In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Aaaaa! You didn't have to lash out at me like that! I didn't do anything wrong! But actions speak louder than words I guess, and I'm glad you've made your decision. So you won't mind if I don't write.
Ramadan is a great month though, and I really enjoy it. I think it's going to be an awesome summer. I think I'll play guitar tonight.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
You probably don't know how to pray, and if even if you did, you wouldn't want to be caught praying in the Muslim way. Ironically, that's the correct approach. Prayer should be done in private, unless you're at a mosque. Ironically again, even if you were to hide your prayer, the world would instantly know. I discovered long ago that I as a Muslim, that my regular prayers is power. I recall while I was still working at the pizza joint, I watched the clock during dinner rush for a chance to take a 5 minute break to go and pray in the toilet. Every day. If I were to tell anybody here that story, they would look at me like I'm stupid or lying, but that's what it took for me to maintain my prayers in America. Sometimes I would have to clean the toilet first with straight bleach to get rid of the stench, and bleach blisters eventually grew on my feet. But that's not the whole story!
Anyway, God doesn't need anything from humans. The only thing that humans have to offer God is prayer. A lot of people want reward first from God, or proof that God exists before offering prayer (for example, "God if you exist, make me rich"), then they don't pray anyway. I don't want you to go through what I went through. I love you and I need you. Now that you have become strong, please do not weaken yourself with alcohol, drugs, gambling and fortune telling. But before you ask Allah for anything, at the very least offer this prayer. Silently is fine, preferably in Arabic but English should be fine for now inshaAllah. It's the chapter of the Qur'an that every Muslim says in the daily prayer, called "The Opening":
1. In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.
3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
4. Master of the Day of Judgement.
5. You do we worship, and Your aid we seek.
6. Show us the straight way.
7. The way of those whom You have bestowed Your Grace, those whose is not wrath, and who go not astray.
I got up early this morning, and fired up the grill for beef chitlins. Chitlins are so greasy. All they are are rubbery intestine and fat, so when they grill they drip grease and burst into flames. That's why we boil them before grilling, because chitlins have to be burned but not too burned. I was chitlin-ed out rather quickly, and I have some left over. I'll probably use them as a pizza topping. I had meat pastries from the supermarket for dinner. They were going for 5 for RM4, so that's not bad. Plus I'm full. I found some Driscoll's strawberries while I was there. Imported from USA! Fresh strawberries! I haven't had those in years! RM13.99 for a pint? Yikes! At least I can get you some strawberries now. I didn't see any avocados though. I don't think the locals know what to do with them. The supermarket was packed. This supermarket is open today and tomorrow until midnight. Ramadan.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Hi there, my darling Erin. How's business today? It's OK to be serious my love, at the right time. We have to work to be the best. And in our case more than others, we work on the spiritual plane. If you need correct guidance, I would ask you to study the Qur'an to know what to do and how to feel, but since you're not ready for that then I will tell you what to do. I can't drag you upstairs though: you have to hold my hand and walk with me. Yes, it's a leap of faith. But I don't want us to stay the way we are. I want us to be married, and go to heaven together. I love you and I need you.
OK OK I've told you this before. Early in the morning every morning, clean yourself for the sake of Allah (wash your face, your hands up to the elbows, wet your head, wash your feet to the ankles), pray, ask Allah for guidance or ask Allah a question, then pick a random page of the Qur'an and choose ONE random verse. Then go about your day, and observe how that verse resonates with your day. If God tells you to do something, then do it. God is always right, so don't be skeptical. A true spiritual path is never easy, but neither is life and that is the paradox, so we might as well be spiritual to reap the reward of the hereafter and to get God's help. And to Allah is the correct path.
Yeah, it's been pretty serious here too. It's almost Ramadan, and Ramadan around here is peak tourist season. I don't know exactly when that started, but it's definitely evident nowadays. Allah is everywhere, but here is where I make my stand. The fasting month starts on Monday, and I have been shopping and stocking up on foods. Mostly because I will spend my nights, early mornings rather, cooking and I don't want to have to go out to find food.
I still have leftovers to finish, especially if I want to make room in my cooler. I did buy a lot of tofu, which has to be eaten quickly. So I made a couple of calzones for lunch, stuffed with the stuffing I made for won tons and the last of the last batch of sausage I made so I can make more. I also put marinara sauce in them, but no cheese. Hey, a success. Alhamdulillah. I also stuffed some beef intestine with sausage to make a link. It turned out quite well, but I forgot to photograph it. Halal sausage. You may not realize what a big deal that is. Dinner was gluten free! Well, almost. I cooked up the rest of the eggplant I had in marinara sauce, and melted a slice of cheese on top of a block of tofu. Another success. I had to have some bread nuggets though to satisfy my voracious appetite. You don't have to eat bread if you don't want to.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Hello, my beloved Erin. How are you feeling today, my love? I'm sure you are staying busy. Please make sure you eat properly and get enough rest. Are you having problems with religious sects right now? Don't vacillate with them. Make your decision, stick with it and be patient. And please pray. I love you, Mrs. Global. And I need you.
My Bat Cat is such a water cat. I've never seen a cat take to water like him. He like to prowl for game in the brush and the ditches. I've seen him covered in mud once. This morning he came up to me dripping with water. He's such an intelligent cat. Both he and his brother Bob don't rely on cat food anymore. Batty is an observer, he loves to dig up dirty secrets. Since he's a boy cat and doesn't get pregnant, I don't have to keep him in the house. Thank God, I have 3 cats in the house already, I don't want anymore right now. So my Bat Cat loves mud and water, I just have to feed him anti fungal pills regularly. And he knows that.
I've been in the kitchen all day. Other than the times I had to go out and buy food stuff. This morning right after the dawn prayer, I headed out to the market downtown. For some reason, I have a craving for beef intestine. I also picked up some tofu, cockles, and snails. Beef intestine is great burned on the grill. Probably not good for me, but tastes awesome. I had to boil them first, then marinade them. Smells awful. I think the Americans have a similar treat called "chitlins", from pig intestine. The snails are the type I told you before, called "belitong". They look like escargot, but the shell is straight. Like all shellfish, they have to be processed immediately while they are still alive. So I steamed them like clams. I had some won tons to finish, so I had to shell some of them to make stuffing, which was difficult. I had more leftovers to finish like last night's bamboo shoot curry, so I made my lunch out of that. That's why my noodle soup today looks like curry. I also made marinara sauce today. Marinara sauce is another thing that I'll always keep in the cooler when we are married inshaAllah. So you can make spaghetti or whatever whenever you want. Today's batch is missing an ingredient- I couldn't fit it into the blender. Tastes great, though. But not spicy.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Are you teasing me, Erin? Being all cute like that. I believe you are. It's a good thing that I love you most when you're cute. You haven't been cute in a long while.
I had a busy morning today. I had to visit the taxman, as you know. My Dad had me drive him to his eye appointment, so while I was waiting, I ran my errands. I also paid my power bill, bought my lunch, got my Dad his newspaper, and bought lots of flour. Then I still had time to take a nap in the park. I woke up at 3:30 am this morning, so I needed it.
What's for dinner? This time it's bamboo shoots in curry. Marinated bamboo shoots taste like sauerkraut, so you don't want to put a big chunk in your mouth. A little at a time. Wow, I'm stuffed. Alhamdulillah. Erin, you are my heart. I love you and I need you.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Hello there, my beautiful Erin. Am I imagining this, or you have acquired a new hobby in past few weeks. Whether you are aware of this or not, I didn't recognize you when I met you in a dream, even though I knew it was you. And you're getting better and better at it. This mysterious new appearance might be useful in not having people bug you all the time when you go out and want to be left alone, but please don't lose the girl I love in your mad new pastime. You know what would be fun, is to have someone masquerade as you and you masquerade as someone else when you are out and about. I always thought you would make a great Todd Thomas! Have fun Sweetie, and keep safe. I love you and I need you.
You do know that Shadowplay is a registered business of Malaysia. Right now, I'm busy doing paperwork for the taxman. I was doing the same thing 6 months ago, but they told me to come back in June. I got a sad thrill when I showed them the big zero I got for my income. Because Allah knows what levels of collapse would occur if I don't do my work. Ya Allah, please help me. I want to get married.
I haven't cooked anything all day other than my daily coffee and tea. My Mom gave me rice this morning. I love my mother's "nasi lemak". I should have taken a photograph of it, but the thought didn't cross my mind. I just wanted to eat it. Then in the evening, my Mom gave me some take out food, which I ate after cutting the grass. It wasn't enough food for me, though. Even my cats knew that. I think after this, I'll make a pizza. If I have time. I've got to get this paperwork finished first.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
76. Say, "Will you worship besides Allah, something which has no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah it is that Hears and Knows all things."
77. Say, "O people of the Book! Exceed not in your religion the bounds transgressing beyond the truth, nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, who misled many, and strayed from the correct way."
(The Repast 5:76-77) ------------------------------------------------
Azham Abdullah. I blog about the Qur'an, I own a business named Shadowplay, and I am the guardian and representative of a singer named Mary Unknown7. You can hear Mary everyday from 11 pm to 1 am PDT, the stream address is https://www.twitch.tv/maryunknown7
