First day... (Part 1- Umrah)

Finally the much anticipated pictures.  I'm sorry it's been taking so long, i've had so many pictures i had to sift through to choose the best ones. I've also had to partake in a friend's wedding this weekend. S/O to Nimo on her Marriage and may Allah make her union a means of gaining his pleasure and Jannah. Ameen. Baraka Alahu lakuma wa baraka Alakuma wa jama bainakuma fi khair! <3

Insha'Allah i will post all the pictures then share my experience with all of you in another blog post. They say pictures tell a thousand words, but not even pictures can do any justice to the experience of first laying your eyes of the Kabah. 

Ever since i got back everyone has been asking me about my trip,  i know my words will never do it justice so i just smile and say it was amazing lol. I truly have no words to explain it, you have to really experience it to know what it feels like. 

 My Allah give everyone the opportunity to visit His house in our lifetime, and make hijrah to the land of the muslimeen bithni laa talaa. Ameen 

Checking in my bags at YYZ, toronto airport

Arriving in Istabul, Turkey. -Via turkish airlines

Usually when one is travelling on a muslim airline, they mention the point of ihram (the meeqat- specific area where ihram is made) for the people performing umrah on the plane so you can make your Niyaa for your ihram. However, we were shocked to find out turkish airlines does not do this so we entered our ihram at the istanbul Airport.

The rites of Umrah begin by entering the state of Ihram. For men, they have a specific garment they must wear, but women are allowed to wear whatever they want. A person only enters the state of Ihram once the Niyah has been uttered from their lips.

"Labayk Allahumma Umrah"

Oh Allah, here I am performing Umrah [Muslim: 1251]


For all of you planning to perform umrah/hajj in the near future, i sincerely sincerely sincerely advise you all, to really sit down and educate yourself about the steps and rituals of performing umrah before embarking this journey. Likewise, try your best to learn the hikmah and history behind each act.. this will make your experience that much more memorable. Before i left, i went to Habib Bookstore and picked up and amazing book called "The Ultimate Guide to Umrah- By: Abu Muneer Ismail Davids". I read it during my plane ride, and by the time i got there i knew everything i was doing Alhamdulilah. I knew the duaa's to say while making tawaf, Sa'ee (safaa & marwaa), etc, and all the steps required.

 Since we did not go with a group, it was crucial for me to know what i was doing rather to rely on my brother every step of the way lol. That would be annoying right... having to ask him "so what do we do now?" every 2 seconds was something i didn't want to do lol.

This book is very detailed, it tells you everything step by step. It even tells you which bank machines are best withdraw money from, which simcard company is the best if you are to purchase a sim while your there, sunnah acts, food spots, etc. 


There are many prohibitations while you are in the state of Ihram, For ex: one must not cut their nails or cut their hair. For one who misses an action or transgresses a hajj or umrah law, they must pay fidyah (expiation). However, the genereal rule if if a person commits an act out of ignorance there is no scarifice required.


This is some serious stuff. Again i advise anyone planning to leave soon to not leave and be left wandering blindly while performing umrah, but to go with firm knowledge of exactly what your performing. 

Waiting for our connecting flight to Jeddah

Istanbul Airport

The original plan was for us to stay in turkey for a day and to go see the blue mosque and Taksim Square, however there was some complications with the visa (Did you know you need a visa to enter turkey lol ?!?) . Insha'Allah next time. I took some photos of the airport:

Turkish Ice cream

Bazaar

Beautiful China with calligraphy hand drawn on them

Decor

Lamps

The musalla inside the airport. Alhamdulilah took a nice nap in here while waiting for my flight

One of the busiest airports i've been to. I've been to airports all over the world and this one takes the hat!

Finally Arrived in Jeddah. 

The flight from Turkey to Jeddah was about 3 1/2 hours. Alhamdulilah the nice thing about Turkish Airlines is that you can listen to Qur'an on their radio. 

Finally arrived at Jeddah airport around 4am.

Jeddah airport waiting area

Hoyo (mom) getting ready to head to Mecca

The taxi driver. My first near death experience in a taxi cab in saudi. This guy was combing his hair with one hand, and texting with the other. lool

Finally arrived at Mecca around 6 am, checked into our hotel - Al Shohada Hotel (5 star)

Walking to the harram from our hotel to perform our umrah

Umrah group from indonesia. They put flowers on the back of their hijabs just incase they lose one another. ( you see this often in umrah). Mashallah they were so beautiful. 

Finally arrived in the harram




& my Umrah began, i didn't take any pictures while performing my umrah. However,  i took pictures the days after i will post them shortly.

Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah - blessed and a guidance for the worlds. [3:96]

A journey of a Lifetime....

4 days left till I make the biggest journey of my life...wow. The feeling is so surreal. 


Those of you who have me on bbm know that I've been counting down to this since the day I booked my ticket. 

Alhamdulilah, with the help of Allah (swt) I will be going on Umrah on June 2nd, 2012 Insha'Allah.
  Something that i haven't shared with any of you is that for the past 4-5 months i kept repeatedly having dreams that i was standing infront of the Kabaa. I shared this dream with my mom and she told me that it means that my dream will come true soon. You know somali ladies, they say whatever they want.. so i just brushed it off. But low and behold subhan'Allah within the next couple months things started unfolding and my dream became true right before my eyes.

Subhan'Allah I feel that it came true during one of the most crucial times in my life aswell, and i sincerely feel blessed and grateful to the One who created me. Allah is truly Al- Wahab (The Giver of All, He who blesses all blessings to his creatures).

1. More info on the linguistic meaning of "Al-wahab" below.

Having graduated last year, and being out of school for a year, i've been trying to really trying to figure out what i want to do with my life next and what better way to start off a new chapter in my life with turning back to Allah (swt) and visiting the the Kabaa. What makes this a truly even bigger blessing is having the opportunity to take my mother to Umrah during my lifetime. Those of you who know me know that my mother is very dear and near to my heart. Having lost my father when i was born (Allahu Yarhamu) , my mother raised me and my siblings on her own for the past 21 years. She's the reason I am who I am today and being able to share this experience with her is more than i can ever ask for. This has been one of my lifelong dreams and all I can say is ALHAMDULILAH <3. 


In addition, often times when I speak to people who have went on umrah or hajj, they say it completely changes you for the rest of your life. I just feel that my soul was yearning for this for a long time. I really needed to take time off from the dunya and turn back to Allah (swt).  This is a beautiful excerpt written by Yasmin Mogahed before she embarked this beautiful journey:
 

I'm sitting at the airport, waiting to board, en route to the holiest place on earth. Parting advice to you and myself: 
Let go of your grudges. Let the bitterness die tonight. Make a decision today that it's time to move on. And begin again. New, this time. Never forget that what has passed you by was never meant to befall you. And what has befallen you, was never meant to pass you by. Know that sometimes Allah withholds from you, in order to give you something better. Keep your heart focused on Him, and He will take care of the rest. And remember: you will stumble, but that’s part of the path. Keep going. Keep rising, and refuse to give up.

I will be transiting through turkey so i will be there for about a day. Turkish airlines provides free city tours for transit passengers so i'm really excited to see the city of Istanbul and visit the blue mosque & taskim square. Insha'Allah i will post photos and share stories on my blog once i'm back.

May Allah accept my Umrah and make it an Iman filled experience & May you all visit the Haram once in your life time. Ameen. 

Keep me in your Duaas xoxo

Walaykum Asalaam warahmatullahi Wabarakatu

1. Al-Wahhab” (the All-Giver) is He Who gives you with no means and bestows His Favours upon you with no reason or cause. To truly understand the meaning of this beautiful name we must ask ourselves, what has Allah the most gracious given us?

In Arabic the word “Wahhab” is derived from the verb “wahaba”, which means “to give someone something as a gift, i.e. without getting anything in return.”…  (Source)

The Qur’anic Verses in which Allah’s Beautiful Divine Name “Al-Wahhab” (the All-Giver) are:

{Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and give us mercy from You. Truly, You are Al-Wahhab (the All-Giver)} (Aal-Imran, 3:8)

{To Allah does belong the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He gives female (offspring) to whomever He wills, and He gives male (offspring) to whomever He wills} (Ash-Shura, 42:49)

{And verily, I fear my relatives after me, and my wife is barren. So give me from You an heir} (Maryam, 19:5)

{At that time, Zechariah invoked his Lord, saying, ‘O my Lord! Give me from You a good offspring! You are, indeed, the Hearer of invocation!} (Al-Imran, 3:38)

The Love List

                               
                                         Things that i absolutely fell in love with this week:

                                   A recent Ayah i came across thanks to Yasmin Mogahed,
                                                           is an ayah in Surah Shu' ara.

                                                        “Inna ma’iya rabee sa yahdeen…
                                   Truly my Lord is with me, He will guide me through.” 
                                                                      (26:62). 


                                 Suban'Allah this ayah hit me on so many levels. Do you ever
                                 have times where your going through something and you open
                                 up the Qur'an and you feel as though Allah is speaking directly
                                                                             to YOU?

                                                  This is exactly how i felt reading this ayah.

                                  Often times, we as humans worry and stress so much when what
                                  we really need to do is sit down and realize that guidance is with Allah.
                                  Allah is the one we should turn to when we have difficulties, not people.
                                  If Allah brings you to it, He and Only He can guide you through it.

On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: Allah the Almighty said:

                                     I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me.

If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at

speed.

It was related by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).

Allah also says in Surah Ibrahim: 

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' "

So even when you feel that you've hit rock bottom, be grateful for everything you have and turn to Allah.  There are people around the world who are suffering in far more difficult states. Allah tests those whom he loves. 

So be grateful and continue to give shukr (thanks) to Allah for Allah is Ar-rahman Ar-raheem, the Most Merciful, the Always Most Merciful.




Some Ayats/Hadiths pertaining to having Sabr:

Allah's Apostle (SA) said,"No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn."

[Sahih Bukhari]

"O you who believe! be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful."

[3:200]

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient)". 

[2:155]

"Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.''

[39:10]

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When Allah intends good for His slave, He punishes him in this world, but when He intends an evil for His slave, He does not hasten to take him to task but calls him to account on the Day of Resurrection.''

[At-Tirmidhi].

Wassalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatu

                                  

       

African Inspired Bracelet

So today at interest based mentoring my students were making bracelets so i decided to have a go at it. I must say i really enjoyed making it.

I decided to go with an african prayer bead style, i'm totally rocking it right now : ). Tell me what you guys think. 

I absolutely love it!

Moroccan Inspired Stencil

I recently gutted out all the storage in my basement and began a DIY journey. My goal is to turn my basement from the dungeon it is to an icy cool moroccan oasis. 

I saw an amazing youtube tutorial that teaches you how to do a DIY stencil of Moroccan arches. I gave it a try, and it turned out great. I will share the video below. 

Here are some step by step pictures that i took. Sorry for the horrible camera quality, i took the picture with my phone. 

This is a work in progress that will take quite some time to complete. My next steps is to attach baseboards and paint the exposed beams. I will post more photos once i'm done. 

Before

my cut out :) 

Traced it with a pastel crayon

After

After

Video: 

.......

Recent Paintings