Why this blog?

Bismilahir Rahmaanir Raheen.

Why this blog - The short answer - because I can.

The long answer? - I'm honestly tired of the bad wrap given to Islam. Its as if when you're muslim, you're suddenly expected to always have the perfect answer, to be a saint and not get angry at oppression, and you are under some societal miscroscope all the time. Why? I didn't choose my faith, although I would chose it at the drop of the hat - Allah chose it for ME - literally. There I was walking along my christian path and searching for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God, falling over and speaking in tongues and then - BAM - Allah said "she's mine". Yes, I'm smiling, ALHAMDOLILAH (praise be to God) Now THAT's what I call prize-giving day! And just like that, here I am, nearly 7 years later; pork-less, wine-less, music-less to a large extent (I'm not perfect), loving my headscarfs and carefully trying to walk a life that will please that Creator whom I call my friend and my beloved. (I'm still trying to be that to Him, but that's a whole other story!) Did I mention learning? Oh yes, still learning. So much to learn!! There's no end to learning!

So here i am - a humble muslimah with an opinionated streak and a very curious mind (I pray that Allah keep me on the siraat ul'mustaqeem insh'Allah!) and feeling like it's time that someone cleared up some of the misconceptions about Islam. I'm not the best person to do it, not by a far cry- but I have a willing heart and if Allah wills it I will answer respectful questions as they come along. Essentially, I'm just someone who can speak about her various interests and her path and with that maybe, just maybe, it will offer some insight into what Islam is, at its heart. Never get your education from Hollywood, or any news bulletin for that matter - books are still the best source - get to the original documents, as far as possible, and go from there. That's what I did, and I've found my truth. It's taken me a long, long time to get to this point in my life but I'm at peace.


In advance, I want to say that I may not perfect. If you're expecting perfection, don't seek out a muslim. Read that again - okay, now let me explain what I said. WHY not seek out a muslim? Because every muslim worth his deen knows that the best muslim is one who is ALWAYS seeking to better himself, always taking on his internal war with his own carnal self. (Refered to as Nafs), By the way, that's actually the definition of Jihad, in case you wondered... So again, I'm not perfect. I may not be what you expect if you ever read this blog. I confess to being opinionated and overzealous at times. It's just the way I am. I'm human.I'm a soul having a human experience for a purpose - that purpose is to draw nearer to my creator.

I am interested in many things because of the little truths that lay in them, but that does not make me less of a muslim. I always go back to the books and say "what does my Allah say about this?" Allah is my judge and nobody else.

So step one - who is ALLAH? When I say "ALLAH"  I mean the one living, self-subsisting Creator. If you feel that you believe in HIM in your own way, then you should know from the get go that that's what we muslims call "G..d" because it means more than the word God, and may Allah grant you Hidaya, Insh'Allah. In secular speak, that means "may God guide you". You see, God can be changed to be GodS and if you're monotheistic (believe in one God) that doesn't wash. So, we have an arabic word which is just ONE, like we have a CREATOR which is just ONE.

I'll stop there for now before I get ahead of myself... so much to say about ONE.. LA ILAHA IL ALLAH (there is No God except ONE GOD/Creator). The word ALLAH embodies the sovereignty and one-ness of a creator that cannot be paralleled to anything at all, essentially.
SO hello world, I'm just a human being, learning as I go, and maybe someone will read this and maybe not, and I am bound to make mistakes just as you do as I write or learn or grow. (Just because I start a blog doesn't mean I'll always be right.) If in my references to Islam there are things a reader feels are incorrect, I'm teachable; but remember, I'm opinionated and fiercely guarding of my beliefs, so if I choose not to post your comment, (if there are ever any) don't take offence, just move on.

I dedicate this blog to my Creator and the owner of my "Ruh" , (my soul, a word that comes from "breath of God" - come on now, how beautiful is that?!).. I ask Allah to bless all the prophets that have brought me thus far, and particularly to bless my Muhammad (peace be upon him) who walked this path so perfectly that I am just a stumbling goose trying to peck at his footsteps.I ask Allah to guard my footsteps, start this blog when it is time and stop it when the time's up, insh'Allah and Ameen.

Misconception Correction #1 - "Muslims are arab, or Indian."  - WRONG! In truth  we muslims come in many different shapes and colours.