Dispite some garbage going on in my life, I would like to make a short post to the wonderful brothers and sisters in my life, with whom I have been blessed in having some time together with on this earth. There are three sisters in particular for which I have been remembering in my Dua's.
The first is on vacation 'back home'. She grew up between two cultures and she has really studied alot and put much effort into her faith and understanding it. Everytime we have spoken about some difficulty, trial or tribulation, she has had an appropriate Hadith to quote from: and it always resonates as truth. She is much younger than I yet exudes wisdom. She's now pregnant and having a bit of a rought time, so when you pray, may I ask that you remember her and all woman having a difficult pregnancy?
Another sister of mine has had suffered the last few years with things which I think sometimes I would die from. Death on all sides, other family tragedies, pain-in-the-butt administrative people... and yet she manages to continue on and is always there to smile with me and laugh. Please pray with me for all those who are suffering from grief.
The third is a new convert like me, except her story is slightly different. She was used by a crazy guy who disappeared and ended up marrying some other chick because he was taking the 'half our deed' thing a little too seriously, and he now seems to regret it and still tries to talk to her. She is still on anti-depressants and having difficulty coping, but seems to be finally emerging from the cloud of co-dependancy. Please pray with me for all those who have been too trusting and been discarded. You are the ones who have learned the hard way why we are cautioned not to have sexual relations before marriage. Life is not a game and try to avoid having those in your life who treat it as one.
Unfortunately there are all too many stories of supposedly islamic men doing weird and bizzare anti-islamic things: and even more unfortunate is the fact that humans seem to be all to willing to focus on the bad and ignore the good, which brings me to my brothers: and you know who you are:
- all those who are good and gentle and understanding and faithful and loving and kind and hard workers etc. You who are quiet and don't cause a ruccus - who put up with all sorts of nonsense and don't complain but just do your bit: make that much more difference in the world.
Sometimes it may seem like someone is trying to shove you into a box, slap a label on you or pigeon-hole you. I pray you will do your best to ignore the idiocratic hate as much as possible and stay true to yourself, and above all, stay true to your faith. It is difficult, but in the end Allah will be there to guide us. And last but not least, I ask you to consider the fact that perhaps all people, proclaimed believers or not, are really your brothers and sisters as well. I believe it would serve us well to treat everyone with the same level of respect. There is no reason to limit your contact with people of other faiths, for what are you afraid of? That you will be mislead? If you are secure in your faith, then nothing can damage it. If we do hurtful things to one another, it is only because we are afraid of something - and that something cannot hurt us more than we can hurt ourselves.
So my concrete prayer today: let us be gentle with one another and not forget that we are all islands in the stream...
I wish you pleasent days and restful nights.
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