Monday, August 29, 2011

Just a thought

Bismillah,

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh Ya Muslimeen!!

I went through my old stuff tonight looking for a text book which I think I sold back...anyway that is not the point. As I was searching I found old journals that I have kept over the years. I think each and everyone of us needs to keep one! Journals reflect our state of mind...in the Muslim's perspective, it reflects our state of IMAN! As I read through them tonight, some made me smile, others made me think deeper and yet others reminded me of some heartaches I went through in life. I was never one to keep journals----I was a tomboy. I did not like diaries and I was not one to play with barbies. I started writing journals about the same time I started practicing Islam....at about age 17, just three years ago! It is kinda of funny thinking about how mature I have become over these few years subhana'Allah.

My writings there reflect ups and downs of my Imaan.....in fact at the beginning of my journal, I was somewhat low and in the middle, my Imaan peaked so HIGH and then it dropped soo LOW! which is probably why I stopped writing. Journals are a secret friend if you use it for the write reasons. Pick up a journal today and write an entry reflecting back at your day. What have you done to please Allah? what will you change tomorrow if you were given a second chance? How do you feel? You can also use journals to write for someone that you love. If our beloved prophet were to read your journals what would you put in there? what do you wish to tell Allah?

I used to do alot of entries when I was upset or angry at someone. I would write about the situation, how I felt and would sometimes (actually most of the time) end up crying and.......... voila I'd feel better after reading what I wrote! There are plenty of different reasons for keeping a journal, but one big one which I just thought about after seeing my old journals is keeping ones self on check. If you ever hear of "judge yourself before you're judged" this is a great way to do so. Hold yourself accountable for your daily activities, speech, and actions. After each entry make it your goal to improve yourself as time goes on. Also remember to be thankful to Allah for any good progress that you make on the way.

Now lets kind of review/list few good reasons why one should keep a journal.
1. Self reflection
2. A private conversation with God
3. Self improvements
4. Anger managing
5. Judge the soul

That is all I can think of now.....insha'Allah if I remember some more I'll add to that list.

Eid Mubarak...a note to my love!

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

dear love,

I am left with grieve and heartache......I have watched you go so fast, I did not even have time to say goodbye. You've been a blessing to me ever since you stepped into my life. With school closed and all, I thought I'd enjoy time with you and get done with much but I guess I was wrong...dead wrong! I now know that indeed the day of judgement is near because of the time passing quickly. I think of you all the time and wish to witness your blessings next year. You've been a great companion and I shall miss you.....well I already did since I will not be able to wake up for sahoor tonight :( I will not be able to stand side by side with my brothers and sisters in prayer. All I can do now  is pray and stay strong for your next visit.
Goodbye dear Ramadan,

Hello, Eid! Insha'Allah in less than 7 hours, we will pray Eid al-fitr prayer :D
May Allah accept it from us and you....for indeed this blessed month has left us. May Allah increase our Imaan. ameen

Thursday, August 25, 2011

back to prison....AKA school

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

School started already! yaay (actually I am not so happy)....but anywho, I wanted to say that I might not be able to do a lot of blogging. However, I assure you that I will do it every few weeks insha'Allah. Let's all remember to always be close to our Rab. School distracts us from our ibadah sometimes, let's remember to be steadfast. Also  know that when we become a person of God, Allah makes us successful in our worldly battles. My message to all who're reading this is....you only need ONE friend, let that friend be the one who can give you all. Let the Lord be your best friend this school year and the world will be yours.

Just few little tips:
1. Get involved with your school MSA club
2. Have a Qur'an with at all times (so that you can read it when you have nothing to do---in between classes)
3. Be mindful of your prayers
4. choose your friends wisely
5. Smile at your Muslim brothers and sisters
6. Be kind to EVERYONE
7. Just be yourself.....
8. Make dua to Allah to make the school year easy for you
9. Study smart not hard
10. Spend time in the remembrance of Allah
------SUCCESS IS ON THE WAY!!!!-----

Ya Allah make this school year easy for us and let us learn something that will benefit us. Ya Allah, you're the best of those who are merciful, have mercy on us as we struggle with this dunya, Ya rab, forgive us for our short comings and make us those who succeed in dunya and Akhirah, oh Allah teach us that which we will benefit our ummah with. ameen

Remember Allah is with YOU and I through it all!! lets SMILE and BEAT this school year!! ;)

you're beautiful JUST the way you're!!

Bismillah,

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I haven't posted a lot these past days.....got busy with work and getting ready for back to school. Oh it is so sad that Ramadan is coming to an end. I was looking at the moon last night as my brother and I drove back from Tahajud and I could see it been so tiny, like the size of a banana. It will soon end and though there is Eid and a great festival, I am saddened to see it going like this. I feel like time just flew by so quickly!! anyway, this is not a post about me. This is a post from a sister to her fellow sisters :) listen up girls!! :D

In this day and age, there is a great deal of confusion among us sisters in Islam and in humanity. We think that beauty is all about physical apppearience . We try our out most best trying to fit in the standards of our society. We try to be the perfect size, have the perfect make up, look like the perfect super model....etc. So, we go ahead and spend dollars on makeup...to beautify ourselves and make ourselves more appealing to others especially to the opposite sex. We come to depend on how others see us and sometimes it leads us to exposing more of our bodies than we normally show.....trying to just fit in and be like everyone else.

The reality is, most of  us spend nights crying over what someone said about our looks, trying to hide our imperfection behind the makeup we put on. So we forget that we have something more beautiful and pure than our own appearience, something that makes us unique and different, something that we don't do or say because it is part of the status qua---that something is our own unique personality!!
Our manners, our clean heart, our healthy talk, and our caring self is more beautiful than the make up we wear. Let everyone see us for who we're, what we strongly believe, our amazing intelligence and believe me the world will come smiling at our presence.

None of us have to look like Jessica Alba or Beyonce because the truth is no matter how much we try we will not be like them-so why not embrace our beautiful selves and shine. I swear to God, trying to look beautiful with makeup, latest clothes with amazing brand names will only make us broke! And that aint beautiful. Unless and until we see ourselves worthy and perfect as we've been created, we will never be satisfied. Actually we'll never be happy. Because we're constantly conscious about our looks and that takes the enjoyment out of our daily experiences.

...believe me when I say I know it all. I used to wake up an hour before school just beautifying myself, making sure there aren't any flaws with my 'perfect makeup'. When I arrived school, I'd run to the restroom and check how I still look, if my mascara is still in place and so on and so forth. I wanted others to like me because I am dressed right, 'made-up' right, and I talk right. I wanted to fit in and be like everyone else. However, by my junior year of high school I came to realize that maybe I am not supposed to be like everyone else. Maybe I am supposed to be me. So, the first day of my junior year after summer ended, I walked in school with no make up, wearing my Abayah and hijab properly. Like usual I went to the restroom and stood by the mirror----I felt the urge to go back home and put on my make up because in my head I looked awful!! But I told myself that if people and my 'friends' really liked me for who I was, then they will not mind me dressed up like the way I was. Everyone asked if I was sick that day and when I said no...they replied "well, what wrong" and I ended up saying, I just stopped putting on make up!

I have lost some friends and I have realized that there is more to me than my appearance. Even though, I ended up not fitting in and spent prom night at home I was happy. I was content and felt amazing about myself. I was not confirming to the "norms" I was being myself and the few people who accepted me for that proved to be my only true friends. I am not saying the road is easy nor am I saying you will fit right in......but all I am saying is it aint worth it if you can't be happy with your self.
These are some beauty tips for my sisters out there----you will be BEAUTIFUL inside and out if you only follow this and your company of friends will be those who compete with you in doing righteous good deed!! AKA your Jannah mates. Lets now start applying this 'perfect' make up shall we??
Dear reader, on this 26th day of Ramadan I ask Allah ta'ala to bless you, guide you, protect you, be pleased with you and grant you Jannah! If there is good in anything I said, indeed it is from Allah ta'ala and if I said anything wrong indeed it is from my weak soul and the misguidance of Shaytan the accursed.
Dear sisters, if you are reading this.....know that you're a pearl of Islam. It is your beauty the shines through this world as you walk upon it with your Hijab on...making a statement, a declaration of faith with your head held up high. There is no happiness in the disobedience of God but there is great happiness in His obedience. Remember YOU'ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU'RE!!! a perfect creation of Rab al-alameen <3

Shout out to all my beautiful sisterssssssss!!!! :D

Monday, August 8, 2011

thou shalt not break a promise!!!

Assalamu alaikum you guys,

I just want to rant about something tonight. Two traits I hate in someone is ..lie and breaking promises. It really hurts me to know that someone I know or care about lied or in some cases broke a promise they made. You know, my own sister told me many many times that I trust people really quickly. She often said that....good people in this world are becoming extinct and that everyone is selfish! I used to tell her that she has trust issues....and that she needs to give people a chance. But my own theory came to hunt me and every time I give someone my trust, I welcome them in my life as well as heart-they break my trust! Yes they break it! They disappoint me and I am often left with....nothing! I hate to think that I cannot trust people, my whole life is built on trust. I really dislike people who lie to me!

I'd like it if everyone just kept their word, told the truth, and understood what it feels like to be lied to! I learned this lesson the hard way, but the sad thing is I learn this lesson over and over again because I am too naive. I have come to the conclusion to only trust my Lord and those who really fear Him. Wallahi, this dunya is just plain old disgusting! I wish that the people of today were like the sahabah. You know, like those who lived and breathed Islam!! I hate to be pissed or angry.....but I am!!!! subhana'Allah- I am really hurt right now and I dont want to name names or talk about the specifics. I just want everyone reading this to at least learn one thing-be trustworthy! Never ever break a promise you make and never lie to others.

You never know who you gunna hurt! its better to keep your word! anyway all iam tryina SAY IS.....I wholeheartedly HATE anyone who breaks a promise !!!

May Allah subhanahu wata'ala help me and everyone else, may Allah protect us all from those who are of no benefit to us! ameen


“Promises are like the full moon, if they are not kept at once they diminish day by day”

Saturday, August 6, 2011

been there, done that..........its all history now

Bismillah,

Assalamu alaikum ya Shabab (youth) ;) insha'Allah all is well with everyone.

OK, so my day at work is done and I am feeling GREAT! Alhamdulillah, today was very very easy! I am not saying it was different than other days....work was busy like all Saturday at the mall..but I did not feel extra tired because I was fasting, in fact it made me forget and made time fly by real quick! Wallahi, it didnt turn out to be what I expected it. It was just fabulous! I had iftar with couple of sisters and some non-Muslim co-workers. They asked questions about Islam and about Ramadan....and alhamdulilah if it was not for this blessed month, those questions would have not been asked. Well, there goes.....Allah works in mysterious ways:)
 Insha'Allah tomorrow will be different, I work too but I get off 15 minutes before Iftar.....I'll make it to the masjid and break my fast with hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters :D  I will also be able to pray taraweeh at the masjid. Oh how I cannot wait!! Ya'Allah make things easy for my brothers and sisters around the world! ameen
Every day has it is own blessing.....you just gotta look deep to find it!

Can you count your blessings?? can ya?

The hungry wolf :p

Bismillah,

Today's fasting is really hard for me-I am too hungry and too dang lazy! insha'Allah it brings loads of reward! It is also going to be the first day of work while fasting.....so I hope it turns us well. I will be having my Iftar at the break room probably by myself or with some co-works. I am a bit nervous since my job requires alot of walking and stuff. But I trust in Allah and I am pretty sure He will ease the situation for me. I hope this day just becomes a day for me to remember.....it is definitely test for my patience. However, with Allah anything is possible....I will blog about how my day went later tonight when I get off work insha'Allah.

Hopefully I will have something good to say about it :) 

Until then, hang on tight and remember me in your duas :D