Do Wonders!

 A dear friend of mine learned that I knew some basic sewing skills. She was about to get married, and she is wise and not a fan of extra spending.

My firend wasn’t sure if she could count on me to make her wedding dress from scratch, and I wasn’t sure if I should go for it either.

Both of us were hesitant. But, eventually, we agreed that we would be adventurous and do it anyway. 

We went shopping for materials together. We picked fabric, pearls, and lace. I had her come over for measurements and adjustments a few times. I made the design and made sure to use the materials wisely. It felt like a dream. Is it for real? Am I sewing a wedding dress?

 To be honest, I wasn't fully sure what I was doing, but I felt so passionate about it. It took me a few weeks. I was so overwhelmed and full of self-doubt and what-ifs.  Once I was done, I felt so much relief! 

I called my friend to come and try her dress on. 

The look in her eyes when she wore the dress for the first time was something I will never forget! 

Her face turned red out of warmness, and her eyes got teary out of happiness! She reminded me of my wedding dress. There is something about wedding dresses that no one can understand.

I felt a strong need to step in and act like her mom, hug her passionately and offer my congratulations! We hugged so tight, and I too got teary eyes. 

It was a heartwarming moment! Being happy is cool, but seeing the happiness in others' eyes is miraculous!

Let's be there for anyone who believed in us!

People who put their trust in us unwillingly drive us to do things beyond expectations. 

Believe in whom you love, and they will do you wonders!

 

 

Thanks for reading my blog and my stories.

You can checkout my writing, blogging and publishing services at my website

https://shamafarag.net/

If you’re interested in more of my stories, please check out Mrs. Z, the Substitute!, my latest release on Amazon. This book is a collection of 11 short stories from different perspectives. It focuses on parent-teacher relationships, understanding kids who have learning difficulties, parenting, training kids to be responsible, immigrants in the eyes of others, and other stories to highlight the human side of Muslims. It’s a book for all ages.

Also, my book Egyptian Food Made Easy All Rights Reserved is available to borrow in. Or purchase your copy here,

I’m Different I’m Special is one of my books that targets diversity and inclusion. 

Check out my Amazon Author page here, 

Contact me for author copies,

Watch my storytelling activities here,

 And read my article in Little Farah Magazine. Issue 2.

Busy with Goodness

 

When Prophet Moses fled Egypt from the tyrant Pharaoh, he was clueless. He didn’t have any financial or emotional securities. Desperate he turned aside under the shade of a nearby tree, then prayed to God, and said: "My Lord! I am needy of whatever good Thou sendest down for me."

Then he saw two girls came to help their flock of sheep drink among the crowds. He stood up and helped. He got busy helping someone else in need of help.

The moral behind this story is,

1-A believer, if in a tribulation, should outwardly look good as if not plagued. A believer keeps his supplication and complaints to God.

2-A small act of kindness secured prophet Moses a sustenance, a family, and financial stability for years after.

3-If you’re in adversity, don’t stay still. Keep doing the good and offering your goodness to people, and ease will come.

Doing favors is the door of believers’ relief that never shuts.

#justsayin"

My latest release on Amazon

Mrs.Z, the Substitute!: Novella https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08J5GD5ZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8329SBVGT0H9PFA2946F

Egyptian Food Made Easy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1653068671/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_7ZFT7SRY6YE1GW1BFW64

Born a Muslim

 If you were born a Muslim, Arabic is your mother tongue, and you have been a devout Muslim practicing your faith for decades, you memorized the Quran, and you know Islamic jurisprudence, and you are the master of Islamic decree and all, please, know that this is NEVER qualify you to think you're better than any other Muslim. Yes, you may surpass other Muslims in knowledge, but that DOESN'T mean that you surpass them in reward and thawab. Instead, we should look up to our revert brothers and sisters, especially those who were born and raised in the west or anywhere where their faith practices were abandoned or banned. Even if they are new reverts, you should see their faith as pure as yours, and you should pray for them that they will be able to prosper and stick firmly to their beliefs.

In Islam, there shouldn't be a hierarchy based on the years of practice. How long you have been practicing shouldn't be how you evaluate someone's faith rank. You're no better than anyone else but with piety. It doesn't matter how long you have been practicing your faith, but how you practiced it matters. How you put your knowledge into practice counts the MOST.

Saad Ibn Muaz was one of the Prophet's companions. He became a Muslim when he was 30, and he died when he was 36. He was a Muslim for only six years during his short life; however, when he died, the Prophet (PBUH) said that the heavens gates were open and God's throne shook out of happiness-as his blessed soul was returning back to its creator, and even 70000 angels came to his funeral. The Prophet was rushing his other companions to wash him before the angels. So don't let the long years of being a devout Muslim turn you into a real cruel judgy hypocrite. Let that sink in.

#justsayin

What's in Your Heart?

 

Never regret being extra kind to someone ungrateful.

Hearts are like buckets that are filled with emotions. Everyone is seeing, dealing, and encountering others by what's in their buckets/ hearts.

That reminds me of a story that I have once read. The story was about a filthy rich guy with a garden full of wonders, fruits, and beautiful sights. The rich guy had a gardener who took good care of the garden for years.

The gardener was really poor but never complained. He always seemed happy, giving, and extra nice to everyone around him.

The rich guy felt like he needed to reward his loyal gardener for his long years of service. He got some of his old fancies but ripped clothes, some of his unwanted nicknacks, some food leftovers, and then wrapped them

as gifts. He waited until morning, then he handed his gift to the gardener.

The Gardner smiled with a wide-open mouth. He was grateful for what he got. He went home happy with the gift and asked his wife to bake something for his kind-hearted wealthy friend.

The next day, the gardener took the scrumptious bread and the mouth-watering cookies and picked the most mesmerizing flowers from his own small garden, and wrapped them up with an amazing fancy wrap, then he went back to his friend/ boss and handed him the gift.

When the rich guy opened the gift, he felt soaked in shame. He felt how bad was his gift compared to the gardener's gift. He couldn't hold it. He asked the gardener: "I gave you leftovers and old clothes, and you give me all what you have!"

The gardener said: "People would give away what's truly in their hearts."

#Shamafarag

 

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Beautiful Patience!

 

Photo credit: 

Gustavo Juliette

Latest Release on Amazon

Egyptian Recipes Cookbook

Arabic Books

Being an Arab myself, I used to say” Ya sabr Ayoub!” a lot these days to recall how patient prophet Job or Ayoub was. We usually refer to Prophet Ayoub when we mention patience. I was wondering why prophet Ayoub specifically. I believe all prophets had been through countless calamities and misfortunes, but why we tend to mention prophet Ayoub when it comes to patience and staying patient during a tough time.

I think that it's not only that prophet Ayoub bore being sick for 18 whole years, but his test was much more challenging than that. He was tested by having all his blessings taken away from him.

That's way harder on someone’s self than being sunken deep in poverty and illness from the very beginning. As humans, we tend to behave better when we are deprived; we tend to give when we lack, we tend to help when we need help.

However, if we are in a prestigious position or in authority or famous, it's hard to imagine these things being taken away from us. It's hard for someone who used to be wealthy, healthy, or famous to see others abandoning him because he lost what attracted people to him in the first place.
IMHO, I believe that’s why prophet Ayoub was a symbol of patience. Because staying patient during adversity is more common as we seem like we have no choice… but staying patient and grateful while losing everything is real Sabr ”patience.”
Prophet Ayoub showed manners and used a very eloquent and humble decorum while complaining to God about what had befallen him. He said,” I was touched with hardship and torment,”.

After 18 years of illness and poverty, and he used the word
”touch,”!
This is exactly what calamities do to our souls. They humble us, they make us vulnerable; they make us weak; they make us in need of help.
It's unlikely for someone who never experienced actual pain to feel others’ pain. It's hard for someone who never needed help to think that someone else is needing help. 

Maybe that's why God chose people coming from real-life challenges and appointed them to deliver his message. Simply, they had been there…
Our attitudes toward a calamity like COVID interpret how we saw our misfortunes. What we plan to do reflects what we learned deeply. Let's make sure we learned from this adversity a thing or two.

Let’s make sure to stay humble, and be humble and have beautiful patience. The kind of patience we have that it surely humbles us, and stops us from complaining but to God, as well as it reminds us of God’s graces before His tests. Exactly like the patience of Prophet Ayoub.

 

P.s. Have a comment or qusestions? Looking for author copies? Or looking for upcoming events?

Contact us: stayartisticnow@gmail.com, shama_farag@outlook.com

Guess Who the City Council Girl on a Mission Is?

 Guess who the City Council girl on a mission is?

I’m over the moon you made it to the City Council committee for art and culture, Amany.

I have been volunteering with Amany at MAPS- MCOC - MAPS- Many Cultures One Community) for years, but I wasn’t such a committed volunteer. I was always on and off; until last year, we got to work together as a team.

The first project we worked on was handing out facial masks to facilities and hospitals. We had more than twenty volunteers. She shopped for fabric and sewing supplies, made sure to wash, sanitize the fabric before it reached the volunteers' hands, abided by social distancing protocols. She was selfless to the point that she never cared to have her name mentioned, but she managed everyone else had. 

Alhamdullilah, 

Seldom do you find a leader who cares so much about others working with her than bossing them around.

It’s rare to find someone who appreciates her team talents and works the kinks to get the best out of her team instead of ignoring skills, fearing their success.

It’s incredible how she is selfless, and she is keen to give everyone credit for every task, wait on others' opinions, and collaborate with multiple backgrounds. She has a magnificent ability to glue people together. 

Amany, Keep going, keep shining. Shine bright!

In Arabic

أماني أبو خضير اول مسلمة امريكية من اصول فلسطينية تبقي في لجنة مجلس المدينة للفنون والثقافة. 

أنا اشتغلت مع أماني في كذا مناسبة قبل كده بس كنت متطوعة نص لبة مرة اجي ومرة مجيش ومرة اقول جاية واعتذر

لحد السنة اللي فاتت بقيت متطوعة بشكل مستمر للبرنامج الثقافي ف المسجد واللي ماسكاه أماني.

اول مشروع نشتغل عليه سوا كان مشروع ماسكات تتعمل ونوديها للمستشفيات اول م حصل الكوفيد

كانت الولاية عندنا من اول اللي حصل فيها الفيروس وكان في نقص شديد فالماسكات والمعدات الطبية

أماني تواصلت مع المتطوعين وراحت اشترت القماش والادوات 

ونسقت مع المتطوعين 

وجابت القماش غسلته وعقمته  وكوته ولفت ع المتطوعين بيت بيت توزع عليهم القماش وتقف من بعيد تسلم وتستلم مع مراعاة سلامة الناس.

وبعد كل الجهد ولا حطت صورة ولا حتي اهتمت يتذكر اسمها ولا مين عمل ايه

بس كانت حريصة تذكر اسماء الناس اللي عملت المجهود ده اسم اسم

وتشكرهم واحد واحد 

وتدي كل واحد حقه من العرفان

وعلي فكرة مش كل الناس بتعرف فن العرفان

في ناس بتخاف تحسس غيرها بشطارتها 

لكن القائد الحقيقي مبيخافش من شطارة الفريق اللي معاه

بيبقي اول واحد ييجي واخر واحد يمشي 

بيدي لكل واحد حقه

ويحمي اللي معاه لو اتعرض لمشكلة

وياخد له حقه لو انظلم 

وكل الحاجات دي انا لقيتها ف أماني 

ومن كل قلبي فرحانة بيها انها وصلت للانجاز ده

ويارب يبارك فيها وفي جهدها  ويسدد خطاها ويوفقها ويفتح عليها 

وحقيقي الفلسطينية من أحسن الناس اللي ممكن الواحد يشتغل معاهم

حقيقي لا يضرهم من خذلهم

وياريت نتجمع علي بعض كده كعرب 

ونفرح لبعض ونحب لبعض الخير ونقف لبعض

ونعمل في الغربة اللي معرفناش نعمله ف بلادنا 

ونخللي نفسنا حلوة ونشوف نجاح الناس حاجة ملهمة

وندعي للناس بالبركة والتوفيق 

"إن يعلم في قلوبكم خيرا يؤتكم خيرا مما أخذ منكم"

Stop Asian Hate

 

As a Muslim who lives as a minority in a country I call it home, I know fear. I know how it feels like when you go out, either you fear being attacked or being looked at as a threat. I remember when the pandemic started last year, and while shopping at one of the grocery stores, I walked through the aisle. I ran into an Asian lady who stood still in her place, looking at me for 20 seconds. The look in her eyes tells it all. "Are you scared of me? I don't have the virus!" At the moment, I wished I could take my facial mask off and let her know that I wasn't afraid of her, and I hoped that she wasn't afraid of me either. I wished her peace and safety. The virus has no nationality.

And when I heard about the Atlanta shooting, I was appalled and perplexed. How dare we live in a world where either we are afraid of someone or someone is afraid of us? When is this supposed to end? And how can we offer a genuine support system for each other? How can we offer sincere help to one another? 

Do you know why I care? Because I have been there. I can relate. I see your pain. I feel your fear. I hear you!

If you don’t get the idea behind solidarity and why we should stand firm for hate upon anyone, especially minorities, do you know why we should say Stop Asian Hate out loud?

Let me tell you a story that my grandma would tell me to urge me to stand up for others the same way I stand up for myself.

Once upon a time, there were three bulls. A white bull, a red bull, and a black one. They were friends living altogether on a spacious farm.

A hungry lion was living nearby. He would come hemming and hawing every day. The lion was desperately looking for a fulfilling meal. The lion thought about how he could eat the bulls, but it seemed hard because they were united and never left apart.

One day, the lion saw the black and the red bull waiting without the third white bull involved. He came close and told them that their white bull friend looked so bright and he would make them look like an easy target for hunters. The lion suggested to get rid of the white bull or let him go. Even better, the lion pointed out that the farm was better shared between the two bulls rather than three.

The two bulls thought, and eventually, they agreed that there was no need to keep the white bull with them anymore. They reached out to the lion the next day and inquired about getting rid of the white bull. The lion told them wickedly: “I will take care of it, just make sure to leave him all alone.”

The lion waited while the white bull was alone, then he attacked the white bull and ate him. The white bull didn't even resist the attacker because he never expected that his friends would sell him out.

A few days later, the lion got hungry again; he managed to play the same game. First, he failed when the two remaining bulls were together. They fought him together and kicked him out. So, the lion planned to meet the black bull alone and convince him to leave the red bull alone. The lion said that the farm would be all for the black bull alone. The black bull was hesitant, but in the end, he thought it might be a good idea to have the farm for himself.

Hence, the lion attacked the red bull and devoured him.

A few days later, the lion came back, trying to attack the black bull. The black bull wanted to stop him. The black bull fiercely resisted. 

The lion mocked him and said, "You were eaten once you let the white bull be eaten.”

Just like that. As the old saying goes, “Evil prevails when good people do nothing!”

Now, it's time to change our narratives. It's time to show our respect and support for each other. It’s time to take hate against anyone seriously and stand firm for each other’s safety. This is how we create a sense of belonging for whom was hurt and this is how we create a room for ourselves to feel needed, connected and loved. This is how we build a real connected community!

“ A person is either your brother in faith, or your equal in humanity.” Imam Ali.

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Before you go, make sure to check out my Author page or published magazines issue 1, issue 2. 

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P.S: My opinions are not affiliated with any organization I work/volunteer for.