The Corrugated Iron Hut

Imagine living in a corrugated iron hut, through summer; of blazing sun, preying on metal and your skin and  your breath. Through rain; collecting water dripping from the leaking roof, and standing on tiptoe when it floods in from underneath. My child now has pneumonia, coughing and wheezing. The last meal we had was two dinners ago when a neighbor shared a plate with us. Do I worry about our stomachs and the inhuman growling sounds they're making, or my other child's fever whose own growling has been muffled by coughs? And the transport fare; here on the outskirts, we have no clinic. The old bakery nearby, no longer dispose of little scraps it won't use, anymore. The last time we light the stove was a month ago. I've missed the smell of firewood burning, because it brings with it a promise of a taste on our tongues and heaviness in our stomachs that we'd go some more time before we'd feel that again. Their skin is a plaster against their frail frame. Hands long and dry like a garden fork. I'm too tired to my bones, of hunger and illness, of hard labour of years before to try to make it for the family. Of worrying over my children, worrying about who would die first of hunger, or malaria. I hope it won't be me, so I can take care of my children. A lot of times I resort to praying for their deaths, at least if they die, it would be better for them, they won't suffer anymore. Then I would stop myself, because as much as we suffer, through the pain and hunger, we smile and play. Through hollow sockets, their eyes twinkle and it gives me hope of a beautiful day to come; of a day my son would buy me bread and butter. And my daughter would bring me wrapper. It's through the tears, and whimpering of hunger when they could no longer wail, that I find peace. They relieve me of the distress and sadness, with promises of growing up. We go on days without any solid food, we had to sell the goat to buy some bread and cow milk, which in turn we got some cheese from. Yet, I find my children content, they'd always insist I take the first bite or sip. We'd drag this on end, until I finally give in. They'd smile and laugh and my tiny little world would blossom with happiness and love, I'd forget the meaning of hunger and poverty, of tattered clothes and battered mattress, and of our tiny corrugated iron hut.

Spread The Salaams

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Too often, we take greetings for granted and attach minimal importance to them. We don't give salaams to each other anymore. Atleast not as we are required to. Even at Islamic functions, only a few do that. A person will seat next to you and you'd be the one to say the salaam, when we are all familiar with the Hadith:

"The person who is riding should offer salaam to the one who is walking; and the one who is walking should greet the one who is sitting; and the smaller group should greet the larger one." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Though there's nothing wrong in saying the salaam first, which is even encouraged:

"The Prophet was asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! When two persons meet with each other, who should take the lead in greeting the other? He answered: 'The one who is closest to Allah." (Tirmithi)

"The person closest to Allah is the one who precedes others in greeting." (Abu Dawud)

We need to honor this tradition as best as possible. Sa'id bin al-As said:

"I owe my sitting-companion three things: on his approach I greet him, on his arrival I make him welcome, and when he sits I make him comfortable."

Exchanging salaam is a great etiquette and holds a high position in Islam. The Prophet stressed the importance of greetings when he defined the rights of a Muslim:

"The rights of a Muslim upon another are five: returning greetings, visiting the sick, following the funeral procession, responding to invitations and offering 'Tashmeet' for one who sneezes." (Bukhari and Muslim)

In another, he said:

"Feeding the hungry, and saying salaam to those you know and those you don't know." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Because we don't say the salaams, the brotherhood and sisterhood in the Ummah is weak. The Prophet Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him, said:

"You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another: 'spread salaam' (the greeting of peace) among you." (Muslim)

"When two Muslims meet (give salaam), and shake hands, they are forgiven their sins before they part (with each other)." (Abu Dawud)

"O people! spread salaam, feed the hungry, be in touch with your kin, and pray while people are asleep (at night) you shall enter paradise peacefully." (Tirmithi)

"And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally."

(Qur'an 4:86)

Initiating salaam is considered sunnah, but returning the salaam after it is offered is obligatory.

Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala mentioned:

"....But when you enter houses, greet one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good...."

(Qur'an 24:61)

If one enters his home, it is preferable to offer salaam, even if there is no one at home by saying "Assalaamu alayna wa ala ibadillahi assaliheen" (i.e. peace be upon us and the righteous servants of Allah). With respect to salaam between the young and the old, the young is expected to begin the greeting.

It is improper for someone to meet a group of Muslims and offer salaam only to some of them. The greeting must be for all in the group. If a group of people offer salaam to an individual at the same time, he may reply only once to all of them.

In a Hadith where Imran Ibn Hussayn (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:

"A man came to the Prophet and said, 'assalaamu alaykum!' The Prophet returned his greeting and when the man sat down, the Prophet said: 'Ten' Another man came and said: 'assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah.' to which the Prophet also responded, and when the man sat down, He said 'Twenty' Another man came and said: 'assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.' The Prophet returned his greeting, and after the man sat down, he said: 'Thirty'" (Abu Dawud and Tirmithi)

The Hadith has been interpreted to mean that the minimum form of the Islamic greeting which is acceptable is "assalaamu alaykum" and one is rewarded ten good deeds for saying it. The second grade, adding "wa rahmatullah", raises the reward to twenty good deeds. The best grade of salaam is "assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu", and this is worth thirty good deeds.

The response to the greeting is similar in form and rewards. The least one could say is "Wa alaykum-us-salaam" and the best response is: "Wa alaykum-us-salaam wa rahmatulahi wa barakatuhu".

Unfortunately, now in the Ummah Muslims have adopted other methods of giving salutations. Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him lived an exemplary life, and thus, it is what we should emulate. He said:

"I have not left anything which Allah (Most Exalted is He) ordered except that I have ordered you with it, nor anything that Allah forbade you, except that I forbade you from it." (Buhaiqi)

Allah (Most Exalted is He) says in the Qur'an:

"You are indeed the Messenger of Allah, a beautiful pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day."

(Qur'an 33:21)

Salaam is not only confined to the time of meeting only but it extends to when separating as well.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), relates that the Prophet said:

"When one of you joins a gathering, he should greet those present; and when he leaves them he should salute them, because the first salutation is not better than the last one." (Abu Dawud and Tirmithi)

Umar bin Khattab: "There are three ways of showing sincere brotherly love: give him the greeting of Salaam when you first meet him, make him comfortable, and call him by his favourite names."

May we benefit, assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

THEY SAY I AM BEAUTIFUL

They say I am beautiful

But how do they define my beauty?

They say I am beautiful

Is it by my body, or the cloth covering it?

They say I am smart

Is it what is in my head, or what is wrapped around it?

They say I am beautiful

Is it my skin, or the texture of my jilbab?

They say I am oppressed

Is it the heels they want me to wear like a bondage, or is it my lowered gaze?

They say I am caged

Am I supposed to wear bangles like shackles, or hold on to my pen and write?

They say I need freedom

Do they mean I dress half naked and be objectified?

They say I am beautiful

Is it my chest or what is within?

They say I am beautiful

Is it what they see on the surface, or what comes from beneath?

They say I am beautiful

Is it my skinny legs, or the dust from the edges of my jilbab?

They say I am beautiful

I know that

They say I am beautiful

But they do not know where it comes from

They say I am beautiful

My beauty is not from my physical exterior

They say I am beautiful

My beauty comes from within

They say I am beautiful