A Letter to Little Miss Muffet, may Allah bless YOU

The following is an open letter by Sister Sunshine Smiles to Little Miss Muffet thanking her for all the positive difference she has made in her life. 

Dear Little Miss Muffet,

This one is for you! A tribute to the amazing person you are. For everything you have done for me, for the innumerous ways in which you have touched my life, for being such a simple inspiration, for being the guiding light, for showing me the right way when my vision gets blurry, for all the things for which I fail to find words of gratitude to thank you enough right now but most of all, For being an amazing friend- A friend who sincerely wishes for my best, In this world and the hereafter.

The start of our friendship dates back to school days that has given me memories I will cherish forever. Those were the days when we were growing up to the world and had absolutely no idea on how life would be treating us or where we would be heading. The fear of what the future holds for us and those endless conversations about literally anything and everything. And then we graduated from school and hit universities moving different ways in the hope of shaping brighter futures unaware of when we would be meeting or seeing each other again.

Little did we know that our lives were headed to a totally different journey. It sure did take us a while to recognize our original destination but nonetheless we found the true reason for our existence.

We have grown from naive girls to wiser ladies Alhumdulillah and none of this would be possible without the different challenges that we have been tested upon and learnt well from.

I thank Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala) for bringing and keeping you in my life for you have been a guiding light in showing me the way that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala) has ordained for each one of us. I have witnessed you grow from a struggling caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly MashaAllah and it gives me immense pleasure to be a spectator of such a life.

For those of you who do not know, she is the main reason why I am even writing here today. Hence the extreme gratitude and special write dedicated just for her. Had it not been for her suggesting Habibi Halaqas to me I would never have had this wonderful opportunity myself. May Allah bless and reward her immensely for her efforts. So Readers, Go click on “Suggest to Friends” option now, You just might be making a huge difference in somebody’s life.

She has also been an inspiration on my Hijab front. From the place I come from, Culture blinds people so much that Hijab isn’t of importance to most of them. But by being her own simple, self explanatory example, she inspired me to research more and find a way through for it. This is another, yet developing story in itself. I shall elaborate more on this in another write InshaAllah.

The other day, when I read the quote saying, “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” I couldn’t help but relate it to how my Little Miss Muffet has made an impact on my life though she is miles away from me. We pursue different paths in life but something deep down has kept us connected strong and that is the journey to loving our Lord, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala)

I knew that my knowledge on Islam was very limited and reflected ignorance in many aspects earlier and though we live in different parts of the world, our long distance chats on what is right and what isn’t (Three cheers for technology!!!) gave me reason to research and explore my knowledge pertaining my Deen; To question my doubts and find answers to each one of them. Those long hours of time invested for a good cause has been a driving force to continuously seek knowledge and plant the seed of Faith deeper in my heart.

May Allah bless you abundantly for all the things and the ways you make a difference in, for your selflessness and struggle to reach a better place in Akhira. May He always bless you with the best in this life and the hereafter InshaAllah. At the same time, May He forgive us for our sins and keep us on the straight path always. And may he accept from us all the good that we do or intend to do InshaAllah.

PS Miss Muffet- My heart fills with awe and gratitude when I think of how blessed I have been to have somebody as lovely a person as you are in my life.

May we always stay the same or even better InshaAllah and I hope everybody meets a person like you once in their lifetime to experience true friendship. May you always keep smiling and be the sunshine that brightens up people’s lives.

Please take a lesson from this and go out and help someone in their iman so they cherish your help for the rest of their lives and invoke Allah's blessings on you!

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A Beautiful Story: how my patient became my doorway to Islam

A Beautiful Story

My name is Cassie, I am 23 years old. I graduated as a qualified nurse this year and was given my first position as a home nurse.

My patient was an English gentleman in his early 80s who suffered from Alzheimer's. In the first meeting, the patient was given his record and from it I could see that he was a convert to the religion of Islam, therefore he was a Muslim.

I knew from this that I would need to take into account some modes of treatment that may go against his faith, and therefore try to adapt my care to meet his needs. I brought in some ‘halal’ meat to cook for him and ensured that there was no pork or alcohol in the premises as I did some research which showed that these were forbidden in Islam.

My patient was in a very advanced stage of his condition so a lot of my colleagues could not understand why I was going through so much effort for him. But I understood that a person who commits to a faith deserves that commitment to be respected, even if they are not in a position to understand.

Anyway after a few weeks with my patient I began to notice some patterns of movement.

At first I thought it was some copied motions he's seen someone doing, but I saw him repeat the movement at particular time; morning, afternoon, evening.

The movements were to raise his hands, bow and then put his head to the ground. I could not understand it. He was also repeating sentences in another language, I couldn’t figure out what language it was as his speech was slurred but I know the same verses were repeated daily.

Also there was something strange, he didnt allow me to feed him with my left hand (I am left-handed).

Somehow I knew this linked to his religion but didn't know how.

One of my colleagues told me about paltalk as a place for debates and discussions and as I did not know any Muslims except for my patient I thought it would be good to speak to someone live and ask questions. I went on the Islam section and entered the room ‘True Message'.

Here I asked questions regarding the repeated movements and was told that these were the actions of prayer. I did not really believe it until someone posted a link of the Islamic prayer on youtube.

I was shocked.

A man who has lost all memory of his children, of his occupation, and could barely eat and drink was able to remember not only actions of prayer but verses that were in another language.

This was nothing short of incredible and I knew that this man was devout in his faith, which made me want to learn more in order to care for him the best I could.

I came into the paltalk room as often as I could and was given a link to read the translation of the Quran and listen to it.

The chapter of the ‘Bee’ gave me chills and I repeated it several times a day.

I saved a recording of the Quran on my iPod and gave it to my patient to listen to, he was smiling and crying, and in reading the translation I could see why.

I applied what I gained from paltalk to care for my patient but gradually found myself coming to the room to find answers for myself.

I never really took the time to look at my life; I never knew my father, my mother died when I was 3, me and my brother were raised by our grandparents who died 4 years ago, so now its just the two of us.

But despite all this loss, I always thought I was happy, content.

It was only after spending time with my patient that felt like I was missing something. I was missing that sense of peace and tranquility my patient, even through suffering felt.

I wanted that sense of belonging and a part of something that he felt, even with no one around him.

I was given a list of mosques in my area by a lady on paltalk and went down to visit one. I watched the prayer and could not hold back my tears.

I felt drawn to the mosque every day and the imam and his wife would give me books and tapes and welcome any questions I had.

Every question I asked at the mosque and on paltalk was answered with such clarity and depth that could do nothing but accept them.

I have never practiced a faith but always believed that there was a God; I just did not know how to worship Him.

One evening I came on paltalk and one of the speakers on the mic addressed me. He asked me if I have any questions, I said no. He asked if I was happy with the answers I was given, I said yes.

He asked then what was stopping me accepting Islam, I could not answer.

I went to the mosque to watch the dawn prayer. The imam asked me the same question, I could not answer.

I then went to tend to my patient, I was feeding him and as I looked in his eyes I just realized, he was brought to me for a reason and the only thing stopping me from accepting was fear.... not fear in the sense of something bad, but fear of accepting something good, and thinking that I was not worthy like this man.

That afternoon I went to the mosque and asked the imam if I could say my declaration of faith, the Shahadah.


He helped me through it and guided me through what I would need to do next.

I cannot explain the feeling I felt when I said it.

It was like someone woke me up from sleep and sees everything more clearly.

The feeling was overwhelming joy, clarity and most of all.... peace.

The first person I told was not my brother but my patient.

I went to him, and before I even opened my mouth he cried and smiled at me.

I broke down in front of him, I owed him so much.

I came home logged on to paltalk and repeated the shahadah for the room.

They all helped me so much and even though I had never seen a single one of them, they felt closer to me than my own brother.

I did eventually call my brother to tell him and although he wasn’t happy, he supported me and said he would be there, I couldn't ask for any more.

After my first week as a Muslim my patient passed away in his sleep while I was caring for him. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon.

He died a peaceful death and I was the only person with him.

He was like the father I never had and he was my doorway to Islam.

From the day of my Shahadah to this very day and for every day for as long as I live, I will pray that Allah shows mercy on him and grant him every good deed I perform in the tenfold.

I loved him for the sake of Allah and I pray each night to become an atoms weight of the Muslim he was.

Islam is a religion with an open door; it is there for those who want to enter it.... Verily Allah is the Most Merciful, Most Kind.

* note * Our sister Cassie passed away October 2010 Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon, after she gave da'wa to her brother, who had accepted Islam Alhamdulillah.

May Allah subhaana wa ta'ala grant sister Cassie Paradise Ameen Ya Rabb.

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True Story: "How I Made Up my 45+ Fasts"

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By: "Sr.Silent Ink"

I don’t know where to start with my story. My story is not so different from many other sisters.

My story is deep with emotions and struggles, but there is only so much I can write.

Insha’Allaah, what I want to achieve from writing this is to please Allaah. I want to expose an issue that is common among many sisters.

While I fasted during Ramadan year after year, I missed a couple of fasts during Ramadan due to natural reasons (menstruation). There are so many of us, especially sisters, with this issue. Missing fasts due to menstruation during Ramadan, and not doing anything about it.

‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “We were commanded to make up the missed fasts but we were not told to make up the prayers.” (Agreed upon)

I had so many fasts that piled up over the years that I didn’t make-up.

When I became part of my college MSA, Allaah increased my iman and guided me to make righteous friends. I remember hearing constantly that fasts missed during Ramadan due to a valid reason, such as menstruation, had to be made-up. It was something I owed to Allaah. It was a duty I had to fulfill.

Something that kept scaring me about my missed fasts was death. I knew and thought that death is indeed inevitable. We must all go one day … and what if I leave this world tomorrow to meet my Lord and I haven’t made-up my missed fasts ! This thought scared me so much !

Allaah says in the Qur’aan:

“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can”

[al-Taghaabun 64:16]

I sat down and told myself I would fast and make up everything I missed. There I was trying to figure out how many I had missed. The number was a whopping 45+ .

I told myself I would fast on the days I didn’t have long hours of class or work. So, I would fast Mondays and Thursday, as it is a Sunnah. I would make the intention to make-up my fard missed fasts and fast during these days.

Then I realized I could also fast on the weekends so I began to fast Fridays, Saturday and Sundays as well. I kept track by drawing “X”s on my calendar with a big black Sharpie. Soon, I was fasting all week and there were “X”s all over my calendar.

There were times when I was fasting and it would be Maghrib time. I would be in class, so I would break my fast in class with water and a date. Then, walk outside the class, made wudoo . I would then pray in a stairwell. Would I miss prayer for class ? No way. I, as the rest of mankind, was created to worship and I know my purpose in this world.

After prayer, I would go back to class. My professor always looked at me but never said anything, which I am thankful to Allaah for. He would always look up when I got out of my seat and when I returned, he would give me a knowing smile.

By the time I realized that I should keep count of how many more I needed to make-up, I was well over 60 made up fasts. Subhan’Allaah.

The days went quickly, and I lost count.

I look at my calendar with all the “X”s and I know how hard I worked in the path of Allaah. How hard I worked to please my Lord. How I would not take a chance in keeping a fard duty to my Lord.

People ask me often, “ How did you do it ?” Their faces shine with amazement, while I look at them with a contented heart that is indeed thankful to Allaah.

I think it is the will power to obey Allaah. The willingness to please Allaah and to make sure my duties are accomplished in this world before I meet Him. I would not just turn my back on so many fasts I had to make up !

What advice do I have ? You should repent to Allaah for the delay, make the intention to make them up, and then try your best to fast one day at a time insha’Allaah.

AllaahuAkbar – Allaah is the Greatest. It is hard to imagine and think about how Allaah guided me to actually make up those fasts. Alhamdulillah.

I look back to that time and I remember many moments. I remember waking up for suhr early in the morning while the sky was black and eating a banana ordrinking a glass or water so I could fast. At that time, everyone in my house would be asleep. As for me, I would be awake trying my best to keep my duty to my Lord.

In school and at work, people would constantly eat in front of me, which was difficult for me sometimes. They would offer and I would politely decline. While at work, they began to notice that I would be fasting so they would make jokes and say,

“ Every time I see you, you are always fasting !”

Alhamdulillah. All praise is due to Allaah.

Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu ‘alayhi wassallam said:

“Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will keep his face seventy years distance from Hell,” (al-Nasaa’i, 2247;)

Do you know what happened after making up my fasts ? Fasting has become a constant type of worship for me. Now, I try to fast every Mondays and Thursdays. In addition, I also fast the 13th, 14th and 15th of the Islamic Months.

If you have fard fasts that you have to make-up in your situation, don’t delay. Remember death is bound to come and there are no more second chances once it comes to you.

While we have time, we should do our best to obey and worship Allaah by following the Qur'aan and Sunnah in this big, big, big test ; Life.

“Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed...” ( 67:2)

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