Coherence in the Quran:

  The Quran has 114 Surahs (I will translate that to 'chapters' at the moment) – all of which were revealed at different times and these Surahs are divided into two categories:

1.   Makki Surahs (Surahs revealed in Makkah - the main audience were the Quraish – most Ayat are an introduction to Allah, His signs, Paradise, Hell Fire and the Day of Judgment)
2. Madani Surahs (Surahs revealed in Madinah, the main audience were the Muslims)

  The Quran starts with Surah Al Fatihah and ends with Surah Al Naas – at first glance, one may wonder what kind of order the Surahs in the Quran are in? The word Surah, although normally translated in English to “chapter” does not properly explain the word Surah. The word Surah was used in the olden days to refer to the outer walls of a city inside which you had many things going on all of which were connected. So with that in mind, let’s discuss some of the possibilities.

  Clearly the Quran is not in chronological order: for if it was, the first Surah would be Surah Al-Alaq (which in fact is placed near the end). It is not in size order either (Biggest Surah first and smallest last) because then the last Surah would have been Surah Al Kauthar which is not the case. And neither is it in subject order with for example, Taqwa (piety) discussed first, Eman (faith) second etc. nor does it deal with a single subject matter one at a time. The conclusion many may eventually arrive to is that seeing as each Surah is independent of each other, there must not be a connection. Many scholars believe that this is not the case (for concrete reasons that are too long to go into at the moment): just as the order of each Ayah is set by Allah, the order of each Surah in the Quran is also according to Him. With this knowledge they studied the order of the Surahs in-depth and found many beautiful connections between the Surahs and here I will share with you just one such finding. In Surah Ar- Rahman and Surah Al Waqiah, (the 55^th and 56^th Surahs in the Quran), one of the connections between them can be seen when listing the subjects discussed in each Surah.

55- Surah Ar-Rahman -

Subjects discussed in order:

1) Greatness of the Quran (Ayat (signs) in the Book)

2) List of Allah's favors (Ayat (signs) around you.)

3) What happens to people who fail to be grateful? Day of Judgment and Hellfire.

4) People of paradise and what they get. (Tour of paradise)

5) Tour of Elite paradise.

56- Surah Al Waqiah -

Subjects discussed in order:

1) The Elite. (Who will be rewarded elite paradise)

2) People of the right hand (Who will be rewarded paradise)

3) Hell fire and Day of Judgment.

4) The favors of Allah. (Ayat (signs) around you)

5) Greatness of the Quran (Ayat (signs) in the Book)

As you can see, the subjects are reflected in the Surah right after it – this is just one example of the divine connections between each Surah in the Quran. (There can even be multiple connections as well) 

Taken from Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan’s Divine Speech Seminar videos which can be found at Bayyinah.tv.

Note: My knowledge of the Quran is extremely limited – this is just my attempt to share with you whatever minute knowledge I know so that maybe you can learn to fall in love with the Quran’s beauty as I have. Any good that came out of this was from Allah and any mistakes are from myself.

Doughnuts, Starbucks and Randomness. xD

  My baby sister sat at the table with a piece of my brother’s chocolate croissant in front of her.  Her voice echoed throughout Starbucks as she proclaimed in a feigned British accent: “Even if we do buy doughnuts afterwards, I wouldn't be able to eat them”.  I shifted my gaze towards the scrumptious piece that lay in the plate in front of her: my hand lazily pointed towards it. “So … I can have that?” Startled, she cried out with a loud “No!” and instantly let out a stream of laughter. I rolled my eyes at her teasingly and continued to sip at the chocolate-chip ice blended drink that rested between my chilled fingers.

  Around us the place was nearly deserted except for a single table a few feet away where my other younger sister sat with her three friends. Despite the place being nearly abandoned, our table alone was probably enough to give the opposite impression. My older sister sat across from me sipping her coffee and making sarcastic remarks, while my brother attempted to imitate King Candy from Reck-it-Ralph at every opportune moment making us all crack up at. And yet, my baby sister was the one who stole the spotlight - from commenting on the ingredients that went into the cake she’d just devoured to friendly bickering with the three of us on how we should act more like ladies (excluding my brother of course) and yet acting like a complete barbarian herself. (Her words, not mine). I sat with a bemused look on my face – allowing myself to have a chuckle or two at how bloody hilarious we were and shifting from adopting a scowl to doubling over in laughter over something someone had said.

  This picture of today’s outing I have just painted is an unusual one especially with parents like ours (the overly protective kind) who have a habit of calling us up every five minutes to insure we’re still alive and haven’t tripped over our feet and fallen into a ditch – but it’s not as rare as you may think. (Or as rare as I may make it out to be) Although, what initially was supposed to be a visit to Krispy Kreme’s with a group of my younger sister’s friends, it turned out that fate had other plans. Prayer time being right around the corner, the employees at Krispy Kreme’s “kicked” us out the moment we walked in at 3:30 on the basis of it nearly being Salah (prayer) time and so they simply could not have customers. This resulted in the eight of us walking across the street (our drivers having all gone home) towards Starbucks and Krispy Kreme’s losing a couple of potential customers. (Well, not really. We did go back to buy from them anyway)

  We ended up staying in Starbucks till almost five in the evening after which we walked back to Krispy Kreme’s and bought a box full of doughnuts for my parents. Later at home, we related the events to our mother who by now should be used to our random escapades – but was surprised nonetheless. I’m just glad we got back in one piece. (Mentally, that is) xP

A few things I've noticed about myself:

1. I love making lists.
2. I know I've mentioned this before but: I am literally obsessed with cute things. No seriously – I think it’s escalated into a mental disorder. O_o If you know a good psychiatrist*, please do refer them to me.
3. I prefer the easy way out of things – in others words, I’m lazy.
4. I have a knack for wasting time by staring at my laptop screen. Probably the only  talent I possess.
5. I can be laughing one minute and completely moody the next – I blame the hormones.
6. I try too hard to be funny.
7. I really do like writing lists.
8. I’m only writing this because I have nothing else better to do with my life
9. No, idiot – you should be watching a programming tutorial right now.
10. I like talking to myself.
11. I also like programming … And math. You’re welcome to call me a nerd – in any case, that title was claimed by me long time ago.
12. I will now end this and go back to sulking in a corner.

I Remember: Little snippets of my life in Saudi:

Seeing as I once did an “I remember” post centering around our time in America, I thought I’d do one for our time here in Jeddah. I've lived here for the past thirteen years and to be perfectly honest with you, I've got some great memories of the place. Regardless of what you may have heard or read, Jeddah like any other place has its ups and downs and considering the fact that I was born here and half of my mother’s family lives here I've grown to love the place as my own. (No, I’m not Saudi, in case you’re wondering).

So here goes my list of memories: I hope you enjoy them!

I remember playing with the two stay kittens that lived in the bushes outside my grandparent’s house.

I remember letting them climb all over my legs - they’re tiny claws scratching my skin.

I remember the countless sleepovers at my grandparent’s house – (their new and former one) – the late night talks with my cousin, the stories she would demand I tell her (I did enjoy telling them, I promise!), and the secrets we would exchange in the dead of the night.

I remember watching my uncle (who was just a teen back then) play Metal Gear and countless other video games such as Need For Speed, Fear, GTA, and one featuring a Japanese character – he never did tell us what that one was called despite all the begging we did.

I remember the cold air that always escaped through the space beneath the door of my uncle’s room – I remember taking turns with my sister, putting our feet as close as we could, savoring the freezing cold air.

I remember the countless fights I had with my cousin: most revolving around me wanting to sit down with a book and her wanting me to play tag, or hide-and-seek or whatever it was we used to play in those days.

I remember the bird we nursed back to health that had been injured in a fall, and later watching it fly away in to the sky – strong and healthy again.

I remember playing games that consisted of filling our room up with foam balls – pushing the mattress off the bed to make ourselves a ship – and setting the air conditioner to absurd temperatures so we could pretend we’d reached Antarctica.

I remember my days in primary and middle school – how I was always considered the “quiet”, “shy” kid and how much I inwardly hated that.

I remember lying to my sixth grade teacher about showing my report card to my mother because I was too afraid to tell her the truth – she saw right through me on the spot.

I remember being such a clean freak, where every speck of dust would annoy the hell out of me.

I remember dropping a huge bowl golabjamen⁽¹⁾ right in front of some late night guests - the syrup ended up running down my pants and onto the floor while I just stood there dumbstruck.

I remember my mother becoming furious, and my father gently telling me it was alright.

I remember the long bus rides back from school, hanging out with the older girls in the back – and falling asleep by the time we reached our stop.

I remember the messed up jokes my friends would make in high school – the headaches we gave our teachers - especially the social worker, and the good times we all shared. 

I remember hanging out in the deputy headmistress’s office while collaborating on the school magazine my friend Miriam and I were in charge of.

I remember dressing up as a guy once while our grandmother (Allah Yarhamha⁽²⁾) was staying with us – her reaction was to pretend I was some stranger from the streets and to keep telling me to get out – I just stood there, doubling up in laughter.

I remember when our aunt and her sons would visit from the states, the family get-togethers we’d have, mostly consisting of all of us cousins crowding around our uncles and annoying the hell out of them.

I remember riding my uncle’s quad bike over the sand dunes in the outskirts of Jeddah.

I remember attempting a dive into the Red Sea on one of our recent trips there, and ending up with a nose full of water instead.

I remember performing my first Hajj when I was sixteen –  camping out in Mina while rain fell from the skies,  asking for forgiveness in Arafat and sleeping under the night sky in Muzdalifah.

I remember getting my first (unofficial) marriage proposal on Hajj from some random Egyptian lady who thought I’d be good for her son – now THAT was awkward. 

I remember riding my younger cousin’s bike (which I "borrowed" on the spot from him) down the street next to the highway because I was too tired to run and catch up with my sister and uncle who were way ahead. 

I remember the late nights where all of us siblings would make corny jokes, tease each other to no end and laugh till our sides hurt and our throats were all raw. ⁽³⁾

I remember, I remember, I remember

My. Thirteen years is a long time. I could probably go on and on, but I think I’ll stop here, because I think you get the point: Jeddah is awesome - and if you haven't been here, well, let me just say - you are missing out mate. :p (Okay - that was totally not needed. Sigh. I suck at humor)
*Scratches that all out* The real point is: no matter where you are, be thankful for the people and moments in your life (even if things don't always go the way you want them to) - because you never know when all that will be taken away. Sometimes, we need to look past all the "bad" times to realize how blessed we actually are - and I'd say I'm extremely blessed. Alhamdulilah (Praise to God).

(1) An Indian/Pakistani dessert which you MUST try. 

(2) An Arabic phrase which means: May God have mercy on her soul.
(3) We still do that. =) 

Comfort (Written by My Baby Sister)

   We're having a gathering tomorrow, inshaAllah, where my father and his friends (who all happen to be doctors) will finally finish the Tafseer of the Quran after ten years of dedicated studying. We (their daughters and their sons) have been given the honor to come up with an event (separate ones) that has to do with the Quran and present it. This is going to be my baby sister's contribution: 

Comfort 

You're frightened,

But you need not fear

Just close your eyes,

The *Qur’an is here…

For الهدى   (Al-Huda),

The Guidance is its name

Whatever troubles storm your heart,

Its words will ease your pain

Like raindrops,

On a gentle monsoon day

The richness of *Allah’s words will,

Wash your doubt away

And listen,

That’s all you need to do

To the wonder and magnificence,

Allah has sent to you…

 _________________________

*Qur'an is the holy book of Muslims.

*Al Huda is another name for the Qur'an and means 'The Guidance'.

*Allah means 'God' in Arabic.

 _________________________

All my siblings are simply overflowing with raw talent. <3 MashaAllah. 

25 Things You Might Or Might Not Know About Me:

    I was looking through my facebook notes the other day and I came across the "25 Random Things About Me" which I'd written back in 2009. So I thought to myself, why not rewrite it now that it's 2013 and I'm a couple of years older? It took some time but I finally got around to writing it and so here it is! =)

1) I am literally obsessed with Germany - it's my dream to visit it. Also: I think the German language is absolutely lovely and I would love to speak it fluently some day. (I do know some, but the grammar still goes over my head)

2) I'm usually mistaken for being quiet when you first meet me but once I've gotten comfortable and known you long enough, be prepared for a permanent headache.

3) My interests change periodically. At the moment it's anything related to religion, science(D.A.)*, world affairs(D.A.)*, and Naruto.

4) I procrastinate big time by watching religious debates. (D.A.)*

5) Yes, I'm an anime lover but I'm extremely picky about my animes. They have to have depth, character development, and be CLEAN. :p (Epic fights wouldn't hurt either)

6) A few years ago I'd say I'm an extremely unemotional person: Now I'm not so sure - The tears come way too easily.

7) My close friends mean the world to me - perhaps because I have so few of them and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Also, I would do anything for them just to make them happy.

8) My older sister is my best friend - she's probably the only one who knows me through and through.

9) I'm an open book at times - my feelings seem to be written all over my face no matter how hard I attempt to hide them.

10) You do NOT want to try and frighten me in the dark (or even at night) - you'll end up with a hysterical girl who will probably die of a heart attack. I repeat: it is not recommended. (Unless you WANT me to die - but that would just be mean :p)

11) I actually like debating. Seriously, it's fun.

12) I'm a fan of salad, running on a daily basis, and chocolate. My day isn't complete without those three.

13) If I wasn't doing computer science, I'd probably dedicate my life to doing Tafseer and Arabic studies - I find it quite fascinating.

14) I can be awkward at times. Extremely awkward.

15) I have this obsession with adorable, furry things which is just unexplainable especially for a nineteen year old. Also: gift me a baby kitten, and I'll love you forever. :p

16) My bucket list includes being a professional race car driver, going deep sea diving, and playing the guitar.

17) I used to wish I was born a boy when I was younger, but now I'm perfectly happy being a girl :p I still do want an older brother though.

18) I want my husband to be my best friend - one who loves me, understands me, is patient with me despite all my faults, one who I can tease all I want and be teased back - And above all, someone who will help me become a better Muslimah so we can attain paradise together. (I still have my dream of him being a convert) 

19) The last good book I read was Honour and The Sword - that was one epic historical fiction which I certainly recommend. 

20) My goal in life is to become a better person and Muslim so that I am able to serve my Deen (religion) in the best possible way.

21) I can be extremely criticizing at times - although I try my best to reduce sounding harsh.

22) I have two amazing cousins who I hold dearly in my heart. I'd consider them my sisters in a heartbeat anyday.

23) Yes, I can be sweet when I want to - get on my wrong side though and I'll make you regret it.

24) I'm a nervous wreck before giving a speech - afterwards though I feel like I've conquered the entire world. :p

25) Writing this has made me realize I've changed a lot more than I thought from a few years ago.

*D.A. = Don't Ask. 

Have you ever felt ...

Have you ever felt as if you were isolated from the world and the people in it?

As if there was a barrier of glass between you and them.

You hear their voices and their laughter echoing around you - so close and yet so very distant.

You feel as if you're not really part of them. As if you don't actually belong. And that whether or not you were there - it wouldn't make a difference.

 You feel as if no matter how hard you try to just be yourself - it simply isn't enough. That you'll always be a mere shadow - forgotten and stepped on.

And then you wonder to yourself, is it worth it? To be surrounded by people who couldn't care less about your very existence.

And then you write corny lines to make yourself feel better and just end up sounding pathetic.

Yumna, Yumna, Yumna, for God's sake - stop being so depressed. :/*

Alright. Alright. But seriously though - I do feel like that sometimes no matter how hard I try not to. It's frustrating, tbh. And I know I shouldn't feel this way - especially when I have so much to be thankful for,  but deep down, I just can't help it at times. And I'm not writing this for pity or anything like that - I'm simply  letting out how I feel. (It was actually just an on the whim kind of thing) As to why I feel this way? I don't know. I'm a woman - we can't understand even ourselves. :p  Writing out my feelings though has certainly made me feel better ...  which is probably a good thing, right? ...

   Sigh. I need a break. A long one. Preferably by myself. Far, far, away. On the upside - I do have one week of vacation to look forward to - which is going to be filled with chocolate and sleep. <3 (Assuming that isn't ruined by tons of guests and an invasion of my privacy) Now, that will certainly be lovely.

Now I think I shall quit writing seeing as I probably sound like a depressed person who just needs a hug. 

*Yes, I talk to myself. Don't mind me. 

~ Memories ~ I remember.

I remember playing in the huge meadow that lay in front of my Aunt's house in Maryland.

I remember swinging higher and higher into the sky in the playground at our school.

I remember playing with the cats that belonged to the old Jewish lady who lived alone in the apartment above us.

I remember the walks to and from school - the revert crossing guard who would always have a candy cane ready for me and my sister.

I remember the long car ride from New York to Maryland where I insisted on sitting with my uncle and boring him to death by talking the entire ride - I was asleep when we finally arrived at our destination.

I remember the fights I used to have with my guy cousin - the games we used to play and the schemes we would come up with to find the pretzels (and other junk food) my aunt would hide from us.

I remember how my dad used to tie my hair into two pony tails - each one on either side of my head while listening to me recite Quran.

I remember the days and nights we spent at a dear friend's house who was Syrian: her two cats, the cold icy popsicles, being teased by her older brother and just listening to Aunty speak to mum in Arabic.

I remember standing outside ToysRUs, repeating Surah Al-Ghashiya after my dad in my attempt to memorize it so that he would buy me the tea set I always wanted.

I remember being bullied in first grade because I was too "quiet" and my classmates wanted a reaction out of me. I never gave them one.

I remember being asked why I never wore shorts to school.

I remember the Pizza party my second grade teacher, Mrs Quigley  held for me and my sister when we were leaving for Saudi - she made sure she ordered one with olives, just for us, so that it would be Halal.

I remember the neighbor's dog who would always come running up to our bus to greet us when we got home from school.

I remember the times we spent at the local Masjid: the events we would hold and the times we spent there with family and friends.

I remember the epic pillow fight we had with all our cousins in Maryland which we named "The Battle Of Badr".

I remember being driven home late at night when a drunk lady kicked the front of my dad's car at a red stop because we were "Muslim".

I remember being down right terrified when that happened.

I remember making snow angels in snow three feet deep - having a snow fight  - and helping to shovel the snow off of our driveway.

I remember visiting Sea World and being too afraid to touch the dolphins when I had the opportunity to.

I remember being spectator to an orca show I will never forget - where the largest orca whale attacked his trainer for forgetting to feed him his fish.

I remember riding my first cinemotion in Disney World and believing it was actually happening only to realize in the end that it wasn't possible for us to have reached Antarctica in a span of a few minutes.

I remember the cool breeze against my face and my hair flying in the wind as I cycled around the roundabout across from our driveway.

I remember irritating my cousin to the point where I had to be hung upside down by him to make me stop.

I remember bothering my uncle with endless questions of "Why?". "Why this" and "Why that?"

I remember the family gatherings we had, the laughter, the atmosphere, the excitement and joy.

I remember. I remember. I remember.

Okay, I think I shall stop now. :p This is just me reminiscing as usual about the memories I've had while living in America.  That thing is, my time in America has always been very precious to me. Perhaps it's because that's where I grew up - I pretty much spent the first seven years of my life there. It's surprising how even though I wasn't very old, the memories I have of the place are so vividly clear it's as if they occurred yesterday. I actually haven't been there for the past thirteen years ever since we moved here to Saudi Arabia, so I'm hoping inshaAllah that I do get to visit sometime in the future - perhaps even this year (Now, that would be exciting). Probably why it's been on my mind lately.  (The summer isn't too far away :p) What really saddens me though is that even if I did, nothing would be the same as it once was - neither the place nor the people and that makes my heart ache.

Storytelling From the Quran

   A dear friend of mine, Miriam, recently had the blessed opportunity to attend a lecture given by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan in person. Being a huge fan of Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan I asked her what the talk was on and it turned out it was the same one that I've been dying to attend ever since I heard about it - how the Quran tells its stories. Anyone who has read the translation of the Quran or even tried to read it may have noticed how the stories in the Quran are not in chronological order and sometimes you have bits and pieces of the story scattered throughout it. Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan informs us at to why this has been done in his many talks on Divine Speech which can be found at BayyinahTV. But in this particular lecture which my friend attended, two stories told in two separate Surah's (Chapters) were analyzed - the story of Prophet Musa (Moses) and the Story of Prophet Yusuf.  The story of Prophet Musa is told in Surah Al Qassas while the story of Prophet Yusuf is told in Surah Yusuf. In Surah Yusuf Allah (God) begins by saying: We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur'an although you were, before it, among the unaware.  (12:3)

   In this Ayah (verse), the word that is used for "stories" in the Arabic language is the word Qassas and is the same word used in Surah Al Qassas. After realizing this correlation, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan did some in-depth study of the two stories and this is what he found:

• Both stories begin with some kind of foretelling of how the outcome will be, but also begin with both of them in their youths.
• One is born into a slave community and the other is from a noble family.
• One's father is mentioned, and the other's mother is.
• One is thrown into the water of a well to rid of him, and the other is thrown into water to attempt to save him. 
• One's older siblings are the cause of being put into the water, and the other's older sibling is his savior. 
• They both end up in an Egyptian palace, one as a servant and the other as a prince. 
• One will destruct the ruling party, and the other will save it. 
• One is raised by two mothers, and the other has an absent father as his role model.
• Yusuf (AS) leaves the palace for a crime he did not commit. Musa (AS) leaves for a crime he did.
• One is captured and jailed without crime. And the other escapes though he committed a crime.
• One has extraordinary strength, and the other has extreme beauty, which is the cause for their leaving.
• One's name was denounced in public, and the other in private.
• One comes back to the palace to confess his crime, and the other comes back proving his innocence.
• One story shows how a relationship between a man and a woman should not happen, and the other shows how it should.
• And finally, one brings the message of Islam to Egypt, and the other leaves with the believers out of Egypt. 

Why give a speech about the Quran?

Look at my previous post first before reading this. It's titled: "Gems of the Quran"

  A year ago, I probably wouldn't even have thought of giving a speech about the Quran. Tbh, my knowledge and interest in the Quran was limited to just reading and memorizing it (something my parents encouraged which eventually grew to a personal wish to finish memorizing the Quran (not that I was all that dedicated)). I rarely read the translation and the little knowledge (my knowledge is STILL very limited) I had was from compulsory Islam classes and my parents. I didn't just suddenly wake up one day and decide I was interested in knowing more about the Quran - I was too caught up in what I considered more important and interesting. What started it was something so unexpected it's almost crazy. It started with a conversation. A conversation with a non-Muslim about the Quran and for the first time I was in a position where I had to prove to someone that the Quran WAS the word of God. The more I talked to him, the more I realized I knew absolutely nothing about the book I claimed was a miracle from my Lord. I spent three days and nights - eating next to nothing - researching for hours trying to answer his questions. The more I researched - the more I was amazed at my findings. I came to realize what a beautiful book the Quran is, it's language, depth and wisdom is beyond what I have ever imagined. I came across amazing people such as Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan and Sheikh Abdul Nasir (may Allah bless them) who have dedicated their entire lives to teaching the Quran in a way that pulls you in: makes you want to listen. And it was the first time I was introduced to the Quran as a speech - as if Allah (God)  was directly talking to me as I felt his words on my tongue. And that is when I realized what the Quran truly is - it is not book to be read once, put down and be forgotten - but rather a speech - one that begs to be heard, and felt by the heart. A speech that has the power to change people's entire lives. 

Who would have known that a non-Muslim would make me interested in my own religion? Amazing. Seriously. Amazing.

Gems of the Quran

My fourth toastmaster's speech given on February, 03, 2013*. The objective of the speech was "How you say it". I really hope you enjoy it! =) 

   Have any of you ever thought of delving into the wonders of the Quran? For those of who do not know what the Quran is, it is the Holy book of Muslims- a proclaimed miracle that was sent down to mankind from God in times of need -  like a beacon in a stormy night.

Fellow Toastmasters, honorable guests, good evening.

  I feel  that learning the Quran is like diving in to the ocean; the deeper you go, the more intrigued you become. Just like any other form of literature, the Quran has its own unique literary gems hidden deep inside of it. But to actually extract the wonders of the Quran yourself requires a great deal of knowledge and dedication because of the richness of the Arabic language. Which is why today I am going to show you just a few of the marvels concealed in the words of the Quran that you would otherwise not see if you just skimmed over the surface. 

In Surah Al Mu'minoon, God says: قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ,  Successful indeed are the believers. Aflaha means success and is used in the Arabic language to indicate the highest level of success. Interestingly, the word Aflaha or Falah is also used by Arabs to refer to the farmer or specifically the farmer during the crop season. The work a farmer does is all year long – he tends to his crops in the scorching summer heat – replants them in case of winds or any form of calamity – and at the end of the year, he harvests them. The entire time, the farmer is exerting a great amount of effort but he does not see the fruits of his labor until the very end. Which is exactly like the believer. The believer is constantly striving for God's sake in order to gain that final unseen reward, Paradise.

   In another Surah, Surah Al Ahzab, God says: مَّا جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ لِرَجُلٍ مِّن قَلْبَيْنِ فِي جَوْفِهِ Allah has not put for any man two hearts inside his body. What's important to notice is that the word Rajul is used which singles out men in particular. Also, to refer to the place where the hearts are kept, the word body (jowf) is used instead of chest Sadar even though throughout the entire Quran God talks about "the hearts in the chests". Why has this been done?

   Well, you see when a woman is carrying she contains two hearts inside her body, her own and the baby's. In both  these examples precise words were used in order to convey a specific message.

   Another gem can be found in Surah Al Ikhlas, where God says:  اللَّـهُ الصَّمَدُ The Self-Sufficient Master. But the word Al Samad actually has a couple of meanings: As a verb it means to turn attention towards someone or to demand from them a fulfillment or need. The word Masmood is actually what Al Samad implies and it is someone who people turn to in time of need.

   Another verbal meaning is when you make someone your goal, when you aspire to reach them, when you aspire to please them or when you aspire to attain them. When you make someone the goal in your life that is Al Samad.

   Al Samad can also refer to someone who is not in need of anyone else and no one can overpower them in terms status or in any attribute. In Arabic literature it's used for a person who cannot be overcome, meaning he can't be overcome in battle, you can't out do them in business, or in their leadership or in their studies or anything for that matter. That person would be Al Samad.

  Al Samad can also be an adjective and it is used to describe something that is whole, without any blemishes or faults. For example, a pure brick of Gold would be Al Samad, or a boulder without any holes to let water or air inside would be Al Samad. Something absolute, something concrete.

  So now the question arises, which of the meanings applies to this verse? The answer is all of them. That's one of the gems of the Quran, a single word used can have multiple meanings all of which apply to the same verse. 

And finally in Surah Al Mudathir God says:  وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ. Declare the greatness only of your master . The و here actually has many different meanings in Classical Arabic. One of the meanings is to signify the beginning of a sentence just like you have the capital letter in English. If you look at this verse with that in mind you can see that it is actually a palindrome. A palindrome is a word or a phrase that is spelt the same backwards and forwards which as you can see is the case here.

These four were just a few of the many gems buried deep within the very essence of the Quran. Just like the ocean floor, the Quran has a number of gems waiting to be discovered.  The fact is we don't realize the beauty and power concealed behind the words of the Quran because it is one book we take for granted.

In Surah al Ra'ad Allah says:
And if there was any Qur'an by which the mountains would be removed or the earth would be broken apart or the dead would be made to speak, [it would be this Qur'an].   

There is so much more to this book that we are missing and so much that we could gain just by becoming it's Students of Knowledge. All it takes is an enthusiastic spirit with the determination to undertake a fascinating journey into the very depths of it's pages. As William Blake once said: In the universe, there are things that are known and things that are unknown and in between there are the doors.

This speech was inspired by the information that was gained by listening to Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan. You can find his videos on Youtube and find Tafsir (in depth study of the Quran) done by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan and Sheik Abdul Nasir. 

Other Linguistic Miracles can be found here.

Feelings; Thoughts; Emotions

Blood bumped throughout my entire body. My head rested between my knees as my shoulders heaved up and down to the beat of my heart. I was sitting against the wall on the platform overlooking our Olympic sized swimming pool - trying to catch my breath after a ten minute workout of intense running. When my breathing finally slowed down, I pushed my head back to look out towards the ripples gently forming on the water surface. From where I sat, the water looked so deliciously cold as if tempting me to take a giant leap from the banister and into its welcoming embrace. The mental image of my head hitting the bottom if I miscalculated the distance flashed through my head. Now that would be suicide, I gently chided to myself pushing the thought away. I sighed - and  after a moment or two my mind unintentionally drifted to the heartrending events of two days ago

          I came home that day to find my mother stressed out beyond her capacity  to the point where she threatened to - oh, I would rather not mention what she threatened - and me, being the stubborn idiot I am, refused to back down and accept my dad's decision of not letting me stay back for Toastmasters that day. 

"But I've always stayed back! He's never had a problem with it before!" - "Why am I being treated like a child all of a sudden?" - "This isn't bloody fair. Nobody else has to be chaperoned!" I trudged moodily around the house - feeling as though I'd been betrayed - not once realizing or it even occurring to me what my mother must be feeling because of all this. I always have been a bit stubborn when it comes to doing what I want. It's not something I'm proud of but rather ashamed especially when it concerns my parents. A vivid memory is of me as a four year old: standing against the cold pane of our empty house staring stubbornly out at my parents and older sister pulling out from the driveway and not saying a single word. 

        Things didn't get any better with me sulking about this new turn of events: my mother (may God bless her and grant her Janat Al Firdous) having been working the entire day and who was bone tired was in no mood to see me the way I was. It took just a single complaint to make her break down right in front of me - and that is when it hit me in the chest. Hard. My stubbornness and refusal to accept my father's decision had clouded my sight - my mother was distressed and it was MY fault. All because I was too selfish to accept a single decision which was probably for my own good anyway. I decided to do the unselfish thing - called up my professor - and told her I wasn't going to be able to make it that day (because if I did - my mother would have to come with me - and that would be asking too much from her) Even before I put down the phone, I could feel the prickle in my eyes and hear the crack in my own  voice - and once the line went dead - the tears came gushing out.

     I cried for at least an hour. The tears just wouldn't stop coming no matter how hard I tried to stop them. I cried for my mother and all the pain I'd caused her. I cried for being such a failure as a daughter. I cried knowing I'd never be able to make it up to her -  everything she's ever done for me. I cried because I try, I try so hard and yet it still is not enough. And yes I cried because I would not be attending toastmasters - and it kind of hurt knowing deep down that it probably wouldn't make a difference whether I was there or not.

     I stood up for Asr prayer and even then the tears kept trickling down my cheeks. When I mouthed the words "You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help" - the tears intensified until my vision blurred and I could no longer see the floor in front of me. It felt like all my bottled up emotions - my disappointments, my anger, my sadness, my hurt were all being poured out in the form of water - like a tap left running. When I finally finished my prayer, I felt a lot calmer and my tears eventually subsided as if someone had reached out and gently closed the tap.

And my heart didn't hurt anymore.

    Looking back at it I think of myself as being rather silly - crying so much - when I've always prided myself at being strong. "Crying is a sign of weakness" or at least that's what I've always told myself. But I've come to realize that crying is how we know we care for someone - and to care for someone is probably the greatest strength a person can have.

Afterwards, my father sat me down and talked things

 through with me - we reached an understanding - at least for the time being.

Miracles DO happen.

"Mama! Have you seen my German book?"

"Didn't you take it to your grandparent's place?"

"Yes, but I'm sure I brought it back - and I can't find it anywhere!"

"It'll come up - don't worry"

This is kind of how the conversation went when I lost my German book in the middle of the semester. No matter where I searched - in my very messy closet, on my cluttered dressing table or even underneath the covers of my bed - I just couldn't find it. "How could a book that noticeable just ... disappear?" - "I must have dropped it on my way out of the car" "Or perhaps I left it at my grandparents place?" These were the thoughts that kept swirling through my head the entire time. A constant reminder that I was missing something and that if I didn't find it  as soon as possible, I was a goner. A number was dialed and my grandmother picked up on the other end. "No, dear, your book isn't here". I sighed as I placed the receiver back down. Every time I would rack my memory for the exact place where I had left the book when I had come home - I would be greeted with a black empty space and a headache.

The book seemed to have vanished.  Or at least that's the story I went with seeing as there was no other explanation.

 ***

The next day I walked towards my professor's office: twiddling my fingers as I knocked on her door and was welcomed in with a huge smile and a gesture to have a seat. My professor who can see right through me, knew this wasn't a spontaneous visit which is usually the case. I promptly related to her the entire situation, starting with the visit to my grandparent's place and ending with the disappearance of my German book.

"It's gone. Vanished into thin air!"

She just smiled at me.

"I was thinking perhaps I could buy another book from you?"

 She told me I could borrow a set until my copy turned up, on which I commented that it was very unlikely. Thanking her graciously, I exited the office.

 ***

Weeks passed and as expected my copy had still not turned up. Whenever it would cross my mind: I would remind myself of the money that was still due if I were to keep the borrowed one.

"180 riyals? - Maybe you should wait a little longer for your copy to turn up"

"It's not going to turn up. I even sent Salat ala Nabi* - nothing"  I shook my head disappointedly. "I'd love to have my own back but if I can't find it - I've got to pay the money"

***

It was the day of the final exam and right after completing my paper I made a bee line straight to my professor's office with my 500 riyal note in my pocket. Upon entering - I handed her the money, apologizing greatly for the late payment.

"Why, you didn't have to. I'd completely forgotten!" She exclaimed in surprise.

I smiled and replied: "But I never did"

Reaching into her wallet she realized after a moment that she didn't have any change and so told me to come back tomorrow.

***

As I sat revising for my exam the next morning I felt a familiar buzz against my side pocket and reached out to pull out my mobile. The caller ID read: Ma. Confused as to why my mother would be calling me when she knew I'd be in an exam in a few minutes: I pressed the receive button.

"Assalamualaikum?"*

Her voice filled my ear.

"Yumna, I found your German book"

---

Moral:  You never know when a situation in your life is a test - just do the right thing  and you will be rewarded in ways in which you can't even imagine. 

*Sending Salat ala Nabi (blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) helps during difficult times. 
*A Muslim greeting meaning: Peace be upon you. 

Everything happens for a Reason: Third Toastmaster Speech

Thought I'd share my speech which I gave at toastmasters that's held at my university. The objective of the third speech was to 'prove a point'. I hope you enjoy it. =) 

  There was once a king who had a very close friend. Now this friend of his had a habit of analyzing any situation whether it be good or bad and commenting on it by saying, "This is good, God knows best". Now it just so happens that one day, the king and his friend are on a hunting trip - the friend who is in charge of loading the guns hands the king his gun and when the king fires,  the gun backfires cutting off his thumb. The friend immediately comments on this by saying, "This is good. God knows best" The king who is standing there thumbless, is enraged by his friends words and yells, "No. It is not!" and orders his soldiers to put the friend in jail.

  A  year later the king is yet on another hunting trip this time in an area which is unexplored and it's just his luck that a group of cannibals capture him and take him back to their tribe. Now just when they're about to prepare the fire and wood, they notice the missing thumb. Being very superstitious people who refuse to eat anything that isn't whole, they untie the king and drive him out of the village. The king surprised at this, remembers his good friend and upon returning to his kingdom immediately goes to visit him in jail. Standing in front of him, he apologizes to his friend saying, "You were right, it was a good think that I lost my thumb, I am sorry for everything, and it was extremely wrong of me to sentence you to a year in jail" To this the friend smiles and replies. "No it was a good thing". The king opens his mouth to object, when the friend continues. "If I had  NOT been sentenced to jail, I would certainly have been with you on that hunting trip"

  Fellow Toastmasters, honorable guests, good evening. The thing is, a lot of the time we don't understand the wisdom behind why something happens the way it does. Especially in the case of something which we view as being bad, tragic, or harmful in some way. It could be an exam that you failed in, a relative who passed away, being accused of something  which you are completely innocent off, or even a physical accident. Most of the time we ask ourselves questions like, "Why me?" or "Why is this happening" and we have feelings of disappointment and regret  but what we don't realize is that this is what was supposed to happen and it is actually something that will benefit us in some way.

  Although initially I was going to give a more personal example I've decided to give a historical one instead for one reason: history is filled with stories many of which contain amazing  lessons which we can all benefit from and use in times of need. My favorite one being the story of Prophet Yusuf(peace and blessing be upon him) because although he was a messenger of God, one of the best of creations he too went through difficult times just like any of us.  

  If we look at Prophet Yusuf's story we can see it is full of hardships  one after another not only for Prophet Yusuf but for his family as well.  From the very beginning of the story you have a young  boy - being thrown into a well by his own brothers out of their hatred and jealousy for him and is left to die. You have his father who believes him dead and therefore loses his eyesight out of grief.  And although the boy is rescued and sold as a slave, he is later accused of seducing the wife of the very man who bought him  thus sentencing him to years in jail. However, if you fast-forward to the end of the story: not only does the boy become the king of Egypt's chief minister and is known for his gift of interpreting dreams but he is also given a position of power, authority and wealth, and the king even goes on to prove his innocence and removes all charges against him. And as the story progresses, Prophet Yusuf is reunited with his eleven brothers who apologize for their mistake, his parents and his father even gains his eyesight again.

  Now if you look at the sequential order of the story you can see that one thing led up to another. In order for Prophet Yusuf to reach the position that he was in the end he go to through each and every one of those incidents  - in order for the king to realize his talent of interpreting dreams and for him to gain that position of authority , he had to be put into jail. For him to be put into jail in the first place he had to be thrown into the well so that he could be sold to the Aziz family. 

 So everything that happened, happened for a reason.

  As long as you are doing your best, no matter what happens: even if the situation seems so utterly hopeless - remember the story of Prophet Yusuf and what he went through in order to get to where he was in the end.

  You see,  just because you can't see the point of something until after it has happened that doesn't mean there isn't a reason. And we must always remember that in the end God only does what is best for us. And  I would like to end with an Ayah from the Quran:  

                                             يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَإِلَى اللَّـهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ ) )

He knows what is before them, and what is behind them. And to Allah return all matters (for decision). 

Surah Al Hajj Ayah 76

Siblings

   So here I've watched The Hobbit for the second time in a row. Other than the fact it's a spectacular movie which I could watch a hundred times (just like I did with all three parts of LOTR - man, I really can't get how ANYONE could call them boring) and still not get tired of it - the rest of my siblings hadn't seen it yet. But when my younger brother walked in while I sat at my laptop watching a tutorial on HTML coding and announced that everyone was waiting for me to come join them, I have to admit, I was initially kind of annoyed. I really don't like being disturbed especially when I'm in that mood for learning (which isn't very often - usually I'd prefer to just curl up and go to sleep). Before I could tell him to leave me alone and go away, I  stopped for a second and reconsidered the relationship we have as siblings. Alhamdulilah, I could say I am very blessed indeed to be very close to my siblings - we share a bond that is thicker than blood - an unbreakable bond. Don't get me wrong, we most certainly have our ups and downs (you really don't want to see us get into a fight - I'm warning you, it's not pretty) but there is that understanding, that connection we share knowing we'd be there for each other when no one else is.

   I'm sure a lot of people have the same relationship with their siblings (I could be wrong though) - but I've realized that this connection isn't something that was just there - it was developed through little things such as watching a movie together, or sharing popcorn, or even discussing a favorite book. As trivial as these things may seem, it's what brings people closer. And it's certainly what brings us together. These opportunities that we are given to spend time with one other should not be wasted away, or considered unimportant but rather they should be held close to our heart and treasured for all times.

   We may not share the same personalities, or have the same outlook on things but what we do share is enough for us to put aside our differences and accept each other for who we are: a family.

World Peace and Unity

(وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْض إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ)

( And those who disbelieve are allies to one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies, as one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism), there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc.) and oppression on earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism)) - Surah Al Anfal Ayah 73

    Today as I sat down to memorize the last page of Surah Al Anfal (The Spoils of War) I came across this Ayah in the Quran and while reading the translation I was amazed at the wisdom and truth behind these beautiful words. SubhanAllah, the Quran is such a profound and amazing book and one of its miracles is that it is for all times, for all nations, and all types of people. It is a book that is a guide and a warning for all of mankind. So as I read these words I could see the state of the world being reflected in them with all of its bloodshed and oppression. Looking at the dire situation of even the Muslims today, we can see that we are anything but united. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are being killed every day in places such as Syria, Pakistan, Palestine, Burma and Iraq. Woman, children and men are suffering all over the world while we sit here judging each other and arguing over whether our neighbors are Muslims because they belong to a different sect. Rather we should put aside our differences, unite as one Muslim Ummah and hold tight to the rope of Allah if we want to achieve world peace. Allah says in Surah Al Imran:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا...))

" And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an), and be not divided among yourselves ... "

   The solution is so simple and yet so hard to carry out. You know how they say, it's easier said than done. But at a very basic level we can start amongst ourselves by strengthening our relationship with our creator: we can start by learning what our own religion has to say by reading and understanding the Quran - the miracle sent to mankind for all of eternity and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him).

   Only then will we be able to achieve unity among ourselves and eventually the entire world.

(Just felt like sharing my thoughts. InshaAllah this has benefited you in some way - if anything good comes out of this, it is from Allah and if I have said anything wrong it is from me) 

The Significance Behind My Blog Name

Well, let's just say I'm very original and so copying my tumblr blog name and using it for this one just seemed quite appropriate. XD

Actually, I've always loved big furry cats - my dream as a kid (and it still is my dream) is to keep a baby cheetah as a pet, raise it and then ride it cheetah-back across the fields of Africa (and probably get arrested for animal abuse in the process :p)

But then why a tiger in particular, you may ask? I guess it's because I've always identified with Tigger from Winnie The Pooh who happens to be a tiger. Also: as a kid if I were to compare myself to any animal it would be a tiger because I'd be very easy to anger and you would certainly not want to be at the receiving end of my anger, hence "The Tiger Roars".

That being said: the Tiger Roars sounded rather epic to my ears and so I decided to reuse it instead of having to come up with another epic sounding blog name. XD 

    I really have no idea why I've decided to start this blog. Tbh, I've never been the type to share my feelings but rather I've kept them bottled up most of the time. The fact is, I never could get myself to write my thoughts down. It was too much of a drag. But I feel seeing as I've got too much free time on my hands I might as well do something useful with it - and what better way than to have my own blog and share my thoughts with the world. Okay, this is sounding cliché. But you get what I mean, right?

   Personally, I've always felt a blog is a way of reaching out to people and bridging the gap so that we can better understand each other. Also it's a way through I which I can improve my writing skills which I feel have gotten rusty ever since I started majoring in computer science. And yes, I'm a programmer or one in the making at least. Just don't ask me for any help, I'm still a beginner myself. =)

   So I guess this is just a small introduction as to why I've made this blog. Hopefully, this way I'll be forced to write more and inshaAllah whatever I write will have some benefit. So no, I don't plan to write random rantings, those shall stay in head as far as I know - unless I feel a strong urge to do otherwise. (Like ranting about how adorably cute cats are and how I don't get people not liking them XD JK.)