Category Archives: EID

…Eid snaps and two yummy recipes…

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…male family members prepare for slaughtering…

…children wake to find a ‘purple pinata’ hanging from the clothes line…

…they had badgered for weeks to bash a pinata after having read an Eid story telling this is what the children did…

…adults compromised by letting them bash a box full of treats…

…simple decorations honouring the Eid….

…followed by a picnic in a nearby park…

…which due to the drizzly overcast day we were blessed to have to ourselves…

…gratitude flowing from joyous hearts…

…basking in Allah Ta’ala’s majesty…

…and spirit of play and enjoyment…

…and what would Eid be without Khala’s ‘madrassah barfi’?…

…and the versatile Hafizah Asiyah’s experiment with a new recipe…(and her continuing contribution with photos…JazakiLlahu khaira)

Raspberry Almond Bars from Nigella Lawson’s  Kitchen…

Base:

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 cup soft unsalted butter

Filling:

10tablespoons soft unsalted butter

4 eggs

¾ cups sugar

1 ½ cups almond meal

1 cup raspberry jam

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries

½ cups sliced almonds

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, line cake pan with foil

Mix base ingredients in food processor until a cohesive dough, press into bottom of pan. Bake for 20 mins

Melt butter for filling. Put eggs, sugar, and almond meal in processor and make a paste, pour slightly cooled butter in and combine.

Spread jam over base, then tumble raspberries over this, spread almond filling over this, sprinkle with sliced almonds, bake for 45 mins…enjoy some…share some…rejoice with loved ones…

EID MUBARAK!

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…EIDUL ADHA 1433…

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EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

 

O Allah, make us a cause of joy for Your Prophet. Make us amongst his supporters, his servants. Make us amongst those who preserve and act according to his Sacred Law. Make us amongst those who defend it and spread it to the East and the West.

O Allah, bring us together with him in this life and after death, and on the Day of Judgement. Let us be under his banner. Let us shake his hand, see his face and hear his voice and understand his speech. Ennoble our ears by allowing them to hear Your Prophet as he enters Paradise.

O Allah, let us hear You when You call out to the people of Paradise: “Today I grant you My pleasure and I will never be discontent with you.” We take refuge in You when that time comes and any one of us is outside the Abode of Honour. O Allah, grant us the vision of Your noble countenance. Prepare our eyes for that vision through crying out of fear of You and through lowering our gaze such that we do not look at that which You have prohibited and through denying ourselves sleep because we are busy in obedience to You.

O Allah, forgive us for what is past and protect us in what time remains and give us the best of endings with You being content with us through Your mercy, O Most Merciful, and Your generosity, O Most Generous… through the secret of al-Fatihah.

…from the Adhiyah of Sayyidi al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz on the Day of Standing…such beautiful words to uplift the spirit for all times and places…may all the efforts of the Hujjaj be the means of renewal and the opening of doors to light and harmony throughout the Ummah

…by Allah Ta’ala’s Grace, hearts are cleansed, souls purified, intentions renewed, the Ummah uplifted and transformed and be united under the banner of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, and due to the efforts and striving of the Hujjaj we are all blessed with the honour of being with our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His chosen one SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in the Eternal Garden of Bliss, Ameen…

…may the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala and the spirit of sacrifice pave the way to greater God consciousness for you and all your near and dear in the coming year. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all and keep us under his shade. Ameen…

EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

TaqabbAllahu minna wa minkum!

and

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

…Insha’Allah the days of Tashriq are remembered from after Fajr on the 9th until after Asr on the 13th of Dhul Hijjah…

…previous Eidul Adha posts in the EID category…and last year’s ‘where the Sacrifice and Stoning began’…

…farm animals and photos courtesy of  ‘IslamKids’…JazakumuLlahu khaira…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…where the Sacrifice and Stoning began…

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…squint the eyes, soften the focus a little…so instead of seeing this small edifice the image becomes the silhouette of a devoted father holding a knife and about to cut the throat of his adored son…because on this rocky outcrop is where Ibrahim Alaihis Salam lay Ismail Alaihis Salam, as instructed by Allah Ta’ala, ready to sacrifice him…

…‘My Son, I have seen myself sacrificing you in a dream. What do you think?’ He said, ‘Father, do as you are commanded, and Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.’ When they had both submitted to Allah, and he laid his son down on his face, We called out to him, ‘Ibrahim you have fulfilled the dream.’ This is how We reward those who do good, it was a test to prove. We ransomed his son with a momentous sacrifice, and We let him be praised by succeeding generations: ‘Peace be upon Ibrahim!’ This is how we reward those who do good: truly he was one of Our faithful servants.
(37:102-111)

…the humble monument to this momentous sacrifice is positioned on the one the mountains that hug the Mina Valley…with the tent city sprawled below…

…as seen from the opposite side of the mountain, from the Aziziyah area…this auspicious place where our forefather stood is within the heavily fortified confines of one of the two royal compounds that dominate the landscape…

…and now the transformed valley, where Ibrahim and Ismail Aaihis Salam walked and stoned the Shaytan…

…

Ibrahim Alaihis Salam and his son Ismail Alaihis Salam would have been dwarfed by the massive imposing mountain ranges clasping the valley of Mina when confronted by this amazing test by Allah Ta’ala. This scene so noble in its symbolism, that it forms part of the religious duties for millions every year for the past thousands of years.

Ibrahim Alaihis Salam was confronted by Shaytan tempting him to disobey the order to sacrifice Ismail Alaihis Salam, when Jibreel Alaihis Salam appeared instructing him to pelt Shaytan, whereupon Ibrahim Alaihis Salam pelted the Shaytan with seven stones making him disappear. The second stoning representing the temptations from Shaytan to Ibrahim’s wife Hagar Alaihas Salam tempting to induce her to stop him from sacrificing their son, and the third stoning represents his temptation of Ismail Alaihis Salam to avoid being sacrificed. Each time Jibreel Alaihis Salam ordering Ibrahim Alaihis Salam to pelt the Shaytan. He was rebuked each time, and the throwing of the stones symbolizes those rebukes.

The stoning of the Jamarat also represents the repudiation of man’s self (literally the “internal despot”, al-Nafs al-Amarah­) and the act of casting aside one’s low desires and wishes.
If one is able to crush the nafs during the stoning of the Jamrah of Aqaba, then one has taken the next step in attaining closeness to Allah Ta’ala, and since between the servant and Allah Ta’ala there is no more than the distance of one step, if one has been able to take this step and make it past one’s own low desires and wishes, then that which follows is the level of closeness to Allah Ta’ala.
During those two or three days after the Eidul Adha when one is in Mina, one must stone the three Jamarat, meaning that one must trample upon his internal despot, the Nafs, the external despot of the Shaytan from the Jinn, and the Shaytan from among the Humans, the enemies of religion and of humanity.
The stoning of the three Jamarat is in essence, the stamping upon the despots and waging war against all of them. When one focuses on them and the hatred for them, then one automatically focuses with complete attention upon one’s self – and rightfully so – while stoning the Jamarat, one must focus entirely upon one’s self.

from a 2006 post

…images from here…with extensive Hajj galleries here and here…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…Eid al Adha 1432…

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EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

EID MUBARAK EID SAEED EID KAREEM

Taqabballahu minna wa minkum!

…by Allah Ta’ala’s Grace, hearts are cleansed, souls purified, intentions renewed, the Ummah uplifted and transformed and be united under the banner of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, and due to the efforts and striving of the Hujjaj we are all blessed with the honour of being with our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His chosen one SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in the Eternal Garden of Bliss, Ameen…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Eidul Fitr Mubarak 1432…and…and…and

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EID SAEED!
EID MUBARAK!
EID KAREEM!

One Eid the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid donned his splendid imperial robes, mounted his horse and rode into the street. The soldiers cleared the Sultan’s path, while the people gave him an ovation, gazing admiringly at his beautifully embroidered robes. At that moment Bahlul the Wise Fool barred the Sultan’s progress, reciting some stanzas containing guidance for Harun and, through him, for us. The gist of them was as follows:

The Festival is not a matter of dressing up in

fine new clothes.

The Festival is celebrated by serving Allah

and being aware of your Lord.

To celebrate the Festival is to be Sultan of the

heart, not Sultan of the realm.

Sultans of the realm pass into oblivion, but the

Sultan of the heart is never forgotten.

To celebrate the Festival is to be delivered from the

divine punishment at the Resurrection.

The Festival is not a matter of wearing perfumes, but

of being sorry for one’s sins,

repenting and not committing them again.

The Festival is not about riding on horseback, but about

giving up faults.

The Festival is not about sitting on the imperial throne,

but about crossing the dreadful Bridge,

to sit on the thrones of Paradise.

The Festival is celebrated not by boasting of palaces

and power, but by bringing the light

to the darkness of the tomb and equipping

it through good works.

This brought Harun al-Rashid to tears.

~*~

…moonsighting…

So the natural question is – is there some problem in the Saudi announcement?

…from an article on issues with Saudi moonsighting…or rather lack thereof…and from here…

Astronomical data is very clear that there is no Hilal sighting possible in Saudi Arabia on that day, but as the day of Eid has already been fixed, that is the announcement we will hear.

~*~

…more demolition/construction planned for Masjid al-Haram…more years of jack hammering and dust…do visit these sites for frequent and informative updates…a new thread just for the Mataf expansion project…and the Holy Mosque Expansion thread …where there are clips of the King receiving details of the Mataf proposal (Arabic)…

~*~

… and is this the answer to the overcrowding?…very doubtful…pilgrims come to be in Masjid Al-Haram…not ‘vast’ mosques away from the Ka’abah…and until the chaotic traffic woes are alleviated then the push to continually increase the number of pilgrims in both Makkah and Madinah is inexpedient…

A former Makkah mayor has proposed the construction of seven vast mosques in prime locations within the Haram area in order to avoid the overcrowding of pilgrims and worshippers at the Grand Mosque.

~*~

…and…huge JazakiLlahu khairan katheerans for sweet Bint A for sharing her joyous Eid Mubarak artwork! Masha’Allah for the creativity of our little ones of the Ummah, may Allah Ta’ala always bless and guide them on the Straight Path, and intensify their love for Him SubhanAllah Wa Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, Ameen.

~*~

…and…this humble speck will be ‘away’ for a short time…

~*~

…and…a few days left before nominations for the annual Brass Crescent awards close…

~*~

…and now may intentions turn to the Mubarak six fasts of Shawwal, Insha’Allah!

~*~

Kul ‘Aam wa Antum BiKhair

Taqabal Allahu Minna wa Minkum

~*~

So Insha’Allah celebrate by serving Allah and being aware of your Lord.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…EID KAREEM…

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EID SAEED!

EID MUBARAK!

EID KAREEM!

Being away from home and from the luminous Madinatun Nabi does not leave much time for sharing on this cyber screen…

…scenes from the Bride of the Sea are imbued with totally different hues. Time spent meditating as waves crash onto rocks. Foam explodes as effervescent pearls. A visual reminder of the promise that even if our sins are great as the foam of the sea they can be wiped away by one hundred daily recitations of:

SubhanAllah wa biHamdihi

SubhanAllah!

Camels, sheep, goats happily seen in the back of trucks, herds in the middle of shopping areas munch away on their final meal as haggling of prices rises above traffic commotion. Children yanking and tugging reluctant animals along the way. A camel grunts outside the window. Minutes later it’s carcass is splayed across the middle of a narrow road. Rich rivulets of blood seep and glisten in the mid morning sun.

Sayyidatuna Aishah RadhiAlahu anha narrates that Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, “There is no dearer deed of Ibn Adam in the days of Qurbani than offering a sacrifice. That animal will come with his horns, hairs, and hooves on the day of Qiyamah. The blood of the Qurbani reaches the stage of acceptance before it reaches the floor. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

Therefore offer prayer for your Lord, and do the sacrifice. (Quran 110:2)

May Allah Almighty accept all good deeds.

May we find strength in the obedience of Allah Almighty.

May we find inspiration in the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SallAlahu alaihi wasallam.

May we may find rest in the Remembrance of Allah Almighty.

Verily it is in the Dhikr of Allah that hearts do find rest.

May our time be filled with happiness, which only comes from being on the path of Allah Almighty.

May we find a deep sense of peace by following the guiding Words of The Almighty in the Quran.

May we always be in the circle of protection of Allah Almighty through patience and prayer.

May the billions of prayers offered these days across the Muslim world be accepted. Ameen.

EID SAEED!

EID MUBARAK!

EID KAREEM!

Taqabballahu mina wa minkum.

JazakumLlahu khairan Katheeran to artistic little Ismail for this joyous Eid Mubarak card!

Insha’Allah photos of Makkah during Arafat Day in next post.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

EID MUBARAK from Oz

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Alhumdulillah for the blessed gifts of Ramadhan. Insha’Allah we now beg Allah Ta’ala for the next six months to accept our efforts, just like the esteemed Sahabah RadhiAllah did and may we be granted the ability to complete the six Shawwal fasts, Ameen.

I am still ‘down under’ choosing to limit time online. I appreciate all comments from the past weeks and apologize for this prolonged absence and not replying. Insha’Allah I will try to share some of my adventuring soon. Meanwhile the intensity of yearning to be back in Madinatun Nabi increases by the minute. Du’a, Du’a Du’a for us all, Ameen.

JazakiLlahu khaira to Bint Siraj for this stunning artwork.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.