My weekend finally

Assalamalikum girlies.. so I just woke up after a 'little nap' I was sooo tired this afternoon, I went to bed at 1730 to have an hours sleep.. didnt actually start tryin to get to sleep till 1820, this is how tired I was.. i didnt hear the adhan for maghrib missed the end of my fast (insha'allah this doesnt make it invalid) or my alarm and woke up at 1950

Fajr Ok, so heres how it went.... Saturday morning, I wake up at 5 for fajr at Istiqamah masjid in Mississauga for the start of my mosque trek. I sit at my computer for a bit after arranged with my friend down the road to meet her in front of her house at 0530 (i was working for a few hours so I had to be able to leave on my own) I wasnt really expecting anyone else to be coming for fajr so this for me was the start of my islamic day. So im sat down chatting to a few friends and eating a little, then I realise I should probably start getting ready otherwise I would be late. According to the website fajr was 0615 and we wanted to get there a little early to get together outside and get sorted inside. So i make a cup of mint tea to take with me, as Im sorting out my bag I pick up my phone to put away and realise I have a text message from the friend I was supposed to be meeting. Sayin she just got to bed at 0200 so wouldnt be coming for fajr, I was annoyed and thought about not going but decided I had the intention of doing this so I should go, I mean... only Allah (swt) knows who would be there so I still went. I got there after about 10mins drive which I was impressed with, getting to the masjid it was the usual masjid u find in the middle of an industrial estate.. just a building, nothing fancy.. but alhamdulillah, so its dark and the sign says brothers & sisters use the back entrance. So I drive around to the back to find no other cars there and a sign saying sisters entrance, I pick up my tea and make my way in the rain over to the door... guess what! Its locked! So I knock a few times... looking back I should have knocked on the door next to the sisters entrance.. but the fact that there were no cars was just weird.. it was in the middle of no really housing, would the wives be dropping the guys off, to drive home, then to drive back to pick them up?? I cant really see that happening somehow. Allahu alim.. so I drive home, and pray fajr in the comfort of my own home.. then I sleep for an hour before getting up for the airport.

Dhuhr I leave at about 1215 to get to the next masjid, I didnt know how to get there.. never been before so wanted to get there on time, plus after posting my intentions at toronto muslims website I had a few emails from sisters and was meeting one of them at this masjid. So I was a little nervous too, she was older than me.. she told me double my age so i was thinking around 50.. so was worried that it wouldnt be what she was expecting but alhamdulillah we had a great time. In the end there was only me & her for the 3 day time prayers, I was upset.. cause I wanted to share this experience with more people, but alhamdulillah this way I was able to concentrate more on the reading side of the day and less on idle chatter alhamdulillah. I got off the highway and started towards the masjid, thats when I worried I wouldnt be able to find the place... and if you know me, I get sooo nervous and get really stressed driving in areas I dont know. I shouldnt have worried.. subhanallah, 2 sets of lights or so later I saw the minaret from the lights before... subhanallah this place was massive & amazing. I took pics of my travels, so insha'allah once I have them developed Ill post them (my battery died on the last masjid I visited) I stood around for ages, worried because there was a funeral taking place and there were sooo many people, I was thinking, man!! I dont even have her number, or know what she looks like.. alhamdulillah at 1300 a couple walked up to me, she stood infront of me kind of not sayin anything, then she was like... Ammena??? alhamdulillah, so we hugged and salamed. Then we finally made our way in, after more hugging and putting her home made cake in my car (which was yummy) So we prayed the 2 rakahs for entering the masjid and sat down to read.. I started some sewing, only to realise I had taken the scissors off the shelve but not put them in my bag. I was reading my quran and I bought my stories of the prophets book too. Then the prayer was getting closer and the room was filling up lots, with a few women crying for the deceased (who we later found out was an imam) we prayed more sunnah and eventually fard. Then took part in the jennaz which Ive never been to, it was strange and I would like to learn more about it.. it was alot of takbir, and duaa but was nice to be apart of. We decided to stay awhile after to let the crowds move before leaving and when we came out i took a few pics of the masjid.

Asr We made our way to Taric masjid which I have seen many times from the highway and always wanted to go to, eventually I managed to get there, I remember seeing last Ramadan some ppl going into the masjid for iftar and I was soo amazed. The place is amazing, so big.. so we walk in, the first thing I notice the women & men prayer space is in the basement, you see its tall as well as square footage, I guess I assumed that the women would be on the top floor with the men underneath. So for them both to be on the same floor, I was like.. oh ok then. So we find our the gym and library is on the top floor, the gym is used for everything really.. lectures, iftars, sports, weddings... pretty cool. We walk down and take off our shoes.. I notice that the place isnt that big which surprises me, then I cant see where we are supposed to pray.. we ask a guy who tells us in there ie the same place as the guys... yup u guessed it.. no barrier, not even a curtain.. subhanallah.. yes I know there shouldnt be, but when you get soo used to being shoved in another room or begin a screen you just assume.. subhanallah apart from praying behind my other half.. this was one of the most unforgettable prayer experiences in my life, and I will never forget that insha'allah. Subhanallah!!!

Ok, so its getting late... and im tired, still so insha'allah Ill continue tomorrow. Can u wait?? tough you have to heehee. Fi amenallah girls