Islam and Culture by Sheikh S Webb

[Milly]

Did anyone attend this at the Birmingham Central Mosque last night?

MarshAllah the talk was very interesting and the Shiekh, very funny indeed!
I did not realise how much culture defined alot of fiqh issues. I wish to study this further inshaAllah. Can anyone recommend any good books on Urf?

What Moulana Zahir Mahmood was talking about was very true about Racism and how we are quick to judge others in all things superficial.
Funny (but very true) when he talked about how we want the British government and the people of this country to tolerate Islamic ways (hijab/ beard/ masjids...etc etc) but 2nd generation Asians (mostly) cannot even tolerate the recent influx of the Somali community to the nearby area - what hypocrisy!

What did u guys think?

P.s Segregation could have been better, is it always like this at Central Mosque?

[Chained_Water]

Segregation could definately have been better, there basically wasn't any barrier and a large number of times some of the organising brother kept talking to the organising sisters and it seemed too happy clappy and unnecessary.. but perhaps they are husband wife or brother sister teams thats why? ..Still I don't think it looked good for such a setting or event.

Anyway Central Mosque stuff is not always like that. Last time the same group did an event, they had much better segregation and the room was set up much better.. that was when they called Shaykh Ninowy down. ...dunno why they didn't retain the same set up this time around.

Anyway yep it was interesting.. never really heard Imam Suhaib Webb before yesterday.

[Abu 'Abdullaah]

I haven't been there in a few years but the masjid has seperate halls, no?

[Chained_Water]

I haven't been there in a few years but the masjid has seperate halls, no?
It has separate prayer areas, the talks are usually done in the main room downstairs though.

I mean I'm not totally loopy about it, have had classes there which were not segregated by barriers, and they worked fine because it was mainly couples and brothers and sisters and everyone stayed within limits.

But for bigger totally open events people should err on the side of caution I think. ..just something to sort out for next time.

[Abu 'Abdullaah]

It would be better for the sisters to stay in their hall and listen via the sound system...

[Milly]

It would be better for the sisters to stay in their hall and listen via the sound system...

i would not have minded this, did not get to see a great deal anyway (thanks to the brother standing in the middle with his huge camcorda - if ur listening)
lol.

[salsabeela]

i didnt hear about this talk.

By the way what do u lot think about having separate rooms with the sisters listening but with a video link? it defeats the whole purpose of lowering the gaze doesnt it, if sisters will just sit and stare at the brother on screen?

anyways maybe its just me.

so what u think...