Letter to Julia 20140227

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello there, my beautiful beloved.  I spent pretty much all of yesterday cleaning house, my little house that is.  There's still a long way to go, but I got a lot done today.  I cleared out what will be the master bedroom inshaAllah, and I got a little bit done on what will be your bathroom/closet Julia inshaAllah, and I want to do more work on that cage where you want to move the kitchen to.  That quinine tree is annoying though, and it has to be removed, and I can't do it.  I need to call in the pros.  Then I got distracted by some bamboo.  I love bamboo, I love trimming and shaping it into drumsticks.  I need a rotary tool.  I did a lot of work on my office/bedroom where I sleep on the floor, the most cleaning I've done in years.  I did manage to do some burning over at Casa de Julia inshaAllah this morning.  Very slowly.  I'm a lazy man.  Slow and lazy.  I also have an obsession with independence.  Yeah I know, there's no such thing as absolute independence, but Friday will be my 48th birthday, and I've lived most of that time with just me, Allah, and at least one cat.  Yeah, I'm kind of like a wild animal.  But my wives will have the most control over me that any human can have.  I love them, that's why.  I'm preparing for us to be rooted in one place and together all the time, inshaAllah.  I pray that you are doing the same.

Letter to Julia 20140225

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

So how about some dinner, my love?  Yes, I love you and I need you.  Again, I love you and I need you.  I picked up some snails at the night market just now.  I call them snails because the name directly translates to snails, in the local tongue they're called "siput mentarang".  They live in the mud at Kuala Perlis, so they're basically sea snails.  They look more like conchs to me.  I asked my Mom a while ago if they were snails or conchs  and she just scowled at me.  I love you, Mom!  This was the first time I handled these critters, but what is life without adventure?  Well, adventure in cooking.  The mud was a problem, so I had to scrub that off with a brush and lots of water.  My Mom said in not so many words to cook them like clams, so I took the simple approach.  I fried up some garlic, then chilli pepper paste, then carefully added the snails.  the shells are fragile, so that's another problem, so I took the utmost care in folding them over and over, and just like clams, the broth increased with cooking.  The flesh had a wonderful taste and texture, more like immature fish roe than shellfish.  The broth is powerful stuff, so I put the leftover in the cooler for tomorrow's noodles.  Do you wanna come over for dinner?

Letter to Julia 20140223

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I had wontons for dinner last night, but I also had some spring roll skins.  I had made sushi out of the spring roll skins, which turned out quite well.  So I thought I could deep fry some spring rolls, which is quite common out here, but in my case turned out to be a big flop.  It was the steamed rice, you see.  I made this mistake before, therefore here's a deep fry rule: don't deep fry anything that has steamed rice in it.

Floofy was very interested in my dinner, though.  She's been very interested in everything I do around the compound lately.  Racing around at top speed when I do yard work, marking this and that like a male cat defining his territory, inspecting every square inch and scratching the ground while meowing in excitement.  It's almost as if she's... nagging me.  Hunting down webs and killing the spiders.  Please don't kill the spiders.  Spiders are allies to Muslims.  Just remove the web, don't kill the spiders.  Can Floofy smell change in the winds of change?  Everyone around here seems to be excited about something.  I suppose you are, too.  Just remember my dearest, while the increase in the material is exciting, the Hereafter is a much better place.  And yes, I am very grateful, ya Allah.

Qur'an 20140223

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

32.  They said, "O Noah!  You have disputed with us, and you have prolonged the dispute with us.  Now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you speak the truth!"

33.  He said, "Truly Allah will bring it on you, if God wills, and then you will not be able to frustrate it!"

34.  Of no profit will be my counsel to you, much as I desire to give you counsel.  If it be that Allah wills to leave you astray, God is your Lord!  And to God will you return.

35.  Or do they say, "He has forged it?"  Say, "If I had forged it, on me were my sin!  And I am free of the sins of which you are guilty!"

36.  It was revealed to Noah, "None of your people will believe except those who have believed already!  So grieve no longer over their deeds."

37.  But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and address Us not on behalf of those who are in sin, for they are about to be overwhelmed.

Hud 11:32-37
----------------------------------------------------------

If I had forged it, on me were my sin!  And I am free of the sins of which you are guilty!

Letter to Julia 20140222

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

As you may have noticed, I've had to change my habits a little, beause it has gotten more difficult to blog.  This also means that I have to dress more casually, so please forgive me.

Julia, I was having a conversation with my relatives yesterday about marriage.  It seems that for an Islamic marriage, one needs to have a "Wali" or a relative, I guess to confirm that you are you who you claim to be, namely single, Islam, etc.  So I pray you are in good terms with at least one member of your immediate family for him/her to act as your "Wali" for our wedding.  If not, I'm sure Allah will help us if our faith and union is sincere, and we will find a way somehow, inshaAllah.  My aunt inferred that some relatives need to be bribed in order to act as Wali.  Perhaps a best friend, or even one of your bosses could act as Wali, with the papers to back it up.  After all, we both know with Allah as our Witness, that our marriage is big business.  Despite the business, I love you Julia.  I love you, and I need you.

I love you too, Erin.  Sweetheart, I don't expect you to have perfect conduct, but you are a role model whether you know it or not, to at least millions of young Muslim girls, even though you haven't even begun to be a Muslim.  I can't say that I know everything you do, but Allah knows everything you do, and if Allah grants me knowledge then I worry about you, because I want to keep you safe, happy, and healthy.  My source tells me that there is a group of you that seek "happiness and peace" together.  The most important challenge for you right now, is to pray regularly.  Don't make a show of it.  Just do your best to make your own private connection to God, in the Islamic way.  Seek your happiness and peace with Allah.  InshaAllah I will be with you soon to help you and help protect you.  I love you, and I need you.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go make a batch of dough.

Letter to Julia 20140219

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

And how are you coping with the mayhem, my beloved wives inshaAllah?  I love you, I love you.  I warned you that there would be mayhem.  But it's all so exciting isn't it?  If Allah protects us, then nothing can harm us.  It must be true that blondes have more fun.  I should bleach my hair blonde.  But I suppose I need to be serious.  So I'll keep my hair black.  Actually, I'm graying more and more.  I need to move slowly.  Oh so slow...  So please be good girls, maintain your prayers, and be patient.

I love you, I love you.

Qur'an 20140219

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

9.  If we give man a taste of mercy from Ourselves, and then withdraw it from him, behold!  He is in despair and blasphemy!

10.  But if We give him a taste of favors after adversity has touched him, he is sure to say, "All evil has departed from me."  Behold!  He falls into exultation and pride!

11.  Not so do those who show patience and constancy, and work righteousness: for them is forgiveness, and a great reward.

12.  Perchance you may give up a part of what is revealed to you, and your heart feels straightened lest they say, "Why is not a treasure sent down to him, or why does not an angel come down with him?"  But you are there only to warn!  It is Allah that arranges all affairs!

13.  Or they may say, "He forged it."  Say, "Bring you then 10 Surahs forged like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you speak the truth."

14.  If then they answer you not, know you that this Revelation is sent down with the Knowledge of Allah, and that there is no god but God!  Will you even then submit?

15.  Those who desire the life of the present and its glitter, to them We shall pay their deeds therein, without diminution.

16.  They are those for whom there is nothing in the hereafter but the fire.  Vain are the designs they frame therein, and of no effect are the deeds that they do!

Hud 11:9-16
----------------------------------------------------------

Bring you then 10 Surahs forged like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you speak the truth.