Shortage make prices go bananas

Bananas bananas bananas

Yousuf just looooves the sweetness of bananas! He's not on solids yet.. Im hoping to start when he's 6 months.. but just letting him taste 'em- should see his reaction! - priceless.. hehe

Taken from http://the-riotact.com/

Yousuf's umi and abah loves bananas too!

But sometime last year, banana prices went bananas! 
as cold weather swept through Queensland and wet weather plagued growers in northern New South Wales.
Even the old bananas which were black and all could cost about AUD$12/kg!
thats about RM40/kg!!


we weren't THAT crazy about bananas to pay a crazy price..

Taken from Herald Sun

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Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to the graveyard and said, 'Peace be upon you, abode of a believing people. Allah willing, we will join you. I wish that we could see our brothers.' They said, 'Are we not your brothers, Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'You are my Companions. My brothers are those who have not yet come.' ...
(Muslim)

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On normal days, the best of bananas could be priced at about 2 bucks a kilo. Days at which bananas were scarce, even the most mediocre of bananas could be $12 a kilo.

the most mediocre of bananas can never be as good as the best of bananas
we may never be as amazing as rasululullah's companions..

But it is the time of scarcity, hence our nabi has called us his 'brothers' (and sisters)..
To adhere to the true teachings of Islam these days is as if holding on to lit charcoal.

Hold on to our deen however hard it may be. Beg Allah to give guidance and the strength to keep our feets steadfast in His Path..

It'll be worth it when Allah opens for us His doors to Jannah:)


InsyaAllah..
Allahumma ja'alnaa minhum..
ya Allah make us amongst them

The candles

Inspired by my sister-in-law, i decided that the house needed a bit of re-arranging too!:)

As I was arranging these glass vases, I was flooded with memories (chewah)..

I love scented candles.

When I was pregnant, I would light those candles in my room or on my study desk (study desk kt rumah laa of course bukan kat uni:p) and enjoy the smell!:)

I used to use these vases for my little candles.

But as much love I had for it, for some reason I totally forgot that I had them the few weeks before I went into labour.

I was extremely grateful for the 2 days I was in the hospital (just a bit upset cause hubs couldnt stay overnight). The midwives were just wonderful and extremely helpful (they helped bathe and change Yousuf..hehe) and I was somehow somewhat dreading to go home (both my moms couldn't come).

The day finally came. Yousuf and I were discharged and I forced myself to say the my goodbyes.

As heavy as my legs felt I somewhow managed to walk all the way to the basement with Yousuf and hubs to where the car was parked.

The journey home was - well, i've gotta say i've never seen my husband drive so carefully! hehe

We finally reached home.

As my husband parked in the driveway I stared at my house which now seem so alien to me. It looked empty, unlike the busy hospital.

and I was really scared.

I didnt know if I could handle Yousuf alone.

All by myself.

my husband helped me get out of the car, yousuf too..

And as he opened the door for me - i cried!




my husband had lighted candles and the house smelt wonderful!:')


'welcome home' he said..

it was then I realized, I wasn't alone.
Allah has given me my husband to accompany me in this new journey of mine, alhamdulillah.
:)

home is definitely where the heart is.
I know Yousuf will love it here more than in the hospital, cause he's with his dad:)
THIS is home:)

When Allah gave us Yousuf, he also increased my adoration and my respect to my husband. There is nothing more than wanting to become his wife in Jannah. Aaaaa, I cant bear the thought of having the bidadari's taking over my spot beside him!! (uuu, isteri mana xjeles:p)

Daripada Ummu Salamah, isteri Nabi Muhammad S.A.W, katanya di dalam sebuah hadis yang panjang: Aku berkata, "Wahai Rasulullah! Adakah wanita di dunia lebih baik atau bidadari?" Baginda menjawab, "Wanita di dunia lebih baik daripada bidadari.."

[Riwayat At-Tabrani]

(my dream) 

ya Allah love my husband more than I do..
and make me dear to his eyes like You have made Khadijah RA to rasulullah,
and my mom to my dad..

"And among his signs is this, that He created for you mates ... and mercy between your (hearts)" 

(Ar-Rum:21)

:)

Surah Maryam and I

PUFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!
*blows on cobwebbed blog*

hehe. its been so long mashaAllah..
the last entry was about my first 3 months being pregnant, and now my lil guy is 3 months old!:)
Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal..

I'm so blessed with Yousuf. Everyday i fall in love deeper and deeper with this lil hero of mine. Its weird going to uni without him. He used to accompany me all the time,  but now he has to stay home. and mashaAllah, he occupies my mind mann, when im at uni!
O.o

As Allah brings me through this journey of mother hood, I am reminded of my very own dear mother...

(31:21) and We have enjoined on men to be dutiful and good to their parents. His mother bore him weakness and hardship and upon weakness and hardship.

There are so many verses and hadith that make mention about the importance of honouring our moms. And after going through labour and just a few months with him, Allah knows how much I hope that Allah will endear me to Yousuf's heart.

It was Saturday. I slowly felt the contractions coming but still being bearable I decided to finish reading Surah Maryam.. By verse 22, I just had to stop. The pain was getting a bit too much..

(Maryam:23) And the pains of childbirth drove her (Maryan AS) to the trunk of a date palm. She said: "Would that I had I died before this and had been forgotten and out of sight

The pain drove me to the Royal Women's Hospital. I could barely walk, my contractions then were already frequent, and was clinging dearly on to my husband, depending on him every step as we walked to the labour ward. I felt weak as I have not yet taken my breakfast that morning.

(Maryam:23) And shake the trunk of the date palm towards you, it well let fall fresh ripe date palms upon you

There was no date palms in the labour ward unfortunately, but there was my husband. He remembered how rasulullah would chew on dates and feed the sick with his mouth and did exactly that for me. I refused the first time he offered me. I mean, really, try eat while having contractions!

But he insisted.

Wanting to please and obey my husband badly (having in mind at that time the advice of one of my sisters who told me that it's ever so important to consistently seek forgiveness from our husbands and it is his redha that insyaAllah Allah will make ease the labour), he fed me. Suprisingly, I could gulp it down easily and mashaAllah, I it was just one date but I swear I felt that strong powerful surge of energy, making me feel more prepared to face the next contraction (lesson learnt: sila taat suami.hehe)

My waters broke during a really strong contraction. Not long after that I was pushing and Subhanallah, I heard the cry:')

By Allah, it was the most beautiful sound i've ever heard!
The midwives quickly put him on my chest.
I looked into my baby's eyes and he looked into mine.
Oh mashaAllah, the feeling was just undescribable!

The doctors were busy stitching up and doing stuff but my eyes were only on this lil baby of mine..
My husband was whispering to me, "anak kita, sayang" and till today my tears still swell up in my eyes as I remember those words of his..

My husband made the azaan in Yousuf's ears and he stopped crying and listened attentively to my husband till the very end.

It was enough to start the water works again..

ya Allah make him lil muttaqeena imaama..
ya Allah, make him among those who say,

(Maryam:30-33) Verily I am a slave of Allah..

And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me salat and zakat as long as I live

And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblessed

And Salam (peace) be upon the day I was born and the day I die and the day I shall be raised alive

I love you, sweetheart:)

Down memory lane..

Its been so long since i've last written my thoughts, when really,

this is probably one of the periods in my life in which Allah has

brought upon me the richest of experiences, mashaAllah.. 

my dearest undergrad sisters are starting their exams soon,

indicating the last moments of me being a tutor for this sem.

being a first timer (together with another senior tutor) teaching a class of 53 students,

i do have to admit wasn't easy,

but in many ways, it has been most elinghtening as my students brought me down memory lane 

reminding me of my own assignments and undergrad years,

those then bitter, but now sweet times spent with aishah and iza nadia. 

in many ways i felt that the students taught me more beyond

words. patience, perseverence, planning.. to keep calm above all.

the fourth workshop remains to me a piece of memory i may not be able to forget for the rest of my life.

I had bad cramps over the weekend, and had to go to the emergency department that very day.

it was suspected I might have had a miscarriage or an etopic pregnancy.

I could only go after my 3-hour worskhop class. During that time, 

to keep my head in the game - was something i struggled immensely.

my husband was still in malaysia then.

A lot of my lovely friends offered to follow me to the hospital - so grateful

am I to have such wonderful friends, mashaAllah.

but Allah knows best my feelings then, for some reason or another

i just felt i wanted time alone with what could be my last moments with my lil baby..

It was at that point,i felt, the time Allah was so close in my heart as His signs, His verses,

oh mashaAllah, surah maryam, al-imran, luqman - gave comfort more than words can ever describe.

After taking blood samples etc, I was asked to come again on Thursday to do an ultrasound..

I was already 10th week into my pregnancy, but it was only then I felt such attachment and

emotions I have never felt before..

Though Thursday was only 2 days away, it felt like the longest period in my life.

I found myself constantly swelled in hot tears, crying myself to sleep.

I haven't even seen lil bubbles yet, but my night and day was consumed by thoughts of it..

Amazing mashaAllah, the feelings Allah gives in a mother.

Thursday finally came. I was called in to do a transvaginal ultrasound.

Uncomfortable it may seem, the very moment the soner turned the screen to me, 

showed me my baby, and said "There's your baby. He's very healthy. See his heartbeat?" 

oh mashaAllah- to see that heart beat - I was swept by ultimate relief and happiness,

Allahuakbar! 

And subhanallah, by the mercy of Allah, to see my growing baby in my 21st week of pregnancy 

was just an amazing feeling. bubbles have grown so much since the last time i saw him:)

The bonding I felt seeing my baby kicking about and all - was just so strong, mashaAllah.

Alhamdulillah I've been feeling him kicking and all for the past few weeks:)

He practices his kickboxing when he hears his abah's voice.

Or when his umi takes a break from reading Quran out loud - he'll start kicking in retaliation:p

The whole experience reminded me of my own mother and father.

And made me appreciate them ever so much in so many ways I have never before..

I pray to Allah so that He loves them more than I can ever I love them

and grant them the best place in His Jannah..

The whole experience has made me appreciate my friends even more. How they were with me, through and through. Their love and concern were so touching mashaAllah. Only Allah can reward them..

The whole experience also gave me an insight of the pain

and sadness of those who have badly wanting to conceive.

I pray that Allah grants patience and perseverence in the trial, insyaAllah..

And I am ever thankful to Allah Taala for giving me a wonderful husband. So much has happened, mashaAllah - or so i feel - but with every storm, I have learnt to appreciate my husband even more.

Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal.. 

Ya Allah..

Thank You..

Thank You..

Thank You..

Alhamdulillah:)

Allah's Blessings

Alhamdulillah for all that Allah has given me.
Sometimes in my sujud, I try to make thanks for Allah by trying to name
the blessings He has bestowed upon me..
the more blessings I name, the more I realise that there's more to it..
it is so humbling and for most of the times, those attempt
will just make me tear..
ya Allah, indeed You are Most Gracious:')

Day by day, I've come to appreciate Allah even more so - Alhamdulillah.
mashaAllah the day I knew I had a lil fighter in my tummy, remains for me an unforgettable moment:')

the feelings and emotions Allah puts into the heart of a mother is indescribable,
eventhough to this day, bubs is only the weight of 4 paper clips and the size of a plum
(got this off my internet - babycenter etc. has become my new daily newspaper:p)
but umi is sooo proud of you lil one:)

10 weeks, sweetheart - you have come a long way. a mujaheed (fighter) indeed you are:)

Abah is in Malaysia at the moment and umi is in Melbourne.
Sometimes umi feels sad because abah is not around.
But then Allah gives umi strength, when He reminds that you are with me:)
and Alhamdulillah you have so many lovely aunties who care so much about you and your umi:')
and of course your wonderful nanna who's messages always makes umi smile..

Now umi has a little friend that follows umi everywhere umi goes..
Hears everything that umi says.
And prays when umi prays..
Umi makes doa you will become lil muttaqeena imaama:)

‎(Luqman:33) With Allah is the knowledge about the Hour (end of the world). He is the One who sends down the rain, and He knows the contents of the womb. No soul knows what will happen to it tomorrow, and no one knows in which land he or she will die. Allah is All-Knower, Well-Acquainted.

Which of the favours of your Lord do you deny? (Ar-Rahman)

Salam:)

mashaAllah, it is beyond my mind that so much can happen within a month.. Allah is indeed the Best of Planners. Now that I am back in Melbourne, everything seems soo surreal..

I am grateful for all that He has given me..
Alhamdulillah:)

My lovely parents whom I love with all my heart and more..
My family who has been my greatest support (particularly MA who has done so much:'), angah&k.wati who flew to bangi, k.anis&k.lang for always being there)..
My husband whom i learn to appreciate more and more everyday- Alhamdulillah..
and his family - the most warmest family i've ever met-subhanallah

My wonderful friends who stood by me all this time..

Alz who took the day off for my akad and for being the most wonderful maid of honour a bride can ever ask for!
Iej for flying all the way from kk:')
Yaya for the beautiful hand-flowers..
sufia, hana, hanim, syera, kak aini's (the dentist and the lecturer), een, and lynn who has been my pillar of support throughout the year..
Mills, Eli, Ibiq, Tasha, k.nik, fatin, k.ulfa, nadrah, amalina and fazz for making sure i behave during my akad:D
wunny and hanim for being the best emcees in the world!
k.aini, pushie and k.murni for generously lending me your stuff:)

All fightersz who came to my wedding - i am soo glad you guys barged into the cake cutting session! sungguh akward i rasa before that until you guys came to the rescue! hehe..
All akhwat's who came - mashaAllah, indeed your presence has given me so much tazkirah, reminders and insights:) - adik, dayah habil, akmar, ebby, huda, liyana, nadia, azza&humaira, thuaibah, awin, shiken, tim, bit, fiza, alyaaism, reena, asiah, ecah, amira, belle, aini, mery, tika, aisyah kamal, mazni .. (just to name a few:p)
My long-lost bangi girlfriends - kamalia, the twins - laily laila, izzah, jaja and family!
My melbourne uni darls - aishah, izanadia, fatimah and all!
my dear neighbours,
my teachers (pn hani) , my friends i made in intec, interviews, programmes and at some point in my life (like k.murni, k.ila & k.munira)
-oh it would take me DAYS to list down all of my dear friends -
but from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your prayers and du'a:)

My deepest apologies if i was not able to be the best of host..
and whether or not you were able to make it really, your prayers mean so much to me:)
im sorry im not able to list each and every one of you, but that does not at all mean that i've forgotten you.. every now and then i am reminded of your smiles i saw during the reception or the hugs you gave before, during and/or after my wedding.. the calls, the sweet notes, the wonderful gifts and all the precious messages you've dropped..
if only only i could find the right words to express my appreciation to each and everyone of you..

i love you guys to bits..
each and every one of you..
i cannot thank Allah enough for crossing my paths with such great great great people..

When i try to remember the blessings Allah has bestowed upon me, it is indeed most humbling..
Really, words fail me. Allah, indeed belongs to You all glorification..

Thank you Allah for all that You have bestowed upon me:)
Thank You, Allah..
Thank You..

“[...] and if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them,” (14:34)

ps: i love you

WARNING: This is a sticky entry.hehe..

They say marriage is like embarking upon a ship.

For each voyage, the final destination is certain - be it France, Singapore or Australia.
I make do'a that ours will always be Allah. Akhirah. Jannah.

They say the sea will not always be calm for there will be times of turbulence.
I make do'a that Allah grant us sakinah and mawaddah when He tests us with trials and tribulations.

They say, eventhough the ship crew keeps a close eye on the weather and prepares accordingly, there are times when things don’t turn out to be as expected.

I make do'a that Allah grant us clarity in minds to incorporate all those unexpected events into moving towards our ultimate destination.

They say that there are other boats out there in the sea. While some intend good, others like pirate ships may intend harm. Although they are themselves claiming right to live, are nevertheless gaining their living at the expense of others – ruining the ship that others have built.

I make do'a that Allah grant us openness to clarify the issues and strength to not let the whispers of syaitaan, gossips and malicious lies ruin our marriage.

The sea is vast and there are times our ship will get lost - uncertain. They say, stop and look at the heavens where the stars may show us the way.

You say, stop and let us return to Allah - may Allah show us the way and guide us to all that is best for our dunya and akhirah.

They say it is the spiritual journey that will give us the resources to deal with adversity - and this is why our blessed prophet claimed that marriage is half the religion.

I say, thank you Allah for choosing Nazri Kasuan for me as my other half..
:)

Hold my hand, and help me in this journey to Allah, sweetheart. You have made every experience thus far a warm-up preparation for eternal joy and happiness in Allah SWT's name..

i love you:)

Oh Afnan!

Reading's good, right?

right.

I've always found joy and this deep sense of satisfaction from reading, Alhamdulillah.

(hehe, then i met leena and things got even better!:D)

So my parents are trying to get my lil bro, afnan, hooked up with reading too.

Born into the x-box,wii,ps3 generation - this can be extremely challenging!

This morning, i saw him reading on the couch!

so I sat beside him and asked what he was reading (though knowing well it was 'The philosophers Stone':p) - he showed me the 'Forbidden Forest' chapter of his Harry Potter book.

Wanting to inject some passion (cheewah) into him I said, ' uuuuu! this is a scary chapter!'

guess what he replied?

.

.

.

.

'Thats because you're a girl'

#_#

oh my toothache

One of my wisdom tooth is (finally) coming out.

Allah be my strength - its PAINFUL.

and i catch myself not being able to think straight. Even the simplest of things become so difficult mashaAllah, as if the whole body is sharing the pain.

"The Ummah are like the limbs of a man, where if the eye hurts the whole body feels pain and if the head hurts, the whole body feels pain and suffering." (hadith)

Allah forgive me.

Why does my heart not share the pain when phosphorus bombs rain on kids in Gaza?
Why do I not cry in pain when masses and masses of graves are being dug for our brothers in Afghanistan?
Why does my heart not bleed when my innocent brothers and sisters imprisoned and tortured?
Ya Allah, has my heart hardened so much so, that I have now become immune to the afflictions upon my brothers and sisters?

Ya Allah, give us all the ability to wake up with less love for this World and more for the hereafter. .
Ya Allah, grant us strength in faith and firmness in believing Allah SWT’s decree and in the Prophet (SAW)’s saying..
Ya Allah, grant us the ability to rise today insha’Allah and stand up for all those under injustice and oppression.


ya Allah, allow us to aid our brothers and sisters who are heavily burdened.

May Your Immense blessing and mercy be showered upon the oppressed.

May Allah SWT exchange their fear and hardship with tranquillity and ease.

May He SWT bring guidance to the oppressors and keep us all firm on the straight path.

Ameen Ya Rabbal Alaamin

Melbourne. Lovin it:)

Salam alaik:)

As I was walking to uni today, I came upon this huge realization..

This realization that, one of the things that I would really really miss about melbourne is...

get this (hehe)..

walking to UNI!

:D

call me a nerd or whatever, but I love love love walking to uni:)

so before I re-bury myself in my stacks of journals, let me tell you one of the routes to my uni:)

(hehe, i know. like there's nothing else better to be done, but you know what they all say - 'its my blog so let me be' :p)

So, say bismillah, and walk out into Lygon St and you'll see these deep purple flowers!

mashaAllah!:D

and then take a right into this alley which I'm-not-sure-of-its-name, but it doesn't really matter because these sweet little flowers are even more interesting!

Stop for a second and adore the heavens.. Oh, I do so lovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelove Melbourne's skies!:)

Allahuakbar!

(Al-Mulk:3-4)

He Who created the seven heavens one above another; no want of proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. so turn thy vision again: Seest thou any flaw?

Again turn thy vision a second time; (thy) vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited, in a state worn out.

Then walk unto swanston St,

(6:59) .. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.

Before reaching the physics building!

And all these beautiful beautiful flowers, subhanallah!

(33:22) And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs for those who know.

Turn left into my fac when - oh no! there's construction works going on!

So must go around the old engineering building, but its ok because, i've never seen these weird red flowers before!


And as I was to walk into the buidling,

*gasps*

I see four poor homeless teddies!!

A tip for those who just dont have time to exercise - skip the elavator and take the stairs!!:D



And here we are! at my study office:)

Which reminds me, I've got to get some writing done:)

Asbahnaa wa asbahal mulku lillahi walhamdulillahi laa syariikalah:)

We wake up this morning engulfed in the majesty of Allah.. And Alhamdulillah, no one do we worship but Allah:)

Which of the favours of your Rabb do you deny? (Surah Ar-Rahman)