After a very busy year...

Assalamualaikum,

It has been a year since I've posted anything here. Which i figured is probably a good thing since most people will now know my blog as officially dead, noone will comment or even think twice about visitng me here, so i can pur my heart out with all my lifes worries... I dont think so!

Alhamdulillah we've been to hajj and back. THE greatest experience of my life. My dad expresses it very well:

"In our lives we feel joy at different levels on different occassions. When we ace our first exam at school, thats one kind of joy. When we get our first job, thats another kind of joy. When we buy our parents gifts with our first paycheck thats another kind of joy. When we get married, thats another. When we have children, thats yet another kind of joy. But the joy of standing before Baytullah (the house of Allah) is one that supercedes any joy you will ever feel in life".

And i can testify to that statement. Although i havent experienced any of the joys he has mentioned (no acing exams, no job, no money, no marriage, no kid - yes i am quite useless :P), in my small time in this world this has been the single most memorable journey I have ever undertaken. I feel that no matter how much I go on about the beauty of this pillar of our deen unless the audience has experienced the sentiments it wont be received with the same feelings of heartfeltedness (someone buy me a dictionary!).

Insha Allah in a later post I'll mention the pro's and con's of this journey. The lack of implementation of Islam comprehensively is very blatant, although those that live there are often convinced of what is being implement upon them is Islam and nothing but Islam. Insha Allah thats in a later post, along with fotos :) For now, im off, this "oppressed" soul has housework to complete. Toodles.

Hajj plans...

Assalamualaikum all,

I'm working 30-40 hours every week now and its getting very hectic. I've been told that I'm losing a lot of weight (alhamdulillah) and looking more and more tired by the day. BUT there is a reason for me wanting to work so much - I have finally decided what to do with my money. Abbu ammu are going on hajj next year insha Allah and they wouldnt take me because of financial issues, so I want to save up and go with them insha Allah. Parents agreed with it too, so i will be working like crazy during the break and during uni insha Allah to save up over $6000 so i can go to hajj insha Allah. I'm so excited!

Work!

Salam,

I kind of like it now that no1 reads my blogs, moner shob kotha likhte pari without anyone reading it. Last few days have been terrible. Bekar bole ammu abbu'r kach theke onek kotha shunte hoise. Khub i koshto pawar moto kotha. But alhamdulillah chakri peyechi, at Oporto's at International Airport. ajke prothom din chilo, alhamdulillah was allright. Koyek din dhore i feel like i'm so out of it, like i'm not me, like i'm living such a robotic life. Seriously, usually i get scared, happy, sad, angry, i am the queen of emotions. But i dont feel anything. In situations i know i'm supposed to feel scared, i dont. When i know i am supposed to be happy, i'm not. All i feel is sadness... I'm a freak i know...

I have not been home (during day time) for the last 7 days! I think tomorrow will be the 1st day i'll actually be at home insha Allah. Looking forward to it. I miss bludging, i miss having so much spare time. But i know myself too well to think that i'll be using that time well... I dont think so. Have to tidy the house, arrange for going out on wednesday night to khushbu's, on friday to doe's (who's leaving to london 4ever!!!!!), childrens program on sunday and AM prog as well. With all that i have work this week as well. So once again i shall be robotic me just going with the flow of life. I need a change!

A small update

Salam,

Nothing much has been happening apart from exams alhamdulillah :-S but I feel quite relieved after my first exam finished yesterday. 1 down 2 more to go insha Allah :-D. The strangest thing happened with my exam yesterday, i feel like a total idiot for even mentioning it here but the day before the exam i spent a lot of time just taking notes and I had planned that the morning of the exam I'd stay up after fajr studying. Usually i cant sleep before exams, I get really tense, but I slept so well this time alhamdulillah and at fajr time I actually forgot I had an exam that day! But alhamdulillah I got enough studying done on the train and at uni so insha Allah I'll pass the exam :-D

Since I have nothing else to say here's a joke (I love lame jokes!).

The unshaven man

A man was walking along the street when he passed another man with a lot of stubble on his face standing outside a shop. The first man asked:
"How often do you shave?
Twenty or thirty times a day," answered the man with the stubble.
"What! You must be a freak!" exclaimed the first man.
"No, I'm only a barber," replied the man with the stubble.

In the spirit of Ramadhan...

Fear more the sin when you are out of sight, it is where your witness is also your judge. [Ali (RA)]

In the spirit of Ramadhan, let us all reflect on this quote of Ali (RA). Fasting is something completely between Allah (SWT) and us and Ramadhan should be used as a month to strengthen our bond with Allah (SWT). Noone sees whether you are fasting correctly, if you sneak away to eat, no human being will see you, if you slander, gossip or lie very few will hear you, but Allah (SWT) is always witnessing your every action. This awareness of Allah (SWT) always watching what we do is what we are supposed to build on in Ramadhan, ie. Taqwaa or God consciousness. As Ali (RA) said, we should fear it more when we sin away from people (we should fear sinning regardless), because at that time, our only witness will also be our judge, ie. Allah (SWT).

Ramadhan Mubarak!

My Speech...

Salams ppl,

In Minto, every sunday the aunties and uncles have a regular Islamic gathering. Usually they get guest speakers everytime, but lately they've utilised another strategy: they've been getting Muslim youth in the community who are practising Islam to come and speak to them. I guess seeing a young person with a strong zeal for Islam does inspire people. Anyway, they asked me to be their guest speaker last Sunday, and I accepted the invitation.

I had summarized the first 2 chapters of "Let us be Muslim" by Abu'l 'Ala Mawdudi, because I thought it was a very relevant topic for ALL muslims, be they older aunties and uncles or youth. So thats what I prepared, and every step of the way I was getting nervous. I thought I would unintentionally offend someone, because Bangali aunties get offended very easily. I found out on the night that someone once spoke on hijaab before and it offended many aunties... I wonder y (that wasnt sarcasm, i really do wonder y)?

While I went there after having read the Prophet (SAS)'s hadith: "Say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people" (Baihaqi), I knew I had to say what I had to say, but my tone and way of expressing myself had to be respectable to everyone there. Because people often misread even the nicest of messages badly because of tone...

Alhamdulillah my speech went ok. 2 or 3 aunties even cried when I mentioned some hadiths about how devoted the Sahaba's were and they were the ideal Muslims. The point that a Muslim never questions Allah (SWT)'s command really got to them i think, insha Allah. Because these days we question everything, but the sahabahs didnt think themselves high enough to speak over Allah (SWT), which should be the behaviour of anyone who calls themselves Muslim (ie. one who completely submits their will to the will of Allah SWT). So insha Allah i pray that I have inspired at least some of those present that day to re-evaluate their imaan and become better believers.