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The Princess & The Ivory Tower: Part II

// April 25th, 2008 // 16 Comments » // Blog

She lay on her bed, looking out towards the window; her single source of illumination. The light that filled the room was that of a typical Spring day: gentle, warm, but muted by the patchy canopy of white-grey clouds hiding the Sun. The sounds that flowed inwards from the outside world were also that of a typical Spring day: birds chirping, new leaves wet with April showers rustling as the breeze stirred them. And the smells… well, Rapunzel was finding them harder to discern, due to her sinuses being slightly inflamed.

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Protected: Creepy [SisOy]

// April 21st, 2008 // Enter your password to view comments. // Blog

A Little Boy in Pain

// April 19th, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Blog

I received the following e-mail from a friend, in the form of a typical 'circular'. Normally, I am very wary about reports of charity cases that don't come from official sources. However, this message ended with a link to a video on YouTube showing the little boy in question, which convinced me that it may be genuine, though Allāh knows best.

I encourage you to watch the video and make up your own minds. Unfortunately, it is not in English… in fact, if someone can translate and write a brief summary in the comments, I would be most grateful.

The thing that got to me most is the fact he looks so much like the son of one of my closest friends, whom I consider as a nephew. I pray that they have already raised enough money for the operation, though I guess there will be post-op costs to consider too. It's so sad to think he has to remain in such a state for a second longer. :(

—

Did Allāh give you healthy children who don't suffer from any physical pain, that you can watch playing, eating and sleeping in peace?

If so, prostrate before Him in thankfulness, and remember that we will be asked about each ni'ama [blessing] He granted us from His immense Bounty.

Mounib, 2 years old, suffers from a rare kind of spina bifida. The tumour on his back is has become so large that the only position he can be in is prostration. He is in perpetual pain. He cannot eat or sleep, as the pain he suffers from gives him no respite.

Mounib lives in Algeria and his family cannot afford the operation he needs. Of course, if he was the son of an influential person in this country ruled by corrupt people, he would have been operated already. How can you leave a child in that state without doing anything?

His country did nothing for him, but brothers and sisters all over the world have already made donations up to 40 000 euros alhamdulillah, to help him to be taken to a hospital in Europe or Canada where he could have the operation.

Please join them, or at least find out about this story and make dua.

The video YOU HAVE TO WATCH with Mounib is at
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=YOVIc3u723Y

For sadaqat [donating charity] BE GENEROUS see http://www.sosmounib.com/

Call Ilyes (London) on 0750 245 5411

Welcome to Ijtema 2.0!

// April 16th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

Alhamdulillah, the new Ijtema.net site has finally been launched!

What you have to look forward to:

• A beautiful new layout, māshā’Allāh.

Jazakallah khair to Shazia Mistry for working on the web design, and Teakster for his efforts with the new Ijtema logo.

• Over the next week, Multimedia comes to Ijtema:

New video content thanks to a collaboration with HalalTube.com.

Coverage of the Islamic Arts scene by Teakster.

I will also be making serious use of my iPod to keep you up-to-date with the latest Islamic podcasts, inshā’Allāh.

• The Ijtema Photo Contest

You can finally satiate your curiosity, as the winners have been announced!

There is actually more to come for the site, which we will unveil in good time. But for now, enjoy the new features, and please give us your feedback via this link (comments are closed on this post, as encouragement!).

May Allāh grant us success, āmīn.

Protected: Randomness [SisOy]

// April 11th, 2008 // Enter your password to view comments. // Blog

Prayer for my Family

// April 7th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

Asslamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu

A very quick request that you please pray for my uncle in India, who has been taken seriously ill. He has suffered from major heart problems in the recent past, and his general health has been deteriorating over the past few years.

His daughter (my cousin) called us with the news this morning, and my mother has booked a flight to Bombay that leaves in a few hours. Subhanallah, the blessing of modern day transportation. Please also pray that she reaches her destination safely, and in good health – she suffers from travel sickness, as well as other chronic conditions.

Jazakallah khair in advance.

Snow… in April?!

// April 6th, 2008 // 20 Comments » // Photos

I woke up for the Dawn prayer this morning to find it snowing. I've heard of April showers… but not April snow!

The weather in London has been extremely diverse these past few days: it was the hottest day of the year so far on Friday, dull and overcast with rain yesterday (typical April weather) and today… well, you can see for yourself!

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Counter-Terrorism Bill – Great Quote

// April 2nd, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

TheyWorkForYou.com notified me of a recent House of Commons debate on the Counter-Terrorism Bill. Browsing through I was particularly tickled by the following speech made by Robert Marshall-Andrews, Labour MP for Medway (I especially liked the bit I highlighted in bold):

In the past six months, we have heard a great deal about Britishness—indeed the former Attorney-General was put in charge of it, perhaps as a consolation, but more likely as a punishment for his term in office. In truth, that was wholly unnecessary. We do not need to be taught about Britishness, or about flags and ceremonies. Britishness has many great attributes at its root, but civil liberties are not one of them. Civil liberties are not an attribute of being British. They are the defining characteristic of our nation. They are what we are.

That is not hyperbolic; I mention it simply because what comes from it is the enormously high burden and standard of proof required in this House if any Government attempt in any way to circumscribe or check those liberties. My first point, which has been made extraordinarily well already, is that there is no evidence whatever to vote for the Bill—none. Hopeful statements of desiderata are not evidence. Statements from senior police officers saying, “I would really like this,” or, “I would really, really, really like this,” or, “It would be very useful,” or, “I need this,” are not evidence. Evidence is what needs to be put before the House, and there is none, so the Bill must not be voted for.

Read the rest of his statement here… 

Party Games for Muslims?

// April 1st, 2008 // 20 Comments » // Blog

I'm planning to throw a girls-only shindig this weekend at my place, inshā’Allāh. I've ordered the food (including some lovely cream cakes – yum!), and even bought my first sari today, especially for the occasion – yey! Good thing I'll be indoors, else I'd worry about how to walk in my new outfit with heels on (when I asked my mum if I could wear a sari, she said: “Do you think you can handle it?!”).

Anyway, I realized that other than eating and chatting (hopefully not at the same time – how rude), I'm not really sure what else we could get up to… It's been a LONG time since my last “party”, so I am wondering if any of you folks out there in blogland can give me some ideas that don't involve alcohol or music?

Somehow, I don't think anyone will really be up for “nasheed chairs”!

[Photo by jek in the box]

The Ultimate Reason to Completely Ignore My Last Post…

// April 1st, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Blog

If I'm sitting on the carpet, she [Bubbu] loves to 'sneak' up from behind me, and then 'surprise' me by appearing around my shoulder – and promptly breaking into chuckles “he-hee-hahahahaha's”, only to disappear behind me again, and 'surprise' me again at my other shoulder – repeat laughter, repeat disappearing act, repeat surprise, over and over again.

Her mirth is infectious.

One, two, three….

AWWWWWWWW… (māshā’Allāh)

Read more tales that make your ovaries skip a beat here.