Saturday, August 30, 2025
Guaranteed
Friday, August 15, 2025
Scenic Route
Friday, August 08, 2025
Hiking
It's more often that I just sit and observe these days. It's sometimes harder to sit and be still. If I'm honest, sometimes it's easier to sit and not do the thing.
I love being in nature. I love just sitting and appreciating it. Sometimes just sitting is the way to do that. Sometimes it isn't though.
Hiking isn't nearly as easy for me as it used to be. It's just not my thing anymore and that's fine. Yesterday though, I went on a hike here in the Smoky Mountains. It was hard. I tried it anyway. It was beautiful. It was worth it. Not because it was beautiful though.
I needed help, but I've accepted that I need help for things. Yusuf was helping me. He was going at my pace and was so aware of what I needed. It was almost magical that he was anticipating what I needed. I can't even articulate what I need. I was feeling so proud.
This is the thing that made it most worth it though. Just as I was thinking to myself how proud I was, he said, "Abba, I'm proud of you. I know this is hard for you and you're doing it. I'm so lucky to have an abba like that". Wow.
Taher, do the hard thing. The kids are still watching.
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Know
Tuesday, July 01, 2025
Hasad
We see the screen and we see how lucky some people are. Sometimes Moula stops to touch someone and sometimes he stops to talk to someone. Naseebdar!
We are lucky to see. Our reaction (not response ) needs to be automatic and immediate. Alhamdolillah! Great for that person.
It happens all the time. I’ll see someone with a nice this or that, or someone commanding lots of attention, or having anything. My first and only thought should be -Alhamdolillah! Great for that person.
Moula told us Hasad is the worst bimari. Moula said khuda gave us hands, feet, a mouth, and most importantly iman. Then he asked biju su joweche?
We don’t look at someone with less and think - why can’t I have that. Khuda koi ne aape koi ne na aape. Khuda gives to some and khuda doesn’t give to some. Samjo to samjo, na samjo to na samjo. Understand if you understand, don’t understand if you don’t understand.
This is my favorite ayat once I learned the meaning. It repeats over and over. It is the most often occurring.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
It isn’t a translation, but this ayat basically means - what else do you want?
Taher, you don’t need anything else. You already have all you need.
Monday, June 30, 2025
Slow
Awal waqt
Literally awal waqt means first time. I think it’s a concept though.
Doing the right thing is always right. Giving a hug, showing love, doing namaz, and many many other good things.
Moula did a riwayat today I’ve heard before, but learned a new layer today😁 A man who did namaz awal waqt was late to namaz. It wasn’t the awal waqt. He got distracted and waited until the very last moment to do namaz. He wanted to do wazu and instead of water he got jewels. He sent the jewels back into the well. He tried again and got jewels instead of water. He tried a third time and was able to do wazu and namaz. There’s a lot to learn from this story and the new layer for me is that doing things awal waqt is a habit that needs to be developed or a muscle that needs to be exercised. It requires discipline and focus which Moula also talked about.
I got the Naseeb to go and take care of Nooriya and dad on back to back days. It was less than convenient for me. I was a bit annoyed at first, but then thankful I had the opportunity to be helpful. It wasn’t immediate that I felt like that, but it was close.
When I’m patient with the kids, I always feel good. I’m hoping they do too. Especially, when that’s my first response.
The right thing is always the right thing. Doing it first thing is better and makes you feel good and makes good memories.
Taher, do it in the awal waqt.