Sabeen

Assalamu 'alaikum,

Okay I know I decided to stop posting but I was just sitting here and thought why not share some stuff with everyone. Well im kinda quite excited right now. Guess why peeps??

Well tomorrow I am planning to go with a friend to buy tickets for Jordan...Woohoo!! Never thought I'd be travelling outside of Egypt whilst in the middle of my studies. I have this chance and I don't wanna loose it. I say chance coz its soooo cheap Alhamdulillah. Come on man we are talking like £20 one way to Jordan. Okay lets not get too excited..its not an air ticket. Its gonna be a bus or a ferry InshaAllah. Only if I could fly. Anyway it will be a great experience to travel for like a day (apparently it takes that long) whilst being travel sick...errrgghhhh interesting!! Aaah its all about the travel sweets man.

But guess what? yeh guess man...keep guessing...im going to be going to Syria from Jordan InshaAllah and wanna know how much that costs? Hmmm £10 by taxi...Don stuff isnt it?!! man its gonna be a real interesting experience. It was decided on the spot. Don't know when I will be returning back to Egypt.

I am particularly looking forward to seeing Jordan. The cave that has been mentioned in Surah Kaif InshaAllah. Also many famous companions of our beloved Prophet (saws) have been burried there. Would be nice to visit them and recite the Fatihah InshaAllah. Hmmm we gotta list written down of all the places we would like to visit. It all depends on the time though. Anyway I can't wait..InshaAllah its gonna be real interesting. I will fill you guys in with the details when I get back InshaAllah (Remember: If I can be bothered). Random plans are always don.

Okay enough of my excitement. Im gonna leave u guys to it for now coz im off to eat some FAT HOME MADE CHIPS...YUM YUM (bare unhealthy right?)....

Assalamu 'alaikum..

Hmmm the time has finally arrived to end updating this blog. Hold up...I don't even know if the previous sentence makes sense. Lol..I kinda take time making up my sentences now (Reason: Arabic). Anyway yeh so I can't be asked to keep updating this blog anymore.

Im feeling home sick a lot lately. I thought I would be saying GoodBye when I was going to leave Egypt (5th June InshaAllah) but nah its come abit sooner. I havent got very long to go now but time seems to be taking long. I miss home a lot and cant wait to be with family again. Though I have to say this has been a lifetime experience for me and I have learnt a lot from it. Meeting people from all over the world, different personalities etc has moulded me into a different person (InshaAllah a better Muslima).

You might find be back on here blogging if I someday feel like it but for now I have decided to stop. I have no particular reason to, just can't be asked. lol. Anyway take care people and enjoy :o) Don't forget me in ur du'as. Lots of Love Sabeen xxx

It was 12am on 23rd February when we (me, sis, friends) decided to go the Jabal Mousa (Mount Sinai). Booked a car and prepared the food. Was really looking forward to it. After a 4 hour journey we eventually arrived at the Red sea where the stick miracle took place with Mousa Alahi salam. We played around, ate food and then headed towards the mount. The journey was amazing, seeing the desert, the sea, time to time some camels, SubhanAllah. I was so tired but couldnt get to sleep coz didnt wanna miss anything outside. Anyway as we arrived at the mount, the mountain seemed tooooo huge. we began to walk, walking n walking n then hired two camels since sis has asthma. I think I sat on the camel for 20mins max and the rest was a walk. Now it started to get dark, we had no descent torches unfortunately. I won't deny that I was scared, but at the same time I wanted to do it. Three of us gave up half hour before the top, however, me and two other girls decided we wanna go to the top since we've got so far. so we took off again whilst the others waited at this little shop. It got colder and colder as we were getting higher. I was just wearing a t-shirt under my Jilbab. My hands and face were really cold but I didnt wanna give up, I wanted to do it. I wanted to experience it. After about an hour we reached the top. The journey was 3 and a half hours long. SubhanAllah, I didnt think I could do it but I tried and tried and Alhamdulillah I got there in the end. The journey down took only 2 hours, in the dark all linking arms since there were cliffy bits (come on we were at the mountains sabeen). It was a total different experience. I loved it. I wouldnt mind doing it again so let me know if anyone is up for it?

O by the way I forgot to share one thing. I mentioned that I sat on the camel. First thing that came to mind was how am I gonna sit on it since I wear a jilbab. The problem got solved easily, Alhamdulillah. My legs were covered with a blanket that they (the people who guide the camels) carry. The scary bit was when the camel stood up. I remembered when I was 8 years old I got scared when the camel lifted it self from the ground. Exact same thing...sabeen screams. hehe. Funny when I think back to it. The camel behind was coming too close to me. I started screaming. The camel wouldnt move its face. How could it? It doesnt understand sabeens scream. Sabeen the silly girl starts screaming louder. Nobody around apart from me, sis, friends and of course the man guiding the camels. Help Help!! Noone helping, the guide wouldnt move the camel. Sabeen screams "get me off the camel, I wanna get off, move his face", when noone helps what you meant to do man?? Anyway take a guess with what I done?!! *Laughs* cant believe im so silly.

It was a great experience and I like challenges, makes me more confident but what am I meant to do with the animals man!! I really wanna sort this out. I know its silly but I dont know why its like this.

Here are some pics of the real thing...



The short stay at the Red Sea. Yeh thats right, you got it...we are asians so we take curry and roti with us for lunch. Just to know the oil leaked out. lol. Well 24 hours without "descent" food, nah...it would have been hard :oP. Check out the potatoe curry in the plates...yum yum..





This was the start of our journey to the top Jabal Mousa (Mount Mousa). The guide is leading us...These people do this mountain climbing stuff everyday, SubhanAllah. They must have a lot of energy, plus its a good way to keep fit :o)





Still walking. The sight is amazing isn't it?? I loved it. The creator of this Universe...what can I say...SubhanAllah.





Check out the blanket over my legs. kewl isn't it?!! Also, look at the camel...its sooo damn close to the edge. He slips, and down go Sabeen and the camel..weeeeeeeeee! But nah, the camels just know where to take the step. Strange. Allah knows best :o) It was damn exciting sitting on that camel, was like a roller coaster ride when the camel stood up. hehe. Oh yeh and look at the size of the camels leg. Its so thin (lower leg), yet it carried me, amazing stuff.

Will post some other pictures sometime soon InshaAllah...till then enjoy :o)

Goodbye should have been called Sadbye. Well in my case anyway. I get so emotional when someone leaves me. Come on being in Egypt alone isn't easy. My sister, friend and her two sisters were here for two weeks. I was so occupied with them and totally forgot that I will be alone again. I really felt like going back to London once again. I mean its happened loadsa times before but Alhamdulillah I have somehow found ways to get myself used to being here in Egypt.

They all left this morning and the house felt terribly quiet when I returned from the airport. I just wanted something or someone to somehow tell me I was also going back with them. I just have to keep reminding myself my purpose and objective and I pray that Allah (swt) makes its easy, Ameen. I start my lessons on Sunday inshaAllah, I guess I will catch up with my beauty sleep in the mean time.

The two weeks here were great. I hadn't done any sight-seeing since I have been in Egypt which is pretty amazing coz the river Nile is only half hour away. Anyway the these two weeks allowed me to do almost everything I wanted to. It was excellent. A few great experiences which I will give detail on later inshaAllah. Took tonnes of pictures for memory, by the way I do have a pretty good memory Alhamdulillah.

Now after 2 weeks of break from Arabic I need to get myself back into it because I really don't have long to go. Believe it or not but I have just 12 weeks to go inshaAllah. I would love to come back at some point but Allahu 'Alim. Im so determined to become fluent in Arabic, I hope Allah (swt) makes this possible, Ameen! Don't blame me man, Arabic is just Don.

Here are a few things that we visited:
- River Nile
- Red Sea (The stick miracle)
- Mount Si-nai (10 commandments)
- Alexandria (Another city - its gorgeous)
- Shopping (Loadsa Khimars, Jilbabs, Material for Jilbabs)
- Restaurants (Mc Donalds, Pizza Hut..all Halal..yum yum...Citedel..This is a famous
Egyptian restaurant, excellent food)
- Malls etc for more shopping
- Egyptian Museum (Mummy room...amazing how the bodies have been preserved)
- Pyramids (Horse Riding..in my Jilbab, its possible and scary too..hehe)

Actually this covers majority of the things we done. I'll give detail on some of it later inshaAllah. Till then dream about these places..hehe..Keep smilin :o)

Lastly, summer has started here but when did winter come and go?? Hmmm...

I HAVE to go back to London.

I was planning on extending my stay till end of August just so that I could continue my studies a little further.

I couldn't make the decision but finally when I decided I was thinking whether my parents will give me the permission or not. I thought I might be able to convince them InshaAllah but let me give Expedia a call to find out the charges for changing return dates first.

Just gave them a call to find out that my ticket is non-exchangable because its damn SPECIAL. So now forget convincing my parents or having to think about where I will rent etc, Expedia made it easy for me or shall I say my Al-Italia SPECIAL ticket solved the problem.

I am dissappointed or shall I say I was dissappointed. I understand that Allah (swt) does what is best for us and who knows I might end up coming back inshaAllah - As Allah (swt) wills.

I actually even looked into not using the rest of my current ticket and then just purchasing a one-way ticket back to London. Hmmm one way ticket is the same price as a round trip from London to Cairo. So this means I may as well use the current ticket (hehe). Don't worry Im happy and smilin :o) coz its good to smile.

Allah (swt) already knows why it is better for me to just go back on 5th June 2006 inshaAllah where as I was thinking its better for me to stay and continue with my studies. But I know nothing and he (swt) knows best. DON-NESS. :o)

Assalamu 'alaikum dear brothers and sisters,

My name has now been changed to Sabeen Ramadhan, Alhamdulillah! Well why was not anyone informed about my wedding? Hold up, I have a reason to justify...well basically I am not married. :oD The teachers at the markaz (centre) where I study call me Sabeen Ramadhan coz almost all the teachers have taught me have always found me fasting..lol.

Ustadha (teacher): "Sabeen hal tureedena shaai?" (Sabeen do u want some tea?)
Sabeen : "shukran ya ustadha, ana saa-ima" (Thank you miss, im fasting)

*Teachers laugh*

They say: "ismuha Sabeen Ramadhan al-aan" (Her name is Sabeen Ramadhan now).

Just thought it was funny. I got 38 more to go, Alhamdulillah. Started of with 84. MashaAllah Sabeen "Ramadhan" keep it up ;o). May Allah make it this test easy, Ameen.

King Kong made me fall asleep. Went out yesterday evening to watch King Kong only to find out that tickets were available in the 3rd showing! During the wait, we decided to watch Harry Potter! slept first hour, too much talkin and not enough action man! Two films in one evening - I guess I made up for all the months Ive been in Egypt without a TV.

Harry or Kong didnt do it for me! What next? I need to have a chat with these script writers! Kong was okay but 3 and a half hours long. I thought Indian films could drag but this was next level. Its all good, atleast I got to have some Halal Mc Donalds :oD and some Costa Coffee and some icecream...and o yeh how can I forget the popcorn with 7UP. SubhanAllah, did I really eat all that? The evening cost me approximately £7 (that includes the travelling, films, food etc etc), Don isn't it?!!

I had always come across muslim women covered in a particular way. Why? I did not have a clue.

I spent 3 years of my childhood in Pakistan. My parents wanted me to develop my understanding of Islam and the Pakistani culture. Living in Pakistan amongst muslims should have been a great way to build my foundation of Islam and undoubtedly the culture. However, many factors of the lifestyle caused confusion in this little girls head. Surprisingly, one particular issue that was confusing was to see women dressed in an Islamic outfit (Jilbab and Khimar). The confusion did not lie in seeing them wear such clothing, but what I did not understand was why some of these women were not dressed like that all the time? Why would they not cover their heads properly? Why would they remove their Jilbabs and Khimars when they would go to special events such as mixed gatherings?.

I didn't take too much notice of it (I was 8 years old) and just accepted it the way it was. I guess I thought it was 'normal', it was 'Islam'.

Eventually I returned back to London after spending over 2 years in Pakistan. During high school, I came across many girls with their heads covered. However, some girls would only wear their Khimars to school and on the way back. Some would wear it in such a way that the Khimar would rest almost on their shoulders. Some would wear it in Ramadhan only. Of course their were some that wore it correctly (covering their heads, necks and chests) but as far as I remember there was still no sign of the Jilbab.

Whilst dealing with the reality I eventually figured out the correct dress code for a muslimah. Why? I still didn't have a clue. I knew that it was part of Islam but didn't really understand the full reality of it. I was creating reasons and then justifying why it was okay for me not to wear a Jilbab and a Khimar. I was unaware of the consequences. I mean I knew that it meant I was sinful and I would probably go to hell, but what did these words really mean? Honestly - Not much!!

Alhamdulillah, after realising what my REAL purpose in life is, I came to understand and accept Islam completely. The upsetting thing is that I was amongst the evil for just too long, May Allah forgive me for my ignorance - Ameen.

I recently had a conversation with a sister back in London. The conversation went something like this (original coversation was in Urdu):

Sister: "Why do you wear this?" (she meant my precious Jilbab and Khimar)
Me: "Because its fard upon a muslim woman to dress in this way"
Sister: "I don't believe that, it doesn't matter what you wear as long as your reasonably covered and you draw a veil infront of your eyes and your heart is pure"

SubhanAllah! What does "reasonably cover" mean? Does it mean Shalwar kameez or does it mean a bakini?. Im pretty sure she meant shalwar kameez and Im pretty sure most women at the beach feel comfy in bakinis. So how do you define reasonably cover? "Draw a veil infront of your and your heart is pure", did Allah (swt) give such exceptions? Our personal opinions on such matters hold no significant value in this duniya and will not suport us in our akhira either.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path, Ameen :o)

Lastly, would just like to thank a few people for their efforts, their time and the knowledge I have gained from them. May Allah reward you all, InshaAllah (Ameen).

I will soon post on the feeling of wearing a Jilbab and Khimar. If you don't wear it ever wondered how it feels? Well read up on my next post soon...inshaAllah.

...From food?? well course not entirely, man I have to survive some how but after having this half slice of chocolate fudge cake I feel like chocolate, not a sweet one, amazingly bitter.

Feel sleepy now. See what food can do to you, well to me anyway. Whos gonna do my homework?? Hmmm let me think?..nah noone willing!

Just remembered that I have been thinking about Jilbab and Khimar lately, will post on it when my eyes are a lil more open and my brain is geared up ready to speed at 110mph (my car/brain (whatever) doesnt go above that :o|).

Jilbab and Khimar - Alhamdulillah I have it, worry nots :oD but whoever doesn't have it must worry lots.. :o|

I made a cake today.

First time.

At home.

Not in the oven, in my head..or am I meant to say on my head?

Ingredients: Egg, yogurt and oil...no sugar!
What was missing? Flour!

My mums recipe for conditionin the hair..thought may as well try this Paki...stani cake..aani. Will let u know the result inshaAllah but right now its given my a headache coz its damn cold.