Convention, revisited

So where did I finish? oh yes.. i remember... So the next lecture which I was looking forward to 'his beloved: Aisha's relation with the messenger of Allah' but the speaker didnt show up for the weekend so it didnt go on. I dont think i sat around to find out what was going on, or I did and cant remember but I know I went around the bazaar for that time and for the maghrib and dinner break too. I was so much better with the bazaar this year, I know I still spent alot of money there, but it was for things I wouldnt have gotten for the price I paid and I did still get to see a lot of the lectures which was my regret from last year. Alhamdulillah. After my purchases we made our way to sit down for the lecture, and before it was a quran recitiation masha'allah

Then Hakim Jackson gave a brief speech about bridging the gap between ideals and reality in muslim families. He talked about how parents needed to realise that there kids can either go one way or the other, its no good asking them to practise your culture when they have never lived in the country you come from. Which is so true, its hard for the teens of today, if they want to practise islam they cant rely on what their parents teach them is the true islam. Parents have to remember that their childhood is very different to the childhood of the kids today, especially in a different country. I think many parents dont realise how hard it is in the west as a teenager, yes they might too have seen peer pressure but probably not peer pressure from non-muslims (im assuming from the muslim country immigrants) It was good how he put across his point and insha'allah many parents went away with some questions and reasoning in their heads.

Next was a lecture on: For the love of our children, related to the second degree murder charge of an Ontario man towards his daughter. This was totally related to Hakim Jacksons talk in that parents need to realise this isnt Pakistan, or Saudi, or Africa, or wherever the parents have come from. This is Canada and if you cant accept what this country might do to your kids you really should have thought more before moving here. You cant move with the 'i want to give my kids a better life' better life in what sense? materials? money? education? think about the affect on your deen, on their deen! insha'allah I dont offend anyone with this, and I am definately not pointing the finger for the death of this teenager. Zaid Shakir gave this speech with someone else, who I cant remember because the dude in the program didnt turn up. I wasnt intending on staying for this lecture but we ended up staying and it was a good lecture masha'allah. The next lecture was a video translation which we had had before at some point and it was hard to concentrate so we decided to scrap that one too. So we checked in with a few friends alhamdulilah and stood around till about 12am talking outside the lecture hall. The worse thing about living in Cambridge is how far away from my friends I am and most dont have cars. I stood outside talking with a friend, then moved onto her mum, then her sister in law then back to her, it was amazing masha'allah and I can honestly say i have never felt so welcomed and comfortable as with her family alhamdulillah. May Allah listen to her duaa and follow her through life. Her mother is a british convert, her sister in law is a convert and we connect so well.. I just wish she could commit to things more ;P cause we have so much fun when we do finally get together. Anyways, thats hardly a conversation to go into when i should be writing about the convention, Im trying to upload a little video i took when the Qari was reciting but i cant seem to upload it, maybe its too big :( oh well.

That was the end of that day.. and still we tried to get to bed early but didnt make it. And the sunday morning we too tried to get there early, we actually arrived earlier than the saturday but still late.. oops.. but thats another post :D