Dreams | Friends | Guantanamo- Ramadan Reflections Day 5

Early morning, yesterday, I came up with an idea for my mother to use her immense knowledge of home remedies to help people across the globe through starting a business. My mother has been studying for so many years, Alhamdulillah she keeps the health of the Al Ain community in check!
Her eyes lit up as I explained to her how far my idea could go.

I asked my best friend Asma a few days ago: " Is it okay to make a decision in Ramadan? "And she replied, "yes a blessed time :)"

I was a bit unsure because in Ramadan, my focus has always been personal worship, but what more blessed month than Ramadan to start off great ideas and make important decisions?

There's so much barakah being showered in every direction that one definitely needs to take advantage of. So far, I would do a lot of planning in Ramadan, but not actual implementation or major decision-making.

What dreams and goals do you have that you have thought about for months or even years, but haven't realised them yet? What decisions do you have to make around this time, that you can make in Ramadan with continous istikhara?

What's your passion? What mundane tasks are you involved in, that you can put a spin on, and revive them in your life? Where, really, are you headed in life? And if it's not where you want to, then choose your destination in Ramadan today.

Sh Muhammad Al Shareef explains how you can do it by building an ultimate dua list and highlighting your achievements.

Your goals and aspirations are also part of your worship, just how eating and sleeping is as well in Ramadan. I'm going to pull out my Gantt charts, to-do lists and get to action inshallah!

And don't just do it for yourself. What is it that your parents have always wanted, but never got time for? Make it happen for them, motivate them, support them, and then watch the fruits of your efforts and the blessings of Ramadan in action :)


Last night, the Imam recited this dua in Witr:

'O Allah! Let there be light in my heart, light in my eye-sight, light in my hearing, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light under me, light in front of me and light behind me, and provide me with light.'

I remember Rania had helped me memorise this dua one day when Sawitri, her and I were walking to Masjid Toronto. Today, Rania and Afifa are in Lebanon. Last year, I would get regular updates from them on the crisis around them. I thought about my global friends who always drop me a note whether it's over phone, email or sms that I am in their duas and thoughts. Friends from Uganda, Nigeria, England, Denmark, Toronto, Australia, India, Russia, Turkey and many other places- some of whom I have never met.
And when I think of friendship at such a global scale, I have no words to describe brother/sisterhood. So, please make dua for your brothers and sisters. You may not know, but they can hear you, and Allah (swt) Alone answers all our duas.


Do you remember yourself at 14? Nazia and her friend are doing an excellent job at informing us on Guantanamo through their blog- Feesabilillah

a juvenile named Mohammed El Gharani, a Chad national, who was just 14 years old when he was seized by the Pakistani authorities and sold to the US military. Reprieve say there is no evidence that Mohammed ever travelled to Afghanistan, nor that he intended to do so. Nevertheless, he is now one of 20 juveniles Reprieve has identified as being held in Guantanamo Bay. In interviews with his lawyers he claims he has been terribly abused, including having a cigarette stubbed out on his arm by an interrogator. He states that much of the abuse stems from his vocal objection to being called a "nigger" by US military personnel.

If you have some 15 minutes to write a blog entry, consider, using that time for more rewarding purposes. Just ask yourself, "can I be doing something better that is pleasing to Allah (swt) at this time?"
Final point- My friend Jeewan's blogging about Ramadan. You can catch up with him here in case you miss his talks in Toronto ;)