Yogurt on Yer Head!

Source

Have I mentioned that I'm a DIY, all-natural-loving type of gal?  Si, si, mes amis!

One of my most recent semi-addictions is a weekly yogurt hair mask. You're thinking, "Oh gross...doesn't that smell?" and you'd be surprised, but it doesn't really. And there's plenty of people who use this mask as their secret weapon. :)  

The Benefits:

- Softens and conditions dry hair

- Strengthens the hair follicles since it's full of protein

- Soothes itchy scalps

- Fights dandruff.  Yay for yogurt's anti-fungal properties!

- Makes hair crazy-shiny

- Stimulates hair growth

- Combats the frizzies

How-To:

1. Take some natural, unflavoured yogurt and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Don't use the stuff with fruit in it - all natural is best!

2. Mix in your "extras".  This can be olive oil, honey, cinnamon, cocoa powder, whatever your heart desires.  These extras have their own benefits, and take a wander through google to look them up. 

3. Divide your hair into sections and apply yogurt in thick layers. You can use a spoon or a paint brush if you want, but I just go at it with my hands.  

4.  Let the mask settle in for 30-50minutes.   It will feel wonderfully cooling on your scalp!  The mask may also begin 'weeping', so you may want to wear an old t-shirt or cover your head in cling wrap/old towel.

5.  Jump into the shower, and rinse twice with warm water before shampooing.  I usually wash my hair twice. 

6.  No need to condition your hair.  So let it dry, and marvel at how soft, shiny and wonderful it feels!

There

If you're a goal-oriented person, you're also likely to be quite future-oriented.

And sometimes, this means that you wish things would just hurry up and happen already.  You just want to be "there" - on the other side.

But, the journey is just as important as the destination

Honour the process.

Be mindful of it.

And enjoy the trip...it only happens once.

Honour the Process, Illustration, 2011 by Michele Gauler

Don't let the moment slip by...

Source: Unknown

Love HFW

So...who hasn't heard of Love HFW yet?  Where have you been...hiding under a rock or something? C'mon now!

It's only one of the most awesomest things to happen in Blogistan since ever.  Seriously.

Go, check it out here:  http://www.lovehfw.com/

If you're still reading this, that means I haven't managed to convince you yet. And maybe you think I'm being too demanding.  But you should overlook that and do it anyways.

Love HFW was started by Sister Em as an one-week long online event for Muslimahs. Hijabi Fashion Week (HFW) involves  seven different themes - one for each day of the week, and participants are asked to put together outfits based on the themes.

I love it because I'm able to pick up inspiration from sisters all over the world - whether it's tying two thin hijabs together or figuring out how to 'hijabify' some of my odd items of clothing.

Have I convinced you yet?

Because if I haven't, I offish give up...you're hopeless, you is. :P

"sometimes the brightest lights can only be seen from the darkest of depths"

I've been reading Brother Nomad's blog, "Holding on to Allah's Rope" for a good part of the past year or so.  His stuff really is pretty profound and deep to say the least, and he's able to articulate so well what I believe are the very personal struggles that everyone goes through at some point or another in their lives.

Allhumdulilah, he's granted me permission to share his work, and specifically, there's one piece of his that really speaks to me. Some of these gem-worthy ideas:

"Firstly: sometimes the brightest lights can only be seen from the darkest of depths. We cannot appreciate what tawakkul means until we are (or see a point) far removed from it."

"Once we internalize the whole of our weakness, is when we can begin to find strength in reliance."

"Secondly: There is the rope of Allah, and then there is the chain of the shayateen (devils). A rope is generally made as a means of assistance, carrying things, and pulling them up. A chain is generally made as a means of restriction, punishment in limiting one's freedom and mobility. Interestingly, a rope can also choke whereas a chain can also give lift in times of need."

"Sometimes a chain is not evident until it is too late, and it has wrapped itself around its wielder tightly at the time of death. Thought to be a source of pride and dignity in the face of men, it would be just a cement block dragging one down to the deepest depths. Conversely, a rope can easily cause burns if it moves too fast, or become a noose should extremes be approached."

See what I mean?  He's a genius, mashAllah.

I'd encourage you to read the full post here.  Happy reading!

30 libraries in 22 weeks

It's November. The leaves are starting to fall and the winter jackets are coming out. It's the holidays...well almost! I love this time of year, it seems like everyone is happy and cheery and Starbucks has their 2 for 1 holiday drinks on during happy hour! (one more day left!)

But it's also time for that last final push before finals. You know all the big papers are due, the final projects and those lonely last midterms. It also means more library time! :) (I'm in one right now lol)

The other day Alma and I were walking down UofT, after one of our library trips and I was bragging that we had 30 or so libraries. She asked me how many I had been too. And I realized that not many. I usually go the same one, my favourite. Or one that is close.

So we made a halal one way bet. Before I graduated I would visit ALL the libraries at UofT. Alma reckoned it was only 8ish every year...the only problem? I'm already in 4th( and final inshAllah) year at the big old UofT!

So it's 30 libraries in 22 weeks. Think I can do it? I hope so!

I'll record my library adventures on the blog, so that way it'll feel like you've all been to EVERY UofT library too :)

Libraries I've visited
-E.J Pratt (my favourite!)
-Gerstein (I'm there right now!)
-Robarts
-UTM library
-UTSC library
-Earth Sciences Library
-Engineering & Comp sci Library
-Mathematical Sciences Library (aka Bahen Library...also one of my favs)
-OISE Library
-John M Kelly Library
-Laidlaw Library

Full list of UofT libraries: CLICK HERE!

Wow so that already 11. YAY only 19 more to go! :)


Just so you know...I absolutely LOVE libraries! Alma...I wanttagolibrary!

The Blame Game

I think there's some habits that are never lost, old adults playing the blame game is just, well, wrong.

Blaming the little people, of the big institutions for their own mistake, is worse. The higher up you go, I feel you lose sight of right/wrong and being truthful.

Everyone should own up to their mistakes. Period.

That's my venting of the day.

Something to think about...

I was helping out at a Muslim event a while ago, and I noticed there was a lady there who seemed... different. We all went about everything normally and were as polite to her as we were to the other sisters. On the last day, though, we logically reasoned that she seems to be a non-Muslim who is very interested in Islam.

Now this changed things. I saw it in myself, and in the others also, that we all tried to be a lot nicer to her, a lot more helpful, and a lot more friendly now.

At the time, I didn't think so much about it, other than, I wanted to give off a good impression of Islam and Muslims so that insha'Allah Allah helps her find her path. But thinking about it later, I realized the fallacy of it. Shouldn't I and everyone else not have to need to change our behaviour around her after we found out she was interested in Islam? Shouldn't we live as Muslims who are always embodying the right characteristics? The reality of it is, that we don't know who might be observing us, and if we are the image of Islam that people see, shouldn't we try to give off the best possible image of Islam?

I don't think Da'wah always has to be intentional. Maybe a subconscious act that you do as a Muslim, could be what inspires someone into learning about Islam.

I don't know if I will have the opportunity to meet the sister again, but may Allah enlighten and open her mind and help her in her journey. Aameen.

A Nightmare

I had the most horrible, life-like dream the other night.  It was truly wretched, if you know what I mean.

Now most people would have nightmares about being chased by an ugly monster down a dark alley, or falling off a skyscraper or something of the like.  But remember how I told you that I'm not really a "normal" person?  Well, I've never had dreams like that before.  But what truly scares the bejeevers out of me are the small things that would likely not even make your heart flutter the least bit.

Like my blogger anonymity being totally squandered.  

Yes, that scares me.  I'll give you a minute to stop laughing.  

Okay, that's enough. 

Anyways, in this dream someone who is really important to me basically betrayed me.  She wrote up a blog post that unintentionally disclosed my identity- making it unmistakable to think that I could be anyone else.  

I was heartbroken, and cried over it for days and days. 

Even though, in reality I knew that it's not really that big of a deal.  But how could she do that to me?  How?

The worse part is that it was so life-like.  The blog was Mundane Muslima.  The friend was a fellow MM writer.

It feels like the blame game...or the cookie jar game that we play as little kindergartners.

"Mariam took the cookie from the cookie jar!"

"Who me? Couldn't be!  Then who?"

So, who is it? 

P.S.  For those who are wondering if I have an active subconscious, you bet I do!

"Du'aa powered"

Assalamu'alaykum!

First off, I apologize for being soo very MIA lately. There's a whole lot of excuses I could go into, but I think it's better I do something about it instead, sooooo here's my post!

It's actually something I've been thinking of a lot lately. Maybe it's just me, but have you ever wondered how something you thought was so very unreal and unlikely just happens? For example, thinking about school again, you cram for an exam, and know there's no way you'll do well, then you do end up doing way better than you thought! Alhamdulillah.

That seems to happen to me a lot, and I've started using a term for it (I don't know if it's already a term or not, tried googling it but nothing came up!) : "du'aa powered"

That's because, when you think back to it, you remember all of your studying attempts, but you also remember that you told nearly every person you saw and/or are close to, to make du'aa for you!

As much as you also make du'aa, you also tell everyone else to also, since we don't know who's du'aa will be accepted and at what time!

It's a reminder of the power of du'aa, and that nothing we do is really from us, everything is ultimately from Allah SWT and we should remember and praise Him for it.

It's a reminder to myself before anything else. I tend to carry around my iPhone charger nearly everywhere I feel okay charging it, and maybe you do that too, but how often do we recharge our du'aa supply? Just like battery powered cars, let's become du'aa and iman powered people insha'Allah!

So, I'll end with this cheesy saying which I like anyway,

Have YOU charged your du'aas yet?

---

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "Any Muslim who supplicates to Allah in a Du’a which contains no sin of breaking kinship, Allah will give him one of three things: either his Du’a will be answered immediately; or it will be saved for him in the hereafter; or it will turn away an equivalent amount of evil (from him)". The companions said: "Then we will ask for more." The Prophet replied: "Allah is even more (generous)." (Reported by Ahmad and Tirmidhi).

http://www.ummahreflections.co.za/reflections33.htm

Diary of a Hafiz

Ever wondered what's it like to lead the tarweeh prayers?  Well,  I have so I'm guessing you have too at some point.

Last year I stumbled upon a really cool blog written by an 18-year-old American-Muslim Hafiz*.  He blogs at http://invalidtruth.com/ and his posts are quite interesting to read.  Go have a look!


*Hafiz:  one who has memorised the Holy Quraan.

Was I Dreaming?

For some reason, I thought I had already posted something this week.  Maybe it was a dream....or maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me. Anyways, since that didn't actually happen in real life, here's the real life post (if I'm not dreaming at the moment!).

For many of us, Ramadhan is a time of deep spiritual reflection of who we are, who we want to be and where we want to go.  We look inwardly and examine our hearts, our intentions and our lives as a whole.  

But the purpose isn't to despair on how much we haven't progressed or why we haven't become the people that we tell ourselves we want to be.  Rather, it's an opportunity to begin again.  To set goals and to turn to Him, because without His help, nothing is possible.

Every moment is a new moment.  Every second is a new second.  

As someone once said, Ramadhan is a perfect time for making changes; it's a time for renewal and  rejevunation, and a time for establishing and solidifying those changes so that they carry forward throughout the rest of the year, and inshAllah, throughout the rest of your life.   

Change can happen now, inshAllah.  

A dear friend sent me this lovely poster, and I think it's something that those of us who are taking the time to look inwardly this Ramadhan can benefit from.  JazakiAllah, SJ.  

Source: Unknown. Please email us if you know who this belongs to!

And maybe one day, when I'm brave enough, I can share what this 'looking inwardly' is like for me.  In the meantime, I'll rest my hopes  upon my other MM bloggers (who seem really MIA, don't they?) to share their insights and experiences. 

May the next two-thirds of this blessed month be full of blessings, forgiveness and a true turning back to our Lord. Ameen!

pizza hut buffet

Four more hours to go...

I can't do it, I'm gonna go to the pizza hut buffet right now and eat all of it. All of it . mmmmmmmmmmm

See this is what happens when you fast.

You get hungry.

And you go crazy.

The egg farmer ( Smaps) agrees doesn't she?

"I'd just like to say, having eggs for sehri does not provide you enough sustenance for the entire day. Wait I'm lying, I've never had eggs for Sehri. You did. And who made your eggs?!? I DID. WHO MADE YOUR EGGS?!?"

Okay see what I mean? You go crazy.

"EGG-xactly"

Who's Ready for Ramadhan?

photo credits & source: Brotherhood Arts

Aren't these buttons AWESOME?!?

MashAllah, Muslims are so creative sometimes.  :)

And whether you're first fast starts tomorrow, or Monday or whenever, we want to sincerely wish you a blessed Ramadhan!  Happy fasting!


"The person who fasts during Ramadhan experiences an even greater joy [than being gleeful and overjoyed at the fleeting things of this world], one related to this world (the happiness of breaking the fast at dusk) and one related to the Hereafter (the ultimate jot of meeting God and recieveing lasting bliss of Paradise)."  -Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, in Purification of the Heart, p. 185.

Motivational Stuff...

Everyone likes those cheesy motivational posters, right?

You know the ones I'm talking about...with a few inspirational words, a beautiful background image, and a stunning lay-out that showcases all the elements of art (unity, harmony, balance, texture, line, shape...etc.).

And for you folks who will vehemently deny appreciating these works, I've got something that even you can't not like.

Enter Karen Salmonsohn.  I stumbled upon her website upon one of my blog-hopping adventures and fell in love with it.

After all, who could not love this:

source: notsalmon.com

source: notsalmon.com

Source: notsalmon.com

source: notsalmon.com

source: notsalmon.com

 Feel better yet?  :P

Check out her gazillion-and-one posters at notsalmon.com...click under "older posts" to see the full range of cutsey, pretty, and even breath-taking posters.  Happy viewing!

Rmd Prep

As far as I can remember, this is the first time I've consciously prepared for Ramadhan.  Like many, come every Shaabaan, I start of to-do list of  Ramadhan Prep stuff.  Unfortunately it get's stuck there.

Remember folks, I'm the Professional Procrastinator.  I'm also a Major Do-Nothing-er.
And while this is fairly typical of a Type Four, I'm also surrounded by wonderful people who have interesting things they're working on, and yes, I tend to zap myself into that. [More on the Type Four Enneagram stuff later, inshaAllah!]

Allhumdulilah, this year I've been able to knock of a couple of the big ticket items on my list, and with under two weeks to go before the blessed month arrives, inshAllah, I'll be able to get going with the other stuff too.

Some of the things on that list:

• Keep qadha fasts
• Read salaat at the earliest time, as per the meaning of "establishing" salaat (vs. "praying" or "reading")
• Increase recitation of the Quraan
• Recite the musnoon duaas and litanies daily.  I have this awesome little book that was gifted to me, and I can't begin to describe how grateful I am for it!

And there's obviously more..but I won't bore y'all with the details.  So, I'm now left wondering what other people are up to.  How do you prep for the Blessed Month?

It's tough being a girl...

SubhanAllah, this video is amazing.  This brother speaks in such a beautiful way and his words are so intriguing and truthful. JazakiAllah to Sr. Riham at Beauty of Islam for sharing.

Some gems from the video:

"...we are so confused about ideas of gender..."

"...if we look at any program, go to any conference conferences or classes, the majority of the attendees are women..."

"...most of us whether we are men or women are not thinking of using Islam as the epicentre of our lives..."

What are YOU going to do now?

I'm in the process of finishing up my four year undergraduate degree from the oh so prestigious University of Toronto. I should be relieved, yes? happy? excited? The answer is no, I am feeling none of the above. Why you say? Well let's just say I'm not quite sure what to do now. I am one of those unfortunate souls who seem to get stuck in the middle, that is, being average. I was average in University which now means I have no chance of getting into a decent post-grad professional school, and the other unfortunate aspect of being average is that you were so close to not being average, that is, being just a few percentage points from that coveted A-.

I hate writing essays, when I say hate I mean I despise it to the very core. I stare at the laptop for a full day before I can even type the first sentence. So post-grad school is not for me, however, there's still an inkling in me that wants to pursue this path. Why? Well I have been inundated with the message that a Bachelor degree just does not have the same value as it did in the past and that now a Master's degree is mandatory. Browsing some job postings, many of the "good" jobs do require Master's degree, even though the knowledge received from a Master's will be of no substantial value towards performing the actual job. Jobs that required a high school degree say 20 years ago are now asking for Bachelor's and even Master's.

Because I'm not pursuing post-grad education, I have this deep fear in me that I will never land a "good" or "coveted" job. What makes my situation even worse is my specialization in undergrad, as a double major in Political Science and Criminology I am constantly subjected to the million dollar question from aunties and uncles "What are you going to do now?" or the other million dollar question "What kind of job can you get with your degree?".

What kind of job can I get?? I tend to say a job in the government, to which I get a blank stare, which then gets me thinking, did I make a really big mistake in choosing Poli Sci and Criminology as my undergraduate major?? Really, if I can't even land a job in the government at this point, am I destined for some low-paying, low-skilled job?

I should have majored in something more practical, like business or engineering, but what's done is done I presume, so must make lemonade with life's lemons or something along those lines.

A Gem

Today is a gift, that's why it's called the Present!

Wisdom

"For instance, if a man ceases to take any concern in worldly matters, conceives a distaste for common pleaures, and appears sunk in depression, the doctor will say, “This is a case of melancholy, and requires such and such prescription." 

The physicist will say, “This is a dryness of the brain caused by hot weather and cannot be relieved till the air becomes moist.” 

The astrologer will attribute it to some particular conjunction or opposition of plantes. 

“Thus far their wisdom reaches,” says the Koran. 

It does not occur to them that what has really happened is this: that the Almighty has a concern for the welfare of that man, and has therefore commanded His servants, the planets or the elements, to produce such a condition in him that he may turn away from the world to his Maker.

The knowledge of this fact is a lustrous pearl from the ocean of inspirational knowledge, to which all other forms of knowledge are as islands in the sea.”

-The Alchemy of Happiness, Imam Al-Ghazali