“There’s no point in having a plan B, because it only distracts from plan A.” – Will Smith

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She came out of nowhere, and my first instinct was to grab my purse that I had left on the floor lest she run off with it. She just sat at the neighbouring bench quietly and watched my friends and I laugh and enjoy our last night out of the year together. This was the second time I saw her at the same place, and she couldn’t have been more than 5.

Every few minutes or so, a giggle would escape from her and I felt my heart break. This child had her childhood robbed from her, being brought into this harsh world and left alone to live a life of poverty and begging. I invited her to join us, and she willingly accepted, and she played and jumped and laughed so hard it made my heart hurt once again. I just kept thinking about where her mother would be, and I felt so guilty for making her feel like a criminal when she first approached us. She just wanted to be a child.

Live. Laugh. Love.

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Photo by Mr. Zee (click on photo)

Whenever I check-in for my flights, I always pick a window seat. I don’t care how far back it is, how far away from the bathroom the seat is, how long I have to wait later when I’m getting off the plane, or anything. I just enjoy looking out the window when I’m travelling and seeing something as exquisite as what’s in the photo above. It reminds me of a perfect winter day, it reminds me of cotton candy, and on a more serious note, it reminds me of how Perfect our Creator is to create such a wonder. Isn’t Allah just amazing? SubxanAllah!

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The Idea Camp – Scott Harrison from The Idea Camp on Vimeo.

Phenomenal!

(Thank you, Ahmed).

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Innaa lillaah wa innaa ileyhi raajicuun. To Allah we belong and to Him is our ultimate return. Sheikh Muhammad Rashad, one of the great scholars of Islam and my uncle, passed away earlier today while he was performing pilgrimage.

They say that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone and they couldn’t have said it better. Sheikh Muhammad Rashad was a father figure to all those that knew him, whose constant words of wisdom and advice commanded full attention. His undying effort to build a place where we can call home and worship Allah the way that He should be worshipped, and his dream to better the community is definitely something that cannot be replaced.

It was just a short two months ago when I was at Masjid Assalam on the 27th night of Ramadan where the Sheikh, may Allah have mercy on his soul, urged the community to give for the sake of Allah and reminded us that the masjid that he built does not belong to him, but belongs to Allah and that it is our duty to fulfill the work needed for the mosque. I truly hope that these words resonate within our community and that we continue the work that he has left behind.

Although this is a great loss for people all over the world and especially for his family, those in Masjid Assalam and the general Ottawa community, he couldn’t have died a better death and that brings me a semblance of happiness. We are all going to leave this cold place of temporary existence at one point or another, none of us knowing when that moment is, but we can only wish that we too will someday die a very honourable death while we fulfill our obligations to The Most High.

May Allah rest Sheikh Muhammad Rashad’s soul in peace, make wide and cool his grave, forgive his shortcomings, and give us all patience and a high level of faith during these difficult times. Ameen.

Sheikh Muhammad Rashad (may Allah have mercy on his soul)

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