Katakatakukaku

Proper Hijab

Found an interesting blog about the Muslim's way of life. Check this out:

Hijab in Islam, is basically a “dress code” for Muslim women in public. Many perceive hijab as “traditional” and a form of oppression; but truth is, hijab protects and safeguards women from harassment! The wisdom behind hijab is to minimize sexual enticement and most importantly, it is a form of obedience to our Lord, Allah. Take hijab as your pride, and Insyallah, you will become a better Muslimah.

1. The most basic form of hijab is to cover the whole body, except the hands up to the wrist. Take note that hijab is not only about covering your head with a headscarf, but it’s about covering your body too! A hijab isn’t complete until both requirements (head and body) are covered.

Related verse from the Quran:

♦”… that they (the believing women) should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers…” [ An-Noor 24:31 ]

2. A proper hijab requires one to wear loose clothes in order to avoid “showing” those beautiful curves! The Prophet (pbuh) has warned us that women who are dressed yet naked (ie: tight-fitting clothes) will receive harsh punishment in Hell (nauzubillah).

Related hadith:

•The Prophet (pbuh) said: “There are two types of people in Hell-fire whom I did not see: People who have with them whips that are like the tails of cow; they strike people with them. And women WHO ARE DRESSED YET NAKED, who are Mumilat (ie: who shake their shoulders when they walk, who draw the attention of those who are looking at them) and Ma’ilat, (ie: they walk in a slanting manner, strutting with a kid on fluidity of motion, so as to attract others)… they will NOT enter Paradise, nor will they smell its fragrance whereas its fragrance would be smelt from such and such distance” [ Sahih Muslim, Book 24, Chapter 26 #5310 ]

3. Think that headscarf or long skirt of yours is solid enough? Look again, it might be transparent and people are able to see the shape of your hair bun or legs! Whatever material or fabric you put on yourself; make sure they are not transparent!

4. Ladies, keep your attire or outfit simple and modest! There’s no need to be flashy in order to attract the attention of others! Most importantly, it should be free of anything that may lead to arrogance, self-conceited, pride and riya’. As ladies, we are to display Allah’s blessings upon us in our clothing, but do it without going to the extreme of wastage or extravagance.

Related hadith:

•The Prophet (pbuh) said: “He who trailed his garment out of pride, Allah would not look towards him on the Day of Resurrection” [ Sahih Muslim, Book 24, Chapter 8 #5195 ]

5. “Are you a girl… or a boy?” Is the type of question other people shouldn’t be asking when it comes to an individual, and we should avoid it at all costs! Dressing up/ looking as the opposite gender is dangerous to self, as it challenges the pride and it brings confusion to others. So ladies, be proud of your girly self! :)

Related hadith:

•”The Prophet (pbuh) cursed the man who dresses like a woman and the woman who dresses like a man” [ Abu Dawood, 4/86 ]

6. Why bother dressing up the others (ie: the unbelievers) when you, as a Muslimah, have your own identity to be proud of? By imitating them outwardly, it might lead to imitating them inwardly (beliefs, characteristics). Muslim ladies too, have their own style and fashion to be proud of! :)

Related hadith:

•The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Be different from the Mushrikin” [ Al-Bukhari, # 4/39 ]

Source: http://www.owhsomuslim.com/osm/a-guide-to-proper-hijab-for-ladies/

Home (Things Called "Homesick")

Another summer day

Has come and gone away

In Paris and Rome

But I wanna go home

Mmmmmmmm

May be surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

I just wanna go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you

Each one a line or two

“I’m fine baby, how are you?”

Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough

My words were cold and flat

And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane

Another sunny place

I’m lucky, I know

But I wanna go home

Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home

I’m just too far from where you are

I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life

It’s like I just stepped outside

When everything was going right

And I know just why you could not

Come along with me

'Cause this was not your dream

But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come

And gone away

In even Paris and Rome

And I wanna go home

Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

Oh, let me go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home

I’ve had my run

Baby, I’m done

I gotta go home

Let me go home

It will all be all right

I’ll be home tonight

I’m coming back home

Source : http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaelbuble/home.html

Yamakasa Event Schedule

#Display of Kazariyama - July 1 (Tue) - 14 (Mon):

Kazariyama floats will be displayed at approximately 13 sites around Fukuoka City.

#Oshioitori - July 9 (Wed):

This is a ceremonial purification of the body which takes place before the festivities begin. The members of the seven nagare that will participate in the race on July 15 gather in front of their team's float before running to Hakozakihama in Higashi Ward. After everyone has gone to Hakozaki Shrine to pray, the participants head to the beach, where they collect sand as a symbol of purification. The day's ritual concludes with participants offering applause to the setting sun.

#Nagaregaki - July 10 (Thu):

This is the first time the teams carry their floats. As a warm up for the real race, each nagare carries its akiyama around its own district.

#Asayama & Tanagaregaki - July 11 (Fri):

Also known as "Shugiyama", the Asayama is both a practice session and a means of showing respect for the elders who have devoted many years to the festival. The elders sit on the kakiyama floats as they are carried along the streets of each team's district. In the afternoon of the same day, each team carries its float to the districts of its opponents in an event called "Tanagare".

#Oiyama-narashi - July 12 (Sat):

This is a practice race preempting the main event of the 15th. To give a feeling of reality, the 4 km practice race is timed. The starting time is 3:59 pm.

#Shudan Yamamise -July 13 (Sun):

This is the only day that the kakiyama cross the Naka River and enter the old castle town of Fukuoka. The floats are carried the 1.2 km distance from the Gofukumachi intersection in Hakata Ward to the City Hall in Tenjin. It is customary for the governor, mayor and other local celebrities to climb on board the floats at this event.

#Nagaregaki - July 14 (Mon):

This event marks the final chance for preparations for the Oiyama race, which will take place half a day later.

#Oiyama -July 15 (Tue):

Giant drums will signal the start of the first float's run at 4:59 am. *Anyone still remember the reason why? YUP! Because Yamakasa is suppose to be started on 5:00 am (the sunrise time) but they need 1 minute before for singing the Yamakasa's song. The second float takes off six minutes later, and the remaining floats start their runs down the just over one kilometer course at five-minute intervals thereafter. This timed competition is known as the "Kushida-iri". After this, an exciting 5 km run is held to test the speed of each team. It's a Yamakasa highlight not to be missed. Following the race, a performance of Traditional Noh theater is held to calm participants and spectators alike after the excitement of the morning's festivities. This performance draws the curtain on Yamakasa events but only marks the beginning of real summer fun.

**Those without tickets won't be able to enter Kushida Shrine, but can watch the race from the streets along the course.

Location of Kazariyama Floats (July 1 to 14)

(1) HIGASHINAGARE / Near Gofukumachi Intersection

(2) NAKASUNAGARE / In front of N*Pasal building (Nakasu 4-chome, Hakata-ku)

(3) CHIYONAGARE / In front of Papillon 24 (Chiyo 1-chome, Hakata-ku)

(4) KAMI-KAWABATA-DORI / In the Kamikawabata shopping arcade

(5) KAWABATA CHUO-GAI

(6)WATANABE-DORI 1-Chome / Sunselco Square (Near Hotel New Otani Hakata)

(7) HAKATA-EKI Shoten-Rengokai / In front of Hakata-guchi gateway of Hakata Station

(8) CANAL CITY HAKATA

(9) SOLARIA / Solaria Plaza G. Floor (Tenjin 2- chome, Chuo-ku)

(10) SHINTEN-CHO / Tenjin 2-chome, Chuo-ku

(11) HAKATA RIVERAIN

(12) KUSHIDA SHRINE / On the shrine grounds of Kushida Shrine (Kami-kawabata-machi, Hakata-ku)

(13) FUKUOKA DOME

Source: Rainbow

July in Japan

Fumizuki is the old Japanese name for the month of July. Its kanji characters (文月) literally mean "book month." There are several theories about the origins of this name. One is that fumizuki is a shortened form of hofumizuki, which refers to the time when rice becomes ready for harvest. Another possible explanation is that it's short for fumihirakizuki, which means to hope for an improvement in one's calligraphy skills. Tanabata - the major holiday during fumizuki - is a time to pray specifically for improvement in calligraphy. The modern Japanese name for the month of July is shichigatsu (七月).

The only official holiday in July is Marine Day, celebrated on the third Monday of the month. It is Japan's newest national holiday (first observed in 1996), and commemorates the return of Emperor Meiji to Yokohama port from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876. A more traditional celebration is Tanabata, observed on July 7th. According to legend, a cattleherd named Hikoboshi and a weaver named Orihime are allowed to meet just once a year: on the 7th day of the 7th month. They are represented by the stars Altair and Vega, which come together from across the Milky Way. One popular custom on Tanabata is to write one's deepest wish on a piece of paper and hang it on a bamboo tree (hence the emphasis on calligraphy).

Traditional Annual Events & Festivals in the month of July are as follows:

July 1 - 15

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

A resplendent and gallant summer festival with men racing through the streets while bearing 1-ton floats on their shoulders.

July 7 (and also on August 7)

Tanabata (Star festival)

Takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when, according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet. Because the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Tanabata is still celebrated on August 7th in some regions of Japan, while it is celebrated on July 7th in other regions.

July 13-15

O-Bon (Lantern Festival)

July 14

Nachi-no-Hi-Matsuri

This is one of the three largest fire festivals of Japan, is staged in the Kumano mountains of Wakayama Prefecture, an area registered as a World Heritage Site.

Third Monday of July (National Holiday)

Ocean Day (umi no hi)

A recently introduced national holiday to celebrate the ocean. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876.

July 1 -29

Gion Matsuri

Gorgeous floats, sometimes called 'mobile art museums,' parade down the main streets of Kyoto.

July 22- 24

Warei Taisai Festival & Uwajima Ushi-Oni Matsuri

Youths carry portable shrines in the river waters at night and monster-shaped floats parade through the town streets.

July 23 -25

Soma-Nomaoi (Wild Horse Racing)

A 1,000-year-old traditional festival which introduces the code of the samurai of the Warring States Period to the present day.

July 24 - 25

Tenjin Matsuri

Come and experience the spirit of people born and bred in Osaka, maintaining traditions of 1,000 years ago.

Late July / Early August

Miyajima Kangensai Festival

Medieval nobles' style of entertainment reproduced at Itsukushima Shrine, which is one of the three scenic beauties of Japan.

Last Saturday of July

Schedule for 2011 will be August 27 (Sat.)

(held in case of light rain but postponed if the weather is bad)

Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai (Sumida River Fireworks Display)

The evening sky of oldtown Tokyo is brightly colored with several tens of thousands of fireworks.

Source: Facebook, Visit Japan

Tanabata: The Star Festival (七夕)

Tanabata is celebrated on the 7th of July. According to Chinese legend, the Cowherd Star (Altair) and the Weaver Star (Vega) come from opposite eastern and western extremes of the Milky Way once a year, to meet. TANABATA, as it is known today has its origins in this legend and ancient Japanese tradition.

Tanabata has a long history and in fact, more than one hundred poems from the Manyoshu (Japan oldest anthology of poems) were composed for "The Star Festival".

Nowaday in Japan, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes, sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (短冊), small pieces of paper, and hanging them on bamboo, sometimes with other decorations. The bamboo and decorations are often set afloat on a river or burned after the festival, around midnight or on the next day. Many areas in Japan have their own Tanabata customs.