Making a list ...

I heard on the radio that some guy is making a list, and checking it twice. Anyway, as per the suggestion by brother Muhammad al-Shareef, insha-Allah I will make a list of 50 things to do during Hajj. I'll fill it up over time...

1. Say salaam to people of countries I never heard of.
2. Meet someone from Vanuatu.
3. Sit down with a foreign scholar, and listen to whatever wisdom he will impart.
4. Learn some new surahs of the Quran.
5. Keep my gaze lowered.
6. Learn about the many virtues of Hajj, and convey the message to others.
7. Keep a journal of my experiences.
8. Write my January article for Muslim Link.
9. Offer water to others.
10. Discuss the lives of Rasulullah SAW and Sahabah with strangers from different countries.

Insha-Allah more to come ...

Death of a Teacher

I was just informed that my former English and Drama teacher passed away on the first of this month, after struggling with cancer for some time. Through her influence, I went from being a shy, introverted child to someone capable of standing before hundreds of people to tell meaningless jokes. I used to be unable to speak in front of anyone older than myself, and she had me doing somersaults in front of nearly a thousand.

It has been nearly seven years since I left high school, but the effects that Linda McKenty had on me and hundreds of other students live on. She did her part as a teacher, hopefully the truth came to her before death.