23rd post - preparing for Ramadhan...

the reminders are foremost for myself.. inshaAllah for those who read, will be of benefit.

Sayyidi Al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah preserve him) said;

make sure you end Sha'ban in the best of states for Allah records the rewards that we will receive and the supererogatory actions that we will perform before Ramadhan enters. HE also records the bad deeds and the wretchedness of those that will be deprived the blessings of Ramadhan.

what will be your state in the last hours of Sha'ban?

prepare for the first night of Ramadhan for on this night Allah gazes at HiS creation, a special gaze which is unique to this Ummah. Allah will never punish the one upon whom HE gazes (as narrated by Al-Bayhaqi).

Alhamdulillah as i am writing this blog at 4.30pm, we here at Tarim have just performed asar.. inshaAllah still fasting... still seeking baraqah from Allah in the blessed first day of Ramadhan. mahgrib (and light iftar of lemonade, fruits and dates) will be later at 6ish...

this will be followed by mahgrib in jemaah, sunnah tasbih jemaah and dinner.. after Isyak, us Dowra (English) girls will then head to Daruz Zahra for terawih led by our beloved teacher Al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

just after dzuhur earlier, we had tazkirah by Ustadha Moneeba.. again she repeated her beutiful advice to us girls in our Ramadhan journey...

do not lie

do not backbite

do not be a tale teller

as Habib Muhammad Alaydrus mentioned (translated by Brother Hassan Petrus) during Hadith lesson on Wednesday... "when someone is backbiting, the person in itself is hurting himself. this person through his backbiting is telling others his sight is filthy and his reflection he sees from Allah's will for him to be mirrored with the person he backbit is exactly the same that he has backbitten about. the more he backbites the more he himself is talking about his own shortcomings... may Allah provide us Guidance. Amin."

i seek your forgiveness dear friends and family for all the wrongdoings i have done.. i make du'a for those back in Singapore.. to be blessed by Allah on this blessed month of Ramadhan. as much as i miss Singapore.. subhanAllah Ramadhan in Tarim... is just.... beautiful. make du'a for me ya... make du'a for yourself too, to be immersed in what Ramadhan really stands for.. the beauty is heartwarming MashaAllah. Ramadhan Mubarak.. Ramadhan Kareem.

the past few days we have been walking to Habib Umar's house after Fajr for class... in the perfect cool breeze and the break of soft sunlight i could see the majestic mountains that literally surrounds Tarim. the hills are awe inspiring with smooth perfect flat tops.. it is SO close to us. you can't help but stand in the midst and go SubhanAllah... lawa nyer... =)

p.s.
Melly please call Mummy Aya and teach her how to call me PLEASEEEEE...
(from home phone have to use IDD 001.. i think).. sayang melly =)