MWA's Isahah Janette Grant shares poem Quiet Dawn

The Quiet Dawn

A gentle stillness surrounds me
while the world quietly sleeps
the sun makes its climb towards the horizon and I offer a solemn prayer
thankfully greeting the morning and silently uttering my intention to fast this day of Ramadan
for the sake of my own soul
for the sake of Allah Ta'aala
for purity of heart and in appreciation of the many blessings of My Lord, The Sovereign
the quiet dawn, so beautiful, refreshes my soul

Isahah Janette Grant
July 27th 2012



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Isahah Janette Grant is a founding member of Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA), where she serves as the organization's membership coordinator. She also runs her own small business, Mindworks Publishing Inc., in addition to writing for the Houston Islam Examiner on Examiner.com. Ms. Grant is also the author of the children's book, Sameerah's Hijab and the First Day of School and is in the process of completing her first work of fiction. She also enjoys writing poetry. She studied at Boston University in Massachusetts, majoring in print journalism and currently resides in Missouri City, Texas, just outside of Houston, with her son and husband. Ms. Grant can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/isahahjanette

MWA's Eren Cervantes-Altamiranov shares a favorite recipe, Kibbeh Charola

Growing up in Mexico City, one of my first interactions with Arabs and Muslims was through the Lebanese community in Mexico. Although Mexico is a largely multicultural country and its cuisine has been largely recognized as a mix of different cultures, the dominant identity discourse these days is the mix between Indigenous peoples and the Spanish colonizers (mestizaje). (Read More)

    Kibbeh Charola
    Ingredients:

    500 gr. Extra lean ground beef or lamb

    1 cup of corn semolina

    Half an onion diced

    Salt (according to taste)

    2 table spoons of olive oil

    1/3 cup of pine nuts

    2 table spoons of pomegranate molasses (if you don’t find them just use one spoon of regular molasses and one spoon of pomegranate juice)

    ½ cup of fresh mint

    Black pepper to season

MWA's Aishah Schwartz shares her July 29 suhoor; it was good, too!

Eggs over-easy, fried potatoes, toast, milk, cinnamon-ginger tea and water.

MWA's Saba N. Taylor shares her Ramadan day seven enchilada iftar recipe

Masha Allah, I love all things cheesy! Yesterday I was in the mood for enchiladas but did not have all the makings for it so I decided to stop by the store today after work to pick up some things. I have two different recipes that I go between, the more commonly version, meat/beans with cheese rolled in corn tortillas then topped with red enchilada sauce, cheese, olives and green onions. Then there is the newest version that I picked up from a friend that does not require enchiladas sauce. So Good! Masha Allah!

Before I add the recipe, I must admit, I lost the recipe my friend gave me so I kind of winged it from the last two times I made it. I also did not have enough corn tortillas so I stretched it a bit. Here is the recipe I used to make this tasty iftar dish tonight. :) Insha Allah I hope you enjoy it! (should you try it out :D)

MWA's Aishah Schwartz shares her 28 July 2012 iftar

Roast beef in gravy with potatoes, milk and chocolate chip cookies for a snack. I'll use the extra portion of potatoes at suhoor with some eggs and toast, insha'Allah. :-)

A journal entry by MWA member Zainab John; Ramadan Day Six

It's day 6 of Ramadhan. Sleep just won't come, so at 1:15 in the morning I am awake, ready and eager to start my day.

As I sit cross-legged on my bedroom floor typing this post, I find myself reflecting on the days of Ramadhan that have passed so far; anxiously awaiting the days ahead. 

On a personal level, every Ramadhan acts as a reminder of my duty towards Allah (swt), myself, my community and others. It is a month to slow down and focus on what is really important; another opportunity to better myself, seek forgiveness from my Creator, and to say thank-you for all He has done for me and those I love.

VIDEO: MWA's Aishah Schwartz Shares her first week of Ramadan 2012 from Egypt

MWA's Isahah Janette Grant Shares A Ramadan Recipe: Kale and Potato Soup

16 oz of fresh Kale

1 small white onion

1 tsp Salt

3 tsp Pepper

2 tsp Garlic powder

2 tsp Onion powder

2 Beef bullion cubes

1 tsp Paprika

½ tsp Thyme

5 peeled and diced small potatoes

½ tsp Cinnamon

½ tsp Ginger

1 tsp Sugar

2 tsp Vegetable oil

(above measurements for spices may vary, season to taste)

Directions: 

Bring three cups of water to a rolling boil

Add 2 beef bullion cubes, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, vegetable oil: wait for seasonings to dissolve

Add kale and onions, reduce to medium heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes

Add potatoes, cover and cook for another 20 minutes

Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

Ramadan Mubarek Readers and MWA family!

MWA's Sis Isahah Shares Ramadan Journal Entry: Holding fast to the rope of Allah

This morning following Fajr, while reading the Juz for the day, a particular ayah spoke to me, as is often the case for me during Ramadan. The Holy Quran is the main reason why I decided to take the shahadah and it has been a constant friend, support and light in my life. I have notebooks filled with inspiring ayat from Ramadans past and I often feel the same emotions when re-reading my old notebooks that I had originally felt originally when writing the entries. The scriptures carry me through the year and this Ramadan I wanted to share one of my entries as a way of thanking Allah Ta'aala for all the many blessings that He brings and has brought to my life. The ayat is from Surah 3, Ayat 102-103 and reads:

O believers! Fear Allah as he should be feared and die not but as true Muslims. All together hold fast to the rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves. Remember Allah's favors upon you when you were enemies; He united your hearts, so by His favor you became brethren; you were at the brink of the fiery pit and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes his revelations clear to you, so that you might be rightly guided.

When my alarm went off this morning, I did not want to get up (astagferullah), but my little 11 year old niece, excited that it is summer so that she can fast before school starts, knocked loudly on my door, reminding me to get out of bed. She and my son were already awake and anxiously awaiting suhor. Their excitement was an inspiration and I felt momentarily ashamed for not having wanted to wake up. Before accepting Islam, I had never known the beauty of fasting and praying together the way that I experience it as a Muslim  and as I witness my son and niece's excitement, I realize that we are family - kin - but we are also brethren and fellow believers together. Of all the blessings that I have received, my son and nieces and nephews are some of the greatest. They exemplify for me what it means to hold fast to the rope of  Allah and have often been the little reminders that I need to stay grateful and excited about being a Muslim.

As my niece set the table and my son vacuumed the carpet and laid down the sheets for prayer, I smiled inside, exceedingly grateful for being awake and for having been rightly guided to Islam.

MWA's Sariya Contractor shares a grateful Ramadan Monday poem

I am grateful for the sunshine and the glorious English summers day,
SubhanAllah.
Banishing the dankness of the grey rain cloud, Oh! how the sun blazes away...
The flowers dance in the garden, the tomatoes redden on their vine.
and the fat pigeon swings precariously on a twig of pine...

In the midst of this beautiful morn, I must write - at my laptop's
beck and call!
But then I seem to be a writer - Oh! dear and all...
So the sun it sings a new happy song...
Me I write, while my heart sings along

And so I am grateful for all I am blessed with and all that is to come.
I am grateful to be part of nature's melodious hum.

© Sariya Contractor 2012

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Dr. Sariya Contractor is a convert to Islam and a Sociologist at the University of Derby, specialising in the Sociology of Religion. She is also a University of Derby project researcher for the Religion and Belief, Discrimination and Equality Project in the Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences. Her recently published book, 'Muslim Women in Britain: Demystifying the Muslimah' is available at Amazon.com.