Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Imdad
al-Fatawa (5.151-155) Maktaba
Darul Ulum Karachi, Karachi,1999

A saying..

2007-05-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

A wise man once said:

"Where there is a suburban road, with houses on the side, there are bound to be cars on the road also"

Reflect on that mate.
Solid.

al-Hamdu wash-Shukru lillah

2007-05-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

It is late, Maymunah has some sort of teary eye, runny nose allergic conjuntivitus happening and she is coughing and spluttering in her sleep. Even through all this she demonstrates such patience and not once have I heard her complain. May Allah Most High keep her like this and may He make her from the Saliheen and one of His awliyaa. Masha-Allah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. Now I know what a parents's love feels like.

Solid

2007-05-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

What fuels someone else's intolerance towards you, is your intolerance towards them.

Alternative gathering

2007-05-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

I have a GREAT idea as an alternative to the barbecue. I mean the barbecue is really a "been there" done that sort of thing isn't it? Meat grilling, drink swilling, chatting around the fire, joking around... all old news.

How about this:

A poetry and lentils night!!!!!!

COOOOL! Reading poetry around a bare table with nothing on it but lentil soup, lentil curry, lentil this, lentil that... pure genius. I am going to patent this idea.

What is in that milkshake?

2007-05-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

A typical artificial strawberry flavor, like the kind found in a Burger King strawberry milk shake, contains the following ingredients: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (10 percent solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, g-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.

From "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser

News Corp's Green Thing

2007-05-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Whilst I am in no fan of Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp propoganda machine, I have a reserved admiration for his declaration that News Corp be carbin neutral by 2010...

Mind you, I am no fan of any of the large media outlets either. They are all dogs.

I have just recently managed to acquire Jerry Mander's "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television" off Ebay for a song... and I recommend it to anyone interested in protecting their mental health from an oh-so-subtle stealth attack of television.

The Prophet's funeral prayer, May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him

2007-05-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

Very rarely am I able to read the story of the Prophet's passing (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) without my eyes welling with tears. Here's what happened once everyone accepted what had happened and realised that they had to get on with their life:

Ibn Hisham relates from Ibn Ishaq in his renowned biography of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), al-Sirah al-Nabawiyya:

“When the Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) finished bathing and shrouding the body of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) on the Tuesday, they placed his body on his bed in his house. The Muslims differed as to where he (Allah bless him & give him peace) should be laid to rest. Some were of the opinion that he should be buried in the Masjid, whilst others said that he should be buried with the other Companions. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) say: “A Prophet does not pass away except that he is laid to rest where he passes away”. Thus, the bedding of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) on which he passed away was raised, and the grave was dug on that spot. Thereafter, people began to enter into the room and offered prayers in groups. First the men entered, and when they had finished praying, women entered, and upon them completing their prayers, children entered. Everyone prayed individually and no one individual lead the prayer.” (See: Ibn Hisham, al-Sirat al-Nabawiyya, 3/233).

Ya Rabb! Grant us the chance to be of his companions in the hereafter! Amin

Umpteenth try at a blog

2007-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

This will be the umpteenth try at making a blog. All other attempts have failed, for various reasons. Maybe this one will too, but maybe it won't...