July 1, 2025
It is bye bye June. Hello, July. Today is Canada Day as I recall. I had an amazing Canada Day in 2017, just may include a photo or two. Eight years later I am in Malaysia planning, at this point in time, to remain here the rest of my life. But do recall that I intended to make Canada my permanent residence in 2017.So who knows?? Only Allah (SWT). My prayer for all is that they have peace of mind until they reach their destiny. Therefore, it is the prayer for myself as well.
Today I have peace of mind. It does seem as if I am back on the Straight Path. Suddenly think of a Country and Western song:
Detour
Detour, there’s a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign.
Headin’ down life’s crooked road
Lot of things I never knowed
And ’cause of me not knowin’ I now pine
Trouble got in the trail
Spent the next five years in jail
Should have read that detour sign.
Detour, there’s a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign.
When I got right to the place
Where it said about face
I thought that all my worries were behind
But the farther I go
The more sorrow I know
Should have read that detour sign.
Detour, there’s a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign.
— Instrumental —
Detour there’s a muddy road ahead
Detour, paid no mind to what it said
Detour, oh, these bitter things I find
Should have read that detour sign.
Should have read that detour sign.
Should have read that detour sign…
Patty Page’s rendition of this song is most compelling. Just Google the song and the YouTube link will get you there. Do I have to do everything for you??? Hahaha
I was amazed when I listened to the lyrics that one could readily substitute the analogy to the Straight Path.
Decided I would use the search engine of my blog, to discover wether or not I had spoken about the Straight Path before. Have I ever! Apparently about eighty (80) times.
The most articulate is the one appearing first. It was written on November 23, 2023. This is how it begins:
“I know that the Straight Path is an extremely important in the Islamic Faith. I am not stupid; daily, several times daily I say Guide Me on the Straight Path. The path of those you have blessed. Etc etc.etc “
I then, in conversation mode with myself, look to Gary Wills book quoting the Foreword. Chapter 9 of Wills’ book: What the Qur’an Meant and Why It Matters.
The Right Path (Shari’ah) begins with the following foreword:
“”
Wills begins his discourse.
“The word ‘shari’ah’ occurs only once in the Qur’an, and there it does not mean law. It is Allah’s reassurance to Muhammed that he is traveling on the right path (shari’ah). However, the Qur’an does not provide “minute legal guidance” Wills quotes Johnathan A.C. Brown.
The Qur’an is not a detailed legal manual . Only about 500 of the hundreds of the book’s (6,235) verses provide legal injunctions, and even on major quotations such as ritual prayer, the Qur’an is often vague.”
The blog veers off-track as I go to the breakfast buffet. At that time in my life living in the Medinah Oberio Hotel. I go on.
“I am writing from the breakfast buffet. We shall now return to the Straight Path. Grandson Ibraham and I spoke briefly. He was busy with other customers. These were his words (approximately).
He: You are on the Straight Path when you bring joy to other Muslims.
Me: That was brilliant! I will put it on my blog. Please check back with me to see if I have quoted you correctly.
He: I shall.”
That days blog continued. I was having a great day. My interactions with ‘Grandson Ibraham’ and a man of considerable importance, whose nickname was FAME.
This is going to be a scene stealer. ‘Grandson Ibraham’ was actually a liar and a hypocrite. FAME went on to betray me.
Although I was planning to return to the Medinah Oberio Hotel I never did, and it doth appear that I never shall.
Then a blog from a little later (December 29,2023) when I again found myself straying from the Straight Path, describing it in these terms.’
“To “get back on track” means to correct the problems and return to the plan.This means to return to the right path, or the right direction. I was getting distracted, thinking of coming to live here in Bahrain. I am convinced that Allah (SWT) has other plans for me, if I will just listen.”
Well Allah (SWT) did have other plans for me. First it was a few months in Kohbar, KSA and then to Penang. Where I have remained for about fourteen months, give or take a few visa runs.
Yesterday in Lyf I met a couple and a couple of their four children. The husband born in Penang, they were returning for a visit. Where did they live?? Kohbar. What is the likelihood of that?? We had a great chat, laughing away at the unlikelihood of our meeting. We discussed my being in Penang at this particular moment. We all agreed: I am on the Straight Path.
I did read, or Allah (SWT) forced me to read the detour sign. Hammad Rabiu is no longer in my life. I am physically incapable of going to KSA on a three week Umrah trip. Not sure where the detour sign is going to lead me. Perhaps here, but with excursions. Perhaps the first to Japan. The Tarot cards suggest it is a good plan. It is looking better for many reasons. We shall see what happens. Only time will tell.
Shamir and I have the strangest WhatsApp conversations but also see each other, probably every second day. Here is our conversation of today. We were discussing Hammad Rabiu.
Me: But then I blast him on the blog. Atomic Bomb Alexis OR Atomic Bomb Beautiful Alexis. Then ABBA. The Dancing Queen.
He: Love that band.
Me: Me too. I will always renumber a concert in SF. Probably before you were born.
He: OMG u have been.
Me: Yes born and went to a concert.
He: Wow Amazing with a capital A
Me: As does Alexis Hahaha And an Amazing Day
He: You are smart with a capital S.
A few minutes later.
Me: I am sipping my favorite beverage,, listening to cool jazz and writing.
He: Jannah on earth.
Me: For a paper Muslim you are brilliant.
He: Don’t tell anybody.
Me: I will email a paragraph from the blog, so you can read it.
He: Got it.
He did and responded, “Only time will tell” It was a perfect response. I put it at the end of the paragraph which you have already read.
Photos soon to follow. One is the one sent to my WhatsAppers. This is what I said to all. Good morning! A great life from Lyf. A lovely batik dress made especially for me by my Muslim sister and friend Yasmin.
Received many responses.
Vani: You look good and beautiful dear.
Me: Thanks my dear. Dress so comfortable too.
She: Yes. I can see also very comfortable.
Me: Very and very cool as it is cotton.
Also a message fro Alina
Alina: Good morning Alaa. Lovely dress and looks comfortable.
Me: It is SO comfortable I am going to live in it. Interesting back story. Will tell you when I see you.
Then a message from Yasmin.
She Good morning. WOW. You look beautiful in that dress.
Me: A beautiful person made it for me.
She: So happy I could do it for you.
Then from Emma, a twenty year employee of Mohan
She: Wow beautiful lady boss Brought same sunshine.
Me: And so comfortable. And cool!
It has been a rather busy day. Fajr prayers, back for a little shut eye. Then Shamir picked me up, to his office for some Personal Assistant duties. He gave me a ride to my physical therapist, for a serious exercise session. Back to Lyf on GRAB where I brunched and wrote. Between the blog I completed in my room, at Shamir’s office and here at Mojo Pojo, I have written over two thousand words. Such an accomplishment.
Decided to ask Artificial Intelligence the following question:
How many words in the average biography?
Received a rather silly answer actually, distinguishing between short, medium-lengthened and comprehensive biographies.
“Comprehensive biographies can be 10,000 words or more. These are in-depth accounts often seen in books and detailed profiles providing extensive information about a person’s life, career, achievements and influences.”
So if I quit writing the blog for five days I could write a comprehensive biography. If I am writing about my life it would be an autobiography. Again a not very helpful answer from Artificial Intelligence, distinguishing between short, average-length and comprehensive.
“Comprehensive autobiographies can exceed 100000 words, often going well into 200000 words or more. In-depth autobiographies provide a thorough account of the author’s life, including extensive detail, anecdotes and insights.”
At this moment I am in a quandary because of my deficient math skills. I do have an exquisitely interesting life (of late) with many anecdotes and insights, therefore I may be reaching the 200,000 word level. No idea whatsoever how many blogs would have to be sacrificed should I undertake to write the story of my life.
July 2, 2025
This morning I sent two separate photos to my WhatsApp folk. Both are Lyf signs. One of them says: Imperfect Friends Are Better Than Perfect Strangers. I wrote to some: “Good morning. I have both because you are a perfect friend, Thank you for being my friend.”
The other sign, in the laundry room says: What Goes Around Comes Around.
I sent it to others with this message. It does! It is the truth. How do I know? It is in the Quran. Good morning!
