May He unite you in goodness

With a week of festivities celebrating the nikah of one of my daughter’s closest friends, it is a time to remind ourselves of the sunnah of Rasool saws in congratulating the couple. Our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s called for Allah’s blessings twice and he asked Allah swt to unite the couple in goodness. Can there ever be anything but good in good?

May Allah swt bless and guide the couple and make it easy for them to unite in goodness. Good thoughts good intentions good actions.

Ramadan Reflections 20:1441AH – a socially distanced Eid

In Barbados, the mosques remain closed, and although most workplaces are open for business with social distancing rules (physical distancing & masks & sanitising of spaces), the traditional prayer sites remain closed to congregations except for the publication/broadcast of religious services, weddings & funerals (with limited numbers). Even the beaches are open for limited hours morning and afternoon.

The Barbados Association of Thelogians has issued a guideline with respect to the performance of Eid salaat at home (a minimum of 4 mature males must be present for the salaat folllowed by a short Eid kihutbah to be performed) If the minimum isnt met, then do not pray the Eid prayer. This is of the Hanafi fiqh, but other fiqh conditions and prohibitions are respected. Strangely enough, or maybe simply, enough, in Trinidad, 2 viewpoints of the Hanafis have come forth – one for the Eid salaat at home, and the other saying simply, no, it is not to be performed at all, although one can pray the nafl salaat. In both countries, the Islamic faith organisations have encouraged adherents to observe the rules and guidelines of the country – in Barbados, traditional visits to the graveyard after the Eid salaat have been warned against.

We remain socially distanced in person, but it does not prevent getting together on online platforms to greet each other, and see the meals and treats (if any) prepared. Those who are sequestered in homes are blessed, but so are those who are alone – say farewell with sorrow to this Ramadan, many have not lived to see it at all, and many have not seen all of it, pray that we see another Ramadan, and celebrate this Eid ul Fitr – clean your surroundings, dress your bed, make ghusl, pray Fajr, recite Qur’an, eat something sweet, perform Eid salaat if you follow that school of thought, or if not, pray some nafl salaat during the course of the morning, prepare a different meal, dress your selves in your finest clothing, try a new activity (should we go to the beach this year?), make contact with your friends, family, near or distant, say Alhamdulillah and if you have performed the Eid salaat, then greet:

 Taqabbal Allaahu minna wa minkum (May Allaah accept (this worship) from us and from you). It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another: “Taqabbal Allaahu minna wa mink (May Allaah accept (this worship) from us and from you).”

Ramadan Sip for Iftar

Our Muslim ladies group ran a weekly Healthy Halal competition with a different competition each week.

Week 1 – healthy suhoor

Week 2 – healthy iftar

Week 3- healthy beverage

Week 4- healthy dessert

I had neither interest nor inclination for entering until we cut into a watermelon with fervour, anticipating its juicy bites for iftar one night. It happened to be the week of the healthy beverage competition. Lo and behold! A pale pinkish white pulp revealed itself and we stood there flabbergasted. A little distressed even. Alhamdulillah. I left it atop the counter and went on with other iftar items. Next morning it hit me, google I did for watermelon and cucumber juices, and came across several- cucumber watermelon lemonade, etc. And Agua FRESCA, a Mexican non alcoholic drink made from fruit juices. A tweak or two, and watermelon pulp, unpeeled but seeded cucumber, and juice of two limes blended, chilled, poured into the watermelon rind vessel, garnished with fresh mint leaves, and an iPhone or two, some manipulation to get 2 photos in one with the recipe and a hadith, and the entry was made. I didnt win, but I may have come 2and, this was a social media type contest, so while it called for creativity in presentation etc, it really boiled down to likes by some friends and some strangers.

For you, a mate & tranquility

Last night, we attended Sister F’s wedding reception.

And amongst the bedecked and bedazzled were the words contained in Surah 30 Ayah  21 of the Holy Qur’an:

And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

 

Meat & Sweet – Eid ul Adha 2018

This year, we invited friends to join with us yesterday, to partake of the Qurbani meat (beef from the cow slaughtered by BD). So while I have much to my chagrin, no photos of the decor (inclusive of a beautiful rose gold foil Eid Mubarak banner loaned by Sister R, beneath the eave of a pink & purple striped canopy set above pink covered tables dressed with silver bottles from whence sprang darker pink fronds of glitter), I can share photos of the sweets – mousse made by BD, caramel blondies & chocolate cupcakes topped with homemade marshmallow frosting made by BD, sour cream crumb cake made by BD, cheesecake made by Sister S, our neighbour, coconut cake squares made by Sister W of Halalicious Treats, & an unnamed absolutely deliciously dreamy concoction by Sister S, mother of 3 girls. With ice cream – caramel toffee, strawberry, coffee mocha & chocolate. Friends came, and stayed, and all seemed content.

The  Mustahab  (best)  method  of  distributing   qurbani  meat  is  to  divide  it  into  three  equal  parts.  One part  should  be  given  to  the  poor,  one  part  to  one’s  relatives  and  friends  and  one  part  retained  for  one’s own  family.

4score but who’s counting?

 

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“The lifespan for my Ummah is from sixty years to seventy years and very few surpass this”

Some weeks ago, Aunt P who has been my class mate, my housemate, my spouse’s second mother, my colleague, my partner, my confidant, a prayer warrior, and most of all, my friend, passed that milestone of 80. In addition to her family sponsored festivities, BD, my mum and I took her out to tea at the seafront restaurant at Bougainvillea Hotel. Fruit tarts, smoked salmon & cucumber sandwiches, carrot cake, vegetable samosas, egg pinwheels, cheese & blueberry scones with clotted cream and jam. And Harney’s brand of teas!

Perfect 10 sisterhood

 

Yesterday was Emancipation Day in Barbados. One of my sisters’ groups (that of Tea & Taqwa) organised a day out at the Perfect 10 beach house in Cattlewash on the East Coast of Barbados. Beach house in this instance was a quirky ground floor apartment filled with eye pleasing treasures (2 shown in the pix) on the opposite side of the coast road (many many steps up).

It was one of those soporific days, just overcast enough to not be stifling, and with enough zephyrs (that’s still not the right use of that word), to be a beautiful day out.

Sisters of all sizes, shapes, ages, hair styles and dresses assembled for a very relaxing outing with lots of food, some icebreakers that let us each learn something about each other, a talk on sisterhood in Islam, interjections on time management, invitation accepting,  anger management, and community.

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood (radiallahu anhu) says that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Accept the invitation of he who invites you. Avoid declining a gift and refrain from annoying the Muslims.” [Muslim]

Amongst us were the progeny of various nations, a football coach, a makeup afficionado, a budding writer, a therapist, a baker/crafter mum, a du’a baby, a school secretary, several pursuers of knowledge in several avenues, soon to be mums. It was interesting how we defined ourselves by our ages, and our children. But also interesting to hear what we knew of our seatmates.

PS: Menu – veg rice, macaroni pie, plaintain, baked potatoes, garlic bread, pasta salad, potato salad, baked chicken, tossed salad, cole slaw. Mangoes, mango bars, cakes, brownies, and cookies.

In my veg rice were a mishmash of cuban rice & spanish rice- black beans, corn & sweet peppers, mushrooms, coriander, capers, tomatoes in tomato paste, cumin, garlic, onion, rice!

BD & boxes for Eid ul Fitr

 

This year, BD concentrated on condensed milk as a staple ingredient in her baked Eid goods for distribution to friends for Eid:-

• coconut & cocoa fudge
• chocolate chip cookie bark
• coconut ladoo
• millionaire’s shortcake

and one item which didn’t contain the condensed milk:-

• kurma

Eid bubbles & snackables

BD bakes. This photo shows  the snack bag items we put together for the children this year. Youngest was treated to one as well.

Eid Gaah at Wanderers