Monday, March 30, 2009

salam aleikum
I passed by few stores these weekend and found a lot of maxi dresses and long skirts this summer
charlotte russe, have big variety of dresses and long skirts with very reasonable prices ...
You can find their maxi dresses online starting at $ 24.99 and up
http://www.charlotterusse.com







All these dresses are from Charlotte Russe, and Turkish Jilbab $ 72.24 that comes in different colors from www.al-muminat.com AND the white cationic hijab for only $8.99
I wear maxi dresses and skirts with open style abaya .



Egyptian hijab from muslim base £ 4.99 , skirts from http://www.charlotterusse.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=maxi&origkw=maxi&sr=1

black Cationic Hijab from www.al-muminat.com $8.99
plain black abaya $ 29.99 https://www.troid.org/store
tops from charlotte russe $ 7.50





Here are some more dresses that I found at Weat Seal store www.weatseal.com
$29.50



$16.90



$27.50


There is more from www.macys.com

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Wedding Ideas

Wedding Abayas

salam aleikum
In my previous blog I posted some Indian dresses for The wedding Party ,now I found some beautiful Wedding Abayas that I would like to post ..

This is beautiful Abaya ,that can be customized with your specifications of size and color

http://www.al-hijaab.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1255

$ 139.50

Can be made in red ..Gorgeous !!!!






This is very beautiful Jilbab ,also from the same website
And its only $ 74.40
http://www.al-hijaab.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1265
For those who like red , like I do :)






Here is another white Jilbab,from the same store also ,which is $91.14
http://www.al-hijaab.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1254






Let me know what you think ,I will keep posting more inshaAllah :)

waaleikum salam



Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Reminder for us

salam aleikum

How does it feel to be a Muslim in the West ..
My journey to Islam began almost 4 years ago ...
And its been a lonely journey since I converted ,like for most of the converts/reverts it haven't been easy to fit to the society ,to get accepted with your new ideas and new look ..
I think the hardest for all of us converts is the acceptance of our families .Alhamdulillah its been easy with my family ,may be because my parents are too far away and they can't really see my changes ...Although they did ,as my whole personality changed after reverting to Islam ..
I never believed that people can change so much ..
Islam has changed me a lot .Its totally new me and Alhamdulillah ...

I cannot imagine my life right now as a non-muslim .Where would I be ,what would I do ,what would I live for ..Life has no meaning without Faith .Life has no meaning without believing in Allah and Hereafter ...

Every step ,every second of this life has to be for Allah ,has to be for our Deen ,for Dawah ..
How much time do we waste on useless things .The whole life can pass like this and the time is flying and the day of Judgement is getting closer..
What have we done? What have we earned to take with us if we die tomorrow ?
We will be asked for how we spent our wealth ,our health , our youth and our free time ..

Narrated by Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet said, ‘There are two blessings which many people lose: Health and free time for doing good”
[Al- Bukhari 76:421]

Allah will also question us on the Day of Judgment about what we listen to, watch, and think of. We read in the Qur'an what means:

*{Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart; about each of those, you will be questioned (by Allah)}* (Al-Israa' 17:36)

*{Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)}* (At-Takathur 102:8)

This means that all the blessings and delights we have been enjoying in this world, such as our health, wealth, food, and drink, as well as other comforts of life, will be subject to the Last Day's questioning.


SubhanAllah it makes me feel really scared ..

The Prophet,peace be upon him, also said,

Allah will meet a person and ask him, "O person, wasn't I generous to you? And didn't I give you a spouse and make the horses and camels at your disposal?" The servant will reply, "Yes!" Allah will then ask, "Did you think that you will meet Me?" He will reply, "No!" Allah will say, "I will forget you as you forgot Me."

Then Allah Almighty will meet another person and his reply will be the same as the first person's. Then again He will meet a third person and will ask similar questions, and the person's reply will be, "O Lord, I believed in You, in Your books, and in Your messengers. I prayed, I fasted, and I gave charity." And he will praise Allah as much as he can. Allah will say, "Hold on to your words, now We will bring the witnesses." The person will ask himself, "Who will testify against me?" Then that person's mouth will be sealed, and his thighs, flesh, and bones will be asked to speak. They will speak about his bad deeds. He will know that he has no excuse. That is the hypocrite with whom Allah the Exalted will be furious. (Muslim)

We have to lead a good life in this world and to be prepared for accountability in the hereafter so that we are not among the losers on the Day of Reckoning.

Brothers and Sisters be mindful of Allah in every second in every moment of this life..

Remember that we owe Allah for all the blessings that He gave us , for this Earth that He spread for us and made it comfortable for us to live in...

Shaytan can make us busy easily with friends ,with internet ,Tv and etc.. Stop and think will it benefit you? And stop and think what have you done today for Allah ,what have you done today for Dawah? How many people did you tell about Islam today? Stop and think ,what have you done today ? Have you wasted it ? Or have you done something to please Allah?




Monday, March 9, 2009

Muslim Wedding Dress

salam aleikum

Please note ,these dresses and decorations are for women's party only .You wouldn't want to show up like these in front of non-Mahram men ....



image from www.indianbride.co.uk



Salam aleikum
Muslim wedding dress ... How hard it is to find..
I remember myself searching online ,Muslim wedding dress, and just nothing would come up ..Only few dresses....
After big research I realized that there is no such a thing as Muslim wedding dress...
There is no special requirement for Muslim wedding dress.I mean no specific color or style .
I guess it also depends from country to country what Muslim Brides wear ...

I noticed many sisters wear White dress and there is nothing wrong with it at all...

I personally like Indian wedding dresses ...
Few months ago I and other sister were looking for a dress for her and we started from white regular dresses , after trying on couple of them ,we realized that it looked really boring .So we decided to try Indian Bridal Lehengas ...
And all of them looked stunning ,with lots of embroidery and large Dupatta ...

The sister got the blue Lehenga with silver embroidery and the Tika and bangles to go with it ...

If anyone is looking for something other then white I would recommend to look for Indian Bridal Lengha

I will post few examples....
Of course,the ones I'm posting need to be customized with long sleeves,which most of the Indian stores offer ..

Regarding the price most of the Bridal Lenghas start from 400$ and up ,you can find some also for 200$ ,300$ or bargain in the store...

Red color is most common for Bridal Lenghas and it looks truly gorgeous with all the jewelry






There are also different colors of Lehega and different designs ..
There are many nice Lehengas at www.Figurafashion.com.They also offer free customization,like adding sleeves and etc..


For the sisters who like to wear white or off white for their wedding I found these few options

http://figurafashion.com $ 450

www.figurafashion $399.00
They also have Western style gowns ,which look really beautiful ,ecept for the fact ,that the shoulders are open .If you can find something to wear over it ,then it would be nice too..
And these 2 dresses are only $ 255.00





Here is also another option are Bridal Sarees
They are much cheaper then Lehenga Choli and I think its possible to ask them to make long sleeve blouse...



Jewelry is the very important part of these dresses

Especially this head piece , called Tikka..
But please note ,this is for women's party only .You wouldn't want to show up like these in front of non-Mahram men ..

Images from www.indianbride.co.uk

Tikka



I found these excellent deals on ebay

This whole set is only 27 $ + shipping

It is gold plated ,but still it looks beautiful and its very inexpensive
you can check this ebay store http://myworld.ebay.com/farjamali/




Saturday, March 7, 2009

Silk Hijabs
I have so many Hijabs ,that I feel really guilty for spending so much money on buying just Hijabs .When I reverted to Islam ,I had no idea ,what proper Hijab is .I used to buy different scarves from department stores and Online stores ,and most of them just don't stay right on my head or the fabric just feels irritating.
So finally after trying so many scarves I just finally found the Hijabs that feel best on the head and feel really light and look truly beautiful ..There are silk Hijabs .But not just 100% silk ..The ones I really love that I recently got are 50% Silk 50% viscose, made in Italy...
Those feel the best ..

If anyone just reverted and reading this blog or if anyone planning to start wearing Hijab,I advice to start with Silk/Viscose Hijabs ..
My advice is ,no polyester .It feels most irritating ,especially in the summer its not breathable at all...
I also like Chiffon , or Silk /Chiffon combination...
The only thing is that the Silk/viscose scarves or silk/chiffon scarves are very light and see through ,so you will need to use 2 scarves ,or plain Amira under it with under scarf ...
Underscarf is another issue ...make sure you feel comfortable in it ..I just use small cotton underscarf ,or silk scarf ...
My recommendation is no Satin scarves or underscarves .They look beautiful and shiny ,BUT you can't hear anything in it ...
Try to find some Silk scarves and you will see how truly beautiful silk is ...Silk is also great for Hair . It is also god to use silk pillowcases ...

Many people with experience and an interest in growing long hair suggest the use of natural silk to cover your pillow. This allows your hair to glide easily over the pillow as you move during the night. The friction caused with normal pillow covers leads to static electricity being created in your hair making it vulnerable to breakage.

SubhanAllah the prophet (pbuh) suggested to the women of his household to cover their hair with natural silk. An easy way to maintain this sunnah without having to throw away all your old pillow cases and buying others is to buy a meter or so of pure silk and cut it to make small bandanas which you can wear during the day under your hijabs or at night before you go to sleep.

SubhanAllah
This is so true .Silk feels great for the hair and its truly the most beautiful fabric. Allah Subhana wa Taala says in the Quran ,that inhabitants of Jannah will be wearing Silk garments ...

"And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient. ..........Their garments will be of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink." [76:12-21]



Some interesting Information about Silk


HOW SILK IS MADE
For centuries silk has rightfully enjoyed a reputation as a luxurious and sensuous fabric, one associated with wealth and success. It is one of the oldest textile fibers known to man.



Cultivation is a difficult process that begins with the silk moth.

The moth lays hundreds of eggs about the size of a pinhead that are examined and discarded if they are diseased. The eggs are then put in cold storage for six to ten months until the mulberry trees bud.

After incubation, the eggs hatch into larvae. For about a month these larvae live in a carefully controlled environment eating cleaned, chopped mulberry leaves. They grow quickly and become caterpillars called silk worms. The silk worm is quite discerning about its environment. If the conditions are less than ideal, the silkworm produces inferior silk, or no silk.

The silkworm then starts to spin a cocoon for itself to protect it while it transforms into a moth. A single cocoon yields 1,600 - 5280 feet of continuous filament. It is this length of fiber that makes silk fabric unlike any other type of fiber.

SILK

* Is the strongest natural fiber. A steel filament of the same diameter as silk will break before a filament of silk will.
* Is porous, which allows it to breathe and absorb moisture. Therefore it’s cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.
* Is easy to dye and takes on deep colors beautifully. Often silk is dyed in bright or iridescent colors. Depending on the weave, silk prints often look almost as good on the back side as on the front.
* Reflects the light because of its smooth fiber. This creates luster and beauty.
* Silk is tough. Tougher than cotton and fine wool. It also has a natural resistance to mold.
* Retains its shape, drapes beautifully, and has a silky feel all its own.




History of silk

According to legend, the production of silk began accidentally. The story states that in the 27th century B.C. a Chinese empress dropped a silk cocoon into her cup of tea. As she retrieved the cocoon from the cup, it unfolded into a shimmering thread. The empress, enchanted by the raw beauty of the thread, had a loom created so that the silk could be woven into a fabric.

No one will ever know if this story is truth or myth, but we do know that around that time the Chinese began cultivating silk worms and producing silk as a fabric.

Initially, silk was a luxury. Only the Emperor and his court were allowed to wear silk clothing. Before long, though, sericulture (the cultivation of silk worms and the production of silk fiber) was spread throughout the entire empire. Silk was woven for clothes, fishing lines, bowstrings, rag paper, and musical instruments. Silk became a form of currency. Farmers paid taxes in silk. Servants were paid in silk. Silk became an important commodity in Chinese trade.

For almost 3000 years the emperors of China, in order to keep a monopoly on sericulture, strove to keep it a secret from other countries. This was mostly successful, although Chinese settlers did bring sericulture to Korea and Japan around 200 BC, and by 300 AD India was producing silk.

An Egyptian mummy dating 1070 BC shows evidence of ancient silk trading. At first, trade was held to neighboring countries, but as time went on, more regions gained

access to silk, until it spread all the way to Northern Africa and Western Europe, creating what is known as the Silk Road.

It took until the 6th century AD before the Western World began silk production, when the Roman Emperor Justinian sent two monks to Asia. When the monks returned

to Constantinople, they hid silk worm eggs and mulberry leaves in their canes. Thus, the Byzantines now were able to begin silk production.

Byzantium was as determined as China to retain a monopoly over the silk trade. Weavers and looms were not allowed outside of the Imperial Palace and their fabric was worn almost exclusively by political and military leaders. What little silk wasn’t worn by them was sold at exorbitant prices. Silk cultivation then spread throughout Asia Minor and Greece.

In the 7th century, the Arabs conquered the Persians, and with them, the magnificent Persian silks The Arabs then spread silk throughout Africa, Spain, and Sicily as they expanded their empire. Marco Polo’s journeys to China, The Crusaders, and the formation of the Mongol Empire led to even more development of the silk trade between East and West.

By the 12th century, Italy became the silk capital of the Western World, thanks to the Venetian merchants. Presently, most Italian silk is made in Northern Italy near the city of Como, where the white mulberry trees are planted for the silk worms.



In the 15th century, King Francois I started a silk production monopoly in Lyon, France which challenged Italy’s leadership in silk production. In 1685, though, Louis XIV reversed the Edict of Nantes, which had given Protestants (Huguenots) a number of rights in France. Many Huguenots were textile weavers and they fled France establishing silk mills in Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland.

The silkworm, however, did not flourish in these cool climates, nor has it ever done well in the United States. In 1804, Joseph-Marie Jacquard developed a complex loom that weaved complicated floral or figured patterns onto a simpler background. This weave is still very desirable and expensive.

King James I introduced silk growing to the American colonies around 1619, but only the Shakers in Kentucky adopted the process, and it did not become an industry. In the 1800’s a new effort to produce silk in the United States began in New Jersey with European born weavers and in 1810 the first silk mill in the U.S. was established. High tariffs against imported textiles during the American Civil War and the onset of the power loom allowed a period of growth of the silk weaving industry in the United States. The silk itself was produced mostly in China, Japan and to a lesser extent, France and Italy.

The 20th century heralded in a new era in textile working. Now, man began to create fibers. These man-made fibers quickly became cheap to produce and distribute. Production of natural fibers, like silk, began to reduce.

The Second World War had a tremendous effect on the production of silk. Japan’s raw silk supplies were cut off from the Allied countries and the price of silk rose dramatically. Countries began using alternative synthetic fibers for traditional silk products like parachutes and stockings.

In the last 30 years, world silk production has doubled. The allure and appeal of this remarkable luxury fabric continues to grow and be appreciated.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Ideas for The Working Sisters

salam aleikum

So summer is almost here , let's see what we have for the summer in the Islamic Online stores...
In the place where I live we don't have any Islamic stores around ,so I have to shop online and check for the deals ,that I can share with others ...

I found this excellent site for Western Muslimahs

You can just click on the picture ,it will direct you to the site

Beautiful Square hijabs Made in Turkey



www.thecanadianmuslim.ca

They have very big selection of Hijabs and Free shipping for it ...
Turkish Hijabs ,Amirahs ,and even Bridal Hijab ,which I find really gorgeous ...

Beautiful Work wear and even Islamic swim suits ...

They also have a tutorial videos on how to wear Turkish Hijab and more

Shukr just got new beautiful Spring/Summer collection ,which is absolutely gorgeous ..

Let's see what they have ..
http://www.shukronline.com/home.html

Many things also went on clearance ..

For example this dress ,which I think is perfect for summer and its on sale right now only for $44.95


I love their designs for tunics
There are many on clearance right now ..

These two are my favorite ones ...

The red one is on sale for 37.95 and the white one is from the new collection 64.95

Here is the same design ,but on the dress..
I really love their colors ..Look so feminine and modest at the same time


Have anyone seen their recent video contest on youtube ?
It was a contest about Islamic Identity in the West .The submission period for the video contest finished on February 28 and the winner will be announced on March 15th .The video will be posted on their new blog and the winner will receive 1000$ in Shukr clothing ..


It was really fun to participate and to watch all the videos about Islamic Identity .I also think it was a great idea for dawah ..Many people participated ,even one of them I believe is Non-Muslim ...

you can watch the videos of the contest here on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XurKifhuYR0

and also visit their blog for more information about their designs and their work in general ...
I found it very interesting to read about how they make their clothes ,how they pick up their designs and ideas...

http://blog.shukrattire.com/2009/01/whats-behind-a-picture/

Now we can move on to Jilbabs
I just recently found this site

www.islamorient.com

I mean I've always seen it before , but I kind of always skipped it ,because I dont like paying in different currency ,but I came across few jilbabs ,that I think would be perfect for a summer ,plus they look very stylish also
..
You can also find all the accessories you need there ...
They have really cute purses which are on sale now and a jewelry ,and very very nice and elegant shoes ..

I like to buy from the stores where you can find everything and dont have to order separate and spend extra for the shipping ...
These are complete sets that I made from their stores and their prices are very reasonable ..

jilbab about $ 38 ,Hijab $ 7 , shoes $18 ,bracelet $ 2.80


Abaya about $ 25 ,Hijab $ 7+, shoes only $ 14+, purse $ 8.50,broch 3.95

I converted the prices to Us $ ,you can see currency converter when you click on each item


You can also match any of this Jilbabs with a summer Jackets for more professional look ,you can just take it with you and wear it inside the building ,if you work in the office ,because all the places have Air Conditioners and it gets really cold sometimes inside ,so you dont have to worry ..
abaya from www.islamorient.com $ 38+ , jacket www.target.com $ 24.99, bag $ 12 + www.islamiorien.com, shoes www.islamorient.com $19+,Hijab www.islamorient.com $7+.

Summer Hijabs

For hijabs ,its very important to get the right fabric ,so hijab will not slip off your head ..
I like chiffon hijabs ,they are very light for the summer ..
I ordered many times before at www.almuhajabat.com and they have very beautiful hijabs ..
And right now they have 40 % off on Hijabs and abayas ...
So all the hijabs are from $5 to 6$ ,Excellent deal ...

Also u can get $5 coupon by downloading their toolbar ,which I have on my computer ,it has really useful gadgets ,like calculator ,to do list , Quran Radio and more...



Visit the site that everyone's talking about - www.thecanadianmuslim.ca- Don't forget to include my email that i've referred you



www.thecanadianmuslim.com
They have many nice hijabs on clearance ,which now cost about $5-6

For those who are looking for large scarves ,I recently ordered from www.artizara.com
And the have the best service ,my hijabs were shipped within 2 hours and I received them in 2 days and they are absolutely gorgeous and really large too..





The other site that also like but I never ordered from them before
http://www.al-muminat.com/

I like their beautiful ,feminine prints and colors and Hijabs are also large and most of the hijabs are in price range $7 and up







They also have nice Sets


You can also buy skirt and shirt separately for $26.99 or 48.99 for the whole set