It was near the end of last summer when my son Mahmood, then eleven years old, got excited about a simple flyer inserted into our local paper. It was an announcement that a new newspaper carrier was needed for our street. I, on the other hand, had reservations about the idea. In my mind, taking on a newspaper route was a lot of work and involved a great deal of logistics. I let him sleep on it and sure enough,... Read more
Tears streamed down my little ones eyes as they said goodbye to their grandparents yet another time. I gave them a hug and whispered reassuringly, “There are no goodbyes in Jannah.” Jannah. Heaven. Paradise. My absolute favorite discussion topic with young children. When a child is able to understand the concept of Jannah they have reached a very important milestone. They know the end game. Their life has direction. They begin to understand that serving Allah SWT is an essential... Read more
Since my son has opened his eyes to the new, blurry to his eyes, world, I started seeing the world differently. Throughout this last year and the years to come, I am being raised all over again along with my son. I am being recycled as a new human being, but this time with more patience, compassion and appreciation for the value of life. Motherhood has become a necessary ingredient defining me rather than just a name on a birth... Read more
My eldest, who is fascinated with lists comparing largest tsunamis or most populated cities in the world, one day asks me at the dinner table, “Mama, what is the tallest building in New York City?” I look at him and hesitate, “Well, umm, it used to be these two buildings called the Twin Towers….” and I can see his eyes transfixed on me as he sees the caveat coming….”but it’s now the Empire State Building.” And now he’s stopped... Read more
Before getting married, marriage was all we thought about. We thought about it while attending conventions, walking to class, in class, leaving class, and surfing the Internet. “Who will complete half my deen?” It was an all-consuming thought that would sneak into our very core, putting our intentions into question. We even used to say, “Once I’m married, it will be so much easier to memorize Qur’an.” “Once I’m married, I can more easily work for the sake of Allah.”... Read more
There is a fascinating thread on the GrowMama discussion board about the benefits of public schools versus alternative schooling. This piece was written before that discussion was underway and is not a response. We hope readers will share their thoughts on this topic in both the comment section of the blog and on the discussion board! My husband and I are committed to sending our daughter to public school. On a very rudimentary level, we took this for granted since we... Read more
At what age should we talk with our children about the hate and ignorance towards Muslims that does exist in our country, albeit among fringe extremist groups? When we saw the video below showing hate rallies in Orange County outside an ICNA fundraiser for a women’s shelter, we were appalled. Elected officials spoke in slurs and death threats, and the crowd screamed insults at the children walking to the event. If one day we unexpectedly met such a rally at... Read more
Many people lose their ability to speak after experiencing a stroke. My uncle was one of them, may Allah grant him a speedy recovery. They understand speech, but cannot formulate words, read or write due to ensuing damage in a particular region of the brain. They can, however, still curse. One explanation is that speech requires higher intellectual functions, whereas the ability to curse comes from a more primitive part of the brain. So, is it biologically easier for us to... Read more
As mothers, we always think of the children first. We know behind the headlines there are children who do not understand, hiding behind thin walls that do not protect them from gunshots and shouting in the streets. Our hearts break for them, and we imagine what their mothers feel. Still, I remind myself that if I am feeling this way, then Allah is infinitely more merciful than me. Even in the most frightening, dangerous places on earth, Allah swt sends... Read more
Some brides have the honor (and accountability) to receive more than ample wedding jewelry. Ornamented in heavy metal leaking with gems has never been a pleasant pass time of mine. However recently, it’s been a very nice mother-daughter time with my five year old. For years, I’ve had most of my wedding jewelry stored away safe and sound in a place far away from my mind. As little girls grow, you start to see their interests and mine was definitely... Read more
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