Luminosity

Asalaam Alaikum wa’Rahmat Allah wa’Barakatu, wa’Salaam wa’salaat ala Rasullilah…. 

One of my favorite things to do here in Madinah is go to Jarir Bookstore. It’s in a tall and wide, mall like building to the side of Masjid Qiblatain, and there are about 17 of them throughout Saudi with other showrooms in Qatar, U.A.E, & Kuwait.  I am reminded by Barnes & Nobles and Borders Bookshops that are back in the States.  Although I don’t get to go too often, when I do I am grateful towards Allah for allowing me to leave Jarir with a few good books for myself and the kids.  There are various displays of topics on books and magazines from raising children to geography, to what my heart seems to be attracted towards the most, the  English Islamic Section.  If it were my way, I could easily spend a few hours there just browsing, but that is my mind…not my time with 4 children who believe its party time with all the “educational” toys around, and a husband who needs to leave quickly before the next Adhaan. Alhamdulilah. There are actually many bookstores here in Madinah, masha’Allah. People have told us that Jarir tends to be more pricey than others, so we still have to do some exploring insha’Allah.  The small bookshops right by the Haram can be more expensive too, though these excite me as well because I tend to see new books that I can indulge in with my children. 

Before we moved here almost exactly a year ago (don’t even ask me how that happened, subhan’Allah..I still feel so new here and time is certainly being swept under our feet), I would often order Islamic materials from Noorart, Astrolabe, and Islamic Bookstore because no where in Ma. that I knew of had a really good selection of Islamic books for adults and kids.  (actually, when I was back over the summer, I couldn’t resist and ordered a few books for the kids Islamic curriculum I’m working on with them here as a necessary supplement to what they get at the private arabic school here in Madinah.) The rare bookfairs at my daughter’s Islamic school when she was younger, and at the Islamic Center in Boston would catch my attention, and if one seemed even remotely interested I’d buy it in hopes that I would learn a thing or two and pass the knowledge along to my kids.  Lately, I’ve been looking at our humble library here in our homeschool room and thinking I real need to kick up the gears and get more structured about relating all these beautiful stories to my kids from the Quran & Sunnah, or I’ll be held responsible, big-time, by our Creator. May Allah forbid that.

 Anyways, the other day at Jarir I bought a book called Women Around the Messenger by Muhammad ‘Ali Qutb & published by International Islamic Publishing House. Click on this easy read, because I encourage any Muslimah or brother to get a copy and get educated or at least inspired insha’Allah. This seems to be the best book I’ve ever had my hands on describing the earliest female believers dispelling misconceptions of the so-called ‘weaker gender’ and true as it claims, focusses on bringing vivid biographies of the first generation of Muslim women showing how their participation was vital for the development of their society and Muslim Ummah right from the start.

While I’m on break, meaning when the kids are all down to sleep, I love to have Huda on. English speaking Muslims are the target audience and many sisters & brothers from countries like Canada, Nigeria, Sudan, Cyprus call in to ask questions live amongst other ‘Islamic’ (italicized for a reason!) countries, although Although may be seen in the US, its definantly not well-known and I never had this advantage of turning on the tv casually to learn about Allah’s prescribed way of life, this itself is a way for me to reflect and really think and at times ‘Huda’ is over to babysit the kids while I get a shower. Saudi is the fiancer of it, even though it is broadcasted primarily from Egypt. With Huda, I know that tv is always safe for the kids.  But soon after my self care is over, my oldest, ‘Sign’ will come report what she’s learned or ask what a sheikh said to a caller inquring about whatever. It’s the one channel I honestly never question in terms of its presentation of material. The commercials are geared at relating hadith, or teaching correct pronuciation of arabic letters. When my kids see children from the West or anywhere really, reciting Quran, they are motivated to do better with their Quran tutor. When cartoons are on they are always beneficial as they display the stories from the Quran & Sunnah, or manners of children as they should be in a fun way that attracts their attention, there is a cute song of the Islamic months that the kids are picking up from Huda too. Unlike me, who recently learned the order of months on the Islamic calanadar. This is a simple proof of how weak in knowledge I am and how I pray that my children will over-exceed me in deeds & knowledge (Ameen).  May Allah help  Huda TV continue with their success, and enlighten our hearts with education that benefits our iman. OH, you can watch it live on their website too so click above and make it a source of light in your home.

Having said all that, as I was growing up, reading was not my thing. I liked to skim through magazines, and I was very visual in that if a book didn’t have pictures, I would reluctantly pick it up due to a book report being due or something to that affect.  I  think perhaps it was a combination of factors that led to this decreased interest.   I always struggled a bit more in school than most other kids, I understood the material slower than them and I was always of the last students to finish a test.  I had to work harder to get the grades while others didn’t seem to put half as much effort.  My parents always told me that nothing was more important than a good education.  When my dad sat with me to review kinetic vs. potential energy..well, mashaAllah he made me run up and down the hill of our front yard to show it to me..no sitting was involved!  When it came to memorize the multiplication table, both my mom would hear no excuse that it was “too much”.  As I got older, graduated from high school and went off to college I began studying what I wanted too, and reading became less of a nuissance, so much so that I fell in love with it. I could choose what to read and reflect.  My personal library of Islam and Occupational Therapy grew and grew (and are still growing, more than a decade later alhamdulilah). So here I am with all these books, and I am hoping that my children will grow loving to read more than I did.  Daily, if they get there arabic homework and Quran done, do some homeschooling, then they get to listen to a story from the Quran. we are working on Seerah of our Anbiyaa and just finished the stories of Yaqub & Yusuf alayhee salaam.  They really wanted to get into the story of Musa alahee salaam which we just finished a few nights ago alhamdulilah.  I wanted to backtrack and start from Adam alayhee salaam next.  But every time we hit the road and drive by Jabal Uhud, gravesite of Shuhada Uhud, or even recently when we drove through Badr, my husband reminds me to shed light on our children with these stories.  So last night I after asking the kids, they unanimously voted on learning the seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sal Allahu alayhee wa’salaam.  My idea of starting from the beginning of humanity got tossed out the window. :-) We have spent much time on just the 3 prophets I mentioned above, so I imagine the explaining the life of Rasullilah (alayhee salaat wasalaam) is going to take probably close to a month inshaAllah. I usually sit with them for about 30 minutes, sometimes less. I’m also using from various books I have of which some are age appropriate and some are more at adult reading level.  But because my kids range from 2-8 I try my best to make an outline of points before beginning to make sure I am able to help facilitate there imagination without losing them.  But even with that, it is still not always easy to get the story across, but so far alhamdulilah Allah has indeed facilitated ease.  Subhan’Allah, funny, because I overheard my 4 year old son ‘Believer’ telling his little sister the story of Musa, alayhee aslaam and how he had a brother just like she has a brother! Ofcourse, no khutbah of his would really work without his older sisters microphone whic is cooler than his Masha’Allah taBarak’Allah.  May Allah preserve my children’s fitrah and the fitrah of Muslim children everywhere.  We certainly need a generation of leaders who fear no one but Allah, and live there lives to please Him. May Allah help us parents encourage the best in our kids. AMEEN. Certainly these words are towards myself (hmm, speaking of which, a duaa request for patience is also needed!) Since, then we’ve started on a good start I feel like I need to explain the Hereafter to them more too. So much stuff to know that I would like them to soak in thoughts about before they become teenagers inshaAllah and so tonight I began teaching them about our second life.  The much juice to the words I can find that are authentically reported in ahadeeth and Quran, I use.  Some may think I’m crazy teaching my 4 year old about death, about the details of the grave, and of the blazing Jahannam.  But there has to be balance, and so the beauty of Jannah is something I want them to crave even at this young age too.  If they are exposed to what Salasabeel might be, or thoughts of eating the sweetest of sweets whenever they please as they have rivers of milk and honey in their own yards that contains endless rainbows as their slides then perhaps they will taste the sweetness of faith itself and reflect on these images in their minds before they make a decision that may determine their fate in our permanent home, al-Akhira.  Ya Allah, ar-Rahman, You are the Witness to what I say, please give us Jannah and overlook our faults.  We are in need of that. Which reminds me, All praises belong to ALLAH for the release of Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki.

You know though, there is an ironic feeling within me. Because the more I teach them, the more I feel like I am not teaching them enough.  Time, effort, and the over abundance of knowledge that I want them to attain overwhelms me sometimes, actually most of the time.  When I see kids having had the whole Quran memorized at a young age, or when I read about kids just like them who have grown up into scholars filled with wisdom along with love for Allah, I have to step back and think of all the time I let them waste and negative influences I allow them to have, and unfortunatley I can be one of them.  May Allah forgive me.  I don’t push myself in doing more for these kids as they deserve, and at the same time I have high expectations for them.  This is why my duaa to Allah is that I don’t mess them up any way by spoling their fitrah with donia that leaves us fruitless in the akhira.  As a mom this is probably my biggest jihad, no..actually it definantly is. 

Fortunately though, the barakah of living here in Madinah does not let me forget the proper upbringing of kids and having been here for a year minus a few days has given me space to reprioritize my roles and responsibilities towards my children.  There are many things I miss from back in the US, like driving to McDonalds for the kids to play in the playcenter; or going to OldNavy to just browse when the kids are busy with their grandparents; and even going for a walk outside with evergreens everywhere and dragonflies buzzing as the kids chase them.  I also miss on a personal and professional level working in nursing homes, hospitals and schools every now and then and meeting the diversity of people of whom I thought that maybe they would look at Islam a little differently after having met me. I can hope, and I did. 

But actually,  here in Madinah things are different but the same.  The kids still play, I still shop, and we still walk, my love for diverse people is consistent and ..but the flavor of these things are different.  That flavor is where the barakah awaits I think.  Because when grass is walked upon here, we appreciate that, and when we shop we don’t waste time (not as much anyway-even though i didnt always have the luxury of time there either) probably because to stroll in malls or parks will only happen with my husband with us too.  I, unlike many women living here in Saudi, don’t have a driver, and this is looked at as sort of weird…as something foreign.  To jump into a taxi isn’t easy with 4 children and neither I nor my husband would like that anyway because of safety. (Yes Madinah its the most magnificient place of peace, but its still not Jannah).  Adhan is heard, everyone is dressed within the code, Allah’s code, and there is the most suitable place when we all need a break from the daily grind, even the kids, the Haram.  At Masjid an-Nabawi, all the things I miss from back in the US are actually right there.  Diversity of Muslim flavor is there, the courtyard for the kid to be kids is there, elderly women are there for me to help get ZamZam, and the generosity of the people is pretty cool, masha’Allah..the mall and shops are all around.  Can’t have everything though, so no site of grass around that’s ok though, i’ll deal alhamdulilah. 

So although sacrifices were made and we left many beautiful things to the eye in the US, here in Madinah we gained many beautiful things for the soul. I am not trying to undermine the challenge of making hijrah here, but I must be fair that through the difficulty the greatest was not giving up my right to drive, but giving up the chance to visit with my parents, family whenever I felt like it.  All in all though, Allah has also delivered ease. Alhamdulilah. Alhamdulilah for Vonage too!

Another of the blessings, is knowledge…the pursuit of it here is just more focussed for me (although increased focus is an ongoing objective of mine) and with increased knowledge comes increased reflection on Allah’s Signs…whichever topic I study or whichever subject the kids are working on, and whichever book I pick up next inshaAllah.  Living 5 minutes from Masjid Quba where oned can perform deeds equivalent to an Umrah and follow the Sunnah of attending on Saturdays, never could hurt a Muslim either. may Allah just accept it, because without His rewards these deeds could be held against us instead of for us. May Allah forbid that from happening.  I read somewhere that the Companions would worry if they would be considered hypocrites in certain situations because they acknowledged that Allah knows their hearts more than they knew themselves.  I am no companion! But I understand that point and am reminded, perhaps by the appointed angel that is near me, that in Allah we have to aim for a balance of hope and fear in Him, you know…Taqwa. 

Let me clarify a misconception of knowledge and education here even in Madinah Munawarra.  Wherever people are there is exposure to education, whether through books, experiencing the culture, rejecting or adapting social standards.  The schools here in Madinah, and I speak of the elementary level schools are good, but not balanced.  I have only seen a number of them when we thought putting our girls in one might be a good idea. Because of the extreme modesty factor here, my husband was unable to enter any of them with me to check them out.  Schools I saw fell into 2 categories: Saudi Private, and international.  They were either teaching excessive things that I wished not for my kids like the Indian International school has Urdu as mandatory subject, and the other which seems pretty much Egyptian run has French on the curriculum as a daily subject yet religion was only twice a week.  Then there were the Saudi private schools who follow the National Curriculum here but each has its own style.  One seemed to have teachers who didn’t seem interested in the kids, while another seemed more caring but lacked other subjects I feel are important like gym class and arts.  Then we came across one that my children are in now.  It offers all the courses I would like them to take,  they have computer, gym, and art plus they have Quran 7x/s week while the teachers seem to highly qualified and are receptive to overstrung parents who like to call and meet up every so often *ahem, me .

There have been problems, and still are with the kids adjusting to this environment.  Because everything is in Arabic with the obvious exception of English class (taught as a 2nd language) the other Saudi girls get a kick out of this and have seen my girls as easy targets to pick on.  Before I came here a year ago, I had this idea that kids here were more disciplined than children in the US.  Umm, WRONG!  You would think so because in Islam we are taught beahaviors and coping skills in situations. Unfortunately, the kids here tend to lack the social skills needed for good communication and positive friendships.  Anyways, so I am teaching my children to be grateful in being different.  I guess as I would if we were still in the US..but on a slightly adapted take. So although our goal, mine and their father, in sending them rather than just homeschooling was so they would acheive Arabic and Quran (because we knew the other subjects are lacking in subtance and are frankly just below their educational level), they are learning how to deal with bullies, others who lie and coming across situations that they have to deal without me around.  They get back and I get all the gossip..which I am pointing out to them too what is gossip and what is not, and I try to listen to them so that I can guide them in fostering that beautiful difference between them and their peers, what is ok by Allah and what just isn’t cool even if everyone else says it is.   My daughter who wears a Cochlear Implant is indeed an anomaly alhamdulilah and she faces challenges of mainstreaming in a culture and in a school that thinks those things on her ears are a type of radio or jewelry.  While my other reserved daughter is learning how to stand up for herself with confidence and courage.  They are both overcoming their specifically designed challenges with the strength of Allah as their Best Friend, and by the assistance and Mercy of their Creator.  Trials filled with blessings alhamdulilah.  Ahh, peer pressure..some of the stepping stones that every child and even adult faces.

 As far as how Islam is taught, well ofcourse its taught.  Duaa is made, expressions for the love of Allah and Rasullilah alayhee salaam are there, methods in learning proper wudu and facts about Ramadan and Hajj were given.  But our humble homeschooling efforts has to go on in Islam as well. You know when things are done by default, it gets sort of boring if there is no effort.  I feel like the school teaches them Islam but doesn’t get them really excited about it.  Plus there is so much other information that they can learn i think that is not in the Saudi curriculum.  So I homeschool Math, English Reading & Writing, Science, and Islam.  Alhamdulilah they have a Quran/Arabic tutor (also mine) who also helps out with the Arabic, and their father overseas my older daughter’s homework.  We are also using of Calvert, which I always try to highlight things in an Islamic point of view and negate which does not benefit.  In Science, ayat are brought to scene, and adding Islamic chapter books that are age appropriate I think creates a good balance of stories in their minds of those who are Muslim and those who are not.  Hoping this will cause them to see a commonality of humanity in general.  As far as what does not benefit for example, my 3rd grader has a subject on Greek Mythology that came with her curriculum.  Are you kidding me?! I am not going to stress the details of all their idols and practices to her when I have sooooo much else to address with her in light of the Quran and Sunnah.  Between teaching Asma Husna, Tafsir, Depicting the details of Jannah & Jahannam, explaining world history from the beginning of time and even the geography and sciences that Allah has defined and ofcourse Seerah.  Through just these Islamic topics she is exposed to the ways of the Mushriqeen, Munafiqeen, the Kuffar and their ways of disobeying Allah and relationship with the Mumineen, Mutaqeen, al-Muslimeen.  If they can understand that only Deen al-Haqq, Islam, had been introduced by all the Rusul and Anbiyaa of Allah, then they will be able to know insha’Allah what is the truth and distinguish what is false.  If the details of an idol, or the details of how they were worshipped is necessary to comprehend an issue with a Prophet or a situation mentioned in Quran then there is a valid need to know these points.  They have been taught about the Egyptians ways in accordance to the beautiful stories of the Quran as well as the People of Thamud & even the controversial issues of Prophet Lut alayhee salaam.  Even current issues of Buddhism and the life of the Hindus has been brushed on because of their interaction with those people back in the States. 

More than that we also use Ad-Duha, an English Islamic curriculum you can order (also Arabic as a second language curriculum), and wonderful resources sold there along with a bunch of other little things here and there.  There are hifz schools everywhere here in Madinah for women and children but our tutor suffices us for now alhamdulilah. Although I was hoping to have been done with at least of what I had planned for the academic year by now, I still have a ways to go inshaAllah before I hit the 1/2 way mark. I don’t have the luxury of time to head off to the several halaqahs made for women at the Haram and plenty in every neighborhood really.  Sisters from various countries, including Saudi have often called me to get together for this or for that, and have implied they’d like to come and visit.  There are numerous opportunities to learn here, masha’Allah.  But finding them isn’t always the easiest.  It’s not like you can log on and find the nearest Hifz school, or the exact time of the Halaqas at the even the Haram by picking up the phone.  Things don’t work like that here.  Information of the beautiful sources are attained by self-discovery and word of mouth really.   My guess is that 5 years from now, and Allah Knows Best that Madinah insha’Allah may be more advanced in its services with more libraries, better schools, and more qualified personnel at institutions like hospitals, and more day-care centers (only 1 or 2 now I think) and alhamdulilah slowly but surely it seems to be happening now.   Insha’Allah, that is what I make duaa for anyway.   

I’ve read there is a library here with hours for women and kids too that I’d eventually like to check out, and I know there are many online courses one can take.  But the truth is, I do self-learning through books, which I know is not even enough.  My life really just revolves around a few activities that eats at my time, but reading something here and there gives me a sense of balance especially when I feel like I need to get my mind off the daily grind, which is quite often! In between teaching lessons, potty training, clearning the sink and getting breakfast on the table at fajr every morning, a few words tend to motivate me to serve Allah much more than I do, and reminds me to focus on intention rather than just another pain ‘in the you know what’ , kind of job!  The skills I learned in Occupational Therapy and my services towards the disabled, impaired, and handicapped have been appointed by Allah to condition my heart in helping others..so that I can indeed help my family and myself.  Don’t we all need help?!

May Allah increase us all in knowledge with pure intentions to seek His Pleasure and hope that He will soften our hearts as a result and send us all to Jannah, Firdous prefably !! :-) Ameen.

….and Allah Knows best.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 5th, 2008 at and is filed under Uncatagorized, Hijrah, Islam, Homeschool, Oral-Deaf, Knowledge . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.