Conversation with my taxi driver last night

As soon as I got in the cab and he started driving, my taxi driver started talking.

“Kokko aiyy negeema mi huttee.
Aslu dhen nimmaalaafa baavvan mi dhanee kaaru.
Dhen aiyy negeema huttaalee.
Ekamu mihen bunyas adhi geyah dhevey iru vedhaane ithuru gadi ireh.
Ehaa undhagoo park kuran. Nufennaane hama park kuraane thaneh!
Reygaves ehenve naaran car dhuvvaakah.”

* Pause here – (Kommes kamakaaa hihh hama nujehigen reyga kaarah neyri vaahaka Beybe bunee.
I didn’t quite catch what had happened…but it definitely had something to do with him not finding a space to park his car).

*He continued:

“Avahah faiban ulhunas nuvey.
Park kuraane thankolheh nulibigen.”

* He suddenly pointed out a Cyke on the side parked selfishly in the middle of a parking zone taking up a lot of space:

“Meeneenun balaala!
Balaala Cyke baindhaafa inn goiyy!
Eyga aiyylan dhen kereyne? Nukereyne mashakah.
Eyga aiyylan kerunu meehakah dhen ethaa park kureveynee.
Anekka aiyy liyas nimunee ey!”

*He pointed out an empty bit of another parking zone:

“Anhaa balaala!
Eyndhee thankolheh. Varah heyo varu hama.
Ekahala thankolheh ves hama nulibeyne!
Magakah vadhejjeyaaves hunnan jehenee nikumeveyne baa ey hithah araafa.
Mihiree echehi dhuvvaa varu.
Aslu Kokko aiyy negeema mi huttee. Ehen noon nama mihaaru ulheynee park kuran”

*He went on and on about cramped roads and limited parking, and after a while the car turned down my road.

I told him: “Beybe adhi kureega eyndhee ge.”

And he went:

“Aan dhen kuriyakah nun mihira dhevenee.
Kuriyah thaa dhen dhaanee.
Eyru aslu e fenunu thankolhu eh ee hama ge kairi ey.
Kokko aiyy negeema huttee. Ehen noon nama ethankolhu libunees.
Dhen dhaanee libeytho balan kokko laafa.”

*He stopped the car infront of my house.

I gave him the fare and told him: “Varah bodah Shukuriyya Beybe.”

He turned around to me with a smile and said:

“Aan Shukuriyya.

Alhamdhulillahi.”

I felt so bad for this sweet old man who was worrying over parking spaces everyday, but was persisting at his job to earn the moneys.

Last night he even had to give up the empty parking spot which he had spotted too late, because he wanted to help me out and give one last ride before the tedious parking spot hunt that would delay his going home even further!

I was so sure that by the end of the trip he would be completely annoyed with me for causing him the additional delays, yet, despite all his frustrations, the last words he said to me were “Alhamdhulillahi” , and that was absolutely beautiful to witness!!

Thank u Beybe, for reminding me of how to be grateful for not only all the good, but also for all the frustrations in life as well. And to take it all with a smile! 🙂

❤

*End*

I’ve decided to do a bit of research on the history of Maldives

Yesterday I decided to take up a new hobby and do a bit of research on the history of Maldives, In Sha Allah.

So I wondered where I could get reference materials for this research and I thought of the Maldives National Library. 
I visited the Library and got a membership from there. 
Quick observation, it was was pretty sad how small the library is. Especially considering that its the one and only ‘national’ library.
There was one section for English books, one for Chinese and Dhivehi books, one for the British Council and another for ancient Dhivehi books apparently.
I walked in expecting a couple of floors of rooms filled with books AT LEAST. But turns out, all of the comparatively limited number of books can sit happily on just the one floor.

Anywho, all you need to apply for the membership was,
a form that could be downloaded,
a ppt sized pic WITH WHITE BACKGROUND…they were quite specific on the form (haha..why!),
a copy of your national ID Card
and MVR 80/-. Easy peasy!
I applied through their reception, and membership was processed in a couple of minutes. 
They told me I could rent out a couple of books at a time.

When doing this research, my first priority area is on the history of Islam in Maldives.

There is so little I know and I heard that there is so little we can know based on the heartbreakingly scarce amount of information available on this topic.

I had a quick look at the books in the library and the content of information about the history of Maldives on the internet, and I’m assuming we can’t get any information on our rich past today due to civil conflicts, low literacy rate, lack of professional historians and writers, limited literacy pioneers, a general adoption of a non progressive and simpler way of life by the majority and perhaps even negligence in the past.

For whatever the reason, the horrible truth is that, the information about our past is simply not there. And the information that we do have is extremely measured, yet we have no choice except to derive conclusions based on it.

I felt quite betrayed by all this. However, I am excited to find out whatever I can from whatever content I can get my hands on.

The first book I choose to analyze, is the Dhivehi translation of the accounts of his travels to the Maldives by the great Muslim explorer, Abu Abdullahi Muhammed Ibn Battoutah from Morocco.
This translation is completed by Uz. Mohamed Ibrahim Luthufee, Special Advisor to the National Institute for Dhivehi Language and History.

Having had an overall look at the book’s contents and a rough scan on the internet, I have decided to blog the details of what I find, which will be split into potions and compiled later, In Sha Allah :).

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

*End*

If you’re pregnant, just gave birth or are trying to get preggers, my letter is for you <3

AssalaamuAlaikum and Hi, my dearest ladies,

Recently I had two of my closest gals give birth. One of them is a first time mom, and for the other, this is her second child.

Through them, I have seen up close and personal, how bearing a child and giving birth, is as tough as it is magical to see that initial positive test. 

Some women have an even tougher pregnancy with all sorts of overwhelming phenomenons happening to their bodies like gas (ikr!), excessive throwing up, swollen joints, messed up skin and hair etc.
So much for feeling a “GLOW” right?! I’m assuming “the glow” would be the farthest from their minds.

While for others, it is a complete breeze where instead of being uncomfortable and frustrated, the women feel sexy and beautiful.
For these women, its like their “glow” resonates right from within their bellies and outwards through their faces! 

Whatever kind of pregnancy you are/were blessed with, and however you gave birth to your child…whether it’s through a natural delivery or through a C-section, 
I just want to say to all the courageous and strong women, that YOU ARE WARRIORS!!

If you’re feeling blue and having a hard time adjusting to motherhood or feeling overpowered by the constantly changing routine of your baby(ies), please hang on! 
Postpartum depression is very real. It can be the most horrible experience you’ve ever had yet. Yup…Apparently it may even be more difficult to handle than the pain of childbirth itself. And it also becomes extra harder to handle when people who don’t understand it, tends you tell you that it’s no big deal.
But don’t worry. In Sha Allah u will get through this! Realizing what you’re going through is the first step. 

That feeling of doom and claustrophobia stuck in your throat and mind whenever you can’t stop your baby from crying, or whenever you’re so exhausted you’re about to drop or when you start to hate the overweight woman looking back at you through the mirror, or whenever you’re feeling frustrated about finding it hard to adjust to a life at home as a homemaker or whenever you’re feeling extra mad at your poor clueless husband who is doing his best to provide for the fam and to make you happy, 
just know that, like everything in life, this too shall pass, In Sha Allah.

Speak to your loved ones about it. Don’t keep everything bottled in thinking that ‘maybe,  just maybe, perhaps you’re really bad at handling motherhood’. No! That’s not the case at all!
Make your husband understand (if he is around). Make your family understand. Make your friends understand. Talk to them. Seek help in whichever way you are comfortable with, to help yourself get through it.

In Sha Allah, you will come out stronger, more capable, and as a fantastic Mom/Woman.

Enjoy this experience with a lot of patience and care for your own self too. Don’t be impatient with your feelings. Remember that there are a zillion hormones rushing around in your body, giving u all these ridiculous feels as well 😉

So welcome to motherhood ladies!
I’m rooting for you 🙂

PS: Btw, I know nothing about the experience of motherhood yet, and I may be speaking complete rubbish here. Do forgive me for my ignorance, and please ignore what I’ve stated wrong.

Lots of love,
Your Sister
x

“My Week as a Muslim Woman” : A social experiment by Channel 4

Recently I had a friend remark at me with a laughing-with-tears emoji, at how my Burkini doesn’t look chill, when I had uploaded a pic in it, describing how my Burks are comfy and chill.

The sort of insensitive comment from her left me wondering why she had found it important to comment as such,out of the blue.

I came to the conclusion that perhaps it was because she strongly disagreed with how a Burkini might be comfortable and because as a woman who doesn’t wear hijab, she prolly doesn’t understand even a little bit of what it’s like wearing a Burkini.

 

I, myself, in the not so long ago past have ignorantly and shamefully wondered at the whole point of wearing a Niqab or a man’s long beard.

 

It took me a lot of awareness and humility to realize that the whole point of wearing a Hijab or Niqab or even the men rolling up their pants above their ankels and keeping their beards long, was to follow faith….and to follow their faith with devoutness.

 

So even as a Muslim, with some Islamic practices being hard for me to understand at first, it was really interesting for me to watch this social experiment.

 

A white British woman who was used to racially profiling all Muslims as terrorists, lived among Muslims while being dressed as a Muslim for a week….to really find out what life was like for a Muslim.

 

Really enjoyed watching it 🙂

Watch the link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1wIfASaz2E

Our imperfection to not believe in perfection

​Being creatures with terrible imperfections and weaknesess, and tendencies to continuously commit errors and mistakes, 

it is hard for us to imagine an entity without any flaws.

Which is yet again, another imperfection in us.

Oh the irony, right!

But this is why it is a test for our souls, when we have to believe in the Greatness, the Perfectness and Magnificence of our Creator.

The One and Only, with nothing but perfection.

With HIM, there is no trial and error.

Whatever HE Wills, will be. 

And Whatever HE Wills, is perfect.

While our simple minds are feeble and weak, our hearts have the absolute capability to fully embrace the belief in our Creator and HIS Power.

It is the lack of this belief that has some of us question the Will of Allah Subhanahu Wa tha a’laa.

It is the lack of this belief that has some of us question the rules and laws laid down to us.

It is the lack of this belief that has some of us grabbing thin air to come up with our flawed reasoning NOT to obey the commands of our Lord who created us only to follow HIM.

Life isnt as simple for us to ignore any of this.

*End*

Day of the Girl, and a day of failure?

Today is the International Day of the Girl. 
Speaking of girls and children,

720,000 Rohingya children are currently in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
– 2017, UNICEF

4.3 million children have been affected by the humanitarian crisis faced in the conflict of South Sudan.
– 2016, UNICEF

8.4 million children have been affected by the conflict in Syria.
– 2015, UNICEF

2.3 million children have been affected by the violence in Central African Republic.
– 2015, UNICEF

5.1 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance, due to the ongoing conflict in Iraq.
– 2016, UNICEF

More than 17,000 children were recruited as child soldiers in the conflict in South Sudan since 2013.
– 2016, UNICEF

Around 120 million girls under the age of 20 (about 1 in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual violence.
– 2014, UNICEF

1 in 4 of world’s out-of-school children live in crises-affected countries.
– 2017, UNICEF

About 3 million young children die every year from malnutrition.
– 2017, UNICEF

The aim of this day which is celebrated globally, is to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

Now let’s talk about WHY a world generally full of empathetic, capable, strong and willful adults, led by powerful and wealthy leaders, have FAILED and ARE FAILING to protect all these children over the years!!

Honestly, all of us….let’s just do something, instead of sitting around talking out of our behinds!

*End*