Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Beauty Allah Created

This weekend Onur and I went to Orlando Florida. From where we live it is a good six hour drive though a very wooded and lonely area. We had to drop off our Anem (mother) off in Tampa on the way there. I had made plans to leave at an earlier time, but quickly I realized that we sometimes make plans to go at a certain time to a certain destination, but it is up to Allah always whether you make it there at the time we anticipated or not. So with this in mind we sent all set off on our weekend get away.

Onur and I both love nature and watching things like the discovery channel and things of that sort. So the night we arrived we went to eat at the Rain Forrest Cafe. We love watching the fish in the tanks and just being amazed by their beauty and color. My husband always points out how perfect and beautiful Allah must be to create such perfections and master pieces in every living creature.

Here I am next to one of the aquariums. Although these are actually artificial and they were man made... there are many beautiful corals in the ocean that surpass the beauty of this man made ones....












To the left is my hunny also enjoying these wonders. :o)

Here are some pictures of the aquarium that we took. The fish were so preaty and we will not forget what a great time we had just enjoying spending time gazing and observing all these things... I just wanted to share with everyone else....

Onur and I thought that this was and Onur Fish :o) he has a nose like my husband!!!


This looks like Dori from Finding Nemo!!!


We spent a few days having a great time together and enjoying the wonders that were created. It was amazing!!! We loved it.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Ungreatful Me...

"How can ye reject the faith in Allah?
- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life;
then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life;
and again to Him will ye return." (Al-Quran 2:28 )

In the early hours of the morning my heart was raising with frustration and pain. The smallest of things was aggravating my blood. The cause of my unhappiness I was not even able to pin point. I blamed everything and everyone else besides myself. At two thirty four in the a.m. I left the house and drove out towards the coast line near my house. At the time I didn’t think that there are others who wish they had the chance to see the ocean. But I just drove and parked right in front of the ocean. I spent about half an hour texting my husband my frustrations and trying to cause an argument that he would not give into. He knows me better than I know myself some times.

I returned home still frustrated and just tired of the little reaction I had received. Still I was unhappy. I went to sleep in anger, not thanking Allah that I had made it to another day. When I woke up around eleven I did not think about saying thanks to Allah for allowing me to wake up. I did not say thanks when I put the first piece of bread in my mouth this morning and I continued in my unhappiness and ungratefulness. Later in the day, one of my friends sent me a letter saying that she had been tracking my life events and that she was happy for my happiness. That I deserved to be happy. I didn’t think much about it since I felt like if she only knew...

I went on to continue to pester my husband about everything under the sun that was bothering me. Now that I look back at the events it puts a smile on my face to notice his patience. He did end up calling me out on what I was doing and letting me know that I was wrong. I had no come back to the things he said, because I knew that in my complaining I had no reasons just frustrations that are minor and I am the only one who can change my own situation.

After complaining all day, I remembered a movie that I watched last night called "Stuck on You." It’s about two brothers who are joined at the waist. One of them is trying to become an actor but the other one has awful stage fright. The story depicts their difficulties in life and how society is cruel on them. Regardless of their bad situations they stay positive and grateful and did not give up on what they were trying to achieve. I felt like a very bad person. I felt so small... There are people who wish everyday they had half of what I have. I have always had everything I ever needed and most recently I spent hours supplicating and asking my Giving God the things that would make me happy... and he answered my prayers...

How can I complain? What is wrong with me? I can only pray to be forgiven and change my behavior. I must focus on the fact that I am thankful for everything I have in this world. It is all thanks to God that I woke up this morning and made it through another day without hunger or fear or suffering. With a great patient husband, a loving mother in law, the best mom and dad in the world.

This passage from Al Quran made me realize that I owe everything to Allah. When I am being ungrateful, I am showing a lack of faith. It is Allah who gives me life everyday and the blessings of love and health and things that make me smile. Alhamdulillah!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Saturday, April 10, 2010

El Clon


I remember sitting with my mom and my family waiting to watch the “tevenovela” or soap opera El Clon to come on at around 9:00 pm PST in the living room of the small apartment we lived in. This soap was a Brazilian soap that the channel Telemundo broadcasted after the 9/11 incidents. The story was translated from Portuguese to Spanish… And in my house, the Brazilian soaps were something we would not miss!!! Everyone had established their beliefs against the Muslim community by now and there were many things I did not understand about this culture or what was going on in the world. I knew "Muslim terrorists" (that is what the news brainwashed everyone with) had brought the twin towers down and when I saw a person in the mall covered up, I was scared. What if that person walking around in the mall was a suicide bomber? I was so afraid of things I did not know much about… It made me shiver…
The story of El Clon, touched on many teaching of Islam and taught many of the cultural beliefs and traditions while the love story developed. As I watched and enjoyed the romance, I fell in love with the look of Jade… she was a beautiful woman who wore a veil to cover herself as she went from living in a liberal Brazil to a much stricter Moroccan environment. In the story we saw her transition and struggle in the social environment. She wore her hijab and maintained herself covered unless she was in front of family or her husband. The subject of an arranged marriage, having more than one wife, the role of women in Islam, her struggle between her modern values and Islamic upbringing played a big role in the development of the love story. I fell in love with all the other things such as her belly dancing and her use of the hijab and the love story of course. Soon the love story came to an end just like any other soap and I kept living in my high school years…

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Being Eco Friendly

Quotes From the Qur’an and Hadith (sayings of Prophet Mohammed)
Islam's mercy is not restricted to human beings but is extended to animals and birds. Game hunting of birds or
animals just for the pleasure of the sport and not for a real need is forbidden in Islam. Even insects, Islam
gives a special attention to them; it considers them signs and miracles of Allah. That is why insects like flies,
spiders and bees, ants, etc. are mentioned in the context of being miracles of Allah in the Qur’an. When a
Muslim slaughters an animal or a bird for eating, he has to sharpen his knife and to treat the animal gently and
never cut its meat until it becomes completely senseless and lifeless.

Two hadith quotes

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, related to his Companions;
The story of a man who found a dog panting out of thirst. The man went down into a well, filled his shoes
with water and offered it to the dog to quench its thirsty. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Then Allah was grateful to him and forgave him his sins." The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah!
Is there a reward for us with relation to animals?" He replied "There is a reward with (relation to) every living
creature."

Bukhari, Vol 3, Book 39. Agriculture. Hadith 513. Narrated By Anas bin Malik:
Allah's Apostle said, "There is none amongst the Muslims who PLANTS A TREE or sows seeds, and then a
bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him."

Verses from the Qur’an
(2:30) Behold thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create A vicegerent on earth.”
(2:31) And He taught Adam names of all things; then he place them before the angels, and said; “Tell me
the names of these if ye are right.”
(16:8 to 13) “And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And
He has created (other) things of which you have no knowledge.
(16:13) And the things on this earth which He has multiplied in varying colours (and qualities); Verily in
this is a Sign for men who celebrate the praises of Allah in gratitude.
(6: 38) “And there is no animal that walks upon the earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but
(they are) communities like yourselves; We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord
shall they be gathered.” This means that all creatures will come together before Allah, their Creator.
(6:165) It is He who hath made You (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised You in ranks,
some above Others: that He may try you to the gifts He hath given you for they Lord is quick in
punishment: yet He Is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
(31:20) Do ye not see That Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on earth, and
has made His bounties flow to you in exceeding Measure, (both) seen and unseen.
(45:12) “It is Allah Who has subjected the sea to you, that ships may sail through it by His command, that
ye may seek of His Bounty and that ye may be grateful.
(45:13) “And He has subjected to you, as from Him. All that is in the heavens, and on earth: behold, In
that are Sighs indeed for those who reflect.
(33:72) “We did indeed offer The Trust. To the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; But they
refused to undertake it, Being afraid thereof: But man undertook it – He was indeed unjust and foolish-
(33:73) (With the result) that Allah has to punish The Hypocrites, man and women, And the Unbelievers,
men And women, and Allah turns In Mercy to the Believers, Men and women: for Allah I oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful

Creation projects for your community and family to help better our environment through the use of
our faiths

1. Create a family project to tackle environmental problems
2. Initiate an organic garden, even in pots, include your neighbors!
3. Actively recycle and conserve material and become more conscious while being eco
friendly
4. Initiate positive social change both locally and globally

I HAD A BIG TURKISH WEDDING!!!

I GOT MARRIED!!!! :o)

So as everyone already knows, I got married to my loving and caring Onur. Yes, the man that introduced me to Islam. I prayed so many times for something less than what I have received from Onur. I think this just goes to show that when you pray, Allah will bless you with greater things than anyone can ever expect. My prayers were answered with an overflowing happiness I did not ever imagine could be possible. I am so grateful, ALHAMDULILLAH!!!! All praise is due to Allah.

To Onur the best thing that has ever happened to me, I want to say thank you for the gift that I will have in my heart for the coming days until I go to the next step Allah has in store for me. I am so happy I will be by your side through the best times and the hardest times. I will be here to support and love you. I believe you can do greater than you can see yourself doing. Your heart is so big and clean. Many said that you were lucky for having me, and that I would bring you luck, but I think I am lucky to have you. You and your family have been so great to me. I felt so welcomed and loved. You show me everyday how much you love me by being a good man, working all day, spending time with me and keeping all my needs satified, I can not ask for more. Alhamdulillah and Insh'Allah we will live a long fruitful life together. 

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Holly Quran, Al Fatiha, and Jesus Christ


http://www.quranexplorer.com/#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-MD3beQPwM
http://www.islamcode.com/WhoWasJesus.html

AssalumAleikum everyone!!! I wanted to share some of the links that have been helping me out very much in my continuous learning. InshaAllah this will help out more as it has helped me :o)

The first link is to an online recitation of the Holly Quran. I love this site because it offers different languages that the Holly Quran is translated into. Also, it includes Hadiths, and sharing options on the left hand side. You can share this site on Facebook, MySpace, Google ect... I love it!!!

Second is a link to a video I found on youtube posted by a user named ReadSurahsnDuas. This video has been helpful to me with the pronunciation of the Arabic words and depicting the sounds. Also, I like how it translates Al Fatiha in English so I can understand what it is I am saying.


Lastly, I included an article about Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) and his role in Islam. I claimed being Christian non denominational before reverting to Islam. However, I was not comfortable with accepting Jesus Christ (PBUH) as God himself. One of the things I found very welcoming and comforting in Islam is that all the Prophets before our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) are granted the same respect and status. I have not lost Jesus Christ (PBUH). I believe I have gained a clear message of who he was and the importance of him in Islam.

InshaAllah this will be helpful.

Friday, February 5, 2010

My Purpose

I have decided to begin writing about the lessons I am learning. Not only those I am learning from life but those that come with the study of Islam and the path I have decided to take. Many times I may not find the right words to use or have all the answers... But I want everyone to know that I am sharing my personal feeling and opinions. I am not perfect but I just wish to share some things I feel and have learned. Some experiences which have been difficult to deal with and how I am handling all the changes that come with Islam and why I am changing also. Maybe there is someone else out there that is experiencing the same thing or going through something similar, and not just in Islam, maybe in other religions as well. I have found myself to be alone many nights or confused and even questioning myself and my beliefs at times. However, I have always found an answer that has brought me closer to my religion and has helped to strengthen me in facing what is coming up next... So Inshallah this will help someone else. :o)