I'm a Muslim. Ask me anything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you gone on Hajj? If not, when are you going to go? Is there some sort of "penalty" if you die before you have gone to Mecca?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: nope not yet. Plan on going in a few years when my kids are old enough to do so or maybe before but in the next 10 years or so.
There isn't a penalty for anyone who couldn't afford to go on Hajj if they die before they were able to... but for those who had the means and the time- they will be questioned about not meeting this obligation during the day of judgement. It could count against them (like a sin) but that depends on Allah who is the most merciful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For religious muslim women who cover their hair, at what age are girls expected to start wearing a head scarf? I saw a toddler on the train with a head scarf, and was of the (perhaps mistaken) view that most girls did not cover their hair until they got older.

I started at 9. My parents didn't push it (my mom does not wear one), I wanted to. I do see at the mosque and religious events where younger girls do cover their hair, and it's not unusual. I wore one for 10 years, then stopped.

To follow up with another perspective, in Egypt most (middle class) women don't cover until college or even later with marriage.

Not familiar with Egyptian customs.

I know. I'm just offering a different perspective for readers. Islam is not monolithic and its practice is heavily influenced by culture. Hope you don't mind my jumping in.

Oh ha, I misunderstood. I'm not the OP as well and of course I don't mind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a follow-up question. Are Friday prayers equivalent to Christian Sunday services...by that I mean, if you go to service only once a week, that's the one to go to?

I"m not sure if I've seen burquas per se but I"ve seen face-coverings where only the eyes show. Not often but sometimes.

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: yes and no- technically if you can attend all prayers in a mosque for men that's a good thing. Friday prayers at a mosque are obligatory for men (unless there's a valid reason for missing them) for women they are not obligatory at a mosque. They are no different than prayers said on any other day aside from the imam giving a sermon. So in a sermon they are similar to the Sunday Services but otherwise they are not in that this is not the only obligation for prayers that Muslim has to meet.

[Anonymous]

Would there be a problem if you out earn your spouse? Are you required to give a tithe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a fairly liberal Muslim but have enough knowledge and understanding about Islam to be able to answer most questions. I know there is great mistrust about Muslims and the religion of Islam generally. Even if you've heard the most awful things about Islam and have awkward questions, I'm ready to answer them. I will ignore any posts that use profanity and seem to have no purpose other than to attack.

I once read that men who want to have casual sex sometimes get "married" temporarily to their partners, and the marriage is either annulled shortly after fornication or has a defined period of validity (say 72 hours). Did I read this incorrectly?

Not OP. But this happens in Shia Islam -- Nik?? al-Mut?ah -- a temporary marriage.

In Egypt, there is also something called orfi or urfi marriage. These are more and more common among Egyptian college youth. Basically so boyfriend and girlfriend can have sex. Rip up the piece of paper and they are no longer married.

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: this was a practice that used to be allowed in early islam also when the Prophet was still receiving revelations. It was to help ease the society from being able to sleep with anyone to becoming monogamous... many people still extend it to today though it is technically no longer allowed...

[Anonymous]

Does Islam impose a higher moral standard for how you treat other Muslims than for how you treat non-Muslims?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would there be a problem if you out earn your spouse? Are you required to give a tithe?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: It would depend on the type of spouse. My husband- no... but other men I know- yes. But that has more to do with culture than to do with religion. The Prophet's first wife was not only older than him but also a highly successful business woman. Oh and yeah she proposed to him.
You are required to give 2.5% of your savings (assets) each year to charity. For business profits etc I think it is 10%. But this is again only on what is beyond you need. So if you make 100,000 and you need 95,000 to live on and you only saved 5000 of your money- you owe (zakat-charity) on just the 5000 not the whole 100,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Islam impose a higher moral standard for how you treat other Muslims than for how you treat non-Muslims?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: nope- a person is a person.

[Anonymous]

Is halal meat a lot more expensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does Islam impose a higher moral standard for how you treat other Muslims than for how you treat non-Muslims?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: nope- a person is a person.

A Muslim man once told me if want fine for him to sleep with non-Muslim women outside of marriage but that he would be defiling a Muslim woman if he did that with her before marriage. I found that insulting. What was he talking about?

[Anonymous]

Are their any fun holidays for kids in the Muslim faith (like Christmas or Hanukkah type things)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does Islam impose a higher moral standard for how you treat other Muslims than for how you treat non-Muslims?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: nope- a person is a person.

A Muslim man once told me if want fine for him to sleep with non-Muslim women outside of marriage but that he would be defiling a Muslim woman if he did that with her before marriage. I found that insulting. What was he talking about?

I don't know. To me, it's not permitted for men or women to be intimate outside of marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is halal meat a lot more expensive?

Yes, where I buy, halal meat is more expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are their any fun holidays for kids in the Muslim faith (like Christmas or Hanukkah type things)?

Not OP but Another Muslim poster: There's Eid twice a year. Once after ramadan and once about 2 months after that. They vary in terms of time every year because we follow a lunar calendar and so our calendar shifts by about 10 days every year... for instance this year the first Eid will be at the end of august like the 19th ish whereas last year it was september 1st.
Eid is a big celebration and we make a huge deal about it for the kids so that they don't feel as left out.

[Anonymous]

Are you allowed to take birth control? Can your husband have vasectomy?