Depending on which mosque you follow the night of Lailut-ul Bara’ah is either Thursday or Friday night, so we are halfway through Shaban and approaching Ramadan.When we were little my parents used to get us to sit up and pray for as long as we could and mum and some of her neighbours always used […]

You recite slowly, taking the time to relax into each posture of the prayer. You try to keep Allah (SWT) as your focus throughout, sometimes losing focus, but always struggling to come back. You ignore the noise and chatter around you and try to fade out the distractions from the children. You slowly descend into […]

Walk – especially if I have had a bad day at work, I give the bus a miss and just start walking full speed, I let my thoughts work themselves out and let my mind go where it will. People probably think I look a bit odd scowling and smiling to myself, but I’m too […]

You recite slowly, taking the time to relax into each posture of the prayer. You try to keep Allah (SWT) as your focus throughout, sometimes losing focus, but always struggling to come back. You ignore the noise and chatter around you and try to fade out the distractions from the children. You slowly descend into […]

You recite slowly, taking the time to relax into each posture of the prayer. You try to keep Allah (SWT) as your focus throughout, sometimes losing focus, but always struggling to come back. You ignore the noise and chatter around you and try to fade out the distractions from the children. You slowly descend into […]

I sit here at my desk, feeling bored and spaced out, with that underlying edge of panic that comes back sometimes. Nervous energy trapped in a body that’s trapped at a desk. Things to do, always more to do and get done. I take a deep breath and stare at my hands, the band my […]

Depending on which mosque you follow the night of Lailut-ul Bara’ah is either Thursday or Friday night, so we are halfway through Shaban and approaching Ramadan.When we were little my parents used to get us to sit up and pray for as long as we could and mum and some of her neighbours always used […]

I sit here at my desk, feeling bored and spaced out, with that underlying edge of panic that comes back sometimes. Nervous energy trapped in a body that’s trapped at a desk. Things to do, always more to do and get done. I take a deep breath and stare at my hands, the band my […]

You recite slowly, taking the time to relax into each posture of the prayer. You try to keep Allah (SWT) as your focus throughout, sometimes losing focus, but always struggling to come back. You ignore the noise and chatter around you and try to fade out the distractions from the children. You slowly descend into […]

Depending on which mosque you follow the night of Lailut-ul Bara’ah is either Thursday or Friday night, so we are halfway through Shaban and approaching Ramadan.When we were little my parents used to get us to sit up and pray for as long as we could and mum and some of her neighbours always used […]

Depending on which mosque you follow the night of Lailut-ul Bara’ah is either Thursday or Friday night, so we are halfway through Shaban and approaching Ramadan.When we were little my parents used to get us to sit up and pray for as long as we could and mum and some of her neighbours always used […]

You recite slowly, taking the time to relax into each posture of the prayer. You try to keep Allah (SWT) as your focus throughout, sometimes losing focus, but always struggling to come back. You ignore the noise and chatter around you and try to fade out the distractions from the children. You slowly descend into […]

On the advice of a green-fingered friend I thought it was about time to dig up the potatoes I planted early this year. The kids gave me a helping hand (of sorts) and Little Lady insisted on taking a broom to the garden. We managed to bring in quite a few and they are just […]

I forgot it was Pakistan Independence Day today until someone reminded me they were going to have a flag-raising outside the town hall I work in and sing the National Anthem. The Civic Ambassador who is Pakistani gave a horrendously bad speech, The Deputy Mayor reminded us, that we may be Pakistani, but really we […]