August 24, 2008
· Filed under Aaminah's Journal, From Other Blogs, Gratitude, Re-Posts
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim
This is a re-post from my own blog. Reading these two things made me so grateful for so much that I take for granted… easy access to healthy food, being able to go to the store to pick up the school supplies my son needs (even if we complain a bit about how much it all costs, at least it is possible!), having a family that accepts me as a Muslim and is even relatively supportive…
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These two stories brought tears to my eyes this morning. And no, it’s not from the menopause, hee hee. Really, please check them out, and see if they don’t make you think and feel something:
Via SouthernMuslimah: Baby Steps: School Bag Project - Just read the whole thing.
From SunniSisters:
I met a young brother today. He’s been Muslim for a short time. His family gave him the big ol’ boot when he did that — his mixed Jewish/Christian family wants nothing to do with him now. He goes from Muslim home to Muslim home, relying on a network of brotherhood for a place to lay his head. “Are you American?” he asked me. He hasn’t met many American-born Muslims. I don’t know about anyone else, but for me there is something about meeting another Muslim that grew up American. It’s not always that you get along or like one another or anything, but it’s a connection, the same way we see the immigrants connect with one another in the masjid.
Anyway, an example of being in the trenches together is the way that this largely immigrant community where I was has taken this young American dude under their wing. He’s got a job with them, he’s got a place to stay. His arms may be covered in tattoos, and he’s definitely had a bit of a rough go before, but there seems to have been no question about helping him out, no shying away from the guy with flames and skulls on his arms. An example of a community that didn’t just hug him and say “Mabruk” before turning their backs and forgetting about him when he took shahada. His “Muslim family” has stepped up when his blood family hated his beliefs more than they loved him. We should celebrate and encourage this type of brotherhood — the kind that sticks it out in tough times, and isn’t just a pat on the back at ‘Eid. (Note, I’m not going to name the community, so don’t ask.)
August 22, 2008
· Filed under From Other Blogs, Gratitude, Re-Posts
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim
Asalaamu alaikum. This is being reposted from Abdur Rahman’s Corner, with permission of course! (Aaminah)
Following on from sister Aaminah’s Grateful to Allah Blog Carnival, here are a few things I am sincerely grateful to God for. As you will soon notice, given that Ramadan is fast approaching, this particular list consists of all my favourite foods! Allah!
- Clean, cold water on a hot day
- Milk
- Lassi/Laban: produced in many parts of the world, this is a drink made from milk and yoghurt. Sometimes with sugar (yum), sometimes with salt (yuck) and often with fruit (double yum)!
- Olives and olive oil: I truly, madly, deeply love olives and olive oil. Olives come in all shapes and sizes, and all of them are lovely!
- Cherries, apples and grapes: these are 3 of my favourite fruits. We don’t get cherries all of the time and so when we do, they don’t last long! My children love apples, as do I. I grew up in London with a small apple tree in the garden. My in-laws have a huge apple tree in their garden. Grapes are delicious and the occasion for much humour in our house: both of my daughters enjoy biting them, sucking the juice out of them and passing me the remnants!
- Mangos: my wife’s family say that Pakistani mangos are the best in the world, ever! Based on my own experience, I would probably agree (though I’ve not had many from elsewhere). Mango eating is a delicately crafted ritual in my in-laws home: my wife and mother-in-law sit down, out comes a wickedly sharp knife and before you can say ‘bismillah’, a plate of neatly sliced mango pieces are produced. I like to eat the skin – though my wife says that it’s disgusting.
- Humous and taramasalata: I love both and so does my wife. Fortunately, neither seem to be very popular in Merthyr and so there’s often lots of it in the reduced section of Tescos.
- Freshly cooked, warm crusty bread: Allah! What can I say!
- A traditional sunday roast dinner: a childhood favourite and great on any day of the week!
- Cawl: a traditional Welsh soup/stew (often made with lamb). My beloved wife makes a really lovely cawl.
- Achar Gosht (Pickled Meat, approximately): fiery, spicy and the cause of much chili-induced pain/pleasure
- My mother-in-law’s chicken curry
- Porridge
- Supermalt: a malt-based, alcohol-free drink. I really do love supermalt (and I can now buy it in Merthyr Tydfil). Not loved by everyone (and loathed by my wife and sister). But, hey! I like it.
- Coffee: I drink too much coffee, but there’s nothing quite like it.
- Tea: I love all kinds of tea – although I especially love Earl Grey and Mint Tea.
- Family barbecues: another much-loved family ritual, also involving much care, effort and attention to detail; my wife’s family tell me that Pakistani barbecues are the best in the world.
- Eating food (of any kind) with my wife and three children
Sometimes, we spend so much time thinking about other things that we forget to thank God for the simple things – for the food we eat, and the water we drink. Allah! I have so much to be grateful for.
Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman
May 16, 2008
· Filed under Audio, Gratitude, Re-Posts
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim
by UmmYasmin
I was listening to Shaykh Kabir on my way to work this morning, and among many other pearls of wisdom, he talked about what he called the ‘dimensionless point’ (he didn’t use the Arabic, but he was speaking of the ruh sometimes translated as ’spirit’ cf. al-Hijr 15:29) within us. It is closer to us than our life-vein (Qaf 50:16), and is incredibly beautiful, incredibly intelligent, incredibly merciful if we would just heed it.
When he spoke about this, I cried. I felt so immensely grateful for my life, for my family, for the opportunities I have in life, for being able to hear the words of this Shaykh, may the Beloved reward him in this life and the next. For the first time in a very long time, I felt joy at the immanence of the Life-Source.
I haven’t experienced that for what seems a very long time, and yet God has never moved away from me, I have moved away from Him. I have become distracted by an idol of a ‘big cop up in the sky’ ready to write me an eternally damning ticket for the smallest infraction. By so doing, I have obscured the Still Small Voice Within.
So now, as the Buddhists say: “before enlightenment, wash dishes, chop wood; after enlightenment, wash dishes, chop wood.
Originally published at the Dervish blog on May 14, 2008
NaksibendiMuslimah
Umm Layth
A'ishah
ammena