Ramadan Dailies: #21

What if we can build our own fairytale. How will ours look like, who will the characters be, will we be the heroes or the evil?

In my fairytale I would like to fly. I would like to have wings and have power at the tip of my fingers. I would like to be a hero and save towns and have horses that can fly with me. I would like to have a "happy ever after" ending and a heart full of gold.

My Fairytale Town

Verse of the Day: (بَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ )
Quran: 19/30- #3

Ramadan Dailies: #20

I was thinking today about survival, what it takes to survive in this world and if it is hard for us to survive then what about bees, ants and everything so little and so easily stepped on.

I then imagined what if I was that little, how hard survival will be then! but I guess that's the balance of life. Nothing is forever, and thus, nothing survives until the end. But it takes much to survive until that end.

شفت في الدنيا غرابه
شرعها يا ناس غابه
القوي ياكل ضعيف
ما يفكر في حسابه

Survival of the Fittest?

Photos from archive- All Rights Reserved

Verse of the Day: (إن الله لا يستحي ان يضرب مثلاً ما بعوضة فما فوقها)

Ramadan Dailies: #19

They say in life you get what you give. But sometimes, quiet often, I disagree. You might in some cases give much and get less, or give less and get much.

For those who I care about, I don't mind giving the world to them and getting an Island in return.

That doesn't mean I don't mean much to them, everyone has their own measurement to express your value.




Photos from archive- All Rights Reserved

Ramadan Dailies: #18

Today was spent all on research, I am trying to dedicate a lot of time for it since it means much to me. I went through some of my photo archives. Enjoy

Chasing Bambi

Verse of the Day: (إذ يريكم الله في منامك قليلاً ولو أراكم كثيراً لفشلتم ولتنازعتم في الأمر )
Quran: 12/30- #3

Ramadan Dailies: #17

Today sadly, was another "no-activity day". The only activity that I did beside read Quran was dream. Dream literally.

Some might think its a waste to sleep to dream. For me however, it is a pleasure and a ritual to keep my sanity in place. Dreams mean much to me, I get to do in them things I'd never be able to, see people I miss so much and experience some fun.

Dreams make me wake-up the next day so happy where my imagination took me that I sometimes hope it was part of reality. I can't imagine if dreaming was not possible, because if it wasn't then imagination wont exist, to me at-least.

I ended up writing a poem about dreams.

شو يصير إن حلمي أصبح احلى من حقيقه
أي حقيقه و كل ما شفته ترى وحي الخيال
***
والخيال ما اجمله أرغبه في كل دقيقه
مافي احلى من ملاقه كل من مر على البال
***
لاني مفارق حقيقه بس أضَيع أب طريقه
كل طريقن في خيالي أجملن من كل حال

Verse of the Day: ( اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ )
Quran: 9/30- #3

Ramadan Dailies: #16

Today was all about trial and error in the kitchen! I decided to create my own recipe of something called fried rice balls! It all began smoothly, I had the rice cooked well all I had to do was make it into balls and put some minced meat inside.

Here is where the error happened. The round shape could not be fried unless it's covered with something fry-able. So I got some bread and rolled the rice and meat inside and it turned fine but not round!

I then created my own sauce mixture from laban, salt, pepper and red sauce. The end result LOOKED and Smelled awesome!





Verse of the Day: (ولوكنت فضا غليظ القلب لانفضوا من حولك)
Quran: 5/30- #3

Ramadan Dailies: #15

We are half way through Ramadan and this is just sinking in. Today's full moon is very pretty and bright, the type I like to look at while dreaming.

Yes, it seems the most I did today was dream, weather the eyes were closed or opened. Hopefully I will do something useful tomorrow.

Verse of the Day: (ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلى الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر وأولئك هم المفلحون)
Quran: 3/30- #3

Ramadan Dailies: #14

Yesterday I got this awesome gift from a dear friend! It's a vintage camera made in the 1950's! God bless Canons and Nikons and the 20th century!

I bet when this cameras were out, they were "the thing to have". I can't wait to put it to test and see if its still alive!





Verse of the Day: (قل هل يستوي الذين يعلمون والذين لا يعلمون إنما يتذكّر أولو الألباب)
Quran: Will start the third time today Inshalla

Ramadan Dailies: #13

Today was one of the best days I have this Ramadan! I met most of my friends and had a great futoor with family.

Today was all about relations. Relations we are born with, that needs revival. Relations we created and relations we wish to keep. I realized how important it is to have this as a part of your daily rituals.

Moral of the day: Adam and Eve didn't come to the world solo, and we didn't either.

I truly appreciate everyone that is a part of my life. Xx

Verse of the Day: (وَالَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَى بَيْنَهُمْ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ)
Quran: 30/30 - #2
Extra activities: Visiting!

Ramadan Dailies: #12

Started the day with a plan to cook something sour, salty and yummy. The recipe was from a Lebanese friend who is the only person that knows how to do it perfectly. I asked her for the recipe and I gave it a shot.



Sour Potato Recipe
Serves: 4

Potato 4-6 Pieces
Garlic 6 Cloves (or less if you wish)
Coriander (Kesbara) 1 Cup Chopped
Green Chilli 1 Piece
Salt
Lemon 2 Pieces (Squeezed)
Olive Oil
Water 1/2 Cup

1- Cut the potatoes in square pieces then fry them with olive oil until their orange/red, add salt as you wish.
2- Set the fried potatoes aside in a plate
3- Chop the garlic, kesbara and the green chilli finely fry them together.
4- Squeeze two lemons on frying pan and add a half a cup water and mix until it seems they are blended together.
5- Pour the mixture in (step 4) on the potato that is set aside and mix them together.
6- Put the potato in the oven just for heating for about 5-10 minutes 180 C.
7- Taste and add salt if needed.
8- Final result should look like the image above!

Verse of the Day: (ولا تصعر خدك للناس ولا تمش في الأرض مرحاَ إن الله لا يحب كل مختال فخور)
Quran: 25/30 - #2
Extra activities: Cook & Laugh.

Ramadan Dailies: #11

Photo Credit

Since yesterday, I began reading the Quran carefully, trying to interpret and think. I strongly believe that there is much more to discover that can help humanity overall. The verse I will highlight is:

(والذين امنوا تطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله الا بذكر الله تطمن القلوب)

Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest! (13:27 Holy Quran)

This made me think about the actual relation between the heart organ and spirituality. If our hearts find rest in being spiritual and in the remembrance of god, isn't that a treatment and medicine? can that be used to cure people with heart problems (mainly of stress) and limit heart attacks?

My thoughts are merely ideas and nothing proven, but questioning is always the beginning of finding solutions.

So anytime your heart aches or your down or feel that the world is being too harsh on you, take a moment in remembering Allah.



Verse of the Day: (والذين امنوا تطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله الا بذكر الله تطمن القلوب)
Quran: 17/30 - #2
Extra activities: Doing my best at whatever I am doing.

Ramadan Dailies: #10

Today, one Ayah captured by attention and made me question modern world theories of evolution.

(قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ اللّهِ مَن لَّعَنَهُ اللّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ الْقِرَدَةَ وَالْخَنَازِيرَ)

"Shall I tell you who, in the sight of God, deserves a yet worse retribution than these? They whom God has rejected and whom He has condemned, and whom He has turned into apes and swine because they worshiped the powers of evil" - (5:60 Holy Quran)

The theory that came to my mind once I read this was Darwin Theory of Evolution. Darwin believed that humans came from Apes. This Ayah tells us that God has transformed people who disobeyed him into Monkeys and Pigs.

Which might suggest that Monkeys and Pigs today are descendants of humans (And not the other way around). Perhaps if we think deeper we can figure a theory of the evolution of these animals.

Just a thought.

Verse of the Day: (قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ اللّهِ مَن لَّعَنَهُ اللّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ الْقِرَدَةَ وَالْخَنَازِيرَ)
Quran: 12/30 - #2
Extra activities: Patience, Patience, Patience.

Ramadan Dailies: #9

Today has been a productive day. I made some Tirmisu thanks to @Soraal's recipe, It tastes as good as it looks and even better (Testimonial from Baby Z, who is an expert child taster). The recipe is under the photographs!




Tiramisu recipe by @Soraal

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

1 Packet of Digestive Biscuits
1 Bag of Dream Whip
2 Cans of Nestle Cream
A little Cocoa Powder
1 Cups Water
3 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Instant Coffee
½ to 1 cup Milk (something you measure later)
1 Bag of mini Flake chocolates


Method:

The Tiramisu is made in layers of biscuit, cream mixture, biscuit, cream mixture, then garnish with cocoa powder and flake

Biscuit:
1. Get a bowl, add a cup of water, one teaspoon coffee and one teaspoon sugar and mix.
2. Then dip the digestive biscuit in the bowl but take it out quickly
3. Transfer the biscuit into your serving bowl, Suggestion: serve in a bowl for one person (Like this)

Cream:
1. In a bowl mix one bag of dream whip powder (or any other whipping cream brand) with 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat with an electric beater until the whipped cream rises up and becomes fluffy. It takes around 2 minutes.
2. Add 2 cans of cream and add sugar as you beat it and keep tasting the creamy mixture until it tastes sweet enough.

Layering:
1. Dip a digestive biscuit into your coffee bowl, take it out quickly, and put it on the bottom of your serving bowl. Make sure you put enough to cover the bowl completely, I sometimes break biscuits to cover empty spaces.
2. Cover the dipped digestive biscuit with cocoa powder
3. Pour the cream mixture over the digestive biscuit. Make your first layer – only fill the bowl halfway.
4. Repeat step 1 – dip biscuit again and put it on top of the cream to make your second layer
5. Repeat step 2 – add cream on top of the biscuit layer to form your second layer (your bowl should be full by now)
6. Add flake chocolate and sprinkle a little cocoa powder around the flake for garnish. It should now look like the picture above!
7. Put it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hrs! :D

Verse of the Day: (كل نفسن ذائقه الموت)
Quran: 5/30 - #2
Extra activities: Cook & help!

أين مسكنكِ يا روح؟

ذهبت روحي فيا روحَ روحِ
فهناكَ ستلقي من سبقوكِ
***
هل بعد الفراقِ يتم الوداعُ
ام ان الرحيلَُ بلا من صحبوكِ
***
الا يا نفسُ انتي بنفسكِ اعلمُ
فهل ياتي يومٌ يسهل به غيابكِ
***
فان شهدتِ يانفسي ذاك يومً
فاعلمي ٌإن لم يعد هنا سكناكِ
***
فالتبحثي و التنظري والتصبري
ولو إني اعلمُ مدى قصر صبركِ
18.08.2010

Ramadan Dailies: #8

Today the train of thought gave me a visit. I stumbled by this Hadeeth

أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : ' لا يدْخُلُ الجنةَ مَنّ كان في قلبه مثقالُ حبَّة من كِبْر ، فقال رجل : إنَّ الرجلَ يحب أن يكون ثوبُه حَسَنا ، ونعلُه حسنة ، قال : إن الله جميل يحب الجمال ، الكبِرْ : بطَرُ الحقِّ ، وغمطُ الناس '

بطر الحق: أي رد الحق (عندما يعلم الإنسان بأنه ليس محقاً في قوله أو فكره ويرفض التنازل عنها)
غمط الناس: تصغيرهم والاستخفاف بهم

"No one will enter Paradise in whose heart there is a single grain of arrogance." A man said: But one likes his clothing to be nice and his shoes to be nice. He said: "Verily Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance is disregard for the truth and contempt for people."

This made me think about things around me, sometimes without notice we might have been arrogant in a certain period of time. To be aware of that is the key, let's all take a step back and think if we have ever disregarded the truth or thought of people to be less then us.

Ramadan is a great time to explore, reflect and contemplate.

Verse of the Day: (إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ)
Quran: 2/30 - #2
Extra activities: Think and make other people think!

Ramadan Dailies: #7

Success, yes, that is what I call today. Getting your idea through, finishing something huge, speaking to a dear friend, getting a sweet SMS all bring that feeling back.

I finished reading the Quraan yesterday, which is a success since its just the first week of Ramadan. Al Hamdella. Will try even harder now.

Feeling very person-sick, as in, missing somebody so much.


Verse of the Day: (ألم تر أنهم في كل وادٍ يهيمون، وأنهم يقولون مالا يفعلون)
Quran: 1/30 - #2
Extra activities: Offer my help and spend more "family-time"

Ramadan Dailies: #6

Today was yet another day full of blessings, from great friends to a great cheesecake!

Sometimes we forget to be thankful about what we have. I am truly blessed with great people that will always have my back & for that I truly thank Allah.

Yes an extremely tasty raspberry cheesecake by @Daazzy Thank You very much!

Photo credit: @LAlFalasi

Verse of the Day: (نرفع درجات من نشاء وفوق كل ذي علم عليم)
Quran: 25/30
Extra activities: Appreciate blessings

Ramadan Dailies: #5

Verse of the Day: (وَقُلْ رَبِّي زِدْنِي عِلْماً)
Quran: 18/30
Extra activities: Family time

Ramadan Dailies: #4

Finally the electricity is back! today was a bit challenging but indeed it taught me patience. The electricity was off for about 3 hours, good it was not before futoor or else that would have been hard with the heat!

Spent some of these hours reading Quran with this great creation: Philips LED Reading Book Light. It is light and fun to use, though I never really thought I'll need to use it with lights around but you never know!




Verse of the Day: ( لَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ )
Quran: 15/30
Extra activities: Patience and Peace

Ramadan Dailies: #3

First fasting day back in town, felt great and felt very much home. Photos I promised in my post yesterday! have a blessed day.

I like these screens!

Human traffic, the reason behind arriving late

Working on some research instead of sleeping, was very efficient!

Over the clouds

Ramadan Activity Counter

Quran: 8/30
Extra activities: More smiles and being more helpful

Ramadan Dailies: #2

(The following was written during the journey)

I am typing this in a notepad while everyone is snoring away amongst the clouds. Yes, my second Ramadan day was spent in air!

To avoid jet lag- I am holding my sleep for a decent one back home. Spending my flight hours in reading some research papers (Dr.C will be proud), watched one movie and will spend the rest of the flight reading Quraan.

I only had 3 hrs of rest yesterday due to my excitement! The ride to the airport went well and so was checking in, UNTIL we decided to wait a bit and be the last passengers.

Well I guess that wasn't a wise decision. We arrived at the checking point and was greeted by a screaming pilot which called his lungs out saying " I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU - ALL OVER THE PLACE".

He then had anyone that passed the check point "RUN" to the airplane. Seriously run. Anytime I would turn my face back to find any family member he'd scream "NO DONT STOP RUN". This was rather hilarious.

Alright that is it for now, 2 more hours until I land safe and sound. Will upload airport pictures in my next post (after landing and after rest!).

Ramadan Activity Counter

Verse of the Day: (لن تنالوا البر حتى تنفقوا مما تحبون وما تنفقوا من شيء فإن الله به عليم)
Quran: 6/30
Extra activities: Smiles, Thank You's and held her horses when she was discriminated upon by airport security!

Ramadan Dailies- #1

Ramadan is here and we all can feel it in spirit although I am far away from home. I will start blogging every Ramadan day updating what had I done and share with you some of my favorite Quraan verses or day incidents to keep with the spirits.

This is my first time to spend a Ramadan day abroad, the day is really long and I will be breaking the fast at 8:44 Pm which will require a bit more patience for a first day.

May this Month be as joyful to you and may your time be spent wisely.

(شهر رمضان الذي انزل فيه القران هدى للناس وبينات من الهدى والفرقان فمن شهد منكم الشهر فليصمه)

Ramadan Activity Counter:
Quran: 2/30

Attempt: Stop Motion

After several tries and HOURS spent editing and moving, I finished my first stop motion video! I hope you enjoy it and would appreciate your feedback!

Music Credit: The Call- Regina Spektor





This video is copyrighted to the author of this blog. Any form of distribution without permission is prohibited. Thank you!

CONNYLAND

Yesterday was a fun filled day spent at Connyland. I enjoyed playing all the rides and above all photographing! It was great finding new subjects to shoot! what I liked mostly was shooting emotions of people during rides.

I attended a Dolphin show and a Parrot show. (FACT: Dolphins were always my second favorite animal). Once upon a time, it was on my wish list of pets to get. Dolphins are the only animals that have a natural smile. That is my latest theory from looking at them.

Enjoy the photos!

I'm so lucky lucky

From Archives: July 3rd

laughing through the day thinking you are never boring(?)
speeding through the night maybe you not count the morning(?)

you can fool yourself i promise it will help
now every single day i just wanna hear you saying
I'm so lucky lucky I'm so lucky lucky
I'm so lovely lovely I'm so lovely lovely

There is More to Life!

There is one thing I hate technology for, and I catch myself guilty doing it. It is the fact that technology really makes us miss out on the world out there! What makes me say that is watching my siblings for the last week prefer to face a TV screen and play some video games when there is much they could do instead!

So I decided to take them out and show them the fun they can have as a family. And boy oh boy did they enjoy their self! I took them to the lake and rented a pedalo (a boat/bike) type of thing.One brother ended up in the lake and IT WAS COLD, don't know how he did it but I let him do it for the fun of it.

This man here had his boat on driving while he walked to put his flag up, a bit insane.

I ended up inviting them over lunch, we sat there and talked about the sea and their fishing experiences. I hope they realize, there is always more to life then technology, and anything technology-less is something family-full.