Just curious - how many muslims are on mumsnet?

[Galvanise]

Hello/Salaam,

I know mumsnet has a wide and diverse population and I tend to recognise some MN usernames as regulars. Just intrigued to know how big/small a community it may be.

Of course, I respect that there may be those who do not wish to even identify themselves for various reasons - which is fine too.

I am not asking for 'religiousness' levels or any vital stats! Nor is this a muslim-only thread or an 'no non-muslims' thread.
If you really wish to tell me that you are not a muslim, that is fine too :)

:)

Salams dearest sister Crescent

Been really busy past two days and didn'tget a chance to reply to your last post regarding Mawlid. I realise the discussion has moved on but just wanted to clarify my own perspective.

Yes the Prophet SAW recommended for the sahabah to fast on Monday (for two reasons that are related I would say) as a way to commemorate his birth saw, however he instructed them to do an act of worship - fasting - to commemorate it. They were making shukr to Allah SWT by fasting for guiding us by sending us His Prophet SAW. How would you classify the activities carried out on mawlid? Are they ibadah? I think it's clear that they are not as the Rasul SAW clearly did not instruct us to recite poems about him, sing nasheeds as a way to worship Allah SWT. So what are they and does it make a difference whether you partake in it or not? There are some people who will accuse you of not loving the Nabi saw if you do not celebrate Mawlid so I think there are people on both sides you hold quite entrenched, intolerant views about it.

As for your question about what is wrong with reciting poems and singing songs praising the Rasul SAW I don't think it is wrong per se unless it becomes a distraction from worshiping Allah SWT and following the sunnah. Often you will find people memorizing lots of poems whilst memorizing very little of the Quran. Also people getting emotional and singing songs praising the prophet saw but what about praising Allah SWT? Do they get that eemotional about Worshiping Allah SWT? Some poems can also involve shirk when the attribute divine attributes to the Rasul SAW and make dua to him. I have personally had instances when I have felt uncomfortable with what people are saying at these events as I feel they have gone too far. Remember the Rasul saw warned us about over praising him the way the Christians overpraised Isa Pbuh - can't find the hadith right now as on phone but will post if someone hasn't come across it.

Commemorating the Rasul Saw and showing love towards him is certainly praiseworthy as the scholars you mentioned said. However the best way to commemorate him saw is to follow his Sunnah and try to follow his example as best as possible.listening to nasheeds about him saw is fine (I love them) but if you replace fasting on Monday's with throwing a huge celebration on one day a year I think we are not really commemorating him but just enjoying ourselves.

I hope this doesn't come across as harsh. It's just my pov.

Just to add it's very clear from Yasir Qadhis article that it was a celebration with all the pomp and pageantry and feasting to go with it, which is not the best way to show love for the Prophet Saw though it is one way to show it.

Asalaam alaikum sisters

I've read through this whole thread, mashallah you all speak with such knowledge. I'm very new to islam, I reverted in February last year.

I'm 28 (I realised I put I'm 26 in another thread, I seem to have lost a few years!). I've got 2 DC's, an 8 year old from another relationship who reverted with me, a 2 year old and I'm 27 weeks with number 3. I've been with my husband 6 years.

I'll be honest, I haven't got a clue what most of what you're saying means. I did spend some time reading up on some of the topics you've covered, but I think I'll join this thread to learn, and doubt I'll have much input!

Thanks for pointing me in this direction crescent.

Wa alaykum wa salam LostandNeverFound

Im glad you found us . Welcome to the fold (big unmumsnetty but very muslim sisterly hug). We are all here to learn, we are all just at different stages of the journey. Dont worry about the terminology it becomes very familiar after a while. I was born a muslim but for years when I was younger I used to always say peace be upon him after saying the Prophet Muhammed's name because I didnt know the Arabic version of it (which is sallalahu alaihi wa salam - in case anyone was wondering). When I hit my late teens I thought I really better learn this before people start asking me why I always the english translation of it. I know a lot of reverts - in fact my dad was one though you wouldnt believe it he has been muslim longer then my humble 26 years. Funnily enough I do the opposite of you and always say Im 27 - so seemed to have gained a year but that could be due to my 5 month old ds who definitely makes me feel a lot older.

Anyway I will move along and let others greet you. By the way how have you found your first year being a muslim?

Thanks for the welcome.

I know a lot of the basic terminology and what it means. There's just stuff I've never really heard of, like I know about the different sects, but not what makes them different. I've never heard of sufism either.

I've read the English translation of the Quran and I'm slowly starting to recite some more small surahs (in addition to the two I use when praying). My 8 year old knows more than me, she knows all her kalimas, the basic dua (entering/leaving the toilet, starting a journey etc) and can read Arabic. I can't! I encourage my children to say their salaams to everyone, use bismillah and alhamdullilah in the correct context. It's all such a learning curve!

With regards to how I've found my first year, alhamdullilah it's been good. I enjoyed ramadan, even though I was pregnant and didn't know! I've enjoyed praying 5 times a day and on the whole I've found it very peaceful. The only thing I'm finding hard is mixing Islam with my family. I think I try and downplay the true extent of my dedication to the religion. I'm always trying to please everyone, and it took time for them to realise I'm still me. Especially when I started wearing hijab.

crescent, the Prophet did commemerate his birthday and he showed us how to do it, once a week. I am not aware of any hadiths sayin I g he did something special once a year in addition to this. So if we wish to commerate the Prophets birthday sas then we should also do it once a week not once a year? But like I said I may be missing something as I am not a Muhadith.

I have never been through a strict stage. I know my own limits. I know for myself through my senses that listening to music is bad for me. The reaction i have to even a few bars of a familiar song is totally different to a few ayah of Quran. I believe there is no room in the heart for music and Quran, but stopping listening to music is only half of it, you still need to put QUran in your heart, and just thinking is not enough. I do however listen to films with music in background and play candy crush with the music on etc. I would go to mixed close families wedding, as there is a ruling about public places and private places or something which basically means you can sit and eat with in laws. I did however leave one of my nieces wedding when the strobe lights and dj came on and there was mixed dancing.(although i did not leave the similar segregated mehndi) but to be fair if she could have she would have left, and the groom was fuming as well. I have never poked out the eyes of my teddy bears and my kids have dora and mickey mouse etc on their clothes.

I sponsor a child through the Al ansari foundation. www.al-ansarifoundation.org/ t is a small charity, run by my tajweed teachers bil, and he goes over to Zanzibar regularly and is involved with the projects. the pics of the projects and him can be seen on their facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/The-Al-Ansari-Foundation his personal page is www.facebook.com/alansarifoundation They did not send any fancy brochure or stuff, just emailed the relevant birth and death certificates and to keep costs down they just email updates and pics and so on. It is a small charity and I am in contact with the brothers wife.

hardly can you link (or pm) the videos I would like to see them. Some peope think Tahir al Qadri is the dajaal.

walaykum salaam lost if there is anything you want to know just ask, but you sound like mashallah you are doing great, better then people who have been muslim longer. when it comes to family i found that the best dawah is actions. that sometimes you have to laugh things off and be forcefully jovial and nonchalent with replies and attacks.

Apologies for interrupting and i dont want to be offensive but I'm really intrigued by
" I have never poked out the eyes of my teddy bears " by Nailak.

Why would someone poke teddy bear's eyes out?

lol, that was tongue in cheek, but some people put tape over teddy bears eyes as they believe that there shouldnt be representations of living things, which includes teddy bears, dolls, on clothes etc so they cover the eyes as toys and stuff are allowed, just not ones that are too realistic according to them.

Nailak, thank you for the explanation.

Welcome lostandneverfound, I also thought I was a year older than I am, and got a pleasant surprise a couple of weeks ago! I think you know when you are getting old when you forget how old you are.
I'm also a revert, been Muslim 10 years now. I have the same issues as you with my family, and what you said about hiding from them your dedication to the religion is familiar to. In the early years I tried to gloss over a lot of things and please everyone.Over the years things changed, but I learnt that it was easier for my family if I was clear with them about what I would and wouldn't accept.
It's funny people talking about having a 'strict' stage, I don't think I've ever been through that, but I think I am strict about some issues that other people aren't strict about. I am very strict about pictures and figurines, and now I have DS he has one large box where any toys or books with pics of animals go, that has a lid so they can be out of sight. He never used to have any figurines but he does now, they go in the box, no teddies though!
We also don't have TV, DS sometimes things on iplayer, but he has reached the grand age of 2 without having a clue who Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder etc are, which I'm quite delighted about!
These are personal convictions though, and not anything I would try and impose on others.

SubhanAllah crescent, may Allah instill in our hearts the courage of this Sheikh! I was shrinking into the ground out of fear on his behalf, may Allah reward him.

I really enjoyed this lecture by Imran Hussein

a gentle introduction as it is less political than the others, the subject is dreams and visions in Islam, but it does touch upon some other issues.

oops ignore tha, dont know what happened! t here is my all time favourite youtube sheikh

tbh I dont know much about him, I am not one of those people who watch a certain sheikh or whatever, I just love this one video, I think it is amazing mashallah

Yes, it's really moving to see someone like that speak so passionately.

Right folks, shall will make this the 'my favourite youtube sheikh thread'?!

loool

how about making it the shisha bar

I am to hear that some (many?) of you don't listen to any music and avoid all face depictions.

I can't remember anything in the Quran about music being banned. And the problem with depictions of people, at Mohammad's time was that Mohammad, Ali, and other important figures could be idolised and worshipped if their likeness was drawn or sculpted, like in Christianity.

Is there any chance whatsoever that your child's teddy can be worshipped? Or Hello Kitty or whatever?

Do you not take any photos, then?

I would honestly like to ask if you know that these put you in an extremist fringe minority. I'm asking because I'm wondering if especially the converts think that this is normal among Muslims.

is there any chance a footballer could be worshipped? or a pop star? lol

cote, we as Muslims have been tolerant of the differences in opinions that we have. someof us celebrate birthdays, others dont, some of us listen to music as part of worship, others dont. It is personal decisions, that we have already explained on this thread. I don't think anyone said they avoid all facial depictions. I don't think being in a minority makes a difference to what people feel is right to do. We have also been supportive of each other. waynetta saying she doesnt believe hijab is fardh is out of the majority opinions, yet we have accepted that her feelings are valid.

and stop thinking converts live in a bubble away from other muslims! This is why I dont like saying I am a revert, tbh I dont consider myself a new muslim anymore, I have Muslim family, many of my friends and the people I interact with on a daily basis are Muslims. Like this thread shows they have differences of opinions. I wont be celebrating Mawlid while others will.

You come accross very patronising cote.

why would you be sad for something that causes another person happiness?

I'm surprised, not sad.