Yearly Archives: 2013

Style

Follow Friday: Amenakin

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Vlogger Amena Khan aka Amenakin

Vlogger Amena Khan aka Amenakin

Salaams my lovely readers and jumah mubarak to you all! As you know, I try to do a regular post every Friday about a fabulous Instagrammer that I love to follow. This Friday, I wanted to give a special shout out to one of my favorite vloggers: Amenakin. For those of you who don’t know, Amena Khan is a YouTube vlogger who goes by the handle Amenakin. Her YouTube hijab tutorials have won over the hearts of many hijabis and helped spawn the online hijab store Pearl Daisy. She now does lifestyle vlogs about her life as a vlogger as well as makeup tutorials.

One of the reasons I love Amenakin so much is that she is just so sweet mashallah. She always seems upbeat, happy, and most of all, she tries to encourage and interact with all of her fans. I don’t think I have come across a vlogger who seems so down to earth and approachable. I only hope that I can meet her one day soon inshallah and get one of those famous Amenakin hugs! Also, her hijab tutorials have made me hate the pashmina hijab look on me a little less and has given me ideas on how to dress up a little nicer for special occasions.

Make sure to follow her @pearldaisyltd on Instagram. Also, for more pics of my own, follow me @hijabilife :).

Style

Shop Now: Fashion Fighting Famine

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Fashion Fighting Famine

Fashion Fighting Famine 2013

Salaams my lovelies! For all of you ladies who want to feel as good as you look, you can actually shop for a cause now. Fashion Fighting Famine has partnered up with some of the most amazing hijabi friendly designers around to offer you discounts and have a portion of of your purchase help New Star Family Center. How can you not love that? Fashion Fighting Famine had a fabulous fashion show in Irvine, CA on March 31, 2013. If you missed it, check out their Instagram account @fashionfightingfamine for behind the scenes pictures. They invited the fabulous Amena Khan from Pearl Daisy, Yasemine from Yaz the Spaz, Winnie Detwa, Nura of BabyLailaLov and Imaan Ali of The Hijablog. Even though I live in California, I missed it and while I feel just awful about that, I will try to make it next year inshallah! At least those of us who missed the show can at least shop the show and look great for our future special events.

Here is a list of all of the designers who are featured in the Fashion Fighting Famine Shop for a Cause.

ABAYA ADDICT
Visit http://www.abayaaddict.com to see products, email your order to info@abayaaddict.com, and mention FFF in your email.

HIJAB HOUSE
Visit http://hijabhouseonline.com.au, email orders to sales@hijabhouseonline.com.au, and mention FFF in your email.

INAYAH
Shop at http://www.inayahcollection.com and enter FFF in the reference field upon checkout.

MADAMME BK
Shop at http://coutureswimnsport.com and mention FFF in special instructions upon checkout.

MOHAJABABES
Shop at http://www.mohajababes.com and enter promo code “FFF2013” at checkout.

NISAA BOUTIQUE
Free shipping from the UK! Visit http://www.nisaaboutique.com, email orders to nisaa.info@gmail.com, and mention FFF in your email.

RAYAN
Shop at http://www.shoprayan.com and enter promo code “FFF2013” at checkout.

SIXTEENR
Visit http://www.sixteenr.com and enter promo code “FFF2013” at checkout.

ZEENA
Visit http://www.simplyzeena.com, email orders to customerservice@simplyzeena.com, and mention FFF in your email.

Happy shopping! I will be updating the blog with reviews for a few of these designers soon inshallah, but let me know what you think I should buy!

Parenting

Kids Say The Darnest Things

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I am a terrified mother. Why? Because I have a two year old daughter and I noticed that she can repeat anything like a parrot.

Alhamdulillah. She is absorbing a lot of information that she will be able to apply later in her life. However, I am scared that she is trying to absorb too much of what the adults around her do.

I want her to be a good person. But there is no manual to accomplish this. I stubbed my toe and thankfully said ouch, but all day my toddler kept rubbing her toe and saying owwww. What if I said &$?!!’ by accident?

How can I filter what she absorbs? The answer is that I can try, but I can’t do it 100%.

All I can do is keep trying. At least Muslim parents have some guidance in the Quran, Sunnah and the lives of the Companions alhamdullillah.

According to Umar (ra) the rights of children from their parents are:

1) To choose a good mother (or father) for him/her.

2) To select a good name for her/him.

3) To teach him/her the Quran.

For the first one, I actually sat and thought my Hubster would be kind hearted with his future kids when we met for marriage talks. This is because I saw how gentle he was with my own nieces and nephews. He also made sure to spoil his cousin’s children regularly. Mashallah, I am lucky because when I have to discipline my toddler, he tempers that with his warmth and love.

The second one is important too. A name becomes a part of a person. If you give a good Islamic name, you start to embody that name. My name is Minara which is a derivative of minaret which is where the caller of prayer stands. It is interesting because it is now in my nature to call others to the beauty of our deen. I named my daughter Safiya so she can embody the noble qualities that the wife of the Prophet (saws) had. And wouldn’t you know she is very empathetic and fiercely independent mashallah.

Lastly, I am trying to teach her Quran. I am not the best parent, but I am trying. She is only two (today is her birthday!) but I can at least try to teach her Surah Ikhlas.

I hope that Allah (swt) blesses all those Muslim parents out there trying. It’s not easy, but keep trying. Even in the United States, there are people of all faiths trying to stay modest and raise good children to be good people. Just remember that and make lots of dua for you and for me too! 🙂

Islam, Life

When Dreams Are Deferred

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Sometimes it’s hard to say why, but you can get afflicted with sadness. During these moments it is best to remember what Allah (swt) tells us about what he promised the people of Musa (as) after they crossed the river and escaped Firawn:
And remember when your Lord made known, “If you are grateful then I will surely increase you but if you are ungrateful then surely My torment is surely severe”.
 Surah 14 Ayah 7

Why is that? The people of Musa (as) suffered unspeakable sadness at the hands of Firawn. So instead of letting that sadness etch a bitterness in their hearts, Allah (swt) is giving them an antidote.

Gratitude is the cure of sadness.

I have been noticing that I have been sad because a lot of my own dreams have been deferred. At first I was sad. I mean my dreams are more like wanting to see Allah (swt)’s house during Hajj, or even something mundane as going to Paris.

I realize that Allah (swt) is deferring these dreams and I can’t question that.

However, on a deeper note, I realize that gratitude is important as well. It helps you have more sabr (patience). It helps you realize what your blessings are and prevents us from causing God’s displeasure.

Gratitude helps us stop and appreciate what we have. Here is where I definitely felt like a first world problems (whiny blogger). I am upset about Hajj? What about Syrians losing their family members daily? Or Palestinians not even given their rights to cross a checkpoint to see a doctor? That really puts it in perspective.

Gratitude helps bring more blessings. Allah (swt) promises in that ayah that if you are grateful, Allah (swt) will increase you. The Arabic is beautiful because it does not specify what. This means that Allah (swt) will increase each person in something they need based on their life. How poetic is that? And Allah ( swt) doesn’t specify the punishment for ingratitude, but we should avoid it because who really wants to face Allah (swt)’s anger?

So for the moment, I am turning inward to be more grateful. And you know what? Somehow I don’t feel so sad anymore.

Islam, Life, Love and Marriage

The Importance Of Taking It Slow

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Salaams my lovelies! I hope you are having a great weekend inshallah. Some of you may have even had a long weekend thanks to Good Friday.

It’s been a crazy hectic few weeks in terms of traveling for work for not only myself, but my Hubster too.

So we thought we would take a day to explore some place that wasn’t too far but was just far enough that we could feel like we got a little mini vacation in.

We went to Monterey and Pacific Grove in California. Not only did we feel refreshed, we felt rejuvenated on the inside as well. We spend so much time on screens (laptops, iPads, iPhones, etc), that we forget the beauty of Allah (swt)’s creation. In Surah 13, Ayah 3, Allah (swt) says:

And it is He who spread out the earth, and set thereon mountains standing firm and (flowing) rivers: and fruit of every kind He made in pairs, two and two: He draweth the night as a veil o’er the Day. Behold, verily in these things there are signs for those who consider!

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Here I was witnessing the beauty of sea cliffs carpeting with wildflowers before me today and wondering how we are have become numb in our daily lives. I am very guilty of not looking at the beauty of nature more and making dhikr or dua as I do so.

We need to take it slow sometimes. It will make us better spouses, parents and Muslims. We can’t do everything! No one expects us to either. Sometimes we are our own worst multitasking enemy. So remember to take it slow and realize that you may think you are doing nothing, but strolling and taking in nature’s beauty and doing dhikr cleanses our hearts and rejuvenates the soul.

So if you are like me, I ask you to do yourself a favor. Unplug even for an hour and take your little ones on a nature adventure. It will be fun for the kids and you will notice how relaxing it is for you too. It is in our nature to admire things of beauty and worship our Lord. So this will help you do both.

Try it and let me know what you think inshallah. 🙂

Islam, Life, Love and Marriage

Success In A Muslim Marriage

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Older Muslim Couple

With some hard work, your marriage can be one that lasts long into your golden years inshallah.

All marriages get into a rut. We have all been there. We get so used to our spouse, that anything they do may annoy us. Those little beard trimmings in the sink? Not so cute. Those socks on the floor? Downright annoying. Those late nights at the office? All of it can have you wonder “Why did I ever bother getting married?”

News flash ladies: All of these feelings are normal! What is not so great is that we are so used to instant gratification in our culture that the minute things get tough, we are all ready to walk away. I don’t know if this is because we are used to everything being disposable now. I remember how when we bought a television, that television was anticipated to LAST forever (or at least a decade or so). Now, if you keep your television longer than five years, people think you are crazy. Even with clothes, we are so used to just throwing away clothes that rip or tear versus trying to mend them and wear them longer. I have friends who have made fun of me for taking my battle worn flats to the cobbler a few times because I did not want to throw them away.

It seems that disposable culture is seeping into our personal lives too. We are so quick to throw away friendships, marriages, and even blood relations.

My lovely readers, please take some time and think about how to rethink things in your marriage. Here are some tips to help you get started:

  • Focus On What Made You Fall In Love: Was it your spouse’s smile that made you start caring? Was it the easy way you can talk to your spouse about anything? Was it the way your spouse gently wakes you up for fajr? Retrain your mind to see those qualities first. It makes it a lot easier to let go of the things that annoy you.
  • Realize That Some Things Won’t Change: If those annoyances are recurring things, it is highly probable that those things are not going to change. So instead of forcing your spouse to conform to your needs and desires, try to overlook these things. It will save you a lot of fighting and stress.
  • Focus On You: Sometimes you may be overworked and your spouse inadvertently gets the brunt of your stress! let your spouse know if you need a break for some “me time.” Chances are your spouse will work with you to keep you happy too. For me, I have to work out and I need time to blog. So my Hubster always makes sure to take care of the baby while I do that. When I come back from whatever it was I was doing, I always feel happier and more likely to share the love all around. That saying “When Mama is Happy, Everyone Is Happy” is totally true in our house!

What are your ingredients for success?

Life

Hijabi Fitness Ideas

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Hijabi fitness

As a hijabi, you can be modest and in shape.

Salaam my lovely readers. I hope all is well with you inshallah. I have been on a major fitness kick lately. I don’t know if its the spring weather, or if I am just tired of lazing about, but I am more pumped than ever to try new gym classes, healthy recipes, and get my hijabi fitness on. It looks like the fitness bug is going around because I was talking to one of my husband’s relatives who managed to lose a whopping 35 lbs mashallah! She was sweet enough to say that I inspired her (haha the day before I inhaled a cookie that was 440 calories).

Needless to say that flattering comment got me motivated again to keep at it.

I first starting wearing hijab as a 13 year old. I even went a step further and wore an abaya. While that was great, it was also a critical time that I stopped exercising. Why? It seemed to hard to wear modest clothing and work so why bother? I wish I could go back in time and tell my teen self that yes fitness is important and that you can do it modestly too. The other thing is that since I was wearing looser clothing, it was easy to gain weight and not even notice.

Fast forward almost 20 years later, I still wear modest clothing, but I work out. I wear maternity clothes when I do exercise since it provides me the coverage I need as a hijabi. I also make sure to track what I eat, weigh myself in the morning (sometimes I want to throw my scale out the window), and just make sure to have fun when I exercise. I recently started taking belly dancing classes with only women. If a non coordinated person like me can do it, so can you! I look silly, but I am still trying because our bodies are an entrustment (amanah) from God that we must take care of.

Once you start to work out, the bug will catch on. My mother in law just started working out herself at 51 years of age mashallah. It’s never too late to start! Let me know how you stay motivated to exercise while wearing hijab. Also, what class should I try next?

Style

Workout gear for hijabis

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hijabi workout gear

Working out as a hijabi doesn’t have to be boring. Mix it up!

One of my most asked questions as a hijabi is how I manage to stay active with hijab on. In the past, I just improvised a lot. In fact, I still do improvise. With hijabs, I choose a lightweight cotton type so that if I sweat, it doesn’t trap bacteria against my scalp. With pants, I choose loose fit sweats (Puma makes a great one, but I even cheat and use maternity yoga pants which are not as tight as something like Lululemon). How can you not love these gray yoga pants from Old Navy? They are not only cute, but they are a steal too. I also wear long cotton maternity dresses to cover my tushie so I can truly get my workout on. I will warn my yogi hijabis that you have to wear a tucked in shirt for yoga classes though.
Lastly, pick shoes that go with your workout. I am a Nia/Zumba type so these Pumas work well for me. If you run a lot (which I also do) make sure to check out New Balance sneakers (or as my hijabis in the UK say, trainers).
I always carry extra luxe toiletries, extra hijab pins, flip flops, my makeup bag and a comb in a super cute Puma bag. I actually have the green version, but for this collage, I picked a gray silver.  Having cute workout clothes incentivizes me to work out harder. What about you?