A person’s arrival home after being away for a time.
There is a beauty in hearing the adhaan while traveling. The sound of the minaret echoing in the sky. Ears absorbing the beautiful sound of the voice and the subconscious mind already leading the feet towards the mosque. Hearing the adhaan in a country I’v never visited before always gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling as it reminds me of home. Funny thing is, at home I do not hear the adhaan as I walk through the streets. The home I’m referring to, is the home of the soul.
THE FEELING OF LOVE AMPLIFIES
For a while now I have been going to the Jummah prayer. I find it important for myself to join the Friday prayer and use it as a moment to thank Allah for… well, simply everything. Honestly, I make sure to be grateful everyday, but Fridays are somewhat special. When you enter the mosque, the Masjid, with the purpose of worshipping your creator and sharing the love for your religion, your Imaan, together with 200+ other women, that feeling of love amplifies.
The energy in the room is shared with one another: the love, the joy, the laughs, the tears, the sadness, the embraces. It’s remarkable.
The Jummah prayers also comes with a Khutbah, a reading, a teaching: about our prophets, a specific Surah or Ayat in the Qur’an, a religious month we’re observing,… What I love most about these teachings is that they help you navigate the upcoming week, sometimes by putting the importance of showing extra kindness to the people around us, increase our part in charity-giving, having more sabr, whatever it is; it always comes at the right time and allows for a nice discussion with the inner circle afterwards.
a choice made to come closer to Allah swt…
For a long time I’ve been contemplating wearing my hijab. The hijab is not just a headscarf. It’s the way one dresses, speaks, carries herself. As I’ve been working on myself and my Imaan, it no longer felt right to take off my hijab, the scarf, after jummah prayer. I felt like I was betraying a part of myself and being dishonest to who I am and how I would like to be seen. These past few weeks I’ve been carrying my hijab in my purse, lost a few and increased in my assortment. From chiffon, to jersey, to stretch. You name it, anything that doesn’t show any signs of glitter or jewellery: I’m buying and I’m trying it out!
I like Fridays. As a start of the weekend, as a peaceful day and as holy day for Muslims. It allows for reflection, gatherings and altering the course of life step by step. Last Friday I made the choice to fully wear my hijab Al Hamdoulilah, and though many questions were racing through my mind, I felt like no matter what would happen in the future, a choice made to come closer to Allah swt, is always a right choice made.
The hijab is my homecoming.
a blend matching your life
I’ve been feeling all kinds of emotions since, but would have never imagined receiving the unconditional amount of love, support and kindness from the people close to me. I know it might sound a bit odd, but not all types of love and kindness and support come in the form of genuine unconditionality. It amazes me in a way; I know I’ll forever be grateful for these kindhearted loving souls! There are different types of love: philia love, family love, self love, playful love, romantic love, love because of Allah swt and then there is the selfless, unconditional type. Love just because. When you’re ready for it and time is right, Allah swt mixes these types and creates a wonderful mix, a blend matching your life, values and goals: offering you the healthy kind of love.
It feels strange as I’m not used to it, yet it feels oh-so-peaceful to have the right circle of people in my life. I guess that’s what this blog is really about. Our lives change over the course of the years. But once you’ve truly set course into the direction you’d like to sail, it’s important to surround yourself with people who are either sailing in the same direction or become part of your journey. The type of people you can face stormy waters with and who create a safe haven for and with you. We might have already met thousands of people in our life and we might meet thousands of people still, yet Allah swt brings us close to those to whom we are linked.
This healthy kind of love is my homecoming.
وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَاظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِيٓ إِخۡوَٰنِهِنَّأَوۡ بَنِيٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَمَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
And tell believing women that they should lower their eyes, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; they should draw their coverings over their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attend them who have no desire, or children who are not yet aware of women’s nakedness; they should not stamp their feet so as to draw attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to God so that you may prosper. (Al-Nur, 24:31)