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yes i have heard of them moving it forward but not back here on vj; I wanted to know if anyone from Casa had exeperianced it and if they had what did they do with no appointment letter.

Changing the date can happen for various reasons, I would take the email you receive from notifying you the change was correct. You are not going to get a new interview letter.

Good luck

Happy Saturday Everybody!

AMAL - WHERE ARE YOU??????????????

There is a hadith that says something like- if it is intoxicating in large amounts, then avoid it even in small amounts. Because of this some muslims do refuse any food product that will have alcohol in it. But no matter how much yeast risen bread you eat, you will not become intoxicated. This might account for some of the inconsistency.

Though most of the muslim community would disagree, I've know some muslims interpret the verses of the Quran to mean wine not hard alcohol. Is it just a justification to allow them to drink Jack Daniels or a legitimate understanding of the language of the Quran and the intent of these verses.

This inconsistency IMO is the result of the several factors. The beauty of Islam is that it favors the human ability to reason and work as a community over a religious heirarchy dictating God's law. BUT with that comes overcoming the human nature to follow leadership which is at best misquided, at worse completely devoid of any postive intent. IMO this is why education and dialogue is so important in Islam.

Right, but, under the same logic... no matter how many cookies you eat, you will not become intoxicated. The fermentation of yeast in bread is really low and the alcohol in the added vanilla extract is as well. I think *that* is where lots of us see an inconsistency in thought. You can become intoxicated by many things people don't tend to think of as an intoxicant, it just depends on how much you eat or drink/concentration as you said. One can become high from nutmeg, but one can never become high from pumpkin bread. One can become high from eating enough poppy seeds (which derive from the opium poppy, papaver somniferum), but one would probably vomit and go through a lot of pain and never be able to eat enough poppyseed muffins to act drunk off the opiate.

You make sense to me and I agree many people are making decisions that are inconsistent. Only adding to the problem is that the Quran does not explicity say intoxicants. That is the most common translation of the word, but as you know Arabic , esp classical, is not always word for word with English and then add to that the totality of the revelations and the historical context - these verses often mean something completely different than people interpret them dozens of centures later.

For me, this is why is is essential always to be humble in my determinations what is acceptable or not acceptable in Islam. The human fallibility factor is just too likely.

Sort of off topic, but some reason this makes me remember this Sufi story that was part of a film I watched once. It goes something like this. What happens if you drop a glass of wine it a bowl of water? The water will change color and its properties. What happens if you drop a glass of water into the ocean, the change is negligable. Drinking alcohol is the glass of wine and eachof us has a different spiritual fortitude (are we the ocean or a glass of water?).

There is a hadith that says something like- if it is intoxicating in large amounts, then avoid it even in small amounts. Because of this some muslims do refuse any food product that will have alcohol in it. But no matter how much yeast risen bread you eat, you will not become intoxicated. This might account for some of the inconsistency.

Though most of the muslim community would disagree, I've know some muslims interpret the verses of the Quran to mean wine not hard alcohol. Is it just a justification to allow them to drink Jack Daniels or a legitimate understanding of the language of the Quran and the intent of these verses.

This inconsistency IMO is the result of the several factors. The beauty of Islam is that it favors the human ability to reason and work as a community over a religious heirarchy dictating God's law. BUT with that comes overcoming the human nature to follow leadership which is at best misquided, at worse completely devoid of any postive intent. IMO this is why education and dialogue is so important in Islam.

What are your thoughts on having a massage (therapeutic) during Ramadan prior to sundown?

OK, in all seriousness, the only feedback I got was Bridget being silly. I knew someone would go there, but I'm bumping this question b/c I'd really like some feedback.

For those who may not know me, I am a practicing licensed massage therapist. I take no new male clients and only work on women & existing male clients that I've seen for many years. My question mostly pertains to me (personally) getting a massage during Ramadan. I have a standing appt every other week b/c I need the work done in order to continue doing my work. I could technically skip a month, but my body will get really out of whack by then. I wish it were an option for me not to even work on others, but hey, gotta make a paycheck.

So, please, what are your thoughts on this issue? thanks...

If it were me, I would get the massage. I can't see any prohibition on this type of massage. It seems to me that this is a health benefit and would not break your fast any more than a nap would. If that makes sense.

HARIRA (my adapted version - just eyeball the amounts, I never use a measuring spoon!)

Ingredients:

1 lb. lamb (in small pieces - but don't remove fat or bones)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

2 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chopped celery and leaves

2 onions, chopped

1/2 cup parsley and cilantro, chopped

1 2-lb. can of tomatoes, chopped

salt

3/4 cup lentils

1 cup chickpeas (canned are fine)

1/4 cup fine soup noodles

2 eggs, beaten with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Put the spices, butter, celery, onion, and parsley/cilantro in a large soup pot and stir over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. Salt lightly. Remove mixture and puree in the blender and return to pot.

Sautee the lamb in the butter until cooked through, then add to the pot (butter and all) along with 7 cups of water, and the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 2 hours.

When ready to serve, add the chickpeas and noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Then, with the soup at a steady simmer, stir the lemony eggs into the stock with a long wooden spoon. Continue stirring slowly, to create long egg strands and to thicken the soup. Season to taste. Ladle into bowls and dust with cinnamon.

I am definately trying this one. I compete with his sister's cooking. She wins with Moroccan, but I win with other dishes...how's that for being a diplomat LOL

Maybe a little tea tree oil would help. That is easy to get at any health food store and it is always nice to have around- it can be used for so many things.

I think I am almost ready to go back to bed- I hope you can find some relief and get some more sleep.

I tea tree oil! It works so well on some things, that now i try it on everything!

Tea tree oil is da bomb!!! It works on so many things. Between that and lavender, it's almost all you need for a natural remedy kit. Trying my hand at baking some bread today (no tea tree or lavender oil involved!). Mostly spending a relaxing day w/ my hubby since we're both off today. I can't brave the crowds for the tax free sale here. Besides, I don't want or need anything.... well, make that "need". I'd rather save money to pay bills, buy a ticket to Maroc, and pay off our new furniture! I actually went "shopping" w/ my friend yesterday and while she shopped, I returned almost $200 worth of stuff I'd bought last week.

Have a great Sunday MENA peeps and visitors!

Lavendar is also really wonderful!

Good luck with the bread baking. I was thinking about doing the same today.

Morning everyone!

As for sunday..i wish it were longer...

sigh...me too

The Shias also have some different ahadith and prefer those narrated by Ali and Fatima to those related by other companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Because of her opposition to Ali, those narrated by Aisha count among the least favored. [/size][/font]

That about answers it, yep!

The further you move away historically from the first Caliphs after the deathf the prophet, the more the division seems to be. Amoung Shia'a there are divisions as well just as there are divisions among Sunnis.

Most Shia'a follow the Jafari school of lslamic law (as apposed to any of the major Sunni schools- Hanafi, maliki, ect) but over time tehre have been splits in the shia'a fiqh. This is where you find Ismailis for example.

Julianna,

What did you use to mount the rug? I have a very small Navaho rug I would like to hang, but not box fame it. Any suggestions?

My rug has such a loose weave, I used headless nails and just tacked it to the wall. Now. There is a kind of clear plastic clamp which you can use to clamp the top edge of a rug and then nail through THAT and not the rug-- that may be what you want. If you do want to go the quickie way though, jsut be sure to put in enough nails that you aren't ripping the wall as well as pulling the weave with too little support. When I get done (or maybe before lol) I can take a pic if you'd like.

duh on me! I don;t know why I didn;t think of headless nails. The rug's weave is pretty tight but I think those small headless finishing nails won't tear the rug. It's a small rug (maybe 2.5 x 5 feet) so a few nails across the top should suffice.

Maybe a little tea tree oil would help. That is easy to get at any health food store and it is always nice to have around- it can be used for so many things.

I think I am almost ready to go back to bed- I hope you can find some relief and get some more sleep.

I tea tree oil! It works so well on some things, that now i try it on everything!

USICS at work again

DEfinatley you have to do the biometrics even though you just had checks for the visa.

We sent separate checks. Maybe including a check for AOS and a check for the biometrics?

Hopefully third time is the charm.

During Hajj, both are together. When they circle the kabbah, they are side by side.

I didn't realize that. I guess I assumed that when I read men and women pray together in Mecca, that it meant there was no physical barrier between the two. Very intersting!

OOPS! I guess I misread your answer when I posted

I know there is no segregation when performing the circles around the Kaaba, but I meant segregation during salat in Mecca? When I read men and women pray together during hajj, does it mean they are side by side side or more traditionally men in the front and women behind?

I've fasted the last two years, and this has been my experience also. By the end of it all, I haven't lost anything. I don't stay up any later at night though. This year my husband will be working from about 4 pm - 2 am, and I'm worried about getting the munchies alone. I won't be walking during that month either. I've been planning to do exercise tapes an hour or so after breaking the fast, but I might try getting a day pass at the gym and doing some water aerobics. I don't know if I'd get too thirsty doing that before sundown or not.

I'm very curious if the water areobics wil lhelp you stay a bit more hydrated. Let us know how it goes!

I always suggest a 3 to 5 hour lay over for international flights when changing planes especially... to many people have missed there flights thinking they can just walk on to the next plane... so don't worry he'll be fine insha'allah.

Has he flown before??? Mine hasn't when he does come over I think i'll fly over and bring him back insha'allah lol... don't need my man getting confused before he even touch u.s. soil.

Rajaa

My husband flew Air France through Paris in part because he felt if he had any problems at least there would be no communication problems. Air France has non-stop to Houston too. I liked that the POE was home rater than NYC.

yeah that whole ARabic to English thing does throw some off. I have a personal question about prayer and "girl time"

Like if you can pray at that time?

The most common answer is no, but there is a very intersting discussion inthe progressive muslim groups that tned to go against the tradtional rulings and says yes.

Cleaning out the junk room which will be where his sister will get to sleep. This sucks! I did mount the Bedouin rug I've had for 3 years now on the wall though, and I feel like I accomplished SOMETHING. Why do I have so much freaking immigration #######?? I can't wait to toss it! As a random aside, I found my old chemistry goggles and am wearing them. Now I remember why I thought to myself I could never do a job that involved goggles but no water.

Julianna,

What did you use to mount the rug? I have a very small Navaho rug I would like to hang, but not box fame it. Any suggestions?

Hay April!!!! How's things going Guuuurrllll.. is your BIL still there??

I have a questons that I asked before but didn't see answered....

What is the difference between Shia and Sunna? I don't want to cause any arguements but just wondering

Rajaa

The basic difference is rooted in how should rule the muslim community after the death of the prophet. Sunnis accepted the elected leadership by the ummah and while Shia's followed the leadership through decendancy of the Prophet. since that "break" , sunni and shia islam has evolved under different leadership and legal schools.

Getting in to the particulars can be very complicated here

Hope everyone has a wonderful week-end! It's gonna be HOT HOT HOT here! weather wise- otherwise pretty ordinary!

The five hour layover might turn out to be a good thing. Atlanta is huge and takes time to get from one terminal to another. also getting through immigration can take time. He might need only an hour, and have to sit and wait for 4, but if the plane is delayed in landing, the lines at immigration are long, you will be happy for the layover!

Keep doing things that are fun and keep your mind occupied. Once he is here all these feelings will disappear and you won;t even remember much of it! (in a good way)!

It's wonderful to see you excited!

During Hajj, both are together. When they circle the kabbah, they are side by side.

I didn't realize that. I guess I assumed that when I read men and women pray together in Mecca, that it meant there was no physical barrier between the two. Very intersting!

Just question to through out there....at mosques men and women pray separately....or at least men in front of the women. In Mecca, they pray side by side. I know there are millions there and it would be difficult to separate them. Anyone have any thoughts?

Do you mean segregated groups or literally side by side?

At one time some in Saudi Arabia suggested banning women from praying near teh kaa'ba altogether

Aym will start his job search very soon. I am hoping for the EAD to be mailed out in the next few weeks. We are about ready to go into our second month of waiting. He is starting to get a little nervous because his resume is so legal. My husband was a high court attorney and basically has no other experience but law. I thought he could apply for companies like Lexis Nexis, NCR, Reynolds and Reynolds, hoping that just possibly they would see that he has dealt with pressure, customers and has some legal background. Maybe they will have some legal research help needed. Good luck to your husband, I'm sure it will all work out for him. I have no idea how we will work things out without Ayman driving and having only one car but I'm sure God has a plan for us!

Well he didn't get a job in his normal field that he worked in for so long. Quite honestly I think the hardest part with most companies is that you can't just walk in and apply anymore...they require you to apply online which puts him in the same pile as a thousand other candidates so then when they compare him, who has zippo experience in the US, to someone who has had even one job in the US, guess who will be picked.

He found his job via craigslist. That was the best way to find jobs that had walk in applications and those were the ones he got interviews for because , I think, they could put a face to the name and he could win them over....the guy can talk a dog off a meat wagon so that was beneficial to him. The main problem though as I said was transportation due to the fact that most want him at the stores past closing time to set up for the morning, etc.

I give him credit though. Each week he's pounded the pavement in Boston and the surrounding communities in his hot black suit in the 90 degree humid weather facing rejection about 20 times/week, you know? He hasn't gotten too down and when he does get a little down I just give him a pep talk. Good luck!!!

Now, to answer some of the questions... Most of Texas is a big sink hole. It's not uncommon to see this happen to perfectly fine homes since the ground is made of clay rather than rock. I want to have the place inspected for safety before I even consider considering it at all.

One thing I wish I had done before buying this house, though I dunno if you need to worry about this, is to research whether or not FEMA had paid the previous owner. I have received funding from FEMA for the huge floods we have had over the years and I'm sure there's a record of that kind of activity. Kind of like how you can research a car by it's VIN number to see if it's been in an accident. Maybe you can look into something like that to see if there's been something that actually caused the cracks in the walls. I wouldn't move there because I wouldn't be able to sleep at night thinking the house would collapse on my kids or something.

That is a wonderful idea. Are there really records as to what happened to a house? How does one go about obtaining those records??? see, I have the same fear of the house collapsing on my son. I couldn't handle that. If it was me..fine...(it'd suck, don't get me wrong)... but my son..I just can't stand the thought of puttin ghim in danger.

Ok...how do I go about finding out if the house is safe or not?

hire an inspector!

I doubt that a house in this neighborhood has been damaged by any flooding. But it depends on how old the house is.

If you are going to have to spend your own money to do repairs when there lots of repairs to do, then free might end up being more expensive than rentng elsewhere.

crappy soil in Texas..amal you are never going to get your Texas merit badge with this kind of language!

Maliki is found predominately in Africa with the exception of Egypt, but also in some of the Gulf states on the Arab penisula.

Hanafi is found in Egypt, and most Muslim countries in Asia (Turkey, China, Indo-Pak Sub Continent etc)

Shafi'i is more often in far east like Indonesia, Malaysia but also in east Africa, Egypt and some parts of India

Hanbali is most concentrated in the Arabian penisula

Even within the regions where one school dominates, there are minority schools of fiqh too. These four are considered the four main school of law.

Terrie - what's a poker run?

Bridget, a poker run is this- 8 different bars are involved and u go from bar to bar and get your card stamped and then at the main bar (tomorrow) you get to chose your cards to see who plays the best poker hand. And who ever does wins 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Money. All the bars pay to particpate and so do the people who play. And what ever is left over from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd goes to a chairty of the main bars choice. This year its the Racine food pantry. And they have donated upwards to over $1000. in any one given year. Its alot of fun. And they do this in the course of a week so you don't have to do it all at once, but of course i waited til the last min. And i figured its best to do it while Kamal is at work!!

I guess I should get out more. I've never heard of this either!