I'd post this again but I might as well just link ya'll to it
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=13771.0

In you can, PLEASE adopt.
Adoption laws change from state to state and people who previously couldn't adopt now can. Even singles can adopt nowadays. There are many agencies and adoption attorneys who are willing to work with every type of person and situation. Don't give up, aly-sam! ^_^

Hey guys^_^ Just thought I'd put my two cents in in case someone comes across this, even though its been almost a year since anything was posted.

PLEASE ADOPT.
It is completely possible to love adopted children just like your biological children. My family would know- my father was adopted, I was adopted and I will be adopting children too someday soon, inshallah. A cousin of mine was also adopted.

Savage_carrot is right ,in that some kids (especially those who have gone through foster care) may have emotional and behavioral issues. Its normal. You'd be a little 'messed up' too if you spent your childhood going from house to house with no real parents or even worse, parents who had drug, alcohol etc. issues. That doesn't make them any less deserving of love. All they want is to put up a fight to see if you are really the one, the family that loves them enough to care and be someone that they can trust. Its a very hard life. I got lucky in that I was adopted as an infant and didn't have to go through this. But even for infants ,its not that easy.

My birthmother smoke ,drank and probably did drugs while she was pregnant with me. I was the second child that she had given up for adoption.
I was born premature, just under two pounds (so small I had to wear babydoll clothing and could fit in the palm in my Dad's hand) and had a level three brain hemorrhage. They weren't sure if I was going to make it and even if I did, they thought I might have developmental issues, mentally and physically. My Dad likes to tell the story of when the hospital called to tell them all of this and my Mom immediately said that they needed to go see me NOW b/c she needed to make sure I was ok. She wouldn't of cared if I had been developmentally challenged and wheelchair bound for life, even though she wasn't yet my legal mother and had never even seen me, she already loved me like I was her own. She was ready to go through Hell and back in order to reach me. Mom had 2 biological kids( my bratty little sisters ^_^) a few years after they adopted me ,even though the doctors had pretty much given up hope.

Alhamdulillah, I was fine and never had any issues in the end. I actually ended up being tall for a girl (5'9) and I've excelled in school consistently. My sisters all did well too and have grown up to be quite the young ladies. Though they did occasionally bring out the "Well you're not our real sister!" bit as kids when they were angry with me, we couldn't be any closer now that we've all grown up a bit.We're very different personality-wise but aside from that, you'd never be able to tell we aren't biologically related.^_^
I'm 22 now and my husband and I are going to adopt, since we are having trouble having kids. I have been so blessed by Allah to have such a wonderful family who DOES love me as much as the rest and it has NEVER ONCE entered my mind that I would love my adopted kids any less than biological ones.
Biological kids are great and it is perfectly natural to want kids of your own but, if you can't, then PLEASE consider adopting a child ,either an infant or one already in foster care.
There are so many kids out there who need families, real ones. Not just a roof over their head and 3 meals a day (although there are plenty who would love you forever JUST for that) but someone who accepts them and loves them for who they are, despite the challenges.

I HATE the people who actively discourage adoption in the mainstream Islamic community (sunnis mostly). "Oh their families should care for them,blahblahblahblah." Guess what, thats not gonna happen. Their parents are dead, run off, on drugs, they abuse them or w/e. They NEED your help and not only that, I would go so far as to say that it is a Muslims duty to help care for the disadvantaged in their community, ESPECIALLY the children. What happened to charity and caring for the orphans? WHY are people so quick to forget when it doesn't suit their interests.

Please don't avoid adopting b/c you're afraid you won't be able to love the child like your own. Give them a chance to grow up in a good stable home with Believing parents who love and care for them. There is no greater gift that you can give one of these kids. I thank Allah every day that my birthmother was smart enough to give me up and that my Mom and Dad chose to adopt me instead of choosing a kid with less issues. If you're considering adoption, I would LOVE to talk with you about it and tell you what its like growing up as an adopted kid. Just send me a message.^_^

Faithful-Jinn
I guess it all depends on whether or not you consider the hadith authoritative. If you don't, tattoos are okay. If you do, then they're taboo. Personally, I do not follow the hadith at all and since the Quran does not mention tattoos, how can it be a sin? I've got 2 tattoos myself and I got both of them AFTER I converted, in a highly reputable tattoo shop near where I used to live. My favorite one is the one that winds around my left forearm, which says "Allah is too big and open for my deen to be small and closed." Its a great reminder and its very pretty to boot. Its also a quote from one of my favorite books, The Taqwacores. ^_^

Wow, can't be friend with non-Muslims ,eh? Well, I wouldn't have very many friends if that was the case.

Or take this for instance
My husband was a good friend of mine before and after my conversion. After we got married he decided to convert. He was away at school and called me to tell me that he had thought about it alot and had been studying. And since the person he loved and respected the most was also the greatest Muslim he knew, he had decided to tell me first that he had said his shahada. Which ofcourse made me cry and laugh at the same time. I had given up all hope b/c he had stopped talking to me about it. Turns out he had wanted time alone to sort it out for himself, without me influencing him. yay
Alhamdulillah, I was already following the Quran alone at this time, so he started out right from the very beginning,mashallah.^_^
If I had not been friends with this non-Muslim man, not only would I have missed out on being with the most amazing husband Allah could have ever blessed me with but also, he probably would not have converted or even thought of it seriously to begin with.

And ofcourse the Sunnis doubly would consider me kafr for this 1. For being friends with a non-Muslim, a man especially and 2. For marrying him, even though he was not yet Muslim.