Hijab... To wear or not to wear !!

I have grown up in Saudi Arabia, I went to local schools where I had an extensive religious learning. Most of the things that we have been taught were acceptable at home since my family is relatively religious too. I think my parents have always been pleased for having a compliant daughter who respects religious and social values. Considering the family and social atmosphere, I took the decision of wearing "Hijab" the moment I reached the adulthood. Here in Saudi Arabia, women wear "Abaya" which is enforced by religious police "Mutaween". I wear Hijab with my own sense of fashion outside Saudi Arabia because I as a Muslim woman can wear whatever I want as long as it goes with the Islamic outfit.

I got downstairs last week to find my Mom's cousin and his wife setting in the living room with my parents, he was arguing and defending his opinion that Hijab is not what we think it is, he relies on Dr. Muhammad Shahrour reinterpretation of holy Koran in his book "The Book and the Koran". Shahrour considers the minimum limit of woman’s attire to be satr al-juyūb (Q.S al-Nur: 31) or covering the chest (breasts) and genitals so as not to be naked. Its maximum limit is the covering of the whole body excluding the palms of one’s hand and one’s face. In this approach, the woman who does not wear hijab has in fact fulfilled Allah’s stipulation. On the contrary, women who cover their whole body including the face are considered to have gone beyond hudūd-u-lLāh (Allah’s limits) since it is beyond the maximum limit determined by Koran. This means that women who cover their face and their whole body are “not Islamic”.

I was really upset because my religious and linguistic education doesn't give me enough reason to convince him with my own opinion. I decided to make my own research and ended up having new opinion of my own which I will be discussing in my next post.

Thank You God !

Thank you God for giving me such a lovely family, such a great father and a kind mother. Thank you for giving me the best sisters ever and an adorable brother.

Thank you for surrounding me with punch of good friends.

Thank you for giving me long legs, nice hair and making people invent something like push-up bras !.

Thank you for making it easy for me to have a nose job, it is not that I am not OK with the nose u gave me, it is just that It wasn't what I exactly wanted.

Thank you for giving me the chance to be educated and for changing my career path. I would be more thankful if you please give me a better job but be sure that I will accept whatever you think is good for me.

Thank you for making me feel loved every time I feel down.

I was wondering if it is possible to help me getting the CMA and CFA by the age of 30 and send me a Range Rover Sport by that age too.

Dear God, you have always been so generous so I assume that you will help me getting married to the guy I love and have his child, again by the age of 30 please.

Pregnant !

I was really busy yesterday morning when I received a phone call from Nana, a very close friend of mine. an hour later, I called her back and we had the following conversation:

Nana: Hi lolo, you seem busy. mmm, I was wondering if you can stop by today after work. I am alone, my husband is going to Riyadh and he won't be back before midnight.

Me: mmm, OK sure. We will have lunch together.

Nana: Would you please get me a pregnancy test !

Me: What ! me ! Huh !. I shrugged, "mmmm, OK".

I hanged up the phone and kept laughing. Soon after, I left the office and headed to the dispensary, the only thought that went through my mind was, How Am I supposed to ask for that ? shall I say it in Arabic ? will they think that it for me !. I stepped out of the car, got inside and I went like: " pregnancy test, please !".
"you don't think it is for me, do you?" I thought.

As soon as I arrived to her place, i handed it over to her. she wanted to surprise him, that is why she asked me to get it. we read the instructions over and over to make sure we got them right, for me the minute passed like a minute, but I bet that it was the longest minute in her life.

" two red lines lolo !" she stunned.

" that means you are pregnant right ! I mean you are pregnant ! OH MY GOD" I Hugged her tight and a tear came to my eye.

She called him right away and she spoke in a calm tone.

" hi babe, I think I am pregnant ! " she whispered.

he didn't believe her so she handed me the phone and i was screaming: " Mabrooooook dad"

I swear I could hear him screaming, laughing and tearing.

" this is not a joke, is it ?" he asked.

" It is not something to joke about" I assured him.

he didn't want to hang up and I know, telling him while he was 400 KM away was mean but we couldn't wait.

A memory flashed in my mind. Eight years ago, Me walking alone on my very first day at Jordan Univeristy, I was a wide-eyed freshman student , coming to a country where i know no one. She was standing there, innocent and lovely as she has always been.

" is this the Computer 101 class ?" I wondered.

she laughed loudly, " yes , but you are late, the Instructor has just left. there will be no lecture for today". We checked our schedules and realized that we have the same classes for the entire semester.

" Lolo, are you listening to a word I am saying ?" she said.

" You are becoming a Mom, I am happy" I smiled.

What a November !

OK, Last month has been nuts, every thing went by so quickly, November has been always like that. It started off with a gathering at a dear friend's house. something exciting has been happening the first two weeks and I had to make life time decisions. I got really sick the second week, I can only remember one thing ! Sleeping.

One of the best things happened was living a happy Dream the third week, you know, good things happen when you least expect them.

On Thursday 22nd, we had lunch with a friend whom we haven't seen for four years, he came from UK and had some work in Khobar for one day. Later at night, I had to make a healthy conversation with a very dear person and I decided to take certain approach for our own sakes.

I received two gifts last month, I loved them both! one of them was a lovely book and the other was an adorable souvenir from Sweden.


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these two songs were the themes of November.

Speaking of November, all I can see now through my office window are clouds which is something I have been waiting for so long !

Adorable Present

STA_1703, originally uploaded by lilasb82.

the most adorable present one could get, is something you have been promised to have..
I loved it for many reasons :

1- It is from you
2- It was for you and I know it was not easy to give it up ;)
3- It is special illustrated edition and It is hard covered
4- you have kept your word

one thing is that I hate Dan Brown, but it is always like that dear friend.. we never loved the same things but I have always loved loving them only because you do.