Random from Eidul Adhha, 2011

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I realise that I never posted photographs of my own country, so here are some I took on this week of eid we celebrated...enjoy :)

Nizwa

We rarely get these heavy clouds, the weather was absolutely beautiful, and we enjoyed each day of it, it is getting hot again :)

Nizwa

BBQ time :)

part of souq (market)..

trying to grow basil :)

Muscat

at my parents house


wish you all a lovely week

Can I cry?

This being my space,

And me being emotionally, physically, mentally exhausted, tired, drained,
And as an adult
...


Am I allowed to cry?

Random thoughts

I've mixed feelings, feelings of guilt that I am not doing enough of everything I should do, sometimes I am not sure what I should do next.

I am a perfectionist I should admit, and this can be torture.

I can't even express how I feel exactly..

La Ilaha Ila Allah....

Is it only me?

Do you feel sometimes you can do more than what you are doing, but something is keeping you away from doing so?

Do you stay up at night thinking about so many things, about your life, about how things can be or have been, about what you can do better..etc?

Do you plan on so many things, but just few of your goals are achieved..?

Do you always think of making a better YOU, a better surrounding, a better WORLD?

or is it only me??

My Kitchen

Asalaam Alykum Sisters and Hello to all my friends..

I've started a new blog...I've three now, WOoOw..:)..

My new one is going to be about my kitchen's experience, my recipes and trials in the kitchen.

I Love cooking, I haven't started loving it till the last five years, after getting married and specifically when I had my first child.

I love baking bread, cakes and biscuits. I don't mind other things either LOL..

I want to improve my cooking skills and get inspired by others cooking, So I had to start this

Have a lovely day..xx

Do you know where the Pub is?

Asalaam Alaykum Muslimat and hello to all my friends..

Few years back, I was a student in Scotland. I was walking down one of the famous shopping streets, it was early, maybe an afternoon can't remember exactly.

With my hijab on, carrying a bag, holding some books, two middle aged men approached me, they had an English accent, so I was sure they weren't Scottish. They looked lost, and they came to me, I think without looking carefully at this girl. One asked me: " do you know where is the **** pub" (I can't remember what was the name of the pub he mentioned:D).

I was lost, because of course I didn't know where was that,, but was keen to help these people :D.

But within few seconds, they realised that this girl will never know where is the pub!, and the men said in embarrassment "oh you wouldn't know, sorry" and left..

I laughed, and never forgot that funny incident :D

I want!!

Asalaam Alykum Muslimat and Hello my friends..

I just feel the need to write something, anything.
I miss certain things at this moment. I miss being in a place where I can feel cool, not warm in one second and cold next--> and switching the AC on & off.I need real fresh air, I miss looking at something green. The dust outside make me feel down and makes my sinus worse..

I want to have some peace of mind, my brain has been like a PC which got crashed. I can't last on one thought for more than 5 minutes, and can't make it think of things that can cheer me up at this moment. But I am an optimistic person, so brain stop it please.

I get sickness similar to that you get when you are pregnant sometimes in the day.. No I am not pregnant if this is what you thinking!:)

I want to take my children to a place which is outdoor, fun and cool, but I've to wait till November/December to be able to do this.

I want to spend sometime in a cafe, having a hot chocolate and studying.. Just alone. and to forget about the surrounding.

I want to be considered like a little child now, and so be able to say what I think about everyone without being considered rude or judgmental...

Time spent with children

Asalaam Alaykum Muslim readers and hello to all my friends..:)

I've been feeling really bad lately. Well, I am a part-time student doing my masters at home. I am attending 4 days lecture (of each module) every six weeks and then I get to do an assignment and/or exam. This time we had this tough module and we are expected to sit an exam on the beginning of August and to hand in an assignment on the same day.

I'm on a long leave. So at the moment am a stay-at-home mom if you call it this way. I have done my assignment but it needs checking before submitting it. It is a difficult subject and it is taking all my time, specially studying for the exam.

Now I feel really guilty. I am not spending much time with my kids, they are at home with me, physically I am with them, but mentally and time-wise I am not doing much with them.

So I do small things that I think matter and can be useful for a mother who is in a similar situation like myself.

*When I am busy studying/writing, and one of the kids interrupt me, I still give them my full attention and don't get annoyed, smile and listen to whatever they have to say.

*bath time should be a special time where you should stop thinking about what is bothering you and have fun taking care of your child

*hug them and kiss them all the time to show you care and you never forget them.

*meal time should be time to get closer, spend it together whenever you can

*Bedtime story, hugging, reading Quran.

*prayer time: include your kids, let them sit on the prayer mat and have a cosy chat

This is all I can remember for now...

:)

What a beautiful month you are..

Asalaam Alykum my sisters and hello and welcome to all my friends..

I can't hide my excitement that the month of Ramadhan is so close to us inshallah. This month has always brought happiness to me as long as I can remember. I don't mean that special things have happened during this month, no, it is just the spirituality and the contentment it brings.

It brings back hope that things will be better and that I can be a new person again.It brings the best out of me, the part of me that I struggle to bring out all the year, it appears easily with the help of Allah in this beautiful month.

The days seem quieter and I become more productive in all ways. I become active in reading quran, reading my adhkar, remembering Allah and His bounties, even cooking LOL.

It makes all the sad, painful hard feelings vanish and replaced with feelings of contentment and appreciation of everything.

The nights of Ramadhan are just beautiful, family gatherings (when I am in Oman), taraweeh prayers, the religious programs. Even while am with my small family away from my home country, Ramadhan seems as beautiful as it has always been.

The month of Ramadhan is so short though, sweet things don't last for long and so is Ramadhan.

As a child I've been excited about Eid, which is the Muslim celebration straight after ramadhan, but now, it means that the month I love most is over. We as Muslims should be happy with the eid, but for me it brings great saddness that my faviourite month is over, and if I wonder if I will get to fast the ramadhan that will come again the next year.

What has been said about this month?

"Ramadan is the (month) in which the Quran was sent down, as a guide to mankind and a clear guidance and judgment (so that mankind will distinguish from right and wrong).." (Quran, al-Baqarah 2:183)

"Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and rightousness" (Quran, al-Baqarah, 2:183)

Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: "Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like). There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord" (Muslim).

A beautiful Nasheed on Ramadhan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46I0TgWamP4
/>

Body Shop; I just love you..

Asalaam Alaykum Muslimat and Hello my friends..

I LOVE body shop, it has been my faviourite for more than ten years.I don't want you to think I am doing a marketing business or am part of them,, oh I wish, but I am not.
I love their value of fair trade and no animal testing or whatsoever,even after the chain being bought by L'Oreal, it continues to have its message..
I love going into their shop whenever I am visiting any mall, even if I didn't buy anything..I love it specially when they have a sale LOL..
Some of my favourite products that I've used before or still using..

(the photos are taken from the official bodyshop webpage:

vitamine E face cream



Gloves



body scrubs





shampoo and shower gels






mist,perfume,lip gloss and others..

Clothing

Asalaam Alaykum Muslimat and Hello to all my friends..:)

I didn't think of anything new recently to write about here,but I miss my blog so I've to write something..
So I'd ask you for an advice :D.

I bought a white jeans from Alcott, here in Bahrain, they had a 70% sale and I was happy and lucky to find something my size and looked pretty on me lol.It looks similar to these:




I am thinking of getting myself a long blouse with long sleeves, should be loose because my I like looking modest and elegant at the same time LOL..I never wear tight clothes going out, unless Under my abayas SOMEtimes..



It is difficult to find this kind of tops, I mean what I am looking for.I would like something with this colour



..or blue..a light colour..:)I am thin and tall but I still find it difficult to find tops that I as a muslim can wear..even in the Middle East..

Will update you if I found something I like :)

Have faith, and believe on your abilities...

Ya Allah...That was my reaction when I had this boy as a patient, about 10 years old, didn’t look at me. Actually he turned all his face away from me (and he did this with everyone), on one side, and he had one of the strangest speech problems I’ve ever encountered, oh and at that time I had just graduated for less than a year.
He didn’t have any problems with his oral/speech apparatus. But his fricative phonemes (sounds) (s,sh,f….) and many others were nasalised, meaning they were produced from his nasal cavity (nose)? They sounded very distorted, he has had this problem since he started speaking? He had very low self esteem, was introvert and I don’t think he ever made any friends, at all. I thought to myself, will this child’s speech improve?

I knew I had to do my best to help him. It affected all his life. I have seen him for a number of sessions. His dad wasn’t very cooperative, was annoyed as they came from one of the regions far from the capital.

The boy followed my instructions, and was keen to cooperate as I assured him he’d improve his speech if he practiced whatever I gave him to do at home. He was one of the few children who showed devotion to the sessions.

After around 4 sessions, his sounds were near to normal, I was amazed. I thought to myself, we made it. He started turning his head to me, with some eye contact. He’d raise his head when I asked him to. He had a tiny smile appearing on his face whenever I said I am proud of his achievement.

We started talking about his dreams, which he had none. He made it thanks to Allah. I had to discharge him, but he taught me many lessons. May Allah grant him success…

Who Cares???

Oh, she is surviving it so well. They all do but it is a matter of pretending they are not good at surviving this stage with all the high stress, the physical, emotional and psychological difficulties.

It is her 41 weeks, the baby is very happy to spend extra cosy time so close to his mummy. However, mummy is working full time, & she has been speaking to a father of a patient who was vocally abusive and tiring. She is doing great in front of the father & the patient, but the palpitation is getting worse, the back pain is unbearable, and the oedema is making her look a bit funny, especially with those big ugly shoes on.
Well, it is one of those really busy time, she has hardly had anything to eat since her breakfast at 7:30 am, oh it is 12:30 pm, there is a patient at one and it’s prayer time, so off she goes to pray, and then she has to see the other patient who takes an hour, a hyperactive lovely child that takes the remaining energy. 2:30, it is time to go home.

Well, she had the baby thanks to Allah. She gets 50 days maternity leave granted then she has to take her own annual leave. Than back to work, oh excuse me we don’t have breast feeding hour, and your patients are waiting and you got to get own with life, nothing exists as a part-time job, you’re neither the first mother nor the last one. And anyway , WHO CARES!..

It is very tough being pregnant alone, and it is tougher when the laws don't help, I’ve read somewhere along time ago that working mothers are more prone to deliver by a caesarean section. Personally I’ve seen it in the area I work at, the stress and fatigue you go through can drive you crazy.

Are we aiming to have ill-fitted mothers to work side by side with men, do same work as men, than take care of our kids while not considering the different biological needs? How can children be raised the way they should be when we are not being appreciated and taken care of???

Wish laws would change, we don't ask for a lot, but for extra appreciation and help. I guess it is different everywhere. But I really believe that we should think about women regarding this matter.

House maids??

Is it becoming compulsory to have a house maid in the Middle East, specifically in the Gulf region? If you don’t have one, you’ll be considered a superwoman who deserves whatever stress & troubles she is getting.
I have been thinking about it for a long long time, don’t get me wrong. I don’t blame women in our society for not being able to live without a house maid, or two , or even three at one time. It is a hectic society, social obligations and activities are too much to handle. We live in a very generous society with lots of social activities going on, we receive visitors to our houses all the time, and you are expected to make them feel they are in a five star hotel.
You’re obliged to visit your relatives continuously, for no reason, or for occasions such as weddings, funerals, child birth etc. So we are busy people you know..
Women are working in different fields such as men, and not much facility are given to mothers such as part-time jobs or breast-feeding hours. Moreover, we lack good nurseries and child care services that you can put your kids in whenever you are busy.
So what will be the solution for most women? Get a housemaid from one of the less developed countries such as Seri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia and let her do all the cleaning, cooking, baby-sitting, even shopping???? Does it really make sense??? It happens, but it doesn’t make sense to me?? A person I know nothing about, who speaks different language with different religion, who might have problems I don’t know about, I pay her very low salary, and she’d replace me?
For the time being, I am concerned about so many things, I am studying, trying to find a solution with my kids but not interested on letting a person I don’t know to take care of my lil ones.Oh, and I love my home privacy, besides I love being able to dress the way I like at home...
I am writing this while (for the first time in my life) a part time lady is cleaning one of my bathrooms,I feel awkward on her presence between my family. Will it work for me,, or my mom & all family will insist that I should get a housemaid. What do you think??

Hugs of Energy

Is it only me, or it is everyone.I really believe that hugging my loved ones gives me energy to move on..specially hugging and cuddling the little ones.
We think we hug kids because they need it, but actually It does us wonders as well..We need it....I am in Love with hugs..:)

Libraries..

I enjoy taking my kids to the Shaikh Issa National Library in Bahrain al hamdulilah. It has a beautiful children’s section and my kids adore it. I think libraries are crucial part of children’s life & they should be introduced to reading and learning through play at young age. I am sorry to say that libraries are the missing part in Oman. Inshallah soon we will have at least one, I hope.

I could not get a proper photo of the library. However, it is part of the Al-Fatih Mosque, which is so beautiful, I got this picture of the mosque.



It is named after the Islamic character Muhammad Al-Fatih son of the Ottoman Sultan Murad II. He conquered Constantinople, Istanbul now. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mentioned this long before “"You will conquer Constantinople. Its commander is the best and its army (that will conquer it) is the best." And of course, Al Fatih is the name of the known mosque in Istanbul.

I got loads of books on introduction to Islam in different languages. I got them because I want to contribute on conveying Islam to non-Muslims I meet every day. I just feel I lack courage although I am really keen to do so. Anyone with an advice on this?



Now, this is a simple home project I did with the great help of my little boy mashallah,out of formulae cans :D.. I love doing these kind of work with my little boy, he enjoys it, gives him confidence and we get to bond more & more :)…try it with your kids:)