Salam,
I should wish everyone a Happy New Year, but I'm saving most of my enthusiasm for Eid ul Adha, which is in just over a week, insha'Allah! TAKBIR!

I think it's kind of weird how I am used to staying up late throughout the year, but when it comes to new year's eve, I usually sleep through it. InshaAllah, I plan to stayup this year, although I won't be celebrating 2006- I will begin my committment to the first of ten days of Dhul Hijjah!

It is even said that the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the most rewarded ten days .
"There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice." He was asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwaa’, 3/398)

So inshaAllah, I hope to commemorate the next ten days to extensively reciting the Quran, dhikr, and tashahud prayer and encourage others to join me (sisters, read below!). It is also said that fasting just on the day of Arafat (ninth day) is just as rewarding as fasting a whole year and praying one tashahud prayer is like praying during Lailatul Qadr!

"It expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year." Likewise, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There is no day on which Allaah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of 'Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on 'Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying: What are these people seeking."


As for my sisters that live near me, I will be having another tafsir this coming Friday inshaAllah at my house (7-9 pm). Bring your Quran and let's dhikr it up, inshaAllah.

Oh, and I just realized that this is my 100th post! Nifty, eh? Considering this night marks the first of a new year and islamically, the first of ten amazing days, inshaAllah!

until then, keep it halal. -sb

Salam.
If you can cross a street in NYC, you will survive any where else. I can't even tell you how many times I have encountered a greyhound bus or taxi cab slam its breaks two inches before my knees.
Despite the constant city-style cussing, aggressive driving, and threats shouted at you from countless street vendors, NYC is the place to be. It was my first time in the city alone without family, and the independence was overwhelming (in a good way).
As I promised last night, I would post pictures up from my experience as seen below: [Sightseeing below]

insha'Allah, I will be going to NYC tomorrow with neha-ji. I love taking pictures of everything so ya'll will see many posted tomorrow night along with my account of the trip.

As for a conversation with a bud of mine regarding taking pictures in the city:
h: take peectures of the city
sabra: i will
h: actually
h: be careful
h: cause they will think ur taking them to prepare attacks
sabra: hahahahahah

Paranoid America, as we would like to call it. Until then, keep it halal :)

One of the most beautiful poems I have ever encountered is Farshi al Turab (Dust is my Bed)

Click Here for Video

I use the word "ummah" so many times in my islamic studies class. You would think teaching a bunch of five year olds how to recite the kalimah is hard, but dealing with students so near your own age is by far a challenge.

But I sincerely enjoy working with thes senior level kids. I mean, masha'Allah they really have something to offer, especially if they put their heart into all the islamic values taught in class. Today was especially difficult though. While discussing a lesson on the Khulafah, I was struggling to explain what our ummah was like today.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what one ummah, exists really? We are so diverse, mashaAllah, yet so divided in our ways. So many provincial schools of thought, tryants exploiting the religion of justice, oppressors distorting Islam's image of eqality, and self-righteous "martyrs" who kill for a God, who would percieve them as cowardly.

And then there are Muslims, like us, who seek the truth, and nothing but His truth. Yet it is so hard to know what is true when our ummah has so many ideas of their own and deny what's right infront of us in a simple, yet so holy Quran.

When the Ansar and Quraish had quarreled over who the next leader would be after the Prophet(Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam)'s demise, it was Khalifah Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) who eventually stepped up and accepted the position. It was also, Abu Bakr (ra) that announced the death of the Prophet s.a.w because people refused to believe their leader was dead.
"Oh people, if anyone worships Muhammad know that he is dead; if anyone worships Allah, know tha tAllah is alive and He never dies"

So despite our history of conflict over power, we fail to remember that what we seek in power is immortal, and it is only He that can attain such highness.

And the division among our muslims today blinds us from seeing what a true ummah should be like, followed by our own last Prophet s.a.w.
To sum it up, I found this excerpt from a Khutbah online and found it very fitting for this topic:

We ask Allah tabaraka wa ta'ala to bless His Messenger, the Best of Creation, with a blessing which will raise him in the Praiseworthy Station he has promised him and rebound back on us with an opening for the whole umma. And we ask Allah to bless the Khulafa Rashidun, Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Sayyidina 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Sayyidina 'Uthman ibn 'Affan and Sayyidina 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and the family and wives and all the Companions of the Prophet. We ask Allah to bless our shaykh and his khalifa and our amirs and all our men, women, and children and give us success in establishing his deen in ourselves and around us and calling others to it and making that the highest priority of our lives. We ask Allah to bless those on hajj and all the Muslims, especially those who are fighting to preserve themselves and their deen. We ask Allah to give victory to His deen. By the baraka of this day we ask Allah to forgive us and have mercy on us and all the Muslims and to give us a seal which will ensure our entry to the Garden and grant us the vision of His Face.

inna lillahi wa inna alayhi rajioon.

Instead of arguing my side for the nth time, I would like to take this time to pray for Stan "tookie" williams. Even though the schoolwide posters, petitions, and debates against death penalty were insignificant to his trial, I'm comforted knowing that those speaking against the death penalty have brought awareness to their community.

Regardless of how grave a sinner this ex-convict was, may God forgive him for the gravest of his sins and accept his spiritual redemption. may God have mercy on him and those negatively impacted by his actions in this life. Ameen.

From God we come and to Him we return



and please, do not comment with arguments on your perspective on this execution. not here. thanks.

Salam,
I went to Rockfeller in NYC today with the '06. Awesome, is all I got to say. Althought I fell flat on the ice more than I skated (or attempted to and pathetically failed), it definately made good memories.





Fortunately enough for me, I don't have any pictures of the actual rink althought Andrea was able to snap a shot of me landing on my butt. Oh well. :-)

Goodbyeee NYC :(

Inthe mean time, keep it halal.

I do not have to deal with the SAT's ever, EVER again in this DUNYA EVER!
TAKBIR.

I bought my first pair of stylish aviators and I still look like a dorkus.
TAKBIR.

I also chowed down 5 slices of pizza, which means there will be more of me to love by tomorrow, inshaAllah.
TAKBIR.

I had a dentist appointment today and got a new toothbrush finally after like a year and a half. ew, I know, gross, but
TAKBIR.

Aren't you happy that I'm not posting dramatic mush about my deep reflections on life and such? Too bad, you're getting more of it by tomorrow.
TAKBIR.

I'd also like to add that my ethics (issues of conscience, but I like calling it ethics because that's less to say, but that was just a waste of time, since I had to explain it to you) teacher gave me a new nickname "wasssaaaaabra". ha. I thought it was funny...

Keep it halal :)