Letter to Julia 20120225

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

As you know, this old soldier isn't all that fussy about what to wear nowadays. I mean, it's OK for a man to be butt-ugly, right? I would be satisfied if I wore just a sarong everywhere, except that I sunburn easily, and am sensitive to the weather in general. I suppose that could be extreme modesty, or simply extreme. Or perhaps fatalistic: pretty clothes aren't going to make me pretty or rich. But don't worry, dearest. I'm just being temporarily gloomy. I promise to dress respectfully in public. After all, when prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) came to me in a dream, he was neatly dressed wearing a shirt, slacks and shiny shoes, and his beard was professionally trimmed. He was well known during his lifetime to be a slick-looking dude. The next time he dropped by, he was wearing a similar outfit, but his face was cleanly shaved. I AM trying to be patient, insyaAllah. Which is why I enjoy Second Life so much, even though Muslim women shouldn't wear such outfits, but it isn't reality, so may Allah forgive me for my abject longing for heaven.

Today, my Mom told me to spruce up one of those ancient sewing machines she had in her storage room. Y'know, the type you pedal with your feet to move the needle. I'm guessing it belonged to my grandmother before. It's in poor condition: full of dust, cobwebs, and it's been rained on. The needle hardly moves. No, I don't plan on doing any fashion designing, or sewing at that. I almost get a heart attack just mending my raincoat. I suck at sewing. It tenses me up.

Most people here don't really try too hard to look sharp anyway. So of course, it wouldn't be any effort for you to out-dress everyone. Do you remember that I told you that there is a HUGE market for Islamic women's apparel? This is because of a general lack of creativity in the industry. It seems that there is only one type of dress design varied using different patterns of fabric, or people just patch up Western apparel with a headscarf. This is not just here, but a everywhere around the world. I feel Islamic women's apparel is an opportunity that's about to explode, given our situation is the right situation, or trend. InsyaAllah! So start sewing, y'all!

Qur'an 20120225

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

4. But the unbelievers say: "This is nothing but a lie which he has forged, and others have helped him at it." In truth it is they who have put forward an iniquity and a falsehood.

5. And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has caused to be written, and they are dictated before him morning and evening."

6. Say, "This was sent down by God who knows the Mystery in the heavens and the earth. Verily God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

7. And they say: "What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him?"

8. "Or why has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or a garden that he may eat out of it?" The wicked say, "You follow none other than a man bewitched."

9. See what kind of companions they make for you! But they have gone astray, and never a way will they be able to find!

The Criterion 25:4-9
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This was sent down by God who knows the Mystery in the heavens and the earth: verily God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Letter to Julia 20120223

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

What's taking up a lot of my time on the Internet is Second Life. The name of the game is misleading, though. There is plenty of evil in the game, with no justice, much inefficiency, plus one's avatar can still die. But I do get to choose a much prettier body for my avatar than the ape-like structure that I have now. Don't get me wrong: I'm very grateful to Allah for the strength granted to me, for strength can be very useful in this corrupted world. But If God allows me heaven, then strength would not be necessary, and I would ask to be pretty. Like you. But with greater virility than what I have now.

Meanwhile, Allah allows me to have a pretty avatar in a game called Second Life, and because I am who I am, it is work to me. My avatar has to have a HUGE wardrobe, and be the sharpest looking gal in the room. And this is important, I'm sure you would agree. This involves much handcrafting and patience and work matching outfits to my body type and personality, and sifting through the junk. And junk can be very expensive in SL. Though fashion is in high demand, I don't think fashion designers make much money in SL. Rather, I observe that the choreographers, or rather animators, make a killing in the game. Didn't I once invite you to meet me in the game? I suppose you are very busy, and you don't need to be prettier than you already are so that you would have a fantasy life about it. I forgive you, mostly because I have to be in SL whether or not I meet you there. Business, y'know.

By the way, please make sure everyone asks permission before they enter your room at all times, while children and your servants must do so before dawn, when you take your afternoon nap, and after the late night prayer. My princess, you.

Qur'an 20120221

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

51. The answer of the believers when summoned to Allah and God's messenger, in order that he may judge between them, is no other than this: "We hear and we obey." It is such as these that will attain felicity.

52. It is such as obey Allah and God's messenger, and fear Allah and do right, that will win.

53. They swear their strongest oaths by Allah that, if only you would command them, they would deploy. Say, "Swear you not. Obedience is reasonable. Verily, Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do."

54. Say, "Obey Allah, and obey the messenger. But if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him, and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The messenger's duty is only to preach the clear."

55. Allah has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds that God will, of a surety, grant them in the land inheritance as God granted it to those before them; that God will establish in authority their religion, the one which God has chosen for them; and that God will change the fear of theirs to one of security and peace. They will worship God and not associate any with God. If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.

The Light 24:51-55
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Swear you not. Obedience is reasonable. Verily, Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.

Obey Allah, and obey the messenger. But if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him, and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The messenger's duty is only to preach the clear.

Letter to Julia 20120221

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

YOOOOOLIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!

Hello again today, my beloved Julia! Are you working hard? I saw some of your Victoria's Secret buddies over at the opening of the Victoria's Secret store at the international airport. Well, actually, I saw them in an old newspaper clipping. Yeah, it is old news, but the Qur'an is more accurate and up-to-date than the newspaper, so I live my life of what God says, insyaAllah. Anyway, I think it's a great idea to put a store at the airport. I don't have to go into the city to buy my underwear! Well, I don't wear lingerie anymore. I don't pass anymore, so I don't bother with trying to look pretty. What's the point of wearing dainty underwear when you're built like a chimpanzee?

It must be tiring for your friends to have to fly all the way out here for a store opening. I'm glad that you didn't have to: please remember our goal, which is to SLOW DOWN. That's because you are my princess, and when we are married insyaAllah, we will be going everywhere together, so be prepared and bring your prayer apparel, so we can pray and run at the mosques. I find that even though I'm just a songbird in a cage, I have tons to do to maintain my cage! And when you are here with me insyaAllah, there will be tons to do together to maintain our cage.

Thus, I find myself busy everyday, doing mundane things, doing things for music and beauty, and doing things for Allah. I even have to schedule time to be lazy. I really need an Internet connection at home. It's not that I would babble everyday because I'm not the talkative type, and I would rather have you with me here. But it would be nice not to have to drive all the way to town to the Internet cafe. I'm sooooooo backed up with work to do on the Internet. Aaaaaagh!

Letter to Julia 20120220

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

It sure rained heavily yesterday. It had been so stupendously hot lately, and yesterday was hot too, that I was shocked at the amount of water that came down. Thw weather can sure change quickly, Julia. So much for human superiority. So today, I didn't have to water my flowers as I usually do before sunset, even though it was another hot day. I sat in the yard and just watched the sky. And right before my eyes, the weather started to change. The bright sun was being washed away by a sudden storm. The clouds up high were moving soooo fast Julia, faster than any airplane I've seen travel. I could see the clouds swirling and swirling around, but there was no hail. Not yet. I knew I had to shut the windows on the east facade of the house, but I was still shocked at the fury of the wind that blew the torrents of water that hammered that side of the house. Even with the windows shut, a lot of water was blown into the house, and I had much mopping to do. Even little Chee Cheah had to run and hide at the other side of the house. But the storm stopped just shy of sunset, and the sun came out again but only for a few minutes. Then it started to rain lightly, and it's still raining right now at 10pm.

Talk about the weather! Well, I could talk about chickens and wild dogs, but they're not my chickens: I just have to tolerate them, in the name of love and compassion. The dogs don't belong to me, either. They belong to Allah. Everything belongs to Allah.

Letter to Julia 20120218

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

Hi there, sweet Julia! My, I can sense that you are extra intense lately. Hey, I like you that way, my intensely gorgeous girl! Go ahead and scare them. You turn me on!

I found some clams last Wednesday evening at the night market. Good sized ones too, with no sand! The great thing about clams is the broth: that's the juice inside the living clam before it opens up from being cooked. I fried up the little suckers in a wok using a touch of my Mom's recipe, namely some chilli sauce (if you've forgotten, chilli sauce is tomato ketchup with chilli flavoring). But theoretically, you can fry it up in anything, because what gives the flavor is the clam broth. Make sure you cook clams to death! Or more practically, until every single one of those bad boys is wide open. The broth generated in this session was particularly intense, so I couldn't slurp up all that soup: I could only dip my clam into the broth like a spoon and suck out the meat. I didn't waste the leftover broth, though. I froze it and used it the next day to make fried noodles. Ah, what mild but flavorful fried noodles! It almost tasted like a pasta salad. Clam broth becomes poisonous quickly, so please make sure you use it all up immediately! I offered some noodles to my Mom, but she refused. One thing about my Mom, she's the most competitive cook in the world.

Well, I'm going to go enjoy some ice cream now. You take care of yourself, my beautiful dearest, and please maintain your prayers. I'll be here waiting in all chastity for the day when Allah allows me the means to marry you. I love you, Julia.