One of the things I do on Jum’ah (Friday) is drop some money in the sadaqa (charity) box in the mosque. Impressed? I didn’t think so. Most everyone drops something in the box. Next time, give your donation money to a child and ask him/her to drop it in the donation box for you. Most of them enjoy doing favors associated with money. They feel important and they are. Most of all, they feel good about themselves.

InshaAllah (Godwilling) the child might learn the goodness of this deed and adopt the practice themselves as they age.  In addition, not only do you reap blessings from your Lord, but the child does as well, after all, they had to walk allllll the way to the donation box for you and with every step came the favor of your Lord.

Keep your intentions pure. InshaAllah Khair! Wa salamu’alaykum warahmatullah! (peace be with you)

repost from my college years.

Haniya: Mama! Mama! Dat one!

Mother: Hold your horses Haniya!

Haniya: I don’t wanna hold my horses. I wanna hold my ponies!

If one child consumes my mind so much, how much more if Allah gives me another, or perhaps two others?  I’m sure He will expand my mind if He was to give me so. 

Tonight I will go to Qiyam in hopes that one of God’s angels decends upon me and hears my whispers. To be among His angels …Wow. Qiyam is a purifying and intense experience. Just 4 nights ago I heard a man cry and plead with God in the musallah. My whispers quickly shifted in favor of this man and I asked God to grant him his prayer. While washing my face and hands I saw from the corner of my eye a woman whose ablution made mine look like hill and hers a mountain. She left the sink saying..I want it to be perfect. I knew what she was praying for and I told her I was praying for her son, but that I was sure a mother’s prayer was enough. She corrected me and reminded me that we never know whose supplication Allah accepts and she thanked me.

On the first of the ten days a woman in sajdah beside me let her tears reveal themselves.  I’ve seen her everyday since then praying at the masjid. On the other side of me a Somalian sister prolongs her sajdah way past the congregation’s. I didn’t blame her for breaking the unity. So many supplications, so many things to ask for…to  be thankful for.

Children sleeping in the back peacefully under the echo of the glorious Qur’an make me feel cozy and at home.

There’s something about being in sajdah that sheilds you; heart, soul, and body. All praises to Allah. I hope we bring forth what good habits we’ve attained in Ramadan to the rest of the year and beyond.

Whatever you want to call us…some of us work too, some don’t, some at school, some are not, nevertheless:

If we remove the sheets, pillow cases, comforters, and wash them, then put them back on the bed like they were before…

If the baby pees on the floor and we scrub the stains away so the carpet looks like it did before…

If we wash YOUR underwear and fold them and stow them away neatly in the drawer like they were before…

If we keep the sink empty and clean like it always is…

And you come home to see the house looking  like it always does….

Everything seems to look the same. Then what did we do all day?

Nothing….unless we tell you what we did all day…and no husband wants to hear that I removed pee from the carpet…

Sincerely,

Happy house wife

PS. praise Allah!

I want some chocolate mama, right now..mama, right now.

My two year old daughter adds the phrase right now to her minor, but critical requests. It’s really my fault for abusing the phrase. Once I became a parent I knew I had to stop doing certain things like binge eating on pringles and cheetos, and other similar unholy acts.

My husband and I have a normal relationship. I annoy him with my emotional bouts and he leaves his laundry on the floor for payback. We listen to This American Life and watch House together…we eat dinner together sometimes and for fun I like to pinch him to see if it hurts.

I spend most of my time in the community trying to influence the youth who are regretfully in love with Justin Bieber while looking after the child and tutoring part-time. Most of the people I know work in hospitals or are getting their masters.  A few are butchers or sit in front of a computer doing important things. I am enriched by all of them especially the butchers.

We live at home with our soon to be double degree college graduate sister and her cat who for some reason, I think will have alot of things to say to God about me when that time comes.

Today I filled out the 2010 census and realized I could just lie about the number of people living in my house because today was very inspirational.  I had a pleasant day with no physical challenges except for washing my daughter’s butt in the sink.  Alas!! Potty training can wait no more.