And He Answered...

Not many of us are blessed with this incident more of a natural event but this year I happened to experience which I never thought would happen. I met god. I met him through my prayers. I called upon him and kept calling his names and after much waiting he answered. He heard each request I humbly served before him, I knew he would answer but the duration from asking to answering took days, though it seemed ages.
I came to realize that between fear an faith lies uncertainty and uncertainty destroys faith. I had to work hard from entering the state of fear and reaching the faith without loosing hopes which was arduous.
The perils of my prayers remaining unanswered drove me insane, spending innumerable hours analyzing what could be the reasons, chances..what sins could be the barrier, is my faith strong enough, are there certain guidelines, certain way to call upon god. Will the prayers be answered.
I tried knocking on different doors, hoping god will answer at least one  if not all. I kept knocking days after days but doors remained unanswered but when it was answered it took literally one second. He opened the door and showered me with all his love his blessings. That moment can not be put or described in words, the feelings of happiness that was pouring down my cheeks was unstoppable, that moment my eyes were pouring rain, that rain which washed away all my guilt, all my sorrows and to sum it all my sins. The state of uncertainty left my side and my faith was stronger than ever. I felt a wave of nostalgia; not sure why perhaps happy because my prayers were finally answered and sad because I was an arrogant disbeliever in past.
I now understand that there is always a time for prayers to be heard, though it takes time but important is to understand that during a difficult time your faith is being tested, the moment you give up your faith is in vain. The most important part of this incident is that god wanted me to knock on his doors, he wanted me to call his names days after days he wanted me to bow down in front of him  hence the pain, the troubles the sleepless nights were given to me. If they weren't I would have been the same arrogant, selfish person who knew there is a god but never tried reaching out to him.
xoxo

Food A Commodity

I'm sure all my Muslim readers are fasting in this holy month of Ramadan and seeking for Allah's forgiveness. I have been fasting as well and for us today was the 7th day of Ramadan (since it varies from continent to continent).  My first 2 days of fasting were rather difficult. For past 5 years I wasn't able to fast more than 2-3 days due to nausea and what not therefore every year it turns out that I fasted for few days and then had to forgo the rest of the Ramadan but Ahamdullilah this year Allah gave me the strength and health to fast this year.
Anyhow during my fasts I asked myself innumerable times "How do they do this" with THEY I thought of the poor ones who have to fast all year long, by this, of course I am denoting the state of  poverty where one can't afford food nor has the privilege of drinking clean water.
During my Fasts, whenever I'd enter my kitchen somehow my first glance is always at the water faucet. Only now realizing the importance of water and esp. its importance for those who doesn't have means to clean drinkable water. My second glance is normally at my closed fridge door, trying to think what all did I store in there last night and if I was allowed to pick something out of the fridge what would it be, then the following thought is always of those who can't even afford one proper meal a day then the next thought is " O Allah, thank you for all that you have given me, and thanks for choosing me to be one of your blessed ones".
Belonging to a country where more than 50% of the population (my rough estimation) sleeps hungry at night and where food is no longer the basic needs of life but has turned into a commodity, a commodity that is not for an average Pakistani.
I now have understood that one of the reasons why Ramadan is a must for every Muslim, if I hadn't had the opportunity to be a part of the conversation between my hungry body and my hungry conscious I would have been that average ungrateful human taking food and water for granted.
Please be thankful for all you have been blessed with, it has become a commodity and you are blessed with it.
xoxo

Dear 16 Year Old Me!

Some months ago I happened to come across a campaign against cancer and this video inspired me so much that after months of watching this video I still think this video was not shown as often in Europe nor in Asian countries as it should have been perhaps the marketing wasn't done sagely. This video should have been a priority commercial on every television for the sake of humanity. I did re-post this video when  I was using facebook  but now that the facebook story is dead and done with I thought I would make another attempt to share this message with all the 16 years old who are yet to be educated about "Melanoma Cancer".
Though I must say the melanoma awareness campaign video was made brilliantly, they showed those who have been cured and also those who have lost a dear one due to melanoma.
Melanoma is the kind of cancer which is seldom discussed hence tanning salons and tanning generally is still so common in the western world.
Please watch this video and share it with friends with a hope that someone might be able to benefit and you have done something to prevent melanoma epidemic.

A Love Story

When cleaning my book shelf, I came across a dairy which I used to write gazillion years ago, I'm not that old but relatively, while flipping through the pages I saw a love story which I have written in that dairy, after reading that love story I felt serenity in the midst of chaos. For a minute I forgot I wrote that in my dairy and read it as never read before.
Some years ago I came across a love story. It wasn't just an ordinary love story if was THE love story and it taught me a good deal of things esp.the true meaning of time. Not sure whom to blame but I have inherited impatience and it effects me in all aspects of my life. It can't be because of dad, he takes way too long to make up his mind and Maa, I almost never saw her rushing into things, Hmm, anyway it might not even be the case of inheritance but simply of arrogance which I have gained in different stages of life.
Sooo..yes the love story
Once upon a time there was an Island where all the feelings lived; Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all of the others including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink. All repaired their boats and left. Love wanted to preserve until the last possible moment.
When the island was almost sinking Love asked for help. Richness was passing by love in a grand boat, love said "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered: "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my ship. There is no place for you".
Love decided to ask Vanity, please help me "I can't help you love, you are all wet and might damage my boat" answered Vanity. Sadness was close by so love asked for help "Sadness, let me go with you". "Oh love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself". Happiness passed by love too but she was too happy that she did not even hear when love called her!
Suddenly there was a voice "come love, I will take you" it was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived at a dry land, the elder went it's own way, love realizing how much he owed the elder and asked knowledge (another elder) "Who helped me?" "It was time" Knowledge answered. "Time?, but why did time help me whereas everyone else refused?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered "Because only time is capable of understanding how great love is".
Hope you all can sit back and think about the last phrase and have patience with love because it takes ages for love to flourish
xoxo