عيد مبارك

رمضان كريم

Courtesy of Copyright Holder Sam Mugraby Photos8.com

Islamic Finance - What Does That Term Mean? "Whither Islamic Finance?"

Islamic Finance - a topic much debated these days.

What does it mean?

Is is a real alternative to conventional finance?  Or just an Abu Yusuf trick?

Here's a link to a post by practicing Islamic banker from the GCC with his take on this topic.  "Whither Islamic Finance?"

Well worth a read.

UAE Credit Cards Among World's Costliest

As reported in The National:

A survey of more than 170 cards offered by 40 banks operating in the UAE shows the average annual interest rate is 33.9 per cent, more than double the average rate in the US and almost twice the average rate available in the UK.

Two percent over the average rate last year.  Apparently, First Gulf Bank, Mashreqbank, and DubaiFirst offer platinum cards with APRs of 40%.  Wonder what they offer their less preferred customers?

But I guess somebody's got to pay for the Dubai World provisions not to mention AlGosaibi, Saad and perhaps Dubai Holdings.

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

 صدق الله العظيم

A Barbarous Law is Not a Just Law

There is a lot of talk but relatively little action by so-called "Muslims" and "Islamic" countries to uphold Islam.

Legally circumcised?  A five year old child?

What sort of an animal would do this to anyone?  What sort of father would do this to his daughter?

What sort of doctor would perform such a mutilation?

What hospital would allow such barbarity within its walls?

What sort of judge or judicial system would look upon this with other than horror?

This sort of thing goes on in the lowest forms of civilization - brutal unthinking unenlightened backward tribes where the jahiliyya still reigns.

And the upshot is that the wife is going to be prosecuted for calling this كلب  out?

Hissa Hilal - New Book of Poetry on Divorce and Women's Rights

According to The National Ms. Hilal's new book. Divorce and Kholu’ Poetry: A Reading of the Status of Women in Tribal Society, Nabati Poetry as a Witness, is stirring up a controversy over whether women had more rights in the 1950's than now.

“Ms Hilal wants to show that women have always had the right to voice their opinions about who they wanted to marry,” he said. “It is an important book for the new generation to read.”

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the central thesis in her book, the important point is to get people thinking about the rights of women.

And perhaps then they'll remember women like  نسيبة بنت كعب  Nusaybah Bint Ka'ab and ask what might have happened if at Uhud she decided that "mixing" with men folk was haram.  

Kuwait Introduces Minimum Private Sector Wage

The princely sum of KD60 per month.

Initially one might think that this was just yet another of those problems arising from poor translation.  In translating the concept of a "minimum wage" someone used the wrong Arabic words.  There was confusion over the meaning of minimum between (a) the smallest amount one can get away with paying and (b) the lowest amount that allows a person to live without undue hardship or want and with a small portion of dignity.

Of course, we know that mistranslation is not the cause.  The cause is nothing  more than stark rapacious greed.  The sort of vice that a very noble religion counsels against.

The remarkable thing is that this happened in a country where the majority of members of the Majlis AlUmma are self-styled religious people.   They're constantly on guard to protect Muslims from the manifest dangers of music lessons, girl's soccer, hijab-less members of the parliament. 

In any case, let's turn to some sound authorities on that particular religion as opposed to the delusions of these منافقين.

First, Hadith Qudsi #21

Second, Surah al Baqara Ayat 8.

صدق الله العظيم

The need for the  دعوة  in Kuwait is abundantly manifest and clearly urgent.  With devotion and hard work (lots of hard work) reversion might be successful. 

Million's Poet Final: Hissa Hilal in Third Place

Tonight marked the final competition in the Million's Poet 2010 contest.  

Nasser AlAjami of Kuwait is the Million's Poet for 2010 with 67 points (out of 100).

Falah Al Mowraqi of Kuwait second with 63 points.

Hissa Hilal third with 62.

Or one can look at it another way, Hissa came ahead of 44 other poets.

Either way you look at it is a remarkable achievement.

She was born to a bedouin family.  Discouraged from pursuing poetry by her parents.  Raised in a society that has confused tribal taqlid from the Jahiliyya with a noble religion.  A society in which a 43 year old mother of two  needs her husband or her brother's permission to get a passport.  And their permission and presence to travel.

Yet she persevered.

And came in third in a field traditionally dominated by men.

But beyond the prize the more important thing is really the message.  The content.  Not the banner that one is given.  And she acquitted herself quite nicely.

I also found her quite an appealing sort of person.  

In the early episodes of the contest she was quite clearly nervous.  Having been kept down for so long, it must have been daunting to go out in front of such a large audience, including members of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, noted poets among the judges as well as tens of millions of TV viewers.  

There are also a couple of interviews with her on You Tube and she seems a down to earth sort of person.  Direct in her response to questions.  And displaying a flinty spine of steel on some issues.

Hissa Hilal - Poem on Fatwas and Intolerance

شفت شر يتوايق من عيون الفتاوي ... في زمانٍ حلاله ملقحينه حرام ..
عن وجوه الحقايق لارفعت الغطاوي  ..  بان مسخٍ تخفى تحت ستر اللثام ..
وحشي الفكر ساخط بربريٍ عماوي ..لابس الموت لبس وشد فوقه حزام ..
في حزوم السياسة يرعب الناس عاوي ... يفترس كل نفسٍ طامحة للسلام..
لاذ صوت الحقيقة وانزوى الحق ثاوي ... يوم عند المصالح ذل حر الكلام ..
أمتي لاغديتي بين عاوي وهاوي ... كن عيني تشوفك في شعيب الظلام ..
لا تشبين نار ولا حميتي جلاوي ... ملبدة ما رفعتي بالمواجيب هام ..
بين قومٍ مخيفه مابها حي ياوي ... ما بها إلا ضواري قضمها بالعظام ..
أنتي القصعه اللي تشبعين المقاوي ... كل جارح وضاري فيك يلقى طعام ..
يوم طاوي محبك بالهفا كل طاوي ... فيك ألذ الولايم لـ المنافق تقام ..
هاب راع البعير وذل ولد الشواوي ... جالبك كل جالب يوم سايمك سام ..
آه يا طول ضيمك يا جزور الشفاوي ... يوم الأسحم يقودك لأبرقٍ بالخطام ..
بالجراب المصرصر غاية لكل حاوي ... حيث رقط النوايا لاويه بالهمام ..
نزلوا سهمك اللي ياكلون الرشاوي ... وسط سوق السياسة لين عود حطام ..
كم محبٍ ومخلص لو يزج النخاوي .. عند عينك تغطرس قل شوفك وشام ..
يجي يومٍ يبين فيه صدق الهواوي .. لا بجد كل خاين في نهار الزحام ..

All posts on Hissa now have the label "Hissa Hilal".     

Hissa Hilal Speaks - A Powerful Voice

More on her life story.   Here.

Sometimes the human spirit triumphs over oppression.   Often it does not.

How many bright minds and great talents have been stifled by the Jahiliyya posing as Islam?

All posts on Hissa now have the label "Hissa Hilal". 

More Coverage of Hissa Hilal

This from The National Abu Dhabi.

Sort of breaks the Western stereotype about Muslim women.

I particularly like this quote.

Covering my face is not because I am afraid of people. We live in a tribal society and otherwise my husband, my brother will be criticised by other men,” she said.

“I know they love me and they support me. It’s a big sacrifice for them in such a society to let me go to the TV and talk to the media. I am hoping my daughters won’t have to cover their faces and they’ll live a better life.”

Sister Hissa nailed it.

The niqab is tribal taqlid from the Jahiliyya.

All posts on Hissa now have the label "Hissa Hilal". 

Hissa Hilal: Her Brave Face Obscured But Her Honest Voice Heard

Copyright The National Abu Dbabi

Here's the article from The National with a translation of her poem.  So far I have been unable to find a copy of the Arabic or another English translation.

Her brave face may obscured by the survival of taqlid min al Jahiliyya,  but her honest voice has not been silenced.

Good luck in the finals.  

All posts on Hissa now have the label "Hissa Hilal".  

عيد المولد النبوي الشريف

Saudi Supreme Court Stands Up for Treatment of Women According to the Shari'ah

Copyright The National Newspaper Abu Dhabi

Once again the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' intervention rights a wrong. 

As a result, Saudi Supreme Court takes a firm stand overturning taqlid from the Jahiliyya.

Dishonest Taxi Drivers

In reading this story, I am reminded of the story of the Prophet Shu'aib who God sent to the People of Maydan.  I don't see any exemption for taxi drivers from the strictures of the below ayya  (7:85) as I have pointed out on more than one occasion to a rapacious taxi driver in one of the GCC states.   

BD151 for a short ride is really beyond the pale.   Looks like Discover Islam may just have discovered some constituencies in need of the دعوة‎ , though they shouldn't forget the manifest need for some preaching in the court system as Ms. Zaid recently noted.

باسم الله الرحمـٰن الرحيم

صدّق الله العظيم

Hawa Taxi - Think Pink For Safety and Then Think Again Why This is Necessary

A saddening revelation that in a "Muslim" country women have to be afraid to go out of their homes and ride in taxis. 

Perhaps, we can take up a collection to bring the دعوة‎ to Kuwait.

Lysistrata Updated for the Arab World: Coffee

Inadvertently it seems the The National in Abu Dhabi has shown Arab women a way to break the jahilliya inspired oppression of women in Arab society.

“We ran out of coffee!” I heard a male voice in distress telling the hostess as she opened the door just a tiny crack to see who it was.

Distress indeed!

Imagine if there were a coffee sitdown.  The male world as we know it could well come to an end.   That's why AA always makes his own cup or two or maybe more of Turkish coffee.  Anyways, Umm Arqala decries the use of sugar (and AA is a fairly dynamic supporter of that industry). 

Interesting as well was the testimony of the two religious shaykhs.  It would seem sadly that there has been some bid'a since the time of the Prophet with respect to the proper treatment of women.  

Allah

This news item doesn't need much comment.

It's not a proper name.

The label "Manifest Absurdity" says it all.

Islam Guarantees Women Their Dignity

Saleh is of course correct.

Sadly, the courts in many "Muslim" countries do not.

"What we read in the Quran is not what we see in practice," said Ms Zaid.

باسم الله الرحمـٰن الرحيم

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

 صدّق الله العظيم

Story here.  Sad story.

(Translation: "Among the people are those who say "We believe in God and the Last Day" but they are not believers".   Sura AlBaqara Aya 8.  SAA)