Bismillah
This past weekend on Saturday I finally finished the book my husband was busy competing with for attention, and I must say for such a well written book I am disappointed in the ending but I guess it is the author’s right. The book is based on a woman who gambles to ease or run away from her pain. She is an addict and it takes her long enough after the usual experiences of a gambling addict such as borrowing money and being in a position of plain desperation until she sees that she has got a problem. Yes she goes through tough experiences but what annoyed me while reading the book is that she falls into doing the same sin over and over again and justifies it. We all have our addictions but there should come a time when we redeem ourselves, repent to God and walk away, which is what I thought will happen to the character in the end, she will redeem herself and not gamble again instead of making it out as a naughty act she might visit from time to time. However I must say that Rayda is a great writer, very detailed, very graphic as well. I am looking forward to reading her next book.
Some sins sometimes are great obstacles to overcome. The juiciness of gossip, the relief a lie brings instead of facing the bitter truth and its consequences, the enjoyment of the excitement of adultery and the thrill and power of oppressing someone. But at the end these to lead to nothing but total destruction of the soul and when we justify our sins we are opening a window to make them habitual and a habit becomes who you are. You are no longer someone who gossips, but you become known as THE gossip, THE liar, THE oppressor, THE adulterer. What a bad name to have!
We are human and it is in our nature to sin, but it is also in our nature to resist and train our conscious to help us with the will to resist sin. Another issue that brings us to sin is the lack of life in our own lives. We gossip about others because we have idle minds, and lack fruitfulness in ours. We oppress others as we find lack of control in our own situations.
God did not prevent us from doing certain acts except for our own benefit. If we would focus all this great energy into planting something positive into our lives or even better is to contribute something positive in someone else’s life. We will receive a much greater rewards than the instant satisfaction of a sin. Let us pull each other up; it is a great effort but a greatly rewarding one too.
Peace!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Most heartfelt things in life are inexpensive
Bismillah
Have you ever thought about the powerful feeling of a hug, a kiss and a smile. Whether you are giving or receiving one, think of the joy and warm feeling it brings to your heart. Last night I was feeling down and I was just lying motionless in bed, then my beloved reached under his clothes, pulled out a fizz-pop and extended his hand towards me and said “Bismillah” it is our way of saying ‘go ahead you can have in Allah’s name’. I felt like a 4 year old (as if it is only kids who are supposed to feel such joy and elation), and my mood suddenly changed as I said “Shukran my love”. Such a simple act filled my entire being with delight. Two weeks ago, there were some Sheiks who came to the office for a meeting with my “Colleague” (that is what the boss calls me, “His Colleague”) and they brought me Chocolates! No one could spoil my mood on that day.
So my beloved friend, it takes a small act just to bring happiness into someone’s life, a simple phone call or text message just to say that I am thinking of you. It does not have to be a birthday, anniversary or whatever else we feel is worth celebrating. Life is worth celebrating every day. It should not be death that comes as a shock but each day you find yourself and others alive.
Go Ahead! Go give someone an unexpected hug today, a slab of chocolate, a text message, a phone call and whatever else you can think of, it might all the happiness that person needs for today.
Peace
Have you ever thought about the powerful feeling of a hug, a kiss and a smile. Whether you are giving or receiving one, think of the joy and warm feeling it brings to your heart. Last night I was feeling down and I was just lying motionless in bed, then my beloved reached under his clothes, pulled out a fizz-pop and extended his hand towards me and said “Bismillah” it is our way of saying ‘go ahead you can have in Allah’s name’. I felt like a 4 year old (as if it is only kids who are supposed to feel such joy and elation), and my mood suddenly changed as I said “Shukran my love”. Such a simple act filled my entire being with delight. Two weeks ago, there were some Sheiks who came to the office for a meeting with my “Colleague” (that is what the boss calls me, “His Colleague”) and they brought me Chocolates! No one could spoil my mood on that day.
So my beloved friend, it takes a small act just to bring happiness into someone’s life, a simple phone call or text message just to say that I am thinking of you. It does not have to be a birthday, anniversary or whatever else we feel is worth celebrating. Life is worth celebrating every day. It should not be death that comes as a shock but each day you find yourself and others alive.
Go Ahead! Go give someone an unexpected hug today, a slab of chocolate, a text message, a phone call and whatever else you can think of, it might all the happiness that person needs for today.
Peace
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
LIBERATION
Bismillah
I have mention this to everyone because I feel like I was the only one sitting in front of the TV with a puzzled look on my face. The other day I was watching ‘our’ best friend on TV Oprah Winfrey and she had a show on women who changed the course of history, for example the woman who inspired the Barbie doll. Then it was time to bring out the first woman who posed in a bikini on a magazine cover. I remembered the weighty loud applause that came from the crowd (my TV is not on loud) and how Oprah was saying “We’ve come a long way” with an energy of pride and achievement. As if to saying ‘we are such heroes, we are so damn liberated now that we can be naked and have millions of men drooling over us’.
Over 1400 years ago a man called Muhammad (pbuh) lived in a world where men used to kill their daughters and women were nothing but slaves and objects. He came with a message from God that said “O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outer garments close around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle.” (Ahzab: 59) and another that said “And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you the faithful, in order that you are successful.” (Nur: 31)
It is through this message that true liberation for women came. When a woman dresses in a respectful manner, she attracts men who have respect for her, who care more about her opinions and thoughts than the curves of her body or the size of her cleavage.
It is in human nature to want to attract the opposite sex, but we should carefully examine our reason and intention. If you marry for beauty it fades, money disappears too but good character is everlasting and good character is found in the women who respect themselves and their bodies.
This is not just a message to a fellow Muslimah but to all women. Please do not short-change yourself, a man who wants to experience your sexual treasures before your personality ones is not worth it.
And if liberation means to be naked in front of the world then I’d rather stay in this “oppressive” state for somehow I feel liberated in it.
Peace
I have mention this to everyone because I feel like I was the only one sitting in front of the TV with a puzzled look on my face. The other day I was watching ‘our’ best friend on TV Oprah Winfrey and she had a show on women who changed the course of history, for example the woman who inspired the Barbie doll. Then it was time to bring out the first woman who posed in a bikini on a magazine cover. I remembered the weighty loud applause that came from the crowd (my TV is not on loud) and how Oprah was saying “We’ve come a long way” with an energy of pride and achievement. As if to saying ‘we are such heroes, we are so damn liberated now that we can be naked and have millions of men drooling over us’.
Over 1400 years ago a man called Muhammad (pbuh) lived in a world where men used to kill their daughters and women were nothing but slaves and objects. He came with a message from God that said “O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outer garments close around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle.” (Ahzab: 59) and another that said “And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you the faithful, in order that you are successful.” (Nur: 31)
It is through this message that true liberation for women came. When a woman dresses in a respectful manner, she attracts men who have respect for her, who care more about her opinions and thoughts than the curves of her body or the size of her cleavage.
It is in human nature to want to attract the opposite sex, but we should carefully examine our reason and intention. If you marry for beauty it fades, money disappears too but good character is everlasting and good character is found in the women who respect themselves and their bodies.
This is not just a message to a fellow Muslimah but to all women. Please do not short-change yourself, a man who wants to experience your sexual treasures before your personality ones is not worth it.
And if liberation means to be naked in front of the world then I’d rather stay in this “oppressive” state for somehow I feel liberated in it.
Peace
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tips on Keeping Your Marriage Lively
1. Always remember the reason you got married. (if this was a wrong reason, renew your marriage with a better reason)
2. Respect each other; respect each other’s views and opinions even if you do not agree with them – just respect them.
3. Tackle problems with prayer and good intention.
4. The letter “I” really isn’t there in “we” or “us” or “our”.
5. Leave dangerous thoughts in a faraway garbage bin before you enter your home, and don’t go searching for them when you leave the house either. (Dangerous thoughts being cheating, negative thoughts about your spouse, if only my wife/husband could be like her/him..., stress etc)
6. Never forget the words – I love you, thank you, please, I am sorry, and what I can do to make it better.
7. Always be a helpful hand rather than a criticising one.
8. Listen with love than just your ears, sometimes the heart hears well.
9. Always show interest in your spouse’s activities. (NO, this does not include spying O.O)
10. Always keep things fresh, surprising and sparkling in the bedroom.
11. Make your home a paradise of love, peace, consideration and mercy.
12. Keep your heart a place of safety for secrets, your body a place of beauty, your hands a place of warmth and your mouth a place of kind words.
BE THE SPOUSE THAT YOU WANT YOUR SPOUSE TO BE.
Marriage is a priviladge
Bismillah
As i start closing down some windows and wrapping up some work, i think of something a read on facebook and wrote it on my diary "I've found silence is best enjoyed with a beating heart next to you" and it made me remember that about a week ago i told my beloved husband how lying on his chest was one of the most peaceful places for me. In the same breath i am also thinking of my cousin who recently lost her husband just after she had a miscarriage., and how difficult she is having it right now. It is Allah's decree.
How often do we appreciate our spouses? do we wait for them to be called by Allah so that we start writing poems of how we wish we didn't utter those last hurtful words. How we turned insignificant issues into problems when we could have just said "my love, when you... i was hurt but i forgive you".
As i go home, thank you Allah for giving me the opportunity to share my life with a man called a husband, i realise that it is a priviladge and i pray that you help me be the best wife i can be.
Fill my heart with contentment, happiness, forgiveness and love because all these are characteristics of a Believing Muslim Woman.
As i start closing down some windows and wrapping up some work, i think of something a read on facebook and wrote it on my diary "I've found silence is best enjoyed with a beating heart next to you" and it made me remember that about a week ago i told my beloved husband how lying on his chest was one of the most peaceful places for me. In the same breath i am also thinking of my cousin who recently lost her husband just after she had a miscarriage., and how difficult she is having it right now. It is Allah's decree.
How often do we appreciate our spouses? do we wait for them to be called by Allah so that we start writing poems of how we wish we didn't utter those last hurtful words. How we turned insignificant issues into problems when we could have just said "my love, when you... i was hurt but i forgive you".
As i go home, thank you Allah for giving me the opportunity to share my life with a man called a husband, i realise that it is a priviladge and i pray that you help me be the best wife i can be.
Fill my heart with contentment, happiness, forgiveness and love because all these are characteristics of a Believing Muslim Woman.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds:
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:
Owner of the Day of Judgement.
Thee (alone) we worship;
Thee (alone) was ask for help.
Show us the straight path:The path of those whom Thou hast favoured;
Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
Greetings of Peace to all,
With much coercion from a dear sister-friend I decided to create and sustain this blog. I must say this is not my first blog but I pray for this one to be much livelier than the last, full of insight and inspiration from my random thoughts to my constructive pass times. Well, a blog is there to share whatever, but I am not in favour of idle talk and unnecessary information such as knowing what is in Jeniffer Lopez’s garbage. So I promise to fill this blog with helpful thoughts and tips which in the end will help you and I be progressive in life. Although, you might witness the occasional thought of spotting me in jail, serving a life sentence for murdering my boss with a nail-file. However I began this blog with a prayer, which I so hope will help me from making such disturbing dangerous thoughts a reality.
Till later
Peace.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds:
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:
Owner of the Day of Judgement.
Thee (alone) we worship;
Thee (alone) was ask for help.
Show us the straight path:The path of those whom Thou hast favoured;
Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
Greetings of Peace to all,
With much coercion from a dear sister-friend I decided to create and sustain this blog. I must say this is not my first blog but I pray for this one to be much livelier than the last, full of insight and inspiration from my random thoughts to my constructive pass times. Well, a blog is there to share whatever, but I am not in favour of idle talk and unnecessary information such as knowing what is in Jeniffer Lopez’s garbage. So I promise to fill this blog with helpful thoughts and tips which in the end will help you and I be progressive in life. Although, you might witness the occasional thought of spotting me in jail, serving a life sentence for murdering my boss with a nail-file. However I began this blog with a prayer, which I so hope will help me from making such disturbing dangerous thoughts a reality.
Till later
Peace.
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