Leaving Today

Assalamualaikum,

InshaAllah we’ll b leaving today for Umrah.Befr leaving just wantd to update few things.We’ll start today after Maghrib by bus and InshaAllah Friday early morning we’ll be at the Miqaat. Just waiting anxiously for that moment when i’ll standing infront of BaitAllah.I simply cant express my feelings of joy as i’m typing this post.Yesterday 90% packing was completed and remaining inshaALLAh will b done by noon.

The only work left is cooking so that we dont hav to eat outside during the journey by bus.Its worth a lil extra work rather than ending up hungry if the bus doesnt stop at our hunger pangs.

Rest i’ll update when i’m back InshaAllah.

Gajar ka halwa

This is one sweet which I cant say “No” if offered.

And my food processor makes my work easy by grating the carrots very fast and fine. Today It was almost the time my hubby returns frm office n i wanted to give him a Gajar ka halwa surprise coz he likes it too.And to my luck my kid was sleeping then. I went into the kitchen, closed the door n grated the carrots so that my kid doesnt wake up.(his hearing is too sharp even while hez sleeping )I also used beetroot along with this and it gives a very rich colour and also improves the flavour of the dish.You cannot make out that u hav added beetroot if cook perfectly. Then i finished the recipe by the time my hubby was home. It nearly took me half n hr frm the grating to the end.Herez the recipe.

Carrots-1/2 kg(finely grated)

beetroot- 2 (grated)

Milk-1/2 lt

condensed milk-1/4 cup

sugar- 1/2 cup

dry fruits- 1/4 cup (cashews,almonds,raisins)

cardamom powder-1tsp

khoya/mava-optional

Ghee-2tbsp

procedure:

Add the grated carrots into a heavy bottomed pan and let it cook till all the water is evaporated.keep checking so that the carrots dont get burnt. Now add the milk and cook on medium flame for 5 mins or till the milk is absorbd and the carrots get soft.Add the sugar and the condensed milk and let it cook for 10 min stirring regularly.

Meanwhile heat 2 tablsp of Ghee and lightly brown the dry fruits.

Now add the khoya(i didn’t use since i didnot hav it at home),cardamom powder and the dry fruits to the carrots and cook on low flame for another 5 minutes.Your Carrot dessert is ready.

Tips:

U can use red food colour if u r not using beetroot.

I used evaporated milk with cardamom flavour instead of adding cardamom powder separately.

I also tried using vanilla essence but i prefer cardamom over it.

 

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)at Burjuman Centre

Ammaar on a ride

Ammaar laugh

Ammaar’s Haircut

This is his first haircut which i did without anyone’s help else it is always my hubby who does this job and I assist him by holding my kid.The first successful experiment on Ammaar

Rise Oh Mankind!

This is one of my poems with a short and direct message for the rise of the muslim ummah before its too late… 

The days go on and on

There is no pause on the time

the days seem long but indeed are short

this is what our deeds have brought

“The Hour” is nearing us

no time for fantasies

time to check ourselves

else lift the burden of sins

Sins are easy to gain

goods deeds are too difficult

the satan sings this in ur ear

but, to him give no hear

The minute you have is precious

utilise it for the best

serve the poor and be just

Allah will take care of the rest

Pay attention to the Lord’s words

pray to Him as taught

things will happen as ordained

lest Allah wants it to be changed.

Rise in Rice??????

Oh my!!!!!! wat a bad news to add up to the budget planner. This year has already startd with price hike in almost all grocery items throughout the Emirates  and now this additional feather in the cap…

India bans all rice exports (Khaleej Times Online)
By Issac John (Deputy Business Editor)2 April 2008 DUBAI — India, the largest rice supplier to the Gulf, yesterday imposed a ban on rice exports, a move which is feared to stoke food inflation and make the commodity scarcer in the UAE and rest of the region.

Yesterday’s total ban on all types of non-basmati rice, including the popular Palakadan Matta and Thanjavoor Ponni, is part of an effort by India to control inflationary pressures on food items and essential commodities. Besides a rice export ban, India, after an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday night, has reduced import duties of edible oils.

But the dramatic measure has caught UAE’s rice distributors and retailers unawares as the rice stocks available would not last for more than seven days. India accounts for more than 50 per cent of UAE’s rice imports. Indian rice export to the UAE is around 120,000 metric tonnes per month.“There is going to be an acute shortage of rice supply and also a sharp price rise. Aggravating the supply shortfall from India is a slowdown in exports from Pakistan and Thailand,” said Anish K S, Brand Manager of Nirapara, a leading distributor. The price of US-style Thailand rice has almost surged by more than 70 per cent, from Dh40  to Dh70  per 20 kilo bag following the news of Indian export curbs.Food inflation in the UAE, where the core inflation is estimated to be hovering above 10 per cent,  has been on an upward spiral over the past 12 months, partly due to a sharp plunge in the value of dollar to which the UAE currency is pegged. Experts said the move to ban rice exports could have an impact not only in Gulf  but also on global rice prices as India is the third largest exporter of the grain, exporting about four million tonnes annually.The Indian government  also set the minimum export price of India’s premium rice, Basmati, at $1,200 tonne and also extended the ban on export of all pulses for another year.To combat food inflation, India has been imposing certain restrictions  over the past six months on rice exports by increasing the export price of non-basmati rice to combat food inflation. The price of such rice was increased from $650-$1,000 per tonne last month alone. The move had impacted the prices in the UAE with the price of basmati rice increasing almost three-fold from Dh3.50 per kilo to Dh9-10 in six months.

Imaan (Faith)

 

 

 

Herez a short summary of wat is faith in Islam and its characteristics.

Foundation for Imaan is belief in Allah,His Books,His Prophets,His angels,The day of Judgement and Al Qadr(Destiny)
> Imaan increases and decreases according to our actions and intentions
> For a strong Imaan balance in LOVE, HOPE AND FEAR OF ALLAH is required
> “Call upon Him in Fear and Hope”(Al Quran,Surah Ar’af:56)
> Say you ‘If your fathers, and your sons and your brothers and your wives and your clan and the wealth of your earning and the trade of which you fear loss and the houses of your choice, these things are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and the struggling in His path, then wait till Allah brings His Command. And Allah guides not the disobedients.(Al Quran,Surah Tauba:24)
> Ways to increase ur Imaan

 

# Observing Allah’s Commands
#Total and Detailed Actions
#Developing love and fear of Allah
#Remembrance of Allah
#Contemplate the words of Allah and the Prophet (pbuh) while reading
Quran and Hadith
#Remember death which is inevitable
#Doing good deeds openly and secretly
# Self analysis every night before going to sleep
# ask forgiveness for ur sins because ALLAH IS OFT FORGIVING AND MOST
MERCIFUL.

Every person has fluctuations in his/her Imaan but unless we ponder
upon Quran and Hadith and keep ourselves updated with what our Rabb
wants from us , how He wants us to worship him? How can we seek His
Pleasure?…we will never know our sole purpose in this World,ie.,to
worshipALLAH…According to a Hadith of Prophet (pbuh),” When u see
something wrong stop it by ur hands(action), or atleast by
words(tongue) if not atleast consider it wrong in ur heart and this is
the weakest Imaan..
Now the Que arises Which category do we belong to Highest?Middle?
Weakest? OR None of the above?????
In our present society we see many things going wrong before our eyes
and instead of stopping it we dont even feel it wrong at our
hearts….we take it for granted.”Oh yeh to aajkal common
hai …chalta hai … aajkal sab baaton par kaun amal karega…its
better we practise first and then we’ll stop others”….these r some
of the excuses we have with our muslim ummah when asked about dawah or
islaah.
It is the responsibility of every muslim to know, understand and
practise Islam…We just cant wait till some one comes and enquires
something about Islam, instead we should learn to create an
opportunity from any situation  we come across for propagating dawah
and islaah by wisdom ,insha allah.
May Allah accept our intentions and works for the sake of Islam and
May Allah help,protect and save all muslims from the oppression of the
Kuffaar. Ameen.