Pics from MuslimFest

So here are the pictures my sister took from MuslimFest. She had a headache so she only took a few.

My art buddy from Sakina Designs

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Some facts about HIV/AIDS:

* There are 38,600,000 people living with AIDS around the world
* There are 60,000 people in Canada living with the disease - 49,400 men and 9,600 women

Courtesy of globalhealthfacts.org

Alarming Trends

* Every six and a half seconds, another person is infected with HIV.
* Every ten seconds, one person dies of AIDS-related illness.
* There are an estimated 11,200 new HIV infections and nearly 8,000 deaths every day.
* Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world that has been most severely impacted by HIV (in terms of the percentage of the region's population that is infected). This is followed by the Caribbean.
* Only one-tenth of the world's population lives in sub-Saharan Africa, yet almost 64 percent of those infected with HIV live in this region.
* India and China, the world's most populous countries, are experiencing rapid growth of HIV in certain subpopulations and geographic areas.
* More than two-thirds of those infected with HIV from Asia live in India.
* There has been a major increase in HIV infection in Eastern Europe and the nations of the former Soviet Union, a region which has among the fastest rates of new infections in the world.
* The majority of people living with HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe live in the Ukraine or the Russian Federation.
* The total number of people living with HIV continues to rise in high-income countries. In the US, for example, HIV prevalence reached its highest level to date in 2005.
* Even with a 3 percent increase in school enrolment, over the past four years, there has continued to remain a gender gap in education. An estimated 113 million school-age children are not currently in school, 54 pecent of which are girls. In high prevalence countries, girls' enrolment in school has decreased in the past decade. Girls are often taken out of school to care for sick relatives or to look after young siblings.
* Access to basic prevention services is inadequate. Less than one in five people at risk for HIV infection has access to prevention services.
* As of December 2005, an estimated 20 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries (1.3 million) received appropriate HIV treatment (including antiretroviral medicines).

Courtesy of the International AIDS Conference 2006.

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Taken from "An HIV/AIDS Primer & Facts" article on CityNews.ca

Also check out the XVI International AIDS Conference Website.

Backbiting

I saw it a while back, and I saw it again today it and creeped me out even more...check it out.

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicions are a sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it, [so similarly, avoid backbiting]. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an, [49:12]

Recent Quotes I've Read

"Washington is the only place where sound travels faster than light."
- CVR Thompson

"In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known."
- Thomas Pickering

"I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty."
- Nancy Reagan

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Currently listening to nothing, my ears are sore because of my iPod for way too long.

Currently reading The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum and PS. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Currently watching Video Blog #10: How did you convert to Islam? by Baba Ali

My paintings for MuslimFest

On August 12, two events are taking place, the BBQ at Bowmanville's Darul Uloom and MuslimFest. I would just love to go visit Bowmanville again, but I have to be at MuslimFest, obviously because of my paintings.

"What paintings?" you ask.

Well I paint. I have not mentioned that before, have I?

However let me assure you all that I'm no professional, but just an amateur (well below an amateur actually). Anyways, if anyone is coming to MuslimFest, be sure to check out my stuff. I've tried to put some sort of meaning in each painting relating to the Rasul (s.a.w). Especially since this year they have a theme and it's "Inspired by the Prophet (s.a.w)".

Try to figure them out. You can also click on them to see the larger image. And criticism is most welcome.


The Seal

(I actually stuck on real stones/pebbles from Mount Uhud, in Madinah al-Munawarra.)




In White









Hangman







Love of Rasulullah (s.a.w)

(There were many failed attempts to steal this one...)







Dua



Illusion



Mawla

Do we put ourselves in denial of who we are and why we’re here, in this dunya? We blind ourselves and convince ourselves to hold on to this materialistic world. In we fall deeper and deeper in this dream. Trying to live every detail of this momentary life. Sins above sins are committed and still we induce ourselves that we’ll be all right. We leave the Sunnah because “it’s only a Sunnah”. It is only our words, and no more our actions. The way of life dissolves in front of our very eyes. It leaves us slowly and painfully, but we have numbed the body, mind and soul. No more do we feel, speak, hear or see, the truth, the way and the reality. Sincerity and steadfastness leaves us in our Ibadah, are we really worthy of Allah (swt)’s Mercy and Forgiveness? I sure hope we are, for my soul abates with the sins of everyday life.

TheStar.com - Yukon crash ends faith mission

TheStar.com - Yukon crash ends faith mission

Please pray for the brothers and there family.

May Allah (swt) protect them from the hardships of the grave, and May there graves be full of the Noor of Allah (swt). And May Allah (swt) shower blessing, mercy and patience on their families. Ameen

TheStar.com - Harold Hosein, bowed but not weather-beaten

All the Torontonians who watch CityNews on TV or listen to Chum or 680 News on the radio know who Harold Hosein is. Well he doesn't work for CityNews (and of course Chum) anymore. But I think he still comes on 680 News.

When I got the newspaper yesterday, the title caught my attention. Harold was off air for some time now, but I didn't know why.

Anyways, I thought I'd just share the article...for those of you who care. And, it's quite hilarious (and cute in some ways) .

TheStar.com - Harold Hosein, bowed but not weather-beaten



NOTE: Also, I'm so sorry for not updating the blog. I've been kinda busy and the heat wave kept me away from my room (which is on the top floor of the house, and no, we don't have central AC, which sucks).

Youth Tarbiyah Conference

I just love this annual conference, InshaAllah I'll be there. I mean how can I miss Shaikh Sulaiman Mullah, Shaikh Ahmed Ali and Shaikh Riyadh ul-Haq?! InshaAllah, InshaAllah I'll be there for both days.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Links for more info.
Islamic Foundation
Jucanada

Lines Stuck in My Head

V: Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.
[carves V into wall]

V: The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.
[giggles]

V: Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

Evey Hammond: Are you like a crazy person?

V: I'm quite sure they will say so.

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V for Vendetta (2005)

BBC NEWS | Middle East | US braced for Haditha effect

BBC NEWS | Middle East | US braced for Haditha effect

Oilers

I saw this pic just now...It's crazy for Canada, since we don't have our team at FIFA. But don't get me wrong, I'm still a big of a football (soccer fan). I just want the Stanley cup home (the Stanley cup and Tim Hortons are both embedded in our Canadian blood)

http://www.canada.com/

Pieces from "Only Fools & Fools (Beautiful Stories about Fools)" by Shaykh Ahmad Ali

The following stories are taken from one of my favourite books, "Only Fools & Fools (Beautiful Stories about Fools)" by Shaykh Ahmad Ali

It's a brief summary of the work "Akhbarul Hamqa Wal MogFleen" written by Ibn-ul Jawzi Hafiz Jamal ud-Din Abdul-Rahman.

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A storyteller informed the people, “Oh people, the Satan doesn’t eat the food and drink on which you have recited the name of Allah. So when you eat do not recite Bismillah, that way Satan will eat with you. Instead you should recite Bismillah when you drink water.” He assumed the failure of the Satan to share water with the person who recites Bismillah will cause the Satan to die of thirst.

Page20

A Bedouin in his prayer was saying “Oh Allah forgive only me”. Someone asked, why don’t you pray, “Oh Allah forgive us all?” He replied, "I do not want to burden my Lord too much.”

Page 17

A Bedouin called Mujrim (criminal/sinner) came and stood in the first saaf behind the Imam who was reciting Surah Mursalaat in salah. When the Imam recited the verse, “Did we not destroy the first” the Bedouin went into the last saaf. The Imaam then recited, “Then we shall destroy the later ones.” The Bedouin then moves on and joined the middle saaf. Finally, the Imam recited, “This is how We deal with the mujrims (sinners/criminal)”. The Bedouin left the salaat thinking the Imam was after him.

Page 14

Pics from Sunday's Trip at the Farm

That's Snuffles but my mum calls him another name which I might mention some other time.
This dog is super hyper, he's only 2 months old, a blood hound and he loves barking and jumping up and down when anyone comes near him. He's supposedly the guard dog.


Did I mention I have fear, a phobia of dogs?
I got chased by 3 dogs, well 4 including a chew wawa (if that's how it's spelt).
I think someone fed this dog's mum too much caffeine or weed maybe while she was pregnant.



Here are the spoiled sheep.


I cornered this one just to get a pic, then soon as I moved the phone away from it, it ran like hell.


My mum's chickens, they were all over the net while my dad cleaned the old barn.

Mary-Moo Cow, a new member to the farm. This one is the only one who gives milk. Don't worry my dad has a certificate (Alhamdulillah). So my dad's friend was over and he decided to milk the cow...






Preparing to milk the cow and also make tea.

Just joking we didn't make tea with it, but the brave men did drink it fresh.



Well there he goes. Then the ladies took over and even I tried...it's not that bad really.


Here are the two goats that made me laugh when I saw what they were up too.
See that white container on the right? Well that's full of corn, and they LOVE corn.







Then the little one joins in too.



















My little sister tried to sit on her and ride her since she really, really and I mean really wanted to ride her. Well all seemed to be okay until my uncle let go of the rope. My sister screamed, the horse ran and she fell. Alhamdulillah she's okay, she just won't be dreaming of horses for a while now.
























Our new puppy. She's a sheep dog who's terribly shy. And I touched her, yes I did. I actually adore her. She is so quiet that no one (in my family) has heard her bark yet.

A Beautiful Death

Prostrating in the dark, in front of her Lord, she praises Him with words so pure. Tears streak down like pearls on silk, she cries to her Lord for forgiveness. Merciful and Forgiving He is, but she still fears His disappointment, anger and wrath.

Her pearly tears roll down her cheeks as they cleanse her soul. With her forehead on the ground, and her breathing calm, she absorbs the humility that perfumes her soul. The Divine words that pour out of her lips and heart illumine her body and mind.

As she gets up and goes into her second prostration, the darkness is no more, but only light. The Earth, the Divine Book, and every cell in her body testify to be her witness as she is in her last prostration. Her heart yearns to see her Lord and His Beloved as it pumps the last few pumps. Then with her breathing still calm, she smiles and testifies as her heart takes the last permission from its Creator, to beat one last time.

Strange...But True

Failing Grade

What are they teaching kids in schools these days?

In the U.S., apparently not geography.

A poll conducted in the States for National Geographic found that six out of ten Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 can’t find Iraq on a map.

And if that isn’t bad enough, they also can’t identify their own states. Nearly one-third of respondents couldn’t locate Louisiana, and nearly half couldn’t identify Mississippi.

Hey, considering the President has problems pronouncing the world 'nuclear', maybe those results aren't half bad.

Taken from here.

Amira, The Horse

Okay, she's a horse, not a pony. Soon as I saw her I new she couldn't be a pony. Well maybe one of her grandparents was a pony or perhaps she's just a smaller horse.

So that's it for this post, I have nothing else to say because sadly my life is uneventful and no one really reads this blog which makes it even more sad.

Our New Pony

Yes we did have a pony before, but my dad sold it because that one had an attitude problem. He was kind of grumpy and he hated the sheep. Oh and it almost kicked my youngest sister to what could possibly been her grave.

Yeah so, this new pony is a female, very shy and pregnant that means we can't ride her. She's expecting in October, I was told and I cannot imagine what my parents will do then.

My mum named her Princess and so we call her Amira. InshaAllah this Sunday I'll finally get to see her. I'm not excited at all, it's just a pony, but knowing that's she's pregnant makes me want to see her. Ah maybe it's a "female" thing. Now if my dad bought a horse, I'd be super excited and InshaAllah he will get one or two this summer, along with a donkey (donkeys supposedly keep the sheep safe from other wild animals).

Anyways, this post is out of no where so that makes it a random post and therefore it qualifies for being on this blog, which no one hardly reads (so all is good).

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned on this blog that my parents have a farm, well now you all know. My parents own a slaughterhouse (no they don’t slaughter the ponies, donkeys, horses, cats and the 2 month-old guard dog)

The link is somewhere on the links section of my blog. It’s Sanabil Halal Meat Farm.