ThE Oc MeETs MeCcA

New Year, New beginnings iA

2007-01-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

*~ asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

So iA i'm thinking of starting to post again! LOL..I know I know, I was gone for way too long and actually miss all you blog friends! I get a little nostalgic when I realize I'm not up to date with some of your lives! I'm back in NYC with my sister and one of my friends from LA staying with me this week! YAAY! All I've been doing is spending money that I really shouldnt be..but oh well! lol

****

Here are some updates on my life since I last blogged...

I went home for winter break, but also flew to Chicago for about a week and spent Eid with my dad's side of the family, which was a change for once, since I hadnt seen a lot of them for about 6 years! They were all shocked to see I wasn't an awkward 14 year old with braces and tomboy tendencies! haha! I then flew back to LA for the remainder of my vacation, which was only about 4 days. :( Sucked because I hardly got to enjoy the nice weather and before I knew it, I was on another plane heading back to school!

****

This time around I have five classes and, yup, still two jobs! haha crazy I know! But iA I still try to make some time for fun here and there!

****

Oh, don't worry, I have some 'juicy' news up my sleeve, but ya know, I don't wanna give up all the fun stuff at once! haha...just stay tuned iA! hehe..

wasalaam everyone!

~ Madiha ~

@>---

:Free Time:

2006-11-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

*~Asalam'alaykum wr wb~*

Sometimes life moves faster than we can blog. That's been me lately, so many things going on at one time alhumdulillah that I can't even form a coherent enough thought. Having 2 1/2 jobs (haha don't ask about the 1/2) and going to school full time gives me only about a few hours of downtime in a day.

****

I'm ready for vacation. *sigh* I hate this downward spiral leading up to the holidays and these next couple of weeks are the last stretch towards the finish line, my trophey, Turkey Day (a.k.a Thanksgiving) in Maryland! :) woohoo...

****

I miss home. I wanna be driving along the coast, windows down, listening to John Mayer with no real destination in mind. I wanna be walking on the beach with my friend Sophie and then afterwards hit up the cute little market in Malaga Cove for some chocolate chip cookie dough frozen yogurt. iA just one more month and i'll be home....

*****

Ok, I can't blog too long because even now i'm at work trying to write something worth reading while fearful that my boss'll step in at any moment. This definitely does not look like India's Murder laws, what I should be researching at the moment. OH and btw..does anyone know about India's Murder laws? haha see blogging can be useful to my research!

wasalaam everyone,

Madiha :)

Eid Mubarak :)

2006-10-24T11:41:00.000-04:00

Eid Mubarak Everyone!!!!!!!!

Jazakallah for all your wishes and iA i'll post as soon as my week's a little less crazy! I've got an exam in a few hours and a paper to turn in by tomorrw that I haven't even looked at yet. argh, why am I such a procrastinator! ahh...anyways, keep me in your dua's iA!

Wasalaam,

Madiha :)

One of the Bad Guys...

2006-10-18T23:47:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

I was so in need of a job and some money lately that it wasn't even funny anymore. I hate living off an allowance and haven't lived off of one since high school, and i'm definitely not going start now. Like most people, making money the easiest way possible is my primary goal. Following that creed, I figured getting a job at my school's library would be a breeze and would definitely get me some quick money. What i hadn't figured on was how freakn bored i'd be! After my supervisor 'taught' me that in order to do a "+" sign I had to press Shift and +/= I knew I had to quit!

****

My first day was Monday from 10am-2pm and right after I got off, I went and emailed a law firm about a job. Facing challenges on a daily basis is more important than just getting paid. I never realized how important this concept is to me until now. So, today I had an interview with a firm and alhumdulillah I got the internship! Inshallah it seems like a very interesing position, but i never thought i'd be working for a criminal defense firm. I've worked with the District Attorney (prosecution), but defense! The bad guys?!

****

Most people are like, you're a muslim and you're working for the defense!?! I'm such a person as well, or at least i was. Firstly, there's a difference on whether you work for a defense firm where the partners can pick and choose who they get to represent and secondly, who's going to represent Muslims that are innocent of terrorist or conspiracy charges?!
They are also considered criminals in the eyes of the government and are often misrepresented :(

****

The work i'm going to be performing is fast paced and very challenging. My boss already gave me work and I don't even officially start till Friday, but InshAllah, this work will give me the experience most firms want to see on resumes.

Lets just say i'm going to be even more busy than I had been, but iA I won't forget my blogging buddies!

Wasalaam,

Madiha :)

p.s. i luv my roomates..especially maheen cuz she ain't ditch me! :p lol *mwah*

::Who's older?::

2006-10-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb* ~

Ashton and Demi, Jutin and Cameron are all doing it and it seems to be the latest craze in Hollywood. "It" is the fact that older women are marrying/dating younger men. Ironically, for once Hollywood seems to be promoting an Islamic sunnah. Since we can't date, we can still consider the question of whether it is really so off the wall for a girl to marry a younger man?

****

In many cultures, especially including my own Pakistani culture, a girl marrying younger than her is quite taboo and talked about in hush hush tones. When does this kind of marriage cross the line into the land known as "robbing the cradle." We commonly hear of men marrying girls much younger than them, hey, often times it seems like the younger the better! Why is it then ok for a man to marry a girl 20 years younger than him in our communities, but if a girl ever even entertained the idea of purusing a boy 20 years younger, WOAH, bring out the stakes and get the lighter fluid ready. Something like that can never be allowed! But if we look to Rasulallah as an example we know that Khadijah (raa) was older than the Prophet (saw). Surely, following the sunnah cannot and should not be considered wrong.

****

All these various classifications are so engrained in our minds and in our upbringing that I find that I too pause when I hear a boy marrying an older girl or vice versa. Then again, maybe a 20 year age gap is a bit pretentious because even for Western standards its a little wide. How young is too young though? To me it all depends on the guy.The requirment should be subjective because its difficult to just say, "oh i think 1 year younger should be the max." Some guys still act 19 when they're 30 or some 19 year olds act 30 at their age....

*****

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

Just heading to the masjid...Really!

2006-10-05T11:54:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb ~*

Most every night alhumdulillah my friends and I go to pray taraweeh at the masjid closest to us. Although, there's this large, beautiful and extravagent masjid that almost EVERYONE goes to, we decided to support our local masjid instead. Its a cute masjid, which is frequented by men mostly, but thank god, it has a totally seperate entrance and salat area for the women. Yet, there's something odd about this masjid.

****

On late nights, after taraweeh and most often Isha, and especially Friday and Saturday nights, you might find yourself fighting around crowds of people decked out in their club clothes. These people are all waiting to get into one of the hottest sheesha (hookah) bars in NYC, which is located right next door, even sharing a wall with the masjid. Hey makes it easier to just whip off the hijab and place it around your waist for some dancing... OMG j/k astaghfr'allah! Sorry i couldnt help myself :p Still, I don't really put it past someone actually doing that.

****

Anyways...I guess this is what you'd call the quintessential craziness of New York City. Talk about temptation and then being turned off by it! If i was going to check out a sheesha bar and saw the masjid next door, where sometimes people exiting after isha prayer, i'd be turned off in a heartbeat and my guilt would most definitely eat me alive.

****

Nowadays after leaving taraweeh, my friends and I often come face to face with the roped off portion where people are waiting to get in and, yes, some of these people are even fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. Takes ogling in the hallway of the masjid to another level now doesn't it hanna? lol

****

wasalaam,

madiha :)

p.s. make sure to watch that vid i put up too! jazakallah!!!! :D

sigh I love this! :)

2006-10-05T11:44:00.000-04:00

Asalam'alaykum wr wb...

SubhanAllah this is so beautiful and if you've already seen it, just watch it again :D

Shahadah

2006-10-03T05:49:00.000-04:00

~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb ~

I haven't been posting because, as some of you may already know, my computer has been away for repairs. Its hard to blog when you're using someone elses computer and I kinda feel like i'm imposing. Since its sahoor time right now and my roomate has decided to go back to sleep, I can blog a little iA....

****

This past weekend I was able to see a young girl of about 20 years give the Shahadah. SubhanAllah it was one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen :D I always just remember them announcing at Jummah that someone had taken the shahadah and that there were sweets outside, but i'd never really witnessed or even participated so intimately with the whole process. At about 4:00 am Saturday morning, my friends and I went out to Cozy's, this cute diner, for sahoor and then made our way to the Islamic Center after Fajar with flowers. We were surprised to see that the girl was so young! And on top of that, she'd learned all about Islam and even some Surah's on her own by reading transliterations! This really made my Ramadan mashAllah :)

Goes to show how beautiful Islam is and how much we take for granted when we're just born Muslim. iA may Allah {swt} bless her and give us tawfiqh as well. (ameen)

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

{p.s. ok i hate ta use black font..but it wont let me do my colored fonts :( So, this'll be a rare sighting! lol}

{Chinese Proverb} Only Through Letting Go

2006-09-23T20:27:00.000-04:00

Only through letting go can we truly possess what is real...

****
Sometimes we forget the importance of forgiveness. A little while back I spoke to someone who admitted to me quite vehemently that she found it hard to forgive others for any wrong they may do to her; whether it be a grave wrong or something menial. She even went as far as to say that she'd find it hard to forgive her family, including her parents. Its difficult for me to comprehend that a person could be so set on her ways and so hard in her heart that she may find it difficult, if not impossible, to forgive others for their sins.

****

A few posts { re: Reformed Players} back I mentioned the importance of forgiveness and Allah {swt} as Al-Ghafoor and Al-Kareem, Alhumdulillah. If he can find it in his heart to forgive the gravest of sinners, given that they repent and keep from committing the sin over again, how can we not find it in our hearts to keep grudges? In many families (yes, including mine too) people, even brothers and sisters, hold grudges for the smallest things! Their behavior is the antithesis of what Allah {swt} has prescribed to us brothers and sisters in Islam.

****

I tried to explain to the sister that forgiving someone is not only 'good' for the sinner, but most importantly it is healthy for the one doing the forgiving! InshAllah it is important to forgive and especially to forgive those that ask for it; and, even if they don't, then for your own sake, you should find mercy in your heart to just let go.

****

A relationship is built on two wings, the wings of love and mercy. One without the other is useless and eventually if this duality is not present, the relationship will fall apart, crash and burn, or whatever you may want to call it. So this Ramandan, inshAllah I pray that we all find it in our hearts to forgive. Its not enough to say, "Oh Allah forgive my sins" it is something we must really truly feel in our hearts!

****

InshAllah may this Ramadan be a chance for us to cleanse our souls and strengthen our imaan. Ameen :)

wasalaam,

Madiha

::Ramadan Mubarak::

2006-09-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

Allah is the Greatest. O Allah bring us the new moon with security and faith, with peace and in Islam, and in harmony with what our Lord Loves and what pleases Him. Our Lord and your Lord is Allah. {ameen}

Ramadan Mubarak Everyone! :)

wasalaam,

Madiha

Buddha Bar

2006-09-22T12:17:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

Good news! Someone turned in my wallet so Alhumdulillah i've got it back without anything missing. Still, since I'd cancelled my credit cards, I have to wait for them, which pretty much sucks.

****

Anways....

Last night I went out to one of the most awesome restaurants in NYC, the Buddah Bar. It is totally a classic New York trendy, hip scene. Once you walk into the restaurant it's a whole other world, kind of reminded me of an amusement park ride at Universal Studios. The restaurant has this sleek, sexy, and mysterious feel. There's an arched hallway entering the restaurant with gold oriental statues arches along the sides and the atomosphere is dark with deep colors of red and gold all around. At the back of the restaurant is a huge buddha, surrounded by water and the lounge area is fill with asian brocade inspired beds with hundreds of candles. Not only is ambiance fun, they also had one of the trendiest Indian deejay's as a resident playing Bollywood music, some Alabina, Nancy and Hakim along with hip hop.

****

There were about 15 of us there for a friend's birthday. Our table was on a platformed "stage" that simulated a boat on water and from our table we had a view of the water and koi fish swimming below. We ordered sushi as appetizers along with chicken samosa's and tuna tartar ( which I like loved!). For dinner we had an array of fusion style Chinese, Thai and American food ranging from fried rice, shrimp rice, grilled vegetables and ribs (which of course I skipped out on). Then we ordered an assortment of deserts. I got to try the chocolate cake with green tea ice cream (sooo good!) and the creme brule. There were a few other deserts, but I was way to full by then to try them.

****

Another sort of extra about the restaurant was the patronage and *ahem* eye candy. I've never seen so many good looking people in one place! And especially Middle Easterners! lol Sadly though, I can't say much about their "muslimness" since most had drinks in hand, well unless it was water and i was mistaken..but nowadays I highty doubt I was mistaken. At least it's an easy way to nix out the ones that just dont cut it. lol I must say that overall the night was a lot of fun and i'm definitely gonna hit up the Buddha Bar again :p

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

chk it out @ http://www.buddhabarnyc.com/

Desi Trophy Wives

2006-09-18T20:32:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum~*

I lost my wallet at school a few minutes ago and I'm still praying that some kind soul will turn it in. I hate losing things and losing my wallet is up there on the list of things I never want to lose! Good thing is I was dead broke, so no money (actually I was headed to the ATM when I noticed it was missing) and I had my metro card ($76 monthly pass) in my pocket. Those are the only things of great value since my credit cards and debit card can be cancelled easily. Well other than the fact that it was my new Dior wallet, i'm over it... :p

****

Anyways, I wasnt going to blog about my lost wallet, but since it JUST happened I figured i'd get it out. What i've been meaning to blog about is the following...

****

What always kinda amazes me is how some guys can marry girls from "back home." Wait! Before you bite my head off let me go on... For example, I know of guys, born and raised in America, educated from some of the best universities and holding great jobs, but for some reason they'll go back and marry a girl from a small village who may not even speak English. What prompts guys to do this? And what in the heck do you do for conversation with a girl like that? If the situation was reversed and I felt the need to go marry some dude "back home" and then had to teach him how to bascially live, I think i'd die! Sorry, but just thinking of teaching him EVERYTHING and not being able to talk about basic things sounds so boring to say the least.

****

Well there is the old adage that comes to mind; boys want to marry someone like their mother. Is this then the traditional type of wife their looking for? Or is this the desi equivalent of a 'trophy wife?'

****

Wasalaam,

Madiha :)

::Unwanted Stares::

2006-09-10T12:10:00.000-04:00

*~Asalam'alaykum wr wb~*

I hate how some guys feel that its neccessary for them to remark on how a girl looks or stare blatantly as she walks by. What's even more annoying is when the girl doesn't provoke it.As most you are probably aware, NYC, like San Fransisco and London, has a "walking culture," where you are definitely more exposed. The comments and staring are ignorable of course, but what about when it effects your daily routine somehow? Recently i've had to deal with this.

****

I always get my coffee from this one cute little coffee shop that's, thank god, not Starbucks and is surprisingly owned by a sikh guy. He's like an "uncle" sort of guy and quite friendly. Well recently his son has started working there and now I have to avoid my favorite coffee shop like the plague! Everytime I go into the place i'm subject to comments, innuendos and mass amounts of flirtation, all of which I really don't want, need, or provoke! Actually I barely speak ( haha a shocker I know!) other than give my order and try to escape as fast as possible. I think its unfair that I now have to deprive myself of my favorite thing because of some dumb guy! And to make things worse, the place is right in front of the subway station I take, meaning I have to pass by everyday and see him. I'm thinking that if I keep ignoring him, he'll get the point, but if not, then maybe i should just say something...?

****

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

2006-08-29T18:51:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb~*

The South Asian culture can really be an embarassment sometimes. I've been staying at my aunt's place these past coupla days and all she watches all day is either Zee T.V or GEO. For those of you aren't familiar, they are some of the large South Asian cable networks. I'm not one to watch these channels because I certainly don't have time and also, I personally think its crap. I'm sorry if this offends some of you, but it really is. More specifically the dramas are so wasteful, unislamic and spread the worse sort of cultural stereotypes ever!

****

One drama focuses on the life of a married girl who is hated by her jealous sister in laws because of her dark complexion. They can't fathom how such a dark girl could land such a handsome, fair skinned guy. Yea, it shows her difficulties in living with such people, but still the entire time, the viewers just feel bad for the "poor, dark" girl, kind of like, "how sad that she's so dark." What type of message does this send to people?! How will we as Muslims move past cultural stereotypes and cultural thinking?

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

Moving Day....

2006-08-25T07:27:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb~*

My flight to NY is in a few hours and I will be back in the City for another year of law school..yippee. For some reason, although i've done it all before; moving to a new apartment, living alone and going to law school, i'm more anxious this time than I was the first time around. Maybe it's becuase I now know how difficult it all was! Ignorance really is bliss at times. Then again, inshAllah I can use my experiences to make things easier for me this time around. Well, whatever it is, I pray that Allah swt make things easy for me and that this year is much more successful to me than the last. Ameen :)

***

I'll probably be MIA for a few because of my move. Please keep me in your dua's. Jazakallah.

Wasalaam,

Madiha :)

I.C.E. In Case of Emergency

2006-08-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb ~*

Here are some things your cell phones can do if you find yourself in some hot water...

****

1. 112 Emergency

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of
coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the
mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for
you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is
locked. Try it out.

2. Locked Keys

Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keys?

This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone:
If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call
Someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your
home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.
Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.
Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach
someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or
the trunk).

Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a
cell phone!"

3. Dead Battery

Hidden Battery power

Imagine your cell battery is very low, you are expecting an important call and
you don't have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with a reserve battery. To
activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the
instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged
when you charge your cell next time.

4. Stolen Cell

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your
phone: * # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your
handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen,
you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be
able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone
will be totally useless.

You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole
it can't use/sell it either.

haha and some of my own bit of wisdom... :p

5. Nasty guy/girl tryna' pick you up...

For those times you need to escape number giving make sure to know your local "rejection number." Its an easy way to get rid of unwanted suitors, to express a lack of interest in a non-confrontational manner, and to gracefully escape an uncomfortable situation.

If you're in the U.S. go to www.rejectionhotline.com for your city's local number and if in the U.K., the official reject number is 09061 100 596

Wasalaam,

~ Madiha :)

7 Days & Random things

2006-08-21T14:00:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb~*

It's now 7 days till the start of school & so the countdown begins... *blah*

****

Sometimes I wonder why certain people come into our lives. Why we were meant to meet; what purpose it served.

****

Today I found $500 in a bank account of mine i'd forgotten about! Don't ask how someone forgets about that much money...i just did. lol I have two words, Shopping Spree!

****

Something to remeber...

Observe how the life of this world deceives those around you.
It lures them into the traps of vanity, wealth, and fame, and exalts them above others. This splendor blinds them, and they are lost forever in illusion. But then in one instant, life deals the blow of death, and all is gone, and with the Beguiler
it stands laughing at their sad end. So overcome your egos that you may be saved
from the snares that devoured kings and paupers alike.
-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, "Fayuz E Yazdani"

****
haha ok I just realized I posted this quote right after my "shopping spree" comment... Coincidence? For sure! lol
****
oh well, ho hum, back to packing...
wasalaam,
Madiha :)

Something For the Boys...and Girls

2006-08-17T01:55:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

Even though my dad is very fair and very well balanced in his Islamic & American (western) way of thought, he’ll fall back on those lame, culturally based gender statements that sometimes make me wonder if he’s even from this planet! Yet, the disease of culture runs deep in the veins of its victim, holding tight and more destructive than it seemingly is.

****

According to Islam, men and women complement each other. They are equal members of the society and they have their duties and responsibilities. There are some differences between the roles of men and women in the society, but these differences do not make one gender superior and the other inferior. The talk of superiority or inferiority is based on some of un-Islamic cultures, but it is certainly not part of Islam.

As-shams (the sun) is feminine, and Qamar (the moon) masculine.
The sun burns itself to give light and life to everything around,
the moon is Muneer, reflector of light; radiating the
brilliance of the sun.

So when we shine as men, the implication is that we are reflecting the glorious light of our women.
- Sheikh Abdullah Adhami

wasalaam,

Madiha

Please keep my mom in your dua's. Her health is not so good these days. Jazakallah Khair.

~ Bonfire @ the Beach ~

2006-08-14T13:20:00.000-04:00

It's finally time for me to admit that summer is almost over and it's almost back to school again.*groan* This weekend I went to a bonfire and spent hours at the beach. Although my mom wasn't too thrilled with my hot, new tan... lol. wutever! Here are some pix.. :)

This is a view of the beach (doesn't that tree remind you of the one from "The Ring".. freaky!)

The beach near the Port of Los Angles.

Our bonfire or "fire ring" as they call it. We got to eat s'mores..yumm... if you don't know what s'mores are they're basically roasted marshmallow on a graham cracker with dark hershey's chocolate. :D

These were the various bonfires around the beach...this one 's of some random guys next to us.... mixture for trouble:
Teenaged boys + alcohol+ vast amounts of wood+ lighter fluid = pyromaniacs!

LASIK...

2006-08-11T01:26:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

Since I was 14 I've had glasses and because my eyes are really sensitive, I can't wear contacts. My glasses are one thing i'm most vain about. Who wants to wear glasses with shalwar khameez at a party or wedding?! It looks so dorky! The only time i'll wear them is when I have to drive or watch t.v., otherwise i'd rather be "blind." Hey, the world's a lot more rosey without them anyways. Everyone in my world has celebrity perfect hair and skin.... haha. Still, I can't live like this forever!

****

And lately I've noticed a major downfall to my vanity. Yea I can't see, that's and obvious uh oh, but by not wearing my glasses my eyes strain, thus getting worse! And recognizing people as they approach me has become difficult. I've accidentally started offending people because I failed to acknowledge or recognize them from a distance. And not to mention the fact that I can't check out the eye candy lol...j/k However, (sadly) and more seriously though, I really can't see what potential rishtas looks like at parties. My mom gets so mad because I always have to reply with *shrug,* "Sorry I couldn't see what he looked like."

****

So now, after little convincing, I've gotten my dad to agree to Lasik Eye Surgery! My mom had the surgery about 12 years ago and Alhumdulillah it's been great, without any side effects or pain. Today I went in for a consultation and the Doctor passed me for the surgery.

****

LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted IN Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using a laser. A knife is used to cut a flap open in the cornea (scary I know!). The knife, I should mention, is very small and my mom said that it feels like a sting in the eye and nothing else. Then the flap is folded back revealing the middlesection of the cornea. A computer-controlled laser vaporizess a portion of this middlesection with small pulses and then the flap is put back.

****

The entire procedure takes less than 30 mins and is relatively painless. I can't wait to get ridda my glasses and Inshallah next Saturday i'll find out my surgery date!

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

And Life Goes On...

2006-08-05T09:21:00.000-04:00

:: Hasten to do good deeds before the order of Allah comes to pass {sunrise from the west} ::

Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd:

I heard the Prophet saying, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar), and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that. There will come to me some people whom I know and they know me, and then a barrier will be set up between me and them." Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri added that the Prophet further said: "I will say those people are from me. It will be said, 'You do not know what changes and new things they did after you.' Then I will say, 'Far removed (from mercy), far removed (from mercy), those who changed (the religion) after me!**

:'(

The Minor Signs of the Last Day
by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali

Qiyamah will come when...

Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (R.A.) narrates that Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhii Wassallam) said, "Qiyamah will come...

* When it will be regarded as a shame to act on Quranic injunctions.
* When untrustworthy people will be regarded as trustworthy and the trustworthy will be regarded as untrustworthy.
* When it will be hot in winter (and vice versa).
* When the length of days is stretched, i.e. a journey of a few days is covered in a matter of hours.
* When orators and lecturers lie openly.
* When people dispute over petty issues.
* When women with children come displeased on account of them bearing offspring, and barren women remain happy on account of having no responsibility of offspring.
* When oppression, jealousy, and greed become the order of the day.
* When people blatantly follow their passions and whims.
* When lies prevail over the truth.
* When violence, bloodshed and anarchy become common.
* When immorality overtakes shamelessness and is perpetrated publicly.
* When legislation matters pertaining to Deen is handed over to the worst elements of the Ummat, and if people accept them and are satisfied with their findings, then such persons will not smell the fragrance of Jannat.
* When the offspring become a cause of grief and anger (for their parents).

The following is part of a lengthy Hadith narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood (R.A.) when he inquired from Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) about the Signs of Qiyamah.

* Music and musical instruments will be found in every home.
* People will indulge in homosexuality.
* There will be an abundance of illegitimate children.
* There will be an abundance of critics, tale-carriers, back- biters and taunters in society.
* People will establish ties with strangers and sever relations with their near and dear ones.
* Hypocrites will be in control of the affairs of the community and evil, immoral people will be at the helm of business establishments.
* The Masjid will be decorated, but the hearts of the people will be devoid of guidance.
* The courtyards of Masjids will be built beautifully and high mimbars (pulpits) will be erected.
* Gangsters and evil people will prevail.
* Various wines will be consumed excessively.

Auf bin Malik (R.A.) says: I came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) while he was in his skin tent during the Tabuk expedition. He said to me, "Count six things before the advent of Qiyamah:

1 My death
2 The conquest of Jerusalem
3 Mass deaths amongst you people, just as when sheep die in large numbers during an epidemic
4 Abundance of wealth to such an extent that if a person were to be given a hundred Dinars he will still not be satisfied
5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it
6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar
(Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men." (Hadith: Sahih Bukhari).

IRAQ and SYRIA

Abu Nadhrah says: "We were sitting in the company of Jabir bin Abdullah (R.A.) when he said: 'Soon the people of IRAQ will neither receive any food (grain) nor any money.'" We asked, "Why would such a thing happen?" He replied, "Because of the non-Arabs." (i.e they will prevent food from going into Iraq, in the form of "sanctions" to this day.) He then said: "Soon the people of Shaam (SYRIA) will neither receive any money nor grain." We asked as to why this would happen. He replied: "Because of the Romans (christians)."

CONCEITED PEOPLE:

Hadhrat Abbas (R.A) narrates that Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) has said, "Islam will spread far and wide, across the seas. Horses will cross the land and seas in the cause of Jihaad. Then a time will come wherein a group of people will emerge which recites the Quraan. They will claim,

'We have recited the Quraan and is there anyone who understands the Quraan better than us? There is NO ONE more proficient than us in the study of the Quraan.'

Then Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) asked the Sahaba, "Do you see any good in their claims?" The Sahaba replied, "No". Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said, "But these conceited claimants will be from my Ummah and will be the fuel of the Fire."

from "Signs of Qiyamah" (excerpts)
by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali

** Translations of Sahih Bukhari Book 88, Afflictions of the End of The World
Volume 9, Book 88, Number 174

Documentary: Occupation 101

2006-08-02T23:40:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum wr wb*~

One of my friends sent me a link to this moive and I was wondering if anyone had seen it. I think its definitely worth watching especially in light of recent events.

****
The film 'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions. The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the United States' role, and sheds light on the major obstacles which stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace.

Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict -– ‘Occupation 101’ explains the situation in a comprehensive manner and gives audiences a complete context in which to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian encounter. The film depicts the root causes of the conflict through Israeli, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, American, and Palestinian voices that are rarely ever heard through mainstream media outlets.

The film covers a wide range of topics -- which include -- the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe of the 1880’s, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, and also covers the recent Gaza Disengagement of August 2005.

TaGgEd!

2006-08-01T03:03:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum wr wb *~

So I was "tagged" by Neverland82 and will definitely be passing on the "tag" to fellow bloggers; because, hey I'm curious to know what you're all about! :) Oh and I hope you don't mind, Neverland, that I've added 3 more questions I found kind of fun to the list....

* Alone, or with people?

I think everyone needs a little of both. I am for sure, no doubt a people person and on top of that I like being the center of attention. Still, I need my alone time, which usually comes in the form of a book or a run.

* Summer, or winter?

Hah..winter? psshh are you nuts?! Summer all the way! I'm a SoCal girl and you can't beat the salty, sea air, coconut sunblock, and *ahem* the view...LOL Plus I love to sail and sailing isn’t much fun in the winter!

* Black, or white?

Haha, I know with my blog you can't tell that i'd even go with either, but white is so totally hot! One day inshAllah I wanna throw an “All White Party” a la P Diddy...that would be so tyte.

* Observe, or get along from the very first moment

Although I'm a social being, I like to observe first and get a feel for the person. Alhumdulillah I'm a really good judge of character most times and can easily screen out those that don't really measure up. However, once you’re in the "In Circle," you’re my homeslice forever because I have an extremely strong sense of loyalty.

* Clown, or Drama (Queen/King)?

I hate drama and I'm definitely really laid back, so i'd haveta choose clown.

* A Hummer, or A BMW convertible car

Beemer Baby! A white BMW Z4 3.0i Roadster w/ beige interior { *sigh* inshAllah someday}

* Loyal or………

Loyal or what, unfaithful? LOL would someone actually pick something else? Just wondering. Anyways,
as I said before, loyalty’s very important to me. (i.e. loyalty from me to my friends and family and vice versa).

* Favorite Material Posession....

Mmm this is kind of hard because I really can't think of anything so important to me. I'd say my cell phone though. Its the only thing I really would miss if I lost, broke, etc...

* When I look at someone, the first thing I see is....

Their eyes. Eyes are truly very telling.

* My life is....

I felt that this graphic really summed up how I felt about life....

Yea ok this is a bit High School, but in case you were feeling nostalgic...

I really want to know how you feel about the "tag" questions and all those I "tag" make sure ya'll are good sports and answer the questions (truthfully) please (either on your blog or mine, doesn't matter)! :p

wasalaam :)

~ Madiha ~

TAGS for those w/o Blogs:

* Zahera
* Anonymous
* Sambam (Samosa)

get started girlies ;)

Chicks Rule! :D

2006-07-30T02:09:00.000-04:00

*~Asalam'Alaykum~*

My favorite pass time *evil gleam in eye* lol

http://www.davidandgoliathtees.com/games/throwrocks.html
wasalaam :p

Warning: don't really try this in real life..no matter how mad you get :) LOL!

"The Sky's Falling!"

2006-07-27T02:18:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum *~

There’s no denying it, I’m a chat-hog when it comes to chatting with my friends online. I never used to be until more recently; when I was forced to keep in touch with my friends via the net or end up talking to my apartment walls with sheer boredom. Since my move to NYC for school, I’ve gotten more into the internet world of chatting and blogging and MashAllah even developed great friendships with solely “online friends.”

****

Still, there’s one thing that seems to get to me every time. Some people I’ve come across forget that the disembodied pink (in my case), Georgia fonted typing actually represents a real-life person. Yes, we all know that the net gives some of us too much “freedom” with our words and thoughts, flirting and inserting too many winky, cutsie smilies, but how about those who think that chatting is always some sort of therapy session? Of course we all have problems and life can’t be “happy, happy joy, joy” all the time, but shouldn’t there be a limit to the number of problems you can discuss with just one person? Unless that person is a psychologist (*ahem* like Zahera…lol) or a psychiatrist, it’s not at all an appealing quality and truthfully makes that person want to avoid chatting with you all together!

****
Good friends are those who share their companions both happiness and sadness; however, I think that complaining how much your life sucks, how depressed and upset you are because you couldn’t eat pizza today or that they ran out of your favorite ice cream at the market is a little too much. Especially if that's what is being dicussed every time.

Your life should not be an “’OMG, the sky's falling’” Chicken Little Syndrome.” I think some people need to take a step back and see what hardship really is.

****

So next time a friend asks how you’re doing, take time to remember that some problems can wait, especially if they’re not imperative. It doesn’t mean your friend is being selfish, it just means that you’re being considerate.

Wasalaam :)

::: Reformed Players :::

2006-07-24T00:41:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'Alaykum*~

When looking for a spouse one obviously looks for the most common traits (i.e. decent looks, career, morals, etc…) One of the most important traits is of course that of a good Muslim. But while being thrust upon the “rishta scene” I’ve come across something that makes me take a mental step back. Is it fair for a girl to be introduced to a “reformed player?” You might say “Oh of course you should accept him! MashAllah he’s a good Muslim: prays all five prayers and observes Islam fully! Perfect!” Well, I don’t think so. Okay, before you object heavily to that, let me explain myself fully.

****

play·er (pla.er) n.

One who utilizes the game to his advantage to be able
to date multiple women at once without being caught by the other
women.

****

There’s this breed of guys that we all know as the players; living up to the “boy’s will be boys” adage and basically giving a damn about their “Muslimness.” In my definition, the Player will go out and party, have a girlfriend or two, and maybe even dabble in some drinking and drugs. He’ll only claim to be Muslim when it makes him look gangster, “Oh, don’t mess with me, I’m Muz foo!” Mmm ok yea. *rolling eyes* Can we say immature.

****

It’s usually later in life that this Player decides to reform himself, more especially around the time he decides to jump on the bandwagon and get himself a nice, naive wife who’ll be, lo and behold, a good Muslim girl. But is that fair? Now if the situation was switched….

****

What would happen if the guy was the nice, innocent Muslim boy and the girl was a *ahem* player (we all know she'd be called somthing else entirely...something along the lines of a word beginning with an "S" and ending in a "T")? I’m pretty sure she’d have a harder time ridding herself of the “player” image. A guy is forgiven much more easily for his digression from Islam than a girl is. Once again our various Desi cultures screw with what’s fair and right. So many times I’ve heard the excuse that boys will grow up and follow the right path, but for now let them be. Why!?! I think we girls need to take a stand and give the reformed players a hard time, something I’m sure we’d be subject to if we carried the label “reformed player” sometime in our past.

****

It is important to remember that in Islam a man and a woman are not allowed to be alone together, and any physical contact before marriage is forbidden. Hence, Dating is not permitted in Islam.

****

"(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and
chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)
before your time, when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the
husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking
them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking
them as girlfriends. ... ” - Al-Ma'idah 5:5

wasalaam :)

I ain't fallin for it this time!

2006-07-20T14:50:00.000-04:00

Brunch in the City.

That's the title of the evite I received this morning. Pretty innocent sounding right? Wrong. I fell for it last time, but they can't fake me out twice! Some of you may remember my other seemingly nice, innocent get together..yeah the *cough* naseeb *cough* event.

Deer In Headlights

One embarrassing moment thwarted one more left to damage control! I just sent a "personal" email meant for one Muslim Bar Association Officer, to the entire Board of Directors. Sometimes I wonder how I even make it through the day on my own. *ugh*

~ wasalaam ~

Sign & Forward!

2006-07-19T02:53:00.000-04:00

Please go to http://julywar.epetition.net and sign the Save the Lebanese Civilians Petition and forward this invitation to your friends.

Lebanese civilians have been under the constant attack of the state of Israel for several days. The State of Israel, in disregard to international law and the Geneva Convention, is launching a maritime and air siege targeting the entire population of the country. Innocent civilians are being collectively punished in Lebanon by the state of Israel in deliberate acts of terrorism as described in Article 33 of the Geneva Convention.

wasalaam...

~ Madiha ~

Cupcakes :)

2006-07-17T02:42:00.000-04:00

Cupcakes always brighten up your day! I made some this weekend and they tasted great! :P

Here's a pic before they all ran out, some are already missing as u can see....

** wasalaam **

Requests for Du'a...

2006-07-14T04:26:00.000-04:00

I received this email and felt that it was important for all of us to read.

As’salaamu alaykum

Inshallah all is well with all of you

Recent events have stirred many thoughts in my mind. Train wrecks, bombings, kidnappings, etc., all over the world things are taking place that require attentiveness, but where do our thoughts lie? How often do we wonder what we can do to help and then how often do we actually take the steps to help? Our ability to act might be somewhat limited and a means to speak out is perhaps beyond our grasp. At no given time however should we forget that we will always inshallah have the ability to help those in need in a way that is more powerful then our actions and our words alone, and that it through our du’aa. Yet for some reason we choose not to do so.

We pride ourselves on describing our ummah as unique and diverse; a nation transcending language, gender, ethnicity and creed. Yet when the time comes for us to help one another, even by a simple utterance of words that would take mere seconds to be spoken from our lips, we fail to respect that diversity. We enjoy that which has been given to us, as we have the right to do so alhamdulillah, but we should not forget that there are those who do not have the same experiences that we do. The prophet Muhammad alayhi salaam has told us in a tradition la yu’minu ahadakum hatta yuhibu li akhihi ma yuhibu li nafsi that “not one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” What we fail to remember sometimes is that the word brother in this hadith is not qualified by any term. He does not say your brother in race, your brother in ethnicity, your countryman, or your kin. All he says is brother, a word so simple in meaning, yet many of us have forgotten what it stands for.

Let us today stop defining ourselves in terms of our skin colors, of our cultures, of any of our differences.

Today let us raise our hands and pray for everyone, everywhere; for the orphan child that sits at home wondering when his parents are coming home, whether he is in New Orleans or in Darfur; for the young girl who is forced to remove her head covering, whether she is in France or in Iraq; for those who are standing with no roofs over their heads, be they in Kashmir or Palestine or Lebanon or Afghanistan or Sudan; for all those who are feeling some kind of pain, some kind of remorse, some grievance or need, let us pour our hearts out for them all in hopes that our words will make a difference in some way, as the One who will be hearing them is the One who has the power to change all things, azza’ jal.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide us and protect us, May He bring ease to the lives of all those who are in need of tranquility and peace, May He grant strength to the weak, understanding to the ignorant, wisdom to the knowledgeable, and justice to the oppressed, and May He accept all of our prayers and secret wishes, as there are no secrets from Him. He is the All-Knowing, the Merciful.

Ameen ya rabbul ‘aalameen.barakallahu feekum jamee’an was’salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu

Khalid Latif
New York University Chaplain
Islamic Center at NYU

Curiousity is Baad!

2006-07-14T02:09:00.000-04:00

mmm u've probably noticed that I have a new template. Well I guess I touched something I wasn't supposed to and royally screwed up the previous template and hence had to start over. The other one was so pretty too *sigh*

So don't worry, I'ma have all the links back up asap iA. In the meantime, sorry its not that entertaining @ the moment. :P

wasalaam :)

::Supernatural::

2006-07-13T01:37:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum~*

...While sitting around with my cousins the other day, I experienced this overwhelming sense of familiarity that felt like it shouldn't be familiar at all. We were hanging out, cracking up about different things and all of a sudden I had the feeling that i'd already experienced this very thing -- same situation, same place, same topic. Its not something new because it's occured before, but everytime it does happen, it kind of 'creeps' me out. The term used to describe this feeling is most often referred to as déjà vu, which in french means, literally, "already seen."

But...what exactly is it? Some scientific theories say its a type of precognition, or a pre-knowing, which is probably the most common paranormal experience that people claim to have. It is usually where a person "watches" a scene, sometimes in a dream or a daydream, which then later, usually within hours or days, seems to match an actual event and a lot more common than we think.

Some people asked Allah's Apostle (saw) about the foretellers. He said -- They are nothing." They said, O Allah's Apostle (saw)! Sometimes they tell us of a thing which turns out to be true." Allah's Apostle (saw) said, "A Jinn snatches that true word and pours it into the ear of his friend (the foreteller) (as one puts something into a bottle). The foreteller then mixes with that word one hundred lies."
** narrated by Ayesha (raa); Sahih Bukhari transmitted it. Vol 7 #657 of Sahih Bukhari**

Well that's a scary thought! Certainly the Qur'an warns Muslims against Black Magic. The Quran mentions that some people had extra-ordinary powers and were able to do things regarded as magical or miraculous. There is the example of Moses and Egyptian Magicians who faced him. And there is Solomon who controlled Jinn. But what i'm still confused about is why some people have precognition and what do experiences like precognition and deja vu play into Islam and faith?

How does Islam explain precognition though? Just like the lack of information on jinns & the supernatural, I didn't fine much. Once again, many of the fatwas didn't help much either. One' s that I did find were more like the following, a little vague:

Q: What is Islam's position towards psychic people. Can they really know what happened in the past?

A: Psychic people are untruthful people who full their constituents by telling them false information. Any reasonable and wise people will not demean himself/herself to go to a psychic. It is not Halal to practice or use their services. No one can tell anything of the past or future except through satanic dealings.

I know that visiting psychics, getting palm/tarot card readings and believing in one's astrology is a great sin.

Whoever comes to fortune tellers, and asks him about something, his prayer is not accepted for forty days and forty nights. **narrated by Hafsah (raa); translated by Muslim**

** and **

There are three who will not enter paradise: one who is addicted to wine, one who breaks ties of relationship, and one who believes in magic (i.e. the use of). **Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (raa); transmitted by Ahmad.**

However, what about those people that genuinely can see the past or even the future? I don't think all psychic are fake. Off an on, I've "known" things before they actually happened. SubhanAllah, I don't have the desire to know these things nor an interest in the dark arts, but it still happens! So why does it?

~ wasalaam ~

Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem
Qul a'uudhi bi rabbin naas
Malikin naas
Ilaahin naas
Min sharril wawaasil khannas
Alladhee yuwaswisu fee suduurin naas
Minal Jinnati wa naas

****

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful.
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of An-Nas.
The King of An-Nas.The God of An-Nas.
From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws.
Who whispers in the breasts of An-Nas.
Of Jinn and An-Nas.
{Ameen}
*** Ok, so later, I was talking to sister Veiled Knight about this and I asked her to post the gist of our conversation and her thoughts under this post...so here it is------
Ameen to above.
I just had this discussion with my friend a day or two ago, my friend- sister mujahidah an nafs-, Some of this is from what she relayed to me and some is from other bayaans, readings, etc...If i am erreneous-please correct me, jazakAllahukhayr, and Allah knows best.
These 'magical' powers that people have of "seeing the future" aren't real.. Rather these people have been given the Ability by Allah to do something. So what is this something? This something -When it comes to "real psychics"- is the ability for them to "converse" w/ shaytaan. Allah Knows the past, present and future, whereas the angels, jinns and humans are only given the intellect to know the past and present that is relevant to them. So what about the "psychics who 'predict' someone's future?" Before we understand that, we have to understand another thing: Each individual is given a jinn-this is the shaytaan/jinn who is laways with them-this jinn/shaytaan knows of this persons past and present. For the benefit of this lets refer to this one jinn as our 'personal jinn/shaytaan.' So what does this have to do w/ psychics? Allah has given humans and jinn freewill, He has created everything and left it up to us to chose good or bad. When you choose good-certain capabilities come from it... ie: pious shuyukh chose to lead righteous lives- and at some point attain a closeness to Allah-thus enabling this person to see things froma different prespective. Similarily when one chooses to lead a life of sin, he/she sees things froma differnt prespective. The sorcerers or what have you cose to take a path that was destructive and Allah has let them fall into that whole, and given them the ability to "converse" with our "personal jinn." How so? It's not as if they can summon your jinn and just talk to it. The example my friend gave me was something like this: Say you have an exam coming up and your stressed about it- your personal jinn knows b/c that jinn is always with you, so say you goto a 'psychic' and ask "do you see trouble in my future?" or "what does my future hold?" etc. This perosnal jinn and the 'psychic' acquire a connection in which the jinn whispers[somewhat like waswasa perhaps] to the psychic that you are worrying about something or are going through this or that or somethign of that nature. The psychic has been given this ability by Allah- as a means to drop them furhter into that whole which they initially dug for themselves in the first place. If you notice the psychic won't tell you that "you will fail an exam" but will say something like "you will face difficulties in the near future" etc. They are always spot on about you present or past b/c the personal jinn can tell them, but the jinn nor the psychic know what your future holds, b/c indeed Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala is All Knowing.
So what about "pre-recognition" or "psychic dreams?" Subhan'Allah alot of people are bestowed with this ability. For example look at us-as we attain a closeness to Allah we sometiems develop asense of 'this may be better, or worse for me' sort of like a gut feeling.. instint perhaps. A prime example is why we ask the pious shuyukh for advice. The shuyukh who attain this sense of "knowing" that is bestowed upon them-this intellect- which is given to them from Allah, can insha'Allah give us guidance in many areas. Aside from "attaining" this,i think that Allah sometimes jsut gives some this intellect [i.e psychic dreams etc] simply b/c He wills, and He knows that this would be best for us in this life and the next. Some may have a little of this 'psychic' intellect some may have alot, some may have none, and so on- Any intellect we have, whether it be something we acquired or learned or attained etc-It's purely from Allah. He can give and take as He pleases...."Allah gives and takes, but makes no mistakes" Alhamdulillah, and Allah Knows Best.
This is VeiledKnight signing off, jazak'Allahukhayr.
Walaykumasalam warahmatullah.

Quote.

2006-07-11T00:59:00.000-04:00

~ Asalam'alaykum ~

HOME SWEET HOME :)

I liked this quote:

Always keep smiling, no matter what, cause to the world you might be one person but to one person you might be the world

Will post more later iA...i just gotta get some sleep now and all the shaadi business outta my system!

wasalaam,

madiha

Journey...

2006-07-06T02:54:00.000-04:00

~*Asalam'alaykum*~

I'm flying out to Maryland Thursday morning for shaadi # 3 inshAllah :) This time its my cousin on my mom's side, the first one of us too! That means one down and all attention on me and my sister next ::eek:: iA i'm gone for only 4 days and will be back Monday night. Until then be nice guys. hehe :)

Anyways, I came across this really nice post on a journey that I felt was very befitting....

Amongst all the running around, preparing for my journey, I managed to find a
long overdue spare minute and naturally, I began to think…A journey requires so
much preparation in order for it to go smoothly, it also takes much out of you
physically and mentally...
The time we take preparing for the journeys of the dunya outweigh the time
we take preparing for the ultimate journey of the akhira...How much time
do we dedicate to preparing for this most important journey of all; the journey
of the hereafter, the journey that determines our fate as to whether we
abide in jannah or the fire of hell?
This dunya is a temporary moment; it will disappear into an insignificant
memory of the past when we stand before our Lord Allah Ta'ala. Our deeds
will be laid out in front of us and we will have to answer, there will be no going
back. The thought of standing in front of Allah Ta'ala with so many sins to account
for cannot even be comprehended... How ungrateful are we that despite the
many blessings that Allah Ta'ala has bestowed upon us we repeatedly sin, and
each time we are forgiven by Allah Ta'ala. He covers our faults and gives us numerous
opportunities to repent in our lives and to seek forgiveness from Him ...yet we
do not hesitate to commit that sin again...a beautiful dua that brings tears to
the eyes is as follows and can be found in Prayers for Forgiveness By Hasan
Basri (Translated by Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf):
“O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin that my body empowered by the
good health that You had granted, was able to commit; every sin that came within
the reaches of my power only due to the grace of Your bounties; every sin to which
my hand, nourished by Your ample sustenance, extended. And while sinning, I hid myself behind Your veil from the people; and when fearing You, while engrossed in my sin,
I relied on Your assurance of safety and forgiveness; and I took refuge in You,
with Your clemency, not to smite me, and I depended on You, with Your noble countenance
and pardon, to forgive me.”
Ameen
Subhanallah…
Now tell me, how will we be able to stand in front of Our Rabb Allah Ta’ala with the sins that we committed knowingly, that we committed on purpose, that we committed, knowing that Allah Ta’ala would forgive us? A very unfinished ending, but I leave you and myself with the
following to ponder over...
Seek forgiveness, before it’s too late…repent…. before it’s too late
Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

**Excerpt from bloggers Veiled Knight, Mujahidah an-nafs, & Aaliyah @ http://mujahidah-an-nafs.blogspot.com/

Hajj Experience

2006-07-05T04:35:00.000-04:00

~* Asalam'alaykum*~

I came across this pretty tyte site that gives you a Hajj experience virtually! InshAllah I plan on going to Hajj sometime in my life, as most you do too i'm sure, and this is a great way to see what its kind of like! Here's the link :)

** Virtual Hajj **

Also, I came across this movie poster and was wondering if anyone had seen it.

www.roadtoguantanamomovie.com

Happy 4th of July

2006-07-04T05:05:00.000-04:00

Glitter Graphics

too bad most of my friends are brits tho lol...

Feliz Cumpleanos...

2006-07-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

~* asalam'alaykum wa rahmatullah wabarakatahu~*

With all the shaadi hoopla going on and the family visiting from different parts of the country, I'd kinda forgotten that it was my birthday today! Still, I don't think birthdays are all that exciting when we're older anyways. Alhumdulillah, my sister and I already got the best present, all the family together to sing us happy birthday and a du'a by my cousin, who is mashAllah a hafiz and an Islamic Alim in training. But, hey, I don't think i'll say no to a new car or money! lol...j/k j/k :P

Allahumma a-'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatik(a)
'O Allah, help me in Your rememberance, Your thanks, and in perfecting Your prescribed worship.'

wasalaam

Stalked

2006-06-30T19:19:00.000-04:00

~ Jummah Mubarak ~

I'm still at my cousin's house in the O.C. for the weekend, and finally got a few minutes to myself. InshAllah tonight's the mehndi and my sister and I, thank god, have our dance down.

Dude, shaadi's really ARE a place for getting hooked up! Every freakn aunty has like a hidden agenda. I was being too naive when I thought some aunty was just genuinely interested when she asked me what I was studying, how many brother's and sister's i've got, what my mom's name is, what my dad does, etc, etc... I think I got suspicious when she asked me my height. LOL..j/k j/k, i'm not thaat dumb :P

I know it's the way things are, but i'd rather have things be more straight forward. I mean if you're trying to hook your son up and you're interested in me, then just go at it all directly! It shouldn't be like a covert operation! Sheesh! lol

Now, all I gotta work on is escaping S. Aunty. Who is she you wonder? A mother with two single sons, that's who. :O Let pray she quits stalking me, cuz I ain't interested! lol

wasalaam,

~ Madiha ~

2006-06-28T03:34:00.000-04:00

*~Asalam'alaykum~*

...Fries....chips & salsa....naan....

I'm hungry.

Low carb diets suck.

Nowadays all I have is this gnawing hunger, it even wakes me up in the middle of the night. I'm on a mission to get ridda some body fat and that requires low amounts of carbs and higher amounts of protien. Meh. I think its unatural for a desi to have such low amounts of carbs, but then again beauty knows no pain!!!

In other news, tomorrow my sister and I are gonna go spend the night at my cousins house, aka the shaadi house. All the fam's flying in starting Thursday for the shaadi which is on Saturday. InshAllah it should be fun, but in the meanwhile my sister and i've been trying to make up a few dances for the mehndi, which by the way is Friday and we just began about an hour ago :O

*la la la Aaja nachale e aaja nachale* :P

Ma'salaama...

::Payce::

2006-06-27T03:52:00.000-04:00

*¸¸. *~ Asalam'alaykum~*

****
Today, while I was at the Indian grocery store buying some stuff for my mom, I saw a Hindu Monk. It's just kinda odd to see a monk in the middle of an urban city, especially a monk decked out in all his "gear." Images of peace, serentiy, and aesthetic living usually come to mind when one pictures a monk and that's why seeing one in LA was a little wierd.

****
I must say that even though I don't hold the same beliefs as the Monk, its hard not to admire his courage in wearing traditional clothing so openly. I know from previous readings and theology classes that Monks are souls that follow the path of the traditional Hindu monastic, and are vowed to poverty, humility, obedience and purity, among other things. Well, after paying for my groceries, I walked out to the parking lot to my car and noticed the Monk follow me out. As I started my car, I noticed him get into his car...

First shocker, Monk in LA;

Second shocker, Monk driving a car;

Third shocker, Monk driving a Lexus SUV!!! Worrd!

****
Uhh...what were monks supposed to be doing again? In case you'd forgotten: living lives of poverty & humility. LOL...people are definitely not what you expect them to be.

* *.¸.*´ ¸.•´¸.• *¨) ¸. •*¨)
~ wasalaam~
(¸.•´ (¸.•.•´¸¸.* **¸¸.*

Oh Snap! Another One of 'Em.

2006-06-26T03:39:00.000-04:00

*¸¸. *~ Asalam'alaykum*~

There seems to be a new trend hitting shaadi's recently. That one word that kills some of the shaadi excitement and any hopes of meeting or even seeing someone. S.E.G.R.E.G.A.T.I.O.N. Hey, the bride and groom have it set, I mean why be shisty, don't you think it's only fair that they share in their happiness? lol...

****

In all seriousness though, we all know for a fact that the boys' momma's are out to play at shaadi's and they're hunting like mad (and vice versa). I believe that most of us are old enough to know what the proper etiquette is around the opposite sex. Even so, in reality, we're surrounded by the opposite sex in our daily lives all the time; at work, at school, in public, etc... Isn't it better for us to be around those that are Muslim with, as we would hope, some modicum of sharm and hayya? At least it's definitely more likely to be there than anywhere else! For that reason, segregated shaadi's are da gay!

****

Of course even @ segregated shaadi's the mackers and "teehee-ers" are gonna be taking bathroom breaks and phone calls in the lobby. ::rolling eyes :: Those are totally inescapable and marked off the "potential's list" right off the bat. I can understand the reasoning behind segregation, and maybe i'm being a little cultural here, but I still think that for this day and age, with all fitna we have to face today, allowing shaadi's to be mixed isn't the worse thing in the world!

****

Well, anyways, ima have to suck it up and go anyways.. *shrug* Just know, my shaadi's not gonna be segregated, Oh hell no! :p

* *.¸.*´ ¸.•´¸.• *¨) ¸. •*¨)
~ wasalaam~
(¸.•´ (¸.•.•´¸¸.* **¸¸.*

2006-06-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum ~*

The last couple of days have been building up to a crazy next three weeks of partying. Yesterday, I was invited to one of my friend's family's business Grand Opening. They own the largest auto body shops in Southern California and all I gotta say is, am I glad they love me, cuz whenever I ding something on my car (or...ahem on my dad's..eek) I have someplace to go...hehe...

MashAllah the Arab's definitely know how to throw a party. From valet service to the food, the party rocked; and after grabbing some food from Carousel (Arab joint in Hollywood ya'll should try out), checking out the exotic cars and trying to pick up some of the hot Arab guys..(haha ok ok fine, that's a lie! ), we headed to my other friend's graduation party.

My friend graduated with her Bachelor's in English from UCLA and i've known her since before high school. I'm glad I got to see all my old friends from high school and the Masjid Youth Group, especially because I've moved to NYC in the past year. We didn't do anything amazing at the party just hung out, played some air hockey, and watched a movie in her theater. Yea, I said theater, like all "MTV Cribs" style :O ...pretty tyte I must say. Every house should come with that! :P

Anywho...alhumdulillah, today's a chill day...I just wanna veg out in front of the t.v.

~ wasalaam ~

If you can't get a dog....settle for FISH!

2006-06-24T16:39:00.000-04:00

~*~ Asalam'alaykum ~*~

My brother's been harping on wanting a dog for some time now. His zeal for a dog intensified when one of his best friends got one too and then his requests for a dog escalated from 5 times a day to about 15 times a day. Oh, and of course he can't just settle for just any dog either. It hasta be a little pitbull/chihuahua mix. Basically a tiny dog that looks like a thugged out version of a chihuahua. Whatever! To me its still a tiny, chick dog, but, hey, whatever makes you feel like your manliness isn't questioned. lol.

Anyways, well him getting a dog is basically a slim chance in heaven and hell because my dad'll never allow it (unislamic and all as it is). So yesterday on his way home from a party, he randomly bought himself fish. A dog to fish?! hookay....haha, but don't you guys worry, they're not just any fish, they're "manly," Betta fighting Fish. The funny thing is that I know my brother, even though he acts all "hard" he's the 'lil baby of the family at heart and he'll probably not end up letting them fight. I can see his attachment growing already and its only been 1 day. lol.

Well anywho, he's working on training them to fight and all i'm trying to do is make sure I don't get stuck changing their water and taking care of them because that what usually ends up happening. :O

~ wasalaam~

p.s. He just came and sat next to me with the fish so they can watch t.v with him..aww.. talk about attachment!!! lol)

{that's Chuck Taylor (left) and Dillinger Aka Daz Dillinger (right)}

Hollywood copying Bollywood! Worrrd!?!

2006-06-20T19:41:00.000-04:00

You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the U.S. of arrogance, Germany doesn't want to go to war, and the three most powerful men in America are named 'Bush', 'Dick', and 'Colon.' Need I say more?" -- Chris Rock...

Yea foolio...how bout adding that Hollywood's doing a remake based on a movie made by BOLLYWOOD to that list of craziness!!!

Don't they know how Indian movie's really go? If ya guys had forgotten or never seen an indian movie before (good, cuz you were kinda spared), here's a basic synopsis of any indian movie:

The remake, surprisingly, does sound kinda interesting. Chris Tucker (Rush Hour) plays a Gangster who pretends to be a doctor to please his family. Anywho, here's the article I scrounged up on the remake:

Gangsta M.D.: Chris Tucker in dem Bollywood - Remake?

LONDON: Bollywood has a fine tradition of remaking Hollywood hits, but the tables are being turned now and an Indian comedy, Munnabhai MBBS , is set to be remade in the United States.

Munnabhai, MBBS , starring Sanjay Dutt, a flick about a gangster who pretends to be a doctor whenever his parents turn up, will be shot as Gangster MD . It will be directed by Mira Nair, best known for Monsoon Wedding in 2001.

Nair said Chris Tucker, the Hollywood action star who came to focus as the wise-cracking cop in Rush Hour movie, would play the lead in Gangster MD .

Filming is expected to begin after Tucker finishes shooting Rush Hour 3 with Jackie Chan in Paris this summer.

Munnabhai MBBS is one of Bollywood's success stories. It tells of a gangster's decision to redeem himself by trying to become a doctor - which he hopes will also prove himself to the woman he loves and her father, superintendent and principal of a medical college and hospital.

Nair said she might cast some actors from the Bollywood original and is on the lookout for Indian stars.

wasalaam :)

Pure Hearts

2006-06-19T14:02:00.000-04:00

~Asalam'alyakum~

If life's a roller coaster then i'm on the big momma of them all. It's kinda funny how life can be going so smoothly one second and take a turn in the next. Some superstitious people might call it nazar, karma or just plain bad luck; I think i'll call it Allah swt's master plan to keep us on our toes. Kinda like playing russian roulette, without the gambling of course. I'm not saying my life's sucking at this point or anything. Alhumdulillah, I've got a great family, i'm on summer vacation spending my days reading, swimming, getting in a game of tennis and just plain hanging out with my friends.

****

All i'm saying is that life's just different. As we get older, so come the mountain of responsiblities and in the foothills of those mountains lives an inescapable, and evil emotion; Stress. I know that when i'm stressed, i'm not the most pleasant person in the world. I'm prone to being irritated and short with others, and I hate that I do that! InshAllah I pray that Allah swt give me patience and the ability to work past the feelings of stress in a productive way. {ameen}
So how do I get over these feelings of stress? Its a natural, human feeling and something that no one can escape from.

****

It is not the eys that are blind, for it is the heart...

In their hearts there is a disease, and allah has increased that disease, that sickness of the heart. -- Qur'an

Yesterday, I was listening to a lecture by Shaykh Siraj Wahaj where he lamented on the lack of a pure heart in believers. To find true peace and faith, one must exhibit a pure heart. To overcome feelings of stress, then, one must also have a pure heart. Listening to lectures, reading qur'an and making du'a will not make a difference if the heart has a disease because these actions will only be touching the surface. One needs to have a pure heart, open to Allah swt's words. I know that whenever I make du'a with full trust in Allah swt, I find myself relieved of pressure, stress, worry, etc... On that note, I pray that all of us Muslim brothers an sisters remain pure in their hearts. (Ameen}

O my Allah, if I falter in speaking my request and wander astray in describing my needs and wants, show me the way that leads to that which promotes my interests and turn my heart to its course, because it is neither against (the principles of) Your guidance nor Your act of giving succour can be described as unlikely. O my Allah, support me with Your pardon, do not burden me with Your justice.{Ameen}

wasalaam :)

** to check out the lecture by Shaykh Siraj Wahaj go to
http://is.aswatalislam.net/DisplayFilesP.aspx?TitleID=2048&TitleName=Siraj_Wahaj
scroll down to his lecture entitled: "The Disease of The Heart" **

2006-06-18T17:04:00.000-04:00

:(

All good things must come to an end...

why?

~ wasalaam ~

When its hot....Make some KoolAid!

2006-06-06T02:45:00.000-04:00

Omg..this is the best drink ever for the summer..i'm like addicted! You guys haveta make it, trust me, u'll luv it :)

1. Mix 4 quarts of Water w/ some KoolAid Kiwi Watermelon {my favorite flavor :P}

2. Add 1 cup Sugar, but you can put less if u want. I do cuz its too sweet for me. Oh, and you can use a sweetner like Splenda for a healthier version

3. Add about 2 fresh lemons....gives it a nice tart taste.

4. Add all the ice u want :)

Wasalaam :)

...Summertime... And the Livin's Easy...

2006-06-04T03:06:00.000-04:00

*~Asalam'alaykum~*

A grip of stuff has taken place in the past coupla days...

My parents left for the east coast on Friday, so... home alone with the credit cards and cars for a week..woohoo! Except they left a freaken calendar of CHORES for everyday that they're gone! Some of which include watering the precious plants that they don't trust anyone else watering... argh!Yea, so we've decided on paying the gardner a 'lil extra this week...lol
{That's a pic of the precious garden lol -->}

****

The other day I tried something kinda new. Acupuncture. I've always had this lower back pain, most likey from being on the computer all the time! It's pretty minor, but still, its there. Firstly, yea its kinda freaky to see needles poking out of you, and yea they're sorta big, but surprisingly it doesn't hurt. It seemed to help somewhat, but I'll have to go a couple more times to see if it's really working.

****

Today I went swimming, just like i've been doing for the past couple of days. I seriously think that the pool is the best thing about summer, although i'm sure my mom would disagree. Desi's generally tend to stay away from the sun, especially the girls... cuz you know the sun causes diseases or something...yea, and the main disease being a TAN*rolling eyes* lol...

****

After my the pool party, I went to the local Street Fair with my little cousins :) Fairs are so much fun! I didn't sit on any of the rides, but it was fun to see my cousins having a good time. So far summer's been summer-like alhumdulillah....and i'm trying to enjoy every bit because i'm sure it'll be over before I know it!

later...wasalaam :)

Time to Breathe....

2006-06-01T18:18:00.000-04:00

~Asalam'alaykum~

Jummah Mubarak,

Omg, finally, there's some time to breathe. It doesn't really feel like a vacation yet because i've been so busy with all the shaadi hoopla. Alhumdulillah it all went well though!

So, of course I have some drama to talk about becuase how can there be a shaadi post without drama! Firstly, I can't believe how mean and ignorant people can be! :O

This past Friday was the mehndi and although it was women only....the boys' mamas were out to play. haha... So, one aunty approached my mom bout me and my sis (yea, don't ask why we were both included in her convo bout her son). Oh, btw her son was like hot (6'2 and wut not).... Anywho, she's like, " Out of all the girls here, I really like your daughters. They "click" for me, but I think that you should send em to the gym a little." WTH!?! *SHOCK*

Unless she wants someone on the verge of anorexia, I don't haveta lose weight...like that's not me speaking, that's like all the other aunties @ the party and the doctor speaking! Alhumdulillah I don't care if she made a comment towards me like that, but I mean, what prompts people to be so honest or confer they're unwanted opinion to others? She could have totally kept all this to herself. It wasn't even like there was some formal rishta and she had to say no for some reason. I mean even if that was the case, that this was some formal rishta thing, I'd still make up something else about why I wasn't going with the guy. I mean anything to avoid the whole appearance thing. Later I found out that the aunty was from the groom's side and that her son was this really nice guy. The next day at the shaadi, she told me salaam and I had to be at the food table when she saw me too! I just took an extra kabab and moved on..pshh wutever. lol I shoulda taken my cousin's Iboo's advice, eat like mad in front of her, then ask her if she's gonna finish her food! lol...

****

Well, that was that. On Tuesday, I went to spend a couple of days with my friend who lives in Westwood, which is like where ya wanna be in Los Angeles. For those of you unfamiliar, Westwood is the city nextdoor to Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. It's like Ferrari's and Bentley Phantoms by the handful! I finally got to do some shopping though. Although I went down Rodeo Drive, I didn't get to buy much, cuz I've been sorta jobless lately. So next plan, get some money iA. Which entails getting a job *groan*

*****

More later...wasalaam :)

Shaadi Season

2006-05-24T17:41:00.000-04:00

~ Asalam'Alaykum~

Like every year, the beginning of summer brings about the start of the shaadi (wedding) season; and now that it's summer, that's where I find myself, in the midst of shaadi preparations. haha..no, not mine! But still, a really close friends, so it's practically like @ my house.

Even before I left for LA, my sister began lamenting to me about making up a dance for the mehndi, which is this Friday. Now, I have till Friday to learn a dance, and if i'm a good student, two! So, since my first day back (Monday) that's what i've been doing for the past couple of days and I seriously feel like i'm in boot camp...desi dance Boot Camp of all things! lol

I'll let ya'll know if I look like a freak on Friday, iA I hope not. Hey, I've got a secret up my sleeve, the fact that my sister and I do the dance together...two twins who look so alike..we automatically get the wow so different and so even if we suck, it doesnt really matter lol. Cuz, aww, we're sooo cute. *rolling eyes* lol :P

More updates later iA...gotta go... more dancing :

wasalaam :)

~ madiha ~

Stupidly Funny lol

2006-05-20T23:59:00.000-04:00

lol..i just find this so entertaining! I know I know i'm a dork, but, hey, ain't no shame! :P

Get your own games at arcadecabin.com

Blogs aren't just for thoughts...

2006-05-20T00:59:00.000-04:00

Asalam'alaykum folks!

So, I don't know if some you noticed or not...but someone ("anonymous") posted a sort of classified singles Ad as a comment to my last post. LOL! Can anyone tell me if that really works! Hey, not like i'm asking for myself or anything..just some research for friends *ahem* j/k j/k....

But really, I mean how successful could that be!?! Hey one of my friends (we'll call him batman here) is all into video dating..I don't know how successful he's found it...i'll let ya'll know though, lol!

wasalaam

~ Madiha ~

fyi.. umbrellas don't work when it rains slanted!

fyi2: this post is a joke! lol but if u wanna put up classfied adds go for it...cept being anonymous won't help really lol unless anon1 and anon2 hook up..but then they'd still be anonymous...*confused*

fyi3: my friend batman is NOT into video dating ( he just wishes he was) LOL.

Officially on Summer Vaca!

2006-05-17T01:03:00.000-04:00

~ Asalam'alaykum ~

Yaay..aH the dumb exams are all over! Hallelujah!!! I'm finally back to being muh crazy self :P

****

Summer always reminds me of the beach and it totally sucks that it rained here all day, especially cuz it was my first official day of Summer Vacation! Still, who cares, as long as school's out, all's good in the world. I got to do nothing all day, just like I used to in junior high and high school. Having nothing to do is great! Sometimes I wish I didn't haveta grow up and could keep things the way they were when we were younger: Drama-less....lol

****

Tonight I went to an "End of the School Year" party shindig at a friend's house. One of my other friends from law school is a DJ ( www.DjNooch.com) and so he got to dj a lil :) It was fun, I guess, I left kinda early though. Oh, and lol, it was funny how some people didn't recognize me cuz I decided to leave my hair down today, when I ususally wear it up. Well, as long as its a good different, i'm cool with that. :P

So this week inshAllah ima just chillax and get ready to leave for LA on Monday! I so can't wait.

wasalaam :)

The Stuff of the Gods!

2006-05-12T21:24:00.000-04:00

Ok ,I would so not have survived finals if Coke hadn't invented this shizzznad!!! I have to say, it tastes awesome and this is coming from someone who doesn't really drink soda at all! It's coffee & coke! mmmm. lol

wasalaam :)

I'm a Surviva', I'm Gonna Make it, I Will Survive and Keep on Surviving :P

2006-05-12T04:12:00.000-04:00

~Asalam'alaykum~

Sorry i've been neglectful of my blog and (as a couple of you complained) caused some of you withdrawl ::lol:: I'm just trying to get past this week and then its FREEDOM (inshAllah). My last crappy final is on Monday, but its the largest exam; 4 hrs and a coupla essays long.

****

Alhumdulillah, so far, law schools great, but the only part that sucks is finals and the amount of competativeness displayed at this time. The competativeness in the air's so thick you can choke on it. Seriously. Not only is the final exam 100% of your grade, exams are not graded on a curve. So basically, everyone's fighting for themselves and the top position; and although most of us remember to play nicely with each other, others forget and become highly secretive and what not. It's so gay!!! Fine, life isn't fair, but it doesn't haveta be mean!!

****

Well, I guess it's just something I haveta learn to get used to and inshAllah I pray that I don't turn into that person who hides or doesn't share information with my friends. I'm not gonna lay it out, but i'll share it especially if they ask me. Survival of the fittest is not a nice theory sometimes and because in the end, the fittest may not be the happiest.

Wasalaam :)

Online Rishtas...

2006-05-08T11:13:00.000-04:00

~ Asalam' Alaykum ~

The revolution of the internet has no doubt been a leap for all of society, but more importantly its opened doors for Muslims, and even more so for the younger, Muslim generations. There's obviously this new trend of meeting or trying to meet people online. And by meeting people online, I don't mean joining matchmaker sites {e.g. Naseeb or Shaadi.com}, I mean getting a screenname from another friend, exchanging screennames after meeting someone in person, or meeting some *shock* off a blog ::lol:: I wouldnt call it online dating per se, more like "Online rishtas" or something not so "western" in idea, because I don't think its exactly like dating. Somehow, it all seems "okay" to talk to the opposite sex online or even discuss things that we would never dare discuss face to face. Fine, thats all well understood, online chatting = fitna-ish behavior.

****

Still though, beyond all that, I wonder: Is the internet {i.e. chatting} really that effective in meeting someone and gauging their true personality? Well , I thought yes because, well, doesn't one usually just feel more comfortable chatting online because there's that anonymity factor? Personally i'm the same online as I am in reality. If you thought that my hyper behavior was for the net only, you'll be highly dissappointed, because i'm just as hyper in reality as I am online. But, how about those people that are highly reserved in reality, but online are super hyper and talkative and vice versa? These sortsa questions have made me doubt or at least be weary of my earlier theory.

****

Then how does this all play into successfully meeting someone and actually going beyond the "getting to know" phase and into the "lets get married" phase? I don't know anyone who's done that, so I can't be certain how successful it actually has been. Yet, i've spoken with enough of my friends who've gone through the online thing, and mostly i've gotten some mixed feedback. The biggest problem it seems is that there's always misunderstandings online. One party gets misunderstood and thats the end of it. I think that that's a major problem because one small misunderstanding can leave you with a bad image of someone, when in truth they aren't like that at all. I'm sure you'll all agree with me that that highly unfair to someone! Especially becuase if you've been introduced to the guy/girl through another friend, you may unknowingly hurt their credibility for the future. I guess the best way to go around that would be to question someone specifically. But how many of us would do that? Yea, not many. Sadly, its human nature for us to think the worse of someone. Even personally, i'd be like, what a whacko and move on...

****

Then when is the solution to all this? With the current changes in society and what not, its really difficult not to speak to the opposite sex. More usually, guys/ girls start out speaking as friends, which then morphs into something more. So the best thing to do would be to not speak to the opposite sex at all. But, that's totally easier said than done! :O

wasalaam :)

Busy Bee :)

2006-05-07T21:17:00.000-04:00

Asalam'alaykum!

Sorry, i've been a lil M.I.A. lately! I have finals coming up this week and next and so i've been studying like a maniac! InshAllah they'll be over soon and i'll be done with my first year of law school!!! It went by so quick, alhumdulillah! I don't have time to write anything lengthy today, but inshAllah I will @ my first chance!

****

I'd been kinda of neglectful of my exercising habits lately and so I decided to go running in Central Park today. Lets just say, i'm so sore right now, i'm whimpering with every step :( Two days of running after like a month of nothing is pretty hardcore! But alhumdulillah it still feels great.

OH! I saw a lady walking her cat on a leash!!! :O I couldn't help it, I started laughing out loud!!! Then this guy next to me saw and started laughing too! It was sooo hilarious. The lady just kind of gave us a dirty look. Wut?! You better expect some reactions like that if you decide to walk your cat in public like that, woman! lol

...And, OMG! I totally wanna row a boat in the lake! After finals InshAllah! :P

wasalaam :)

p.s. please make a quick du'a for me during this stressful time! Jazakallah :)

Ironic...

2006-05-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

Quite ironically today's khutbah was on Civics in Islam and more specifically on how to argue with Akhlaq...

Something that really stood out was this one quote that went something like this:

" I believe my opinion is right, with the slight possibility of it being wrong and I believe your opinion is wrong , with the slight possibility of it being right."**

wasalaam :)

** Imam Shafi {May Allah be pleased with him}

A lil clear up..

2006-05-04T00:21:00.000-04:00

NEW POST BELOW : FOR SOME REASON IT DIDNT POST AS THE NEWEST. :)

~ Asalam'alaykum~

I appreciate all of you who participated in the commentary on my last post. This is the whole reason I write my thoughts on a blog. I didn't take any offense to your comments and opinons and will only become upset if people make personal attacks. I feel that it's good to have different points of views discussed since it's eye-opening to say the least. I just hope I didn't upset anyone because that was truly not my intention. Furthermore, I'd like to make sure everyone knows that I don't hold anger towards them in any way. Alhumdulillah, I don't believe in holding grudges, especially for little things like this, and I don't want anyone to feel that they're not allowed to comment on my blog in the future. Please feel free to express your opinions, as long as you remember to have Aklhaq. Otherwise ima haveta censor you! :P

wasalaam,

Madiha :)

People w/ too much time on their hands....

2006-05-03T10:35:00.000-04:00

Okay, so after that last post...I think I need to do something kinda light hearted..cuz, mmm yea. Although I do enjoy controversy sometimes..adds a lil spice to everything. :P

So, today I took a lil trip to the Lincoln Center to see the magician/stunt man, David Blaine. He's the one trying to spend a week in an Aquarium. Why? Just for the heck of it I guess. On the 7th day, he's gonna try to hold his breath for almost 9 mins and break free of chains and the aquarium a la Houdini. I seriously think David Blaine's a jinn.. the dudes crazy! He does crazy things like levitation and bends spoons w/ his mind! Scary. If you've never heard of him before, check out his website. www.davidblaine.com

Its kinda wierd to see him in the tank. They haveta put special stuff on him to keep his skin from deteriorating, gross! Of course, hundred of tourist were around, and David's "people" had a viewing set up, so people could say hi and wut not, but, I didn't get in line cuz it was way too freakn long. He is kinda cute though, ehh, i'll go by tmrw again, it's not like he's not going anywhere till Sunday anyways...not like he can escape either lol...j/k j/k :P

Here's the latest article on him::

Blaine 'Drowned' In Latest Stunt

NEW YORK - Take a deep breath. Stunt artist David Blaine began his latest death-defying feat on Monday: spending a week submerged in an 8-foot sphere filled with water.

The shirtless, 33-year-old magician, an oxygen tube in his mouth, slid into his snow-globe-like "human aquarium" at Lincoln Center.

In a week, he will remove the breathing device and try to hold his breath underwater to surpass a record of 8 minutes, 58 seconds -- longer than a dolphin, he says, but still surpassed by the sperm whale.
In an added display of extreme multitasking, Blaine will try to escape from 150 pounds of chains and handcuffs during the breath-holding finale.

"As a kid, I always was obsessed with Houdini," Blaine explained Monday.
"I don't think about death but I am prepared for it," he said, adding that his only fear is "the fear of the unknown."

The risks of his latest venture range from seriously pruned skin to oxygen-deprivation-induced brain damage. His brother, Michael, is his power of attorney.
Blaine said he started training in December, with some help from Navy SEALS. He lost 50 pounds so his body would require less oxygen.

The water will be kept at a balanced temperature to help keep his core temperature near 98.6 degrees. His gear will include a diving helmet that allows two-way communication with his support team.
He invites visitors to stop by and wave at him. The water should be nice and clear; he will be fed and, uh, relieve himself via tubes.

Because he's not exactly the shy type, Blaine's finale will air live in a two-hour ABC special, titled "David Blaine: Drowned Alive," next Monday at 8 p.m. EDT.

Blaine's previous feats included balancing on a 22-inch circular platform atop a 100-foot pole for 35 hours; being buried alive in a see-through coffin for a week; and surviving inside a massive block of ice for 61 hours, all of which were performed in New York. In 2003, he fasted for 44 days in a suspended acrylic box over the Thames River in London

la la land....

2006-04-30T12:20:00.000-04:00

* Asalam'alaykum *

Lately, I've been hearing a lot about "the perfect wife." How to find someone who's wife material, how girls should be/act, etc...you get the point. How about going the other way...finding a husband? It's true that many times sisters have a harder time finding deen-y brothers, cuz most of the time, the younger guys like to have a little fun before hitting up the marriage wagon. So, sisters usually get gyped and are more likely to find guys who are older and have already had their fun....

But what about those guys who wanna get married @ a younger age?

****

It is mentioned in hadith that a woman has the right to have a muslim husband whose general aqeedah (beliefs/creed) and minhaj (methodology) is Qur'an and Sunnah and To be clothed and fed as well as the husband, from his means.

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one
of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from
their means. (Qur'an 4:34)

****

More importantly, guys haveta remember one thing; that, yes, of course, without a doubt, deen is imortant, along with things like compatibility, appearance, etc... But for a girl, especially one that's mature, stability and security should be just as, if not more, imperative when looking for a husband. And please, by this I don't mean he's gotta be like P.Diddy, he just hasta be able to provide! I don't understand why some guys don't see that as a major issue. I feel that wanting stability is being practical not superficial, as some may like to believe. Fine, if your definition of a husband being able to provide is getting a Mansion in the 90210 zip, driving a Benz and having life-long membership @ the beach club, then you're probably superficial, but what's wrong with wanting a husband who can at least give you a comfortable life?

****

Yea, the definition of "provide" varies from girl to girl, but we generally tend to agree that it hasta be enough to give a girl security and stability . That means that the girl has the ability to make her decision based on that second ("providing for") criteria too. If you hadn't noticed, but the hadith I quoted above, basically has two elements to it:

A) A woman has the right to have a muslim husband whose general aqeedah (beliefs/creed) and minhaj
(methodology) is Qur'an and Sunnah And,

B) To be clothed and fed as well as the husband, from his means.

Thats a conjunctive "And," meaning that the 2 parts go hand in hand; if both aren't met then one cancels the other. I don't feel then that wanting a guy for stability reason is a cultural or societal norm thats been ingrained in us. The point i'm trying to make is then, that guys who want to get married early, meaning when they still have schooling to finish and a job to find, should consider waiting, only because they may not be able to provide with stablity and security, and a girl who rejects a guy for those reasons isn't neccessarily being supeficial, not to mention that its also her right.

****

One argument a younger guy could make is that he'd provide with his family. Kind of like, fine, if you want a comfortable life, we can live with my parents and that too is providing. I agree. Still, what about security and stability? I'm not trying to talk in "if's," but one very plausible If worth entertaining is, how about if something happens to his family (nauthobillah)? Will he still be able to provide that stability and security? Am I justified in considering that, or am I being too picky? I didn't think so. That IF my only question to the "Can he provide with stability and securiy" criteria.

****

Just so i'm clear, i'm not supporting the cultural, especially desi culture, requirements for providing. The one's that demand a guy to be rich as Trump or have a PhD or wutever. I'm just saying that wanting #1 Deen an then #2 "Being able to Provide," are understandable requirments and should not offend younger guys who want to get married, but who get rejected because they don't fulfill #2 yet. Doesn't mean he shouldn't or can't get married, just means that he should wait or find a girl who's definitions of "provide for" is more along the lines of what his are.

*****

Allahumma inne asaloka wal amaan e wal imaan fid dunya wal akhera. {Ameen}

-- Oh Allah I ask of you peace & faith in this world & in the hereafter --

wasalaam :)

Me Gustan Mucho: Free Downloads :P

2006-04-29T02:20:00.000-04:00

~ ~ Asalam'alaykum ~ ~

I'll add more later but, here are some of my favorite nasheeds and, also, let me know of any your favorites! Click on the links to download. :)

*** Arabic ***

Ya Nabi Salam Alayk

Tabala'3

Ya Nabi Salam-un Alaika 2

Daar Al'3oroor

Tabaraka Allah

Qaseedah Burda Sharif (NEW)

*** Urdu ***

Kya Khabar Kya Saza Milti

Aahl el-e Siraat

Sadly, I couldn't get these next songs onto the web, but check out this group,

NIYAZ

They're really good. Make sure to listen to:

1. Allahi Allah
2. Dilruba
3. The Hunt

wasalaam :)

*** If you really want one of Niyaz's songs, email me and i'll send it to you personally! ***

Quote.

2006-04-28T00:45:00.000-04:00

*~ Asalam'alaykum ~*

It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to.

-J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Pretty much sums up what i've learned thus far in law school. ::LOL::

Wasalaam :)

::Tyte. Word. Of. The. Week::

2006-04-27T00:16:00.000-04:00

Create your own message at BlingyBlob.com

They see me rolling..they hatin'..patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty

- - Chamillionaire

wasalaam :P

Crisis.

2006-04-26T22:10:00.000-04:00

DARFUR CONFLICT: The World's Worst Current Humanitarian Crisis

Many people, including me, are clueless about one of the major crisis of the recent past. The conflict has been described by the Western media as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide." In September 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 50,000 deaths in Darfur since the conflict's beginning, mostly by starvation.

*** I KNOW THAT THIS IS KINDA LONG TO READ, BUT IF ANYTHING, AT LEAST READ SOME OF THE MAIN POINTS IN ORDER TO BECOME AWARE OF THE SITUATION. AS FELLOW MUSLIMS & HUMAN BEGINS WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED & COMPASSIONATE TO THE PLIGHT OF OTHERS ***

There is no power nor strength save with Allah. We worship You and we seek help from You, O Allah, O beneficent, O merciful, O single, O the eternally besought independent, O the God of Muhammad, in Your direction steps advance, hearts long to go, eyes gaze, necks stretch (to reach the goal), desires desire (fulfillment) and palms (hands) are lifted. O Allah, take a fair decision between us and our people, because You are the best
of all those who decide. {Ameen}

* The conflict concerns two distinct groups in the diverse Darfur population; non-Arab black peoples like the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa, and Arab tribes collectively termed Baggara (also black by the standards of most non-Africans), who settled the region from about the 13th century onwards. Both groups are Muslims. However, relations between the two groups have been tense; the pre-colonial Fur kingdom regularly clashed with the Baggara.

What are other nations doing? Well this is where they stand...

*Russian and the U.S., along with Britain and France, a strong lobby exists opposed to intervention in countries whose internal strife is not clearly related to the nation's own interest (America and France having suffered demoralizing losses in Vietnam, as well as in Somalia and Algeria, respectively). The lack of capable foreign peacekeepers during the Rwanda and Liberia crises is a more recent example.

* Islamic Relief Action: Islamic Relief is working with around 35,000 people in and around the western town of Al-Geneina. Islamic Relief's emergency team began work in Darfur in April 2004, providing displaced people with food and shelter.

How did the conflict start?

* The conflict began in the arid and impoverished region early in 2003 after a rebel group began attacking government targets, claiming that the region was being neglected by Khartoum.

* The rebels say the government is oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

* There has been tension in Darfur, which means land of the Fur, for many years over land and grazing rights between the mostly nomadic Arabs and farmers from the Fur, Massaleet and Zagawa communities.

* There are two main rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), which have been linked to senior Sudanese opposition politician Hassan al-Turabi.

What is the government doing?

*It admits mobilising "self-defence militias" following rebel attacks but denies any links to the Janjaweed**, accused of trying to "cleanse" large swathes of territory of black Africans.

*Refugees from Darfur say that following air raids by government aircraft, the Janjaweed ride into villages on horses and camels, slaughtering men, raping women and stealing whatever they can find.

*Many women report being abducted by the Janjaweed and held as sex slaves for more than a week before being released. Human rights groups, the US Congress and the former US Secretary of State Colin Powell all said that genocide was taking place - though a UN team sent to Sudan to find out instead said that war crimes had been committed, but there had been no intent to commit genocide.

*Sudan's government denies being in control of the Janjaweed and President Omar al-Bashir has called them "thieves and gangsters".

*After strong international pressure and the threat of sanctions, the government promised to disarm the Janjaweed. But there is little evidence of this so far. Thousands of extra policemen have been deployed but the refugees have little faith in the Sudanese security forces.

What has happened to the civilians?

*Millions have fled their destroyed villages, with many heading for camps near Darfur's main towns but there is not enough food, water or medicine.

*The Janjaweed patrol outside the camps and Darfurians say the men are killed and the women raped if they venture too far in search of firewood or water.

Is anyone trying to stop the fighting?

*The government and the two rebel groups signed a ceasefire in April 2004 but this has not held.

* African Union brokered peace talks in Nigeria have failed to make much progress.
Some 7,000 African Union troops have slowly been deployed in Darfur on a very limited mandate.
Experts say they are too few to cover an area the size of France and the African Union says it does not have the money to fund the operation for much longer.

* Sudan is unhappy with suggestions that the UN take control of the peacekeeping mission.

* A dossier of evidence compiled by a UN commission has also been passed to the ICC in The Hague along with the names of top war crimes suspects.

* The Sudan government has hinted that it may let Darfur run its own affairs more if this would help solve the crisis. It has agreed to let southern Sudan have its own government as part of a deal to end 20 years of conflict in that region.

* But so far the crisis shows no signs of abating
.

For More Info and To Get Involved Visit:

www.humanrightsfirst.org/

http://www.islamic-relief.com/

wasalaam :)

** The Janjaweed (Arabic جنجويد, ) is an armed militia group in Darfur, western Sudan, comprising fighters of Arab background (mainly from the originally nomadic Baggara people). Since 2003 it has been one of the principal actors in the increasingly bloody Darfur conflict, which has pitted nomadic tribes against the settled arable farmer tribes of the region. The Janjaweed represent the ruling Muslim government.

The name "Janjaweed" means "armed men on horseback." The Janjaweed is the successor to an earlier Arab tribal militia, the Murahilin (literally "nomads"), which had existed for many years beforehand.

sources:
www.wikipedia.com
www.cnn.com
www.bbc.com

2006-04-25T09:58:00.000-04:00

*~ asalaam'alyakum ~*

... SUBHAN'ALLAH **** ALHUMDULILLLAH ...

Just felt like saying that...especially cuz things seem to be going my way :P

wasalaam :)

Deer in the Headlights...

2006-04-22T23:21:00.000-04:00

*~Asalamu' Alaykum~*

So, it took me about a lil over a week to blog this, mmm, awkward moment. Maybe cuz i'm embarrassed to admit it...but..anyways...

Early last week, I got an evite from these two girls i'd met only once at some Muslim social event. The evite was for an "urdu" party, a party where supposedly everyone is only allowed to converse in urdu and eat desi food (already sounded kinda gay...) But, i'm a good sport, and I didn't really know anyone on the list, but i'm up for meeting new people, especially since i'm new.

The night of the party, one of my friends and I headed down to Angon, an Indian/Bangali restaurant in the East Village where the party was being held. The restaurant was this classy ( yea i know, sounds like an oxymoron) desi restaurant that didn't have a very desi-like look to it. It was pretty small, with dark lighting, candles, a red and gold color scheme, and all together, a very romantic atmosphere { its already getting scary lol} I, off the bat, categorized it as the type that only the wannabe desi's go to. {lol} But whatever, as long as the food was good!

After giving our names, the maitre d' pointed us in the direction of the party. Lets just say that the guests were an "interesting" bunch for lack of a better term. There were about 30 guys and girls, all seated around a long table. My friend and I introduced ourselves to the hostesses, who are best friends, and took a seat at this more private table for two next to the long table. After about 2 minutes the hostesses came up to us and asked if we minded getting introduced to everyone. I was game. After introductions I asked the two hostesses how they knew everyone. They casually said, "We don't. They're all off of naseeb. Only a couple of our friends are here, but otherwise yea."

Whaaa!!!???!!! Lets just say that I was shocked beyond words, and thats quite a feat for me! lol. Madiha out of words? Never! Well it happened, folks. If i went to a naseeb event without knowledge of it being one, does that constitute really going to a Naseeb event?? There was false advertisement! The evite never said a thing! hahaha...Well anyways, after that shock died down, mostly because I got some good food... I was able to calm down. lol

So, now you want to know what a naseeb "meeting" event is like? Well...*rubs hands together* There's mostly whack people for sure, but some normal people with jobs or a future. The crowd ranged from playboys, to hoochies, to hijabi's, fobs, fobbettes (a girl fob?), etc... In the end, my friend and I couldn't just leave, but we ended up hanging out together and even ran into a friend who'd been dragged there with her other friend. Really though, I didn't make friends with anyone else. I'm not being a snob or anything, its just hard to see eye to eye with some people like that. Oh, one guy did approach us! A freakn desi carbon copy of Chris Kattan from A Night At The Roxbury! No seriously, all he could talk about was trans music and dancing...a 26 year old too! ::rolling eyes:: Ahh well..another thing to learn from. At least they had good chai! And being a desi, I love my chai! yum, LOL :P

wasalaam :)

Stuff to know...

*** East Village: http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=438 ***
*** Chris Kattan (left): http://www.kinoweb.de/film99/NightAtTheRoxbury/pix/rox2.jpg ***

~ Love Advice ~

2006-04-20T01:41:00.000-04:00

LOVE IS LIKE A LAWSUIT....

YOU NEED EVIDENCE

~ Imam Maghroui

Wasalaam :P

A day for EVERYTHING! Sheesh!

2006-04-20T01:11:00.000-04:00

~Asalamu' alaykum~

These gore people always haveta come up w/ some "DAY," for everything! National Peanut Day, Pecan Pie Day, Corn on the Cob Day, I mean dude, come on! (btw these are all true days..lol) So, today is April 20th, 4/20, 420, 4:20, Hitler's B-day, the day of the Columbine shootings, or...more notoriously, National Pot Day. (astaghfurallah)

How do I know this? Well, I did grow up in California. I remember kids in high school running around trying to bury their weed in the baseball field because they didn't want to get caught, especially because all the school officials were aware that it was 420. I'd like to point out that i'm from a very WASP-y neigborhood, where kids come from highly afluent families, but that doesn't prevent kids from smoking! Hell no, having money only makes it easier! If thats a shock to you, well then you should probably step outta your bubble....

So what's 420? I'm including this lil blurb about what the day is all about to inform those that are unaware. I think its important to know whats going on around us and thats why I wrote about 420. I hope no one believes that i'm in any way supporting this or agreeing w/ it!

In the 21st Century, 420 is firmly established as a code amongst tokers, a time
of day and even sort of a toker's New Year's Day. Whatever the real story
is, 420 has been an important part of the marijuana culture since the 1970's.
The significance of 420 has been kept underground and is mostly known only among
marijuana smokers. Many non-smokers aren't aware of the symbolism when they see
someone wearing a T-shirt or baseball cap that says 420 across the front. When
the 420 icon is somehow discreetly worked into a mainstream product like a film,
marijuana users take notice. The film Pulp Fiction is rumored to have had all
clocks throughout the movie set to 4:20. Marijuana smokers familiar with the
symbol picked up on it—most people, however, did not. While some marijuana
smokers are using 420 as a code that enables them to openly speak about
marijuana in front of parents or teachers. 420 has been to some, a sacred symbol
for nearly 30 years. Simply put, 420 is a symbol of cannabis and its culture.
Today, April 20th events are international, and 4:20 pm has become sort of a
world wide "burn time".
I pray that Allah {swt} keep us away from what is harmful and dangerous to us. I pray that he make us strong in our Iman. {Ameen}
wasalaam :)
*** article from http://www.concept420.com/what-is-420.htm***

:::Tyte. word. of. the. Week.:::

2006-04-18T01:15:00.000-04:00

Create your own message at BlingyBlob.com

"Talking on my ghettro on the way to the store." -said by E-40 in the song "Tell Me When To Go"

wasalaam :P

***from www.urbandictionary.com***

la vida...

2006-04-17T09:47:00.000-04:00

~Asalamu'alaykum wr wb~

A young, new ustadh (teacher) was walking with an older, more seasoned ustadh (teacher) in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what Allah had for him to do, he was asking the older ustadh for some advice. The older ustadh walked up to a rosebush and handed the young ustadh a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young ustadh looked in disbelief at the older ustadh and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of Allah for his life and ministry.But because of his great respect for the older ustadh, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact… It wasn’t long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger ustadh’s inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older ustadh began to recite the following poem…

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of Allah’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowersIs not known to such as I.
ALLAH opens this flower so sweetly,
Then in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of Allah’s design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in Allah for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Allah for His guidance
Each step of the way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only Allah knows.
I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

wasalaam :)

**story & poem originally seens on

http://yaallahoo.blogspot.com

lived thru yoga...

2006-04-16T12:57:00.000-04:00

I just got back from Bikram Yoga (chk out my earlier post) & Alahumdulillah, I survived! Its such a great feeling to have worked out early in the morning cuz it sets a great tone for the rest of the day. I was pretty good and didn't have to sit once! InshAllah ima try to go tomorrow too!

anyways..heres somethng i always find hilarious..if u haven't already seen it, check it out. If you have seen it, just watch it again! lol :P

Funny Link

wasalaam :)

2006-04-14T03:17:00.000-04:00

Couldn't sleep cuz of things on my mind...

Sometimes we're forced to make decisions that cause us great sadness. Even though our heart tells us to do one thing, our mind corrects us and rules out the the heart. Life just isn't fair at times and I hate that we have to make choices that require us to hurt others. Yet, sometimes the hurt of that moment outweighs more suffering in the longterm....

****

I feel a little lost sometimes, like a lil boat tossed about in the storm known as life. I pray that whatever decisions i do make in life are the right ones. I pray that Allah {swt} grant me and my friends sabr and suqoon. I pray that I am forgiven for any hurt I cause my friends.

La ilaha ila Allah wahdaho la shareeka lah, laholmolko wa laholhamdo wa howa 'ala koli shay'in qadeer

{ameen}

wasalaam :'(

~jummah mubarak~

stressed.

2006-04-12T05:53:00.000-04:00

~Asalamwalaikum~

I feel stressed! :(

Somtimes my parents'll be like, you're so young and all you are is a student, what do you have to be stressed about? We have bills, a family to take care of, a house to run, blah blah blah ( zone em out @ this point). Mmm, being a student's stressful people! So many depending on you to succeed, get freakn' awesome grades and if you don't, hello! there's that risk of ending up a hobo on the streets, or worse, living in your parents basement & sending out rishta's via video dating. lol
...but seriously I'm sure a lot of students are going through final exam stress this month, and i'm no different. School would be so awesome if we didn't have exams! Actually, I think i'd do so much better without em. ::sigh:: Just wishful thinking, I know.

****

So, I decided to start yoga again. Don't laugh! Yoga's so not woosy and will totally kick your butt if you've never tried it. Recently though, some of my friends have been doing this new kinda yoga, Bikram Yoga and I think i'm totally gonna give it a try. Its done in a 105 deg. dry sauna for 90 mins! All those people in desert countries are probably thinking we're crazy paying money to exercise in the heat, but, hey! The only thing they ask is that you not leave the room! ahhh! Well, I won't knock it till i've tried it. iA ima go this Friday and let ya'll know if I survive!

alrighty later skaters!

wasalaam :P

Society's Ills

2006-04-09T02:48:00.000-04:00

Once there were two students walking along a river. One of them just so happened to glance over at something floating in the river. It did not take long for him to realize that it was a baby! Without hesitation he jumped into the river to save the infant from drowning. When he jumped in he realized that there were at least ten more in his immediate area, all of them screaming and crying as they bobbed by.

Quite naturally he started screaming to the other student. "Help! C'mon man! Get in here! Look at all of these babies! We gotta help 'em!" The other student, however, kept walking upstream, despite noticing a river full of babies, with more and more floating downstream.

For every one that the first student saved, eight passed him. There were just too many."C'mon man! Don't you have a heart?! I can't grab all of these babies alone!"
The second student replied, "I'm going upstream to find out who's throwing all of these babies in the river."

The point of this short story is to demonstrate the importance of going to the source of the problem to have a greater impact. Many people address each of society's social ailments as separate entities. Thus we find numerous organizations that target a specific poison; The solution to racism, spouse abuse, child abuse, crime, pollution, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, and other social ills is one.

Each problem does not require its own organizations and groups to eliminate it. The solutions for all of these is one. That one, is Islam.

*~wasalaam~*

**story from themodernreligion.com**

<<>>

Double Mint #1

2006-04-05T16:31:00.000-04:00

~*Salaam*~

So, I think i'm getting sick. :( I have a sore throat and the funny thing is, so does my sister. Sometimes, if I have a bagel & lox for lunch, she'll have one for lunch that day too. If I see a pair of boots I want to buy, my sister ends up buying those exact ones. If I order a green tea latte at starbucks, something I rarely do, guess what she'll be having that day? Yup, a green tea latte. I could go on and on cuz this happens all the time. We periodically buy similar things without any knowledge of the other having done so. And, ironically, my sister's about 3,000 miles away in California (while i'm in New York).

****

So how & why does this phenomenon take place?! Easy. It's the wierd & special bond identical twins share...Yup, alhumdulillah my sister and I are identical twins. Which, by the way, is another change I've had to cope with since moving to NY, living away from my twin. We have never been away from each other before this. And when I say never, I mean never ever. I remember one day back in elementary school, my sister stayed home sick while I went to school. After I got back home, we hugged like we'd been apart for years rather than just a few hours and we didn't leave each other's company the entire day. Even back then, we were best friends and alhumdulillah, that friendship has lasted still and iA I pray that this remains so for life.

****

You'd be surprised to know that some twins hate each other's guts, no joke. I've actually met some like that. How could you hate or be jealous of someone you spent 9 months with in the womb? I think being a twin's really cool! I mean yea you sometimes coming off being schizo when you refer to yourself in the "we," as in "we always go to South Coast" and the only person there with you is you. It's so funny when people give you an odd look and slowly back away, cuz then you realize, "Duh! Like they know you have twin dummy!" lol...But the best part is doing all the fun twin stuff, and trust me, we did a lot of it! Like switching places in high school & taking exams for each other, thank god my twin loves math, I think she saved my life! ::lol:: Could any normal siblings do that? no way?! :P

****

wasalaam,

Madiha

Quote.

2006-04-04T06:07:00.000-04:00

...Wealth has no permanence: It comes in the morning, and at night it is scattered to the winds. Physical beauty too has no importance, for a rosy face is made pale by the scratch of a single thorn. Noble birth also is of small account, for many become fools of money and horses. Many a nobleman's son has disgraced his father by his wicked deeds.
Don't court a person full of talent either, even if he seems exquisite in that respect:
take warning from the example of Iblis. Iblis had knowledge, but since his love was not pure, he saw in Adam nothing but a figure of clay.

****

*~Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi~*

On a side note: Two of my friends are flying in from LA & staying with me for a coupla days!!! And...my mom's sending me my shipment of kabobs & Power Bars. Like those things aren't found in Manhattan! ::lol:: But they're from home & that's wut makes em special! :P

wasalaam :)

ArE yOu SeRioUs!?!

2006-04-01T23:53:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it seems that people have totally lost it! If you thought people carrying on entire conversations on cells in public were annoying, well you may find em annoying even in death cuz according to recent studies, people are taking those pieces of plastic to the grave! I have one question...who the heck gets reception that far down!?! LOL

****

Ireland's Sunday Tribune mourned the trend, complaining that the country's "love affair with the mobile phone has reached a new level," that is, six feet under. But the paper points out this is a phenomenon with historic roots, "as Viking warriors used to be buried with their weapons, and ancient Egyptians were buried with food, drink and all their earthly riches."

****

True enough. But they didn't have the comfort of the young man killed in a car crash, buried with his mobile phone at his side — according to his family — so that friends could text him farewell messages. A German inventor has reportedly taken that idea a step further. He's developed what's described as a one-way phone and loudspeaker device designed to be buried near a coffin, and which is supposed to be able to broadcast voice messages for up to a year.

****

Wow...wut would the messages read??? lol..OMG, I'm like cracking up w/ all the possibilities...but i'll control my message suggestions, cuz i dont wanna offend anyone. LMAO.

Wasalaam! :P

To read more on the phenomenon check out:

Cell Phones in The Hereafter

Marraige Advice.

2006-03-30T05:39:00.000-05:00

*~Salaam~*

I guess when you're single and ok, yea, looking, I've noticed that people tend to give you marraige advice whether you ask for it or not. Its like, hello? do I have "Hi, I'm single & ALL I think 'bout is finding my husband" written across my forehead!?! Well, 95% of the time isn't ALWAYS! Just kidding {i.e. the 95%}!!! ::lol::

****

So, yesterday, I got advice from someone kind of random, one of my Muslim Professors. His advice on finding a man...

"You have to learn to prioritize! You have make sure you are going for your best chances. Its like, when you have a chance to meet a hand full of guys versus meeting just one or two, you need to go with your best option," and he went on, "trust me! I studied this. How do you think I found my wife? I would make sure to be at the best place for me! So, don't forget!"

****

And...after that lil shpeal he went on to encourage me to attend the National Association of Muslim Lawyers- National Muslim Law Student Association ( NAML-NMLSA ) Conference this weekend in D.C. LOL Ummm.. I was just gonna go for the lectures...really! :P

wasalaam,

Madiha

p.s. btw..i'm not going. Although I did tell him to keep a look out for me ;) ...B/c I was also advised (by someone else), make a whole lotta connections! hehe...

p.s.s.... I don't mind all that much. I mean, Alhumdulillah, in the end, these people are just looking out for us! Its actually kinda endearing! :)

Only Clearly Disturbed People Run for President.

2006-03-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

I WANTED ALL
THINGS TO SEEM TO
MAKE SOME SENSE,
SO WE COULD ALL BE
HAPPY, YES, INSTEAD
OF TENSE. AND I
MADE UP LIES, SO
THEY ALL FIT NICE,
AND I MADE THIS
SAD WORLD A
PARADISE.

-- KV

A Man Wrote:

What genuinely motivates Al-Qaeda to kill and self- destruct? The President says, “They hate our freedom – our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other; which surely is what not has been learned from the captives being held in Guantanamo, or what he told in his briefings. Why do the communications industry and our elected politicians allow Bush to get away with such nonsense? And how can there even be peace, and even trust in our leaders, if American people aren’t told the truth?

****

Well one wishes that those who took over our Federal Government, and hence the world, by means of a Mickey Mouse coup d’etat, who disconnected all the burglar alarms prescribed by the Constitution, which is to say the House and Senate, and the Supreme Court, and We, the people were truly Christian, but as William Shakespeare told us long ago, “The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.”

***

Only nut cases want to be president. This was true even in high school. Only clearly disturbed people run for president.

** All excerpts from

A Man Without A Country by Kurt Vonnegut

Wasting time in Contracts...

2006-03-27T18:47:00.000-05:00

On Average, You Would Sell Out For

$1,084,347

At What Price Would You Sell Out?

tell me wut u get!( it takes like 10 sec's)!!! :P

*wasalaam*

Note To Self...

2006-03-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

Note to Self:

It doesn’t mean you’re a hypocrite just because you do one thing but not everything,
it simply means you’re trying your best and improving yourself as a person

~Salaam~

Sorry I didn't post earlier. I've been like living @ the library lately, yea yea, i have no life ::wutever:: Hey, but @ least this time, I was able to get the room with the 180 degree view of Downtown NYC! hehe...so i guess its not that bad.

****

I've also been pretty busy with a bunch of different projects; basically running around like a chicken without its head! But, Alhumdulillah the freakn appellate brief i've been working on since last week is pretty much complete! :::sigh::: iA I hope I get at least a decent grade on that thing. Last nite, I went to one of the Islamic Center @ NYU's Shuruq week events. I went cuz my roomate made me, but it was boring, some folk- tale telling British guy who studied in Turkey. He kinda reminded me of that lil, arab dude @ the opening of Aladdin (wuts his name, again?). haha yea..so me and another friend ditched that joint to go watch the bhangra show happening a coupla floors below. A lot more fun for sure! LOL...

ok, bak to the brief folks and please make du'a that I finish soon! jazakallah!

wasalaam :)

** quote from "The Hijab Article" by Zahera**

:::Top 10 Idiosyncrasies:::

2006-03-24T05:44:00.000-05:00

~Salaam~

As you go through life, you learn a little bout yourself everyday; such as, what you like & what you dislike. Some people refer to these dislikes as their idiosyncrasies or "pet peeves." Here's my top 10 list.... things that leave me annoyed, confused or just plain thinking "wwwww tttt hhhhh?!"

1. Part-Time Hijabis: Wearing a hijab to school & work aint gonna cut it if you're @ the next shaadi letting it all out, honey. The boys come out to play there too.

2. People who sign up on Naseeb as Here to make new friends and Activity Partners when they're actively & very obviously looking for partners for different kinda activities, one's that require lifetime committments. lol

3. People who leave all their car windows down, but make sure to lock the doors when they leave. Or, better yet, people who have a convertible, leave the top down and lock all the doors. mmm ok, i thnk ur stuff on the back seat is safe!

4. People who drink (i.e. alcohol) all year round, but then make sure to fast during Ramadan...and..when they ask you if you drink, you say "No, astaghfurallah," they get all offended and say, "Omg, dude, ur like waaaaay too hardcore religious for me!"" mmm okay...?

5. Hijabi girls with their hijab all nice and proper wearing pants with the words Dontcha Wish emblemed across the ass.

6. People who declare that they eat zabiha halal meat, but then allow themselves to eat chicken "outside." mmmm meat is meat is meat.

7. 30 + year old uncles gee's lookin to get hooked up with girls ages 17-22.... i have one word.. Jailbait. {lmao}

8. Guys who openly hit on hijabi's.

9. Guys who ask you out, get rejected and then turn around and ask, " Why do desi girls think that every guy who's tries to talk to em is asking her out?!" mmm...cuz maybe u just ask me out?

10. Aunties who mock you @ the masjid for wearing "American" clothes when their daughter is notorious for having a boyfriend ( among other things) in school....ladies, get a leash for ur child first!

hehe...if u wanna share some of urs..i'd luv to hear em! :P

wasalaam :)

::STILL SMILING::

2006-03-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know I already posted for today, but I just wanted to share....

Today, I got one of the best compliments of my life and i'm still smiling from it! One of my gori friends from law school told me that she just knew that I was worth being friends with from Orientation day. She said that it was my face that had something where she just knew that I was a good person. The funny thing is that I don't really hang out w/ her all that much; maybe get in an im session once every coupla weeks. InshAllah, I hope I can live up to that.

wasalaam :D

Poetic Calligraphy (Rain Song)

2006-03-22T00:32:00.000-05:00

O Gulf, Giver of pearls, shells and death. And the echo replies, As if lamenting: O Gulf.

Your eyes are two palm trees forests in early light,
Or two balconies from which the moonlight recedes
When they smile, your eyes, the vines put forth their leaves,
And lights dance...like moons in a river
Rippled by the blade of an oar at break of day;
As if stars were throbbing in the depths of them...

- - Badr shakir al-sayyab, Rain Song - -

** Originally spotted on Seeker After Truth**

Fatwas

2006-03-20T20:25:00.000-05:00

~Salaam~

If anyone can recommend some Islamic websites that show fatwas issued on various topics i'd really appreciate it. I have some, but i'd like whatever else I can get. I'm working as a research assistant for a law professor who's writing, among other articles, a casebook on Shari'a; something that's never been done yet! Furthermore, this professor was involved heavily with the current Zacharias Moussaoui trials and alhumdulillah i'm really excited about helping him out! I think its so important for Muslims to get involved in the legal field, especially in light of recent events. Alhumdulillah, we have a lot of representation in the medical and other science fields, but the legal world is still highly lacking. iA, with the blessings of Allah {swt} the Islamic Youth will become more aware of this need and become a strong force within the legal world.

Wasalaam & Jazakallah Khair! :)

2006-03-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

*¸¸. Salaam

"A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man must seek Him to find her."

Wait for a man who pursues you, the one who will make an ordinary moment seem magical.
The kind who brings out the best in you & makes you want to be a better person.
Wait for the person who will drop everything to be with you no matter the circumstances, who makes you smile like no other can, and when he smiles you know he needs you.
Who tells you- you have a beautiful smile and holds your hand when you're alone.
Wait for the man who looks you in the eyes when he talks to you, who trusts you enough to tell you what's bothering him.
Wait for the man after God's own heart, wait for the man God has planned for u.
Wait for that man... &
no doubt God knows what is best for u!

*.¸.*
´ ¸.•´
¸.• *¨) ¸. •*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•.•´
¸¸.* madiha **¸¸.*

Embarrassing moment numero uno...

2006-03-18T17:20:00.000-05:00

*~Salaam~*

Alrighty, so those of you who don't know me probably don't know that i'm like the worlds biggest clutz @ times and all those things you wish didn't happen to you, probably happened to me. LOL..sadly its true. Yea, I was the one who tripped down the stairs in front of 300+ people @ my 8th grade graduation among other horrendous incidents I don't really wanna relive ::LOL:: Still, I think being able to laugh at ones self is healthy and embarrassing moments kinda keep ya in check. Have you ever noticed that the most mortifying moments usually happen when ur trying to look all fly? Its like Allah {swt's} way of telling you to come back to reality...So, hence my embarrassing moment on the way to jummah prayer yesterday kinda came that way.

****

Jummah prayer begins @ 1:30 pm and although i'm usually early, I was kind of running late, so i didn't really have time to have breakfast or lunch, for that matter. I just grabbed a Balance Bar and bought a coffee from the Arab dude's food cart and rushed down to the subway station. The train, thank god, was just pulling up, so I entered and although there were some empty seats, I didn't sit. I usually don't like to sit cuz the seats are pretty nasty and I didn't want my white coat to get dirty, so I just decided to stand, holding precariously to this metal bar with one hand, because I still held the coffee cup in my other one. So, I was wearing my 3 inch wedge shoes, my new white coat and I dont know was just kinda dressed up, cuz thats how i usually roll. lol

****

After a second, I noticed this really cute GQ- ish desi guy enter the train and stand right across from me. As the train pulled away from the station, I went to switch hands cuz I wanted to turn the volume on my iPod up and in the process, the coffee cup somehow slipped from my hand and fell onto this girl sitting down on one of the seats next to where I was standing. I instinctively said "Sorry!" but it came out more like a yell, since I had just turned up the volume on my my iPod. The trains are usually pretty quiet and so I just succeeded in bringing all this attention to myself (and, yes, even the hot desi guy's)....sadly its not over just yet...

****

The good thing was that my coffee cup was pretty much empty, save for a coupla sips, so somehow the girl didn't get much on her. However, I was also holding some napkins, so I bent down to help her, and once again the train jerked, unbalancing me, and the fact that I was wearing those 3 inch wedges didn't help. Now, I was basically on my knees on the floor of the cab, mortified! I handed the chick the napkins, who was laughing at that point, bechari she was nice though and I ungracefully as hell got up and sat down in the closest empty seat, which unfortunately happened to face the hot, desi guy. God, from that point I still had about 4 stops to go, the 4 most agonizing ones ever! My face was burning w/ embarrassment the entire time! Of course the guy was across from me until my stop came and I exited that cab like there was no tommorrow. ::sigh:: I laughed about it with my friends later...and still think its funny...but man, not when it was happening, for sure.

*****

ahh well....wut I learned from this 'lil incident...Don't be too vain to sit down next time!!!

Wasalaam :)

Jummah Mubarak, Again! :)

2006-03-16T23:58:00.000-05:00

****
Thank god its Friday! This week went by too slow, but then again the days do seem to be flying by. Next week is NYU's shuruq week, so inshAllah i'm gonna try to volunteer for some of the events planned, although my classes tend to clash w/ a lot of them... ::sigh:: I think i'm gonna haveta skip Civil Procedure, oh wut a hardship. lol. And then on Sunday I have that Muslim Bar Association meeting again, iA I hope people are more aware of our "muslimness" this time, since last time was kind of a bust.

****

Ok, so there's been something bugging me kinda. Is it wrong for muslim girls to comment on muslim guys blogs and vice versa? I mean, I didn't see anything wrong w/ it! You know i'm new @ this whole blogging thing, so it was kinda wierd for me to hear that some ppl tend ta think that when a girl, for example, comments on a guy's blog, she's not really interested in his blog (if u know wut i mean). okay, I don't know wut mmmm sad & lonely world you live in, but, wth?! A) its a really loser-like way to meet guys and B) ummm can i say wierd and stalker-like behavior prbly got u to "blog dating" in the first place! People are wierd for sure..but then again, thats y life is so interesting! lol :P

alrighty i'm sleepy, so wasalaam :)

Lyrics.

2006-03-16T01:37:00.000-05:00

firstly...alhumdulillah my charger thingy came tonite so woohooo!

I think this song rocks and the lyrics are totally awesome :)

Jah Work
Written by: Ben Harper

tell me do you really know your brother man
cause a heart speaks louder than a color can
and why would you even shake a man's hand
if you're not going to help him stand

jah work
jah work
jah work is never done

every man's actions belong to he
if prepared for thereafter to each his destiny
some people believe and some people know
some people deceive and some people show

jah work
jah work
jah work is never done

you must do the heaviest
so many shall do none
you have got to stand firm so many shall run
some they rest their head at night
some get no sleep at all
if you listen close to what you see you will hear the call...

(i wish i could put the song on here..but its too hard to find..i'll keep trying tho :) )

wasalaam :)

bAbY CoMe BaCk!!!

2006-03-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

Hola! okay so u guys haveta excuse me for not writing.... My battery charger isn't here yet so i'm still w/o my baby {i.e. the laptop} :( It sux, I know!!! Dude, i'm like addicted to my computer and now i'm going through withdrawl or something. Everytime I see a computer or one of my friends w/ their laptop, I like attack em...haha.. its sad, but true. Well, InshAllah by the end of this week my baby'll be working! :P

here'r some cool quotes i came across...

You have nobler things to do than merely die.
-- Sathya Sai Baba

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
-- Oscar Wilde

wasalaam :)

Salaam.

2006-03-12T23:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I feel as if the world is just too selfish. I don't want to sound like a cynic, but I can't help but feel disillusioned. At times I feel like i'm too nice and that i need to develop some of my own claws to keep from getting hurt. Still, I like the way I am....but then again, i hate that i get my feelings hurt cuz of it. So wut's a girl to do? Where does that leave me? I don't know.

wasalaam

Pix :)

2006-03-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ramdom Pix from LA!

( the local sbux...i luv studying there)

<-- Hollywood & Highland (Kodak Theater) Academy day..they wouldn't let us in. I guess we're just not cool enuff!

*** Beverly Hills Hotel..where the paparazzi were. they filmed us cuz they thought we were someone famous..hehe.

The masjid inside... got yelled @ for taking this pic.."sister please come back for the tour"..wth?! i thnk thats messed up, rite?

rainy LA :( --->

LA City view from my street :) {a lil blurred tho}

blahhhhhhhh

2006-03-11T15:08:00.000-05:00

Ok..since reza { http://disseminationforall.blogspot.com/} prompted me to write...I decided to get over my laziness & fill ya guys in.

****

::sigh:: so, the fun's over. I gotta head back to NY tmrw morning {inshAllah} and I don't really wanna leave, although its shockingly warmer there than in it is in LA; I guess thats something to look forward to. woohoo...good weather and school ::sarcasm::

****

When I get back, I also haveta start looking for a new place to live! Sadly, they're rennovating my building this September and so I haveta move! :'( So starts the search for an apt in Manhattan...if u know nethng bout Manhattan, u'd be shuddering @ this point. Please pray that this process goes easy...cuz finding an apartment in Manhattan is like finding a straight person in San Fran...pretty much non-existent.

****

Ooo..today i'm going to one of those all girls, dance party! I luuuvvv those...the hijabi's can break it down and I get ta booty dance..lol. Boys, i'm sure u wanna know wut else goes down @ these lil shindigs...but, sorry...i'm not tellinnnnnnnnggg :P

****

alrighty..ima go get ready for my party...so i'll holla @ ya guys l8r!

wasalaam :)

quote.

2006-03-09T13:53:00.000-05:00

The SWORD OF ISLAM is not the sword of steel. I know this by experience, because the sword of Islam struck deep into my own heart. It didn't bring death, but it brought a new life; it brought an awareness and it brought an awakening as to who am I and what am I and for what am I here..."

-- Mohammed Asad

aRgh!

2006-03-09T00:26:00.000-05:00

Omg...outsourcing = major headache! I called hp technical support for help and this is what went down:

HP Woman (w/ a bad indian accent): Hi, how may i halp you, my name is Clemency (indian ppl w/ wierd white names...wth?!)

Me: Hi, my battery pack died and now i can't charge my laptop which is also dead now...so i wanted to get another one.

Clemency: ok, i'll need your serial number.

Me: mmmm, ok it got rubbed off, so i can't see it

Clemency: its the "S slash N" number, starting w/ a "CN."

Me: its rubbed off, so i can't make it out.

Clemency: Ok, if you gave me the S/N number, found under the barcode, i can help you.

Me: Look! its rubbed off, i c-a-n-t make it outtttttt.

Clemency: ok, turn on ur laptop and press ctr-alt-s to find out.

Me: Remeber my batterys dead so i can't turn it on.

Clemency: Look ma'm I just need the s/n number.

Me: dekhiya auntie....urdu me....muje nazar nahin ara!

Clemency: Oh ok, But ma'm please call us back w/ the Serial number. Try using a magnifying glass or look closely w/ a light.

click.

:::arghhhhhhhh:::

10 min's later i called again and got a white dude, and now my battery pack's on its way...yaay.

wasalaam :)

The Good Ole Days

2006-03-06T22:16:00.000-05:00

Its funny how we come to appreciate those days that we used to dread. Same time last year, I was praying as hard as I could to get into law school....I had a year off from school and I worked on creating a tutoring business w/ my sister. Still, it was like, I didn't want to be labled as the LOSER who didnt get into law school and the aunties were like "buss shaadi kardo." Hold up Aunty! Pshh...no way! I wanna make my own way, thank you. I mean yea marraige and all is in the future inshAllah, but maybe in like a few years, like when i'm 25 (i bet my mom's havin an aneurysm somewhere for me saying that).

So today I had a schedule exactly like one of my old days and I enjoyed every bit! Ironic I know.

ws..madiha :P

::Imam in America::

2006-03-04T13:07:00.000-05:00

Salaam....

The NY Times is doing a 3 part series on the life of a popular Egyptian immigrant who serves as an Imam in a Masjid located in Brooklyn, N.Y. and the three part series to include interactive web features is roughly organized as: introduction to the Imam; the Imam post 9/11; and the Imam's role as marriage facilitator for Muslim singles. 'I thought the story was fairly optimistic I & hope it serves as a positive piece in this tumultous period. www.nytimes.com

Here's the link to the first article:

An Imam in America
A Muslim Leader in Brooklyn, Reconciling 2 Worlds

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/05/nyregion/05imam.html?hp&ex=1141534800&en=934a4e8cc4d105a4&ei=5094&partner=homepage

wasalaam :)

Jummah Mubarak!!!!!

2006-03-03T19:31:00.000-05:00

Jummah Mubarak!!!

Well, I just got home (to LA) and, of course, the second my mom saw me, she started crying. It makes me feel bad for moving away...but then again, she's the one who encouraged me to move! Alhumdulillah i'm blessed to have parents who promised that they wouldn't hold me back for school and i'm truly grateful. Unfortunately, its raining today and for the next coupla days. How unfair! Everyday for the past week it was sunny and beautiful, but when I get here, nope! Uh well i'm just glad to be back...alhumdulillah.

iA more of an update l8R, i gotta get some sleep.

wasalaam :)

Snow....

2006-03-02T10:23:00.000-05:00

Yaay!!! This morining when I woke up it was snowing! Yes, i know i know...snow sux..but for someone from Cali, its wonderful! I'm gonna go outside and try to refrain myself from jumping into a pile of snow, haha...although ima be thinking it!

wasalaam :P

ThE Oc MeETs MeCcA

New Year, New beginnings iA

:Free Time:

Eid Mubarak :)

One of the Bad Guys...

::Who's older?::

Just heading to the masjid...Really!

*sigh* I love this! :)

Shahadah

{Chinese Proverb} Only Through Letting Go

::Ramadan Mubarak::

Buddha Bar

Desi Trophy Wives

::Unwanted Stares::

Moving Day....

I.C.E. In Case of Emergency

7 Days & Random things

Something For the Boys...and Girls

~ Bonfire @ the Beach ~

LASIK...

And Life Goes On...

Documentary: Occupation 101

TaGgEd!

Chicks Rule! :D

"The Sky's Falling!"

::: Reformed Players :::

I ain't fallin for it this time!

Sign & Forward!

Cupcakes :)

Requests for Du'a...

Curiousity is Baad!

::Supernatural::

Quote.

Journey...

Hajj Experience

Happy 4th of July

Feliz Cumpleanos...

Stalked

::Payce::

Oh Snap! Another One of 'Em.

If you can't get a dog....settle for FISH!

Hollywood copying Bollywood! Worrrd!?!

Don't they know how Indian movie's really go? If ya guys had forgotten or never seen an indian movie before (good, cuz you were kinda spared), here's a basic synopsis of any indian movie:

Gangsta M.D.: Chris Tucker in dem Bollywood - Remake?

Pure Hearts

When its hot....Make some KoolAid!

...Summertime... And the Livin's Easy...

Time to Breathe....

*Shaadi Season*

Stupidly Funny **lol**

Blogs aren't just for thoughts...

Officially on Summer Vaca!

The Stuff of the Gods!

I'm a Surviva', I'm Gonna Make it, I Will Survive and Keep on Surviving :P

Online Rishtas...

Busy Bee :)

Ironic...

A lil clear up..

People w/ too much time on their hands....

la la land....

Me Gustan Mucho: Free Downloads :P

Quote.

::Tyte. Word. Of. The. Week::

Crisis.

Deer in the Headlights...

~ Love Advice ~

A day for EVERYTHING! Sheesh!

:::Tyte. word. of. the. Week.:::

la vida...

lived thru yoga...

stressed.

Society's Ills

Double Mint #1

Quote.

ArE yOu SeRioUs!?!

Marraige Advice.

Only Clearly Disturbed People Run for President.

Wasting time in Contracts...

Note To Self...

:::Top 10 Idiosyncrasies:::

sigh I love this! :)

Shaadi Season

Stupidly Funny lol