بين العقل والدين

قرأت البارحة مقالا عن الحجاب وخلعه والأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر. الصراحة انا لن اتكلم في ذلك لأني بالرغم من ايماني بواجب النصيحة، انا اؤمن اننا جميعا في امتحان وكلنا لنا عثراتنا وان الدين لا يبنى على ركن واحد.
ما استوقفني في المقال والتعليقات عليه ان كثيرا من الناس للأسف يناقش في أمور الدين وكأنهم يقولون ان كثيرا من أحكام الدين الإسلامي لا تصلح الآن لأن الزمان تغير، على حد تعبيرهم. وأن الله خلق لنا عقولا لنفكر، وما كان يصلح للماضي لا يصلح الان. سبحان الله، ومن قال ان لا نستخدم العقل في حل الأمور المستحدثة. ولكن لا تعبث في الاساسيات. فكثير من امور الدين لا تؤخذ بالعقل كما قال سيدنا علي كرم الله وجهه:"لو كان الدين بالرأي لكان أسفل الخف أولى بالمسح من أعلاه"

What's for dinner?...

This is my girls' daily question. It's always followed by NAYs or YAYs! And hearing the NAYs are really frustrating. So, I hope writing the menu on the board will help in avoiding any frustration/arguments :)

DIY Kitchen Chalkboard

I'm having a blast this winter break. Hubby and kids are having 10 days off, and we are enjoying each minute being together. I'm thankful for having a sweet family.

Today, we finished our kitchen chalkboard project. Check the pictures below. It was fun!

 

We used spray paint but I really recommend using a regular latex paint. The spray paint was kind of messy.

 

Paint and let dry

 Add a frame. We bought wood trims and cut them to make a frame

 Now it's ready to enjoy!

Falafel in Pita Bread

Our lunch was falafel sandwiches today. No, no, no, we didn't stop by the neighborhood Lebanese deli. I made everything myself, including the pita bread.

Felafel with warm pita bread and tahini sauce... Yum Yum. Scroll down for the recipes.

Falafel:

2       cups soaked chickpeas, washed and drained
1/2    teaspoon baking soda
1       small onion
3       garlic cloves
1       cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2    cup fresh cilantro leaves
1       teaspoon cumin
1/2    teaspoon salt
         oil for frying (I use canola oil)
  

• Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor. Add the baking soda, onion, garlic, herbs, cumin, and salt. Process until the mixture is smooth.
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer, and then roll the falafel mixture in small size ball. I used a special falafel scoop. Fry until all sides are brown as in the picture above. Remove falafel and drain on a platter lined with paper towel.

Pita Bread:

4     cups flour
1     tablespoon yeast
1     cup warm water (you may need more)
1     teaspoon salt

• Dissolve yeast in the warm water and let it set for 5 minutes.
• Put the flour in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add salt, and using the dough hook start beating them. Add the yeast mix slowly. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more water if needed. Add flour if the dough is too sticky.    
• Turn dough into floured surface and divide into 8 equal balls.
• Let the balls rest for 30 minutes
• Put a baking sheet in your oven and preheat the oven to 425 F. You want the baking sheet to be as hot as the oven.
• Flatten the balls into even-thickness discs.  
• With the Baking sheet in the oven, flip the discs on the baking sheet and bake for around 10 minutes, until light golden.  

 

Guest Bedroom -ReDo

Check those great finds I got today from TJMaxx. They fit nicely in my guest bedroom.

 Throw-$9.99

 Table lamp-$29.99

 

 Pillow-$16.99

Guest bedroom

I also purchased this nice laundry basket.

 Laundry basket-$12.99

Laundry room

PhD...achievd :)

So last Friday I defended my dissertation, successfully! It was a big day for me and my family. No words could describe my feelings at that moment. Alhamdulellah.

It was also my birthday last Friday. So passing my defense was a unique gift!!

Another present was awaiting for me on my birthday. The YSL ring I was craving for. Thanks hubby!

Guest Post: Instinct of a New Convert

Another guest post wrote by my husband. I hope you all are having a good first day of Ramadan.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Few weeks ago, I was at the supermarket getting our weekly groceries, and while I was busy in my own little world loading bags into my van I heard someone behind me approaching and say something very softly, I turned around to see that it's the supermarket employee responsible for collecting carts extending his hand, he was a big guy (6+ ft), but handsome and young in age – around 20 years old, so I immediately took the last two bags from the cart saying “here you go”, while thinking to myself “he couldn't wait just a couple of seconds?” But then I was surprised by this soft spoken employee reaching out instead to shake my hand saying “Assalamu Alikum, I'm Br. James”*. After few exchanges with this young man I found that he is a new convert to Islam, less than a year, but what really made an impression on me was how his pride was just over-flowing that he's a Muslim! I asked him how did he recognize that I was a Muslim, he simply said “I saw you in the Masjid”, and right there I made a decision to look for him next time I'm at the Masjid and chat a little.

Last night, Ramadan was announced across the Muslim world, and like many I joined the Ramadan nightly “Taraweh” prayers, and after we were done at a rather late hour I noticed “Br. James” in the Masjid, so I walked up to him and as I taped him on the shoulder he turned to me with a face full of sweat as if he was just out of a shower – it was a really hot night and ACs where not cooping with a Masjid full of people. So I start a conversation:

Me: “Assalamu Alikum Br. James”

Br. James: “Assalamu Alikum”

Me: “So you broke a sweat?!”, my attempt to break the ice

Br. James: “It's my first Ramadan. Do you think Allah will understand if I drank water... I'm thirsty and its hot”

He stopped me in my tracks and for a couple of seconds I was not sure what he was asking. Seeing me confused he reiterated, “it is my first Ramadan”, almost apologetically. Then it hit me, “Br. James” is asking me if Allah will understand if he drank water at night, after Taraweh, because he understood that Ramadan started and clearly he did not understand the rules, not yet, after all it IS his first Ramadan. I went on to explain to him that although the month of Ramadan had just started at dusk that evening we did not fast yet, and that fasting is from dawn to dusk, and during the night it is completely fine to drink and eat. We spoke a little more, and I found out that he was working at the supermarket to pay his way through college. Few minutes later, I left him and headed home.

As I was driving as was going after what just had happened in my mind, his words “It's my first Ramadan” ringed in my ears, and I thought what a wonderful feeling to experience Ramadan for the first time... it must feel magical, the same way I felt when I knew Ramadan as a Kid. But what really struck me was his innocent question “Do you think Allah will understand if I ...”, and although it appeared that I know many time more than “Br. James” about Islam, after all I'm a born Muslim, I felt that he captured in his question so much more than what I typically do as a Muslim. To be honest, I typically look for an excuse to justify my actions, effectively I'm asking “how can Allah understand what I'm about to do”, not what my “Br. James” simply stated in his few words using his god given instinct as a new Muslim with an almost clean slate. That moment I felt what a true Muslim should be like.

Maybe I can be more like “Br. James” this Ramadan, and make sure “Allah will understand” my actions before I do them, if in doubt, better stop right there and then.

Ramdan Mubark to you all!

* I changed his name to maintain anonymity