muslimah

Dinosaur Themed Garden Party for a Three Year Old

 ZAYD TURNED THREE!  Alhamdulillah 

We hosted a simple dinosaur theme garden party at home. As always, I used smart ways to bring the theme alive that don’t break the bank.

{Read my blog post for ideas on how I throw parties on budget with max fun!}

Here are the elements for the party with a few close friends:

Plates & matching crockery. This has a great impact. I bought a package this time including decor, so it was all in one no need to search for different items (and forget stuff!)

Table setting and food : We had roast beef sandwiches for hungry carnivores, savoury muffins, honey pancake rollups (made by my friend Ayesha- Martha Stewart recipe- yum) , dino eggs (grapes) for herbivores

                                         

Sugar free cake, iced with whipped cream (very tricky to work with as cream doesn’t whip stiff in Turkey!)

Mom’s Tea & treats: Sugar-full cupcakes for Mama saurus + tea/coffee

Snacks: Selection of healthy-ish nibbles for pekish dinos

Water Play: We had water balloons which was great fun and ideal for our summer heat to cool down.

Grateful that it went off well, (managed their minor moaning in the morning till friends arrived!). He says he loved the “cake” and “presents”  so mission accomplished! Alhamdulillah

Is your little one into dinosaurs yet?

Taskeen
Productive_Muslim_Mom

When wearing your hijab is like wearing your knickers and socks….

Slms,

I’m sure you want to know what is going on with my title, so I’m going to share a story with you that explains where this phrase comes from!

I was chatting to my friend who recently Alhamdulillah decided to start wearing hijab. I’m so proud of her. She works in corporate and travels significantly so I’m sure its a quite a challenge and so I’m so pleased for her and make dua Allah makes it easy for her, and rewards her for sincerity in trying to please Him.

So she was saying how its tricky at work…people seem to be looking at her weirdly…and shes so aware of it all. As a regular hijabi myself, also in corporate for about 10 years, travelling in Europe and working with multinationals from Australia to Brazil,  Alhamdulillah, this is the advice I gave to her which I hope makes sense to you and inspires you to either consider starting to wear hijab or if you are, to continue and NEVER take it off…for as I say “Keep at it till wearing your hijab is like wearing your knickers and socks!”

  • Don’t send out “uncomfy” (sic) vibes : Don’t be overly conscious of wearing hijab as you will no doubt send out signals to others if you are feeling uncomfortable. This will make you feel more out of place for no reason as in reality most people wont even notice anything!
  • Take the First Step Forward : I received feedback once on a leadership course (in a very honesty sharing session!) that people wonder whether how to approach hijabis – as in will you talk to men, how will you respond etc. So as a hijabi in the workplace, perhaps we need to take the first step to talk to people, show our personality and that its OK, we don’t bite or scare, just regular people also interested in shopping and makeup (in a halal way of course!).
  • Show them you’re Still the Same : If you have recently started to wear hijab, just continue as normal showing them you haven’t changed who you are, talk the way you would and do your thing. Their main concern would be whether they need to be in any other way with you so just keep being as you are and things will fall into place naturally Inshallah.
Keep at it sisters, you know you have turned the corner when you cannot leave the house without it on, and when wearing your hijab is like wearing your knickers and socks – you can never forget it and cant do without it!! 
May Allah make it easy for us all.
Me at my previous workplace 🙂
Do you have any other tips to share with other hijabi muslimahs? I have so many stories to share about my hijab adventures, Inshallah with other posts to come! 
M4Life

Keeping up the Ibaadah when you cant fast or pray Salaah/Quraan during Ramadaan

Salaams

Ah that moment during Ramadaan when you have to stop fasting due to natural reasons!

For me its a bit dreaded because I have been enjoying the month so much, the barakah and blessings, adjusted schedule, building up a momentum with ibaadah and achieving so much. But Allah knows best, and whilst I do feel a pang of disappointment, I know it is Allah’s Will and His Timing – so it must be Perfect, so I’m just going to get on with it!

I did plan for this time beforehand, trying to increase Quraan recitation and Salaah especially, knowing I could do my Istighfaar and other tasbeehs during the time when I am “not reading”. So come that time, and I’m amped!

One thing I wanted to ensure was that I would use the usual time for Salaah and Quraan recitation for ibaadah – and not waste it with anything else. So here are some ideas inspired to me through the Mercy of Allah, for keeping up the Ibaadah when you cant fast or pray Salaah:

– listen to Quraan recitation. a great way to revise as well if you have memorised some parts of the Quraan.
– listen to Tafsir of surahs, especially the ones you read often, or know by memory, My favourite resource for this is a detailed series by Nouman Ali Khan available on YouTube
– Read Extra duroods on Nabi (SAW)
– Read extra tasbeeh – Laailaaha Illallah, Subhanallah etc

So in this way the time I usually spent on Salaah is still maintained using these alternative beautiful ways to worship, Alhamdulillah. May Allah accept.

What else do you do during this time when you cant pray salaah? Share your ideas and Inshallah many people can benefit!