Masjid Police - again!

I hate to keep going on about this but....

I got to the masjid early for my class. I went into the masallah to make salah and it was nice a quiet. when I was done about 6 teenage girls (12-13) came roaring in laughing and talking etc. I ignored them for the time being, not wanting to be seen as the 'Giant Meanie' of before.

I started to read a book, and they all decided they wanted to have races back and fourth across the floor! Still I do nothing. Finally another sister comes in to make salah. While she is in Sujood, the girls race past her, trip, fall and nearly land on the praying sister!!!

This is when I lost it! I leaned over and told them in the angry hushed voice to knock it off! This is a masallah not a playground and you are old enough to know better! It was just then that I noticed that one of the participants of this inappropriate behavior was the Imam's oldest daughter!

I really get discouraged that children are not taught to respect the masallah. They are old enough to see that someone is trying to make salah, and that what they are doing is distracting and childish. When I have to sit and wait for something with my 9 year old, he has books and a few cars to play with and he knows to be quiet! I just don't understand how parents let their children act like this? And the worst part is that the imam's daughter was part of it!!! How can we expect other parents to educate their children on the etiquette of the masjid, if he doesn't?

I know this happens everywhere, but I really wish that it could be a bit more under control. In any case, since I've already established my self as the 'Giant Meanie' and now the "Masjid Police' I will continue to do so. If it helps just one bit, thats enough for me.

Now I Wave

Its been probably 20 years now since my sister and I invented 'The Toothy Grin'. When ever we would drive around together and find anyone giving us a funny look from another car we would give them what we called the 'toothy grin'. It was an over exaggerated smile that probably resembled more of a grimace than a grin, but it served its purpose. The recipient of the toothy grin would turn away immediately red faced and we would both die laughing (complete with snorts).

I've noticed recently that the toothy grin just does not work now! Hmmm, I wonder why? Ah HA! I have it. No one can see my teeth! Just the other day I was in the drive through to get coffee, as I was rolling away from the window I saw someone from work, they waved in a silly way and I laughed and made a face, and realized that was not going to work at all. My coffee was still in my hand so I had to resort to a tiny wave with my pinky! Boring!!!!

But this did give me the idea that when ever someone stares at me now (which happens a lot) I'm going to give them a nice friendly wave, just to let them know that I can still see them even though I'm all covered up. I tried this just today in the Restaurant Depot (where we get all of our Halal meat). There was a group of older Italian people wandering around the aisles and there was one man who could really just not believe his eyes. I usually let the first look of shock go, but if you turn around 3 times while you are walking away to look at me some more.... you are getting the friendly wave! Needless to say, he didn't wave back.

I may work on varying degrees of the friendly wave. If someone seem really interested I might try a double handed wave (not while driving of course). Or I could implement the Queen of England wave.. you know the one? Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist... Wave bending at elbow only twice, then stop moving from elbow and wave using just the wrist twice. Repeat as necessary.

I'll have to give this all the final test with my sister. She can still do the toothy grin, so we'll see how they work together the next time I visit her.

'Modern' Islam

One of the things that attracted me to Islam was that the message and guidelines set fourth by the Qur'an and Sunnah are timeless. They applied 1400 years ago, and they apply now. Perhaps this is why it bothers me when I see people trying to change those timeless rules to suit the 'needs' of today's society.

None of us follow Islam perfectly, we can strive to, and do our best to learn what is right and wrong, but in the end, we all fall short. My main goal when acquiring knowledge or asking questions is to get to the correct answer. I realize that there are differences of opinions on many things, but it seems that there is a huge movement of ‘Modern Muslims’ growing in the Ummah.

In the Qur’an it says:

Sūrah Al-Baqarah

9. They [think to] deceive Allāh and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.

10. In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.

11. And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers."

12. Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.

13. And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.

Now I’m not saying that these ayats talk about Modern Muslims, but I find ayat 11 very appropriate to them. ‘They say “we are but reformers”’. The modern Muslim movement wants to do just that… reform Islam, when it does not need reforming.

I've said this before in my posts, but it still holds true. If we were able to ask the Prophet these questions, what would he say? If we asked him if we can listen to top 40 music and heavy metal, what would he say? If we asked him if its ok for men and women to shake hands, what would he say? If we asked him if we should eat meat from a slaughter house that electrocutes animals before killing them, what would he say?

Its seems like 'modern' Muslims are in a big hurry to get away from what the Prophet taught us. In this day and age, Islam is under fire. The world sees us through the eyes of the media, and not as we really are. I know that perhaps the intentions are good, but should we really compromise what the Qur'an and Sunnah teaches us to appear more likable to the rest of the world?