Little angel is hovering in the skies and refuses to land her feet to reality. 

Don't wait my love
Lead our path and twine with mine
We shall bear each others burdens
And stroll down the shores of beaches
And make merry
And make love our life

We were shopping in Ikea yesterday. I love Ikea and I hate it as well. The home decors and appliances they have over there are simply cool and sometimes even out of the world. It makes me fantasize what it would like to build a home and just bring in some Ikea designers and make them do my interiors. Its so hard to stick and love one furniture set when you get swooned by another. Even the prizes are reasonable for at least most of the items on sale.

My favourite place is where they showcase all the rooms they managed to set up within a particular space area. It looks small, compact and functional. Enough for one person to more than survive. Love that!

But yesterday most surprisingly I found a bedroom set. I didn't want to own it or want it badly because I managed to make a very similar back home in my bedroom. Man was I delighted. Mum kept being indecisive whether it looked good there or not but when she saw this she was satisfied (internally that is). And I was glad that I nailed an Ikea model! Yay!

I mean I could even have my picture posted there or at least have my name written down there saying that model is 'nailable' at home by an amateur.

 Ikea you make models that make people want to oogle and drool and spend all their annual incomes even.

 Feeling super happy and satisfied!

Things I need to learn within 6 months

• Draping a saree
• Cooking
• Neatly hair styling my own hair
• Draping a saree
• Applying mehendi
• Draping a saree
• Cleaning poultry and meat and
•  Draping a saree

Hmm... wearing a saree seems to be have more importance. Well duh! Thats the worst thing any girl can be endured to wear. Its nice to helped to wear it. To try on ones own in the beginning its horrible! I attempted to do so last Friday. I even forgot the basics and I was wondering how to pleat. I hate pleating and my fingers lack dexterity with them. I came out the room after almost 1 hour and I managed to wear it because my mum frustrated helped me with it.

But I did manage to be buried in one and I couldn't take it any further. I removed it to wear much better and easy clothes that don't need any sort of assistance from my mother or anyone!

 Wishing myself luck and strong commitment to the tasks at hand.

 All the best!

SPIRIT OF THE UNION

 UAE is celebrating its 40th National Day and gee should you see the roads of Dubai! Totally wrapped in the Flag. Never have I seen a country (never been to many by the way) celebrating its National Day with so much enthusiasm. Its actually infectious.

Every shop or malls we go to they have a huge flag on display and many more to sell. They have bracelets color coded with red, green, white and black; wigs with the same; flags huge sized and tiny and stoles.

Also every vehicle has a tiny flag on it so that flags away to glory when on Sheikh Zayed Road. I have honestly not seen flags the size of 10 stories long! Even common homes! They must have invested alot for meters of these flags, some even going to the extent of having neon lighting stating UAE in front of their homes. Every billboard, every government vehicle, every school, every UAE TV channels all have the symbol of the flag or the logo of the SPIRIT OF THE UNION.

  If all this seems normal, you should see what Emirates has done one step further. They have set up a huge box in an undisclosed location and they will be offering 40 prizes for only 40 people. It remained a secret. Now its open and the surprise has been revealed.

They produced 40 BMW's with a limited edition that features the UAE emblem on the headrest. Doesnt sound fascinating? Well, any patriotic freak would die for this.  The information on the celebrations is to much to tell. It looks very festive and people seem to be crazy happy because today is a National Holiday for Muharram since it fell on Friday last week and Saturday is also a holiday as National Day is tomorrow. Lets see how Dubai rocks further today and tomorrow.

Bubble

Happiness is one thing that we wish stays constant and never fades away. In a particular day we feel so exhilarated and on cloud nine that we are dead sure that whatever we'll face in the future is sure to be hit smack on its face. This is what feels like a bubble inside of us. Happiness turns to hope and then becomes determination! The bubble is now impregnable. Durable.

Then comes The Test the very next day. All our positive gets beamed down the negative channel. Our bubble which was so strong now gets wispy and fragile. The bubble just lost all its juice! We feel depressed beyond words to the extent we wonder how in the world we were happy just the other day. And will we ever experience joy again.

This is the time we go seeking an external support and a helping hand. Most of us go in search of our families or friends. We yearn for someone to extend their hand out towards us and we wish to hold on to it so tight that just the sense of touch makes us feel better. The physical sense when stimulated makes us feel secure and the bubble slowly forms up again. It finds a small space inside of us dwindling between life and death. 

We start depending on others to an extent that we think that they can make us overcome the trauma. To rephrase it we put ourselves into their mercy. A very wrong attitude on our part. No man can avail another beyond a certain capacity. Then rest is up to the One Who created Us. Yet we are dead sure that they will lead us through the misery. How much can they though?  

So when do we turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta'alah? When we extinguish each and every possible help from humans? Yes. We make Allah our last and final resort. How fair is that? Yet, He is so Merciful and Compassionate that He makes our difficulties cease. When we trust people can deliver us from the hard time why do we have a lack of faith in Allah's Ultimate Power? When he has given us the distress as the test can't He elevate it from us? Why is that so hard to comprehend?

When our lives get back to what it was i.e. carefree and mindless of Allah, we lose the connection we had created with Him during that period. Neither do we try to revive the bond with Him nor do we develop on it. We promise ourselves that will we surely return to Allah for everything and we fall short on the promise once we feel relieved of the test.

We think that we did a huge favour for Allah by remembering Him and turning to Him when in fact we did a favour for ourselves (As Allah needs nothing from anyone) and we, in fact, turned to Him as a last resort. Subhanallah! How frivilous we act and think!

As Allah says in Surah As Sharh

" فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً "

5. Verily, along with every hardship is relief, 6. Verily, along with every hardship is relief. 

A very special person reminded me this verse.

Old times vs New Life

Wait my dearest fere!
Befriend patience and henceforth hold thee on to it tight.
A time shalt cometh and thy shalt taste patience sweetness.
I shalt not tarry and I bide thou farewell!
Thy art truly fullsome of mine concern.

Day 3 of Fog- abating

Day 2 of Fog

Day 1 of Foggy Dubai

We have no right to judge anyone. Heard it. Never implemented it. Its time to do so.

Passion

True passion does not lie in the ability to express but true passion is one which thrives in conditions devoid of its' receiver. It needs to burn till it meets the one...who is the creator of this passion. 

Can't help but...

The picture of you drives me insane,
Oh why in the world it connect to do?
If only it never reached you.
All the pain would have been spared
And all the sleepness nights would have never dared
To burden me or disturb me.
I toss and turn
and lie awake
For though I lack sleep
the nightmares speak.

Do you feel the same way?
For if you do,
Then I deserve your pain along with mine
For I am the reason that makes you whine.

I can't help
But share.

If there is anyway
To make you understand and believe that
I love you,
then this is one way to tell you.

Don't reduce what you have for me
As what I hold for you
I hope is eternal and strong.
Oh how I wish I could just once more
spend ravishing your poems
and plea for an encore.

The wait seems to get longer and harder
As do the affection and fondness get
ardent and fiercer.

I cant't help
But share

My apologies can only more amass
And your forgiveness
Never can it all encompass.

Three words do I leave behind
My reserve for them can never deplete on
All I want to say is
I miss you.
alot

2 parts

You cleaved my heart into two,
You did not go empty handed,
You took both of the pieces,
Leaving me empty inside,
Dull, aching and void.
Why do you persecute me like this?
Is this the price for love to be paid?

Rectification

Walaikums salaam warahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu,


Surah Tawbah:129

حَسْبِىَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ...

"...Allah is sufficient for me. There is no God but He, in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.''


A mistake made while quoting the verses of the Qur'an must be rectified. 

My heart has sank. Just a little measure of special things can become addictive. I miss it.

Plans

We are in our 7th Ramadan. Still have three fourths of it left. Too many goods to be performed and the recitation of the Qur'an. Even though it might be a sad ordeal that Ramadan will end, it always ends with so much of delight.

 Eid ul Fitr is the occassion that marks the end of Ramadan. There is such a blast on that day. Celebrations last for 3 days or even more. We get to wear new clothes, eat whole lot of food and hang out with friends.

 This time though it might be different. Since we are in Dubai and there is lack of a socializing here it might be a tad bit dull. No car which means we must rely heavily on the public transport either taxi, buses or the metro. Either dad must get his driving license or I will!

 So my plan for this Eid is to go to Khobar or drag my best friend here to Dubai. But I really do wish to visit the place again. I think I might end up crying when I go there. No place has been dear to me like Khobar. Not India or Dubai. 

Foolish Stance

I embarrassed myself today. So much so so so much. I do not how to describe what I feel. My email to a particular person was taken in the wrong manner. Or maybe it wasn't and I look like I took the reply in the wrong way. Either ways I still feel embarrassed and stupid! I should not have even replied and worse my answer was forwarded to that person. I must have looked like a loser who didn't even know the basic issues in Islam. I should be given a good kicking or yelling from someone. I did agree with what all the person said. Such perfect words and thorough research. Very impressive. May Allah make that person more strong in their Emaan and Taqwa. Inshallah!  

 I am soo sooorry... I didn't mean to compare at all! I would never never do that. Its not in my nature to compare. Please accept my apology. You can do as you wish and as you like. My initial decision was not to put forth any demands and let the person do whatever they could. People confused me. (I should stop being so influenced!).Whatever it is you are capable I will give my consent to it. I may have the right to ask for it but I do not have the right to ask more than what the person can do. That would be down right Zulm (injustice) on my part and a relationship must not start on demands.

 Now how do I express all this? I can't email because I am restricted. But I so wish that I could have a heart to heart conversation and clear everything up. I so do not know how I portrayed myself. I wish the person could read this but then again I do not know if the person might.

 Oh Allah, Please make my heart be strong and not write anything more foolish and dunce like! I can find no helper except You.

"No amount of guilt can change the past & no amount of worrying can change the future. Go easy on yourself, for the outcome of all affairs is determined by Allah's decree. If something is meant to go elsewhere, it will never come your way, but if it is yours by destiny, from you it cannot flee."

Umar Ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)

Am I Thankful? Checklist

Date________________________
1. Did you pray all 5 prayers today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
2. Did you pray all 5 prayers in congregation? (If applicable)
(Yes_________ No_________)
3. Did you fast today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
4. Did you pray any of the recommended extra prayers?
A. Tahajjud (Yes_________ No_________)
B. Witr (Yes_________ No_________)
C. 2 Raka’ Before Fajr (Yes_________ No_________)
D. 4 Raka’ Before Thuhr (Yes_________ No_________)
E. 2 Raka’ After Thuhr (Yes_________ No_________)
F. 2 Raka’ After Maghrib (Yes_________ No_________)
G. 2 Raka’ After Ishaa (Yes_________ No_________)
H. Salaa Ad‐dhuha (Yes_________ No_________)
I. Other (Yes_________ No_________)
5. Did you contact your Mother/Father or other family member to keep the ties
strong?
(Yes_________ No_________)
6. Did you help anyone with any task today for the sake of Allaah?
(Yes_________ No_________)
7. Did you teach anyone anything about the Qur’an or Sunnah today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
8. Did you read anything of the Qur’an today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
10. Did you give any sadaqah today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
11. Did you do any Islamic studying today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
12. Did you visit a sick person today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
13. Did you go to a Janaazah today?
(Yes_________ No_________)
14. Did you make Istighfaar at least 70‐100 times today?
(Yes ________ No_________)

Places I have visited

• DUBAI (current location): Visited Sharjah, Al Ain. Staying in Dubai for the past 2 weeks. Visited Dubai when I was in 4th grade and 2nd year in College.

• SAUDI: Jeddah: First ever place I resided in. I was four when I left Jeddah. Did my kindergarten there. Shifted to Khobar and stayed there for 16 years (!!!). Visited Riyadh, Abha, Taif, Hofuf, Rastanura. Have visited Makkah and Madinah may a times. The best place for any human to be in.  
• BAHRAIN: First visit in 8th grade. Had gone in later years for shopping and transit airport. Last visit in November 2010 after Eid. I suppose that was the last time I saw that place. Its different than Saudi and its a cool place to hang out. They have amazing malls there. But when you compare them to dubai, not so amazing. 
• INDIA: Born there. Lived the first year of my life. Then went to Jeddah. Visit India every year for vacations. My favourite place is Pondicherry because it looks a tad bit foreign. I hate bus travel. Its a nightmare! 
• MALAYSIA: Been here when I was 4 years old. I think Malaysia and Singapore was a package trip. It was me and my parents. Don't remember being here at all.
• SINGAPORE: Visited when I was 4 years old. Remember it quite well. Sentosa park, the trains (if thats what they call it), the Lion, cable cars and a lot of photos of me to prove that I visited this place. I was a cute kid.

Marriage?!

I am losing track of days and dates. Today is Wednesday apparently. Wow. 4 days since I came back from India. Three Ramadan's have got over. Alhamdulillah. They all went smooth. I have to enjoy all this while I can. It feels like that. I am worried that all the habits that I have made for myself and feel so comfortable in will be replaced by something vastly different. 

 And I am talking about Marriage. Sometimes I truly wonder if it is essential. Islam says that it is. Marriage is like completing one's faith. Why does it have to be a scary ordeal. Usually when we do not like something we can back off. Marriage isn't like that. Its about commitment. Heard this term too many times for my liking.   

 We have to live with someone we do not even know! AT ALL! We must adjust and change our behavior according to what they like. Men usually think that they can dominate women and they are like their personal slaves. I am not a feminist. But to make the marriage work both the husband and the wife must be equal. They must trust each other, believe in each other, respect each other. The husband must discuss with his wife in any matters he thinks is vital for the family. He must not assume superiority.  

How do we know we met the perfect match? For that we must at least interact once or twice with our fiance or fiancee's. Islam allows that but our societies and cultures thinks that its a modern approach and hence the bride to be and the groom to be must not interact. How lame! Islam is favored when they find that the rules in the Shariah are to their liking. Wherever the grass is green yup they love that side even if it is illegal territory.

I feel apprehensive when I think of all this. How will my future husband be like? Everyone and anyone can be good. I have heard soo many people vouching that he is a good person. Inshallah I hope he remains so. Unfortunately I have to rely heavily on hearsay. 

 When I accept the fact that I must accept him... FINE. DONE. But its not only him that will enter my life. It's his family. His parents sound soo great. MASHALLAH for that. What about his other family members? How will I ever interact with them? My friends tell me that I am weird when people meet me for the first time. Since I am usually quiet in the first few meetings they assume that I have an attitude problem and that I think too highly of myself.

I am shy and I do feel shy (my friends will really debate this and will probably ask me to erase this statement). Ya guys I do feel shy. I show it out in the wrong way. I become a little edgy and rude (unconsciously). Then again like my friend said it will be days before I look up to see my husbands face. Inshallah. At least let him believe that I do possess shreds of shyness.


I did hear more about him indirectly also. He has so characters I really wanted him to have. Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah. I can't mention them here but I felt so beyond happy and elated when I heard all that. May Allah make him firm in his deen and may Allah protect him from all the fitnah. May his family be the best for us and be compatible with us. May we both inshallah complete our faith with each other. And may we be the best of examples for others. Ameen!

Finally I have to come to one decision and one solution. Pray that Allah makes all this easy for me. It will be freaking easy for a guy to accept changes because he doesn't have to live in the bride's home. Opposite to that a bride has to face MAJOR changes. She must accept her husband and his new family and live in his family when he is NOT there! I can't breathe when I think of all this. 

One thing left to say: Nasrun minallah! Help is from Allah alone. Ameen. 

Discoveries

I was standing in my small and narrow balcony right now. We finished our iftar and it is now past 7 and half. As I was saying my sister dragged me to show me the moon. So we decided to stand in that tiny balcony. We do that only at night or otherwise we would visible like two shinning gold coins in the daylight. I found out two things:

• I was cussing that Burj Khalifah isn't the world's tallest tower (now Prince Waleed decided to build a taller one in Jeddah. Good luck for that) because we could not see it AT all where we live. Today I discovered we can! But you need to stand in the balcony and extend your head and there stands the majestic tower. So sorry Burj you are the tallest (for now).
• I decided to clap for my discovery and I hear a distant dull sound. It was my clap echoing. Cool! Apparently the winds carry my clap sounds i.e. sound waves all the way to the opposite building and falls on the windows and rebounds back and there you hear it. I was wondering whether the inhabitants could hear it in their homes because it sounded like an awful lot of banging against their windows.

I now plan to carry on this legacy and do it every night. I made my mum do it too. She seemed so happy. Its a wonder that small things can impact our thoughts and out smiles on our face. They will never know what hit them.

Videos!

My parents and sisters are watching my engagement video. I stayed till the beginning of the video and later I had to escape. I never felt so embarrassed to see myself and bent down and shy. Makes me feel so uncomfortable. Was it me sitting there all that time while my back and spine hurt so bad that I wanted to scream and run away? How I am ever ever going to manage it in the wedding. God knows how many screaming thoughts I will have to endure before relief comes. 


 Oh God! Make it easy for me. Seriously men should be put to this brutal test. 

Double Rainbow

It drizzled very lightly. As opposed to the view that rainbows make their appearance only after a heavy rainfall, we managed to see one. I will not use the word "glimpse" because we saw it for a long time. Even more amazing was that we saw another rainbow that very same time. Two parallel rainbows. Took snaps of them.

And this boy by the way is Kooby's brother: Nawfal

Kooby!

Back from India! Yay! What a relief! Now I can focus on things that are more important than trivial stuff like why y relatives were acting weird this year and why they pick fights with us.
Then again relatives are relatives and they come as a package with your parents. So this year I found out more about them and how to behave with them.

 This vacation was an eye opener. Forget that. I do miss my cousin and my little Kooby. Man he is amazing little cousin of mine. I call him babi and he calls me the same! He says it better. Here is a picture of him. He looks adorable. I have never loved any kid as much as I love him. 

Ramadan arrives

Alhamdulillah completed my first Ramadan in Dubai. OK maybe second time Ramadan in Dubai because d last time was two years ago. But then again this is the first time in Dubai as a resident. Ya lets put it that way. I didnt feel hungry which is a good thing.

 Tried to do whatever I could as in the form of actions or amals. What is now left is for Allah to accept it. 

Self Control

The things that are forbidden to us whether temporarily or permanent seem so enticing and desirable. In my case its the temporary that is causing me to hoard as much of my self control as possible. Am I trying so hard.

 Though my restriction will get over in a couple of months, the wait seems really long. I dont make any sense at this point but I make sense to me at this point and thats what matters.

Ramadan!

Another year, another awaiting for Ramadan! Its here now! Inshallah it will come soon. We have to many preparations. First clean our heart and our time table to make space for more important things. To make time to recite the Quran and make as much Zikr as possible, pray as much as possible and to stay away from relatives as much as possible. When people fast in Ramadan and abstain from eating, people fill their stomachs with gossip and rumours n hatred. Subhanallah! Is there never a stop to complaining?

 When we complain Allah takes away the barakah and fadl He has given us without asking. Just like He gave us without asking He also takes it away without asking.

Inshallah May Allah make our heart firm and make all the desires of this duniya insignificant for us. And May Allah not make me think to much of my fiance! Inshallah!!! :) 

Major Lesson

Whatever it is, whoever it is we must depend only on Allah, Our Creator and not His creations. If we do that, then we are left at the Mercy of that creation. That creation doesn't necessarily mean humans. It also includes what man has created.

 Example: to depend on a medicine as that will cure the disease. We know that the power for a medication to work comes from Allah alone. I had first hand experience with that. Alhamdulillah that Allah opened my eyes. 

 When we lose our loved ones people say that if only they went to the hospital earlier or only if they got the treatment before hand.... all that is gibberish. Just because a person receives medical attention doesn't mean that ones lifespan will be extended and refusing doctors treatment doesn't intend for that person to die. Our life span was written down earlier and recorded by an angel the moment our mothers conceived.

I pray that Allah gives us opportunity to acquire more knowledge that benefits us and others. May our knowledge be the best Sadaqatul Jaariah!

Memory Loss

I know I know. I had taken all the pains to write a poetry where I took solemn oath that I shall update my blog and voila here I am months later recalling it! Anyways the time lapse of 4 months had changed everything for me!

• I left my favorite place on earth Al Khobar, KSA and traded it for Dubai, UAE. Atleast my visa for KSA is not cancelled. Buttering and flattering my dear dad can help me accomplish my trip to Khobar.
• I went from single to being engaged. Huge transformation. Feel sad that I had to grow up. For some unknown reason weddings make me sad.
• My best friend got married a week ago (I was sad for her!)
• My other best friend got married in Jan (I was sad for her too but now I am not) and she is going to have a baby. Man we grow up so fast!!!
• My best friends are praying very hard that I get married as soon as possible. Its their prayers that got me engaged. Sheesh!
• Dubai is my new hometown now. And Dubai is Dubai! Everything seems so huge there.
• Started working on many new courses. Hard to juggle then again Allah will save me. He is the best Saviour!
• I went to India (still there!) Can't wait to leave this place. Relatives make life miserable sometimes (in my case all the time).
• I have a room for myself!!!! So glad. Provided the design and it looks great Mashallah. Now just confused about the paint. I wonder what my fiance's fav color is. Hmm.

Thats all that happened. Major changes. All for the best.

Chernobyl Accident

I always wanted to know what exactly happened in Chernobyl. It was stated as the worst radiation accident ever reported. The effect was so bad and is still so bad. It is said that the radioactive effects will last for another 900 years!
 I was searching on the net for it but they had all the complex explanations. I can understand but if you want to get a gist of it its really hard to grasp until we do the intense reading. Anyways I found this amazing website online. It totally blew me away. It didnt have many pictures though but it had what I was looking for. You can click on the link below and explore yourself.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster — The world's worst nuclear disaster- www.bentan.me/chernobyl/

The Grateful Blind and the Two Liars

In the Qur’aan, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) reminds us that if we are grateful for what he gives us, then He will increase our blessings. On the other hand, if we ungrateful, and act as if Allah owes us something, His favours and blessing will be taken away and we will suffer a severe punishment:

‘And Remember when your Lord announced: If you give thanks, I will give you more, but if you are thankless, then my punishment is indeed severe.’ (Ibraheem 14:7)

If we begin to be ungrateful, Allah (subhana wa TA’ALA) often is still merciful with us in order to test us. This kind of test may affect someone in one of the following two ways. First, these tests may show us the true nature of our behaviour, which we may have been too ignorant or proud about to even see. Secondly, we may feel sorry for being ungrateful and repent to Allah (subhana wa TA’ALA) and obey His Messenger (sallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam).

In the following authentic hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah (sallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) tells a story about the children of Israel that shows us the importance of the connection between trials, and being thankful and grateful to Allah (subhana wa TA’ALA) and obeying His Messenger (sallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Imam al-Bukhari reported from Abu Huraryah (radhi ‘Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

Once there were three men from the children of Israel, a leper, a blind man and a bald man; whom Allah wanted to test, so He sent an angel to them. The angel asked the leper, ‘What would you most like to have?’ the leper said, ‘Good complexion and good skin, because the people consider me to be filthy.’ Then the angel touched him and he was cured. He was given a good complexion and good skin. Then the angel said, ‘Which property would you most like to have?’ The leper said, ‘Camels.’ So he was given a pregnant camel, and the angel said, ‘May Allah bless you with it.’

Then the angel came to the bald man and said, ‘What would you most like to have?’ He said, "Nice hair, and I wish to be cured from this disease because people find me repulsive.’ The angel touched him, and he was given nice hair.’ Then the angel said, ‘Which property would you most like to have/’ He said, ‘Cows.’ So the angel gave him a pregnant cow that had plenty of milk. The angel said to him, ‘May Allah bless you with it.’

The angel came to the blind man and said, ‘What would you most like to have?’ He said, ‘I wish Allah would restore my sight so I can see the people.’ He touched his eyes and Allah gave him his sight back. The angel said, ‘Which property would you most like to have?’ He said, ‘Sheep.’ So the angel gave him a pregnant sheep. The angel said to him, ‘May Allah bless you with it.’

Later, all three pregnant animals gave birth to their young. They multiplied and brought forth so many (animals) that one of the men had a herd of camels filling a valley, one had a herd of cows fillings a valley, and the other one had a flock of sheep filling a valley.

Then the angel, disguised to appear as a leper, visited the leper and said, ‘I am a poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the Name of Him Who has given you such nice complexion, such beautiful skin, and so much property, I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination.’

The man replied, ‘I have many obligations (so I cannot give any to you).’ The angel said, ‘I think I know you, were you not a leper who the people shunned? Weren’t you a poor man and then Allah gave this to you?’ He replied, ‘I inherited this from my family.’ The angel said, ‘If you are lying, then let Allah make you as you were before.’

Then the angel, disguised as a bald man, went to the bald man and dais the same as he had the leper. He too answered the same way. The angel told him, ‘If you are lying, then let Allah make you as you were before.’

Then the angel, disguised as a blind man, visited the blind man and said, ‘I am a poor man and a traveller, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you yourself. I ask you in the name of Him who has given you back your eyesight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey.’ The man said, ‘I was once blind, and Allah returned my sight to me, I was once poor and Allah made me rich. So take anything you like from what I have. By Allah, I will not praise you for leaving anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah’s sake.’ The angel replied, ‘Keep your property. You (three men) have been tested. Allah is pleased with you, but He is angry with your two companions.

Buy a kingdom for a glass of water

Once Sheikh Ibne Sammak (may Allah have mercy on him) paid a visit to a king. It so chanced that, when the Sheikh greeted him, the king was holding a glass of water in his hand. He said to the Sheikh, "Give me a word of advice." The Sheikh said, "Suppose you could have this glass of water only at the cost of your entire kingdom and you have to choose between dying of thirst or giving your kingdom away, which one would you prefer?" The king replied, "I would naturally prefer a glass of water and part with my entire kingdom." The Sheikh said, "Then, I do not understand why anyone should take joy in a kingdom which is worth only a glass of water."

These incidents show that each one of us has been granted by Allah such precious gifts, the value whereof cannot be determined in terms of millions and billions of dollars.

---

Source: "Fadhail-e-Sadaqaa Part II", translated by Prof. Abdul Karim.

Alhamdulillah. Today was a very nice day in 'The Building' (meaning college). Had a very good discussion with my students regarding facebook and how lame it could get sometimes. They all had the same dumb theory to portray. Their (lame) excuse was that they stay in a place like Saudi Arabia where a mortal gets nothing to do except stare at the walls. Hence they decide to stare in a huge screen like the monitor of their PCs' or the smaller ones like that of their mobile phones.

 I think I did speak well enough to at least see sense into them that Facebook doesn't actually fulfill their needs in anyways. People post such dumb statuses and ever dumber comments. With all their typos like 'lol', 'hahahahah' or even '.............................................' it makes such a eyebrow raising act. People kept in touch better in the old times. Letters or even unexpected calls makes the heart skip with so much joy that our work gets stopped the whole day. We reminisce on the past. Our times together, the stupid jokes we cracked, the pranks we played, the days we spent studying chapters and skipping them because we found it boring!

 I remember I used to make such phone calls to my friends on the day before each exam and talk of everything but the subject and then recall to clarify it just to get lost in another babble of conversation. I know we have all been there.

 Another great news which I received was that 'The Building' would remain open till March 30th!!! Enough time for me to complete my portions slowly inshallah! Allah fulfilled my dua.

 Kulsum was also in an awesome mood. We had a marker-dotted-circle-mark on our hands and we kept high fiving each other. The mark is gone now though!

Have many things planned out for them tomorrow! Inshallah  

11022011

This is a palindromic day for Egypt. Hosni Mubarak, President (dictator) for the past 30 years resigned after 18 long days of protests by the Egyptians. How wonderful this day is for the Egyptians and also for me. 

 Allahu Akbar. If I only was in Tahrir Square it would have been wonderful. Allah made their persistent protests a victory. I pray that Egypt will become better inshallah! 

 When I went for dinner I learned that Hosni Mubarak had resigned! (and also that I was the last one in the house to know this), I was speechless and ecstatic beyond words. The scene in Tahrir Square was really beautiful. When this news was broken to the protesters, they all did Shukran Sajdah. A truly marvelous vista to witness. To be amongst the crowds of hundreds of thousands and fighting for a legitimate cause, where else will such a uniformity in ourselves be found? To be among the millions and yet to be one in a million to take part in this protest would have been an experience to uphold. Let us be united and fight for the betterment of this world and for success in the Hereafter! 

 Ameen.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110211/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt

Making various amendments to my life. To live better and safer and die doing so. 

Laying in bed and reading 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas. The window is open and the sky is overcast! Love the energy in me now. 

Twitter

I quite Facebook. Maybe not permanently. I like Twitter now. Most people wouldn't agree with me. Since they got used to Facebook and the intense commenting and also being commented upon they would find twitter 'EMPTY". No 'likes' or games or chit chat not to forget to mention that one can only tweet upto 140 charcaters. I think that would be what stops Facebook users or "Facebookians" as they are called now to want to even think of tweeting.

Its back!

We missed you a lot dear Rain.Well at least I did. You made your appearance later than usual making my cleaning look punctual. 
The roads today had a very snowy look. The foam and the reflection of the white and slightly grey tinged clouds made it look like the country experienced snowfall. These unusually white clouds brought about a lot of rain. They seemed to speak to me of what they were capable of doing today. They sure did say that they were better than their grey coloured brothers. 


My favourite part is when you see your breath fog in front of you. Today they did. It wasn't so much as I want it to be but in the country I reside its pretty good. 


This weather creeps me out and also elevates my mood. I like the slushing of tires against the collected water (ya the water is dirty). The cold hands and the needle pricking sensation on my hands when I put them out of the window when being driven at high speed. All this counts to a cool day.


And today I had an awesome day.  

A Lost World

Long ago I had this intense love to read books. I would lay my hands on any of them and read from front to end. For me reading was like a thirst, which was to be quenched with the purest and cleanest of water or liquid.


I didn't want this thirst to die nor did I want it to subside. I wanted to experience it for long life. As I became older this feeling started fading away unconsciously. I hadn't realized the closing hole. Now I have many, many books to read and yet I don't even lay one finger of mine on them! How did I become like this? I shock myself thinking over this.


I wish that I get that wonderful yearning back. Books were like drugs (in a good way). I can recall the love, interest and time I spent on even flipping through the pages. The letters etched, the twisted and abrupt plots, the characters who became people around me, the world of fantasies and the world of fear and the world of the new and the world of the old, they all consumed me as much as I let myself to be drowned.


I want to drown once again and again and again. I desperately seek to plunge into these clear and shadowy depths and to resurface back... just so that I can gulp in a lungful of evanescence and descend to its inviting bottom.


I may reach back to that stage but then again I think not. After all it forms just a small portion of what all we lost.

Poetry at the close kill

I wish to write poetry and
I wish to update my blog.

I take an oath to reform and
I stick to it seldom as
I shake hands with boredom

I realized I suck at poetry.
I can't make two words rhyme
Nor do I make any sense
And progress in this is taking no time!

The only thing I did pull off,
Was attempting to write one and
Also making you read None!