Underscarves problem!

Aren't they annoying? I love the look of them and the security that the scarf will stay in place, but the one I have is a pretty large triangle that I tie at the back of my neck when I wear it... It goes over the ears or else it just doesn't make a nice-looking line on the forehead. It is too heavy or something and makes it hard to hear... And the material makes sounds when I move my head. Really not cool! Is it only the material that is just not suitable?


I like the idea of the tube underscarves that come with the al-amira style scarf. Normally I see them worn over the ears of the mannequins on the websites that sell this style... Are they much better than what I described from my underscarf?

What are the best styles and materials? How do you wear it?

Have some respect!!!

I really wanted to yell this at lunch today with some co-workers. One co-worker in particular is very anti-religion and was going on about how useless marriage is, how stupid (literally used that word) people are who go and get married in church if they don't attend it regularly. We are Catholic here, but there are few people who practice. It's more cultural here but that's the way it is and somewhere, I know it's still meaningful to them... Her daughter's father is pushing for the daughter to do her sacraments lately. It used to be taken care of in public school but isn't anymore so parents who want their children to do these sacraments have to enroll them in courses outside of school. I think that's perfectly fine. She was complaining about this of course. I guess I understand that if it's meaningless for her, she feels as though it's meaningless for her daughter too. A total waste of time. But it was the attitue that came with it, you know? Her daughter is 12 and obviously agreed to do these courses when her dad asked her. She's a pretty independant young girl. It seems like if she agrees and *might* get something out of it, and the dad is paying, then what is the problem?

But the thing that almost made me yell that at her was when she talked about a friend of her's who once told her he had been sick and "put it in God's hands" and that's when he began to feel better. He was telling her it was because of God that he had gotten over his illness. She tells us, "I told him: Which side do you want me to slap you on?!" and went on about how she ridiculed him.

Sounds like he was on his way to realizing how much God gives us and he had to get ridiculed... I hate these conversations.

Almost went to mosque

That title sounds really stupid...

I had a tough weekend. I just didn't feel well and was moody as heck. Poor husband, having to deal with all that! I got really angry at one point Saturday night and just stormed off for a drive, not knowing where I was going at all. I wandered around for about 20 minutes and wound up in front of the local mosque. I wanted nothing more than to just go inside and pray.

But I didn't go in. There were lights, but at that hour, it was quite some time after isha so whoever was in there was probably someone who had the keys and came for some extra spiritual time. I didn't want to go in unnoticed and have the person try to leave while I was there (since the women's section is totally cut off from the men's). And I wasn't properly dressed anyway. I know they normally have a hijab and a jilbab/galabeya or something available though and that there are some women who go into the mosque a bit underdressed and use those once they get inside though... But still. When I go, I like to be appropriately dressed without the mosque's help.

I should have just gone home and prayed there, but I got home and just slept. I don't feel I have any decent space to worship there. This is something I plan on changing soon. I will rearrange the apartment a little to get this space for myself.

Funerals...

I was thinking about if I died... I'm sure my husband would use this blog to prove to my parents that a Muslim funeral would be my wish. They would go about it the regular way people do around here, but of course, that envolves embalming, and most likely cremation, so my husband would be totally against it. Even if I hadn't converted, I'm sure he would have done all he could to avoid these two things after I died.

To me, my body is something temporary and once I'm dead, it isn't *me* anymore. Yes, it's something that represents me because that's how everyone knew me. As who I am in this body of mine. But personally, I would be OK with being cremated. I think it's useless to embalm me. Seriously, just bury me already! Embalming is just creepy. But if it had to be done (when it's cold, the ground can't be easily dug out), then it would just be done and whatever, it's fine.

That being said, I'd rather do it the Islamic way of taking care of the body. Cleaning it, burying it quickly, and not cremating it. I like the simplicity. And I'd rather have Qur'an read at my funeral than the Bible that would likely be read at a funeral arranged by my parents. Religion isn't a big part of funerals anymore for us, but there is pretty much always a bit of Bible thrown in there.

And I really want it out there that if I die, I don't want people spending hundreds of dollars on flowers. I would like all money to be donated to a charity. If there's enough to sponsor a child for a year, then I'd appreciate that to be done for me. Maybe it would encourage someone to take over the sponsorship after the money from the funeral has been used. They could keep it up in my memory. I feel good imagining that could happen.

Justice

How comforting is it as Muslims to believe/feel like we know that everyone will get what he deserves in the end? That there is an ultimate justice in this world that is apart from the justice we can only try to impose.

I wouldn't want to accept, if I were an atheist or from another religion that either doesn't believe in the afterlife or in hell, that someone who murders his wife and kids, and then kills himself has gone into nothingness. That's so much more than he deserves, and it wouldn't be just.

It's hard to keep this in mind though sometimes... But it helps to do so. It's with Allah that all justice lies, and we don't have to worry about that.

Gambling

I think I posted some time ago about my office and their weekly lottery tickets. They each put in 3$ a week to try to win the jackpot of like 25 million dollars or something. I was the only one not participating, which I was (and of course, still am) perfectly comfortable with. I really don't like gambling, ESPECIALLY this mindless buy-a-ticket get-a-chance type.

I entered an Olympic hockey pool this week. The way this one worked is simply that each person that enters has to predict which teams will receive the gold, silver and bronze and also predict 3 players that will get the most goals or assists. I thought that was fun... I maybe should have just made myself a list for fun and followed my teams and players to know where I'd placed, but I entered the competition. There's a tiny bit of "skill" envolved in knowing which players are doing well, but it's seriously just luck. It's gambling... I've paid 5$ and chosen some teams and players for a chance for a cash prize.

I really hate gambling and I so don't support it! But here I go supporting it by joining! Gah...

I still hope I win though... *blush* I just think I made really good choices on my teams and players. Go Canada!

Where would you move your life to?

Just for fun, I'm wondering where each of you would move your life to if you could. Your job, co-workers and family would stay the same, you'd just be moving the exact thing you do to another city (in the same, or another country). Where would you go?

At my meeting at work the other day, we were joking about moving the office to Cancun, Mexico and then someone else suggested Dubai, UAE (I thought that was interesting!).

In choosing, assume that you keep the same quality apartment/house, same friends and family members around you, and disregard any family members that live in any city. Choose based on the city itself and what it has to offer (ambiance, culture, religion, weather, etc.).

MY CHOICE..... Umm... I love where I live, and I'd probably choose something similar here in Canada but I'd love a place where I can hear the adhan and learn Arabic, and not deal with crappy weather *all the time*, but with the same freedoms (going out when I want and being respected and treated well) and luxuries (lots of parks where my daughter can play and easy access to organized activities). I don't think all these things can be found in a city.

SO... I split my choices.

- Vancouver, Canada
- Alexandria, Egypt
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I had to edit because I'm really not convinced with my own choices! Maybe I want to go to Honolulu! It's American (and therefore similar to Canada), but it's got its own culture too, which is interesting to me. And beauty!!