Ilovehishma

Where you'll find me these days... to what I keep in my closet (or WISH I kept there)

2012-05-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Asalaam alaykom ramatullahi wa barakto sisters,

I hope you're all in the best of health and imaan. Just wanted to let you know I am still working on getting ILH & BM together and cleaned up. In the meantime, please follow along at www.shedancesinthemajlis.blogspot.com where I'll be blogging more regularily. I am working on featuring what's in my closet in the way hijab, different abaya cuts and trends in Oman and other Khaleeji/Gulf countries, and basics on fabric types and costs.

I will also constantly be posting on places to shop in Oman or other faves. Just random stuff you know I like, as well as the occasional hijab tip (based around the hijab don't's I encounter more in the Khaleej) and styling advice. Follow along and stay tuned because I am working on a pretty decent post on niqab styles (as well as styling).

Some UGLY Khaleeji Abayas

2012-05-16T15:39:00.003-07:00

"Telatubby"---people, no big shiny patch on your stomache looks good. Ever

"I am a crow-I am a bird-I am a plane. A winged insect?"

More shiny stomach appliques. Ughh.

The an orc from Lord of the Rings would wear if they were a hijabi.

Battle Star Gallactica look. Sorry Effa, but your shoulder pad designs fail even though the abaya cut itself IS lovely.

Just because the abaya came from the Khaleej or even a famous designer (I have seen ugly abayas from every design house, including Hanayen and Al Motahajaba) doesn't necessarily make it tasteful, the way that just because it is an abaya, won't guarantee that it is hijab. I've seen butt-tight abayas. I've seen UFO landing light bright crystalized abayas. I have seen tassels in places only strippers put tassels---- on abayas.

And somehow, writing a bit of design over your butt on an abaya, reminds me of those sweat pants that say "juicy". Kind of trailer trash. No body does that unless they want a give a guy an excuse ( he IS ALLOWED to look just once in the Qu'ran----and where are you leading his eyes, hmmm, your butt?). Well, excuse me, but don't complain about it later then.

Ugly is still ugly, no matter where it comes from. The examples I have shown are NOWHERE as near to the horrors I have seen live and walking about in UAE and in Oman.

Now what would you do if, say, you knew that world was going to be taken over by evil robots?

2012-05-16T15:23:00.001-07:00

This is a serrious Islamic post. And then, well it's also not. Because I am going to make a silly comparison. That scared me.

I was just sitting around watching the TV series "Terminator: The Sara Connor Chronicles", a. because I am a geek, b. TV in English in Oman is very, very limited so you take what you can to avoid, say "the bold and the beautiful", and c. I find the premise of the show somewhat interesting.

If you are not a geek like me, and have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER what this show is about, or even the original "Terminator" film, the premise is this, someone was sent back from the future where evil robots of mankind's own making have taken over the Earth, to warn a single woman and to protect her whose son will be the leader of the future resistance against such an ill fate for humanity. At the same time, evil future robots have followed future man back, to try and kill said woman and anyone who might try to stop the future from happening as it has.

The TV series, takes off from there, with what the mother tries to do, knowing what she knows is coming. Some call her a criminal. Some call her a terrorist. Others call her crazy. Most go on unawares.

My question is this, what if I knew the world was going to be taken over by evil terminator robots, what would I do?

Would I do what the mother in the series does, having heard such a vital message? Would I do everything I could to protect myself and those I love most, forgoing a 'normal' life for training myself for the life to come, doing everything I can just to survive to make that journey?

Would I be even braver, and risk telling others about what is to come as I know it, even if I know that some will label me a terrorist, or call my crazy, and deny the truth in my words because I don't have the proof that their faithless hearts need?

Or would I just say, to hell with it, live life before it all goes away.

What would you do, if you knew the world's future, the future of humanity was at a loss?

I know for one, I wouldn't sit around thinking about who I was going to marry, about what house I will buy, or what would I wear if I had the means... I wouldn't care about my job unless it could give me the skills needed to survive.

I would RUSH to try and get my family, my friends, those dearest to me, to safety. I would warn the kind stranger, never fear if they thought me insane or then disliked me because, well, at least I tried.

In my normal life, without killer robots after me, I DO think and HAVE thought about these things. Qu'ran tells us that's ok. That's normal to do.

I haven't always told someone who was kind to me about Islam because I didn't want them to feel I was one of those "religious people who are nuts enough to preach" or something.

But then, watching this show and randomly thinking this couch potatoe scenario (I certainly wouldn't be watching TV if killer robots were after me) I realized, Shaytaan is worse than any killer robots. He's cloaked in ourselves with whisperings and distractions so that we don't even know that he's there do His best to see us done for.

And the Qu'ran does tell us the future of man is at a loss, except for those who do good works, and urge others to good.

We've, as Muslims, have been warned even more plainly than if a single man had come back from the future to tell us what is coming. Allah subhanhu wa ta ala has sent MANY Prophets to us. We have been told what is coming. And more than that, what we can do to be one of those who are spared and rewarded with the mercy of Jannah.

So why would I think that I would change more about myself if killer robots were after me, than I am doing now, I wondered tonight.

My Exercise and Weight Tips Post Baby

2012-04-27T04:13:00.003-07:00

Question from Kiki: "Salaams sis! I was wondering if you could do a post on physical exercise and post baby weight. InshaAllah I pray I will one day have a beautiful little one like you, but I still have a bit of winter weight I want to get rid of. Is it hard wearing niqab? Do you go to a gym?"

Answer: Wa alaykom salaam ramatullahi wa barakato sis, lol, I am TOTALLY the wrong person to ask about excersise. I have been a size zero almost my whole life and gaining weight is more the problem for me as my weight can go to scary skinny with just a simple flu and then I have to go to the hospital ASAP to be hooked up to a glucose drip or I pass out. So, admittedly, I eat alot more carbs and butter and sugars than other people need to. Since I have an iron deificiency also, and live in a warmer climate, I can eat more salt than a girl in Canada ect. .And my husband is a sports teacher, so I get a little extra push than most to keep on it.
But that aside, I do have tips for staying healthy. Staying in a good shape for one's husband and self is part of taking care of what Allah gave us;). During my pregnancy I ate my cravings but watched my weight carefully and didn't just use it as an excuse to eat whatever junk I wanted, which meant alot more iron and calcium rich foods than I'd normally eat, and like, a GAZILLION plums and slices of watermelon. I definately didn't eat bigger meals than I had before until the eighth month of pregnancy. My meals were smaller but I had more of them. Maybe eight small snacks a day, as the baby liked.

After the baby breastfeeding helped me naturally get the weight off, and I ate alot of foods with honey in them, a soooooooooooooooooooooo much chicken and tomatoe pasta sauce.

I am not a gym girl, even though my non-Muslim BFF is a personal trainer in famous gym back in my hometown and she always tried to trick me into those places with free memberships;) and my husband loves 'em.

I like to walk and I walk EVERYWHERE that I can. I find taking a camera along with you inspires you to walk farther and explore ordinary things. I don't find this a problem with niqab. I also go iceskating and rollarblading when I need to get my heart rate up. And I like to take the stairs.

Always walk 10 minutes after a big meal like the French do;)

After the baby the stomache needed firming up so I did sit ups and crunches and stretching. I lost ALOT of flexibility during pregnancy.

One thing I PROBABLY should work on is my arms which are too weak to hold my own baby for long ammounts of time. I used to horseback ride and play tennis and badminton and when I did this didn't seem a problem but I am still waiting for stables to be built near where I live to get back into horse riding.

In Oman wearing niqab is only difficult for work in certain sectors, and for running outside. If a niqabi is running here people think she is in danger and stop to offer help ect... which makes running a bit of an inconvenience.

But I wear good quality light-weight niqabs from Al Motahajiba for this. So they are alot more breathable than any I could find online while I was in Canada.

Don't know what else to say?

The only diets I've known friends who had issues with their weight used that worked was a combo of counting calories while taking spinning classes at the gym ect (womens only) if that works:) , I have an Auntie who lost 60 lbs and kept it off doing that. I think it works as long as you have a healthy body image and a reasonable goal.

Aslaam alaykom and where I am blogging now

2012-04-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

Asalaam alaykom ramatullahi wa barakato dear sisters,

I haven't had time to post the old comments you've left me (I have 702 to go through apparently) please forgive.

I am still working on archiving all the Islamic and shopping posts on 'beautiful muslimah' and transferring ILH over there. It is over 800 posts on BM to edit, and 400 on ILH to transfer it is alot of work and I often need a break from it.

I had stopped posting on each as regularily as I had when I was in Canada when I moved to the Khaleej because I felt I'd already said most of what I'd needed to say on anything I had knowledge on, and wanted to focus on myself, and getting my Islamic knowledge applied.

Zaenab recently did an awesome post on "Stylish Muslimah" about how she blogged about hijab before she actually started wearing it and saying she knew that would come off as hypocritical. I don't think so at all, and was proud of her for admitting that. I am sure some girls found it helpful.

I have alot of Islamic Knowledge on certain subjects in Islam, alhamdulilah, and while I am comfortable writing why I know something to be the truth, doesn't always mean I've managed to apply it to myself in an unhypocritical way 100% of the time in everything I understand and can answer questions on.

For example, it is so easy to say to a woman who has converted to Islam that she cannot be married to her non-Muslim husband of many years. Truth. Easy to explain. Easy to back up with hadith.

Or tell a girl to leave behind her family and friends and wear hijab 100% and change her work and be alone.

Or leave that Saudi player that told her about Islam in the first place but never got around to marrying her Islamically.

Easy to say.

But hard to do.

Allah give all of us strength to apply are knowledge, ameen.

The women who manage such things instantly and with greatfulness to Allah I admire so much.

But the ones who can't, even if I know they are wrong, I don't judge them.

In some aspects of life, albeit not the headscarf+nailpolish or other lesser things, I have been one of them. Deep down, all of us have in one aspect of the deen or another.

That said, I will still post on Islamic issues of the great import, but until that or until BM is back in business, you can always check out my lifestyle blog here: www.shedancesinthemajlis.blogspot.com
though it probably isn't as interesting as what work I came up with for the blogs in Canada.

Here I find one has to be more self-focussed as a Muslim because even if one is surrounded by Muslims, knowledge is without the why. Everyone follows along even if they see where they are being led is the wrong path or too hard a path for it to be from Allah.

And as for hijab fashion, we tend to wear khaleeji abayas, and get them made from the tailors, so shopping is a blessed ease beyond expense. I tend to focuss more on what I wear under the abaya in Oman, and that is a great relief:)

Hijab Don't?:Reasons Sisters Give For Wearing Nailpolish When they Pray and Why they are Wrong

2012-04-09T20:36:00.006-07:00

I wear nailpolish when I have my period. Or when I can't pray (like 40 days after delivering a baby). Or I wear it when I have time to put it on and take it off for salat (but who does on a daily basis not just for special occassions or an aweseome snap, really?).

I want firstly to clarify: I like nailpolish. I think it looks pretty. I don't believe nailpolish itself is haraam [sinful for a Muslimah] like some weirdo extremist. Nor do I believe it is an adornment via what the Qu'ran tells us to hide (that ayah is referring to body parts, hips, boobs, butt, skin, hip indent what have you). I wear it myself when I am not obligated to fulfil my duties of prayer.

But I DO believe intentionally invalidating your fard prayers/salat & not making them up with the intention never to do so again is haraam. Few would argue otherwise. Yet many do so, and tell others and themselves that how they do it is not haraam.

How do they invalidate their prayer? Something seemingly harmless, that I would seem like a big fat nit-picking meanie picking on them for it...

By wearing nailpolish.

Their reasoning why they wear it despite ALL the scholar's fatwas that it invalidates the state of wudu:

Reason #1: Nailpolish wasn't around when the Sahaba wore what forms of makeup there were such as henna and kohl which they were allowed, so isn't it just another form of makeup?

Pixie: I'd agree, but nailpolish is an enamel. It makes it impossible for water to reach the entire nail. A requirement of the ritual washing in preperation for prayer [wudu/ablution] is that the entire arm up until the elbow and the hands is washed with water at least once, but the sunnah/example of the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him, was to do so three times. The Sahaba had to remove any rings ect, that prevented water from reaching ALL parts of the hands, so the nail must follow as having to be covered in entirety in the same manner.

Reason #2: Since nail polish prevents water from reaching the nail, I just make wudu BEFORE I put on the polish/do my mani/pedi and then it's all good. My hand is clean and in a protected state of wudu.

Pixie: Trust me, if that were so, I'D BE THE FIRST ON BOARD THAT BOAT to wear polish 24/7 myself. The fact is, freshly applied enamels like nailpolish prevents water from reaching MOST parts of the nails. But as highlighted in the image below of a just-applied french manicure under a microscope, there ARE ALREADY cracks in the enamel so as soon as the person does something to break the wudu like use the toilet or fart ect, their justification in reason #2 is proven to be quite premature and a mistake of logic without fact.

Beyond the fact that wudu isn't just about physical cleanlieness:)Reason #3: I leave a tiny open space on my nail for the water during ablution to touch, and that's all it needs. Wudu isn't about physical cleanliness. It is about intention, for example, when one preforms wudu with sand when there is no water available.

Pixie: That is not so I am afraid, since there are hadith about rings needing to be removed if they prevented water from reaching the hands ect., when regular wudu was to be preformed, not the special circumstance of being in the desert with only enough water for drinking ect. If water IS available, then regular, proper wudu has to be preformed. You don't just get to rub sand on your face when you're next to a river or have a bathroom sink ect. in Islam right?

As for what is said in reasoning for pro polish #3 about wudu not being about an act of physical cleanliness, THAT IS 100% TRUE. It is ABOUT spiritual PURITY, about being in a state that is ONLY FOR ALLAH in preperation of prayer. But that said, it doesn't mean we get to choose what actions we want to take from the sunnah/example/instruction of Mohammed (sallalhu alahi wa salaam) and leave the ones that don't "fit" our lifestyles. For example, if you are truly preforming ablution in the desert with sand you can't just choose not to strike your face with sand because it will mess with your makeup right? Even THAT special circumstance of ablution/ritual purification has to be done the way Allah chose for us to preform it or the salat/prayer is invalidated and one has sinned if they don't make it up in the proper state before the time for the prayer has passed and they are in knowledge that they invalidated the prayer.

So if you have water available, you have to make sure it reaches ALL parts of your hand including the nails as Allah commanded us:). If the Sahaba had to remove their rings to get the water to all parts of their hands girls, you have to remove your polish to make a wudu, no if's, and's or but's about it.

As for nailpolish in the desert and you have no water or nail polish remover at hand?

I'd feel pretty safe still making my prayers, but Allah and His Messenger know best.

....But if you have a further reason than these I have here refuted, please let me know if you believe I am mistaken, how, and why.

My Style: Saudi Shayla style, cute and casual for Out-&-About

2012-04-09T18:35:00.005-07:00

I fell in love with an Arabesque look with flowers...So I set out to make my own by buying some silk flowers from the dollar store and affixing them to the sleeves of a plain black "Islamyia" cut abaya (it is open, but closes at the sides so is a very modest open-style abaya) I got from the Mutrah Souq in the Sultanate of Oman, and the edge of a shayla purchased from the now defunct desertstore.com. I usually wore it with a flowy Valentino chiffon top that matched the colour of the flowers and a creamy pleated chiffon skirt I found at "Dots" a Victoria boutique store. I usually accessorized it with a long necklace, and found that alot of non-muslims liked it. The shayla style also suited my face very well and worked well with niqab.

My Style: What I wore after Juma going out for lunch at the Persian Restaurant "Sidedish"

2012-04-09T17:43:00.010-07:00

Pakistani Rose-Embroidered abaya from seller in Oman via http://www.ebay.com/

Red glossy purse: Aldo Accessories

Shayla: from the now defunct desertstore.com website (customized with gold beads sewn on by myself)

Rose ring: Aldo Accessories

Gold Sandals: sadly, from Walmart. And thus were soooooooo uncomfortable I only wore them this once. Pretty though.

Niqab (worn only to and from Juma prayers): from the now defunct desertstore.com website

We sisters always met up at the Persian/Iranian restaurant.I was a huge fan of the "osh" soup" and "lamb stew".Everyone else was in love with the lamb kebobs, because 'Sidedish' was one of the few restaurants in Victoria, B.C., Canada, that then had a halal meat option.

My Style: What I wore to the Luxton Fair in Canada a few years back

2012-04-08T00:33:00.005-07:00

Abaya, from http://www.sunnahstyle.com/

Coat from Jacobs.

Shoes, Ralph Lauren.

Purse, Le Chateau.

Pashmina, Le Chateau

Some More Early Muslimah Days in Canada Pics

2012-04-07T23:44:00.018-07:00

When I didn't really have hijab items, my old button-up shirts, trench coats, pashminas, long skirts and wide leg trousers helped me make due.I totally stocked up on a billion colours of Le Chateau pashminas. I wore them with existing caftans and jalabiyias I already had and my one black abaya.I also occasionally found scarves at Sirens (these were the days when scarves were scarce). I also hoarded Maci dresses and was sooooooooo relieved when both came back into style. That purple Pardesu coat pictured below? Found in Value Village (I always looked through the used stores for anything I could wear as hijab).
I found the accessories sections in stores and "claires" super useful for cheap and easy ways to dress up a hijab or make a niqab less scary to non-muslims.When I only owned two abayas I was constantly changing the trimmings on them. I handbeaded this abaya and sewed on some keffiyah and it suited me really well.I liked to wear really long necklaces and sunglasses with open style plain black abayas.Statement rings, purses and clutches, were my style pieces when making an outfit when most of my wardrobe consisted of plain black abayas from Sunnah Style.com.I also found some nice khaleeji abayas on ebay.
Sewing some trimmings on shaylas and niqabs customized them.

My Style: First Internet Purchase was an attempt at Turkish

2012-04-07T23:39:00.002-07:00

My first internet purchase, besides a horrible brown pardesu that I never wore because it looked like a bag, was this hot pink Jordanian jilbab. I wanted pink so as to have something that didn't scare my father too much. I paired it with a pink bag and pink high heels (I wore heels still back then).

Looks pretty scary to me now, lol.

An outfit from my early days learning about hijab

2012-04-07T23:19:00.004-07:00

Since my co-wife reads my blog, she saw the pics of my Eid dress, and asked our husband what he thought of me posting my pictures on the net (with the faces whited out) and if he'd let her do such a thing. He said he didn't let me but since it wasn't haraam he couldn't stop me. When he and I talked about this, I told him it is just because of his culture he doesn't like it, so these following posts will be in response to that mindset. I think it is bad for Islam to let culture forbid something Islam doesn't. I mean, if my husband lets me go out of the house dressed this way, he can't object to it being seen by others. That would be hypocritical. So here goes some posts of real outfits I wore since I don't have time to write more Islamic posts. (I'll admit, I am being a bit lazy, please forgive me).

Above is a set featuring what I wore in my early, early days as a Muslim in Canada, trying to make hijab out of what I already owned. A pair of white whide leg Jacobs trousers were integral, along with alot of Jacobs trench coats.

I was also facsinated with all the Egyptian hijab wrapping tutorials on the net. I tried multiple scarves all the time since most of my pre-islam scarves weren't long enough to cover my chest and all of my hair alone.

My Baby Girl is Here (with pics) and I am working on the Beautiful Muslimah Blog (I swear)

2012-03-21T15:21:00.005-07:00

Alhamdulilah, all praise and glory be to Allah, my baby girl was born just before fajr Eid Al Adha morning, healthy. Her mama survived the ordeal basically mentally stable and in one peice (although having frightened the doctors and nurses by threatening to cut herself open in the hallway if they didn't get the baby out moments before the delivery and talking to people who weren't ever there about tea).

I am all recovered now, just getting used to feedings and all that, and settling in nicely.

Forgive me for my lack of time to post or respond to comments or even to post them. I am barely surviving eating all my meals a day, keeping the house clean and laundry done, and getting my hair and makeup done and wearing clothes that match without baby vomit on them.Thanks to Aalia and S who were there when my water broke (which is totally the grosest thing ever), ready to drive me to the hospital, and my habibi, who apparently I kept calling useless throughout the whole ordeal because he wouldn't get me a knife to cut the baby out with or a doctor who'd do it for me lol.

And I know I said I wouldn't post pics, so ya'll who wanted to see her better say mashaAllah now;). We call her Zz.

She looks alot like her baba, who wanted a girl, alhamdulilah. Brown eyes, curly hair, mashaAllah, just like I guessed, with my round features and nose. When she is bored, or grouchy, she makes expressions just like my little sister Jane.

Not much else to tell. The BM blog is still not finished or open, but I won't close ILH till it is. I am just not posting anything much here for now as I am working on "Beautiful Muslimah", editing old posts, and getting rid of any old garbage or drama. I want it to reflect how I'd want a "beautiful muslimah" to be, so, and it's over 800 posts, so it IS alot of work. Don't worry. Nothing from ILH will be lost. It will be a perfect merge, Allah willing.

In the meanwhile, I'll be a bit busy with editing BM, and my little one (and looking for a new job) so keep us all in your duas.

Love Pixie

UPDATES

2011-10-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Asalaam alaykom ramatullahi wa barakato ladies,

Please forgive my absence. I have been hosting guests, getting ready for the baby (on my budget everything is a do-it-yourself project), and just been rather tired from the pregnancy. I am like a turtle. When I am on my back, I can't get up without rolling over to my side and getting up on my hands and knees. TOTALLY awesome. The whole ordeal is very tiring. So mentally, I haven't been up to writing anything worth reading research-wise. And stylistically beyond trying to decorate the nursery with what I already have on hand? I have gone from a size 0 to a size fourteen because of my belly and since the weight gain is majority from the baby I don't see the point of buying any new clothes when my shape is going to change dramatically in a week or two.

Good news? I HAVE been cleaning up "Beautiful Muslimah" blog and will re-open it. "I love Hishma" will be integrated into BM, and then I will close Ilove Hishma and only BM and the Bride Wears Hijab blogs will run.

Let me know what you think?

Don't worry, you won't loose any of the existing content in the switch.

Eid Mubarak: and my Eid outfits

2011-08-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

Eid Mubarak everyone, sorry I haven't had time to post anything of much import recently. I hope you are all having a safe and happy Eid weekend. I am, alhamdulilah. Just thought I'd share my Eid outfits this year as I haven't done a good fashion-ey post in a while. Not that I am am that fashionable at the moment lugging my watermelon of a pregnancy around. Thus the abayas raas which does hide the new curves I've gained for the most part. I got it embroidered in gold with a bisht style which I just love.

My Eid house dress was an Omani traditional one I sewed myself. It is worn around women for visiting only, but is hijab on top because the doors of rooms are open and men might walk by in the halls.My other Eid dress is a white jalabiyia we got from a Syrian vendor in an exhibition stall. My husband really likes white dresses and I am good at bartering and it fit my price range so it became Eid dress number two for the second day of the holiday. There is also a third holiday Eid day in Oman but for that I wear regular abaya as it involves going to areas around non-family members and what not and I wear niqab anyways soooooo.... but so far we are all having a great time and I have eaten too much steak/mishakeek.

How was your Eid?

Cute Ramadaan Or Eid Decorating Ideas

2011-08-09T01:29:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do a post on decorating for Ramadan since I haven't had time to write an Islamic post, and I leave sisters who can actually cook to write iftar recipe posts. But one thing I CAN do... I decorate. For me, when I lived in a non-Muslim country and there weren't alot of Muslims around, it helped to get me into the spirit. And I think, if you have children who are younger and not fasting, it is one way to make them get into the spirit of the holiday without over comercializing it, and helping them contribute to it. I saw this "gift cookie" on www.ramadanchallenge.com and thought it was such a great idea to give dawah about what Ramadan is about for neighbors, co-workers ect. Having your kids give them out to your neighbors is a cute idea. It is a card you can print out from their website and the back of the card explains what Ramadan is and what the purpose is. As Muslims we are supposed to care for our neighbors, Muslim or not. This is a sunnah.Decorating with hanging cookies? I would DEFINATELY DO this for Eid morning for my kids (which I am waiting on at the moment, but next year, InshaAllah;) ).A great Eid or Ramadan craft project for adults OR kids, is to write little Ramadan and Eid Mubarak cards. I love to save scraps of fabric, wrapping paper, and card stock, for these sort of things, and as a Muslim, it is a duty to us to tell someone if they mean something to us. For me, I tend to do this clearer and in writing. These cards are easy for kids to cut and glue together, and they also make cute places for kids to write "ramadan reminders", i.e ayat & hadith, for friends and family.In our house we use a centerpiece of real Arabic glass lanterns, but if you don't have these, these are really cute and easy to make, from kids to teens. It makes the kids feel special to come home from taraweeah salat and see a lantern outside on the front step to greet them.And if you happen to use squashes, gourds, melons, or pumpkins to make desserts, foods, and snacks, during the holy month, don't waste them, they make beautiful lanterns if you carve them and put votive candles inside! My family LOVE pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, and orange and pumpkin soup, so if pumpkins are cheap and in season, I indulge.And even though I haven't baked desserts of any kind this Ramadaan, I had to include blogger Umm Khaled's absolutely adorable Ramadan pie!

More cute Ramadan food presentation ideas. I especially love the sandwich cut with the cookie cutter. My oldest stepson is practicing fasting for the first time this year, and he usually breaks his fast by noon. This sandwich would be so cute to give to him along with a great healthy Ramadan classic recipe soup;) ----there are so many but I am a fan of harira for life!!!!Make these weeeellllll before Ramadan, but if you don't have a traditional Arabic tea or coffee pot, why not make these ADORABLE tea cosies????????Definately for Eid it is a tradition to give sadaqah and gifts to those in need, those who live close to you, and those you love. I love when kids take toys of theirs that are brand new but that they don't play with, wrap them up, and give them to other kids! Us adults, tend to give food and candies, and money.

Have any leftover decorations from weddings, graduations, ect, or your non-Muslim Christmas days? So long as they aren't pagan, re-use them. I resuse the blown glass Christmas bulbs because they have a sentimental meaning for me, but aren't pagan-in-origin like the Christmas tree or angel ornaments ect. And they look so pretty put into bowls or hung from the ceiling:D

Paper streamers, signs, and streamers are very pretty and easy to make. Have kids record all ayaat and hadith on different peices of paper and then string them together to form a garland! Those are all my fave ideas so far.

visit www.barakahlifehandmade.typepad.com for more creative Islamic-based crafts;)

Pixie's Ramadaan: Personal Updates

2011-08-08T23:42:00.000-07:00

Asalaam alaykom ramatullahi wa barakto ladies,: So sorry I haven't updated alot. I don't use net regularily even when not fasting, and it is hard to make time for it when I am trying to get to my Ramadaan goals: read the whole Qu'ran, memorize 3 new surahs, make all my sunnah prayers and do some extra dhikr and get on my duas (I am lazy at duas). That, and prepare Iftar meals, clean up, make sure husband gets up, animals get fed, and I respond to any greetings anyone has sent me. And before Ramadaan I was quite ill. I was having a heart condition related to the pregnancy, that has alhamdulilah, gone away now that I have been taking it easier. I am not allowed to walk for more than 10 minutes at a time just to keep the stress off the heart. Thus also, I haven't been able to take any more orders for the BeautifulMuslimahOnlineBoutique for the meantime. For those of you who sent me the first inqueries and recieved your abaya orders, thank you for your patience while I negotiated with the tailors;). [BTW, don't you just love how I have keenly hid my baby bump with our centerpiece lantern?]So, to answer the first of the many comment questions I haven't gotten around to answering yet, there is a big difference between fasting in Oman as opposed to fasting in Canada. In Oman, Islam is the major religion, and non-Muslims and those not fasting are actually requested not to eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, et all, in public. Which is ridiculous to me as Islam doesn't actually rule this, but almost all the expats respect it. I mean, if they have to eat they run to the bathroom and scarf down a bagel behind the bathroom stall doors in the mall. Also, for the men I guess it is easier, as women here tend to dress alot more modestly, even the expatriots, even though Oman has no enforced dress code. The Masjids proivde free suhoor and iftar for those less privellaged, there are sadaqah collection boxes everywhere, and anyone Muslim gets shortened working hours. There are Mosques on almost every street so going to and from Taraweeah prayers should be easy for everyone. These are the benefits that alas, Canada did not have. But unlike Canada, due to the large muslim population, you also get the "cultural" fasters. They overeat, don't pray, sleep all day, show-off by overdoing meals and buying new cars and clothes ect..... Yeah, not really doing anything but not eating. Not exactly Ramadaan.Question #2 {wa alaykom e salaam ramatullahi wa barakto Anna;)}: what is my take on fasting while pregnant? Well, for me personally, I don't believe it is obligatory to do so, but if one is at a stage in their pregnancy where they and the baby are healthy enough to sustain the fast, they should fast, as there is so much reward in Ramadaan, really, you wouldn't want to miss it if you didn't have to. Due to health reasons, I haven't been able to fast every day of Ramadaan so far. But I have, alhamdulilah, managed to fast more days than I haven't. For me, choosing not to fast depends on a few things. #1, if I start to have any health complications such as low blood sugar or blood pressure levels, heart palpatations, feigntness of breath, seeing splotches, or migraine headaches. All these are signs of "you can't fast now". #2 I throw up. Throwing up breaks the fast anyways so even if I intended to fast if I throw up, I call the fast off. #3 If the baby is hungry. I can tell my hunger pains from the baby's at this stage in the pregnancy. When the baby is hungry she makes me feel like I will be sick. If I am hungry it is a pain in my chest up to my throat. Also, the baby's hunger pains are accompanied by heartburn. Mine are not. This would differ between pregnant women but I know my body well enough to know what is me and what is the baby. #4 If one has to take any mandatory day time medications. I don't, so this doesn't effect my ability to fast. Those are the things that decide if I should fast or not. I also find, if you are pregnant, eating Suhoor is a must, AT LEAST a small cup of water, and 3 dates. The baby needs that or it will be tooooo hungry to healthily make it until magraib.
What is Pixie's average iftar?: My average iftar is very, very simple. It consists of dried omani dates (pitted or stuffed with almonds), water, fresh milk, fresh mango juice, sliced fruit (my baby loves plums and melon, her Mommy loves kiwi, and her baba loves grapes and apples), either bresh baked bread or samboosas, and some sweet treat (I like chocolate mamoul or puddings). Later, after magraib salat, we might eat a meat dish, or a soup and salad. For suhoor, since I am still throwing up in the mornings if I eat certain things, I limit myself to water, dates, and sliced melon, or some tomatoe juice. Nothing fancy.

Ramadaan Kareem!!!!

2011-07-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish everyone of you a lovely and happy (and healthy) inshaAllah, Ramadaan. Seek the benefits of this month, and carry them with you into the new year:).

Pixie's Wish List Summer 2011

2011-07-05T02:56:00.000-07:00

-I need new sandals that are stylish AND supportive. How come support equals uuuuuuglllllllly?!!!

-#1 purse of the year is anything with structure in the colour "kiwi"

-new sunglasses.

-pink tinted lipgloss

Pixie's Personal Style: Orange Ballet flats and Clutch with black abaya

2011-07-05T02:08:00.000-07:00

My obsession with orange began when my sister in law gave me a gift of the cutest orange ballet flats. I alreeady had a lovely orange purse but I saw a clutch I just adored, and then that was it. Pair with a relatively simple black abaya and flip niqab, my signature black and white cocktail rings, and beige, grey or white underneath it all.

Pixie's Personal Style 2011---my maternity ventures

2011-07-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

I have started having a thing for elegantly cut but plain black abayas and shaylas because I have of late been wearing niqab rather full-time here in Oman [where I live in Oman no one really wears niqab at all]. {I love my stringless layered flip niqab from Al Motahajiba-thank you habibixoxo}. Also, they have a lasting quality, the way few of my more trendier embellished abayas have got.

These next few sets will highlight a few of my personal accessories (that I own in real life) and ones I'd add.

I have always loved Leopard but fear it becomming trashy, so I usually stick to a leopard print purse or trench coat. But in the Gulf, women are fearless of leopard {not that they have the fashion saavy to prevent style disasters they just perhaps are as innocent as children playing dress up, the sheild of the black abaya ever at hand to prevent public disasters????}.

In Oman, everybody wears leopard. People are okay mixing it with florals, glitter, even other non-matching prints of Leopard. Another big trend is the jumpsuit. Which looked good on a size zero me, but preggo? I know curvier girls like Kim Kardashian are wearing it just fine, but for maternity I wondered could I pull it off? [I don't believe the jumpsuit is a lasting trend but neither are maternity clothes so now seemed the time to be daring since if it went out of style suddenly I'd have the excuse of a shrinking belly to to ditch it in a few months right?]. To be honest, not trusting my instincts, I googled the following pics to reassure myself: Seems it would be totally okay, so long as I has a cute thin belt, and some neutral wedges. And everything that could be made trashy is made classy with Hermes Birken bag right? {I love you habibi, for my beloved "pinkie"}. I actually don't follow the "brands make it better" philosophy but for a few months I think it would be okay to be a bit more wild. I know my diet is.

For shoes and accessories, Sahara beiges are in for the season (and last forever anyways as neutrals), so I will go with a low beige wedge with lots of support for my aching pregnancy feet (why they ache when I don't walk much anymore I don't know?).

Whether they are out of in, chandelier earrings (Omanis don't wear alot) and cocktail rings are my thing and I love them forever. I buy the cheapest but nicest looking I can find;).

With a jumper that is strapless like mine, unless you find the perfect wrap or knit to go over top, a big chunky necklace is needed. I have lots as I have a thing for tribal Yemeni and Omani jewelry. But the Chanel 2011 one in my fashion set? That one is so classic, very art noveau. My father would love it, when the prices of Birkens, and trends of leopard print and jumpsuits make him gag.

With pregnency my love of scents has also changed (I don't wear perfume out of the home ladies, ever). My favourite bukhour (insence) frankinsence makes me sick (but overhwhelming oud now doesn't) and perfumes that I once loved (sorry Chanel Chance) make me woozy. Stronger scents that once gave me a headache come in loud and clear and without the nasty side effects, but the only one my husband and I can agree on right now is Dior Chere. Which unfortunately got used up. I'll wait after the baby to invest again because I am sure my tastes will change.

Speak the Truth [and what covering your sins means]

2011-07-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

Almost all of us know this hadith: "All the sins of my followers [those sins that are repented from and not repeated] will be forgiven except for those which are disclosed to the people. For example, a person commits a sin at night and Allah conceals is for him, and in the morning he goes to the people and says 'I did such-and-such evil deed." And yet, less well known, Rasoolulah sallalahu alahi wa salaam, Mohammed, also told us "To speak the truth, even if it is against you?" So what does covering your sins really mean?

Covering your sins means not bragging about them, or speaking about them without being asked about them.

But if you are asked? [BTW, no Muslim should seek out the sins of another Muslim unless they have fear for their life, safety, ect, 2 cases where is being allowed the Prophet S.A.W suggested negotiations for marriage and business partnership deals as cases].

In cases where you are asked about past wrongs/sins you ARE to speak the truth about yourself, but offer no more than what you are asked. For instance, a woman asks a man if he committed zinaa before they marry. Many men lie about this, but this brother understood properly that "covering" one's sins does not give us permission to "lie" about them when confronted with questions about them. He told this sister the truth, that he had done haraam in his past but had reformed and never wanted to do such again and was properly ashamed. She forgave him, and they married (after some medical tests to screen for STDs ect). This IS proper is Islamic manners. Lying isn't, and never is. I also know of one sister who admitted the same to a good Muslim brother and he forgave her likewise;)

Covering one's sins simply means having the proper shame for them. Don't go out speaking about them, or you make them lighter, you might make them seem "less shameful". The first step towards repentence is having a realization that your actions are wrong and have shame for them. But not to add more sin to yourself by LYING about them. Me, personally, I don't want to have more people standing accusing me on the day of judgement for lies, ect.

The Definition of the Term Khawarij to the Ibadhis

2011-06-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Who are the Khawarij to the Ibadhis?

To the Ibadhis, to go out out from the religion of Islam has nothing directly to do with political rebellion, be it legal or illegal rebellion. It is based soley upon the rejection of the fixed Shariah laws practiced by the Prophet Mohamed sallalahu alahi wa salaam, or committing acts against the set of prescribed binding laws for religious practice, like the prolonged abandonment of prayer or acts of worship for others than Allah alone. Thus they do no consider their practice of Islam to be out of the confines of Islam. If they had used the definition of rebelling against a right (or even wrong) leader, then they would have been Khawarij and labelled Uthman's killers, Talhah & al-Zubair, and Muawiyah as such.

Logical definition, which gets rid of the necessity of having to define what a "right leader" is in order to understand the term Khawarij, unlike my Sunni sources.

So do the Ibadhi consider anyone to be Khawarij?

Yes, they consider the Azariqah Sect and its supporters to be Khawarij because Nafi Al-Azraq made the mistake of deriving a religious ruling from a single peice of [misunderstood by him when taken out of context] Islamic evidence, rather than the volume of evidence in sunnah of the Prophet Mohamed sallalahu alahi wa salaam's lifetime.

The Ibadhi believe that the Azariqah sect has gone out of the religion because they have rejected the shariah that guards that a Muslim's personage is safe unless they should apostate. [Osama Bin Laden falls into this category for example, as he believes killing innocent civilians and even Muslims to be okay by rationalization of out-of-context Qu'ran quotes not within the example of the Shariah laws set out by Rasoolulah Mohamed].

In such an example of saying that the Azariqah are khawarij, how is that rationalized?

The Azariqah believe that if a Muslim commits a major or minor sin, then it is lawful to shed their blood, capture their pocessions, and enslave their women and children, as it is quoted in the Qu'ran in Surah al-An'am, ayah 121: "And if you obey them you verily are surely polytheists [ie disbelievers, apostates]". Thus the Azariqah believe that Muslim believers [and innocent civilians] became/become apostates/polytheists when they committed/commit sins, even very minor ones.

The Ibadhi (and Sunni me, and all the Shia ladies that I know personally know) do not believe such rationalizing is correct. Firstly, the ayah is in context of telling us to eat halal meat, and that Allah compares those who do not follow His clearly prescribed conditions to the disbelievers. Secondly, and most importantly, there were Muslims alive during the Prophet Mohamed's [sallalalhu alahi wa salaam] time who used to commit sins, even major ones, but they were not subject to the laws for militant disbelievers who attacked the Muslims, or of Muslim apostates. Thus such a ruling is cleaaaaaaaaaarly imcompatible with the Shariah itself, and is a rejection of the foundations of the Shariah.

If one is to follow the Azariqah school of thought, all manner of horrors and attrocities can be committed upon the Ummah [Muslim nation and others friendly to us]. Jealous of your neighbor and want his lands? Find a small fault in him and then murder him, it's okay. That woman from your village who won't marry you? Fine. Point out that headscarf doesn't go quite enough over her breasts, and take her as your slave. She's not a Muslim afterall then is she? Or we could go with Osama. Any Muslim whose not fighting America deserves to die because they are personally responsible for their government's killing of Palestinians. Scary, the result of such a rejection of the sunnah, and shariah, isn't it?

To the Ibadhi the Azariqah are not Khawarij because they seceded from Ali R.A after the arbitration, or because they rebelled against the Umayyads. They are Khawarij because they misinterpreted verses from the Qu'ran, which in turn led them to commit acts of wickedness, and to invalidate laws. To the Ibadhi, rebellion against a Caliph or an Imam does not result in the renuncification of Islam, even if those who do so are deemed disobedient, sinful, or aggressors from within the contexts of Shariah law.

Conclusion:

To the Ibadhi Sect's school of thought, Muslims only become Khawarij through their deeds [acts of apostasy as defined by Allah's & His Messenger] and doctrines [that reject the Shariah and thus the Messenger and the Quran], but not rebellion in itself, or sins that did not lead to apostasy.

Come follow the Bride Wears Hijab blog if...

2011-06-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

Please come follow www.bridewearshijab.blogspot.com if you are looking for fashion sets and shopping links for abayas ect, as I haven't had much time to make these of ILH recently;)

I am expecting... a girl! :D

2011-06-09T17:04:00.001-07:00

I finally found out the sex of the baby... it's a girl!!!!!!!!!!! Alhamdulilah. InshaAllah she is born healthy and a good Muslimah, ameen.

So now I am thinking of names. These are what we have so far. Feel free to leave your suggestions. But remember, it has to be sensible in Arabic, and can't sound dirty or stupid in English either. Which alas, alot of Arabic girls names do.

ARABIC NAMES

Amatullah- female servant of Allah [I like]

Fatimah, Fatoum - accustom, Prophet Mohamed's daughter [I like]

Izdihar, Izdihaar - Flourishing, blossoming [I like]

Nashwa - Fragrance, perfume, that which intoxicates

Nuwayrah - Small fire

Sabriyah - Patient

Tamadur - Brilliant [I like]

PERSIAN NAMES

Afsahneh- A fairy tale [I like]

Roxanna- the dawn, Persian Princess married to Alexander the Great

And I guess I should add the names: Mariam, Khadijah, Asiya, Ruqayah, Zaenab, Narjis, Saffiyah, Sumaiya, Sara, Salma, Asma, Aisha, (most famous of the names) are already out, due to too many people I know having them. I am looking for less common and more beautiful sounding names, but I take into account meaning as well.