Its been too long

I haven't blogged in almost three years and I have to admit that I actually really miss it. I miss the interaction and the platform to share thoughts and ideas and frankly I think I have way too many excuses as to why I stopped.

Writing has been a part of me since I can remember. Sometimes I feel like I think in writing mode, or that I am forever lost in a world that everyone else can not relate to, (I'm sure fellow writers can relate though), but time is flying past and my thoughts are not always captured, which is quite sad if you think about it.

So much has happened since I last wrote anything here. The world has changed in so many ways and it seems that as much as we think we are going forwards, we keep coming backwards. So many "new"things happen each day and then we find ourselves in lock-down over a virus . It's got to make one wonder doesn't it? How much have we humans really progressed?

Nonetheless, I don't know if anyone still reads this blog but if you do, I will try my best to keep writing regularly and hopefully we can re-forge the connections we once had.

Healthy Muslimah Summit

The Healthy Muslimah Summit  is an online event that focused on holistic approaches to health and wellness. this is a Free online event which began last Saturday and ended today and I have enjoyed the talks and benefited a lot. The topics covered all areas of life and focused on physical, emotional as well as spiritual well being. 

MashaAllah I can't tell you how impressed I am by this whole event. The planning that went in to this must have been immense and may prayer is that Allah Almighty rewards each and every person involved for bring this even to us. 

Although the Summit ended today, tomorrow is a Free catch up day where you will be able to access all of the talks that have been running for the past  days. 

I personally recommend that you sign up and access this while there is still time. The speakers are dynamic and knowledgeable in their respective fields and the talks are not too long but immensely beneficial.

 Here is the link for this, don't waste any time!

http://www.healthymuslimahsummit.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=371501-free-catch-up-day-tomorrow-6th-august&utm_source=lists%2F40172-Healthy-Muslimah-Summit&simplero_object_id=su_QfonwGEP21Dom2q8ZPkoFctU

If you don't manage to catch all, life time access to the talks have been promised for a small fee. More details can be found here.

JazakAllah Khayr to sister Kate, the organiser of the event and to all the speakers. May Allah Almighty reward you in abundance and shower you with blessings. 

Book Review- Love & Happiness by Yasmin Mogahed

It always amazes me that so much meaning can be conveyed in the fewest of words. Sometimes we don’t need pages of words, because the right words can be so powerful. This was highlighted for me when I read Yasmin Mogahed’s latest book “Love & Happiness”.

In this book she shares some of her reflections about love, pain, loss and connection. The words are short and to the point, but laden with meaning to the extent that it left me in tears. It is said that books “speak to you” and this one has done just that. The words resonated with me and struck a chord.

Everyone goes through some sort of loss and difficulty in life and it’s not always easy to remain patient or to look at the bright side, but this book embraces the human emotions that people usually find so difficult to discuss. It not only embraces these emotions but celebrates it as being innately human. Thereafter it goes on to tell you that you have the ability to survive. “This too shall pass”, these words are reiterated in the book, reminding us that nothing is ever permanent and there is so much to look forward to. It encourages us to keep loving, despite the loss and it reminds us of real happiness, the type of happiness that comes with experience and maturity.

I loved everything about this book, the meaningful words, the beautiful images, the reminders and the deep self-reflection, but what I loved the most was the insistence on a sense of balance. We are reminded not to become consumed by any state we are in, whether that state is happiness or sadness. This reminder helps the reader to reflect on the true reality of this transient life and it guides towards the real happiness, the real love, the ever permanent bond between creation and our Creator. The way in which this is done is so natural and so profound. There are no judgements or harsh words, there are simply words of experience, of deep emotion, words that comfort the reader and allows us to accept our humanness.

The cover has been perfectly chosen to represent what the book is. A ray of hope, the sun shining through a forest of darkness and illuminating everything, making things clear and shedding light on the beauty that may have been forgotten or overlooked.

This book would make a great gift for anyone, but would be especially beneficial for those suffering loss or grief. I would definitely love to gift this book to a few people myself. The words are portrayed so perfectly in this book that nothing more needs to be uttered.

To read more about this book and author go here:

http://fbpublishinghouse.com/books/love-happiness/

http://fbpublishinghouse.com/author/yasmin/

Would Islam Affect My Cultures?

Here is the latest video from overcome.tv. Hope you all enjoy it:-)

Isa, originally from Colombia, was impressed by the knowledge of God that young Muslims had. And he liked how Islam encouraged questions, whilst his previous faith discouraged them. But could he make the changes Islam asked of him? And would Islam be compatible with his British / Colombian culture?

An inspiring Guest Post

I hope you all enjoy reading this post. I have found it very beneficial and hopeful, reminding me of the mercy of Allah. Thank you to Maham Rizwan for kindly volunteering to share her words with us:

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Verily In the Remembrance of ALLAH Do Hearts Find Contentment!

As we all are aware of the fact that Allah is the maker of everything, He is the greatest of all.

He has provided his people such a large number of valuable endowments throughout the life even we cannot thank Allah enough. Consequently, Allah simply needs recognition of His God-like. An ideal method for recognition of Almighty Allah is to supplicate each day five times.

Allah is aware of every single thing; he knows what you have inside your heart.

He has provided us humans with the all required senses, hearing, the capability to tune in, to see and talk, there are numerous different favors of Allah encompassed us.

 People are much occupied in their lives that they think it is difficult to set aside time for recognition of Almighty.

Following verses is a proof that the hearts find rest in the remembrance of their Lord Only:

My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy! (23:118)

The greatest blessing from Allah is the Holy Quran. It comes with so much knowledge and is known as a complete code of life. This verse clearly shows that He is the only one that we must look forward in order to have mercy, He knows it all, and He will make a way out for all of us. With His mercy, our hearts can find the required rest and only with His mercy; everything will get right.

[There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer; the All-Seer] (19: 65)

This verse is proof that Allah is with you wherever you go. Allah Almighty knows about the needs of all of us, and He favors us with acknowledgment of our all our wishes. When anyone of you calls Him, he hears it all, and the time He is summoned He replies to it all.

So you must pray to Allah as it is clearly stated that contentment comes to those who bow down to Him. People, who frequently ask forgiveness from their Lord, will get the actual contentment.

Allah has stated that He loves his people more than seventy mothers can do, there is no one else who could love you more. And He is the one that we need, and He is the one who is the caretaker of all.

So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter (3: 148)

The more you remember Allah, the calmer you are. When you talk about Allah, you can instantly feel the calmness and indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace.

Allah is the only one that we must have, you can lose everything for Allah, and you will still have everything that you need. Allah is the most merciful and the most kind and He will guide you the way and will ignite the paths of success.

 These verses will fix your life and mend your heart. Bow down to Allah as soon as possible; there are many ways you can make your relationship stronger with Allah. Stay safe!

About the Author:

Maham Rizwan is a writer and copywriter who has worked with New York Times bestselling authors and personal development organizations such as Productive Muslim and Mindvalley. She regularly blogs at http://quranacademy.io/

Could I Pray Without Knowledge of Arabic?

Islam made perfect sense to Omar from the UK. But he was concerned about praying in Arabic and was worried that his family would think he was rejecting them.

A hippie embracing Islam?

Living in the mountains of Ireland without electricity or running water, Abdalhamid had thought religion was done for. That was until he discovered Islam. Watch on to see how God guided him and helped him overcome… 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC6zIS7VNjM

When despite the negativity, a person can still find Islam...

The latest video from overcome.tv can be watched now:

As a boy Iskander had questions about existence as he would sit gazing at the stars above him. He knew little about Islam and Muslims until a class taught by an Egyptian pastor. But would the pastor’s negative opinion of Islam deter Iskander from Islam? Watch on to see how God guided him and helped him overcome… 

Would Islam be too difficult to practice?

The latest video on overcome.tv has been posted. 

Having become confused about her faith, Mansurah put God on hold. Years later, her boyfriend became interested in Islam and so did Mansurah. But she worried whether Islam would be too difficult to practice.Watch on to see how God guided her and helped her overcome… 

It honestly is so inspiring to get a glimpse into the journey of other people's lives. I hope that you too find something of worth in these stories. 

What about the bad actions of Muslims and what does that have to do with Islam?

Here's the latest video from overcome.tv

By the age of 15, Khadija started questioning Christianity and decided to join a Bible study group to find answers. Unable to, she later met Muslims and her interest in Islam began. But she wondered about the bad Muslims she came across. Watch on to see how God guided her and helped her overcome… 

Productivity and the year ahead

We are already half way through the first month of 2017 and the year is beginning to feel not so new anymore. Before we know it we will be half way through the year and then the end of year will be upon us in a flash. The question I am asking myself is how productive will this year be for me?

The Friday lecture rendered beautifully by a Moulana when I attended the Masjid 2 weeks ago focused on being productive. He spoke enthusiastically about how the life of a Muslim should be about progression. We should be making active attempts to be productive, in our societies as well as in our personal lives. He mentioned how important it is to be striving to better ourselves on all levels, social, physical, psychological and spiritual.

The lecture was lovely. The Moulana mentioned some Hadeeth (sayings or teachings of the Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him) something to the effect that a Muslim should be of benefit to others and also that we shouldn’t get caught up in self-pity and sadness. Instead we should accept what we cant change and be happy with what we have and we should be the best we can in all areas. He spoke about how our lives should not be static. We should never get caught up in a state where we have not progressed at all. If we are the same as we were last year then there is something wrong, he said. Because what sort of life is a life without growth.

I was inspired by this. It wasn’t the first time that I heard such talks, but sometimes at the right time something resonates with you. Or perhaps this particular Moulana was more motivational. My sister has also been on a quest towards productivity ever since we heard this lecture.

I have never believed in New Year’s resolutions, simply because I have always believed in continuous change and ongoing resolutions. Sometimes I fall short and find myself stuck in certain areas (I still haven’t managed to get as physically fit as I need to). Other times Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) I manage to achieve what I set out to do.

I believe that we should be passionate and motivated in all that we do, this way we are more likely to end up doing a good job at things. Clearly the teachings of Islam is in sync with this. So I have a lot that I want to improve this year Insha Allah (If Allah wills). I do not have a list of resolutions but I have a path towards becoming more productive, and this path is filled with various tasks.  I hope that at the end of this year I can say that I have achieved all that I wished, and maybe even more. I wonder about all of you. I would love to hear you tell me that you too have managed to accomplish everything that you have wished.

Let us work hard to make the best of each day, after all, we do not know how many days we have left.

Wishing you all a prosperous and productive year ahead! 

When becoming Muslim gets you a visit from the police…

The latest video has been released on overcome.tv 

This is very interesting, I love learning from the journey's of other people.

Here is the link for the video.

When adopting the faith of one parent seems like you’re betraying the other

This is the latest video from overcome.tv

Whilst Leanna was searching for the truth, she was reunited with her biological father who turned out to be Muslim. But embracing his faith would mean that she’d betrayed the woman who raised her. Watch on to see how God guided her and helped her overcome… 

Watch the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa1vKh9lTiU

A great effort - overcome.tv

I have just recently been introduced to overcome.tv

This is a website aimed at assisting people who would like to become Muslim but may be apprehensive for various reasons.

I would recommend this site for anyone, not only people interested in becoming Muslims. It is overall a resource to learn more about Islam and people's personal paths towards the religion. The site features videos on people's personal stories.

It's always insightful to learn other people's stories and its moving to hear about the different paths that lead people to Islam.

Inshaa- Allah (If Allah wills) I will be posting links to the new videos that they post every Saturday.

I hope that you enjoy watching these and I'm certain that we will all learn a lot from this.

I would just like to commend everyone involved in this effort for their hard work and dedication in assisting others. May Almighty Allah reward them all with the best.

The video for today will be posted soon.

All the best for the year ahead! May it be filled with goodness, peace and happiness.

What is a powerful woman?

While driving on the highway yesterday a billboard caught my attention. It was advertising some TV show called “The Queen” (If I read correctly while zooming past). The image is what stuck with me. At the head of a board room table sat a woman, presumably the “Queen”, and around the table sat all her subjects, the men. The woman at the head represented a conceptualization of the “powerful woman”. She was dressed in a black business suit, hair cut short, poised in a manly stance, clearly in control and dominant.

So what’s the problem with that?  You may very well be thinking this right now.

And the problem the way I see it is this. In order for a woman to be regarded as “powerful” or “in control” she has to basically become like a man. She has to dress like a man (the black business suit), cut her hair like a man (short and cropped) and take on the stance of a man. Somehow it just wouldn’t seem suitable if the “Queen” in this image sported for instance, long hair, wore ,say a floral summer dress or if she was dressed in pink (not that I’m an advocate for pink but in any case) and sat in a feminine posture. If this was the case, the woman would not be taken seriously, or would she?

So what are we saying exactly? Are we saying that the only way a woman can be dominant or can be taken seriously is if she becomes like a man?  I may be wrong here, but doesn’t that go against the basic principles of empowerment? 

It appears as if a woman has to give up everything that defines her womanhood if she is to become powerful or dominant. There is no time for things like motherhood, or marriage. She cannot afford to be soft or feminine, petite and quiet. Nope, she has to be bold and dominant and aggressiveness may be her most treasured trait.

Tell me, how does it make sense to limit women in this way? 

Surely the concept of power has to be vaster than this.

Isn’t a woman “powerful” when she takes on the role of a nurturing mother, or a caring teacher?  Does she not have “power” or “control” when she supports her husband or runs her family?  Can she not be an adviser, a confidante, a friend, and yes even a “boss” if she decides to wear a dress or grow her hair?  Does she automatically become weak and vulnerable if she is soft and feminine?  Does she have to give up all notions of femininity before she can be respected and taken seriously?

So what do we base our ideas of power and control on?  Do we simply follow the standards set by men, the very men who we claim have been given unfair advantage for years. Or do we gain power and control in new ways, and in different ways, and in ways that do not require us to change ourselves completely. Ways that do not discard ‘womanly’ traits.  

These are simply just my musings. There are so many contradictions in the world it would take me too long to discuss them all. Nonetheless, I just found this to be relevant. Maybe it’s something we can all ponder about. 

So I leave you with this question: 

What really makes a woman “powerful”? 

The Beauty of hijaab,

Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), I always regard myself as fortunate to meet Muslim women with such conviction and strength that it moves me. There are many such women, and it brings home the fact that we need to understand the stories of women in order to appreciate them for who they really are. 

The article below was written by a sister I met recently. It is so inspiring to understand the choices and processes that women go through, and it's beautiful to be reminded of how dynamic Muslim women really are. 

I am thankful to sister Rehana for allowing me to post this here. 

Please enjoy the read (see below for meanings of Arabic words)
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The beauty of hijaab, sister Rehana Bint Ismail of Johannesburg, South Africa
SEPTEMBER 28, 2013 / NUJOOMULAYL

Hijaab…nikaab…purda… I don’t have to cover my face its not farz…purda is in the heart not covering the face…that’s what they all say… and that’s what I too believed at first…

My mum started wearing nikaab 15 years ago and at that time there were more and more woman donning the nikaab ! I felt really proud of her taking this big step but never told her my feeling even though I admired her courage..

I got married in 2008 and 1 of the perks of being a home exec was giving up my career of corporate banker after 12 years.It was quite an adjustment but I benefited a lot alhamdulillah ,as I started attending deeni talks for ladies and had ample time to do all the hobbies and courses I couldn’t do whilst pursuing a career.

My husband was and still is a remarkable spouse who always encourages me to new spiritual heights without loosing the essence of ikhlaas or sincerity.He never expressed his wish to see me wear the nikaab but always explained the benefit and the virtues of it to me.

He is a student of deen and a popular leader of the community in a suburb situated within Johannesburg South.
I became very conscious of not wearing it and felt awkward and uncovered when ever we would frequent shopping malls or the local supermarket or bakery as everyone would stare at me and remark ” theres moulana and his new wife”, which at times resulted in me wearing a big pair of sunglasses to cover half my face!

My mum would constantly encourage me to wear the nikaab explaining how important it was to wear it as I was now a “moulanas” wife.

Yeah right forget about everyone else but what about my feeling and thoughts and ambitions !

Having always heard my father speak about his 4 months spent in 1975 ,I asked hubby if he would take me out for 3 days mastooraat jamaat just to experience what it was all about. Now when you leave your home as a couple you have to wear the nikaab till you get to the hosts place and then you have to wear it on your way back home too.

I wasn’t aware that I had to wear it and felt reluctant at first but wore it none the less.It felt good yet somewhat uncomfortable but I felt a sense of “completeness”- kind of like i wished I could always wear it so I secretly bought my first nikaab and started wearing it whenever I would leave home.Hubby didn’t notice.He probably thought it was just a passing phase.

After 2 weeks of wearing it all over he looked at me while driving to Lenz and asked me if the wearing of the purdah was going to be a permanent situation so I said it was a trial phase !!! What a lie because deep down I knew that this was such a great and noble step in my life and I was trying to make it a permanent one too.

Eventually he sat me down and explained to me that Allah swt honours a women who wears the nikaab and told me how proud he was about me taking this step all on my own…subhanallah I felt so chuffed and was waiting for those wise words of approval ….

It is 5 years now since I donned the nikaab and yes …we only wear nikaab for Allah's pleasure.. we are observing modesty and this too is ultimately for the pleasure of Allah swt…a woman modestly dressed is like a pearl in an oyster..

They say Allah honours a woman who wears the nikaab and yes I have witnessed being honoured on many occasions when non-Muslim men come up to hubby and express that they too would love their wives covered up the way I do !

Only Allah swt knows what’s in each persons heart and Allah grant me the steadfastness to improve my akhlaaq and use me as a means of spreading this wonderful concept of hijaab as well as the beautiful deen of Islam !

Alhamdulillah, we, in Aouth Africa are not restricted from practicing any avenue of deen compared to other countries where the hijab is banned, and because of this we have to take full advantage of practicing deen in totality.

Allah swt in his infinite wisdom has bestowed us with so many nemats and besides being the reciters of the kalima and the ummatees of Nabi Mohammed saw , Allah swt has made us woman and have completed us by making modesty a branch of imaan…
It is not farz but waajib to cover the face as ulama explain that it is a protective measure in this time of fitnaa that we are living in where woman are exposed to many evils.

Purdah is not in the heart and if we wish to attain closeness to Allah swt then we will obey his commands willingly or unwillingly ,ultimately for his pleasure, and Allah swt will make it easy for us.

So to all my sisters who are still undecided on taking that great step forward- just take the plunge you will never regret it. Yes Allah swt will honour you, he will make it easy for you and he will protect and elevate you….don’t look back !

Hijaab is my choice and my freedom and I am a proud Muslimah…..Allah hu Akbar !!
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Terminology:

Farz- Compulsory 
Alhamdulillah (All Praise is for Allah)
Deen- Religion
Deeni- Religious 
mastooraat jamaat- basically a religious trip where people gather and interact and discuss religion.(My description does not do justice, but nevertheless)
SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah) 
Akhlaaq- character
Waajib- recommended
nemats- bounties 
kalima - declaration of Faith- testifying that there is only One God and Muhammad (pbuh) is the messenger of God. 
Ummatees- People belonging to one "Ummah" or community.
Imaan- Faith
Fitnaa- trials / tribulations 

The way of women today

Beautiful women, running after the wrong men,

Coaxed by words, uttered so easily and freely ,

meaningless words out in the open,

his exploits forgotten so neatly.  

Intelligent women, losing all reason,

drowning further and deeper in the illusion.

Wishing for things to change and get better,

Covering up faults and lies over and over.

Strong women, brought down so weak,

believeing the worst about themselves,

deceit and treachery they will overlook,

because love and approval is what they seek.

The price seems too high to pay,

Women are far more worthy than this,

Not there simply for amusement and play,

Surely not to be left to sink deep into an abyss.

She should be honoured and cared for,

Instead she is so harshly showed the door,

She gives all she can and more,

she should be loved, cherished and adored.

But the deception continues on and on,

And she is made to feel like she will never belong,

Hating everything about herself,

depending on him, holding on.

Used and abused, and even accused,

Her trust and honour so often misused.

All this for meager justification,

Do we really need a man to give us validation? 

How do we women become so easily fooled?

So easily swayed and beguiled.

How can we believe in empowerment?

Yet give up ourselves so easily.  

Sadly the years do not wisen us,

Examples of others go amiss,

Sweet words and promises are often enough,

Despite the rest of it being a bluff.

The price indeed seems too high,

Women were not created for this,

To be respected and honoured is not a far cry,

We should stop allowing ourselves to get lost!

I’m saddened by what I hear and see,

These women only pretend to be free,

Entrapped in the worst way they can be,

because their imprisonment they refuse to see.

And so the rain came

After days of heat and dryness, fear of water restrictions and planned water cuts, Alhamdulillah (All Praise is for Allah), the rain came, and it didn’t just come, it came in abundance, SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah)! It’s rained so much in the past three days that people are sending out storm warnings. I don’t know yet if this is enough to satisfy the water needs after the drought, but how can we complain when the air is fresh and the grounds are wet and there is hope of more to come.

There are so many lessons to be learnt from this. It reminds us firstly how much in need of Allah we really are. With all our modern technology and so called advancements, we are still reduced to helplessness with simple things like getting rain. What if the rain didn’t come? We would have no power or ability whatsoever to bring about any rain. Our dependence is so real that we will be complete fools if we forget this.

And just like that, if too much rain comes and the storms continue, what will come of us? We could be destroyed in an inkling, unable to control a thing! SubhanAllah, how perfectly does Allah balance everything out and how wonderful it is that everything works in accordance with the Divine Plan?

So just like the rains can come to wash out the heat and bring relief, so too can Allah change difficult situations in an instant. No problem is impossible to solve when we turn to Our Creator for help, nothing is beyond the understanding of Allah, and of course, nothing happens without the wisdom and knowledge of Allah. It’s so easy to get stuck on our problems, believing that things will never change, but who knows, change could be around the corner, we just don’t know that yet.

Trust in Allah is a fundamental part of our faith. Just like Allah is able to control the rains, so too is Allah able to control the events that happen in our lives. Whatever our stories are, whatever saddens or upsets us, whatever longing and wishes we have, there is absolutely no reason to ever despair. Let the world go crazy, our sanity rests in our belief in Allah, and Insha Allah (with the will of Allah) we will never be disappointed. 

May Allah Almighty bless us with beneficial rains, and fill our lives with all that is beneficial!

Image 1 from here

Image 2 from here

Image 3 from here

Burning Busses, political games and Jacaranda Trees

It’s a crazy time in South Africa at the moment. Students have been protesting for months to get rid of university fees, it’s so bad that the entire academic year has been threatened. More than once, these protesting students have taken to violent means to express their frustration. Busses have been burnt, cars have been stoned, and clashes with police have been reported on. All this violence seems unnecessary, especially in the midst of worldwide violence, one has to wonder how much worst things will get.

And as if that’s not enough, the entire political system is in turmoil. Allegations of fraud, summons of government officials, cases made to cover the tracks of corruption. Who knows what dirty political games are played behind closed doors and high walls. (It’s none the better anywhere else though is it?)

It would seem that there is reason to lose hope, but then, amidst all the chaos, there is still so much beauty in the world. While driving on the streets of Johannesburg the other day, spring in full bloom, I couldn’t help but marvel at the wonderful beauty all around me. Bright purple Jacaranda trees regally decking the sides of roads, its flowers laying down a carpet of purple bliss. Lush green trees, and red and yellow flowered ones in between, and all this continues to thrive even though rain has been scarce. The natural beauty of this city is sometimes so encompassing it makes everything else seem so futile. How can so much evil go on when there is so much beauty?

SubhanAllah, I am hit with a stark realisation or re-realisation if I can put it that way. The beauty comes from the Almighty Creator, and all the turmoil has been created by us humans. Perhaps this reminder is necessary to help us strive to please Allah, perhaps it should be reminding us to be grateful. I know with certainty that it creates hope. It provides peace in a world filled with madness. It brings joy when it seems that everything is falling apart.

Years from now those strong magnificent purple trees may be witnessing completely different scenes played out. Who knows?  Maybe students will succeed in their fight for free education, maybe politicians will end their corruption, maybe rain will come in abundance and the droughts will end. I’m certain though that if those trees continue to stand, they will serve as a reminder, an epitome of beauty and grandeur, and maybe this will make someone think; If this meagre creation of Allah is so magnificent, imagine what the magnificence and grandeur of the One who created it must be like. It cannot be imagined at all, but the thought that there is a Creator who is omnipresent and all-knowing is definitely soothing and comforting.

There is beauty in every turmoil, we just need to look for it!

Image 1 from here

Image 2 from here 

Moments and people

There are moments in life that move you, moments that make you feel humbled and fortunate, moments that make you remember that we all have a purpose.

There are people in life that inspire you, people who are so strong despite having to face the worse adversities; people who are able to keep their faith and stay above the water when most other people would be drowning. Recently I have had the chance to meet such a person, an amazing woman, a woman with conviction and courage. A woman who just happens to be a Muslim woman, who completely covers herself, niqab and everything.

How she dresses shouldn’t matter, it shouldn’t even be an object of discussion, but it is, it’s become so because people have decided that it should be an issue, because people find it necessary to dictate what the acceptable modes of dressing are, even though this shouldn’t matter. I mention it because somewhere, someone has decided that a woman cannot be strong, productive, and empowered if she is dressed in clothes that completely cover her.

So here we have yet another example of an extremely strong woman, a woman who has fended for herself and raised her children single handed, a woman who has being making her own choices for longer than she can remember, and you know what, she has chosen her choice of dressing as well, and this only adds to her strength.

So here I am, humbled to have met such a person, in awe at her courage and conviction, moved by the moment she told me that Allah brings people together as and when we need it. This reminds me that Allah is in control of everything and even though the world may seem a mess, there is meaning behind things, and there is always hope. Our hope comes from our connection to Our Creator, our hope comes from our Love for our Creator, our hope comes from our conviction that Our Creator knows what is best for us, and when we connect with each other based on this common understanding, it just makes everything so much more meaningful.

Some moments are inspiring, some moments are needed for us to remember our ultimate purpose on this earth, some moments are so simple, but they mean so much!