I have been always admiring people who create beautiful things with their own hands, especially quilts. There is something unique about it. Maybe because each quilt is filled with warmth and love of the person who makes it. My desire to learn how to sew has a long stand history. My first acquaintance with quilting began with the birth of my first daughter. We received a beautiful baby quilt as a gift from my husband's colleague wife (she also made quilts for children with cancer). I really liked it, but back than (9 years ago) it seemed almost impossible to make something like this. Then, 3 years (when my second son was born) later my mom in law got me a Singer machine. Again, it was too intimidating start learning to sew, plus taking care of two kids and going to school at the same time prevented me from doing it. Then 5 years later my third child was on the way and I decided that if I do not learn how to quilt now most likely I will never find a courage:) and time to do it. So, I started taking basic quilting classes. As a result of time constrain (my baby had to come soon) and finishing a thesis this baby quilt was born.
This quilt was inspired by Florida theme ( the ocean and sand).
Than, there were other blankets for my mom and my best friends. Unfortunately, I do not have all pictures. Here is one blanket that I made for my expecting friend.
This quilt is for my mom in law (inspired by Qatar:)
These blankets are very simple (I am just a beginner and there is so much to learn) but in all of them I put a little part of myself.
I still cannot believe that we made Umra. The proof of that are these pictures and a deep desire to do it again.
Writing about our journey would take hours since we had made it by a car, with our parents and three kids. Everyone can imagine how much fun we had :). But every inconvenience or difficulty we had experienced during this trip was paid off by being in Makkah and Madinah. Saying something about these places is saying nothing.You have to go there and feel it.
In Makkah, the first thing that stroked me was a feeling of ordinariness. It was strange because everyone expects to sense something extraordinary and divine. However, when you look at all those pilgrims circling around Kaaba it reminds you about continuous circle of life that never stops and you look at yourself as a physical particle of that circle. I noticed that when you look at the movement around the Kaaba it looks like a mini galaxy. That is why you feel that being there is a natural thing (like coming back home). At the same time I felt that Makkah has own unique electromagnetic field that saturates everything there with a power of cosmos and earth at the same time. Especially it is felt in the morning when hundreds of people flood the streets going to Masjid Al Haram for Fajr prayer. You witness how the power of the belief mobilizes and brings together so many people with different backgrounds at one place and people act as they are one body. It is magnificent. I think that for me felling that you returned to a place where you belong to and being a part of the Muslim body (Umma or global Muslim community) were the most significant thinks I learnt in Makkah.
Our experience in Madinah was totally different (it was very emotional).The moment you see the city with its white buildings from the top of the hills you start loving it. There is something special about the place. I cannot even explain what exactly makes it unique.It is all about prophet Muhammad (SAW). You just merge yourself into events of those days and picture how Madinah became a shelter and later on a permanent home for prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his oppressed adherents.
We were there less than 24 hours.So, we did not have much time to explore the city. But we absolutely loved the prophet’s masjid. It is a very beautiful place which you do not want to leave.
I could keep on writing about our experience in Saudi Arabia that most of the time was very nice (although there are issues with etiquette of some Muslims) but it would never reflect the real beauty and spiritual power of those places. I just want to thank Allah for making our Umra possible. We are really blessed. I wish that all our brothers and sisters in Islam will be given the opportunity to visit Makkah and Madina. Amin!
Beginning of our journey to Saudi Arabia (KSA). A road from Doha to Riyadh.
A beautiful landscape.Qatar.
A highway to Riyadh.
Camels crossing a road.
We noticed that desert in Saudi Arabia has some vegetation:) compare to arid land of Qatar.
Small canyons.KSA.
Strange rocks.
A sand storm on the way to Riyadh.
Approaching Taif.
One of the several place (not far from Taif) where pilgrims enter the state of ihram.
Busy life in Makkah.
Buildings in Makkah built right on the tops of mountains.
A taxi cab.
A beautiful Kaaba. Masjid Al Haram. The construction of the Kaaba has not been changed since the time of the prophet Ibrahim. It was destroyed several times but always rebuilt in it's original form.
Devoted pilgrims trying to touch a black stone( placed at the bottom of the right corner) and walls of the Kaaba.
Ben Kabir:)). A huge tower with shopping center and food corner built outside of the Masjid Al Haram.
Din (spirituality) and Dunia (our worldly life) at one place.
A beautiful architecture inside the Haram.
Outside of the Haram.
Pilgrims going to Masjid Al Haram for salat al Fajr.
Before the prayer.
University city at Thuwal ( King Abdullah University of Science and Tecnology). It is located on the shore of the Red Sea.
Newly built masjid.
The Red Sea.
A jellyfish.
A road from Makkah to Madina.
You feel very connected to first Muslims migrated to Madina and you feel like one of them.
Madina is a white city.
The masjid of the prophet Muhammad. Al Masjid Al Nabawi.
A prophet's Muhammad tomb (also called a Green Dome).
Beautiful minarets of the masjid.
Mechanically operated umbrellas in the inner courtyard of the Prophet's Mosque.
Several months ago we visited Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha. It possesses a beautiful collection of Islamic artifacts from different parts of the Muslim world, particularly from Turkey( Ottoman Empire), Iran, Central Asia and India. The collection ranges from different copies of Koran that were written during rulings of various halifs, beautiful mosaic and tiles, armor to household items and fine jewelry.
In my opinion the construction of the museum itself is a piece of art.
Inside the museum.
Copy of the Koran .
Beautiful plate from Turkey.
A bottle and a document holder.
A knife handle (Mugal epoch, India)
A tile from Turkey or Iran.
Armor of a Muslim warrior.
Fine jewelers of Mugal era. India, (16th-18th century).
