Saturday, April 23, 2005
Worldwide celebrations of the Final Prophets' birthdays have been filling streets, mosques and households with cheer, happiness and a time to reflect upon the Impecable Perfection he brought to the world. For surely he was sent as a Mercy to the Universe. Peace & Blessings upon him.
words continue here
Whimps of the 21st century...
Salam & Peace
I returned a while ago from the Mosque after listening to a beautiful speech about the Final Prophet of God Almighty.
Whilst there I bumped into a woman.
No ordinary woman.
She recently lost her second child through a genetic condition. I remember the evening I heard about the death of her baby, half an hour later I received a text message from friends to say they had had their first child; a little girl. I couldnt stop crying.
That evening before calling this woman, I recalled the last time I had a conversation with her - it was last year when she phoned in regards an arts enquiry. She had phoned me from the hospice where her child was being cared for, and that is when she told me about her first child who had also died as a toddler.
As I remembered this woman - I came across my meeting with her previous to last years' telephone encounter. It was when this dear woman was pregnant with this same child who died.
My tears overwhelm me as I type this.
Today at the mosque...
This great woman came to me with the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. She had the most calmest of looks and the most humble of gestures on her face.
She held my hand and after reciting a supplication of prayer, blew on my hand as was the practise of the Prophet and traditionally the people of faith. She looked at me and said that God would heal. I felt like perishing.
...
We have become whimps.
True & proper.
We have failed to recognise that the only real refuge is to God Almighty.
Nowhere else.
We have forgotton to look at those being tested greater than what we face.
We ignore those pages in the Book of God Almighty where we are taught that no soul has a burden placed on it greater than it could handle.
We fail to read that God Almighty tells us that what we are going through is a process of cleansing.
A process of purification.
A process of self-awareness.
And a self-awareness which teaches us to walk directly in the footsteps of the Prophet through all stages of life. An awareness that gives us an understanding of the magnitude of being isolated from everyone for self reflection.
I am a whimp.
Peace & Prayers.
I returned a while ago from the Mosque after listening to a beautiful speech about the Final Prophet of God Almighty.
Whilst there I bumped into a woman.
No ordinary woman.
She recently lost her second child through a genetic condition. I remember the evening I heard about the death of her baby, half an hour later I received a text message from friends to say they had had their first child; a little girl. I couldnt stop crying.
That evening before calling this woman, I recalled the last time I had a conversation with her - it was last year when she phoned in regards an arts enquiry. She had phoned me from the hospice where her child was being cared for, and that is when she told me about her first child who had also died as a toddler.
As I remembered this woman - I came across my meeting with her previous to last years' telephone encounter. It was when this dear woman was pregnant with this same child who died.
My tears overwhelm me as I type this.
Today at the mosque...
This great woman came to me with the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. She had the most calmest of looks and the most humble of gestures on her face.
She held my hand and after reciting a supplication of prayer, blew on my hand as was the practise of the Prophet and traditionally the people of faith. She looked at me and said that God would heal. I felt like perishing.
...
We have become whimps.
True & proper.
We have failed to recognise that the only real refuge is to God Almighty.
Nowhere else.
We have forgotton to look at those being tested greater than what we face.
We ignore those pages in the Book of God Almighty where we are taught that no soul has a burden placed on it greater than it could handle.
We fail to read that God Almighty tells us that what we are going through is a process of cleansing.
A process of purification.
A process of self-awareness.
And a self-awareness which teaches us to walk directly in the footsteps of the Prophet through all stages of life. An awareness that gives us an understanding of the magnitude of being isolated from everyone for self reflection.
I am a whimp.
Peace & Prayers.
words continue here
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Dads! We love you!
Salam, Peace & Salutations :)
I've blogged about my mum & dad before ...
I have come across many people in my life whose dads died years ago.. some have mere vague memories of them since they were too young when they died. And I have other friends whose parents are seperated or just 'dont get on'.
...
This morning dad made me breakfast :) with the sweetest cup of tea (i think he likes heaped spoons of sugar) .
I have been in a lot of pain as of recent (so better keep this blog short) .. and have seen the impact of this on both my parents. Parenting must be an extremely tough task, especially if someone has a child like me :)
But it seems to come so naturally, direct and straight from the heart. Maybe this is what maternal & paternal instincts are?
I don't know - but what I do know is:
As I age, I am using more and more expressions that my parents used. I can hear myself in conversations saying "my mum taught me .."
I'm one of those individuals who did not grow up into a household where prayer was performed daily. Neither where relatives frequented in visits to the Holy Cities. Although my parents did nurture spirituality and taught us about the Greatness of God Almighty from a very young age where we were also taught about The Day of Accounts.
However I was blessed along my life somewhere to be introduced to people who "prayed 5 times a day" and wore a "head-covering". And so the seeds of spirituality that my parents had sewn were nourished and out came a young woman who prayed & covered her head although the very people who planted the seeds of the Loving God did not pray.
Amazing as it sounds - the Hajj was the turning point for both my parents - who now tell ME off for delaying my prayers! Which of course I love.. I stand bemused :)
Like I said to my mum: ".. you get all the reward of any goodness we do - Lucky for some!"
God bless our dads - if mum is the only true friend I have - then dad is the only real guy who can make me feel like the most special person on this earth.
I dont have children.
And even if I did - I doubt I'd ever match the parenting skills of my folk.
May God Almighty bless our parents to be the protective force upon us covering our weaknesses in the footsteps of our Father Adam & Mother Eve (Peace upon them both).
Parenting in Islam
Peace & Prayers
Wasalam, duas
I've blogged about my mum & dad before ...
I have come across many people in my life whose dads died years ago.. some have mere vague memories of them since they were too young when they died. And I have other friends whose parents are seperated or just 'dont get on'.
...
This morning dad made me breakfast :) with the sweetest cup of tea (i think he likes heaped spoons of sugar) .
I have been in a lot of pain as of recent (so better keep this blog short) .. and have seen the impact of this on both my parents. Parenting must be an extremely tough task, especially if someone has a child like me :)
************
But it seems to come so naturally, direct and straight from the heart. Maybe this is what maternal & paternal instincts are?
I don't know - but what I do know is:
As I age, I am using more and more expressions that my parents used. I can hear myself in conversations saying "my mum taught me .."
*************
I'm one of those individuals who did not grow up into a household where prayer was performed daily. Neither where relatives frequented in visits to the Holy Cities. Although my parents did nurture spirituality and taught us about the Greatness of God Almighty from a very young age where we were also taught about The Day of Accounts.
However I was blessed along my life somewhere to be introduced to people who "prayed 5 times a day" and wore a "head-covering". And so the seeds of spirituality that my parents had sewn were nourished and out came a young woman who prayed & covered her head although the very people who planted the seeds of the Loving God did not pray.
Amazing as it sounds - the Hajj was the turning point for both my parents - who now tell ME off for delaying my prayers! Which of course I love.. I stand bemused :)
Like I said to my mum: ".. you get all the reward of any goodness we do - Lucky for some!"
*****************
God bless our dads - if mum is the only true friend I have - then dad is the only real guy who can make me feel like the most special person on this earth.
****************
I dont have children.
And even if I did - I doubt I'd ever match the parenting skills of my folk.
May God Almighty bless our parents to be the protective force upon us covering our weaknesses in the footsteps of our Father Adam & Mother Eve (Peace upon them both).
***************
Parenting in Islam
Peace & Prayers
Wasalam, duas
words continue here
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Who has the real Disability?
Salam, peace and salutations of warmth to all :)
"YES! You are disabled!"
"Oh Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"
"You are! Just like me - I cant see 100% from one eye remember??"
"Really :( "
"Yeah man - hey girl - we have a disability which prevents us from performing our duties properly. Thus we need to make ADJUSTMENTS"
"hmmmm ... like what?"
"Like - we CAN do the job BUT our employers need to ENABLE us. You know? Put in measures into place so we can do the job WITH our condition!"
DISABILITY & ISLAM
ULFAH ARTS - STEPS TO PARADISE
DISABILITY
Yes - the biggest disability is ignorance... known in Islamic terminology as Jahaliyah
Ignorance of what?
Tthe blessings of the Lord?
Or His Power?
Or His ability to give and take?
Or of a Day that awaits when we will be accountable?
Sources point to how society should adapt to meet the needs of a 'disabled' individual - but all too often we find that society requires the individual to adapt to meet its needs.
Who made this law?
...and why?
There is also the added element of ASSISTED SUICIDE which has sprung up in our society. The fact that people support such initiatives clearly shows how we are geared towards a certain definition of 'normality' and anything 'different' is looked upon as strange or odd.
Just like the occupational health bloke looked at my blonde-haired friend yesterday and asked "Is this your manager?"
(Would he have said this if she was as brown as me? And as she said: "Gosh, does he really think employers should frog-march their workers to an appointment!"
Lift your senses and take a deep breath - and say THANK YOU GOD!
God Bless - Peace & Prayers
Wasalam, duas
xx
"YES! You are disabled!"
"Oh Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"
"You are! Just like me - I cant see 100% from one eye remember??"
"Really :( "
"Yeah man - hey girl - we have a disability which prevents us from performing our duties properly. Thus we need to make ADJUSTMENTS"
"hmmmm ... like what?"
"Like - we CAN do the job BUT our employers need to ENABLE us. You know? Put in measures into place so we can do the job WITH our condition!"
DISABILITY & ISLAM
ULFAH ARTS - STEPS TO PARADISE
DISABILITY
Yes - the biggest disability is ignorance... known in Islamic terminology as Jahaliyah
Ignorance of what?
Tthe blessings of the Lord?
Or His Power?
Or His ability to give and take?
Or of a Day that awaits when we will be accountable?
Sources point to how society should adapt to meet the needs of a 'disabled' individual - but all too often we find that society requires the individual to adapt to meet its needs.
Who made this law?
...and why?
There is also the added element of ASSISTED SUICIDE which has sprung up in our society. The fact that people support such initiatives clearly shows how we are geared towards a certain definition of 'normality' and anything 'different' is looked upon as strange or odd.
Just like the occupational health bloke looked at my blonde-haired friend yesterday and asked "Is this your manager?"
(Would he have said this if she was as brown as me? And as she said: "Gosh, does he really think employers should frog-march their workers to an appointment!"
Lift your senses and take a deep breath - and say THANK YOU GOD!
God Bless - Peace & Prayers
Wasalam, duas
xx
words continue here
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Down at our residence, we have our very own postgirl. Known as Curly by myself (for obvious reasons) she is the bestest little help one can get nowadays. As the morn dawned upon us today.. I said OK Curly - my camels have left. In their absence you are dutibound to open my mail :)
words continue here
Hey I am Super Curl! I can do this no problemo! EEEya - ha - a - ooh - eeh - uhh - HEY!!! Hold on a minute; its set-up to keep me busy for 10mins... its sealed with triple action super duper glue! Right... c'mon where is the effect of all those lollipops, sweets and chocolate...!
words continue here
Mailing List UPDATE... finally!
Salaam and Peace to all.
Praying you are all well.
MAILING LIST
This was intended to be an email, however I am unable to send it out mainly because since having my machine cleaned out, the Mailing List email addresses require a few hours of 'sorting' out. Unfortunately I am physically unable to dedicate this amount of time on the machine right now. So rather than pending this any longer - I decided it would suffice if it the email was pasted here. So here comes that long email which was intended for folk on the Mailing List ... but is now here for all :)
UPDATE
My apologies for the delay in this email – I started it in the early days of March. I'd like to thank the friends who helped the dictating and typing. Please note this update is long, there may not be another one for some time so I have tried my best to include all the necessary points. Thanks for your patience – I know not everyone likes reading long emails!
WEBSITE
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Tranquilart website has temporarily been taken offline and will remain so until further notice. My humble request to supporters is to pray for a speedy recovery for Tranquilart!
I developed pain in my right wrist in mid-Feb which was diagnosed as tennis elbow. However, 2 months later and the pain is as bad as ever in both arms. This has meant taking a complete break from art and work. Currently users are being diverted to this blog site – I will endeaver to keep this site updated as often as I am able to.
ACTIVITIES
Tranquilart has stopped activities in the fields of:
Stalls
Workshops
Commissions
Exhibitions
CATALOGUE LAUNCH
I regret to tell you that the long awaited 2005 Catalogue has been postponed until further notice. I would like to thank Birmingham Women's Campaign for their support in this matter. However, Tranquilart will still, God Willing be raising money for the purchase of Graseby Syringe Pumps in the near future. (This may be later this year or even 2006).
4 WOMEN 4 STORIES
Tranquilart has been working with Ulfah Arts in a public display of the talent and stories of four females. I urge everyone to support this in whatever capacity they are able to. There are no more exhibitions planned after this until further notice.
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY
Tranquilart held a stall and a one day workshop on 17th February at Birmingham University. The students were asked to participate in demonstrating their creativity by painting on a canvas entitled "The Garden". This is part of the ongoing work I am doing on this theme as part of my own artistic and spiritual development. You can see how we got on at: here!
LINKS TO ARTICLES
When the Tranquilart site was closed, the Homepage took away links to the various articles and interviews. I had requests to reinstate these therefore these have been made available through my blog: Here
DONATIONS
Tranquilart has kindly received donations to finance productions of the artwork. As you are aware this has been a 100% non-profit making project, I have been overwhelmed by the financial support from people of different faiths and backgrounds.
However, I will not be taking any more donations until the future of Tranquilart becomes clear.
REFLECTION
These are days of reflection and contemplation for Tranquilart. I am trying my best to share some of these thoughts with you but it is extremely difficult to write/type at the moment.
THANKS
A deep, warm thank you to everyone for their support in all the forms that I have received it. May Gods' Grace be upon you all.
FINALLY...
Tranquilart is a way of thinking and ultimately acting.
My aim has been to use hand crafted art based upon a traditional philosophy of peace and harmony, to instill a feeling of inner and outer tranquillity. This has been a mere attempt.
Throughout the Tranquilart journey I have been extremely fortunate to have met so many people who I believe were God-sent. They supported me when my ideas were still abstract in my head.
They were the best teachers I ever came across; taking my fears and turning these into openings into my own heart; helping me cross barriers which many 'artists' face in the modern world.
These were the guides who helped me develop Tranquilart into a tool which related the actions of my limbs to what was in my mind and helped make this project into the spiritual discourse I had envisaged.
They stretched their hands out to me at a time when I was too scared to give my hand to anyone.
When my world had become a barren garden of cynicism; they planted a rose-bed of trust.
When I could barely crawl they taught me the art of walking.
Walking in the path of the dreams many of us have rooted deep within our beings – but dreams which only materialise once they are realised.
As if it wasn't sufficient to be surrounded with good people with charisma; when my contact in the 'cyber-world' grew, I came in contact with so many wonderful people who gave me the warmest 'welcome' a website could receive.
People to whom I have never spoken, whom I have never seen but whose emails brought cheer to my face and gave me the motivation, encouragement and strength to continue this project.
On days I thought: is this project worth it?
But then, almost as a good omen, I'd recieve an email from a complete stranger telling me that they liked the website and wishing me the best of luck.
My heart skipped a beat one morning as I received an email from a young girl perhaps aged 13 who asked me if there was anyway she could help.
It missed another beat when an 81 year old gentleman who had come to visit the Tranquil Minds artshow wrote me the most beautiful and encouraging email; telling me to continue to spread the message of hope in this society.
We may never meet in this world – but for sure my faith teaches me that I will meet all those who are part of this world of mine One Day.
Tranquilart will be back, when the conditions are right – I am sure the whole of the celestial world will bring it back when it needs to return… just as they did in the first place!
Until then Good Bye & God bless...And keep reading the blog for camel rides and stuff!!
Peace and Prayers to all
Bint-eh-Adam
Praying you are all well.
MAILING LIST
This was intended to be an email, however I am unable to send it out mainly because since having my machine cleaned out, the Mailing List email addresses require a few hours of 'sorting' out. Unfortunately I am physically unable to dedicate this amount of time on the machine right now. So rather than pending this any longer - I decided it would suffice if it the email was pasted here. So here comes that long email which was intended for folk on the Mailing List ... but is now here for all :)
UPDATE
My apologies for the delay in this email – I started it in the early days of March. I'd like to thank the friends who helped the dictating and typing. Please note this update is long, there may not be another one for some time so I have tried my best to include all the necessary points. Thanks for your patience – I know not everyone likes reading long emails!
WEBSITE
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Tranquilart website has temporarily been taken offline and will remain so until further notice. My humble request to supporters is to pray for a speedy recovery for Tranquilart!
I developed pain in my right wrist in mid-Feb which was diagnosed as tennis elbow. However, 2 months later and the pain is as bad as ever in both arms. This has meant taking a complete break from art and work. Currently users are being diverted to this blog site – I will endeaver to keep this site updated as often as I am able to.
ACTIVITIES
Tranquilart has stopped activities in the fields of:
Stalls
Workshops
Commissions
Exhibitions
CATALOGUE LAUNCH
I regret to tell you that the long awaited 2005 Catalogue has been postponed until further notice. I would like to thank Birmingham Women's Campaign for their support in this matter. However, Tranquilart will still, God Willing be raising money for the purchase of Graseby Syringe Pumps in the near future. (This may be later this year or even 2006).
4 WOMEN 4 STORIES
Tranquilart has been working with Ulfah Arts in a public display of the talent and stories of four females. I urge everyone to support this in whatever capacity they are able to. There are no more exhibitions planned after this until further notice.
BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY
Tranquilart held a stall and a one day workshop on 17th February at Birmingham University. The students were asked to participate in demonstrating their creativity by painting on a canvas entitled "The Garden". This is part of the ongoing work I am doing on this theme as part of my own artistic and spiritual development. You can see how we got on at: here!
LINKS TO ARTICLES
When the Tranquilart site was closed, the Homepage took away links to the various articles and interviews. I had requests to reinstate these therefore these have been made available through my blog: Here
DONATIONS
Tranquilart has kindly received donations to finance productions of the artwork. As you are aware this has been a 100% non-profit making project, I have been overwhelmed by the financial support from people of different faiths and backgrounds.
However, I will not be taking any more donations until the future of Tranquilart becomes clear.
REFLECTION
These are days of reflection and contemplation for Tranquilart. I am trying my best to share some of these thoughts with you but it is extremely difficult to write/type at the moment.
THANKS
A deep, warm thank you to everyone for their support in all the forms that I have received it. May Gods' Grace be upon you all.
FINALLY...
Tranquilart is a way of thinking and ultimately acting.
My aim has been to use hand crafted art based upon a traditional philosophy of peace and harmony, to instill a feeling of inner and outer tranquillity. This has been a mere attempt.
Throughout the Tranquilart journey I have been extremely fortunate to have met so many people who I believe were God-sent. They supported me when my ideas were still abstract in my head.
They were the best teachers I ever came across; taking my fears and turning these into openings into my own heart; helping me cross barriers which many 'artists' face in the modern world.
These were the guides who helped me develop Tranquilart into a tool which related the actions of my limbs to what was in my mind and helped make this project into the spiritual discourse I had envisaged.
They stretched their hands out to me at a time when I was too scared to give my hand to anyone.
When my world had become a barren garden of cynicism; they planted a rose-bed of trust.
When I could barely crawl they taught me the art of walking.
Walking in the path of the dreams many of us have rooted deep within our beings – but dreams which only materialise once they are realised.
As if it wasn't sufficient to be surrounded with good people with charisma; when my contact in the 'cyber-world' grew, I came in contact with so many wonderful people who gave me the warmest 'welcome' a website could receive.
People to whom I have never spoken, whom I have never seen but whose emails brought cheer to my face and gave me the motivation, encouragement and strength to continue this project.
On days I thought: is this project worth it?
But then, almost as a good omen, I'd recieve an email from a complete stranger telling me that they liked the website and wishing me the best of luck.
My heart skipped a beat one morning as I received an email from a young girl perhaps aged 13 who asked me if there was anyway she could help.
It missed another beat when an 81 year old gentleman who had come to visit the Tranquil Minds artshow wrote me the most beautiful and encouraging email; telling me to continue to spread the message of hope in this society.
We may never meet in this world – but for sure my faith teaches me that I will meet all those who are part of this world of mine One Day.
Tranquilart will be back, when the conditions are right – I am sure the whole of the celestial world will bring it back when it needs to return… just as they did in the first place!
Until then Good Bye & God bless...And keep reading the blog for camel rides and stuff!!
Peace and Prayers to all
Bint-eh-Adam
words continue here
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Complicated Openings?
Asalamalaikum from the depths of my reflective mind, soul and body
Greetings of Peace and Salutations of Tranquility to cyber world :)
Okay so I get a lot of peeps asking me what I'm up to nowadays ... and upon seeing a sling - or tubigrip on both hands they squeeze their eyes and say "What on earth have you done?"
As if I have done this I think.
Have I really?
For what is my belief in the Power of an Unseen Force if I believe I am behind this? For I realise that currently I can't do more than I once could.
Limitations.
Stoppages.
Hindrance.
Is this to be perceived by annoyance? For faith is a waste of time if it is. I think to myself. No surely it can't be...
So what exactly does faith mean?
Lifes' crossroads are 2-fold I begin to think...
On the one hand it appears to be so complicated to get across to the 'other side' or as us nomads put it - the desert across there -->
On the other, from within them come so many openings and new endings - new routes for the caravan - countless possibilities for the camel to rejoice in..
I reason with myself that lifes' crossroads are indeed Complicated Openings. But where do we place the paint of 'faith' on this canvas of life?
Surely Faith must be the essence of knowing the Driving Force behind all of life's complications - just as the primer is placed upon the canvas during preparation. This priming agent called 'faith' must be present on the canvas before an artist begins their exploration of the Complicated Openings.
Faith in what I ask?
The answers come from the Heavans: In that Supreme Force which has caused what I perceive as:
Limitations.
Stoppages.
Hindrance.
*Faith.
Peace & Prayers
God Bless
Wasalam, Duas
Greetings of Peace and Salutations of Tranquility to cyber world :)
Okay so I get a lot of peeps asking me what I'm up to nowadays ... and upon seeing a sling - or tubigrip on both hands they squeeze their eyes and say "What on earth have you done?"
As if I have done this I think.
Have I really?
For what is my belief in the Power of an Unseen Force if I believe I am behind this? For I realise that currently I can't do more than I once could.
Limitations.
Stoppages.
Hindrance.
Is this to be perceived by annoyance? For faith is a waste of time if it is. I think to myself. No surely it can't be...
So what exactly does faith mean?
Lifes' crossroads are 2-fold I begin to think...
On the one hand it appears to be so complicated to get across to the 'other side' or as us nomads put it - the desert across there -->
On the other, from within them come so many openings and new endings - new routes for the caravan - countless possibilities for the camel to rejoice in..
I reason with myself that lifes' crossroads are indeed Complicated Openings. But where do we place the paint of 'faith' on this canvas of life?
Surely Faith must be the essence of knowing the Driving Force behind all of life's complications - just as the primer is placed upon the canvas during preparation. This priming agent called 'faith' must be present on the canvas before an artist begins their exploration of the Complicated Openings.
Faith in what I ask?
The answers come from the Heavans: In that Supreme Force which has caused what I perceive as:
Limitations.
Stoppages.
Hindrance.
*Faith.
Peace & Prayers
God Bless
Wasalam, Duas
words continue here
