tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51010906958626813842024-02-07T19:08:29.239-08:00Pocket Full of SunshineFind beauty where others see plainness. Embrace every state of being, every moment. Live hard.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-51689423597330060212016-11-11T08:12:00.002-08:002016-11-11T08:21:40.597-08:00Election 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week has been one of the most draining weeks of my life. I haven't been this depressed since the separation, I think this depression surrounding the election is worse.<br />
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Tuesday was election day. Trump won. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I was in denial. I woke up Wednesday morning to my phone near me, CNN live still on, stuck on the last still frame of Donald Trump's victory speech. A part of me is glad I was unconscious and sleeping while that was occurring. Wednesday I was in shock, numb. Going through the stages of grief, I was in the anger phase, in waves. I wrote a FB post with my feelings:<br />
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<i>"Like many others, I'm going through waves of shock, anxiety, depression, speechlessness, and hopefulness - and repeat. We cannot underestimate or deny the hatred, bigotry, racism, and sexism that still exists, and that somehow the platform based on these principles just won.</i><br />
<i>With that being said, I'm not going anywhere. We should stop joking about moving to Canada or about concentration camps (God forbid, and also that's not funny). And instead, we should focus our energy on moving forward. Here's my best guess at how to go about this:</i><br />
<i>First, we (as in Muslims, all other minorities, democrats, and those who voted against Trump) must stay safe and supportive of one another while understanding this grief is a collective one and that we are not alone.</i><br />
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<i>Then, we hope for the best - to give up hope is detrimental right now because then we have nothing left. To give up hope means we give up on putting forth our own effort to make things better, and we cannot afford to give up right now. Hope means praying that there are improvements and that Congress doesn't pass ridiculous and irrational legislation. Hope means trying to hold off on further panic until we see how Trump actually behaves during his presidency, hoping that he cannot get away with acting the way he did during his campaign. Some may call this false hope, idealistic even, but right now I believe it's necessary and the only option. Let the hope serve as motivation and willpower to stay afloat and let it serve as the energy to deal with and respond appropriately to what may come in the next few years.</i><br />
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<i>Finally, we fight. We're not going anywhere. The results of the presidential election doesn't necessarily force a change in your beliefs and values. We prove that America already was great and still is great and that we are a part of its greatness as we have always been. Immigrants and minorities are some of the most hardworking, persistent, strong groups of people because we have to be and have had to be time and time again. We show America and the world that we're not going anywhere and that we're not backing down, just like we haven't backed down in any of our previous struggles, but instead remained persistent and we remained strong and we will continue. We do it for our immigrant parents, for our neighbors, for our children, we do it for this country whose greatness or lack of greatness is not defined by moments like this, but by getting through and overcoming events like this."</i><br />
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At times I feel this hope, this positivity. But then I go back into my waves of anger. I am angry. I have never been more scared or more angry in my life. Not after 9/11, not in my 8 years of wearing hijab, never in my life have I been this anxious. I pulled over this morning while driving because I felt nauseous like I would throw up. I didn't throw up and I wish I had because I still feel these knots in my stomach but I feel like these won't go away. Yesterday I read about hate crimes and the amount of hate crimes and their severity shocked me. I am scared for everyone I know and love.<br />
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I had an attempted burglary at my house last night. Someone cut a window screen with a blade or a knife and had OPENED the window which would allow them access into the house. My dad saw a window wide open and asked me with a panicked tone if I was okay. I will never forget that panicked tone. My initial reaction was to attribute that to his "paranoia" as I often assume of him, except for now I am in that paranoid camp. We didn't know if someone was inside the home and that feeling is open of the most terrifying feelings I have ever had.<br />
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We waited outside while the police officers checked the house to make sure no one was inside the home. I observed as the police conducted their investigation while I was still numb from the election results. They took fingerprints from the window and dogs traced the scent of the person back to a nearby parking lot where it stopped - they probably took off in their car at that point. The police asked about motive - were valuables out and visible, were purses out, why would they choose this house? If this was a few days ago before the election, if this was at any other point in my life, I would have brushed it off and found comfort in the assumption that it was a one-time random burglary and that most of the time the perpetrator doesn't come back. But this was now, this was a couple days after the election, I cannot ignore or dismiss the possibility of it being a hate crime. Of course I don't know and am not certain and am not going to make any claims that it definitely was. As I suggested to the police officers that our neighbors know we're Muslim, that the timing of this has me a little concerned, they dismissed it - one of them responded without waiting even a beat, that that's unlikely. I found myself quickly noticing that all of them were white, I couldn't help it. I became hyper aware of my color and of theirs, of my feeling of being a second class citizen. Why is that unlikely? Until it's proven that it's not a hate crime, it can be, just like it can be anything else until proven otherwise. I would like to believe and I do hope to God it was just a random attempted burglary because that makes me less worried than if it was a targeted act of attempted violence motivated by politics, race, or religion.<br />
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I am hyper aware right now. Call me paranoid, I don't care. Do not dare tell me that everything will be okay because we both know you are bullshitting and none of us are certain about that. Do not dare tell me not to be afraid, not to be scared, not to worry about my parents and about Muslim children and other minorities who I know I love. You don't know my reality.<br />
Please try to understand it. In the meantime, stand in solidarity with me as I stand in solidarity with you and we work hard to turn this anger into motivation to fight back or at least to endure, because Lord knows that's taking all of the emotional, physical, and mental strength and energy we have and then some.<br />
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Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-33661081003868216422016-04-26T21:14:00.001-07:002016-04-26T21:14:12.808-07:00Writing is therapeutic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Obviously I haven't written in here in forever but I'm going to start up again. Will write about a current experience I'm going through, and will likely make most posts private (will share link upon request) but some posts I'll make public. </div>
Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-69293803611140874852014-02-12T09:12:00.001-08:002014-02-12T09:12:12.656-08:00Things I learned while going through an extremely difficult time in my life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This has been the hardest time of my life. I graduated law school a semester early and my plan was to take the bar exam in February, so that I could get it over with and move on, and not have to take it over the summer in Ramadan while a few other time-consuming, fun things would be going on in my life. However, I was completely exhausted from a busy semester of school, the Chiberia weather was getting to me and causing seasonal depression and anxiety, and I was just not doing well. I think I had just reached my threshold of how much I could handle, and I needed a break, and didn't have the energy that it took at this point to go through the intense process of the bar exam. I considered switching it to the later date but felt bad about it - I felt like I should have just been able to overcome anything and taken it. I felt guilty. I wanted to stick to my plan that I had drawn out so thoroughly and carefully, and I started feeling anxiety about having to study later while everything else was going on in my life. Here are a few things I learned during the process.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>We are our own worst enemy. We are our own biggest critic. We are harder on ourselves than others, and sometimes we need to give ourselves a break.</li>
<li>Balance of life comes first, before anything. Health and happiness come first, then everything else. Everything else can wait. </li>
<li>In the grand scheme of things, most things won't matter. We can't take everything so seriously, because it's just life. </li>
<li>Everyone has a threshold. There's only so much you can handle, and at some point even the most calm and collected people just fall. And sometimes it's okay to spend some time just relaxing before getting back up. </li>
<li>Sometimes our plan may not be the best plan. God is the best of planners.</li>
<li>And finally: everything happens for a reason. We just have to trust that hindsight is 20/20 and sometimes things will make sense later. </li>
</ul>
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Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-16452737300662564952013-08-05T15:18:00.000-07:002013-08-07T00:03:32.409-07:00Ramadan Reflection: The Art of Forgiveness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ramadan is a time for spiritual rejuvenation, but because of the way our emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental states affect one another, in order to really spiritually cleanse ourselves we must go on an emotional detox. This means we have to get rid of negative feelings in our hearts ("black spots") such as anger, pride, grudges, envy, etc. We also have to seek forgiveness for ourselves and for others. We have to forgive others who have hurt us in any way, whether it's through small acts or in big ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This Ramadan, I struggled with this. I had discussions about it with my friends, contemplated it, and read up on the psychology of forgiveness. How do you forgive someone who may not "deserve it," or someone who does not realize they did anything wrong?<i> This is why forgiveness is truly an art of its own. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many articles and lectures about Ramadan telling us how to "do it right" mentioned that we must let go of grudges and that we must forgive and forget, but how exactly do we do this? Sometimes we may tell ourselves that we forgive someone but we're only lying to ourselves. If we still possess a feeling of "hatred" towards someone, it's a sign that we have not fully forgiven them. If we find that it is getting in the way of allowing us to focus on our spiritual worship and of improving ourselves, then it is a problem. And it <i>does</i> get in the way of our worship and spiritual well-being, because of the way God created us, subhanAllah. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It only hurts ourselves when we have not forgiven someone else. I saw this quote and loved it: <b><i>"Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." </i>-Buddha</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is why we must forgive others and make sure we have a clean heart with no negative feelings or grudges towards other people. We may know that we <i>should</i> forgive others, but we may not know how to get ourselves to. That was my personal issue. But with one month of contemplation, reflection, and discussion, I think I started to figure it out a little. I hope that iA it can be beneficial to at least a few people out there. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1. We must pray for ourselves and pray for them. </span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">God only gives us tests that He knows we can handle, but sometimes it feels like He overestimates us. The fact that we can handle it should give us the confidence and the drive to pass these tests. But we might not always be that strong. When we are wronged by someone else, we can react in different ways and this is a test from God. Once we realize this, we can pray that God makes it easier on us, to help us pass this test He has given us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A friend sent me a prayer she had written before she went for Umrah, and I used some parts of this prayer for myself in Ramadan. Certain parts stuck out to me, and they are relevant here: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"Oh Allah, You are the Turner of hearts, so <b>turn my heart</b> to forgive others. If I have wronged others knowingly or unknowingly, verbally or through my acts, <b>turn their hearts</b> to forgive me. Make the hearts of those around me <b>softened</b> towards me, and <b>soften my heart</b>. Allow me to purify my heart and rid my heart of diseases including anger, negative feelings towards others, and other diseases that I am unaware of."</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As part of our prayer, we can get specific and "vent" to God. You can literally pray for anything, using whatever words you want to. I already mentioned to pray for it to become easier for you to forgive, but you can also pray for more if it helps you feel better, which to me it does: for example, for them to realize their mistake, for God to soften their heart and swallow their pride and make them realize that they did something wrong, for them to not do what they did to you to anyone else, and for you to never hurt anyone else the way they hurt you. You can pray for God to help you understand why He put you through that as well, because there is always a reason, and I'll get more into this in #5. If a wound is fresh or if something really terrible happened, then ask Allah to take it away from you and replace it with something better. Here is a hadith that goes with that dua: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Ahmad and Muslim reported from Umm Salmah that she said: "I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: "If a servant of Allah is afflicted with a misfortune and says 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, Allahumma ajirni fi musibati wa akhlif li khairan minha' (Verily we belong to Allah and truly to Him shall we return. O Allah! Protect me in this calamity that has befallen and replace it with something better), Allah will accept his prayer, grant him reward for his affliction, and replace it with something better." She added: "When Abu Salmah (her husband) died, I invoked Allah in the words tuaght to me by the Prophet, peace be upon him, and Allah did grant me someone better than he, i.e., (He gave me) the Messenger of Allah (as a husband). </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the best ways to forgive someone is to pray for them and to genuinely mean it. This sounds crazy, but try it. I heard somewhere in an Islamic context that if one is envious of another they should pray for them to get more of whatever they have that makes one envious of them. That works here too. I already mentioned how we can pray for the person to realize their wrong and to soften their hearts, but we can and should also pray for their well-being, for them to forgive us in return for whatever we have done, and for them to gain the best in this life and the hereafter. This is literally what it means to "be the bigger person." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This goes hand in hand with #2, which is that we must view their forgiveness from a different perspective. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">2. We must view their forgiveness from a different perspective. </span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What if we were in their position? What if we were raised the same way they were raised and had had the same experiences as them? Would we have acted differently or acted similarly? Only God knows. We need to humble ourselves and realize that if we want God to forgive us for our mistakes which may be larger than theirs, we need to forgive them and we should want God to forgive them too. This is difficult to do, but it's necessary to sincerely try. We cannot be selfish when we consider this.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Maybe God won't forgive them, but that's up to Him and not us. Only God can judge, and once we realize this we will let go of these feelings that consume us and get in the way of us living our life in the healthiest possible way.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the grand scheme of things, this person is another human being who makes mistakes just as we do, and they may be our Muslim brother or sister, and so we want the best for them. We must forgive them because we want God to forgive us too when we screw up, and we do, probably more than them but in different ways. It comes down to being as simple as that. We need to have some tough love on ourselves, and avoid victimizing ourselves in this process. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">3. We must try to forget, and in the mean time we may still feel hurt or upset, but we must realize that that's okay.</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have a story here: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once I was boiling up about something. I think I was talking about a bad situation to a friend, and this made it worst because when we talk about something from the past, in talking about it we are re-living it. There is a difference between venting about something and speaking about it just to speak about it. If you are over a situation or getting over it, don't "re-live" it by telling the whole story again. If you must tell the whole story again, tell it in a less emotional, more vague, matter-of-fact way. But going through the details of something will only make it worse. Yes, we do need to vent about things and we do need someone to listen and we do need advice, and that's okay when something is more recent and fresh. Personally I try to remind myself that the more time has passed since something or the more we've progressed in getting over something, the less we should be talking about it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back to the story. As I was boiling up about this, my mom was in another room in the house and was reading Quran while listening to the recitation with her headphones on. She did not realize that her headphones were not plugged in all the way and so the recitation was on the speakers of her iPad and I heard it. But the way it softened my heart in an instant. I had never turned on Quran when I was angry before. This recitation of Mishary Al-Afasy though just changed my mood in an instant which was so powerful that it scared me slightly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So we need to realize that we <i>will</i> get angry from time to time. One way to avoid this is to not talk about it with others after we have already started the healing process. We must also avoid re-living it in our own heads, which is very common and only natural, but we need to fight it anyway. We will slip though, and sometimes we will think back to something and feel hurt. If we do feel angry we should deal with it in one of the many ways that Islamic teachings tell us to - whether it is through changing our physical position (sitting down, laying down, or standing) or by taking a shower or sleeping or listening to some Quran. We need to also realize that it is possible to forgive someone yet still feel hurt from their acts towards us. There is a difference between feeling angry towards someone, versus feeling hurt because of what someone did or said to us. We will feel sadness or disappointment from time to time, but we cannot that transform itself into anger towards the person again. And we need to continue to work on forgetting, which leads me into my next point. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">4. We must realize the power of time as a healer. </span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Time is the best, and sometimes the only, healer. God makes our brains forget painful memories over time: so that our hearts can forgive and heal. We need to be patient and realize that it <i>will</i> get better with time. Sometimes fresh wounds seem like they will never heal. But whenever something bad happens, we need to keep that in mind and it will become easier for us to get through it. This is difficult for those who are not as patient, such as myself. To forgive is a test of patience. This point and the next go together, in that through time we will realize and understand the situation better</span><br />
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<br /><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">5. We must have faith in God's plans for us. </span></u></b><br /><i>"But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not." - [Quran 2:216] </i><br /><br />Why did this person or these people hurt us in whatever small or large way, why did we go through whatever experience we did, and why did it occur at the time it did, with the people it occurred with? There is a reason for all of this. We may not understand it until later, though. <br /><br />Think about it sort of in comparison to history: while an event is going on it makes absolutely no sense. There are only attempts to understand, but these are biased and only a slice of what is going on, influenced by media and propaganda and politics. Whatever we understand from it is only only years later, sometimes decades later, when it makes sense to historians and political commentators. One of the reasons for this is because the emotion of the situation is less strong and present, and there is more of a logical lens when analyzing it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This happens to us as well in these situations. It may be hard to forgive someone when there are more emotions involved, but later we realize why we were put through the situation. Whether it is to teach us a lesson, show us what to watch out for, learn about ourselves, or just because we had to get through that in order to get to where we are now. Having faith makes it easier for us to have the ability to forgive, and forgiving others in turn strengthens our faith. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll end with a few quotes on forgiveness I really like: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." </i>-C.S. Lewis</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>"Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude." </i>- Martin Luther King Jr. </b></span></div>
Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-88890812663242645032013-07-23T21:23:00.000-07:002013-07-23T21:23:10.532-07:00Ramadan Reflection: Taqwa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I haven't written in here in about a year. Since that year I've completed my second year of law school, traveled a lot, and then now I'm back. Finishing law school in December of this year, just a few months, then I plan to do some more (non-legal) writing!<br />
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My other blog for traveling - ayycarumba.blogspot.com - has a bit on my China trip from last summer, and a little on my recent trip to Geneva in February. I still haven't written in it about Dubai, Oman, and Bahrain, where I went in December-January. I haven't had time to write or even think. Ramadan is a time for self-reflection, though, and as a result I always find myself writing a little bit in Ramadan. I try to limit myself so I can use Ramadan time towards reading Quran,etc. and to save the inspiration for after Ramadan. Clearly last year it didn't work.<br />
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<b>This is something short and simple I wrote this Ramadan about Taqwa, loosely translated to "God-consciousness."</b><br />
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Tonight in the nightly prayer, I heard a verse that
translates into “God loves those who are God-conscious.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many benefits to fasting in Ramadan
– spiritual, emotional, and physical. However, I realized that the largest
benefit of fasting is that it makes one more God-conscious. While fasting I am
forced to think before I do or say something, to make sure that it does not
violate my fast: I have to think before I speak to ensure that I do not talk
negatively of anyone, lie, or use foul language, and I have to think before I
act to ensure I do not hurt anyone in any way and that I always act with good
intention. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Fasting is the ultimate act of submission. If I wanted to eat,
I could, and no one would know. I could create an image that I am fasting and
secretly deceive it. There could be food in front of me and I will not eat it
because I know that God is watching. To be “God-conscious” includes the
realization that God is always watching; an elementary teaching but one that we
frequently forget. It takes between 8 and 21 days to break an old habit or
create a new habit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ramadan is 30 days:
30 days of thinking before speaking or acting, of constantly reminding oneself
that God is watching and that we are liable for each and every one of our
actions. The ideal hope is that this habit will carry on after Ramadan’s fasts
are over. For me, this is the most rewarding outcome of Ramadan: this beautiful
way in which God helps us become those who are God-conscious, whom He loves so
much. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-51391284884067092122012-08-14T02:43:00.001-07:002012-08-14T02:43:56.024-07:00A Tribute to Pakistan<div style="text-align: left;">I made this video to show the daily life, hard work, and beauty of this country, from a bunch of pictures I took from my recent visits there. It is merely a non-professional effort to show the "other side" of the country, because lately it is portrayed as this violent, rural, war-zone in the media. Please feel free to view and share, & help combat the stereotypes. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="text-align: left;">We cannot lose hope for Pakistan. This independence day, keep this country in your prayers.</span><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KSO53vuD-Rk?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-31207435704641581502012-08-12T00:28:00.001-07:002012-08-12T00:28:47.448-07:00#ThoughtsDuringTaraweeh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Finally, that feeling of just being blessed. That moment when you just "feel it." To attempt a description would be unjust. You don't know what I'm talking about unless you have felt it yourself, and if you have felt it, you know <i>exactly</i> what I'm talking about.<br />
<br />
The beautiful abaya and scarf on the lady in front of me blew gracefully with the fan as I stared at it, focusing my eyes there while listening to the imam's recitation during Taraweeh. I understood some of the Arabic recitation, I didn't understand some. The fluctuation caused my mind to wander, attempting to stay focused, but I'm human and it's only natural. This time, my mind just went. There was first the point when the mind realized what the eyes were staring at, and it just looked so beautiful. The scarf and abaya matched, of course. It's sort of like when you're staring at someone and don't realize you're staring at someone because your mind is fixed on something else and you're deep in thought about something. And then you realize it, and it can get real awkward real quick. That's when concentration is best, and that's what I've heard is recommended (rather than close your eyes) when you're praying. Although sometimes I still do need to close my eyes, such as in the witr dua, when they pray for all the countries of the world and for ourselves and I understand most of it, alH. When my mind was wandering this time, and as I was becoming conscious of my subconscious thoughts, I found that one of them was looking forward to the witr prayer. This year, they added Burma to the prayer. Every year, new countries are mentioned in that witr prayer, and every year, more and more of these countries are Muslim nations.<br />
<br />
I also noticed that I was standing and praying next to people of all ages, all races, and all professions. I thought of how my dad was going to Makkah soon for Umrah, in which all men wear white towels and you cannot tell apart a janitor from a homeless person from a doctor from a president. It's a beautiful thing and it captures the essence of equality. That led me to remember a few of Malcolm X's quotes in his autobiography, in which he talked about what it felt like to put his head down on the ground in complete submission and humility before God, and his shock upon seeing everyone pray together around the Kabah despite race. This led to his conversion, which led to a change in his message when he came back to the US and started preaching equality instead of revenge via black supremacy. He took what he learned from Islam as practiced in Makkah, brought it back with him, used it to help him change his approach in the Civil Rights movement, and essentially changed American history because this approach was successful. Islam is a part of American history, and now all of a sudden politicians are using "Islamophobia" to distract citizens from real issues, and all of a sudden they think Islam is a threat to America. Even though it helped <i>shape</i> American history, from the time of the Muslim slaves to the time of the Civil Rights Movement to now.<br />
<br />
I understood some verses now, he was talking about hell and repeated that verse 3 times. He talked about heaven after that. I noticed that in the Quran they're always talked about together, and often heaven is more often mentioned than hell. He started crying and I felt jealous of the crying Arabs near me, who understood everything. They're right, only in the language of Arabic can you grasp the essence of God's words. Wow, it goes by faster when you're listening and paying attention, and when you can understand. Before I knew it, it was time for Witr. Like I mentioned, the witr prayer included prayers for ourselves, for forgiveness, for the countries around the world, and the imam cried with those behind him as he mentioned countries specifically. I loved this part.<br />
<br />
This year we added Syria and Burma to the list. I anticipate that next year, unfortunately Iran will be on this list as well. It's so scary to think that so I'm going to stop anticipating what else could be on the list next year. The imam repeated the prayer asking for forgiveness three times, and he prayed for Burma three times. He prayed for Syria six times. With each repetition, we felt the power of prayer. What if one random person's prayer for Syrians in the US, in a Chicago suburb, is answered and that it leads to one child's life saved in Syria? I believe it could happen, subhanAllah. I felt connected, to those around me and to God. There's no bond like the spiritual bond you get when you pray or worship with others. And this connection to God that I felt - this is the blessed feeling I mentioned in the beginning. If anything, I felt guilty for even receiving this blessing, knowing that I did not do anything to deserve it, and probably, definitely, did not deserve it. It's true - take one step towards God and He takes two back towards you. This is also mentioned in Malcolm X's autobiography, & I think in the Bible as well. I took one step towards God after so long, and here it was: the most undeserved yet indescribable feeling of just "being blessed." SubhanAllah is right. </div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-81296906371219666052012-07-30T23:51:00.000-07:002012-07-30T23:57:03.530-07:00Ramadan 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This Ramadan was the first in
which I was working 9-5 shifts instead of being in school or at home. It is the
same for many of my friends too, and around 3pm on every working day, I would
sneak a break from my job as a law clerk in a civil rights organization and my
friends and I would gchat about how ridiculously tired we are and how we start
losing it around this time. We would complain from our air-conditioned offices
as if we've never fasted before, though we all have. We would compare what
parts of fasting are most difficult for us: for someone it would be the lack of
coffee, for another it would be the inability to smoke while fasting, for
another it would be the heat, and for the other, the lack of water. We would
continue until one of us realizes how easy we have it, especially considering
other countries' conditions. If I were to go back to my saved chat
conversations and read any chat which took place after 2pm on a working day, I
would probably be amused by our "loopy-ness."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While sharing our complaints
via gchat, my complaint, like many of my friends, was the inability to
"focus" on Ramadan because of being so busy with work. Back in
college, we had a large Muslim community and fasting was easier. We would sleep
during our breaks between classes, then stay up all night and eat and
socialize. We would be able to "focus" on Ramadan in the traditional
sense, in that we would be able to attend the night prayers, reflect during the
night, and have get-togethers in which we discuss religious topics or
self-improvement techniques. After graduating, everyone dispersed around the
city and country, and there is no tight-knit group to do this anymore with.
Except my family, I guess. My Pakistani-immigrant parents have a different idea
of what it means to practice Islam and celebrate Ramadan. My younger brother
has a completely different idea from myself or my parents. I, on the other
hand, am still trying to figure out how to "celebrate Ramadan" when I
unfortunately cannot "focus" on it the way I did in the past years
because of my work schedule. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After about a week of this struggle, I came upon one of those epiphanies that we all get: the kind that we feel dumb for realizing so late when it's right in front of us, or is just common sense disguised as something more complicated. Ramadan represents the religion of Islam in that, like many other religions, it's a way of life rather than a "set of tasks" to be completed. I realized that just fasting while at work, informing my Christian, Jewish, and Agnostic co-workers about why I'm starving myself in the midst of a July Chicago heat-wave, and stopping myself from caring when someone bumped into me in the downtown rush hour traffic - was all "celebrating" Ramadan. I remembered that I was not just fasting from food and water but also from anger, lying, gossiping, listening to vulgar music, and swearing. These were all things I could "practice" throughout the course of my daily life, through Chicago rush hour commuting and the 9-to-5 workdays. This may even be better, I thought, because the purpose of Ramadan was to try to kill bad habits and develop good ones, and these were small yet significant aspects of daily life that I would be able to continue after Ramadan, hence the point of the holy month. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Needless to say, during my sneaky gchat conversations at work, I stopped complaining about "being too busy to celebrate Ramadan," and instead, celebrated Ramadan. </span></div>
</div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-55552070853078854302012-07-27T23:08:00.001-07:002012-07-27T23:09:57.562-07:00Light Upon Light<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: lit from a blessed Tree an Olive neither of the East nor of the West whose Oil is well-nigh luminous though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light. Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">For Arabic: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: tahoma;">http://quran.com/24/35</span></span></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-63541272743654780952012-04-27T20:42:00.000-07:002012-04-27T20:42:39.248-07:00Stay Strong Pakistan, the World is Praying for You.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Meray Log, defined as "My People"
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Pakistanis are a beautiful people, all going through a collective struggle and just trying their hardest to get by, the only ways they know how.
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Their courage, patience, and strength is far more than any of ours could probably ever be.
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Stay strong Pakistan, the world is praying for you.</div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-25341590893417781982012-03-13T00:31:00.000-07:002012-03-13T00:31:46.645-07:00The Reason for NightWhy does Night exist? <br />
<br />
At this very moment I am convinced that these are the reasons for night. <br />
<br />
Night time is so that we can start over. It is to regain our hope. It is a reminder for us that life moves on, the world moves on. <br />
<br />
If someone dies one day, the fact that night comes and then another day means to us that even though they died our own life hasn't ended.<br />
<br />
Night is a constant in our life. It is something we can always rely on, something by nature and by God (how do people see this miracle of constant, reoccurring nighttime, by the clock, and not believe in God?). We know it will come no matter what. If the day isn't going so well, there's always night time, and if the night doesn't go well, there's always tomorrow. Night is this mysterious beautiful dark transition into the next day. <br />
<br />
The stars and moon at night are a reminder for us that we aren't the center of the world, and that even our world is not at the center of the universe. It puts things into perspective. Imagine if we looked up at the stars and moon every night - that reality check can only be healthy and good for us. It is a chance at spirituality. It is this mysterious time when the world shuts down. Sometimes it's just you and that special person. Sometimes it's just you with your thoughts and soul. Sometimes it's just you with God; people pray their best at night. People's true characters come out at night. People paint their best at night, write their best at night, think at night. It's a break from the world because the world shuts down, leaving you on to do what you want. One of the reasons I don't sleep too much is because I love this time, I don't want to waste it. <br />
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I have proof. Dreams are our subconscious - which is us getting in touch with ourselves. Sometimes parts of my personality or my current thoughts are revealed to me from the dreams I had the night before - I realize I'm worried about something or stressed about something, that my conscious mind didn't exactly accept earlier. Sheikh Hussain Abdul Sattar in Chicago did a lecture on dreams in Islam. He said that the deeper we are into our sleep, the higher our soul transcends to the heavens, and returns to us when we are in lighter sleep or about to wake up. My soul really likes to chill up there apparently because I sleep deep. Anyway, it is for this reason the dreams right before we wake up (for Fajr) are the truest. Sometimes we have deja vu - which is when we have experienced something in a dream before it happens in reality, from our sixth sense which everyone has a little of. This part is proof of being alone with God at night. That can't happen accidentally. One of the reasons for Tahajjud and Qiyams in Ramadan, I believe, is all of the aforementioned thoughts. <br />
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Life goes on, no matter what. Night will come, no matter what. We will make it to tomorrow, hopefully and expectedly. We never know though. What a coincidence that someone's true character comes out at night, and this may be the last of our character the world witnesses before we die. Blows my mind that we never know. Anyway, nighttime is precious. I never appreciate it more than when I need a new chance at things, a newfound hope, a new beginning. Life goes on, and there's always another chance to do it right. We're given chances because we are loved. We are not expected to be perfect, we're just expected to try all over again, tomorrow. This is one of life's greatest blessings. <br />
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Good night. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu5irsOggjapq9ZuBRbsjzAGBFsJCLK_OLOsFdk-1jqsRwim6_OHiNqcPfRgMElinTcGXUsZl0AP3pxUdAaAJgwt7XRwkamNBqlbGaOjf0ernKmxkdmfS2_bVYC_6jNqsFF-IfNGMgtk/s1600/gogh.starry-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="263" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu5irsOggjapq9ZuBRbsjzAGBFsJCLK_OLOsFdk-1jqsRwim6_OHiNqcPfRgMElinTcGXUsZl0AP3pxUdAaAJgwt7XRwkamNBqlbGaOjf0ernKmxkdmfS2_bVYC_6jNqsFF-IfNGMgtk/s320/gogh.starry-night.jpg" /></a></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-13919195263740941712012-02-19T15:37:00.000-08:002012-02-19T15:37:07.666-08:00Feel, and feel with all your heart.When you blast the music so loud it interrupts your thoughts and your other sensations, until your thoughts and feelings become in sync with it, you think at the beat of the music, you feel at the rhythm of the song, you relate to the dynamics of the melody.<br />
<br />
That is the beauty of music of art of expression and of feeling. Would you rather not feel or feel too much? Emotion is the most beautiful of God's gifts given to us, so feel, and feel with all your heart. To put feelings aside because you're afraid of the bad feelings is to distrust yourself, it is to take for granted the ability to feel emotion, it is to discredit this beautiful gift and to be a coward. <br />
<br />
Surrender to your feelings. Stop controlling your feelings so much. Put logic and reason and rationale aside for 30 seconds and let your heart go. Just to see what it does. Don't worry, it won't abandon you, it won't break your trust. Just try it. <br />
<br />
Give your brain a rest. In this world, emotion is seen as weak. It shouldn't be. Emotion and the ability to let yourself feel it is the strongest thing a person can do. Write, and write from the heart. Or paint, and paint from the heart. Stop thinking and just DO. And then, stop doing and just BE. It's a beautiful thing, I swear.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-62596301942822066132012-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:002012-02-14T15:51:14.493-08:00Happy Valentines DayI like music that set a tone, set a different kind of mood, bring out certain emotions in you, and connect to people universally, even if the song is in French.<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UfCnLTsGgcQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<br />
<i><br />
I’m told that our lives aren’t worth much,<br />
They pass like an instant, like wilting roses.<br />
I’m told that time slipping by is a bastard<br />
Making its coat of our sorrows.<br />
Yet someone told me…<br />
<br />
That you still loved me<br />
Someone told me…<br />
That you still loved me.<br />
Well ? Could that be possible?<br />
<br />
I’m told that fate makes fun of us,<br />
That it gives us nothing and promises everything,<br />
When happiness seems to be within our reach,<br />
We reach out and find ourselves like fools.<br />
Yet someone told me…<br />
<br />
That you still loved me<br />
Someone told me…<br />
That you still loved me.<br />
Well ? Could that be possible?<br />
<br />
Well ? Could that be possible?<br />
<br />
So who said that you still loved me?<br />
I don’t remember any more, it was late at night,<br />
I can still hear the voice, but I can no longer see the face,<br />
“He loves you, it’s secret, don’t tell him I told you.”<br />
You see, someone told me<br />
<br />
That you still loved me<br />
Did someone really tell me?<br />
That you still loved me<br />
Well, could that be possible?<br />
<br />
I’m told that our lives aren’t worth much,<br />
Passing in an instant, like wilting roses,<br />
I’m told that time slipping by is a bastard,<br />
Making its coat of our sadnesses.<br />
<br />
That you still loved me<br />
Someone told me…<br />
That you still loved me.<br />
Well ? Could that be possible?<br />
<br />
</i>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-78020914700040855442012-01-29T15:14:00.000-08:002012-01-29T15:32:51.830-08:00Killing Us SoftlyRecently I wrote a post about the VS Fashion Show and the effect that has on Women and our society. This is what I was talking about. This is an interesting, concise, and important video that I would recommend even to just watch a few minutes of it. <br />
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This is the link to the previous post, and the videos are below. http://kinzakhan.blogspot.com/2011/12/vsfashionshow-anorexia-and-why-its-much.html<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1ujySz-_NFQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E4-1xCf3I7U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-72339552082749788862011-12-22T16:45:00.000-08:002012-01-07T16:17:38.223-08:00PAKISTANI'll be writing about Pakistan here: http://ayycarumba.blogspot.comKinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-37098167364568635292011-12-19T22:19:00.000-08:002011-12-19T22:19:54.640-08:00Personal Statement<i>This was my personal statement when I applied to law schools. I decided to post it up here because it's helpful to others who are applying for law school, and sometimes I need to reread this to remind myself why I'm here lol </i><br />
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<b>Personal Statement</b><br />
I am dance. I feel the passion and I hear the beat, and I have to move. As I apply to law school, I think of the moment in dance that occurs between hearing the beat of the music and responding to it. My determination to attend law school is guided by a similar beat: that of experiences and testimonies, broken hearts and hopeful struggles, and the power of persistence through the force of desperation. I am the process, the in-between, from the idea to the movement. My passion to work in international human rights directs my decision to go to law school, and I step with purpose. <br />
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The two overseas experiences that carry the strongest beats include my first visit to Pakistan and my study abroad semester in Egypt. My first interaction with the rest of the world occurred in Karachi at the age of ten. It was no easy introduction: children in torn clothes knocked on car windows and begged for money, drivers and servants attended to the rich, and guards carried guns. The shock from these encounters was beyond what my young mind could comprehend. I would meditate about the disturbing scenes and deliberate possible solutions to resolve the discrepancies that plagued my thoughts. This was the first of several extensive visits to my parents’ country from which they immigrated to Chicago many years ago. With them they brought $100, a dream to study psychology, a hope to provide a more privileged life for their children, and the determination to act on this passion. <br />
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During this visit to Pakistan, I started to report my observations and reactions in a journal. Through writing, I learned to logically organize my thoughts and to communicate effectively in diverse ways. These skills were essential in the work that I performed in Egypt: I conducted research, presented oral proposals, and wrote detailed analyses about local human rights issues. This recent semester abroad in Cairo reignited the spark that the experiences of Pakistan had left in my heart.<br />
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My research focused specifically on NGOs’ efforts to promote human rights, the government’s level of adherence to protecting its citizens from torture, international and internal pressure, and the core reasons behind increasing human rights violations in Egypt. Watching cases of sexual harassment against women and the torture of minority citizens by policemen on the streets of Cairo brought to life what I had researched. It reminded me that these situations were not unique to Egypt, but were common international issues that I had witnessed before but was reluctant to accept. Now required to accept the reality, I was maturing rapidly and discovering new ways to further increase my knowledge and broaden my perspective. I interviewed many people who had been tortured for expressing free speech, including a famous blogger who was physically beaten by policemen for posting videos of torture conducted by government officials. As he described his experience, the complexities of the human rights issue became more perceptible. This interview was just one of the many stories I heard in which my motivation to study international human rights was renewed and revived. Both my research and observations have inspired me to make a difference in countries such as Egypt by working with, inter alia, the non-profit sector and the legal system. <br />
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My overseas encounters in conjunction with my multicultural upbringing, university education, and strong work ethic have contributed to my academic development and professional maturity. My dedication and passion for learning has driven me to take challenging course loads, consequently enabling me to graduate a semester early. I see myself as a product of the American, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern cultures, and I view the world through all of these lenses. As a lawyer, I aim to use my diverse background to give a voice to underrepresented minority groups including women, prisoners, immigrants, and refugees. I will gain the opportunities, skills, and understanding of the world that I must have to make a difference in it through the study of law. <br />
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My decisions in life are guided primarily by passion, followed by the logic and rationale that I apply in determining how to execute these decisions. I paint with clashing colors, I run miles in blizzards, and I play the violin to hip-hop beats. Now, I want to continue utilizing my skills and acting on my passions by making a difference in the lives of others through international human rights law. I am dance, and the study of law is the next step in the choreography that inevitably follows from the beat of my life.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-58175206849256321772011-12-17T20:13:00.000-08:002011-12-19T08:20:34.975-08:00Our revolution is when we realize that "crazy" is an admirable quality<blockquote>"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."</blockquote>- Apple Inc.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-32913013603518037602011-12-13T12:49:00.000-08:002011-12-19T08:17:51.380-08:00#VSFashionShow, Anorexia, and why it's much more than "hotness."This is for all the "men" who think I'm overreacting for my tweets and comments regarding the whole hype over the VS Fashion Show. For those who think I'm crazy, and who think I'm "mad because guys think they're hot." I guess I didn't make myself clear.<br />
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Foremost, I'm not "mad at guys who think the VS models are hot" or anything like that. I don't care who thinks who is attractive. And I understand attraction is something already embedded in you. It's not about "thinking they're hot." Well first of all, the fact that they starve themselves and promote the wrong values to your future children should be enough reason to abandon your attraction to them, but even if not, the issue isn't "thinking they're hot." It's about the values that these models are promoting to women and men both, it's about this causal link between these models, us women having to watch the men go gaga over them, and then women's insecurities which in some, no, <i>many</i> cases lead to things like depression, anorexia, etc.<br />
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I'd also like to say before I proceed that I thankfully do not have any of these issues, so please do not take my views as "venting because of my own personal issues" or anything like that. I am blessed to not have these issues but seeing the way things are, I can't blame those who do. And women are women. <b>Every</b> woman, regardless of how confident or beautiful or secure she is, sometimes does not feel very attractive because of this "definition of beauty" in the world.<br />
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For now I'll talk about the models specifically, and not even get into the other issues, such as the "lighter is better" colonialism of our brains that we think is okay in minority cultures. That's a whole different topic and also needs awareness. <br />
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Relative to the thing I said about how women feel insecure even if they are beautiful and confident, it goes for everyone. I guarantee that all of these celebrities have felt insecure at some point in their lives. It's not a weakness it's just part of women's nature, just like a lot of dumb things are part of men's nature lol. The thing is, when men tell women about their celebrity crushes and how they think this girl is soo hott or how she's so skinny or her curves are so nice (which btw, I don't know why guys tell me this stuff), it's fine at first but gets annoying after a while. It gets annoying if (1) the woman has any respect for the man, or (2) if she has any interest in him. As a man, could you imagine if a girl told a guy who liked her all about how she likes "Usher, because he has a nice body" and the guy didn't think he matched up to those qualifications? His ego would be hurt too. But in my case, there's a 3rd factor. (This numbering and factor business comes from studying torts, my bad). This 3rd issue is if the guy is Muslim. I do have more respect for Muslim guys in general because I think they're not as dirty-minded (if they're practicing). Many Muslim guys I know want a covered, or modest wife, because they don't want other men checking out their wife in ways that only they should be allowed to do as their rightful husband. This makes sense and myself, including many girls I know, like this "protective nature." And these men also don't want their moms, daughters, sisters, girlfriends, etc. to be seen in this negative light. They don't want other guys checking them out or thinking about them in dirty ways, as part of their natural protective nature. This is a good thing. But how come, the men are allowed to look at other women, the wives, daughters, sisters, and wives, of OTHER men? Isn't that double standards? <br />
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Anorexia in women is a huge issue that we can't ignore. No, it's not the girls' faults. If a girl was told she was beautiful enough, she wouldn't have to feel insecure. These girls are starting to feel this way from a young, innocent age. They're too young to be at fault. Like I mentioned earlier, we women don't have to be interested in you for it to make a difference that you're telling us about these 'hot women.' Through witnessing what defines "beauty" nowadays via guys' testimony and the media/hollywood/internet, that affects us enough. Women in their nature want to be beautiful. It's part of us. Can't argue. No woman in the world will tell you she doesn't want to be beautiful. And I'm going to be overly open about myself for a little bit here. I was always comfortable with my body and looks, alhamdulillah. But, do I once in a while think, I wish I looked like so and so, or this woman here, or I wish people thought of me as beautiful like they thought of this girl? Yes, and I'm not ashamed of that. They were short phases and everyone goes through them, and we get over them. But unfortunately many women do not fully get over them. I think I have been blessed with what God has given me, and hopefully if I looked a different way I would too. But if I was 100 pounds heavier, had a defect in my face or my body, the challenge of being comfortable with my body would become harder, no doubt. And no, people can't always be perfect and strong 100% of the time. <br />
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Here's a fact: 31,000 Americans are killed by guns each year, 18,000 of those are suicides, 12,000 are homicides and 1000 are unintentional.<br />
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SUICIDES are the largest source of Americans being killed by guns. THAT IS NOT OKAY. Granted there are many different reasons for suicide, but the primary one is depression. Depression for guys and depression for girls. Focusing in on the "depression for girls" -- Being a woman and knowing lots of woman, I know that a large factor in causing depression in women is insecurity about looks. <br />
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Here's some more facts:<br />
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Over one person's lifetime, at least 50,000 individuals will die as a direct result of their eating disorder. Without treatment, up to twenty percent (20%) of people with serious eating disorders die. With treatment, that number falls to two to three percent (2-3%). Eating Disorders affect a large number of people in the United States.<br />
The statistics state that:<br />
* Approximately 7 million girls and women struggle with eating disorders <br />
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<i>Source: http://www.bulimia.com/client/client_pages/eatingdisorderstats.cfm</i><br />
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I'm not saying to not look at these women or think they're attractive. If you think they're attractive, you think they're attractive. I'm just saying that looks aren't everything. I honestly have so much more respect for the men that say "they look fine, but they're too skinny they look unhealthy," or "they're not ugly, but they're starving themselves and their brains are made of plastic." Not to say they're all dumb, I actually think a couple of them are pretty smart if they wanted to be. But the thing is, to just go beyond "oh my god they're so hot they have big boobs and big asses" to maybe look at the values that they promote would be nice. I'm not saying the models are ugly, they are pretty sure. But does that matter when you have 50 other things implied by the same fashion? Would it kill someone to refrain from telling women how they think "this is beauty." By saying that, you're telling any woman who eats a normal amount, "you could be better." <br />
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Here's an article, in case my statements seem like mere inferences. <br />
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http://www.curvygirlguide.com/self-body/victorias-secret-does-not-love-my-body/<br />
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Their DIET:<br />
She sees a nutritionist, who has measured her body’s muscle mass, fat ratio and levels of water retention. He prescribes protein shakes, vitamins and supplements to keep Lima’s energy levels up during this training period. Lima drinks a gallon of water a day. For nine days before the show she will drink only protein shakes – “no solids”. The concoctions include powdered egg. Two days before the show she will abstain from the gallon of water a day, and “just drink normally”. Then, 12 hours before the show she will stop drinking entirely.<br />
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Another quote: <br />
"Laughing, one of them mocked the fact that she used to want to be a doctor or a professional soccer player. She then made fun of her friend for wanting to be a marine biologist when she was younger.<br />
My jaw dropped in disbelief. This young woman was actually making fun of herself, and her fellow Angel, because they used to have dreams of curing the sick, researching and working with some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet, and becoming role models for aspiring female athletes everywhere."<br />
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These women are becoming the role models of the future generations. That's what's wrong. I'm not blaming all men or generalizing or anything, but the men who are going nuts over these celebrities and showing off about it like its funny or awesome should do their part by realizing that there's something wrong with this. <br />
<i><br />
<br />
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest.” (An-Nur: 30-31)</i><br />
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<b>QUICK UPDATE, written on 12/13</b><br />
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Just a quick note.<br />
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I am not saying men are solely responsible for all of women's issues or anything like that. I understand that in the end women are responsible for their own self esteem, and insecurity is a test that they have to overcome. However, I do think that many things, such as the media, and men's reactions to it, are FACTORS in this pressing issue. <br />
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All I'm saying is that, if people know these issues exist, they should consider them just a little bit, and they should appreciate that they can do something small or stop doing something small, to help the overarching problem. I understand lots of people don't care about social issues, and "hotness" prevails all. That's fine. It was just my post. I'm not trying to pass any law or anything. I'm not judging anyone in particular. I have the right to my views and I have the right to some respect. I don't mind discussion, but I do mind disrespect, and unfortunately a lot of people I recently encountered are just the disrespectful douche-y type of guys. Thankfully, the encouragement & positive feedback has made up for all that and more. Thanks if you've had something good to say, and if you want to discuss or if you disagree that's fine. But don't think you can make rude comments or disrespect me. I'd rather you just not read my blog or follow me. Thanks.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-67080648388249685832011-12-10T22:11:00.000-08:002011-12-14T18:27:34.191-08:00"I'm from the city in the Midwest best city in the whole wide wide world" - Lupe FiascoRandom pics I've taken in Chicago, stopping to take pictures while out and about. This city makes me want to be a photographer. So much beauty in everything. <br />
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<b>PS: if you click on one of the pics you can view them all in a larger size & more easily.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_RH9whYRe7YtptM5DcdI9K-TyKqikJkg6LICjYItTnyBkJg-rZz4yDVhhDvav_HAehIc7ZHAvaYOmaO_wG1hq-E6gRjURmYSGb1k9aPSSlVTQO-Tu2W_zFXMamCVZDTBZFKqpTorbIM/s1600/P1020986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_RH9whYRe7YtptM5DcdI9K-TyKqikJkg6LICjYItTnyBkJg-rZz4yDVhhDvav_HAehIc7ZHAvaYOmaO_wG1hq-E6gRjURmYSGb1k9aPSSlVTQO-Tu2W_zFXMamCVZDTBZFKqpTorbIM/s320/P1020986.JPG" /></a></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-51337673332531800432011-12-05T01:41:00.000-08:002011-12-05T01:49:13.847-08:00Reflections on wearing the HijabIt's been 4 years since I've been wearing the scarf, alH. I feel like I don't even wear it. I forget that I wear it, and I forget that I have it on, while others are constantly reminded of it every time they see me. I don't feel any differently from another typical American girl. I love to shop, love makeup (I buy more than I wear), to put together stylish outfits, & I LOVE jewelry. If you know me, you'd know my obsession with earrings. <br />
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I put it on in college. I had always wanted to wear it, but I would see these hijabi girls, who were so "perfect." It made me feel like I couldn't wear it. I always felt like "I have to improve myself before I put it on, I'm not good enough to represent Islam." Then in college, I met some girls who were so "normal." They wore a scarf but they made mistakes, they were human, and they made it seem "doable." So at this point, I came to realize, that hijab was just 'effort.' There was no point in trying to become "perfect" before putting it on, because that point of perfection was never going to happen. After all, the mission in life is to just TRY. God doesn't ask us to be perfect, but He asks us to not give up on always, constantly trying, to become a better person. So the hijab was just a mere piece of effort from my part to become a better person. <br />
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Plus, I love to dance. I figured if I put it on, it was my way of preventing myself from going to a club and dancing with random guys, which is part of the "modesty code" in Islam. And sometimes, there are things that I don't go to for the mere reason that it would look dumb to be there with a scarf on. Maybe that's not the best of reasons to not go somewhere, and I should have genuine reason to not be there because it would displease God, but I'm just not that strong all the time. <br />
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I was strongest when I first put it on, surrounded by people who also wore it or other Muslims who understood it. Many of my friends in undergrad were Muslim, and the ones who weren't understood Islam well enough to not judge me when I put it on. But now I feel like it's really difficult sometimes, and I can get weak, just like everyone else. Especially when people judge me in one way or the other. Sometimes people judge me for being "good," for being very "religious" and "pious." I mean, I wish, and yes that's what I'm going for, but to assume I'm like that just because I wear it makes me feel bad that I'm not. I make so many mistakes and am definitely not as religious as some girls I know who don't wear it. I don't think hijab is any means of measuring how religious someone is. And then there's the bad judgments. Like, I'm an extremist, an oppressed woman, have no voice. Let me tell you some random things:<br />
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* I am the loudest in my family. My voice is loud, and I don't shut up. I say whatever is on my mind. Sometimes too much. And it's okay lol. They're used to me and they secretly love it lol<br />
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* My dad never once told me to wear the scarf. My mom doesn't wear it. My mom didn't once tell me to wear the scarf either. However, through example, she always taught me to dress modestly. To save your beauty for your husband. She would wear pretty flowery dresses on weekends, when no guests came over, and when nothing special was happening. When she would go out, she would throw a scarf around her, or wear a longer shirt to cover her shape. She said she felt more comfortable that way, not having to worry about anything showing or anyone looking. <br />
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* I would never in my life marry someone who told me that I "have" to do something. Whether it's I have to stay home, I have to work, I have to wear a scarf, I have to take it off. I'm too much of a control freak and too independent to be told what to do. And I don't think I'll have a problem finding a Muslim person who would be okay with that. <br />
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* In many Muslim marriages, the woman is in control way more than we realize. It's hilarious actually. It's like that saying from "The Big Fat Greek Wedding" - "The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. She can turn the head whichever way she wants to." This is an accurate summary of the advice my mom has been giving me throughout the years lol. Muslim marriages are often seen to be where the husband doesn't respect the wife, etc. Mash'Allah my parents have an amazing relationship, and they're not an exception, there are many relationships like theirs and I hope one day mine is too. My dad would go hiking with my mom when he'd much rather be watching TV lol. He barely spends money on himself but has no boundaries when it comes to spending it on his wife and kids. My mom also respects my dad obviously in return, and does things out of love and appreciation for him. My dad has never once told my mom to do something, down to what food to make. It's always been her choice. She's pretty independent-minded and he let her stay that way with no problem. <br />
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Anyways, in these four years, I have gotten mixed <b>reactions</b>:<br />
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- I was told a few times by random people (both Muslim and non-Muslim) that they respect the courage it takes to wear it, especially in this day and age. This I appreciate, and it inspires me to keep going. I forget these obvious things.<br />
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- I was told by my grandpa when visiting London to not wear it. "People hate Muslims here right now, they'll look at you weird," he said. That made me want to wear it more. I wore it and I was fine. Even if one person looked at me and realized that I am indeed a normal human being lol, then that would be great. Less ignorance & hatred, one person at a time. <br />
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- I was told by a couple friends that it would be hard getting married because many moms specifically wanted a non-hijabi, girl who doesn't wear a scarf, for their sons. LOL I didn't realize wearing a scarf makes that much of a difference, but okay. I would be terrified of having a mother-in-law who was that controlling or psycho anyway, so good riddance there. <br />
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But most of all, it's the small bits and pieces of encouragement. Honestly, when a guy says they respect when women wears hijab, that means a lot to us women. When a guy says hijabis are beautiful, that means a lot too. Why? Because we're women and we like guys too, and we want to look beautiful too. When my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and parents say something like "good job," that encourages me a LOT. My dadi (paternal grandma) has always encouraged me and told me that it's great that I'm wearing it and she's proud of me. It really keeps me going. Small things mean a lot, and they're not to be underestimated.<br />
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Anyways, it's hard sometimes, to be honest. Yes every outfit does look better with hair. Yes I feel like a have a nice body and wanna show it off sometimes lol. But among friends, with girls, I can wear whatever, and in front of my husband I can wear whatever and show off my body and wear my hair in different ways every day. So it's fine. I just hope that for every time I feel like doing my hair or wearing something Islamically-inappropriate, I get good rewards (insha'Allah/God-willing) for wearing it. Because yes it does get hard sometimes. But I love it. I love being different and unique in my own way, in this world where everyone's trying to be 'different' anyway. I love that professors remember me and networking is easier for me lol. I love that people see me and are <i>shocked</i> when I do something "normal" or have a normal American accent that doesn't meet their expectations. I love when black women ask me how I tie my scarf, and to show them. I love when people look at me and change their minds about what Muslims are like. I love matching different scarves to my outfits, and playing around with colors and styles. And I know I'm not perfect, but that's okay because I'm not trying to show that I am.<br />
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My hijab rack: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTEThAgC5nLmEwTf04sPbhhDzRPCKgl_zu4xkPACxSAnlOt7nhcVSGrMRg4LJmCjQIaZFK0xkDe5c5lkcYTmh-DskpW-qenqcSvHHQmMc46nEUTBuVH0AgVbcwHUb6g4aAxu9p96dTAQ/s1600/Photo+on+2011-12-05+at+03.39+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTEThAgC5nLmEwTf04sPbhhDzRPCKgl_zu4xkPACxSAnlOt7nhcVSGrMRg4LJmCjQIaZFK0xkDe5c5lkcYTmh-DskpW-qenqcSvHHQmMc46nEUTBuVH0AgVbcwHUb6g4aAxu9p96dTAQ/s320/Photo+on+2011-12-05+at+03.39+%25232.jpg" /></a></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-35637384081498737952011-12-01T23:19:00.000-08:002011-12-01T23:19:25.673-08:00Life. Goes. On.This day last year there I was at University of Illinois, it was a Friday (Dec. 1st) and I remember this night. I was working a shift at a school event since I worked at The Career Center, but it was a fun event so I didn't mind. My friends came to visit me, 3 girls, and when it was over (12am) we left the Union building and it was the first real snowfall of the year. We went to the quad, behind the Union, and there were hundreds of people out and having fun and snowball fighting. It wasn't even that cold. It was BEAUTIFUL though. I'll post pics on the bottom of this post. Then I went back to the "Blues" apartments with those girls and lots of MSA people (muslim students association) who all live in the blues came out and we had a massive snowball fight. At this point in my life, I had 3 weeks left to graduate undergrad. On the morning of this day, at about 11am, I checked my email and I had received my 1st law school acceptance letter, from DePaul University, which is where I'm at now. It's so weird that this day was one year ago. I remember it so clearly. <br />
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So much has changed since then. I graduated, lots of people graduated. People broke up, people got together. Friends split, and friends were made. Love happened and it faded. My grandma passed away. Terrible things happened, and good things happened. No matter what, life moves on. Today it's snowing. The first time this winter in Chicago. It was the same day last year it snowed for the first time for that winter as well. People die, people are born, love happens and its lost, people's lives are ruined and people's lives are completed, the best of miracles occur and the worst of tragedies occur. But time is this momentum. No matter what happens, the first snow of the season will always come. The leaves will always grow back though and the sun will always shine down. Nothing is still, or frozen. Flowers will bloom, and they'll stay for a while. Then they'll slowly die. The leaves will turn orange, yellow, blood-red. It will be beautiful. Then those leaves will fall, and the trees will become dead again, beautiful in its nakedness. And then there will be a first snow of the season again. <br />
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One of my main reasons for my love of Chicago is its constant season-changing. Every season carries with it a different mood, a different feel, different memories, and different passions. But most of all, the change of seasons reminds you that no matter what happens, it's okay. Life. Goes. On. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd6qB8ZxSts2G5vb-QnNoiU1-E5es39sPxYM-OXF_BFp_wXnk2cPcDCTaeZb7XJrjO35R_-FH1GX2y0_oypLH3K7m2l4-AiCaQyuKVrUc6F0xJUifHzS3mLKGhig6h8R_B9EOMDnLTpk/s1600/33813_10150365614045265_507255264_15950707_6541568_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd6qB8ZxSts2G5vb-QnNoiU1-E5es39sPxYM-OXF_BFp_wXnk2cPcDCTaeZb7XJrjO35R_-FH1GX2y0_oypLH3K7m2l4-AiCaQyuKVrUc6F0xJUifHzS3mLKGhig6h8R_B9EOMDnLTpk/s320/33813_10150365614045265_507255264_15950707_6541568_n.jpg" /></a></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-17624193028620422852011-11-26T14:58:00.000-08:002011-11-26T14:58:04.485-08:00Lose controlWe are in no control over anything sometimes. When people are depressed, the feeling that creates the depression is "losing control" over life. Sometimes shit happens to us so that we can realize that we cannot rely on people, but must rely on God. It's not fair, the craziest things happen to us when we're at our "low" phases in faith. Maybe there's a reason for that, I mean, there's a reason for everything, right? <br />
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Taking breaks from the world and having a couple of weeks of depression are okay sometimes, I guess, I think, I hope. Maybe to focus on yourself. To do those things that you do when there's too much emotion to express - like dance, run, or paint. Emotion is what drives people to do artistic things. If there's no room for artistic expression people turn to things like drugs. There have been events recently in my life where I have realized why people do drugs and why I can't blame them. It's because there's no outlet. People produce their best work when they have emotion driving them. My poems from middle school were amazing. I read them later and I'm surprised that I wrote them. Sounds like a different person. Because the person I was when I wrote those poems was a different person inside of me that's no longer there, that I am no longer trapped with, because I let her free by expressing her, getting her onto paper, away from me. We are the confinement of our own emotions. By holding onto negative emotions, we trap ourselves. We have to express ourselves. Everyone is either expressive or depressed. THe people who are not obviously expressive are expressive in some other way. They either think their emotions out, or they talk to that one person, or they paint, or read, or write, or draw, or work out. Somehow, in some way, they get their emotions out of their system. If you don't, then you're confined and trapped by your own emotions.<br />
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I should've studied psychology.<br />
Maybe I will if I fail law school, which looks possible right now. Can't focus or get anything done, because I'm too confined, my head is cloudy, my heart just straight up hurts. Ever feel so down that your heart actually, physically hurts? Interesting feeling it is.<br />
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I guess it's okay to feel negative emotions. Because negatives in this world are balanced out by positives. Even if the positives don't show on the media, in the news, on TV, etc. But I strongly believe that there's a balance in this world.<br />
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Even in the Qur'an, it reassures us: "Verily, after hardship comes ease." - For every hardship, there is ease. There is balance in this world. For every frown there is a smile. For every tear there is a laugh. For every divorce there is a marriage, for every heart broken there is a heart stolen. For every death there is a birth, and for every birth there is a death.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP7tfp6or2JyxpGIVNsbPQ72D-aBYeCn81vHfDJoHhacdECRtc_kS4lvhS3XJt8MH53OFDQUzi6reVZ3FId0RuxSPjEHjfzB9B5jZWdIz_FF2JStk5k9XnbE0-4eRhfpgUDU5wdZFK40/s1600/59991_10150284344645265_507255264_14535559_7773768_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="248" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP7tfp6or2JyxpGIVNsbPQ72D-aBYeCn81vHfDJoHhacdECRtc_kS4lvhS3XJt8MH53OFDQUzi6reVZ3FId0RuxSPjEHjfzB9B5jZWdIz_FF2JStk5k9XnbE0-4eRhfpgUDU5wdZFK40/s320/59991_10150284344645265_507255264_14535559_7773768_n.jpg" /></a></div>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-28031563434380637782011-11-12T14:24:00.000-08:002011-11-12T14:24:05.349-08:00Islam on human rights & Islam on ChivalryIslam on Chivalry: 30 minute lecture by Suhaib Webb.<br />
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http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/chivalry-in-islam/<br />
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Islam on human rights: <br />
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http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/M_hri/index.htm<br />
Mawdudi is awesome mA.<br />
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This site includes many verses from the Qur'an regarding human rights and I've pasted some of the commentary I really like too:<br />
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Whosoever kills a human being without (any reason like) man slaughter, or corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind ... (5:32)<br />
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"And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all mankind" (5:32).<br />
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The Holy Quran has laid down: "Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to aggression" (5:2). "And do not let ill-will towards any folk incite you so that you swerve from dealing justly. Be just; that is nearest to heedfulness" (5:8). Stressing this point the Quran again says: "You who believe stand steadfast before God as witness for (truth and) fairplay" (4:135)<br />
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"And we set you up as nations and tribes so that you may be able to recognize each other" (49:13).<br />
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"When- ever you judge between people, you should judge with (a sense of) justice" (4:58).<br />
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Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to aggression" (5:2). "And do not let ill-will towards any folk incite you so that you swerve from dealing justly. Be just; that is nearest to heedfulness" (5:8). Stressing this point the Quran again says: "You who believe stand steadfast before God as witness for (truth and) fairplay" (4:135). This makes the point clear that Muslims have to be just not only with ordinary human beings but even with their enemies.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-20858949786602975822011-11-11T21:10:00.000-08:002011-11-11T21:10:13.302-08:00SO EXCITEDInsha'Allah (God Willing) planning to go to Pakistan this winter. Traveling is a blessing, and I am so excited. On the way there so in airports and while in the air, you see people from all walks of life, it's so interesting being in an area with so many people who all have such different backgrounds & baggage with them. If I could, I'd talk to all of them and learn about them, their stories, their lives, and their perspectives. I sort of feel this way when I'm walking or taking the El through downtown Chicago to/from/around school.<br />
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Then going there is SUCH a reality check. Recently my mom asked me a serious life question that I've been working on figuring out lately, and I knew that by the time I come back from Paki I'll know the answer and I'll let her know then. Going abroad, away from the comfort zone, makes you learn so much about yourself it's crazy. You learn what your values, perspectives, and feelings are. <br />
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Interestingly, every time I've gone to a country like Pakistan or Egypt, I always realize how American I am. I'm so damn American it's hilarious. And then coming back to O'Hare international airport, I always get really excited hearing English in the airport and seeing other Americans everywhere. Funny how I see myself relating more to people who think I have nothing in common with them. <br />
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Going to Pakistan means seeing family. Seeing people who are blood relatives, who love and care about you so much that they would do anything, is an amazing feeling and I'm so lucky to have a close-knit family. It also reminds you that having these people around means you don't need anyone else. Gives you that sense of attachment that many of us look for unnecessarily. <br />
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This time I'm going for a cousin's wedding. I'll also be working at a Human Rights Organization in Pakistan and I'll blog/tweet about that, or try to. Desi music & weddings make me very emotional, in a good happy way. A human rights organization in Pakistan will probably make me emotional but in a negative way. Hopefully they'll somewhat balance each other out so that I can return with some sort of sanity and refreshed & inspired for the second semester of law school. <br />
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Anyway, this is probably the only thing that will get me through these next 6 weeks of hell.Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101090695862681384.post-24650072810925815262011-11-09T15:19:00.000-08:002011-11-09T15:34:40.960-08:00The Real Meaning of SalamMuslims and even those who aren't Muslim but live in the Middle East or have some Arab culture in them greet each other with "Assalamu Alaikum," or "Salam" for short. Even those who don't use this greeting have heard it, or know of it. What does Assalamu Alaikum or Salam <i>in its essence,</i> mean?<br />
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Literally, Salam means "peace." I have a theory that the greeting "peace" at the end of a conversation came from "salam." The greetings "peace" and "peace out" started being used in the 1960s, when cultural references were being used and referred to in hip hop music etc. THis is just a theory.<br />
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<b><i>Basics</i></b><br />
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Anyway, "Assalamu Alaikum" means "Peace be upon you." <br />
Salam = peace<br />
3alai = on/upon<br />
kum = you<br />
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The proper response is "Walai kum as-salam" - This means literally "and upon you be peace"<br />
wa = and<br />
3alai = on/upon<br />
kum = you<br />
as-salam = peace <br />
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<b><i>What's this mean?</i></b><br />
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When someone starts off a conversation by saying "peace be upon you" or "peace be upon you too," that implies that "I will do or say nothing to harm you." It carries a weight with it, like saying: I genuinely wish peace for you, and I will do my part to keep my attitude towards you peaceful. And not just on the surface, but in the heart too. <br />
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To start off a conversation with "Peace be upon you," and then say something rude, act disrespectfully, act with vain, or say something that is insincere, is purely contradictory. Or to be negative in any way after saying "peace be upon you" is ironic and counter-productive. <br />
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ORIGINS of this greeting:<br />
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) said: "Allah created Adam from dust after He mixed the clay and left him for some time until it became sticky mud, after which Allah shaped him. After that Allah left him till it became like potter's clay [a sounding clay]. Iblis used to go past him saying 'You have been created for a great purpose.' After that Allah breathed His spirit into him. The first thing into which the spirit passed was his eye and then his nose. He [Adam] sneezed. Allah said: "May your Lord have mercy upon you, O Adam! Go to those angels and see what they would say.' So Adam went and greeted them. they replied saying: "Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah." Allah said: "O Adam! This is your greeting and that of your offspring." (Sahih Bukhari). <br />
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<b>لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا</b><br />
There (heaven), they here no vain speaking nor recrimination. (56. Surah Al-Waqaih : Ayah 25)<br />
<b>إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا</b><br />
Except they say salaam, salaam. (56. Surah Al-Waqaih : Ayah 26)<br />
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These verses are recited here at <b>1:42</b><br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/f_X1fEC2TMg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kinzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09729131393670963859noreply@blogger.com0