Author: Yacoob

I'm a writer, blogger, husband and father. Writing is my passion, and sharing beneficial knowledge and insights has been a pillar of my life for many years. I blog at dreamlife.wordpress.com.

As the days of Hajj draw to a close…

Sep 3, 2017

As I sat there, I was moved by watching my fellow hujjaajj. I reflected on how we were all brought together for this trip: Allah had specifically picked each and every one of us to be His guests at these holy sites in this year. I thought about the bonds had grown between us, and how united we’d been. And soon, this would all end. We’d go back to our own lives at home and our Hajj would fade into history as fond memories – flashes of a past experience that we would so dearly love to hold onto, but wouldn’t be able to, since life would move on, and time would erode the highs of our spiritual peak. … More As the days of Hajj draw to a close…

Hajj collage

Makkan Memories…and the future of me

Aug 22, 2017

I think of how my own life has changed in these six years.

When we got back, the desire to “live my Hajj” meant staying highly spiritual: worshipping a lot; being beautiful in character; and just living a good, clean life.

Six years later, my feeling is that that’s not what it means to live our Hajj. At least not for me. Maybe because I’ve failed miserably by my own initial definition. … More Makkan Memories…and the future of me

Leaving for Hajj soon? Download these tipsheets

Jul 13, 2017

With this year’s Hajj fast approaching, those who are going can find it hectic getting logistical stuff sorted out, making the social arrangements for departure (the greetings etc before leaving), and – most importantly – their own personal mental and spiritual preparation.

What follows is a compilation of tips and lessons extracted from my own Hajj experience – which I hope will be of benefit to those making the journey of a lifetime this year. … More Leaving for Hajj soon? Download these tipsheets

Liberation

Jun 23, 2017

I wrote, previously, about how I was taking these final 10 days of Ramadaan off for my own part-time itikaaf, and what I hoped to achieve in that time. Now, as I near the end of that period (which has actually only been 5 days – the working week), I see what I’ve been missing … More Liberation

Mercy

Jun 12, 2017

  Winter is truly upon us here in Cape Town. After many months of anxiety and panic about our prolonged drought, we finally have rain. In recent weeks, we’ve been counting down to “Day Zero” – a point some 60-odd days into the future where our dams would be totally empty – with no stored … More Mercy

Ramadaan

Ramadaan update

May 29, 2017

It’s the fourth night of Ramadaan, and Alhamdullilah, I’m feeling the spirit all around me. We’re blessed to live in close proximity to three masjids, so we hear the athaan from them all, and the dhikrs that are made over the loudspeakers. When driving home at night from the masjid, I need only turn on the … More Ramadaan update

Peekaboo

May 17, 2017

See this mouse? Cute, isn’t he? Looking all innocent – with his little whiskers and tiny eyes. And do you know why he’s cute? Because he’s not real. A real mouse isn’t something to gush over. Especially when it’s in your house. The unexpected visitor If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that I have a bit of … More Peekaboo