Best of Companions

One of the greatest parenting moments, to me, must be seeing your children in the right company. That when they get together, they play and they have a good laugh. And they thread their playing with remembrance of Allah, in their own way. Giving riddles. Reminding each other about an ayah they just learned. Or the hadith they just heard.Or a story they just read.

And to finish the day off with reciting quran to one another, swiping on each other's ipod, checking their friend's recitation. And then randomly select an ayah to see who can continue them.

Once in a while the parent would come in and join the fun and share what she learned and to reflect together.

And this would be Subhanallah beautiful. Almost heaven.

May Allah bring to my children companions who loves Allah and His words, Al Quran.

May the companions rubbed off perfume on each other.

The Prophet ﷺ reminds us of the importance of good company in this hadith (record of the Prophet ﷺ):

“A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

Good read BEST COMPANIONS

Droplets of Sins

Haziq is being cheeky nowadays. Sometimes he would go around the uncles to shake their hands before we leave home and said to them, "Our sins are dropping from us now Insya Allah." He even made gesture like as if droplets of sins are dropping from their handshake.

May he apply what he knows.

Al-Bara' reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "No two Muslims meet and shake hands without being forgiven before they part." [Abu Dawud]

Sya is Going Gadgety

Sya has been active with her sewing and making her crafts. Remember her faceless dolls - SYA IS TEN. Well she has been actively making other crafts using fabric and felt cloth. Mending her own dolls and so forth. Making mess along the way.

She is not up to the level yet but she is going there Insya Allah. She usually make them and give it to people. I must tell her to take photos of them before she gives it away.

Because she is interested, we decided to buy her a sewing machine. I am not sure if it is too early or will interfere with her craft hand sewing interests, but I personally think that whatever that she has in her mind, it will go hand in hand.

Pity her or perhaps good for her, I am not a sewing person. I am not crafty nor do I have any interest at the moment to embark on sewing. And I have no idea what to do. SO how does one guide her child to sew when she cannot sew herself - and no teacher to do it for her? Ask Mr google of course.

So that's what I did. She, at the moment, has been practicing on straight line, sewing reverse, practicing on curved lines. I have been following what the course has told me to do on her. If you have any suggestion please please do share with me. How did you start your sewing journey?

I love it when one has a good hobby. I am willing to support it as much as I can Isnya Allah. MAy it gives benefit.

Six Years After

last 12th December was the anniversary of us staying here in Qatar. And the company graciously awarded my lover with extra working day commencing next year. He will now has to work on Saturdays, full day.

10 hours a day and six days a week.



I am thankful yes. cuma disheartened aje. But I am grateful because we are better off now than 6 years ago.


I hope he doesn't get too tired for classes though. May Allah make him even stronger. Ameen.

Perhaps Allah will give more barakah in our time.

Reading Novels

Over the years, I notice that I have got myself some novels and they are still left on the shelves. Some still in its plastic wrapper.

I can never find the time to read them anymore.

I haven't bought that many but I still buy them thinking that I will get around to read them.

It's the school break now. Perhaps I can start.

There are so much to do.

Perhaps later.

Decision Decision Decision

Haziq is in Year 9 over here. That is like Form 3 in Malaysia. But I suspect Malaysia has higher standard in the academic subjects they offer though.

Anyway one has to perform consistently well in order to do good subjects. In fact one should do well in the maths to allow them to take their IGCSE maths (Equivalent to Modern Maths) in year 10. Thus by year 11 (Form 5) they can take AS Maths (Equivalent to Additional Maths).

The school are already eyeing the students and have divided the students up by this time. So if one is not consistent at this early stage, most likely they cannot expedite their IGCSE maths which simply means even if they score well when they do their IGCSE, they still do not have Additional maths in their exam result. No wonder why I hear some of the teenagers complaining that Maths is so hard when they start pursuing their A Level or college in Malaysia.

Also this time of the year, the teachers are asking us to start choosing subjects that the child chose to pursue for their final IGCSE so they can arrange the teachers accordingly by year 10.

The obligatory ones are English. If their english is good, they will be doing english as first language exam which would include literature and apa entah lagi. Maths is compulsory too. And so is biology and physics.

Now they need to choose four more subjects from what they have given. Either
Chemistry - Haziq enjoys this subject

Geography - he is ok ok

History - he doesnt like it

french - Subhanallah. haziq enjoys french so much. I think he has flair in language subject. Allahuma Bareek. But since we are limited with only four subjects, we don't know whether it is worth to take this up.

Accounting - I think it will be beneficial.

Business study - I think it will be benficial

ICT - he is ok but from the syllabus, I don't know what's the use of this. Haziq lacks in creativity and such. Kalau programming perhaps he'd like it.

Unfortunately they do not offer arabic as second language which is a shame. because Haziq does enjoy his Arabic lessons. And worse since there is no IGCSE Arabic, Haziq won't be studying Arabic at all after this. That's a shame.

There are other subjects but since Haziq is not interested in it at all, I am not mentioning them.

So most likely he will be choosing chemistry, accounting, business study and geography. And perhaps putting fifth choice as french or ICT. The thing is, he said, he is not so sure about geography. He likes the subject but it's probably a subject he won't be able to score well. He is more confident in his french. So by that merit, French should be chosen. But by the sound of it perhaps geography and ICT has better merit for further study entrance.

Decision decision decision.

And who do we turn to for guidance?

O Allah ! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, and Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this thing is good for my deen and my subsistence and for my Hereafter - (or say, If it is better for my present and later needs) - then ordain it for me and make it easy for me to obtain, and then bless me in it. If You know that this thing is harmful to me in my deen and subsistence and in the Hereafter--(or say, If it is worse for my present and later needs)--then keep it away from me, and keep me away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, and make me satisfied with it

The Dawn 89: 27-30

Among my favourite ayah is in Suratul Fajr- the last four ayah. This is in Juzz Amma, if you are memorising the quran from An Nas, you will find this surah the longest and probably harder than usual. But just be amazed with the reward of the last four ayahs.

(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27)
"Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! (28) "Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

May I now repeat the last two ayahs

"Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

and again

"Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

By no means when I write this, that other ayat of Allah is not rewarding.

When I found these ayahs, I imagine and imagine what if one day, I will actually hear this actually said to me. Perhaps after the sirat. Ya Rabb allow me your jannah. Allahuma Ameen Ya Rabb.

Do try to memorise this portion in Arabic and feel the verses. feel the verses in Arabic. And feel the strive to be among the people with content nafs. Ya Rabb Guide us.

I was listening to a lecture sometime earlier taht there was an elderly - A local in this country. who was suffering with some form of sickness. She spent most of her time on bed doing dzikir and it was an easy thing for her because she was doing it since perhaps forever.

Narrated by Ibn Abbas, prophet Salllahu Alaihi wasalam said
When you remember Allah in good times, He will remember you when you are in hardship.

She was constantly making syukur to Allah - Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

Indeed a believer is the one who praises Allah at all times in good times and trying times. Alhamdulillah ala kulii hal.

Next to her was the teacher of my Quran teacher. At one point she could hear that instead of her normal dzikir, the elderly was making syahadah. She ran next to her to repeat the syahadah with her for she felt, it might be the elederly lady's time. They repeated syahadah for sometime. Until the elderly lady stopped and recited this.

(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27)
"Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! (28) "Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

And she died after.

What a beautiful death. May Allah have mercy on her. And indeed Allah knows best.

Another beautiful story concerning the ayah here. Are you the sign of the last day?

__________________

I read the tafseer of this ayah (From Ibn Al Katheer)

This will be said to it at the time of death and on the Day of Judgement. This is like the angels giving glad tiding to the believer at his time of death and when he rises from his grave.

Likewise is this statement here. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn `Abbas concerning Allah's statement,

﴿يأَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ - ارْجِعِى إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴾

(O tranquil soul! Come back to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing!) He said, "This Ayah was revealed while Abu Bakr was sitting (with the Prophet ). So he said, `O Messenger of Allah! There is nothing better than this!' The Prophet then replied,

«أَمَا إِنَّهُ سَيُقَالُ لَكَ هَذَا»

(This will indeed be said to you.)''


May we be among those that will hear this very verse too.