Sakinah Abdul Aziz

“There are dreamers and there are realists in this world. You’d think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists but more often than not, the opposite is true. You see the dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists, well without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground.”  — Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet), Modern Family.

One of the best things to do as a working adult, is to take a day off rightsmack in the middle of the week. And have a morning swim with the galfriend, indulge in good conversations over lunch, go home, have a nap, read a book, and immerse in the silence of a weekday, when everyone is mostly at work or in school. I am at peace.

It hurts when it heals too.

“To know how to put what knowledge in which place is wisdom. Otherwise, knowledge without order and seeking it without discipline does lead to confusion and hence to injustice to one's self.” - Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas This week's key takeaway for me is that; knowledge requires knowing its proper order and place.  Everything else is just information.

One day the sun admitted, I am just a shadow. I wish I could show you The Infinite Incandescence That has cast my brilliant image! I wish I could show you, When you are lonely or in darkness, The astonishing Light Of your own Being! - Hafiz

I found myself walking towards the regional library after one tiring day at work. Not only just because I wanted to escape from the crowd and the noise, but rather, to be in a place where I could re-connect with myself, especially when my job requires me to connect a lot with others. That was when I started evaluating the places I would go, the very few people I tend to gravitate towards, the things I enjoy doing, and the conversation topics I tend to make, whenever I feel I needed to unleash myself. They actually reflect who we really are and provide insights into our true nature. And when we pay more attention to these things, we have found ourselves clues to our core self. Regardless of how we tend to appear in front of everyone else. Because sometimes, at the end of the day, you just want to be  you , at the fullest, all stripped and bare. No more layers of masks to peel. You want to be the real you , who you feel most alive. No more residual energy trapped within ...

Every now and then, we stumble upon doors we never knew existed, not knowing exactly what are behind them. And then we decide whether to open that door and enter, or to close that door and remain walking on the paths we are already familiar with. Sometimes, we take a rain check and put a bookmark on that door, and revisit it the next time we feel we are more ready to enter it. But sometimes, there are no doors. Sometimes, the doors are not visible enough to our naked eyes. Sometimes, we have to actively build the doors ourselves and let ourselves in, and face the uncharted pathways ahead of us. And the next step? That is the scary part. If there is desire to know what is behind that door, we need to brave ourselves to know what is on the other side. And what should be expected of us? To start being comfortable with any discomfort that the journey may bring. And quoting a friend/a close colleague of mine, she said that the true essence of a seeker really, is very differe...

In commemoration of the death of a beautiful personality, just wanted to share these. When the daughter of Allah's messenger (upon him be peace), Fatima, died, her husband, Ali Ibn Ali Talib, said: "A Flower nipped in the bud,  It came from Heaven,  And It went to Heaven,  And left Its fragrance in my mind." "By Allah, I never angered Fatima, or forced her to do something (she did not like), up to the day she died; nor did she ever anger or disobey me. In fact, when I looked at her, depression and sadness would be removed from my heart."

For there is no other being or entity, who can teach me the true meaning of unconditional love and compassion, as well as You do. Thank You, many times over.

I receive cases in all forms of shapes and sizes. Some with sad and unfortunate circumstances, some have tragic endings, and some are just plain unlucky. And for this one? I am driven more so by bewilderment and amusement to find out why. Ok, so I need to remain professional.