Ramadan FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!

Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatulahi wa Barakatu!!!!!

Well, I am awake awaiting the first sahuur of the BLESSED MONTH! O' RAMADAN <3 ...
I am just so excited I know I won't be able to sleep tonight and even if I tried, i'd probably be tossing and turning in bed while checking the time every 5 minutes! So i'd rather just stay awake and insha'Allah start my nightly ibadaah that I have planned for this month Insha'Allah!

I have began with reading a few pages of the Qur'an in Arabic and insha'Allah I will start to memorize Surah Al-Qadr! I managed to memorize Al-Kafiroun last night with that link I provided yesterday! www.mounthira.com Masha'Allah this site is great for memorizing, it truly is!

Anyhow, I wanted to write a bunch of things but I forgot half of what I wanted to write about! Subhana'Allah...

I  had my first taste of timbits today from Tim Hortons. Oh how I miss thee'! Nothing beats an iced cappuccino and some timbit treats in the summertime! Though I thought I would devour the mini donuts in a matter of seconds, the box still lies on the kitchen counter, ignored ! >.< Insha'Allah I will get to them!

I wish that I was in Saudi this Ramadan but I know that Allah has plans for me and this is written in my nqadr, so I must go with it, and take full advantage of these quiet nights. The solitude and peacefulness I am enjoying in my room right now is something I do appreciate. Though, its 1:03AM I hear some sort of chirping outside, is that normal? I mean I'm on the 18th floor of a apartment, so I'm not sure what bird would be flying about at this time!? Allah knows best!

Anyhow, at first I was truly sad and almost depressed that I would be spending Ramadan all by myself (physically, because Allah is always with me!) and I would have nobody to have my sahuur or iftar with but then I thought about all the other sisters who are in the same boat as me, if not worse, and I can't help but say Alhamdulilah 3la kul 7al ( Praise be to Allah upon every state of being ) and so I go about my days being thankful rather than being mopey. This solitude sort of forces me to be closer to my parents, as well as forces me to learn more about Islam and read Qur'an more. As I admit during this year, I was struggling to keep consistent with my studies! Insha'Allah this Ramadan will give me a boost and will last me until next Ramadan (if I am still alive until then!)

Alhamdulilah my parents are slowly coming through, Masha'Allah , they are respectful of my Islam and know that I need to pray 5 times daily, and they know that I need to fast this month. They do not bother me with my Islam nor do they say anything, but rather they have been encouraging Alhamdulilah! . I find it great Masha'Allah when they know that I can't eat certain things because they are not halal, and I like that my mom buys me hijab clips (even though I havent told her I wear niqab when I'm not in Toronto!) for my hijabs Masha'Allah! They don't ask me to go out with them because they know I have to pray on time! Alhamdulilah, this is TRULY a blessing from Allah. I continue to pray to Him asking Him that He will guide my parents and all the non-Muslim parents of my dear revert sisters to the truth of Islam!!!!! Ameen.

Well, that's it for now.. insha'Allah I will blog tomorrow as I attempt to keep up with my "30(+) posts in 30 days " Insha'Allah!

Just in time for Ramadan!!!!

Assalamualaikum wa rahamtulahi wa barakatu!!!!

I stumbled upon this amazing site! Masha'Allah! To help us memorize key surahs easier, check out this link! It has the recitation so you can hear the pronounciation (which is slowly recited) , and the transliteration so you can read it and also the Arabic as well as the English translation!!!

This is GOLD!!! MASHA'ALLAH! please pass it on and increase yourselves in a good deed before Ramadan insha'Allah!!!!!

http://www.mounthira.com/ 




<3Khadijahxo

What do you think?

I recently designed some hand drawn patterns onto some blank gift cards, and as well some patterns on paper! These are all done with colour pencils!! I would really love your input! 

Is fasting good for you?

For many people, the key question regarding fasting is 

whether it is good or bad for your health. The answer to 

this requires a quick overview of what happens inside the 

body during fasting: the physiology of fasting.

The changes that occur in the body in response to fasting 

depend on the length of the continuous fast. Technically 

the body enters into a fasting state eight hours or so after 

the last meal, when the gut finishes absorption of nutrients 

from the food. In the normal state, body glucose, which is 

stored in the liver and muscles, is the body’s main source 

of energy. During a fast, this store of glucose is used up 

first to provide energy. Later in the fast, once the stores 

of glucose run out, fat becomes the next store source of 

energy for the body. Small quantities of glucose are also 

‘manufactured’ through other mechanisms in the liver.

Only with a prolonged fast of many days to weeks does 

the body eventually turn to protein for energy. This is 

the technical description of what is commonly known as 

‘starvation’, and it is clearly unhealthy. It involves protein 

being released from the breakdown of muscle, which 

is why people who starve look emaciated and become 

very weak.

As the Ramadan fast only extends from dawn till dusk, 

there is ample opportunity to replenish energy stores at 

pre-dawn and dusk meals. This provides a progressive, 

gentle transition from using glucose to fat as the main 

source of energy, and prevents the breakdown of muscle 

for protein. The use of fat for energy aids weight loss, 

preserving the muscles, and in the long run reduces 

your cholesterol levels. In addition, weight loss results in 

better control of diabetes and reduces blood pressure. 

A detoxification process also seems to occur, as any 

toxins stored in the body’s fat are dissolved and removed 

from the body. After a few days of the fast, higher levels 

of certain hormones appear in the blood (endorphins), 

resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall 

feeling of general mental well-being.

Balanced food and fluid intake is important between 

fasts. The kidney is very efficient at maintaining the 

body’s water and salts, such as sodium and potassium. 

However, these can be lost through sweating. To prevent 

muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels 

of ‘energy food’, such as carbohydrates and some fat. 

Hence, a balanced diet with adequate quantities of 

nutrients, salts and water is vital.

(http://www.alhudainstitute.ca/Upload/kitabassaum/Ramadan_Health_Guide.pdf)

A Reminder for the Married & Engaged Muslimahs!

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu!
I stumbled upon this great little reminder and decided the importance of sharing. It is a great reminder for us all who are married or who will be getting married soon! 

The following is part ONE of a summary of the book "How to make your husband happy" by Sheikh Mohammed Abdelhaleem Hamed.

1- Beautiful Reception
After returning from work, school, travel, or whatever has separated you,
begin with a good greeting.

* Meet him with a cheerful face.
* Beautify and perfume yourself.
* Start with good news and delay any bad news until he has rested.
* Receive him with loving and yearning sentences.
* Make hard efforts for excellence of the food & having it ready on time.

2- Beautify and Soften the Voice
* For your husband only, it shouldn't be used in front of non-mahram men
(men who can marry you if you were unmarried).

3- Smelling Good and Physical Beautification
* Taking good care of your body and fitness.
* Put on nice and attractive clothes and perfumes.
* Bath regularly and, after the monthly period, remove any blood traces
or bad smells.
* Avoide that your husband observes you in dirty clothes or rough shape.
* Avoide prohibited types of ornamentation, e.g. tatoo.
* Use the types of perfumes, colors, and clothes that the husband likes.
* Change hair style, perfumes, etc. from time to time.
* However with these things you should avoid excessiveness and, of course,
only act as such in front of mahrem men and women.

4- Intercourse
* Hasten for intercourse when your husband feels compulsion for it.
* Keep your body clean and smelling good as possible including cleaning
yourself of released fluids during intercourse.
* Exchange loving phrases with your husband.
* Leave your husband to fully satisfy his desire.
* Choose suitable times and good occasions for exciting your husband,
and encouraging him to do intercourse, e.g. after returning from a
travel, weekends, etc.

5- Satisfaction With What Allah (SWT) Has Allotted
* You shouldn't be depressed because your husband is poor or works in a
simple job.
* You should look at poor, sick, and handicapped people and remember
Allah (SWT) for all that was given to you.
* You should remember that real wealth lays in Iman and piety.

6- Indifference to Worldly Things
* You should not consider this world as your hope and interest.
* You should not ask your husband for many unnecessary things.
* Asceticism does not mean not to enjoy what is good and permissible
(Halal), but it means that one should look forward to the hereafter and
utilize whatever Allah SWT gave them to achieve paradise (Jannah).
* Encourage your husband to reduce expenses and save some money in order
to give charity and feed poor and needy people.

7- Appreciation
* By the saying of the prophet, the majority of people in hell were women
because they were ungrateful and deny the good done to them.
* The result of being grateful is that your husband will love you more and
will do his best to please you in more ways.
* The result of being ungrateful is that your husband will be disappointed
and will start asking himself: Why should I do good to her, if she never
appreciates?

8- Devotion and Loyalty
* In particular in times of calamities in your husband's body or business,
e.g. an accident or a bankruptcy
* Supporting him through your own work, money, and properties if needed.

9- Compliance to Him
* In all what he commands you, unless it is prohibited (Haram).
* In Islam, the husband is the leader of the family, and the wife is his
support and consultant.

10-Pleasing Him If He Is Angry
* First off, try to avoid what will guarantee his anger.
* But if it happens that you can't, then try to appease him as follows:
1- If you are mistaken, then apologize.
2- If he is mistaken then:
# Keep still instead of arguing or
# Yield your right or
# Wait until he is no longer angry and discuss the matter peacefully
with him.
3- If he was angry because of external reasons then:
# Keep silent until his anger goes
# Find excuses for him, e.g. tired, problems at work, someone
insulted him
# Do not ask many questions and insist on knowing what happened,
e.g. 1) You should tell me what happened? 2) I must know what
made you so angry. 3) You are hiding something, and I have the
right to know.

11-Guardianship While He is Absent
* Protect yourself from any prohibited relationships.
* Keep the secrets of the family, particularly intercourse and things
that the husband doesn't like other people to know.
* Take care of the house and children.
* Take care of his money and properties.
* Do not go out of your house without his permission and put on full
hijab.
* Refuse people whom he does not like to come over.
* Do not allow any non-mahram man to be alone with you in any place.
* Be good to his parents and relatives in his absence.

12- Showing Respect for his Family and Friends
* You should welcome his guests and try to please them, especially his
parents.
* You should avoid problems as much as you can with his relatives.
* You should avoid putting him is a position where he had to choose
between his mother and his wife.
* Show good hospitality for his guests by arranging a nice place for them to
sit in, perfection of food, welcoming their wives, etc.
* Encourage him to visit his relatives and invite them to your home.
* Phone his parents and sisters, send letters to them, buy gifts for
them, support them in calamities, etc..

13- Admirable Jealousy
* Jealousy is a sign for wife's love for her husband but it should be kept
within the limits of Islam, e.g. not insulting or backbiting others,
disrespecting them, etc..
* You should not follow or create unfounded doubts.

14-Patience and Emotional Support
* Be patient when you face poverty and strained circumstances.
* When you face calamities and disasters that may happen to you, your
husband, your children, relatives or properties, e.g. diseases,
accidents, death, etc.
* When facing hardships in Da'wah (imprisonment, getting fired, arrested,
etc.), be patient and encourage him to keep on the path of Allah and
remind him of paradise.
* When he mistreats you, counteract his ill-treatment by good treatment

15- Support in Obedience to Allah, Da'wah and Jihad
* Cooperate with your husband and remind him of different obligatory
and voluntary worships.
* Encourage him to pray at night.
* Listen and reciting the Qur'an individually and with your husband.
* Listen to Islamic tapes and songs individually and with your husband.
* Remember Allah SWT much, particularly after Fajr and before Maghrib.
* Share in arranging Da'wah activities for women and children.
* Learn Islamic rules (ahkam) and good manners ('adab) for women.
* Support your husband's activities by encouraging him, offering wise
opinions, soothing his pains, etc.
* Yielding some of your rights and a part of your time with your husband
for Da'wah.
* Encourage him to go for Jihad when needed and remind him that you and
children will be in the preservation of Allah SWT.

16-Good Housekeeping
* Keep it clean, decorated and well arranged.
* Change house arrangements from time to time to avoid boredom.
* Perfect of food and prepare healthy foods.
* Learn all the necessary skills for managing the house, e.g. sewing.
* Learn how to raise children properly and in an Islamic way.

17-Preservation of Finances and the Family
* Do not spend from his money, even for charity without his permission
unless you are sure that he agrees on this.
* Protect his house, car, etc. while he is absent.
* Keep the children in good shape, clean clothes, etc. Take care of
their nutrition, health, education, manners, etc. Teach them Islam
and tell them the stories of the Prophets and companions.