Empowering Muslimahs (Women are HIGHLY valued in the eyes of Allah) - Part 2

Me, being a human, was starting to feel sleep at this point of time. With the great lunch, great company and of course, the amazing feeling of attending the conference (which of course, I never would have imagine doing so 10 years ago), my eyes started to drop bit by bit. Work of shaiton, defnitely, jiggling their asses on my eyelids.

Me. Be Me. Geddit? Be ME!

But I quickly woke up when the next speaker was introduced. Dr. Fadila Grine reminded me the jamaahs that I met during my umraa, she makes you feel you just wanna go up to her and hug her tightly. Some of her highlights were,


"What is our idea of change? We need to feel the fear."


"Negatively, fear the fear. Positively, fear Allah."


"Allah created us but we make ourselves."


"Responsible for ourselves first, only then to others."


"Hijab is not hiding you, hijab is meant to hide your aurah only."


"Change is real, it's not magical. Our nature is adventurous, just look at a 5-year old."


"The history of Islam during the 6th and 7th century should be referred to as our inspirations."


"Shaiton has a goal, to bring us away from our faith. So why don't WE have a goal as well?"


"If you have to change but you don't change, Allah will punish you."


"Nabi Muhammad SAW recite Astagfirullahalazim 100 times, to invite rahmat to come."


"Change to alleviate our relationship with Allah."


"Disbelieve to believe, decide on a clear goal."


"Two Arabic words to take note of; iradaa which means strong wind and azima which means strong desire."

"Take away bad habits like they are parasites."


At this point, my spirits were heightened. I grew determined to write out my goals and try to reach them. It doesn't need to be big and ambitious. Start with small ones, like to ensure to perform prayer within 30minutes after the azan. I think that can help us in not delaying our prayers, don't you think?


Next session was to me, the main highlight of the day. Even with my awe for Sis. Yasmin, nothing can topple the next speaker. Sis. Raya Shokatfard's video documentary brought tears to me. An Iranian, she migrated to the States at a young age and was quickly consumed with chasing worldly materials. She was very successful, she even got to drive Rolls Royce in her early 20s which at that time, is huge. But sadly, she looked to other religions to soothe her anxiety in heart. Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age and Christianity influenced her and took her away from Allah. But she never did convert. She just got lost and decided to really learn on the religions. What she was seeking for, only her and Allah has the answer. But imagine being lost for so long and when she found the Quran, it was like a child who had been lost and found his/her mother and the child refuses to let go, afraid of being lost again. That was who I felt when I rediscovered my true identity, as a Muslimah. I was already crying a bucket here. I will remember the feeling that strucked me when she said, 


"We always tend to forget Allah, but Allah never forget or leaves us."


Masya-Allah. Such an overwhelming feeling.


Sheikh Tawfique stepped on the stage to talk on his current project and he mentioned this:

Those in Jannah keeps asking those in Jahanaam, "Why are you in hell?" They will reply, "We did not pray and we did not feed the poor."

Finally, Sis. Yasmin took the stage again as the final speaker. I knew I was in for a comprehensive ending before the Maghrib break. And I was right. Some of her highlights were,


"There are 2 places that we can hold a gift; our hands and our heart."


"He pardons most."


"The one who mends, can mend it if you seek it."


"Things that we love more than God will kill us."


"Ask the following questions; What do you think about most? What makes you cry? What makes you most angry? What is the first thing you think in the morning? What is the last thing you think at night? What keeps you up at night? What do you think about in your prayers? Did you answer God? Or something else?"


"We forget that when we don't pray, we harm not our parents, friends or loved ones... We only harm ourselves."


"Ignoring the reality does not mean it will not happen."


"Nothing will stop Death."


"Nothing will delay The Day of Judgement."


"It is not good to love creations over Creator."


I didn't stay on until the end as the event will only finish at 10, that's a bit too late for me who stays 40minutes away. So I dropped off my girlfriend and headed back home to my cat, with a new burst of excitement in me. A light, a fire that cannot and will not be put off. I hope that by sharing what I learned at the conference will help all and myself included to be a better Muslim/Muslimah and even closer to Him, insyaAllah.

Empowered!