Kitten Khanni

A few weeks ago, QBAP, IBAP and MBAP returned from the masjid with a itty bitty kitty trailing behind them. According to QBAP, " I saw a kitten following a man on the road. I asked him if it was his and he said it had followed him from the market. I picked it up and stroked it then put it down. Then when we were walking on the road I stopped and felt something bump my leg. It was the kitten!"

So the kids fed it milk and chicken liver and it hung around the house the rest of the day. QBAP named it Qastin, after himself. It would take its nap within the generator while it was off. Everyone was really excited about it. Even ZBAP (1 yr)  liked holding it. The kids brought it indoors so Ummi could meet and stroke it too. We had gone out that night and when we returned we found it sitting on the top step of our door steps.

That night it was sleeping in the generator, when its frantic mother arrived and took it home.

We were sorry about it, the kids searched the neighborhood for it and still keep a watchful eye for it when they go to pray, but Alhumdulillah we are thankful for the time we received to enjoy its company and happy to know the little baby was back with its loving mother.

RMI Annual Hifz Competition 1432 / 2011

This is the SMS we recieved from ABAP's Hifz Class:

"Assalam-u-Alaikum,

Role Model Institute organized an Annual Hifz Competition.
Alhumdulillah the judge Sheikh Qari Abdul Azeem was very happy with the preformance of Hifz
Students & RMI Hifz Program.After a very strong competetion the following students got postions:

1. Khubaib Salman
2. Abdullah Bin Azeem Pirani
3. Sohaib Kamran

May Allah keep them steadfast on His deen.
Aameen."

Alhumdulillah we are vey grateful to Allah SWT that He has blessed us in this way. ABAP has completed 6 juz now Alhumdulillah. The Competetion consisted of 2 rounds. In the first round, each child  was tested and 2 students were chosen from each of the three study circles, these children were tested again in the second round and the top three children were then selected as winners. In the test each child was called up on stage and first asked to recite some small surahs and then the Qari would recite an Ayah and ask the child to continue reciting from thereon.

ABAP's prize was a gift voucher to Snack Attack, which he felt was ironic because we aren't strangers to the eatery. (First prize : bicycle, Third prize : a cricket bat)

Masha'Allah the following is how we availed the voucher:

Big Mouth Beef Burger, Spicy Honey Fish, Mushroom Swiss Burger

Pepperoni Punch Pizza; Classic Chicken Burger

Half Chicken Broast

 Subhan'Allah our bill was still within the voucher's stated amount (Rs 2,000), so being the Gujratis that we are we ordered two soft drinks to cover it!

Bedside Chair

Though ABAP did not have the opportunity to make himself a chair, he has put QBAP's chair to good use Alhumdulillah. This little seat stays posted beside ABAP's bed all night long Masha'Allah.

Three Gilly Goats Tuff

The Piranis are members of the Book Worm Book Club, which meets weekly at the home of Umm Uzair. At the club a book is read to the members followed by a related activity. Occasionally the Piranis get the opportunity to host the club.  Recently we were able to host a very special event: Book Worm Club Presentations, were each family presented a play or recited poetry for the club members to enjoy.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the presentations,  each of which depicted the uniqueness of each family. One of the little boys began the event by reciting Surah Fatiha. Then  the show began. Plays varied from a family depicting the first day at Arabic class - explaining the importance of learning Arabic. A comic display of a mother using different methods to try and kill scurrying cockroaches (kids dressed with antlers and wings) - pointing out thought these living creatures are created by Allah SWT we are allowed to kill any insect which is a pest and can cause us harm and illness. A play in rhyme based on "Hickety, Pickety My Fat Hen" - teaching children to share with their friends and Insha'Allah they too will share with you when you are in need. Some of the younger children recited poetry and even a family who made a last minute appearance joined the fun by reciting some nasheed.

The Piranis Presented an adaption of their favourite book "The Three Billy Goats Gruff". The script went as follows:

SBAP:  I'm hungry. I'm going over the bridge to eat the grass. Trip trap, trip trap, trip trap.

IBAP:  Up jumped the troll! That's me, I'm going to eat you up!

SBAP:  Don't eat me eat the second billy goat gruff, she's big and fat.

IBAP:  Hmm, ok!

HBAP:  I'm going over the bridge to eat the grass! Trip trap, trip trap, trip trap!

IBAP:  Here I come! I'm going to eat you up!

HBAP: Don't eat me, eat the third billy goat gruff, he's big and fat.

IBAP:  Ok, skinny...

MBAP: Those goats seem to be having so much fun, why don't I go join them? Trip trap, trip trap, trip               trap.

IBAP:  Yum yum! I'm going to eat you up!

MBAP:  Oh no your not! I'm going to eat you up, get ready here I come...1, 2, 3.....

IBAP: Oh wait, wait, wait! You look kind of chubby and will probably give me a stomach ache. I think I'll let you go and eat the other two instead.

MBAP:  The Prophet Muhammed SAW said that you should want for your brother what you want for yourself, what makes you think you can hurt my brothers or me? (He butts the troll)

IBAP: (falls down screaming) Ahhh! I think I should find another job.

Alhumdulillah, the play went well, though we had a few lines eaten up. Unfortunately the first goat got a sudden case of stage fright, so a back up plan went in to action, with Ummi being Ummi goat holding her kid. All three goats had their nose painted black and coloured cheeks too, with the HBAP insisting on purple cheeks. each wore white socks which made them look like long goat ears.

After the show the club enjoyed their snacks which was followed by a certificate distribution ceremony. Alhumdulilllah it was a memorable day.

Jamad us Sani 1432

Cut and Paste

While the elder three worked to make a poster on microbes (more on that later) HBAP and SBAP wanted to make a poster too. So armed with old magazines, glue, scisscors and cereal box card board they made the following:

HBAP 5yrs

 "I have put pictures. I have coloured it. I have put stamps." - HBAP

SBAP 3 yrs

"I made my phone and I coloured mine and I colour something and I cut the toaster (meaning "poster") This made his elder brothers laugh, so he smiled and then added, "I made a hot toaster!"  - SBAP

Jamad us Sani 1432

For Your Eyes Only!

Last month, Ummi and HBAP attended a fund raiser Fashion Show, organized for The Children's Cancer Foundation. The venue was glitzy, dinner exquisite and clothing glamorous (even the models' outfits were beautiful!). But this was a fashion show with a difference:

The Ticket

- There were no men allowed into the venue
- a cubicle was erected where ushers collected guests' abayas
- all clothing on display were designed to cover the models awrah
- the background songs were specially recorded with all the music deleted
- photography was strictly prohibited
- The venue and catwalk were lent to the Cancer Foundation for free
- The models were beautiful and sophisticated and looked gorgeous in the designer outfits they wore (designed by some of the top local designers), though they were not professional models but women who volunteered for the occasion

The Imperial

Some of the Foundation's young patients (ranging from ages 4 to 6) also modeled some outfits, they shyly waved at the audience from the catwalk, to the song HELP! by the Beatles, bringing tears to the eyes of most of the audience. HBAP curiously asked why one of the little boys with short hair was wearing a skirt, Ummi explained the child was a girl but her hair was very short because she was sick. This affected HBAP and she explained this to her brothers and father when she got home. 

 Prize Won By HBAP!

Designers Umbreen and Sharmeen had arranged a lucky draw for the occasion and Masha'Allah HBAP won one of the gifts. Even the master of ceremonies was surprised to see 5 year HBAP come up to claim the prize. Her Mumani WK won the next prize, Masha'Allah) As we left the venue we were able to bring home some of the lovely flowers that adorned the tables. 

It was a lovely occasion where we could comfortably let our hair down and enjoy a show put together for our eyes only.

Book Worms' Map Hunt

Sometimes, the Piranis enjoy the opportuity to host the Book Worm Book Club, the following is about one of those opportunities:

This week the BookWorm Club gathered at The Piranis’ home, Alhumudlillah. The club members
all sat in a circle in the balcony so they could enjoy the wind and sunlight outdoors. IBAP read the book “Pizza In His Pocket’ to his friends; which was a story about a little boy who loved to
eat food from different places around the world, but never thanked Allah (SWT) for the food. Then one day he met a girl who hadn’t eaten anything in a long time and was holding her tummy in pain. The boy felt ashamed about his own greediness and bought some food for the girl and her family and they all thanked Allah (SWT) for it. The book advises us to eat all the food our parents give us, including vegetables, without a fuss and share our food too and reminds us that, “Being thankful is what’s really great, eat the veggies on your plate and don’t be like the boy, who ate and ate and ATE!”

After the story,
the club members had a short discussion on eating etiquettes in Islam: to start
with Bismillah, use your right hand when eating and which Dua to say once done.

Then we moved on
to the activity. The members divided themselves into three groups, each group
was given an Atlas and a mother sat with them to help them use it. A large
Globe Trotter Twister mat was laid out.
Ummibaps called out the name of the countries and cities the boy in the
book visited, and the groups raced each other to locate it in their atlas. The
group who found the country/city would then send one of their members to stick
the place’s name card in the correct place on the Globe Trotters mat.

Once all the places were located, the second part of the activity began. The Ummibaps and
Qasim then called out the names of the different dishes the boy in the book had
enjoyed. The members had to remember which country/city the boy had received
the meal from and then take turns to stick the picture of the meal onto the
correct place’s namecard.

Alhumdulillah, it was fun, and we discovered places we had never heard of on the map and we also realized that not all atlas have the same cities marked on their “political world map” pages Subhan’Allah!