Thankful Moments

May 5 brought a lot of happy moments for AZ and me, Alhamdhulilah. We thank Allah for his blessings and are really grateful that our duas have been answered.


AZ always tell me this - that be it in the most happiest moment, the first thing that we should do is to pray two rakats of naafil prayer. And that's the only way we can thank our Rabb, isn't it?

“Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2: 152]

Source: Internet

Another Peaceful Moment...

Last-minute changes that are characterised by last-minute interviews, photoshoots and similar assignments are very common in my job. So much so that my friends and the Cousin Sister whom I always plan lunches with have become so used to my last-minute cancellations of our meetings as well. But all of them have been ever so understanding and never once took offence with this. Alhamdhulilah.

I never had an issue with this too though, as I came in with such expectations, knowing the nature of this job. But what gets me turned off sometimes is when these things fall in between prayer times. Like starting just before prayer times or stretching over two prayer times.

Then again, Alhamdhulilah, there are always ways to turn towards my duty to our Rabb in between these work commitments, and there is also always a sense of joy when I get this done. 

There was one such moment last week. Good thing that I was already told to be at the event place the evening before, and I did my homework after Fajr that morning to find a Musollah (prayer room) in that area. Although I have been to cover events at the place several times before, I always had to head back to office where I could do my prayers in our gym.

But this day last week was different; I had to spend the whole day there. And I was really glad to know that a new Musollah was in place in the shopping mall near the place of my event. I had long wanted to give away a prayer mat from our house and was looking for an appropriate place and time to do so. This was the time. I brought it with me to work that morning.

I had lunch in the mall and headed to the Musollah. It was very well-maintained, Alhamdhulilah. Two prayer rooms - for the Muslimah and Muslimin - and a spacious ablution area. Masha-Allah.

This Musollah is at Level 4 of the IMM Building at Jurong East. 

Take the lift closest to Mcdonald's at Level 1. Once alighting at Level 4, turn left twice. There will be clear signs too. The key to the ablution area can also be found hung on the left side of the wall when you step in.

I made duas for the people who made the Musollah possible and who were maintaining it too. I pray that Allah (S.W.T) blesses them with HIS mercy always. Ameen.

If you are reading this and benefit from this someday when you are in the mall, In-Shaa-Allah, please keep my family and me in your duas too. Jazak Allahu Khair.

My Moments Before Prayer...

We had several restructuring exercises in our company last year. The culmination of the exercise brought my team back to be based at our headquarters, Alhamdhulilah.

There have been many other reasons that made all of us welcome this move. For me too.
Back to the office in the middle of the city (which comes with accessibility of public transport and a string of other perks). Better work directions. More diversified roles. Bigger team with dynamic work ethics. Oh yes, and a new office space with a view to a beautiful and green and 'private' balcony. 'Private' because not many folks in our organisation crash in. So this space that now is 'dedicated' to us makes a quiet, peaceful place for lunch-ins, doing phone interviews and some colleagues in my team also bring out their laptops  to write when the office gets sometimes noisy or when they just feel like doing so. Alhamdhulilah.

Beyond all these things that only became known to us after we moved, my heart jumped for joy when we heard we were moving back to the headquarters for one main reason. The gym.

No, I do not use the gym for exercise. I use it for my Zuhr and Asar prayers. Sometimes, when I have to work late, Maghrib prayers too.

I have a former colleague, Sister SB, who has now married and moved to London, to thank for sharing with me that other Muslim sisters in our organisation use the gym for their prayers, when I first joined on my job. May Allah (S.W.T) reward her abundantly. Ameen.

The gym we have is cosy and spacious. There is a room which houses a billiard table, and a few comfortable  chairs. It also becomes a 'Mummy's Room' whenever necessary. And we too use it for our prayers.

And on times when the room is locked, there is a huge multi-purpose hall where yoga and aerobics sessions are held, that we also pray at. Albeit an open area, it can still be as peaceful at non-peak exercise hours, like half-hour later than the usual lunch hours. Colleagues who walk in talking at loud voices will reduce their volume once they spot us performing our prayers.

Above all, what I have grown to appreciate most now about the gym are the shower facilities. For the ease of taking wudhu.

And I have my reasons. We had moved to a new office in the middle of the last year. The biggest hindrance I faced there was taking wudhu. Like most washrooms in office buildings, there were wash basins which allowed for washing up.

After becoming more and aware of making the floor wet, I tried my best to prevent the floor from becoming wet. Even then, there were some other ladies who walked in and stare at me and make remarks on the water on the floor. From these instances, I used to take my wudhu in a very rushed manner (literally with my heart beating very quickly) so that I could walk out before any other women walked in.

I made lots of duas and asked Allah (S.W.T) to make this easy for me. SubhanAllah, HE answered my prayers. We moved to HQ. With all the good things that this move brought, I appreciated the move most for being able to make wudhu with peace and pray in the gym. Alhamdhulilah.

Now, when I make wudhu, I remember my times at the old office, and reduce the water that flows out from the shower tap and try my best to save water. I pray Allah (S.W.T) rewards other Muslim brothers and sisters who have to pray amidst conditions similar to that in my old office and more difficult ones.

Talking about spaces for performing prayer, would like to share on an experience I had when I was invited to attend a press luncheon at Furama Riverfront. I was unusually early that day as I did not have to report to office earlier that morning. Hence, I took some time to head to the lobby to wait for my editor to arrive when I spotted a sign that read 'Muslim Prayer Room' (if I remember correctly). I walked in and what I saw really made my day! It was a complete prayer room - with a Quran, some perfume bottles as it is Sunnah to apply some fragrance before praying,  two prayer mats, a few sets of telokong and even an ablution area. All these were in that small area! Masha-Allah.

I felt so at peace in this space. It was early for Zuhr, yet I didn't have the heart to leave without praying. I made ablution and offered two voluntary rakats of prayer. I picked up the Quran and read a few of the short suras, and made duas for all the people who made the room possible.

I snapped some photos and sent them to AZ, sharing my joy, and he was equally thrilled. After the press briefing at lunch, I promptly came back and did my Zuhr prayers before heading to office. Alhamdhulilah.