Our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wassalam used to race with Aishah RadhiAllahu anha. The first time Aishah RadhiAllahu anha won the race, while the second time Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wassalam won, as according to the narration she had gained a little weight from eating dates and cucumber. They also played "catchy" using a watermelon as the ball. He SallAllahu alaihi would play with his children and grandchildren RadhiAllahu anhum, we read how they would even crawl and jump on his back while he was in Sajda. It was his noble character to be affectionate to children, kissing them and encouraging others not to withhold their emotions in their relationships with their families. Many narrations are recorded of him laughing and joking with his companions, as well as touching stories of his arresting noble smile. The Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum would play games with the rind and seeds of the watermelon. Our Blessed mother Aishah RadihiAllahu anha would play with little wooded and cloth dolls and also would spend time swinging, SubhanAllah.
Play….lightheartedness, smiling, joking, all important and necessary in balanced proportions for harmonious, loving, trusting, caring and respectful relationships. A little "fix it" type glue for the Ummah!
Here’s a little rambling dab from the archives.
Some time back…..
….one day I was in the bathroom when my H (husband) had to go back to work after his lunch….and I was there a LONG time… I "thought" I heard him go and lock the door….(which he did to confuse and trick me he later said!) so when I came out the place was pitch black. (you have to picture that this place has no open windows and if a light is not on then it is so dark during the day, like a cave)….so I was really confused….because I had left the computer on and even the light from the screen was not there…..I did a MINOR panic…..when suddenly a BRIGHT light was shone in my face…..HE HAD PRETENDED that he had gone….but instead hid around the corner with a lamp we have…..then stunned me with this in my face….I was NOT amused….and my heart did a few funny skips…..(reminded me of my childhood with my Pop, who was the biggest practical joker)….any way I got to thinking he cannot get away with this….but what to do as "revenge"?….
I have come up with an idea….but scared he may have a heart attack if I do it….I have seen in the crazy SR2 type shops the most ugly plastic reptile things….you know the rubbery ones kids use as tricks….so next time I go to the Haram I will stop and buy one….or SEVERAL!!! And place them in strategic places for when he will be least suspecting anything!!! Like chopped up in the salad. HA HA HA….will keep you informed.
Some time later…..
There are a few "chapters" to this….beginning very innocent like…..firstly, I stuck glittery stickers on his pen….I took the top off and stuck them on the grip part….so when he opened it at work he apparently had to quickly put the top back on because it looked so ODD, little hearts and flowers sparkling in his hand!!!….must have been slightly embarrassed in front of his Saudi boss ha ha….pity he wasn’t in one of the more important meetings he has sometimes with some of the more elite!
Then…..we have a collection of paper notes of other currencies left over from different trips….so one day while he was sleeping I took out most of his Saudi Riyals and replaced them with money from Pakistan, India and Madagascar etc!!! (Fortunately when he went to pay for the next thing he did not need much money as it wasn’t there!!!) He was "surprised" to keep pulling these foreign notes. Any way….as I kept warning him this is NOTHING!!!! Just WAIT!
It has been a bit of fun in between the tensions of guests….not as I had imagined with the plastic critters, but still on going!!!
And….
After being in Haram one day I wandered around all the oodles of silly shops lining the gates of the mosque on my walk home. I was disappointed as I could not find any creepy crawly creatures I was planning to "get" him with, and was beginning to despair about doing any thing, when I spied some…..GUNS!!!!
Oh boy did I have fun then!!!! And how happy I am that I am FULLY covered because the men in the shops would have seen this stupid old thing handling all the different models they have and trying them out to see what they can do!!! Any way I settled for a SR10.00 plastic thing looking very IMPRESSIVE ….like a small sort of machine gun look, metallic finish, stickers all over it and coloured lights flashing when you pull the trigger and bits whizzing around here and there AND…..AND….a hideous sound saying in a very funny accent…."OPEN ZA DOOOORRrrrr" There were other models which shot ping pong balls out and bigger ones of the one I chose. I could not picture how I would get home with the big one, so opted for the smaller one. I recalled some fun times I had "back home" with huge water pistols, but I didn’t see any water pistols….any way I thought that this would do the trick for the moment ….so I shuffled home with this tight under my arm…. hiding it under my black Abaya so I didn’t look SUSPICIOUS!!!! Which is so easy to do here!
Ok…that was the first step….but when I got home I was at a loss as to what to actually DO with this WEAPON now that I had it!! How to use it on the H without him having a heart attack….and to catch him when he was going to appreciate the joke rather than it back firing on me….I walked around the house "training"!!!!! coming to a door way….and then pointing this idiot thing around the corner before my body appeared….you know all the "movie" stuff….(though with the reality of … wars, killings, violence, who needs movies anymore? Actually this toy gave me a scary feeling…..here it is a bit of junky Chinese plastic, but the sense of "power" I had in just holding this and pointing it made me realize how real soldiers must feel. All too ugly. Reminded me of my protective pacifist days when I forbid my son from having any toy weapons)
After saying all that….on with this playful revenge.
Later again….
So….H comes in for lunch….and me thinking no not yet….he’s tired and hungry….then he sometimes has a little Qaylula, siesta…..so he went to sleep…..then I thought…I’ll wake him with this loud sound….and then thought otherwise….he does not wake up easily….and can be sort of grumpy ….so I woke him as normal….being VERY excited on the inside, secretly knowing that I was about to do this trick…I made his afternoon tea and placed the tray on the floor beside the bed, and as yet I had not turned the lights on….so the room is dark….he was still half asleep…..I slid THE WEAPON under the cover….and gently saying for him to wriggle…..my usual last attempt at getting him to move…..and when he threw the cover off his head I knew that he was awake enough for the REVENGE…..so I slightly lifted the cover to reveal the WEAPON pointing at him and gave it blast after blast after blast after blast towards him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…..IT WAS DRAMATIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The muliti coloured lights flashing and the sound blaring and me laughing so much…..His reaction was so funny!!!!! Of course initially "stunned"!!!!!!!!!! I mean what has got into this woman!….and what on earth has she got…..and then all he wanted was to "play" with it!!!! Grabbing it like a little kid snatching another kids new toy!
Later again…
We had to make a speedy trip to one of the all night supermarkets the other night to stock on a few things with the likelihood of brothers coming and going while one Sheikh is here. While the H was looking at the bread section I stopped by the toy area…..and SPIED a MAGNIFICENT packet of the most yukky creatures you could think of….but how to get them in the basket and through the checkout….as he always insists I wait away from the men doing the check out….so I have had to leave this till another time when we are not rushed and we have a trolley full instead of a few things in a basket, and when I can be prepared to divert him while I some how get through with it….I was so excited as I also saw plastic things looking like an un cooked chicken and plastic loaves of bread looking so real….imagine setting out the suffrah (our on the floor "table") and watching him trying to break off a piece of bread that is a bit of plastic!!! Anyway…while I’m fantasizing like some crazy kid, he returns and pulls me to the gun section!!! showing me a SUPER DUPER SIZED one like I got him with….saying that he’s going to get one like that and then we can REALLY PLAY!!! HA HA HA. It has been so much fun really….I was thinking that not having kids around for all this sort of fun can be dull….and my H not ever having kids has sort of missed out on this too…though hearing about his exploits with his brothers and sister when they were younger is certainly boggling!!
I eventually did manage to get some creatures…will spare you the details of the fun we had with them too. They since have proved to be a popular hit with children visiting! Have recently added zoo animals to balance the inner macabre tendencies we as humans have!
So after you have finished you extra efforts of Salawaat, Tilawaat and other Ibadah for Juma’ah, treat yourself and your family to some lighthearted moments of "play", in dispersed with stories of how our Noble Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wassalam, his wives and companions RadhiAllahu anhum would enjoy themselves, Insha’Allah.
JUMA’AH MUBARAK with a "light" sprinkle of giggles!
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.
