The daily chronicle of my family as we embark on our quest to relocate from New York to Cairo... the impending journey to get there and the daily lives of myself, my husband and our four children... and other random thoughts while living in Cairo!

Looking to make contact with other Muslimahs who are like myself with small children living or will be living in a foreign country.

I invite you to share the experience with us as we try to make this happen!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Sisterhood.... where art thou?


Salaam Alaikum sisters and greetings to everyone else out there reading my little blurbs..... there has been much talk about sisterhood lately or should I say, the lack thereof. It seems many sisters have some serious issues with each other- and most don't even have a reason.... been there. As I've said before, women can be their own worst enemy.... most can't seem to get pass the "cattiness", back-biting, scandalous slander and just making ugly, sour faces at a sister for whatever reason you don't like.... and most don't even know WHY they don't like the other sister: does she dress nicer? Is she prettier? Is she smarter? Is she articulate? Is she married to a handsome brother? Does she have beautiful children? Does she wear slamming shoes? Some may read this and chuckle but these things some sisters have issues with for some stupid reason.... where is sisterhood these days???

I'm not telling you something that I haven't experienced myself especially in the beginning when I "reverted". Then I had a very good job that paid me very nicely, had a beautiful huge apartment in an upscale neighborhood and drove a very nice 4X4, MashaAllah. I later heard after a few gatherings in my home when I wanted to get to know the sisters better, that I was "flaunting" my wealth, thought I was better than others (?????) and was a know-it-all (because at the time I was working on my BS in registered nursing)... where did ALL that come from you ask? To tell you the truth, I don't know! The only thing I could conclude that it was based off of pure envy and jealousy... but why? I never treated anybody "less than" but just the opposite- I tried to make everyone feel very comfortable in my home. I even heard that I went out of my way to impress people with food!!! But I fed the sisters what I had in my freezer..... nothing special. Some said I couldn't possibly eat these things myself on a regular so I was looking to "impress"..... geesh. Lobster tails, shrimp and pasta was my favorite food (still is) but life was different then: great paying job, no kids, single and had access to buy those things regularly. But the long story short, you see how I was being bashed for no reason? Where's the love??? I was a new Muslim, new in this Islamic community and instead of embracing me for the love of Allah and as their new sister, some had their own personal issues with me. Needless to say, the gatherings slowed down to a halt and I immediately got rid of the soon-to-be found-out troublemakers.... I don't deal with garbage and if you have issues with me for SURE you're not welcomed in my home!

There is a sister on Facebook, who, MashaAllah, really tries to correct sisters whom she see might be going down the wrong path with sound, loving advice... but yet in return, she's being talked about and "deleted"..... and more than a few sisters have stated this has happened to them. If someone was posting pure rubbish, you get a million people who click the "like" button but post something about correcting people on their behavior and/or about what we should be doing as Muslims, people have a problem with that. Shouldn't you THANK your sister for pointing out the error and/or bad practice? What's wrong with us as women? As Muslimahs???

I think we ALL need to rethink our behavior as women..... but as Muslimahs FIRST because just being an ordinary woman, to me, means one thing: the back-biting, envy, jealousy, slander and nasty behavior might be acceptable to most BUT as a Muslim, these things are NOT acceptable.... and forbidden!

Love for your sister what you would love for yourself.... if your sister see you straying from the right path and pulls you up on it, don't go on the offensive and start talking smack.... thank her for caring enough to want to tell you. Some people won't even bother to correct you but laugh at you behind your back and spread gossip about your short-comings.... believe it.... it happens out there amongst us Muslimahs more than some people realize. Your sister want you to be pleasing to the Al-Mighty, Most-Merciful, Oft-Forgiving..... if she didn't care about you and your Hereafter, she would keep her 2 cents to herself!!!

I think we need to learn to love one another truthfully and stop being so petty.... and I include myself as well as I use to have the tendency to cut people off at their first offense..... my old three-strike rule: it's not right because I'm a Muslim now and this isn't proper. My husband corrected me on this issue when we first married... he told me Muslims don't cut off their relation with their brothers/sisters because they might have done something to hurt you... and he was right. Honestly, I don't do it nowhere near like how I used to (maybe 3-4 times since reverting) but when someone REALLY violates, I mentally wipe their name off the list.... like you never existed.... working on that....... I'm human.

Let's all ask Allah (SWT) this upcoming Ramadan to forgive us for our sins and let's make an effort to show REAL love for one another.... and not just for the month of Ramadan!

Friday, July 16, 2010

My henna addiction... and other stuff


Jumaa Mubarak everyone!

Just trying to keep my promise of stopping by to post a little something to let you know I'm still here- I think Fridays will be my posting day... a little more free time.

I'm here trying to decide on what's for lunch... what's for dinner.... and I want to become a little more active here since me and the hubby were discussing "the future" last night. It looks like for sure now we intend to make this place our home. So, I'm thinking about what I can do so I can feel like my old self again. Since I can't attend masjid here, there aren't any projects/gatherings or committees to join..... so what is a sister to do? Groups here come and go: people attend in droves then disappear for lack of interest, other commitments, family issues, moving back to their countries and the list goes on. I was trying to establish an Islamic clothing store here but the owner of the shop turned out to be a real jerk so I let the spot go... I'm not trying to create more of a headache for myself! They ARE a unique breed..... lol

So the idea is to maybe sell some stuff online and from another location here if I find a decent spot- hijabs, abayas, intimate apparel, a few thobes for men and boys and those prayer garments for girls which I see some people actually wear outside around here.... I invested in some quality stuff not garbage and I contacted one of my best girlfriend's who lives in Mecca and shipped some very nice (and different) clothing here... I have the need to do something so I think I'll see how this little venture goes....

Anyway, I gotta ask again: if any of you sisters here in Cairo are reading this, does anyone know of a GOOD henna artist??? I'm like really craving a nice henna job with REAL henna NOT black dye!!!!! If ya do, holla back at a sista.... all I can do around here is "ohhh" and "ahhh" over Ash Kumar designs.... his stuff you can get replicated in any decent henna salon home but here.... it's just a dream...... :)

Until next time.... take care, be good, stay positive and try to remember to make dua for your sisters!!!