Nice nasheed with amazing footage of nature at its most beautiful!

Eid day celebration!

Masha Allah, today was very nice!! We got to the prayer hall at the qwest field event center early! It was massive! we had some 15,000 people O_O! Masha Allah, it was really nice to see so many muslims together though leaving posed a whole other issue!!! LOL! We were an hour in the parking garage waiting for the mob of impatient travelers trying to leave the center :D it was entertaining to say the least. To pass the time, we took pictures with Kiki's new camera, watched the impatient mob inch and honk their way out of the parking garage. It was an interesting experience, one worth laughing about in the end! Once that ordeal was over, we cruised over to QFC to buy breakfast food items. Every year, it is a family tradition to prepare and have Eid breakfast with the family. so, we all helped prepare, cheesy eggs, hash browns, pancakes, halal beef and turkey bacon, biscuits and orange juice. After breakfast, to walk off the food, we went to Burlington coat factory to look at some clothing for the next holiday coming up! Masha Allah, it was a really nice day, however, to end it, I have a cold (just started this afternoon :( ) Insha Allah, will try to nurse myself to beat it before it beats me!

Eid Mubarik!!!

Yeah, so I'm late reporting the last few days! but the moon has been sited in four places so far from different regions in the US so eid is tomorrow!!! We will be praying the eid prayer at the Quest Field insha Allah. :D really excited now. Insha Allah, I will have to post pictures of tomorrow's festivities!

Dua: Oh Allah, please accept our fasting and duas. Please grant us another year of belief and success. Please give us another chance to witness another Ramadan. Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Twenty-Four!

Time is flying,
flying past me.
What have I done,
during this time?
What have I left behind?
What will I take with me?

Ramadan is fleeting from us at lighting speed. It is sad, I don't feel like I have experienced it the way I used to. :( and what is even more frightening, who is to say I will have the chance to experience it next year. Time flies away from us and never returns. Insha Allah, we have to make do with the time we have, cherish it and use it wisely. I read an ayah that made me realize I need to step up my game. The ayah said (paraphrasing): Allah does not change a condition of a people until they change what is in their own hearts. I need to make some life changes if I'm going to see any real changes in my life and achievement of any goals. So now the question is, what changes do I need to make and how, where do I begin. Things were so much easier when my mom was around, now I feel like a little fish in a huge empty ocean. I return to getting mentally prepared for my interview tomorrow *shudders* everyone says it is a cinch, insha Allah, I hope so.

Dua: Oh Allah, guide me to what is right for me, give me direction to what is good for me, give me success in that which is beneficial for me and my ummah in this life and the hereafter. Ameen.

Beautiful pic

Beautiful picture I found of the net!!! absolutely amazing!!

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Twenty-Three!

Ramadan Mubarik!

It really is a blessed month! I have learned much, spent good time with friends, spent time reflecting and reading qur'an, it has been an effort reading more qur'an than usual, tv tends to take up a lot of time. Since i'm watching less tv, i'm reading more qur'an! I think I know what I will have to do when ramadan is over! (no, not get rid of the tv, just limit my time in front of it! :D) Today, I got up early then remembered it was Sunday! went back to sleep for a bit then got up to pray and work on my CDA files and getting things ready for Tuesday the 15th. I have an appointment with a cda representative who will check my work, interview me and give me a test of some sort and then another long wait to see if I get my cda. Insha Allah, I have everything together. Iftar was simple, as it should be but i'm in love with the new flavors of yogurt I have, boston cream pie, cherry pomegranate, raspberry cheesecake! yum!

Dua: Oh Allah, please grant me your blessings and open the doors of opportunity for me. Guide my feet and my desires to that which is right and do not let me slip into error. Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Twenty-Two!

Though I learned quite a bit today about the importance of 'tummy time' and the development in children's brains and physical development who do not get that time to on the florr at my mandatory training at work, I was really upset I had to miss a day with the sisters at ISS. There was a pre-eid fashion show that was bound to be really fun and nice! I would have had the opportunity to see some new styles and and get ideas for the upcoming eid and what to wear at our next girl shing-ding. Oh well! I got a little bit down at work as well. Got a little cleaning done and some of my pictures are up in the classroom for next week's topic: Hats and Head-dresses Around the World. So, the day was not a total lost, Alhamdulillah. I was very tired coming home, I checked my email and then took a nap. I got up later to pray and break fast. After settling a bit, I read some Qur'an and felt relaxed and relieved. Not a bad day even if I lost a good day to rest and spend time with my sisterhood!

Dua: Oh Allah, grant me useful knowledge and let me put it to good use for myself and my community. ameen

The IWA Anthology: Many Poetic Voices, One Faith

Book release just in time for the holidays featuring two poems by yours truly, :D and one of my mom's poems!!! I'm really excited about this and I hope you are too!




Many Poetic Voices, One Faith is your window into the world of Islam through poetry! Come on in and find out what’s waiting here for you inside the attractive cover designed by talented IWA member artist, Nazaahah Amin.

The award winning poems written by Karen English, Marwa Elnaggar, Camilla Sayf, Corey Habbas, Julinar Diab, and additional poems written by 31 IWA member poets are enlightening, entertaining, and rich in a diversity of topics: from a point-by-point description of a soul mate to a sonnet-ode dedicated to a loving and missed mother; from vivid reminders and poetic verse awakening us all to the evils of domestic violence to heart-wrenching reminiscences of the plight of the Muslim convert; from beautiful English renditions of the traditional and ancient Arabic ghazal to the plight of eighteenth century slaves; from a thought-provoking rendition of life from birth to the grave and beyond; from a thoughtful insight into the significance of a single raindrop, to a very moving and heart-warming dedication of life from a long-gone friend.

All this and much more is waiting for you when you read the poetry of our IWA poets’ many voices and their one faith, Islam.

http://www.islamicwritersalliance.net/projects/poeticvoicesanthology.html

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Seventeen

Day seventeen already. I've been watching the moon this month. I don't know why, but it has truly been intriguing. I have never really noticed the phases of increase and decrease or as I now like to say, waxing and waning of the moon. Allah is truly amazing and fills our world with simple but complex beauty! Alhamdulillah, I got to really rest and relax today. I revisited a wonderful Quran recitation site and listened to the Qur'an for awhile. It was really nice because I also got to read along as the Qari recited. Tajweed is a beautiful thing Masha allah. The house was so quiet and at rest. The day was overcast and rainy, like mercy from Allah, the rain washed over Seattle leaving lawns, gardens and wildlife refreshed. For iftar, we had leftovers from yesterday. Food always taste better the next day! :)

Dua: Oh Allah, grant me forgiveness and mercy. Oh Allah, bless me with knowledge and wisdom that will benefit my mind and my faith.

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Sixteen!

Ramadan is half done! how time flies. First it was coming, now it is going! Time waits for no one :( all we can do is spend it wisely and for the sake of Allah. We need to spend it doing good deeds and with friends who make us remember Allah and our duties to Him. Today (Sunday) was another busy day, with only one car to spread around and get things done for the day. I got up early to return the rent a car, then came home to rest a little more. I got up a little later to help clean and run a few errands with my little sister. I got home and finished preparing the food for iftar. Then I ran out to pick up a friend to have iftar with us. Na'eem went to Hakim's for the time that the sisters were here. Masha Allah, we had a full house:) It really is a nice feeling to feed fasting muslims with nice food. We had quite a lot of food although we only made spaghetti, fried rice (for vegetarians), tuna and cabbage rolls (to break fast), fried chicken (which we bought), and corn on the cob. Two sisters brought a salad, another brought some cheese and crackers, another some curry fried chicken, another some spicy barley, lastly some dessert! Masha Allah, it was really nice. Ramadan truly brings sisters together! After everyone had left, I took a deep breath and cleaned the kitchen and prayed. May Allah bless our evening, forgive us our sins and bring us back together in this life and the hereafter. Ameen

Dua: Oh Allah, please bless me with friends who remember you and remind me to remember you. Oh Allah, please do not let me be a distraction to other remembrance of you or cause them to fall behind in their duties to you and do not let others be a distraction to my remembrance of you or cause me to fall behind in my duties to you.

Ramadan Mubarik! Day Fifteen!

Masha Allah! Today was quite a busy day (Sat. Yep, I'm a few days behind schedule here, it has been a busy few days Subhan Allah). I had to get up early to rent a car since I was going to Sammamish today for a fundraiser event. The event was to help raise money to buy a huge build to have a masjid, islamic center, dawah center and place to host other events at. Muslim communities are spending far too much in renting buildings to host events, dinners and fundraisers. That money can be better spent on buying our own place and then rented out to others, at least that is their plan insha Allah. The fundraiser was held at this huge church. It was mentioned that the reason they held it there was to show muslims that this is what we needed for ourselves and our children. The place was massive! It had large halls, a nursery room, another room for kids, a prayer hall, and some rooms on the other side of the building I didn't get to see, they also had their own huge kitchen! With a large building similar to that, there are so many opportunities for the community, so many ways to bring our community together and we can save money instead of always giving it to others. I had planned to help out and then sit for some of the lectures but it got very busy in the kitchen once we started plating the food. I think I was on my feet for a good two and a half hours. But I must say, as tiring as it was, it was a lot of fun! :) I did not get home till 11:30. I felt dead on my feet! LOL I took a little nap before getting little sis. Once we got home from picking her up, I started on Iftar for Sunday!

Dua: Oh Allah, make the believers successful in their hope and efforts to please you and unite under the one true religion, Al-Islam. Make us tender hearted to your words and followers of your Messenger (saw) and understanding and compassionate to each other.

Food, friends and a full moon :)

Ramadan Mubarik! Day fourteen!



Masha Allah, today was nice. Kids behaved well, yippee!! I think they are slowly getting used to the classroom, new friends and settling into our classroom routines. I was also a little excited about my dinner plans, iftar with the ladies!! I cooked a tamale casserole last night because I would not have the time to make it after work. Masha Allah, it came out nice. so, at 5:30 we picked up Sennie and she stayed at my place until time to leave. She made yummy stuffed noodles. When everything was done, we picked up sister Janice and went to Bellevue. It was a lovely evening, the air was cool, the moon was full, the sisters were lovely and the food was great. Everyone prayed together and then chowed downed on the good food and sisterhood. We stayed quite late, but it was fun. We dropped the sisters off at home and I am finally ready to rest! Alhamdulillah, Allah is good and merciful. I learn stuff everyday and I learn to appreciate what I have been blessed with, a home, family, good friends and sisterhood.

Dua: Oh Allah, have mercy on me, my family, my friends and the believers. Bless us with good families, homes and spouses. Protect us from the whispers of shaitan and keep us on the straight path and do not let us leave the deen. Ameen.