"Cure your greed,purify your wealth,look around at where you live,look at all the good you have to give ,give a little of yourself"
I love those lyrics by Dawud Wharnsby.They encompass the very spirit of generosity and charity taught to us as Muslims.Tho, so often we find our hearts hardening and our hands tightening around our material wealth.A truly pitiful state since nothing really belongs to us,the wealth we may possess is in reality just loaned to us by The Almighty for the duration of our stay on this earth.Sometimes Allah gives us wealth to test our ability to give it back in His path.Free up some space in your wallet or closet and earn blessings in this world and reward in the next!
Another aspect of generosity ,has nothing to do with physical wealth.Regardless of being a princess or a pauper you can give this charity with ease.
Give of your time whether it be with the sick or the elderly.You will lift their morale and they will make dua for you!
Tactfully advise and console those who need it.Share a word of encouragement ,be a shoulder to cry on.
Most importantly give of your heart,be it through your smiles or the concern in your eyes,you are guaranteed to make a positive difference or change a life for the better ,InshaAllah!!
I am ever greatful to my parents,my mother in particular for providing an exceptional example when it comes to giving.All who know her will attest to this fact and if I am to spend my life thanking her for all she has done,I will still fall short.
Until you read again
Ma assalaam
Monday, 21 January 2013
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Here comes the bride,all dressed in ...Hijaab?
I once described my idea of the perfect wedding and I am so thrilled that I have finally witnessed it.i attended my cousin's wedding a week ago,there were no bells,whistles or flower arrangements and it was just perfect!
Simple ,serene, surprising.everything about this wedding was inspiring.The union here took centre stage ,which I normally find dulled by all the finery.there was nothing stuffy or pretentious about it and all the guests enjoyed what was a beautiful comfortable evening.it was capped off by the bride in a simple Abaya(Hijaab) ,leading her mum in law around the hall,making introductions and mingling.
I wish the couple eternal happiness and ease in this new phase of their lives. Now if only we could get this style of a wedding trending...
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Simple ,serene, surprising.everything about this wedding was inspiring.The union here took centre stage ,which I normally find dulled by all the finery.there was nothing stuffy or pretentious about it and all the guests enjoyed what was a beautiful comfortable evening.it was capped off by the bride in a simple Abaya(Hijaab) ,leading her mum in law around the hall,making introductions and mingling.
I wish the couple eternal happiness and ease in this new phase of their lives. Now if only we could get this style of a wedding trending...
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Monday, 1 October 2012
List mania
A while ago I read a book entitled love:unlisted.I would have classified it as fluff(chick lit) had it not had such a profound lesson.It basically centered around a woman who kept a book with her,in which she would list the pros and cons of all those she knew.Freaky?yes,but it got me thinking that we do that without realizing it,except that we usually internalize our lists.And like the woman in the story it could get us into trouble too..
You might agree that being a good judge of character is important for ones own safety,but if it takes on the aforementioned style of 'listing' I think it would lend to an incredibly judgemental mind frame.And seeing as how we all have faults ( in abundance ) that's a trait we could well do without.if we are 'listing' lets try to keep it positive,focus on the good ( here's hoping I take my own advice)
So in the spirit of steering away from negative listing ,i'll share with you a list of 10 random things most people would probably not know about me
1. My childhood ambitions included becoming a pilot,a sports manager and a pediatrician
2. I am clumsy ( the trip over my own feet type)
3. I'm a recovering 'sports-aholic'
4. All my phobias start with an A ; Acrophobia(fear of heights) ,Astraphobia (fear of lightning and thunder) and Agyrophobia ( fear of crossing roads)
5. I am 22 going on 10,I have yet to lose interest in comics,fairy tales and rhymes.
6. I absolutely despise music and vulgarity
7. I compulsively declutter( material things weigh me down)
8. I was the family clown/ entertainer/dweeb(it included a brief phase of being an Indian Alligator)
9.Im a sucker for print media,chocolate and Rooibos tea
10.I struggled compiling this list,and more so with the realization that I'm about as interesting as a box (hah,take that ego)
Until you read again
Ma'assalaam
You might agree that being a good judge of character is important for ones own safety,but if it takes on the aforementioned style of 'listing' I think it would lend to an incredibly judgemental mind frame.And seeing as how we all have faults ( in abundance ) that's a trait we could well do without.if we are 'listing' lets try to keep it positive,focus on the good ( here's hoping I take my own advice)
So in the spirit of steering away from negative listing ,i'll share with you a list of 10 random things most people would probably not know about me
1. My childhood ambitions included becoming a pilot,a sports manager and a pediatrician
2. I am clumsy ( the trip over my own feet type)
3. I'm a recovering 'sports-aholic'
4. All my phobias start with an A ; Acrophobia(fear of heights) ,Astraphobia (fear of lightning and thunder) and Agyrophobia ( fear of crossing roads)
5. I am 22 going on 10,I have yet to lose interest in comics,fairy tales and rhymes.
6. I absolutely despise music and vulgarity
7. I compulsively declutter( material things weigh me down)
8. I was the family clown/ entertainer/dweeb(it included a brief phase of being an Indian Alligator)
9.Im a sucker for print media,chocolate and Rooibos tea
10.I struggled compiling this list,and more so with the realization that I'm about as interesting as a box (hah,take that ego)
Until you read again
Ma'assalaam
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
The difference is from the heart
I sometimes go through my blog to give myself an idea of my progress,if any and also because Im a bit finicky when it comes to my writing style(more about that in a later post) .anyway,today i was struck with the thought,that sincerity so strongly affects the nature and outcome of actions,my blog being no exception.
Reading over a few of the posts It was so easy to recall my mind frame when I had written them. I mostly write when I'm feeling inspired but there were some that I had written light heatedly ,or simply on a whim. And the difference is incredible! The ones that are from the heart speak to the heart whereas most others just spill out messily onto the page.it's like when someone comes to you for advise,you can tell them what they want to hear or you can with sincerity tell them the truth no matter how painful it may be to hear .the former will appease them for that time but they will still have that problem,whilst the latter might offend them initially they will eventually see its light.I guess what I'm getting at is that in whatever we do sincerity needs to be present.if we are doing and saying things insincerely ,they ultimately become meaningless no matter how good they initially appeared to be. So whether we are advising, praising or expressing how we feel ,we need to be certain that it's coming from the heart. Else we eventually turn into robots,people pleasers ,shallow ,deceitful and fake!
May the Almighty make us sincere in our public and private lives,and above all grant us sincerity in worshipping Him.Aameen.
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Reading over a few of the posts It was so easy to recall my mind frame when I had written them. I mostly write when I'm feeling inspired but there were some that I had written light heatedly ,or simply on a whim. And the difference is incredible! The ones that are from the heart speak to the heart whereas most others just spill out messily onto the page.it's like when someone comes to you for advise,you can tell them what they want to hear or you can with sincerity tell them the truth no matter how painful it may be to hear .the former will appease them for that time but they will still have that problem,whilst the latter might offend them initially they will eventually see its light.I guess what I'm getting at is that in whatever we do sincerity needs to be present.if we are doing and saying things insincerely ,they ultimately become meaningless no matter how good they initially appeared to be. So whether we are advising, praising or expressing how we feel ,we need to be certain that it's coming from the heart. Else we eventually turn into robots,people pleasers ,shallow ,deceitful and fake!
May the Almighty make us sincere in our public and private lives,and above all grant us sincerity in worshipping Him.Aameen.
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Lazy day biscuits
So I'm a baker as most of you would know but I don't share any tips or recipes here.i apologize for that major oversight in the past year and a half.*blush* anyway I am going to dedicate at least a quarter of my posts now to my passion and hope you share your yummies and suggestions with me as well.
This recipe is an absolute favorite.And tho it involves no actual baking it still deserves its place here. So let's get into it.it's called Lazy day biscuits and I make them pretty often.Not coz I have many lazy days ,okay well I do, but they are really that good!
Ingredients
90 grams butter
60 ml condensed milk
2 tblsp honey or golden syrup
1 tblsp cocoa
1 pkt Marie biscuit crushed
Method
Melt together the first three ingredients in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the crushed Marie biscuits. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased tray . Decorate with melted chocolate,allow to cool and cut into squares.Deeelish!!
All done in under 10 minutes and they usually disappear in under 2 days. You can go crazy with the variations. Add marshmallows,nuts,rice crispies,caramel,coconut or anything you fancy.this recipe is not my own,it's adapted from the book Sweet 73 by Waheeda Tayob. Its packed with Simple ,great tasting treats cover to cover,and thus far flop proof
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
This recipe is an absolute favorite.And tho it involves no actual baking it still deserves its place here. So let's get into it.it's called Lazy day biscuits and I make them pretty often.Not coz I have many lazy days ,okay well I do, but they are really that good!
Ingredients
90 grams butter
60 ml condensed milk
2 tblsp honey or golden syrup
1 tblsp cocoa
1 pkt Marie biscuit crushed
Method
Melt together the first three ingredients in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the crushed Marie biscuits. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased tray . Decorate with melted chocolate,allow to cool and cut into squares.Deeelish!!
All done in under 10 minutes and they usually disappear in under 2 days. You can go crazy with the variations. Add marshmallows,nuts,rice crispies,caramel,coconut or anything you fancy.this recipe is not my own,it's adapted from the book Sweet 73 by Waheeda Tayob. Its packed with Simple ,great tasting treats cover to cover,and thus far flop proof
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Thursday, 6 September 2012
"Your aspirations are your possibilities"
Throughout my schooling career I was adamant that I would one day succeed in the corporate environment.tho my career choice changed with each academic year ,I maintained that I would someday make it as a career woman.but come the end of my matric year I think I was most surprised when my heart was inclined to an entirely different pursuit.
Mid January 2008 I enrolled at a girls Madrasah.my decision evoking reactions ranging from shocked to doubtful ,regardless I was certain that this was the way forward.my experience at Madrasah is one that will be forever rooted firmly in my heart. The atmosphere at Madrasah is amazing,one that can only be fully comprehended and appreciated when you are actually there.at Madrasah I learnt the things that a 12 year academic education failed to even touch on.of the thousands of aspects i was taught the ones that readily come to mind are; Nothing or Noone can be more important than Allah and His commandments.With Allah there is ease and the answer to every problem.The ikhlaas of the Kalima lies in staying away from forbidden things.A believer should live between hope and fear.From the experiences of our Nabi SAW and firsthand i was shown Family extends beyond the ties of blood.there is nothing lost from what we share,but rather there is increase and blessing. No matter how much knowledge we acquire there will always be something new to learn and certainly knowledge without practice is pointless.
Each phase of our lives comes with challenges,Madrasah was no different.there were some days when Shaytaan would try to coax me away from my goal,but through the mercy of Allah I completed and I have no regrets. My educators have worked tirelessly to instill the Love for Allah and Nabi SAW in us,leaving a rich legacy for us to aspire to.I make dua that every Muslima is blessed with such an opportunity ,to be actively involved in the acquiring and imparting of Deen. Aameen.
Mid January 2008 I enrolled at a girls Madrasah.my decision evoking reactions ranging from shocked to doubtful ,regardless I was certain that this was the way forward.my experience at Madrasah is one that will be forever rooted firmly in my heart. The atmosphere at Madrasah is amazing,one that can only be fully comprehended and appreciated when you are actually there.at Madrasah I learnt the things that a 12 year academic education failed to even touch on.of the thousands of aspects i was taught the ones that readily come to mind are; Nothing or Noone can be more important than Allah and His commandments.With Allah there is ease and the answer to every problem.The ikhlaas of the Kalima lies in staying away from forbidden things.A believer should live between hope and fear.From the experiences of our Nabi SAW and firsthand i was shown Family extends beyond the ties of blood.there is nothing lost from what we share,but rather there is increase and blessing. No matter how much knowledge we acquire there will always be something new to learn and certainly knowledge without practice is pointless.
Each phase of our lives comes with challenges,Madrasah was no different.there were some days when Shaytaan would try to coax me away from my goal,but through the mercy of Allah I completed and I have no regrets. My educators have worked tirelessly to instill the Love for Allah and Nabi SAW in us,leaving a rich legacy for us to aspire to.I make dua that every Muslima is blessed with such an opportunity ,to be actively involved in the acquiring and imparting of Deen. Aameen.
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Ramadaan 1433
It came ,it left me in awe and I hope it conquered atleast a few of my nafs( evil desires) Inshaa Allah. my favourite time of the year has passed and it was a very busy one(which should explain my absence). like with so many other things it left me with a great feeling of sadness,not for what the month was ,but for what we now make of it.
Each year we experience a heightened sense of spirituality during Ramadaan,and that's how it should be. But What gets me down (excuse the pun) ,is how after the high,we fall almost flat on our faces the very next day or in the week that follows.the day of eid becomes a showcase of the wrong ideals ,not the day of prizegiving as we have been taught. Immodesty and gossiping are of the evils that almost immediately slip back into our lives.There are many exceptions to this but I think we all can relate in some way to how we see our efforts go in vain by our OWN hands.
WE can make the choice to continue to guard our eyes ,our ears ,our limbs and minds. And WE can make dua that Allah guides our hearts to what is good eternally. It's up to us to decide if WE have truly loved ,appreciated and honored the amazing month that has left us.
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
Each year we experience a heightened sense of spirituality during Ramadaan,and that's how it should be. But What gets me down (excuse the pun) ,is how after the high,we fall almost flat on our faces the very next day or in the week that follows.the day of eid becomes a showcase of the wrong ideals ,not the day of prizegiving as we have been taught. Immodesty and gossiping are of the evils that almost immediately slip back into our lives.There are many exceptions to this but I think we all can relate in some way to how we see our efforts go in vain by our OWN hands.
WE can make the choice to continue to guard our eyes ,our ears ,our limbs and minds. And WE can make dua that Allah guides our hearts to what is good eternally. It's up to us to decide if WE have truly loved ,appreciated and honored the amazing month that has left us.
Until you read again
Ma'assalam
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