Heading South

In between my packing and last minute shopping for my trip to SA, tomorrow, my mind momentarily sways between the excitement of being with my family again and Apple's launching of the new IPAD...I been waiting for this for a long time and that time is coming up on the 2nd of March. So while I'm getting ready to back track south to the comfort of much needed family love and attention, I wish you all a great week and hope to post alot more when I am back next week.





Have fun!

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Calling South Africans

I have been toying with the idea of creating a blog dedicated to South Africans making a difference for a long time now. After meeting a few of you on line and reconnecting with a very old dear friend who is actively involved with the same and conversing with my family who tend to also do the odd volunteer work, I think its time to put the idea to work. My idea is to have the blog listing initiatives happening in your area with you championing them by getting involved and inviting others too. I believe we have enough of us from different parts of SA to actually make this work - if you choose to be involved you will become a team member for the blog, actively deciding on the vision and way forward for the initiative. You're welcome to get involved too, even if you're not South African!

If you are interested in the idea please e-mail me at bluepearlfun@gmail.com. The deadline for reply is March 9th 2011. Thanks

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5 minutes of airtime

In the silence slumber of my days, the beckoning of new knowledge hung over like a dying frustration and while still not fully satisfied, some offerings have eased me over since citing Engadget's 2010 readers choice awards thereby directing my thoughts to how did Apple scoop the majority of the awards - our ramblings over how bad the smart phone is accumalated to it being voted best smart phone with best screen display, moments later!  Its no surprise that IPAD is the best gadget of the year but with HP and RIM hitting the market shortly I wonder how long it will be before IPAD starts losing customer loyalty or market share, if it does considering that it is priced cheaper than its android counterparts. For that, I have my eye on it eagerly checking my trusted TechCrunch daily.

Whether or not Qadhafi is going to step down or Bahrainis get to live their unified need, it is a thought that since the birth of 2011, its been showcasing itself with pure unrest as we, the worlds minions decide enough is enough and once again crave our 5 minutes of air time! The international flood disaster pinned the world down in each corner and it was not long after that, that Tunisia broke three decades of status quo spurring upheaval in the rest of the arab world and while oil hit higher days courtesy of the Libya debacle, travel and tour companies suffer the loss of this freedom call and somewhere in another part of the world a 6.3 magnitude earthquake got New Zealand some live time.

Facebook, the rallying supporter whose popularity doubled after much critic over its lack of security last year leaves you wondering if it and its shadow, twitter are the real evils behind the largest arab revolution of our times together - they are both after all becoming a platform for propaganda no matter how socialistically inclined they claim to be. Would we have been able to orchestrate such a huge revolution otherwise - perhaps stemming back to paper fly outs but then again, that would have taken masses of time between designing and delivering, right? No matter how rhetorical that question might be, it does leave you thought-provoked but not for long as it's time to get back to our life and for me, that means dusty windy days here in Qatar, busy work days, lifebook4life project (check out my cool badge on the right), hayfever feelings and today the announcement of the February winners for the BluePearl Awards. During February you made an impression on me:

Life of a Muslimah - February Winner

You're new in my world but I love reading your blog and this post was the best for February

خليجية *- February Winner

خليجية * all of your posts are just lovely but this was my favourite

Strangers Diary & Reviving of Sunnah - February Winner

I don't comment much on your blogs but I read both each time a new post comes out and I love them with this one being my favourite this month. 

BosnishMuslimah - February Winner

No matter which blog I go to (even my very own) I notice that you take the time to comment with only great words. In your own blog, thank you for all the wonderful informative posts about Bosnia during February

Congratulations ladies for making a difference!

One last thing, Amira, Mustika, RiaLive and RoseWater thanks for the Stylish blogger award, I appreciate it but I wont be posting it again as I already have it and to Sabirah, Happy Birthday dear darling - have fun today:)

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Quiet time

This blog is on a temporary vacation...i'll be back shortly. 

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On occasion

...of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W birthday, here is a hadith to remember him by: Narrated Anas (R.A): Allah's Apostle (S.A.W) said, "Whoever possesses the (following) three  qualities will have the sweetness of faith (1): The one to whom Allah and His Apostle  becomes dearer than anything else; (2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's Sake; (3) who hates to revert to atheism (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." [Sahih Bukhari:Volume 9, Book 85, Number 74]

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In the midst of the night

Rescuing an insomniac headache, sedating this brain this night, numbing a salvaged war wounded heart forcing narcoleptic closure for the day, I met a man in my dreams. His looks unknown reeking of strange unfamiliarity. I don't remember much other than his words. He echo'ed three things to me:





You will never smile again, if you cry but if you stop crying and take a ride, you'll find a green light, cross over to that beginning and you'll feel comfort again. There is milk in the sky in between the blueness of the day - seek it, that is your compassion.



You'll succeed on the premises of a glorified heart, no matter the pain, the frustrating circumstances of life, hold that pain in, like the breeze at noon that brushes you like a spell of wintery fresh calmness - it's the peace of a patient heart that secures the treasure. Thread your heart with silk, soften its wounds with honey and hate it not for it has done no wrong. 





You can not have everything that meets the eye, perhaps dreams are the bridge to the desired need but if you create a fantasy that lives in your head alone, it will amount to nothing except for slumber comfort. If you have to have it, then you have to take it out and make it happen. You are given this much, like the hollowness of a tea cup - it is up to you whether you choose to drink of it and if you do indeed drink of it, will you only fill it half way or until its brim can take no more? Apply some consistent thought in sipping off life's pleasures.

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For my mother

...You know me well, you know sometimes I just don't feel like talking just because I am strange like that but I want you to know something, even in my silent days I think about you and every day I see a little bit more of you in me...I miss taking you out on a Saturday, I miss you finding amusement in the weekly jokes column,  I miss you sitting in my room in the evenings telling me things,  I miss your cooking too and I miss sitting in your beautiful garden which is a captured essence of your beauty. 





Coming back to your qualities in me, as I get older, I see them more clearly in me with the best being courage & patience of heart. You are a braving women delivering only eloquence in what you do - I thank you for this wonderful genetic transferral, it’s made me stronger. 





Yesterday I bought new sandals and they were slippery and I as I rubbed them over tar, I realised that's you – and yes they all fine now and like the ‘monkey’ I am, I walked out of the shop wearing them with the old ones in the box…something’s never change… You know when I was choosing a greeting card – I was thinking about how we used to swop the plain envelopes for colour ones and I did it again yesterday and it made me smile! 





There's nothing more special that living our cherished memories day by day! Tt keeps me close to you.





I love you mama:)

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My day

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I am considerate

When I am shopping, I should buy with simplicity  as materialism is closer to the devil. If I have free cash I should invest it as a gift for another or provide some charity because I am a Muslim.

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Exponential thinking

I have learned that no matter how nice, kind, loving and caring you are to people, they will still hurt you at some point. Hope and patience during that time is most important because it comes back to your core! Don't stop caring - just maybe Allah is testing you.





I have learned that no matter how much you would like your parents to believe that you are okay, its funny how they actually know when you're not. It's a relief that I am still very much connected to my parents.





I have learned that even the most expensive handbag is not going to bring any happiness but rather a beautiful word, thought of just pure care brings a world of happiness. I don't need alot, I just need to be happy.





I have learned that no matter how much you try, its still never good enough so I just try my best - that should be alot in anycase!





I have learned that in all the effort one puts into caring for everyone, we tend to neglect ourselves so nowadays I give myself alot of self love. After all if I can't who will?

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Jummah affection

لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الْأَيْمَانَ ۖ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Allâh will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation feed ten Masâkîn (poor persons), on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families, or clothe them or manumit a slave. But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths when you have sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allâh make clear to you His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that you may be grateful.

[Surah al Maeda - Verse 89]

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Its almost that time again

...for my birthday:)

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