tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post937925069941352785..comments2024-03-28T03:20:17.335-04:00Comments on Ibnat al-Hidayah: Daughter of Guidance: IntroductionAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15177578450022894894noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-31450550656887914232007-12-21T12:59:00.000-05:002007-12-21T12:59:00.000-05:00Wa alaikum as-salaam Br Accord - Jazakallah khair ...Wa alaikum as-salaam Br Accord - <BR/><BR/>Jazakallah khair for your comment. I've been learning a little about Saudi Arabia from some people I know who live there. And I've known for a long time that it wasn't the perfect land of Islam that some people see it as. In fact, as a woman, I think I am extra sensitive to some of the problems. <BR/><BR/>And I still think it's a great opportunity. <BR/><BR/>I know that I am going to face fitnah anywhere I go, there is no perfect spot. And many people think the United States is a pretty easy place to be a Muslim but it's getting harder here, and brings a guilty conscience regarding the empire's foreign policy, and real shame regarding the implementation of the justice system... or lack of implementation of justice, I could say.<BR/><BR/>So I appreciate your concerns... I do take them seriously.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15177578450022894894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-5357409629135360672007-12-17T15:26:00.000-05:002007-12-17T15:26:00.000-05:00Dear Amy,Salam Alaykum.I believe that Allah guided...Dear Amy,<BR/>Salam Alaykum.<BR/><BR/>I believe that Allah guided you to his mercy by opening your heart to the light of islam. But I'm troubled by one thing. You mentioned that you're coming to visit Saudi Arabia. Well, I'm asking you this as a Saudi brother. <BR/><BR/>Please, please, please, don't come with high expectations. Because I believe that then you'll be disappointed. Saudi Arabia now is much more like any other country in the world in relation to the global franchise brands all over the place and a lot of fancy cars in the streets. But, in relation to islam, you're gonna see very little of moderate islam (pure islam). Here (in Saudi Arabia), our islam was shadwoed by centuries of tribal traditions, extreme intrepretations of islam and a long history of bad attitude toward the non-arabs.<BR/><BR/>I don't care if you hated Saudi Arabia, although it would make me sad. But please, don't hate islam because of it. Believe me, what you're gonna see is not the great ISLAM we should believe in.<BR/><BR/>Regards,Ali Al Hamadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00022788816646110297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-8134270095970649362007-12-17T07:07:00.000-05:002007-12-17T07:07:00.000-05:00"From home-made ice cream and sweet tea back porch..."From home-made ice cream and sweet tea back porch cook-outs. From pickled steaks and fresh tomatoes, lazy afternoons and muddy-bottomed swimming holes."<BR/><BR/>You're making me homesick. And I'm from California for crying out loud.<BR/><BR/>Wow... you sure brought up some old feelings I thought I'd buried. Tread carefully.<BR/><BR/>Let's sit on a porch together someday inshaa-Allaah.Ibn Abd-el-Shafyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11508430991019316152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-41611214383918216102007-12-15T01:48:00.000-05:002007-12-15T01:48:00.000-05:00AA- Amy,Forget Arabizing your name, why not Urdu-i...AA- Amy,<BR/><BR/>Forget Arabizing your name, why not Urdu-ize it?! Ammi in urdu means mother (Ummi in Arabic means the same, but that's too much a stretch from Amy).<BR/><BR/>So, what you say Ammi? :-)Naeem:https://www.blogger.com/profile/15397380149160556040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-31111923472430509882007-12-14T16:45:00.000-05:002007-12-14T16:45:00.000-05:00Wa alaikum as-salaam Indigo JoLike I said above, i...Wa alaikum as-salaam Indigo Jo<BR/><BR/>Like I said above, it didn't mean to insult people who change their names. If my name were Joseph I might even change it to be Yusuf but to go from Amy to Habiba... eh... no. You're right that's there's not really anything wrong with it so why change it? Exactly. Thanks for commenting!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15177578450022894894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-28653513533602749562007-12-14T16:43:00.000-05:002007-12-14T16:43:00.000-05:00Wa alaikum as-salaam Al Ajnabiya (aka Carol!)I rea...Wa alaikum as-salaam Al Ajnabiya (aka Carol!)<BR/><BR/>I realize now that my post might have seemed slightly offensive to those who chose to change their names, and that wasn't my intent. <BR/><BR/>But my name is quite simply alright as it is. Like you, I thought my name was boring growing up, and wanted something more exotic. (It's also too short to make a decent userID!) But among Muslims, and as I am planning to move too, my name will be more of a rarity!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15177578450022894894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-48743890979145896022007-12-14T16:23:00.000-05:002007-12-14T16:23:00.000-05:00As-Salaamu 'alaikum,As for myself, I simply Arabis...As-Salaamu 'alaikum,<BR/><BR/>As for myself, I simply Arabised my old middle name (Joseph/Yusuf) but I still call myself Matthew when not among Muslims. My blog intro page gives both names.<BR/><BR/>As far as I know there's nothing wrong with the name Amy; it is an Anglicisation of the French name Aimée which means Beloved or, in Arabic, Habiba.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631069.post-31306383078464514702007-12-14T00:08:00.000-05:002007-12-14T00:08:00.000-05:00Assalaamu 'alaikum,I can understand why some conve...Assalaamu 'alaikum,<BR/><BR/>I can understand why some converts choose to change their names, but I made the same choice as you did. My name is Carol, and growing up I thought that it was such a boring, ordinary name. I wanted something more exotic. But when I became Muslim, I decided to keep it. It seemed like an unnecessary slight to my parents. They already felt hurt that I had rejected their way of life, their food, their way of dress, and their holidays. So if there was no Islamic reason why I should change the name they so carefully chose for me when I was born, why should I? The Prophet (SAWS) only told people to change their names if they had something un-Islamic about them. InshaAllah, I hope someday there will be more Muslimahs named Carol and Amy. I have already met a couple Carols and I think one other Amy. And the funny thing is that, now that I live in the middle east, I now have the cool exotic name I always wanted!alajnabiyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11151422748406582102noreply@blogger.com