WannaBe Muslim

My uncle is currently in med school in the caribbean, he was off for about 2 weeks and actually left today to start up his third trimester. It was really great having him around for that time, i saw him almost every day and we hung out whenever I was free, we watched a bunch of movies together, met up with old friends and even ate a bunch of places. However I was really sad when i had to say goodbye to him yesterday. But insha Allah he'll be coming back in about 4 months and I'm sure I would have forgotten about him prolly by the end of this week, human nature after all.

One thing did hit me, as i was telling someone that he'd be returning in April, i thought to myself: 'hmm i wonder how much different i'll be in 4 months'. I mean think about it: ANYTHING can happen. Only God really knows. On that subject I really have to say about how amazed i really am with life in general. It really is crazy the events that we go through and how, in retrospect, everything seems to make sense and you see Divine wisdom in all the past events and as you wonder as to what God has in store for you in the next 4,5,20 months you can't help but say subhan Allah!

hmm what else? well we're now in the days of Dhul Hijjah. Scholars have noted that these are the most ten blessed days of the year! Can you belive that at this very moment THOUSANDS of people are arriving in Mecca and Medina EVERYDAY. subhan Allah! Think about it! I wonder how these people feel, i mean think about this example: you know how you wouldn't invite just anyone into your house? Even if you're part of an MSA andyou knwo like TONS of brothers and sisters, ther are just a few that you'd invite into your private sphere. The same, i belive, happens with the Hajj. There are billions of people on this earth, of them God has chosen a few million to come to His House, to walk those blessed streets, to make sajdah on that blessed ground, and to feel the blessed cool night breeze, to know that you are fulfilling one of the commandments that your Creator has given. To know that you are spending a week out of your life in submission to His obediance. This truly is remarkable. I hope that God, Almighty, accepts the 'ibadat and prayers of all the Hajjis and that He include us next year. =)

Hmm Insha Allah i'm going to try to be more frequent with my postings, insha Allah it'll improve my writing skills

Life .....

Wow livejournal, haven't written in ages, just like a good friend you're right there, a button click away on my links toolbar, ready to have me write another nonsensical entry filled with poor grammar. Hmmm so let's see what's goin on with me, what do i wanna get off of my chest/mind?

I think the theme of this entry is going to be about how hard it really is to be a good muslim, hmmm wait, is that the right term to use? what makes a 'good muslim'? What makes you a muslim? the shahada right? just the uttering of those blessed words? Yeah, i guess. so i guess it's correct in saying that it's tough being a 'good' muslim, right? yeah well, it's really tough ....

O God, I miss Ramadhan so much, i really do.... I mean you know how if someone close to you like a close relative or even one of your parents or best friend goes off to some other state or country and you just MISS them? that's how i'm feeling towards Ramadhan. You really dont see something's (or SOMEONE's) worth until it's gone. Subhan Allah! I mean thinking back to how easy things were in ramadhan really makes me see why it is so honored and why its station is so high with respect to all the other months.

But you dont realize it unless you actually sit down and reflect, we all just BUSY ourselves ALLLLLL THE TIME!! I mean I wake up late, barely enough time for a shower, throw on some clothes, get to the train station about a minute before the train does, cross the tracks before those bells start ringing and the long bar comes down, get some "shut eye" on the 50 minute train ride, then hurriedly jump out of the car along with about 100 other people and then make my way to the subway with about a thousand other people, walking fast, almost running, past people who are lost or just generally slow, go up another flight of stairs, wait impatiently for the train, get angry if i'm waiting for more than just a minute, get out of the train when my stop comes out with about 30 other commuters from your car and neighboring cars heading for one narrow flight of stairs, get outside, get on line for breakfast, get to work, busy yourself there, take this call, answer this email, arrange this meeting, go out with people for lunch, come back, get your work done, think about what you should do to fill up the remaining moments of the day before heading back into the subway and then train to finally get home, rest a little and then distract yourself and waste your time by going online oh until about or after midnight and then repeat. whew! I'm tired just writing all of that, now the problem is that half of the things or prolly more or just things i put on myself to give me temporal satisfaction, it's all part of the modern world: we all want things fast, theres fast food, thers remote controls, theres express pay, speed pass, EZPass, delivery, online stores, music "on demand": INSTANT GRATIFICATION. it's all just distractions.

BUt sometimes by the Mercy and Grace of God Almighty we're hit with Reality, it all then suddenly catches up with me, the lack of qur'an reading, the missed salats, how i treat my parents and other close friends, WHAT AM I REALLY DOING WITH MY LIFE! Ahhh i'm not living it the way i shoudl be, i'mnot in control, He is, why am I not acknowledging that fact? Why do i keep forgetting Him and where I'm eventually going? These moments of clarity are rare so if you ever catch one then grab hold of them and try not to let go. I feel so weak and helpless and so I let go, let go of all these distractions, i let go and I just submit, submit and plead, ask for forgiveness and for clarity. Clarity comes with tears, tears help to wash away all the blackness you've accrued on your heart. Clarity comes from this cleansed heart, Peace comes from this cleansed heart.

I guess I'm faced with one of these moments right now. Everything is just catching up to me. I pray for tears and for clarity.

WHAT A JUXTAPOSITION!!!!!!!!!

LIFE'S SO CRAZY ..... sooooo WEIRD-ness

aSalamu 'alaikoom to all!

AYAWMI-SHAREEF, 'EID MUBARAK TO ALL!!!

i haven't updated this thing at all, insha ALlah i will update soon, here are some upcoming topics in order so that i dont forget and also for keep all of you in suspense:

Unique 'eid experience
Me n Ramadhan
MSA IFtar Crashing/HOpping/Tour
Admonitions/Reminders for you n myself
Life after graduation
Misc

daaaaamn theres more, i've totally forgot them! Insha ALlah it'll come to me and i'll soon start writing!

only an hour left before this beautiful guest of mine leaves
leaving me sad and feeling bereaved
I hope God all High accepts my good deeds
overlooks the shortcomings and erased the sins
of I and my kin
may the lessons not be forgotton
and the pratices strong and consistent
may we keep reading the Book He sent
worship God and God alone as we were meant
may we grow in love of His Messenger, peace be upon him
who brought LIGHT into our lives which were before quite dim
Ameen.

Non-NY'ers ..... Dont hate *ahem* YUMZ

If you meet any TEN of this criteria, then YOU, my friend, are a REAL New Yorker. Out of Towners and Up State people need not apply.

1. You remember when MTA fare was $1.25
2. You have an attitude
3. Geography beyond Brooklyn is a mystery to you
4. You were a part of the NYC public school system at some time in your life
5. Anyone who has an accent and lives outside of NYC sounds 'country'.
6. You lock your doors and windows
7. There's a Chinese/Jamaican/Spanish/Pizza restaurant within a five mile radius of your house/apt.
8. You hate the Knicks, but love the Yankees.
9. If you agree with this statement: "God have mercy on the person that looks at you funny on the street"
10. You're used to police sirens and ambulances at night.
11. You shop regularly at a bodega aka corner store
12. Any movie you've seen about NYC (or filmed in NYC) you've recognized the location
13. The only thing you like about Jersey is the sales tax.
14. You've seen a fair share of crackheads
15. Your lungs are used to the pollution and you don't mind the water
16. You own any of the following: A Northface, a pair of tims or a pair of Jordans
17. You know (and love) Jimmy's
18. You only trust Dominicans with your hair regime (hell yea!)
19. Your idea of the mall is Fordham Road, Fulton Street, Jamaica Ave, 125th or 8th Street
20. You don't have a driver's license
21. You remember when Dr. Dre and Ed Lova was on Hot 97

brother: wtf

Auto response from haroonjooce: people i <3
family
misbah
salman
nazim
mohsin
mujeeb
and ....
you know who you are ;-)

brother: u didnt include me??
brother: forget it man
brother: forget it
brother: :-\
brother: 4 years
brother: down the drain
haroonjooce: seriously brother
brother: :-(
haroonjooce: you are a LOSER
haroonjooce: i only put those names on cuz they're online
brother: how come u didnt inclide me?
haroonjooce: or will be
brother: salman is online???
haroonjooce: i didn't see you online
brother: mujeeb is online??
haroonjooce: u do know there is a difference between love and <3 right?
brother: whatever man i love u more than any of those other guys
haroonjooce: LoL relax man
brother: do any of them always make dua for me?
brother: for u*
brother: do any of them always make dua for u*?
brother: whatever
brother: go <3 them
brother: forget me
brother: wasalaam
brother: good night
haroonjooce: dude you know all this is goin in my lj right?

Auto response from brother: nobody <3's me :-(

brother: yo man
brother: what we do
brother: is between me and u
haroonjooce: what is this? a ja rule song?
brother: lol
brother: im really laughing
brother: im going to sleep
brother: jerk
haroonjooce: damn
brother: u dont <3 me
brother is away at 1:09:08 AM.

The Night of the Middle of Shaban

It is related by Ali ibn Abi Talib (Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "On the night of the middle of Shaban, stand its night in worship, and fast its day, for verily in it Allah (Mighty and Majestic) descends with the setting of the sun unto the sky, saying: 'Is there not a seeker of My forgiveness that I may forgive him, is there not a seeker of My providence that I may provide for him,’ until day breaks." [Abd al-Razzaq & Ibn Majah 1388]

The middle of Shaban is TONITE!!

x- listed to a bunch of communities =)

i had thought that my last post would be the last i talk about kanye west, but he just proves to keep amazing me, here you go, watch this video

George Bush Hates Black People =)

just discovered Kanye West ... pretty good i think, though these lyrics are from his song 'Jesus Walks' they're still very meaningful and very appealing to me *especially* the last line

God show me the way because the Devil's tryna to break me down
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now
And I don't think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
I wanna talk to God but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long