Another week, another Friday Favourites post! Hope you all had a blessed day.
Reflection
So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny? Surah Ar-Rahman
Last week I mentioned that I was listening to a Ramadan Tafsir series in Yoruba – my native language – and Alhamdulilah, I am benefiting immensely from the content. This week especially, I’ve found myself mulling over some of the lessons from the very first episode. There was a particular section on gratitude that stuck out to me and whilst I am bound to do a botch job of translating the message, I am going to try my best any way. When addressing the difficult situations that a lot of people are living in and their complaints, the Sheikh whilst acknowledging their worries also placed emphasis on practising gratitude during challenging periods. In his advice, he said ‘look at the blessings that Allah has given you and see them as big things. Whether that is your eye sight, the little food that you have on your table or your health.’ In other words, we have a choice when it comes to our perception of the blessings that Allah has given us. We can choose to minimise them or magnify them.
That lesson reminded me of an assembly in secondary school where my headteacher teacher quoting Einstein said: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Ramadan
These pictures from the Black Iftar event organised by Samira Abderahman in Chicago filled me with indescribable joy.
Black Iftar Chicago: https://www.blackiftar.com/photographs
Articles
If you are an aspiring writer or a fan of Chimamanda’s works, the New Yorker article is a great read! I first heard about Kalief Browder’s story watching 13th by Ava Duvernay and like the title of the article indicates, it is an utterly heartbreaking story. Lastly, David Graeber’s article which is an excerpt from his upcoming book was quite interesting and mirrors conversations that I think a lot of people are either having or thinking about.
LinkedIn: The more valuable your work is to society, the less you’ll be paid for it by David Graeber
HuffingtonPost: Kalief Browder’s Heartbreaking Research Paper on Solitary Confinement by Christopher Mathias
The New Yorker: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Comes To Terms With Global Fame by Larissa MacFarquhar
Podcasts
This was a refreshing podcast to watch/ listen to and I’m looking forward to future episodes. The conversation touched on various topics including the issue of identity crisis amongst Muslims, the consequences of ignoring the inner reality of Islam and what the role of God and Islam should be in our lives.
‘Religion is Dead’ – Baraka Boys Podcast Episode 1
Books
This has been my commute read this week and it is packed with gems for people who want to develop their understanding of the power of dua.
Du’as of the Superstars: The Formulae for success by Alima Ashfaq
Social Media
My first social media pick this week is on a page that shares beautiful knowledge relating to our beloved Prophet Peace Be Upon Him. Social media content tends to feel empty nowadays so if you need some reminders along the way, it’s a great page to follow. My second pick is the video of the heroic Mamoudou Gassama and it was incredible to see such an act of bravery and selflessness. My last pick is a video that I have sent to all my friends this week. I am loving the red table talk series!
Instagram: beauty_of_the_beloved
Twitter: A truly heartwarming video of a Mamoudou Gassama saving a baby in Paris
Facebook: Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith and Gabrielle Union
Make A Difference
Maa is a student-founded charity on a mission to revolutionise global maternal health. Their aim is to improve maternal healthcare in Bangladesh through delivering workshops with mothers and their families to help them take care of their health and the health of their babies.
Fundraising for Maa: Ayo Olatunji’s Trip to Bangladesh
Excited About…
The name change from MuslimGirlJournal to myrihla although it still feels weird.
To be published next: The Rebirth of MuslimGirJournal and Introducing myrihla
Myrihla 