Arab way

Patriarch, Ghazi, Kaotiq ft. Anna - Higher (Tribute To Egypt)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 3 Mar 2011 15:26:00 +0200

The Importance of Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:11:00 +0200

(Friday speech was delivered by Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center of Raleigh on April 6, 1990)

Friday is the best day of the week. Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) had said, "We (Muslims) came last and yet we are the first on the day of judgment. They have received the books before us (meaning Torah and Injil). We have received the book after them (meaning the Qur’an). Friday was their day to be glorified. However, they disputed on that while Allah had told us Friday is the day to glorify. Thus they will follow us. The Jews glorify Saturday, and the Christians glorify Sunday."

Also reported by Imam Muslim, Abo-Dawod, Al-Nesaii, and Al-Termithi, that Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) had said, "The best day during which the sun have risen is Friday. It is the Day Adam was created. It is the day when Adam entered paradise and also when he was taken out from it. It is also the day on which the day of judgment takes place."

Muslims are supposed to do the following on Fridays:

Men are obligated to participate in Friday Prayer. Allah (S.W.T.) said in Surat Al-Jumauah, (verse 9), what can be translated as, "O’ you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to Prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is best for you if you but knew."
In addition, prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) had warned from not attending Friday Prayer. Imam Muslim and Ahmad had reported that Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) said about people who do not attend Friday Prayer, "I wanted to ask a man to lead people in the prayer so that I may go and burn houses of men who did not attend the Friday Prayer with us" He also said reported by Imam Muslim, Ahmad and An-Nesaii, "Either they (meaning people who do not attend the Friday prayer) stop neglecting Friday prayers or Allah will set a seal on their hearts so they can not find the right path again." In another authentic hadith reported by Abu Dawod, Termithi, An-Nesaii, and Ibn-Majah, that the prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, "Who ever does not attend three Friday prayers, (without a valid excuse) Allah will set a seal on his heart"

It is also recommended to increase supplication especially at the last hour of the day since it is the hour when requests are replied by Allah. In an authentic hadith reported by Imam An-Nesaii, Abu-Dawod, and Al-hakim, that the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said, "Friday has 12 hours, one of which is the hour where cries are granted for Muslim believers. This hour is sought at the last hour after Asar."
It is encouraged to wish peace be upon prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) during Fridays and Friday’s night because of an authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod, An-Nesaii, and Ibn-Majah, that the Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H.) said, "The best day is Friday. On Friday Adam was created, and died. On Friday is the first time the trumpet is blown (meaning when every creature dies) and the second time the trumpet is blown (referring to resurrection). So increase the number of times you wish peace upon me since this prayer will be shown to me." They asked him, How will our prayers be shown to you after you have vanished. He replied, "Allah has prohibited earth to cause the body of prophets to decay."
It is also recommended that Muslims recite surat Al-Kahf, because of the authentic hadith reported by Imam Al-Baihaqee, and Al-Hakim, that the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) had said, "Who ever recites surat Al-Kahf on Friday, Allah will give him a light to the next Friday."
It is also recommended that Muslims clean and wash themselves and make sure they smell nice when they attend Friday Prayers. Imam Muslim and Bukhari reported that the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said, "Every Muslim is obligated to wash on Fridays and wear his best cloth. Also, he should use perfume if he has any."
It is important to come early to the Friday prayer. All of the hadith collectors, except Ibn-Majah, reported in an authentic hadith that the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said, "If one washes himself and then went to Friday Prayer, it is considered as if he donated a camel for the sake of Allah. However, If he went in the second hour then it is considered as if he donated a cow and if the third hour then as if he donated a big sheep and if the fourth hour then as if he donated a chicken and if the fifth hour then as if he donated an egg. Then when the Imam starts delivering the speech the angels come and listen to it." Also in anther authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod that the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said, "On Friday the angels come to stand on the doors of the mosque (masjid), the angels record who comes first, if the Imam starts delivering the speech, the angles close their files and come to listen to the speech."
It is forbidden to work on Fridays after the call for the prayer was announced because Allah says in surat Al-Jumu’ah, (verse 9), what can be translated as, "When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business."

Also, it is forbidden to talk during the Khutbah. Several sayings of prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) covers this subject. In an authentic hadith reported by (the group of Ahadith collectors), except Ibn-Majah that prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said, "If you told your friend to pay attention on Friday while the Imam is delivering the speech then you committed a sin of vain talk." Another authentic hadith which was reported by Imam Ibn-Majah and Attermizi that prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said, "Even who touches the gravel on the floor then he committed vain talk, and he who does commit that there will be no (Jumuah) Friday for him."

It is also disliked to walk between sitting people during Friday gathering unless there is an empty spot to fill. In an authentic hadith reported by Imam Abu-Dawod, An-Nesaii, and Ahmad that, A man came and started walking between people during a Friday gathering while Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was delivering his speech, so the Prophet told him, "Sit because you caused harm to other people and came in late."

It was not legislated to consider Friday as a day off and not work during it. Because Allah (S.W.T.) said in surat Al-Jumu’ah, (verse 10), what can be translated as, "And when the prayer is finished, then you may disperse through the land and seek of the bounty of Allah." It was not a habit of any of the companions to consider Friday as a day to take off work. On the contrary Imam Al-Malek said, "It is disliked to take Friday off since we will be resembling the Jews and Christians for taking, respectively, Saturday or Sunday off."

Finally , there are two important matters for us in this country to be cautioned of. First of all, we must not neglect Friday Prayers because of work, study, or other matters. Every Muslims should make attending Friday Prayer as his top priority. It is important to do so since ignoring it three times with no valid reason will cause the heart to be sealed from the right path.

The second matter to watch for is the loosing of one’s interest in the importance of Friday. This is especially important for the growing generation who are used to the concept of weekend being Saturday and Sunday and know almost nothing about the importance of Friday in the eyes of Muslims. So it is our duty to remind them and ourselves about this great day which is the best day of the week and try to spend it according to Islamic teaching.

Source: Intellectual property of IAR

Eid al-Adha

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:42:00 +0200

What is Eid al-Adha?

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2010, Eid al-Adha will begin on November 16th, and will last for three days.

What does Eid al-Adha commemorate?

During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The Qur'an describes Abraham as follows:

"Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121)

One of Abraham's main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his "sacrifice" had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superceded all others, that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

Why do Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day?

During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham's trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith.

Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, we are reminded that life is sacred.

The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is eaten by immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah's commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.

It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations: "It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37)

The symbolism is in the attitude - a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to stay on the Straight Path. Each of us makes small sacrifices, giving up things that are fun or important to us. A true Muslim, one who submits his or herself completely to the Lord, is willing to follow Allah's commands completely and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires from us.

What else do Muslims do to celebrate the holiday?

On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques. Prayers are followed by visits with family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts. At some point, members of the family will visit a local farm or otherwise will make arrangements for the slaughter of an animal. The meat is distributed during the days of the holiday or shortly thereafter.

The right way to pray

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:41:00 +0200

Prayer for begginers with sound Click Here

All praise is to Allah alone and may His peace and blessings be upon His messenger Muhammed our Prophet also his family and his companions.

The objective of this concise topic is to explain how Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform his prayers. I would like to present this explanation to every Male and Female Muslim so that they may strive to take up the Prophet's manner in performing their prayers as a model for them. It was narrated by Al Bukhari that Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had said: "Perform your prayers in the same manner you had seen me doing." Therefore, here is the explanation for the Prophet's manner of prayer.

1. To perform completely the ablution, adopting the method commanded by Allah in the Quran: Wash your self.

"0 ye who believe, when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows, rub your heads (with water) and (wash) your feet to the ankles."(5:6 Al-Quran)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:

( prayer without ablution is invalid)

2. To turn one's face and whole body towards the Ka'aba.

The Holy House at Makkah, intending by Heart to perform the prayer which he wants to fullfil.

l. Whether it is an Obligatory prayer or a Supererogatory prayer, the worshipper in all cases, should not pronounce his intention openly, because neither the Prophet nor his companions used to utter the intention for prayer. Thus, pronouncing the intention for prayer in audible voice is a heresy and an illicit action. Whether the individual be an Imam or performs his prayer individually, he should make (A Sutra) i.e. a curtain for his prayer. Directing the face towards the Qibla (The Ka'aba at Makkah) is an imperative condition for every prayer . However, there are few exceptions for this rule explained in authoritative books for whom who wish to refer. ”If you don’t know the Direction to the Kabba.

3. To pronounce "Takbirat Al Ihram" that

is to say:" Allahu Akbar" celebrating by that the greatness of Allah and looking meanwhile, downwards to the place where he will prostrate.

4. To raise one's hands up to the level of the shoulders or near to the lobes of his ears, while pronouncing "Takbirat Al-Ihram".

5. To put one's right hand over his left hand and left wrist, and put them both over his chest, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do.

6. It is advisable that the worshipper recite

"Allahumma baid bayni wa bayena khatayaya kama baadta bayena al-mashriki wal maghribi, Allahumma naqqiniy' min khatayaya kama yonaqa al thawbo alabyado min aldans.. Allahumma igysilniy min khatayaya bilmai wathalgi walbarad."

This supplication means:

"O Allah, separate me from my sins as You have separated the east and west. 0 Allah, clean me of my sins as the white rope is cleaned from dirt. 0 Allah, wash off my sins with water, snow and hail.” or he may say instead:

"Sobhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika watabaraka Ismoka wata'la jaddoka wala ilaha ghayroka"

This supplication means:

"Praise and glory be to Allah. Blessed be Your Name, exalted be Your Majesty and Glory. There is no god but You."

Or he may say any other supplications which the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to say in his prayers. It is better to recite these supplications alternately, the first one in the morning prayer "Fajr", the second in the noon prayer "Zuhr", each one by turn, in conformity with what the Prophet used to do.

After reciting the opening supplication, the worshipper says:

"Aouzo billahi min al-shaytani-r-ragim"

Which means?

"I seek protection of Allah against the accursed Satan."

Then he says:

"Bism illahi-Rahmani Raheem"

Which means?

"In the name of Allah, the All Merciful, the

All Compassionate."

Then recites the Fatiha (The opening Sura of the glorious Quran). Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him said:-" Prayer without reciting the F atiha is invalid".

The worshipper should say "Almeen" after reciting the Fatiha loudly if the prayer is said loudly, and whisper it in inaudible prayers. To be in conformity with the traditions of the Prophet, the worshipper is advised to recite verses from medium size Suras of the Quran in the Zuhr (noon), Asr (late afternoon), and Isha (night) prayers. As for the Fajr (morning) prayer, the worshipper is advised to recite a passage from the long Suras of the Quran. He has the choice in Maghrib prayer (Evening prayer) either to recite passages from the long Suras or from the short Suras of the Quran.

7. Then, the worshipper bows in "Ruku " raising his hands up to the level of his shoulders or ears while saying " Allahu Akbar" " Allah is Great" then bends down, making his head and back on one level and putting his hands with the fingers spread on his knees. ,The worshipper should feel serenity and tranquility while bowing, he should say thrice at least:

, "Subhana Rabbiayl A'zim"

Which means?

"Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty."

It is advisable to say while bowing in addition to that:

"Subhanak-Allahumma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allahumma ighfir liy"

Which mean.:

"Glory be to Thee, O Allah, and I praise Thee, forgive me my sins."

8. To raise one's head up from bowing, raising one's hands to the level of his shoulders or ears, saying, in case of being Imam or praying alone: -"Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah"

Which means?

" Allah listens to him who praises Him "

While resuming the standing position, he should say:

"Rabbana wa laka al hamdu hamdan katheera'n tayyiban mobarakan feehiy mil'a ssamawati wa mila alardhi wa mil'a ma baynahoma wa mil'a ma Shita min shiyin ba'ad"

This supplication means:

"Our Lord, praise be fore Thee only, praises plentiful and blessed as to fill the heavens, the earth, what in between, and fill that which will please Thee besides them."

But if the worshipper is a follower, and led in his prayer by the Imam he should say when rising up "Rabbana wa laka alhamd... - etc

The worshipper is advised to put his hands on his chest, as he had done before he bowed. Both Wa'il Ibn Haggar and Sahl Ibn Sai'yd reported that this was the manner of the Prophet when he used to raise his head up after bowing.

9. To prostrate saying: "Allahu Akbar" " Allah is Great". He should touch the ground with his knees before touching it with his hands, if that is possible to him. If not, he is permitted to touch the ground by his hand before his knees. His fingers and

toes should be directed towards the Qibla Makkah, and his hands should be stretched, and the fingers close together and not separated. In prostration, the worshipper should use these seven organs:

-The forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees and the internal parts of the toes.

These seven organs should touch the ground. Then the worshipper should say thrice or more:

"Suhhana Rahbiyal A'ala"

Which means?

"Glorified is my Lord, the Exalted."

It is advisable to say:

"Suhhanaka Allahuma Rahhana wa hi

hamdika, Allahuma Ighfir -Iiy."

This means:

"Glory be to Thee, Our Lord, and I praise Thee. Our Lord, forgive me ."

It is recommendable for the worshipper to exceed more,and more in supplications and ask for more from his Lord, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

"As for bowing "Ruku" you should glorify your Lord during performing it, as for Prostration. you should do your best to

cate and ask for more from Him, because your supplications during prostration are more worthy to be accepted. "

The worshipper should ask his Lord for prosperity both in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. Whether it is an obligatory prayer or an optional prayer, the worshipper, while prostrating, should neither bring his hands close to his sides, nor stick his abdomen to his thighs, or his thighs to his legs. The worshipper's arms should be raised up from the ground because the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him, prohibited putting the arms and stretching them on the ground, ordering that "adjust your prostration, keep straigtht in it, and stretch not your hands on the ground as dogs do. "

10. He should raise his head from prostration saying:

"Allahu Akbar" and lays his left foot flat on the ground and sits upon it, keeping his right foot erected, his hands on his thighs and knees, and says :

"O my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, provide me with your blessings and console me. "

The worshipper should feel tranquillity during this pause.

11. To prostrate again saying " Allahu Akbar" and repeating during his prostration what he did and said in the first prostration.

12. Then the worshipper raises his head saying " Allahu Akbar" taking a pause similar to the pause between the two prostrations; this is called "the pause for rest." It is recommended for the worshipper to do such a pause, but there is no sin if he desists from it. Then the worshipper rises up and stands supporting on his knees, or on the ground if he cannot support himself on the knees, reads the Fatihah (The opening Sura of the glorious Quran) and some other verses of the Quran and do as just as he did in the first

Rakaah (unit of prayer). Those who pray be- hind the Imam should not compete with him in the prayer actions as the

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

The Imam is to be followed, if he says:

" Allahu Akbar" which means " Allah is Great" then say the same after him. If he bows in "Ruku" bow after him. If he says: "Samia-l-lahu liman hamidah" which means " Allah hears him who praises Him", then say: "Rabbana wa laka-l-hamd" which means "Our Lord! All praises are for Thee"; and if he prostrates, then prostrate after

-him". (Bukhari V: 1 P.37) 13.

If the prayer consists of two Rakaat (two units of prayer) as the morning prayer "Fajr", Feast prayer "Eid" ; or the Friday prayer "Jumu'a", the worshipper sits after the second prostration, with his right foot erect, sitting on his left foot laid down, putting his right hand on his right thigh, all his fingers close-fisted save the index finger which he uses to point out as a sign for his monotheis- tic belief, and his left hand is put on his left thigh. There is nothing in the way, if the worshipper keeps both the little and ring fin- gers closed, while rounding his thumb and middle finger in a ring-shape, and uses his index finger ot point out as a sign for his monotheistic belief. .It has been related that the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him, had practised both of these ways, thus, it is advisable for the worshipper to perform the first way once and the other on the second time.

The worshipper reads the Tashahud while sitting and says: -

"Al-tahiyatu lilahi waslwatu watayibatu

Assalamu alayka ayuha-n-nablyu wa rahmat-u-llahi wa barakatuhu. Assalamu alayi- na wa ala ibadi-l-lahi-s-salalihiyn. Ashadu ala ilaha ila lahu wa ashadu anna Muham-

" madan abdoho wa raswuloh. Allahuma salliy ala Muhammad wa ala aali Muhamad. kama salayata ala lbrahima wa aali lbra- him. lnaka Hamidon Majid. Wa barik ala Mohammad wa ala aali Muhammad kama barkta ala Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahima. Inaka Hamidon Majid.

This means: "Greetings, prayers and the good thing. of belong to Allah. Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be on you,

O Prophet.

May peace be upon us and on the devout slaves of Allah.

1 testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family as You blessed Ibrahim and his family. You are the Most-Praised, The Most-glorious. O Allah, bestow Your grace on Muhammad and his family as You best- woed it on Ibrahim and his family. You are the Most-Praised, The Most-glorious.

After reciting the Tashahud, the worship- pet asks Allah's protection from four evils:

“My Lord, I ask your protection from torment of the Hell , torment of the grave theTrails in life-time and after death, and from the imposter Antichrist." The worshipper may ask Allah for prosperity in this worldly life and in the Hereafter, supplicate Allah to bestow His favors on his parents and other muslims. He could do this in both obligatory and optional prayers. It has been reported by Ibn Massoud that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, taught him how to recite the Tashahud and told him that the worshipper should ~nvoke Allah and ask Him for the more beloved wishes which he likes, or, as it has been related in other word- ings, the worshipper should ask Allah for

whatever he wishes. In this manner, the ser- vant can ask Allah for all the prosperities of this worldly life and the life to come. The worshipper tenninates his prayer by turning his face to the right saying:

"As-salamu alai kum wa rahmatu Allah" and to the left saying this salutation which means "Peace and mercy of Allah be on you."

14. In case of a three Rakaat prayer

(prayer consisting of three units) as that of Maghrib prayer, (evening prayer), .or a four- Rakaat prayer like that of noon prayer (Zuhr), Asr prayer (late afternoon prayer) or , Isha prayer (night prayer), the worshipper stands up after reciting the Tashahud according to the manner stated before, and raises his hand to the level of his shoulders saying: Al1ahu Akbar). The worship- per puts his hands over his chest as it had . been explained beforc, and recites, only the Fatiha. There is no objection if he adds to the

-Fatiha some other verses of the Quran while performing the third or fourth Rakaat (units of prayer) of noon prayer (Zuhr), because this was stated to be one of the manners adopted by the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him, according to the tradition reported by Abi Saied.

After the third Rakaah of Maghrib prayer (evening prayer), and the fourth Rakaah of Zuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon) and Isha (llight) . prayers, the worshipper recites the Tashahud

and terminates his prayers by saying:

Assalamu-alaikum wa rahmatu Allah

while turning first to the right, and second to the left as it has been explained before.

It is not an obligatory duty, but it is a rec- ommendable prophetic tradition to invoke Allah after terminating the prayer by asking Him forgiveness thrice and saying before turning one'& face towards his followers if he is the Imam :

"O Allah, Thou art peace andfrom Thee is peace, Thou art blessed, O possessor of Glory and Honour."

It is advisable for the worshipper to say:

"There is no god but Allah. He is the One. He has no partner. His is the dominion and to Him alone is the praise. He has power over all things. O Lord, none may withhold what You have given and none may give what You have withheld and the riches can- not avail a wealthy person with Thee. There is no might or power except by the support of . Allah, There is no god but Allah" and we do not worship but Him alone. To Him alone

-belong all bounties, to Him alone belong all. grace, and to Him worthy praise is accord- ed. There is no god but Allah, to Whom we are sincere in devotion, even though the un- believers may detest it."

It is also advisable to the worshipper to

extol Allah 33 times by saying" (Subhana Allah). praise Him by saying:

(Al Hamdu lil-Allah) 33 times also by saying: Allahu Akbar and the worshipper completes his supplications to be one hundred by saying once:

"There is no god but Allah. He is the One. He has no partner. His is the dominion and to Him alone is the praise. He has power over all things."

The worshipper adds to that the recitation of the verse of the Throne "Ayat AI-Kursiy". 'Sur.at AI-Ikhlas, Surat EI-Falaq, and Surat AI-Nas. It is recommendable to recite these Suras thrice after the Fajr prayer (Morning prayer), and the Maghrib prayer (evening prayer) because this was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him. As it had been stated before, all these after-prayer supplications are optional and not obligatory .

Every muslim, whether be male or female, is recommended to pray 12 Rakaat of super- erogatory prayers every day: four of these Rakaat (units of prayers) are before noon prayer, two after it, two after Maghrib prayer, two after Isha (night) prayer and two before the morning prayer These supererogatory prayers are called (Rawatib) which means: "Certain supererogatory exercises of optional prayers." The Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be on him, preserved the performance of these optional prayers

wherever he settled. During his travels, he used to practise the two optional Rakaat be- fore the morning prayer and also the Witr prayer (after the Isha prayer). There is no ob- jection to perform these optional prayers in the mosque, but it is better to perform it at home, because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said "The best of the prayers are those which are fulfilled at one's own home, with exception to obligato- ry prayers which should be performed in congregation at the mosque."

Observance of fulfilling these optional prayers is a means for gaining admission to paradise. The Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

"Whoever prays optionally twelve Rakaat everyone day and night, Allah will reward him by an established dwelling in the para- dise."

It is also advisable to the muslim to pray four optional Rakaat before Asr prayer (afternoon prayer), two before Maghrib prayer (evening prayer), and two before Isha prayer (night prayer), because this manner was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet. Allah, the Almighty says: ”Ye have indeed in the Messenger of At'"'! lah an excellent exempler" (33:21).

And the Prophet (May the peace and blassings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Perform your prayer in the same manner as you had seen me doing."

Allah is He Who is Able to render us success and prosperity, and may Allah give His blessings and peace to our Prophet Muhammad son of Abdellah, his family, his companions and whoever follows his way till doomsday.

Egypt seeks to woo Arab tourists for Ramadan revels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:40:00 +0200

CAIRO (AFP) – With its cooler temperatures but more sizzling entertainment, Egypt has long been a prime destination for rich Arab tourists, especially from the Gulf states.
This year, however, the authorities fear that the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts on Wednesday at the height of the annual tourist season, will mean that many potential visitors stay at home instead.
In a bid to avert a slump in its lucrative tourist industry, particularly during boom-time August, Egypt has launched a major campaign aimed at luring visitors, with the promise of fireworks, concerts, folkloric shows and displays by whirling dervishes.
During Ramadan, Muslims who are fit and able are required to abstain from food, drink and smoking during daylight hours. They then traditionally gather to break the fast at sunset with their families for the iftar meal.
For many Muslims, Ramadan is therefore not a time to book holidays abroad, but a time when most socialising takes place in the home.
Against this tradition, Egypt is trying to attract Arab tourists to the banks of the Nile during the holy month with the "Fawanees Ramadan Festival." Fawanees are colourful lanterns hung across the country and in homes to mark the holy month.
The festival will kick off in the capital Cairo with a parade of traditional sailing boats or "felucca" down the Nile.
The campaign, organised by the tourism ministry, seeks to promote the Egyptian Ramadan experience in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Libya and Tunisia.
Non-Arab Turkey, with its majority-Muslim population, is also being targeted by the campaign which is backed by heavy advertising.
Egyptair's fleet of aircraft and Cairo international airport are also taking part and have been especially decorated for the occasion, while several luxury hotels favoured by Arab wealthy tourists are offering special Ramadan packages.
Advertising spots have been aired on Egyptian and Arab satellite channels under the slogan "Egypt's Spirit in Ramadan."
The campaign is of vital importance to Cairo's coffers. Arab tourists, particularly those from the Gulf, make up almost 20 percent of the 12 million visitors who come to Egypt annually.
Egypt's tourist industry last year brought in more than 10 billion dollars in revenue and employs around 12 percent of the active population.
"Arab tourists are very important for Egypt," Samy Mahmud from the ministry of tourism told AFP.
"On average, they spend a lot more money than the others, and their stays are much longer," he said.
While European or American tourists tend to travel in organised package holidays at low prices, Arab visitors book suites in Cairo's luxury hotels for stays that can last as long as several weeks, Mahmud said.
But this year the timing could hit tourism revenues hard.
The peak season for Arab tourists this year coincides with Ramadan, and this will also be the case for several years to come as the holy month, which follows the lunar calendar, goes forward by around 10 days every year.
So deeply rooted is the family association with Ramadan that Egypt's glitzy campaign will have a hard time luring many Arab tourists away from mama's cooking during the holy month -- even for a jamboree on the Nile.
"For me, Ramadan is celebrated at home and with the family," said Hussein Ali, a Kuwaiti visiting Cairo before the holy month begins on Wednesday.
"During the month, there are many visits paid to family and friends' homes, and I would never miss that for a few concerts organised in Egypt," he said.
Tunisian teenager Qassam agreed.
"Egypt is a beautiful place and I have really enjoyed my stay here but Ramadan should be spent at home with the family, in Tunisia," he said.

Egypt becomes first country to use Arabic internet domain name

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:40:00 +0200

Egypt has applied for the first internet domain written in Arabic, the country's information technology minister confirmed in 16th November 2009
Tarek Kamel said they had applied for a new domain, which is pronounced '.masr', but written using the Arabic alphabet. Egypt will therefore be the first Arab nation to have non-Latin web addresses.

He said the registering of the domain, which translates as '.Egypt', would offer new avenues for innovation, investment and growth.
'We can truly and gladly say... the internet now speaks Arabic,' Mr Kamel said.
A number of websites, including those for the Egyptian Government (pictured) are available in Arabic script. However Egypt will be the first to have web addresses written in Arabic
The effort is part of a broader push to expand both access and content in developing nations, where the internet remains out of reach for wide swaths of the population.
Mr Kamel made his comments at the start of the Internet Governance Forum - a U.N.sponsored gathering that drew Yahoo Inc.'s Jerry Yang and web founder Tim Berners-Lee.
An internet oversight agency decided to allow domain names in non-Latin scripts at the end of October. These include Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Cyrillic.
The decision marks a key step in the Arab world, where a mixture of censorship, limited content and access have stymied efforts to boost Arabic-language content on the Web.
Yahoo's Mr Yang said that while there are over 300 million Arabic speakers in the world, less than one per cent of the content online is in Arabic.
As part of the company's push to boost access in Arabic, Yang said Yahoo would offer its mail and messenger service in Arabic next year. He did not provide an exact date.
In all, about 75 per cent of the world's population is still not online.
The prospective new users in developing nations face a number of challenges, ranging from monetary constraints to restrictions on their liberty.
On Saturday the Iranian media reported officials were deploying a special police unit to sweep web sites for political material and prosecute those deemed to be spreading lies.

The decision marks a key step in the Arab world, where a mixture of censorship, limited content and access have stymied efforts to boost Arabic-language content on the Web.
The dearth of content has opened new market opportunities for Internet companies, with Yahoo, for example, recently acquiring Arab online community Web site Maktoob.com.

The Arabic language

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:15:00 +0300

The Arabic language

Introduction

ARABIC ranks sixth in the world's league table of languages, with an estimated 186 million native speakers. As the language of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, it is also widely used throughout the Muslim world. It belongs to the Semitic group of languages which also includes Hebrew and Amharic, the main language of Ethiopia.

There are many Arabic dialects. Classical Arabic – the language of the Qur'an – was originally the dialect of Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia. An adapted form of this, known as Modern Standard Arabic, is used in books, newspapers, on television and radio, in the mosques, and in conversation between educated Arabs from different countries (for example at international conferences).

Local dialects vary, and a Moroccan might have difficulty understanding an Iraqi, even though they speak the same language.

Major languages of the world
(Number of native speakers)

1. Mandarin Chinese 836,000,000
2. Hindi 333,000,000
3. Spanish 332,000,000
4. English 322,000,000
5. Bengali 189,000,000
6. Arabic 186,000,000
7. Russian 170,000,000
8. Portuguese 170,000,000
9. Japanese 125,000,000
10. German 98,000,000
11. French 72,000,000
12. Malay 50,000,000

Is Arabic difficult?

YES - and no. Learning Arabic certainly takes time and practice, but there are not many irregularities in the grammar. It's much less complicated than Latin, and probably simpler than German, too.

If you speak a European language, the root system of Arabic is an unfamiliar concept. Arabic words are constructed from three-letter "roots" which convey a basic idea. For example, k-t-b conveys the idea of writing. Addition of other letters before, between and after the root letters produces many associated words: not only "write" but also "book", "office", "library", and "author".

Learning vocabulary may cause problems at first. In most European languages there are many words which resemble those in English. Arabic has very few, but it becomes easier once you have memorised a few roots.

Arabic has many regional dialects, and if you want to master one of these the only really effective way is to spend a few years in the place of your choice. For general purposes – such as reading or listening to radio - it's best to concentrate on Modern Standard Arabic (numerous courses and textbooks are available). This would also be useful if you're interested in Islam, though you would need some additional religious vocabulary.

There are 28 consonants and three vowels – a, i, u – which can be short or long. Some of the sounds are unique to Arabic and difficult for foreigners to pronounce exactly, though you should be able to make yourself understood.

The normal word order of a sentence is verb/subject/object. The function of nouns in a sentence can also be distinguished by case-endings (marks above the last letter of a word) but these are usually found only in the Qur'an or school textbooks.

Feminine nouns add the suffix …aat to form the plural but masculine nouns generally have a "broken" plural which involves changing vowels in the middle of the word: kitaab ("book"); kutub ("books").

Arabic has very few irregular verbs and does not use "is" or "are" at all in the present tense: "the king good" means "the king is good". Subtle alterations in the basic meaning of a verb are made by adding to the root. These changes follow regular rules, giving ten possible "verb forms" (though in practice only three or four exist for most verbs. The root k-s-r produces:

form I kasara, "he broke"

form II kassara, "he smashed to bits"

form VII inkasara, "it was broken up"

Sometimes these must be used with care: qAtala means "he fought" but qatala means "he killed".

arab vs arabic vs arabian : Common Errors in English

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:11:00 +0300

About arab vs arabic vs arabian

Arabs are a people whose place of ethnic origin is the Arabian Peninsula. The language which they speak, and which has spread widely to other areas, is Arabic. “Arabic” is not generally used as an adjective except when referring to the language or in a few traditional phrases such as “gum arabic” and “arabic numerals.” Note that in these few phrases the word is not capitalized. Otherwise it is “Arab customs,” “Arab groups,” “Arab countries,” etc.A group of Arab individuals is made of Arabs, not “Arabics” or “Arabians.” The noun “Arabian” by itself normally refers to Arabian horses. The other main use of the word is in referring to the collection of stories known as The Arabian Nights.However, the phrase “Saudi Arabian” may be used in referring to citizens of the country of Saudi Arabia, and to aspects of the culture of that country. But it is important to remember that there are many Arabs in other lands, and that this phrase does not refer properly to them. Citizens of Saudi Arabia are often referred to instead as “Saudis,” although strictly speaking this term refers to members of the Saudi royal family and is usually journalistic shorthand for “Saudi Arabian government.”It is also important not to treat the term “Arab” as interchangeable with “Muslim.” There are many Arabs who are not Muslims, and the majority of Muslims are not Arab. “Arab” refers to an ethnic identity, “Muslim” to a religious identity.The standard pronunciation of “Arab” in English is “AIR-rub.” Unless you are referring to the character in West Side Story called “A-rab” (with the second syllable rhyming with “cab”), you’ll sound better educated if you stick with the standard version.

arab Meaning(s)

(n) a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa
(n) a spirited graceful and intelligent riding horse native to Arabia

arabic Meaning(s)

(n) the Semitic language of the Arabs; spoken in a variety of dialects
(a) relating to or characteristic of Arabs

arabian Meaning(s)

(n) a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa
(n) a spirited graceful and intelligent riding horse native to Arabia
(a) relating to or associated with Arabia or its people
(a) of or relating to Arabian horses

Source : http://www.wsu.edu/

Simple Toys

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:00:00 +0300

Before the influx of Western commercial games and toys, Arab boys and girls made up games, using objects such as stones or shells, or simply made objects such as a ball from an old pair of socks.

Dolls were made at home out of discarded clothing or rags. A grandmother usually assisted a girl in doll making. Some dolls were made by tying long and short sticks together with a strip of cloth to form a cross, the basis of a person. Then a piece of cloth would be stretched over a large button or wad of padding to make the head. More strips of cloth were wound round the two sticks, being careful to secure the head in place.

Dressing the doll depended on what girls and women of a particular region wore. The idea was to copy the style of clothing worn by real people. Dresses were long, with long sleeves as well. Girls didn’t mind that their dolls had no hands or feet, since these did not show.

Older girls would experiment with dolls that had a trunk, so that arms, legs and a head could be attached. The result would be a cloth doll sewn together by hand and filled with padded cloth, sand or seeds.

Breaddough was available to girls because they assisted their mothers with the kneading of dough for bread. Mother would give them some dough from which they fashioned small ovens, dishes and other tiny toys.

Stones were often used by boys as gaming equipment. In one simple game, very similar to American jacks, small stones would be gathered, then one tossed in the air, while the rest were gathered up in many different ways requiring greater skill with each round. The difficult part of this game, in contrast to jacks, where the tossed ball bounces once and is then caught, is to complete these maneuvers while the tossed stone is still in the air and then catch it before it hits the ground.

Slings were fashioned by the boys themselves. Traditionally woven from a length of wool acquired from mother’s needlework project, slings today are fashioned by boys using appropriately fork-shaped branches and pieces of old inner tubes from tires. Boys learn from each other how to make slings.

Such slings, it should be pointed out, are not used simply in play. Shepherds use them so skillfully that they are able to drop a stone exactly in front of a wandering sheep, causing the animal to turn and return to the flock. Slings are used in hunting too. Pigeons and such small birds as sparrows are a part of the diet in many areas, and are hunted with the sling.

Styles of Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:00:00 +0300

Like it or not, an “international costume” is replacing former “national costumes,” as far as young people are concerned. Of course, the new costume is blue jeans. Both Arab boys and girls in urban areas can be seen wearing the familiar faded blue jeans.

Rural areas today still reflect the former standard dress of childhood, traditionally copying adult styles. This meant some type of long embroidered and embellished dress for girls, simple striped dress for boys. (Even in rural areas today, however, going to school means a uniform, thereby reinforcing the notion that traditional garments are outmoded.)

Arab children dressed in patterns and styles which reflected local custom and traditions, varying greatly from one part of the Arab world to another.

Educational Patterns

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:59:00 +0300

Education to an Arab family means much more than what takes place in the formal school setting. The school meets the academic requirements—providing the child with basic skills, then following through with acquisition of knowledge both through the study of the accumulated knowledge of mankind and through the scientific method of experiment and observation.

It is the family, however, which instills a value system, social conscience, and the very rules which govern daily life and a complex system of social interaction.

A system of etiquette, called adab in Arabic, teaches the type of behavior expected of the well-behaved child, who is termed adib.Intrinsic values teach the child to: obey parents, respect elders, demonstrate politeness in the presence of elders. An adib is expected to be generous, cooperative, humble and helpful.

The child finds that the tongue is most important. Proverbs reproach those who: gossip, quarrel, lie or speak in ways less than kind: “What if a woman is beautiful, if she has an evil tongue?” “A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.”

A happy countenance is important too. The prophet Muhammad said there are three things in this world which give joy: fresh water, fresh green, and a fresh and happy face.

Still other proverbs and sayings express values of honesty, cooperation, hard work and common sense. Such proverbs or sayings themselves are not relegated to the folk-legend or literature, but are commonly used to accentuate everyday conversation.

While patterns of behavior taught at home are reinforced at school, the school is not looked upon as a socializing agent or as a source of religious or moral teachings, but as the source of academic wisdom and training. How well the school fills this role varies from one part of the Arab world to the next. Education, for boys and girls, declined greatly during the past centuries of foreign domination and economic stagnation, and only recently have the Arab states, especially those producing oil, been able to finance mass education for both boys and girls. As in poor countries elsewhere, the luxury of education in the Arab world was, until now, reserved for boys as the future support of their families.

Educational services vary from one country to the next in the Arab world. Many are compulsory; some have separate facilities for boys and girls; all are free (some including university and schooling abroad). Some receive as much as 20 percent of their country’s annual budget, and a few have as desirable a student-teacher ratio as 12 to 1.

Formal schooling is highly regarded by the Arab family, which instills in its children a love of learning and respect for scholarly pursuits, as well as the family’s inherent teachings which carry over to the school, ie. “respect for elders” includes teachers, etc. Arab school children, of whatever age, are eager to go to school and take immense pride in their scholastic accomplishments.

As attention is drawn to the International Year of the Child, it is appropriate to consider the life of the Arab child. Of the Arab world’s 140 million people, some 45 percent are children (under the age of 15 years).

Recent development in this region has greatly improved the lives of all the people. For the children it has meant a declining infant mortality rate, a drastic reduction in childhood diseases, greatly increased educational opportunities for all children, including the handicapped child.

Few would deny that problems remain. But more than ever before, Arab children, psychologically prepared and with access to greatly improved medical care and the necessary education, will be well equipped to take advantage of the opportunities the future holds.

Early Child Care and Development

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:58:00 +0300

The birth and infancy of the urban Arab child differs little from that of the American child. Hospital procedures and child-rearing practices, at least in infancy, are very much like those in the West.

Long-standing practices, that continue today in some of the rural areas of the Arab world, are worth mentioning. Three traditional practices include: the mid-wife, the wet nurse, and swaddling.

At a time when midwifery is making a comeback in the West, this institution is quietly disappearing from many parts of the Arab world.⁴And while midwife methods varied greatly from one age to the next depending on local customs, one universal notion considers the birth process as being “women’s work” and shameful for men to be present. Hence the necessity for the daya (“midwife”).

The midwife obtained her knowledge empirically or from her mother. Usually an elderly woman, she was respectfully perceived as a mother and grandmother. The midwife, with several other women working under her supervision, kept order among the women present (relatives, friends), exhorting them to remember the seriousness of the occasion, while ordering them to tend to this or that.

The delivery completed, the mid-wife would then carefully examine the child. She would check the baby frequently during its first days and weeks.

Before the advent of the baby bottle, all babies were breast-fed by the mother and/or a wet nurse. To be fed, the baby required its mother at all times, for the baby must never be allowed to be hungry. No rigid feeding schedules; the Arab baby was and is fed often and upon demand, or at the slightest sign of restlessness.

If the mother was unable to nurse, or had died, the child was given over to a wet nurse. Sometimes, for example, during the busy harvest time when all labor is needed, the mother would be forced to leave her baby with a woman who had a baby and had offered her services as a wet nurse.

Beliefs concerning the influence of the wet nurse and her milk upon the child and its character were as numerous as the local customs involved. But one widespread custom defined children nursed by the same woman as foster siblings. A boy and a girl nursed by the same woman were considered brother and sister and could not marry.

Such foster-brothers and foster-sisters often helped each other throughout life and would call each other brother and sister.⁵

With the advent of the baby bottle and the substitution of animal’s milk for mother’s milk, nursing by another person was no longer necessary. Then too, the relationship of foster-brother and foster-sister, and all its consequent customs of caring and sharing, began gradually to disappear.

The third traditional custom, now confined to rural areas and related to babyhood, is the custom of swaddling infants. A midwife’s role included the bathing of the newborn infant in warm water to which she added salt and olive oil, both thought to be beneficial to the skin. Then the child was wrapped and wound in pieces of soft cloth, the total effect termed “swaddling.”

The midwife, the wet nurse and swaddling represent three ancient institutions which for millennia have played an important role in the birth and childhood of the people of this region. What of today?

While customs and practices have seen considerable change in the past century, important values have not changed. The underlying cultural values relating to childhood and the role of the child in the family have remained little altered.

The baby bottle is becoming extremely common and is associated by many Arab women with Western and emancipated ways. This is reinforced by makers of infant formula who would have their customers believe it is modern and scientific and that it ensures what we all want: what’s best for our babies.

The consequences for many babies in developing countries has been just the opposite. The Nestle Company is currently the target of a U.S. boycott campaign which cites this largest seller of infant formula to developing nations as responsible for much of the widespread “bottle illness” taking its toll of infants in Third World nations.

The degree to which the “Bottle Baby Scandal” is applicable to the Arab world is not clear. Most of the data related to “bottle illness” center on black Africa, South America and India, while little has come forth regarding the Middle East.

It is known that some Arab countries have taken measures to counteract the threat. Algeria, for example, has nationalized baby milk imports and distributes them now with clear warnings on the label. They have also initiated an intensive breast-feeding campaign in their 400 maternal and infant health clinics. Libya has made it mandatory for any business with 50 or more female employees to provide on-site nursery facilities so that mothers can breast-feed their infants. In Iraq, similar facilities can be found.

Whether fed by breast or bottle, the Arab infant is indulged, and this indulgence carries over in the transition to solid food, introduced at about the age of two. The general indulgence and permissiveness surrounding the Arab child extends also to sleep and toilet training, and is in line with more modern Western practices.

Discipline remains in the mother’s hands at this age. The mother scolds and spanks for misbehavior, but also offers encouragement to the child to walk and talk and, by the age of three, to toilet train.

Arab children usually learn to walk at a later age than many Western children. One popular theory explains that the constant fondling and carrying by adults, leaves little opportunity for the child’s feet to touch the ground.

At about the age of three or four the father and other male relatives begin to play a more important role in the child’s life. As the child begins to see the father as an authority figure, the mother’s role changes. It is she to whom the child is likely to turn for help with an angry or disagreeable father. Not unlike the roles played by Western family members, mother often intercedes with the father on behalf of her son, while the daughter is likely to seek the father’s intercession with the mother.

The Western stereotype of the stern authoritarian Arab father is not a correct one. The Arab father, to generalize, is neither “cold” nor “aloof” within the family circle. Usually warm and tender towards his children, he enjoys the physical contact—the romping and playing.

Childhood in urban areas lasts long and is a time of carefree games and amusements within a large circle of cousins, relatives and neighborhood friends. Boys in particular have few household responsibilities. After school and depending on age, girls (particularly the oldest girl) assist their mothers—fetching things, caring for younger children, while boys run errands, assist their fathers, or keep a watchful eye on younger brothers and sisters when adults are away.

Rural children play more of a role in the economic life of their family. They have more chores and greater responsibilities. Rural life for girls was, and is, equally hard, if not harder than that of boys. Doing women’s work, she cleans, baby tends, fetches wood, eggs and water, and works in the fields.⁷

The rate at which any Arab child progresses through developmental sequences of childhood, is, it should be noted, influenced by the child’s sex and sibling order and by family structure. For example, the care and treatment a first born boy receives compared with his sisters and later-born brothers is usually one of greater indulgence. The oldest girl has greater responsibilities as mother’s helper. Her childhood is short, and she has less time to spend with her peers. The oldest boy, although greatly spoiled, is most quickly pushed into adult associations and responsibilities. His responsibilities will be great indeed! The baby of the family, too, receives a great deal of attention (until he is replaced by another). And of course, the amount and quality of attention given to any one child depends on the size of the nuclear family and the availability of the extended family to meet some of the child’s needs.

Choosing A Child’s Name

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:57:00 +0300

Naming a new born child draws upon ancient practices and beliefs. Because Arabs view their children as blessed gifts and as the object of aspirations for the continuance of traditions and for the continuance of the family line, choosing a child’s name is approached with method, deliberation and even consultation.

Arab society traditionally consists of Muslims, Christians and other smaller minority groups, of various ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths. Despite this diversification, the people of the Arab world share a common culture and way of life. Patterns in choosing a child’s name may be categorized as: religious or historical, natural phenomenon, personality traits or occupation.

One custom that cuts across all religious lines is that children are never named after parents--or anyone still living. A child is occasionally named for an aging grandparent or aunt, for example, when that person makes such a request.

Since the time of Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad, giving names has followed a tradition of identification with the prophets themselves or others mentioned in the holy books--the Bible and the Koran. Arab Muslims use typical names found in the Old and New Testaments and the Koran. Ibrahim (Abraham), Suleiman (Solomon), Daoud (David), Musa (Moses), Yusuf (Joseph), Issa (Jesus), and Jibran (Gabriel) for boys, and Sara, Merriam (Mary) for girls, as well as names derived from descendants of the prophet Muhammad: Hashem, Hussein, Ali; and female names: Fatima, Aisha, Kadija. Of course the name of Muhammad from hamida-- “to praise,” “to thank,” is most frequently given to Muslim boys, along with its derived Mahmoud and Ahmed.

Another group of religious names often chosen by Arab Muslims are names of the Abed category. The prefix abed means “servant” with “God” understood, hence its meaning “servant of God.” The name Abed-allah literally means “servant of God.”

According to Muslim tradition, God has a hundred qualities or names. Ninety-nine of these names are known to man. Ninety-nine are the beads of the Muslim “rosary”—a bead for every one of God’s ninety-nine attributes which the Muslim theologian can say.³ The hundredth name, so it is said, is known only to the angels of Heaven. Some of these names are: Abdul-Rahim, Abdul-Karim, Abdul-Wahhab, Abdul-Rahman, Abdul-Hadi. Each has a literal meaning, ie. Abdul-Rahman (“Servant of the Compassionate”), Abdul-Aziz (“Servant of the Beloved”), but since the attributes all refer to God, all of these names can be figuratively seen as meaning “Servant of God.”

Proud of their history and civilization, Arabs often choose historical names such as Omar, Walid, Khalid, Tareq, Osama, for boys, and Khadija and Aisha, for girls. These may be thought of as religious/historical names because they are the names of leaders who were both political and religious. Interestingly, these are used in many areas by both Muslims and Christians, while in other areas by Muslims only.

The Crusades influenced Arab Christian names. Intermarriage between local Christians and European crusaders, as well as later European contact, introduced such names as George, Antonius, Frederick, Charles, etc., now common among the Christian population.

The attachment of the Arabs to nature finds expression in other names. Such terms as “the light of the sun” and “the cool of the breeze” or “the beauty of the moon” and names of birds, animals and plants are frequently manifested in Arab names.

Boys’ Names
Nour: “light”
Naseem: “breeze”
Asfour: “sparrow”
Laith: “lion”
Nimer: “tiger” >BR> Asad: “lion:

Girls' Names
Noura: “light”
Najma: “star”
Rema: “deer”
Suheila: “summer star”
Naura: “blossom:
Laila: “night”

Personality or character traits, in addition to numerous cultural values, such as nobility, courage, honesty, wisdom, loyalty, generosity, are built into names:

Boys’ Names
Sharif: ”honest”
Karim: “generous”
Sadiq: “friend”
Hakeem: “wise”
Marwan: “chivalrous”

Girls' Names
Sharifa: “honest”
Karima: “generous”
Amineh: “loyal”
Najeeba: “intelligent”
Fadela: “gracious”

What about family names? Traditional town or city dwellers tend to have family names drawn from ancestors’ occupations: This is similar to the Western pattern in which we see family names such as : Baker, Smith, Carpenter, Hunter, Weaver, Taylor, etc. The following are representative of the Arab pattern: Hajjar (stonemason), Haddad (blacksmith), Khayyat (tailor), Samman (grocer).

Often the father’s first name becomes the child’s second name (whether a boy or a girl). And sometimes the word Ibn (or Ben) meaning “son of,” or Bint, “daughter of,” inserted between the child’s chosen name and that of the father was all that was necessary in order to identify a person. But today the complexities of life and the resultant interactions between formerly distant town and tribes has necessitated a family name for everyone. A father, grandfather, or great-grandfather’s given name has become the family name—or the village name, the tribal name, or the like. (A woman, incidentally, does not upon marriage take the name of her husband. She retains for life her own family name.)

Children give their parents names too. The first son (or first daughter, if there are no sons) gives his parents new names. Upon becoming parents, the mother and father are thereafter referred to as “mother of X” and “father of X.” If the eldest son is Karim, for example, the father becomes Abu- Karim (“father of Karim”) and the mother becomes Umm-Karim (“mother of Karim”).

Family Roles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:56:00 +0300

In the nuclear family, the mother’s first responsibility is to her children; she plays the key role in their early years. The father assumes an increasingly important role in the child’s third or fourth year, becoming the symbol of authority and chief disciplinarian.

Other members of the extended family have their roles. When the nuclear family lives in isolation, father and mother are expected to deal with all the child’s needs most often met by adults. Within an extended family, some of these needs may be met by aunts and uncles and adult cousins, because these individuals may be better equipped to deal with certain needs of the child than the child’s own parents. American teenagers and their parents would be the first to see the many advantages of such a family system. The Arab child simply has many more avenues of guidance, help and friendship.

Paternal uncles play a significant role in the child’s life. As a substitute father, the father’s brother assumes all the father’s responsibilities in the event the father dies or is incapable of performing them.

Grandparents in the extended family contribute to the child’s development. In the Arab world, prestige and power are attached to age--especially for the grandmother. Of course, the power grandmother wields largely depends upon the forcefulness of her own character. Grandmother often intercedes on behalf of her grandchildren and will even intercede in the disciplining being meted out by her son, the child’s father. Grandfather, if present in the child’s household, is the undisputed head of the family. Everyone submits to this authority. Grandmother submits at least overtly.

It is the grandfather, though not uncommonly the grandmother, who passes along an oral tradition through stories (often told as parables) and history. This prescribed role not only directs moral guidance and character development, but also endears the grandparent to the family.

What is the role of the Arab child in the family? Pampered and spoiled by a family of many adults, the child is the object of a great deal of physical contact. While lacking toys in the material sense of store-bought items, the Arab child does not lack amusements and games. The Arab child also has few responsibilities toward the family.

In analyzing the religious influences on child-rearing practices in the Arab world, it is not correct to speak of the “religious aspects” of the Arab child or of child-rearing practices, because this culture as a whole is religious. Religion permeates the whole of it. Life in its totality falls under the aegis of religion. It is a way of life, a code of behavior, a total frame of existence. Popular religion here is not of the pure theological character found among the ranks of the religiously educated.

Religion in this ancient land is to be seen as a new layer laid upon the older ancient layers of folk religion--continuing beliefs and practices that represent not only superstition but basic values which enrich and give meaning to life. Anthropologists have suggested that parallels in beliefs and popular practices in Judaism, Christianity and Islam might be traced to an older folk religion of the region.

The Child in the Arab Family

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:46:00 +0300

”Children are the wealth of the Arabs” proverbially describes the great joy that Arabs derive from their children. One particular story, with some variations, is often told to express the value of Arab children: A stranger visits a house where he sees no light, but many children. The same stranger visits a house with many lamps but no children. He then remarks: “The house with many children was lighted, but the house with lamps was dark.”
The Arab child is considered a gift from God, while the best marriage has traditionally been the one which produced the most children.Anticipated with delight and hope, not only by its parents, but also by its larger family, the expected child enters the total extended family as an enlargement of that family, not as an addition to it.
Though a son is greatly desired, especially as a first child, girls are pampered and cherished, particularly if preceded by boys. The prophet Muhammad reproached his followers for lamenting the birth of a daughter. This preference for boys is not unique to Arabs. In a 1974 survey, the Harvard Project on Socio-Cultural Aspects of Development found that few men in six developing nations listed girl children as first choice. Even in the United States, a large majority of parents, according to the Population Reference Bureau, would rather have boys than girls.
What form does the “family” take? Sociologists describe the traditional Arab family pattern as patrilineal, patrilocal, patriarchal, extended, familial, sometimes polygamous and endogamous.

Patrilineal, patrilocal and patriarchal refer to a traditionally male dominated society. Patrilineal considers every person as belonging to the father’s family; descent is traced through the male line; a person’s loyalty is directed to the father’s family. Patrilocal refers to the custom whereby a newly married couple resides in the house or compound of the husband’s father and family. Patriarchal describes a family system in which the father has authority over the family (at least outwardly).

Extended encompasses not only father, mother and minor children, but also grown sons and, if married, their wives and children.

Polygamous identifies the practice of a man taking more than one wife at a time, and, with regard to Arab cultural patterns, is an incorrect term. It has been a Muslim practice, but the terms “Arab” and “Muslim” are not synonymous. The rise of Islam actually reformed the practice as it existed in Arabia, and today polygamy is illegal in many Arab countries, representing no more than 5-8 percent of Arab marriages.

Endogamous describes a pattern of marriage preference within a narrow circle of relatives, traditionally between a man and his father’s brother’s daughter, often called “cousin-right.”

Familial stresses family interests and requires the individual to govern his actions with the family in mind. In this regard, Arab culture is correctly called a familial or kinship culture.

The extend to which endogamy, polygamy, or any of the other aforementioned practices are followed or ignored, is a function of traditionalism, area, urbanization, education and convenience.

The conjugal or nuclear family predominates in all but the rural areas of the Arab world. While extended in the sense that relatives live in close-proximity—the same compound, same neighborhood, same town—the family is no longer patrilocal in the sense that the extended family all lives under the same roof with the grandfather at its head.

Large city residences, which sometimes housed 30-40 persons at the turn of the century, now serve as schools or headquarters for institutes or as separate dwellings for nuclear families.

Despite the change, the nuclear family still exists within the framework of the extended family, whose interdependence in business and public life is just as strong as in domestic affairs and personal relationships.

Some traditional functions of the extended family are declining. Trade unions, social security, factory legislation, for example, represent the current presence of the state, formerly under family jurisdiction. As the state performs more functions, including education and the regulation of marriage, the traditional family influence will decline.

The Arab child, then, is at all times part of his nuclear family and his extended family circle, within which he receives security and self-fulfillment and offers his devotion and loyalty. Each member, according to his or her age and status, has a secure place with definite duties and obligations. The importance of this kinship can be seen in the custom of the child being addressed by members of the family, not by his name, but by the one which describes his relationship to the speaker. The child’s world quickly becomes peopled with kin of specific designation, each with a special set of mutual rights and obligations.

EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:41:00 +0300

The greatest collection of Egyptian antiquities is, without doubt, that of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It is a place of true discovery and, even after many visits, I continue to make new and delightful discoveries every time I venture into its many galleries. To be sure, the museum can be daunting in the sheer numbers of its antiquities on show, but there is an order within its layout and it is a dream come true for anyone wanting to study Egyptian antiquities.
However, the negative side is that the environmental and display conditions leave a great deal to be desired. Labels on some exhibits date from early in the century and many items have no labels at all. Guidebooks are available at the museum, although they are limited to some of the major items.

The museum's ground floor follows the history of ancient Egypt. Upon entering through the security check in the building, one looks toward the atrium and the rear of the building with many items on view - from sarcophagi and boats to enormous statues. Just in front of these you will find an Object of the Month on display. Behind it are some of the most important items from the time of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago, including the famous slate palette of king Narmer - one of the first documents of Egyptian history. Also on show are small masterpieces of sculpture - keep in mind that these are some 50 centuries old. This is an area that should not be missed!

Continuing around the building in a clockwise direction takes you forward in time as you duck into the different rooms. At the far end of the building you will be confronted by material from the time of the heretic pharaoh, Akhenaten.
Keep moving and eventually you will have reached the Graeco-Roman period and walked through more than 3,000 years of history!
Upstairs on the first floor (i.e.second level) are thousands of smaller items from the span of Egyptian history. Of course, everybody wants to see the treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb - these occupy a large area along almost two side of the upper floor. Chariots, gloves, jewellery, the famous mask - many of the antiquities from his tomb are displayed here. Tutankhamun's tomb contained four gilded shrines nested one inside the other. All four of these shrines are on display in the museum. They are lined up in order of decreasing size. The innermost of these covered a stone sarcophagus which remains in the tomb.
Inside the stone sarcophagus were three coffins - the innermost being made of 110 kilograms of solid gold. Inside that lay the pharaoh himself wearing the famous gold mask (at right). Tutankhamun remains in his tomb to this day.

Two of his three coffins are on display in the same room as the mask, along with stunning jewellery. This room alone can occupy one for a considerable time. The room has been remodelled recently with better presentation. Obviously, there are usually crowds, although often these lessen toward the end of the day. It is therefore a good idea to leave the Tutankhamun exhibits until later, unless one is short of time.
Apart from the Tutankhamun exhibits upstairs, there are countless coffins, amulets, ushabtis, household items, etc. Some of the Middle Kingdom tomb models of armies, boats and landowners surveying their livestock shouldn't be missed. The human figures almost seem alive! Also upstairs is the Mummy Room where you can come face to face with some of the great rulers of ancient Egypt

The photographs shown here feature the atrium area and the area to the right of the entrance. From the entrance area itself, turn left and you will find an amazing diversity of small statues from the Old Kingdom - they depict individuals, families, and people at work.

The Pyramids of Giza

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:21:00 +0300

The age of the first ancient wonders of the world began with the pyramids of Sneferu, he built three pyramids and may have had a hand in others. His pyramid at Medum began as a step pyramid and was then modified to form the first true pyramid. He built two pyramids at Dahshur one called the Bent Pyramid because its upper part has a shallower angle of inclination than the lower part.

Seneferu's Bent pyramid at Dahshur was originally planned as a true pyramid, but its geometry was altered at a point just above half its height. The angle of incline was decreased from 54º 31' 13'' to 43º 21'.

When Khufu, also known as Cheops, became pharaoh one of his first acts was to curtail the growing power of the priesthood. He "shut up all the temples and forbade sacrifices". As a priest’s living came from performing these rituals it is not surprising that Khufu was unpopular with the religious orders.

Khufu's pyramid at Giza showing the plan of passages and burial chamber.

Some believe that his pyramid at Giza was built by slaves but this is not true. One hundred thousand people worked on it for three months of each year. This was the time of the Nile's annual flood which made it impossible to farm the land and most of the population was unemployed. He provided good food and clothing for his workers and was kindly remembered in folk tales for many centuries.

There are three pyramids at Giza, each of which once had an adjoining mortuary temple. Attached to this temple would have been a covered causeway descending down to a valley temple, near the Nile. The 'great' pyramid itself is truly an astonishing work of engineering skill - for over four thousands years, until the modern era, it was the tallest building in the world.

The side are oriented to the four cardinal points of the compass and the length of each side at the base is 755 feet (230.4 m). They rise at an angle of 51 52' to a height , originally, of 481 feet (147 m) but nowadays 451 feet (138 m). It was constructed using around 2,300,000 limestone blocks, weighing, on average, 2.5 tons each. Although some weigh as much as 16 tons. Until recently, relatively speaking, it was cased in smooth limestone but this was plundered to build Cairo.

Is it conceivable that by bringing together so many people and giving them a common goal, that of making a mountain, a national identity is forged in their hearts. From Upper and Lower Egypt communities would have got to know each other and a common bond would have been manifest in the object of the pyramid. If this is true it is unique because all other forms of nationalism have grown out of war. For example England and France in the Hundred years war and the USA through the revolutionary, civil and Indian wars.

You can find out more about pyramids in my book Imagining Egypt

Giza Reconstruction

Each of the three pyramids had a complete monumental complex of mortuary temples, Mastabas tombs, smaller subsidiary pyramids, in which members of the royal family and officials were buried.

The whole complex was connected, by a causeway, to three valley temples and the sphinx. These in turn were linked, by a cannel, to the Nile.

Each of the three pyramids had a complete monumental complex of mortuary temples, Mastabas tombs, smaller subsidiary pyramids, in which members of the royal family and officials were buried.

The whole complex was connected, by a causeway, to three valley temples and the sphinx. These in turn were linked, by a cannel, to the Nile

Ramadan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:16:00 +0300

Currently, Ramadan is being celebrated in Egypt. It began on October 15th and will end on November 14th with the feast of Eid al-Fitr. Tourist Egypt are often asked about travel during this period. People are concerned about this being a bad time to visit Egypt, but in reality, it is an excellent, festive period which simply adds to the fun. Tourist attractions and facilities continue to operate, but there are great celebrations and a wonderful time for all.

However, it should be noted that officially, monuments and other tourist sites are open until 3:00 PM, while in reality, some of the less frequented sites may close earlier (2:00 PM). While there are many restaurant (though not all) open to tourists, many may not serve alcoholic beverages during Ramadan. However, almost all larger hotels, as well as smaller hotels that cater to tourists will be completely operational, including their bars, and they will serve alcoholic drinks as usual.

Spending the holy month of Ramdan in Egypt is different than elsewhere. Other than the rituals practiced during that month, certain social habits of Egyptian Muslims are much different than anywhere else.

Ramadan is a month that follows the lunar calendar, the basis of the Islamic (or Hijri) calendar. With an eleven-day offset from the Gregorian (western) calendar, the exact timing of Ramadan during the year is variable, sometimes falling in summer and sometimes in winter. The first day of Ramadan too is variable, since "Sha’aban", the preceding month, sometimes has 29 days and sometimes 30 days. Astronomical calculations are utilized to detect the birth of the new moon, yet the cornerstone remains to be its visualization after sunset. Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days, as do most lunar months.

The holiness of this month comes from the fact that it marks the day when the Holy Spirit, Gabriel, started the transmission of God’s message to the prophet Mohammad, fourteen centuries ago. The exact date has never been identified, but it is believed to be on one of the last ten days of this month, which Muslims call "Lailat el-Qadr". According to Islam, the month is dedicated to prayers, as it is believed that it is an occasion to wash one’s sins away and enjoy God’s unlimited mercy.

The principal ritual during Ramadan is fasting. This entails abandoning eating, drinking, smoking or sinning, even if minor, throughout the whole day, from dawn to sunset. Though the usual daily practice is in most ways normal, Muslims prefer to spend more time praying or reading the Qora’an, particularly at night.

The daily meals become limited to two, the first of which is the "iftar" when fasting is broken just after sunset. The iftar can be a real bonus to tourists, as many of the hotels offer highly competitive specials for ifar.

The timing of the second meal, "sohour", is variable according to personal preference, but usually delayed as much as possible until just before dawn. In between "iftar" and "sohour", people are allowed to eat as they wish.

What makes this month different in Egypt? A long time ago, Egyptians adopted certain social habits during this month that are not directly related to religion. Officially, the working hours are diminished to allow more time for prayers. People usually sleep very late and spend considerable time in the mosques. The traditional practice starts immediately after sunset, which is announced to people through all mosques by the ritual "azan", or the call for prayers. Once, beginning in the 16th Century, it was the habit of the Egyptian government to fire a canon which could be heard throughout Cairo to announce end of the daily fast. This loud shot was fired from the Citadel over the "el-Moqattam" mountains. Modern technology has replaced this habit so that now announcements are made on radio and TV.

"Iftar" is considered the main meal of the day during Ramadan and is often very rich. Any type of food might be served, but traditionally the desert almost always includes "konafa" or "qatayef". The former is a cake-like food made of wheat with considerable sugar, honey, raisins and different types of nuts. The later is almost the same, but takes the shape of a small circular cake, which is folded to include nuts and raisins.

Since Ramadan is considered to be the most joyful month of the whole year, children also have their share of fun. The "fanoos" or lantern is a must for every kid. These are traditionally made of tin and colored glass, with a candle inside. More modern examples are battery operated, but really lack the spirit (though each year there seems to be a trend to see who can produce the most snazzy fanoos). All mosques and streets during the whole month are full of colored lights in a festival fashion, and in the past, children played in the streets with their lanterns, singing "wahawy ya wahawy". This tradition is still practiced, though rarely now in the streets, except in middle class or poor neighborhoods, and in the countryside.

With the introduction of TV in the 1960’s, traditions changed. TV transmissions lasts 24 hours a day, and the programs include too many new serials and movies. More than half of the serials produced by the Egyptian TV are broadcast during Ramadan for the first time. another traditional program is the "fawazeer", which is a daily riddle usually broadcast during a comedy or musical show. The family is usually gathered around the TV for long hours, if they do not go for prayers. Nuts are consumed as a snack, together with a traditional drink "qamar el-deen1" which is made of apricot. Most people prefer to spend at least the first day in an extended family reunion, gathering in the home of the grand parents’.

After the first few days, people start to go out after "iftar". Hence, many gatherings between families, friends or colleagues take place for the main meal, and for socializing afterwards. since many people prefer to spend their time in the old fashioned atmosphere of cafes, many hotels now actively market their facilities for this festive occasion. Today, it has become a tradition for all 5-star hotels to erect a large tent, furnished in the old Arabian decoration, where people enjoy their time listening to old traditional songs and music. It all recalls memories of the old classical days. "Sheesha" or water-pipes are smoked almost continuously.

Sports are also popular during Ramadan. Most clubs arrange minor tournaments, especially for football (soccer). Many people of all ages participate in games, including the elders who compete with their peers. It is not unusual to find many professional football players among these teams of amateurs. The issue is not to win, but to share. In poor districts where no clubs are available, the youth and children can utilize a side street or alley as a football field. During Ramadan, people become very tolerant of such activities, though they are not encouraged during other times of the year.

The show continues until late at night, and sometimes right up until the dawn prayers, after which people finally sleep. Of course, not everyone follows this routine. Many somewhat older people find it difficult to keep pace with these celebrations, and of course some must continue to work (for example, those in the tourism business). In the old days, the tradition was for man called a "mesaharaty" to walk down the streets before dawn with a drum. He would wake up the people by singing and calling their names. The mesaharaty was not paid a fixed salary but received donations, and though this profession is now extinct, amateurs continue to practice the tradition.

The worst experience a student might experience is if Ramadan coincides with exams. If possible, the exam timing is shifted by the school or university. But if this is impossible, then the fun may be lost. The majority of people fast during Ramadan, though according to Islam, the sick, travelers, elders and children are not required to follow this requirement. Since the days are longer in summer and the weather is hot, fasting sometimes become difficult. Children usually start demanding that their parents allow them to fast at an early age, though they are usually not allowed to do so before the age of ten, and then only for a short duration. The sick also try to fast, though of course this may be very difficult for them. In fact, no one would ever wish to miss a single day of fasting during this month, although it is possible to compensate later. It is not just the religious obligation, but also the atmosphere.

It is not considered good manners to outwardly make a display of not fasting. Though not illegal, those who do not fast would usually hide to eat, drink or smoke. Egyptian Christians also share also participate in most of these practices with their fellow Muslims. Some would also fast as a sign of national unity, but even those who do not would never eat or drink in public, as a sign of respect to Islamic traditions. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited throughout the month, and all bars are closed (with the exception of many tourist facilities)

On the last day of Ramadan, observatories again check for the new moon. The month ends after the 29th or 30th day, when the "eid" or feast begins.

1. This drink is usually made from from dried apricot sheets, or past, which is placed in boiling water. Qamar el-deem sheets, as they are called, can be found in many specialty Middle East markets. It is also used to make an apricot pudding.

Muslim Weddings in Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:10:00 +0300

The population of Egypt is 94% Sunni Muslim, thus the culture of the country is highly influenced by traditional Muslim practices. This includes areas pertaining to marriage, although Egypt is less traditional in this area - particularly in the relationship of the couple before a marriage - than many other traditional Muslim countries.

Meeting a partner
Traditional Islamic practices in Egypt dictate that there is to be no dating or other types of interactions prior to a couple's getting married. However, there are still social occasions where Egyptian men and women have a chance to meet each other. Usually, this will take place at a school or in a place of work.
In such circumstances, it is possible that a young man and a young woman may fall in love and desire a marital union. These marriages are traditionally opposed, although the family will usually relent if the couple remains committed to the idea, as long as both the man and woman are of the same social and educational status. Outside of a love match, Egyptian weddings are arranged, with the families of both bride and groom making inquiries of friends, relatives, and neighbors as to the other's standing and conduct.
If a union is deemed suitable by both families, the man and woman are permitted to meet and begin socializing. If they like each other, several more meetings with families are arranged, and an engagement party organized. At this party, the groom will give the bride a wedding ring

The Ceremony
The marriage contract is signed by the groom at the ceremony along with the family of the bride. There are also members of both families present as witnesses, although the bride herself is not in the room. Instead, she waits in a separate room and the contract is brought to her for her approval.
The ceremony itself follows traditional Muslim practices, including reading passages of the Quran and the Kitbah (formal betrothal). It may take place in a mosque, a secular establishment such as a hotel, or at the home of one of the couple's family.

The reception

The wedding ceremony at an Egyptian wedding is followed by the wedding feast, or walimah. In urban areas, this feast is celebrated with both sexes present, and includes a formal presentation of the couple, who often walk holding hands down a path formed with two lines of guests on either side. The rings which were received at the engagement party are switched from the right to the left hand, and there is cake, meats, pastry, sweets, nuts, salad and rice in large quantities. The bride will often throw a bouquet to the unwed ladies at the wedding, with whoever catches it forecast as being the next to get married. There is also music and dancing.

Weddings in the Egyptian countryside are more formal. Men and women are often segregated, with the bride covering her face with a veil during the ceremony.

Egyptian Marriage Customs of the Past and Present

An Islamic wedding procession in Egypt leads the bride to the home of the groom. The bride, hidden from view in a tentlike covering, is riding the camel. Elaborate processions like this one are chiefly a rural tradition of the Islamic wedding ceremony.

Marriage has special importance to Egyptians. They consider marriage as the most important event in their lives because it means a moral way of psychological and biological satisfaction. Egyptians assume marriage is the main method to protect youth from any sacred relationships; moreover, marriage reinforces society's relationships.

Marriage is a religious imposition, and we can find many parts in the Quran as, well as prophetic instructions, which encourage getting married. There is no doubt that marriage customs indicate the society's culture, behaviral patterns, thoughts and feelings.

Egyptian Marriage Customs in Ancient Egypt

Now let's indicate some Egyptian marriage customs in the past and present and their main effects.

The ancient Egyptians were the first people who stated marriage laws in the world. They regarded marriage as a civil and legal relationship. Marriage in ancient Egypt was a religious imposition. The ancient Egyptian laws organized the marriage relationship and indicated all rights and duties for the couples. Many of the old marriage contracts have been found, and they were registered and signed by three officers. The ancient Egyptian laws gave the right of divorce to women as well as men. The wife was respected greatly, and she had high prestige. The couple had a lot of chances to get to know each other before the engagement; for example, in the temples or at the common feasts. There was a custom in the Egyptian family which allowed the adult daughter to welcome the guests who came to visit her parents.

The Engagement Party in Ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians knew the engagement before getting married, and its customs were similar to the engagement customs in Egypt's countryside nowadays. It started by the suitor's parents visiting to his fiancee's house to get her family approval to complete this marriage and reaching an agreement, which contains two main items: an amount of money, called Mahr, paid by suitor to his fiancee's family to help them prepare the furniture of their daughter and a valuable jewelry gift, called Shabka, given by the suitor to his fiancee. The value of this gift depended on the financial and social levels of the suitor"s family.

When the two parties completed the agreement, they fixed an appointment for the engagement party. Most of relatives and friends attended the party in one of the common banquet halls, which was decorated with several kinds of flowers and lights. The fiancee wore the engagement dress which was simpler than the wedding dress and its color was blue or pink while the groom put on the finger of his fiancee a ring, the ancient Egyptians' gift to the old and new world,which was a symbol of immortality.

In addition, the groom gave his fiancee the valuable jewelry gift agreed on before. During the party, the attendands ate and drank several kinds of food and drinks.

The Night Before the Wedding

When the house of the new family became ready, the two families fixed an oppointment of the wedding party. The night before wedding day, the relatives, the friends and the neighbors got together to celebrate the "Henna Night". The women went to the bride's house, while the men went to the groom's house.

At the bride's house the women danced and sang all night while the bride wore a pink dress made with silk or cotton fibers, and her hands and feet were bleached with henna. Meanwhile, the men danced and sang all night at the groom's house, and the groom wore an expensive clean suit.

The Day of the Wedding

The next day, the marriage contract was signed and registered by priest in the temple in the attendance of the couple and most of their families and friends

The Wedding Party

After sun set, the wedding party started, and the couple wore their best dresses and jewelry. The bride was transferred to her new house on a horse or a camel with a musical band, and the attendants sprayed the cortege with green wheat as a symbol of fertility. Several kinds of cooked meats as well as vegetables and fruit were prepared for the attendants, who danced and sang with music all night.

The Day After the Wedding

In the morning, the wife's mother and her sisters visited her and gave her some food. The wife's friends and relatives visited her after seven days from the date of her wedding party, and they offered gifts and some food, while she gave them some sweets and fruits.

Ancient Egyptian marriage customs are the most effective marriage customs in Egypt's history although Egypt has been exposed to many civilization, such as, Greek, Roman and Islam.

Islamic Marriage Customs

The Islamic marriage doctrines are very simple, they are basically two factors. First, the acceptance of the couple, or their representatives, each other to be husband and wife is the most important term for marriage. Second, the publicity of the marriage (making it known to the people) is an essential condition of marriage; however, Islam emphasizes that marriage is the only available way to satisfaction the biological need between the man and the woman and to make the family; therefore, the available chances for the couple to get to know each other before the engagement have become limited, mainly through family visits or at public places.

The engagement and wedding customs in the Middle Ages remained as they were in Ancient Egypt although these customs are in disagreement with the simplicity of the Islamic spirit.

Marriages in Modern Urban Egypt

Nowadays, the marriage customs in the Egyptian countryside are similar to the ancient customs, but in the city the picture is quite different, where the couple has many chances to get to know each other at university, work, clubs and other public places.

However, the engagement agreement between the families still includes the two main items: the "mahr" and "shabka"; furthermore, the engagement party is quite similar to the engagement party in Ancient Egypt. Frequently it is held in one of the hotels.

However, the engagement period has be come longer because of the preparation of the new house is costly and does not suit the income of the couple or the income of their parents (housing is very expensive in Cairo).

The marriage contract is signed and registered by "maazon", a man who has an official license to sign and register the marriage contract, in attendance of the couple and their families and friends, and this procedure happens in the birde's house or at a mosque.

The Wedding Party

At the wedding party, the bride wears a while dress with a white mantilla while the groom wears a black suit with white shirt and necktie, and in the hotel the couple walks among their invitees from the entrance of the hotel to their seats, and infront there is the music band. The attendants spray flowers over the couple. When the couple takes their seat the party program starts with a drink called "Sharpat",a rose water juice, and after that the singers and the dancers start to present their shows, and in the middle of the party the couple cuts the wedding cake and opens the food buffet. When the party finishes early morning the couple thanks the guests and either the couple goes to their room or they go to their new house.

Bad Marriage Customs

Egyptian marriage customs in the past or in the present generally reflect the cooperative and brotherly spirit of the community; however, we should get rid of our bad marriage customs and habits because they cause a lot of serious problems for society.

The marriage between relatives (i.e. first cousins) is one of our bad customs in Egypt. Although marriage between relatives is a very old custom, it is still common in Egypt, and there are many reasons behind this kind of marriage. First, increasing the family size and consequently the power and the prestige of the family is the most important reason. Second, keeping the family's heritage and wealth among its members is another important reason.

However, marriage between relatives has many disadvantages like hepartinson and diabetes (in the children).

Furthermore, marriage between relatives causes tribal racism giving the chance for power struggles and superiority fights.

Another bad custom is that the marriage customs in Egypt are costly and do not suit the income levels of most Egyptian families; for example, the average of marriage cost in Egyptian cities is LE 100,000 ($ 30,000) while the average income is LE 150 ($ 44) per month. This situation creates heavy load on the young couple and their families.

I think although our marriage customs indicate deep emotions between the Egyptians, and illustrate the great civilization, we should work hard to minimize customs by organizing social campaigns to clarify our marriage custom's disadvantage. In addition, we should spread education and concern for women's education , especially in the countryside. In my opinion, if we do not get rid of most of our bad marriage customs, our problems will increase cutting off any economic growth and decreasing the development of the society..

Muslim Marriage, Weddings and Muslim Matrimonial Ceremonies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:07:00 +0300

A Muslim marriage and subsequently a Muslim wedding is a weaving together of families, of two souls, and of two destinies. It’s considered as a big and very auspicious occasion in all cultures of the world. Different cultures have different wedding traditions and ceremonies, and every culture has its own treasure of wedding ceremonies, wedding customs and rituals.
Weddings in various Muslim countries follow their respective cultural traditions. Some are more Islamic while others have adopted norms that are in the values of various cultures. Various cultures have introduced more ceremonies in the Muslim marriage and matrimonial process.

Brides are decorated and beautified in various ways for weddings. For example, in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) traditions, Mehndi or Henna as it is called, has a great significance. The brides are decorated both on the bride's hands and feet. In some Middle Eastern countries such as Morocco, the has a ceremonial bath a few days before the wedding and is decorated with henna and jewelry. Other countries vary in their celebrations of weddings.

Most weddings in Islamic and Arab cultures could become very expensive affairs. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of guests are not unheard of. Large spaces or hotels are rented to accommodate such a large gathering of guests. The bride is also decorated with very expensive jewelry. 22K gold is quite common that includes bracelets, ear rings, and jewelry for the head (worn over the wedding shawl).

Families that are more conservative Islamically usually avoid such lavish weddings as it is considered an unnecessary expense. More prefer instead to pay the amount to the bride and the groom to help them start their family

List of Arab League countries

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:10:00 +0300

This article includes a list of countries of the Arab League sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year.

The table below includes IMF GDP data for the year 2009 for all 22 members of the Arab League. Data are in millions of current United States dollars. Data of Palestine and Somalia is from the CIA World Factbook.

List of Arab League countries by GDP (nominal) per capital
The table below includes IMF GDP data for the year 2009 for all 22 members of the Arab League. Data are in millions of current United States dollars. Data of Somalia is from the UN

About Arabic Language

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:17:00 +0300

ARABIC spoken by more than 280 million people as a first language, most of whom live in the Middle East and North Africa, and by 250 million more as a second language. As the language of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, it is also widely used throughout the Muslim world. It belongs to the Semitic group of languages which also includes Hebrew and Amharic, the main language of Ethiopia.
The Qur’an is one of the oldest surviving documents written in Arabic. Arabs consider this form of Arabic—Classical Arabic—to be the purest and most beautiful forms of the language.
There are three distinct forms of Arabic. Classical or Qur’anical Arabic, Formal or Modern Standard Arabic, and Spoken or Colloquial Arabic.
There are many Arabic dialects. Classical Arabic – the language of the Qur’an – was originally the dialect of Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia. An adapted form of this, known as Modern Standard Arabic, is used in books, newspapers, on television and radio, in the mosques, and in conversation between educated Arabs from different countries (for example at international conferences).
Local dialects vary, and a Moroccan might have difficulty understanding an Iraqi, even though they speak the same language.
Colloquial Arabic is a collective term for the spoken varieties of Arabic used throughout the Arab world, which differ radically from the literary language. These dialects can vary from region to region within a country.
The most important thing to know about the Arabic language is that, like other Semitic languages, it is based on what is usually called a ” consonantal root system,” which means that almost every word in the language is ultimately derived from one or another “root,” usually a verb. This root almost always consists of three letters. By making changes to the root letters – adding a letter to the beginning of the root, changing vowels between the consonants, or inserting extra consonants – new words with new meanings are produced. For example, the three consonants d, r, s, combined in that order denote the idea of education. The simplest word based on those letters is ‘darasa’, which means “studied”. Other possible words derived from this root are:
darrasa taught
diraasa studying
madrasa school
mudarris teacher (m)
mudarrisa teacher (f)
Arabic is written from right to left.It consists of 18 shapes, which—with the addition of dots above or below some of these shapes—results in 28 letters. Three letters are long vowels, and all the rest are consonants. Short vowels are sometimes indicated by diacritical marks, and other times omitted altogether. Many of the letters have equivalents in English. Some Arabic letters represent sounds that are written as two letters in English (“sh” and “th”, for example). Other letters represent sounds that are unfamiliar to English speakers, and conversely, some common sounds in English—such as “p” and “v”—don’t exist in Arabic.
Arabic letters are connected to form words in a “cursive” style; there is no way of “printing” Arabic. Neither are there capitals or lowercase letters. The form of the letter changes depending on its position in a word (beginning, middle, and end). Some letters connect on only one side, others on both.
The term Arabic is used to describe three different forms of the same language: classical Arabic, which is the language of the Qur’aan, the holy book of Islam; colloquial or spoken Arabic, as used in the daily lives of Arabs; and literary Arabic, sometimes also called modern standard Arabic (incorrectly labeled as ‘classical’),which is used in literature, books, newspapers, and on TV/radio.
In written Arabic, unlike in English, French and other European languages, there has been no change at all in the alphabet, in spelling, or in the majority of the vocabulary, in, at least, four millenniums.

Figures:

1. The Arabic Alphabet has 28 letters. The shape of these letters changes depending on their position in the word, whether isolated; in the beginning of the word (initial); in the middle (medial); or at the end (final).
2. Several letters in the Arabic alphabet share the same shape, and are differentiated only by the number and placement of dots on the letters. Of the basic 18 shapes, 2 are used for three letters, 6 are used for two letters, and the remaining 10 are used for one letter each.
3. The Arabic and Phoenician alphabets, along with several other alphabets such as Hebrew and Aramaic, are based on an early model called the North Semitic. The Phoenician alphabet was adapted by the Greeks, then the Etruscans and Romans, and eventually became the Western alphabet as we know it today.
4. Al Khalil ibn Ahmad al Farahidi devised a tashkeel system to replace Abu al Aswad’s. His system was universally used since the early eleventh century, and included six diacritical marks to indicate the small vowels attached to Arabic letters.
5. The measuring system of Ibn Muqlah is based on a circle with a diameter that equals the height of the letter Alef. It controls the correct proportions of the letters by comparing them to the circle, and by diagonal dots written with the calligraphy pen.
6. Samples of Kufi Styles of Arabic calligraphy. From top to bottom: Early Kufi, Eastern Kufi, Foliate Kufi, Knotted Kufi, and Square Kufi.
7. Samples of Cursive Styles of Arabic calligraphy. From top to bottom: Naskh, Thuluth, Muhaqqaq, Nastaliq, and riq’a.
Facts about the Arabic Language
Arabic Semitic language is fairly closely related to, for instance, Hebrew language and the Aramaic language spoken throughout Arab world and widely known outside it.
It has been a literary language for over 1500 years, and is the liturgical language Islam.
The term Modern Standard Arabic is sometimes used in the West to refer to the language of the media as opposed to the language of “Classical” Arabic literature; Arabs make no such distinction, and regard the two as identical.
The expressions Arabic and Classical Arabic usually refer to the pure Arabic language which is, according to Arabic speakers, both the language of present-day media across North Africa and the Middle East (from Morocco to Iraq) and the language of the Qur’an.
The Arabic alphabet derives from the Aramaic script (which variety, Nabataean or Syriac, is a matter of scholarly dispute), to which it bears a loose resemblance like that of Coptic or Cyrillic script to Greek script.
Spoken in: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Gaza Strip, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Yemen by a majority, many other countries as a minority language.
Region: Arab world.
Total speakers: 225 million (Ethnologue, native speakers of all dialects)

A Beginners Guide to Arabic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:04:00 +0300

Introduction

Arabic is treasured by Muslims as the language God spoke to Mohammed in, although it has evolved since this time.

There are a number of different dialects, with some differences, although normally Arabic speakers find themselves mutually intelligible. This can lead to frustrations when learning Arabic, especially in Qatar where there is such a variety of people and therefore dialects.

I sometimes find myself being given different Arabic words for the same things by different nationalities, and sometimes if you ask a group of people a word they will end up arguing over which is the correct one. You may also be given the classical Arabic version which, while undoubtedly correct, may not be the Arabic used in everyday speech. (There’s also a sort of pidgin-Arabic used for foreigner workers with a tenuous grasp of Arabic.)

It is worth noting that you absolutely don’t need to speak Arabic to function in Qatar. However, not everyone speaks English and there are times when it will be an advantage. Arabs will also be pleased at the interest in their language, and are always eager to help you learn.

Arabic Writing

Arabic is written from right to left, although numbers are written from left to right. The system of numbers we use in the West are sometimes known as Hindu-Arabic as they are based on Arabic numbers, which are in turn based on Hindu numerals. These were introduced by Arabic scholars. 0ne of these scholar's Latin name was Algorismus, from which originated the word algorithm.

One word you must know...

Khalas, meaning finished - used all the time, and even by people with a good knowledge of English. You will probably also hear:
Yani - I mean.

Common Arabic Religious Phrases

Religion in Qatar is a part of everyday life, and this is reflected in the language. For instance, if you ask someone in Qatar how they are, they will reply "Fine, thanks be to God”, or more commonly just "Thanks be to God”. It’s worth knowing these phrases, as you will be sure to hear at least some of them.

Alhumdullelah - Probably closest to "Thanks be to God", although used a lot more frequently than in the West. It is often mis-translated as "Thank God" or "Thank goodness".

Assa-lum-alaikum - standard greeting lit meaning "peace be with you brother”, to which you should reply Wa-alaikum-salam.

Inshau’ Allahh - God willing (or, sometimes, "you haven’t got a chance mate!”)

Bismillaah (short for Bismilaah Al Rahman Al Rahim) - Bismillaah means the name of and Al Rahman And Al Rahim are the two names of God. This is normally expressed before beginning something, whether food, a journey or an exam.

Mashaoulaah! - this literally means "What God wants". It may be said to you when you report something good has happened to you, and is meant to avoid envy.

Other Basic Arabic Words And Phrases

How are you:

To a man: Keif Halek
To a woman: Keif haluki

Answer: Bikhair, Alhumdullelah: fine, thanks be to god or more informally Zane (fine)

What is your name? - Ma Ismoka?
My name is - Ismi ... (Lit., name is... - in Arabic the subject of a sentence is often left out.)

Note: Men should be careful before asking other men about the female members of their family in Qatar. Try using the Keif Al Hal, or how’s your family)

If you please - Min fad lak
Thank you - Shukran
Thank you very much - Shukran Jazeelan
You’re welcome - Afwan
Yes - Naam (formal) Aiwa (informal)
No - La
Sorry - Asif
Today - Al Yaum
Yesterday - Ams
Tomorrow - Bukrha
Please - Minfadlak/ Lau Samaht

Understanding

Do you speak English?- Hal tatakalam Al Englesia?
I don’t speak Arabic. - La Ataklam Al Arabeia
I speak a little Arabic. - Atakalam Al Arabeia Kaleelan
I don’t know. - La Aa’ref
I don’t understand. - La Afham
Slowly - Shwei Shwei (can also mean a little)
Again! Haratan okhra

Shops/Restaurants

How much? - Kam?
Food - Taa’m of Akel
Drink (verb) - Yashrab
Drink (noun) - Sharab
Water - Maa’
I want - Oreed
A little - Kaleel
A lot - Katheer
big - kabeer
small - Sagheer

Directions

Where is...? .... Min wein? (informal) Min Aina? (formal)
Left - Yasaar
Right - Yameen
Straight on - Seedah
Take me to...please Khuthnee ela...min Fadlak

Numbers

one - wahed
two - ethnan
three - thalathah
four - arba’ah
five - khamsah
six - sitah
seven - saba’h
eight - thamaneiah
nine - tesa’h
ten - ashara

Arab way Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:57:00 +0300

Hi all
I made this little blog to help me first then to help others to learn some arab words, we all know arab language is so beatifull but complicated to, i will have help from some of my friends to translate the basic words and frazes from english to arab.
Maybe someoane wanna go in Egypt or Emirate and will be more easy if he learn from start.
Ty all for all the help u got