Asalaam Alaikum

Sadaf and Ayesha made a kick butt senior video. Here's a clip from their movie...

By the way, Sadaf's initial question is "What will you miss about us"?

...Good Times

 Asalaam Alaikum,

I went to the MYC camp last week and although the beginning seemed to drag, the week turned out to be awesome. Anyway, one of the first things we’re supposed to do when we get there is take the swim test, but due to some “technical difficulties” everyone ended up taking it the day after.

I thought I could cheat the system by floating my way through the swim test. After floating a distance of what felt like 5 miles, everything seemed to be going well. But then the moment had come; they asked us to tread in the deep end for 3 complete minutes. “No big deal,” I thought. “After giving my legs a little break, I’ll be up and floating in no time.” 30 seconds went by and I felt like I was lying on water. 2 ½ more minutes and that green band would be mine to cherish forever!

The neon-colored trophy seemed to have disappeared when I heard several voices shouting, “Mariam MOVE! Stop kicking me!” Apparently my ability to float had come with a few flaws: I was incapable of staying in one spot. Instead of floating around people or near them, I started floating into them… I started to panic. I was in water 9 ft. deep and the only thing I knew was how to float. But then, all of a sudden a miracle had happened. My legs  started to sink and my body became verticle; instinctively, my feet started paddling and my hands began pushing in what seemed like an abyss of water. I was struggling for my life! My body started to ache from the constant movements and I was almost convinced I wouldn't make it.... but then it became quite evident: I COULD SWIM!!!

*Note* Details maybe exaggerated.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Rivalry for worldly gain distracts you,

Until you visit your graves.

Indeed you shall know!

Again, you shall certainly come to know.

Indeed, were you to have certain knowledge…

You shall certainly see the fire of Hell.

Yes, you will see it with your very eyes.

Then, on that day, you shall be questioned about your joys and comforts.

                                                                                             (Surah Takathur)

…How many times must we be reminded?

Asalaam Alaikum,

I’m sure everyone has heard about the Lebanon/Palestinian crisis…if not click here: http://www.xanga.com/akbersaeed. Anyway, theres one thing that appears to be a manifest flaw in our Muslim society: we talk about problems and tribulations yet physically do nothing to help the situation. I remember hearing in a kuthba once that Allah Ta’ala doesn’t need us to fight for Islam. Whether we’re a part of it or not, there WILL be a group who will succeed and bring Islam to victory; it’s our decision to either be a part of that group or stand as helpless spectators. Aside from just donations and duas, there are many other ways to help our brothers and sisters across the globe. Almost every week now, there have been rallies in downtown Chicago: free opportunities for us to stand out in the public and let our voices be heard. The turnouts have been decent but I’m sure they could use a lot more help. Here are a few pics from Saturday:

Asalaam alaikum,

    I’m officially an alumna of CPSA; how weird does that sound? …9 years of confinement in that brown building with neon lockers and oh-so-spacious hallways. I haven’t completely grasped the concept that I’m done and out, but it’s hitting me... s l o w l y.
    I’ll never forget the times I’ve had at CPSA… and although, at numerous occasions, I felt the need to stab every person I came across, by the end of the day all those negative feelings would be extinguished by the nourishment and love they had shown me.
    I'll miss practicing my signature on the tardy sheet, waiting till the last minute to finish science fair and club day projects, getting thrown out of class for talking too much, ditching school in search of food, getting patted on the head by Mr. Qureshi one second and then thrown out of his office the next, spending 90% of  weekends at school for either detention or lab, asking for halaqas and more halaqas, singing during English, frantically looking for “pinners", getting fat off drinking caramel fraps, editing doc’s recommendation letter for the tenth time, sitting on the parallel-o-grams, eating roti kheema for lunch everyday since elementary, getting in trouble for everything, protesting at board meetings, driving out to Chicago, chilling with the teachers, wrestling in the library, making wadu in the "golden sink", stealing keys and moving cars into the grass… the list goes on.
    I look back at nearly a decade worth of memories and not one do I regret… because at the end, everything was worth it.