Metaphors & Medicine

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." -Albert Einstein I still remember the first time I learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Everyone knew how to do it and I wanted to do it too. I remember being deathly afraid of it and I just knew I was going to fall flat on my face or scrape my knee. My dad was holding onto the bike for me though and I knew no matter what that I wouldn't fall. And if I did, he definitely wouldn't let me bleed to death. So I did it. I lifted my feet off the ground, held onto the handlebars as tight as I could, and peddled. I peddled so hard I didn't even notice when my dad let go, but I noticed when he was there to help me stop.  Those were the simple times, when the biggest problems were how to learn to ride a bike, or to tie our shoelaces, or running out of band aids.  I remember a period of time later when I was watc...

One day Prophet Muhammad  (PBUH) said to his companions:  Would that I can see my brothers coming toward me to the pool and welcome them with bowls filled with sweet juices. Before entering the paradise, I wish I can offer them from my Pool of Kawsar. Upon these words, the companions said: O Messenger of God! Are we not your brothers? He replied: You are my companions. And my brothers are the believers who believe in me without seeing me. Surely, I ask of my Lord to illuminate my eyes with you and the believers who believe without seeing me. It is the last day of Ramadan, the final day of this long month that we've all been working so hard in. Whether it be learning to have patience, trying to finish reading the Qur'an, learning and understanding it, or getting rid of bad habits, it has been a month of progress and effort for a lot of us.  Here's the thing about Ramadan though: everything that we've done is only between us and Allah (SWT). No one else knows what w...

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,   "The best day during which the sun have risen is Friday. It is the Day Adam was created. It is the day when Adam entered paradise and also when he was taken out from it. It is also the day on which the day of judgment takes place." Let us be the best we can be on this Friday, do the best we can do, and live the best we can live.  Happy Friday! :) -Wishful Dreamer

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Every religion has a distinct characteristic, and the distinct characteristic of Islam is modesty.”  The beauty of this hadeeth gave me chills.  Think of a time when you were walking through the hallways of your school with a scarf on your head, a time when you had to excuse yourself from your group of friends so you can go pray, or even a time when you couldn't eat the Halloween candy at school as a kid because you were fasting. Those are characteristics of Islam. Some are more obvious than others because just from looking at you, others know that you are Muslim.  You may have thanked God for helping you with a difficult test. You may have stayed at home prom night because you couldn't wear the revealing prom dresses and didn't want to be at the dance showing off your body. The simple motion of putting a prayer skirt on before praying is a sign of modesty. Lowering your gaze in public instead of checking people out is a sign o...