I know this is a common feeling people have because I’ve actually heard people complain about that exact circumstance before.  I’ve even heard people say that it makes them feel unimportant, kind of loserish, and even slightly rejected.

Is that the way a host or hostess should feel?  Someone who is so kind as to invite you over to his or her house?  Apparently not, according to our beloved Rasulullah sallalahu alayhi wasalaam

Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “The rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim are six.” It was said, “And what are they Oh Messenger of Allaah?” He replied, “When you meet him, give him the greeting of peace, when he invites you, respond to his invitation, when he seeks your advice, advise him, when he sneezes and praises Allaah, supplicate for mercy upon him, when he becomes ills, visit him, and when he dies follow him (i.e. his funeral).”  [Sahih Muslim]

Imagine that, as a host it is your right as a Muslim that when you give an invitation, your guests respond.  It is your right that if they don’t have a valid excuse, they must attend your invitation.  It is your right that if your guests tell you they are coming, that they come on time. (more…)

What do you do?  Turn the TV off?  Or leave it on?  Isn’t having the television on during salaah distracting for your friend?  And wouldn’t it be a courtesy to her to turn it off?  Or do you think that she should just have enough khushoo‘ to concentrate over the TV and that her imaan is strong enough to focus on her prayer.  You, after all, were sitting there first, and were enjoying whatever show was on.  And concentrating on her salaah is her duty, not yours.  You already fulfilled your obligation of praying, so now she must deal with the consequences of waiting, and having to pray in a loud environment.

You’re nicer than that, aren’t you?  And wouldn’t you agree that it’s easier for you to turn off the TV than it is for your friend to concentrate in her prayer?  We all know how hard it is to concentrate even when the room is quiet.

(more…)

I’m bored.  School is almost done and I need something to do this summer.  Any suggestions? Someone at school wants to be tutored over the summer, but I don’t know if I want to spend more time teaching, preparing lessons, and working around someone’s schedule.  That requires too much productivity, and I don’t think that word goes well with the summer.

Speaking of productivity, this past weekend I was productive with Osman and Hunno.  We painted their nursery :)  It’s striped!  And it’s also very well done, if I may say so myself… ahem

And speaking of coughs (are we really speaking of coughs, or did I just make a cough sound effect?) I’ve had an annoying cough that hasn’t gone away for three weeks.  It isn’t as bad as before.  Now it only acts up after I drink anything.  One or two coughs and it’s gone, but then it always comes back.

Speaking of coming back, I wonder when Shoaa’s coming back from her honeymoon?  I want to talk to her and see how married life is treating her.  I’m sure it’s sunshine, lollipops and rainbows… insha’Allah.

Speaking of rainbows, it’s been raining a lot lately.   No signs of any rainbows though.  I remember last year after the MIA graduation there was a magnificently beautiful rainbow in the sky.  Fati tried to take a picture of it.  The camera didn’t do it justice.

I accidently ran a red light the other day.  Here in the wonderful state of Illinois there are cameras set up at most intersections just to take pictures of people who violate traffic laws… even the ones who do it accidentally!  I’m scared I’m going to get a notice in the mail.

Speaking of the mail, I flipped through the Meijer circular today.  It was sitting on the kitchen table.  There are a lot of good deals this week!  I wish I could go there and buy some groceries.  But I don’t think we’re in any need of discount cereal and chips.

Speaking of chips, I made myself a lunch–turkey sandwich, pineapple slices and juice.  No chips though.  We only had Cooler Ranch Doritos, and I’m not a big fan.

After eating her chips, the daughter wanted more.  The mom said no, but the daughter threw a fit.  So the mom caved in and gave her daughter some more chips, again saying that this time was the last.  Of course, the same thing happened at least two more times.  After the third time, the mom finally decided to tell her daughter there weren’t anymore chips… she lied!

Well, after eating her chips, the daughter wanted more.  So she started crying for it, again.  The mom kept telling her the same old lie:  there weren’t anymore chips.  But she finally realized her daughter didn’t believe her, so she turned to me and said, “Can you give her some more chips?”

I was a little annoyed.  Didn’t she just tell her daughter the chips were done?  I actually mentioned that to her, “You told her there weren’t anymore…?”  The mom said, “Yea I know, but she wants it now.” (more…)

I had to go to a store in Aurora to return something, and on the way back I was planning on hitting up a grocery store to buy supplies for dinner, which I was planning to make later that day (chicken pot pie, another post, another day).  Anyway, there I was, driving down IL-59, looking out for Aurora Ave to make a left turn, when there it was.  On the horizon like a beautiful tree with red apples.  Only the apples were letters, and it spelled out… (more…)

Anyone, huh?  What about themselves?  When someone doesn’t wear hijab, who is really stopping them?  A parent?  A friend?  A spouse?  Or the person themself?  Afterall, when a girl puts on a hijab, in my opinion, the number one thing she is fighting is not culture, nor pressure, but her own desire to be admired or adored.

So really, if you’re not wearing it, and you’d never stop anyone else from wearing it, why stop yourself?

Wednesday morning Saqib dropped me off at the Metra station in downtown Lisle and I took a train to Union Station downtown to get on another Amtrak train to Ann Arbor.  I was a little nervous about using “so many” trains to get to my destination, because public transportation makes me nervous.  The schedules, tracks, fees, and employees are generally confusing or not very helpful.  But alhumdu’lillah, I made to Ann Arbor in one piece, to be picked up by my bhabi.

Wow, what a driver.  Hunno really knows how to make good time.  She picked me up right when I stepped off the train, and we were off to the grocery store before I knew it.  We had to pick up a few items for ammi who was waiting for me back at home.  Hunno, who wanted to make good time, managed to pick me up, stop at the store and get me home all within one hour.  Impressive, wouldn’t you say?

(more…)

Since I came home on Friday I’ve been having a lot of fun, alhumdu’lillah.  Friday, Saqib and I started studying for the Rays of Faith exam that was on Sunday.  As boring as studying normally is, it was actually enjoyable to review the class material with him and jogg my memory of all the interesting points that Shaykh Waleed had mentioned more than a month ago during the class.

Saturday, Saqib went to class and I stayed home to get a few things done on my own.  I went to the gym, cleaned the bathroom, dusted the furniture and made kaana.  We had a bunch of mushrooms left over in our fridge so Ummy wanted me to make use of them.  I added some mushrooms to my normal recipe for lasagna.  It turned out pretty much the same, ‘cept the meat layer tasted a little more meaty.  That night after kaana we continued studying for the exam until it was a quarter to midnight and we were getting tired.

(more…)

From Allure’s February 2009 issue; BODY NEWS by Kristin Sainani; pg. 84

Do people really need research to tell them that your value goes up when you’re hidden?  It’s called scarcity… why do you think Osama is such a hott commodity.

Imagine a world where every woman covered herself.  All the men would be satisfied with their partners, and maybe women wouldn’t feel so insecure.  *sigh* insha’Allah one day.

Personally, I don’t think I’d like it much either.  Not for high school students, at least.  I don’t think that any of them really need to know, just yet, considering their situation in life and at school, so much in depth information about how to pray.  Teaching the details implies that you know the basics, and unfortunately I’m not sure that that is the case.  I know from seeing it first hand that some of these kids can’t get through 2 rakah of sunnah without making major nullifying mistakes.  So why do they need to spend hours learning how to hold their hands, or which degree to make their backs form during rukuh, or just how low to go when it comes time for sujud?

The way I see it is:  Imaan isn’t in the details.  And I think these kids really need something to raise their Imaan, not something to drag it down with too much information.  The idea of being slammed with rules and regulations for something they have to do everyday (pray) would just be dreary and uninviting.  As another teacher put it, we want to show these kids how easy it is to practice this religion, and that it is made to make our lives easier–not more confusing.

If in the future, once these students have perfected their basic salaah by meeting the fardh requirements, THEN they should move on to the advanced aspects and details of it.  Until then, as I told the teacher, I’d be happy just knowing that they know they have to pray and they get that much done.  Maybe my standards are low, but it’s easier to have them met.