Hijabification

Assalamu alaykum everyone & Eid Mabrouk!

Eid was such a good day for us! While I intended to stay home with iMuffin while my husband attended Eid prayer, that isn't how it worked out. Early in the morning while I was blissfully asleep my husband must of thought it would be nice if iCutie was in bed with me (not). Almost instantly, I felt little fingers being jammed up my nose and in my ears, followed by hair pulling being ridden like a horsey. My husband took him out of bed at my behest, and then proceeded to torture me about what they both were going to wear to the masjid. At that point, I was annoyed, aggravated and most notable AWAKE, so I decided to go with them. When we arrived the first Eid service was concluding and Mashaallah, what a surprise, instead of letting the ladies balcony get dangerously overcrowded, they made comfortable prayer areas outside for spill-over. I was psyched to pray outside! BUT- we attended the second service, and there was no spill over, so I prayed inside. It was QUIET and not overcrowded. I really enjoyed.

As prayer was in progress, and as I listened to the recitation of Allah's divine message for us humans, it all hit me- how tiny I am- we all are in this universe, that I am not the first Muslim, nor the last to walk this path and how much work I have ahead of me, and just how LUCKY I am to be Muslim and to have Islam. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, so I looked straight down at my feet, and that's when I noticed.......that the tiny 4 year old girl next to me had a sixth toe. That just about snapped me out of my cry fest, but nonetheless I was happy to be joined in prayer with a child, and realized just how UNIQUE we all are.

The Khutba was really good. I'm not a saavy cerebral person. I usually take note of a few key things, and the rest just kind of gets lost on me. What was most impressionable to me was how the Sheikh explained to us that the Quran and our Fasts will be present on judgement day to intervene our behalf. Can you imagine that? It really struck me and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. This was my Ramadan 2009 Epiphany.

Worthy of mention- what a beautiful sight the masjid was this day. All the women were dressed in their best. The masjid in our area predominantly serves the Pakistan community; a very well dressed, and affectionate community I might add! Oh how I loved the colors, the style and trends these women displayed. There were bangles and ribbons, beads and sequins, embroidery and vivid color, gorgeous shaylas, abayas, pant suits and niqabs. The children were adorned in the finest garments and running about with balloons. I ran into several people I know, and it was very nice to see them. iBaby wouldnt even crack a smile for my friends! Instead he knitted his eyebrows together and pouted his lips whenever one of them talked to him. Occasionally he muttered "ooooooh, nooooooo" and looked away in disgust! I was horrified! When the service was over and the imam declared Eid Mubarak, I received hugs from complete strangers and strangely I didn't get all uncomfortable!

I walked away from the service feeling good. We were supposed to have dinner with my family but my step-father got sick and we cancelled. Instead- we had lunch at home, skyped with my husbands family abroad, laughed and just chilled out. My mom stopped by to wish us a happy Eid, brought my husband his favorite homemade banana cake and gave iBunny a gift. We had a gift for her too. It was nice! I didn't even cook! My lovely sister made us dinner. That was a relief, as we were running on empty in terms of energy, and that gaves us a nice break.

We also received some good news this day; my SIL gave birth to her fourth child, and both mom and baby are in good health hamdullah! Time to shop and make cards, yippey!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are very blessed. Alhamdulillah- I wish it wasn't over and I look forward to Ramadan 2010 INSHAALLAH!!!!

I hope you all had a special day.....

iMuslimah

Eid Mubarak sisters! The last day of Ramadan was a lovely one, and we really enjoyed ourselves. We took our little boy to a cutting arboretum and park (gorgeous I tell you, gorgeous) and ran with him through acres of lush greenery shaded with giant, majestic Oak trees. My son especially enjoyed running through the hills chasing the poor geese. He kept calling them "doggy" and they just kept running from him. It was adorable. Afterwards, we decided we would not cook tonight, and went to our favorite Turkish restaurant for take out, and brought it home. It was perfect. iBaby liked it too, and ate well hamdullah. After Maghrib we wished each other Eid Mubarak, and reflected upon some stuff, and just relaxed on the couch whilst baby just ran through his repertoire of tricks for us, followed by some homemade ice cream sundaes.

The three of us drifted off to sleep fairly early, and of course I am now wide awake at 3am.

I am a little sad that Ramadan is over.

We don't have any plans to visit with any Muslims (we know very few), but hamdullah, my mother and step-father have wished us a happy Eid and will be making dinner for us today at 4pm in honor of Eid. Isn't that nice???? It will be good to see them, and we will bring them some sweets and gifts.

So my gal pals, I hope you all have had a beneficial Ramadan and a Happy Eid, I am thinking of you all.

iMuslimah

Hijabification is the act of wearing hijab, around my body, and my heart. It is not just a scarf or veil, but a garment that is a symbol of my faith that holds wisdom, sentimental value, purpose and responsibility.


Hijabification is not an event; it's a lifelong process. It's the evolution of my mind, body and soul. It doesn't necessarily begin with the physical act of covering one's hair and body- but with the curiosity of Islam and what it means to be Muslim.

This is what Hijabification is for me. What does it mean for you?

Ma Salama,

iMuslimah

Assalamu alaykum ladies & germs:


Greetings and salutations. My husband and I just had the BEST weekend! We attended the Islamic Circle of North America 2008 Convention in Hartford, Connecticut. MashALLAH what a wonderful experience it was! From the moment we stepped foot in the parking garage, we were surrounded by Muslims from all walks of life, for the same purpose!


The program was CHOCK full of talks, lectures, slide shows, and informational booths. There were so many choices, that we had to pick what was most interesting to us (it was almost overwhelming with the plethora of choices available to us). Friday and Saturday, every hour on the hour, there was something new being offered in one of the TWENTY conference rooms available! I mean, I just can't convey to you, how massive this was. There easily had to be at least 5,000 (yes- five thousand) Muslims present. We brought iBaby with us, and mashaallah he was SO good. We dragged him around 14hrs each day on Friday and Saturday, and he never made a peep unless he was hungry.....even the noise didn't bother him. Well- I take that back. He screamed bloody murder when he heard the adhan! I think it was way to loud for his tender little ears, so I just made sure I boogied out of the main hall when it was coming.


A large part of this conference was dedicated to sisters, and sadly I just did not have a chance to investigate, as there were so many others things to do. The highlights for me were talks and lectures given by the following individuals:


Yahiya Emerick

Dr. Jeffrey Lang

Shaykh Yusuf Estes

Imam Siraj Wahhaj

Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui

Chaplain Yusuf Lee




The knowledge, peace, thoughtfulness and love for Allah swt was so clear in the hearts of these brothers. I walked away with a boost in my iman and having learned something new. For me, the biggest benefit I received from this weekend was understanding and accepting the Qadr of Allah.... I had been going through some stuff prior to this trip, and something Sh. Mokhtar said has not left me....I dont remember his exact words, but in essence it taught me to change my thinking and that when I see something that I long for myself, to say "Alhamdulillah for what Allah swt has given this individual, and may Allah grant the same for me".


So of course, you are wondering what I was longing for- and I don't want anyone to think it was something material, sooooooo here goes, for the last time, as I promise to no longer revisit this issue: breastfeeding. It has been the #1 disappointment of my life. Every time I would see a woman nursing a child, it would move me to tears and I wished I could do the same.....iBaby is almost 11 weeks old now, and I have decided to stop trying. I truly believe it is Qadr Allah swt. Allah says that with hardship comes ease,so I am trusting that Ive done all that I can, and since alhamdulillah iBaby is healthy and thriving, I ought to just leave it alone.


The Bazaar was OFF THE HOOK! This was a bonus. There had to be at least 200 vendors there, in a flea market like setting, all from popular websites you and I have probably shopped on. There were Jilbabs, hijabs, abayas, and niqabs for sale as far as the eye could see! There were entire book stores that catered to children and adults (oh man-I found some really great things for iBaby that include but are not limited too a mini prayer rug, kufi and his "first quran"). My husband and I found some great books, AND I got a stash of hijabs and pins that ought to last me a long while.


I met sisters from all over the world and I loved every minute of it. This truly was a family oriented event- so i wasn't worried that iBaby was going to cry or have an explosive bowel movement. I was panicked about changing his diaper in public if need be, and it only happened once. The line for the ladies room was TOO long, so I found a discreet corner and draped a blanket over his stroller so no one could see his business LOL. I brought these diaper sacs that conceal odor, for moments like these. I also had to pump milk in my car (gotta love technology), that was a bit of a positional challenge! Did I feel like a pack mule for this trip? You betcha, but it was worth every bit of aggravation.


Do you know what also impressed me? The youth! A large part of this conference was also dedicated to young Muslims, and it was great! It was so refreshing to see young Muslims practicing and really taking their iman seriously. Since I reverted to Islam at 32, i don't know what it's like to be a Muslim teenager in the west. I am certain it is a huge challenge, and I commend these young people for doing their best.


Saturday night my husband and I attended and entertainment gathering that featured The Travelers AND Baba Ali!!!!! Do you know who Baba Ali is? He is the comedian behind Ummah Films that you've probably seen on YouTube. If you haven't seen him, look him up on YouTube, Im sure you will get a good laugh!


Total strangers would stop us frequently to check out iBaby and make dua for him. During a lecture, I was feeding him, and when it was time to burp him, I put him over my shoulder, and he was just looking around and cooing at the ladies and children behind me. When he opened his mouth to coo, and a giant burp came out LOL and all the children giggled; it tickled me pink!


So there you have it, a watered down version of my wonderful weekend. I hope inshaallah we go again next year AND I hope some of you will go too. I believe ICNA has chapters all over the USA. Check out ICNA.org !

Assalamu alaykum all-

Seriously, this happened to me today:

I was out shopping with iBaby and my sister, at a very popular warehouse club where you can purchase things in bulk. While I was on line, my sister and I were talking about travel and airplanes. She mentioned that a certain airline (can I say on here?) is going to start charging for ANY luggage that is checked! The cashier chimes in, seemed quite lovely, and said "it's because of the price of oil- they are finding new ways to pass the increase onto the customers, and all airlines will probably follow the same new rules". She then dropped the bomb-

"You know, my son just got back from Iraq and said that oil is 3 cents a gallon. Our boys are there fighting to help these people and you would think the least they could do is send us some of their oil".

Can you imagine?

There are so many things wrong with her statement, that I didn't know where to begin.

What is it with people? Do they not understand that you don't discuss politics with customers, better yet, it shouldn't be discussed in the workplace???? I wanted to jump all over it- I was ready to retort, but I thought it best to hold my tongue, even though I would have been mild mannered and eloquent about it.

I would like to know where some make the connection between putting a material value on life under unfortunate circumstances (and that is putting it mildly). Ok, so her son was in Iraq, he survived- would cheaper oil have made her pain and agony better, while she was waiting for her son to come home in one piece? Would it make parent who has lost a son or daughter in service feel better? Highly unlikely.

Are we really helping the Iraqi people? No we are not. I do not believe that at ALL. The people of Iraq have lost so much, their children, relatives, homes, cars, roads, jobs. They continue to fall prey to hunger, poverty, starvation, unemployment and violence. Hospitals are destroyed, banks are gone, markets and other necessary structures have been destroyed. We are supposed to believe that we are helping them, and then take their oil in return? Give me a break.

******

Recently I went shopping for a piece of silver jewellery. I didn't have anything specific in mind, I just wanted something shiny and sparkling. The clerk kept overwhelming with pieces, and I couldn't take it. She just kept throwing things out of the show case for me to look at. I wanted to throw them back at her.

She decided she wanted to sell me a crucifix! I gently explained that I am Muslim, and that it doesn't jive with my religious beliefs. She look stunned. She kept insisting it was beautiful, and again I explained I am Muslim. Finally, I thought maybe I should take it one step further- apparently she didn't know what being Muslim meant, maybe she never met a Muslim. So I asked her if she wanted me to explain, and I did. I gave her a very watered down version, making the point that I would not wear a crucifix for several reasons. She got it, and stopped trying to make the crucifix sale. I ended up purchasing a simple ring. When she handed me my receipt she said:

"Remember there is only one God: the father, the son, the holy spirit; and Jesus is the son of God and our lord and savior".

I returned my ring.

As'salamu alaykum all :)

I'm not talking about poetry....

Abud-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, "Nothing will be heavier on the Day of Resurrection in the scale of the believer than good manners. Allah hates one who utters foul or course language" [At-Tirmidhi who said that it is good and authentic.]

Since becoming muslim, I am amazed by how specific and thorough our faith is! We are warned about everything, whether in the Holy Quran or through hadiths. It seems that for every issue we face in this life, it is addressed in our Book and sunnah. What a gift!

I hope I can raise my son, together with my husband to understand this very important and beautiful aspect of Islam, inshaallah.

...And it goes without say, that potty mouth will not be tolerated, and we will set the example inshaallah.

As'salamu alaykum all.

I purchased a really good booklet: "100 Ahadith about Islamic Manners", published by Darussalam. It is the "bees knees" for those of us who are new to Islam. I am really enjoying it; hence I will share with you, one hadith that spoke to me today:

Abu Harairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him show hospitality to his guest, and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day let him maintain good relations with his kin, and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day let him speak good or remian silent. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

These recommendations are sound but challenging at times. While I think I am doing ok in the hospitality department, I can work on the "speak good or remain silent" principle and try to improve my relationship with family members I don't see often, or at all.

I haven't seen my father in three years....

As'salamu alaykum :)

Today was interesting. I had a prenatal appointment that sort of went like this:

Sonographer: Hi there (insert pleasant small talk here)
Me: (silent, non-verbalized thought) Save the small talk and show me my baby.
Sonographer: Is it just your husband that is muslim or are you muslim too?
Me: Alhamdulillah I am muslim.
Sonographer: Oh, so you converted for him after marriage?
Me: No, I converted for ME before we met.
Sonographer: Oh.

I did not ask her a single question in return. I am slightly annoyed with myself for satisfying her curiosity. I am a hijabi; my husband was not with me.......