Jenna & Karim

بِسْــــــــــــــــــــــمِ اﷲِارَّحْمَنِ ارَّحِيم

Faith + Mercy + Sincerity + Acceptance + 
Truthfulness + Forgiveness

Those are some of the tools that Jenna's dad gave for a successful marriage. He said he's not an expert in marriage but he's been married for over 30 years. I don't think anyone who lives up to their golden jubilee years of marriage would consider themselves as experts because it's an ongoing process. People change, they come and go. There are different trials that Allah prepares along the way. For every trial, there are different tools but the above, are the absolute truth. Allah...

You would think the first step is always the hardest. But in marriage, from single to double to triple to quadruple to Allah knows how many more, every step is like another first first step. Some things we can learn from others but for the most part, it's our own trial and error. However, you can never go wrong if you use the above tools. One commonality that I find they all share is, selflessness. Nothing ME in them at all. Allah. As though it's not hard enough to take care of your own heart. Now you have to take care of hearts of others. Allah, please make it easy for us what is hard. I guess, marriage really is for everyone else but not me. It's for my spouse, my kids, my family, my community and so on.

Jennna's uncle, Bro Labadi (the President of ISNIU) said "(...) I love you Kareem, because of the love I see in Jenna's eyes when she sees you."

Jenna, Bettunia, Nora and Hanna were my first friends at DeKalb. I was a newb (a phob forever and always according to Bettunia baaji) when I attended the first NIU MSA meeting ever. Jenna was the president, Bettunia the treasurer, Nora was the sister's rep, not sure about Hanna and they were all living under one roof. They were roommates, subhanallah. We got quite close. Now all of them are married. Nora's off to Egypt which I pray for the peace of safety of the people there, Hanna, Tennessee and has a five month old baby Ayat, Bettunia - still around DeKalb - married to the ex-president of NIU MSA (before Jenna), and tonight it's Jenna's turn. Tonight Allah reunited us all again. My girls, all grown up :') Allah I'm an incompetent friend from afar which doa is my only tool for our heartstring.

Tonight was so breathtakingly beautiful and special because I felt what the power of "mass love" can do. They unite people together. "Allah created everything is pairs and what better pairs there are other than the pair of two human beings." When two hearts unite, they have the power to form individuals followed by community. A community under the shack of one roof, when spread out, gives birth to a society. I pray ya Allah that this union gives birth to many great servants of Yours in order to serve others. Baitul Muslim is about forming a web of networks with You. The more hearts of great people connected and interlinked, the more efficient, productive and better the service. Inshallah :)

"If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise." Al-Quran, Al-Anfal:63.