My vote

Today I just did my civil duty or job or what you want, it was my first time ^^

A new start for a hopefully 'big change': one small step for man one giant leap for mankind ^^

#hellllllyeahhh

Young SOul

Arabic Banking/ Islamic Banking

I actually heared about the Islamic or Arabic Banking (IB), but I didn't really know what it all was about. And because I also don't have any idea of the economics it was a good start to get interested :)

So today I accepted to go to a debate about IB and it was very interesting!!

What is Islamic Banking about, well it's a kind of ethical banking but with Islamic laws. So it's a banking based on the Koran and the Sunnah, so actually the Sharia. That means that the banks cannot investigate in haram things such as alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, pornography, interests (because it is seen as a kinda betting thing) and so on. 

I think it was interesting to go there because they said things that are not written, you know in sites or such a things when you search for the real meaning of Arabic Banking. Like those things they said that I didn't forget: 

• That because there isn't a  you know kinda law about banking in the Islam, it are some scholars that got together and tried to find out a knew kind of 'helal (in the law of Islam)' banking, so they are actually taking the existent form of banking (capitalistic banking) and they are trying to make it Islamic. And because it's new there are a lot of things that are not yet to the point and that are still a bit difficult to arrange, but they are trying to do their best.
  
• What I also learned is that this form of Banking exists already in Dubai, Pakistan and Sudan  also in some London and USA banks and in Turkey you have a mixed system.. so I was actually surprised :)
  
• Even if the Islamic banking does show a lot of similarities with the capitalistic banking the greatest difference between them is that in the Islamic Banking they don't use the money for the money, they use it just as a middle. So they are not for the 'bad' profit, you know (even if there is still a profit,  the risks are not the same and the moral neither).
  
• As I said the moral aspect is different: do good for others and don't profit from pours. No investments in prohibited companies or products. It encourages tradings and so on ^^
  
• ANd a very important point in the Islamic Banking is that there is a kind of supervisor-thing, namely: the transactions are made by conventionalities (a mandatory Sharia board)

So as I said the Islamic Banking isn't fully developed and I don't think I mentioned every side of Islamic Banking but that's all I understood of it, I guess :)

Now there were some interesting questions coming out if the public like:

• How can you have an IB in a society where there are not only Muslims and where some of the things that are prohibited for the Muslims aren't prohibited for non-Muslims such as pork or armory and so on?
  --> The thing that they are going to do and I think that they are also doing in countries such as London  is that they make two separated money depots (I know I use stupid and easy terms but it's because I actually don't know a lot about it so excuse me ^_^).
  
  But there was also said that it is not because someone spends money on haram things such as pork or alcohol that Muslims can't trade with them. Because the Prophet pbuh did also trades with non-Muslims, it's not because something isn't haram for them and that they use the money for it and after that they want to do trades with us, that we can't. We just have to use the money like it is said in the Islamic way once the money is in our hands :).
  
  And for the armory thing, they said that if it was really needed, than there could be some exceptions. Like there can be some exceptions for people who want to open a society or something: well those persons need money and than they can do an exception.
  
• There was also a question who led to the conclusion that IB could have another name and that would lead to a more kind of ethical banking. There are also ethical banking's but they don't totally agree with the IB (in the way that they don't want to base something on a religion). They said that it would be better if IB had another name here in the western countries because of the secularity and that it could maybe then work better here in the west. The debaters totally agreed, they said that in a pluralistic country that way of thinking was normal and that if the manner of the IB could also exist but under another name it would be great. Also for the economy!

So that was quite everything I remember :)

If you want more information about it here you have an English site ^^

Afterwards I went to eat Lebanese with a friend and the Sharma's were delicious, we just enjoyed ^^

Young SOul

Aah politics

Today they gave a bit more information about the politics in Antwerp, because the municipal elections are coming. It was organised by of course activist but they were actually Muslim activist: Maryam Ah and Samira Azabar (who wrote a [in French] very interesting articles).

It was something for young Muslims that didn't really know for who they had to vote and to, you know kinda open their 'view'. They did that with theorems and with each theorem they explained the point of view of every single party of the Antwerp's.
It was interesting and very funny to see the point of view the parties had, sometime we were like shocked other times we were like surprised in a good way.

Here you have a video of the debate.

And here you also have an interesting article, for those who are interested in Belgian politics: a must read.

Mon intime conviction ~ Tariq Ramadan

When you have a train drive of 1h30, the best thing to do is: to read ^^

And so I just red the book that Tariq Ramdan wrote: Mon intime conviction. That day I finished the book and it was just a beautiful book about EVERY single thing and I learnd so much. I just recomend this book to everyone, JUST READ IT and you'll see what I mean !!

Here you have a taste :D ^^

I took he train because I was Actually on the road to a wedding, the wedding of my friend. I actually had a bad image of teenagers that got married but, after I saw her and other of my friends who were happy after their (teenage)wedding and their 'home', it made me realise that it wasn't because they married young that they couldn't  enjoy their youth anymore or that they couldn't be happy. So that was a good lesson and a beautiful evening :D

          We enjoyed the traditional dances !

Enjoy, Young SOul!

A little change

I changed of option and university.. Now I'm studying law at the HUB, so actually big changessss ^^

La foire musulmane de Bruxelles, des musulmans plus que engagé!

Wow, what a beautiful two days I've passed, it was so beautiful that I don't even know where to begin :) ^^

So lets begin with what the whole thing of the 'Foire musulmane de Bruxelles (FMB)' was about:

It was organised by young people of de 'Gedis' and the 'La ligue musulmane de Blegique' and it came for the first time here in Belgium from France (where it exists since 30 years now).

The reason of this Fare, why it took place are: I quote:
          'Show the diversity of the Muslim creation in all its forms and aspects.
           Highlight the originality and authenticity of  Muslim productions and innovations.
           Marvel visitors who will enjoy the many events, conferences and parties of the Fair.'

I was just amazed to the whole festivity thing, I mean I never sow a so beautiful scenery EVER before in my whole life, I mean not even during the festivities in the mosques :)

I'll try to explain how I felt and how I saw the Fare and all what I did during the weekend (because it were unfortunately the only two days that I could go there but it was still AMAAAA_Z_INGGg :)

{By the way it are all my pics ^^}

So let's begin from the start we are Saturday in the early afternoon so let the festivities beginn ^^

@ Tour et Taxis 

When we went to Tour en Taxis there were brothers standing at the entrance and distributing some flyers about a bit everything (like the tours to go to Mekka etc.) at the end of the two days I had that much flyers that I didn't wanted to look at them anymore :/ :s (but who cares anyway :)

The first thing we sow when we went inside were all the warm colors, it was beautiful and there were like I don't know 10-20 sisters and brothers standing there and ready to help you for ANY-thing and they were always smiling, always helpful, really liked their hospitality! 

[at the same time I would like to thank all the persons that were behind this, it was just beautiful, insALlah Allah stw will grant you like you'd like to and even more for all your efforts!]

There were a lot of stands and the first one was something about introducing Arabic banking in Belgium (Adefi), because a lot of Muslims want that and actually also need that kind of banking you know (like for when we want to buy a house or a car or you know the expensive things :p). 

The thing that also took my intention were the candy that they put there, it's in the culture :) 'Ikram'

                         who wants some candy?! ^^

Then we went to the next stand and I just sow the most beautiful thing on earth: a Koran written in Braille. I swear it is just beautiful, it comes from France (Institut Paris Eglantine) and that just 'opened my eyes' (I know but yes, I was completely amazed ^^ )

SubhanALlah, beautiful isn't it :) ^^

Afterwards we just, you know did the round of the stands, here are some:

So this brothers wrote a book in Dutch and French about what Islam really is and why we do some things that non-Muslim people could not understand. They gave it away for free and it's a beautiful book. They actually also did wrote this book (3 brothers) because of the fuss that was (is?!) going on about you know the movie about our Beloved pbuh and the hate that is be spreading. They hope people will stop with the 'Islamophobia'. 

THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT SHOWS THE AMBIANCE that was there, for me this is the most beautiful picture that actually tells a lot. 

For who wants to learn the Islamic sciences here in Brussels :) :

HELP SYRIA:

 auhh momaa ^^

Ikram :) Syrian candies :) ^^

Random

Okay afterwards we went to a stand that took our attention: 1330

What is it about?! Well when we buy a shirt the money we give to it goes to rebuilt the University of Gaza. 1330 refers to the numbers of victims that were killed .. ^^

HALAL CANDYYYYYH!!!!! ^^

We were waiting for TARIQ RAMADAN, what a man!

when I'll have more time one day I'll take the time to explain a bit more about everything that was said during the speeches, because they were just VERY interesting ^^

Tariq Ramadan also autographed our books, so it was exciting you know :))
I also said (but I'm not sure he heard what I said because of all the noise) That I appreciated that he could combine 'Engagement' with 'Religion' because I went to a lot of debates about it but it was the first time I hear a combination of the two. ANd it was just a revelation :p 

The next day I went on my own because I wanted to listen to the speeches and good I did because they were very interesting as I said before ^^

(oh yeah and if you wanted to visit all the stands and the shops I guaranty you that one day wasn't enough!)

Here are some speakers I listened to on Sunday, 

Cheikh Saad Al Brik: 'The prophet Muhammed of mercy'

Henri Goldman + Someone of Amnesty International + a Jurist: 'A barely veiled discrimination' 

Cheikh Abdelfattah Marou

Hassan Iquioussen: 'Being Muslim, an everyday engagement' 

As I said , when I'll have more time I'll explain a bit about the themes^^

And of course what would be a Muslim without prayer ..

And food?!! :D ^^

And of indeed what would the Umma be without our Beloved Prophet pbuh, so there was a space dedicated for our Beloved pbuh, just watch and enjoy the pictures I will say ^^

 So this is how the place looked like and now you'll see some pics from nearby, If you read what's on i you'll understand about what it is ^^

 The Prophet pbuh said: "The space between my grave and my minbar is a Rawda (Rawda is a word that means a place full of flowers and water) of Paradise." 
So it's a beautiful place that's always full of visitors and that contains a lot of beautiful Korans and so on^^

Ouhoud war 

 Badr fight 

 

Yes it was beautiful I also got a video that shows the house of our Beloved pbuh (for those who want to see it, just ask :) ^^

So here I ended those two fulfilling, beautiful, amazing (I don't know how to express it^^) days, I actually missed the Friday and the Monday, but Next year insALlah I'll be there :D

Love, Young SOul ^^