Truth & Beauty is going on hiatus.
I don’t know if I can articulate all the reasons why, but I find myself in need of a spiritual retreat.
I may return someday, insha-Allah.
Thank you to everyone who has read over the years, particularly when I was unwell. Your prayers and solidarity were truly part of my sustenance during that difficult time and I have come to deeply value our diverse, thoughtful and supportive Blogistan community.
I hope to continue posting Wednesday articles at United Press International and photos at Beauty in Creation
I leave you with a beautiful article by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf on the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him, whose parting words were:
“Treat your women well, and do not oppress your servants, the prayer, the prayer, don’t be neglectful of the prayer. O God, my highest companion, O highest companion.”
May we all grow in love for him and the Lord of us all, ameen.
My deepest respect and blessings to you all. Please keep me in your prayers.
Thank you for your companionship on this journey.
34 comments
Comments feed for this article
April 16, 2007 at 9:22 pm
mcpagal
Salaam
I pray your difficulty is made easy, inshAllah, and ameen to your duas.
April 17, 2007 at 12:46 am
Gail
I will hold you in my prayers, dear Baraka. All the best.
April 17, 2007 at 12:51 am
ZP
your site is one of the few i surf to constantly; i will miss it.
if i can do anything for you, please let me know.
April 17, 2007 at 4:22 am
koonj
We’ll have to keep in touch via other ways at last, my dear
April 17, 2007 at 1:24 pm
baj
aw, man! insha’Allah, we’ll see you return sooner rather than later.
April 17, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Maliha
Salamaat,
I will miss you. Your writings have been really inspiring for me in so many dimensions. A stranger you may be, but I feel connected to you somehow (or perhaps this is my ego flattering herself
I understand your decision though; and am grappling on whether I should do the same myself.
take care of you and may He continue to guide and shower you with His mercy and compassion. (amin).
April 17, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Tiel Aisha Ansari
Come back soon inshallah; we’ll all miss you.
April 17, 2007 at 6:33 pm
rbarenblat
Thinking of you; wishing you blessings during this time.
April 17, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Anonymous
Retreat is Required/Essential to Integrate our Journey’s Experiences… The Micro and the Macro of the great Weaver, our InterBeingness with all things…at Peace with all energies, despite the dualities.
May you have ease of well being and I’m sending you over Oceans of Peace…ETN
April 18, 2007 at 10:58 am
Optimistic Guard
Salam, I love your site, such great articles although I seldom comment I gain a lot from here. It will surely be missed. Hope you have a wonderful future and may allah’s blessings always be with you.
April 18, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Jamila
I will miss you. Thank you for the lovely comment you left on my blog. May Allah fill your life with light.
April 18, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Safiya
Salaam,
I love your writings and will miss them. I will keep you in my du’as and insha Allah, a soaring high will following this current low.
All the best dear sister,
Very warmly,
Safiya
April 19, 2007 at 3:14 am
mystic-soul
Khush raho, abad raho aur muskurati raho
Aameen
April 19, 2007 at 12:51 pm
irving
May Allah grant you love and ease of pain and difficulty. A spiritual retreat is a great idea
I will miss your strong and intelligent voice. If you need to talk, you know how to reach me. I am at your service.
Ya Haqq!
April 19, 2007 at 6:22 pm
luckyfatima
baraka you mean a lot to me and so many others out here in blogland. lots of duas for you…do feel better and return soon.
hugs and more hugs
April 19, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Mona Um Ibrahim
Assalamu Alaikum
May Allah bless you Baraka and reward you. From the Mere Islam post you linked to about the Prophet:”When he spoke he was always brief and reflective. He spoke when he saw benefit and spent long periods in silent contemplation”. I pray that your period of silent contemplation is a productive one inshaAllah. We’ll be here when you get back
April 20, 2007 at 5:55 pm
musicalchef
I hope everything goes well for you. Guess i’ll just have to surf your archives!
April 22, 2007 at 8:57 am
Basil
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
April 23, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Mama Z
may Allah guide you and open many paths through these difficult times. There is a prayer of the prophet which i read especially when i feel trapped in a difficult situation:
Allahumma ya mufattihal abwab iftahlana khayral bab ( O Allah, O the one who opens doors open me a door with blessings) amin!
April 23, 2007 at 9:43 pm
RI
You will be terribly missed. Because your blog had so much ‘goodness’ and ‘thoughtfulness’… and it’s rare to find that these days. Many many times, it moved me to think and question and reevaluate my own life’s direction. For all of this and move, I am ever so grateful.
If you change your mind, start another blog, please consider inviting me to it.
And I would love if we stayed in touch.
Take care, you are in my prayers.
April 24, 2007 at 7:57 am
TR
Assalamualaikum Dear Sis,
I came to your blog today after a long time and emotions burst into gentle tears when I read your last blog.
And I wanted to thank you for all the “good” that you’ve done. For giving soo much of yourself in service of others. I want to thank you for that beautiful sentence that you had given me, “Turn to God”. It again brought direct focus on what was important when I was feeling down and lost.
You may be leaving, but our prayers are with you. God Bless You.
Our love and prayers are always with you!
Want to thank you again for ALL that you’ve really done. You’ve made differences.
-TR
April 24, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Aisha
I just read this… I unerstand. I’m going through something similar myself. I hope you feel better. I hope that you return one day… but only if you want to….
I hope to keep in touch with you through other means insh’allah and hope you pursue your writing in other capacities regardless.
Love you!
Aisha
April 25, 2007 at 4:16 am
Baji
Dearest Baraka:
Even though we have never met you, I hold you near and dear my heart and prayers. Please take the time to seek out what you need and hurry back to enlighten the rest of us. Salaam.
April 28, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Anonymous
Dearest Baraka
inshAllah .. take care Saniya.
InshAllah may Allah keep inspiring you with the beauty that you experience and have us experience through your words… Its truly a gift from Allah and may Allah give you and B health and happiness and we hope to see you back here soon
April 30, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Baraka
Salaam,
Your prayers, support, words and thoughts really mean a great deal to me.
Thank you & bless you all!
Warmly,
Baraka
May 9, 2007 at 10:15 am
Shaykhspeara Sha'ira
Ameen indeed. I understand what you mean, you do what you have to do and may God bless you always. Hope to see you back whenever the time is right for you inshallah.
You will be missed larki!
Salamaat/ SS
May 18, 2007 at 4:24 am
Safia
Salaam,
In addition to all you have written on your blog, I also really enjoy your articles at the religion and spirituality site. You are a very talented and insightful writer, mashallah.
May Allah bless you and give you ease in your difficulties.
May 21, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Hajar
God bless you.
I miss you.
May 25, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Ali Sanaei
interesting blog, keep on the nice work
June 3, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Anonymous
Dear Baraka,
Come back already!
Love,
RI
July 13, 2007 at 8:20 am
Coffee Wife
You have a lovely blog! Have a great day!
August 10, 2007 at 7:45 am
BuzzVines
We just launched a mega event with the name “I Still Love Pakistan Do You !” at BuzzVines.com, and would love if
you join up and spread the word around. we are inviting all the bloggers of Pakistan so hurry join up!
PS: this is not spam i visited your website personally to leave the message.
August 31, 2007 at 10:13 pm
koonj
I miss you, B.
September 2, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Huzefa
I used to read your blog and liked the confluence of Islam with west about which you wrote. I remember at one point reading somewhere on truth and beauty that you are planning to make it a private blog.
I would like to be on the list.