The Forbidden Love By Kamal el-Mekki

It May Be Broken, but It Is Still My Country

  As the deadline for the decision on Sudan's fate approaches, I feel many emotions. For the longest time I've learned about Sudan's issues; the north vs. the south, but I never thought that I would be here witnessing my country's division. I left Sudan when I was five years old, but I've gone back to visit many times and during those visits I developed a strong bond with the land and it's people. It hurts me to know that so many lives were lost as a result of war and now it's as though those lives were lost for nothing. My uncle died in Sudan's civil war 17 years ago and whenever the division is brought up in a conversation or shown on television, I can see the sadness in my mother's eyes. Her brother gave up his life for his country, but he didn't sacrifice his life for Sudan to be broken into two. Some say that the only way to achieve peace is through separation, but I just can't get myself to believe that they have finally come to a final conclusion as tremendous as this.

"Mothers Love for Sudan" by Joi Wilson

 After witnessing the discrimination and racism displayed towards the Southern Sudanese citizens, in a way, I don't blame them for wanting to leave. The Sudanese government, which is majorly run by Arab Northerners has been extremely unfair towards the Southerners and they have imposed on them many laws that are utterly ridiculous. Besides displaying prejudice and racism towards the Southern Sudanese citizens, the government has left the majority, whether residing in Khartoum or in Juba, in complete poverty. The Southerners cannot find jobs to help feed their families, and the Sudanese government is not aiding in any manner what so ever.

  A long time ago, people had high hopes for Sudan; they saw the promise of coexistence in a country where both Muslims and Christians, as well as Arabs and Africans resided together. Now, as the almost definite division approaches, it's evident that, that dream was only an "illusion"; a dream that would never become a reality. I remember when I was in elementary school, the other kids would always ask me, "where are you from?" I would answer, "I'm from Sudan." They would than ask me, "Where's that?" I would reply,"it's in the north and it's the biggest country in Africa." I would never forget to mention that it was the biggest country Africa; I don't know why, but at the time I held so much pride in the fact that Sudan was the largest in Africa, but now all of that doesn't matter to me anymore. The size of the land is not the issue of the matter; the issue is that the people are going to be divided and it's heartbreaking to have that occur.

I Am Freedom

It's going to take a lot of time for me to get used to the idea of there being a Northern and a Southern Sudan. When I was in Sudan in 2010 I took a trip to the market to buy my friends little artifacts to bring back as gifts. Many of the market vendors would insist on selling me maps of Sudan; they would tell me to hurry up and buy a map of Sudan united before the division in January. Even hearing about the separation from the mouths of Sudanese people was not enough to convince me. I was sure that they would fix their problems, and the country would continue on the way it has for years. I was wrong; Sudan will not go on the way it has, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I have hopes that maybe Sudan, both the north and south, will prosper and develop into better nations than they have ever been in the past.

To read more on the conflict in Sudan, go to Sudan: History of a Broken Land

Modest Inspiration

Coat: Oasis, Dress: A Wear

Vintage Trousers

Dress: Maria Lucia Hohan  featured: Louise E.

Ms Judgments

I love love love this video. It's absolutely brilliant and in just under a minute, it makes its point that thou shall not judge!

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."  -Mother Theresa

One of my least favorite words that I hear thrown around oh so much is the term judgmental. Sometimes I feel like the whole world is judgmental and on top of that, everyone claims to be the victim. I know I'm not the one to be speaking because I know I've judged people in my lifetime, both knowingly and not knowingly, but I'm trying to get rid of that horrible habit. By constantly claiming to be the victim, you're never going to grow as a person and as a human being, it's okay to make mistakes. I challenge you to go one entire day without passing one single judgment; neither thinking nor making any comment that would be considered judgmental. Let me know how your experience goes!

Quick Hijab Tutorial

 

A reader requested that I post more hijab tutorials, so here's one I loved. I hope you love it too InshAllah.

Innocent

I guess you really did it this time
Left yourself in your warpath
Lost your balance on a tightrope
Lost your mind tryin' to get it back

Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?
Always a bigger bed to crawl into
Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?
And everybody believed in you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not what you've been
You're still an innocent

There's some things you can't speak of
But tonight you'll live it all again
You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now
If only you could see what you know now then

Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?
And everything out of reach, someone bigger brought
down to you?
Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep?
Before the monsters caught up to you?

Time turns flames to embers
You'll have new Septembers
Everyone of us has messed up too

Lives change like the weather
I hope you remember
Today is never too late to
Be brand new

Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

Lost your balance on a tightrope
It's never too late to get it back

- Taylor Swift

These lyrics make me cry; they are a testimony to the lives of anyone who has ever felt like they are no longer innocent because of their past. I know what it feels like to have regrets that constantly haunt me. It's good to feel remorse, but it's also important to know that Allah is the most forgiving and if you become so engulfed in our past you can't move forward. Your past does not define who you are now. 

Maintaning Hijab Hair

Now How many times has this happened to you? Tell the truth! haha I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've left my hijab on when it was just me and a few other girls all because my hair was in not so good condition. I also can't tell you how many times I've kept my hijab on when it was just me..alone..in a room... all by myself. Yes ladies, it's gotten that bad lol. I'm happy to say that there is a solution to this issue. As mahajabah's, sometimes we let ourselves go and we begin to carry the mindset that our hair doesn't need to be groomed because it's not visible. This negligence towards our hair will catch up to us one day, as we can't always have our hijabs on; it's not fair to ourselves.

Hijab Hair Tips:

Do Not put your hijab on when your hair is wet---your hair & your hijab will smell bad and your hair will frizz

• Wear your hair up in a high, but loose bun to lift your roots and avoid flat hair

•  Do Not tie your hair up with a tight hair band----tie your hair using a scrunchy or a loose band (never use elastic!), otherwise you will notice your hair falling out.

• Wear a different hair style every once in a while. Instead of using a hair band, use bobby pins to tie your hair. 

• Avoid straightening your hair or blow drying it

•  Do Not wear a tight head band underneath your hijab---this can slow down the circulation in the scalp causing hair loss, dandruff, and oil production. 

• Wear hijabs that are season appropriate. If your wearing heavy pashmina's during the summer, your scalp will sweat, which is not good. 
• Massage your scalp everyday and leave your hair down the majority of the time your at home.

When at home, wear your hair in a high, but loose bun as stated in the hijab hair tips

Beautiful Mosques Around the World

I want to travel the world, and see all the wonders it has to offer. InshAllah one day, I hope to pray in all of these mosques, starting with Masjid Al Haram.

 Saudia Arabia

 United Arab Emirate

 Brunei

Egypt

Turkey

 Malaysia

Russia

“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” - Kahlil Gibran

SubhanAllah, why does it have to take a calamity for us to realize that it is Allah who is the greatest? During my short journey in this life thus far, I have seen many people fall to ego and the tricks of shaitan. As human beings, we go throughout our lives, in particular during our youth, thinking that we are in fact the greatest and that we are invincible, but when we are nearing death, it hits us that we are nothing but flesh and bones.
 A person very dear to me battled ego and arrogance throughout their life time, but it  wasn't until they fell ill, that they began to give Allah the credit He truly deserves. This disease transformed from what many would call a curse, into a blessing in disguise. In many cases, an illness is a blessing; a reminder from Allah that He is the one in control, not us.