Compassion quest

There's something wrong with the world we live in. Actually there's a whole lot of things wrong with it,majorly and maddeningly so. Case in point: you might have heard of the fire that destroyed a large number of cars at this years Ijtima , and you may also have heard or seen how callous some people were in response to this disaster.. I run out of suitable adjectives in trying to describe these individuals who think there's anything funny in a calamity like this.

The Ijtima,meaning gathering ,is held annually with the purpose of creating 'awareness of the object of our creation and how to link all mankind to our Creator Allah, and to encourage all to establish the life of our beloved Nabi Muhammed (SAW)' . It is attended by thousands of Muslim brothers who are seeking spiritual reform and advice regarding Deen (Islam) . This year the Ijtima returned to the place of its inception (In South Africa) ,at Mia's farm in Gauteng.A few of these brothers were tested in the first morning of the Ijtima when a blaze engulfed their motor vehicles ,destroying them completely. Many mobilized to assist in dousing the flames and then there were some who found the situation amusing, circulating jokes about the incident. I was horrified. What uneducated,cruel mind conjures up facetious remarks when another has suffered a loss? It's appalling,and it alludes to the ever diminishing qualities of kindness , sympathy and mercy amongst man today.

Also,i need to make a quick mention to all those who look down at the Ijtima in general and who mock those brothers involved in Jamaat work. Remember that Nabi SAW's life was spent inviting others to Deen , so if you make jokes about the work they do,you may actually be mocking the Sunnah.(Allah forbid)

Implore Allah to guide us all to being people who are not sardonic and sadistic. May our hearts and minds be filled with mercy and compassion instead! Aameen


Until you read again
Ma'assalaam

Nutty chocochino

I know I said I'd share more baking recipes and tips but somehow I just don't get down to it. I had every intention to share a cake recipe this week,complete with step by step pictures,but I missed a pic at a crucial stage and hence that post will have to be postponed until i bake that cake again, Sigh. Anyway I decided to sort of make- up for it with a quick ,delicious milkshake recipe that I created today.

Ingredients :

2 cups of milk
2tsp coffee
2T choc syrup
4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
4 almonds
Sugar to taste

Method :

Blend all of the above together until smooth and creamy. To serve ,drizzle choc sauce in a glass. Pour in the milkshake and decorate with choc shavings or sliced almonds.

If you're not a fan of crunch,simply omit the almonds.

Now go impress someone with your crazy blender skills :P

Until you read again
Ma'assalaam

A sister's love

I was invited to a supper earlier in the evening and something I saw there gave me a 'blogspiration' .It was an absolutely adorable, kind, heart warming, make-you-wanna-get-emotional gesture,that has got me blogging at 00:28 AM.

The supper was a garden buffet so most of the guests were seated outside. When we got there the weather was warm but as the evening progressed a chill crept in. I noticed two sisters who were seated a short distance from me ,one of whom looked to be about 9 and the other around 5. So anyway,when it got cold the older sister held her younger sister on her lap ,and wrapped her up in the cape-like garment she was wearing. She cuddled her and kept her warm until their parents were ready to leave. I just stopped and watched them. I was so enchanted by this utterly sweet gesture but no,i was not entirely surprised. Coz I know what my sisters do for me and what they have always done for me. That's a sister's love. Its as simple as that.

May Allah forever keep our sisterly bonds strong and reunite us with our sisters (and all other family members) in Jannah! Aameen!

*blogspiration - that's my new word,meaning the impetus behind a blog post. Add it to your dictionary (it's in my fictionary)
*fictionary - a collection of words that do not exist (but which I choose to use anyway)

Until you read again
Ma'assalaam

Don't inflict your history upon someone else

I read Jodi Picoult's 'The Storyteller' this past weekend and it turned out to be one of those haunting reads.Brilliant,no doubt, but haunting in that the characters stay with you long after you've closed the book. It largely centers around the Holocaust ,so it was with a sense of disillusionment that I realised just how horrifically history is repeating itself. Except now ,the Jews are the Nazi's.

What Hitler and his army did was vile,repulsive and downright atrocious. And that's exactly the direction the zionists in Palestine are headed. I struggled to grasp how a nation who was once oppressed ,now effortlessly inflicts similar torture upon another nation. But then I reminded myself that this is so commonplace amongst individuals as well. The man who cursed his drunkard father ,could scarcely remain sober later on in his life. The girl who was repeatedly beaten up by her parents ,turned on her own children eventually. The kid who couldn't hold his own against the bullies in the playground ,abused his subordinates in the workplace. See where I'm going with this? It sometimes happens that we become the very thing we had previously put up a resistance against. In some people the effect of habit could be marginal, but in others it could determine their entire character or behaviour.

I personally don't think that ones behaviour can be excused based on exposure to the same in the past. We have intellect and reason and we should employ these to make sound decisions and choices. The past and what we have been through ,if negative, should serve to motivate us to improve ourselves and try to steer away from that negativity. It is so disheartening knowing we can inflict the same damage upon others ,knowing full well what that torment and suffering feels like.

We are not animals.As laughable as that reminder may seem it is precisely what some people need to hear. If you have been abused,mistreated,teased and ridiculed make sure you protect others from the same. Evil is not inherited, it is something that takes choices to get to. May the Almighty guide us to choose the correct path every time,and if we slip may He return us to His path!Aameen

Until you read again
Ma'assalaam

in my fathers ' finger-steps '

Okay,so that last word in my title does not exist,but i could not find an apt enough word.My father is an amazing photographer whose collection probably spans well over twenty thousand. He however has not published any of his work.My sister has recently taken up photography as a hobby but i do hope that she does not follow my father in that regard(not publishing her work). Tho new in the field , she already shows promise and i would love to see her work on public platforms. Let me treat you to some of her flashes of brilliance.




Until you read again
Ma'assalaam

Regret keeps your feet on the ground

Some of you might have read this as I wrote it a while ago, so here's a reminder for you and a helping of food for thought for the new readers.

Have you ever woken up one morning completely content with who you are.Pleased with your present behaviour ,at ease that your past is where it is,and positive that your future has only the best in store for you.Whilst being hopeful is most often a good thng,too much of it can be dangerous. Especially when that hope makes us complacent.The reality is that we need the element of regret 2 keep us grounded. Here's my take on why.
Regret by definition refers to the act of repentence or to feel remorseful.So,if we happen to remove that from our lives we would be a band of unfeeling barbarians, unconcernd with our mistakes or with change. In essence,if we do not regret,we do not repent. And if we do not repent, I shudder to think of our final abode..

In keeping this brief ,let us all resolve today to ammend our ways and do good deeds seeking the pleasure of Allah.In that way we need not spend all of our time regretting.Rather,let us maintain that balance between hope and fear and InshaAllah on the Day of Judgement we wont be swimming in a sea of regret!!

Until you read again
Ma'assalaam