To Speak Out for Me
Tag Archives: mosque
A Dumb Idea
The mosque when it wasn’t in ruined state.
Who give the dumb idea to demolish part of the mosque? I don’t know. Part of the reason the one in charge says was to force those who pledged money for the renovation, and aren’t forthcoming.
The mosque lies in ruins. All through summer the attendees at the mosque had to pray through sweltering heat in the open. When it’s going to be built? No one has any inkling. The ones who pledged the money are not coming. Meanwhile the mosque presents a dismal sight.
What to Think?
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After quite a while, I attended the dinner at the mosque. We said our Maghreb (evening) and Isha (night) prayers. Later on dinner was served. When we reached the mosque 🕌, a slight figure was walking 🚶♀️ up, and down at the parking site. He was a new convert to Islam. The mosque door was still locked, and poor thing he must have been wondering where everyone was, and whether anyone was going to show up?
Soon afterwards families with children in tow arrived. The children more interested in playing, and shrieking, ran in circles around their mamas. I saw one mother picking her crying 😢 son, depositing him on the side to bow down in sajdah. I had never seen him so cranky before. Later on his mood improved, and he became his sweet self again.
Coming home, I decided to tackle one of my chores. Son had bought some veggies home, including my favorite, which is okra. For the rest of the veggies I had managed to find space in the fridge, but okra, and ginger were still on the counter. Watching a hallmark movie I managed to wash, and cut the ladyfingers (okra), filled three bags, and stashed them in the freezer.
It had gone quite late by the time I finished, I went to my bedroom. Leaving the movie running, as I was interested in knowing the end, I went to the bathroom to clean my teeth, and wash my face —- bedtime rituals. As I was sitting on the sofa 🛋, drying my feet, I glanced at the iPad screen to see the end. I was astounded 😳 to see the message on the screen which was whether I was watching the movie, as I wasn’t watching for the fifteen minutes I was away from the room?
I pressed the okay on screen to continue watching. Do people watch us through the camera as to what we are doing? I’m greatly perturbed.
Rush
Dinner time at the mosque
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Why is it when you have to get ready, and plus cook something to take along as your contribution to an evening fare at the mosque, friends, and family phone you? I’m dying to talk to anyone, and nobody remembers me. Suddenly everybody starts phoning on the very day you don’t need them to call, and there is an influx of calls.
I tell myself I will only talk for a minute, and the minute extends to three hours. Can you believe it?
When Son called to ask, “Mom! Are you ready?” I wasn’t.
I was lying on my bed with both feet atop pillows, still talking on the phone. It was embarrassing . I rushed to get dressed. We reached the mosque for the evening prayer which is called Maghreb Prayer. After that plastic sheets were laid on the carpet for women, and kids to have food. The men had their upstairs.
After food, we waited for the night prayer which is called Isha. Meanwhile we chatted till the muezzin called for the Isha Prayer. Done with prayer, we took our leave. It was snowing outside, and terribly cold.
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Rush
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Messy
Our apartment looks kind of messy with boxes yet to be emptied. There is no storage space. Yesterday I had asked Son whether he will have some extra time in tidying up the corridor, and his room. What is he doing? Still asleep in bed, as I wait for him to wake up……
The first day I reached here, I was tired, and sleep crazy with the long journey. I was on auto pilot longing for sleep, when Son dragged me to the local mosque telling me he had arranged a dinner in my honor, and I had to be there. Later on he laughed when I confronted him on his bare faced lie. Actually it was a monthly get together of families, and everyone contributed a dish except for Son, and single folks like him.
It’s obligatory on Muslim men to say their five times prayer in a mosque. Thank God it’s not obligatory on women. They can say their prayers at home. At moments like these it gladdens my heart that I’m a woman.
It was supposed to be a get together this evening. Due to bad weather it has been cancelled this month. I had taken a bag full of chicken breasts to make Haleem. I have to utilize it, as it’s defrosted. I suppose I will have to put the rest of the Haleem in the freezer for another day.
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Messy
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Believe
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IB (grandson) had come after his usual period, a visit to his father every two weeks, coming in the evening on Friday, and going back Sunday evening. He is going lax, not saying his prayers, with no father at home to enforce rules since Son’s divorce last year. IB doesn’t gets up for his morning prayer. He says he no longer does it at home.
Son’s goes the easy way out — leave the unwelcome task of waking up IB (make him say his prayers) to mother, as left to her she will take care of it. Son himself rushes to the mosque near by.
Here is what happened the first time Grandma (that’s me) goes for the attack. She doesn’t want to be a bad guy enforcing rules, and such things. She would like to be a sweet person in the grand children’s memories (sigh), but what can she do?
I dawdle every step on the way to IB’s bed, and try to wake him. Nothing much happens. I go back to my room to complete my prayer, which I had partly done, as the white thread in the sky is slipping over the black one, and time for the Fajr (morn) prayer will soon be over. I feel guilty over my failure before God, while I say my own prayer.
The second time: Son as usual rushes out, on his way to the mosque calling, “Mama please wake IB so that he should say his Fajr prayer”.
This time Grandma has worked out a strategy. “IB please wake up”.
No movement.
I wait for a while, “Please hurry, the prayer time is getting over”.
No movement still.
Okay, I finally say, “If you’re not going to say your prayer, I’m confiscating your IPad for the whole day”.
IB gets up, goes to the washroom to wash his face, arms, and feet, in preparation for the prayer, gets back on the prayer mat, and the morn prayer is offered to the One God in whom our belief exists.
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DAILY PROMPT
Believe
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Solitary
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I have been solitary since morning. When I got up for morning prayers at five, saw that Son had already left for his job. When I came to the kitchen to make breakfast for myself, I found that there were no used plate, or cup in the sink. This meant Son forego his breakfast, and left without eating anything.
At twelve I got the call from him, saying he had finished early and could I make him a paratha, and omelette? Of course I could.
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He is now getting ready to go to the mosque for the Zuhr prayer. He has told me there is a heavy contingent of police outside the mosque. Till Son comes home I will be worried. I can only say, “We are God’s beings, and to Him we return”.
Trump shows his concerns about the unfortunate, and sad happening in Barcelona, but he is totally unconcerned about what is happening right under his nose. He fans hatred with tweets, pouring on the flames to ignite them further.
DAILY PROMPT
Solitary
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Local
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My second visit to Hartford,CT started on 21st of June. I came to spend Eid with daughter. Yesterday we celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr after our month long fasting of Ramadan. Son had arrived for a three day visit, while I will be staying till 18th of July. Daughter, and son-in-law are plotting together to extend it to August, or to some distant day in the future.
The day began with the visit to the local mosque at eight in the morning. We said our Eid prayer, and then listened to the ensuing sermon. After that, breakfast was served. We collected grand daughter M1 from Bradley Airport, and then drove to Bridgeport to catch the ferry to Port Jefferson, New York.
Nola and family thought all the fun was spending time on the top deck. I couldn’t sit alone in the cabin, I had to unwillingly join them. They thoroughly enjoyed the terrifying gusts of wind, which I liked only for a space of few moments, and then hated for the rest of time.
Son-in-law took pictures. I was in two of them, and in one I look hideous enough where my short hair stand up in the wind, and eyes are shut close. Son in law gleefully showed it to me as one of his masterpieces though I would have liked it to be deleted. I like pretty photos where relatives in the future will look at them without seeing terrible mug shots.
My sister who lives in Long Island, NY had filled the huge island in her kitchen with trays of various food from one end to the other in preparation for our arrival. I had trouble deciding what to put on my plate.
Our return journey by road took longer hours to come back to Hartford. Friends of son in law were waiting for us to join them for dinner. I think I had more food in one day than throughout the rest of the previous month.
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DAILY PROMPT
Local
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Relieved
I can’t describe in words the feelings of utter relief I experienced on a momentous day in my life. Coming back to Texas, I put off for as long as possible to get a driving license. I had my home country’s license but the ninety days period soon got over whereas I needed a Texas license. Friends asked me, “Have you taken your written test?” I would say no. The reason was the it was the driving test which I was dreading. There is a time limit where one has to appear after doing the written one.
Son drove me mad by parallel parking his way. Believe me it meant I couldn’t possibly pass the test, cause each and every time I did it, I failed miserably. The first day he took me to practice, it was the nearby mosque. He left me to offer his Salah leaving me alone. My arms ached where as I did the wrestling with the steering wheel. Despite that I was miles away from the curb as I parallel parked.
When Son would say let’s go parallel park, my heart would plummet down to my shoes. I was convinced I was a dummy of the top order. There was no way I was going to pass.
I confessed to my examiner that I couldn’t possibly pass. She asked me to come an hour earlier before the test so that a driving instructor would teach me how to parallel park. He taught me in a few minutes the correct way to do it, whereas the memory of those two weeks practicing would always be a nightmare.
I was relieved the day I passed my driving test, and finally got my Texas DL.
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DAILY PROMPT
Relieved
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Symptom
Symptoms of cold, Son achoos around the house. The germs gleefully trail in the air ready to strike any human object in the vicinity. They find me easily enough, cause our apartment is so small, and I am the unwilling victim. Son is forgetful. He nevers covers his nose into his elbow when he sneezes, and often I am the person handing him the tissues to clean his nose.
Have suggested to him to wear a mask when he goes to the nearby mosque for his prayers. That should hold the germs at bay, but it seems mother’s suggestions fall on deaf ears. The plethora of nasty, cold germs readily follows him home to me, and I get infected in turn. Dirty tissues abound in my bedroom, and my nose is redder than the proverbial Randolph who drives Santa around.
That’s one reason I open doors, and windows to get fresh air in the morning to waft in.
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DAILY PROMPT
Symptom
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Flowers and Breezes 