Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Why do Muslims grow beards?

Short, jargon free answer by Yusuf Estes: Beards? Do we have to grow them?

More on Muslims and beards by Dr. Zakir Naik and Bilal Philips (video).

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Monday, July 07, 2008

What's the implication of 'Inshallah?'

Interesting article on the implications of something Muslims often say -- inshallah -- in the New York Times (link courtesy SunniSister)

When I was doing the CELTA, there were 'inshallah's aplenty in the air, because there were four Muslim ladies in our group. It was interesting to see how the other (non Muslim) trainees viewed 'inshallah'...someone asked me what it means, another trainee tried it out and found the words tripping on their tongue, one of the trainers used the word in an email and another during the course of the lesson.
A participant asked me whether using ''inshallah'' contradicts the divine commandment of ''not using the Lord's name in vain.
On the contrary, the Qur'an asks Muslims to say in sha Allah when they intend doing something:

وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ غَدًا
And never say of anything, "I shall do such and such thing tomorrow."

إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلْ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَـٰذَا رَشَدًا
Except (with the saying), "If Allah will!"
(Qur'an 18: 24-25)

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