16. There is always talent far better

Assalamualaykum wa rehmatullah,

All praise is due to the most High.

Despite the pending changes to this blog, I couldn't seem to wait until the new website was created to post up a blog post.
    With some time to spare, I thought it would be nice to get back into some Graphic design and photography work, yet as I did, as anyone who is present in the design industry, understands the level of talent I was confronted with was infinite and was evermore overwhelmed by the difference between what I could have achieve and what I wanted to achieve.

Disappointment at its finest.

But I guess we all become, at some point or another disappointing at what we have achieved in comparison to the amount others have achieved around you. And so as long as this disappointment continues to fuel ambition we live in a level of security in assurance of self development.

But sometimes that disappointment can really put us down. Instead of fueling ambition, it distinguishes it. You begin to question your ability, what you are capable into achieving and whether it's even worth the effort to even try.

I guess it comes down to familiarizing oneself with the idea that what we achieve is to our account; so as long as we become a better person than we were the day before, we travel towards the self development we should continue to work towards achieving.

May Allah swt make us from those who strive for His sake

15. Post-Ramadan clean up underway!

All praise and thanks due to Allah,

Assalamualykum wa rehmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Hope you are all well in sha Allah!

So before I disappear once again just as I have done for the past few months (oops), I'd like to kindly ask for forgiveness for disappearing with no hope of returning as it seems.
However I've been working on some fantastically exciting projects on @Qalamunoor and a new non profitable organisation officially launching late this year with the will of Allah (!!) so I hope I may be excused for the unprecedented absence in sha Allahu ta'alaa! Hopefully in sha Allah I shall be sharing details about these lovely projects and opportunities for anyone to join soon but in the meanwhile I'll like to keep you all updated that this blog along with my photography work, videos and developing graphic design will finally have its own fancy little website, finally! It's been a long waiting goal, seeing as I'm not very keen on hosted blogs and the look of them either. So in sha Allah I shall be sharing details very soon about that! Until then, the blog is under maintenance

So, until the next update, Salaamz!
     

14. Islam needs positive media attention. Period.

Assalamualaykum!

So for the past few weeks I've been working on a special little interview article on the Director of Freesia. I guess it really woke me up from how much of an awful writer I can be but alhamdulilah, modesty is rewarding! Do check out the article here-

Freesia Article

As a writer, informing the Muslim community about inspiring stories like these has a perfectly profound effect on the writer more than anything. People like these are focused on success and their dreams and really made me question how far I was from achieving my own. As a teenager, I really feel life holds many responsibilities and I don't really think we have utilized our energy and ability to the best of our ability. It sucks to think like that, but it motivates you nonetheless. 

yours,

13. Subhanallah

11. The prospect of getting run over for the Sake of Allah

So tried to film some long takes on a quiet lane in Kidderminster

Was probably the most dangerous thing to ever do.

oops.

10. Stopping Spirituality in its tracks

All Praise is due to Allah,

Assalamualaykum!

So you find yourself among your closest buddies, scrolling through Instagram and whatnot and you come across a super spiritual quote, something like this:

So right now its all a little awkward to become emotional and contemplative when another one of your friends demands a selfie for Snapchat (mentioning no names). And the only recognition given to this Hadith (which can also be found in Al-Tirmidhi which my teacher had urged me to mention) is a sloppy double tap and no mention is every made again of this quote, not until you attend a Islamic Halaqah or class, somewhere, many would, quite sadly describe as 'appropriate'.

We've all done it.

It seems spirituality has its assigned times, such as that hour before you go to sleep, when somethings aren't going right, all those emotional times....

But its natural for us to intentionally access spiritual content when we feel we need it just as we drink usually and only when we are thirsty.

But that doesn't justify our behavior in the slightest.

What we need to realize is that, authors and writers, bloggers and anyone who supplies information to the growing population of Muslims, including me, have build this categorization; a section for spirituality and another for everything else.

This lack of integration of spirituality in our lives, means we deter ourselves from becoming familiar to it.

Islam is a way of life, so is spirituality.

I guess we have misconceptions about spirituality, that in itself deserves its own post, that as soon as you delve into spirituality your practically going to turn into a dedicated muslim monk, unable to enjoy life if you completely immerse yourself in spirituality.

That certainly isn't true.

An example is our Beloved Aisha'ah. She was practically the most awesome sahaabi to exist, my lifelong role model. Her spirituality was impeccable, her deen was incomparable.
But she was a woman of fun. She was a woman who knew how to enjoy life whilst never angering her Lord.

May Allah swt make us into an Ummah of A'ishaah's who never shy from implementing spirituality and deen into our lives!
Ameen

Yours, x

9. The Canonism and Pain

All praise and glory due to Allah

Assalamualaykum!

So some time back I stuck my hands into photography and have no future aspirations to get myself out....ever. It's good to some degree but when you have psychology assignments piling their way towards impossibility, it's now or never.

But Alhamdulilah after last weeks clients (may Allah bless their soul, they were so patient subhanallah, having opened their shop 3 hours late because of late me, they still offered me a dinner afterwards) I was back on Manual Mode (#notaboutautolife) and everything was going smoothly.

But the reason why I wish to document this is because it's not till yesterday that I slipped over my own feet, fell a little back into a mental hardship.

It was difficult, I've gotta admit.

And still recovering.

But what it made me realize is something we take for granted

It's ourselves.

We have so much potential, and when we do possess that potential, we don't make the most of it.

It got me thinking.

We have to answer to Allah swt about this time, 

those moments, 

those hours. 

It adds up.

Sometimes you've gotta hold your breath and dive straight into your passion and dreams. The pain has no intention of going anywhere so transform it into ideas and dreams. 

Don't let it consume you because the only thing that should consume you is Allah.

And passion to strive for his sake.

That's Jihaad. 

Knowing the pain is there but dealing with it and keep moving foward.

yours x