Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences 1. Amazing!! The lovers of the Ahlul Bayt a.s are truly in every corner of the world and Subhanallah completely united because of their mutual love for these blessed personalities!!!! Imagine my surprise, a few months ago during the summer, when I went through this Tim Horton's drive-thru for a coffee and the young lady serving me (Parveen Humayun Yawari on far right in the picture) excitedly exclaimed, "Oh my God! Zakira Shyrose it's you!! I simply love your majlis!!! It was my dream to meet you in person!!" And then she called out to her fellow employees and friends, "Come quick!! This is the lady I was telling you about!! This is my preacher from my mosque!!" Subhanallah now whenever I go through this drive-through these 3 ladies, Parveen, Arlyn and Lily Beth give me a glowing welcome and their love and their brilliant smiles simply light up my entire day. With the boost they give me, I don't even need the coffee to perk me up lol!! Since then, Parveen has attended most of my morning majalis this Muharram and has even started to drive long distances to attend some of the majalis at the private homes that I recite in. She finds her own way there (even if she doesn't know the hostess of the majlis) and attends as my special guest. And most of the time we barely even get a chance to say hello to each other. But she comes anyway. Now that is true love, indeed. What's even more beautiful is that when I first met her at the drive-through window (a few months ago) she had told me her special news that she was just a few weeks pregnant. And now the baby is almost due and she insists that I help her name it. This picture was taken just a few hours ago. Please do pray for Parveen to have a beautiful, healthy child who becomes a true and devout follower of the Ahlulbayt a.s, just like his/her mother. Parveen you are truly a special and very loving human being. I am so blessed to have found you. I would never have guessed you are a Maulayee and it truly was a delight to know that our hearts beat for the same Master (a.s) Shaayer e Ahle bait (a.s) Rehan Azmi nay waqye may khoob kaha hay, "Ham Hussaini hay dunya may pehlay huway!!" ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ [Oct, 26, 2017; 115 likes] Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences 2. I actually cried a few tears as I drove on the massive and busy highway. 'Why am I putting myself through all this mental anguish and anxiety and stress?" I asked myself as I battled the huge 18 wheeler trucks and navigated across criss-crossing loops and connecting ramps to other highways. It was 8 am and I was driving in extremely heavy traffic to McMaster University (a 1 and a half hour drive away) to speak on the topic of "Women in Islam". Maybe the exhaustion of the past few days (5 km marathon and a back to back schedule of reciting majalis) and the nail-biting drive on this early morning commute was just catching up with me. But I truly found myself really questioning why I had chosen such a difficult path in life. Why did I have to put myself in such a vulnerable place and speak on such challenging topics, in this era of Islamophobia, in front of people who would be judging my appearance and my faith? What made me the expert on the questions they would be asking? Did I truly have all the answers? Shouldn't I just let someone else, someone much more knowledgable, handle this very important task? Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences Wouldn't it be so much easier to be home in my comfort zone, cuddled up in my warm bed and with people who I didn't have to prove or defend anything to? I was battling with a huge wave of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself. Why did I always choose the difficult things to do in life? And I took the wrong ramp and ended up onto another, much slower and extremely congested highway. That's when the brimming tears really fell out of my eyes. Now I was going to be late on top of all this misery. And I had woken up at 5.30 am to avoid this very scenario. I finally arrived on the busy University campus and made crazy u-turns as I struggled to find the lecture hall and searched for parking at over 3 completely full parking lots. I entered the lecture hall, miraculously on time, to a full audience of people of all ages and from every religious and academic background. The huge lecture room became completely quiet as soon as the professor at the podium began to read my introduction. And then, as he read out my credentials and about my achievements, I heard a voice call out from the back of the hall. "Wow!" said the person. "That's amazing!" said another. And then the best one that made me laugh out loud: "Can I have a selfie with you after the lecture?!" "Me too" said someone from the back. And it all suddenly made sense to me. I had to be here. I had to do this work. Not even necessarily because I was great at it but because I had to do my part to create awareness about Muslim women. Just my presence there, as an educated woman, was 80% of the work in helping to dispel stereotypes about Muslim women being oppressed and pitiable. And subhanallah, as I began to speak, the audience responded so wonderfully. They reacted with wonder, with enthusiasm, with great interest and with also smiles and laughter at just the right places! And just like that, I was in my element. This, in fact, was my real comfort zone. To be able to speak with love and wonder about the true essence of my beautiful faith. To discuss the role models that have inspired me in the Holy Quran and from the family of the Holy Prophet (saww). I talked and talked, writing on the blackboard, walking back and forth, barely breathing, barely having a moment to even take a sip of water. And suddenly there was not enough time. Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences There was so much I still wanted to say. "I think I will have to return for a set of at least 3 more lectures to elaborate on some of the themes I have brought up here", I found myself saying. "Yes!" called out a young lady. "Can you please come back?!!" The session ended and people of all ages suddenly crowded me. So many wanted to take pictures and so many wanted to tell me how inspired they were. Many told me they had learned so much. Some hugged me and sincerely thanked me and when I looked closely they were Muslim. There were young ladies in hijab and some whose names were the only indication that they were Muslim. The professor for the next lecture had already arrived and so had the students. But the crowd around me didn't want to leave just yet. So we moved the group to the hallway and talked for 15 minutes there. And others followed me to the parking lot and we talked another 15 minutes there. There was so much thirst for knowledge. So much sharing of interfaith details. And I myself was so intrigued by the discussions because these were not just students from the divinity school but adult students and faculty whose focus of research and majors and thesis topics were completely mind-blowing. Finally everyone had to rush to their other classes. And I was finally alone. I sat inside my car and for a moment, I placed my forehead on the steering wheel. I took a huge sigh of relief and let myself just feel the peace and quiet. "Alhamdulilah," I whispered out loud. And I talked to God in my heart. "Thank you Allah for giving me a chance to do this. Thank you for this huge "burden" that is actually a blessing like no other. Thank you for allowing me to be an ambassador for my faith, and for my gender too. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to have my own faith strengthened each time I do this". Truly, I am the one who stands to gain the most, every time I speak about Islam. Truly, I am most blessed and most fortunate, indeed! [Oct, 25, 2017; 261 likes] Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences Zakira Shyrose Facebook Posts-Book Compilation-Personal Experiences 3. Alhamdulilah!!! my mom just arrived at the airport in Sweden to join me here for Mahe Muharram and in just a few seconds her beautiful fragrance, her warm hug, her uplifting compliments and her loving smile and kisses have made me feel like my world is perfect. Heaven truly is under one's Mother's feet --just being near her makes a child, no matter how old they are, feel as if they are blissfully content and in heaven. I had seriously wondered if I would be blessed with her presence beside me this year... But your Duas have made a miracle for us all.