Late Eid Mubarak to All!

So I’m going back soon to JAS, and it seems so very fast, it’s a shame, a great shame that time flies so fast. Anyways, I still can’t wait to get back, okay I take that back. I actually can wait, since we’re having a test and I don’t think I’m prepared for it. I guess I’ll have to study now; yeah I’m one of them people, you know the procrastinators. And a procrastinator with a not so brilliant memory, a nice little combo don’t ya think?

Right so I’ll be posting until I leave, I know I have no life (definitely an uninteresting one) but bear with me.

- Well recently I went to some liquidation/warehouse sale, I had to go because my mum was at work and she needed me to get her things before all the other crazy women there take everything. So there I am, oh and I had to drive there with my aunts and granma (nani ma), and it was umm pretty interesting. I’m sort of claustrophobic (and I wear a Niqab, which I am soooo totally used to now, alhamdulillah) so I was a bit confused when I got into the place. It was jam packed, with the most multicultural/coloured people in the GTA. There were browns (desi folks of all sorts), Chinese, blacks and whites (who had HUGE Christmas shopping lists, “we got John, Michelle, Mike’s still left, what should we get him?”). It was a mad house for cheap priced items. And I was there thinking of my mum’s list. So I try to take my cart around the place, and it’s like a tight traffic jam, the old folks seemed determined to get across by shoving all the carts aside. Since I was getting nowhere, I decided to do what all the smart desi aunties where doing. Leave the cart aside and get all the things by hand and dump them in the cart. Clever huh? It got sort of fun, I got over the whole claustrophobic thing, and I could think much clearly (just a random thought, I just realized I had no claustrophobia during Hajj hmm…). I remember at one point, the ladies who were buying Christmas presents were near my cart, now they probably didn’t know it was mine, because one of them was taking my Sunkist fruit snacks, two of the boxes. So I dumped some more stuff in my cart. She looks up and gives a guilty smile, “Is this yours?” ah I just smiled back and told her where to find the snacks, and I found it rather funny. Yeah so I can go on and on about that day, but it would never end. Just know that when I got outside, I felt human again.

- I went to Sherway Gardens, and lets just say it’s quite a posh shopping mall for us middle class folks. I got a few stares from some old white folks, but I stared back at one couple who wouldn’t stop, I was going to wink too, but I didn’t want to give anyone a heart attack. Well anyways in the end we went to The Bay, and a lady who sells perfume at the Bay got obsessed (in a good way) with my “cool” niqab. I seriously thought she was taking the mickey out of me. She offers me some valentino perfume sample, to which I said no. Then she kept looking at me then with her big wide eyes she comes right in front of me and says with such enthusiasm, “Where do you get that?!”

Me :“sorry, but umm what?”

Her: “The beautiful mask, where do you get it?”

Me: (what in the world???) “This thing?” I point at it.

Her: “Yeah I’d like to get one, I want one just like it, it’s gorgeous!”

My mum comes in because she thinks this lady’s a bit coo coo: “she got it from an Islamic clothing store. Why do you want one?”

Her: I’ve seen many women wearing one, but I really like this one, it’s so cool, you know what I mean?

Me: (ok….I guess she’s serious) “yeah haha”

Her: you know it’s perfect, you don’t have to worry about putting all that make-up on you could just play up your eyes and stick on some fake lashes and you’re set. Oh and it’s perfect for when you want to cover something on your face. I got a chemical peal last week and my face was so red, then I put cream on it and it just burned everything…

She went on and on about it. And she goes soo close to my mum’s face when she emphasizes a point that my mum steps back a bit and smiles awkwardly, I think she was trying not to laugh).

So basically we ended up giving her some addresses to some stores, since she also fell in love with my mum’s abayah, she even made her do a few twirls. Then she made us try on all these different perfumes, until we couldn’t smell anymore (for which she had a remedy, she made us smell coffee beans) and then she loaded us all with samples. Man that was some day.

- Embarrassingly I keep forgetting how to say that “I finished 19 years (of my life) and I’m on 20 now” in gujrati. And I neeeed to know for this Sunday evening. You see, my mum’s side of the family well actually the people from her town in India, here are having an Eid party. I’m actually supposed to go to JAS that day, but my nani maa really wants me to come, and pretty much told me to go on Monday morning (I had to ask Sawdah apa, and it’s all good). At first I didn’t realized why, then it came to me, she wants me to meet people so ummm…oh you know what I mean. This is so totally going to suck *deep sigh*, well at least a lot of JAS advertising will be done.

- I neeeed to paint, but I have noooo time now. And oh and how could I forget to mention that I sold 4 of my paintings, all for 90 bucks! Yeah I hardly made anything but I can’t wait for rich people to buy from me. I mean some people pay good money, well those who can anyways besides I suck at selling/buying/negotiating, But I still sold them, they’re gone, people loved them, more people now know about me and that’s all that matters.

- Oh and just today I was watching this interview on cbc, I think. It was about the Muslim cleric who talked about “covering” in Australia. The “face mask” topic came up and the Muslim lady… whatshername? Ah I forgot, so she agrees about everything with Straw and others with opinions like his (or worse) about how it is hard to communicate with a facemask and blah blah blah. Seriously people, those who can’t communicate well with a niqabi because they cannot see her expression, probably don’t have a cell phone and probably do not talk on phones at all. Their mind must be really weak if you know what I mean, poor them. It’s like

Person1 and Person2 are having a conversation and Person1 asks P2,

“Hey can I have your number? Maybe we can talk over the phone sometime.”

P2 defiantly says, “Oh no, I do not talk on phones at all.”

P1 looks confused and says, “Really? But why?”

P2 smugly says, “Well I can’t see your face and therefore I can’t see the expression your making so it’s very hard for me to understand what you’re saying and how you might be feeling. It’s better if I look at your face and talk. My brain only works visually.”

How ridiculous does that sound?! I’m sure no one would say it like that, but you get my drift yeah? Notice yourself when talking on the phone with someone. Just by listening to their voice, tone, pitch, quality, etc you can easily tell if the person on the other end is laughing, smiling (seriously, you can actually hear a person smile), even if their sad, tired, upset, angry, happy, etc you can tell by their voice or the way they’re speaking. I’ve done a over the phone type of a job where I would have to talk to so many different types of people and believe me when I say I know what expressions they’re making.

- Oh. My. Allah. I CANNOT WAIT FOR RIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s driving me crazy. I had a little flyer thing that I got from Pizza Land and it had a list of some of the speakers that will be coming inshaAllah, but I lost it...

- I just found out I may be more left-brain dominant….

- I am in love with Lindt Lindor chocolate, that warehouse sale had loads of them for a good price.

- I thought after the 12^th season of ER finished, my addiction to it would cease but I was wrong. Season 13 started and I need more ER!!! I’m such a weirdo

- Now if I continue to share my thoughts, I will most likely get in to odd topics and seem weirder then I actually am. So on that point I shall stop and end this so very long/boring/useless post for today.

Take care all and remember me in your du’as, specifically that I do real well in JAS, for this life and especially for the next.

Jummah Mubarak

Pakistani Muslims leave the Faisal Mosque after offering their last Friday prayer of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Faisal Mosque in Islamabad October 20, 2006. REUTERS/Mian Khursheed (PAKISTAN)
























A Palestinian female Muslim worshipper reads the Quran inside the Dome of the Rock Mosque during the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Oct. 20, 2006. Thousands of Palestinian women, children and middle-aged men surged through the main Israeli crossing from the West Bank into Jerusalem to worship. The Israeli police said that about 180,000 worshippers took part in the prayers. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

















Pakistan's cricket players Abdul Razzaq (L) and Shahid Afridi (R) offer prayers on the last Friday of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh October 20, 2006. REUTERS/Ajay Verma (INDIA)















With the Dome of the Rock Mosque seen in the background thousands of Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray during the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Oct. 20, 2006. Thousands of Palestinian women, children and middle-aged men surged through the main Israeli crossing from the West Bank into Jerusalem to worship at a major Islamic shrine on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)


















A Pakistani Muslim prays during his last Friday prayer of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Faisal Mosque in Islamabad October 20, 2006. REUTERS/Mian Khursheed (PAKISTAN)

C'est La Vie

Ok so the past week has been like an emotional/spiritual/metal roller coaster for me…and that doesn’t happen too often, not as serious as anything before anyways. I finally feel better since yesterday in my fajr salah and it felt like such a relief like I was finally released or maybe just knowing that He (swt) isn't displeased with me, beause sometimes we might do things that can deprive our hearts of Allah (swt)'s Mercy, Peace, exceptance of du'as or even worship and blessings in everyday life..

There was a time where I was totally ok and then everything in me started falling apart, and I do know exactly why and that made it even worse. I can’t even explain the bitterness that I felt about my own self. You know when you wish you were just a blade of grass or a leaf or anything but you –a human who earns the displeasure of Allah (swt) practically everyday of his/her life. Just like two days ago, I was only filled with bitterness about myself…lets just call it depression. For anyone who knows me personally you know you have probably never seen me like that except like two years ago where on 3 occasions I couldn’t speak to anyone normally because if I did I would have just broken down (I’m weird, I know…) but this time it was totally different and for opposite reasons, this time it was because of me.

I probably sound crazy and not making any sense at all because I’m not exactly stating what in the world I’m talking about. :) And I’m not going to say it either, no point I’m feeling better, but not 100% yet. I have a few things I need to do then I’ll be there. That includes moooooore recitation of the Qur’an, extra nafl Salah, more deep sincere du’as and laylatul Qadr inshaAllah.

(Just read this it's something like/along the line of what I'm trying to say.)

Anyways enough about that I just wanted to rant, here’s a list of things that I’ve been meaning to share with you on my blog.

• - My mum should be recruited by the FBI, don’t laugh I’m serious.
• - I passed my driving test last week alhamdulillah
• - I drove today for the first time after my test, in the rain (and it was no light shower) with my granddad and he was scarring me about everything. But I still love him.
• - My sisters are crazy and are going to drive me to the loony bin and I feel sorry for my self for being the eldest.
• - Our cow ran away from the farm. Let me make the story short as possible. It ran away after one of the workers scared it, and it’s a HUGE cow who is a major scaredy cat about EVERYTHING. Then my dad and others chased it, but it ran faster. Then it ran into some forest. A few days later they saw it come out, it came close to the farm, then ran back. Then after a few days later, my parents, our inspectors, and a few other men (white folks, the town ppl) oh and cops started looking because the cow started running on the road and umm they were the only ones who would be allowed to shoot it. See if my dad caught it then he was going to “zabiha” it wherever they found it, in front of the inspectors…but they didn’t catch it…no one did, the wild cow is now living in the forest. Oh and did I mention the cow is like $1500. Yeah.
• - My dad then cut his fingers (broke a bone and his finger tips were practically hanging) because of the barn that they were fixing (due to the mental cow that ran out of it destroying all in its path). Alhamdulillah no surgery was done, because it’s healing well. He just got stitches and it looks gross.
• - We were having baked beans with fries (chips, :) old England fav) yesterday and my dad asked me what kind of beans they were.

I said, “Heinz, with tomato soup.”
“No. What kind of a bean is it?”
(I have no idea what kind of bean) “uhhh a normal bean, you know beans…”
My mum says, “well it’s not kidney beans or the other types.”
(There’s other types?) “It’s white beans…the normal ones.”

• - We were having asparagus too and my dad usually boils them, but he asked me if we could steam them, I said, “Yeah but only for a few minutes.” I meant like 3 minutes, and they being gujis, cooked it for like 15 minutes. So the result was green mushy sticks that still tasted pretty good.
• - The blues clues guy is NOT DEAD. He didn’t go crazy and shoot himself.
• - Dreams are cool…
• - Mango milkshakes rule at iftar and so do McCain Smooth-eez.
• - Also I’m sick and tired of reading about all these debates about Sunni/Shia, Niqab/no Niqab, Mudhabi/nonMadhabi, etc, etc! It’s just mind boggling how some people can keep denying obvious things out of sheer arrogance and ignorance. I mean COME ON PEOPLE use what your Lord has given you and stop making black white and white black. I just keep saying, none of it is going to get 100% solved until Imam Mahdi/Isa (a.s) comes to this dunya, since many scholars of the past and even many of today’s are looked down upon and disrespected so freely. May Allah (swt) guide us all on the straight path and keep us on it especially at the time when death calls us. Ameen
• - I’ve decided not to care about getting married (which probably isn’t going to last long) it’ll happen when it happens.
• - I HAVE to start painting again, I have so many ideas I’m afraid of forgetting them now.
• - I need black inky pens for JAS, these girls won’t leave me alone about my “scribbles” they think it’s art.
• - I’m making pizza and wings for iftar today because my mummy said so.
• - I love the Kalimatan Nasheed (hadith) I can’t stop listening to it, so inshaAllah I’m going to buy it!!! I can’t wait.
• - RIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
• - Remember me, my family and JAS in your du’as especially in these last blessed days of Ramadhan.
• - I’m running out of things to say…so I should stop before I go on and on about pointless things, but I think I’ve mentioned pointless things already…:)

Uhh if you don't know what RIS is click here.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Giant camel fossil found in Syria

quite interesting, SubhanAllah

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Giant camel fossil found in Syria



...

"You wanted a debate Jack. You’ve sure got one" By Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah

You wanted a debate Jack. You’ve sure got one.

By Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah

Calls for a public ‘debate’ and ‘discussion’ about anything remotely Islamic these days in the West are becoming as predictable as a DFS sofa not being offered at full price – by the way, that means very predictable for anyone living outside the UK.

Jack Straw has asked for a debate about the veil, after eventually declaring he would rather have it abolished. Well, a debate he has certainly found.

At the onset should be a note of caution to Muslims: one cannot expect to practise ones religion so publicly and yet become overly offended when people want to question certain aspects. Jack Straw, insincere intentions aside, has not attacked the Muslims directly and has only addressed an issue which the greater British public at large have been wanting clarification on for a while now – indeed, this is an excellent opportunity for qualified Muslims to debunk the mysteries behind such a visually obvious, mysterious and perhaps even shocking statement of a Muslim woman’s identity...

Read the rest of it here on his blog AE (Islamiblog).

BBC NEWS | Europe | The hitmen who stalk Russia

I was reading through BBC, and I came across this chilling, little article right here. So I thought I'd share it with you all.


BBC NEWS | Europe | The hitmen who stalk Russia










...

Jummah Mubarak

This Nasheed is SubhanAllah so touching, it truly make one yearn for Sayyidinah Rasulullah (May Allah's peace and blessing be upon him, his family and his companions).

May Allah (swt) make us amongst those who will drink the water of Kawthr by the beloved hands of Sayyidinah Rasulullah (s.a.w).

Beloved Nabi

Talib al-Habib

chorus
Salla Allahu `ala Ta Ha Allahuma salli `ala nabiyyina habibina

Beloved Nabi, my heart yearns to see
The laughter that dances in your eyes.
Heavy lay the burden of my grief
Until you came and gave me strength again
Beloved Nabi

Silently, the thought of you appears
Your love is like the touch of spring to me
And joyfully, my blossom-soul awakes
To remembrance that brings tranquillity
Beloved Nabi

Cord of moonlight, sunlight entwined
Cord of love, our lovesbond eternal.
Fire of yearning, light of hope
Cord of faith that binds me to you.

Light of my eyes, fragrance of my soul
I send my love on angel wings to you
Hear its cry, borne upon the wind
Calling you to lead me through the night
Beloved Nabi

So fear not, my heart, at times when you feel
Sorrowful and lonely in the cold
Soothe your pain, for through his love you’ll find
The solace and the comfort that you seek
Beloved Nabi.

Oh Allah! Send your blessings upon
Our Master Muhammad, our guide, our beloved
In every heartbeat, in every breath and sigh
Every teardrop shed
By those who yearn for the light of his beauty
Who pass days and nights seeking his company
From creation’s dawn, every moment, every hour
Until the rising of the Last Day will come

Beloved Nabi, how long will it be
Until I see the sunrise in your eyes?

Ok this is probably so very wrong....but honestly the one I uploaded on the right side won't work because it played too many times in 24 hours(ripway.com)...so it'll probably work after the next 24 hours, so until then just click the play button..the little arrow thing>

Islamic Media Links

As salamu alaykum,

Since a lot of people have been asking for anasheed/lecture links, I thought I should just post all the links I can think of here.

http://www.sulaimanmoola.com/Home.html

http://www.guidancemedia.com/index.php

http://alkawtharacademy.org/library/library.php

http://www.islamicfoundation.ca/

http://www.radioramadan.org/index.php

http://lightuponlight.com/islam/index.php

http://www.edars.com/

http://free.hostultra.com/~islamglobe/Nasheeds.htm

http://www.islamp3.com/?page=songs

http://www.freewebs.com/islamiway/Nasheeds.htm

http://haqaonline.com/multimedia/

http://www.darulislam.info/

http://www.studentofknowledge.com/nasheed.htm

http://www.haqaonline.com/forums/index.php?showforum=46

http://www.bukhatir.org/index.php?language=en

http://www.enshad.net/SamaEnshad/index.php

http://www.aswatalislam.net/

Then there are loads of nasheed videos on You Tube and Google Video

I just type in nasheed in their search engine, and I get a whole list of different nasheed videos. So the links above (for You Tube and Google Video) contain the list that came up from the search engine...ahh just click on it.

http://www.sunnitorrents.com/ Where you can download Islamic torrents. If you have no idea what torrents are then…let me explain you. They a’re these file sharing thingamajigies, and you have a client where you ..……ok I canÂ’t be bothered to explain what torrents are, so I'll let the Wiki do the explaining, click here.

And you can use azureus, or BitTorrents for clients, I have azureus, and I haven'’t done annnny torrent downloading since I came back from JAS…so yeah. After you download a client (or if you already have one) just go to sunnitorrents.com, become a member, and just download, upload and seed a lot!

NOTE: This Peer-to-Peer stuff isn't really safe for computers (viruses, slows down some computers, hackers, etc.) and I'm only giving these torrent links because I'm assuming/hoping you're only going to download "Islamic stuff".

If I remember any more sites, or if YOU have some that I don'’t, then comment, and I'’ll add them here.

Khair.

Also I've updated my "Links" section, and also the "“Blogs I Read" section. These blogs were all in my Bookmarks, and I finally got them on here.

Alhamdulillah.