Salaam. Where did the tea room go?

[LuisSuarezTeeth]

I miss you all. :(

[Jakana]

I know! it's like it pops up and then dissappears. We may as well carry on, perhaps sisters will come back Inshallah.

Sometimes one feels exhausted on other threads where you feel attacked however much you try to argue a point or educate people about the beauty of our religion and need a place to escape to for sanity, so please sisters let's keep the momentum going - we need one another .

Masalaama!xx

[LuisSuarezTeeth]

Thank you Jakana x

[moonstruckl8]

salaam luis and jakana, im game if you and others are. Happy Friday!

[Jakana]

moonstruckl8- sorry, school closed yesterday and all chaos in my house now.
I'll keep checking in at least once a day
Salaam aleikum to both of you!xx

[moonstruckl8]

salams sisters, Jumua Mubarak but its a Happy Friday not just to us but to many people all over the UK and the world this December 25th. Merry Christmas to all.

its an especially Mubarak Friday for us as the date on the Islamic calendar reached the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal yesterday evening so we're celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) today. dh is working as usual to cover his colleagues who need Christmas day off so its just me and kiddies and im so pleased for them that the mawlid has synced up with Christmas Day this year. we've got green tinsel and bunting up because green was the Prophet (pbuh)s favourite colour and iv been playing mawlid poems and songs through the day and will start cooking a big roast dinner for later. Hope everyone is well God Willing.

[metimeisforwimps]

Salaam sisters, moonstruck redirected me here from the twitching and dying tearoom thread! I agree we need an mn sanctuary.
Can anyone help me find a Quran I'm looking for? I want a large print one, that has arabic on one page and english (translation not transliteration) on the opposite page.
JazakAllah khairan.

[moonstruckl8]

Salams metimeisforwimps love the NN btw. Good luck with your Quran search my New Years resolution for 2016 is to read the Quran with comprehension without need of any translation. I'm putting conversational Arabic on the backburner whilst I focus on Quranic Arabic. I think even with a good translation still the translator acts as an intercession between me and the literary quranic text.

[metimeisforwimps]

That's a great aim moonstruck, not something I can imagine being in my reach, but Allah willing maybe one day. May He grant you success. Nice to hear about your mawlid decorations, our local mosque has green fairy lights!

[bagofmilk]

Salaam,

I'm new here. Is everyone okay?

[moonstruckl8]

Salamsbagofmilk, metime, luis, jakana, it's school holidays here so busy running round occupying my little darlins so they have something to say when school starts next week! enjoy their two weeks. does anyone else feel the pressure to get them toys and gifts during Christmas hols so they won't feel left out when they go back to school and their friends all converse about what Santa brought them? I shouldn't feel that, but I do!

[bagofmilk]

moonstruckl8 I know what you mean. I bought my kids some toys and gifts so that at least they have something eventhough we don't celebrate Christmas. Also got hubby and myself a few things, you might aswell tak advantage of the sales.

[moonstruckl8]

Jumua Mubarak ladies, Happy Friday and Happy New Year also. Did you ever think you'd live long enough to see 2016? I never thought I'd see 2016 I still remember all the millennium big fuss back in 1999 subhanallah. May it be a good year for all of us God Willing. My only New Years resolution is to understand the Quran in its original language, I know a fair bit of colloquial Arabic but High arabic was beyond me but this year God Willing im going to start scaling those heights because dependency on others translation efforts means dependency on their hidden biases and Inclinations (or not so hidden as in the case of Muhsin khans 'the Noble Quran' translation!)
yes exactly milk I always find it funny how many muslims you see queuing every year in the footage of the boxing day sales on telly or the media, (you know the Crack of dawn pics!). I get my dc things as well but I make sure they know it's because we waited on the bargains to start right after. My Dh got them a load of toys and gifts to mark the 10th of Ashura that went by recently, the date for those who don't know of when we commemorate in the islamic calendar Prophet Moses (as) parting the Red Sea and freeing his people the Jews from Pharoah. We fasted the requisite two days too but made it for the dc that way. luis, jakana, metime milk, salaams!

[bagofmilk]

Jummah Mubarak to to you moonstruckl8 aswell and to all the other sisters. Happy New Year to you all also.

My new years resolution is to firstly set more time for my personal study of deen, spirituality and fiqh. It can be hard because of work, family etc.

Secondly to cut down on listening to music, I am not one of those who follows the "musical instruments is haram" opinion, however listening to too much music has the potential of distracting me from Islam. Compared to non muslims I would listen to less music than them but still its about moderation. Do any of you not listen to music at all?

Thirdly, learn some new recipes for cooking at home. I have a cookbook on Chinese food so I'll try that out.

On Boxing Day I'll admit I went abit crazy on the shopping. Got the kids toys, clothes and new shoes for when they start school again. I got hubby Calvin Klein aftershave, clothes and Fallout 4 on PS4 (he loves videogames). For myself I got clothes, hijabs, abayas, perfume, shoes, books (mainly novels but some non fiction also) and lingerie (ahem!) .

But for some reason I feel abit guilty balso ecause it seemed like we are taking advantage of someone ele's religious holiday that we don't celebrate in order to indulge ourselves with material things.

[bagofmilk]

Forgot to introduce myself. Sorry.

I am a 1/2 Lebanese, 1/2 Pakistani American Muslim born and raised in USA but I live in the UK with my husband. We have 3 children, 2 twin daughters (7) and one son (5).

Salaam sisters.

[originalmavis]

I don't understand not listening to music thing. There is some beautiful music that raises the soul and heart. I've always thought (since I was a small child and being moved by the language of Shakespeare - yes I was an odd child) that there is no better evidence of the existence of God than beautiful music or classical literature, or opera.

My Muslim relatives Iove listening to and playing music, one was even a professional pianist, so I suspect it's a cultural thing maybe?

[fuzzywuzzy]

Metime, the Yusuf Ali translation Quran has English on one side and Arabic on the other.

I read the English only one when I'm out and about and the Arabic one at home.

Alternatively you can download the iQuran lite which has both Arabic with English translation on it. I have it on my iPhone. It's really good as you can listen to the recitation.

[fuzzywuzzy]

music distracts the heart away from the Quran.

Altho there's scholarly debate as the to type music some say all string instruments.

I'm easy going about it. My DH plays piano, violin and guitar, I also play piano. Not everyday but we can play and have the instruments in our house.

[originalmavis]

You are so lucky to be musical! I'm terrible at playing but can appreciate it.

[bagofmilk]

The issue of music can go either way. I like fuzzy am more relaxed about it. When I was a teenager I listened to rock, punk and metal music. I dont anymore except once in a blue moon for nostalgia purposes.

I really like classical music or instrumentals which is the type of music I listen to nowadays. I am not a fan of Alot of modern music.

It all about moderation, you can't allow it to distract from the deen.

[originalmavis]

There are so many distractions in life! Music is the least of it - TV, magazines, shopping... Modern music is pretty awful though!

[bagofmilk]

Of course original those things can be distractions aswell. Forgive me if this is rude but original are you muslim yourself?

[moonstruckl8]

yes lots of things are distractions but music is normally singled out for its ability to affect the heart through ones hearing sense which is how the Quran is normally experienced. As fuzzy said because it can interfere with ones appreciation of the Quran specifically its own lyrical flow and poetry. for a person who loves music I often find the Quran when recited/chanted very moving and beautiful to listen to even when the subject matter is something technical like how to perform ablutions before prayer. Some muslim spiritual sages said music dulls the heart from being affected by it and some said music can liven the heart! It's each to her own - for some its abit of a journey before finding a balance. I think of Cat Stevens/Yusuf islam who when he first converted gave up his musical career for decades and then a few years ago came back to his roots and started performing and writing music again.

[originalmavis]

Oh no, c of e. Most of the family is though (from/in ME). I find different practices within religions interesting.

[bagofmilk]

moonstruck I loved what you said. It really is finding a balance.

Qu'ran is much better than Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber (shudder) and (obviously).

[bagofmilk]

obviously Interesting you're an Anglican, are you practicing or cultural or in between? Some of the Anglican church songs are quite nice.