Eid Sa`eed! Eid Kareem!

I just wanted to wish everyone a blessed Eid!  Hope that Ramadan was beneficial for you and that Allah accepts from us all!

Please continue to thank Him for everything good that has happened in the Muslim world this month (Libya!)  and make dua for our brothers and sisters who might be suffering still (Syria…Somalia..) Ameen.

Enjoy

I Like Them Boiled, You LikeThem Fried

I have two daughters with two distinct ways of eating their eggs.  One will only eat them boiled (and it must be done perfectly – not runny nor dry); the other only fried (an omelet  with cheese is her favorite).   As you can imagine, satisfying the two without making a big mess in the kitchen can be a hassle.  Each ‘egg breakfast’ morning, a debate ensues – I’m trying to get them to reach an agreement (maybe today both can have boiled and tomorrow fried) and they`re trying to get what they want (NO!).  Suffice it to say I never win and please don’t call me on the fact that there are ALWAYS dishes in my sink.

The irony of food analogies in Ramadan (and while starvation is booming in the horn of Africa) is not lost on me, but bear with me.  You see, the struggle for `getting what we want` is something that all can appreciate, but few really APPRECIATE.  Of course, the issue isn’t just about eggs  – it goes much deeper.  Sometimes its about making sure a dead-beat dad supports his children or a leader of a country stops oppressing his people or..or..or.  Somebody once said that “anything worth having is worth fighting for.”  And Corey Hart once sang “You can never surrender” (yes, I’m kind of old like that!).  The prophet Muhammad SAW taught us this supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

‘O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’

I don’t think that Allah wants us to be weak and accommodating so much so that we turn away from the essence of what is important.  And yet, we see it all the time.   We take garbage all the time and while flexibility is nice and be accommodating is nice – where does it end? Also nice is sticking up for ourselves and all that we hold dear.

I’m youth, I’m joy, I’m a little bird that has broken out of the egg – James M. Barrie

For the most part, children seem to do it all right – at least with the ones they love and feel safe with.  But then something happens along the way.  Why do they start eating boiled eggs when they want to eat fried?  Why do they stop speaking up about their preferences? Why do we take on the mentality of the enslaved – rather than being slaves of Allah alone?

I thought about these questions today- trying to be patient with the egg dilemma -and surmised that maybe someone along the line forces children to eat what they do not want to eat and, in doing so, squashes their desire to choose to be stronger.  And maybe I shouldn’t be the one to do that with my daughters.  I choose to not do that to my daughters.

This is my long-winded explanation for why I have too many dirty dishes - and why I’m okay with it. Besides, I’ve thought up a solution:  I’m sure both girls will agree to eggs made of pure chocolate

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: Behind every murderous man, you’ll find a loyal spouse

I hope that you are all having a blessed Ramadan so far – filled with lots of good deeds and blessings  

I came across this article and just had to share:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/yasmin-alibhai-brown/yasmin-alibhaibrown-behind-every-murderous-man-youll-find-a-loyal-spouse-2333573.html

It asks some great questions about specific women who might have once sought respect and admiration from others  but how can we look up to women who stand by husbands with outrageous transgressions? *** Sigh *** May Allah ease the suffering of all those who have been hurt by such people. 

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah!

I (HEART) Ramadan

 

Ramadan in the summer is officially here!  I have to admit that I was a bit weary thinking that the day will be long and the weather will be hot and my coffee fix will be delayed (you know you`re an addict when…), but I had forgotten how special Ramadan in the summer can be.  Of course, I wouldn’t underestimate the brilliance of Ramadan at any time of the year, but here, now, in August 2011, reminds me of when I was a girl for that was the last time a summer Ramadan had come.  It makes one wonder how many seasonal Ramadan cycles we`ll experience over a lifetime, eh?

 

Anyhow, when I was a girl, an imam would come from Saudi Arabia, the small Winnipeg Mosque would be filled with eager hearts and we just couldn’t get enough of the Quran.  In fact, because fajr was so close to the conclusion of the Taraweeh, we’d stick around for Qiyam and visit Dairy Queen for suhoor   Sleep was an afterthought – especially with friends who shared the experience (maybe your remember this article:  http://iamsheba.com/?p=429).  Good times, w’Allah.  ♥♥♥ my parents and not just for the banana splits or peanut buster parfaits  or because they allowed me to skip school when the lack of sleep got the better of me!

 

So, despite my perceived weariness over the timing this year, I do have positive memories of the last time.  This month, even though we are only on the second day, I’m grateful that there isn’t too much demand from work or school to preoccupy.  I’m grateful that the heat helps us stay in so that we can focus on the spiritual.  And I’m blessed that Ramadan is here and Allah has been so merciful to me, my family, my friends and my people.  May HE SWT bless those who are fighting for their lives and help them make a Ramadan filled with wonderful memories too.

 

I came across this aya – and oh, how the reminder benefits -: 

 

 

“And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before.” And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. “

(http://quran.com/2/25)

 

I’m no tafseer expert, but the idea of “this is what we are provided with before” is an incredible one.  It speaks to me and reminds me that we need to find inner contentment and peace and foster a sense of gratitude for everything that we experience – in the NOW.  And hopefully, we will be able to recognize it’s goodness now – and LATER too.  

 

May Allah accept from us.

Ramadan Mubarak everyone!