My Passion for Tea

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

How has this humpday been for you all? I just finished up with work and just came to to the library for a bit before I pick up the Writer from work. I think I may have started an obsession of sort...nothing bad, I think. When I left Barnes and Noble to head for work I realized I didn't bring a fork with my lunch so I instantly had the thought "Go to Starbucks, they have forks!" haha 

Can you tell I'll try to work things around in my favor. I could have easily went across the street from my job and gotten a fork but Starbucks has been on the brain since the weekend, so I gave in. I had a few dollars left on a rebate card so I figured I could use that...oh and I had a buy one get one free coupon hahaha, it just gets better and better right? To make a long story short, the coupon wasn't valid on the drinks I wanted (teas and frapps) so I tried something new, and it was AMAZING! 

Isn't it beautiful! haha

After researching around on Starbucks' website for a new drink I decided on the Shaken Tazo Passion Tea Lemonade. Yeah, it was pretty amazing! This is what may have started my obsession. I only got the tall/small and after drinking it all I wanted to go and get another. Don't worry, I didn't. But my mind is already telling me to go again tomorrow. This isn't good for a person who is trying to budget! I made a promise to myself that I would allow myself one small drink per week. Yes, only one. Coffee and tea drinks are highly addictive for me so I need to have some clear limits. 

After getting the drink of passion I went off to work and ate my lunch, with that much needed fork remember the one I just had to get from Starbucks. Here's a picture of my lunch for today. I had the Lean Cuisine tortilla crusted tilapia with southwest rice and a fruit cup.  

So yeah, the actual food part of my lunch doesn't look as pretty but in all fairness it was equally good Alhamdulliah. A lot of prepacked fish meals are kinda dull but this one is pretty good just don't overcook it. 

If you go to Starbucks, what is your favorite drink?

If you don't go to Starbucks, what is one "fast food" item you can't resist? 

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Every Muslim's Must Have Item

Assalaam Alakium lovelies!

I'm always shocked when I hear or notice that a Muslim does not have an Azan clock or prayer clock in their home. It's such a vital piece of my home and keeps me on track. I know some of you use your phone as an Azan clock or simply just know when the prayer times are but despite all of that I still feel that having an Azan clock is completely necessary. 

When I first started learning about Islam and started learning how to pray I would hand write all of the prayer times down on a piece of paper. I began to memorize when each prayer would come in and I still usually know when the prayer comes in within a few minutes. It's a part of my life now. I plan my day around prayer times. Alhamdulliah, I have a job that is flexible with me so I can shape my work time around prayers. If I need to run errands I will wait until the next prayer is due, than go, of course if it's two hours away I'll go but you get the point. 

The thing I love most about having an Azan clock in my home is that it keeps me in touch with Allah. If I'm deep into a television show, reading or whatever it may be, the second I hear the Azan I try my best to stop what I'm doing and listen. It's also encouraged to repeat what the Mu'aththin (the reciter of the call to prayer or the prayer clock) says. There are du'as you can say after the Azan is called as well and this is also strongly encouraged. 

I have this one!

Having an Azan clock in your home will also help you in getting up for fajr prayer which is probably the most neglected prayer of the day for a lot of us. It's tough getting up early even more so if you don't have a type of alarm clock to wake you up. This is where the Azan clock will be super handy. I highly encourage you all to try and buy one. You can purchase a simple one for $20, I have this type or buy a fancier one for more money. One tip though, make sure before you buy the Azan clock that it has your city pre-programmed into it this way you don't have to manual adjust the times and it will change on it's own on a daily basis. Super, super handy!

This one is way more fancier, it includes a remote!

So go out and buy an Azan clock, it will be a great investment, trust me. Do any of you NOT have an Azan clock in your home? If so, why? Do you live near a Masjid and hear the Azan from there? Please share below. 

Have a great afternoon!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Routine

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

Good morning! How's your morning been? It's just another Tuesday over here. The Writer and I were slow getting out of bed so no after fajr workout for us. Instead, I got up and made him breakfast, dropped him off at work then went to go workout. 

When I pulled into the parking lot of the gym I noticed it was packed full of people! The gym I go to is never like that and I have to admit that for a second I thought about just turning around and going home. I have no idea why that thought crossed my mind maybe I just wanted to give myself an excuse not to workout. I went in anyway and completed 45 minutes on this cross trainer type of machine. It's awesome because it's kind of a like an elliptical but the arm handles don't move leaving me with a perfect chance to read The Hunger Games. Can you tell I like love this book! I'm about 3/4 of the way through it and can't wait for the movie to come out later next month. Watching the trailer totally pumped me up!

As for the rest of my day it's going to be pretty routine. Nothing exciting over here. The Writer and I live by routine. We like to come home from work at night, eat dinner, talk and lounge around until bedtime. Weekends are spent catching up on sleep, reading and family time. I thrive on routine. When something is thrown out of whack in our schedule it's hard for me to overcome. I often get upset when something pops up out of the blue changing my day around. Structure is my middle name. I know this is something I need to work on and become more flexible especially if we ever have kids inshAllah. 

As for now though, I'll try to be less annoyed when the little things change and thank Allah for everything He has given me. I really have nothing to complain about and when I do, I need to "gut punch" myself and think of all of those people out there who don't have what I have.

A man plans his course, but Allah (swt) guides his steps.


Below is a great video on avoiding extravagance and living simply. Please share any thoughts you have on the video in the comments below.

I'll see you later with another post inshAllah!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Meat....loaf?

Assalaam Alakium girlies!

How has Monday treated you all? We just finished dinner over here and are probably just going to chill for the rest of the night. InshAllah we can wake up early to workout tomorrow morning. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again right?

I left my last post saying how I was going to make a Mediterranean meatloaf for dinner well, let's just say it wasn't really a "loaf". It fell apart once I served it. I think it was a combination of things: the veggies in it made it soggy, I added an egg when I didn't need to, I made it in advance so the liquid absorbed and I didn't add any breadcrumbs. Alhadmulliah, it was good nonetheless though. I'll play with the recipe next time and see how it "holds up" haha okay that was lame. 

The meatloaf wasn't picture worthy but I'll add a photo I found online of it. Here's the recipe. I recommend adding some type of breadcrumbs or crackers to keep it together. 

Mediterranean Meatloaf:

• 1 pound of ground lean turkey
• 1 cup packed chopped baby spinach (I didn't add this since I didn't have any)
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped 
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes instead)
• 1/4 cup peeled carrot
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning 
• 1 package of meatloaf seasoning 
• 2 egg whites (I just used one whole egg)
• Breadcrumbs, enough to bind it all together

Mix all of the above and cook in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes. Serves about 6. Enjoy! 

Remember, when cooking, you can switch things around according to what you like or have laying around. I hardly ever follow a recipe as is. Don't be scared to try something different or substitute items for things you enjoy. Be creative!

Have a wonderful night!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Workout Distractions

Assalaam Alakium and good afternoon!

InshAllah my last post didn't scare some of you off. I just wanted to share my experience with death and remind us all that our time is near. On to a brighter subject. =)

Let's talk exercise! Last night, I intended on staying up after fajr to workout. No such luck though. Since I had a hard time falling asleep last night I was too tired to get up. Even so, I still worked out. I dropped the Writer off at work and went straight to the gym! I was only there for 45 minutes but I feel amazing! 

At times, I can get bored while working out, especially if I'm on the elliptical or something similar. I need to keep my mind occupied or I'll dread the entire workout. Today, I read The Hunger Games and my workout flew by! I looked down at the machine the first time and realized I had been on for 20 minutes! It felt like five minutes. I think I've found my new workout distraction since I'm trying to break the habit of listening to music. 

After working out, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few random things. I came home and made myself a  smoothie with my new blender. 

I've used it twice now and I have to say, for $15 it's great. It crushes ice and frozen fruit really well. For this mornings smoothie I used:

• 3/4 cup unsweetended Almond Milk
• 2 Scoops of protein powder
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries, blackberries and strawberries

If you're into smoothies try this one out. The one above was 280 calories and had 14 grams of protein! Awesome! I need to start prepping the meatloaf for tonight's dinner. I'm trying out a new recipe for Mediterranean meatloaf, it has a ton of veggies in it! I'll let you know how it turns out. =)

Have a great rest of the day!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Resisting the urge

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

Jummah Mubarak! InshAllah you're Friday has been blessed. =) I spent the majority of my day cleaning and doing laundry. I feel so refreshed when everything is nice and tidy. I also resisted the urge to buy new hijabs. It was tough but I didn't give in.

The thing is, I have plenty of hijabs and there is absolutely no need for me to get anymore. Would it be nice to have some new hijabs, yes. Could that money be used for something else, most certainly yes. It took me awhile to really say "no" to myself. I had everything in the "shopping cart" and had looked over it about 10 different times. I even went to go get my credit card, but I stopped myself and told myself to just think about it for the day. Within an hour I had already decided against it. I'm not torn up about it either. =)

At times, I can be compulsive in turns of shopping. I'm really trying to make the effort to manage my money better. I grew up poor and never had any money to spend until I got a job, when I was 16. It felt so great to have money that I just went crazy buying all of the things I ever wanted. I never had any money left over for savings and just days after pay day I was broke. Being older and living with my husband independently has forced me to resist the urge to buy.

I've realized that most of the things we "need" we really don't and if we really thought about our purchases before we bought them our money situation would be different, and I say this for everyone. Islam teaches us to to live simply. There is a saying I love, "Live simply so others can simply live". I try to remind myself of this when I'm feeling compulsive. 

How do you resist the urge to shop?

Do you think about your purchases before you buy them?

Please share in the comments!

Have a great rest of the day. 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Sleepy

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

I woke up extra early this morning, mostly due to the fact I went to sleep at 9:30 last night! I had horrible stomach pains last night, maybe because of a gluten sensitivity/intolerance. Still unsure about that, I need to make an appointment I just keep forgetting! Ugh. That's pretty early for us over here but now I'm tired again. Don't you hate feeling wide awake at 5 in the morning then come noon you're ready to go take a nap, that is definitely me today. 

I have to go into work early today and work a little longer than usual so I have to make this post quick. After work the Writer and I are going to the Andalucia Center here in Houston for the KnewU: KnewBorn class. I've wrote about the class before so if you want more info search KnewU. I'll be sure to post a recap of the class tomorrow inshAllah. 

With the Writer's new work schedule it's been a little tough to transition. We've been eating out A LOT lately, we need to change that for sure. It's even harder on Thursday's (today) since we are both away from home from 8 am to around 10 pm. I did manage to juice some apples and carrots this morning before our workout AND pack us both lunch. I call that a win. hehe I'll let you know what happens for dinner when I figure that out myself. 

When you have busy days away from home how do you keep things healthy without eating out too much?

Have a good afternoon and inshAllah I'll see you later!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Love.

Assalaam Alakium girlies!

How's the day been? Alhamdulliah, I just made dinner and cleaned up. I feel accomplished now. hehe =) This post is dedicated to my love. 

I love the way you protect me, shelter me from any kind of storm.

I often times forget about you but you're always there. 

You've changed my life in every. single. way.

I love you.

I love the way you flow ever so peaceful in the wind. 

You obey Allah's (swt) command. 

You may not always get along with me.
Sometimes we fight, but somehow it turns out all right.

I thought you would be a burden. 

Oh how misguided I was. 

I love you

I would never forsake you.

Never leave you hangin.

I yearn for more of you.

Sometimes I just can't control myself. 

I want all of you.

You're so beautiful.

Pliable.

I can't see myself without you.

We've become one.

I love you.

My hijab =)

I'm not a poetess, that just came to me just now. I bet you all thought I was talking about someone else. ; )

Have a great night and I'll see you tomorrow morning inshAllah.

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Rainy Day

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

How's the day been? InshAllah you all had a refreshing weekend like the Writer and I had. It was nice to take a day to just hang out with my love especially being that it's chilly here in Houston. It's still chilly and  raining today so I'm writing this post under a toasty blanket. 

Last night I made parmesan chicken, fettuccine alfredo and salad. It was delicious and I managed to take a picture! Alhamdulliah. 

As for the rest of the day, I just need to go to work for a few hours and pick up the Writer from work. I'm making a healthy dinner of tilapia, brown rice and veggies. Tilapia is a huge hit over here. It's low calorie and almost impossible to mess up. What kind of healthy meals do you cook? I love trying out new recipes. =)

The Writer and I watched Bridesmaids last night and I have to say it was pretty hilarious. Some parts were explicit so like Horrible Bosses I don't recommend this as a family movie or if you don't watch explicit movies. It was a great comedy though and kept my LOL throughout the entire movie. Do you watch movies often? If so, what types of movies do you like?

I'm still in the process of putting together some informative posts but wanted to ask you all what types of posts would you like to see here? I'm open to almost everything but would like to keep it tied to Islam somehow. Please leave your suggestions below. 

Have a great morning and I'll see you later with another post. 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Got love for the hijab

Assalaam Alakium girlies!

How's your Sunday been? InshAllah it's been as lazy as mine, the Writer and I just got done watching Horrible Bosses. It was a pretty hilarious movie but it has a lot of profanity so if you're not into that I don't recommend it. It's definitely not a family movie. 

I have some chicken parmesan in the oven and I'm going to make some fettuccine alfredo while we watch Bridesmaids. Any one watch this movie? It's been nominated for a bunch of Golden Globes I think and I've heard good things about it. I'll let you know what I think about it later. =)

I prefer watching movies in the comfort of my own home. Don't get me wrong, I like to hit up the movie theater from time to time but definitely like lounging at home. I get to wear pj's and have my own snacks, over priced movie snacks = suck! It's all about comfort for me. That brings me to the hijab...

I remember when I received my first hijab it was a gift from my then future mother in law. It was one of those two piece Al-Amirah ones, brown in color. I have to admit, when I got it, I didn't want to wear it. I was totally new to the hijab, I wasn't even thinking about wearing it at that time. I just wanted a few to wear to the Mosque. Needless to say, I never wore it until way after I became a hijabi. It's my staple working out hijab now. =)

Almost six months after I became Muslim I decided to buy some hijabs online. I would also find these websites that were selling beautiful hijabs and finally decided to buy some, with the sole intention on just wearing them to the Mosque. When they arrived I immediately tried them on and thought to myself why don't you just wear one outside to the grocery store as a "practice run". So I hurried onto YouTube and found a basic hijab wrap tutorial and tried my best. Let's just say I was wearing about 5 pins with just one scarf. lol I wore it out that day just to the library, store and a few quick trips. I felt like everybody was watching me but it didn't seem that bad. So I began wearing it full time from that day on. It was a total surprise to my family, friends and even more so, myself. Like I said, when I purchased the hijabs I had no intention on wearing them other than to the Mosque. It just seemed right at that time to continue wearing it. 

A week into wearing the hijab, still had about 4 pins in! lol

It took me six months of not even thinking about the hijab to just one day picking it up and wearing it from that day on. It can be that simple for some sisters, others not so much. I really look up to those sisters, especially converts, who start wearing the hijab the second they say their shahada (declaration of faith). Others, like myself, need more time. I encourage all Muslimah's to wear the hijab but I think it's very important to give them some time, especially converts. 

Last winter, more experimental now! =)

InshAllah I'll be posting up some tips on beginning to wear the hijab, telling your family and dealing with criticism. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Paparazzi

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

Happy Sunday! The Writer and I got home kinda late last night and I started writing but got distracted and had to wait until this morning. It's chilly here in Houston and our thermostat needs batteries I think. Will be calling maintenance soon. 

Yesterday, we brought our family to Genghis Grill for the first time and the verdict is in....they loved it! My father in law especially loved it, he said we'll be coming back. =) When I sat down to write this I realized I hadn't taken any pictures yesterday! Sometimes I just forget and other times I am too shy to bring out my camera and take a picture of my food. Food paparazzi over here! I'm going to try to make more of an effort to take pictures throughout my day to share with you all. I love taking pictures but don't want to become annoying to the people around me. Especially when I'm zoomed into my plate and trying to find the best angle!

After Genghis Grill the family went home and I pulled the Writer to Target with me. Target doesn't make him giddy like it does to me! I tried to make it quick but seriously it's pretty hard to make Target quick. I love just browsing around even if I'm not going to buy most of the things I look at. I love decorating and Target has a lot of great finds! I did pick up a birthday card for my mom though!

Since it's already Sunday we are just chillin over here. Sunday is our only free day to just sit around and do nothing so that is exactly what we are going to do. I may try to get the Writer to watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off today, he has never seen it!

I know the last few posts have been kind of lame but I promise I'm working on a few things over here. I'm just trying to get it all straight and then I can share it with you all. Have a great Sunday!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Buttefly~

Saturday, errand day!

Assalaam Alakium girlies!

Happy Saturday! The Writer had to go into work this morning for some video production work so it was an early morning for us. Let's just say, neither one of us wanted to crawl from out of the covers. 

I woke up feeling fine though Alhamdulliah! Green tea and honey works! We had to get an oil change this morning and then I went to go get those groceries I was talking about in my last post. I got a bunch of fresh organic fruits and veggies for juicing, can't wait! 

As for the rest of the day I may hit up one of my favorite stores.... Target! I love Target, I can literally spend hours in there just browsing around. I used to work there when I was 16 and it was a great company to work for. Later on, my in laws are coming over so we can treat them to Genghis Grill tonight! It'll be their first time so we can't wait to get their reactions! I'll let ya'll know how everything goes down. 

In the meantime, I'm going to be doing a little research for some upcoming posts on rules of hijab and my tips on becoming a hijabi. I'll share my story as well so look out for that! I also want to do a series discussing the medicine of the Prophet (peace be upon him), I found a great book at my local Islamic bookstore inshAllah I'll pick that up later next week.  Maybe a book review? 

Have a great Saturday!

Wasalaam, 

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Feeling Sick?

Assalaam Alakium!

How was your day? I accomplished my goals for the day, as previously mentioned in my last post. It took me awhile to get enough motivation to clean my apartment. Now that it's spic and span I feel relieved. I'm a borderline neat freak ask the Writer and he'll say I'm a full blown neat freak. Order, organization and cleanliness = happiness for me. I feel out of whack when the house isn't clean and organized. Any of you out there who are like me? 

After cleaning I made a quick but healthy dinner which consisted of grilled tilapia, sauteed veggies and ranch style beans. This meal gets a lot of show time over here. 

As for the meal planning I got that finished as well. With a little input from the Writer I finally got it done. I only planned for four days because 1.) We need groceries now and 2.) I prefer to grocery shop during the week, in the morning. That means tomorrow I have to go grocery shopping. 

Right before I started writing this blog I started coughing and I feel a tad bit sick. Whenever I feel this way I head straight for.....the green tea and honey! I adore green tea with honey mixed in. I just finished drinking my cup and I already feel a little better. If I still feel sick tomorrow morning I'll do the same. Honey is a natural medicine, even the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Qur'an talk about the benefits of honey. 

"And Your lord inspired the bee, to build your dwellings in hills, on trees, and in (human's) habitations. Then, to eat of all the produce and follow the ways of your Lord made easy. There comes forth from their bodies a drink of varying color, wherein is healing for men: Verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought." (Qur'an 16:68-69)

Reported by Bukhair "A man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) because his brother had a stomach disorder. The Prophet said 'Let him drink honey.' The man returned a second time and again the Prophet (pbuh), responded again, 'Let him drink honey.' The man returned again, and said 'I have done that.' The Prophet then responded, 'Allah has said the truth, but your brother's stomach has told a lie. Let him drink honey.' He drank it and was cured."

Have a great night inshAllah I'll see you in the morning with another post. 

Wasalaam, 

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Sprucing Things Up

Assalaam Alakium! 

How has your day been so far? I lost myself in Photoshop for about two hours creating that background you see over there! What do you think? Yay or Nay?

I guess you could call today a semi-productive day since I was away from home. I went to my usual hang out, Barnes and Noble and did some reading which I talked briefly about in my last post. I had lunch with the Writer at Subway then went to work for a few hours and finally to the library and got the background done.  I actually enjoy sitting at the library with my laptop. It's peaceful and I have nothing to distract me...well except Twitter. I just recently made a Twitter for this blog and have been posting little tidbits here and there. If you wish to follow me just search for "hijabibutterfly", I'll follow you back. =) I like to get Islamic wisdom sent directly to my phone. Love technology. 

I like to surround myself with Islam. I'll gladly sign up for anything that will give me a quick little blurb on Islam. It keeps me refreshed and always remembering Allah. Before Islam, I rarely ever picked up the Bible or researched anything. I only knew the basics and whenever I would try to learn something I got so confused that I just gave up. Islam is so straight forward that answers are readily available. I only research at sites I know and trust are legit. Anybody can make a website and post whatever they want (like this blog) a little bit of digging will uncover if a website is reputable. Here are a few websites I trust:

www.islamicity.com    All around a great website

http://www.guideus.tv/live/   Great for watching videos on Islamic topics

http://www.imaanstar.com/index.php    Free software for help memorizing the Qur'an among other things

http://www.studying-islam.org/      You can take free online courses here. I've taken a few myself and they are very detailed

Share some of your most frequented reputable Islamic websites in the comments below. I love finding Islamic gems. 

Have a great night and I'll see you tomorrow with a new post! Early Jummah Mubarak!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

New Banner!

Assalaam Alakium girlies!

How's the morning been for you all? I've spent my morning skimming the following books:

These two books sum up what I've been looking into lately. I'm working on saving up enough money for the Canon Rebel T3i! So exciting, inshAllah I'll be able to purchase it this summer. Also, I suspect I have some form of gluten intolerance or sensitivity. Maybe not full blown Celiac Disease (meaning you are almost allergic to gluten). I have a lot of the symptoms I just need to get my butt into a doctors office. I hate the doctors office though. :( I'm just going to have to suck it up. 

Any who, how are you girlies liking the new banner? I made it in Adobe Photoshop with some help from the Writer. I have very basic knowledge with Photoshop but I plan on learning more so I can edit my pictures when I get the Canon t3i. Can you tell I'm kind of excited about this camera? HAHA

I don't have a topic for this post,  I just wanted to check in and let you all know what I've been up to. I promise I'll be back with a better post, inshAllah (God willing) later today. Maybe a post entirely on Islamic concepts/words with definitions? I know when I first became Muslim figuring out all the Islamic jargon was a struggle, heck even to this day I can get confused! 

"My Lord, increase me in knowledge." (Qur'an 20:114)

Have a great morning/afternoon! I'm off to research my butt off!

Wasalaam, 

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Changes

Assalaam Alakium! 

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! We're officially halfway through the week! This morning I'm at Barnes and Noble...again. Having one car is a challenge for sure but I know it's a test and I just need to be patient. For this mornings post I wanted to discuss changes. Dun...dun...dun I don't think anyone likes changes. 

Change can definitely be a good thing but the fear of the unknown can sometimes prevent us from taking the first few steps into the direction of change. Coming into Islam is a huge life change and can be quite the adjustment. As I've mentioned before everyone is different and we all come from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. These life experiences make us who we are today. Imagine living 20-30 years of your life being someone than converting to Islam and having to change all of that around okay, maybe not everything. But nonetheless, it's a tough thing to do. 

For example, before I converted to Islam music was. my life. I lived music, all day I listened to music, wanted to become a successful performer (vocalist) and hit it big in the music world. When I converted to Islam I began learning that music was undesirable and should be avoided due to the content of it. The first time I heard music was looked down upon in Islam was through a YouTube video. A part of me was crushed, I felt like I couldn't be my true self, like I had to become someone completely different. At first I resisted this change and would make excuses for listening to it. I then dug deeper into the subject and found more information and took a drastic change, I completely stopped listening to music. Cold turkey. I deleted almost all of the music on my computer and stopped listening to music in the car. A few months later, I broke down and started gradually listening to music again. It was so hard to change my thoughts on music. It's been a roller-coaster ride since but I know I need to take things slowly from now on. Completely ridding my life of music at once was not the best idea. I should have started out by getting rid of the most offensive music first and going from there. I'm still in the process and I trip up sometimes. Baby steps. 

When making a huge change in your life, especially in an area of your life you are very passionate about, start off small. There is no need to rush into a huge change. As long as you're intentions are right Allah will understand. No matter if we know it or not, we are changing everybody, inshAllah for the better, we just need to be open to the change and believe that Allah will get us through it. 

Here are a few tips on change:

1. Slow down. As I stated above, start with baby steps. Don't rush into a big change this will only make you uncomfortable and may be detrimental in the long run. 

2. Be willing to change. In order to change, you must come to terms with it. Don't just change something unwillingly. 

3. Reflect. Think about how this change will make you a better person. Try to picture your life in the future with this change. 

4. Support. Seek out support in friends and family. Find people who will respect your need to change and understand why you want this change in your life. 

5. Be positive. Use empowering words such as "I CAN do this, I WILL do this, This IS doable, I WILL be a better person after this" 

"If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living."Gail Sheehy

Please share in the comments any tips you have for making a change. 

Feel fee to share a experience you've had with change and what worked for you. 

Also, in the comments, leave your suggestions and recommendations. 

Have a great morning, 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Assalaam Alakium!

How's it going? I finally figured out how to write a post via test message yesterday! InshAllah, that will be something I can use in the future when I'm not near a computer. I'm home for the day and don't have much planned. Maybe some meal planning? 

Now for today's focus on post, slow and steady wins the race. I remember thinking that I had to learn everything about Islam before I converted. I insisted on learning how to pray and even fasted two complete Ramadans before I even took my shahada (declaration of faith). Of course now, I know I should have just converted as long as I read the Qur'an, which was when I knew Islam was the truth. 

Whenever I meet a new Muslim or someone who plans on converting I always mention to take Islam a day at a time. I pretty much tell them to do the opposite of what I did. Simply because tomorrow is never promised. I spent two years learning as much as I could about Islam and hadn't even took my shahada yet, Alhamdulliah for everything though. 

There are so many aspects of Islam to learn and it can be pretty overwhelming if you try to learn it all in a few years. You never stop learning until the day you die so pace yourself. It's better to learn slowly and master what you learn than learn everything so quickly you forget it all. Try to find support from friends who can relate to you. Everyone learns in their own way, so be patient with yourself. If you are struggling with something (like praying) find someone you are comfortable with to help you out. It's a lot easier to learn with a friend than by yourself. 

Certain aspects of Islam come easier for some but can be a huge challenge to others. For example, prayer and fasting came easy to me while the hijab was something I had to get used to. I needed to "warm up" to the idea of wearing it. It took me six months to start wearing the hijab full time. It's important to do what is easiest for you and to not compare yourself with other Muslims. Make du'a (supplication) that Allah will make it easier for you and guide you on the straight path. 

"If we learn one new thing about our Deen (way of life) every day, we open our minds to a better day."

What tips would you give a new Muslim in regards to acquiring knowledge?

Have a wonderful day!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Hijabi Dress Code...What is it?

Assalaam Alakium!

How's Monday treating you all? I just wanted to stay under the covers this morning, it was chilly here in Houston! I ran a few errands already this morning, all that's left is to write a blog! I had trouble thinking of a topic this morning until I thought about what I was going to wear today. The hijabi dress code...what is it? 

I'm sure a lot of you have seen that picture shared around the internet. This is a good visual description of what hijab means. The word hijab just means to cover, the veil covering the hair is just one part of the hijab. Also, as a side note, men have their own "hijab" dress code they must live by (must cover shoulders, belly button to knees).

A Muslimah has options though, she doesn't just have to wear an abaya (long dress). She can wear pants as long as they are loose and cover her appropriately. I'd also like to point out here that no where in the Qur'an or hadith does it say women are not allowed to wear pants. I do recommend if you are going to wear pants that you wear a slightly longer shirt like a tunic type, I wear this a lot. Another style I like to wear is loose pants with a dress over it, it's both comfortable and stylish. 

And of course a nice skirt is a great option as well. 

As for the veil, it's really up to you. Make it your own! If my clothes are neutral colored I usually wear a colored hijab. You can get really creative with how you wrap it as well. There are a bunch of YouTube tutorials showing how to wear different styles. 

As for makeup, keep it simple if you are going out. If you're staying in, go all out! I love playing around with makeup so I play around with bright colors while I'm staying home, the Writer (my husband) likes the change. If you miss doing your hair on a daily basis try different styles while at home! Hair styling was a big part of my "look" before I became Muslim and it was hard giving that up but now I just do my hair for the Writers benefit, as while as my personal creativity. 

Just remember to be yourself while staying within the fold of Islam. You don't want to completely change the way you look (unless of course you want to). Ease into different styles you want to try and inshAllah your transition will be easy. It took me over a year after becoming Muslim to finally wear a skirt. I never wore them before becoming Muslim so this was a style I needed to ease into. 

What is your favorite style to wear?

Please share in the comments any tips you have for new Muslimahs in the transition into wearing the hijab. 

Have a great day everyone, inshAllah I'll be back later. 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Working out...hijabi style!

Assalaam Alakium!

Good morning, it's almost lunch time around here though! I've spent my morning looking for a good photography book. I plan on buying the new Canon Rebel T3i inshAllah, I'm so excited! Any photographers out there?

This morning I got a quick 30 minute workout in at the gym and it occurred to me that I should write a blog about working out as a hijabi. I know some sisters struggle with keeping up the dress code of the hijab and being comfortable working out. I usually wear something like this:

Just a comfortable Al-Amira hijab (two pieces that slip right on), loose pants and a long shirt. The above picture was taken at the park with my adorable sister in law. Love her! For sisters who wouldn't feel comfortable with this style, I would try wearing loose pants and a really long tunic that goes down to the knees so you can still jog or go on the elliptical. I wouldn't recommend going super stylish with the hijab though, keep it simple. You don't want to keep adjusting it, that will ruin your workout for sure!

Another thing I do to be more comfortable at the gym is I pick times when the gym is the least crowded. Alhamdulliah, my gym rarely ever gets crowded, but if yours does, choose a time that works with you as well as a time where you won't have to go to battle for an available treadmill. 

Whatever it is, just find something that makes YOU comfortable. When you're comfortable you'll have a great workout. It's no fun worrying about what others think of you or if your clothing is appropriate. I want to add that if you see a hijabi at the gym SAY SALAAMS and possibly get to know her, she could become your new workout buddy! Also, don't ever judge another Muslimah on what she is wearing, we are all at different stages and can often get discouraged if someone confronts us in a inappropriate way. We need to give our fellow Muslimahs some credit. We were all "there" once. 

Have a good afternoon, inshAllah I'll be back with another post later. 

Do you go to the gym? If so, what clothing do you wear?

Are there "sisters only" gyms in your area? 

What tips do you have to make the gym a more comfortable place?

Wasalaam, 

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Coming to you from....

Assalaam Alakium! 

Good morning, inshAllah you all had a great nights rest. Again, it was hard getting out of bed this morning, the Writer just started a new job so we're still getting use to his schedule change. 

I'm coming to you from Barnes and Noble this morning. Today I'm sticking around the Writers job so we can go to lunch later....Souper Salad anyone? We both work in the same area and share a car so today I'm saving some gas by staying in the area. I love bookstores, I could get lost for hours looking at books, and ending up buying maybe one haha. 

I thought I'd share a picture of a butterfly just to give this blog some visual appeal and since I absolutely adore butterflies. I think it's the metamorphosis/change that occurs. They start out being a caterpillar and change into a completely different animal, a beautiful butterfly.  

People have asked me why I chose the name Hijabi Butterfly, I guess it's because I think of myself as a butterfly in a way. I'm a convert to Islam so in a sense I had to go through a type of metamorphosis to become who I am today. I'm ever evolving into a better person, I hope, everyday so my metamorphosis is still in progress. I have a lot more left to learn and plan on sharing what I learn with you all. I want this blog to be a place for anyone really but specifically, Muslimahs. I found a lack of blogs dedicated to Muslim sisters and I feel that I can fill a void somehow. I want this blog to be a place of knowledge, so please let me know what I can do to make it a better place to come and read. 

Spotlight on hadith:

Reported by Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in which they do not remember Allah the Exalted, nor supplicate to elevate the rank of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a cause of grief to them. If Allah wills,  He will punish them, and if He wills He will forgive them." (At-Tirmidhi) 

Have any of you gone through a type of metamorphosis so to speak? 

Have a blessed day and inshAllah (If God wills) I'll be back with another post later today. 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~