The Twelve Springs of Musa

According to the Quran, after the crossing of the Red Sea, the Children of Israel were divided into twelve tribes and Musa was commanded to strike a rock with his staff, from which, twelve springs sprang forth. Each tribe was given one spring to drink from and Allah provided them with the shade of clouds and with manna and salwa (quail) to eat. Today only seven of the twelve springs still exist. They are referred to as Oyun Musa (عيون موسى). They are located about 20km south of the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel. They are behind a village known as Sharm al Skeikh. The villagers have many stalls set up along the springs where they sell hand made souvenir jewellery. The area is surrounded by a lot of date palm trees and desert area. It is very close to the Suez Canal.

Firaun at Cairo Museum

Ramesses II

Ramesses II also known as Ramesses the Great was Egypt's third pharaoh in the 19th Dynasty. He is regarded as the greatest and most powerful Egyptian pharaoh. He is believed by many to be the pharaoh of the Exodus. It is estimated that he was born around 1303B.C. and that he lived for an average of 90 to 99 years. He ruled for approximately 66 years and 2 months. When he died he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of Kings and he was discovered in 1881. He is now on display in Cairo Museum.

Some Muslims believe he is the pharaoh that drowned in the sea and the one that is mentioned in Quran while others believe that it was his son Merneptah that pursued Musa and drowned in the sea.

Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. He ruled for almost ten years between late July or early August 1213 to May 2, 1203 BC. Merneptah was originally buried in the Valley of the Kings but his mummy was not found there and was later discovered along with eighteen other mummies in the mummy cache found in the tomb

of Amenhotep II. ...................................Merneptah

Merneptah's mummy was then taken to Cairo and unwrapped. For the Muslims who believe that Merneptah is the pharaoh that drowned in the sea, their theory is that two pharoahs lived at the time of Musa; Ramesses and his son Merneptah. They believe that Ramesses is the pharaoh that ordered for the Hebrew boys to be killed but that this pharoah died and when Musa returned to Egypt, Merneptah was in rule and he is the one who pursued Banu Israiel into the sea and drowned. A French scientist, Maurice Bucaille rented the bodies of these pharoahs and according to him, Merneptah is the one with salt in his body and not Ramesses. Allah said in the Quran translated as " So today we have preserved your body as a sign for those after you, and verily a lot of people are negligent of our signs. " Pharoah is the worst person to have ever walked on the face of the earth. He claimed to be God. Allah destroyed him and all his accomplices and we should take lessons from this and incidents similar to this nature and Allah knows best. The two unlabled pictures are two other mummies on display at the Cairo Museum.

Giza Pyramids

Okay so here's some info. This is the Great Pyramid of Giza, the tomb of the pharaoh, Khufu. It is the oldest and the largest of the three Pyramids at Giza. It was built in 2560B.C. and it is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has survived more or less in tact. It is believed that it took approximately 20years to build the structure.

What we see now is really the core of the Pyramid as it was once covered with smooth casing stone, pieces of which can now be seen scattered at the base of the Pyramid.

The Second Pyramid or The Pyramid of Khafre still has a small portion of this casing stone at the very top of the pyramid. The Second Pyramid is often mistaken as the larger of the three partially because of the casing stone that remains at the top. This pyramid has three known chambers but most times tourists are only allowed into one chamber

The pyramid towards the back is really the Great Pyramid but as you can see from the picture, it appears smaller from certain angles. The smallest pyramid is the Pyramid of Menkaure and the three at the base of it are known as the Leen Pyramids. The three shown in this picture are the tombs for the wives of the Menkaure.

The Pyramids of Giza are probably one of the biggest if not the biggest tourist attraction in Egypt. It costs 60 Egyptian pounds (avg. 12US Dollars) to enter the Pyramid grounds where you can touch the Pyramids, climb a small portion of one, take a camel ride and the general picture taking.

This is the tomb room of Khafre. To enter a pyramid however, will cost you extra, depending on which pyramid you choose to enter. We went into the second one and it cost us 30 Egyptian pounds per person. To enter the Great Pyramid costs 100 egyptian pounds.

The passageway into the Pyramids is very narrow and for most of the way very low so you must bend over to climb in. It is extremely hot and for anyone who is claustrophobic, I do not recommend going inside.

So generally you're not allowed to take photos inside the pyramid and I'm sure if there were security guards inside they wouldn't have allowed us to lie in the tomb either. (It would be really difficult to find someone who would be willing to sit in that heat all day)

So after going inside the pyramid, we decided to drive down to this area where you can get a panoramic view of the pyramids.

There are many Sphinxes in the world and a few in Egypt itself. The one seen here is The Great Sphinx of Egypt. It is a reclining lion with the head of a human. It is the biggest monolith statue in the world. It is 241 ft long, 65ft high and 20ft wide. Since the questions of when it was built, who built it and who designed it, are very much debated questions, the "Riddle of the Sphinx" has become popular. Most Egyptologists believe that it was created by the pharoah Khafre and that it is either a statue of him or a member of the royal family such as his father or brother.

Hajj

The greatest experience for a Muslim is to perform hajj. It is one of the pillars of Islam. It is compulsory on every Muslim male and female to perform the pilgrimage as long as they are physically and financially able. Alhamdulillah I have had the privilege of making this journey twice and there is no experience more rewarding. No words can describe the feeling of seeing the blessed cities of Makkah and Madina and nothing is more incredible than making tawaaf around Al Ka'ba, the beloved House of Allah. It's nothing like you've ever imagined especially if you know the history that surrounds these magnificent cities. I hope that these pictures can give you an idea of what it's like and encourage anyone who might be hesitant about making this journey.

These are the minarets of Masjid ul Haram. They were the tallest structures in Makah so their beauty was most seen until recently. The Saudi government built two towers known as Zam Zam towers which are about one and a half times the height of the minarets of the Mosque. As a result their beauty became shaded. Nevertheless they are extremely gorgeous especially at night time.

This is what is known as Maqamme Ibraheem or The Place of Standing of Prophet Ibraheem.

This is located very close to the Ka'ba. Inside the glass case is a stone with his footprint.When Prophet Ibraheem was building Al Ka'ba he stood on this stone to complete the upper walls.

This is the inside of Masjid un Nabawi, the Prophet's (saw) Mosque. It is extremely huge and as you can see, very beautiful. They even have escalators going to the roof and trust me, its not like any roof you've ever seen before. This was one of the most memorable parts of my journey. Knowing that this is where our beloved Prophet (saw) prayed, lived, died and is now buried inside this mosque. Obviously he wasn't buried in the Mosque in his time but due to the great expansion of his Mosque his grave ended up in the Mosque.

Beautiful door of the Prophet's (saw) Mosque.

On our way to do the action of stoning the Shaitaan.

These are the tents at Mina. Tents go as far as the eyes can see. For me this may have been the most trying part of my journey but it isn't the same for everyone. For someone else it can be the most enjoyable part. What is important to remember is that for every individual, it is a totally and completely different experience.
It all depends on your frame of mind before, during and after the whole experience. We must always remember to check our intention every step of the way. For every action is judged based on intention.

Khan Khalili Bazaar and Ataba Market in Egypt

So I promised you guys that I'd post pictures of Khan Khalili Bazaar and Ataba Market. Here they are... Enjoy!

Ataba Market

Khan Khalili Bazaar

Becoming a Haafidh of Quran

The first part or maybe the whole part of becoming a haafidh of Quran is ALL about intention. As we all know, actions are only judged by intentions. Today it is common for some parents to force and even beat their children to memorize Quran, thus causing their children to develop a hatred for memorization of the Holy Book. This does not mean that parents should not do their best to encourage their children or that they should give in to their children's demands because very often in the end a child will appreciate being forced. What is necessary is that parents figure out a way to help their children understand that this is the greatest gift and the greatest wealth for the Prophet (saw) said in a hadith which is translated as, "The best amongst you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it to others. " One way that helps children not to detest the memorization of Quran is by teaching them the virtues and creating a love of Quran in their hearts from a very young age, before the love of worldly things corrupt their hearts. Sometimes parents also forget that it is equally important for they themselves to learn the Quran and memorizing along with your children can be a good way to encourage them. It is always best to lead by example. Memorization can even become a game as the child and parent compete with each other to memorize more than the other. I myself started memorization of Quran at the tender age of 5 at home with my mother. When I was 13 years old I enrolled into a school of memorization. At first I struggled everyday as I felt nothing stuck in my head. I harbored ill feelings toward my parents for making me attempt this difficult task. Then I met a teacher who taught me how to memorize and who taught me the virtues of memorizing this Glorious Book. After 2 years and 10 months, I finally completed my memorization and Alhamdulillah it is the best thing I ever did. I am forever grateful to my parents for giving me this gift and I hope that Allah rewards them for all they have done for me and I hope that Allah allows me to understand all that I have memorized and helps me to practice all that is in it. Ameen.

Living in egypt

It's been one month and i'm all settled in with my family. So for any of you who might be coming to Egypt to stay for a while, here's some advice. If you're planning to stay for just a few months, you should probably get a furnished apartment because you don't want to buy a lot of stuff and when you're ready to leave you have to try to sell everything. Depending on the area you stay in and the size of apt, a furnished apartment ranges anywhere from 8 hundred to 3000 Egyptian pounds a month. Which is far cheaper than the equivalent in Trinidad or the States. In a remote area, you can get a very nice three bedroom apt for 850. There are some places however that are like gated communities. These places have free buses, special cab services with a set price of 5 pounds as long as you're traveling within the community, every store and food place you can think of, 24hr doctors, amusement parks and much more. Rehab is an example of one of these places. A furnished 3 bedroom apt here is about 3000 Egyptian pounds, but if you're planning to stay in Egypt for a few years it's definately worth it for the comfort and the convenience. Luckily my wife and I only live about 5mins away from here. So we hang out a lot here. We're big Cinnabon fans and they have a particularly big one so here are some pics from our last visit.

Shopping in Egypt

So my first two weeks were spent in organizing myself and settling in etc. We visited some of my Egyptian friends and went a little shopping. Two main shopping malls in Cairo to note. Firstly City Stars which has everything you can think about from A to Z. When I say everything, I mean everything. This mall has 6 floors and each floor is about the size of Trincity Mall in Trinidad. That's not the best part sisters.

All the food in this country is halaal, so all the K.F.C's, Mc Donalds, Hardees, Papa Johns, Pizza Huts, T.G.I Fridays, Ruby Tuesday, Chillies is edible. Plus they have places that we don't have in Trinidad like Cinnabon, Starbucks, Costa, Claires and much much more. Then there's another mall by the name of Carrefour. It's not as big as City Stars but you'll find all the same places.
Obviously street shopping is way cheaper than the malls and wait until you hear the prices in the markets. I paid about $4 TT for 5lbs of strawberries. The fruits here are amazing. The oranges are actually orange and extremely sweet. A huge romaine lettuce is about $2 TT. But here's the catch... there are no hot peppers at all, no hot pepper sauce and no green seasoning, so walk with it if you're coming and unless you like Egyptian curry, walk with your Chief Brand. Electronics are pretty reasonable as well. Some things are really cheap and some are about the price you would get them for in the States. Supposedly the place to shop is the Khan e Khalili Bazaar but I haven't been there yet so check me back and I'll let you know. In the mean time enjoy the pics of City Stars Mall.

First impresion of Egypt

So alhamdulillah my family and I are all in Egypt now. Just doing some Islamic studies to try to get closer to our creator as is supposed to be the main focus of all Muslims. We've been here for about two weeks now and man do I have a lot to tell you guys. Hmmmm where do we start? Lets start from the airport in Cairo. My wife wears a veil of her own free will . As we all know it's not compulsory in Islam but optional based on a persons own God consiousness. So from Trinidad through England onwards to Cairo she had no problems and I say alhamdulillah for that. Actually the immigration officers in England were so nice they actually told her to go in the back with a woman and raise her veil. I didn't request that because I always tell my wife not to make it a problem. It's an optional act so if they want to see your face, raise it right there whether there's one man or fifty it doesn't matter just show them. We as muslims must not be pig headed but understand their concerns. It's a part of their job so if we comply we make it easier for other Muslims. So we arrived at Cairo international and the immigration officer was a man who asked my wife to lift her veil. He didn't even have the courtesy to ask her to do it in the presence of a woman. Not only that but when he saw her face in her passport he went around to all his co-workers for them to view my beautiful moviestar wife lol. Tell me bout it man. Anyways from the airport we went to my friends house to spend a few days until we organized our own apartment. That was around 12am. This country never sleeps and that's all due to the lack of crime. When people hear about Egypt they think oh boy! , Middle East bombs etc. Man that's all so far from these people. The last bombing was about a month ago. It killed one french woman and that was the first in 10 yrs. The malls here close at midnight and it's just as busy at 2am as it is at 2pm. You might be surprised though to find some people who don't care much for Islam but there are a lot of people here who truly love Islam and really practice it properly and you'll never find a better host than an Egyptian. But definately the best part is waking up to multiple adhans every morning and truly being able to pray everywhere. Don't worry i'll keep you guys posted on all things Egypt.

Short advice

Alhamdulillah all praises are for Allah . We thank Allah for his many favours that he has bestowed upon us, those that we see and even those that we can't see. We as reciters of the kalimah must understand our purpose in life and never forget that this world is a temporary phase. We as intelligent human beings not only but as Muslims, those who have been given the most truthful of all words and on whose shoulders rests the responsibility of delivering the message of Islam to the entire world should remember the status and respect that Allah has given to us and act on the knowledge that we have. Allah has said in the holy Quran translated as, " whoever doesn't judge with what Allah has revealed then they are unbelievers ". Do we understand the seriousness of this verse in the holy quran? This means if you and your neighbour have a dispute and you take your affairs to the court, and the court decides in your favour , yet you know it goes against the law of the quran and really and truly it is your friend who is right then you fall under this verse. We must always develop the attitude of checking every action of ours before we do it. Is it in accordance to the teachings of Islam or not? What does the quran say about this? Will my creator be pleased with me or not? We must constantly think about our life and prepare for our death for we are all unaware of how long we'll live. Life has no guarantees. The only certain thing is death and we see that daily. No matter what religion we belong to everyone agrees that we must die. Lets start making preparations for our death. Be wise brothers and sisters in humanity. We must love and respect each other and stop the slaughtering of innocent people all over the world. I hope and pray that Allah guides us all. Asalaamualaikum

Seerah by Imam Anwar Al Awlaki

Imam Anwar Al Awlaki has an amazing collection of Seerah (biography) stories, including; The Lives of The Prophets, Muhammad (S.A.W), Abu Bakr (R.A) and Umar (R.A). He also has other lectures including a series on the hereafter. These titles and many others by Imam Awlaki are available through this site. Free audio samples of these captivating stories are also available on this website. I hope InshaAllah that you will enjoy these as much as I do.