Faith
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To Sir, With Love
June 12 , 2016. Ramadan 7, 1437 I have just started reading the Quran for the month. Target is to complete it at least once, Insha’Allah. Looking back to the first person who taught me the Arabic Alphabets, then words and finally reciting and memorizing from the Quran – Mr. L. Mr. L was the head teacher at our local religious school. A calm and gentle person who peaceful demeanour made him the most loved by all the students. We often hear stories of Qur’an teachers who are strict and rude. Mine was neither. .. it is his gentle teaching method which made me fall in love with the Arabic…
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Building our Ramadan traditions
Our first Ramadan together as a family. I am busy preparing for Ifthar. Fries and Juice. He was cutting all the fruits. Little girl is having her floor time. She has just mastered crawling. The food is arranged on the table. Little girl’s high chair is also put together. Watermelon and dates are cut in thin vertical pieces for her. (Ifthar BLW anyone, yeah?) We go to the terrace of our building and await for Maghrib Adhan. I can see the workers of the local hypermarket crowd together and get ready for Ifthar. Cars on the highway are rushing past. Time of accepted prayers. Friday – between Asr and Maghrib.…
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6 tips for balancing Ramadan and motherhood
RAMADAN OF PAST Three years ago this is how my Ramadan was. Alhamdulilah. For all 30 days, I completed all what I set out to do. That was during my pre-motherhood, pre-pregnancy, pre-marriage, pre-engagement days. In short, I was single and free with no responsibilities. Alhamdulilah. RAMADAN OF PRESENT Fast forward 3 years later and this is how my current situation is. Preparing for Ifthar while little girl is in her play-pen. Excitedly puts Nouman Ali Khans’ live video on Facebook – Day 1. Beautiful interpretation of Surah Al Baqarah. I was getting into the groove of it when I hear the specific alarm from the play pen indicating it’s…
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Ramadan memories – 2
2 Ramadan 1437, June 7th 2016 (Insha’Allah planning to do a small write – up for everyday of Ramadan. More as a memoir for my little one) My baby is trying to stand by holding onto the furniture or stool or anything she gets for her height. Today she tried to stand using the filled Al Wataniya water can. Unfortunately, her hands slipped and she fell down. Tears. Lots if tears. Cuddling, nursing and more cuddling again, she was back to her healthy happy self. Alhamdulilah 10 minutes later, she was back on the floor, happily crawling and trying to stand again. SubhanaAllah As an infant, failure never demotivate us.…
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Ramadan memories
1st day of Ramadan 1437 – June 6th, 2016 In every Malabar household, Pathiri is the staple diet for Ramadan. Not making pathiri for Ramadan is like having an incomplete ifthar! Pathiri making is a laborious, technique sensitive process. The first part is making the dough. Boil hot water and slowly add in the rice powder to the boiling water and make sure all the powder is wet. First mix with the wooden spatula. Flame off after 10 seconds. While the dough is warm still, knead it with hand well in one single roll. Make small rolls with dough and then flatten each roll with a rolling pin or a…
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Calls to Him – Duas
I find myself in darkness. Unable to move. Tears stream my face. Light, I need Light. I think of Younus in the belly of the whale. عليه السلام In the depth of the ocean. In the darkness of night. He cried out, ‘There is no God but You, Glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrong-doers.’ His darkness vanished. His prayers were answered. I think of Ibrahim, they swept him into the fire. عليه السلام Blazing fire. Melting heat. Burning day. He cried out , ‘ Sufficient for me is Allah and He is the best disposer of affairs.’ The fire cooled down. His prayers…
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The sound of “M”
Out of the blue, my affairs are being set alright. The professional life I so dearly wanted. The personal life I have yearned for, for so long. Everything is just turning out as the way I want it. Alhamdulilah I know, there is someone praying for me, early morning or late night. Near me or across the oceans, I know her duas are there for me. Maybe, all my achievements are due to her sincere plea to God. I wouldn’t be here if not for her. Mother. A dua from a person under whose feet lies Jannah is never unheard by the Lord. Alhamdulilah for mother’s duas. Alhamdulilah for mothers.…
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His words
Prompt : Write about the three most important songs in your life — what do they mean to you? Edited Prompt : Songs —> Surah ( Chapters of the Holy Qur’an) I cannot classify three of the 114 chapters as important since all are equally important and beneficial, but I ‘ll try to list three chapters which helped me during difficult phases of my life. Surah Maryam. The chapter starts with a father’s (Prophet Zakariyyah) intense desire for a child and his sincere duas though he has attained old age. Lessons I learnt : Make dua intensely even if it seems impossible to you. Impossible is merely concepts of the mind.…
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Calls Answered
I have never tossed a coin in a fountain and wished. I have never crossed my fingers and wished. I have never looked on a shooting star and wished. …..but, I have prayed to my Lord, with my eyes closed, and tears springing, in the wee hours of dawn to protect me from sadness and grief. I have prayed to my Rabb in the green carpeted Rawdah to remove the difficulties of my family and friends. I have prayed in front of the Kaabah for all my affairs to be set right and bless me with tranquility. I have prayed standing on the mount Safa to bless me with professional…
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Optimist or Pessimist ?
(Feb 24th prompt from NaBloPoMo : Do you think you are more of an optimist or a pessimist? ) Thinking long and hard on the answer to the above question. I came to this sad conclusion: I am an optimist when things go my way. When its running downhill, I turn in to a dreadful pessimist. How wrong can I get ?! It is easy to see the silver lining on the cloud when we can gaze at the beautiful sky while standing on a firm ground. What happens when the ground is shaking and there is an earthquake? Our ability to find the silver lining depends on how much we actually…
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The hijab – My choice
From the time I was 11 or 12, whatever is it that I chose to wear- skirt & top, jeans & kurta, salwar kameez or the abaya – there has been an extra fabric on my head, covering my hair, popularly called as the HIJAB. On doing a quick Google search, you will realize the fact that the Hijab is one of the most controversial topic regarding the Muslim women. The extra fabric hasn’t prevented me from gaining a degree, working in a hospital, travelling alone, outing with my friends or in short, living my life. It is a personal choice after studying and comprehending my religious texts. It is…
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Unique in His uniqueness
Every leaf that flutters. Every branch that sways. Every foliage that has changed it shade to the autumn yellow. Every dew drop on every petal of every colour – red or purple, magenta or white. Every secret of the blue sky. Every sunset that bursts with the brilliant chroma of orange. Every land that looks brown, white or green from the plane window. Every object of every colour seen – indigo, violet, pink or grey. Every thought of every human being. Every cell-size of every being that breathes. Every duration of every creation that has been created. By His knowledge. Infinite. He is Al Aleem – The All Knowing. (Daily…
