Mater hospital 2005 shortly after the birth of Maymunah. We were there trying to fix up some baby constipation problems. The nurse noticed that we had shaved the head. I thought it would be a nice opportunity to give an example of the Islamic way of welcoming the child to the world:
Me: You see what we do is shave the head on the seventh day, and give the weight of the hair in the silver away in charity.
Nurse: Oh really? Well in the Catholic tradition ...., we don't wait for a week, we wait for a WHOLE YEAR! AND we don't weigh the hair, we weigh the WHOLE BABY! AND what's more, we don't give the weight in silver away in charity, we give the weight in GOLD away in charity.
Me: Oh really.
I was silenced. This woman had really outgunned me, even though I was not trying to outgun her in the first place.
Only later I realised the ridiculousness.
Baby's weight at birth - typically 3-4kg.
Baby's weight at 1 year - typically 7 - 10kg.
THAT'S ABOUT $250,000 - $400,000 IN GOLD!!!!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday, March 31, 2008
Specks of dust in rays of sunlight
This is just a gem from Sayyidi Shaykh Nuh, he was relating a lesson from one of the Shuyukh, I think it was Shaykh Abdurrahman, raddiyallahu anhu:
Imagine yourself in a dark room, in which through a small window shines a beam of light, thus illuminating the thousands of specks of dust which would otherwise be imperceptible. Each one of us is like one of these specks. Suddenly we are there, and moments later we are gone. Subhanallah. What a fitting description in three aspects:
1) Time - Our life is just a short series of moments, we are here one moment / day and gone the next.
2) Size - We are insignificant in size, just like a speck of dust, in the bigger scheme of things.
3) Number - One small speck, is but one of many thousands, millions, all in the power of the Almighty.
Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin
Imagine yourself in a dark room, in which through a small window shines a beam of light, thus illuminating the thousands of specks of dust which would otherwise be imperceptible. Each one of us is like one of these specks. Suddenly we are there, and moments later we are gone. Subhanallah. What a fitting description in three aspects:
1) Time - Our life is just a short series of moments, we are here one moment / day and gone the next.
2) Size - We are insignificant in size, just like a speck of dust, in the bigger scheme of things.
3) Number - One small speck, is but one of many thousands, millions, all in the power of the Almighty.
Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin
Names
When I was young, I always wished I had a cool name. One with a "Z" in it. "Z" names always sounded cool, they sounded razzy, snazzy. Or thats what it seemed anyway. My cousin had a Z name and he always seemed to get comments about the cool name. I once heard of a guy named Shane (well thats how it was pronounced - in actual fact it was Shaheen). How did this Muslim guy get a cool (read: white?) name like that? His parents must have been pretty cool.
My name on the other hand sounded like a smelly herb. Khalik. Khalik - Garlic, get it? AlhamdulilLah when I discovered my Islam in university (thanks largely to the Malay students with whom I spent a lot of time with), I discovered that my name is really quite cool. Abdul-Khalik, pronounced 'abdul-Khaaliq. Servant of the Creator. And my parents actually registered the whole name with the hyphen and all. May Allah reward them for choosing a name which reflects my (and our all) station with my Lord. We are all servants of our Creator. I am glad therefore and I praise Allah Almighty for giving me a name that reminds me of Him, and not of snazz, razz and sometimes even jazz.
Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin.
My name on the other hand sounded like a smelly herb. Khalik. Khalik - Garlic, get it? AlhamdulilLah when I discovered my Islam in university (thanks largely to the Malay students with whom I spent a lot of time with), I discovered that my name is really quite cool. Abdul-Khalik, pronounced 'abdul-Khaaliq. Servant of the Creator. And my parents actually registered the whole name with the hyphen and all. May Allah reward them for choosing a name which reflects my (and our all) station with my Lord. We are all servants of our Creator. I am glad therefore and I praise Allah Almighty for giving me a name that reminds me of Him, and not of snazz, razz and sometimes even jazz.
Alhamdulillahi Rabb al-Alamin.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Fuel station conversation
After filling up fuel, went in to pay. The fuel guy seemed to be your average football lovin', meat pie eatin', beer drinkin' okka:
Fuel guy: G'day how are ya mate
Me: Good thanks mate
Fuel guy: Anything else with that?
Me: Nah just the fuel thanks mate
Me: Oh hang on I think we have a fly buys card
Me: Gesturing to the wife in the car about Fly Buys card
Wife: Gestures from car not to wory about Fly Buys card
Me: She says not to worry about it
Fuel guy: The boss has spoken
Me: Even us Muslims have our wife as the boss
Fuel guy: Well I don't have to worry about that .. (very short silence follows)
Me: (Thinking obviously he is going to say that he is not married, getting ready to say something like "well you're your own boss then" or something like that)
Fuel guy: I'm gay
Me: Can I have a receipt for that please?
Fuel guy: Sure here you go
Me: OK bye
Fuel guy: G'day how are ya mate
Me: Good thanks mate
Fuel guy: Anything else with that?
Me: Nah just the fuel thanks mate
Me: Oh hang on I think we have a fly buys card
Me: Gesturing to the wife in the car about Fly Buys card
Wife: Gestures from car not to wory about Fly Buys card
Me: She says not to worry about it
Fuel guy: The boss has spoken
Me: Even us Muslims have our wife as the boss
Fuel guy: Well I don't have to worry about that .. (very short silence follows)
Me: (Thinking obviously he is going to say that he is not married, getting ready to say something like "well you're your own boss then" or something like that)
Fuel guy: I'm gay
Me: Can I have a receipt for that please?
Fuel guy: Sure here you go
Me: OK bye
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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