Baby oh baby!

Ah, school is over, summer is coming. And I need to dust off the cobwebs. I can’t believe I haven’t blogged in so long. I simply had a lot on my plate I was taking my final pre-requisite, a math class, a subject at which I am tragically inept at. I also found out, three weeks into the semester that I was expecting, baby number three at one of the most inconvenient times. But al-hamdulillah, I am so very happy, I wanted a another baby for a while and didn’t think it would happen.
Fast forward 16 weeks and ma’shallah I passed the math class, baby is progressing and I am just enjoying the joy of not having to do anything but enjoy the rest of my term and spending time with my children. I have a lot planned for the summer, and I want to make a few handmade things for the baby. I look forward to that.

My biggest goal for the summer is to get my five year old reading. She already knows letters, phonics and some blends but I really want to push her to read. I think she’s ready and if she and I can do it together, it will be a big accomplishment for the both of us.

La ilaha illallah is Hussain!

It is the Christian belief that Jesus (peace be upon him) gave his life for the sake of his followers, spilled his blood to wash away their sins. We as Muslims know this to be a falicy, as Isa bin Maryam was raised by Allah to the heavens.

Indeed it is the noble Imam Hussain Ibn Ali, Allah bless his name, the grandson of Nabi Muhammad who lay down his life for the sake of believers. But his blood shed wasn’t an expiation of sins, but a lesson in taqwa for all rightly guided men and women who take heed, to never submit to anyone or anything, save Allah ta a’la.

Fear is worship, to fear anything is to give it dominance over oneself.  To fear a thing is to bow before it and take it as your ila. Imam Hussain knew no fear. Going forth into battle he didn’t fear death, he didn’t fear the outcome. He didn’t fear being separated from his family, or what would happen to them if he were to be slew on the battlefield. He didn’t fear Yazid the Cursed or his worldly power. He only feared Allah and, with that refused to submit to the tyrant, for he lived his life in pure submission to the One God.

Murshid Kamil has stressed that we look for the lesson in the Tragedy or Karbala and this is the lesson I see: Never chose to live as a dog, when you can die as a lion. Imam Hussain could have accepted the offer or Yazid, bowed to him and spared his own life and those of his family. But he chose to honor the covenant with Allah, and only submit to Him. By giving his life his showed the true meaning of “La ilaha illallah”

He left this legacy for all Mutaqueen, to live and die, as lions.

Peplum Love and DIY Peplum Abaya

Peplums have been everywhere lately, dresses, skirts, even shorts. I love the look.

Image from http://www.goniovisionbox.org/2013/01/peplum-mini-skirt-trend-and-popular/

Peplums are feminine, flirty, vintage and modern at the same time and if you are creative enough, can be very dramatic.

Dramatic Runway Peplums

 

I have been dreaming of making a peplum abaya for awhile and finally got around to it.

Because I love the simplicity of commercial patterns, I started with Vogue V8815 , which is for a fitted top. I made a few modifications to suit my tastes such as eliminating the back shoulder darts and slashing and spreading the peplum to give it more flair. I also made it about an inch longer all around. And obviously I drafted a high-waisted skirt with front and back darts. The skirt I attached at the waist to make it all one piece.

DIY peplum abaya

I actually wore this for the later part of eid.  The look of it is very plain because I wanted it to be a stylish everyday abaya, I had no intention of wearing it for eid but my dwindling fabric stash made it so that I didn’t have much to choose from. Time to replenish. In the meantime this has become my favorite going out with the hubby abaya, I will absolutly be making a couple more.

Farewell

I can’t believe Ramadan is almost over. It always seems to take forever to get here and then passes by in the blink of an eye.
This month for me was very busy, probably the busiest Ramadan I’ve ever experienced. The long, hot, thirsty days were made even more arduous by our move. Boxes, packing, trashing and thrifting while fasting. Despite everything, we moved and are settling in and Ramadan has been wonderful. The move also robbed me of high-speed internet, which has a nuisance as far as school but not too much of a problem because I try to stay off of the internet during Ramadan anyway, hence the lack of posts.

I have also been sewing like a mad-woman for eid. Lack of money had me digging in my fabric stash for myself and the girls. More on that later…

In the move I came across a great little book entitled The Salah of Women that my mother in law gave to me. While I had a few goals for Ramadan, improving my salah was not one of them, but this book set me on that path. As I started reading about the importance of Salah and how Allah with ask us about concerning it I was inspired to read more and review my Salah.

I’m very glad I did so. There were a few things I was saying wrong and some sunnah of wudu I had been neglecting. Ma’shallah, this is a wonderful book. Every statement is supported by Holy Quran and Hadith with references, original Arabic text and English translation. It covers the importance of Salah, purity, wudu, the positions of Salah and everything that is recited in Salah. I recommend his book to all Muslim women and encourage ladies to regularly review their Salah. We may not always make a perfect wudu or a perfect salah, you wouldn’t want your supplication to be nullified becuase of a small act missed. But through regular refreshers, insha’allah perfect ibadah can be attained and the pleasure of Allah earned.
Now back to eid sewing.

Ramadan 2013, Day 1

The first day of fasting is almost over and I m happy to say I had a good day. It wasn’t too difficult, other than having a headache, but thats no suprise to me, I always have a headache on the first few days. Subahanallah, I completed the first Juz in Arabic and will be starting the second tonight, inshallah.

I think the hardest part of fasting for me is not the refraining from eating, but controlling the temper. It’s the summer, kids are out from school and home with me all day long, just being chatty, rambunctious people. It’s a test of patience to not yell at them or get angry when they do something undesirable. I was thinking to day that it is a blessing, because Allah gives us many second chances so to speak in Ramadan, he allows us to atone for past sins, to train our lower desires and to be the ideal Muslim, if even just for a month. We are our best selves during Radmadan.

For me, I think it is a chance to the best mother as well. This month teaches me patience and control, teaches me the things that make me angry are really not worth it. Whats worth it is being pleasing to Allah and controlling my temper, something  I hope to remember and practice long after Ramadan is over. Thank you Allah, for giving me this chance.

I was reading Muslimah in Reverie and she was sharing her goals for the month. I thought it was a nice post so I’ll do the same.

1. Finish the entirety of Qur’an Majeed by reading a Juz  and a half a day. I realize to be able to finish in spite of uh, feminine setbacks, I’ll have to read a little more each day.
2. Listen to Holy Qur’an with English translation.
3. Make tarawih every night.
4. Avoid the high caloric, high fat foods of iftaar and eat more whole foods, fruits and vegetables instead. 
5. Teach the girls to memorize surah al-Fatihah.

While these goals may seem pretty basic, most of them mandatory, Allah knows what I have struggled with in the past. May Allah allow me to be successful in reaching these goals.