My farewell ma3assalama party 2013 ..:((((((((((((((

 

 

 

 

  

 

I BID YOU FAREWELL KSA :((((((((((((((((((((((

As my journey in the magical Kingdom nears the end, my eyes well up with tears and my heart suddenly has an inner sadness. Four and half years in this country has passed by like water. I guess time flies when you really having lots of fun. When I left South Africa towards the end of 2008, I was told by many out there including family members that I am making the biggest mistake of my life by leaving behind a fantastic job and of course my beautiful home and family environment. I always believe though that what God ALmighty has ordained for us will undoubtedly happen and in the long run it will be the best decision and outcome for us. I can still remember the day I landed in Riyadh city foR the very first time and was escorted to the hospital office at the airport where I was introduced to members of the hospital human resources department. Arriving at the hospital for the first time was quite an overwhelming experience in itself as I had never seen such a huge hospital before in my entire life. The first three months at work was difficult of course as I was dealing with staff members that hail from various differing cultural backgrounds. I remember being asked by my supervisor to dispense medication at the window and naturally I was terrified as I did not know a word of Arabic. My patients would become aggressive because I did not understand them and of course I could not really blame them for displaying such behaviour because I would be equally frustrated if I had been in their shoes. I then decided to take up a course in Arabic and after being able to converse with my patients and interact with them on a personal level, I started enjoying my profession even more. I was flabbergasted with the state of the art technology and equipment at the hospital. I never knew that such technology existed in the world. I had to accustom myself to a completely Amercanized pharmaceutical system as opposed to a British system we have in South Africa. The entire experience though has been well worth it. Whilst I do know of many individuals who came to the Kingdom and left as fast as they arrived, I on the other hand wish that I could have lived here forever. The place undoubtedly grows on you. Along my journey I met many kind and amazing individuals. I have also come across rude and impolite people but they are simply there to remind us of how we shouldn't be towards another human being. They become a part of our learning process. I met people from all walks of life and from various socio-political backgrounds. I have learnt about different cultures and customs and I have had a chance of tasting cuisine from other parts of the world. Traveling has changed my mind set and has allowed me to view the world in a different light. I would like to take this opportunity in thanking all my friends and colleagues for their unconditional love and support and for treating me like a sister. To Dr. Muhammed Al shennawy, you were not only a manager but also a friend and mentor. You are the most fair and unbiased manager I have ever worked with. To Rola, Saleh, Minette, Hanna and Sayed- I am really blessed to have worked with a fantastic team, a group of professional individuals that made my work environment a pleasant one. Medical professionals spend most of their day at work and hence colleagues become family. You were my family here in the Kingdom. To the unit dose night staff, I will truly miss our conversations. I will miss sharing the Umm Ali and other yummy items the kitchen staff would send for me with all of you. To brother Farooq for sending me a cup of chai Sulaimaniya every night when I'm on duty. To Qamr and Sheida bhen for being the sisters I don't have. Whenever I needed help with anything you were always there for me. Both of you have taken the liberty to assist Indian and Pakistani expats that have serious financial and passport related issues. I salute both of you for carrying out this noble task. May Allah reward you in abundance for all your efforts. To Nazeem and Zubeida I thank both of you for being my family in the Kingdom. I can never ever forget you Zubs for always preparing all my Ramadhaan savouries and filling my freezer. You were like an elder sister to me. To brother Saleh and baba, thank you so much for always arranging a vehicle so that I could get around Riyadh comfortably to do my errands. For this I will always be indebted to both of you. To brother Fawwaaz for being my 'door keeper.' I am sure you could hear me making my way down the corridor with my high heels 'tok tok tok tok tok' and you probably thought to yourself she is going to come up to the window again and say " open for me." No matter how many times I bothered you, you always assisted me with a huge smile. To brother Hasan, whenever I see a Bollywood dance on television I will think about you as you always use to tease me about Indian dancing saying that Indian dancers do the steps way too fast for your eyes to pick up the moves..Your actions were always hilarious and made me burst into laughter. A special thank you to brother Shuaib, who has assisted me tremendously in my new business venture that I will be undertaking in South Africa God willing. Thank you for all your advice and for encouraging me in taking this opportunity. As I write this letter, tears roll down my eyes at the thought of knowing that I may never see my best friend again. To Faraz, thank you for being my best friend forever. You were the first person I met when I arrived in the Kingdom and over the past few years we shared everything together. In fact even my mom will miss you tremendously as you would always take her out when she was in the Kingdom. I do not think that I will ever find a friend like you. You have stood with me through thick and thin. You have supported me in everything I did. I wish you all the best in your new career and I hope to visit your country very soon when I get the good news of your 'shaadi'. To those of you out there who are thinking of embarking on a career move outside of South Africa, my advice to you is this: Don't let other people influence you because everyone's experiences are different. Take up the challenge and the opportunity and experience it for yourself. Embrace change. Change is good. Change allows us to grow. I am sure many of you out there must be thinking " Gosh, if she really loved Saudi Arabia and her job, why is she returning to South Africa?" The answer is simple. Whenever God Almighty blesses us with an opportunity to improve ourselves we should grab that opportunity with both hands. I never ever envisaged myself being a business woman one day and here I am on the verge of owning my own pharmacy. I see this as a challenge and an opportunity to be a productive member of society. I pray that God Almighty makes my business venture a success so that I can be a vehicle in assisting the many poor and unfortunate souls out there. This is the aim and intention in having my own business. Whilst an inner sadness lurks within me, I know that the experiences of this land of shifting sands will always remain embedded deep inside my heart, mind and soul forever. I came.I saw. I conquered.

SAY NO TO VALENTINE'S DAY

As Valentines Day approaches, restaurants and hotels aross the globe would be offering one promotion after the other to entice couples to share that special day with the love of their life. Malls will be packed with men and women rushing to buy chocolates, gifts, jewellery, balloons, sexy lingerie and various other items all in the name of love. So where exactly does Valentines day originate from and is it permissable to celebrate Valentine's day from a religious point of view? It is quite interesting to note that all of the Abrahamic religions do not condone the celebration of Valentines day. According to the Christian website,'The restored church of God', St. Valentine’s Day is another attempt to “whitewash” perverted customs and observances of pagan gods and idols by “Christianizing” them. As innocent and harmless as St. Valentine’s Day may appear, its traditions and customs originate from two of the most sexually perverted pagan festivals of ancient history: Lupercalia and the feast day of Juno Februata.
Celebrated on February 15, Lupercalia (known as the “festival of sexual license”) was held by the ancient Romans in honor of Lupercus, god of fertility and husbandry, protector of herds and crops, assisted by Vestal Virgins, the Luperci (male priests) conducted purification rites by sacrificing goats and a dog in the Lupercal cave on Palatine Hill, where the Romans believed the twins Romulus and Remus had been sheltered and nursed by a she-wolf before they eventually founded Rome. Clothed in loincloths made from sacrificed goats and smeared in their blood, the Luperci would run about Rome, striking women with februa, thongs made from skins of the sacrificed goats. The Luperci believed that the floggings purified women and guaranteed their fertility and ease of childbirth. February derives from februa or “means of purification.”
To the Romans, February was also sacred to Juno Februata, the goddess of febris (“fever”) of love, and of women and marriage. On February 14, billets (small pieces of paper, each of which had the name of a teen-aged girl written on it) were put into a container. Teen-aged boys would then choose one billet at random. The boy and the girl whose name was drawn would become a “couple,” joining in erotic games at feasts and parties celebrated throughout Rome. After the festival, they would remain sexual partners for the rest of the year. This custom was observed in the Roman Empire for centuries.
In A.D. 494, Pope Gelasius renamed the festival of Juno Februata as the “Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.” The date of its observance was later changed from February 14 to February 2, then changed back to the 14. It is also known as Candlemas, the Presentation of the Lord, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. After Constantine had made the Roman church’s brand of Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (A.D. 325), church leaders wanted to do away with the pagan festivals of the people. Lupercalia was high on their list. But the Roman citizens thought otherwise.It was not until A.D. 496 that the church at Rome was able to do anything about Lupercalia. Powerless to get rid of it, Pope Gelasius instead changed it from February 15 to the 14th and called it St. Valentine’s Day. It was named after one of that church’s saints, who, in A.D. 270, was executed by the emperor for his beliefs.According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in early martyrologies under the date of 14 February. One is described as a priest at Rome, another as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and these two seem both to have suffered in the second half of the third century and to have been buried on the Flaminian Way, but at different distances from the city…Of the third Saint Valentine, who suffered in Africa with a number of companions, nothing is further known.” Several biographies of different men named Valentine were merged into one “official” St. Valentine.
The church whitewashed Lupercalia even further. Instead of putting the names of girls into a box, the names of “saints” were drawn by both boys and girls. It was then each person’s duty to emulate the life of the saint whose name he or she had drawn. This was Rome’s vain attempt to “whitewash” a pagan observance by “Christianizing” it, which God has not given man the power or authority to do. Though the church at Rome had banned the sexual lottery, young men still practiced a much toned-down version, sending women whom they desired handwritten romantic messages containing St. Valentine’s name.
Over the centuries, St. Valentine’s Day cards became popular, especially by the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These cards were painted with pictures of Cupid and hearts, and meticulously decorated with lace, silk or flowers.

Dr. Su`ad Ibrahim Salih, professor of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) at Al-Azhar University mentioned that there are forms of expressing love that are religiously acceptable, while there are others that are not religiously acceptable. Among the forms of love that are religiously acceptable are those that include the love for Prophets and Messengers. It stands to reason that the love for Allah, and His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) should have the top priority over all other forms of love.Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, and add spice to their lives. However, Islam goes against blindly imitating the West regarding a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Hence, commemorating that special day known as the Valentine’s Day is an innovation or bid`ah that has no religious backing. Every innovation of that kind is rejected, as far as Islam is concerned. Islam requires all Muslims to love one another all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected. Hence, we Muslims ought not to follow in the footsteps of such innovations and superstitions that are common in what is known as the Valentine’s Day. No doubt that there are many irreligious practices that occur on that day, and those practices are capable of dissuading people from the true meanings of love and altruism to the extent that the celebration is reduced to a moral decline.

When a Jewish Rabbi was asked about his opinion with regards to celebrating St. Valentine's day this is what he stated, ' From Jewish perspective, Valentine’s Day, like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is nonsense. Because we don’t need a special day for any of this. If on February first you decide you should send a friend a card to say I love you, or you want to buy your mother flowers, a Jewish person does not need to wait until a specific day. But what if you absolutely want to send someone flowers, chocolates or a card on Valentines day specifically? There are a few issues with this that are raised by the Rama in the Shulchan Oruch (Code of Jewish Law) based on the Rama’s criteria as to what constitutes a secular holiday which a Jew may not follow. It would seem because of the vagueness of Valentine’s day and the way in which it is observed it does not constitute a violation of the law according to some Rabbis. However, it is not in the spirit of the law to practice such a thing.
My advice has always been: send chocolates, flowers, and/or a card the day before Valentine’s Day saying; “I wanted you to know I love you so much that I could not wait an extra day.” '

A Christian preacher in the USA expressed his views with regards to celebrating Valentine's day and in my opinion he has summed up this subject matter in quite an apt manner. This is what he stated, " Parents today expect their little ones to “fall in love” and have boyfriends and girlfriends. They think it is “cute” when little boys and girls hold hands and act like a couple, sneaking a kiss or two when no one is watching. Some parents get worried when their kids do not show romantic interest in the opposite sex. They constantly ask them, “Do you have a boyfriend yet?” or “Who’s your girlfriend?” Yet these same parents are surprised when their teen-aged “little girl” gets pregnant. Or catches a sexually transmitted disease. Or gets an abortion behind their back.
St. Valentine’s Day is just one of many tools the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4) uses to get parents to sacrifice the innocence of their children.
When little boys and girls draw each other’s names in a lottery and send Valentine cards and gifts to each other, declaring their “love,” they are learning the first stages of intimate relations that the Creator God designed specifically for emotionally mature adults. Instead of embracing the carefree innocence of youth, growing up without the headaches and heartaches of adulthood (finding a job, paying bills, marriage, raising a family, etc.), children today are taught to lust after each other. They are caught up in a daily drama of “If-you-loved-me-you’d-sleep-with-me; I’m-pregnant; It’s-not-mine, she-had-an-abortion.” By the time they reach adulthood, virtually every shred of innocence, sincerity and moral decency has been stripped from them. Emotionally drained, they have world-weary, “been there, done that” attitudes. And their lives are just beginning.
This is why we live in a world where a teen-aged virgin is a rare find. Where what used to be called “shacking up” and “living in sin” is now simply “living together.” Where sex is nothing more than meaningless physical recreation—no emotional attachments, no cares, no concerns. Where people change sex partners as conveniently as they change clothes. Where unmarried twenty- or thirty-somethings have had at least five sexual partners—and that is considered a low number, especially in the United States. Where men are not referred to as “my husband,” or “my fiancé,” but as “my second baby’s father.”
How pathetic! "

SOURCE:
http://ohr.edu/explore_judaism/ask_the_rabbi/ask_the_rabbi/3386

http://rcg.org/articles/ttbsvd.html

http://www.defence.pk/forums/members-club/46989-valentines-day-islamic-perspective.html#ixzz2KY8qNybA

HIS LOVE FOR HER BLINDED HIM

History has recorded stories of deep love between a man and a woman, stories like Laila Majnoo, Romeo and Juliet, Shah Jehan and Mumtaz to name a few. However, nothing compares to the following real life story. Abdullah, a sixty year old Saudi gentleman can not come to terms with his wife Fatima's death. She had passed away due to cancer and experienced excruciating pain due to chemotherapy treatment. She had spent long periods of time within a hospital environment. The old man walks to the cemetery twice a month to visit his beloved wife's grave. He stares at the grave for long periods of time with tear filled eyes and then raises his hands in prayer. Sometimes he would laugh and there are times that he would cry whilst relating his daily life activities to his deceased wife as though she was right there sitting next to him.He lives with his sons and does not go out much, except to perform prayer at the nearby mosque. His son Othman said his father has never stopped thinking about his mother.
The memories of the time they spent together have been etched on his mind, he said.
No matter what his sons and daughters do to entertain him, he cannot forget his late wife and keeps mentioning her name all the time. “My father went blind as a result of crying much over my mother’s death. Once he told me that losing his sight did n’t make him as sad as losing Fatima, who was the apple of his eye.”

Source:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130202151568