Well, still no luck on the job front. The weather has been nasty, too -- raining every day -- so I haven't bothered going out for the last couple of days. People here seem to think that bad weather means "drive faster and stupider than normal". LOL! However, I'm working really hard to be optimistic. : ) And I've gotten an (almost) clean house out of the deal, since being at home so much lately gives me no excuse not to clean.
I went to the jummah prayers at the masjid today; for some reason I keep wanting to say "Jomeh prayers" -- "Jomeh" is Farsi for Friday, so I guess it's the same thing... : P. Anyway, it was nice. The sheikh's lesson was on the five Pillars of Islam, particularly zakat (which was emphasized because they're building a new Islamic center down town and zakat is the only way they can get the money to fund construction). At about 1:30 a man did the call to prayer --- I got chills listening to it. After they finished salat, everybody socialized a bit, and one very nice lady invited me to her house for iftar on Tuesday --- she knew me from the Islam 101 class. I'm looking forward to going.
And, last of all, I got the five abayas that I ordered! They're so pretty... I'll pull the photos from the website and post them when I get the time.
Actually, this is last of all: I have more new friends on here! It looks like the number has gone up 4 or 5 since I last wrote an entry. Maybe I'm not as boring as I thought! lol : )
P.S. On another note, if you Muslimahs would make du'a that the lady who owns the new Islamic clothing store here get it up and running again soon -- all the rain we've had made the roof over her shop so heavy that part of it collapsed in earlier this week. She was selling her hijabs, khol, incense, etc., outside the masjid today, and the sisters were getting it all. : )
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Oh, finally you have posted! I check your blog daily for news... May the Lord provide you with the right job at the right time, and the peace of mind to trust in Him with all your heart, leaning not on your own understanding, acknowledging Him in all your ways, that He may make your path straight :)
ReplyDeleteyay! I was beginning to think you'd abandoned the blog! :)
ReplyDeleteHmm...jummah prayers sound interesting, but I'd never manage to go. I'd feel even more like an idiot than normal.
I'm assuming that the..khutbah? (sermon) is in english.
I hope the woman gets her roof repaired soon. Or, maybe, that you get to her before the other women do next time. ;)
Yay, I'm so glad you're back! I hope you're able to find a job really soon. I'm sure you're enjoying getting to know some of the ladies. Did you get any good sources for studying about Islam and Christianity?
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm still here! I've been having crazy computer issues, so I have to use the computer at my friend's store... : P
ReplyDeletecaraboska: Thank you! Right now I'm so confused about it all that I don't know what's up and what's down! : P
Amber: Why would you feel like an idiot for going to prayers? It was actually a mix -- Arabic first, then (what I assume to be the same thing) in English.
Stacy: Thanks! I'm hopeful, but at least now my house is (almost) clean. That's one source of stress that I CAN help. : ) Yes, the sisters I've spoken with are all very nice, warm ladies. I'm still searching for info, but I've recently gotten Karen Armstrong's book, and "101 Questions and Answers on Islam". I haven't read them yet, since I'm currently reading "Why Islam Is Our Only Choice" published by Dar-us-Islam.
Are your reading "Islam: A Short Story" by Karen Armstrong? How is it? Its on my reading list as well :)
ReplyDeleteHope the job hunt gets better.
Well, the 'idiocy' feeling stems from my social awkwardness. I probably wouldn't make an idiot of myself, I just feel like I would.
ReplyDeleteMy other problem, since I can't get over my awkwardness to just call the mosque and ask, is that the Muslims in the town where I work don't appear to...umm...exist...
I mean, we have a mosque, but whenever I drive by, there doesn't appear to be anyone there. They never seem to have an 'open house', or any classes, like the 'Islam 101' class you're taking. And I'd go to one of those, because I'd assume there'd be other people there who don't know what they're doing...No listing in the religious section of the paper (religious advertising in which is free...), and, to be honest, I haven't even seen a Muslim (that one could tell - no hijabis where I live) in this town for several years...
So, couple my 'social awkward' with the generally 'unfriendly' vibe that the local Muslims (who I assume really do exist) give off...I'm probably never going to see the inside of a mosque.
Plus, if I went on my own, I'd probably go through the wrong door and traumatise a bunch of men or something.
Ha! (On "traumatise a bunch of men or something.")
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you try www.islamicfinder.com? If the mosque has a website, it would give you the address and open hours and other contact info, as well as any other info (like classes).
Amber, if I lived in your area, I'd visit the mosque with you. Ha, ha. I'd love to drop by for a visit. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know this 'islamicfinder' thing existed, til you told me. :)
ReplyDeleteI did look up the local mosque on it, but sadly, they lack a website. All they have is the phone number, which I have, which leads us back to the whole, 'social awkward' issue with me. So...back to waiting for them to be social and inviting.
*waves to Susanne* I know you would!
Oh yeah, Islamicfinder also has a free Adhan program :)
ReplyDeleteHello Heather! I am Stephanie, I started following many blogs lately. Found yours through Stacy's... I don't have a blog, sorry... but maybe I will find my style and start.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I just wanted to say, I haven't found a mosque, masjid (house of worship) that I feel comfortable attending. It seems, to me, that most of the places around me are pretty closed off to non-immigrants. I mean, I can go, but I don't necessarily feel welcomed by the other women. Not to mention, I don't "pray like most of them," which opens up the door for unwanted confrontation concerning "what is the correct way to pray." In most areas of my life, I do not mind being the odd one out, but when it comes to this, I want nothing more than to find a Muslim community of women that accept me whole-heartedly. Have yet to find that.... I guess, my advice to you would be "be brave, even if I am not!" : ) hahahah.. Peace. ___Stephanie