I'm FREE and I'm BACK!!!!!!

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry. I know I promised to write a blog on the 20th of May, the day after my last exam, but what happened was that I was too busy enjoying my new-found-freedom to remember to turn on my laptop. I slept a lot, Allhumdulillah. I spent the entirety of Friday with my university friends and then Saturday was devoted to spending time with my family and helping my not-so-little-brother-any-more with his GCSE English revision.     

Image courtesy of Toronto Public Library

So now that I'm back and free of exams, being the compulsive list-maker that I am, I've made a list of things I want to do:

1. Blog regularly again (1 per week at least)
2. Prepare for the month of Ramadaan - I can't wait to start fasting again. 
3. Re-read the Noble Qur'an with Tafsir 
4. Spend at least a week with my university friends before results come out (plans for this are under process and the dates have been set).
5. Give my final "Sisters' Circle" talk at uni before the younger years break off for summer.  
6. Finish my applications for Masters. 
7. Write at least another 40,000 words of my novel Life in Conversations. 
8. Begin doing research for my new top-secret-novel-idea.  
9. Go to the Lake District, Cumbria with my family.
10. Read at least 30 more novels for the charity Reading Challenge. 
11. Watch the last Harry Potter movie with my Sixth Form friends.  
12. Cook at least once a week and garden a lot more.
13. Attend my convocation ceremony. 
14. Learn to drive and pass my driving test.
15. Get a job? maybe, if I have time. 

I think that these points are an achievable target for the next four months, InshAllah. I'll keep you updated as I check them off my list. I've also been writing a lot of poetry lately, but that's a post for another time, InshAllah. 

My brother Codename: The Monkey, suggested that I start asking you, my dear reader, a question once a week. Question of the Week: what will you do in your summer holidays? (if you are still in education. If not then what will you like to do in your next vacation?) Leave your answers in the comment section below. 

So that's all for now. I'll write to you next week InshAllah. Until then, take care.

Nida 

FOREVER contest Entry

Dear Reader,

I know I said I'm on a blogging hiatus, but this competition was too good to not enter and the actual entry requires me to post this amazing book trailer on my blog. Which I'm more than happy to do. 

The trailer is for the upcoming book in Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy, Forever by the extremely talented (to the point of great jealousy) Maggie Stiefvater, whom I met sometime last year. (I know, I know, that's a lot of links in one place.) Not only has she written Best-seller-novels, she also made this stop-motion-trailer herself, composed and played the music. She's also a brilliant painter/artist, though you could probably tell that from this video. How can one NOT be jealous? But anyway, all that aside, I hope you enjoy it!     

    

If you're as excited as I am for this book eagerly anticipated finale and can't wait to dig your twitching fingers into this book, then click HERE. If you're sufficiently interested in the series and want to know more, click here. Aside: The book comes out a few days before my birthday *wink*. 

So until May 20th (I truly mean it this time),
Nida

click-Click charity

Dear Reader,

I have some good new, one single tiny little piece of bad news and just some general book-related news.

1) Because I'm an optimist I'll start with the good. I finally manged to set up an online means to donate to my charity campaign, the 2011 Reading Challenge aka BORN TO READ. There's a link to it in the 2011 Reading Challenge page and there is also a widget in the side bar ---> where you can see all the donations made online - currently it's at £0 :-( Make sure you check it out and donate whatever you can, it'll make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

2) The bad news is that I have my ultimate-final-my-whole-degree-depends-on-them-exams in just slightly more than two weeks time. So I really need to get my head down and focus and concentrate and drink lots of tea/coffee. This, unfortunately also means that I'm take a blogging and reading hiatus until the 20th of May. So,  NO MORE DISTRACTIONS for me. Awww please don't cry. I will be back. But in the mean time, I'll miss you, dear reader, quite a lot. 

3) My reading hiatus actually doesn't come into force until I finish my current book, Rebounding by Jamilah Kolocotronis. It's the 2nd book in the Echoes series. I only have six words to say about this. I love this series so far. It's absolutely amazing. Not only does Jamilah Kolocotronis write really well, she has also opened up my eyes to the realities of life on the other side of the ocean.  Her characters are so real that I keep expecting them to leap off the page and walk right into my life. And over the period of one-and-a-half books I've come to care for them as I would care for my close friends or friendly cousins. Also, the plot is fast paced, the narration is incredibly personal, what more could you want from a light read? The titles of all five books also have a running theme. Let's see if you can figure it out:

1. Echoes
2. Rebounding
3. Turbulence
4. Ripples
5. Silence

The only think that slightly irritated me about Echoes (the 1st book) was the self-pity of the main character Joshua Adams, and the way he kept repeating  the events of his past to everyone he met. But I guess this also adds a sense of reality because, we as humans are prone to self-pity and our past only happen once, so if we're going to be honest with people, we can only tell them the same thing, right?

 

Anyway, I'll probably finish the series after my exams are over. I'll probably write to you next then, as well. 

So, until the 20th of May, take care.

Nida     

a Poem of Importance

Dear Reader,

It has come to my attention that France's ban of the burkha/niqab will be coming into effect this Monday, despite many protests against this. Rather than going into a lengthy sermon on how incensed I am by all this, I thought I'd share a poem with you. It's not directly related to the ban, but I thought it expressed my opinions on the subject quite well. I hope it makes you think, but also enjoy:

My Hijab
2010
  

My rightful Dignity.

Modestly t                 hrown over

my head,                                     a cover

for on                                                 ly one  

to dis                                                      cover.

It’s Fre                                                         edom

in a cl                                                            oth of

pure Sim                                                            plicity,

my hija                                                               b is my

Inte                                                                         grity.

I’m only                                                                 judged

by what                                                              I say and

 what I do,                                                        rather than

the way I                                                       look to you.

A symbol of                                                  my Identity,

it means such a                                     great deal to me.

A form of worship it                      truly can be. I wonder

why some people don’t understand, isn’t freedom of expression

a form of Liberty? Yet they chose to deny me, this common courtesy,

constantly telling me, that I’m oppressed, repressed, depressed. Telling me that I

need to be freed. Freed by commercial ideas of Beauty, a doll of desire, what they call womanly.

Outward appearances seem to rule their ideas of Civility and Popularity. Don’t they know that it is what’s inside that counts. That one day we’ll all be called to account, for all our deeds and 

Impropriety. Why can’t they see, that this pathway is the life I chose for me?

 And though I know people still talk and glare, question my Sanity,

I will always stand by what I heartily believe.  

Because this is my Hijab,

that I wear so

proudly.

Nida

Exhibition

Dear Reader,

On the 29th of March (the day I had a few essay deadlines), I took part in the Islamic Expo, that my university was hosting on behalf of Discover Islam. The aim of this campaign is to basically enlighten people from the misconceptions and prejudices, held by much of the western world, and increase Islamic Awareness amongst Muslims and non-Muslims.

I had gone to the venue straight after my lectures that morning, to help set up. That's was half the fun. The stalls had been arranged on the outskirts of the room to allow people plenty of space to mingle and talk in the middle. As Islam is not just a religion or belief, but rather a way of life, the stalls also encompassed almost every aspect of life:

• The stall closest to the door was about the basics - God and His Messengers (may the peace of Allah be upon them), the Five Pillars and the Islamic Creed (and Aqidah) - with beautifully handwritten Qur'ans, resting on top of velvet cloth, and goodie-bags for all who enter. 
• Opposite to this was the Food stall. They were mainly serving the sort of food that the Prophet (SAW) would have eaten, like olives, dried figs and dates etc... (the also had jam donuts which is all I ate there, not that I don't like olives and dates, which I definately do, it's just well ... donuts are my guilty pleasure *drool* - Krispe Kreme here I come).
• There was also an Islamic clothing stalls (for Bros and Sistas) run by my Poetical Friend. Other than meandering around with goodie-bags she also took charge of the hijab stall. I'm entitled now to say that all the clothes and hijabs were provided by Lebaas. 

My pretty pins display, to wear on even prettier hijabs :-)

• I was mainly incharge of the stall that sold things like Attar - non-alcoholic perfumes that were tradionally made from the essential oils of flower petals. I admit it was a some-what minor role, but I didn't mind much because my area just smelled absolutely wonderful and drew in customers quite well.
• There was also an area at the back dedicated to Islamic history, with a gigantic time-line and photos of the relics of Fatima Al-Zarha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's (SAW) youngest daughter. Those artifacts are currently in the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul. 
• But the favourite part of the Exhibtion was the section of the wall that displayed Islamic Art, with contribution from students at my uni.

From Classic to Graffiti-style - click on the picture to see all those lovely details

my favourite Painting,
(I would have a brought it too if it hadn't already been sold or if I had had £350 cash on me!)

• Next to my stall was the Calligraphy Stall in which my friend, Codename: Kingston, made beautiful pictures on demand, using a few simple pens. Here are some pictures of pieces that were donated by an anonymous artist:  

This one says MashAllah (it is as God wills)
The shadowy hands are mine.

I'm not exactly sure what that says - my Arabic is sort of rusty *blush*

I was so inspired by all the art and calligraphy that I decided to re-utilize my old skills and make one as a Mother's Day present (which is on the 3rd of April here in the UK, so ssshhhhh don't tell my mum).  

It says 'I love you, Mum' and then my mum's name, in Arabic.
There's also a little SubhanAllah (Glory be to God) in green.  

Aside: sorry about the bad angle of the last photo, I was trying not to get my reflection in the glass of the frame. Also I wanted a gold frame but I could only find this one which was big enough, and even then I've had to shrink the design by quite a bit. But it doesn't look to bad, does it?

And that's pretty much all I wanted to share this time round.

Nida