I went to bed early on Saturday night in anticipation of a long day ahead seated on the not-so-soft carpets in the Masjid 20 miles away. We usually venture out to that particular town pour manger Nando's Halal Chicken and/or to visit Aunty Nazneen. Not this time. I don't know why I didn't sleep well. Perhaps it was for fear of sleeping in and missing the beginning of the talk? Nevertheless, I managed to be up and out by 8:30am (and that includes having had breakfast)! Somehow a journey that would normally take 45 minutes took just 20. The car park was more or less empty & I began to wonder if I had the right date. YIKES. I walked in through the side entrance to find a lone sister looking half asleep. She confirmed that I hadn't made a mistake, was just a little early! Well, they did say to be there by 9am, registered by 9:15am, to start at 9:30am *blank stare* So I found myself a nice spot beside a pillar and patiently awaited the arrival of the rest. We started at 10:30ish. *Another suitably blank stare* Apparently the Sheikh had been hunting the town for coffee. Lol, well, he is American! Alhamdulillah. Why didn't anyone actually mention that we would need the text for the course!? After all the emails that were sent out not one mentioned to "BRING THE BOOK" ARGH!!! If I hadn't already ordered one online, I would have purchased then and there. Khair, PLOO, I mean, alhamdulillah. We stopped for a tea break, and then lunch after dhuhr. Lunch, for those interested, was CB (Chicken Biryani), vegetable curry and fresh mint chutney. YUMM, alhamdulillah :) We concluded just before maghrib, alhamdulillah. Dinner was then served, but, as it was pushing 8:30pm I decided to forgo the rice & korma to head back home to a yummy cuppa chai! The whole experience was absolutely amazing.

Highlight of the day?

Sheikh: "Where is *****? Has anyone seen my son!?"
A group of sisters calmly reply: "He's just outside the hall, colouring."
Sheikh: " ALHAMDULILLAH" & a huge sigh of relief.

Those two sentences, the frantic yet somehow patient voice, the concern, and the love, the love of a father for his child, must have moved many.

May Allah swt have mercy on our fathers, indeed on our parents, and on those orphans after whom no-one will ask: "Where is *****? Has anyone seen my child?!"

Ameen. Thumm Ameen. Super Duper Mega Ameen.