I bought this sandals at Shopee and love it! It only cost less than $11 including the shipping fee. I got this inspiration from the Indonesian lady with her modest dressing. How she paired her tunic dresses with socks and a pair of sandals, such delicate and sophisticated taste! She's simply inspiring too!

And so, I went out wearing socks and sandals to malls. I got stares, but hey who cares, when it's my Aurat I'm concern about. =)

Inspiration: https://www.instagram.com/zahratuljannah/?hl=en

"Exchange gifts, you will love one another.” 

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Hadith Bukhari

I think this is the most awesome DIY ever!

Pretty neat and innovative. 

Good for hand motor skills too.

During their old age, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his first wife Sarah (p.b.u.h) had the angels came in the form of humans, to announce two news: a good one and a bad one. The bad one was that Allah (s.w.t) will destroy the people of Prophet Lut (p.b.u.h) and the good one was that that the couple will beget a son, whom they named Prophet Ishaq (p.b.u.h). 

He was sent in the sham area (Shaam includes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan). Allah SWT revealed a total of 113 verses of Surah As-Saffat. In which Allah SWT said, that God gave Ibrahim (AS) the good news of coming to Ishaq (AS). When Ishaq (AS) grew older, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) told Ishaq (AS) to marry someone from his relatives, so Ishaq (AS) married his cousin, Rafqah. She was the daughter of Batwil and both of them had twin sons whom they named, Isa and Prophet Yaqub (AS).

Son of Ishaq (AS) married the Prophet Ismail (AS) daughter, who had a son named Ar-Rum. As per the holy Quran, in Surah Sa'ad (45: verse 7) Allah SWT declared the prophethood of Ishaq (AS).

Prophet Ishaq (p.b.u.h) asked his people to follow the path of Allah (s.w.t) at Kannan. As he grew old, he became blind and settled his son Yaqub (AS) in Hebron, Palestine. At the age of 180 years, Prophet Ishaq (p.b.u.h) died and was buried next to his father, Ibrahim (p.b.u.h). Ishaq (AS) was mentioned at the fifteen places in the holy Quran.

Reference: https://theislamicinformation.com/full-story-prophet-ishaq-life-events/

If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim "Happy New Year", the Muslim is not allowed to respond in a similar manner or say, "Same to you." Instead, in order not to offend or hurt the feelings of non-Muslim friends or acquaintances, one may say instead, "Happy Holidays."

Dr Bilal Philips

Surely silence can sometimes 

be the most eloquent reply.

Ali ibn Thalib 

It's amazing how we rarely meet but joyfully rejoice on that one special occasion. We are so far apart but close to heart. They are all amazing women and I see them strong and brave. From being the teen who studies pretty hard for examinations to become full time mothers, aspiring dreams and future, all these women are pretty much gifted in their own ways. Alhamdulillah.

To many more amazing future!

Underneath my goodie-two shoes 

are some pretty dark socks.

Lisa Simpson

Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb from the Banu Najjar was a great and close companion of the Prophet. He was known as Abu Ayyub (the father of Ayyub) and enjoyed a privilege which many of the Ansar in Madinah hoped they would have.

When the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, reached Madinah after his hijrah from Makkah, he was greeted with great enthusiasm by the Ansar of Madinah. Their hearts went out to him and their eyes followed him with devotion and love. They wanted to give him the most generous reception anyone could be given.

The Prophet first stopped at Quba on the outskirts of Madinah and stayed there for some days. The first thing he did was to build a mosque which is described in the Quran as the "mosque built on the foundation of piety (taqwa)". (Surah At-Tawhah 9:108).

The Prophet entered Madinah on his camel. The chieftains of the city stood along his path, each one wishing to have the honor of the Prophet alighting and staying at his house. One after the other stood in the camel's way entreating, "Stay with us, O Rasulullah." "Leave the camel," the Prophet would say. "It is under command."

The camel continued walking, closely followed by the eyes and hearts of the people of Yathrib. When it went past a house, its owner would feel sad and dejected and hope would rise in the hearts of others still on the route.

The camel continued in this fashion with the people following it until it hesitated at an open space in front of the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. But the Prophet, upon whom be peace, did not get down. After only a short while, the camel set off again, the Prophet leaving its reins loose. Before long, however, it turned round, retraced its steps and stopped on the same spot as before. Abu Ayyub's heart was filled with happiness. He went out to the Prophet and greeted him with great enthusiasm. He took the Prophet's baggage in his arms and felt as if he was carrying the most precious treasure in the world.

Abu Ayyub's house had two stories. He emptied the upper floor of his and his family's possessions so that the Prophet could stay there. But the Prophet, peace be on him, preferred to stay on the lower floor.

Night came and the Prophet retired. Abu Ayyub went up to the upper floor. But when they had closed the door, Abu Ayyub turned to his wife and said:"Woe to us! What have we done? The messenger of God is below and we are higher than he! Can we walk on top of the messenger of God? Do we come between him and the Revelation (Wahy)? If so, we are doomed."

The couple became very worried not knowing what to do. They only got some peace of mind when they moved to the side of the building which did not fall directly above the Prophet. They were careful also only to walk on the outer parts of the floor and avoid the middle.

In the morning, Abu Ayyub said to the Prophet: "By God, we did not sleep a wink last night, neither myself nor Umm Ayyub." "Why not, Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub explained how terrible they felt being above while the Prophet was below them and how they might have interrupted the Revelation. "Don't worry, Abu Ayyub," said the Prophet. "We prefer the lower floor because of the many people coming to visit us." "We submitted to the Prophet's wishes," Abu Ayyub related, "until one cold night a jar of ours broke and the water spilled on the upper floor. Umm Ayyub and I stared at the water We only had one piece of velvet which we used as a blanket. We used it to mop up the water out of fear that it would seep through to the Prophet. In the morning I went to him and said, 'I do not like to be above you,' and told him what had happened. He accepted my wish and we changed floors."

The Prophet stayed in Abu Ayyub's house for almost seven months until his mosque was completed on the open space where his camel had stopped. He moved to the roots which were built around the mosque for himself and his family. He thus became a neighbor of Abu Ayyub. What noble neighbor to have had!

Abu Ayyub continued to love the Prophet with all his heart end the Prophet also loved him dearly. There was no formality between them. The Prophet continued to regard Abu Ayyub's house as his own. The following anecdote tells a great deal about the relationship between them.

Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, once left his house in the burning heat of the midday sun and went to the mosque. Umar saw him and asked, "Abu Bakr, what has brought you out at this hour? Abu Bakr said he had left his house because he was terribly hungry and Umar said that he had left his house for the same reason. The Prophet came up to them and asked, "What has brought the two of you out at this hour?" They told him and he said, "By Him in Whose hands is my soul, only hunger has caused me to come out also. But come with me."

They went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. His wife opened the door and said, "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him."

"Where is Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub, who was working in a nearby palm grove, heard the Prophet's voice and came hurriedly.

"Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him," he said and went on "O Prophet of God, this is not the time that you usually come." (Abu Ayyub used to keep some food for the Prophet every day. When the Prophet did not come for it by a certain time, Abu Ayyub would give it to his family.) "You are right," the Prophet agreed.

Abu Ayyub went out and cut a cluster of dates in which there were ripe and halfripe dates. "I did not want you to eat this," said the Prophet. "Could you not have brought only the ripe dates?" "O Rasulullah, please eat from both the ripe dates (rutb) and the half ripe (busr). I shall slaughter an animal for you also. " "If you are going to, then do not kill one that gives milk," cautioned the Prophet. Abu Ayyub killed a young goat, cooked half and grilled the other half. He also asked his wife to bake, because she baked better he said.

When the food was ready, it was placed before the Prophet and his two companions. The Prophet took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf and said, "Abu Ayyub, take this to Fatima. She has not tasted the like of this for days.

When they had eaten and were satisfied, the Prophet said reflectively: "Bread and meat and busr and rutb!" Tears began to flow from his eyes as he continued: "This is a bountiful blessing about which you will be asked on the Day of judgment. If such comes your way, put your hands to it and say, Bismillah (In the name of God) and when you have finished say, Al hamdu lillah alladhee huwa ashbana wa anama alayna (Praise be to God Who has given us enough and Who has bestowed his bounty on us). This is best."

These are glimpses of Abu Ayyub's live during peace time. He also had a distinguished military career. Much of his time was spent as a warrior until it was said of him, "He did not stay away from any battle the Muslims fought from the time of the Prophet to the time of Muawiyah unless he was engaged at the same time in another."

The last campaign he took part in was the one prepared by Muawiyah and led by his son Yazid against Constantinople. Abu Ayyub at that time was a very old man, almost eighty years old. But that did not prevent him from joining the army and crossing the seas as a ghazi in the path of God. After only a short time engaged in the battle, Abu Ayyub fell ill and had to withdraw from fighting. Yazid came to him and asked:

"Do you need anything, Abu Ayyub?" "Convey my salaams to the Muslim armies and say to them: "Abu Ayyub urges you to penetrate deeply into the territory of the enemy as far as you can go, that you should carry him with you and that you should bury him under your feet at the walls of Constantinople." Then he breathed his last.

The Muslim army fulfilled the desire of the companion of the Messenger of God. They pushed back the enemy's forces in attack after attack until they reached the walls of Constantinople. There they buried him.

(The Muslims beseiged the city for four years but eventually had to withdraw after suffering heavy losses.)

Reference: http://islamicweb.com/history/sahaba/bio.ABU_AYYUB_AL_ANSARI.htm

This is a true story concerning two people; Suhayla and Farooq.  The couple were very much deeply in love with one another, happily married.  It is said to have taken place during the caliphate of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz.

Suhayla and Farooq had been married for three months when the call for Jihad was made. Farooq was a healthy, young man which meant that he was fit enough to fight in the way of the Almighty. Before he left, Farooq left Suhayla with 3000 dirhams and said to her to make do with this amount for 3 months, he’d be back before she’d need any more money. He also left a chest containing 30 000 dinars, which was equivalent to two millions pounds, and asked her not to touch this money until he returned.

Three months went by but Farooq didn’t return.  Nine months passed and Suhayla gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. During this period of time she continued to stretch the money he had given her. Many months went by with no sign of Farooq. Two and a half years after Farooq’s departure, a man returned from battle.  He told Suhayla how he had witnessed Farooq fall on the battlefield.

Suhayla was devastated. She had received the confirmation she had been expecting for a long time. After much thought she opened the chest containing the fortune and began taking care of her son using it.

Thirty years went by, in Madinah, Suhayla had ensured her son had received the best education money could by. She kept the memory of her beloved at the forefront of her mind. Her loving husband had died the death of a martyr. She couldn’t adequately express how her love and admiration for him had grown over the years. She looked back at the moment when he was heading out toward the battlefield, he had thought twice about it, being the noble woman she was, she had pushed him to strive for what he believed in. She had said to him “seek Jannah and I shall see you there insha’Allah.”

Meanwhile, many, many miles away on the outskirts of China a warrior sat near a camp fire protecting his comrades as they slept. As he absorbed his surroundings and reflected on his life he gazed up at the starry sky. He contemplated his love for his Lord when suddenly a thought was ignited in his mind. He had been married, decades ago. He wondered what his beautiful wife must have done with her life when he hadn’t returned after three months as promised. Did she re-marry?  Did she die? His mind was rapidly consumed by a thousand questions. He became overwhelmed with melancholy thoughts, new ideas, nostalgia.

He was older now. Wiser. He had spent thirty years fighting in the path of the Almighty. He was ready to go home. The next morning his chief granted him permission to terminate his service.

The man headed for Madinah on horseback, the wind rushing through his hair, his purpose becoming more urgent with each step his noble steed took. His journey took him through Persia, he rode through Iraq, all the while frightened of what he might discover on his return home. The closer he got to Madinah, his heart raced faster. His mind engulfed with incoherent musings.

When he reached Madinah he wanted nothing more than to run to the place where he and his wife had set up home. However, he remembered the sunnah of Muhammad, may he be showered with peace and blessings, and attended the masjid of the Prophet where he offered a two-rakah prayer. After this, he realised it was time for Asr salah. He decided to wait until Asr salah was prayed in congregation before heading home.

As he waited, he observed the numerous scholars in the masjid. They were  surrounded by people, eager to learn from their stories and words of wisdom. Though each of the scholars radiated beauty and elegance, one stood out in particular, Sheikh Abdur-rahman. The man was in complete awe of this sheikh. He had never seen anybody speak as eloquently as him.

After Asr salah, panic and excitement set in again. He rushed towards the home he once knew so well. When he reached his destination though, he saw another man going inside. Suddenly, a feeling of immense dejection consumed him, quickly followed by anger. He strode towards the man and took hold of him all the while shouting “This is my house!  How dare you go inside?”. This resulted in malevolent disagreement between the two men. Before he realised, masses of people were gathered around them telling him to leave the man alone as it was his house. He couldn’t take it any longer. He shouted “This is my house.  I am Farooq!”

Inside, the proprietor of the home, a mature lady overheard the feuding outside. Her heart skipped a beat. She wondered “Could it be? No it can’t be, it just can’t.” She put on her hijab and sprinted outside shouting “This is my husband Farooq! Leave him alone!  He’s been away on jihad for thirty years, only now has he returned.”

On hearing this people began to weep. The joy was overwhelming. Farooq and Suhayla embraced. Memories from decades ago came flooding back. They ran inside and spent hours exchanging stories, making up for lost time. They laughed and joked and cried, not fully fathoming what was happening.

“Farooq, I’m so much older than when you left me. I was young and beautiful then, I don’t look like that anymore.” To which Farooq replied “To me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.” He had always been in love with her piety over anything else and nothing had changed decades later.

Eventually, Farooq asked Suhayla what had happened to the chest he had trusted her with. Suhayla replied, “Did you go to the masjid?” He said he did. “Did you see anything interesting?”. He told her about the amazing scholars he saw and how they were spreading their knowledge in the most wonderful way. “Did you notice anyone in particular?”. He told her how one man had caught his eye above the others. He spoke so eloquently and wisely. “What would you give to be that man?”. Farooq told her that he would give anything to be as knowledgeable as that man. “Would you give 30 000 dinars for it?”. He said without a shadow of a doubt he would pay that sum of money in order to be that educated. To which Suhayla said, “What if that was your son?”. “I would pay even more”, Farooq’s reply. “He is your son, Farooq.” The most knowledgeable Sheikh in Madinah was Farooq’s son. Farooq was astonished, he ran outside telling the entire city that Sheikh Abdur-rahman was his son.

While Farooq had been away, Suhayla had spent his fortune on providing their son with the best education available. On seeing each other for a second time, Farooq realised the man he had been feuding with earlier had been his son, the righteous scholar.

Their neighbours celebrated with them, it became a memorable day for those in Madinah. One of those who wept tears of joy in the crowd was the man we famously know as Imam Malik, the student of Sheikh Aburrahman, the son of Suhayla and Farooq.

Subhan’Allah.

Reference: https://onelittlepixie.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/a-story-of-love/

You've been the greatest dad that any girl could have.

We could never be more thankful and blessed to have you here.

You've been the best of the role model whom we look up upon to.

Despite all your quirks, corny jokes and attention that you seek secretly,

we love you still and will always love you.

May you be blessed, dad.

At first if you don't succeed,

You can dust it off and try again.

Dust yourself off and try again.

Aaliyah

I love it here, It's peaceful and calming. It has this nostalgic feels.

Mesjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu

66 Pheng Geck Ave, Singapore 348261

I can't believe that I will be starting my future with you soon. It scares me because I am afraid that I will never be good enough for you. It also scares me because I am afraid that marriage isn't for me. But whatever it is I know, I have to work hard for it. I have to put on effort and think positive. I have to look forward and learn to compromise. It does scares me a lot.

And as long that you remind me that Allah is there to guide us through, I hope to overcome fears and walk along with you.

Wedding preparation is never easy. It's pretty much stressful and exhausting. A lot of bickering, disagreements, challenges and maintaining peace. Mentally and physically deranged. And all you need is, sleep.

But I know, I should embrace this phase. Inshallah.

My favourite food will always be noodle and soup. Well, this is as good as the one at Hong Kong Streats Cafe. Soups, ftw!

Where:

The Dim Sum Place

791 North Bridge Road, 198759

Yes, my staycay with Muffin.

She enjoys being in the box.

Meowwww.

Le Partner has never finish up his veggies, but he did! Yay.

Where: 

Flavour Flings

Blk, 121 Hougang Ave 1, 530121

It's getting closer each passing day. 

And I hope that it will go smoothly. 

Inshallah Amin.

Never thought that I could come this far, Alhamdulillah. A bit nervous and overwhelming. Excited and thrilled. What matters is the future and what's the past, is who I am today. Alhamdulillah.

I wish Mak and Bapak is here too. I have never met them but deep down I knew that they are the awesome parents. People may thought that I would have it easy, better- to not have in laws. I think they were wrong, I still have them. I do. And I will continue to be a filial future daughter in law so that I could meet them in the Hereafter. Inshallah, Amin.

Learn to say no to people who mess with your head. The ones who keep doing things intentionally to upset you, the ones who always play the victim, even though it's obvious they are wrong. The ones who expect you to prioritise them but won't do the same for you. Avoid them!

Mufti Ismail Menk

Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted- 

it is an intimate date with yourself.

Paul TP Wong

Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.

Daniel H. Pink

How happy it is to see one of your girl friends being happy. To see her matures and entering a whole lot of different phase. May Allah ease everything for her and partner. May Allah grants her happiness, health and love. May Allah bless their marriage. Amin.

Even though we weren't that close but always close at heart, I think the best gift ever is prayers for the one you love. Great carefree memories will stay with me, reminiscing the joyful youth we had, it is a chapter that we look back to say Alhamdulillah to where we are now. We grew, we learnt and we strive. To keep this friendship alive. Inshallah Amin.

A strong man is not the one

who wrestles, but the strong man

is in fact the one who controls

himself in time of anger.

Hadith Bukhari & Muslim

That friend whom you may not see very often, 

but the moment you reconnect feels

like yesterday!

It is to say, while being engaged faced many difficulties. Disagreements, differences and a lot of tests! Mashallah! It is a roller coaster ride after all, since this is my third. I've failed twice and I told myself that I will never let it happen again. Inshalah. Amin. I kept telling myself, never let syaitan wins. Never! I wouldn't want them to cheer and applaud after my down fall. I would want them to weep after my victory. I want them despair and breakdown when I rises!

Like Arya Stark says to the God of death,

NOT TODAY!

I've always wanted to become a teacher in a lecture theater. But I never knew that this could actually be pretty scary! I was nervous wreck but really, it's a nice and honourable experience. I do hope I could groom myself to be even better. 

It's nice to be in the cabin where people actually reads. I truly find people who reads really intriguing, rather than blasting unruly music through their ears. And a real book really is the best, rather than the digitalise pad which strain the eyes. The love for books, is like my adrenaline rush. The smell, the touch and how the book makes my mind wonder and get lost in a mystical adventure.

After all, observing random man who reads, does makes my heart skip a beat!  

Qays ibn al-Mulawwah was just a boy when he fell deeply in love with Layla Al-Aamiriya.  He was sure of this love on the very first day he laid his eyes upon her at maktab (traditional school).  He soon began to write beautiful love poems about Layla and he would read them out loud on street corners to anybody who would care to listen. Such passionate displays of love and devotion caused many to refer to the boy as Majnun, meaning madman.

One day, Majnun found the courage to ask Layla’s father for his daughter’s hand in marriage, but her father refused the request.  Such a marriage, the father reasoned, would only cause a scandal. It would not be proper for his daughter to marry a person whom everybody called a madman. Instead, Layla was promised to another – an older man from a neighbouring village.

Majnun was overcome with grief and abandoned his home and family and disappeared into the wilderness where he lived a miserable life of solitude among the wild animals. It was in this wilderness that Majnun spent his days composing poems to his beloved.

Layla was forced to marry this other man, although she did not love him because her heart still belonged to Majnun. But even though Layla did not love her husband, she was a loyal daughter and so remained a faithful wife. The news of this marriage was devastating to Majnun who continued to live a life of solitude, refusing to return home to his mother and father in the city.

Majnun’s mother and father missed their son terribly and longed everyday for his safe return. They would leave food for him at the bottom of the garden in the hopes that one day he would come back to them out of the desert. But Majnun remained in the wilderness, writing his poetry in solitude, never speaking to a single soul.

Majnun spent all of his time alone, surrounded only by the animals of the wilderness that would gather around him and protect him during the long desert nights. He was often seen by travellers who would pass him on their way towards the city. The travellers said that Majnun spent his days reciting poetry to himself and writing in the sand with a long stick; they said that he truly was driven to madness by a broken heart.

Many years later, Majnun’s father and mother both passed away. Knowing of his devotion to his parents, Layla was determined to send Majnun word of their passing. Eventually she found an old man who claimed to have seen Majnun in the desert. After much begging and pleading the old man agreed to pass on a message to Majnun the next time he set off on his travels.

One day, the old man did indeed cross paths with Majnun in the desert; there he solemnly delivered the news concerning the death of Majnun’s parents and was forced to witness what a terrible blow this was to the young poet. Overcome with regret and loss, Majnun retreated inside of himself entirely and vowed to live in the desert until his own death.

Some years later, Layla’s husband died.  The young woman hoped that finally she would be with her one true love; that finally she and Majnun would be together forever.  But sadly this was not to be.  Tradition demanded that Layla remain in her home alone to grieve for her dead husband for two whole years without seeing another soul. The thought of not being with Majnun for two more years was more than Layla could bear. They had been separated for a lifetime and two more years of solitude, two more years without seeing her beloved, was enough to cause the young woman to give up on life. Layla died of a broken heart, alone in her home without ever seeing Majnun again.

News of Layla’s death reached Majnun in the wilderness. He immediately travelled to the place where Layla had been buried and there he wept and wept until he too surrendered to the impossible grief and died at the graveside of his one true love.

‘I pass by these walls, the walls of Layla

And kiss this wall and that wall.

It’s not love of the houses that has taken my heart

but of the One who dwells in those houses.’Qays ibn al-Mulawwah

Reference: http://worldstories.org.uk/stories/the-story-of-layla-and-majnun/

When you wanna look sleek and sharp.