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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

The Wedding
Kathy
07/19/04 at 09:41:39
[slm] ;-) :-) I was there... who wants to hear about it?
07/19/04 at 09:42:57
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
timbuktu
07/19/04 at 09:53:13
[slm] yes, please describe it in sequence if possible. I understand that they even had the "joota chupaee" (hiding the groom's shoes for a ransom).

Re: The Wedding
tq
07/19/04 at 10:35:46
Assalamo elikuim Yes Sr. Kathy me too :) I would love to read about the wedding. Thanks tq
07/29/04 at 10:31:04
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/20/04 at 14:35:20
[slm] It was a beautiful evening on July 17th. The sky was clear, there was a slight breeze as my hubby and I pulled into the parking lot of the reception hotel. We drove around the building a couple of times looking for a filled parking lot of cars, indicating the entrance to the wedding. Humerously I asked my hubby for the invite which was beautifull done ~gold lettering on a linen paper, surrounded by Islamic artistry. I said "opps" it is not this weekend, but next! He looked at me with those kinda eyes that said I am going to shoot you! I laughed and said it was this weekend and it should start in 1 minute. Where were all the cars? Well, maybe people were being shuttled in.... So we go in and find the hall. Br. Light@night (can't remember his madinat name) and Father 7, were outside the door. My hubby shakes hands and greets them. They ask were he is from and after my hubby tells them, they both got excited and said they had a sis friend who lives there. At this point I say " here I am!" I got a warm a fuzzy feeling, to think that this family knows their daughters' cyber friend! As my hubby and they are talking I begin to reflect on conversations we had on this site and am glad to finally meet him. Se7en's dad mentioned it is a bad habit of their culture and people are always late. he even suggested we go for a drive.... I am beginning to wonder how late! I am amused with her dad's sense of humor and can see where it se7en gets her's from. All of a sudden a flash of tart goes by me.... I look up and it is Jannah! She is running around like a chicken with her head cut off! "petals, where are those petals" she is saying, I gotta give her credit, she actually took the time to squeeze in a hug and a welcome. Her momma brought her up right.... So we had some time to kill. But I wanted to take a sneak peak at the wedding hall. I am glad i did because It was before the people got there and I got the full view. Next thing i hear is Jannah threatening a bunch of gals.. " No one is allowed up stairs." But I wanna go and see se7en, I whine under my breath... But no one dares to plea with the den mother.... At the doorway I was greated with the aroma of a sweet garden. On each table there were fresh flowers. Roses, Asiatic lillies and babybreath. The room was set with tasteful elegance. The tables were covered with rose colored cloth with a center mirror and sparkling candles next to the clear vases. The lights reflected each guest marvously and gave a soothing glow to the room. The table was set to high standards. Fan shaped white linen napkins, 3 forks, 2spoons and a knife, glasses, coffee cups and the petels were delicately strewn over the tables. As you entered the room, not only did you find yourself in a flowergarden but you could hear a water effect. There was a nice punch waterfall in the back of the room. it added to the calmnest of the event. Surrounding the room were fiscus trees sparkling with mini clear lights. At one end of the room was a long banquet table, for the bride and her dearest. On the adjacent side was the 'throne' for Abu Hamza, Dad and the Imam. Se7en's table was delicately simple. She had 2 high back chairs... which i was wondering why.... never did find out. Her vases of flowres were of roses, deep red roses.... Abu Hamza's spot.. where he gave up bachleorhood, was very ornate in a simple way. Three plush chairs. A background framing it was of red and gold velvet curtain and gold lamae cloth draped over the frame. This too was surrounded by fiscus lit trees, the lights gently shimmering off the patterns in the cloth. Then I spot the wedding cake. Tiers of cake... White with delicate decorations... Insha Allah they will post pics. The guests begin to arrive....
07/20/04 at 14:42:03
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
jannah
07/20/04 at 15:37:06
[wlm] That was sooo beautiful Kathy!!!!.. jazaki Allah khair.. makes me feel like all the hard work was worthwhile behind the scenes. And thank you!! finally SOMEONE actually appreciated all the efforts with the flowers!!!  :-* btw that specific kind are called stargazer lillies, they are in season right now! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and I'm sooo sorry for dissing everyone.. It was just sooo crazy... please please make dua for the couple and their families. It's really so traumatic for all of us with se7en moving so far away :( At the sistah's mafia request i was going to write some of the stuff i learned the hard way for them in a little guide so its alottttttt easier for them so if anyone is interested i can post them here.. for myself I think the after jum'ah surprise nikah is lookin more and more inviting  :-/ :-X :-/
07/29/04 at 10:33:21
jannah
http://www.jannah.org/board/attachments/stargazer.jpg
stargazer.jpg

Re: The Wedding
lala
07/20/04 at 15:46:36
[slm] yes please post the guide..inshallah. my younger sister is also getting married but next year...and I"m dreading each and every moment in the planning stages. why dont people just get married in a park like I intend on doing .. :P kiddings aside..it all sounded beautiful... funny..but my sister has the same idea for the centerpieces..i thought she was crazy with the mirror thing but w/ kathy's description it sounds quite lovely. salaams

Re: The Wedding
Mona
07/21/04 at 05:47:11
[slm] masha'Allah it sounds like a beautiful wedding.  nicely written Kathy. more please ... take care wassalam Mona

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/21/04 at 10:30:09
The guests begin to arrive.... After my hubby and I had a cup of joe in the lounge we went back to the reception hall and found more people had arrived. I was very interested in seeing who was going to be there. Muslim weddings often have different mixes of people in regard to the secular way of life. I was pleasantly suprised to find the hall filled with mostly Muslim folk. Sure there were her college/ highschool friends, but it was obvious Se7en had surrounded herself with Muslims and these were the near and dear to her. I was a bit hesitant to go because (believe it or not) I am a rather shy person..initially. Combine that with the way born Muslims treat reverts... I knew it was going to be a tough nite for me, socially. I was also pleased to see that the family had divided and seperated the men and women. It was very well done, the way the tables were set up. I could still check out my hubby, because of his health, but it took an effort. I found a table with three Sis and asked if I could join them. 'Of course' they said with barely a smile or a salaam. So I sat down introduced myself and it became immediately clear they were not interested in any conversation! So I had the revert dilema once again... I thought about it and figured I was not going to go through a whole night with people who did not enjoy my sparkling personality...tee hee. So I just made some obvious lame excuse and went to another table... to sit all by myself. I sat there, alone, for the longest time. I wondered how my hubby was doing on the men's side. Alhumdullillah, it looked like he fit right in and was sitting with a group of men. I watched as the tables filled up and began feeling sorry for myself. Alhumdullillah, a sis who was also alone, came and sat next to me. She was so fabulous, she was Indian, and Subhanna Allah she had the gift for conversation! We hit it off immediately! Then Mohja, from this board, came over and introduced herself. My cyber family! I knew Siddiqui was there too, even tho I have never met him, I had asked him to be on the look-out for my hubby. I then began to look for Nur_al_Layl , Barr and Sophia, looking into each guests eyes and wondering if they were them!  I thought I saw Sophia a couple of different times, but alas she did not make it! It felt kinda nerdy when table conversation turned to "how do you know the couple?" Here I am, approaching my fifties, and saying we met on the web, aka, cyber friends. Funny, the younger folk thought it was not unusual, the ones my age and more were slightly incredulous and then intrieged! (sp...sorry) One very sad note tho. I think this was the first time I noticed I was getting old. I was double or more in age in relation to the gals at my table. When did that happen? Then I looked around the room, thinking I was one of these young chickie poos and finding I wasn't.... they all had the beauty of youth... Subhannah Allah, our men are very lucky to have such beautiful women to choose from for thier wives. Three women at the table were from Abu Hamza's side, but they did not know him well. Which bummed me, because I thought I would get alot of dirt and blackmail on him, stuff that I could use for years on this board! The wedding nikkah had not yet begin. I began to eye the appetizer table. It was on the men's side. It was now about 7:30 and this big gal was famished! I missed Ali... this is what kids are good for... to run from side to side to do our beckoning! I was really happy that children were not invited. So many a reception have been marred by unruley kids. Even tho se7en and jannah both wrote and said Ali could come (those gals have compassion for those of us on a limited budget!)... I did not bring him. I thought it was so special that they included my boy! Hmmm.. I just thought about that sentence about unruley kids... let me change that to ~parents who can't or won't take care of supervising their kids... Anyway, we all agree that none of us are brave enough to go over there to get some food. Lightening announces that we can... but our normal modesty and 'what will our dad, hubby,brother, neighbor,- think if we do', takes over. Alhumdullah, just as we say that.... waitresses appear with plates and plates of samouses (the biggest ones I have ever seen) and fried vegetables. They offer so many that I threaten the waitress not to come to our table again, with a wink.. they were too good! After more food and good conversation, Mohja is so dear....a hush comes over the ladies section. I look up as the shrill of a hundred ladies' tongues warble with the eastern sound that a great event is about to happen. I see a procession of beautiful women enter and go to the head table. Rose petels are being thrown into the air and softly falling preparing a path... The Bride arrives....
07/21/04 at 18:25:05
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
theOriginal
07/21/04 at 15:41:04
[slm] ooh sis Kathy...you left it at a cliffhanger. MashaAllah..congrats to the couple. Wasalaam.
07/29/04 at 10:32:16
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/21/04 at 18:15:47
[slm] Wait! The Groom came first! To be continued.....

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
07/21/04 at 18:35:19
[slm] Mashallah Sr Kathy, I was at the wedding myself, but I can't wait for your next installment! I cannot do justice to the wedding and write about it as beautifully as you have been doing, but perhaps, if you permit me, I can add a few thoughts and experiences from what it was like on the "other" side aka the brothers side  :) Subhanallah, for someone who usually doesn't give much thought to weddings, I must admit the anticipation was palpable in the days leading up to it. I never get really excited about weddings, but I must admit I was getting pretty amped up about this particular one.  Could any two better people be marrying one another? And to top it off, I had the privelege of knowing both of them! As Kathy mentioned, the weather that afternoon and evening was, relatively speaking, wonderful, considering that we had had constant and at times severe rain throughout the week. Rain had been forecast, but it never showed up. A good thing about being Muslim is that traditionally rain is seen as a blessing, so either way, whether it rained or whether it was sunny, it was going to be blessed weather. Alhamdulillah, it didn't rain. :) The whole day for me up to an hour or so before the wedding had been largely spent in riveting conversation with an amazing brother staying with me for the weekend. Interestingly, he was aware of the Madina and knew of many of you! He was rattling off all the names of all you guys! Legend is that he too posts on the board from time to time, but his mythic screen name escapes me! Lost in our reminiscing about the Madina, I failed to complete the only crucial task se7en's wedding planner (jannah) asked of me, to pick up the three plush chairs (the same ones Kathy described that would be used for the nikah) from their house and deliver them to the wedding hall. (jannah, I'm sorry, but that is why we were late to your house that afternoon). I felt terrible, but I even felt more terrible thinking about what the mafia was going to do to me. "You don't know what these people are really capable of when you cross them", I warned the brother, "what you heard about them in the Madina does not compare to the true reality of their ruthlessness." Thankfully, some responsible brothers picked up the slack and had taken the chairs to the wedding hall, so I was off the hook. I took off my bulletproof vest and placed it back in my closet, and we set off for the wedding hall. Sr. Kathy gave an exquisite description of the wedding hall, a description that, as I read it, pointed out to me the general difference between brothers and sisters regarding weddings. This is about as much as I can say about it: It looked nice, mashallah jannah you did a wonderful job. But I don't think I can go into any more detail than that. I even have one of those very same table flowers that Kathy described sitting on my kitchen table at this very moment, and I still couldn't describe them to you guys. :D What was a beautiful sight in the hall, (and something I did notice) was the sight of all those brothers on our side. A virtual "who's who" of our Muslim community in every respect, and we're not even talking about groom's contingent, who hadn't arrived yet. It's too bad Kathy, we never got to meet your husband. :( When the groom's party arrived, we were amazed to see such a large contigent. Brothers after brothers, some in thawbs, some in suits, some in other cultural garb, walked in, including one of Abu Hamza's shaykhs!. They had all come, all the way from Houston to be with their brother Abu Hamza! My Madinan companion, with his usual incisive style, pointed out that their large numbers were truly a reflection on the type of person Abu Hamza is, walhamdulillah. Leading the contingent was of course our very own Abu Hamza, doing his best to pull off the part of the modern Muslim groom in traditional garb, and mashallah, doing very well in his attempt. :) Oh yeah, and then the bride arrived, but who pays any attention to that?... ;) Back to you Kathy... [slm] :)
07/21/04 at 18:52:48
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
jannah
07/21/04 at 20:42:30
[wlm] u guys are so awesome... it's so nice to hear how the wedding was for other ppl... kathy btw we had a last minute change of where to put the appetizers, but u shoulda gone up :( looks like none of the women did that's why there was so much left over.. abdul basir you and ABU K*****'s names are on the mafia's blacklist...be afraid brother, very afraid..... imagine if we didn't get chairs.. where would the imam and the groom sit!!
07/29/04 at 10:34:40
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/21/04 at 21:10:53
I am so glad that you are adding to this story! It will add the other half's perception! [quote]amazing brother staying with me for the weekend. Interestingly, he was aware of the Madina and knew of many of you![/quote] Rumor has it it was the elusive Abu Khaled..... The Momma is not to happy that he did not find a way to make his presence known! Siddiqui said he would have been embarrassed if I went looking for him. I am sure you and Abu Hamza would have been too. And since you did not make yourself known to me.... Grr.... Be greatful my hubby was with me, otherwise I may have been holding airport driver signs with your names on it! Guess I am not old enough to look like an old aunty! Those flowers... they are still blooming on my coffee table. Each morning I am greeted with a beautiful reminder of their wedding. The aroma is still lingering with sweetness. The photo jannah posted does not do the Stargazers justice. They are incredibly beautiful. The red is deep red like the roses, the white outline is brillant white like the stars in the heavens. MashaAllah, Allah swt is The Creator. Back to the Groom's entree'vou... I too, was giddy about going to the wedding. I was looking forward to see what everyone on the board looked like, as they had my respect and were dear to me. I also wanted to check out some of the single bros' to see if they would measure up for a possible mate for some of my sis'! Earlier this month I asked se7en if there would be a moment I could see who Abu Hamza was. She assured me the moment would happen. Little did I know to what Grandeur he would appear.... As we were talking at our table some one hushed, "here he comes". It was like a parade of servants spliting the way for their prince. First came the men, just like AbdulBasir said. It amuzed me to see what they were wearing, as my hubby and I discussed suit, traditional or work for him. The variety was nice. Then came in a bunch of elderly aunty type women. I thought about Alladin and his entrance into the city...I was wondering  and waiting to see the prince's arrival. The women took their seats and were followed by sisters carrying large red velvet pillows coverd with  gold cloths. I can't even remember what the girls looked like... my fascination was wondering "what was on the pillows?". Never found out because all of a sudden .... Drum roll...Ta da.... there he was, the groom, Abu Hamza... Joining him on the throne, red plush velvet chairs were the Imam and Se7en's dad. The poor thing.... he kept his eyes soooooo lowered. He knew he was on display... and sorry to say, not many of our eyes were lowered, as we got our first look at the self proclaimed basketball star and the man stealing our beloved sis from NY. I can not say what he was wearing other than it was very stylish. A gold hat (help me...those of you who know the culture!). A beautiful well fitted long tuzedo gold military shoulder type long jacket. I remember his original post about what he would wear if he got married, this was nothing like it.... I wonder who or what changed his mind! He shown like a regal prince! But it was what happened next that endeared me to him and made him very hansome in a masculine stronghold. As he stood up on the platform, he did not have a "see me, look at me" type demeanor. He was humble and it looked as if he wanted to crawl inside the gold theater curtains. Instead, he turned to the man on stage next to him, later I found it was the Imam, and hugged him so long and deeply. It just gave me a sense of peace and an insight to his character. it was very touching. Then I watched as he greeted his soon to be father-n-law. It was the most honored heartfelt hug. So this is the time when many a lesser man get caught up in the "me" of the wedding and Abu Hamza was more into the "they"... Truely inspiring. It was my first 'look' , I am not big into appearances, but I saw what I was looking for. There was a light that shown from his face. At that moment I started to cry because I just knew that Se7en had done good. I began to think of the future of our Muslim generations and took a moment to thank Allah swt for this union. This was good. I would go into my analytical assessment of Abu Hamza's looks.... but I won't embarrass him... let's just say, Insha Allah , se7en will wake up to a hansome view every morning ;) All of a sudden I notice that Jannah, her mom and her sister n law have disappeared. The Prince was in waiting. Dad and the Imam are hushed but nervously smiling.....That only means one thing.... Se7en is about to enter.... The Princess was ready.... :-[[i]( :oI have jury duty tomarrow...so I may not be able to post... ::) Fill in the blanks and your perspectives.[/i]
07/21/04 at 21:22:45
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
bhaloo
07/22/04 at 01:27:11
[slm] Wow, what an incredible series of posts.  Don't leave me in so much suspense!!!   :o

Re: The Wedding
timbuktu
07/22/04 at 09:04:19
[slm] breathtaking I am waiting for the next episode, and wondering why I even try to be a writer.

Re: The Wedding
Abu_Atheek
07/22/04 at 12:54:23
[slm] [quote]next time u guys should actually COME instead of asking for second hand accounts[/quote] Whose wedding is next? :D  :D  :D

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
07/22/04 at 14:33:57
[quote]The Momma is not to happy that he did not find a way to make his presence known! Siddiqui said he would have been embarrassed if I went looking for him. I am sure you and Abu Hamza would have been too. And since you did not make yourself known to me.... Grr.... Be greatful my hubby was with me, otherwise I may have been holding airport driver signs with your names on it![/quote] [slm] Though we unfortunately did not get to meet you, rest assured Sr. Kathy, we truly felt the presence of Ummul Madina in the room :) [quote]Rumor has it it was the elusive Abu Khaled.....[/quote] Such rumors have little basis, for my Madinan companion bore no resemblance, for upon meeting him, he gave me a truly sublime and extensive introduction... Who my Madinan companion truly was shall remain a mystery, for the mystique of the man is central to the mystique of the Madina, and I made a pledge to him, a pledge under the fiscus tree, to safeguard his secret... (Abu Hamza, you were a bit busy at the time, so I pledged on your behalf too) ;) Anyways, back to the wedding...I think in the best interests of the narrative thread we have going on, it would be best if Kathy goes on with her description, for there is little I could say about the bride's arrival :) [slm] :)

Re: The Wedding
iqster99
07/22/04 at 15:34:09
sounds great.. i shoulda crashed the wedding and joined the fun (not THAT kind of crash Mr FBI) :-[

Re: The Wedding
bhaloo
07/23/04 at 02:30:03
[slm] AbdulBasir your account of the event is not upto the standards we have come to expect of you.  Perhaps the international many of mystery himself, Abu Khaled will answer the call and give a detailed account.

Re: The Wedding
tree
07/23/04 at 09:54:17
[slm] I just hope Kathy's jury duty doesn't last long...i *need* to know what se7en was wearing  :D
07/29/04 at 10:35:43
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/23/04 at 11:26:58
The main event was about to happen.  We knew it was going to be a matter of minutes before the Bride was going to appear.  All the main players had disappeared.  Momma se7en, Jannah, Lightning’s wife and other dear ones who were sitting at the long banquet table a few minutes ago. We were anticipating this moment with a high degree of giddiness.  Generally, the whole wedding is focussed on the brides arrival.  What does she look like?  Did she loose weight or gain weight? What is she wearing? What kinda head piece is she wearing?  What about her make-up?  What kind of shoes?  What does her henna look like?  What does her purse look like?  How much gold is she wearing?  What does the bridal gown look like?  Is it white or red or pink or blue like the ones she posted on the message board?  Will there be a niqab or veil? Is she going to have her hair all done up and will we see it or will she find a way to hijaby her gown? Those of us that are not into that kind of frilly stuff are wondering...   Is her mother crying?  How is her sister handling all this?  What will her demeanor be like?  Will she be shy or out going?  Will she search out her future hubby?  How is her dad handling this?  Will Abu Hamza watch her enter?  Will he adore her from lowered eyes?  Does he really want to look... but can’t?  Are her brothers shocked to see how beautiful their sis really is?  Are they thinking about calling the whole thing off?  Or are they finally glad to be getting rid of their pesky little sister? Who will she look for when she first gets there? Will she be in a hurry to sit down or will she bask in a parade of well wishers and her beauties? Will she follow the stupid current traditions and look like a bride'ho whore... with too much make up? Will I ever get a chance to talk to her?  Will I even recognize her?  Will she be able to eat?  Will she be part of the contract marriage ceremony?  She has just had three days of extensive social obligations and wedding parties... how exhausted is the poor thing? ([i]And the Grooms think they have it rough.... all they need to be concerned with ~ is safe guarding their shoes....[/i]) I look up as the shrill of a hundred ladies' tongues warble with the eastern sound that a great event is about to happen. I see a procession of beautiful women enter and go to the head table.  I glance over to see if Abu Hamza is watching... the poor thing didn't know what to do with his eyes... you could tell he wanted to look... really really bad, but was consoling himself that there would be time later... he chooses to keep a somber face, but I swear I can see a twinkle in his eyes and the ever so slightest smile on his face... Rose petels are being thrown into the air and softly falling preparing a path... The Bride arrives....
07/23/04 at 11:33:53
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
Barr
07/23/04 at 12:09:35
:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( I wanted to come! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( Awww... I feel I missed out on sooooo much! Mabrook to se7en and Abu Hamza... my du'as and thoughts are with you... I was thinking abt the wedding when i was stuck in Ottawa that day. I could only comfort myself, that alhamdulillah, it went well, and may it be the beginning of a journey full of barakah and rahmah. Ameen. And inshaALlah, I could also comfort myself that when its Jannah's turn, I don't have the Canadian immigration to worry abt. I'll just drag my hubby for the 5 hour drive :D (hey, how come there's no green smiley with the big teeth?) I can just imagine the hope, excitement and happiness when one completes half of their deen, mashaAllah. Yet, completing the other half with taqwa, will be challenging - and I pray both of you will find much sweetness and delight overcoming the hurdles together. Ameen With lots of love and du'a Wassalamu'alaikum warahmatullah wabarakaatuh :)
07/29/04 at 10:37:09
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Trustworthy
07/23/04 at 12:52:18
[slm]... ...drum roll please... *drrrrrrrrdrdrrrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrrr* Lets meet at ISNA. Yeah seriously.   PLEASE!!!!!!!  Jannah?  Se7en?  PLEASE!!!!!! *sigh..raises hand in du'a: "Ya Allah, Ya Rubbi, please make it possible for Jannah and Se7en to go to ISNA this year, please.......oh....and please make everything work out for the best that it would lead us to all into jannah.  Ameen." sigh*  "one more thing Rubb, Allahuma a'ini a'la dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni a'baadatik. Ameen." Ma-assalaamah.....
07/29/04 at 10:38:22
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Maliha
07/23/04 at 23:47:11
[slm] i haven't been strong enough to deal with the fact that I couldn't make it :'( i was sooo close...holding on to the stubborn optimism till the very last minute..I *will* make it! i just knew some way was gonna open, in the midst of this chaotic life of mine right now to make it possible for me to attend this most anticipated, joyous, blessed occassion.... but alas :'(  it wasn't meant to be :( to say i am dissapointed would be the understatement of the century. Subhana Allah, kheir Inshaallah. I have consoled my heart within the rhythm of duah, praying for the very best for both the radiant bride and the amazing groom. May Allah shower you both with blessings, open His doors of Rahma, Maghfirah and Guidance for every step of the beautiful journey you have embarked together...may He endow you with the most gorgeous babies who will grow up to be the pioneers and revivers of the Ummah..and most preciously may you and your loved ones meet amidst the thrones of dignity and endless bliss...amidst the healing breezes of Jannatul Firdaws (Amin). Mashaallah, never has a union made my Qalb leap with joy as the thought of you two together. May Allah increase you both in the most beautiful of dimensions (amin). sigh..i can't wait to see ya Se7en, maybe by that time you will be towing 7 little 7's and Abu Hamzas rocking da haus 8) aight you all are in my duahs:) And my compliments to ze wedding planner/THE true den momma/chillmistress ze Jannah :-) we shall meet again..*muahahhahahhahhahahha*  :P your sis in need of mad duahs ;) [wlm]

Re: The Wedding
AyeshaZ
07/25/04 at 03:42:58
deal [quote author=Kathy link=board=bebzi;num=1090240900;start=20#21 date=07/23/04 at 11:26:58] The Bride arrives.... [/quote] ahhhhhh Mamma modddddddd how could u stopppppp here!!!!!!!!  :'(  :'(  :'(  ;) ahhh se7en and Abu hamza, honestly words can't describe how happy we are for you :). May Allah(swt) put much baraka in the marriage, and insha'Allah you continue to love each other for HIS(swt) sake! ameen

Re: The Wedding
Ruqayyah
07/25/04 at 14:40:10
aw man, tha nice thing about reading posts late is that you don't have to wait for the ending, but alas, you've left us hanging once again sr. kathy! :-* mabrook to the new couple and their families! ***wooooooooooshhhh* <-----mad duas comin your way!

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
07/26/04 at 13:32:46
There was no mistaking that Se7en had arrived! The bride’s sisters, by family and Islam arrive first.  Many women stood up to get their first glance at Se7en as she walks through the door. I find this interesting because by nature it is a usual response.  Also, while this is happening, Se7en is being veiled from the men’s eyes as a result of all the women standing and blocking their view.  I am sure they could not see her arrive and it gave her the ‘screening’ she needed. I immediately look over to Abu Hamza and he stretches ever so slightly and then you can see him shaking the thought, to see her, out of his mind.  Well, she was going to be in his mind, but the view would have to come later. My first thought as I saw her was how beautiful.  It looked like she wanted to sit down as soon as possible and did not want to be on display either.  Jannah did a good job by placing the bridal table at the end of the room, where only the ladies could really see her.  If the men wanted a look... they would have had to search. Her dress was not any of the ones she had posted on the Madinat.  Similar in some ways, unique to her in all ways.  She looked beautiful.  I was sooo very happy to see that she did not go the bride’ho way.  If she had make up on, it was not obvious, in fact if she did, then whoever did it deserves kudos because she looked like the natural beauty that she is. Se7en choose a bridal dress which was a dark rose silk lengha with zardosi work all on the skirt and dupatta.  Over this she wore a three-piece tikka (kinda like a Spanish veil for those not aware of the traditional dress).  (thanks Jannah for the lingo!) It looked like there was gold embroidery throughout the dress. I was thrilled to see that she did cover her hair with a matching scarf.  Subhanna Allah I was so glad she covered.  (According to the wedding planner they found the material after an extensive search in NYC.) She carried a delightful metallic gold box purse with simple etchings.  She literally sparkled.  With the tea lights, candles and soft mood lighting accenting her, she had an ever so slight shimmer as she moved.  It was as if she was twinkling in the softest way.  She wore a modestly abundant amount of gold.  Sometimes I think of Mr. T when I see some brides.  Some brides wear too much, as if they are showing off.  Personally I think it is in poor taste when they do this. It looks garish and completely takes away from the bride.  Se7en was not this way.  She wore a proper amount of necklaces, rings and bracelets, along with the traditional head piece. The jewellery further complimented her and her gown. For modest reasons, I will only say that she was hennaed in the traditional ways.  It was a light henna, which was very appealing and delicate.  Se7en was so nervous... but in a strong way. It was comforting to see her demeanor.  You could tell she was thrilled and comforted that her husband was Abu Hamza. As she sat at the table she kept trying to get a peak at her soon to be hubby.  It was kinda cute to watch her.  She would peer, then you could tell she reminded herself to look down, but then her curiosity would pop up, she would sneak a look and then lower her eyes. Of course Abu Hamza was having the same kind of problems... Ah to be young again.  I reminded myself.  That romantic giddy, nervous longing.... The elder ladies had slight smiles on their faces as memories of our weddings came rushing to the forefront of our thoughts, while the young ‘ins were thinking of what their wedding will be like. The Nikah was about to begin... I think I see a bit of sweat on Abu Hamza’s brow....
07/27/04 at 02:33:58
jannah

Re: The Wedding
Nisa
07/26/04 at 19:43:39
[slm] warahmatullahi wabarakatahu JazakiAllah khair sis Kathy for your ever so intricate retelling of a most joyous and blessed event.  The way you have depicted each and every stage has been almost like we were all there to witness each moment as it happened. I remember when I first joined the board, the news of the wedding had only just been announced alhamdulillah  :-*  It's so wonderful to be able to be a part of things, maybe not in person, but this has to be the next best thing! SubhanAllah...back to the nik'ah..  :-[ [wlm] warahmatullahi wabarakatahu :-)

Re: The Wedding
Halima
07/27/04 at 04:10:37
[slm] Sis jannah, Sis Kathy, as usual, you are great when it comes to narrations!!!  Thank you dear Sis. May Se7en and Abu_Hamza have a wonderful like together, Ameen. [wlm] Halima
07/29/04 at 10:40:21
jannah

Re: The Wedding
M.F.
07/27/04 at 15:57:48
Assalamu alaikum, Thank you for the wonderful description of the wedding.  It sounds like a beatiful event where two beautiful people were united. You know what?  I had a dream just last night about se7en. I hadn't even been on the board let alone read about the wedding for a couple of weeks because I was away. I have no idea why she popped into my unconsious like that...  In my dream it was a little before the wedding and she was kind of freaking out and I was reassuring her.  I bet she's glad that part's all over!  ::) May Allah grant them happiness always!

Re: The Wedding
jannah
07/27/04 at 16:00:33
[wlm] Too bad we didn't send our star reporter Kathy to the waleema in TX.. that was fun as well. I'll give a brief synopsis: -Imam Salem kept making alot of marriage jokes and saying guys have to learn more about women and have to be sensitive to them and not say stuff like "u look like u've gained weight" and not to treat them like "one of the guys" -Some bro came up with his Texas drawl (we know that's how he really talks) and presented a real cowboy hat to my Dad in honor of his hugely popular texas bashing at the nikah ;) -A whole bunch of abu hamza's friends came up and got all emotional about how he WAS such a great guy and reminiscing etc. (AHEM he's not going anywhere, they're cryin like he's leaving 500 miles like se7en did!!) -They kept bringing up the fact that abu hamza could cook nothing!! -Some of se7en's friends got cowboy hats at the local wal-mart and wore them around nonchalantly at the wedding. It was quite amusing. Other than that alhamduilllah we had a great time. That good ole' southen' hospitalitee y'all know how it is...
07/27/04 at 16:02:28
jannah
http://www.jannah.org/board/attachments/grin.gif
grin.gif

Re: The Wedding
Trustworthy
07/27/04 at 20:54:29
[slm]... So sweeet. *sigh*  Alls well that ends well.  Al-hamdulillah.   Ma-assalaamah....
07/29/04 at 10:42:41
jannah

Re: The Wedding
bhaloo
07/29/04 at 02:21:26
[slm] Arsalan has a southern drawl?  cooll. From the descriptions, I can't believe how bad Arsalan got dissed with the cowboy jokes.  He must have felt embarassed, poor guy.  Where were his team to protect him? ???

Re: The Wedding
dhikr83
07/30/04 at 15:26:50
Arsalan's bad boys were up at the College Station Ranch rounding up all the zabiha cows. Apparently thats the local muslim hang out spot down south. I "reckon yall should go chek it out" ;)

Madina Marriage
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:35:00
[slm] Unfortunately, Sr, Kathy is unable to complete her narrative of the Madina Marriage, so she asked me to continue in the mean time. My lack of perception (and memory) precludes me from giving a detailed account of the rest of night, so apologies for that, but I will inshallah try to mention and reflect on a few things from the marriage ceremony and the speeches that were given by the shuyookh. So where were we? Ah yes, Abu Hamza was in the chair sweating :) … After a brief introduction by lightingatnite, who did a superb job all evening as the master of ceremonies, the nikah got underway as Abu Hamza’s brother beautifully recited the oft-repeated verses of Surah Rum, followed by a translation and commentary by se7en’s brother peaceman: [i]“Among His Signs in this, that He created you from dust; and then,- behold, ye are men scattered (far and wide)! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” [/i] It never ceases to amaze me that Allah SWT mentions marriage, not just as an example of His Signs, but mentions it alongside the magnificence of His creation. Before this verse, our very creation is described, as is Allah’s ability to bring the dead from the living and the living from dead. After it, we hear of celestial phenomena, and of the creation of universe. Things of such enormity, of nearly infinite proportions, of which we are continuously astounded and awed by day after day, and yet Allah SWT mentions the love between spouses alongside these vast things! Our souls are anxious, continuously searching for a peace and tranquility, on an endless journey. Allah SWT, out of His Mercy, has provided us with a place of rest on this journey in our spouses, where our souls find an element of [i]sakiina[/i] they are longing for. We go our entire lives, seeking peace, but we will never begin to reach towards it until we recognize the reality of what peace truly is. For it is only on the day of entering paradise, where we our greeted with [i]salaam[/i], that we will ever find what we have been looking for. Marriage gives us a fleeting yet profound taste of it, a taste that will, inshallah,  prepare and condition us for that day. Fittingly, in se7en’s brother’s commentary of these ayat, he spoke of the reality of the Aakhirah, and urged us to reflect on those unique initial foods, as reported in several narrations of Rasulallah [saw], that the inhabitants of paradise will get to taste. By this time, the room was silent, in anticipation. We were about to witness the establishment of a new Muslim home, a [i]maskan[/i], in which both Abu Hamza and se7en, by the permission and mercy of Allah, hoped to find [i]sakiina[/i]. Shaykh Mokhtar than began the nikah ceremony, with Abu Hamza sitting on his right, and se7en’s father on his left. It was appropriate that a shaykh of such recognized caliber sat between Abu Hamza and the wali of se7en. This was a man who both have learned from, a man who both deeply respected and revered. Indeed, and this is my own speculation, he was part of the reason that the two were committing themselves to one another, figuratively speaking, at the very least. For both Abu Hamza and se7en have such a love for seeking knowledge, and a love for the shuyookh; it was natural that such students of [i]’ilm[/i] and seekers of [i]tazkiya[/i] be brought together. With the elegant simplicity of this deen, se7en’s father proceeded to address Abu Hamza, following the lead of Shaykh Mokhtar, agreeing to marry his daughter to Abu Hamza, in accordance to the book of Allah and the sunnah of Rasulallah [saw]. Then it was Abu Hamza’s turn. Inadvertently perhaps, Shaykh Mokhtar began prompting Abu Hamza in English, and a quarter of the way through, stopped and said, “Let us do the Arabic first”, in a tender manner with a smile on his face, a smile that spoke volumes of his own relationship with Abu Hamza. To his credit, Abu Hamza was unfazed, recited the Arabic flawlessly, and then repeated in English, accepting to marry se7en in accordance to the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger. As Abu Hamza repeated the words after Shaykh Mokthar, the magnitude and depth of those simple words were perceptible to all those who heard them. The atmosphere of a nikah ceremony, as the groom recites those words, is similar to the one when a new Muslim recites, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. The hearts in the audience tremble and revisit the meaning of kalimah, as if it was also their own very first time. In many ways, the same phenomenon occurs during the nikah in hearing the groom’s words. There is this surge from the heart, where one is reminded of what Allah SWT has said: [i] “For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord” (Anfal:2) [/i] A marriage, the institution that can allow for the manifestation of Allah’s signs of love and mercy, is surely an event where the hearts respond, and those present cannot help but feel their faith strengthened. And in hearing Abu Hamza’s words, it reminds us all to do a reckoning of ourselves. Are our relationships truly according to the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger? Or have we reneged on the contracts that we have made with both our Creator and the creation? This was something one of our beloved shaykhs would remind us of later in the evening. Shaykh Mokhtar proceeded with a du’a to conclude, and soon enough all three were embracing one another, and a procession of friends and family soon followed, to congratulate Abu Hamza and his new father in-law…
08/01/04 at 10:51:28
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:37:30
Soon after, we prayed Maghrib (during which Abu Hamza's shoes were confiscated) and as we returned back to the hall, se7en's father came up to the podium to say a few words. Not something that would be unexpected in an event like this, but his words were not the standard sentimental, syrupy flavor one typically hears. After an initial thank you, and announcement that dinner would be served shortly, "Abu lightningatnite" went into an impromptu, off the cuff equivalent of a comedy routine. It was truly brilliant stuff, starting with his explanation of what a "Juha inshallah" was. I won't retell it here, but for those of you have ever read the stories of Juha (also known as Mulla Nasrudin), you probably have an idea. He then effortlessly moved into a witty lamentation about how he had hoped to meet Abu Hamza's friends, so he could say he had met and seen some real cowboys from Texas. But none of them fit the bill. "They told me all the cowboys have moved to Washington DC!", he quipped.  :D Dinner was subsequently served, and all the guests shared in the happiness of the occasion as they ate together. The cheerfulness in the air was more profound and meaningful to me when I considered the state of the Muslim ummah today. We find ourselves in times where the Muslims are divided, undergoing persecution and humiliation in all corners of the world. Our society and culture is crumbling and in disarray, our brothers and sisters toil in poverty and subjugation, and we find ourselves attacked from all angles. The situation often appears hopeless and dire; it is easy for us to fall in despair and depression. One might ask, how can one rejoice and celebrate when the world is how it is today? Why are we not responding to the sorry state the world is in? The answer to such questions would be that marriage in itself [i]is[/i] a response. A response of hope. And that is a reason to celebrate, for it reminds us of our hope in Allah SWT. Khalid ibn Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, the leader of the Muslim army, was once criticized in his time for his decision to marry soon after the battle of Yamamah during the wars of apostasy, where many Muslims and companions of the Prophet [saw] lost their lives. He replied that if sadness could resurrect his brothers from death, then his immense sorrow would be enough to bring them all to life again. He had thrown himself among their ranks so many times that he felt certain of his own death, to such an extent that he had given up the thought of living. Yet Allah spared him and took them. What could his sorrow accomplish? Khalid loved nothing more than fighting in the sake of Allah. He would say on another occasion that to hear the news of his own newborn child was less dear to his heart than sleeping in his tent on a cold windy night, preparing for battle. His marriage was not an indication of his love of this world. Allah knows, but perhaps part of Khalid's motivation in marrying was to respond to the distress of the situation with an action of hope in Allah SWT. For marriage gives hope and reminds us of the promise of Allah, even as everything around us appears to be falling apart. It gives us hope not only that we can change the state of our heart but also that we can change the state of the world through our offspring. Throughout the history of the Muslims, from the days of the Fitnah, to the days of the Crusades and the Mongol scourge, to the days of imperialism, the scholars and saalihoon have made one thing their paramount concern: to preserve the message of Islam and teach it to their children. Even when they found themselves shackled by oppression, they made sure that their children were nourished with the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger. Political processes, military maneuvers and economic agendas, while important, were secondary, for change would never come about until there was a generation, a generation of people of Allah, for whom Allah would change the state of the world for. Every time, for all time, there will be people from amongst this ummah who are truly people of Allah. That is a promise to us from Allah, and a promise to us that builds our hopes in continuing the process of both internal and external change. As Ibn al Qayyim said, the similitude of the heart in its travel to Allah is like a bird, with love at its head, and khawf and rajaa' as its wings. When done for the sake of Allah,  blessings like marriage condition and strengthen our head and our wings, so that bird may be skilled in its flight...
08/01/04 at 10:59:31
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:38:33
As dinner came to a close, we were honored and blessed to hear the advice of not just one shaykh, but three, and each gave advice in their unique and characteristic way. Shaykh Djafer came to the podium first, and he asked us the very question that many were asking themselves as Abu Hamza recited those words during the nikah. Are we complying by the agreements we have made? Are our marriages and other relationships being guided and practiced according to the book of Allah and His Messenger? He cautioned us to avoid complacency, to avoid taking anything for granted, to avoid being in a state where we forget to ask ourselves these crucial questions. It brought to the mind the words of Umar bin Khattab RA, “Reckon yourselves before you are reckoned”. Surely the individual and the community that does not reproach and correct itself will move towards disaster. Shaykh Djafer also mentioned how he had known se7en since she was a young child, and how he had only recently had the chance to meet Abu Hamza. But he said that an event happened the night before that gave him an idea of what Abu Hamza was all about. The night before the day of the wedding, Abu Hamza, with many of his friends, came to our local masjid to sit in the halaqa with Shaykh Mokhtar. That in itself bears mention, for how many brothers who are getting married the next day would you find in a class at a masjid the very night before? The topic was the fiqh of salah, and during the question and answer session, Abu Hamza asked the shaykh about an issue of man praying beside his wife to protect her, in a situation where she may be in danger if she prays behind him.“Ah, Not yet, yaa Arsalan! Not yet!”, replied the Shaykh with a smile. Here Abu Hamza was, about to be married, and what is he thinking of? Salah and protecting his wife! That spoke volumes, said Shaykh Djafer, of his character. I thought of the story of when Rasulallah [saw] was describing to the Sahaba the chaos and supernatural phenomena that would occur near the end of time before the Day of Judgement, where days and years would seem the same. And what was the first question and concern from the Companions? How would they pray the salah when time was distorted! Salah was always the first thing on their minds, subhanallah...

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:40:03
Shaykh Salem then came up, reminding us of the scope of the meaning of [i]hubb[/i]. He mentioned the statement of Ibn al Qayyim (I think it was him) on hubb, where he reflected even on the very sound of the word in Arabic. Hubb is composed of “ha” and “ba”, the first letter pronounced from the very bottom of the throat, the last letter pronounced at the very tip of the lips. All the other letters lie in between these sounds. Hubb, therefore, encompasses everything in our language, and even extends beyond our human means of expression. And this hubb is what exists between the married couple. What does that say then of the love of Allah and our [i]hubb fillah[/i]?   The shaykh then mentioned example after example from the married life of Rasulallah [saw]. So many in fact, that it would be impossible to even enumerate them all. One that particularly stuck in my mind was the following hadith: [i]Narrated 'Aisha: We set out with Allah’s Apostle on one of his journeys till we reached Al-Baida' or Dhatul-Jaish, a necklace of mine was broken (and lost). Allah's Apostle stayed there to search for it, and so did the people along with him. There was no water at that place, so the people went to Abu- Bakr As-Siddiq and said, "Don't you see what 'Aisha has done? She has made Allah's Apostle and the people stay where there is no water and they have no water with them." Abu Bakr came while Allah's Apostle was sleeping with his head on my thigh, He said, to me: "You have detained Allah's Apostle and the people where there is no water and they have no water with them. So he admonished me and said what Allah wished him to say and hit me on my flank with his hand. Nothing prevented me from moving (because of pain) but the position of Allah's Apostle on my thigh. Allah's Apostle got up when dawn broke and there was no water. So Allah revealed the Divine Verses of Tayammum. So they all performed Tayammum. Usaid bin Hudair said, "O the family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first blessing of yours." Then the camel on which I was riding was caused to move from its place and the necklace was found beneath it. (Bukhari)[/i] That Rasulallah[saw] not only made the effort to look for Aisha’s necklace, but was understanding and gentle with her, should be a lesson to us, the Shaykh said, because most husbands would have responded in the completely opposite way. And the end result of it all was divine revelation! Indeed, with every small act of kindness that we perform, Allah puts barakah in it and increases His blessings...
08/01/04 at 11:03:40
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:41:05
Shaykh Mokhtar was last, and only a fool would try to paraphrase his words, so I will not make an attempt. Sorry guys, but you just had to be there. ;) But just as Shaykh Djafer related an incident that gave us a glimpse of Abu Hamza, Shaykh Mokhtar related one that summed up what kind of person of se7en is. He recounted of the first time when he was in Masjid an-Nabi in the blessed Rawdah. Next to where he had found a place to pray, there was a structure on his right. He asked the guard nearby what it was, and the guard said, with impeccable adab and gentleness, "This is the minbar of Rasulallah [saw]." Shaykh Mokhtar then told of an incident in one of his classes, where he had been talking about the Rawdah, particularly the hadith, where Rasulallah [saw]says, "Between my house and my minbar is one of the meadows of the Garden¨. He then related to the class an additional text of the hadith in some narrations, which states "My minbar is over the Hawdh". The class was asked to reflect on the hadith, and se7en, already one the shaykh's finest students, said something to the effect that it was from the minbar that Rasulallah taught his Sunnah. The minbar overlooks the Hawdh. Therefore, to drink from the Hawdh in Aakhirah, one must drink from the teachings of Rasulallah[saw] and follow his Sunnah.  :o Subhanallah, Shaykh Mokhtar described this moment as one of [i]ilhaam[/i], and for a scholar like him to testify to that, that is truly something...
08/01/04 at 11:08:15
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
AbdulBasir
08/01/04 at 10:44:42
My Madinan companion (imagine what he could write about this!) spoke to one of the shaykhs that night, telling him that there was a saying from where he came from that the fruit falls close to the tree. The shaykh, in his humility, responded, “This tree is in need of nourishment.”   For those of us on the board, to hear of the shuyookh praising both se7en and Abu Hamza comes as no surprise I’m sure, for we have benefited from their knowledge and advice for many years now. I have no doubt gotten carried away in writing these series of posts about the wedding, but there was something within me today that prompted me to keep on writing and writing. Forgive me for crossing any boundaries of adab that I may have unintentionally crossed. My praise of the new couple is all based on what I have known from them; this is how they are in what is externally apparent, and that was testified in the words of the shuyookh and many others who were present at the wedding. For several years now, like many of you, I have benefited so much from the online and offline counsel from Abu Hamza and se7en. Hopefully, those who read the posts in this thread can get a glimpse into how truly thankful and appreciative we in the Madina are of them. Abu Hamza and se7en, may Allah bless you both and bring the two of you together in khayr. May Allah make your presence amongst each other be as gentle as the breeze of Tihama. In mutually surrendering to one another, may you help one another in surrendering your heart completely to Allah. And may you find success in both this life and the next by holding fast the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger, so that both of you drink from the Hawdh together from his noble hands. [slm]:)
08/01/04 at 11:09:44
AbdulBasir

Re: The Wedding
olive_tree
08/01/04 at 13:41:05
[slm] First of all much congrats to the sis se7en and bro Abu Hamza. May Allah SWT Bless  you both and the union immensensely. :-* :-* And thanks to both the reporters!  :-* The details are soooo good - makes us feel we were there. Jazak Allahu Khair. I know I am one of the quiet ones on the board but kept wanting to write to wish the best for the couple and to thank the reporters. But now with the entry from Bro AbdulBasir " It was truly brilliant stuff, starting with his explanation of what a "Juha inshallah" was. I won't retell it here, but for those of you have ever read the stories of Juha (also known as Mulla Nasrudin), you probably have an idea." I had to write to request this story plz...  :) I am familiar with Mulla Nasruddin stories but have not heard them in the longest while. It would be nice to hear some... they are funny but also could be quite profound...   :D Once again Best wishes to the couple and thanks to the reporters :) Salam :-)

Re: The Wedding
jannah
08/01/04 at 15:18:07
[wlm] what a beautiful series of posts.. im going to print them out and include it in their album.. maybe their kids/grandkids can read about the wedding lol :-X jazakallah khair for all the posts describing the speeches and events, I personally was running around most of the time and didn't get to feel all these things from a different perspective. thank you for coming and blessing our event with your presences and then allowing your reflections to benefit others. wlm,

Re: The Wedding
veiled
08/01/04 at 16:41:25
ALF MABROOK Sister Se7en and Brother Abu Hamza.........May Allah bless you always and in all ways.Insha'Allah. I'm not a regular here at Jannah but the news of your wedding was surely delighting and I must appreciate all the repoters who did their job so well.Thanks to all of you for sharing with us all the beautiful details.

Re: The Wedding
Nisa
08/01/04 at 18:56:42
[slm] JazakAllah khairan Br. AbdulBasir!  I was eagerly awaiting further reporting by sis Kathy and was delighted to see your entires today.  A beautiful account indeed. Ameen thum-Ameen to your du'aa.  :-* [wlm] Sis Nisa  :-)

Re: The Wedding
ibs81
08/05/04 at 01:31:12
[slm] Alhumdulillah I know Abu Hamza from Houston.  I got to attend the Walima at college station and Mashallah it was a nice ceremony.  The brother hood you felt there was amazing.  I am not so good with words but I will try my best.  First just like to say JazaakAllah Khairun to Abu Hamza for all he has done for me, Alhumdulillah.   Inshallah may Allah allow both him and Sr. Se7en to live a happy life together and let them both help each other gain the Mercy of Allah and fufill our lifes goals to enter Jannah.  You see I am not good with words, dont know how to articulate.  Anywho, Inshallah will see you again, hey we need to start up those Halaqas again  :).

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
08/05/04 at 11:46:31
[slm] Hey!! I go away fro a couple of days and the 'view posts' are down to 16. I was kinda hopeing my topic starter would hit the record high! ([i] not that i am into these kinda things...but as i watched the numbers grow... got a little excited, after all, i was one of those viewers who wondered why mems got into this kinda stuff[/i]) Just got back so in a couple of days, Insha Allah I will write about the wedding guest gifts, se7en's facial facades during the abu hamza's sweat producing time, I will explain the wording of 'tart' and finally esculades of jannah....soon. And the excitement the happened the moment we found out Abu Khaled was near... Gotta clean house, uh scrub house,after 8 days of not being home! Yoi!... se7en this is the real world of marriage... start training your hubby now! Learn from my mistakes!
08/05/04 at 11:49:39
Kathy

Re: The Wedding
sofia
08/06/04 at 07:40:56
[slm] I was soo disappointed I had to miss the wedding, but masha'Allah, these are great (not as great as actually being there...). May Allah bless you both, se7en and Abu Hamza, and join you both in good, and grant you the best in this life and in the hereafter, aameen!

Re: The Wedding
BroHanif
08/15/04 at 19:24:25
Salaams, Glad to hear that the wedding went ok. Apologies for the late reply to this thread. Anyway, I know it will work out best for both of yas 7 and AbuHamzah. My duas for you two. :-) Salaams, Hanif

Re: The Wedding
amatullah
08/19/04 at 17:08:21
[slm] ÈÇÑß Çááå áßãÇ..æÈÇÑß ÚáíßãÇ..æÌãÚ ÈíäßãÇ ÈÎíÑ.. May Allah's blessings be for you and upon you. May He unite you two in goodness. æÑÒÞßãÇ ÇáÐÑíÉ ÇáÕÇáÍÉ May Allah grant you the pious offsrping. Sorry about the delay.
08/19/04 at 17:14:28
amatullah

Re: The Wedding
se7en
08/23/04 at 13:56:21
as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I'm in Houston, TX right now.. watching the rain fall from our apartment window, and listening to the thunder rumble in the distance.. subhan'Allah, the last month has been such a flurry of changes, such a rush of emotions and new experiences, that it's hard to capture it in words. I pray you all are doing well insha'Allah :)  I've missed you :)   this thread is soo awesome.. I hope that everyone's experience at the wedding was as spiritual and beautiful as the messages posted here. alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah.. the wedding was so amazing.. it seems like so long ago :)  I remember certain moments so vividly.. standing in front of a mirror in the suite after getting ready, staring at my reflection.. not believing it was my wedding day.. seeing the hall for the first time, the beautiful arrangements made by my sister and sister-in-law with my favorite flowers so carefully placed.. the nasheed playing in the background and my friend's faces as I first entered, my mom and sister holding back tears.. being in the company of so many people that I love dearly.. the nikah ceremony itself happening so quickly, almost in a blur.. the speeches by my friends.. just everything.. every detail was so beautiful.. :) marriage is such a blessing.. every experience is magnified, every feeling tasted more intensely.. I don't know how to describe it except that it has been a seat for such peace, contentment and comfort in the ocean of trials and tribulations that face a person on a daily basis.. one month from the date of our nikah, we relaxed on a beach staring out at the gulf of mexico -- a place I thought my new york eyes would never see  :P -- waves ebbing and flowing beneath soft violet and pink hued skies, a sweet breeze against our faces.. afterwards we prayed maghrib at a nearby masjid, and as I humbled my face to the ground in sajdah I was overwhelmed with such intense gratitude to Allah.. more than I think I have ever felt before in my entire life.  totally undeserving of the things and the people Allah has blessed me with, totally undeserving of the shelter He has granted me, keeping me secure from the things so many others have been tried with.. and I can only pray that I become an outstanding 'aabidah, who may one day be worthy of the things I have been granted. I pray that each of you is blessed with a husband or wife that brings you happiness in this life and in aakhirah; who reminds you of your purpose and helps you along your way in this journey; and who brings, like a sweet breeze over water, coolness and comfort to your eyes. wasalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, 7 ps -- abu_hamza says salaam :)
08/23/04 at 14:47:21
se7en

Re: The Wedding
Abu_Hamza
08/23/04 at 19:36:38
Bismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem, [slm] First, I must praise Allah (swt), as He is truly deserving of all praise. Alhamdulillah.  Praise be to our Lord who created us from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from that pair brought forth multitudes of men and women.  Praise be to Him who created for us spouses from among ourselves, that we may dwell in tranquility with them, and put love, compassion, affection and mercy between our hearts.  Praise be to Allah until He is content, and Praise be to Him beyond His contentment. Then, I must say that may Allah accept the du'aas of all of you on this messageboard who have prayed for the well-being of me and se7en.  And as me and se7en witness your du'aas unfold right in front of our eyes, I pray that Allah (awj) reward you with the best of rewards, and bestow upon you the same blessings that we have enjoyed as a result of your du'aas.  I request to you to please continue to pray for us in the future. To those of you who came to our wedding, [i]jazakum Allahu khairan[/i] for sharing in our joy.  The wedding was indeed beautiful, as some have attested to already, and it was largely so because of the guests who attended it.  That means you! To those who wrote on this board describing the wedding, may Allah (awj) increase you in your eloquence and love for your brothers and sisters.  Your descriptions have touched many, and will never be forgotten by at least the two who got married that day in July, insha Allah. To all of you who have been waiting for me and/or se7en to write something - anything - on the messageboard after our marriage, I must apologize for taking so long.  But I'm sure that you will forgive us.  You see, there is a cloud up there above cloud 8, and it takes a while for one to climb down from it back to earth ;) Needless to say, we are taking our time  :P Allah (swt) proclaims marriage to be one of His [i]aayaat[/i], or signs.  And me and se7en have been witnessing this [i]aayah[/i] of Allah (awj) for a little more than one month now.  And indeed, it is an [i]aayah![/i]  It is nothing short of amazing to have two complete strangers, who never spent extended periods of time with each other, come together and begin to live and breathe as one soul.   It is a joy that cannot be described, but only lived and felt.  And it is a joy whose attainment is not credited to *anyone* except Allah (swt).  He himself has, as He says, "put love and compassion between" us.  And this is the only kind of love whose origin Allah (swt) explicitly assigns to Himself (with one exception, perhaps, wallahu a'lam)! Those of you who are not married but can get married, I hope you get to work pretty soon!  You don't know what you are missing out on :)  I say this not entirely in jest, for we are to love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves.  And wallaahi I would not even think of exchanging a moment of married life with years of being without my other half. As for those who cannot get married, I ask Allah (awj) to make it easy for you, to give you patience until it becomes possible for you to get married, and then to bless you with a wonderful spouse.  But rest assured, she will not be better than mine :P Take care. Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. P.S. I need to email some of you, especially the anonymous brother who attended our wedding.  Please forgive me for such a delay.  I have not forgotten about you.  Insha Allah I'll email you soon.
08/23/04 at 19:37:10
Abu_Hamza

Re: The Wedding
Kathy
08/23/04 at 21:54:59
Who else is smiling ear to ear after reading the last two posts?

Re: The Wedding
Ruqayyah
08/23/04 at 21:59:21
:'( *sigh* subhanallah alhamdulilah mashallah :) that's all i can say  :-*

Re: The Wedding
tree
08/24/04 at 05:40:48
[slm] it's really nice to hear from the happy couple, masha'allah.  very humbling. BTW, is it just me or do they sound like they've been married for a lot longer than a month  ;)  (they're like an old married couple already  :D)

Re: The Wedding
dhikr83
08/26/04 at 12:24:38
woaaaahhhhh awww u guys are sooo cuuuuute mash ;)

Re: The Wedding
nida
08/26/04 at 18:41:16
[wlm], All i can say is WOW! :-*  :-* :-*Subhanallah! You guys are really made for each other. Those two posts were really touching.

Re: The Wedding
dhikr83
08/27/04 at 01:33:46
u mean.. more like... barf bag??? hehe JUST KIDDING :D ya a buncha mushballs hehe sooo cute (??)
08/27/04 at 01:34:37
dhikr83

Re: The Wedding
Twilight
08/27/04 at 07:52:08
[slm] Firstly i would like to appologise for the late post i have been in Pakistan for a month so have been unable to post. :-* Congratulations  :-* se7en and Abu Hamza may Allah SWT make your marriage happy always. [wlm] T PS Momma and Bro AbdulBasir, Thank you sooo much for your account of the wedding it made me feel as if i were there in person to witness this happy occasion. :)

Re: The Wedding
eleanor
08/27/04 at 16:53:14
[slm] *blush* I have just been re-reading this thread and didn't discover any post by me!! I can't believe I never posted yet! I am so embarrassed, but believe me, I had niyah to post - I am such a foo'!! se7en and Abu Hamza, I am so happy to hear that you are happy together and that Allah has blessed your marriage with so much joy and peace. Insha Allah you will remain so for the rest of your lives. You two were always among the first to answer any queries I had and I was so touched by your kind, calm and intelligent responses. Masha Allah you are so perfectly suited to each other. The wedding sounded soooo beautiful! I can't believe a month has gone by already! Subhan Allah. Sorry again for the late reply. Put it down to my dunderheadedness and my ..err.. condition...  :( wasalaam eleanor

Re: The Wedding
humble_muslim
08/28/04 at 00:11:08
AA Abu Hamza, I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy for you both! Smiling from ear to ear?  I still haven't stopped smiling yet!  And I really hope and pray Inshallah that your cloud 9 lasts a long, long, time...
NS

Re: The Wedding
se7en
08/30/04 at 12:30:14
as salaamu alaykum, [quote]u mean.. more like... barf bag hehe JUST KIDDING   ya a buncha mushballs hehe sooo cute (??) [/quote] ummmmm don't be jealous.. just say masha'Allah  8)  don't worry, one day you will be blessed with a spouse too, bi'ithnillah.. maybe he'll be even more of a cowboy than abu_hamza :o salaamu alaykum  :)
08/30/04 at 12:32:08
se7en

Re: The Wedding
dhikr83
08/30/04 at 17:21:27
if i ever become that openly mushy... someone please shoot me :-/

Re: The Wedding
timbuktu
08/30/04 at 17:53:12
[quote author=dhikr83 link=board=bebzi;num=1090240900;start=60#61 date=08/30/04 at 17:21:27] if i ever become that openly mushy... someone please shoot me :-/[/quote] beware, pride comes before the fall! :)
08/30/04 at 17:53:59
timbuktu

Re: The Wedding
Starlite
08/31/04 at 15:27:16
[slm] I have been a lurker here for quite a few years, but just had to register in order to congratulate Se7en and Abu_Hamza both of whom I hold in great esteem. The excellent character of both is reflected in their insightful posts, esp. Se7en. May Allah bless their lives together, Ameen. And jazaks for the beautiful description, Kathy, it brang tears to my eyes! And of course the credit for this beautiful wedding goes 2 our awesome sister, Jannah!! :-*Congratulations :-* [slm] Starlite  :-)

Re: The Wedding
jannah
08/31/04 at 15:45:03
[quote author=timbuktu link=board=bebzi;num=1090240900;start=60#62 date=08/30/04 at 17:53:12] beware, pride comes before the fall! :)[/quote] It's always those sisters who are anti-mush that become the mushiest... and all those anti-pda bros/sisters just wait... LOL :-X
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