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 :)

:)

Alcohol on your skin has nothing to do with "impurity", since it evaporates within seconds. If anything, it disinfects your skin in the process, leaving it less "impure" than before.

Cologne is offered to guests throughout the Middle East. People obviously don't drink it, so intoxication is not an issue.

Similarly, you can use Ethanol as bio-fuel in your car because you cannot possibly get drunk from it. Or you can be operated on with a scalpel disinfected in alcohol, because you cannot get intoxicated from it.

The important thing to remember is that Islam encourages you to use your brain. Intoxication is bad, so don't drink alcohol. Other uses of alcohol don't cause intoxication and therefore are not forbidden by Islam. It is not complicated.

To understand Muslim HCWs? attitudes to alcohol-based
hand cleansers in an Islamic country, the experience
reported by Ahmed and colleagues at the King Abdul Aziz
Medical City (KAAMC) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
is very instructive.770 At the KAAMC, the policy of using
alcohol handrub is not only permitted, but has been actively
encouraged in the interest of infection control since 2003. No
difficulties or reluctance were encountered in the adoption of
alcohol-containing hand hygiene substances. Though Saudi
Arabia is considered to be the historic epicentre of Islam, no
state policy or permission or fatwa (Islamic religious edict)
were sought for approval of the use of alcohol-containing
handrubs, given that alcohol has long been a component
present in household cleaning agents and other materials for
public use, including perfume, without legislated restriction
within the Kingdom. In all these instances, the alcohol content
is permitted because it is not for ingestion. In 2005, the Saudi
Ministry of Health pledged its commitment to the WHO Global
Patient Safety Challenge, and most hospitals across the country
have joined in a national campaign implementing the WHO
multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy centred on the
use of alcohol-based handrub at the point of care. Given this
high level commitment, WHO selected hospitals in Saudi Arabia
in 2007 for the testing of the present Guidelines.

From World Health Organization Guidelines on Hand Hygiene and Health Care (page 89)

And that is from an Islamic Kingdom legislated by Sharia.

It is quite sobering to see views on MN that are more extremist than those accepted in Saudi Arabia, by Wahhabis under Sharia rule.

Cote, you have a point regarding the alcohol, which is reflected in the many links that have been posted to Islamic scholarly opinions on the matter.
However, the fact that something is widespread in the Muslim world, is not in any way an argument for it being Islamically correct. There are many many things widespread in the Muslim world that NO ONE would claim to be correct by any standards, let alone Islamically correct.
And Crescent is absolutely right, the Saudis in no way represent the majority of Muslims.

Just to be clear, I have no problems using alcohol based hand rubs, is hospitals and I also buy them to use when travelling.

Interesting discussion. I work in a hospital and use handgels that contain alcohol.

Whilst I would consider myself to have an impurity on my hands if I had wine/beer/spirits on my hands I dont consider it a problem to use handgels. I make an effort to but the natural one for home, especially for the children, the alcohol based ones wreck your hands.

I cant remember reading many fatwas on this I expect I did read some ....I think so anyway. I think there is a differnce between ethanol and 'alcohol' as in any chemical with a -OH group.

Thanks a lot sisters. Subhanallah the advice you gave Hardly brought tears to my eyes. I think I was just in a bad mood yesterday. Taking time out for myself sounds good but its tough because ds is just 6 months. DH is helpful but works long hours so sometimes I don't even get an hour to myself in a week and I feel resentful of how much time he has to himself. If I was more ruthless I would just take off in the weekend and leave him with ds but I feel sorry for him that he has to work so hard in the week and try to give him a break in the weekend. Shame he doesn't feel sorry for me. Feeling a bit fed up. But I'm going .ro stay at my mums next week so hopefully should get a break and a chance to remember that I'm not just ds's mummy. Crescent your words made me laugh. I think the problem is having patience when your hard work is not reciprocated.

This might be the first time ever I disagree with you crescent
I can't help thinking that if peacefuls husband really is tired from a week at work it might be better to try and find a relaxing thing to do together as a family rather than leave him with the baby, although certainly him giving her a break would be a nice habit to get into in the long run.
In terms of things you can do together, I find going out for a meal together really helps, I get a rest from cooking and we enjoy having a change of scenary together. Not sure what places you have around you but if you have a place that's not too posh but has nice food you can relax and not worry about baby crying etc. Also take a large scarf to be covered while feeding.
When you are on your own in the week could you take the baby for a nice long walk, and then if baby sleeps stop for a coffee somewhere and read a book? I found walking was, and still is one of my best coping strategies. Even at 2, DS still likes to chill out in the pushchair and look at his surroundings, and it feels like time alone for me, as well as being good exercise.
These things might not work for you, but just thought a couple of suggestions might help.

well perhaps that's where I'm going wrong crescent , although to give DH credit he's just given DS a bath as is taking him out to do the shopping so I can study. There is hope!

and can you tell us the hadith about hind???

Yes I see what you mean Crescent. I certainly don't see the wives of the Prophet(pbuh) and his compantions as being meek and mild, nothing I have read seems to suggest that.

I think every woman needs to learn what works with her husband, to get the best out of them. I feel I'm learning but constantly make mistakes. I know that the more I challenge my husband the more he will defend his own corner. Whereas if I say 'yes dear if that's what you think is best', he will immediately start to question himself and ask for my opinion. Unfortunately I don't always remember this when I am feeling hacked off!

But he also responds well when I act with certainty and clearly state what I think without being critical. I see this mannerism in his family, so I've copied it, e.g:

him: 'why did you take DS out for a walk when it's so cold'?

me: 'a walk does us both good in body and mind, I try to go for a walk everyday to stay in good health'

End of conversation.

peaceful having a young baby is hard, you tend to loose yourself a but for a while. I think it is normal. But eventually inshallah you will find yourself again.

Thanks for the advice. Nailak I do think a lot of my feelings come from being overwhelmed because of the baby. I was quite an independent person before ds. Just used to get up and go if I needed something. Now with ds I find I am so restricted because I can't go anywhere or do anything without taking him in to account. Now I am more dependent on dh then I was before which creates a lot of tension as he is very unreliable not always reliable. It makes me mad because I try so hard to be supportive of him and he is not equally supportive. Last week there was an Islamic talk I really wanted to go to but I knew I couldn't take ds because he is teething at the moment and gets very irritable. I could have left ds with my Dh but last minute he made plans to do something. I was fuming because I had talked to him about this for weeks even invited him to go with me and leave ds with my dm then he bailed on me like that. Anyway forget my issues, I am whinging a lot

What are people's thoughts on the pope stepping down? says she desperately trying to change the topic I keep reading things where non Muslims write the problem with Islam is we have no religious authority or figure like the pope. I always thought that was a good thing though that we don't have one central person who is the religious authority as it enabled Islam to spread and adapt to the different lands it was taken to. What are people's thoughts. Also isn't this part of the remit of a caliph?

That's right Nailak I'd forgotten about that. Gradually your world starts to become a little bit wider. Also peaceful, as DS gets older you might find that DH wants to take him places a bit more, which will give you a break inshAllah.

Anyway, changing the subject, as for the Pope, I have no idea really, was watching it on the news in the doctors waiting room yesterday with interest. I liked what he said about the church shouldn't change because of what the majority of Christians think, as decisions should be made according to divine law. I've always thought the Muslims have managed to hold on to that concept better than the Christians (no offence meant to any Christians). I got the feeling it was a combination of disagreeing with that and other issues, and feeling a bit too old and weak to cope with the role.

I heard rumours that the Pope before him secretly converted to Islam, probably a dodgy google conspiracy theory but did anyone else hear that?

And if you persevere and have taqwa, their cunning will not harm you at all ?surely Allah surrounds whatever they do

--Qu'raan - [3:120]

"Corruption has appeared in the land and sea, for that men's own hands have earned, that He may let them taste some part of that which they have done, that haply so they may return" Quran 30:41.
Such a clear message and seems so relevant to today, and yet Muslims seem to be some of the least aware of environmental issues (in general).
I can think of so many examples of people trying to do good, but at the same time ignoring our duty to protect the earth, for example men who pray 5 times a day in the mosque, but take the car each time when it's a 10 minute walk.
The emphasis in Islam on cleanliness also leads to some misunderstandings, for example many Muslims have questioned my using of washable nappies, or at least said they wouldn't do it, as they wouldn't have nappy bins in their house etc etc. But Islam gives us a simple way of knowing when we and things are clean, it doesn't tell us to avoid what is dirty at all costs, even that of the earth!
And I'm also at fault in many ways. Perhaps we could share some environmentally friendly tips? Turn this into a tree hugging thread