Ramadan Dia 19:

Things have been busy and changing and all of that.

1. Went out to iftar with a bunch of Muslims who were, for the most part, around my age and progressive. I had a great time. InshAllah, they'll be friends. I think I may have found a lady buddy to kick it to masjid events with. Not to mention, amongst them was a un Latino del Caribe! Woo! My people! Was supposed to be at an iftar with them tonight but the notice was too short. InshAllah, next time. :)

2. I haven't fasted since Tuesday. What shocked me was how much my health had deterirorated from fasting-- the severe pain in my legs and knees (I could barely do salat) was from dehydration. I need to figure out a better way to keep my body up AND fast. Also, the lack of sleep messed me up too. Sadly though, I miss talking to Allah through salat. I usually make dua or just start praying in my own way, and I'm doing that but you miss it when you're cut out of your normal 5 times per day. It's weird. Part of me is desperately looking forward to my normal schedule-- running everyday, drinking as much water as I want, eating fruit and stuff... but IDK, part of me doesn't want Ramadan to end. I keep getting reminders that we're down to the last ten days. Hopefully on Tuesday I'll be back to it and feeling better. Lots of du'a to make. Lots of dhikr to do.

3.  A cool article about the difference between Islam as our Prophet (SAW) founded it and the way it's been handled since.

For Muslims, Ramadan is a month of fasting, purification, study and prayerful reflection. And after two weeks of prayerful reflection, I have concluded there is no tragedy that has befallen Islam and the Muslim people of the world greater than the derogation of Muslim women. Why?
Two reasons:

1. Because that abomination has made our communities, our faiths and our religion more vulnerable to catastrophe and less effective in meeting challenges for at least the last thousand years.
2. Because we did it to ourselves.

Every Muslim will tell you proudly how Islam began as the most egalitarian of religions. From the Quran's declaration of the equality of all persons (male and female, regardless of race, creed or gender) under God's (thankfully merciful) judgment, through Muhammad's own egalitarian practice, that message is consistent throughout. He even worked for his first wife Khadija as her employee, made the woman Umm Waraqah one of Islam's first imams and told his followers to learn half their religion from his youngest wife Aisha, for Heaven's sake! But let's all be honest for a change: Many Muslim men from the very beginning haven't been comfortable with the way Muhammad exalted women. ( Read more... )