Small but Lofty: Additions to our homeschooling schedule.

Our homeschooling curriculum is always evolving to improve and provide the framework and content for excellence in Islaam. We are developing it, not only for our own children, but as a prototype for other families.We seek Allah's Guidance and Aid for success in this - ameen!

We have added ten precious minutes to our daily schedule: 5 minutes for Salat ad-Dhuha before classes start in the morning followed by another 5 minutes for a daily ta'aboor (assembly) in which one of the students does a 5 minute presentation of an ayah or hadith of their choosing, telling why they chose it and it's significance to them. It is done on a rotation basis so everyone gets a chance to present regularly. This builds up their confidence in speaking, communicating ideas, and encourages them to identify the personal connections they make. They also have the added reward of sharing/teaching good - something huge in itself maashaa Allah!

The Healing Earth Family Cemetery

Another thing taken care of over the summer was the designation, zoning, and permission to have a private cemetery on our land. This, by the Mercy of Allah, was an extremely easy thing to do. We now have an area of between a half to one acre plot which will be used as a family cemetery, al hamdul'Illah.

It is part of our compulsory learning to know how to prepare, bury, and pray for a Muslim - males and females. This will also end up being the subject matter of yearly workshops to teach others, thus ensuring that we are prepared when someone dies,  inshaa Allah.

Inna l'Illahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon - We come from Allah, and to Him we return!

What we're reading in April 2014

Here is the mix of books being read in our home this month.

Please note, we had posted the book Kaffir Boy, which comes in two versions - one with some adult content and one revised for schools. We had the version revised for schools, but have since decided to remove the book completely to ensure nobody purchases or reads the unrevised version or purchases it for their children and exposes them to anything inappropriate. May Allah guide and protect us and our families from all harm - ameen.

 

 

 

 

 

Parenting: Muslim Police Force

How many of you are trying to remind your children to use the appropriate dua' for the different day-to-day activities? Well, here is an idea you might like to implement that is fun and educational.

Set up your own Muslim Police Force.

Make police badges for each Officer, for example:

Bism'Illah Officer
Al hamdul'Illah Officer
Bathroom Dua' Officer
Bedtime Dua' Officer
Post Adhaan Dua' Officer
Prayer Time Officer

Basically, choose whatever titles you want to have and need to teach/implement in your home. Then assign the badges to each family member for a week. Each person is in charge of reminding all the others to say the appropriate dua' at the specified time. So, Bism'Illah Officer will make sure everyone says it before eating, Bedtime Dua' Officer will go around ensuring everyone says their bedtime dua' before sleeping, etc. As the weeks go by and the officer's rotate roles, it will give everyone an opportunity to reinforce the daily dua' and also when things seem well established, new Officer roles can be created to add to the dua. The dua' for putting clothes on, the dua' for leaving the house, the dua' for the traveller, etc. Masha'Allah, the beauty of it is that for the younger ones, it can be a very simple one word thing and for the older ones something longer that they can teach others.

I never forget how the children would all ask each other, "Did YOU say bism'Illah?" before eating, LOL. It was like a police inquiry and it gave me this idea. You could even authorize them to issue tickets for offenders, LOL!

The Beauty of Cloth

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

Ever read a single hadith about anyone having a paper napkin, paper towel, tissue, toilet paper, disposable diaper, flushable tampon, or disposable sanitary pad in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? Well, I'm waiting. What? You cannot believe it? There isn't anything about Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) wiping up the mess with Bounty Extra-Strong? Nothing about Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) digging a hole for her Stayfree with Wings? I guess you get where I'm heading with this then.

During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), they used cloth for all these daily household and personal care things. The modern day "green" movement has already gone back to using cloth because, after killing off and wasting so many natural resources, it has become an environmental issue. Most of us know by now that the diapers and sanitary pads stay in landfills and don't decompose. We are simply filling up the earth Allah (subhaana wa taala) has entrusted to us with najiss (filthy) waste. How do we turn this thing around?

Napkins: Cloth napkins made from natural fibers such as cotton or linen. If you can, please buy them from a thrift or second hand shop like Goodwill. You will often find better quality and will put them to good use instead of them going to waste. You will also gain the reward of not spending more money than necessary, mashaa Allah. Better yet, use those extra sheets or cotton shirts and make your own; after all it's just sewing around a square of cloth. Recycling is an important Sunnah... yet another discussion to get to! I have seen some beautiful napkins at yard sales, etc. and have collected them from here and there, mashaa Allah. Some were given as gifts as well, so think of this when you need a gift idea for a family, newlyweds, or someone moving to a new home, inshaa Allah. Imagine how beautiful a gift they would make if you embroidered their initials, names, or small Islamic reminders of the etiquettes of eating on them! In our home, we have a nice little basket with napkins folded up in it and whenever they are needed, they are on hand. After use, they get thrown in with the laundry and are good to go again. We even take them with us on picnics with all our reusable plates, cups, and cutlery mashaa Allah.

Paper towels: Never let old cotton clothes, sheets, and towels go to waste; use them as cloths to clean. When it comes to cleaning, polishing, and wiping up spills, I have a big bag of cotton clothes that aren't fit for charity that I cut up and use. I never buy paper towels and the cloth is all natural cotton. Nothing beats a nice tube sock on the hand for wiping down cupboards and countertops...and since the odd socks keep turning up, our house is quite famous for our cleaning socks! When the cloth is dirty simply wash it, or if it is in a horrible state, throw it away or better yet, cut it up/shred the material and compost it. No more paper towel bills!

Tissues: Buy or make cotton or linen handkerchiefs. I'm stressing cotton because we really need to get back to natural materials and they are best for blowing noses on and being absorbent. I strongly recommend you look in thrift stores and yard sales for these simply because the old ones are exquisite, masha'Allah, The embroidery work, the designs, the workmanship... all are outstanding. My mother had a big collection of handkerchiefs she was happy to share with us. I also bought a big lot from e-bay and distributed them to my children. The girls all know which ones are theirs because they each have different designs. The "men" of the house have their own as well. They are washed, returned and we never have a problem about running out of tissues. Personalized hankies are a lasting, environmentally friendly gift that will last for years.

Toilet tissue/paper: Small washcloths or hand size towels for drying oneself. Have separate, color coded, marked, or named ones for each family member. As Muslims, we should use water to wash ourselves after using the toilet, so they are really for drying purposes only. There is also the practice of simply having a box of cut up cloths for single use in the toilet and another box or basket for them to be put in for laundering. This causes more laundry and, but is a great solution for those with small children and/or large families.

Diapers: Get cloth diapers. Get cotton, nice and absorbent, no allergy problems for your baby's behind, simply throw into a dry bucket and when you have a few, wash them with soap nut powder, a little homemade natural washing soap, or eco wash balls. You will never have to buy a disposable diaper again. I've done it and am currently cloth diapering, so I can advise about all the ins and outs of making it easy, inshaa Allah.

Baby Wipes: Use small baby washcloths or cut up soft cotton and a spray bottle of water. You may want to make up a concoction of water with a little aloe vera juice, a few drops of tea tree and lavender essential oils, and a 1/4 teaspoon of Castille soap. Spray and wipe your baby's private parts, then simply wash the cloths to be used again and again. Your baby will get used to being washed with water from day one, making istinjah a natural thing.

Sanitary pads: Hemp or cotton washable sanitary pads are comfortable, natural, and the Sunnah. Go read ahadith about it and you'll clearly see that the women simply used pieces of cloth to catch their menstrual blood. I bought mine 8 years ago, before I had my second daughter and I've never looked back since. They don't move around, they are comfortable and breathe, and mashaa Allah I haven't had to buy a single sanitary pad since that day. If you hate to see stains, then go for dark colors. For a discount on LunaPads, just send your order or questions to herbalummi@yahoo.com. For the sewing sisters, there are patterns online for ones with wings that you can sew up simply. You can even buy thick hemp knit material and just cut it to size. Looking for an even easier solution. Fold thick terry washcloths into three and use them. Believe me, it is simplicity itself. Just have a little bag to collect them in, wash them, and you are all set again. I have found that having my girls reuse outgrown t-shirts, pajamas, favorite nightdresses, etc. to make their own sanitary pads is a very nice project. It not only prepares them mentally and physically for the onset of menstruation, but it is fun and they get to choose different colors, patterns, and sizes to make.

Shopping Bags: Get strong canvas bags from thrift stores, freecycle, or unearth the ones hanging around your closet or basement and use them for your shopping instead of the plastic bags. They are stronger, can safely hold more, and not only save money but also the environment mashaa Allah.

Children's toys, doll clothes, and stuffing: My daughters have made many little dolls, doll clothes, quilts, and pillows from scraps of leftover material and the little bits or smaller scraps can be used to stuff them

Mashaa'Allah, going back to some of the simple living of the sahabah not only brings about a healthier lifestyle, but also saves the earth, puts a stop to the huge waste we perpetrate every day, and eliminates many expenses. You will find that you eliminate a notable amount in expenses by going back to cloth and making use of every scrap of cloth you have in your house before throwing it away. Remember that we must answer for everything we did in this life: our wastefulness, extravagance, the part we play in polluting and destroying the earth, and the distance we have put between our lives and the life of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).

My Dream of Sunnah Living

BismIllah.

This is my dream of Sunnah living.

Clothing: A wardrobe of simple dresses, tunics and skirts (waistwraps) made of completely natural fibers. I'm talking about cotton, linen, silk, wool, and leather. A beautiful linen abaya - the large overcloak that is not sewn closed. I will simply put my abaya over me, just as they did in the time of the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and hold it to cover my face when necessary - no sewn and tied niqab - just my abaya doing the job. Soft, simple, all leather sewn khuffs and slip on shoes.

Personal hygiene: Miswak toothbrush, honey and olive oil for my skin treat. Soap nuts, ground sidr, lote, or laurel leaves for cleansing. My shampoo made of herbal infusions, soap nuts, and a little home-pressed oil. Alum stone or homemade, herbal deodorant. Water - the best perfume, and homemade flower and herb waters. Antimony - the best make-up. Wudhoo from a clay bowl or pitcher of water, ghusl with the same quantity of water the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam used.

Home: A cob house, made of clay, sand, and straw...with a beautiful earthen, oiled floor. Kitchen stocked with steel and cast iron cookware. Not a piece of plastic in sight. Large pottery or steel platters for the food and a cob oven to bake bread. Sitting on a mat on the floor to eat...with our fingers. Sleeping on all cotton mats with simple neck roll pillows. No electricity outlets except in the kitchen and one for the computer. Solar power - off the grid, no reliance on other than Allah's sunshine for our energy inshaa Allah.

Surroundings: Land...our 51 acres with a well for water, composting toilets, gardens and orchards to feed us fruits and vegetables and provide apothecary.. Cows, sheep, and goats for milk, wool, and meat, chickens for eggs, homemade cheeses, yogurt, pickles, sundried fruits and veggies.

Days: Waking in the morning in perfect time to pray tahajjud because I made dua' the night before and Allah woke me. Praying, reading Qur'aan, waiting to hear the roosters crow. Gathering together in the central masjid for the fajr prayer and sharing 'ilm. Simple breakfast of fruits and yogurt with others. Out to the land, a family/community affair - to tend to the animals, gather eggs, milk, pick vegetables and fruits for the day's provision. Lessons, Qur'an, crafting, love between me and my husband, children, sisters... communal prayers and meals, natural building, d.i.y. projects, sharing of skills and talents.

Livelihood: Five small cob cottages and a campground - for a Muslim retreat; a form of income, and a beautiful Islamic respite for couples. Summer camps... a mini Damaaj in New Mexico,activities, learning, growing, in a halal and positive environment. Empowerment projects, to teach other Muslims how to live self-sufficiently. Islamic cottage industries - Sunnah Threads, selling homemade Islamic clothes, Healing Earth Herbals, selling herbs, remedies, and personal care products, Organic produce, Halal slaughtering, homemade foods for sale. All projects that our children can grow into and earn a living from, never having to rely on working for non-Muslims for their income or their sustenance. Never having to compromise their Islam for a dollar to buy food or a roof over their head.

Well, I could go on and on...and although it seems like a fairy tale, we are working towards it and Allah is our Guide and Facilitator. Our lifestyle continues to head that way.We have taken a complete cob house building course and are currently doing our Permaculture Design Certification course. We visited different farms and sites to learn and gain ideas, and have contacted others to learn from their experience. We extensively researched details on the livestock and growing seasons, including lists of the things we plan to grow inshaa Allah.

It is a dream that, with Allah and pure intentions, has the beginnings and potential to become a reality. We hope to leave a legacy for generations to come, bi ithn Illah.

Oh Allah, You have inspired us to this...guide us and make it a reality - ameen.

Pots, Pans, and all things Kitchen

Bism Illah

The lifestyle changes we have made over the years to facilitate sustainability, earth consciousness, and the materials and things we will need for the long-term, have been gradual. However, they have always been based on modern research on environmental safety & preservation and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.  I considered for many years the dangers of using teflon, non-stick, cookware but still ended up sticking with it for things like eggs, pancakes, etc. But then, as I became more and more health conscious, I wanted to get healthier pots to cook in. About 10 years ago, I bought a stainless steel set, which I'm very happy with masha'Allah, but still hadn't found a non-stick solution. Then the whole "back to the Salaf" brainwave washed over me and, mashaa Allah, my mind became clear!

What did they use back then for cooking? I checked with hubby about materials available then and he confirmed that cast iron (just think of Surah Al Hadeed), steel, copper, brass, pottery (clay), wood, stone, and glass would have been the things available. Well, then it all started to come together. I looked on the eco-friendly websites to see what they recommended as healthy cookware and what did I find? Cast iron, glass, stainless steel.

Oh, and before I go on with my pot and pan discoveries... the most dangerous things to cook with are non-stick and aluminum. Check out this link... it is just one in MANY you will find on the web if you research cookware materials to avoid: care2

So, me being me, I couldn't just talk the talk, I had to walk the walk. I researched about cast iron, its care, its durability, and its health benefits. You actually get some iron in your diet naturally from cooking with the pots. They are simply wiped with a good vegetable oil or animal fat and baked for an hour or two in the oven and that seasons them so that they become naturally non-stick. They even come pre-seasoned now so that you start out with a non-stick surface and simply have to maintain it. They last forever, unless you do something really drastic with them. You simply scrub them with a bristle brush and hot water while they are still warm and let them dry... no detergents, no chemicals, nothing! My mother-in-law used them for years and told me that she doesn't know why she ever gave them away because they were better than anything she ever cooked with.

Initially, I purchased a cast iron skillet, griddle, and two 3 quart deep pots with lids and used them along with my stainless steel. The best deals I found for them were on Amazon.com, although I am not advertising for them, LOL. They are not very expensive, especially considering I will be able to pass these down to serve generations of our family, inshaa'Allah. I keep thinking they'll be useful if I have to fight off an intruder too. A bonk on the head with an 8lb frying pan should be a decent deterrent, don't you think?

Here is a site all about cast iron cookware: Learn about Cast-Iron Pans

We also phased out our plastic utensils, replacing with stainless steel and/or wood. We have all stainless steel plates, bowls, cups, and mugs, glass measuring jugs and baking dishes, bamboo steamers, and an oven stone to cook pizza and breads on. Rather than use plastic containers for food storage, we use the stackable stainless steel tiffin containers and a variety of large and small jars. We even have a few small clay pots for storage and serving, mashaa Allah. Let the ever sustainable Sunnah go forth... in our kitchen - ameen!

The Encouragement in Islaam to Utilize and Till the Land

The Encouragement in Islaam to Utilize the Land

 & to

Till the Land

Taken from

‘Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah’

By the
Muhaddith, Shaykh, Allamaa’
Muhammad Nasir uddeen al-Albaani

Translated by

Abbas Abu Yahya

‘There are many Ahadeeth regarding this, I will mention a few of them:

7 – From Anas the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

‘There is no Muslim who plants a plant or a tree, or sows a seed and no bird, or human or animal eats from that except that it is a charity for that person.’
[Collected by Bukhari, Muslim & Ahmad]

8 – From Jabir from the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam:

‘There is no Muslim who plants a plant or a tree, except that whatever is eaten from it is a charity for him.  Whatever is stolen from that is a charity for him.  Whatever is eaten from it by an animal is a charity for him.  Whatever a bird eats is a charity for him, no one suffers a loss except that it will be a charity for him till the Day of Judgement.’
[Collected by Muslim]

No. 9 – From Anas -Radi Allaahu anhu- from the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

‘If the final hour comes and one of you has a small date-palm plant in his hand, and if you can plant it before you stand then plant it.’

‘Imam Bukhari brought a chapter heading in the previous book (al-Adab al-Mufrad) for this Hadeeth, where he said: ‘Chapter: The Production of Wealth’ then he narrated from al-Harith bin Laqeett who said:

‘There used to be a man from amongst us who would get his horse to reproduce, and then slaughter it. And he would say: ‘Why should I live so that I ride this thing? [i.e. The Day of Judgement is very close].’
Then a letter came to us from Umar:
‘You should cultivate and prosper with that which Allaah has provided you, since indeed in this regard there is enough time.’
Its chain is authentic.

Bukhari also narrated from Dawood with an authentic chain, who said: Abdullaah bin Sallam said to me:

‘If you hear that the Dajjal has exited and you are about to plant a small tree, then do not delay tending to cultivating it, because the people will have a sustenance from that later.’

And Ibn Jareer narrated from ‘Amaarah bin Khuzaimah bin Thaabit who said:

‘I heard Umar bin al-Khattab say to my father: ‘What prevents you from tilling your land?’
My father replied to him: ‘I am an old man and I may die tomorrow.’
So Umar said to him:
‘I swear that; indeed you must plant on your land.’
Indeed I saw Umar bin al-Khattab plant a plant or tree with his own hands along with my father.’
[From ‘al-Jamia’ al-Kabeer’ by Suyootee]

This is why some of the Companions used to regard a man who works on his land as a worker from the workers of Allaah – Azza wa Jal.

Bukhari narrated in ‘al-Adab al-Mufrad’ from Nafi’ bin ‘Aasim that he heard Abdullaah bin ‘Amr say to his nephew, when he was coming out of his [al-Waha] farm:

‘Are your workers doing their jobs?’
He replied: ‘I do not know.’
Abdullaah said: ‘As for me, if I was skilled and trained I would learn the job your workers do.’
Then he turned towards us and said: ‘Indeed if a person works along his workers in his home [and the narrator once mentioned: ‘with his wealth’]; then that person would be a worker from the workers of Allaah – Azza wa Jal.’
Its chain is ‘Hasan’ InshAllaah.

‘al-Waha’ in the Arabic  language means: a garden, and it was a very large piece of land which was owned by ‘Amr bin ‘al-Aaas in Taif about three miles from Wajja, and it seems he left it for his children.


Ibn ‘Aasakir collected in his book ‘Tareekh’ with an authentic chain from ‘Amr bin Dinar who said:

‘Amr bin al-Aaas entered a farm which he owned in Taif which was called al-Waha, it had a million stakes of wood [which were used to prop up the grapes], he had bought every stake of wood for a Dirham.’

These are some of the general benefits from those Ahadeeth from the Salaf as-Salih -Radi Allaahu anhum.

Bukhari wrote a chapter heading in his ‘Saheeh’ for the first two Ahadeeth by saying:

‘Chapter: The excellence of growing plants if they are eaten from’

[Taken from ‘Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah’ vol. 1 hadeeth no 7-9 p.37-40]

Non-Muslim Sunnah

BismIllah.

When looking at how we would focus our lifestyle and consider the changes and improvements we needed to make in our lives, we looked firstly at the Qur'an and the Sunnah. In this case, not the Sunnah of manners and worship, but the Sunnah of lifestyle of our Prophet Muhammad, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. The reason we looked at this is because our Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was sent down at a specific time and lived a specific lifestyle, which was in harmony with the earth (a focal part of our Islam). We then looked at what environmentalists and sustainable living veterans were doing - the crunchy movement.  We came to this question: "Why are all the non-Muslims raving about the Sunnah?"

What, you ask? Is there a group of non-Muslims that have learned about the Sunnah and love it? No. There are masses of non-Muslims who swear by living the Sunnah - but they don't know it is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet. They just know it is the best way to live. Why do they know and practice, and we, as an Ummah, rarely do?

Why is it that when we go to the doctor, they tell us to eat whole, unrefined grains, natural foods, fruits, vegetables, like olive oil? Sunnah food! We are warned day in day out about avoiding chemical-laden, refined and processed foods like white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. Why do they tell us to use honey, which we have ahadith and Qur'an ayaat about? Why are they giving us tips about how to eat mindfully, when we have extensive ahadith about the etiquettes of eating that tell us these things?

Why is it that the Green Revolution is telling us to build houses out of earth, just as they built the first masjid in Madinah? In the secular world, we are reminded that every day is Earth Day. In Islam, every day IS Earth Day because we have been given this earth as an amanah (trust) from Allah. They tell us not to use dangerous and harmful chemicals...subhaan Allah, it's as if they read the ayaat in the Quran "and do not destroy yourselves."

We turn up our noses at the "primitive" squat toilets used in the Middle East, but the west says that they are the healthiest toilets to use for proper elimination and even sell steps to use in front of western toilets to give the same effect of crouching. Subhaan Allah! We are even told that conventional toilets are a huge waste and composting toilets are the way to secure our earth's future.

Just go online and you will see articles and blogs about giving up material things, getting rid of the clutter. Non-Muslims are raving about the virtues and value of giving up unnecessary things to better appreciate what is important in life. So now, we have non-Muslims taking practical steps towards Az-Zuhd, when we are out shopping and filling our homes.

Non-Muslims are recycling, living for a year without throwing anything away to see how they can reduce their impact on the earth. They have gone back to the materials used in the time of the Prophet - iron, steel, glass, pottery - and shunned the plastic, aluminum, and teflon found to be so dangerous to our health. They even went back to the Sunnah in the materials they use - cotton, hemp, linen, wool, silk, leather, while we buy Japanese polyester abayas and thobes.

What have we come to that the rest of the world is doing what was sent us by Allah, in the form of our Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and his Sunnah, as the best example of how to live? As you will see in the posts about our lifestyle changes and evolution, we are taking the best example of how to live as our model for living our lives, now and ultimately on our land bi ithn Illah.