So it has been a week or so since I have settled back into the life that I had so intimately known.  The routine of school, or la, of life in general had defined who I was and this retreat helped me challenge that.

It has been hard to describe the retreat that I was on.  Technically it was a 5 day escape into the mountainous isolation of Alpine Creek.  There were classes throughout the day and thikr to nourish the soul.  I was in the company of beautiful companions- both new and old.  And the “altitude” managed to take a toll on us in both a good and bad way (oh the stories).  

All of this had an affect on me.  A profound affect that could not have come at a more perfect time.  It was like someone was grabbing me by my collar as I slowly drowned. As dramatic as that seems, I truly felt myself slipping away from the person I wanted to be.  I needed this retreat more than I could have ever known and I praise Allah (swt) for distinguishing me with this blessing.

On our drive back from the retreat, Narmin, Afra, Ihsan and I begin to debrief on what seemed like a colosal event.  One thing that we all had in common was this immense sense of duty and obligation towards the knowledge we had just received.  I began to understand how true 3lm or knowledge plays a heavy toll on your mind and spirit because you begin to realize its rights upon.  That you are now accountable for this knowledge that you have accumulated and will be asked about it.  I don’t know if I have ever felt this way after such an experience whether it be a conference or a lecture, but I do know that for some inexplicable reason it made sense the way that I was feeling.  I immediately worried about what I was going to be able to retain, what I was going to be able to implement.  

I was scared of going back to a life, reality.  I have definitely felt this way before, but like each time I was apprehensive about how and if my life would even change.  

I know that I will not be able to do or change everything that I wanted, but I am setting high standards for myself because I believe this experience calls for such.  The best way to reach my goals is to make them real and make them accessible for others to hold me accountable to.  So here they are…

First and foremost I would like to speak less.  As odd as that may sound and as difficult as it may be for me in particular I think that there is such virtue in this act.  Being able to listen to my own thoughts, choosing my words as if they mean something is a sunnah that I will strive for and probably struggle with for some time.

Secondly, I would like to study and truly understand the fara’ad (obligations) that I learned through my fiqh (law) classes.  These were some of the most basic tenets of wudu (purification) and salah (prayer) that it would be a shame if I did not take the time to master them.

Lastly, I would like to actually reflect on the notes that I took.  All too many times I take notes in these types of setting never to revisit them again.  Its a shame really.  Someone  (I think Narmin or Suraya?) posed that I type up my notes and put them on my blog.  I like that idea.  It will be my means of filling in the blanks of what sometimes seems indescribable.  So inshaAllah every now and then I will type away and hopefully make sense of what made sense…

innovateafrica:

You must have heard of the viral video created by Invisible Children (IC), a U.S. organization that has launched a one-year campaign (expires December 31, 2012) to eliminate Joseph Kony, the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group in Northern Uganda that has been embroiled…

I think that these images say a lot.  Although there could have been a million other images that captured this year, I think like those, these are 2011.

Addition!! The Simpson’s at an Ethiopian restaurant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1nLseV1qDw

Riiiiiip and dip!

Preface: Injera is the habesha bread I guess you can say, but really its a pancake type thing that we eat with our main dish.  See photo…   

So I was looking up how to make Injera, and found just another reason why Habesha food is so awesome….Teff happens to be practically the healthiest grain in consumption! 

“In 1996, the US National Research Council characterized Teff as having the “potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.”^[2]

Teff has been widely cultivated and used in the countries of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Teff accounts for about a quarter of total cereal production in Ethiopia.^[5] The grain can be used by celiacs (the gluten in teff does not contain the a-gliadin-fraction that causes celiac disease) and has a high concentration of different nutrients, a very high calcium content, and significant levels of the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, aluminum, iron, copper, zinc, boron, barium, and thiamin.^[6] Teff is high in protein. It is considered to have an excellent amino acid composition (including all 8 essential amino acids for humans) and has lysine levels higher than wheat or barley.^{[citation needed]} Teff is high in carbohydrates and fiber. In one 2003-2004 study in Ethiopia, farmers indicated a preference among consumers for white teff over darker colored varieties.^[7]”

I bet you know all of this already, but just wanted to share the awesomeness =). (I didn’t)

Peace,

Adam

dope article (thanks for the pass narmina!) about the role of hip, how the US is trying to use it as a tool, and the real situation at hand.  Recommending…now.

Let me start by saying these two eids have been the most unique, abnormal eids I have ever experienced subhanAllah.  I appreciated them dearly.

This time it was me and Seham doing our thing.  We didn’t know where we were going to pray until like 1am last night and that ended up not working out either.  Upon approaching the mosque this morning we found a sign posted stating “Eid Prayer at the Convention Center” :I  It was nice though and Seham and I both liked the khutab by the homie Ahmed Sakr.  He kept it real.  Can I just say that although it was just my sister and I, it was actually about the prayer and it was closest to what I feel eid prayer/day should be about -God.

We did the whole family at one house thing with both breakfast and lunch provided! Winning.

Side note: I love all the possible responses to Eid Mubarak.  Although trying to figure out how to respond sometimes can create an awkward situation, I can think of at least like 5 off top now lol.

So something definitely worth documenting is the sadness that has become Occupy Oakland.  On the Daily Show they showed how peaceful all the other occupy [insert city] were going, so why does Oakland end up going down the worst path?? I know those streets!  It really is a damn shame to see the people and the streets in this state…

http://www.occupyoakland.org/

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/wed-october-26-2011-lisa-randall