 Memoirs of a Muslimah …………
The alarm goes off at 4:45 am. Alhamdulillah! Allah has allowed me to wake one more time and I am truly grateful. I usually try to read something beneficial in the morning before everyone wakes up. Since it is a week day, thoughts of how my day will go consume my brain. Insha’Allah it will go well and without any chaos. Shaytaan and his minions are always plotting. I seek refuge. I then proceed to the kitchen to start the coffee pot. Next I prepare lunch for my zowaj to take to work as I am appreciative to Allah that He has blessed me with a husband. I then make sure that my three ibns are up so that the family can all pray Fajr. Allah has told us that your children are a test and I can definitely bear witness to this. However, I am very thankful to Allah for blessing me with the ability to have children. The ibns are 8, 10, & 12. I return to thinking about how my day will go. Ahh let’s see, I still have to prepare lunch for them. While doing so I begin to ponder, how they will behave today. Will they pay attention? Will they listen? Will they do what they must in order for them to be successful at learning today? Mmmmmm I wonder. After Fajr I see my zowaj out the door. Around 7am I get the ibns on their mission of getting dressed and eating breakfast. 8am is the designated time for them to be ready and be out the door. Unfortunately my children attend public school, because both my zowaj & I work. I know a few sisters personally who home school their children. I used to feel ashamed & not much of a good Muslimah merely because I work and I send my kids out into the dunya to be with kuffaar for about 8 hrs daily, five days a week, but at this point I have no choice, Allahu musta’aan. Through guidance and mercy of Allah, it has been about 2 ½ years since I have entered into the fold of Islam. I am truly indebted to Allah daily for this guidance and the many bounties that he has bestowed on my family and me. It has taken me a minute to not feel guilty about working, not home schooling my kids, and by them not attending an Islamic school. I realize now that it is the Qadr of Allah. Insha’Allah may Allah provide the means to place them in an Islamic school, Ameen. I attempt to find creative techniques to teach them the Deen, I usually learn along with them or am often reminded, which of course is a benefit. It is fun at times and can be quite challenging at the same time. At any rate I try to remain patience with the hope that Allah will reward me for trying my best. I have been also blessed to have some sisters offer their suggestions of how I can teach my sons Islam. As a family, we attend lectures, conferences, and classes, as much as we can to quench our thirst for Ilm of the Deen, and to be amongst the company of Muslims. Traveling does not deter us in achieving this passion to study and learn more about this wonderful Deen of Islam that Allah has guided us to. Insha’Allah may Allah allow my family & I to keep it going. A small look into the life of your sister in Islam. Umm Na’im Khairiya Bint Carolyn |
