Aggression

My son was stalked and attacked in the super market by another child (around 10yrs old).Whilst my dh and dd had gone to another aisle this all happened in 2-3Min's, alhamduilah his karate training came in handy and he was able to defend him self. Now since i have returned i have noticed when my son is out with me other children looking at him in an aggressive way and almost provoking him to confrontation, my son is a is raised by me and is mashaallah a very kind and caring soul. At first i though i imagine it but no he told me sometimes when i turn my back the other boys stick their fingers up with a V sign not meaning peace. Now this angers me as its provocation, they are forcing him into trouble. what is this British Society like, what with a recent http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1047592/Help-help-pleaded-boy-clung-balcony-falling-seven-floors-death.html pointless murder of a young life and the countless stabbings here in the Capital LONDON, suddenly i am worried for my son and he is only 9yrs old. Anyone else experience something similar? what do you do in this society i want to know if the other mothers with boys have experience this?

It's that Friday Feeling

Yes yaum al jummah alhamduillah Rabi Alamin, what a blessed day jummah is for us .........subhanallah here is how mine went. I came down to cook lunch but discovered not much in food wise so i looked through the cupboards and spotted the cous cous and i had some peas to pod and what came to mind? Yes 'masfouf' also it reminded me of our old home Algeria 'sigh'. As on jummah day in Algeria people cook cous cous as a cultural tradition as its the only full day at home for all the family so they make a special meal to share bit like a Sunday Roast for some of the European cultures. It reminded e of my neighbours and how some jummah days i would end up with difernt bowls of cous cous sent to me by different families mashaAllah.
If i was in algeria and making this i would add foul (flaver beans too) and have this with a glass of Laban (buttermilk). Firday is the day i try to read quran esp surah al kaff as it is highly recommended so i do it first in arabic with a qari via online but i normally get lost alhamduilah its the effort that counts. Then i read it again in translation to make sure i understand what i am reading alhamduillah. I actually became quite tearful at some ayats i read that really penitrated my heart mashaallah TabarakAllah. We didn't get out to the masjid this week alhamduillah. Later in the day i went shopping for my hijamah essentials

I was hoping to show you some pictures of me in action but my dh has been to busy for me to pin him down for a session sadly but soon inshaAllah. I would also like to thank my dear sister who taught me and i pray allah give her the ajar aswell as me for teaching me and sharing the knowledge to help others ameen. Seeking Taqwa these are for you hunny just beacause you are my sister and i love you for the sake of Allah ukti!

Now while we were out shopping there was a punch up , yes a fight now this totally angered me. There were spectators of up to a crowd of 70 peep's and no one intervened, no one went into break it up, no one cared enough instead they were heckling 'fight' 'fight' this is the GREAT British society I live in. There was 4 teenagers beating 2 men who were out shopping with family his wife has 2 young babies in a double push chair and was wearing a hijab. The crowd was to big for me to actually see all but i could hear her screams and this drawed me nearer as i thought she was being beaten, she was screaming for her husband and other family member being beaten to a pulp. Then someone asked me what had happened there , i turned around and said shame on you, everyone is spectating the least you can do is call the police by then my dd had already done so. It makes me sick, it angers me, this is the non caring , afraid society we live in? the standby syndrome, i am discus ed sick to the pit of my stomach, i wanted to intervene , i wanted to slap the agressors , i wanted to help! What is wrong with these non caring people Britian was not like this before in the past i mean growning up, i remeber an old asain lady got mugged and most of the neighbours chassed the man down the street. In Algeria everyone steps forward and breaks it up, if i trip inthe street people rush forward to help me at the very least make a dua for me, for allah to protect me subhanAllah i miss my security alhamduilah. Later we saw the 2 men who had been beaten to a pulp , blood everywhere.

Other stuff i have been doing these days Al-hamduilah I have become fustrated with the crochet and following paterns , why? just can't do it but after another atempt 'bingo' i am on my way al-hamduilah this is going to be a jug cover lets see what gets made i have got my sights set on a afgan with 192 squares inshaallah looking forward to that one inshaallah need to get my hands on some yarn first inshaAllah.

Been having alot of insomia lately subhanAllah so one night i joted down a list for Ramandan goals for the kids as i am starting to home school the younger 2 again. conteplating my being and my own achievements for the days ahead in order for a better hereafter inshaAllah.

Bassbousa

I made it finally courtesy of Mimi @ http://culinaryxcouture.blogspot.com/2008/07/basbousa.html A very rich and Delicious recipe i know seeking Taqwa will like this one. Will post photos later inshaAllah. Sadly my dd1 has lost my bassbosa pic's , seeking tawqa will have to give you a review inshaallah.I found the pictures

Tasty Corn Snack

boil the corn for about 5-7mins drain , coat in butter ,squezze some lemon, sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve warm for a delicous snack!

Fennel Soup

My dd1 seems to have lost my picture of the fennel a veg which i discovered to eat in Algeria mashaAllah a very beneficial veg and tasty too.

LYou wil need
butter, stock cubes, water, onion, corgette boil al this together till tender and hand blend.

Harrissa homemade chilli sauce

You will need
fresh chilis about 30, juice of half a lemmon, garic cloves to taste, a little coriander,3 tomatoes, salt, 2 table spoons of chili powder, tomato puree about 2 tablespoons, 2 small onions.

Method
Finely chop half an onion and put in a small pan with some oil and start to sweat it, dont allow it to brown. In the meantime blend the everything else. Except for the spices, lemmon and puree. Now add the blended veg to the pan of sweated onions. Add the spices and puree ad allow to simmer on a low heat covered for 20mins , stir well and add the jucie of lemmon allow to cool and you can frezze jars of it if you have made too much as it will start to cool in hotness from the 3rd day after so best eaten with in 3 days.

Al-Hijamah: Cupping Therapy

Al-Hijaamah is an authentic tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that has been used throughout history. There is volume of anecdotal literature present however few scientific trials have investigated the effect of Cupping at various levels to the health. Evidence thus far points favourably for the use of Cupping as a treatment tool for a spectrum of medical ailments.

We pray to Allah to give us the ability to apply the knowledge he has given us in the best possible manner and that we continue to seek a better understanding in order to find cures for the illnesses he tests us with.



This is something i have been intrested in for a number of years and have felt the bennifits of hijamah in the past. Blood cupping, dry cupping and i hope to try fire cupping too insha Allah.
The Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) said “There is not a single disease for which there is not a cure”, and we all know that there is no cure for death. One of the many remedies the Blessed Prophet informed us about was that of Al-Hijamah or Cupping Therapy as it known in the west. There are numerous ahadith concerning Al-Hijamah; many are considered sahih (authentic) whereas the authenticity of some has been questioned by scholars such as shaikh Nasir-ud-Deen Al-Albani and shaikh Abu Bakr Al-Jaza'iri. However, what is accepted unanimously is that Al-Hijamah was practiced by the Prophet (saw) and he encouraged others to do so. It is also documented that he paid the cupper his wages.


So what exactly is Al-Hijamah?
Cupping is an ancient method of treatment that has been used in the treatment and cure of a broad range of conditions throughout the Eastern and Western cultures of the world. Conditions such as blood related disorders; haemophilia and hypertension for example, rheumatic conditions ranging from arthritis, sciatica, back pain and migraines through to psycho-social applications in the treatment of anxiety and general physical and mental well-being. Traditional theories advocate that the primary aim of Cupping is to extract blood that is believed to be harmful from the body which in turn rids the body of potential harm from symptoms leading to a reduction in well-being.

Home Schooling ummi again

Looks like i will be home schooling (HS)the younger two , 6 and 9 yrs. After much searching for schooling it just didn't emerge due to a number of factors namely location , cost. I didn't feel like doing this after almost 7 yrs break from doing this full time and i was not sure how the kids would respond to this after having a taste of school life in Algeria. Well they seem up for it inshaAllah and i have ideas on the approach , as an ex expierenced HS alhamduilah some aspects should not be so challanging. One thing i did notice , when i embaraked upon this adventure over 10yrs ago, not much out there for us HS but now allah has made it easy for us HS subhaAllah, i am happy to find the wealth of info and help out there mashaAllah.

I a a lil nervous and anxious embarking upon this task , as the eductor you always feel are you giving the kids enough is the balance right? Also the kids will be with you 24/7 ummi not getting a break day in day out. Anyhow inshaallah i will give it my best shot.

Trip to the hospital

On Saturday we had to go into town for dd1 and her MRI scan , as i didn't have childminding for the othersI dragged them along too, this is our day in pictures, dd had the camera so lets see the day from her thoughts. My DS spotted the peace protestor Brain Haw http://www.parliament-square.org.uk/defendanalysis.htm we also stopped by the dungeons asi had free tickets but the ques wee masive so we didn't stop but the kids enjoyed the afternoon in Westminster

The Non Return

Need know I am not returning to Algeria for my 4Th year alhamduilah. Thinking way back to Oct 2005 and mid Ramadan and all the preparations, rushing, tears, shipping, stocking up and leaving all in aid for my departure to Algeria, what i thought was forever. In the first place it was a very hard jihad al nafs (struggle of the dis ires) to leave in the first place, to say salam to the land that is my home, the only home i ever new, to say salam to a life but alhamduilah masha allah i did it as i really wanted it. I was no fool as i knew troubled waters lay ahead but what i got was far more troubled than i could have ever imagine subhanallah. I will be honest when i say i spent 2 1/2 yrs of my 3yrs in tears but they were tears of self realisation and development, tears of pain, tears of happiness , tears for loved ones, tears of in ability, tears of realization, tears for others, tears of shock and disappointment, tears of achievement and tears in the way of my Lord although i my whole life does revolve around my religion Islam anyhow.


What i expected i didn't find what i had hoped never to find i got. I started this blog as i had no one to talk to and i decided i would blog my events and emotions here and i never dreamed to find a sisterhood this way. In a way this blog was to be a relief for my emotions and mashaAllah i do get that.

I don't regret for a moment for going to Algeria and trying it out as i always had a passion for Algeria and wanted to try the whole emigration experience alhamduillah. Things i went in search for in the way of my deen (religion) didn't materise for me so much , this could be due o number of reasons, like location. Goals i had in mind for my family didn't emerge Islam wise not to say there is no deen there yes there is mashaAllah i met the most pious sisters there (native Algerian women) that have a left a lasting effect on my deen mashaAllah. Maybe my own Islamic Standard are too high and i enjoyed to live in this comfortable Islamic bubble we create for ourselves in the UK when in effect the real Islamic world is different.

I belive Allah destined for me to go to Algeria alhamduialh perhaps seeing at how things evolved for me to move to Algeria in the first place...it maybe that Allah wanted to try my eman and maybe He found me steady as a rock... or maybe perfected me till I were steady mashallah... Allahu alim and He is al kareem. All i know is i gain so much from being in algeria , it nourished my existence, hardships were my blessing believe me test after test made me come closer to my lord and feel the beauty of belonging , of being alone, of being helpless, feeling the power and favor of my MASTER Allah subhanoo. Maybe i was not to remain in Algeria that's all, i have come to re-visit the purpose of my time in this dunniyah and why i am here, things and goals i need to focus upon.

At first i was devastated when i realised i have to return, as i didn't want to reclaim a life in the UK , i even looked into moving on to Egypt but this was no answer to my situation. Being away for m the UK has made me appreciate just how blessed we are to live here , those that do, we knock it but really there are many freedoms we can enjoy that others can only dream about. So now i am back i am looking forward to building a new life at first i was not but now i am coming around to the idea, you see my fear was not settling back in as i know i can do that with ease as England is my HOME and being me , Britain is where i feel happy. i didn't want to return out of fear of not being able to let go if hijrah came up again in the future as it was hard enough the first time but inshaAllah i am ready to submit to my lord where ever he has willed for me. My children are all happy about the return and feel very settled here in the UK, so here we are to start over alhamduilah.
The big question is will i return? The Asked knows no better than the asker, i am leaving an open door there.

Make Fasting Different

Fasting is hidden from the eyes of men and unperceived by their senses.

The fasting person's limbs fast from sins; his tongue fasts from lies, base language and false witness; his stomach fasts from food and drink; and his pudenda fast from union. If he speaks, he says nothing to violate his fast; and if he acts, he does nothing to spoil his fast. All his speech is salutary and wholesome, as are his deeds—like the fragrance one smells while sitting next to the bearer of musk. Anyone who sits with a fasting person benefits from his presence and is safe from false witness, lies, base language and wrongdoing. This is the fast prescribed by the Sacred Law, not simply abstinence from eating and drinking. Hence, a sound hadith states: “When someone does not refrain from speaking falsely and the action that springs from it and from ignorance, God does not need him to refrain from food and drink.” [Bukhari, Adab, 5597; Ibn Maja, Siyam, 1679; also in Bukhari, Sawm, 1770, without the word ‘ignorance’] And in [another] hadith: “Some who fast obtain nothing from it but hunger and thirst.” [Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 8501, with the ending ‘And some may tand for prayer at night and receive nothing from it but sleeplessness.’ Also in Bahyaqi, Shu`ab al-Iman, 3542, with ‘standing at night’ mentioned first.]

True fasting is when the limbs fast from sin and the stomach fasts from food and drink. As food and drink can break the fast or spoil it, so sins can cut off its reward and spoil its fruits, as if one had not fasted at all.

Make Fasting Different
fasting during the lunar month of Ramadhan, which has several goals that the Muslims must strive to achieve with his heart and by his actions. These goals are as follows:

1. Achieving At-Taqwa, that is, the fear from Allah. Allah said, what translated means, "O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." [2:183]. Hence, fasting is a means to achieve At-Taqwa. In fact, all acts of worship and Tawhid are methods and means to achieve At-Taqwa, as Allah has said, what translated means, "O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqun." [2:21]

2. Acquiring the rewards of Allah. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that Abu Hurayrah related to the Prophet, that he said, what translated means, "Allah the Exalted said, 'All the deeds of the son of Adam are his, except for As-Siyam, for it is Mine and I will reward for it.'"

3. The Prophet also said, "The Sa-im has two happy moments: when he breaks his fast he is happy, and when he meets his Lord he is happy because of his fast." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. About his saying, "When he breaks his fast he is happy," and Imam Muslim's addition, "Because of his breaking his fast," Imam Al-Qurtubi commented, "It means he is happy because his hunger and thirst have ended, since he is allowed to break his fast. This happiness is natural and this is apparently the desired meaning. It was also said that his being happy is because of his breaking the fast, means that he has fulfilled his fast, and as a culmination for his practicing the acts of worship. His saying, 'And when he meets his Lord he is happy because of his fast,' means he is happy because of the rewards for fasting and its complete awards.'"

4. As-Sawm purifies the soul and helps it acquire the habit of obeying Allah and His Messenger by defeating the desires of the heart. Fasting teaches refraining from following the desires because the soul of the Sa-im becomes obedient to Allah's commands. Also, Satan has a stronger hold over the souls that often obey the desires. When the soul abandons its desires, it will become more difficult for Satan to have a hold on the heart.

5. Being saved from the Fire, for the Prophet said, what translated means, "And Allah has those whom he frees from the Fire, and this occurs every night (meaning in Ramadhan)." [At-Tirmithi & ibn Majah]

6. Ash-Shafa`ah (the right of intercession). The Prophet said, "As-Siyam and the Quran will intercede on behalf of the slave. As-Siyam says, 'O Lord! I prevented him from food and obeying his desires in the morning. Therefore, accept my Shafa`ah on his behalf.' And the Quran says, 'I prevented him from sleeping at night. Therefore, accept my Shafa`ah on his behalf,' and they will be accepted as intercessors.'" [Ahmad, Al-Hakim & Al-Bayhaqi].

7. Having the sins forgiven. There is no doubt that fasting directs to having one's sins forgiven and erased. The Prophet said, "The five prayers, and from Friday to the next Friday, and Ramadhan to the next Ramadhan, are erasers for what occurs between them, as long as major sins are avoided." [Muslim]. Also, the Messenger of Allah said, what translated means, "Whoever fasts Ramadhan with Iman and Ih.tisab, will have his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]. Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaii added the following to the above narration, "And also what will occur later on (meaning future sins, as well)." "With Iman" entails fasting while believing with the heart in the obligation of fasting during Ramadhan. As for Ih.tisab, it means that one anticipates the reward and his fasting is therefore only for the sake of Allah and not to imitate his people and community or for any other worldly gain.

My dear friend

Thank you so much for these lovely flowers , so very kind of you, carring and kind you are mashaallah this is for you
Friends
Friends smile at you.
They like your face.
They want to be with you
Any old place.

Friends have fun with you.
Friends share
They’re glad when you’re happy---
When you’re sad, they care.

If you’re a friend
Then you care, too.
That’s why your friends
Are glad you’re you!!!

Aloo Bangan (Baby Auberguines)

You can use regular aubergines, I just happened to have baby ones.

Aloo Baingan
Potatoes chopped into ½ inch dice 1 cup
Aubergine chopped into ½ inch cubes 1 cup
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 clove garlic grated
½ inch piece ginger grated
½ tsp turmeric
1-2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
Salt to tatse
Coriander to garnish
Oil 1 tblsp

Chop the potatoes and auberguine and keep in water.
Heat oil add cumin seeds. Then add chopped onions and sprinkle a little salt. Fry on medium heat till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a min.
Add turmeric powder, red chili and coriander powder and fry for a min
Add chopped tomatoes and fry till oil separates from the masala.
Add the potatoes, mix well and put ¼ cup water, cover and cook for 5 mins. Add the brinjal and cover and cook on low heat till done. There should not be too much water, only enough to cook the vegetables.
Sprinkle garam masala and green coriander.

Serve hot with rotis and dahi