Gratitude recheck

one of those days that warrants thinking about blessings.

so hurrah for: shiny pretty notebooks and patient understanding friends and crisp fall weather and learning and libraries and tidy surroundings and mail by post and random run-ins and kindness and warmth and knowledge and smiles and new experiences and little brothers and strength and growing and courage.

Jumu’ah Mubarak! (make a clear intention)

Jum’ah Mubarak! I hope you all had a fabulous day full of tranquility and peace. As part of today’s Friday celebrations I wanted to share the video below.  Make a pot of tea, grab a pen and a blanket, and sit down to the wonderful words of the shaykh..it’s an investment of 35 minutes that will reap beautiful fruits of smiles and reflection insha’Allah! I’ve never heard Shaykh Abdal Aziz Fredericks speak before this, but am so glad I heard this talk-he is a wonderful teacher and there are beautiful pearls of wisdom in what he says. May Allah increase him and his family in all good. In sum, the shaykh talks about his intention in coming to the lesson, the importance of making clear intentions and how that defines what you get from your actions, the intentions for learning that Imam Haddad advises, entering a marketplace and the duas that are advised to make when you are shopping,  how the way in which you dress are part of the mental framework in which you approach certain tasks, the difference between a hal and a maqam (did you know that the root of maqam is the same as iqama?) and repentence as an experience. And there is so so much more in the lesson that I didn’t even mention! Two things I really loved about this class: the way that Shaykh Abdal Aziz absolutely radiated happiness and contentment, and the way that he translated Arabic phrases. It increased my desire to learn Arabic, because I realised once again that translations into English truly convey only a shadow of the Arabic language. Please keep me in your duas as I start my first Arabic course ever in 7 days insha’Allah!

Gratitude:  a new semester/new challenges and things to learn/patterned prayer rugs/mustard seeds/libraries/useful nasihah/heaters/friendship/carrot cake/smiles from strangers/smiling shuyukh/pens that write well.

thankfulness

We take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.~Cynthia Ozick

things I love..

the sound of rain pouring down when I’m snug inside/ordering books online/sleeping in/fresh plums at breakfast/subha ke chai (with honey)/the feeling of my qur’an in my hand/spicy corn/remembering madinah/baby smiles/the smell of babies/wooden prayer beads.

Alhamidullah.

Active Gratitude

Making an active effort to be grateful this week has been an incredibly useful exercise. Yesterday I was feeling a bit down, so I thought I’d make a partial list of things I’m thankful for, that have come to mind over the last little while. That always, always seems to instantly boost my spirits. Try it, it really works.

So here goes, a few random thoughts about gratitude, as well as things I am grateful about right now.

The upcoming SP semester. There are lots of perennial favourites being offered that look fantastic, updates to course software that are being made, and plans in the works to offer many new courses this semester. Shaykh Abdul Kareem Yahya will be offering a new class, there will be a new Sirah course insha’Allah, and now SunniPath will even be offering tajweed courses! Alhamidullah, it’s good to know that I can continue my learning while I’m still at home, with teachers that exude an incredible love for the deen at all times, and in a setting that is incredibly cosy. (Separate post about SP coming soon insha’Allah)

I’m glad I can close my eyes and remember and visualise Madinah. It is a real gift having managed to travel there this summer, and I’m glad that when we have the gift of salawat-a chance for us to deliver salaams to the Prophet wherever we are in the world. That helps with the emotions of being away from the City of the Beloved.

I’m grateful for sturdy hijab pins. It’s much easier being able to wrap my scarf in the morning, and not have to worry about all day, then constantly fussing about it all the time.

I’m happy that Ramadhan is just around the corner, and alhamidullah I don’t have too many other commitments going on at the same time this year. For the first time in many years insha’Allah I’ll have more time to devote to maximizing the month. Yay Ramadhan! And I’m excited about the SunniPath Ramadan classes.

I’m grateful to have people in my life who care enough to point things out when my behaviour needs a bit of readjusting.

I’m grateful for online bookstores (where else would we be able to find great resources about Islam?), and the ability to read.

I’m grateful for the chance to get to know the coolest, newest member of our family. He is awesome.

gratitude (part 2)

Another day full of blessings alhamidullah.

I’m thankful for watermelon and sunshine and encouragement and mountains and beautiful scenery and solitude and lovely company and moving nasheeds and new experiences and sunnipath and ice-cream.

So no time for complaining

gratitude..

I have a terrible headache tonight, so I thought I’d make a list of things I’m happy and grateful about today. Insha’Allah the diversion will make the advil work faster

Here I go insha’Allah..Things I’m happy and grateful about today:

1) the yummy smell of baking

2) inspiring books and cd sets

3) tasty chicken curry

4)sunshine!

5) the feeling of being cosy and snug in my house as it gets dark outside

6) dinnertime fruit plates

7) anticipation!

8 making salawat

9) delicious tetley tea

10) patient listeners