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Originally posted by lee jones:
Assalamu alaikum,
who amongst us are serious muslims on this forum who live in Egypt? I would love to get in contact to find out more about Egypt from this perspective. (By "serious" I mean those who uphold the five pillars and for whom Allah and rememberance of Allah is central to their existence.) Thanks. Wassalamu alaikum.

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The five pillars of Islam is the foundation...Islam is a way of life...and there is much more too Islam then only the 5 pillars.What is your perception of a "white hearted" Muslim?Serious Muslim?...we all try to be the best of Muslims we can be but not one of us is perfect...only the angels are. So i hope you find a perfect Muslim because even a learned man would tell you there are no such thing as a perfect Muslim...we just all strive to be better.Im not in Egypt but i have knowledge and i am Muslim...thats if I meet your criteria.

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Originally posted by smile:
salam alikum :
i'm an egyptian muslimah and i live in Egypt .i agree with Natashiah. that you can't find perfect muslims easly but we are trying to be better muslims ,anyway if you need any help or friends here in Egyptjust ask me and i'll trto help in shaa Allah

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I don't think she once asked for a "perfect muslim", she simply asked for the "serious muslims" to speak up and let her know they are here. I think she did a good job of defining what she meant by "serious". I think it was fairly clear she was hoping to understand who on the board is a PRACTICING MUSLIM, not just one that is Muslim by birth alone.

to put isalm always in the first Priority, to be Jealous for our religion. thats what we r all try'n to.

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Originally posted by Debbie:
I don't think she once asked for a "perfect muslim", she simply asked for the "serious muslims" to speak up and let her know they are here. I think she did a good job of defining what she meant by "serious". I think it was fairly clear she was hoping to understand who on the board is a PRACTICING MUSLIM, not just one that is Muslim by birth alone.

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She wants to know about Egypt from an Islamic point of view...right?...Meaning what?...How the Muslims took over from the pharoahs?.....What impact Islam has had on Egypt as a country?...The customs and traditions versus religion?...What?...Or does she want to know about the religion itself?...Is she a muslim or does she want to convert or does she only want more insight into the religion?...But I guess we will have to wait and see what she really wants to know.Once again Islam is a way of life...practicing Muslim...is not only a person who upholds the 5 pillars...what about the rest of day,year,life.Practicing Muslim equals someone who believes and trust love and fear Allah and lives their lives accordingly...again Islam is a way of life...how you live...the quraan is a guide for you to live by...Practicing muslim is not only what you see from the outside....its whats on the inside and that is more important.By the way....we are all born Muslim...including you!

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By the way....we are all born Muslim...including you!

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Originally posted by smile:
salam alikum :
i'm an egyptian muslimah and i live in Egypt .i agree with Natashiah. that you can't find perfect muslims easly but we are trying to be better muslims ,anyway if you need any help or friends here in Egyptjust ask me and i'll trto help in shaa Allah

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Originally posted by BahYBasha:
i agree with the above two posts!
Islam is really a way of life not just a relgion.
we all try our best to be good muslims.
any help needed? just post here and enshallah we will help u.

salamo alkom bro/sis

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Originally posted by Dirk:
[QUOTE]By the way....we are all born Muslim...including you!

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Thx[/QUOTE]

I agree that some advice is best sought from Muslimahs, but this board doesn't have a separate place for Muslim women who share the same perspective on Islam, and to be honest I haven't found one for single English speaking females. I know of one for Muslimah's married to Egyptians and another for women married to Egyptians, but not one for single Muslim women as far as I know. There is one for women interested in Egypt, but that is a non-religious forum, although they do have some advice relevant to Muslimahs.

Any advice given on this board will reflect a wide range of views from Muslims who have different perspectives on the religion and life here in Egypt, and will also reflect the reality of living here in Egypt. For example, the gossip you mentioned earlier that is a proscibed behaviour in Islam, is a fact of life and happens amongst Muslims (even the serious ones) and amongst non-Muslims. Advise you might be given here, or anywhere else about living here in Egypt will include things that don't seem to be Islamic, and it should include that too as that is the reality of life here.

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Originally posted by lee jones:
Assalamu alaikum. Jazak Allahu khairan for taking the time to respond. I thought what I said was clear, but computers are funny like that...they often give me a tone of voice I don't have!!

I am still getting to know how to effectively use this board, and remembering who is who on it. I am female and I am serious muslim. (No, of course not perfect! Only Allah is perfect.) No offence intended to non-muslims, but I want to learn as much as I can about Egypt before I go there, and I don't see much point learning about it from a non-muslim perspective. I hope it is clear what I mean by this. I can explain more if you like.
For instance..once when I said I am a sole parent, wanting to visit Egypt, someone on the forum said I was not behaving like a muslim to even imagine living alone, and "can't you hear the gossip".. Well, in my view gossip is one of the most unislamic things, so I was just wondering where the serious muslims were, to get there perspective on being in Egypt. ie, what it's like for them, esp. with reference to the deen. As Debbie said, I did indeed mean practicing muslim, rather than non-practicing. If I was Christian, I would be asking for the Christian's perspective. If I was a night-clubber......etc, etc, etc. Thanks for listening. Wa as salam.

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If you want to know about Egypt then you have to remember that it is not an exclusively Muslim society nor is it an exclusive Egyptian society. Unlike many Arab/Middle Eastern/African countries it is a polygot and you should seek a polygot view if you are living here.

to me that is part of it's charms

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Originally posted by cairoexpat:
There are no serious/good Muslims on this web site let alone in Egypt.

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I think some muslims took it as an insult...dont get me wrong...but to ask for "serious muslims" is like a slap in the face.As if they are not muslim enough or their imaan in weak or something.Maybe you should have used another phrase.Egyptians are very sensitive people and sometimes take things a little harder then it was meant to be especially when it comes to their religion.

Im sorry but how can you say "rememberence of Allah central to their existance"...all Muslims believe in Allah ...and you dont have to be a good person to believe that.Do you understand what Im saying?All of us believe in Allah...we try to be good Muslims but we are not perfect....because that is what they understand when you asked about serious muslims.Maybe you should have asked for a moulana or emam...or something.If you want to know something...ask and I am sure they will answer truthfully from a muslim point of view...dont look at the person who gives you the advice ...listen to what he is saying!

There are actually a number of us Muslimahs here who are trying to help you (and only Allah knows if we are good ones or not, but I guess most of us are trying to do the best we can), but I am afraid that your question is too broad, it’s like asking what is life like for a Muslim woman in Australia or any other country, it all depends where she lives, if she lives alone, if she works, what her income/social status is, does she have children, how old she is, what her interests are, etc. etc. There isn’t one standard answer. We have already discussed several aspects of life here in Egypt with you and we tried to offer some advice to help you then, but if you could help us a little and let us know more specifically what it is you want to know about now, we might be able to help you.

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Originally posted by lee jones:
Assalamu alaikum,
who amongst us are serious muslims on this forum who live in Egypt? I would love to get in contact to find out more about Egypt from this perspective. (By "serious" I mean those who uphold the five pillars and for whom Allah and rememberance of Allah is central to their existence.) Thanks. Wassalamu alaikum.

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To write that there are serious Muslims in Egypt would be an understatement.
Their faith in Allah (swt) is great and central to their every deed. Their actions and thoughts are guided by their belief. They harm no one and wish the world well. They are often referred to as Fundamentalists or Fanatics.
My brother is one, he wears Galabya and a pair of pants under it to make absolutely sure that his privates are completely covered. He does not shake hands with women who are not Haram to him. He would wake me up at dawn so that I would not miss the prayer. Though himself unmarried always wishes I was married and reminds me that marriage is an intrical part of being a Muslim. Never raises his voice and before he gets angry he retreats to a room and reads Quran and/or Hadith. Everything in his schedule revolves around the Prayers Time Table, he know where every mosque is on his way driving to a meeting or to shop.
Never...Ever considers himself before the family.
Respected by most people who know him. Pitied by my non-immediate family for he was many times national Champion in sports, speaks three languages, has a Masters degree, studied abroad and more recent in Azhar yet he does not own a fast car and villa in Richville .He is modest and above all content, his mid is clear.
He does know wrong from right and he does not care for flashing lights.

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Originally posted by elmagnoon:

To write that there are serious Muslims in Egypt would be an understatement.
Their faith in Allah (swt) is great and central to their every deed. Their actions and thoughts are guided by their belief. They harm no one and wish the world well. They are often referred to as Fundamentalists or Fanatics.
My brother is one, he wears Galabya and a pair of pants under it to make absolutely sure that his privates are completely covered. He does not shake hands with women who are not Haram to him. He would wake me up at dawn so that I would not miss the prayer. Though himself unmarried always wishes I was married and reminds me that marriage is an intrical part of being a Muslim. Never raises his voice and before he gets angry he retreats to a room and reads Quran and/or Hadith. Everything in his schedule revolves around the Prayers Time Table, he know where every mosque is on his way driving to a meeting or to shop.
Never...Ever considers himself before the family.
Respected by most people who know him. Pitied by my non-immediate family for he was many times national Champion in sports, speaks three languages, has a Masters degree, studied abroad and more recent in Azhar yet he does not own a fast car and villa in Richville .He is modest and above all content, his mid is clear.
He does know wrong from right and he does not care for flashing lights.

[This message has been edited by elmagnoon (edited 19 July 2004).]

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My friend in Aswan, is a very honnerable man, who could fit in your description as well.

As I'm living in Belgium, where Islam is one of the 4 officialy recognised Religions, most of the Muslims come from Turkey. As you might know, Islam in Turkey has many different fractions. I have some Turkish friends, and I always find their way of being a Moslem very nationalistic. This is partly a result of the growing racism in Europe, but partly also the typical mix between religion, life and culture, which you find anywhere.

When I met Hussein in Aswan, I got a different view on Islam. The way Hussein lives and how he quotes the Holy books, I saw Islam a much more friendly and peacefull religion. If you respect a man like Hussein, you get to respect the way he lives, and his life shows you Islam. And yet he will never call himself a ‘ good Muslem’. I guess it would feel like indecent pride to him.

For many years I’ve been a member of a Christian community that turned out to be very narrow minded and fanatic. Fanatic in many ways, it was a closed community, that saw all the others as enemies as long as they were not converted. So my idea if religion was influenced by that experience. As I’m a non believer now , he respects me, but I know it hurts him that I’m not walking on the way that he believes that is the only right way to live. But he doesn’t insult me by provoking. He respects me as a human being, a friend, and often talks to me about how Islam would change my life. He shares wisdom with me and I must say that I have to listen, because his life is honest end respectable.

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Originally posted by Dirk:
There are more men like that of course...

My friend in Aswan, is a very honnerable man, who could fit in your description as well.

As I'm living in Belgium, where Islam is one of the 4 officialy recognised Religions, most of the Muslims come from Turkey. As you might know, Islam in Turkey has many different fractions. I have some Turkish friends, and I always find their way of being a Moslem very nationalistic. This is partly a result of the growing racism in Europe, but partly also the typical mix between religion, life and culture, which you find anywhere.

When I met Hussein in Aswan, I got a different view on Islam. The way Hussein lives and how he quotes the Holy books, I saw Islam a much more friendly and peacefull religion. If you respect a man like Hussein, you get to respect the way he lives, and his life shows you Islam. And yet he will never call himself a ‘ good Muslem’. I guess it would feel like indecent pride to him.

For many years I’ve been a member of a Christian community that turned out to be very narrow minded and fanatic. Fanatic in many ways, it was a closed community, that saw all the others as enemies as long as they were not converted. So my idea if religion was influenced by that experience. As I’m a non believer now , he respects me, but I know it hurts him that I’m not walking on the way that he believes that is the only right way to live. But he doesn’t insult me by provoking. He respects me as a human being, a friend, and often talks to me about how Islam would change my life. He shares wisdom with me and I must say that I have to listen, because his life is honest end respectable.

In that way, he opened my heart and showed me that Islam is not the same as what I thought it was.

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By the way should you need any answers, please don't hesitate emailing me at: elshaer@menanet.net