Items for sale

please visit my dear sisters blog to check out the things she currently has for sale. With all proceeds going to help a terminally ill patient in Pakistan insha'Allah. A duaa would also be good insha'Allah

My journey to the 2nd pillar

So after reading Aalyas and UmmTravis' journey's I thought I would post about mine. Now be warned it wont be as long, as cute or as inspiring but its my story and God knows best.

It all started with my journey into Islam, I just to go to 1 chat room, I cant even remember it now but there I met a few good people (actually bro A lol) and we would chat offline. One of the people was a brother in Africa who I spoke to often, I cant remember how we got on the subject but he decided that he was going to teach me to pray. So first we started with the basic movements and the short phrases (subhana rabbil atheem/Allah) after a week I knew what was supposed to be recited but didnt know those things, like I knew that surah al-fatihah and another surah was supposed to be recited after the long bits but I didnt know what to recite for surah al-fatihah if you get me. After learning all this I came across something saying that women pray differently than men and to this I told him, poor guy.. he didnt know that opinion and I told him, Im not going to learn all that again just cause Im a woman and I forgot about it. We would talk about other things after that and he would sometimes apologise for not looking into things. I didnt blame him, why would you look into something that you didnt know might be different for someone else? May Allah reward him for his intentions and efforts.

I found an online written document taking me through the movements and tried to pray once, I remember reading at the start of the prayer 'bring your hands ear height' can u imagine what I thought?? this nazi gesture just didnt fit in with what I was learning about the religion :) embarassing to think about it now heehee.. I remember reading more quran at that time and prostrating at the places pointed out and reciting the duaa given in my quran.

It wasnt until I was back at uni that things picked up again.. I must never have really forgotten things because just before converting I looked into things again and found a few hadith and websites that didnt see the need for a woman to pray differently than a man, and I go by this opinion now alhamdulillah. So I decided to pick things up again, I would write the verses out on flashcards (I still have them) with the english on one side and arabic on the other. Yes Im another who wants to learn both, although admittedly I dont remember half of the english now after reciting in arabic for so long *blush* So I actually started praying before I converted, I think it gave me a big push into converting because of how I felt when I did do it masha'allah. When I have my nose to the floor and Im reciting my prayers and asking my creator for forgiveness I just felt so at peace alhamdulillah.

I always like to tell sisters who are new to the deen that our religion wasnt given to Muhammed (saws) in a few weeks... 23 years!!! and that those who stumble and find the foreign tongue hard are given extra reward for every letter they receite.. subhanallah.. can u imagine??

Well thats my story.. see boring!! ;) jazakAllah khair for reading, would love to hear your stories

are you an adult?

Subhanallah, I just signed up for the petition to impose an arms ban on Israel. After following the link and submitting my signature I decided to check the signatures as someone had mentioned that they recognised a few signatures. While having a look through the signatures I got a little frustrated by some of the names I found on there. Dont people realise that putting stupid and non names dont make things better? (Im not too sure about forenames only, but it isnt hard to write a surname) They arent classed as signatures and only makes the community look stupid! Also, is there a point of writing Dr? what are you trying to tell us? ;) and how about Mr X? does it matter? really.... come on. Just take a look at some of these:

• Mohammed
• J
• saz1292
• am British and I want to
• Bomb Israel
• RuKu

I am pleased how ever to see the amount of 'muslim' (muslim sounding, I obviously cant speak that they are muslim without knowing them) names on the petition, but also the amount of non-asian sounding names on the petition masha'allah. Shows this isnt just a muslim thing.. this is a world wide thing!!! Insha'allah something will come about from it, the petition closes Jan 27th, so those of you in UK who havent signed it yet... GET SIGNING!!!

Would you pray for Palestine??

So my girl Nora has written a post about getting those of you in and around London, UK for a 24 hour prayer virgil for Palestine. Would you be interested? All you need is a prayer mat & a bottle of water for wudu :) If you cant pray there are jobs that would need your helping hand too insha'allah. So please... comment on the blog and let her know your opinion on the event insha'allah

Duaa

So today I had intended on telling my dad that Im a muslim, we had arranged to go out for lunch.. I thought, just the 2 of us.. I even (which isnt unusual for me) had the conversation thought out. However I came home last night to find that he had invited my auntie and her family, and then he turned up today with his wife... I just wanted to get this written down and ask for your duaas insha'allah

Duaas for a sister

Assalamalikum everyone... ok, so here is the article* this is a friend of mine, and I lived down the road from her before I moved to Cambridge. Where I used to park my car was at a school across the road from the house I was living in, I dont even want to imagine if it was me.

Louie Rosella

Apr 10, 2007

Peel Regional Police are seeking two men who terrorized a woman and stole her car late last night.

The 25-year-old Mississauga woman wasn't hurt, but she was left traumatized after being approached by two culprits as she pulled into the driveway of her Nahani Way home, near Hurontario St. and Eglinton Ave., just before 11 p.m.

The carjackers fled the scene in the victim's black 2006 Honda Civic.

Police said the woman was parking her car in the garage when a man opened the door and told her to get out. The woman left the vehicle when a second man jumped into the car from the passenger side.

The culprit who drove off in the car is described as a black male, 20-25 years old, 5-foot-9, with a medium build, round face and wearing a grey hoodie pulled over his face.

The passenger is also a black male, 18-25 years old, with a thin build and wearing black clothes.

Investigators warn motorists to be alert to people loitering in your parking area and to not drive without first locking the doors and closing the windows.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-453-2121, ext. 1233

Now here is a little of what she writes in her blog...

I can't believe they ran into my garage like 10 seconds after I parked inside to open my door and pull me out. They came out of NOWHERE because I didn't see anyone around when I pulled in. Only one was pulling me out of the driver's side and I kicked him like a MANIAC with my coolsome large sized Converse shoes but he wouldn't let go. I could have carried on but his friend got into the passenger's side in the meantime and although I dont think he did anything to me, it was terrifying that he had gotten in. So the guy trying to pull me out managed to win after all my shrieking. I hit my head and have some bruises but it's nothing serious. The police got here in a matter of minutes and were awesome. It was a difficult night and I didn't go into work today but I am feeling much better thanks to awesome family, friends and food. Oh and of course, thank God. It definitely could have been much worse.

One thing though, we really dont take safety precautions seriously enough. This is a pretty 'safe' area but this has happened a few times around here. Look into self defence classes! I keep thinking, if my doors were locked when I was driving they would not have been able to get to me or if I had just started honking the horn then they would have run, and if this then that and blab blah blah but oh well. In the words of the very wise Alanis Morrissette, "You live, you learn".

My cell was in the car (along with my digital camera & wallet- boo!)

Then on a funny note.. as this girl has a serious wicked sense of humour masha'allah,

So.. what is the moral of this note? Here it goes: If you are ever in desperate need of a ride, don't steal a car.

Soo... why am I writing this, I want to ask you for your duaa girls.. for my friend and for the people out there who are constantly being ripped off for things that dont mean the world but things that help them in their day to day life.

My day

Assalamalikum girls, so today it started snowing again.. but it was only little bits, then stopped long enough for me to get the push to go drive to the masjid for jummah. Alhamdulillah once i got there the stuff fell from the sky for ages and I was dreading driving home, but alhamdulillah (again) the stuff hadnt stuck. So for jummah i got there at 1250 ready for the khutba in english as was told by a friend, I waited and he started telling all about all the trials and tests the prophets had been through, the 952 (i think) years Noah (alayhi salam) did dawah for masha'allah. That took me to 130pm, still no sign of anyone other than some young girls from the school, and I noticed alot of people were walking past the area I was sitting in and going up some stairs.. hmm, where do these stairs lead I wondered. So in the end i stopped a young girl and asked her, she told me she thinks thats where the ladies go, so I walked up the stairs passing by many pairs of shoes and eventually came to 2 doors. One of the younger girls went through a door that leaded to a little room, which I came to the conclusion is an area for say... women with children or who arent praying, this room then lead to a massive area, ok I reckon you could prob fit about 150 women there masha'allah, for women to pray that over looks the guys area downstairs. I always thought downstairs was too small, fits about 30 at most. So im all happy and excited, I pray sunnah, because I already prayed my 2 rakah for entering the masjid downstairs. Then i sit back and wait for salah. Masha'allah it was soo nice and im so happy i went, I will insha'allah def make this part of my friday timetable and find out if they have the congregational prayer on the other days too, which they should do shouldnt they??

Anyways, I didnt waste my time while i was sat downstairs on my own, Im currently learning the qunut duaa for witr salah.. Ive learnt the english alhamdulillah.. Im supposed to be learning it with my algeria forum girls and the date was feb 28th, yes its passed and i apologised to Allah for not doing this,, but my intention is still there insha'allah. So, while i was sat around wondering where all these women were disappearing off to i learnt the first 4 lines alhamdulillah... and theres only 5... masha'allah, so insha'allah tonight or this weekend i will finish it all.

Well, I should really be leaving for work about now... but got to get food ready. Insha'allah Ill catch you all soon. Oh and check out my website girls.. got a vote going on, sign the guestbook & got a new timer that lets me know where my visitors are signing in from Fi amenallah

Sleeping duaa

Assalamalikum, well as promised to 2 special girlies... I found a duaa for before you sleep and when you wake up. Now there is lots of duaa you can say, the ones Im posting are from a daily duaa book that I bought heres the link* so I will post the transliteration and the english.. if you want the arabic let me know, and insha'allah i will try try try to sort something out.

Before sleeping

Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya O Allah, with your name I die and live

After waking

Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur All praises are due to Allah who has given us life after taking it away and to Him is our raising (on the day of judgement)

My afternoon

Salam sisters, Ive been quite busy this evening and wanted to tell you all what Ive been up to. So the girl I car share with, shes gone to Poland for a month so Im driving on my own for the time being. Its nice, being able to leave when I want and do things after work. Tonight, after work I went to the gym for an hour... it was nice, I pushed myself a little bit more because well Id like to move into Ramadan in some sort of shape insha'allah. So i ran, cycled and did the machines, mainly my legs, arms & abs... heehee, what else is there to work on?? lol. Then I went for some food shopping, the gym is in the shopping centre, and bought quite good stuff. Watermelon, bananas, oranges, nectarines, noodles, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, some milk (which I drank on the way home), grapes and some bread... then I drove home, this was just after 6 so the traffic wasnt too bad alhamdulillah. Then I got home, unpacked the food, and put some washing in the washing machine. Checked my forum... 1 post, ate some watermelon & watched coronation street. Now im here writing this.
In relation to my... strengthening my deen thing, well I decided to forget about that list thing I made.. wasnt useful, Im just gonna write it down insha'allah. Anyways, I bought something the other day my new quran masha'allah its really good, it has notes about each chapter, arabic, english & transliteration, and footnotes.. alhamdulillah I love it. And also, I learnt the duaa before sleeping, I didnt realise but it was sort of sticking in my head bit by bit. Yesterday I went to a masjid to pick up a book i left there ages ago.. alhamdulillah I eventually found it, but before finding it we had to wait because there was a sheikh there giving a talk. I wasnt too sure whether it was the khutba or just a talk, and eventually realised.. so I was listening to some of the things he was saying and he mentioned the importance of saying this duaa before sleeping. Listen to this sisters.... Imagine... passing away in the night, you are pure because you should be clean (wudu wise) before you sleep but if you say this duaa you are even purer as if you where saying the shahada at the time of death... thats what I got from wot he was saying anyway, hmm... mayb I shouldnt write this if im not sure... ok, so anything wrong is from Me & shaitan, only God knows everything. Allahu alim.
Ok.. so that is what Ive been up to, nearly finished my shahada stitching too... insha'allah Ill have it finished soon. Keep in touch. Fi amenallah