Monthly Archive

We finally have two senators and it’s about time!  Now I have to dig out my picture with Al Franken

Coleman concedes Senate race; Pawlenty to sign certificate

*busts out another happy dance complete with pot stirring*

In case anyone (besides me) actually enjoys reading legal opinions, the Supreme Court’s Opinion can be found here.

It never fails. 

I get up to pray fajr around 5 and then attempt to sleep out on the couch for an hour or so before work.  Squeaky the Hutt decides she MUST talk to me NOW, and will meow meow meow…until it’s time to get up for work.  Then she sleeps.

Dur.

I can’t wait for shorter days and the return of a more normal sleep pattern.  As much as it is teh awesome to finally get in the habit of praying all my prayers on time, isha starting at 11 and fajr ending around 5 leaves not a lot of time for much needed uninterrupted sleep.

Stalking the wrapping paper.

Made a few new recipes that turn out well this weekend:

Chocolate tapioca pudding with bananas – left out the whipped cream and chocolate cookies.  I actually cut up a whole banana into a bowl, and then only put a few spoonfuls for the pudding on top, so it was more banana then pudding.  Tasty and natural, unlike the package add milk and stir puddings from the grocery store.

Corn and Shrimp Chowder without Bacon – menos bacon obviously, so I skipped step 2, and at step 3, heated some olive oil in the pan to cook the scallions and potatos.  I suppose I could have used turkey bacon, but with my goal of getting processed food out of my live, I figured turkey processed to heck and back to look like faux bacon would not fit the bill.  Quite tasty, although I picked the shrimp out of my serving.  I’m not a huge fan of shrimp, but AbuS is, so I figured I’d save them all for him

Lemonade with Watermelon-Strawberry ice cubes.  A modified Martha Stewart recipe.  Originally suppose to be watermelon-strawberry popsicles, but since I didn’t have any popsicle molds, I improvised and put the mix into ice cube trays.  Then, throw 3 cubes in a glass, top with lemonade and wa’la

I know the food pictures aren’t the greatest.  One of these days, I’m going to get a nice wooden plate and bowl, and a clear glass to take food pics for the blog.  But until then, enjoy my vintage Micky D’s Disney glasses from my days as a McDonalds crew member.

I also went co-op shopping this weekend, and I swear this is not a staged pic.  I was setting up my purchases to photograph, and the Squeakster decided to pose with the food for me.

Annie’s Mac n Cheese was on sale for $1.49 a box.  I also stocked up on fruit leather, which is all natural, for lunch sweets.  And, vanilla extract free chocolate chips.

Somali Mall Murder Case now with Jury

According to the charges, Abdillahi wanted revenge for the April 2008 shooting death in Minneapolis of his cousin, but because he believed the shooter had fled the country, he decided to kill that man’s friend instead.

If I knew I was going to have four sons (and that’s totally not in the plans, but Allah [swt] is the best of all planners), I would totally name them:

Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali or Numan, Malik, Muhammad and Ahmad.

And for girls:

Tasnim, Jinan, Firdaws and Jannah.

And if I get more cats, I’m naming them Squishy, Squeegy, Squiggly, and Squirmy ;)

Please excuse me for making this pop culture post.   Growing up, we didn’t list to a lot of pop music.  While other kids gushed about New Kids on the Block, I was still listening to Raffi and then Beethoven and musical soundtracks.

One bit of the mainstream did reach me however (aside from Walk Like an Egyptian, which was my favorite childhood song), the theme song from Free Willy, will you be there? I loved the movie and loved the theme song.  My sixth grade class chose it as our class song to sing at our end of the year program.  The lyrics were and are still beautiful.

I was never a huge Michael Jackson fan.  I shook my head at his crazy antics and in recent years made dua that he would accept Islam through is contacts in the gulf.

As I’m writing this, I don’t know if he has passed or not.  If he has, I hope that he found peace in recent years and had accepted Islam.  If he has not, I hope he recovers, takes stock of his life and gets things in order.

People ask why we should care about the death of a celebrity.   Is he any more important than anyone else in this world?  No, he is not, but with his death and the death of other celebrities, we should be reminded of  own impending death.  Soon too, we will end up in the grave waiting for the day of judgment.

Remembering Death

On Death and Dying

What should we feel about the death of the Pope (insert any famous person here)?

Use this as a wake up call to reflect on your own life and death.  Use it to know Allah (swt) more and seek His pleasure inshaAllah.

When mankind enters Jannah, will you be there?

If I wasn’t wearing hijab right now, I swear I would be pulling my hair out.

So we have this new application at work – basically a web portal that allows us to meet and share document virtually with our co counsel and client. 

All well and good…if you could actually load documents into it!  Its…not…letting…me…load! 

2 loading options – one where you hit upload, select the docs you want in, press ok and wa’la, they load…supposedly…

Second option, open a windows explorer, then copy and paste the docs into the new window.  When you’re done, refresh the portal, and there they are…theoretically…

I’m telling you, the documents are…not…there!  I’ve loaded thousands of documents in these 2 ways, but suddenly yesterday, it just…stopped…working!

Apparently everything is a bit too fragmented on the servers, so they’re going to do something about it tonight…except I need to do stuff now!

*tugs violently at hijab*

Sooo ready to pull an office space.  Except it’s not really my computer’s fault, it’s the fault of an intangible computer program.  Ah well, it can’t hurt to dream…

On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (ra), who said: The Messenger of Allah (saws)took me by the shoulder and said:

“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler.”
[Al-Bukhari]

What does this mean to me? That this dunya is not our ultimate destination. A traveler does not make himself at home for too long at any one place along his journey. A stranger is always strange to his surroundings. If he becomes too familiar with them, he is no longer a stranger.

We are not to become too friendly with this dunya.  Doing so will distract us from our ultimate destination – Allah (swt) and Jannah, inshaAllah.

So what is my goal in this life?  To make the people around me happy?  Not if it is at the expense of my deen.  That’s my ticket to my ticket to my final destination, thank you very much.  Certainly, we are kind to those around us, but if they want us to shed aspects of our religion that displease them, be it clothing, jihad, daily prayer, eating zabiha, we can do without them.

They would love to see you deny the truth even as they have denied it, so that you should be like them. (4:89)

Allah (swt) tells us that they will never be happy with us until we are like them. So if we give up a piece of the deen here, a piece of the deen here to appease them, eventually we’ll have nothing left.

Islam is our path and reaching Allah (swt) is our goal. Is every action you take for Allah (swt)? If your actions aren’t helping you along that path, then why are you doing them?

From Crescent Watch:

The new moon for the month of Rajab was sighted on the evening of Tuesday, June 23, by reliable witnesses in Texas, Florida, and in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, as well is in other locations across the North American mainland. As such, Wednesday, June 24 is the first day of Rajab.
May Allah usher in the new month with security (amn) and faith (iman) and peace (salamah) and submission to Allah (islam).

Last Updated: June 23, 2009 23:31 PST
Posted: June 23, 2009 23:30 PST
 

From IslamCrunch:

This is an excerpt from the book Kanz Al-Najah wa As-Suroor (“The Treasures of Success and Happiness”), a book highlighting the special qualities of each month. As the blessed and holy month of Rajab approaches (please check your local sightings or mosques to know when the month of Rajab begins in your area (Check CrescentWatch), hopefully this information will be of use in allowing us all to appreciate it and benefit from it:

So, my dear friend, put forth a great effort in the month of Rajab, may Allah have mercy on you. It is the season of great profits, so take advantage of your time! Whoever is spiritually sick due to their sins – know that the medicine has come.

* Know that Rajab is a virtuous month in which worship is gloriously rewarded – especially fasting and seeking repentance (istighfar).

* Also, making du’a during the eve of the first of Rajab is highly recommended. The Prophet, peace and mercy be upon him, said, “There are five nights in which du’a (supplication) is not rejected: the eve of Rajab, the 15th night of Sha’aban, the eve of Friday, on the eve of Eid Al-Fitr, and on the eve of Eid Al-Adha.” [Al-Suyuti in his Al-Jami'].

* On the 27th night of Rajab, the Prophet, peace and mercy be upon him, was taken on the Isra wa Mi’raj (The Night Journey and Ascension to the Heavens). This was a great and glorious night, as is known to most Muslims, in which the Prophet, peace and mercy be upon him, met his Lord and was given the commandment to perform the 5 daily prayers.

* Rajab is one of the four sacred months mentioned in the Quran (the four months are : Rajab, Dhul Qi’da, Dhul Hijjah, and Muharram):

{The number of months is twelve according to God, in the decree of God, on the day God created the heavens and the earth; and four of them are sacred} (9:36)

* Rajab is Allah’s month in which He pours His Mercy upon the penitent and He accepts the actions that people have done for His sake. The Prophet, peace and mercy be upon him, said, “Rajab is the month of Allah, and Sha’aban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.” (Imam Al-Suyuti in Al-Jami).

* Scholars say: Rajab is the month of repentance (istighfar), and Sha’aban is the month of sending peace and mercy (salawat/durood shareef) upon the Prophet, and Ramadan is the month of Qur’an.

* One highly recommended act to do is say 70 times after the Fajr and ‘Isha prayers every morning and night of Rajab:

Transliteration: “Allahuma ighfir li wa Arhamni wa tub ‘alayya.”
Translation: Oh Allah forgive me, have mercy upon me, and grant me repentance.

* Sayyidna ‘Ali, may Allah be well pleased with him, used to allocate extra amounts of time for worship on four nights – the first night of Rajab, the nights before the two Eids, and the 15th night of Sha’aban.

* It is also highly recommended to say the following Prophetic prayer (known as Sayyid Al-Istighfar or the Master of Repentance) 3 times every morning and every evening in Rajab:

Transliteration: Allahuma anta rabi la ilaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’adika ma astata’at, ‘authu bika min shar ma san’at, abu’u laka bi ni’matika ‘allaya wa abu’u bi dhanbi, faqhfir li fa’innahu la yaghfir al-dhunub ila anta.

Translation: O Allah, you are my Lord, and there is no god but you. You created me and I am your servant, and I am upon the convenant to the best of my ability. I seek refuge in you from the evil I have brought upon myself. I admit all the blessings you have given me and I admit my sins, so forgive me, for no one can forgive sins save You.

And success is from Allah

Posted via email from IslamCrunch

Our gratitude to Sidi Amjad Tarsin for compiling this post and all the other posts about the Islamic months.

• This is in no way a review of any sort, just my thoughts. A review would actually require concentration, and with little sleep, I have none.
• Alhamdulilah it was 90 minutes.  I wish it had been longer.
• On the other hand, that meant I was up past 11:00 p.m.  And I’m here at work with 5 hours of sleep.  And I don’t do good on anything less than 8.  Ur.
• loved the muslim version of ring around the rosy: Ring around the kaaba/follow the sahaaba/sajda, sajda/we all bow down.
• MashaAllah those brothers were rocking some awesome beards and thobes
• Ditto mashaAllah rocking those tasbih.
• Didya hear Imam Zaid? I’m pretty sure it was him introducing the event in Chicago.
• I was speculating from the beginning that the masjid was related to Uthman dan Fodio in some way. I was right.  I found an interview with Br. Hamza done last year after watching the movie that mentions it, but can’t find it now.  Dur.
• Now I have an urge to go dig up my african history books from my freshman year of college and reaquaint myself with muslim west africa. 
• Also, need to introduce AbuS to Uthman dan Fodio (ra), cuz he needs to know some kick butt sufis.
• The way Br. Hamza talked about the Prophet (saws) is exactly how I feel about him.  You read more, you change for the better and your love for him increases.
• The dawah Br. Hamza was doing in the prison was awesome.
• Can’t say I’m a fan of gender mixing crowds at hip hop concerts.
• Overall, I thought the movie presented muslims in a very positive light.

Thanks to Rebecca for the reminder.

New Muslim Cool on P.O.V.

It’s on at 9 pm here, which is my bedtime (after maghrib), but I think I’ll make an exception and stay up late tonight

From Terry* via Racialicious:

Talking to Someone Wearing a Headscarf: An Etiquette Guide

*doing a happy dance complete with a pot stir*

Allahumma baariklanaa fee rajabi wa sha’ban wa ballignaa shara ramadan

O Allah! Bless us in the holy months of Rajab and Sha’ban and make us reach the holy month of Ramadan!

Which means only 2 more months to Ramadan *it’s almost raaamadan, it’s almost raaamadan*

Time to amp up your fasting and get your prayers in order!

So, to state the obvious…there’s a lot on Iran in the news as of late.  And I haven’t really read or listened to much of any of it.  What I would like, dear readers (if you’re out there), is an unbiased source that provides an honest view on what’s happening, how both sides differ, the whos, whats, wheres, etc etc etc.  

And if that doesn’t exist, then sources that provide a multitude of perspectives without getting preachy.

I can see the right wing blogosphere heavily supporting the opposition, but  how much does the opposition differ from the current president?  And what is the role of religion in both sides?   I’ve seen fleeting headlines that the protesters are using religion (ie chanting Allahu Akbar), but also attacking mosques?

I know I could go to the beeb, twitter or NPR, but I don’t have the energy to wade through all the news because quite frankly, it depresses me.

I suppose the best thing to do would just be to take dua but my inner poli sci major can’t help but be nosey, even if my inner deen-i-bopper is trying to beat it down to focus on ibadat.

So this morning I lay down on the couch to catch a small nap after fajr.  And Squeaky the Hutt decided  that rather then demand attention, she’d curl up next to me for a nap too.

Last weekend, I visited my local coop to stock up on organic Annie’s macncheese, alcohol free vanilla extract, and rapunzel bouillon, and a great sense of happiness settled upon me.  I was amongst my people, my earth loving, tree hugging, hippy dippy people.

Since we began to eat soley zabiha + unprocessed foods, both AbuS and I have felt a tremendous amount of baraka in our lives and in our marriage.  Why wouldn’t all muslims want to feel the same?   Then I felt a little sad.  Where were all the earth loving, tree hugging, hippy dippy muslims?   Alhamdulilah, they’re out there.

Via The Muslimah on FB:

There isn’t much yet on the site, but rest assured, I shall be checking it obsessively. 

I’m especially excited about this challenge, to submit islam/muslim based food wisdom to Michael Pollen.  I’m going to comb the hadith for wisdom from the blessed Prophet’s (saws) lips.

mkay?

Yes, some muslims drink.

But that doesn’t make it ok.

Is Alcohol Filth?

Alcohol declared haram in the Qur’an

The Squeakster has a new nickname – Squeaky the Hutt.  She’s big, she’s fat, she lays around the house and is constantly demanding to be fed and entertained.

From Zahras Boutique

I think I’d ask for it without the fringes and with this red:

Wouldn’t it be spiffy to have the underabaya and embroidery on this one in pink or purple?

Somali activist tried to stop missing boys from traveling

St. Paul, Minn. – People who know Abia Ali say she is a voice of conscience in her community.

At a rally last week against Minneapolis street violence, she held a bullhorn on the steps of City Hall, urging her fellow Somalis to help police solve a fatal shooting that took place in front of a popular community center.
Proud graduatesA sturdy woman wearing a blue hijab that drapes over her head and body, Ali used her faith to make the case for putting the killer behind bars.

“If you get away with this — in front of Allah, you will not get away,” Ali said to the crowd. “Come forward, and please tell what you saw right there.”

…

But lately, she has felt the spotlight of a federal investigation. The FBI is looking into whether the young men were recruited to fight with an Islamic militia that the U.S government considers a terrorist group. The disappearances have also triggered secret grand jury proceedings.

Ali has heard that FBI agents, working on what she says are false leads, have been asking about her in connection to the case. Agents have been showing Ali’s photograph while conducting interviews as part of their probe, according to some of the young people who attend Abubakar.

Ali said she’s even heard talk in her community that she was the one who sent the boys to fight in their homeland, a country where anarchy and violence are the rule. She denies the accusation.

“It’s very sad,” she said, pausing to dab away tears with the hem of her skirt. “It’s hurting me so much. I’ll be the last person on earth encouraging violence. I’m against violence.”

The truth, Ali said, is that she tried to prevent the boys’ trips to Somalia, even before the disappearances began to garner headlines.

 Click on the link above to read it all.  May Allah (swt) continue to protect this sister’s good work.

Other recent Minnesota Muslim news:

• Charges dropped in shooting of Augsburg student
• Young Somali men escape homeland, but not violence
• Somali students from Augsburg College refused visas by Egyptian government
• CAIR – Somalis take to the street to protest group’s actions vs. Demonstrators support area Muslim group
• Burnsville mosque fills gap for Islamic community - this is a branch of the masjid near our home.  In fact, I think Amin Kader is the imam who married us.

So I got AbuS’ tentative agreement that I need to get a new abaya or 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5 IMHO).  I won’t push my luck and ask for all of these, but here’s what I’m thinking.  Which do you like best?  They’re all from EastEssence, which is uber cheap.  I’m a bit worried about the quality, but I figure I can buy one or 2 and see.  If you visit their site, they have much larger pictures, so you can see the details better.

I really love A, but I’m afraid that the white will make me look fat(ter than I already am).  I love love love the double abaya – a mock under abaya with a coat over, so I’m leaning towards C and D.  Plus, a tasteful amount of bright fabric (says the girl currently wearing a lime green hijab)?  Awesome.  I’m also a huge purple person, so B is up there too, but with the empire waist, I may look pregnant.   

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

• Agenda to Change our Condition
• The Difference of the Imams
• Love for Allah (swt)
• Muslim Character
• Every single Star Wars novel written after 2000.

1st – the deeny books are totally awesome mashaAllah.  Agenda to Change our condition gives me motivation and direction to continue to improve my taqwa.  T he Difference of the Imams makes me want to become a muhaddith.  Love for Allah (swt) always gives me a boost in my relationship with the Beloved.  And Muslim Character makes me happy and sad.  It makes me happy because it clearly lays out what a beautiful character our beloved Prophet (saws) had.  And it makes me sad because I realize how far the muslim community falls short of the ideal.  If we muslims embodied the beautiful behavior of the Prophet (saws), people would be clamouring to embrace the deen.

Oh yeah, the Star Wars books.  In 1992, Timothy Zahn created the first in a huge number of novels that expanded and continued the universe created in the Star Wars movies.  Throughout the 90s, my sister and I avidly collected and read ever new addition. 

Then in 2000, I went away to college and my disposable income was sucked up by textbooks.  Coupled with my severe disappointment with the prequels, I stopped reading the novels.  A short while ago, I happened upon the Star Wars section of a used bookstore and found dozens of books I hadn’t read.  Inexplicably, I was compelled to pick up the series where I left off.

I’m still ambivalent about the books surrounding the prequel time frame, so for now, I’m concentrating on the post RoJ universe.  Yes, I am well aware of my dorkiness.

Playing in her water dish – she sticks her paw in, splashes around a bit, and then licks the water off her paw

I love my cat.

Watching da bird

Pet’s death linked to Miami’s serial cat killer

Others in south Miami-Dade County are telling similar stories. A woman whose Siamese mix cat, Caesar, was killed and mutilated didn’t want her name published.

“This person killed my cat. He doesn’t need to know anything else about me,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s a gang initiation thing or a satanic ritual thing, but to do what he’s doing, he has to be extremely sick.”

The month-long cat-killing spree has police concerned.

When I read this story, this hadith from Bukhari immediately popped into my mind:

Abdullah bin Umar (ra) said that the Prophet (saws) said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.”

If people truly feared Allah (swt) and the punishment that could await them on the day of judgment, wouldn’t the world be a much better place?

The unequal treatment of two religiously motivated crimes

I wonder how the third of such similar crimes in a few short days, the white supremacist who shot up the Holocaust museum yesterday, will fair in court.  That is if he lives to be tried.

composed, suprisingly, at 3 a.m.

meow 3 a.m.
cat is at the door talking
time for tahajjud

all squeaky, all the time.  Here she is with her harness which is unfortunately too tight.  She’s not really happy with it, but does enjoy going outside.  No outside this weekend though, as it was raining.

The Squeakster and I enjoyed a very nice weekend together.  Since AbuS sleeps until noon on the weekend, the morning is spent laying on the couch reading, with Squeaky sitting on my chest.

In the afternoon, we played with her “da bird,” which btw is the best cat toy every.  We have another feather on a string toy but it can’t hold a candle to da bird.  After half an hour of play, I’ll stick it back in the closet and she’ll sit forlornly meowing until I get it out again.   Later, she came up to me, pawed at my leg, and when I looked, turn around and ran.  I followed her and she led me to, guess where?  The closet where da bird was hiding.  It’s like kitty crack.

We begin our series with the first line we find when we open our modern mushaf (granted of course that we open it from the correct direction, if it’s a right to left facing book).

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Three short words, yet they (should) permeate every facet of our daily life.  I’ve most often seen this phrase translated as “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate,” but as it usually is with translation, these words fail to grasp the majesty, the might, the expanse of Allah (swt)’s Rahman and Rahim.

A teacher once translated this verse as “with the name of God.”  I found this translation to be incredibly useful.  It takes the phrase and makes it the key to our lives.  With the name of Allah (swt), I do this.  With the name of God, I do that.  In every action, I take it as my key to open the door.  If I wouldn’t want to open that action with the name of God, I sure as heck better not be doing that action.

In translation:

Ahamed, Syed Vickar – In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Ever Merciful

Ali, Ahmed – In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf – In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Arberry, A.J -In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Asad, Muhammad – In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

Bewley, Abdalhaqq and Aisha Bewley -In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful

Cleary, Thomas -In the name of God, the Benevolent, the Merciful

Fakhry, Majid -In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Jeffery, Arthur -In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Khan, Muhammad Zafrullah -In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful

Saheeh International -In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Shakir, M.H. -In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Unal, Ali – In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

ir-Rahman = All Merciful, most benevolent, Most Gracious, the Merciful, the Most Gracious, All-Merciful, the Benevolent, the Compassionate, the Entirely Merciful, and the Beneficent.

ir=Rahim = Ever Merciful, ever-merciful, Most Merciful, the Compassionate, the Dispenser of Grace, the Merciful, the Especially Merciful, and the All-Compassionate

In the notes: Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, technically it’s tomorrow, but since I’m not sure if I’ll be on the computer then, it’s being posted today.

I’ m seriously tearing up here people.  Six months ago, I saw my fat and fuzzy friend for the first time in a little cage at the humane society.  I have had the joy of the companionship of my big squishy kitty for six whole months. 

Alhamdulilah for this creature who brings me so much joy.

Playing with her gotcha day present, a kong kickaroo

and a first, the Squeaky Cam!  I know, the video is not that good and probably not all that interesting.  I promise to get better at it  

Healthy bran muffins!  No no, don’t run away shaking your head in disgust.  These are tasty tasty bran muffins that fill you up and take the edge off a sweet tooth.  My recipe modifications are in italics, cuz you know it can’t be too healthy.

½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 eggs (or egg substitute)
2 ripe mashed bananas (or 1 cup applesauce)
1 cup low far or non fat milk
3 cups wheat bran
1 1/3 cup whole wheat (or white) flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup raisins (or dried cranberries, dried cherries or mixture of all)
or 1 cup mini chocolate chips, or ½ mini chocolate chips and ½ dried fruit

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined

Spray 12 large cupcake tins with cooking spray and fill each ¾ full with the mixture.  I actually get 18 muffins out of this recipe when I’ve made it. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes

I have the most adorable little prayer rug that I keep at the office.  Correction, *kept* at the office.  I took it with me on the grand tour of Wisconsin and now I can’t find it. 

So I’ve been praying on a fed ex envelope on the hard linoleum floor of my file room.  Who knew that floors were so hard?  Totally not fun.  On the plus side, this is probably a good way to develop a prayer bump.

*note to self – get new prayer rug*

I’m continuously flabbergasted every time I see this claim in assorted forms:

My priest made a good point that in Islam they say their god is merciful and just, but never loving. The do not have any concept of God being love, as we do. Love is the highest good. It is the reason that our God is merciful and just. These latter two virtues are secondary virtues, that only exist because of the reality that God is love. Allah is lacking that fundamental characteristic of the true living God–only copying mercy and justice to some degree, but not existing as love itself.

I mean, how hard is it to read through the 99 names of Allah (swt) and come upon this:

And He alone is truly forgiving, all-embracing in his love. (85:14)

And in case they need to read further:

• Allah’s Love
• God and Love
• Feeling Allah’s Love

Now I’ll also often have christians say, “ah ha, but God loves everyone, no matter what they do!  In Islam, your God does not necessarily love everyone all the time.

To this I ask, “what good is the love of your God if at the end of the day, you burn in hell because you reject Jesus’ (as) supposed sacrifice?  Yes, God is our loving friend and buddy and He’s throwing us into hell, big woopdeedo.”

In Islam, the attributes of Allah (swt) are balanced.  He is Allah (swt) first and foremost, not “Love.”  He is the Loving, the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Just, the Forgiver, amongst dozens of other names.

We are encouraged to seek the pleasure and love of Allah (swt), and in every action increase our love for Him.  If there isn’t love in Islam, I don’t know what the heck I’m doing everyday.

After a week away from my squishy cuddle bug, the Squeakster and I spent some quality time together these last few days.  Squeaky also had her first trip outside the apartment since going to the vet in mid December.  We got her a harness and leash, so she went on a trip to the park behind our apartment complex.  She had a great time sniffing every blade of grass and weed in sight, and then found a patch of dirt that she promptly began to roll around in.   Her beautiful white belly turned gray, so she had the pleasure of getting a bath after dirt time.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera, so no pictures of the dirty kitty frolicking amidst the weeds.  Instead, here’s a picture of her favorite hang out location, her carrier.  Before I got the Squeakster, I had read that cats often don’t like going in their carrier.  As such, I bought a more expensive carrier with an opening on the top, so the cat could be shoved in more easily in a hurry.  Wouldn’t you know, she loves her carrier and sleeps in it every night.