My youngest child just passed her first birthday. She is being breastfed in a manner similar to how I fed her older siblings, Alhamdulilah. But she still doesn’t sleep through the night. Looking back, not a single one of my five children slept through the night before they were fully weaned.
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
When my first son was born over 15 years ago, without knowing when, where, or even if it would ever be published, I started compiling a list of beneficial information for new mothers about breastfeeding.
Muslims all around the world consider salah, our five daily prayers, to be a foundational pillar of our faith and an integral act of worship that reaps magnanimous rewards in the form of Allah's mercy and blessings.
According to Quranic guidance and the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, our dua or supplication transcends the test of time, generations, and life’s greatest trials. We should never feel shy or ashamed to turn to Allah, even when things seem hopeless.
We all recognize the blessings of this month, its miracles and its rewards, Alhamdulilah. Yet it’s also important to recognize that for mothers working inside and outside of the home, the added activity and expectations can often feel more like a blur than a magical time of year.