If you want your dream to be
Build it slow and surely.
Small beginnings, greater ends.
Heartfelt work grows purely.
If you want to live life free,
If you want to live life free,
Take your time, go slowly.
Do few things, but do them well.
Simple joys are holy.
Day by day, stone by stone,
Day by day, stone by stone,
Build your secret slowly.
Day by day, you'll grow, too,
You'll know heaven's glory.
Lyrics and music by Donovan
Lyrics and music by Donovan
I have this song continually playing in my mind lately. It's encouraging, no matter how cheesy! It's from the movie Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a film about Saint Francis of Asissi.
Just trying to remain calm in the midst of all of the "first-time-homebuyer" stress. Alhumdulillah, it looks promising for getting the fixed-rate mortgage. Apparently credit unions around here are fairly impotent regarding who they can lend to. So, our realtor seems to have hooked us up with some good avenues for our lending.
Inshallah kher. I'll keep y'all posted as things develop.
On a very happy note, I'm excited to announce that my sister, Brandy, is *finally engaged! She's waited for this for a long, long time, and I'm so excited for her! I'm a reunited adoptee, I found my birthfamilies (yes, both the mother and father sides!) in 2003! Yay! What a joy, to see my long-lost-sister getting engaged. I *never thought I would be able to have this opportunity!
Happiness!
8 comments:
I know at best we're blog pals but my husband may be able to help. He helps people with mortgages and refinancing. I didn't bug you about it before because I didn't want to seem like a pushy blog person but if you're still having trouble after a bit email me. Maybe he can help.
Right on, Deb! No, I don't see you as a "pushy blog person", only as someone who lives in my proximal community reaching out as a "neighbor", per se.
We've applied with 2 additional places besides the ones that gave us the wrong answer. I'll keep everyone posted...and keep your option in mind.
Bless you:)
Hi Nur,
I came across this story today and thought of your blog, thought you might enjoy it:
http://tinyurl.com/3466hg
Sorry to hear about your mortgage loan problems. What a difficult, stressful process that can be. Good luck!
mashallah
Just wondering, Is paying interest prohibited in Islam or is just profiting from interest?
Thanks Radio Free - Kareem Salma, what an amazing singer! I had no idea there was a "muslim cowboy" out there!
Toro- Asalaam alleikum and welcome to Rockin' Hejabi:)
Rich - you open up a very debated and interesting subject. The Quran states that we are not to play games of chance, and it forbids engaging in "ribaa", which is usery, or loaning money to someone and charging them interest, so that they will have to pay an unreasonable amount as the grand total. In Feisal Abdul Rauf's book "Islam a Sacred Law; What every Muslim Should Know about Sharia" he calls for the islamic community to reinterpret what they have said regarding usury. Essentially, "islamic/halal" mortgages are actually making people pay more for their houses in the end than a traditional western fixed-rate mortgage. They are only "halal" (which simply means religiously permissible) in form but not in content. It makes so much more sense to get a fixed rate mortgage that you have the option to pay down the interest by paying extra payments etc so you owe less in the end; with the "halal" mortgages it doesn't change your final payment price if you pay early, you'll still owe the same amount whether you pay regularly or extra.
Just another example of how we need "iztehad" or open dialogue to revise islamic laws so that they are reasonable and pertinent to today's situation.
Credit cards on the other hand are something we absolutely don't require to function in our lives. I would venture to say that a prepaid card is the only thing that is permissible for muslims.
Rockin' Hejabi - Thanks for the answer. I have been confused by different things written about this subject. Reading your answer I can see why I might have been confused.
I am still wondering if a bad loan is haram for both parties or just for the lender?
Rich,
The greater sin in a loan is always on the lender's side. It's clear that it's a grave sin to live off of interest earned from loaning someone money.
Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) hocked his armour so he could feed his family. Was this his only choice? No, he could have been a beggar I suppose. But hocking his armour was the *best choice available to him at the time, to do something positive for his family.
Post a Comment