Be Inspired!

Bismillaah.

I have been very busy lately, and so, not really able to write for the blog as I’d like to.  Regardless of the fact that I have, like,  a DOZEN or so topics I really want to write about.   But anyway…I’ll get to it sooner or later, inshaa Allaah!

In the meantime, I’d like you to check out this beautiful, inspiring website I came upon a little while ago.  It’s called ‘I Got It Covered‘, and it’s all about hijab.  It is sooooo cool mashaa Allaah!  I fell in love with it from first reading.  May Allaah bless the sisters who run it, ameen.

The month of may has been “Reader Take-over Month”, where readers send in their hijab stories.  Mashaa Allaah, ALL of the stories are just so inspiring and touching.  Many of them remind me of my own hijab journey (will write about it another time inshaa Allaah). Take a look if you have time…BE INSPIRED!

Couldn’t have said it better myself…

Bismillaah.

While doing my daily readings of U.S. and World news this morning, I couldn’t help but become saddened, annoyed, disgusted, angered, and just plain blown at what I read here.

God only knows when this assault on Islam is going to stop.

(sigh)

To be honest I don’t have much to say on it.  Frankly, I’m tired of talking.  Islam and the beauty and purity that lie within is as clear as the morning sun on a cloudless day, to the one who has been blessed with an open heart and mind.  If you haven’t been blessed with such, well, then may the Gracious Lord in the heavens above help you, ameen.

What I’ll do is just leave you with these words from an article I received in my inbox today (written by a sister by the way ) :

“It seems to me that the push for women in society to become loud, loose, lager louts is not some back room conspiracy but rather the natural progression of a consumerist society wishing to tap into the spending power of every consumer group available. Selling the lifestyle of shopping, drinking and attracting as many sexual partners as possible makes young women active consumers in society. As for the soft pornography that has saturated western society on (it sometimes seems) every magazine cover, billboard, music video and television programme, it is simply a manifestation of the advertising adage that ‘sex sells’. Young women are simply the meat in the sandwich of capitalism – a market to be exploited, rather than a generation to be cherished.

Contrast this with the niqab-wearing Muslim woman who attempts to foster a closer connection with her Creator and concentrate on her inner being rather than pandering to changing social norms. Such women  seek the pleasure of Allah by trying to live the example of our role models as Muslim women – the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).  In a world full of a cacophony of discordant ‘muzak’ the niqab is like noise-cancelling headphones.“

Nuff said!

Ramadan Journal Day 16: An Update

Bismillaah.

I’ve been focusing on playing catch up with my qur’an reading, so I had no choice but to put the Ramadan Journal on the backburner for a few days.  I’m still not caught up, but I felt the need to post an update before any more time went by.

This week we did a simple fanoose craft.  I got the idea from my dear friend Hawwa Umm Mariam, who happened to be featured on Grow Mama’s Ramadan Spirit Contest mashaa Allaah.  You can see her and her kids’ pretty fanooses here.

They were very easy and super fun to make mashaa Allaah.  Ours came out pretty similar.

Fawanise Ramadan

On Thursday we attempted to take the kids for an outing to our favorite park/playground, Gardenia.  It’s a nice little quiet spot owned and operated by the military (which is known for its clean, well-kept parks and clubs).   We’ve been frequenting the place for, oh, about a year or so I guess.  We like it for the clean, quiet atmosphere, as well as the safe playground equipment, all of which can be hard to come by in Cairo.

It also has these nice sitting areas where you can kick back and relax and order tea and refreshments, all for a really low cost mashaa Allaah.

Alhamdu lillaah, it became our little *spot* mashaa Allaah.  (Can’t you tell why?)

Unfortunately, they’ve decided they will no longer allow women who dress a certain way to enter.

“Niqab is not allowed,” they told us.  “An order, by fax, from the general, that came 3 days ago.”

I hate to be discriminated against.  I really *HATE* to be discriminated against.  Especially by muslims.  Make du’aa for this ummah…self-hate is a sad, pitiful thing.

No big deal, it’s their loss, ya know?

So we headed over to another park that wasn’t open and wouldn’t be opening until after iftar.  We called around to get info on some of the indoor playrooms, but learned that they too wouldn’t be open until after iftar. 

In the end we ended up just going home.  It was one of those “this society is so annoying” days.

Today is Sunday and I’m at my sister’s house (YAY! ).  We’re doing iftar and a sleepover inshaa Allaah.  Tuesday, my “Coolio Canadian Cronie” is coming over for iftar inshaa Allaah, and Wednesday is the employees and families iftar at my husband’s job.

I’m still way behind on my qur’an, so I don’t know when the next time I’ll be able to post again.  Maybe towards the end of the week inshaa Allaah.