Almond Cookie in a Ramadhan Morning

Amira has been coughing quite bad. Her father doesn't want her to fast. I just reminded her that if she wants to break her fast, it's OK.

I forgot to give her the medicine during suhoor this morning. So he gave her rhinatiol red at 7am. I would just let her continue fasting for the sake of training.

He wanted her to stay home. I ignored him. She'll have to stay home without me tomorrow for Nuzul Quran. I packed the medicine for her to bring to school.

In the car, since Umar could not stop crying, I gave him an almond chocolate cookie. Amira was excited.. yummy, yummy and gave me a kiss on the cheek for the cookie. She already had the cookie partially  in her mouth, then she said "I can't eat." She gave it to me.

WOW. I'm impressed. Imagine the temptation that she resisted, without anybody saying anything to that effect?  Alhamdulillah. May Allah keep us all in The Right Path.

So I put it in the container together with her medicine. I told her to eat the cookie before taking the medicine if her cough gets bad at school today.

She was invited by the teachers to the iftar they organize for students who show great efforts in fasting this Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah. Well done, Amira! Have fun! You earned it!

May Allah bless you! I hope this becomes a good example to your younger siblings, inshaAllah.

Placement Tests

Alhamdulillah my firstborn did the test last weekend. It ended with her smiling and happily running around, to my surprise. (She was reluctant to go and was getting lazy while in the car.) The teacher said she did not answer all questions, by the way. Well, I hope she answered correctly to the ones she actually did. Another teacher said "She very smart." I said "But she did not answer all questions." She replied "A lot of kids don't."

She said "Bye Amira! See you next year!"

Well, I don't think she's the one deciding that.

One hurdle may be down, but I still need to figure out how to pay for the fees. I am hoping for the financial assistance.

Amira said she loooooves this school. She was really excited!

My objective is to help my children develop the inner strength they need to face the increasingly challenging world today. This school seems to be the right place to school them, given its proximity to my work and its medium of instructions (English) and its employing the Khalifah method to educate the students. May Allah help us make this happen.

My Boy's First Fast

I was super surprised when his teacher said he's fasting today. The teacher said he did not eat or drink anything, or even ask for it. He also did not complain about being hungry or thirsty.

WOW. I'm impressed. He's only 4 years old. And yesterday was his first time getting up for suhoor, and then he ate breakfast as soon as he arrived at school.

I believe he was encouraged by his big sister who completed her first fast ever in her life yesterday. MashaAllah.. What a good example she showed. Alhamdulillah.. alhamdulillah. One good deed leads to another. One good example to a child leads to even more. I am grateful.

We went to buy some kuihs to break fast with. I wanted to celebrate them fasting by letting them choose whatever they want to eat. My daughter asked to go to the same restaurant we went to yesterday, but I suggested that we break fast at home this time.

We arrived home with bags of food, about 15 minutes before sunset. My son said he wanted to eat NOW. So did his sister. Oh sayang, I knew the food was really tempting! :-) I advised them to watch cartoon to keep their mind off the food on the table. I said "You already fasted the last 13 and half hours! You have been doing very good. Don't ruin it by eating now. It's only 10 minutes to go."

When it's finally time. "You can eat now! :-)" "Oh don't forget, now it's a good time to make du'a!" They did. Alhamdulillah, The feeling of watching those innocent faces smiling as they eat is indescribable. What a sight to behold.

All Praises to Allah.

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This morning I made him a cup of chocolate milk because he missed suhoor. I told him to drink it and start fasting right after. He refused. He said "If I drink it, then I am not fasting." I reassured him that it's OK for little kids to start fasting a bit later. He did not budge, adding "I can't eat or drink if I want to fast." MashaAllah.

All this while his big sister was asking me what if a kid does not fast. I took pains to explain that it's OK because kids are supposed to still be learning about and practising fasting. I told her many times that if she feels really sick or if she feels super hungry, she can break her fast before sunset.

Why do we fast, Momma?

I said, because Allah told those who have faith in Islam to fast, so that they can have piety. It's in The Quran.

What is piety?

Piety is taqwa.

What is taqwa?

Taqwa is the fear of and love for Allah. The faith and belief in Allah that make you want to do what Allah tells you to do, even though your brain might tell you otherwise, because Syaitaan will always try to tell you to do the opposite of what Allah wants us to do.

Allah said "The fast is for Me." So when we fast, it's not because Momma forces you to, or because the Teacher makes you to. Nobody benefits from your fasting. But you fast for Allah. So, if you don't want to fast, then don't, because otherwise Allah won't accept it anyway. I love it when you fast, because little kids need to practise fasting first.

The short time driving them to school (and back) is indeed quality time for us. I love it. May Allah bless us with Love forever.

My Baby's First Fast

"Momma, how many days til it's my birthday?" That's one of her favorite Qs. I would usually quickly do the math (good brain exercise!) and give her the answer. Yesterday it was 40.

And yesterday she completed her full fast day ever! Alhamdulillah. She got up for suhoor. She did it once a fews weeks ago when I was replacing my missed fast, where she fasted until lunch time. (And she had been asking to get up for suhoor again since.) I was also slightly worried because she had gastric just a few months ago. So yesterday I expected her to fast until lunch time. When I went to pick them up from school yesterday, I was surprised when her teacher told me she's still fasting! She was fine except some anger (probably due to hunger).

Since we needed to go to the store anyway, I decided to take her out to break her fast at a restaurant of her choice (with my budget approval).

So we did. Congratulations, Amira! :-)

May Allah reward you, inshaAllah.

I hope you grow up to be a good Muslimah, Amin!

Oh Allah in Whose Hand is our hearts, keep us in The Right Path.

Ramadhan Mubarak!

1 Ramadhan 1434 falls on July 10, 2013 here.

May Allah grant us the imaanful strength, will, opportunities, and patience to multiply our ibadah with humility and sincerity in this blessed month of Ramadhan. Amin!

Q for Queen

I found out about this story yesterday.

Teacher to class: Q is for Queen.
My son: I'll be the King. Momma would be the Queen. (Baby Sister) would be the Princess.

No mention of Big Sister who goes to the same school. Well, sibling rivalry explains. As the second child, he has the right to be jealous of her :-)

There's more to this story but I can't share here. Thank you, son, for always keeping Momma in mind. You are a good son. I hope you grow up to be brave, strong, smart, pious, courageous, humble man like the Companion you were named after. May Allah reward you with abundance of His Blessings, inshaAllah. May Allah grant me the strength, wisdom, and patience to raise you and your sisters the best I can. May Allah forgive my mistakes and weaknesses along the way. Amin.

Alhamdulillah.