I have also made a network of friends here that have become my family–and many of them are international students. I have made friends from Sudan, India, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tibet. Alhamdulilah I love learning about the issues within these cultures and I love meeting new people on the whole.

People ask me if I miss home and wonder why I don’t go home as often as I could. I want to explain to them that my home is where my ambition is. Home is where my hopes and ideals are. It may not be tangible, because I can feel at home with a new friend in a foreign country. Feeling at home for me is to be at ease. To be happy, and to be content with your surroundings. May God preserve the ease within our surroundings and homes. Ameen.

The fear of ignorance, the fear of slavery.
An escape from the grasp of the world.
A means to achieve it requires much bravery.
This sweet drink; rich with wisdom unfurled.

All I ever craved lies within these hands.
How I longed to drink in endless bliss.
No care have I for the beauties in the lands.
Of mirage, deception; items I dismiss.

I dive head first into the drink of pure musk.
It taste and aroma warm as the sun.
My heart finally matured, like the onset of dusk.
An instrument played solely by One.

http://sandala.org/blog/2011/06/21/where-are-the-no-smoking-signs-in-medina/

The article is about the blindness of our hearts to certain realities in Medina that deteriorate the environment–physical and spiritual.  We have become so obsessed with material acquisition and forget that we are merely here on earth for good character acquisition.  Thus, we should not complain about the West but rather we should look inward to rectify our inner selves.  Why are we so greedy, heedless, and selfish?  We seriously need to fix our hearts before Allah helps us change our societies at large.

‘Aatikah al-Makhzumiyyah (R) : Whenever she would tire from how much she cried, she would say: “It is not befitting that the one who fears the Fire has a dry eye, until he is certain that he is safe from it.”

‘Ufayrah al-’Aabidah rahimahaAllah : When it was said to her, “aren’t you tired from crying so much?” She said, “How can man tire from his medicine and his cure?!”

Fatimah al-Naysaburiyyah rahimahaAllah : She would say, “the truthful one who is close to Allah calls upon his Rabb like he is drowning; asking his Rabb for safety and salvation.”

Lubabah al-’Aabidah rahimahaAllah : She said regarding the sweetness of her prayer in her mihraab, “I persisted in my worship until it became how I sought comfort and rest. When I became tired of the people causing me to forget His Remembrance, and when I would become exhausted of their talk, my tranquility would be in separating myself to worship Allah and to be in His service.”

Habibah al-’Adawiyyah rahimahaAllah : She would say during her night prayers, “My Lord, the stars have disappeared, and the eyes have gone to sleep, and the Kings have locked their doors – while Your Door is open, and every loved one has gone to their beloved, so this is my station in front of You.”

She used to say, “O Allah, forgive me for my lack of manners in my prayer.” (Allahummaghfirli soo’a adabi fi salati)

‘Ajradah al-’Amiyah (R) : Rajaa’ ibn Muslim said, “We used to be with ‘Ajradah in her house, and she would pray at night, sometimes from the beginning of the night until the time before sunrise. She would then say in a loud voice filled with sadness, “to You the worshipers have spent the darkness of the nights until the dusk, racing to Your Mercy and to the bounty of Your Forgiveness. Only You, my Lord – none other than You – I ask to make me in the first group of as-saabiqeen (the forerunners) to You, and that You raise me among the ranks of the Muqarrabeen (those who are close to Allah), and that You enter me with Your righteous slaves for You alone are the Most Generous of those who are generous, and Most Merciful of those who show mercy, and the Greatest of those who are great, Ya Kareem!” Then she would go into sajdah, and she would continue to cry and make dua in her prostration until the sun rose. This was her habit for 30 years.”

When it was said to her, “Did you sleep at all last night?” she would cry and respond, “The remembrance of death kept me from sleeping.”

‘Amrah (R) : She woke up one night while her husband was asleep, so she woke him up and said, “Wake up, the night has left and the morning has come. A long road is ahead of us, and the provisions are few. The righteous have left us behind, while we still remain.”

A’ishah bint Sa’eed al-Hiri (R) : She said to her daughter, “Hold fast to having good manners externally and internally. Whoever is wrong internally will be punished internally.”

Umm Talq (R) : Ibn Shu’bah ibn Dhukhan said, “Umm Talq used to pray 400 raka’at every night and day, and she would recite from the Qur’an whatever Allah willed.”

Umm Hayyan al-Sulamiyyah (R): Abu Khaldah said, “I have never seen a man or woman stronger and more patient in lengthened standing than Umm Hayyan – she was like a date-palm that was swayed to the right and left by the wind!”

-Taken from Mukhtasar al-Thamarat al-Basiqaat min Hadith al-Salihaat

The Ka’ba is the spiritual heart of the terrestrial world, and it is also the projection on the material plane of all the Houses in the higher heavens up to the Populous House, which is the heart of the Universe. The Ka’ba therefore corresponds outwardly to what the heart is inwardly, and this is why we term the Ka’ba the ‘heart of the world’, and the Populous House the ‘heart of the universe.’ Thus the Qur’an verse, Purify My House for those who circle around it, retreat in it, bow and prostrate (22:26), is taken by Imam al-Haddad to refer to the heart with the various influences from the surrounding dimensions revolving around it. Similarly, the physical heart which sends blood and warmth throughout the body is a symbol of the heart of the man of God which radiates lights. The Ka’ba, which radiates the blessings it receives from the higher world throughout the terrestrial world, and the Populous House, which radiates light throughout the universe, are also symbolized by the heart.”

Excerpt from Man and the Universe, by Dr. Badawi

SubhanAllah:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jk_rowling_the_fringe_benefits_of_failure.html

He asked me for my full name and address, he asked my friend and I why did we come to this event and how did we hear about it?  Meanwhile he was writing all of this down.   He asked us if we ever went to a halaqah.  At this point he began asking my friend more questions because he saw my hesitancy in answering.  I walked away once I saw that his attention was no longer focused on me.  I waited for me friend.  I felt so humiliated and frustrated that I wanted to go home.  I promised my friend that I would get to the bottom of this.  Once we were in the actual event room I expressed my feelings to one of the sisters in the room.  She looked at me and smiled, “They’re actors.”

UNBELIEVABLE .  It was all a part of the event, to keep us aware of this reality and how we should and should not respond.  This was powerful and unforgettable.

Here are some things I learned:

Always ask to see a badge of identification from an FBI agent.

Never open the door and allow them to come into your home.  Just open the door wide enough to step outside your home and speak to them politely outside.  Tell them that you want to cooperate and keep your country safe.  However you will not speak with them until your lawyer is present and that you are willing to set up an appointment for that.

The anti-Semitic literature of the 1920s are very similar to the literature of the far right today.

Gallup poll: Only 7% of all the FBI-documented acts of terror were committed by Muslims…what about the other 93%?

The fifth amendment was created to protect the innocent man who may be ensnared by ambiguous means.

The intellect kicks in
With its profound wisdom
I have been given so much
An unappreciated kingdom.

I have reached my car
I sit in the front seat
Pondering heavy, reminiscing
Of a time of joyous heartbeat.

With a heavy heart I sit
In the library to surge through my books
After diving for some time
I look up to see a scene of quaint looks.

I wave at a familiar face
I receive a hearty return
“Here is my prayer rug”
A usual gesture, I learn.

“Do you need food?”
“Are you hungry?”
And I begin to wonder
Why so generous? Why so friendly?

They insist on buying me
a cup of coffee.
I follow their request
And enjoy every toffee,
Every fruit of the conversation.
The warm, delicious fluid,
Filling my stomach as well as my heart.

The cup of coffee has left a dent on it
On how such a small act of kindness can beget
Such a moment of happiness that the receiver
Knows she will never forget.

Last night
I lost my grip on reality
and welcomed insanity.

Love saw me and said,
I showed up.
Wipe your tears
and be silent.

I said, O Love
I am frightened,
but it’s not you.
Love said to me,
there is nothing that is not me.
be silent.

I will whisper secrets in your ear
just nod yes
and be silent.

A soul moon
appeared in the path of my heart.
How precious is this journey.

I said, O Love
what kind of moon is this?

Love said to me,
this is not for you to question.
be silent.

I said, O Love
what kind of face is this,
angelic, or human?

Love said to me,
this is beyond anything that you know.
Be silent.

I said, please reveal this to me
I am dying in anticipation.

Love said to me,
that is where I want you:
Always on the edge,
be silent.

You dwell in this hall of
images and illusions,
leave this house now
and be silent.

I said, O Love,
tell me this:
Does the Lord know you are
treating me this way?

Love said to me,
yes He does,
You, just be silent.

Have you ever had a moment in life when you were completely…entirely…happy? A moment of happiness is so dear to me because I know how rare and special it is.  Every moment in which I experience this flawless happiness I want to capture on video…and replay over and over again in my mind.  When you experience a moment like this…you realize the beauty of life, you thank God that you were giving the blessing of life just to experience this one moment of bliss and ease…and relief.

After every distress is ease…surely after every distress is ease. (Qur’an)