Monday, April 16, 2007

An egyptian family

The first person I met at Risala was Iman, she took me under her wing and showed me around, making sure that I got to know everyone I needed to know and visa versa. She brought me into her social circle until I ended up with a mass of Egyptian girlfriends. For some unknown reason I was on her engagement party list although it was relatively small.

Her mum has learnt from Iman that I am all alone and families less here in Egypt and has invited me to dinner on a very regular basis. After my first dinner at their house, we retired to the living room and watched the end of an Egyptian soap opera, then we watched an Amr khalid’s show with Iman translating while her mother made us the most delicious mint tea. It was so homely and I was awe struck with just how at home I felt there. It was a lovely experience after being out of a family atmosphere for so long.

My other point of family contact is Nad’s Qur’an teacher Khalah Hana who is an incredibly lovely woman, She too invites me to dinner every Wednesday and I have the joy of playing with her 7 year old Ula. She is the one who introduced me to the Seerah circle and now that I have purchased my copy of“sealed nectar” I feel so much more ready to soak up the teacher’s wisdom.

Truly I am constantly amazed and awed by the warmth I receive from others, people who I am a complete stranger to and all that binds us is that we greet each other with Salaam. The instant love, trust and protectiveness that people who I have only known for a short time show me. When they say if you ever need anything let me know I KNOW they mean it and know I have unconditional support if I ever needed it.

I have known the Prophets (saw) sayings that the Ummah is like one body but until know I have never come close to understanding the love that is and should be between the believers!

10 comments:

NATIVE said...

Wow mashaAllah. each day your stories from egypt inspire and instiil the faith of humanity in me.

Hug those people for me and say that Native says salaam inshaAllah

By the way from your photo below I see you're blending in with the egyptians very well....it's hard to tell who is the somali lool

Missin u sis!

Ever The Idealist said...

Where did the somali go sis? you are Egyptian 100%! I do love the Egyptians and we all fell hard didn't we when we went there. Had to be reason. They seem lovely and I miss you as you used to make my place a nice a fun filled place. We (your friends in MCR) keep spotting you everywhere and anywhere...

white african said...

oh subhannallah how amazing is that, but im not surprised nm, as a kid i use dto always hear that the only country in the muslim world where you feel at home is egypt.

glad your making friends nm, but we new you would mashallah.

i echo native, please give my sallam to them,

wasmaniac said...

I just wish all Muslims were like your friends in egypt, if we were caring for one another and if were more united, then i think the hardships in the muslim world would have been overcome.

Anonymous said...

awww nemo!

I love your blog because i can see a that in every new post you fall in love with muslims, islam and egypt a little bit more!

liz was saying the other day how much she misses you and its true things are little less lively without you and the myf has lost its energy and buzz without you crawling around on all fours or randomly screaming!

we're going to see your mum today and then hopefully my nana! come back soon....can't wait for you to lead the prayer!

ws

NM said...

Native and whitey, I will start a massiving hugging speer on your behalves inshallah.

ETI: This tanning business has only made me look egyptian so i have given up, beside i find it i get egyptian prices so am not complaining :)

lol, i too have experience the spotting business i could have sworn i saw flowerlady the other day :)

i miss the flat, but i have a bone to pick with you, home come my window seat was never completed, get mano to do it, am sure he will enjoy it!!!

NM said...

Wasamanic: how true subhanllah we have lost that love for each other which binds us! but after hardship there is always ease inshallah, we have to instill the qualities we want to see in the ummah in us inshallah.

Md: i don't randomly screem ( its called discharging unused engergy :)

I am a little less hyper too, i guess it come with living on your own i have no one at home to be hyper with, but i try and make up for it in the class and at resala:)

Honestly Md, that day we booked my ticket it was exciting and thrilling but i didn't not hope for this, subhanallah its better then i could have imagined.

Now i just need to learn to feed myself

Ever The Idealist said...

so NM how goes the cooking practice? getting any better? sounds like you have found surrogate families but don't forget to practice a few meals cause i want you to cook at my place when you return IA Ameen.

i have had only a couple dinners at the flat since you have been gone you know.

NM said...

lool, Its still practice, i have not exposed my cooking to anyone other then my flat mates and they said they liked it but honestly i think they might have just not wanted to dampen my enthusiam.

Cook at the flat, doesn't that usually turn into a full blown party? Am not sure i could handle the stress of attempting to cook for that many people, but if you have suffiencent takeaway numbers on stand by i could be persuaded to cook.

Only a couple eh, i hear stories :)

Ever The Idealist said...

oh NM you know you could do it and yeah it does always turn into gatherings as I like to call themn but so what. Some people say what you can make for one you can make for 100... obviously not me but eh?

what stories you been hearing sis?

I got home late this evening and had to go to sleep sorry couldn't call. Working 14 hours tmrw (friday) so will phone sat sometime IA