Eid Mubarak Ya Muslimin

This is probably the last day before Eid. Inshallah I hope we have all reaped the benefits of this blessed month. There are a couple reminders though. One, Inshallah is that whatever you were doing in Ramadhan that was good that you continue in the same fashion after Ramadhan. The other is that we remember to fast the first 6 days of Shawwal. This holds great rewards.

Here are a couple duas to say leading up to Eid-ul-Fitr:

Before last Iftar:

Oh Allah, please accept all of my prayers, fasting, and remembrance of You during this blessed month.Please forgive me for the shortcomings in my worship and help me improve by next Ramadan.Ya Allah, help me continue the good habits I have acquired during Ramadan.Oh Allah, please make me of the righteous, the guided, and those You love.Ya Allah, please guide me and my family to the Straight Path and help us become excellent Muslims for Your sake.I worship only You and only from You do I seek help. Please increase Your bounty for me.

For EID:

Ya Allah, open our hearts towards our neighbors.Ya Allah, open the hearts of our neighbors towards us.Ya Allah, unite the Muslims in the USA and the world to serve Allah's creation to please Him.Ya Allah, give Sabr (patience) and freedom to the innocent prisoners and guide those who are at fault.Ya Allah, You take care of the oppressed. Please help the oppressed in Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq, India, Chechnya, Somalia and other parts of the world.Ya Allah, guide oppressors to the right path and move the hearts of extremists from the harmful path.Ya Allah, give wisdom to our leaders; accept their sacrifice; bless them with more courage.

I pray that we all have a wonderful Eid in an Islamic fashion.

Image source

The End is near.

I am somehow here writing about the end of Ramadhan. Most of you will agree with me that it has flown by unnoticed. I noticed. This is the first Ramadhan that I have been tired and worn out. At times, even sujuuding during Taraweh seemed to frighten my knees. I am not sure if its age making its claim on my body or my body screaming that it needs nourishment. Alaayeta3al, its almost done right? Nope.

Last week as I looked at my calender, I started getting my ducks in a row. Eid was near and I had to get certain things done. Shopping was at the top of the list. Don't you hate shopping in crowds? I do, I detest it with a passion. This year I was going to do things differently. I took my sisters shopping 1 & 1/2 weeks before Eid. Just in time to get the new shipment of skirts and easy pickings. Each of them has three outfits and an abaya for prayers. Magda, the Egyptian abaya lady, knows me from my abayas. I don't get my abayas from her. Since going to Egypt I bought a ton of them plus I have a source who sends them to me once in a while. This year, she asked if I had my abaya ready and I said no.

She smiled and went on to talk with my sisters regarding who fasted the most. My youngest sibling won that contest and got a huge hug from Magda. I knew she was helping me in putting positive reinforcements that fasting is a wonderful thing to do as muslims, and I loved Magda for that. I looked left and right at the abayas and I knew at the mosque every somali would be donning one. I choose a couple for my siblings and talked some more about Egypt with Magda. She wanted the number of the English speaking taxi driver who drove me around while I was in Egypt (did I ever tell you guys that story?)

I promised to text her the number and went home laden with shopping bags. That night I got a call from my mother. She had somehow gotten from Somalia to the Middle East. Knowing my obsession with abayas, she asked me if I wanted some. I yelled with glee and the volume increased when she told me she had already sent them ahead. I thought, Alhadullilah one thing less to worry about.

Then I remembered about Zakatul Fitr. I had to pay it this year and I didn't know if I had to do it for my siblings too since I was the taking care of them now. As I was mulling this over, one of my siblings came in to talk to me (this sibling we lovingly call sheikha). I told her what I was worried about and she waved it off telling me that my dad had taken care of it. Huh? I remembered that my dad had called at the beginning of Ramadhan to let me know that he was going for Umrah. Apparently at the time he told my sister he had paid for all our Zakat including my mom. Yeah, another one bites the dust!

I took my days off from work and I will be family hopping, giving hugs to extended families, giving money to lil kids and kicking back this Eid. I am excited that I probably pulled off the least nerve racking Eid ever. Alls left to do is make deserts for the house and coordinate prayer transportation.

Eid Mubarak to everyone. Spend time with your family and kiss/hug them to bits.Finally, I hope you all gathered your blessing of Ramadhan and continue in the spirit.