Salaams, how can I make new Muslim friends? I don't go to the masjid at the moment because prefer to pray at home but are there any talks/ social events??
My goodness Eco. You are beyond silly. There's a Muslima asking for help to meet like-minded people. At least try to be friendly. Suggest something. There's really no need to turn it into a negative thing.
I'm not reluctant to go outside, I said that I pray at home because usually most people suggest going to the masjid to meet Muslims.
And I was referring more specifically to meeting other ex-pats since as another poster has pointed out, local women are often busy with their families.
I kinda like the Cornell building. It definitely doesn't look like a medical college though. Perhaps like some physics lab... or some kind of rebel base on Hoth... it's a little too avantgarde for it's own good, like a lot of commie crap from the late 70s and early 80s, except it ain't unfinished concrete, if it was I'd have to fall in love with it :D But it does stand out like a sore thumb, it's a building freakshow of the cutting edge at the education city. Lotsa enfant terribles :)
I am not saying that ppl should go 2 mosques for the purpose of getting married, and if that's how you choose to interprete my statement-then so be it. I am saying that you should be open to the idea that match-making happens at mosques, so do life-long friendships, etc. etc etc etcc..My point is no one has a right to go around kicking people out because they don't conform to their standards of mosque etiquette... If people are disruptive and obnoxious, then maybe they should be told to leave the premises. However, if people are just being social, then so be it. Maybe they don't have another venue for social activities...Hope everyone is having a great night:)
I, for one, continue to be embarrassed by the architecture of the Cornell building. For me it resembles a warehouse complete with the south-end view of a northbound pig. I had to laugh at one student who went to Ithaca looking for the "pig" which he assumed was a Cornell landmark. Needless to say, it is NOT there.
Alexa that's modernity for ya. Do it quick, half-hearted, milk the profit as fast as you build it, a long term investment is a short term one gone bad. I think the Gulf construction boom is in no small part owed to the ridiculous cheapness of low skilled labour available to the market. These buildings would be way more expensive in the west where you cannot find anyone to work for 200 dollars a month ;) But yes it is sad, I agree with the idea of quality over quantity but I guess that was always a common thread in modern Arab societies. Build it, tear it down, build again. They really hate maintenance, many will admit to it being a bad word ;)
Besides people that good in stone masonry would probably fetch a decent pay anywhere, or the skill just died away like many intricate arts of the orient in the onslaught of practicality, efficiency and modernity. No one bothered to learn it from the masters, it didn't pay the bills.
PM, I believe Pei is an American architect of Chinese extraction. At least Wikipedia says so :P
he is considered by many to be one of the greatest living architects from the Modern period. But then again, you can never please everyone :-)
I like traditional Japanese architecture, too; especially the interior spaces. And I think the Cornell building is a huge waste of space under roof. It's got so much unusable space and serious noise problems.
somewhat pretentious words no matter how unrelated and make statements with a smug sense of superiority. For example, upon tasting a Cabernet Sauvignon, you swirl it in the glass, inhale fully with a flair for drama and pronounce it a "delightful, yet impudent wine with a Socialist finish." Just look down your nose at anyone who doesn't seem to understand what you mean. :-P
I find both Fanar and the Islamic Museum unexiting. Whilst the deigns are endearing, they don't excite the soul and I wouldn't call them "timeless" as unforgetable architecture should be...
Of there being ANY Islamic architecture. Unless we're talking about mosques. And even then, look at a mosque in Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan, even in the middle ages these were very distinct. I believe there's some inherent Gulf leanings in the MIA, the colour of the building, the slight cues from forts around here but I agree, it is ultra-modernism, like any Pei structure. I guess the choice was somewhat understandable, after all he is well known for his museums, we can dispute his aesthetics but you know how it goes 'round these parts ;) Gotta have what everyone has. then again his buildings are a sound of the times, I am however sure they'll age terribly once the trend is over.
Yeah I know, I know, they're an emblem of not the prettiest of times. Slowdowns, energy crises, cold war and communism. My folks used to ask me "why do you like these silos for humans so much?". I couldn't explain. Like I can't expalin what's pretty about 80's Jaguars. Something just is :D
But Pei, does have a more established reputation and has designed several museums. My understanding was that he came out of retirement to do the MIA as a personal; favor for the Emir and Sheikha Mozah.
The problem with designing a museum is that the nature of a collection is fluid and you need to design a structure that isn't pinned down to a specific type of art being exhibited. I think Pei arrived at a great symbiosis between a very modern simple structure that will not look out of date quickly like the rest of Doha (except the original Sheraton structure) and interior embellishments that link the building with the collections being exhibited. He had to design a structure that could be used to exhibit Islamic art and art from the Arab world, including potentially Modern Arab art. He was successful in my view.
keyword there. I like Moorish too. Like Alhambra in Granada, or Cordoba. I've seen some projects in my country that were proposed with these modern Moorish adaptations and that junk looks like a bloody circus :S Firstly it doesn't belong, it's taken out of context, and what was really beautiful about those structures was the ornamentation and attention to detail. Today, you ain't getting that kind of craftsmanship anywhere. Too pricey and those skills are long dead. I think Gaudi took some of those cues though and moved to a whole new level of complexity, beauty and peculiarity. My favourite architect hands down. And every housewife's too though :P Spain's a treasure trove of pretty buildings...
I guess my point is that you can say what you want about the MIA, but don't be so naive as to believe that it's inspired by anything remotely 'Islamic'...
Kinda makes you wonder why a Muslim architect wasn't used? There are some wonderful architects in the region.
And sorry CC but brutalism makes me cringe. It always makes me think of builings built by governments in recessions, eager to appear as though they aren't spending a penny more than is absolutely necessary.
Hadn't seen it before. Just like the MIA, just swap the slight Gulf influence for slight Chinese influence, and you has another Pei irregular combination of cubes. Kind of like a particularly troubled child playing with primitive legos. Ah well, such is modern art :P
Alexa, I guess that's post-modernism for ya. I'm a bit of a traditionalist myself, actually, I like brutalism a lot, I'm a kid of the 80's and of eastern Europe. I know a lot of the architects of today are disgusted by it the world over (the same folks that get all giddy over Dubai, the plantation of what they consider works of art) but I find something attractive in them profoundly ugly, unfinished concrete clad structures. I cannot explain why I find it pleasing to the eye, I understand for all intents and purposes it is hideous. Maybe their honesty and unpretentiousness...
I don't believe for a minute that IM Pei was trying to do anything Islamic in his designs, he just dusted off older ones.
The main pyramid of the MIA looks a little too much like the pyramid on top of the Four Seasons in New York another of his designs.
He even used the same stone work for the cladding.
You could almost be forgiven for thinking that the IM Pei museum in Suzhou was an early sketch for the MIA.
I almost forgot his Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art...
If I'd paid him to design the MIA, I'd be a little disappointed by his 'originality'.
Sorry for not buying in to the whole 'the museum was inspired by an ablutions fountain in Egypt' BS... .it just doesn't wash for me. The design is what it is because it's what he was already working on at the time. if he'd designed a museum of Buddhist or Jewish or Teuton art, it probably would looked the same.
He did the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and some other museums. The only other building of his I've been to is the east building of the National gallery of art in DC. That one worked real well IMO because it wasn't shackled by any attempt at traditionalism, and let's face it, it houses art that is so much like the building itself it becomes one cohesive structure. The building itself is a modern artwork. The MIA fails primarily because the exhibits are largely around 500 years old and the building is...well you know the building all too well hehe. No cohesion there. I wouldn't expect an architect of his stature to care about the people that visit the building ;) His aestheticism is much more important than you breaking a sweat or suffering sun sickness :D Of course I'm being a little cynical :)
As for neglect, I guess a building gets the treatment it's "congregation" offers it. Like tenants, like house ;)
As for this particular interpretation of Islam you mentioned, it is present everywhere to some degree, nowhere does it dominate. It's largely reactionistm at it's core and in it's increasing regressiveness. I have no love for any reactionism, sorry. It solves no problems and answers no questions.
women, since many of the local women center their lives around their homes and families and not working. Also, I find most Qatari women are far more reserved than their male counterparts, and a lot of the older Qatari women don't speak other languages besides Arabic so there are communication problems unless you speak Arabic. Of course, this has changed with the younger generation; but still I think it has some impact.
elegant in its curve. As I said, though, the rest of the building is typical of the kind of forgettable post-Modern architecture we are getting in this part of the world.
I disagree with you about Pei's design though. I actually think that is a very good design -- even from the exterior. Some views are better than others but he did design it in a way to look different from every view and he took the site into consideration with successful results. I also love his East Wing design of the National Gallery in DC, although am less impressed with the Louvre pyramid.
And CC, I have to second your comments about the MIA. Any architect building something in the Gulf that requires a 300m walk from the uncovered carpark to reach the front door is a bit out of touch, more concerned about aesthetics and lines than practical considerations.
The interior is amazing, even if it is almost a xerox copy of the central atrium areas of the Louvre.
As for Fanar, I just really wish someone would clean it. The seaside of the spiral is one color and the landside another, which makes the place look a little unloved to me. I do love the spiral though.
I wouldn't say that the bushy bearded guy trying to convert me to Islam curbed my curiousity. If anything, he piqued it. He wasn't the first or the last asian 'extremist' I've met in Qatar. [An extremist to me is anyone who can justify killing people in the name of (any) religion].
The most curious thing about the experience was that although the 9/11 bombers were predominantly Khaleejis, Gulf Arabs now are only too keen to distance themselves from that crazy behavior. Yet it seems to have increased in Asia, particularly India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and amongst Asian expats across the world.
So since then I've more or less made it a rule to disregard anyone trying to overtly convert me to their religion as a crack pot, since I'm yet to meet anyone to disprove my rule.
And in any case this is Qatar, an Islamic country. So surely it only follows that if someone living in Qatar wants to know about Islam, they should just ask a Qatari friend? Muslims are all around us in this country, so where is the need to fight the traffic to visit Fanar?
And by the same token, why is it so hard to meet Muslim sisters? Practically the only women in this country are the wives of the locals, so they are almost all Muslim. If you want to meet a Muslim sister, then why don't you just walk out your front door??
I hate to voice a negative opinion about a local landmark that is probably the source of pride to many folks here but I find the museum of Islamic art to be quite an eyesore. I.M. Pei is supposedly in a class of his own, but while the interior is superb, stellar, awe inspiring, stunning... the exterior is one of the most haphazard marriages of elegant ancient minimalism and post-modernistic "weirdness for nothing" I've ever witnessed. Like a collision of an old Gulf fort and a meat packing factory. As a person completely uneducated in the field of architecture, I cannot comment since much of the cutting edge stuff is lost on me, but I do know what I like. And the museum sadly sin't one of those, but being inside and the quality of the exhibits is always a pleasure to experience and behold :)
As for Fanar, I'd rather see the REAL DEAL in Samarra, this one just comes off as a cheap second, I've only seen the Samarra mosque in pictures but Fanar is like, not there by a long shot, none of that austere beauty. And yes, marred by some Arab socialist realism below, rather than any post modernity haha. It's actually pretty hideous :P For once I prefer the glass houses :)
I thought this was a topic about where to meet muslim sisters, something I truly have no clue about except that you can meet them almost anywhere since they're a majority, and I sure don't have a sister...but this here is a hot stew, the like of which I steer clear of. But it's good to know to avoid Fanar. I don't really like "imitation mosques" much to begin with, the architecture put me off immediately at first sight, and now knowing that it's a lair of eco and co. and since Qataris sensibly steer clear of it, I'll apply the age old, "when in Rome..."
fubar...stick to the locals, keep your eyes and ears open, don't let anybody convince you of "absolutes", as soon as you see it coming it's either a) the person is an idiot, b) the person has an ulterior motive, a hidden agenda. I tell you this as a muslim with the best intent :)
you are not interested in finding yourself about fanar... that being the case, it would be better that you abstain from basing your perception on second hand opinions...
It is also unfortunate that you allow some bushy bearded Pakistani or Indian guys opinion about Islam curb your curiosity...
That's like saying,"I went to New York and a street hawker bugged me so much I never went back again... that must be such a lousy place..."
Firstly Vers, I have lots of great Qatari, Muslims friends. We talk endlessly about the religion. I have questions, they have answers. So it's not like I'm totally ignorant of the religion.
It's just that the last time I voluntarily went along to one of these discover Islam type things we went around and visited an old style Mosque behind Al Bidda park and then went to the big green Mosque behind the Diwan, and everything was pleasent.
And then I got into a coversation with some Pakistani or Indian guy complete with bushy beard and somehow the topic of Israel came up and off he went on some big diatribe about how Muslims need to reclaim their land and how we should be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and how the west hates Muslims. Depsite his religious convictions he was totally incapable of condemning the actions of the 'martyrs'. In fact he was more keen to justify them in the name of Islam.
The whole idea of being lectured to about leading a life that God would approve of by someone who thinks that flying planes into office buildings is EVER justifiable is bewildering, to put it lightly.
Since then, if I have questions about Islam, I would rather sit in a Qatari majlis and ask them in a relaxed environment than find myself in the company of one of these guys with a huge chip on their shoulder.
The Muslims who are out to convert everyone they meet typically turn out to be deeply unpleasent people, unlike the practising Muslims who are just happy to answer questions without a political agenda.
So in answer to your question Vers, I have enough people who I can turn to if I wish to ask questions about Islam without troubling myself to visit Fanar.
I can see you are so appreciative of my effort to get fubar to come to fanar...
PM said,"I would be afraid to meet ver, if I were you fubar. But I'll be glad to introduce you to a Muslim who isn't so hateful and harsh if you are interested. :-P"
but not everything goes... there have to be some boundaries...
Personally, I've never had a problem with any gatherings in fanar... although parking is a problem... I can't comment about the ladies in fanar because I have not been to the ladies section in the events I attended...
But from my experience in many religious gatherings... there is always more noise from the ladies side...
just last weekend, we had a religious gathering in my house of about 80 people... and I had to ask the ladies to keep quiet bcos the noise from there was halting the proceedings at the gents side...
Eco has a point... ladies have to be aware of the decorum in such gatherings...
Children are one main reason
the other issue is that women are often not as familiar with these kind of gatherings as men are...
I was just getting the impression that socializing at Fanar was wrong and unwelcome.
Eco's rhetorical questions like "for which social event you got an invite?" and "heero when was the last time you attended Fanar for social events?" started to make me think that socializing is banned or at best unwelcome.
not European and I found her to be a great teacher who became a good friend. She was not harsh and didn't ever say anything to drive people from the center. She knew that dawah needs to be practiced with a smile and gentle hand; not a sneer and a slap like some people around here.
You have mad a very inflammatory statement that people who drive away gossipers are the same one's who blow up aircrafts...
Islam forbids gossiping and therefore... any true Muslim would be a fanatic to your book and a terrorist...
Considering how twisted your perception of Islam is, I do not consider your curiosity of a healthy nature with any honorable intention...
I would loved to be proved wrong though... let me know if you are interested to attend any event at Fanar... I would be pleased to personally pick you up, keep you company during the event and then drop you back...
about the ladies in prayer rooms in malls... if the ladies socializing, eating, talking in the prayer rooms caused inconvenience to the worshipers... that is very sinful
I don't think Eco was harsh to anyone... she just reminded everyone of a basic Islamic tenet... 'do not gossip'... be it at Fanar or anywhere else...
As for your judging her to be harsh... I would like you to consider your own comment...
PM said, "It's unimaginable that a Muslim would drive others away from Al- Fanar because she has appointed herself mutawwa. Shame" :-(
that combines activities like prayers, education, lectures, social events (within an Islamic context), etc. In fact, our marketing guy at work is very active there and he is constantly sending out invitations to activities there (both educational and social)l
I didn't see the notion of meeting a partner there through socializing wrong because I know that there would be limits on what that meant and assumed it was through proper introductions or meeting a woman who might have a family member looking for a husband. After all, the activities I attended were always segregated.
I have been in prayer rooms at the malls where women sat on the floor, socialized, ate, talked on the phone, but I also assume that this is not what was meant when people suggested Al-Fanar for meeting more muslims.
Once again, eco has come off very harshly and unkind to a sister in Islam. That is unfortunate and why I responded.
But there is a difference between people in Fanaar making matches and going to Fanaar with the intent to socialize and get married...
When you go through the Director and staff... you would be introduced to people who are interested in marriage... I think that is very nice...
But to 'socialize' with the intent to marry is different...
Anyway, Eco has objected to Ladies who 'gossip' and 'picnic'... I have to agree with her...
Even before Fanaar was set up, Bismillah mosque in Souq Waqf... close to Fanaar was a meeting place for Muslim brothers for the propagation of religion
But eventually, the people who came to the mosque would make a lot of noise in just idle talk after the event disturbing other worshipers... and this became a big issue and the organizers had to given stiff warning by the Awqaf and were threatened they would be stopped from conducting programs there...
Also there are some Hadeeths that are worth mentioning...
“Al-Hakim reported in Al-Mustadrak (4/359) that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) quotes the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as saying: ‘There will come a time when people will sit in circles in the mosques and they will have no concern except this world. Allah has no need of them so do not sit with them.’” This is a Sahih Hadith even though Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not narrate it. Al-Dhahabi said in Al-Talkhis that it is Sahih.”
This Hadith states that this blameworthy deed is disliked, because the mosques are not built for such a purpose. Allah commanded that mosques should be built to remember Him and to conduct Prayers and acts of worship and obedience to Him, such as I`tikaf (retreat, seclusion for devotion and worship), and different kinds of Dhikr such as circles for reciting Qur’an and seeking knowledge.
As for greeting each other with Salam and shaking hands, there is nothing wrong with this, for these are acts of obedience to Allah. There is no conflict between doing these things and responding to the muezzin, because a person may do all of these things at once.
Moreover, Muslims should beware of doing anything that may offend or disturb those who come to the mosque for worship. This includes disturbing those who are reading Qur’an, praying or remembering Allah in the mosque. It is an evil deed to disturb the people in the mosque by talking about worldly affairs, because this is offensive to them and distracts Muslims from doing acts of worship properly. Ahmad ibn Shu`ayb Al-Nisa'i reported in As-Sunan Al-Kubra (5/32) a report from Abu Hazim Al-Timar from Al-Bayadi, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came out and found the people praying and reciting in loud voices. He said: “The one who is praying is conversing with his Lord, so let him think about what he is saying to Him. Do not compete with one another in reciting Qur’an loudly.”
Ibn Muhayrez (may Allah have mercy on him) is reported to have said: “Speaking in the mosque is idle talk, except for one who is praying, or remembering his Lord, or asking for help or giving help.” (Musannaf `Abd Al-Razzaq, part 8).
Ibn Al-Haj said, concerning the etiquette of the Muslim when setting out for the mosque: “He should intend to avoid idle talk in the mosque or talking about that which does not concern him, for there is a report that says that speaking in the mosque about anything but the deeds of the Hereafter is like fire in dry wood, it eats up rewards (of good deeds). So he should take care to avoid this...” (Al-Madkhal by Ibn Al-Haj, part 1).”
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam-qa.com
for new converts? When I first converted there were a number of the women there -- including the director and her assistants who kept suggesting that I might like to meet someone for marriage that they could introduce me to. I declined but I knew other women who accepted and married through them. There were a even local men who went there to find Western converts to take a second wives and I knew one who accepted and married, all through QCPI.
"where else will like-minded people meet each other ya3ni, whether it be to form long friendships with other sisters or meet a potential life partner???? Where is a muslim girl to meet her life partner??"
Now you just scared ME away from Fanaar... is that what you ladies go there for?!?!
Al- Fanar because she has appointed herself mutawwa. Shame :-(
Better to ignore her, Sontana. My own experience is that the people at QCPI/Al-Fanar are very nice and welcoming. All I can think is that eco-savvy is cranky because she is fasting. Just ignore her and her cohorts. BUt then again.... she is ALWAYS like this. :-P
Are all muslims welcomed or will Sufis and Shiites be "driven out" by you? makes me want to avoid places that discriminate...for your information, throughout history, the mosque has been more than a place where muslims go to worship God. Its a social institution that connects people and mobilizes them. Besides school and work, where else will like-minded people meet each other ya3ni, whether it be to form long friendships with other sisters or meet a potential life partner???? Where is a muslim girl to meet her life partner??At the Grand Cafe ya3ni!???? Surely not, one of the first places is the mosque and we shouldn't be ashamed of that. Besides, who are you? the religious authority to round ppl up and kick them out?? This is absurd.
been in Fanar for a months i meet new friendly muslims, arab muslims and some local. they are very friendly and helpful and yes sometimes they organize Islamic forum. and thru: friends i met my very loving, responsible and pious husband.
QatariLady: I dont agree with you. please do not quote anything which makes differences in religion and if you are sure please provide the evidence or where it is written. so we can understand.
diary, cos later i know you will make thousand lies of this issue.
For people who are interested to know about islam there are several programmes, like tour of masjid then there are speacial invites for lectures, in the past events were posted in QL.....and you hypos created mess out of the events no one even attended
hard to understand people like Eco? start thinking they are the best and no other can be like them.realy shame on you Eco. No one should stop any one to go to mosque no matter what niyah he or she got?
One minute they are chasing people off for 'gossiping', next thing they are getting arrested for trying to blow up transatlantic flights with liquid explosives.
Fanatics are a scary bunch, regardless of the religion.
And yes I have met people in Qatar who have given me the shivers and reminded me of these three:
Diamond you can see why the rest of us are scared stiff of Fanar. I don't want to go within 100m of that place in case I get "driven away" by someone like Eco.
Why are some people so unpleasent??? I remember back home visiting churches that I'd never been to before and being made to feel like part of the extended family, there was no one there who wanted to "drive all the gossipers out". *rolls eyes*
Fanar is more than a masjid...it is a place for Muslimas new to town to meet people, which then can lead to friendships and social activities around town.
Gee Eco, way to put someone off. Do you realise you come across as unfriendly when you say things like that? The poor girl is looking for like-minded people. And if you're driving people out of Fanar, then perhaps I ought to have a word with the authorities. That is the opposite of what they are trying to do.
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My goodness Eco. You are beyond silly. There's a Muslima asking for help to meet like-minded people. At least try to be friendly. Suggest something. There's really no need to turn it into a negative thing.
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I'm not reluctant to go outside, I said that I pray at home because usually most people suggest going to the masjid to meet Muslims.
And I was referring more specifically to meeting other ex-pats since as another poster has pointed out, local women are often busy with their families.
Neither Diamond/heero replied to my question
hijacking is always a part of QL...
I kinda like the Cornell building. It definitely doesn't look like a medical college though. Perhaps like some physics lab... or some kind of rebel base on Hoth... it's a little too avantgarde for it's own good, like a lot of commie crap from the late 70s and early 80s, except it ain't unfinished concrete, if it was I'd have to fall in love with it :D But it does stand out like a sore thumb, it's a building freakshow of the cutting edge at the education city. Lotsa enfant terribles :)
I am not saying that ppl should go 2 mosques for the purpose of getting married, and if that's how you choose to interprete my statement-then so be it. I am saying that you should be open to the idea that match-making happens at mosques, so do life-long friendships, etc. etc etc etcc..My point is no one has a right to go around kicking people out because they don't conform to their standards of mosque etiquette... If people are disruptive and obnoxious, then maybe they should be told to leave the premises. However, if people are just being social, then so be it. Maybe they don't have another venue for social activities...Hope everyone is having a great night:)
I, for one, continue to be embarrassed by the architecture of the Cornell building. For me it resembles a warehouse complete with the south-end view of a northbound pig. I had to laugh at one student who went to Ithaca looking for the "pig" which he assumed was a Cornell landmark. Needless to say, it is NOT there.
Mandi
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
silly me :-)
And yes, an American citizen.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Alexa that's modernity for ya. Do it quick, half-hearted, milk the profit as fast as you build it, a long term investment is a short term one gone bad. I think the Gulf construction boom is in no small part owed to the ridiculous cheapness of low skilled labour available to the market. These buildings would be way more expensive in the west where you cannot find anyone to work for 200 dollars a month ;) But yes it is sad, I agree with the idea of quality over quantity but I guess that was always a common thread in modern Arab societies. Build it, tear it down, build again. They really hate maintenance, many will admit to it being a bad word ;)
Besides people that good in stone masonry would probably fetch a decent pay anywhere, or the skill just died away like many intricate arts of the orient in the onslaught of practicality, efficiency and modernity. No one bothered to learn it from the masters, it didn't pay the bills.
PM, I believe Pei is an American architect of Chinese extraction. At least Wikipedia says so :P
he is considered by many to be one of the greatest living architects from the Modern period. But then again, you can never please everyone :-)
I like traditional Japanese architecture, too; especially the interior spaces. And I think the Cornell building is a huge waste of space under roof. It's got so much unusable space and serious noise problems.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
lol
That architect was Arata Isozaki (also Japanese but that it is about it for their similarities).
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Why only choose Muslim? There are also non-Muslims out there that can be a good friend.
somewhat pretentious words no matter how unrelated and make statements with a smug sense of superiority. For example, upon tasting a Cabernet Sauvignon, you swirl it in the glass, inhale fully with a flair for drama and pronounce it a "delightful, yet impudent wine with a Socialist finish." Just look down your nose at anyone who doesn't seem to understand what you mean. :-P
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Thanks PM... I'm starting with tea tasting and will graduate to fine wines as the vocabulary improves... :O)
That's a new one! I'd love to hear you describe wine. It's probably like that skit on Saturday Night Live! :-P
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I find both Fanar and the Islamic Museum unexiting. Whilst the deigns are endearing, they don't excite the soul and I wouldn't call them "timeless" as unforgetable architecture should be...
Of there being ANY Islamic architecture. Unless we're talking about mosques. And even then, look at a mosque in Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan, even in the middle ages these were very distinct. I believe there's some inherent Gulf leanings in the MIA, the colour of the building, the slight cues from forts around here but I agree, it is ultra-modernism, like any Pei structure. I guess the choice was somewhat understandable, after all he is well known for his museums, we can dispute his aesthetics but you know how it goes 'round these parts ;) Gotta have what everyone has. then again his buildings are a sound of the times, I am however sure they'll age terribly once the trend is over.
Yeah I know, I know, they're an emblem of not the prettiest of times. Slowdowns, energy crises, cold war and communism. My folks used to ask me "why do you like these silos for humans so much?". I couldn't explain. Like I can't expalin what's pretty about 80's Jaguars. Something just is :D
But Pei, does have a more established reputation and has designed several museums. My understanding was that he came out of retirement to do the MIA as a personal; favor for the Emir and Sheikha Mozah.
The problem with designing a museum is that the nature of a collection is fluid and you need to design a structure that isn't pinned down to a specific type of art being exhibited. I think Pei arrived at a great symbiosis between a very modern simple structure that will not look out of date quickly like the rest of Doha (except the original Sheraton structure) and interior embellishments that link the building with the collections being exhibited. He had to design a structure that could be used to exhibit Islamic art and art from the Arab world, including potentially Modern Arab art. He was successful in my view.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
keyword there. I like Moorish too. Like Alhambra in Granada, or Cordoba. I've seen some projects in my country that were proposed with these modern Moorish adaptations and that junk looks like a bloody circus :S Firstly it doesn't belong, it's taken out of context, and what was really beautiful about those structures was the ornamentation and attention to detail. Today, you ain't getting that kind of craftsmanship anywhere. Too pricey and those skills are long dead. I think Gaudi took some of those cues though and moved to a whole new level of complexity, beauty and peculiarity. My favourite architect hands down. And every housewife's too though :P Spain's a treasure trove of pretty buildings...
...to meet people...You should stick around here,be nice to people and you will make plenty of friends. I have. All the best.
Source:
- A study Conducted by FriedUnicorn - Vol I (September,1999)
I guess my point is that you can say what you want about the MIA, but don't be so naive as to believe that it's inspired by anything remotely 'Islamic'...
Kinda makes you wonder why a Muslim architect wasn't used? There are some wonderful architects in the region.
And sorry CC but brutalism makes me cringe. It always makes me think of builings built by governments in recessions, eager to appear as though they aren't spending a penny more than is absolutely necessary.
Hadn't seen it before. Just like the MIA, just swap the slight Gulf influence for slight Chinese influence, and you has another Pei irregular combination of cubes. Kind of like a particularly troubled child playing with primitive legos. Ah well, such is modern art :P
Alexa, I guess that's post-modernism for ya. I'm a bit of a traditionalist myself, actually, I like brutalism a lot, I'm a kid of the 80's and of eastern Europe. I know a lot of the architects of today are disgusted by it the world over (the same folks that get all giddy over Dubai, the plantation of what they consider works of art) but I find something attractive in them profoundly ugly, unfinished concrete clad structures. I cannot explain why I find it pleasing to the eye, I understand for all intents and purposes it is hideous. Maybe their honesty and unpretentiousness...
I don't believe for a minute that IM Pei was trying to do anything Islamic in his designs, he just dusted off older ones.
The main pyramid of the MIA looks a little too much like the pyramid on top of the Four Seasons in New York another of his designs.
He even used the same stone work for the cladding.
You could almost be forgiven for thinking that the IM Pei museum in Suzhou was an early sketch for the MIA.
I almost forgot his Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art...
If I'd paid him to design the MIA, I'd be a little disappointed by his 'originality'.
Sorry for not buying in to the whole 'the museum was inspired by an ablutions fountain in Egypt' BS... .it just doesn't wash for me. The design is what it is because it's what he was already working on at the time. if he'd designed a museum of Buddhist or Jewish or Teuton art, it probably would looked the same.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
He did the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and some other museums. The only other building of his I've been to is the east building of the National gallery of art in DC. That one worked real well IMO because it wasn't shackled by any attempt at traditionalism, and let's face it, it houses art that is so much like the building itself it becomes one cohesive structure. The building itself is a modern artwork. The MIA fails primarily because the exhibits are largely around 500 years old and the building is...well you know the building all too well hehe. No cohesion there. I wouldn't expect an architect of his stature to care about the people that visit the building ;) His aestheticism is much more important than you breaking a sweat or suffering sun sickness :D Of course I'm being a little cynical :)
As for neglect, I guess a building gets the treatment it's "congregation" offers it. Like tenants, like house ;)
As for this particular interpretation of Islam you mentioned, it is present everywhere to some degree, nowhere does it dominate. It's largely reactionistm at it's core and in it's increasing regressiveness. I have no love for any reactionism, sorry. It solves no problems and answers no questions.
I can see your point PM.
Perhaps there are online communities that Sonata could get involved with if she's reluctant to go outside?
Even groups on Facebook or similar, just to get to know people.
women, since many of the local women center their lives around their homes and families and not working. Also, I find most Qatari women are far more reserved than their male counterparts, and a lot of the older Qatari women don't speak other languages besides Arabic so there are communication problems unless you speak Arabic. Of course, this has changed with the younger generation; but still I think it has some impact.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
elegant in its curve. As I said, though, the rest of the building is typical of the kind of forgettable post-Modern architecture we are getting in this part of the world.
I disagree with you about Pei's design though. I actually think that is a very good design -- even from the exterior. Some views are better than others but he did design it in a way to look different from every view and he took the site into consideration with successful results. I also love his East Wing design of the National Gallery in DC, although am less impressed with the Louvre pyramid.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
And CC, I have to second your comments about the MIA. Any architect building something in the Gulf that requires a 300m walk from the uncovered carpark to reach the front door is a bit out of touch, more concerned about aesthetics and lines than practical considerations.
The interior is amazing, even if it is almost a xerox copy of the central atrium areas of the Louvre.
As for Fanar, I just really wish someone would clean it. The seaside of the spiral is one color and the landside another, which makes the place look a little unloved to me. I do love the spiral though.
PM iz a case study
I wouldn't say that the bushy bearded guy trying to convert me to Islam curbed my curiousity. If anything, he piqued it. He wasn't the first or the last asian 'extremist' I've met in Qatar. [An extremist to me is anyone who can justify killing people in the name of (any) religion].
The most curious thing about the experience was that although the 9/11 bombers were predominantly Khaleejis, Gulf Arabs now are only too keen to distance themselves from that crazy behavior. Yet it seems to have increased in Asia, particularly India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and amongst Asian expats across the world.
So since then I've more or less made it a rule to disregard anyone trying to overtly convert me to their religion as a crack pot, since I'm yet to meet anyone to disprove my rule.
And in any case this is Qatar, an Islamic country. So surely it only follows that if someone living in Qatar wants to know about Islam, they should just ask a Qatari friend? Muslims are all around us in this country, so where is the need to fight the traffic to visit Fanar?
And by the same token, why is it so hard to meet Muslim sisters? Practically the only women in this country are the wives of the locals, so they are almost all Muslim. If you want to meet a Muslim sister, then why don't you just walk out your front door??
I hate to voice a negative opinion about a local landmark that is probably the source of pride to many folks here but I find the museum of Islamic art to be quite an eyesore. I.M. Pei is supposedly in a class of his own, but while the interior is superb, stellar, awe inspiring, stunning... the exterior is one of the most haphazard marriages of elegant ancient minimalism and post-modernistic "weirdness for nothing" I've ever witnessed. Like a collision of an old Gulf fort and a meat packing factory. As a person completely uneducated in the field of architecture, I cannot comment since much of the cutting edge stuff is lost on me, but I do know what I like. And the museum sadly sin't one of those, but being inside and the quality of the exhibits is always a pleasure to experience and behold :)
As for Fanar, I'd rather see the REAL DEAL in Samarra, this one just comes off as a cheap second, I've only seen the Samarra mosque in pictures but Fanar is like, not there by a long shot, none of that austere beauty. And yes, marred by some Arab socialist realism below, rather than any post modernity haha. It's actually pretty hideous :P For once I prefer the glass houses :)
Regarding the architecture too, except I do like the spiral minaret. It's the rest of the Post-Modern structure that I don't like.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I thought this was a topic about where to meet muslim sisters, something I truly have no clue about except that you can meet them almost anywhere since they're a majority, and I sure don't have a sister...but this here is a hot stew, the like of which I steer clear of. But it's good to know to avoid Fanar. I don't really like "imitation mosques" much to begin with, the architecture put me off immediately at first sight, and now knowing that it's a lair of eco and co. and since Qataris sensibly steer clear of it, I'll apply the age old, "when in Rome..."
fubar...stick to the locals, keep your eyes and ears open, don't let anybody convince you of "absolutes", as soon as you see it coming it's either a) the person is an idiot, b) the person has an ulterior motive, a hidden agenda. I tell you this as a muslim with the best intent :)
i NEVER said YOU mentioned them as 'extremist;..
That was Purely MY opinion PM. Let them fire ME if they wish. .. :)
Finally PM solved the mystery about your 'expat' thing ? Your thread is gonna close? :#
extremist, IANAT? I was responding to Fubar's post.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Is the plural of expat hateful extremist? :-/
YOU and Eco.. then WHO ??? :P
Hmmm... Who might that be?
positive experiences with some Muslims, and stay away from the hateful extremists. :-)
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
you are not interested in finding yourself about fanar... that being the case, it would be better that you abstain from basing your perception on second hand opinions...
It is also unfortunate that you allow some bushy bearded Pakistani or Indian guys opinion about Islam curb your curiosity...
That's like saying,"I went to New York and a street hawker bugged me so much I never went back again... that must be such a lousy place..."
Firstly Vers, I have lots of great Qatari, Muslims friends. We talk endlessly about the religion. I have questions, they have answers. So it's not like I'm totally ignorant of the religion.
It's just that the last time I voluntarily went along to one of these discover Islam type things we went around and visited an old style Mosque behind Al Bidda park and then went to the big green Mosque behind the Diwan, and everything was pleasent.
And then I got into a coversation with some Pakistani or Indian guy complete with bushy beard and somehow the topic of Israel came up and off he went on some big diatribe about how Muslims need to reclaim their land and how we should be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and how the west hates Muslims. Depsite his religious convictions he was totally incapable of condemning the actions of the 'martyrs'. In fact he was more keen to justify them in the name of Islam.
The whole idea of being lectured to about leading a life that God would approve of by someone who thinks that flying planes into office buildings is EVER justifiable is bewildering, to put it lightly.
Since then, if I have questions about Islam, I would rather sit in a Qatari majlis and ask them in a relaxed environment than find myself in the company of one of these guys with a huge chip on their shoulder.
The Muslims who are out to convert everyone they meet typically turn out to be deeply unpleasent people, unlike the practising Muslims who are just happy to answer questions without a political agenda.
So in answer to your question Vers, I have enough people who I can turn to if I wish to ask questions about Islam without troubling myself to visit Fanar.
what just happened here? why do I always miss it? X-(
Eco... status update by PM please...
that was quick
I don't meant to be sexist but sometimes it just makes one wonder... what do ladies have so much to talk about???
I can see you are so appreciative of my effort to get fubar to come to fanar...
PM said,"I would be afraid to meet ver, if I were you fubar. But I'll be glad to introduce you to a Muslim who isn't so hateful and harsh if you are interested. :-P"
what ladies do at Fanar some mnths back another sister
posted this topic in Qatarsocial
you haven't answered my question though... would you be interested in attending an event at fanar...?
spare Dr. Qardawi and Dr. Naik when they do wrong
but not everything goes... there have to be some boundaries...
Personally, I've never had a problem with any gatherings in fanar... although parking is a problem... I can't comment about the ladies in fanar because I have not been to the ladies section in the events I attended...
But from my experience in many religious gatherings... there is always more noise from the ladies side...
just last weekend, we had a religious gathering in my house of about 80 people... and I had to ask the ladies to keep quiet bcos the noise from there was halting the proceedings at the gents side...
Eco has a point... ladies have to be aware of the decorum in such gatherings...
Children are one main reason
the other issue is that women are often not as familiar with these kind of gatherings as men are...
:-(
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
what a discovery, she was too good and sweet
May Allah help those who were her students, Alhumdullilah
we all joined to QGC
I was just getting the impression that socializing at Fanar was wrong and unwelcome.
Eco's rhetorical questions like "for which social event you got an invite?" and "heero when was the last time you attended Fanar for social events?" started to make me think that socializing is banned or at best unwelcome.
Thanks PM for the clarification.
not European and I found her to be a great teacher who became a good friend. She was not harsh and didn't ever say anything to drive people from the center. She knew that dawah needs to be practiced with a smile and gentle hand; not a sneer and a slap like some people around here.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
good to know new facts on fanar....hmm
But I'll be glad to introduce you to a Muslim who isn't so hateful and harsh if you are interested. :-P
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
so she must be busy match making
We moved to Qatar Guest centre for some productive sessions by our American lecturer
you are wise to leave it there cos you have no other option... nothing eco said was anything but meaningful advice...
You have mad a very inflammatory statement that people who drive away gossipers are the same one's who blow up aircrafts...
Islam forbids gossiping and therefore... any true Muslim would be a fanatic to your book and a terrorist...
Considering how twisted your perception of Islam is, I do not consider your curiosity of a healthy nature with any honorable intention...
I would loved to be proved wrong though... let me know if you are interested to attend any event at Fanar... I would be pleased to personally pick you up, keep you company during the event and then drop you back...
But I'll leave it there.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
about the ladies in prayer rooms in malls... if the ladies socializing, eating, talking in the prayer rooms caused inconvenience to the worshipers... that is very sinful
I don't think Eco was harsh to anyone... she just reminded everyone of a basic Islamic tenet... 'do not gossip'... be it at Fanar or anywhere else...
As for your judging her to be harsh... I would like you to consider your own comment...
PM said, "It's unimaginable that a Muslim would drive others away from Al- Fanar because she has appointed herself mutawwa. Shame" :-(
that combines activities like prayers, education, lectures, social events (within an Islamic context), etc. In fact, our marketing guy at work is very active there and he is constantly sending out invitations to activities there (both educational and social)l
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I thought Fanar was a social center?
I didn't see the notion of meeting a partner there through socializing wrong because I know that there would be limits on what that meant and assumed it was through proper introductions or meeting a woman who might have a family member looking for a husband. After all, the activities I attended were always segregated.
I have been in prayer rooms at the malls where women sat on the floor, socialized, ate, talked on the phone, but I also assume that this is not what was meant when people suggested Al-Fanar for meeting more muslims.
Once again, eco has come off very harshly and unkind to a sister in Islam. That is unfortunate and why I responded.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
But there is a difference between people in Fanaar making matches and going to Fanaar with the intent to socialize and get married...
When you go through the Director and staff... you would be introduced to people who are interested in marriage... I think that is very nice...
But to 'socialize' with the intent to marry is different...
Anyway, Eco has objected to Ladies who 'gossip' and 'picnic'... I have to agree with her...
Even before Fanaar was set up, Bismillah mosque in Souq Waqf... close to Fanaar was a meeting place for Muslim brothers for the propagation of religion
But eventually, the people who came to the mosque would make a lot of noise in just idle talk after the event disturbing other worshipers... and this became a big issue and the organizers had to given stiff warning by the Awqaf and were threatened they would be stopped from conducting programs there...
Also there are some Hadeeths that are worth mentioning...
“Al-Hakim reported in Al-Mustadrak (4/359) that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) quotes the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as saying: ‘There will come a time when people will sit in circles in the mosques and they will have no concern except this world. Allah has no need of them so do not sit with them.’” This is a Sahih Hadith even though Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not narrate it. Al-Dhahabi said in Al-Talkhis that it is Sahih.”
This Hadith states that this blameworthy deed is disliked, because the mosques are not built for such a purpose. Allah commanded that mosques should be built to remember Him and to conduct Prayers and acts of worship and obedience to Him, such as I`tikaf (retreat, seclusion for devotion and worship), and different kinds of Dhikr such as circles for reciting Qur’an and seeking knowledge.
As for greeting each other with Salam and shaking hands, there is nothing wrong with this, for these are acts of obedience to Allah. There is no conflict between doing these things and responding to the muezzin, because a person may do all of these things at once.
Moreover, Muslims should beware of doing anything that may offend or disturb those who come to the mosque for worship. This includes disturbing those who are reading Qur’an, praying or remembering Allah in the mosque. It is an evil deed to disturb the people in the mosque by talking about worldly affairs, because this is offensive to them and distracts Muslims from doing acts of worship properly. Ahmad ibn Shu`ayb Al-Nisa'i reported in As-Sunan Al-Kubra (5/32) a report from Abu Hazim Al-Timar from Al-Bayadi, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came out and found the people praying and reciting in loud voices. He said: “The one who is praying is conversing with his Lord, so let him think about what he is saying to Him. Do not compete with one another in reciting Qur’an loudly.”
Ibn Muhayrez (may Allah have mercy on him) is reported to have said: “Speaking in the mosque is idle talk, except for one who is praying, or remembering his Lord, or asking for help or giving help.” (Musannaf `Abd Al-Razzaq, part 8).
Ibn Al-Haj said, concerning the etiquette of the Muslim when setting out for the mosque: “He should intend to avoid idle talk in the mosque or talking about that which does not concern him, for there is a report that says that speaking in the mosque about anything but the deeds of the Hereafter is like fire in dry wood, it eats up rewards (of good deeds). So he should take care to avoid this...” (Al-Madkhal by Ibn Al-Haj, part 1).”
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam-qa.com
Diplomat (Thu, 10/09/2009 - 11:53am) says she was fortunate enough to meet a loving husband there.
Perhaps she might like to tell us about how they met, if that isn't too personal?
for new converts? When I first converted there were a number of the women there -- including the director and her assistants who kept suggesting that I might like to meet someone for marriage that they could introduce me to. I declined but I knew other women who accepted and married through them. There were a even local men who went there to find Western converts to take a second wives and I knew one who accepted and married, all through QCPI.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
quote
Where is a muslim girl to meet her life partner??
unquote
"where else will like-minded people meet each other ya3ni, whether it be to form long friendships with other sisters or meet a potential life partner???? Where is a muslim girl to meet her life partner??"
Now you just scared ME away from Fanaar... is that what you ladies go there for?!?!
After Fajr which in which masjid you see ppl hanging out
after magrieb, isha? when do you see ppl hanging out in masjid
Yes masjid have been used for political purposes,
Alhumdullilah not in Qatar
Al- Fanar because she has appointed herself mutawwa. Shame :-(
Better to ignore her, Sontana. My own experience is that the people at QCPI/Al-Fanar are very nice and welcoming. All I can think is that eco-savvy is cranky because she is fasting. Just ignore her and her cohorts. BUt then again.... she is ALWAYS like this. :-P
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Our mosque in the US has a social hall for events such as classes, lectures and iftar dinners downstairs from the prayer hall.
Mandi
Are all muslims welcomed or will Sufis and Shiites be "driven out" by you? makes me want to avoid places that discriminate...for your information, throughout history, the mosque has been more than a place where muslims go to worship God. Its a social institution that connects people and mobilizes them. Besides school and work, where else will like-minded people meet each other ya3ni, whether it be to form long friendships with other sisters or meet a potential life partner???? Where is a muslim girl to meet her life partner??At the Grand Cafe ya3ni!???? Surely not, one of the first places is the mosque and we shouldn't be ashamed of that. Besides, who are you? the religious authority to round ppl up and kick them out?? This is absurd.
so do ya'll ladies all know eachother there? like if a new face comes in will you stare at her????
people - where is Fanar? is this the Islamic Cultural Institute? the spiral tower? what are the programmes there? when and what topics?
place after taraweeh since you mentioned i pray at home it didnt make sense to post details, btw i have already posted this info in other thread
Friday khutbah is very popular in Fanar once you attend there you will know about forth coming lectures
For new muslims different programmes are there, there is iftar too
You've been going there for 12 years and never met any Qataris?
it will be easy for me to understand hadith than website link which is in arabic
Im going to Fanar since 1997 it was known as QCPI then
How come I never met locals there
Salman.. Read what I posted in its context. It's not a disco type of dancing.
been in Fanar for a months i meet new friendly muslims, arab muslims and some local. they are very friendly and helpful and yes sometimes they organize Islamic forum. and thru: friends i met my very loving, responsible and pious husband.
I respect AWQAF but it does not mean that in today's world ppl should go to Masjid and their wife dance there.
QatariLady: I dont agree with you. please do not quote anything which makes differences in religion and if you are sure please provide the evidence or where it is written. so we can understand.
Voila
http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?flag=1&bk_no=3&ID=1577
It's in Arabic though.
Why dont YOU cite the source then?
Yes it was inside the mosque.
For eid we all play duff and dance but does it takes place inside the masjid
Eco..
I was referring to the incident when ethiopian Muslims were performing a traditional dance in the mosque on Eid day.
The Prophet even called on his wife Aisha to come and enjoy it.
Show me a religious man nowadays who would encourage his wife to watch men as they dance :)
took muslim friends to Fanar? which daee did you meet there? for which social event you got an invite?
social events?
I'm not stopping anyone from attending anything.
I'm just saying that I'm not personally interested in mixing with those sort of people.
diary, cos later i know you will make thousand lies of this issue.
For people who are interested to know about islam there are several programmes, like tour of masjid then there are speacial invites for lectures, in the past events were posted in QL.....and you hypos created mess out of the events no one even attended
I just dont buy stories you know that
If you are discussing welcome nasheed at Masjid Quba in
Madina then thats diff act
hard to understand people like Eco? start thinking they are the best and no other can be like them.realy shame on you Eco. No one should stop any one to go to mosque no matter what niyah he or she got?
Sure they scare me off.
One minute they are chasing people off for 'gossiping', next thing they are getting arrested for trying to blow up transatlantic flights with liquid explosives.
Fanatics are a scary bunch, regardless of the religion.
And yes I have met people in Qatar who have given me the shivers and reminded me of these three:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/07/uk.airline.bomb.trial/
Thanks to each of them for making air travel that much more annoying. We all appreciate the resrictions on carry on liquids and gels.
fubar... the unpleasant people scare you stiff do they... didn't realize you were such a pushover...
Diamond you can see why the rest of us are scared stiff of Fanar. I don't want to go within 100m of that place in case I get "driven away" by someone like Eco.
Why are some people so unpleasent??? I remember back home visiting churches that I'd never been to before and being made to feel like part of the extended family, there was no one there who wanted to "drive all the gossipers out". *rolls eyes*
Eco.. Muslims used to dance (decently) in the masjid and the Prophet didn't stop them!
...and it's open to everyone.
Just don't visit the masjid part. It's Eco-savvy's territory. LOL
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
You're welcome Sonata...go to Fanar and just avoid anyone trying to drive you out lol.
-------------------------------------
for your support!! Eco, I did actually say I was looking for talks and also social opportunities, not that I wanted to socialise during talks!!!
Maybe not hundreds but I did get a few.. obviously actually stating 'sisters' got ignored by them!
Fanar is more than a masjid...it is a place for Muslimas new to town to meet people, which then can lead to friendships and social activities around town.
Take your blinkers off.
-------------------------------------
Sontana: in a few minutes u wil receive a 100s of friendship requests frm QL brotherz
that will help you inSha Allah
*slaps forehad and sighs*
I would now advise against going to Fanar and instead going to some other place where she will be more warmly welcomed.
Shame on you.
-------------------------------------
club, people go there to learn Islam
and I said in my previous comment Masjid is for worship
once the salah is performed we should be out.
For some stupid sisters its picnic time and gossip time
Gee Eco, way to put someone off. Do you realise you come across as unfriendly when you say things like that? The poor girl is looking for like-minded people. And if you're driving people out of Fanar, then perhaps I ought to have a word with the authorities. That is the opposite of what they are trying to do.
Good grief.
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"Muslim sisters"? LOL
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
I drive all the gossipers out of the masjid
You go to masjid for ibadah, to converse with Allah swt
when your intentions are straight then insha Allah you
will meet nice sweet loving sisters
My group is mashaAllah striving for Jannah, they put me on right path all the time
May Allah bless my pious sisters Ameen
Fanar sounds good inshAllah. Please keep the suggestions coming!
Theres Fanar... Qatar guest center... Markaz Mariam... and one more that i know of...
surely theres more out there.... PM me insha'Allah : )
You could try Fanar, that lighthouse type building near the Corniche/Souq Waqif which is lit up at night.
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u can b my friend, im the princess of QL