My Egyptian poem reflecting my fear about the situation there

 انا الست مصرية
من يومين بعد صلاة العصر
ابني الصغير زعق
وقال ايه مش عايز ابوه فالبيت
والوسطاني عام على عومه
قال لك شرحه
قلت استنوا رايحين فين
رد حسنين
حنمشيه ونجيب سيد سيده
هو يعني فاكرنا عبيده
ناديت لهم حسين
قلت الحقني ده المصيبة بقت اتنين
رد الكبير وقال
عايزة ليه بامرة ايه
ده معرس ومالوش امان
ده عميل للامريكان
لطمت على وشي
وزعقت لحسين
عيب ماتقولش كده على ابوك
من غيره على بطنك حيضربوك
نزلوا وسابوني
وجت حسنية تهدي في
قالت لي ماشاء الله
عيالك كبروا وبقوا رجاله
قلت لها لا وحياتك لسه برياله
ردت وقالت
ياست مصرية ماتبقيش مفترية
ظلمك كتير خليه يغور
رديت عليها
خليك في حالك واطفي عالخبر ماجور
زمان قالوا لنا
اهو اللي تعرفوا احسن ماللي متعرفوش
وهو ضل راجل ولا ضل حيطه
وعيالي نزلوا وعملوا زيطة

سمراء

What are Egyptians thinking?

A Face Book's riot, click if you like and share if you agree. Arab presidents are typically assassinated not voted off. The Tunisian's revolt inspired hope in the power of the people.  

This emotional uprising will not give people dignity. If you listen to interviews with Egyptians activists, you will hear emotional demands and no real plans. MB ( Muslim Brotherhood) are claiming no participation but how long before MB reaches for power.

There is a chance of civil war between Christians and Muslims. Thousands might get killed. There is always a chance of replacing a rich tyrant by a hungry one. A lot of possibilities but I can’t think of any good ones. The riots of Egyptians are worrying me.  My fear is the power vacuum created  in Egypt will make it fall into the hands of Islamists.  

Samara

An example of how Jihadists manipulate verses

I want to share one example of a verse used by jihadist. The funny thing is they use the first half and ignore to mention the second half.

Read Surah 9 verse111: “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for that they will have paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and get killed.” Here is the first half used by jihadist to recruit for Jihad. This first half is repeated in almost all extremist’s rhetoric.

Second half of the same verse which is never mentioned: “It is a true promise upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.”

Of course Jihadists have to ignore this second part of the same verse because it confirms that the Jihad deal ( fight for God get paradise) is shared between Jews, Christians and Muslims with God in his three holy books.

How can they get away with that subjective omission? One word: Illiteracy and of course those who know are not willing to oppose Islamists.

Samara

In defense of Adnan Al Rifai

I started to read a good book called  محطّات
 في سبيل الحكمة
(Stations in the way to wisdom ) by a Syrian writer Adnan Al rifai/الرفاعي عدنان
Adnan advocates that we have to distinguish between Mohammad the messenger of God and Mohammad the human. I believe that sorting out what is the life of our prophet and what are unverified stories about Mohammad is step one toward cleaning up our intellectual inheritance.

 I have to admit that I do not have time to watch television. However during Ramadan, I had enjoyed watching a program called the Great Miracle with Adnan as a guest. However I was not aware that the program had received since Ramadan a lot of accusations. It is very sad to read the amount of negative comments associated with Adnan's name. A lot of these arguments is ridiculous. For instance, he is criticized for being an engineer. As if doing Islamic research is a privilege for imams only. Every time God addresses the issue of analysis, the word used in Koran is“Those who have brains”.
There is hope to update Islam as long as we do not oppress those who are willing to do the research and speak up about the mistakes which are centuries old.
Samara

An important question for my readers

Do you consider my writings liberal Muslim speaks or moderate Muslim speaks?
I am posing this question because I heard a comment over dinner from an old friend
, well I should probably say a business associate. To me he is an old friend and I really respect his opinion. After all he was smart enough to avoid my sexual wiles when I was on the prowl (Back in the day).
His comment: “Even from the topics you discuss liberal Muslim is more appropriate as a title” If you know me, you will know that I never respond seriously. I always joke first. I said that moderate Muslim gets more hits on the blog. While this might be partially true given the stats of this blog which only surprises me everyday. His comment is making me think. I personally believe that I am “ juste au milieu” but I could be wrong.

Could it be that because all what we hear in the western world coming from the Muslim's world is extremist’s rhetoric that any other views should be considered liberal?
It is very plausible that to espouse different opinions is in fact considered liberal.
I welcome the insights of my readers. What do you think after reading my blog?
Are my opinions liberal or moderate?

Samara

Muslims have to acknowledge the right for Israel to exist.

Today,I had a long day and I am very tired. a Muslim simply said to me that the country of Israel is a political lie.My answer was Egyptian are very proud that the word Egypt/ Misr is repeated in Koran 8 times. The word people of Israel/ Beni Israel is repeated 40 times.
When will Muslims stop the unjustifiable hatered?
Samara

I received a smart comment on the gay post

Thank you for posting a comment on my blog.  I am used to receiving profanity only. It is refreshing to see a smart comment so I have to post it for other readers to see.Here it is :
"1-God knows, but not necessarily prevents detrimental acts to humanity,Because God gives us the choice between right and wrong.God puts this prohibition"No marriage between man and man or woman and woman".

Marriage relationship aimed at the reconstruction of the universe ,Marriage is the way to do have children.it means a man and a woman children .
2-Correct understanding of the Arabic language says: male and female together in a woman's uterus.
In other words, a combination between the two types in the uterus that known as the twins.
"Yozawijhom"=gather two or more: its means makes numbers in both type."

My response:
Now I understand that marriage is the way to have children. How about when earth is overpopulated?
Gay relationships can't be detrimental to humanity if earth is overpopulated, right?
As for the Arabic part, I agree that" Yozawijhom" means add a pair but how do you explain the use of the dual form for the word male and the dual form of the word female?
If we consider that gay relationships are trangressions to God's limits. We have to remember that our merciful God said that other than worshping another god, he forgives all transgressions.

Again, thank you for commenting on my blog
Samara

Does Koran condone gay marriage?

I received a question regarding a post about gays in my blog. The question asked if I believe personally that there is at least one verse of Koran which gives allowance to gay relationships. My answer is it depends on the interpretation. In my opinion, verse 50 of Surah 42 gives allowance for gay marriage. I invite you to read it with me.

Read verse 50 of Surah 42: “Or he makes both males and both females marry and he renders who He wills barren. Indeed Allah is knowing and competent.”
Verse 50 has been traditionally explained as a continuation of verse 49.
Verse 49 says: “To Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens and the earth; He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female children, and He gives to whom He wills males.”
The traditional interpretation is that God gives whoever He chooses females, or boys v49 then the interpretation of verse 50 is a simple extension saying  or both females and males children (V. 50)
However the verb used in verse 50 is to Marry/ not to give children. The interpretation translates it as ( gives them a pair )which is plausible. I am not saying I am right and they are wrong. I am saying that the possibility exists and we need to explore it.
Further proof of my argument is the fact that the words used for males and females are in the dual form. If God meant to say gives female and male children why did not God use plural instead of dual form. Additionally, the word “children” is not used.
يزوجهم ذكرانا وإناثا
I had a discussion once with a sheik who did not deny that it said marry both males, or both females. Then he added that it refers to simple forms of animals and he used the verse to say that Koran had correct scientific knowledge even before science gives us proof of it.

My personal belief is verse 50 says that God chooses two males or two females to marry and makes whoever he chooses barren (Even if it is couple male and female).
 I do not see a contradiction with the verse condemning People of Lot because maybe people of Lot where liberal gays in bath houses not gay couples. Until others are willing to discuss difficult issues in Koran, the common traditional interpretation is that God does not allow it.

Thank you for the question and keep the questions coming.
Samara

Will the new Hypocrite Muslims receive the same punishment?

I went on a blind date with an American Muslim yesterday.  My American friends who set the date told me that he is known to be moderate and even published an article about 9/11 expressing his sorrow.
We started to talk about Islam in America in general. Then he casually tells me that he was not really sad about 9/11. I asked him how in disbelief and he answered: " Jews died." That was the end of the date.

The culture of duplicity is nothing new. Our prophet Mohammad suffered from people who professed Islam to his face and denounced it among themselves. Koran called them the Hypocrites. The Muslims who pretend to support Westerners while they are secretly supporting Jihadists are the new Hypocrites.

I need to remind the new Hypocrites that God puts the Hypocrites next to non-believers in punishment. Surah 33, verse 73: “Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the non-believers men and women and Allah may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allah forgiving and Merciful.”

I support Westerners Christians and Jews but my support is based on my convictions. It is NOT an act that I put on.  Meeting these new Hypocrites always leaves me with a heavy heart. The interpretation of Koran which promotes the dream of Umah/ an Islamic nation and encourage Jihad is to be blamed.
Samara

My reply to the article Sharia and day to day existence

The article was posted at the Huffington post by Sherman Jackson and I can't put it here without copyrights issue. However, here is my comment. You can find the article easily at the Huffington post.

“I see that Sherman Jackson mastered the art of treading lightly over murky and dangerous water. The preamble of the Constituti­on starts with “We the People”. It does not start with God has ordained. I do not like when people try to twist facts to show that we can all play in the same sandbox. No matter how noble your intentions are, you disrespect our intelligen­ce.I do not appreciate Jackson’s efforts to portray Sharia as based on secular concepts and not based on Koran and the life of our prophet. It is my personal belief as a moderate Muslim that Muslims need to update Sharia for Muslims countries to join the 21 century.

When an American Muslim takes the oath of Allegiance­, He or she is given the rights and responsibi­lities by the Constituti­on provided to all Americans. I took this oath and if I had any problem abiding by the Constituti­on, I would not have. If any American Muslims had a problem following the Constituti­on then they lied under oath.

Since I took the oath, I have enjoyed the rights to express myself and worship as I wish. These first two rights provided by the Constituti­on, are not allowed by Sharia.
Now just for fun let’s have one example from Sharia: non-Muslim­s in Muslim countries have an obligation of paying ( Jizyah) consider it taxes for the privilege of living there. If Americans adopt a similar concept would American Muslims agree to pay additional taxes?”

My reply to Kodimipral at the Huffington post

Before you start singing the praises of Sharia by presenting half facts, please consider that these laws have caused gender inequality for years.

Please allow me to add more facts to your statement: “The fact is that in Islamic law as a whole, women are much more favoured financiall­y than their male counterpar­ts” Then readers can decide for themselves.

Under Sharia laws:

1-      A woman is not allowed to leave her house (even to visit her sick mother) without her husband’s permission.

2-      A woman is not allowed to work to support herself unless her husband grants his approval.

3-      On marriage the woman gets a Mahr ( money/ gift) in exchange of signing away her rights to be individual because she becomes a property under the tutelage of her husband.

4-      A man is allowed to hit his wife.

5-      A man is also allowed to punish his wife by withholding sex.

6-      A man has the right to divorce his wife by simply saying;
“You are divorced”

7-      A man has the right to have multiple wives as long as he can provide for them.

8-      A man has the right not to acknowledge children born out of wedlock and has the right never to support these children.

9-      At the divorce instead of paying alimony, the man is required to pay the maintenance fee  for  only 3 months during the months of (iddat)

I could go on but I do not want to bother readers by all the facts that caused injustices to women under the name of Sharia

A huffington post blogger advocating Sharia/ Kodimipral

"The US courts would not consider the needs of the offspring if Ali did not leave a will. The entire wealth would go to his second wife. Check on this. It is an unfair law.
The answer to your second question is given below: Not all sharia laws apply to non-Muslim­s.
Good morning readers
 I am sharing a post that irritated me by Kodimipral on Huffington post . Read it then read my response to him in my following post.Samara


The male has the duty to support his family while the female is exempted from any sort of financial responsibi­lity and can spend it all on herself without the need to share.

The fact is that in Islamic law as a whole, women are much more favoured financiall­y than their male counterpar­ts for the following reasons:

1. Before marriage any gift given to women is her own and her husband has no legal right to claim on it even after marriage.

2. On marriage she is entitled to receive a marriage gift (Mahr) and this is her own property.

3. Even if the wife is rich, she is not required to spend a single penny for household; the full responsibi­lity for her food, clothing, housing, medication­s and recreation etc. are her husband's.

4. Any income the wife earns through investment or working is entirely her own.

5. In case of divorce, if any deferred part of the Mahr is left unpaid, it becomes due immediatel­y.

6 . The divorcee woman is entitled to get maintenanc­e from husband during her waiting period (iddat)."

My name is Samara Alexander and here is how to contact me

First: Happy New Year to my readers! I am back to writing my blog.  I had a comment from a reader about how hard it was to leave a comment. The reader explained that he had to create an account in order to leave a comment. I thought it was really funny since his comment was about his anger and how hard it was to leave a comment. yet at the end he did not really leave a comment about the blog. I deleted the no comment/ comment.

I want to make it easy for my readers to contact me. I understand that some readers might have questions for me. My name is Samara Alexander if you have any question, you can send it to me on Face Book.  My account has the cover of my book "When the veil drops" as a picture.Or if you have a Twitter account and would like to leave me a direct message there my account name is Samara2010.

Second: I am not affiliated with any institution. I am Not paid to write my blog by the Jews (As some of the readers claimed before). Please feel free to leave me questions at my Facebook or Twitter account.

Samara