Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Arafat Fasting
Tomorrow is a special day for Muslims, The Day of Arafat, a day where the Muslims who are doing hajj stay at the mount of Arafat and listen to the sermon there, it must be so hard to fast that day and sit out in the sun. Those of us who are not blessed to be doing our hajj also can fast where ever we are but it’s not compulsory.
We are advised to fast this fasting wipes out the sins of the previous and the coming year.
How does this relate to food…because of fasting, let me see if I can find my take on Swiss Bircher muesli and perfect food for getting through the day…found it and here it is, I hope you like it
Ingredients
Ingredients
1/2 cup 6 oz 150g rolled porridge oats
¼ cup 3 oz 75g dried sultanas or raisins
¼ cup 3 oz 75g dried sultanas or raisins
1 cup 8 oz 235 ml milk
1 Apple
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
100ml natural yogurt
25g flaked almonds, toasted
150g Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries
1 Apple
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
100ml natural yogurt
25g flaked almonds, toasted
150g Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
7 dried dates
1 tbsp Clear honey
1 tbsp Clear honey
1 tsp black seeds
Method
1. Place the oats and sultanas in a plastic container that has a lid
2. Cut the dates open and check to make sure there are no insects inside and chop again and add to oats and sultanas
3. Add the spices; cinnamon and ginger
4. Into the oat mix, stir in the coconut
5. Add the milk and make sure it well mixed in to the oats
6. Wash and drain the apple and berries, chop the apple into small pieces and add to the oats immediately otherwise the apple will go brown, take any green bits of the berries, black berries or raspberries add them in and strawberries half or quarter them
7. Cover with an airtight lid and place in fridge overnight
8. Take out of fridge when ready to eat and place quantity you want in bowl
9. Pour yogurt over the top
10. Drizzle with honey
11. And sprinkle with black seeds…up up and away!
Saturday, 13 November 2010
London Citizens- the Bengali Connection
While attending Digital Activism at MRCF, i listened to an inspiring presentation by Jessica Kennedy of West London Citizens, who explained the positive changes they have been part of and that they are a part of London Citizens which is in turn part of Citizens UK.
Having heard that they did a lot of work in Tower Hamlets , where my second “adopted me “Muslim family/community are from, I decided to ask about London Citizens from my Bengali family.I went to Ummrah Pilgrimage to Saudia Arabia last year with Ibrahim College, who teach Arabic and Islamic Studies in East London. They told me the College is a part of London Citizens; who are very demanding in a positive way, mashallah (as God would have it be) and recommend that I link up with a feisty assertive hijaabi Bengali sister who works for London Citizens. I need to ask Jessica who she is and interview her. I am part of the filming making process there this week for Migrant Refugees Communities Forum at the 5th Anniversary Event of West London Citizens in Hammersmith.
So should you have a passion to make a positive change for London, come and join us,
5th Anniversary Assembly
West London Citizens
19.00 to 21.00
Thursday 18th November 2010
Hammersmith Town Hall
Kings Street
Hammersmith
W6 7JU
For more info email
Tel: 0203 355 6508
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
THE KITCHEN.....a place of meeting
We are a faith based organisation based off London's famous Portobello Road,Notting Hill, interested in promoting well being of mind body and soul.using the concept of kitchen as a meeting place for women for thousands of years and the activites that go on in the kitchen like speaking and discussing and laughing and singing.For this reason the posts on this blog will be varied and succulent like roasted lamb or stuffed peppers.
Kitchen is a place of warmth and welcoming.
Women in the kitchen have often been perceived as the stereo typical mama, only capable of cleaning the floor and roasting chicken..we are here to reclaim and re define this space of kitchen as a space of creativity and true change inshallah!
Kitchen is a place of warmth and welcoming.
Women in the kitchen have often been perceived as the stereo typical mama, only capable of cleaning the floor and roasting chicken..we are here to reclaim and re define this space of kitchen as a space of creativity and true change inshallah!
World change begins at home
Recent murmurings of discontent of educated Muslim sisters all over the world about the mediorce standard of eligible men for marriage.I used to think it was just me ; my age, that bit older, a bit too much attitude for most Muslim men- reverts as well as born Muslims .
I suppose I am alienating myself even more from men by writing this but i was never very good at playing 'dumb blonde'...AND as my grandfather used to say"anyone can bend down and pick up s**t!"
I tried different ways of getting married within what is considered halal, getting married quick not even meeting parents,because brothers use the haddith "there are three thigns you shouldnt delay, maariage, prayer ad burying a dead body", this haddith needs explanation.
I marryied someone i didn't fancy because I had been on my own for three years and was financially sailing abit close too the wind(maybe that was Shatan whispering )and I thought I shouldn't be superficial not knowing that facial feeatures are mentioned in haddith ,that there should be some sort of physical attraction, something that ugly brothers try to manipulate, may allah help them and us too ameeen.
I marryied some one I fancied and my lust made me ignore his abusive behaviour before marraige and I allowed myself to be fooled by his thobe and beard .
So now after Islamic counselling I am taking my time and sitting on my throne and loving and respecting myself, even though the many brothers maashallah I reject try to knock me down and harass me , some even telling that I should know my place.... and where would that be brother ??? under your thumb and maybe in your case under your foot or locked in your wardrobe?
the following is an extract from an article on zawaj.com
http://www.zawaj.com/american-muslim-women-complain-of-lack-of-good-suitors/
“All my friends were getting married by the age of 22, so, naturally, I wanted to be part of the “wedding club,” she recalls. “And, of course, there was this romantic notion that it would be the love story of love stories.”
Afaf started feeling the pressure as her friends talked endlessly about wedding dresses, halal caterers and honeymoons, even though she had not been planning on getting married while in college.
“For whatever reason, getting married seemed to be the only, if not main, goal they strived for,” she says. “So, I felt I had to have this goal as well, and felt lacking among my friends that I was not married upon completion of my undergraduate studies.”
Thus began her search after graduating from college. When suitors came knocking, Afaf was surprised at the mediocrity of the suitors available and was left wondering, “Where are all the ‘good guys’?”
Afaf, now a first-year law student, is one of thousands of American Muslim women between the ages of 25 and 30 struggling to find a decent suitor. Educated, pious, beautiful and accomplished, these women should have a gaggle of like-minded men waiting outside their doors. Unfortunately, the few, if any, men who approach these women appear less than satisfactory."
Too many brothers try hard at developing that "out side of the house" character, you kow the one that goes to the masjid and strokes the beard while quoting quran and sunnah.They neglect the most important part of their character becasue they forget that Allah is the All Hearing and All Seeing Allah who sees and hears how these brothers treat their wives and children at home.
I propose that when parents become more concious of their lack of islam at home in particular in their treatement of the wife then our genral conditon as Mulsim will improve inshallah, as the Prophet of Allah salah al alahi wa salem said in his last speech" The best of you is the best to their wives and I am the best to my wives".
I suppose I am alienating myself even more from men by writing this but i was never very good at playing 'dumb blonde'...AND as my grandfather used to say"anyone can bend down and pick up s**t!"
I tried different ways of getting married within what is considered halal, getting married quick not even meeting parents,because brothers use the haddith "there are three thigns you shouldnt delay, maariage, prayer ad burying a dead body", this haddith needs explanation.
I marryied someone i didn't fancy because I had been on my own for three years and was financially sailing abit close too the wind(maybe that was Shatan whispering )and I thought I shouldn't be superficial not knowing that facial feeatures are mentioned in haddith ,that there should be some sort of physical attraction, something that ugly brothers try to manipulate, may allah help them and us too ameeen.
I marryied some one I fancied and my lust made me ignore his abusive behaviour before marraige and I allowed myself to be fooled by his thobe and beard .
So now after Islamic counselling I am taking my time and sitting on my throne and loving and respecting myself, even though the many brothers maashallah I reject try to knock me down and harass me , some even telling that I should know my place.... and where would that be brother ??? under your thumb and maybe in your case under your foot or locked in your wardrobe?
the following is an extract from an article on zawaj.com
http://www.zawaj.com/american-muslim-women-complain-of-lack-of-good-suitors/
A Few Good Men: American Muslim women bemoan lack of “good” male suitors
Afaf*, 25, has been searching for a husband for a solid two years to no avail.“All my friends were getting married by the age of 22, so, naturally, I wanted to be part of the “wedding club,” she recalls. “And, of course, there was this romantic notion that it would be the love story of love stories.”
Afaf started feeling the pressure as her friends talked endlessly about wedding dresses, halal caterers and honeymoons, even though she had not been planning on getting married while in college.
“For whatever reason, getting married seemed to be the only, if not main, goal they strived for,” she says. “So, I felt I had to have this goal as well, and felt lacking among my friends that I was not married upon completion of my undergraduate studies.”
Thus began her search after graduating from college. When suitors came knocking, Afaf was surprised at the mediocrity of the suitors available and was left wondering, “Where are all the ‘good guys’?”
Afaf, now a first-year law student, is one of thousands of American Muslim women between the ages of 25 and 30 struggling to find a decent suitor. Educated, pious, beautiful and accomplished, these women should have a gaggle of like-minded men waiting outside their doors. Unfortunately, the few, if any, men who approach these women appear less than satisfactory."
Too many brothers try hard at developing that "out side of the house" character, you kow the one that goes to the masjid and strokes the beard while quoting quran and sunnah.They neglect the most important part of their character becasue they forget that Allah is the All Hearing and All Seeing Allah who sees and hears how these brothers treat their wives and children at home.
I propose that when parents become more concious of their lack of islam at home in particular in their treatement of the wife then our genral conditon as Mulsim will improve inshallah, as the Prophet of Allah salah al alahi wa salem said in his last speech" The best of you is the best to their wives and I am the best to my wives".
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