I’m no athlete, not by a long shot. But last summer I was in a semi-decent groove, doing some running at the gym on a regular basis, attending various classes and such. I knew, given how much I dislike exercise, that the onset of Ramadan was going to totally derail me. I’ll do yoga classes a few times a week in the mornings, I thought. Surely I can do that. Yep. Nope. Pacing myself through the 16 + hour fasts... Read more
Have you read the report, Mrs. Ali? Do you have any questions? One by one, they asked me these two questions – regarding the observation report, speech and language evaluation, education report and the newest one – a functional vision assessment. (We waived the need to do a psychology evaluation this time, as everyone on the team agreed nothing had changed in that area.) Yes, I have read the report. No, I don’t have any questions. (I have a million... Read more
There is no timeline on progress. There is no deadline on learning. It never ends, it never stops; the door is always ajar, waiting to nudged open, slowly but surely, or even kicked wide open. Lil D will be turning 14 this summer. And he has come so far in various aspects of his life while spinning his wheels in other areas. Sometimes we try to teach him something, some new skill, only to realize after a while that the... Read more
How will they know they are accepted by Allah? When the joy from their blessings and the trouble and despair from their afflictions are the same to them. — paraphrased from a saying of Rabiah al Basri – a sahabi (companion) of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). The Facebook statuses I am reading today, this Jummah (Friday) are so very real and raw and honest. Several friends who are in Jerusalem and tried to get to Masjid al Aqsa for Friday prayers wrote about... Read more
Bismillah-hir-rahman-hir-rahim. In the name of God, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. In the name of the One who is the most charitable, the most helpful, the most mercy-giving, the most generous, compassionate, forgiving, gracious, kindhearted, forbearing, lenient and sympathetic. I’ve been thinking about this phrase, Bismillah, and how Muslims invoke it at the start of any new endeavor, when faced with any big trial, when placing forth any effort, any step and well, anything. We utter it when we... Read more
Allah pai bharosa reko. (Place your trust in God.) The mornings feel less hectic now. Don’t get me wrong, they still are hectic, as we rush to the end of the school year. I am urging Hamza to wake and hurry, hurry, hurry through the teeth brushing, clothes changing, socks and shoes wearing and breakfast eating. I still am frantically urging him and his sister – Come on come on! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! Until, in a flurry... Read more
The blank screen on my phone stared back at me, waiting for me to write the last Ali Family Autism Truth on the last day of April — Autism Awareness Month. I was at a blank. How do I sum things up? Is that even possible? Because there is no summation to Lil D’s life with autism, or our life with him. It’s ongoing, and just because April was ending didn’t mean our autism truths were ending. Autism doesn’t end... Read more
We had a lot to say and rail about when Mipsterz releases its “Somewhere in America” video with hip hijab-wearing ladies. We talked about slut-shaming and music being haram (or not) and everything in between. Then on International Women’s Day when Sheikh Abu Eesa Niamatullah made extremely inappropriate jokes towards women, the global Muslim community rose to fire opinions back and forth on that too. And when the Honesty Policy released its “British Muslim” video for “Happy,” we had a lot... Read more
I know many Muslims are on the fence regarding celebrating birthdays or not — you know, whether it is a bid’ah (innovation on religion) or not. But I have to say — Happy Fifth Birthday Patheos! You hear a lot from me about faith, family and autism as the author of the “Muslimah Next Door” blog — but you may not know that I also work as the managing editor of the Muslim Channel at Patheos. I’ve been with Patheos for three years now and... Read more
So much — and so little — can happen in 30 days. The woods that spread out from our house are coming to life, with branches going from winter-bare to being covered in lush green. Spring is finally ushering its way in. I sat on our deck on April 2 – World Autism Day – devastated after a heartbreaking day of shocking news about you, and I watched you play. You swung back and forth on the hammock and jumped... Read more
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