Pecan Biscuits – Eid favourite
as salaam alaykum,
this is one of our regulars on Eid, a family favourite:
Pecan biscuits
1 cup flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
125g butter
200g pecan nuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method:
Chop half the pecan nuts, split the rest in half.
Cream butter, icing sugar and vanilla. Add chopped nuts. Stir in flour. Roll teaspoons of the dough into balls and place them on the baking tray. press a pecan half in the centre. Bake at 180 deg C until lightly browned for 10 minutes. Dust with icing sugar when cooled.
Recipe from: A Treasury of South African Indian Delights
Pecan Biscuits
Sabah’s Rainbow =O
Ibn ‘Abbas (Radhiyallahu anhu) said, “The Milky Way is one of the gates of heaven. The rainbow is security from being destroyed by flood after the people of Noah.”
Ibn Kawwa’ asked ‘Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) about the Milky Way. He said, “It is the water-trough (or loop of the bag) from which the heaven opens up flowing water”
Ibn ‘Abbas (Radhiyallahu anhu) said, “The rainbow is security for the people of the earth that they will not be drowned. The Milky Way is the door of the heavens and forms a furrow through it.”
source: al-Adab al-Mufrad. by Imam Bukhari (Rahimullah)
Sabah saw a Rainbow while she was in the car with her grandfather (my dad) on her way back home. She ran straight in and straight out into the garden.
rainbow
fading rainbow
Pleased to have caught it for a while
Date Palm Tree and Laylatul Qadr
as salaam alaykum
Sabah has been learning about Laylatul Qadr. She was sooo fascinated. Especially about the angels filling up the sky:
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍۢ
Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decree
From tafsir ibn Kathir:
The angels descend with the descending of blessings and mercy, just as they descend when the Qur’an is recited, they surround the circles of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and they lower their wings with true respect for the student of knowledge. In reference to Ar-Ruh, it is said that here it means the angel Jibril. Therefore, the wording of the Ayah is a method of adding the name of the distinct object (in this case Jibril) separate from the general group (in this case the angels).
We learnt about the revelation of the Qur’an in Ramadaan and decided to deorate our display with a date palm and Sabah’s watercolour painting of a mus-haf by a musallah.
our date palm
The clumps of dates hanging off the tree were made with date seeds we collected and glued together using a glue gun:
clumps of dates
Sabah selected some pieces of information she remembered and wrote them down. We displayed them like this:
about Laylatul Qadr
Daddy used to be Christian..?! 0_o
`Amr bin Shu`aib reported on his father’s authority that his grandfather (May Allah be pleased with him) said: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Command your children to perform Salat (prayer) when they are seven years old, and spank them for (not offering) it when they are ten, and do not let (boys and girls) sleep together”.
[Abu Dawud]
Sabah is nearly 7 now alhamdulillah. She’s at an age where she’s beginning to understand much more and is picking up alot from what she hears, not just hearing the dialogue but understanding it too.
Yesterday we went to Argos to pick up some eid toys that were ordered. Because we had the whole pride with us, and Abu Bakr was asleep, we decided I would go in and get the stuff and Abu Sabah would make sure all were at their best behaviour in the car. When I came back Abu Sabah told me about something interesting that happened while I was away…
The Qur’an was playing in the car, and a young non muslim man who was handing out something joked about the leaves and stuff on the car asking if we park under a tree regularly, and Abu Sabah had laughed and it was amicable. Then he heard the Qur’an and asked if he was Muslim. Abu Sabah replied in affirmative and he asked some questions on the Quran that was playing. He asked what religion he was before, and Abu Sabah replied Christian. He gave him a thumbs up and carried on…
Meanwhile Sabah was listening and was shocked to hear that. She became very curious about her father. She doesn’t ask many questions about her father’s side of the family and is aware that most of them are kuffar but this is the first time she really understood that her father is a revert and used to be a Christian. And that fascination has not left her…
She is suddenly looking much more mature and attentive. She involves herself in Islamic discussions with the family and is confident to share her own opinion and knowledge.
ALOT is changing as she is approaching 7 years old. Her understanding has clearly developed more, and it shows wisdom in the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam singling out 7 as an age for parents to begin commanding their children to perform acts of worship. May Allah preserve my beloved daughter’s zeal and love for deen and ‘ilm, and keep her firm on the straight path always, ameen.
Sabah with her madressa gift, she scored 272/300 mashAllah
17th Ramadaan ~ Anniversary of the Battle of Badr غزوة بدر
وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍۢ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force. So fear Allah much [abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden and love Allah much, perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained] that you may be grateful.
إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِثَلَٰثَةِ ءَالَٰفٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ مُنزَلِينَ
(Remember) when you (Muhammad) said to the believers, “Is it not enough for you that your Lord (Allah) should help you with three thousand angels; sent down?”
بَلَىٰٓ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ ءَالَٰفٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِي
“Yes, if you hold on to patience and piety, and the enemy comes rushing at you; your Lord will help you with five thousand angels having marks (of distinction).”
This was the battle that showed the truth, strength and power of Islam to the pagans of Makkah, and additionally the great military command of RasulAllah salallahu alayhi wasallam. The battle in which Allah sent the angels to aid the Muslim army which consisted of a total of 314 men, whereas the pagans were 950. Today is the anniversary of that epic, first battle which took place on 17 Ramadaan 2 A.H.
Update on toileting
as salaam alaykum,
We received the DVD in the post yesterday… It was a bit more blatant than expected. But to be honest, it needs to be if it’s supposed to make an autistic child understand the process. She watched it 3 times and then got fed up and ran off.
So far not much luck… but seems it will be longer than intended.
Abu Sabah is right now steam cleaning her bedroom carpet. Not much more needs to be said.
special needs and toilet training
السلام عليكم
One of the most traumatic, difficult aspects of Dhuha’s condition for both ourselves and her is matters relating to toileting. For sake of her own privacy no details will be mentioned apart from that we have had to deal with the worst due to her inability to understand the natural concept of the impurity of urine and faeces, and her inability to make a connection between the toilet and the physical act of her relieving herself.
So far nothing has made much progress… and everyone is exhausted.
On a facebook group supporting parents and families with autistic children this DVD set was mentioned:
Are You Ready? and Tom’s Toilet Triumph
This is a short film for parents and carers and Tom’s Toilet Triumph is a film that the autistic child watches. The DVD is suitable for children with a wide range of disabilities and presents using the toilet in a way that they understand. It is a visual aid in toileting. The DVD is from Australia and has to be ordered online. A bit pricey but worth it if the end result is a trained, happy and clean Dhuha.
Another resource that is helping us this sheet of tips to aid toileting autistic children:
Sue Larkey’s toilet training tip sheet
This will require us to live near the toilet for the next few weeks, have our Dhuha out of nappies and sitting on the toilet every 30 minutes. It will be hard but it seriously, desperately needs to be done now.
We are also making a toileting book, similar to this one —-> Toileting book, scroll down
We need to buy her a special needs mattress protector, and then we will take the plunge, inshAllah.
May Allah make this attempt a success, ameen.
What I want in Jannah…
السلام عليكم
Sabah was gazing out of the kitchen window, smiling deep in thought. I thought maybe she saw something in the garden, maybe a butterfly…? I stood behind her and peeked over her shoulder. After about 5 minutes I asked her what she’s thinking about. Sabah turned around, tilted her head back and said,
“Oh mummy how I really wish I’ll have a ninky nonk in Jannah, one where I can go inside and have a pretty table and….” and she went on and on.
OK…(!)
It really made me laugh. MashAllah.
A ninky nonk
He recites so beautifully ~
‘And recite the Qur’an (aloud) in a (slow and melodious) style
(tarteela)’ (Surah Muzzammil, Ayah 4)
The Prophet (SAW) used to recite the Qur’an in slow, measured, rhythmic tones as
Allah had instructed him, not hurriedly, but rather “he would recite a surah in such slow rhythmic tones that it would be longer than it would seem possible.” [Muslim, Muwatta]
He (SAW) would stop at the end of each ayah. [Abu Dawud].
He (SAW) commanded people to recite in a beautiful voice in a pleasant melodious tone. He said “Beautify the Qur’an with your voices [for a fine voice increases the Qur’an in beauty]” [Bukhari] and he said “He who does not recite the Qur’an in a pleasant tone is not of us.” [Abu Dawud]
Well the Prophet (SAW) said “Truly the one who has one of the finest voices
among the people for reciting the Qur’an is the one whom you think fears Allah when you hear him recite.” [Daarimi, Tabaraani]
And once when the Prophet (SAW) complimented Abu Moosaa al-Ash’ari on the
beauty of his recitation, Abu Moosaa said “Had I known you were there, I would have made my voice more pleasant and emotional for you.” [Bukhari, Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
These are some very interesting and touching ahadeeth and an ayah we read recently. We came across these when we were reciting Qur’an together and stopped to study Qur’anic words and their meaning.
We have began learning through this site —-> Understand Qur’an
It really is an excellent site with many resources. Check it out inshAllah.
courgette curry
السلام عليكم
This is the recipe for the courgette curry we made with the first courgette to be harvested from our vegetable patch:
2 medium onions. finely sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp garlic paste
1 large courgette, sliced
1 level tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriandor powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 level tsp salt (depending on your taste)
handul chopped corriandor
Fry onion in about 1/3 cup oil till golden, add garlic and braise for a min. Add tomatoes and spices. Cook for about 15 minutes covered on low heat. Add courgettes and about 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low heat till cooked through, stirring occasionally. Will take about 20-30 minutes. When cooked stir in freshly chopped corriandor and serve with rotis.
courgette curry
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