and finally!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful

I don't know if I can gift it anymore! some of the ink smeared on me :( and that made me upset (I might add because of my impatience); I've put all my heart to this project . I thought I'd frame it and give it to my parents...and to make another one will take me a long time, and this requires that I start and finish it at one go (at least the pencil trace, if not the ink and color coordination). But I must say I was pleased...I thought I'd never finish it, but alas! it was done last night. Alhamdulilah. So here is a lazy picture, insha'allah i will take a better one soon. It says "wa kulun min endi Allah"="everything/all is from Allah". Those words mean a lot to me...they speak to me at all levels and Calligraphy impresses me. As you can see though it is the most amateurish of its kind...insha'allah one day I'll make prettier ones...just need more practice, and free time.

Here is another one I made some years ago (3 yrs); the only difference between the two is the technique; for the top one I used ink (traditional means; dipping a quill) whereas the bottom one was just a good ol' felt pen. It says "Alhamdulillahi Rabil Alamin"="all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds".
I love the idea of dipping a quill...writing poems late at night, seeping sweet tea, day dreaming... :D (ok maybe not that!)


Peace & Blessings

Hikmet

Khadija bint Khuwaylid

"what shows Khadija's piety is that when once one of her two sons died she was sad but patient. After a few hours the time of suckling the dead baby came and her breast was full of milk so her tears flowed from her eyes. Seeing this the Prophet was moved and said: if you so wish I shall ask Allah to make you hear his voice in Paradise. Any ordinary mother would have been keen to hear her dear one; but Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her said: 'no but I believe in Allah and his apostle'."

Allahuma Sallai Alla Muhammadin wa azwajihi wa zuriyatihi, kama sallayta alla Ibrahima wa alla ali Ibrahima fil alemina innaka hamidun majeed.
(Ameen)

(Excerpt from Luminaries of Islam)

words

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Words are important. Because we communicate in them, above all things. We use them to express ourselves to others; they are the means for us to convey what forms our beliefs, emotions, world-views, etc. So what words we choose makes a difference. There is also that amazing realm of Etymology, the study of the origin of words and their subtle characterization of the place/culture they came from.

Now here is a view that I thought was succinctly put by Raymond Williams. He says that Vocabulary involves not only "the available and developing meaning of words" but also "particular formalities of meaning--ways not only of discussing but at another level seeing many of our central experiences". (qt'd from Genders, Sexes, and Health: international journal of epidemiology).

Looking closely at his definition, one gets to appreciate that first of all there is more unsaid than what is said. Meaning that, words convey a fraction of the intricate complexion of the human brain & understanding. Secondly, one can see that words entail subtle meanings with them. Third, by understanding all these implications one gets to appreciate the gold rule of silence...say more with less.

Allah teaches Mussa (aleyhi salaam) to say "...wahlul uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli..." = "loosen the knot on my tongue that they may understand me". The lesson from this being that (of course apart from the history involved) the way we convey our thoughts is important for that forms the understanding among people. Hence learning how to convey something in the proper manner is quite important.

There are numorous implications to this, but for now I'll leave it at this...saying words is one things but saying more with less is a challenge...

Peace & Blessings

Hikmet

love for poetry

A poem is a joyful leap of the heart,
an ardor in the soul,
a teardrop,
and
teardrops are nought
but pure poems
that have risen up
against words.

(from the Fountain)

sisterhood

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful

One of the blessed characteristic of Islam is the idea of sister/brotherhood. Loving one for the sake of Allah, helping each other at times of hardship, lend a shoulder, give counsel, and warn.

We just started the 'fitness challenge' among sisters on campus. It consists of a 30-minute exercise whenever a person can; a person then gets a star on their chart, whenever they do the exercise. Of course some sisters are able to go to the gym together. We have also thought of having intramural. That got me excited, now I might be able to recruit some sis to play volleyball, not that I am any good, I just like games. Being active physically was encouraged in the Prophetic tradition and I personally like to play, run around...be like kids.

So a number of us, sisters are sort of stepping-up the challenge; kinda like "watch-out for moi". Such is an example of the positive aspect of sisterhood, besides the company of each other.

I just think it is so beautiful, the energy sisters have when they sit together to remember the Almighty, talk about the challenges they face, share tips as to how to wear the Hijab beautifully and share beauty tips (like honey for a gorgeous skin). Those who are married would give advice to us, the yet to be married ones.

Blessed be One who put Love & Mercy among us.

-hy-

the calling

Oh Allah, there is no ease except that which you have made easy

and you make the difficult easy, if you wish.

Oh Allah, to You we belong and truly, to You is the return!

ya hayu ya qayum, bi rahmatika nastagith.