بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
I am currently in a bridal suite. Sipping on water from a (technically,) wine glass.
After the event, I add here that:
Drinks from today also included: Halāl piña colada. Cherry lemonade. Chai in small tumbler glasses! Desi style. [And the carrot halwa with ice-cream at the end was great too!]
Now revert back a little in time, to about nine hours ago, today:
You’re (metaphorically) looking at the Maid of Honour of my friend Jade’s wedding! Today! AlHamduliLlah. The event begins in a couple of hours, In Shaa Allah.
And my aunt is doing the bride’s makeup! ‘Coincidentally’ (Allah’s Plan). I was going to recommend my aunt to Jade myself. But what ended up happening is that: Jade was part of a sisters’ group that I too am a part of.
And ‘randomly’, my aunt asked to be joined to our group chat. And Jade and my aunt came into connection through there.
I’d say that lots has been happening in my life lately. Sometimes I don’t think I actually process things very much at the forefront of my mind: maybe doing so would lead to mental collapse, drainage.
But life: it’s happening! And can feel quite stressful at times. Your body will likely know, and show it.
I have got to learn to streamline. What’s important? Living in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah. Everything else is connected to this.
“You know what I’m looking forward to? I’m looking forward to a cup of tea, tonight, at the end of it all.”
Quote. The bride, bless her.
Today I met Jade’s Nana, and I’m calling her Nana too. Just using this moment to blog a little, while Jade has her makeup done.
Jade has four rings on her fingers now, Maa Shaa Allah: one is from her Nana. Jade’s Nana raised her, over in Yorkshire.
One ring is Jade’s wedding ring, Allah hummabārik. From Ibrahim, who will be her husband in less than three hours In Shaa Allah!
One ring, a gold one: from Jade’s Ammi. Ibrahim’s mother figure: his stepmother.
One of Jade’s rings: belonged to Ibrahim’s birth mother, Allahu Yerhamuha.
Yesterday, the bride said:
We ended up changing it to 10PM: at 9, Jade had been having dinner with her (Yorkshire) family. And I’d still been on the train, Cambridge to London.
Time: 22:22. Location: Amina’s car.
Amina is Jade’s friend, and we are acquainted with one another through Jade.
Amina had also been the name of Muhammad ﷺ’s mother, who had passed away when he had still been young.
Haleema Sadia had been the name of Muhammad ﷺ’s foster mother. Haleema is also the name of one of the other #senior bridesmaids. She is also my friend now: we met through knowing Jade.
Haleema had also been the name of my father’s mother. She had passed when my father had been in his early twenties, Allahu Yerhamuha.
My father’s name is Shadeque. Pronounced: Sadīq. One of the nicknames of honour given to Muhammad ﷺ by the people. As-Sadīq: meaning, the truthful one.
When I feel low-key high-key stressed. Or when there’s just generally a lot on my metaphorical plate.
I should remember that
My Purpose here is as clear as a glass of water.
Like the glass of water I’d accidentally left on one of the upstairs benches in the CMC main building the other day.
Allah made Truth crystal-clear to me, AlHamduliLlah.
My Purpose here is to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. It is that simple.
There is beauty in simplicity.
And we’re only ‘travellers’ in this world. We all journey through, and we all die.
A beautiful day, today has been, AlHamduliLlah. I’m glad Haleema was there too. We had a real (calm, interesting) adventure of a day together, AlHamduliLlah.
And both our names and signatures feature on Jade and Ibrahim’s official Nikkaḥ certificate! AlHamduliLlah. As two of the three official Witnesses!
I enjoyed the Imām’s speech, AlHamduliLlah. The food was great too: like the spicy red chicken served as part of the starters. They were fire.
I don’t need to write about everything. Streamlining is important; making things water-clear.
Nikkaḥ is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and following his Sunnah is our honour. Being Muslim is our greatest identity. Our highest honour.
Our clear-cut, crystal-clear, glass-of-water-nourishing, Way and Guide and Purpose in life.
Jade is now a married woman! Mabrook!
First there was Ādam and Hawa. Now there is also Ibrahīm and Jade, Maa Shaa Allah!
Now I tired. We got to the wedding venue at about 2PM, left after 10PM!
And wearing high heels for so many hours = pain, at the end of the day. Next time, In Shaa Allah, I may just take inspiration from what Haleema did, and bring along an additional pair of sliders!
Until tomorrow, friends. Where new adventures await, In Shaa Allah! And joys, and challenges: and challenges are opportunities. That’s how I’ve been framing them, and I’ve been finding strength and benefit in doing this.
*I start my sugar-free challenge tomorrow In Shaa Allah. Please donate if you can/want:
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/sadia-goes-sugar-free
It was very wonderful to have spent yesterday evening in the company of beautiful people. Two families coming together; two people, two worlds, now one.
And… we witnessed it! They made us all a part of the special day. AlHamduliLlah.
May Allah bless the newly wedded couple, today and eternally, Āmeen.
*This is what an Islamic marriage certificate can look like:
Journey to the Heart of Islam. 