where i read an entire book

Puerto Rico 4
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

sunset in puerto rico

Puerto Rico 3
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

another one from the old fort in puerto rico

Puerto Rico 2
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

from the old fort in puerto rico

Puerto Rico 1
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

More on Muharram

So we went to the Pakistani mosque and it was different than i had experienced during last Muharram. I was the only convert there and the only white person. Not that it matters but it is amusing when you walk in the door and all talking stops and staring begins. I almost laughed but instead greeted the starers nearest me a hearty as salaam alaikum. I got a few smiles and still some stares. To make myself inconspicuous i sat against the back wall next to some African sisters...they were together also. One was very nice and we had a short but pleasant conversation. Later, a few smiles were shared by others. One elderly woman seemed to like me from her constant glances in my direction...studying me but in a friendly non-judgmental way. I will make an effort to talk to her next time I see her. The English majalis was first and quite good I must say. One of the best I've heard "live" versus downloaded. I enjoyed it. DH is buying the whole set of speeches this week since we both liked the guy. He was a khoja from Orlando. The best thing he spoke about was unity and how we are all one Ummah...sunni's, shias, etc and what one group of Muslims does is the same as what another set does. We are all viewed the same - as Muslims - one Ummah. He also spoke of death and purpose of living. There was much more but i could never say what he said the way he said it nor have the impact he did.

We left when the Urdu began (I'm glad....DH could have stayed and i would have sat there in the women's section and waited but would have been uncomfortable). Oh yeah, this was also the first time that i sat in a separate room completely and couldn't even see the speaker - but on the tv in the ladies section. I really had no complaints about the women's section though. I didn't pray there though and that's usually where the difficulty lies. We thought to go to the khoja mosque since their program is late and then hit the other "radical" mosque and check out the matam...the only place here that they actually use chains. But i was tired and we were leaving town the next day.

Might i add that i have the most wonderful husband in the world. He had to go to Puerto Rico for work and he took me along. I can't say how beautiful it was and how relaxing. I read the entire book I'm reviewing sitting in a shady spot overlooking the beautiful ocean. Such peace. I will post pictures soon insh'Allah of my reading spot. It was so sweet of him to take me along. I am a lucky woman to have such a great guy (not only for this...but for all the thoughtful things he does for me and the special way he treats me...thanks mari jann).

That's about it for me. Now i gotta go get another book reviewed.

Muharram procession pictures

So here are some pictures of the Muharram Procession that took place in New York last weekend (not my pictures...some elses).

I've also been looking at a cd they were handing out. I got a few English Quran's for a few friends too. If you are in need or know anyone that wants an English Qur'an, let me know and i can get them one or some as the case may be. The cd i got has so much on it. So awesome. Here is a list:

* Video of all Zyarates in Najaf, Karbala, and Sham.
* Audio of complete Holy Qur'an in Urdu and Arabic.
* Books:
1. Nahjul Balagha (Volume 1)
2. Biography's of Imam Ali (a.s.), Imam Hasan (a.s.), Imam Hussain (a.s.), Bibi Zaynab (a.s.), Prophet Muhammad (s.a.), Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.), Imam Ali Raza (a.s.), Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.)
3. Hadis-e-Qudsi (Arabic and Englis)
4. Journey of Souls after Death
5. Then I was Guided
6. Stories from Quran (Stories of all the Prophets in the Qur'an)
7. A few important pages from Tufatul Awaam.

All in English. Tell me that doesn't rock. I've been looking through it and it's quite awesome. There's also a section on phrases of Imam Ali and some of it blew me away like this one:

I wonder at the arrogance of a haughty and vain person. Yesterday he was only a drop of semen and tomorrow he will turn into a corpse. I wonder at the man who observes the Universe created by Allah and doubts His Being and Existence. I wonder at the man who sees people dying around him and yet he has forgotten his end. I wonder at the man who understands the marvel of genesis of creation and refuses to accept that he will be brought back to life again. I wonder at the man who takes great pains to decorate and to make comfortable this mortal habitat and totally forgets his permanent abode.

Heading out to the local mosque tonight. We'll see how it goes.

Muharram so far....

New York was great. It was great meeting two sisters that i have been talking to online and over the phone for quite a while. That was a meeting a long time coming and glad it finally came. The Khoei Center rocked. I can't believe how big it is and the school and everything. There were so many people there too. The lecture was okay. The English one was pretty elementary...the whole retelling of Karbala which i've heard so many times but it was still good. The smell of haleem filled the streets for blocks.

The Ashura procession was interesting. They had it early for city code reasons. The whole street was filled with people in the middle of Manhattan. A bunch of guys were doing matam. Very hard too. I hadn't seen men doing it before except maybe on tv before i converted....long before i understood it. I haven't done as much as i did last Muharram as far as study and lectures but at least i have a good excuse. There is just so much going on right now for us here. The procession was good and the food (of course). I thought I didn't want any but then i ate most of my husbands plate. Oops. The lectures were excellent. I had heard of Masooma Hydairy and I finally got to hear one of her lectures. Over all it was a most excellent weekend. Traffic was not fun though. Trying to leave NY for NJ took about fifteen minutes per block...it could have had something to do with the Chinese New Year as Chinatown was filled with celebratory papery. Haven't made it to the mosque here yet but we do plan on going. I will post some pictures that other people took soon (there were some 5,000 shias participating).

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

My old blog wasn't working for me anymore. The name no longer suited me. I've titled this blog Wayfarer from the back of the book Lantern of the Path...it says:

The path of Islam contains a most comprehensive and total system of conduct for the wayfarer. The outer behavior of a true Muslim reflects what is deep in his inner consciousness.As creation is based on unity, Tawhid as it is called in Arabic, every aspect of human experience reflects an aspect of unity. The Muslim is he who has submitted and surrendered in peace and knowledge to this wholesome and naturally balanced ecology...

We are all wayfarers...I like the sound of it when I read it and immediately identified with the notion of being a spiritual wayfarer, leaving footprints behind as my being continues to evolve.