Isabella - Review

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

One of the most thought provoking books I read in the early days of my journey to Islam was "Isabella". Today I post a Review of Isabella (latest publication listed as Isabella - A Girl of Muslim Spain)

The english translation was not the best and so I found myself at times questioning the story itself simply because the english was poor. However, having finally gone through the book, I was left exhilirated by the gems, the truths, the pictures and images it left with me. To this day, 8 years later, I am still in love with this little gem. It is a must read for anyone interested in comparative religion.

Isabella is the story of a young girl, the daughter of a religious leader of the time, who happens to overhear two muslim men having a discussion. The discussion sparks a question in her which she seeks to answer, a question which leads her straight to a dark night of the soul in which she questions her own existance, her beliefs, and her community. It is a story which will not leave its reader unchallenged, whatever the background.

For readers who want to check it out and possibly read a little (or most) of the book, there is a blogger who has started typing up much of the book, particularly those sections which make one think. The blogger is Haqq Islam.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not a review of the blogsite, just of the book.

The extract below is from http://www.haqislam.org/articles/stories/isabella-a-girl-of-muslim-spain/ (all credit to the author). You may click on the chapter links to read portions of the book : "Isabella".

Contents:  (http://www.haqislam.org/articles/stories/isabella-a-girl-of-muslim-spain/ )

• Ch 1: In a Luscious Garden
• Ch 2: An Important Question
• Ch 3: A Letter
• Ch 4: The First Meeting
• Ch 5: The Second Meeting
• Ch 6: The Third Round
• Ch 7: Meeting of the Men of Allah
• Ch 8: Behind the Curtain
• Ch 9: Inside the House
• Ch 10: Inside Knowledge
• Ch 11: Test of Faith
• Ch 12: Isabella’s Prayer
• Ch 13: A Conspiracy
• Ch 14: A Complete Change
• Ch 15: Princess of France
• Ch 16: A Secret Meeting
• Ch 17: Duty of Islamic Government
• Ch 18: A White Lie
• Ch 19: Islam, the Perfect and True Religion

Should a woman greet a man?

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem


It is considered rude in western society not to greet someone who arrives at your office or door.  "Equality in gender" dictates that regardless of your gender, social standing or professional rank you should always initiate a greeting or respond to it. Not to do so is a sign of disrespect.

Islam turns this entire social standard on its head, and to be honest the discovery of this makes me feel very priveledged (yet again) to be a muslim woman.

A married woman is seen as a jewel to her husband. Nobody walks around flashing their jewellery down-town; crime has simply become too rife. One simply cannot argue "I have the right to wear my most expensive jewellery and no, you don't have the right to covet it." erm.. a thief would beg to argue and unfortunately there are alot of thieves out there. It's not that we walk around in fear, but we must be realistic about the world we live in. The same thing could be said by the mini skirt brigade - "I have the right to not wear practically anything and you do not have a right to want to hurt me." Let's face it, whilst most men are probably not going to rape you, the incidence of rape is so high that chances are you might get raped. And hang on, but doesn't the bible say "if you have committed it in your heart then it is the same as if you had done it."? hmmm... well.. so moving on off that particular soapbox (I'll stash it for another day)..

As a woman in Islam, you are to be respected. That means that nobody who is legally (in islamic law that is) entitled to be comfortable with you may not do so. You are sheltered and protected and YOU decide who gets to see your hair/legs/whatever. It is hoped that you choose wisely of course, for your own good, and hence Allah has very clearly spoken about who is non-mahram (not allowed) and who is allowed. This goes all the way to your voice.

Ever felt uncomfortable as a woman walking down the street and found a man whistle at you or try to get "funny" with you? Well, you can't say "men are pigs" on one hand and then use the argument that they must control themselves so that you can wear anything (or nothing) you like. Similarly if you talk and chatter and chitter and chirp with all that is male, don't be surprised if they feel free to chirp and chatter and chitter right back, wether or not it is appropriate.

Islam does not require you to be rude, but it does advise you to be modest, not just in what you wear; and it gives women the right and the priveledge to share her surroundings, her life and her self with whomever SHE chooses. Why then, would I prefer to follow the guidelines of a law-less society?

That said - here is the ruling on greeting women with salaam and returning their greeting. The source is Islam QA http://islamqa.info/en/ref/39258 an excellent reference for maters concerning behaviours of a muslim; Does a women initiate salaam to a man that is not "lawful" to her (brother, father, husband, father in law; there is a specific list of those who ARE lawful) No. Why? Because they don't GET to even address her with "salaam" unless she choses, even if making "salaam" is the injunction on every muslim. When it comes to a woman, you respect the fact that she belongs to someone else and you stay away! Simple. Similarly, if you are a muslimah, you respect yourself enough to keep at arms length any MAN who does not automatically by virtue of nature or affinity (marriage) belong to your inner circle.  

Here is the ruling:

Ruling on greeting women with salaam and returning their greeting

 

Is it permissible for me to return the salaams of a woman who is a stranger to me, i.e., a non-mahram?.

Praise be to Allaah.  

Firstly: 

Allaah has commanded us to spread the greeting of salaam, and has enjoined us to return the greeting to all Muslims. He has made the greeting of salaam one of the things that spread love among the believers. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

" When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allaah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things "

[al-Nisa'4:86] 

 And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "You will not enter Paradise until you (truly) believe, and you will not (truly) believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of salaam amongst yourselves." 

Narrated by Muslim, 54. 

Secondly: 

The command to spread the greeting of salaam is general and applies to all the believers. It includes men greeting men and women greeting women, and a man greeting his female mahrams(lawful, inner circle ladies - my insertion). All of them are enjoined to initiate the greeting of salaam, and the other is obliged to return the greeting

. 

But there is a special ruling that applies to a man greeting a non-mahram woman, because of the fitnah (temptation) that may result from that in some cases. 

Thirdly: 

There is nothing wrong with a man greeting a non-mahram woman with salaam, without shaking hands with her, if she is elderly, but he should not greet a young woman with salaams when there is no guarantee that there will be no fitnah (temptation). This is what is indicated by the comments of the scholars, may Allaah have mercy on them.  

Imam Maalik was asked: Can a woman be greeted with salaam? He said: With regard to the elderly woman, I do not regard that as makrooh, but with regard to the young woman, I do not like that. 

Al-Zarqaani explained the reason why Maalik did not like that, in his commentary on al-Muwatta': Because of the fear of fitnah (temptation) when he hears her returning the greeting. 

In al-Adaab al-Shar'iyyah (1/370) it says: Ibn Muflih mentioned that Ibn Mansoor said to Imam Ahmad: (What about) greeting women with salaam? He said: If the woman is old there is nothing wrong with it. 

Saalih (the son of Imam Ahmad) said: I asked my father about greeting women with salaam. He said: With regard to old women, there is nothing wrong with it, but with regard to young women, they should not be prompted to speak by being made to return the salaam. 

Al-Nawawi said in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 407): 

Our companions said: Women greeting women is like men greeting to men. But when it comes to women greeting men, if the woman is the man's wife, or his concubine, or one of his mahrams, then it is like him speaking to another man; it is mustahabb for either of them to initiate the greeting of salaam and the other is obliged to return the greeting. But if the woman is a stranger (non-mahram), if she is beautiful and there is the fear that he may be tempted by her, then the man should not greet her with salaam, and if he does then it is not permissible for her to reply; she should not initiate the greeting of salaam either, and if she does, she does not deserve a response. If he responds then this is makrooh. 

If she is an old woman and he will not be tempted by her, then it is permissible for her to greet the man with salaam and for the man to return her salaams. 

If there is a group of women then a man may greet them with salaam, or if there is a group of men, they may greet a woman with salaam, so long as there there is no fear that any of the parties may be tempted. 

Abu Dawood (5204) narrated that Asma' the daughter of Yazeed said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by us woman and greeted us with salaam." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

And al-Bukhaari (6248) narrated that Sahl ibn Sa'd said: "There was an old woman of our acquaintance who would send someone to Budaa'ah (a garden of date-palms in Madeenah). She would take the roots of silq (a kind of vegetable) and put them in a cooking pot with some powdered barley. After we had prayed Jumu'ah, we would go and greet her, then she should offer (that food) to us." 

Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath: 

Concerning the permissibility of men greeting women with salaam and women greeting men: what is meant by its being permitted is when there is no fear of fitnah. 

Al-Haleemi was quoted as saying: Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was infallible and protected from fitnah. Whoever is confident that he will be safe from temptation may greet (women) with salaam, otherwise it is safer to keep silent. 

And al-Muhallab is quoted as saying: It is permissible for men to greet women with salaam and for women to greet men, if there is no fear of fitnah. 

And Allaah knows best.  

See Ahkaam al-'Awrah wa'l-Nazar by Musaa'id ibn Qaasim al-Faalih.

In other words, reader; when in doubt, LEAVE IT OUT. You are not obliged, dear sister to greet any non-mahram man with salaam.

Calling a stick a stick and a spade a spade

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Today I want to share with you a little about my personal experiences with abuse.

I've always said that the problem with understanding both sides of an argument is that it makes it difficult to stand up for your own. You see, you can ALWAYS find a justification for abuse if you want to. You can always and I mean ALWAYS find some way to explain away a foul mouth and even the beatings. Why? Because abusers will either pick someone who is compassionate by nature or wear a person down until there is no backbone left in you and all you see is "their side". But if you get nothing else from this post, may it be this;

1) There is NO excuse for abuse. I don't care how you want to rationalise it, i don't care if you've done something wrong/stupid/silly/inappropriate. NOTHING justifies abuse. Fullstop.
2) Long term abusers don't change. Eventually, you turn into nothing, or you get out.

Let me qualify the last statement thus - how  you can get out, or why you get out,  what for you is the proverbial last straw, or the  when you get out. - THAT you must think about carefully and THAT must be planned. (Note - you must have tried to do everything in your power to stop the abuse before you walk out, otherwise you're not proving anything to anyone.)

That said; the only thing I've never had (and Insh'Allah never will have) is the physical beating. But whilst sticks and stones can break your bones, words can annihilate you so much that you never recover.

Abusive words etch themselves slowly, almost impercetibly, into your soul and self-image, until one day you wake up dead on the inside, you conform to the abuse, you accept all the excuses you've told yourself for what they do, and you can't imagine ever getting out. All sorts of reasonings and excuses and explanations (some learnt, some self-imposed) suddenly wash over you when another abuse crisis hits, and they all seem suddenly more important than even your own survival. Even alcoholism and drugs suddenly seem an easier option than leaving. If you've lived that long with abuse then at this stage the only thing that will help you is someone who can (just as patiently as the abuser has broken you), rebuild your self esteem. That someone can be you, by educating yourself on the practicalities of abuse, reading about the experiences of others, and re-learning all those wonderful things that made you awesome when you met the abuser. . Or it can be someone who loves you, or it can be a professional.

You see, if you are still in an abusive relationship your greatest strength and your greatest weakness is probably your sense of compassion. It's time you start being compassionate towards YOU, in little ways, until you're strong enough to tackle the beast and eventually, if you're strong enough, you can WALK AWAY to live, not just "exist".

My personal story:

In my first job i worked for a boss who had just moved to the country and was keen to make her mark;  You can imagine how I excused her every fault, me being so young and her being so new; she was new, she was adapting, she was "different", she needs to adjust, I knew all the excuses. Essentially she took credit for anything i did and would privately wittle away at my sense of personal achievement. Eager to learn, I excused it, until I literally and physically almost burnt out, medically. It built a little backbone in me to walk away, but it was extremely difficult. after all, I was young and I was afraid and I was taught to respect my elders. I wrote her a long letter after leaving as my healing process and then burnt the letter, imagining myself setting ME free all that negativity.  So, for a few jobs I was okay, I learnt to operate in the corporate world and to find my "voice" again, thanks to managers who heard that voice and were driven towards productivity, not childish games.

Then I walked into a job and a manager who would prove to be my "nemisis". In his mid 40's, this man destroyed anyone he came in contact with and took great pleasure in doing so. No, this was not apparent in an interview. He initially made me feel like I was someone with potential who needed to "earn" his approval with the application of my mind. I had become an intellectual sponge so I thought I could really prove myself with my work ethic. Well, that sponge was soon soaked in the vinegar of daily verbal abuse; "you're UNbelievably STUPID!" and "God, is that what you really hope to contribute?" but he was clever; just like any abuser e alternated the abuse with showers of praise for a job well done and promises of "speaking to management about the excellent work I was doing" and so like a sheep I strove harder and harder to prove my "worthiness". Well, hello!!... Wasn't I worthy enough to GET the job? That didn't strike me at the time, though.. Some staff members ended up being institurionalised, one committed suicide, and a few remain scarred for life. None of them ever left. I guess i was the lucky one who did. Allahuakbar.

At the same time I was "married" to an abuser. "Someone" (this is how we shall refer to this person) oscilated between seeing spirituality as stupid and seeing it as crazy, and I was part and parcel of the seeing. I was so tired of tackling the "work challenge" that I didn't immediately recognise the inciduous erosion of character "someone" was busy with. I pretended to wash off the "you're so stupid" laughing comments or the "Agh shutup what do you know" initially. It had to be ME, right?  Then the subtle punishments and erosion of character stepped up; when I didn't react, there was always a punishment. One day I reflected back to "someone" saying "are you aware that you're punishing me for attending a church service?" To which I was promptly told "yes." so I asked "why?" and was told "Because I can". And the sarcastic laughter dripped, silenced any further argument. Any comment was taken as worthless and arbitrary and well, stupid. I was stupid, regardless of any circumstance. In retrospect my only stupidity was not leaving sooner.

To make a very long sad story short, the mind games are part and parcel of abuse. If you've been abused, you know what I'm talking about. "Someone" would arrive but not say a word, practically hiding out of sight for hours without my knowing. Then "someone" would act surprised - "what's your problem", and eventually, you don't argue back anymore. Or things would be done or undone and I was made to feel as though I was either crazy or I had imagined it all. Eventually, anything I attempted to do as an individual in a personal or intellectual capacity was "doomed for failure" and reason for ridicule. If success was imminent, I'd soon loose that small flicker of hope from the continuous wearing down of my own self esteem.

Then, it became outright cruel. So reader, yes, I've been locked in a bedroom/bathroom/car because someone "didn't notice I was there" or "enter maniacal mocking laughter here". Heck, I've locked myself in too, just to avoid "someone". I've had things thrown, heard all the usual , had doors banged, lights flicked on and off continuously whilst I attempted to sleep (with no explanation just a stone cold stare, mind you). I've been robbed of any decision making capacity and had to explain every single dime spent over the last 3 months (in retrospect and as a test). And much more. So i probably have a good idea of what you're going through if you say there's emotional or psychological abuse going on.

What saved me? Islam. In short. It opened my eyes.

And then as a muslim Allah gave me my beloved husband Mohammed who from the time we met until today has made me feel worthy to be alive rather than just EXIST, and to whom I will always be grateful.

Studying about Islam, comparing it to my christian and catholic upbringing, to my sad reality (even if at the time I didn't acknowledge it was that bad) I couldn't believe that I'd been living this way without doing anything about walking out. I had lied to myself - alot - (SO much!) - and I regret to say to others, to cover up my personal abuse. It was only after I LEFT "someone" that I realised that I had been afraid - afraid beyond the word fear; the kind of afraid like a child afraid of ghosts she just KNOWS are under the bed, or the kind of afraid where you've been living in a war zone as a prisioner and then when you hear a firecracker you think you're dying? That kind of afraid. It was only after I was living on my own that I struggled with the quasi panic attacks and then had to talk myself down saying "nobody's coming in here, its okay, you're okay".

My point is this - don't tell me psychological abuse doesn't break you. Don't tell me it doesn't taint you the saddest shade of desperate you've ever been, and don't tell me it is "liveable"or "necessary". I have 0 (ZERO) tolerance for abusers of any shape or form, today. I have sympathy and empathy for those who are abused, yes.  And perhaps because of what I went through, I have even LESS tolerance for women abusers. Women who have kind, gentle souls for husbands. My husband today, my SoulMate, is such a man who is kind and gentle. A man who Allah sent to redeem my heart and save my soul, Alhamdolilah. If I am completely honest, had Allah not sent him I would today be either dead or have committed suicide. Sometimes, as i said in the beginning, it takes someone who will patiently and slowly piece together all the little bits of you until you can stand again. So what if you have a few cracks left behind? They are the soul wrinkles of experience, in my opinion! So if women out there have gentle souls as a spouse and are abusive to them, well, I have NO tolerance for that.

One day, one evening in fact, it hit me, whilst I was still living "there". It was over . My existance as a captive to this prisioner, it was just that - an existance. Not a life. The "life" I thought I'd been living was in fact an illusion, i had simply been surviving, in captivitity. Islam told me I wasn't a captive, so how could I be there, still? Islam told me there is only ONE God, so why was I accepting abuse from a tyrant - was this tyrant God? No. IT was time. I had to face up to the fact that abuse meant that the person I thought I'd known actually didn't exist. THat person NEVER existed. The only thing that existed was the role, the title, but the person? No. That was all an illusion. If you're reading this thinking about the person you are tied to as "not so bad" yet you are living with abuse, I ask you to consider; if you see this person through the hard cold reality of WHAT they are rather than the role YOU assigned to them, (mother/wife/companion/old friend) - if you see that person for WHAT THEY TRULY DO to you, and WHAT they truly are (abusers) then you will know what it's like to come face to face with the illusion.

IT is time, for you, perhaps, to turn to that "compassionate" person inside you who is always looking for excuses to dismiss the abuse, and see yourself  for your own brokenness, and see yourself with compassion, and your own need for compassion. If the abuse is new, get help. If it's old, get out. You do not owe it to your community, your family, your culture or anyone else to continue to be abused. That sense of "owing" is an illusion, quite possibly planted as a sense of loyalty by the abuser themself. You do not owe it to ALLAH to be abused because HE says.

"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.

An-Nawawi's Hadith No.24




Allah's Messenger (SAW) said:

"Beware of oppression, for oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection ." (Muslim)

      ****************************************   If the abuse is new, TELL SOMEONE - someone who will believe you, or tell someone UNTIL they believe you. Get help for YOUR OWN self esteem, to build yourself up. Take a course, do something to re-learn that you ARE a valid human being!   ***************************************   Food for thought:              In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

 

On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord (may He be glorified) is that He said:  -
"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden

amongst you, so do not oppress one another.

O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance

 of Me and I shall guide you.

O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of

Me and I shall feed you.

O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek

clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.

O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek

forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.

O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you

will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn

of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you,

that would not increase My kingdom in anything.

O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you

to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you,

that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn

of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone

what he requested,  that would not  decrease what I have, any more 

 than a needle decreases the sea if put into it.
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense

 you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah

and let him who finds other than that blame no

one but himself."

  

 It was related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).

!! 'SUBHANALLAH' !!

'Never Despair Of The Mercy Of Allah'.

Seeking answers

 

 

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

If you've ever made up a 1000 piece puzzle before, you will recognise the feeling of looking at that plain "blue" piece of plain "grey piece" and thinking "well, what's the point of this thing, it's boring and how the heck am I gonna find a connection for it." If you're anything like me, you'll toss it back in the box with irritation and comment to whoever's with you "i don't know why they give us so many plain, dull pieces with legs that fit nowhere. It's SO annoying!" What I then typically do is put those into a separate tub and forget about them, just because they are annoying! But after much glee with the fun bits and many "hooray I found one!" I finally sit and look back at the picture and usually there's something missing - a tower, or that little piece of sky that lies just out of reach of that appleblossom - it blocks me from seeing the beauty in the puzzle. Sometimes one of the missing pieces is the tip of the gravel pathway in the garden that leads to the house, or its that annoying little bit that connects the lighthouse to the light. I search and search and just can't find it!! Have you had that experience?

That's when I pull out my tub of "rejects".. lol.. and I start trying one piece after another. This way and that, turn and press. And sure enough, there it is!! There's the light I had, but now it's beaming from the lighthouse! There's the pathway and the garden, but now if I were a tiny little person I could walk from the garden to the house. Suddenly, the picture makes full sense. And its not because of the pretty bits; its because of the dull, grey or blue or PLAIN bits. It's because of the irritating bits that took me AGES to fit.

I have found that it is the same with life. I have had some jobs in which I wondered "what on earth am I doing here!" I've had friendships that ended badly and I've thought "Why on earth did I ever trust that person." For istance, about 13 years ago I had a boss that was so abusive to his staff members that one committed suicide, two ended up institutionalised and one is still on anti-depression medication. He was a controling megalomaniac of such bullying tactics that it destroyed a number of people. It nearly broke me to work for this awful man. He played everyone up against everyone, and wreaked havoc because of his own controling behaviour. Classic Bipolar, Narcissistic personality. I was glad when I eventually resigned and I'll be glad if I never cross paths with this individual again, may Allah grant him Hidaya and grant me forgiveness for saying so. I left -  integrity intact and sanity clinging on like a cat to a curtain.

So years late, 2012 -  I couldn't understand why things weren't going very well in my current job at one point. After my duahs I would often find myself remembering this ogre of a boss from the past and I wondered if I was perhaps supposed to take a lesson and walk out of my current position; (Allah knows I wanted to even if I couldn't afford to!!) One day, at my desk, almost in tears I asked "Ya Allah, what is it? Is this another "Mr Idiot" place?? I started recalling my old boss' worst comment. "Youre never going to get anywhere in life because you dont know how to create and USE a circle of influence." Arrogant bastard, I thought; making friends with people just to use them (which in his case, he did alot). But the thought kept coming back. And guess what?

I looked around my current job and colleagues and I made a list of problems I was facing with clients or processes. I then made a list of who I could go to for advice. I made a list of who I deal with, on a regular basis. I noticed that VERY few people on my list of regulars were 'influential' - but those that were, are very, very influencial. I also noticed that these are the people I can probably learn the most from in terms of our product and the best way, historically, to deal with our clients.

Husby, again, suggested I try to find out if there was anything I didn't know and should know..I determined to find out what there was to learn.

I started to look out for questions I could ask. I looked at the various client issues and approached one or two of those people to find out how they would deal with it.

And guess what I learnt? I learnt that in most instances I was approaching the problem the right way. So WHY was I still remembering that "Mr Idiot"s words? I asked Husby, of course, and shared with him the problems I was having at work. In his wisdom (Husby dearest is very wise alhamdolilah) he said - "babes, if you keep encountering a particular difficulty, you must've missed a message from Allah at some point; a lesson of some kind. Only you will know what that is, but I'll make duah and you do the same (pray)." hmm..

Anyway, one day, out of the blue last year, I was asked to do something by one of the people who I'd approached. Something for which I usually do not have authority and something rather high level. I wondered why they'd asked me! I kept going back to them to pick their brain on various other issues and started to realise that there are a few things (MANY, lol) that I actually still have to learn about the company and the work that I do.  Increasingly, I was being asked to participate in projects outside my comfort zone and was then offered a position in a completely different area, which I accepted.

It all happened so fast!

But How?

Well, I'd created a "circle of influence" without knowing it!!

What did I learn?
1) every onece in a while, you will meet people who hurt you. KNOW when its time to walk away and don't feel bad about it. Life's too short to spend it working or living with someone who tears you down.
2) Allah can use ANYone to teach you something valuable. because it is Allah who puts them there for a reason - including those you leave behind
3)Every trial indeed comes with two reliefs (as the Holy Quran says) - I now have great teachers and a challenging, although difficult, job.
4) ASK questions, SEEK help. If you're doing things right, you'll be pleased you asked. If you're doing things wrong, you'll have an opportunity to do it right. Start with those you love, who love you, and who you know to be wise.
5) PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - life trials plant the lesson, people's advice will trigger the germination of that lesson, but prayer will ACTIVATE the OPPORTUNITY to grow

6) Most important lesson? Keep Allah in everything, not in a side box for prayer times only, and not in among the difficult bits so that you only talk to him during times of difficulty. Because all the grey, difficult, horrible little bits or life experience have a purpose if you're open to the lesson. WALK away from the bad people, and cut away those who break you down, but NEVER overlook the smallest lesson.

Life is made of up moments. Every moment is a lesson, every moment is an opportunity. And the owner of all these moments is ALLAH. Alhamdolilah.

Thank you, angel, for always listening..

In summary I give thanks to my Lord and Creator who is always able to bring relief. Ameen.

And yes...
 thank you angel for listening...