Showing posts with label The Sunnah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Sunnah. Show all posts

Friday, January 10, 2014

Motivation...

Bism Illah wa assalaamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Short and sweet this post will be, bi idhn Illah ta'ala. When I get ready for bed each night, most usually I am very tired, al hamdul'Illah. I wake up about an hour before fajr, have no naps during the day, and it is sometimes very late by the time the baby has been nursed to sleep. However, no matter how tired I am, I make wudhu before I go to bed, maashaa Allah.

Don't think that there isn't that wicked voice whispering to me, "Forget the wudhu tonight, your tired/the water's cold/the baby just started crying again - just get to bed." But there is one thought that motivates me every single time: I refuse to give shaytaan the satisfaction and pleasure. It is a fight to the end between that rotten devil and me, and it's a challenge I cannot back down from, maashaa Allah. So I smile to myself, at shaytaan's expense, and make my wudhu...and just to annoy him some more, I will post this lovely hadeeth to remind and encourage you all.

Ibn Abbas reported that Allaah's Messenger said: “Purify these bodies and Allaah will purify you, for there is no slave who goes to sleep in a state of purity but an Angel spends the night with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, 'O Allah! Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.'”

[Reported by at-Tabaranee. See Saheeh al-Jamee (3831)]

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Survival of the Fittest

As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.


Subhaan Allah! I was thinking about being able to live off the land, being able to survive if left with nothing but nature surrounding you. It kept coming back to me that the people who are farming, building natural homes, and making everything for themselves are mainly not Muslim. They are, however, earth-conscious, far-seeing people who understand what they need to do to survive when all else may be lost. It was our tradition, it is the Sunnah, but many of us are so far away from that lifestyle now.


Allah perfected our religion - Islam - for us. Our children are the future of this beautiful religion. Are we to die out due to lack of survival skills, simply because dunya has pulled us so far away from the simple, self-sustaining life modeled in the Sunnah? In the event of necessity, will we or our children be at the mercy of non-Muslims or have to compromise our beliefs to get food and shelter? We need to learn survival skills ourselves! We should be able to slaughter - all the family members, not just the men. We should be able to grow our own food. We should be able to build a house, and teach our children so they will not be forced to compromise their Islam to work for the money to buy one. We should be able to tend to animals, cook from scratch, sew basic garments, and live a good life from what Allah has put on this earth, inshaa'Allah.


Does this mean we all have to be farmers? No. Everyone in the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, wasn't a farmer. People had different skills and worked together. The ironsmith, the carpenter, the merchant, the farmer all bartered and exchanged goods and services. The person who doesn't want to farm, offers another beneficial skill to the community. But everyone should have some basic knowledge of how to provide for themselves.
Envisage this: Enough land to build a home from the natural resources available, grow food, raise animals for eggs, milk, meat, etc. Like-minded families can build homes there, and share skills and know-how inshaa Allah. A central masjid will be the hub of the community, with delegated teachers for the children inshaa Allah. As far as possible, a self-contained community with solar/wind powered energy so there will be no reliance on utility companies and no monthly utility bills. The sale of excess crops, handiwork, etc. would provide enough income to pay for necessities from outside, inshaa Allah. This is truly sticking together and taking ourselves away in times of fitnah.

How better to build up our ties of brotherhood/sisterhood and live like the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them)? When I see all the community shared farms these days, I think of how much we could do as Muslims and have ample food. Not only that, we would finally get away from the burden of consumerism that we will have such a hard time answering Allah subhaana wa taala, about when we are questioned.
Whatever step we take to self-sufficiency will insha'Allah benefit us and the generations to come. We can pass the knowledge on and leave a legacy, bi ithn Allah.
When it boils down to survival of the fittest, where will the Muslims be?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Repost:The Non-Muslim Sunnah

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah.

Why are all the non-Muslims raving about the Sunnah?

What, you ask? Is there a group of non-Muslims that have learned about the Sunnah and love it? No. There are masses of non-Muslims who swear by living the Sunnah - but they don't know it is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet. They just know it is the best way to live.

So, I ask you...why do they know and practice, and we don't?

Why is it that when you go to the doctor, they tell you to eat whole, unrefined grains, natural unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, and unrefined oils like olive oil? Sunnah food! We are warned day in day out about avoiding chemical-laden, refined and processed foods like white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc? Why are they telling us to use honey, which we have ahadith and Quran ayaat about? Why are they giving us tips about how to eat mindfully, when we have extensive ahadith about the etiquettes of eating that tell us these things?

Why is it that the Green Revolution is telling us to build houses out of earth, just as Rasool Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) built the first masjid in Madinah? In the secular world, we are reminded that every day is Earth Day. In Islam, every day IS Earth Day because we have been given this earth as an amanah (trust) from Allah. They tell us not to use dangerous and harmful chemicals...subhaan Allah, it's as if they read the ayaat in the Quran "and do not destroy yourselves."

We turn up our noses at the "primitive" squat toilets used in the Middle East, but the west says that they are the healthiest toilets to use for proper elimination and even sell steps to use in front of western toilets to give the same effect of crouching. Subhaan Allah! We are even told that conventional toilets are a huge waste and pollution of water and composting toilets are the way to secure our earth's future.

Just go online and you will see articles and blogs about giving up material things, getting rid of the clutter. Non-Muslims are raving about the virtues and value of giving up unnecessary things to better appreciate what is important in life. So now, we have non-Muslims taking practical steps towards Az-Zuhd, when we are out shopping and filling our homes.

Non-Muslims are recycling, living for a year without throwing anything away to see how they can reduce their impact on the earth. They have gone back to the materials used in the time of the Prophet - iron, steel, glass, pottery - and shunned the plastic, aluminum, and teflon found to be so dangerous to our health. They even went back to the Sunnah in the materials they use - cotton, hemp, linen, wool, silk, leather, while we buy Japanese polyester abayas and thobes.

Frankly, I think we look a little foolish. What have we come to that the rest of the world is doing what was sent us by Allah, in the form of our Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and his Sunnah, as the best example of how to live?

Monday, February 21, 2011

The Beauty of Cloth

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

Ever read a single hadith about anyone having a paper napkin, paper towel, tissue, toilet paper, disposable diaper, flushable tampon, or disposable sanitary pad in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? Well, I'm waiting. What? You cannot believe it? There isn't anything about Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) wiping up the mess with Bounty Extra-Strong? Nothing about Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) digging a hole for her Stayfree with Wings? I guess you get where I'm heading with this then.

During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), they used cloth for all these daily household and personal care things. The "green" movement has already gone back to using cloth because, after killing off and wasting so many natural resources, it has become an environmental issue. Most of us know by now that the diapers and sanitary pads stay in landfills and don't decompose. We are simply filling up the earth Allah (subhaana wa taala) has entrusted to us with najiss (filthy) waste. How do we turn this thing around?

Napkins: buy cloth napkins made from natural fibers such as cotton or linen. If you can, please buy them from a thrift or second hand shop like Goodwill. You will often find better quality and will put them to good use instead of them going to waste. You will also gain the reward of not spending more money than necessary, masha'Allah. Better yet, use those extra sheets or cotton shirts and make your own; after all it's just sewing around a square of cloth. Recycling is an important Sunnah... yet another discussion to get to! I have seen some beautiful napkins at yard sales, etc. and have collected them from here and there, masha'Allah. Some were given as gifts as well, so think of this when you need a gift idea for a sister insha'Allah. Now, we have a nice little basket with napkins folded up in it and whenever they are needed, they are on hand. They get thrown in the washing machine and are good to go again. We even take them with us on picnics with all our reusable plates, cups, and cutlery masha'Allah.

Paper towels: buy cloths to wipe up the spills or simply cut up old towels or absorbent t-shirts. When it comes to cleaning and wiping up spills, I have a big bag of cotton clothes that aren't fit for charity that I cut up and use. I never buy paper towels and the cloth is all natural cotton. Nothing beats a nice tube sock on the hand for wiping down cupboards and countertops...and since the odd socks keep turning up, our house is quite famous for our cleaning socks! When the cloth is dirty simply wash it, or if it is in a horrible state, throw it away. No more paper towel bills.

Tissues: buy cotton handkerchiefs. I'm stressing cotton because we really need to get back to natural materials. I strongly recommend you look in thrift stores and yard sales for these simply because the old ones are exquisite, masha'Allah, The embroidery work, the designs, the workmanship... all are outstanding. My mother had a big collection of handkerchiefs she was happy to share with us. I also bought a big lot from e-bay and distributed them to my children. The girls all know which ones are theirs because they each have different designs. The "men" of the house have their own as well. They are washed, returned and we never have a problem about running out of tissues.

Toilet tissue/paper: Small washcloth or hand size towels for drying oneself. Separate (color coded) ones for each family member. We use water to wash ourselves, so they are really for drying purposes only. This is one that, for most, is hard to implement with a big family, so I'm not stressing it.

Diapers: Get cloth diapers. That's the Sunnah, cloth. Get cotton, nice and absorbent, no allergy problems for your baby's behind, simply throw into a bucket with water and vinegar or baking soda, and throw in the washing machine every couple of days. You will never have to buy a disposable diaper again. I've done it, I can advise about all the ins and outs of making it easy, inshaa Allah.

Baby Wipes: Use small baby washcloths and a spray bottle of water with some aloe vera juice, a few drops of tea tree oil, and a 1/4 teaspoon of castille soap. Spray and wipe, then simply wash the cloths to be used again and again. Your baby will get used to being washed with water from day one, making istinjah a natural thing.

Sanitary pads: Hemp or cotton washable sanitary pads are comfortable, natural, and the Sunnah. Go read ahadith about it and you'll clearly see that the women simply used pieces of cloth to catch their menstrual blood. I bought mine five years ago, before I had my second daughter and I've never looked back since. They don't move around, they are comfortable and breathe, and mashaa Allah I haven't had to buy a single sanitary pad since that day. If you hate to see stains, then go for dark colors. For the sewing sisters, there are patterns online for ones with wings that you can sew up simply. You can even buy thick hemp knit material and just cut it to size. Looking for an even easier solution. Fold thick terry washcloths into three and use them. Believe me, it is simplicity itself. Just have a little bag to collect them in, wash them, and you are all set again.

Shopping Bags: Get strong canvas bags from thrift stores, freecycle, or hanging around your closet/basement and use them for your shopping instead of the plastic bags. They are stronger, can safely hold more, and not only save money but also the environment mashaa'Allah.

Mashaa'Allah, going back to some of the simple living of the sahabah not only brings about a healthier lifestyle, it also saves the earth, puts a stop to the huge waste we perpetrate every day, and eliminates many expenses. Remember that we must answer for everything we did in this life, including our wastefulness, extravagance, the part we play in polluting and destroying the earth, and the distance we have put between our lives and the life of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).

Monday, August 16, 2010

Emulating the Sunnah in our Food

As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh!

Okay, I'm a die hard extremist. A fundamentalist to the roots. But here it is, my "issue of the day" for all those who care to chew on it. (Pardon the pun, lol!)

Have you ever considered what the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah ate? Have you ever considered that emulating the life of the Prophet ﷺ should include food? For me, it is all part and parcel of my Islam, so here is what I have to put on the table. (Oh, I'm just too punny today!)

Did bleached sugar exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached rice exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached or white flour exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Come to think of it, did bleach exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did they have freezers and cupboards full of canned goods?
Did they have out of season vegetables irradiated and flown across the world so that that they could enjoy blueberries in December?
Did they have hydrogenation plants at the time of the Prophet ﷺ to process our oil to within a molecule of plastic?
What about chemical pesticides? Chemical preservatives? Artificial coloring? Artificial flavoring? Artificial anything?

If you all are in the "know", and answered "no", then perhaps you are getting the drift... that foods during the time of the Prophet ﷺ were what we now term "organic". They were whole, unprocessed, natural.... and nutrient rich.

Why didn't issues about whether mono and di-glycerides being halal come up then? Because all that never existed! And where did all the disease of modern day come from... processed foods, chemicals, preservatives, pesticides.

What is the first thing the doctor tells you if you are diabetic? Eat whole grains, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, cut out the refined sugars. Masha'Allah, the doctor is advising you to follow the Sunnah!

So to all who say they are striving to emulate the life and times of the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah, please think about the food.They were the Original Islamic Green Movement... self-sufficient, organic, natural, whole grain, with seasonal and locally grown foods. I see many of us eating highly processed foods. Does the Sunnah end where the stomach, and sadly our lust for food, begins?

Want to make some lifestyle changes to bring it closer to the Sunnah? Don't know where to start? Just ask! We can work on it together, insha'Allah.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Mai's Q&A with the Imam about Sleeping on the Floor

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaykum.

Well, a few months ago, off I went to the Imam to ask about emulating the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in things such as sleeping on the floor. He said that some things were Sunnat al ibadah and some were Sunnat al a'adat. That means some are Sunnahs of worship and some are Sunnahs of custom, things that were the Prophet's habits, not things relating to worship specifically. So he said, we don't have to sleep on the floor - that was his choice. We can sleep in comfort and luxury, it is halal.

I feel some lack of conviction about this...not that it is haram to sleep on a raised bed, LOL, but about the sunnah of sleeping on the floor not being something we are meant to emulate. Oh, you may sigh...what now, Mai?

Well, these ahadith are always in my mind on the subject.

The Zuhd of Prophet Muhammad: his bedding

Narrates Sayyidina 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "I went to the Prophet and saw that he was lying on a mat made of the leaves of the date-palm, and there was no bedding between him and the mat, and the texture of the mat had left deep marks on his body, and under his head was placed a leather pillow stuffed with the bark of the date-tree. On seeing it, I said, "My Master! Pray to Allah (The Glorified and The Exalted) to grant prosperity to your followers. He has bestowed riches upon the people of Rome and Persia even though they are not believers." The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) replied, 'O son of Khattab! Do you also think like that? They are the people who have been deprived of the blessings of the Hereafter (owing to their ungodly ways), and hence, the comforts (Allah wanted to confer upon them) have been granted to them in this world.' (In another version of the same Tradition, it is said that the Prophet replied, "O 'Umar! Do you not prefer that they took the joys of this world and we of the Hereafter)?" (Bukhari and Muslim)

Hadrat 'AbdAllah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that (once) the Holy Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) slept on a mat made of date palm leaves and when he awoke, the impressions of the mat were visible on his body. We said: "O Allah's Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him)! May we prepare a soft bedding for you?" He said: I have got nothing to do with the world. I am in this world like a rider who halts in the shade of a tree for a short time and after taking some rest, resumes his journey leaving the tree behind. (Tirmidhi)

There is another I recently read regarding the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asking Aisha (radhi Allahu anha) if she had changed his bedding. She responded that she had folded up the mat to make it more comfortable for him. He said that he slept so comfortably that he didn't wake up at his usual time for tahajjud and asked that his mat be returned to its original state.

Subhaan Allah, I cannot tell you how differently I view super snuggly, soft as a cloud, comfortable beds since reading that!

Obviously, we are not told that we must sleep in such a way, but we are shown the best example in our Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, when it comes to leaving behind the comforts and things of this world. It wasn't so much a custom, as a deliberate thing he did for a clear reason. He even said to Umar, are you thinking like the people who are only getting comforts in this life? Well, I do not want to be one with the comforts in this life and none in the next. Somehow there is a serious message in the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, sleeping in such a simple state. That is why I don't want a raised fancy bed.

Disappointed is an understatement about having to get mattresses to put on the floor here in Madinah, but Allah is the Most Perfect Planner and always with the patient, so I simply accept and place my trust in His Qadr and Qadar. In the meantime, I just keep on loving every aspect of how our beloved Prophet lived and praying I can even emulate a fraction of it - the ibadah and the customs insha'Allah.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Non-Muslim Sunnah

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah.

Why are all the non-Muslims raving about the Sunnah?

What, you ask? Is there a group of non-Muslims that have learned about the Sunnah and love it? No. There are masses of non-Muslims who swear by living the Sunnah - but they don't know it is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet. They just know it is the best way to live.

So, I ask you...why do they know and practise, and we don't?

Why is it that when you go to the doctor, they tell you to eat whole, unrefined grains, natural foods, fruits, vegetables, like olive oil? Sunnah food! We are warned day in day out about avoiding chemical-laden, refined and processed foods like white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc? Why are they tell us to use honey, which we have ahadith and Quran ayaat about? Why are they giving us tips about how to eat mindfully, when we have extensive ahadith about the etiquettes of eating that tell us these things?

Why is it that the Green Revolution is telling us to build houses out of earth, just as they built the first masjid in Madinah? In the secular world, we are reminded that every day is Earth Day. In Islam, every day IS Earth Day because we have been given this earth as an amanah (trust) from Allah. They tell us not to use dangerous and harmful chemicals...subhaan Allah, it's as if they read the ayaat in the Quran "and do not destroy yourselves."

We turn up our noses at the "primitive" squat toilets used in the Middle East, but the west says that they are the healthiest toilets to use for proper elimination and even sell steps to use in front of western toilets to give the same effect of crouching. Subhaan Allah! We are even told that conventional toilets are a huge waste and composting toilets are the way to secure our earth's future.

Just go online and you will see articles and blogs about giving up material things, getting rid of the clutter. Non-Muslims are raving about the virtues and value of giving up unnecessary things to better appreciate what is important in life. So now, we have non-Muslims taking practical steps towards Az-Zuhd, when we are out shopping and filling our homes.

Non-Muslims are recycling, living for a year without throwing anything away to see how they can reduce their impact on the earth. They have gone back to the materials used in the time of the Prophet - iron, steel, glass, pottery - and shunned the plastic, aluminum, and teflon found to be so dangerous to our health. They even went back to the Sunnah in the materials they use - cotton, hemp, linen, wool, silk, leather, while we buy Japanese polyester abayas and thobes.

Frankly, I think we look a little foolish. What have we come to that the rest of the world is doing what was sent us by Allah, in the form of our Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and his Sunnah, as the best example of how to live?

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

My Dream of Sunnah Living

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum.

I have a rant coming up...it's even drafted out roughly on a notepad page. But in the meantime, before I start venting my amazement at the the irony of our situation, I will share something more lovely, insha'Allah. This is my dream of Sunnah living.

Clothing: A wardrobe of simple dresses, tunics and skirts (waistwraps) made of completely natural fibers. I'm talking about cotton, linen, silk, wool, and leather. A beautiful linen abaya - the large overcloak that is not sewn closed. These days it usually comes in polyester dolled up with the name "Japanese Fursan." I will simply put my abaya over me, just as they did in the time of the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and hold it to cover my face when necessary - no sewn and tied niqab - just my abaya doing the job. Soft, simple, all leather sewn khuffs and slip on shoes.

My personal hygiene: Miswak toothbrush, honey and olive oil for my skin treat. Ground sidr, lote, or laurel leaves for cleansing. My shampoo made of neem leaf infusion, organic castille soap and a little olive oil. Perhaps some coconut oil and other herbs from the land. Alum stone for deodorant. Water - the best perfume. Antimony - the best make-up. Wudhoo from a clay bowl or pitcher of water, ghusl with the same quantity of water the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam used.

My home: A cob house, made of clay, sand, and straw...with a beautiful earthen, oiled floor. Kitchen stocked with stainless steel and cast iron cookware. Not a piece of plastic in sight. Large pottery or steel platters for the food and a cob oven to bake bread. Sitting on a mat on the floor to eat...with our fingers. Sleeping on palm leaf fiber mats (stuffed a little to make them more comfortable) with leather neck roll pillows. No electricity outlets except in the kitchen and one for the computer. Solar power - off the grid, no reliance on other than Allah's sunshine for our energy insha'Allah.

My surroundings: Land...5, 10, 20, 40, 100 acres. Whatever Allah Wills. A well for water, composting toilets, garden and orchard to feed us fruits and vegetables. A cow and a goat for milk, chickens for eggs, sheep for wool and occasional meat. Homemade cheeses, yogurt, pickles, sundried fruits and veggies.

My day: Waking in the morning in perfect time to pray tahajjud because I made dua' the night before and Allah woke me. Praying, reading Qur'an, waiting for the rooster crow... to signal fajr. Gathering together in the central masjid for the prayer...sharing some 'ilm. Simple breakfast of fruits and yogurt with others. Out to the land, a family/community affair - to gather eggs, milk, pick vegetables and fruits for the day's provision. Lessons, Qur'an, crafting, love between me and my husband, children, sisters... Communal prayers and meals, d.i.y. projects, sharing of skills and talents.

My dreams: A couple of small cob cottages - for a Muslim retreat. A form of income, and a beautiful Islamic respite for couples. Summer camps...activities, learning, growing, in a halal and positive environment. Empowerment projects, to teach other Muslims how to live self-sufficiently, according to the Sunnah. Islamic cottage industry - Sunnah Threads...selling homemade Islamic clothes. All projects that our children can grow into and earn a living from, never having to rely on non-Muslims for their income or their sustenance. Never having to compromise their Islam for a dollar to buy food or a roof over their head.

Well, I could go on and on...and although it seems like a fairy tale, much of it has been in the plans and research for the past 5+ years, masha'Allah. Our lifestyle has been heading that way...making our own bread, cheese, yogurt, etc. from scratch. Growing our food in the backyard to see how much we could grow, and how well. Replacing unnatural items with natural, and going back to the Sunnah in our eating, sleeping, and personal products. We even saw 40 acres in New Mexico for $18,000 last night...may Allah send us all that and more next year when we are, bi ithn Allah, ready to buy land - ameen. We have the cob building book, we have the details on the livestock and growing season. We even made lists of the things we plan to grow insha'Allah. It may be a dream, but with Allah and pure intentions, all things can become realities...and we may be able to leave a legacy for generations to come.

Oh Allah, You have inspired us to this...Guide us and make it a reality - ameen.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Living Sunnah-Style!

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum.

Subhaan Allah wa bihamdihi! Yesterday our friends cleared out most of the furniture in our house. Oh what joy to see empty spaces where the sofas, bedroom furniture, and dining table were! This was a major step back to Sunnah living in our home; one I have been waiting for excitedly, masha'Allah.

So, I laid out an unused cotton curtain and placed our pasta with vegetables and cheese sauce on one big platter, and we sat around and ate from one plate masha'Allah. Not only that, I showed the children what two ways the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was reported to sit to eat and they chose which of those ways they wanted to try. I reinforced about eating from the food nearest and my 3-year-old, who is sometimes lazy about eating dinner, ate beautifully masha'Allah. We reaped the blessings of having a communal plate, eating together, emulating the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa salaam, and having enough left over that I don't have to make lunch today! Does it get much better than that, I ask?

When bedtime was drawing near, I set up places for the girls on the floor - the two youngest in their play tent with pillows and the older on her sleeping bag. I put down camping pads on our wooden floor, popped a blanket and a thin quilt over them, and that was the bed for hubby and I. A cotton sheet over the top and we were good to snooze! Oh, there is more to be done to make it a healthier and more authentic experience: natural fiber and filling pillows, natural mat underneath, but at least we are finally on the floor wa al hamdu l'Illah!

These are baby steps, and there is so much more to do, but I'm grateful to be here right now...a little bit closer to the goal. When I think of the possessions, the ostentation, the excess of our lives, these small changes seem like victories against shaytaan and his materialistic plots. Please, ya Rabbi Allah, I beg You to bring us to a better way of living and reality - ameen!

Followers