SPIRITUALITY ON A BUSY SCHEDULE
Salam Modafam,
Welcome to another mind-sizzling episode of our blog.
In this episode, we will be talking about Spirituality on a busy Schedule.
I am going to tell us what Spirituality means in 2 different contexts.
The general meaning of spirituality means recognizing a feeling, sense, or belief that there is something greater than yourself; something more to being human than sensory experience and that the greater whole of which we are part is cosmic or divine.
Islamically, spirituality means an awareness of the origin of the universe, worshipping God, seeking the satisfaction of God, humility, submission and trust which man demonstrates in all of his actions.
Now, how do we handle spirituality on a busy schedule?
We live in a fast-paced, busy world. And as nice as it might be to take time off work, or just not have to clean the house, none of that is realistic.
Many of us have busy lives, but somehow we still manage to carve out time to call our spouses, have a girls’ night, go shopping or workout because these things are so important to us that even our busy-ness is unable to stop us from doing them.
Human beings need spirituality. It is as essential for our health and wellness as food, water, safety, and connection. But as our lives have become busier with more pressure, spirituality and growth give way to just surviving.
The reality is that we make time for what is important to us. But once we make the decision that God is really important, then we have to make him a priority. Once this decision is made, then everything becomes easy.
After making the decision, then you will have to follow up with a foolproof plan to keep you in check;
As the saying goes, Practice makes Perfect…
Sources: Pulse.ng,
Crazywholelife.com
becomingfaithful.ca
]]>MENTAL HEALTH
Salam Modafam,
Welcome to another exciting episode of our blog
In this episode, we will be talking about Mental Health Insha Allah…
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Mental Health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
It also includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act.
Additionally, it helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Most of the time, we neglect our mental health because we feel it doesn't matter as it is not physical but little do we know that our mental health is as important as our physical health, if not more important...
What are the signs that we can watch out for to be able to recognize if our mental health is failing;
There are several causes of poor mental health, but I am going to mention a few here;
The most common types of Mental Illnesses are:
Knowing the causes and signs to watch out for to keep our mental health in check, we now discuss the possible solutions and steps we can take to prevent it.
Hopefully, we’ve learned a thing or two on how to take care of our Mental Health going forward.
As the Qur’an says: In Surah al- Baqarah Verse 286: “Allah does not burden a soul more than it can bear”
Stay Strong and be Steadfast…
Sometimes it can certainly feel like it.
Like when the hospital receptionist automatically switches to slow pace English or starts to speak in a louder voice when you approach them.
Or when the pat down at the airport begins to feel like harassment.
Or when the other parents at school hold their kids just a little closer when you pass by
However, this should not be a deterrent to taking decisions that would move you closer to Allah because for every event that gives you that sinking feeling, there is another that gives you hope.
Think Amina J. Mohammed; Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
Think Ilhan Omar; U.S. representative
Think Malala Yousafzai; Activist for girl child education
Think Ibtijad Muhammed; Olympian fencer
Think Halima Aden; Super Model
Think Na’ima B. Robert; Author , editor, speaker, coach
Each is a Muslimah who has chosen to standout and apart from her immediate environment and still succeeded in achieving their dreams.
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if you do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers” (Quran, 7:23).
“Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succour us against those who deny the truth” (Quran 3:147).
“Exalted are You ! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers” (Quran, 7:143).
“Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, blot out from us our iniquities, and take to thyself our souls in the company of the righteous” (Quran, 3:193)
“Our Lord! We believe; then do Thou forgive us, and have mercy upon us: For Thou art the Best of those who show mercy ” (Quran 23: 109).
]]>This development, coupled with the introduction of modest clothing lines by top mainstream brands like DKNY, Macys and the rise of Muslimah fashion bloggers like Basma Kahie and Habiba Da Silva has given modest fashion the “COOL” factor.
We say Yaaaaay! Finally! We always knew we would get there eventually.
Here in Nigeria, we are obviously not left behind in this movement.From Lagos to Abuja to Kaduna to Ilorin, many modest brands are coming up across the country and it can only get better. (In sha Allah).
Below are a list of a few of them and what they can offer you;
|
BRAND |
|
PRODUCTS/SERVICES |
1 |
Moda by Maryam |
@modabymaryam |
Workwear, Smart casual, Hijabs |
2 |
Muslimah Style Guide |
@muslimahstyleguide |
Consultation, Styling , Brand directory |
3 |
Hijabs by Aesha |
@hijabsbyaesha |
Hijabs |
4 |
Trendy Outnet |
@trendyoutnet |
Workwear, Casuals, Evening, Hijabs, Sportswear |
5 |
Al Zahrahabaya |
@al_zahrahabaya |
Workwear, Casual, Occasion |
6 |
Modest Pearls by RAY |
@modest_pearls_ |
Workwear, Casuals, Occasion and Bridal |
7 |
MID Kollections |
@midkollections |
Workwear, Casuals, Hijab |
8 |
Pinkfleur |
@pinkfleur |
Bespoke and RTD, Casuals, Occasion |
9 |
Falke by Aisha |
@aisha_falke |
Casuals, Occasion |
10 |
Amnas |
@amnas.rtw |
Workwear, Bridal, Occasion |
So there you have it! No more excuses. However, this is by no means an exhaustive list. For a more comprehensive one, please purchase the Muslimah style Guide (MSG) directory. Additionally, feel free to list any brands that we may have left out and what they have to offer in the comment section. Thank you.
]]>The real problem to me was that I had recently realised that the road safety officials could also spot a fake instantly. Apparently they had got smarter.
I immediately changed the expression on my face to one of breezy indifference as I resisted the urge to move my car to a lane on the inside in the hopes that it would deter them from stopping me. At the same time, I thought of different scenarios in my head of how it could play out if I was stopped.
Maybe they would ask for my registration and license. In that situation, I would give them my registration first and then dawdle a little as I searched for my licence while wearing an expression of mild irritation at them for wasting my time as I tried to get to my extremely important Job. Maybe they would let me go after verifying my registration.
Or, I could give them the fake licence and hope I get a particularly naive official who will give it a pass. I also imagined that I could whisper La hawla wala quwata under my breadth. After all, I really wasn’t purposely trying to break the law. Hopefully, Allah would stop them from recognising it as fake.
Finally, I decided that if all failed, I was stopped and the licence recognised as fake, then I would pull out my dumb blonde card and try an expression of wide- eyed innocence as I expressed my shock that I was in fact carrying a fake licence.
In the space of one minute as I drove down the road I thought of all these scenarios. As it turned out, I was never stopped. I heaved a sigh of relief as I turned the corner. However, my relief was momentary because the next minute another thought popped into my head, what if that had been yaum al- qiyama?
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to you or any other actual persons is an indication that you all need to go and get a valid driver’s licence.
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Unfortunately, our story is not as romantic as that. In fact I lived my life up until graduation from first degree at university without ever thinking that I could do anything away from the sciences. I was going to do a Masters in Virology or Immunology and live my life looking at stuff under the microscope… because science was cool!
I cannot say at what point everything changed. I believe that there were 2 or 3 completely unrelated events that may have brought me to this point and it is only in retrospect that I see how those incidences connect and feed into the Moda by Maryam brand today. The irreplaceable Steve Jobs put it nicely in his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford.
“Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
After I graduated from University, because of some errors in the system, my name kept being omitted from the NYSC list. Consequently, I didn’t do my youth service until 2 years after graduation and so I got very bored. Around the same time, my outlook in life had started to change, and when I imagined my life in the future with my husband and kids, I felt that I wanted a job that would give me flexibility with time to raise a family without having to do a 9-5. So I arrived at an idea that I would learn a skill which would enable me work from home. And at the time I took a look at my life up until then to determine where I had some talent I could build upon. I decided I was going to learn how to sew based on 2 incidences that had happened previously.
The first was a sewing lesson we took in home economics class. I was so serious about it that I came home during the holidays and hand sewed a skirt and top for my younger sister. I remembered how proud I had been of that project. The second incidence I recalled was one of a holiday when my mom took us to fashion designer Folake Majin of Schon Afrique and she measured us up for some new clothes. I remember how fascinated I was by the result. I had never seen anything quite like it. The inside of the clothes were as neat as the outside! Completely closed off. Unfortunately, I hung my clothes out to dry that holiday and it got stolen. I had been so attached to it that I went through a mourning process where I attempted to describe the styles to other tailors…am sure you all can all imagine how that went.
And so off I went to a Ghanaian tailors place in Kaduna where he sat with 4 staff after paying 5,000 naira ready to produce clothes the quality of Folake Majins because by then in my head, that was the standard that I would aim to achieve. Boy was I wrong.
The first thing I was told was that it would take me 2 years of apprenticeship before I could sew. Err if I applied myself. “Really? 2 years” and it’s not like it was a fashion design course. Next, I was told that I couldn’t start cutting directly on fabric. In retrospect I realise; it was probably wise but am glad I never followed that rule because I believe not doing so, made me learn sewing faster. The 3rd rule was that as the apprentice, I had to go and buy food for the big Ghanaian. Am a graduate for crying out loud! Plus I don’t do street food. Think about my reputation. The gall of him! I blatantly refused.
That incident, as well as my objection to shaking his hand by way of greeting caused some friction between my mentor and me. I realised then that I wouldn’t last in that environment and so I stayed only long enough to understand how to cut basic styles and left after 2 weeks amidst calamitous warnings from my instructor that I would never become an accomplished tailor …something about too much pride and inability to take instructions.
Eyes narrowed, Challenge accepted! So off to the Singer dealer in Kaduna I went. I bought my first sewing machine for 15, 000 naira, I named her Aurora and kept her in my room. I proceeded to spend the next few months of my life teaching myself how to sew through reading online, watching YouTube videos, reading used pattern cutting books which I got for awesome prices from the book sellers at the post office in Kaduna and practice, practice, practice.
Several irreparable ankaras later (apologies to the family members whose fabrics I used to experiment), I got good enough to start charging for my work. And so it began; the start of what would evolve to become the Moda by Maryam brand.
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In the Nigerian business climate it is especially important to have clarity. This is because we live in an age where everyone is excited about entrepreneurship and because our African values make it so that we all want to be very helpful, this can lead people to get sooo excited about a brand that they volunteer suggestions on how to improve it. For instance, whenever clients meet me at the Moda by Maryam store they try to ask questions and give advice on what direction I should take the business. Like why do you only do ready-to wear? Why don’t you collect my fabric and sew this for me? Or why do you sew in Turkey? Why not in Nigeria, Indonesia, India or China? Or why are all your designs A-shaped? you know African women prefer flared or why don’t you use Ankara? Ankara will sell faster etc. So one really needs to have enough clarity especially in the fashion business so as not to lose focus because every Nigerian woman without exception, is trying to get something sewn.
However, that’s not to say that a business cannot change direction in the middle or even reinvent itself completely. It is a natural course of any endeavour that is to continually improve to be able to check itself and implement strategies for progress. The classic PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT and again.
However, whatever changes to be made should not be carried out on a whim or on the strength of one suggestion. Rather, we must take decisions based on facts. For instance, in the above scenario, if 5-10 customers come in and suggest you make more flared designs, then it’s probably something to think about to stay relevant in the market because after all is said and done, The customer is KING. Or in our specific case, mostly QUEENS
Thank you for staying with us to the end!
What are your thoughts on brands and what do you think is the most important thing a brand must do to stay relevant? Please drop us a line err or 2.
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