Dear Xaas:

My sleeping did wonders for me; I was able to easily follow your post this morning, unlike last night.

From reading your last longer post, I learned that you hold great respect to the Arabic language, its complexity and richness, and you regret some words lost their meanings or are used incorrectly. You also have great respect and a good feeling since childhood to the teachings of Mohammad.

I also learned that you care a lot about this specific word, darb, in that specific instruction: to darb one’s children at the age of 10 if they don’t pray. You believe that since most Muslims today think of darb as to hit, then they proceed to follow the instruction. You would like to teach people that the word darb does not mean to hit, but is about directing the parent perhaps to not move the child from point A (home) to point B (the mosque) so to pray. But you know it is difficult to change people’s understanding that they had for many years.

Do you have ambitions about educating more and more people about the meaning of the word darb, intending that by that you will reduce physical beating of children?

I have more thoughts, but will be waiting for the answer of this last question.

anita