A Time to Reflect...

...So, I won't blog about new years resolutions as we all know that only 5% of us (yes, that was my very own made up statistics) ever keep to them and I'm one of those guilty personas who has done this and officially gave up on them some time ago!

However, I will talk about something which I read myself and thought, 'hmmm', yes, indeed, you make sense!

So here goes!

Since this is the time when people are in a festive mood - whether or not you celebrate it as a religious event or not - if you're in the west right now then you're on holiday from work, school, college, university etc - so its basically holiday season. And since new year is just, what, 4 days away you will be thinking about the year gone past - what you have achieved, what you thought you would achieve but didn't get round to it for whatever reason, and what you would do for the rest of your life - or well maybe the next 12 months.

For me this year has been plagued with illness, and though i may seem to dramatise it with my words it truly wasn't as bad as some people have had it this year - but for me it was pretty bad - between life and death - that's what illness does, it really brings it home to you that one day poooof you'll be gone...

So I've read that this is a fantastic time for self-reflection and although in a previous post I did say that we should at least spend the last 10 minutes of each night reflecting - a daily routine which we should establish - this is one of those best times to pull out your journal and to reflect and write down all the positives that have happened this year, all the negatives and then on a fresh sheet of paper, make a mind map of the next 12 months and all that you wish to achieve and all that you desire. Yes, death may come to us at any moment - however we were all sent on this earth to achieve something - and if the Angel of death comes to you before you achieved your dream - then at least depart this world knowing that you made all the necessary plans and preparations for it - as who knows who may continue your dream and legacy when you're gone.

Ive got many dreams and many have become a reality and many are yet to become reality. The next 24months (yes 24!) are going to be crazier than this year and I'm looking forward to each and every second of it. Something tells me that it will definitely have a lot of craziness and ups and downs - but, hey, it wouldn't be life then would it?

So grab your journal and get writing and planning and remember to keep your intentions and sincerity pure - and remember why you are doing it - for the greater good of this world and humanity - and watch your destiny unfold and your dreams become reality - and God is the best of all planners!

With all my prayers and love - I wish you all the success in your lives! :)

...A msg from turBo for you all! :)

...well, as promised - here it is! A short sweet and quick message from turBo to you all! And yes the audio on it is not the best in the universe - just put your speakers on full volume or better still try using headphones. It was a quick recording on my Blackberry - when I get my video camera then these quick clips will be better - but for now, enjoy! And yes, Ive been very, very poorly all week - request for your prayers.

So here goes - an unedited version of turBo saying hello to you all! :D

...turBo flow is 2 years old Today!

...wow, subhan'Allah!

What another amazingly fantastically crazy year in the blogging world!

Thank You - dearest readers - each and everyone - from each and every corner of the Globe - for popping by, reading, commenting and appreciating this blog!

If it wasn't for all your support and appreciation I probably wouldn't be still here blogging today.

I do have to apologise to you all. As you know I blog for you all on a Monday, but I fell terribly sick in the early hours of Monday morning, and I'm still a little dysfunctional! So all your prays are needed peeps.

Well, what else is coming up in the next year? Gosh, where do I begin? If this year wasn't crazy and busy enough, the next is set to be yet the craziest and busiest - God Willing.

Lots more to do and launch and please do subscribe to the blog (become a public subscriber, its nice to know who is following this blog and from where in the world). You could email your friends about turBo flow blog, you could tweet us or facebook us! I mean, if you have enjoyed it and have benefited from anything (all good is from God alone and the mistakes are mine) then share that benefit with your loved ones - and let them know about a blog which is truly 'not your average'!

I hope wherever you are in the world you would like to be part of some of the projects that I have launched and will be launching, God Willing. On the right hand side of this blog you will see all the different sections ie 'home', 'projects' etc - here I will be letting you know of all that I'm going to be getting up to and how you can be part of my turBo land! I will also blog about my upcoming ventures to keep you updated and so you all know when its time to join.

Currently I'm finishing off my final year for my third degree and a thesis for my Masters degree as well as a postgraduate law practical and some intensive classical studies. I'm also working on a international project with some fantastic sisters, Knowledge Seekers Club and Knowledge Seekers Sisters Circle (new classes and product line launching soon) and a fantastic new venture which insha'Allah will change my existence to help you in your existence in this world, very soon - ohhhh, things will never be the same again! I'm extremely excited yet extremely nervous. I've been waiting my whole life for this - and I had my breakthrough a couple of weeks ago - and finally my ultimate question was answered, 'What is my purpose in this world' and before you all say, 'it's to worship the One, true God', well, yes, I know that, and that is the main purpose we are all here - but each and everyone of us has been sent to this world to accomplish something, that ultimate purpose for being - like some are meant to be teachers, some lawyers, some politicians, some activists - so, well I've found mine (finally!) and all I will say at this point is - get ready get set for a roller coaster ride - full 150% turBo flow peeps! (Oh and I'm doing lots of other crazy stuff also!)

Ok, I better be going now. Once again, thank you all for appreciating this blog - you truly are my global familia! :)

Enjoy the holidays and the snow and remember, '...its not your average flow, its turBo flow'!

Ps - if you still don't know why I'm called turBo, then check out the very first blog post i wrote on 24th December 2008!

Keeping Busy?!

...But in doing so, make sure you are doing what you want to do and enjoy doing and not what you don't want to do or don't enjoy doing.

Sounds all idealistic and you may question, 'well - that's just not possible because of x, y and z'.

OK, so maybe all of what you want to do is not 'idealistic' yet or you are not able to do it for x, y and z, yet. But it is possible - if you want it - then anything is possible.

Yes, we need to be realistic in what we want - but if you say you want to climb Mount Everest or live in a mansion - then why isn't t possible? Ofcourse it is, IF you are willing to pay the price for it.

And what do I mean by 'paying the price'? I mean, if you put your heart and soul into making something happen then anything is possible for nothing is impossible.

But - you have to be willing to make it happen!

We always hear and even say that in an ideal world things would be like this or like that or such and such would happen. But I say that the ideal world ain't going to happen if you just sit there - you have to make your ideal world happen!

In keeping busy and living your dream don't forget why you were created and your ultimate mission - for God says that He did not create man or satan except to worship him.

So don't forget - reminder to myself firstly - that our day should be busied in the remembrance of God, His worship and then making our dreams happen - so you not only have the mansion to live in (if that is what you want) but also that you do something which is for the greater good -which helps humanity and makes our world a much better place.

For a moment reflect on your life - look at all you have and all that you have been blessed with - are your basic needs met? Then you are one of the luckiest people alive!

I will be launching something spectacular in the new year - something which involves me becoming who I am meant to be and something which will involve you all.

Watch this space! :)

My Greatest Hits 2010

If you're on Facebook then you can create your very own 2010 Statues Collage!

Click on the picture to see my Greatest Hits for 2010 and if you're on facebook then hit me up and check it out there.

You can always make your own too!

Have fun collaging your statuses!

:)

The Big Freeze and Islamic New Year 1432 AH

...before you start scratching your topi's and hijaabs - or heads - I know what you're - 'what has the big freeze gotta do with the Islamic New Year?'

Well - nothing really - I'm just doing the whole 'kill two birds with one stone' thing!

NB: turBo flow does not promote the stoning of innocent birds! Just make sure you have four legal eagles who can testify to their innocence!

Those birds and the bees! Animals!

Basically I'm trying to cover two topics in one as it's quicker than writing two separate posts - and so here is my attempt of making two completely opposite topics make sense in one!

Britain is seeing (or feeling more like it) a second year of very cold weather, snow, sleet, ice and school closures - and we can thank our Eastern Europe allies for that!

The English have a thing about moaning - about everything - hot weather; 'Oh my God, its so hot', cold weather; 'Oh my God, its so cold'! What?!

Get a grip fellow Brits! You ungrateful ladoos!

Patience - learn patience - for only patience can bring you through hardship. And let's take a moment and think about all those across the globe without a house right now, without adequate clothing, no shoes, torn clothes, very little food and no water for many days - and what about those little angels - those children - picture them for a moment shivering, tears turning to ice...

Basically - my point is think outside the box - outside of your own box for a moment and think about everyone else in the world - at least you have a roof over your head!

Patience...practise it and watch your life being transformed...

Which brings me to my next topic - its the Islamic New Year 1432 AH - the month is called Muharram - and instead of me going into great detail about the month and its significance - which I could and I think I should - I'll just leave you with some advice - which is to myself firstly and foremostly (I ain't no preacher teacher!) - at the beginning of the 'New Year' we usually make resolutions - which never go beyond January - and if you have succeeded in yours then congrats - you rock! - so lets make a resolution - 'we shall learn to be more patient' - simple and to the point - as Islam teaches us and its in may verses of the Qur'an - 'seek help in patience and prayer'.

Without patience, my dear readers, we will not succeed in this life, let alone the next, and without patience we will not be able to handle the ups and downs we go through. Just look at those young children, homeless, clothless, foodless, shivering in the cold - yet they go to sleep with a dream - a dream that it will get better - and wake up in the morning thanking God for another day - to hope and dream that soon it will all be OK.

*Reflection Moment*....

Let's be grateful for what we have! 'So which of your Lord's favours will you deny?!' (Holy Qur'an - Surah Rahman).

(notice how many exclamations there are in this post!)

(ps - did you figure the missing link - between the two posts?)

Limiting Beliefs!

...We all have them - or have had them!

What are they? Well, simply put, in turBo terminology - a limiting belief is a belief which stops you from doing something you really want to do because you believe you can't do it for whatever reason you may have. Limiting beliefs come from childhood or if something has happened - like maybe a tragedy or accident - it could be anything really which now stops you moving froward to what you want to do. So for example, you don't apply for all those top posts and jobs which pay x amounts because you believe that you don't deserve it and money is all roots of evil and you've had some form of negative experience with it.

Limiting beliefs are also deeply ingrained in our sub-conscious mind that we don't even realise that they are there and that they influence our decision - like the example above - automatically dismissing those job vacancies.

*Lets my readers ponder a moment*

I went for my NLP skills update day on Saturday in Manchester. It was one mission alright - but I enjoyed it, learnt alot and purchased two fantastic books!

Before I left, I asked the trainer about limiting beliefs and said I have two which I am working on but give me some tips please to get rid of them and move forward - like asap!

And here is the valuable tip - or should I say lesson - I learnt - turBo translation;

"Limiting Beliefs come from something which happened to us and as you move forward in life and you try to 'fight them' or 'realise' that they exist and are trying hard to get rid of them - they are actually moving you forward from the state that you were in, to a state you are moving into - they were who you were then, but that is not who you are now as that chapter has ended and you are in a new chapter or phase now. Respect those limiting beliefs as they were once a part of your life at that stage, and the fact that you have recognised them and are conscious about them means that you are moving away from them - and basically it will all be OK and you will become who you want to be and succeed in your dreams, ambitions, goals etc"!

So, if you have overcome your limiting beliefs, then congratulations, well done! And if like me you still have some and are working on them, then take the above to heart, reflect on it and be assured that you're on the right path to your ultimate success - and soon it will all be OK.

Because....as I left the venue on Saturday - I smiled and said to myself - Hamdullilah (praise be to Allah) its all going to be OK now! :)

KSC - Knowledge Seekers Club is 1 Year Old Today!

Launched a year ago - KSC - Knowledge Seekers Club is 1 Year old!

Hamdullilah - All praise is to the Almighty for making it possible and allowing me to inspire all those tiny angels out there!

Knowledge Seekers Club - making Islam fun to learn - is for 5 - 11 year old - boys and girls where they learn both the theory and practical - which involves group work and games.

We also have our very own KSC library - all kids get a library card and can borrow up to three books for two weeks.

Also 11 - 16 year old girls get a chance to continue their studies by upgrading to KSSC - Knowledge Seekers Sisters Circle, as well as sessions for girls 16+.

Inspired by my nieces and nephew back in 2001 - KSC came to teach a new generation - the ambassadors of Islam.

This is just the beginning - in the long run KSC and KSSC will be delivering sessions across the UK as well as going global.

We will also launch a 'Reading Room' in the community - where children from the wider community can benefit from the KSC library and attend homework clubs.

Jazaakumullah khair to each and everyone of you for your continuous support and duas!

Day of Arafah and Eid Mabrook

...9th of Dhul Hijjah (in the Islamic lunar calendar) is the Day of Arafah or Hajj Day.

Performing Hajj - or Pilgrimage is the 5th Pillar in Islam and we should all perform it at least once in our life times - so get saving you pennies and cents peeps!

People from across the globe gather at the plains of Arafah to ask for Allah's Mercy and forgiveness for ones sins.

As your hajj is accepted you return free from sin as the day your mother bore you!

"Jabir reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of Arafah. On this day Allah, the Almighty and the Exalted One, descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth and says to those in heaven, ‘Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair dishevelled and faces covered with dust, to seek My mercy, even though they have not seen My chastisement.' Far more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day.” [Ibn Hibban]

And what about those not going for Hajj? Well...

1- Making Dua - "Best Dua is the Dua of Arafah Day" Hadith Tirmidhi

2- Fasting - "It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year" Hadith Muslim

3- Making Dhikr - "The best that I've said and the prophets on the day of Arafah is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadeer" Authenticated by Al-Albani.

TaqabalAllahu mina wa minkum - Allahu akbar Allahu akbar laa ilaha ilAllah wallahu akbar Allahu akbar wa lillahil hamd! Hajj Mabrook wa Eid Mabrook todos mundos!!!

IAW - Islamic Astronomy Seminar

So, continuing with the Islam Awareness Week, another seminar was organised which I was really looking forward to - 'Islamic Astronomy'.

It was at Birmingham Think Tank at the Millennium Point and I've been saying for a few years now that I will visit the Think Tank - but never got round to it. But thank God that I finally did! Although pushed for time I couldn't enjoy the whole Think Thank Museum, I was glad that I finally went and totally recommend it to you all. If you're ever visiting Brum in the UK make sure you visit the Think Tank! =)

The seminar took place in a Planetarium. It was a good turnout. Introductory seminar - so they managed to get in the main points. The speakers were fantastic. Q&A was brilliant.

And then....all lights out....we were in the night sky!

It was amazingly beautifully gorgeous!

The sky was full of stars, planets, sun, moon!

It went round and round and round - and so did my head! And I have realised that I suffer from motion sickness! I wasn't prepared for it - but, hey, well turBo usually does jump into the deep end in life (that's the best place to learn something!)

I learnt lots - especially about the influence of Islam and early Muslim pioneers in this field and made a firm resolve to study astronomy and astro-physics from next October onwards, insha'Allah! I've got a thing for space, solar systems, unseen world, spiritualness - you get me! Oh, and even today astronomers use the Arabic name for the stars (the stars have names!). And, there is one star which Allah (swt) mentions in the Qur'an by name - and that star is referred to by that very same name by the astronomical world!

Two main points of benefits - actually there were loads - but I discovered how to determine the position of the qibla (direction for prayer for Muslims) wherever I am in the world by looking at the North Star - which is always there - in the north - then you turn 180 degrees south and twist half way towards your left - which is east - and you have found the qibla - how cool is that?

And also that one can see the Milky Way - its a band of white cloud which goes around the sky - just the way a rainbow would have that kind of arch shape.

Some advice for us all by the experts - enjoy the night sky - go out at night and stare at the beautiful starry night - teach your kids - tell them about the names of stars, planets, play games like 'spot the star' and go out to the country side to enjoy the beautiful night sky - cities are too polluted!

Leadership and Managment

Every year in the UK the Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) organise a week in autumn called, 'Islamic Awarness Week' (IAW).

It invites Muslims and non-Muslims in the UK to come and learn about Islam and Muslims.

Many events, seminars and courses are organised during the week - and after so many years (I know, I know) I attended my first one! Yay!

The course I attended was called 'Leadership and Management - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People', which looked at the model developed by Stephen Covey - need to get the book!

It was fantastic - I learnt so much - I was also helping out on the night - but I have to say that the presenter was inspiring and engaging and we had all ages attending the course.

Please purchase the book - if you haven't already - join the Facebook page for it and enjoy learning something new!

It was also nice to finally meet many faces that I only know from Facebook and network with new peeps.

I will be attending another seminar organised by IAW this Saturday - Islamic Astronomy Seminar (a new subject which I want to delve into real soon!) - I'm soooo excited - watch this space for my feedback!

Call of Duty

I attended a Dawah Training course called 'Call of Duty' which was organised by iERA. It was amazing masha'Allah. It taught us how to give dawah to non-Muslims - and hey, turBo thinks that the methods learnt can also be applied to giving dawah to fellow Muslims as well! Its all about learning peeps!

It was an interactive course - full day and we all benefited immensely. Simple yet beautiful!

Have you ever shyed away from talking about Islam to your friends? Be they Muslim or non-Muslim? If so then this course is for you.

Too much media hype and negative coverage could confuse anyone about well anything really.

Islam is a hot hot topic - wherever you go in the world - and there is a real need for real Muslims to stand up and show the beauty of the religion they follow - and no I don't mean stand up and apologise for all the knit wits out there who tarnish the name and image of Muslims - I believe we are all responsible for our own actions - so you do wrong - you deal with it!

I hope to learn more and even apply it - I'm one of those who would shy away - not because I'm not a proud Muslimah - far from it - I'm more than proud and feel truly blessed - but you just think, 'what will people think of me?'. Its another area of improvement for turBo.

Check out their website http://www.missiondawah.com/ and maybe you could learn something new today!

A New Arrival...

...turBo is now on BlackBerry!

It's a phone!

...OK, so this piece of information is probably abit useless to you - I mean, really, why do you need to know, or why would you want to know every detail about my life? I think its called anthropology!

Well, I usually come and blog here on a Mondays - why Mondays - well something during the week would've happened that would inspire me to write. But I've sat here for some time now and I can't think - I'm very tired - but I'm still going to blog something - I think I have bloggers block!

So, I thought, let you all know about a new arrival in my life - a BlackBerry! It's fantastic and I'm still getting used to it. If you would like the pin for the messenger then leave a comment on this post.

Well...that's it! I have a BlackBerry. Well I did say this post was somewhat pointless!

I shall return during the week if I'm inspired to share something with you all - in the meantime, don't be afraid to browse the blog - there's plenty of posts to keep you entertained and inspired til dawn!

Better still, let me know how your week has been - and hey, inspire me with something! :)

(ps - just count how many times I've used the word 'well' in this blog today! lol)

Health is Wealth!

It's a reminder to myself firstly and foremostly (it sounds more real when written or said out aloud) and then to all my readers that 'Health is Wealth' and both work together side by side - for a better life (all areas of ones life).

Yes, I know that you already know that - but we're human beings and we forget and we need constant reminders.

Allah (swt) created us and put us in this world to worship Him and to live our dreams - and spread his deen. To do this we need to be healthy. We need to be healthy so we don't tire easily whilst spreading His (swt) deen and working in His way.

It is true that we will never be like angels - working 24/7 for Allah (swt) and never resting and never tiring. But on the Day of Judgment we will be asked about our health - how we spent our good and healthy days and what we did to spread His (swt) deen.

Fresh vegetables and fruit, lots of water and exercise, frequent breaks and fresh air, short holidays and regular visit to the doctors, and not forgetting sleep - that should do the trick!

I post this as a reminder because I am one of those individuals who suffers from continuous ill health and yet I wish to achieve and accomplish so much before my end days. I know that all ailments and illnesses - even a prick from a thorn - expiates our sins (and I'm grateful for Allah's mercy on that - see I rather get my sins expiated in this world than burn in hell in the hereafter!) but that doesn't mean we ignore our body and our health.

We need to listen to our body and soul - it talks to us and tells us when it is hurting and when it is in pain. When our soul is hurting then we should nourish it with prayers and reciting the Qur'an. And when our body is hurting then we should give it the necessary TLC!

I'm on a new mission to look after myself properly and I hope you will join me on this mission - for surely 'Health is our ultimate Wealth' - not just the paper money but the fact that by having good health we can worship Allah (swt) easily and can achieve all our dreams and ambitions!

A Trip To York

Its a medieval town in the north of England and is full of history and beauty.

My friend is hoping to relocate to York - live and work there, so like on Thursday night she asked me if I wanted to come along with her for the weekend and after some persuasion I said OK cool, lets go!

And I have to say I had a fantastic time! Not only did I get to see some rich history, but I walked through those streets, pondered and reflected.

The people were beautiful - so nice and gentle and it was full of tourists from across the globe!

I came back and was out of my recent 'rut' and I'm back on full 150% turBo flow - I have missions to complete!

Sometimes we need these small breaks. Life can become a drag - even when you're doing the most enjoyable things - because even that becomes a routine. We all need to continuously renew our intentions and sincerity - as well as get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and just stop and reflect.

The fresh air was good for me - but also helped me get back on track.

Whatever you enjoy doing, don't forget to plan some breaks for yourself - even a weekend away for yourself or with friends. It will help you rejuvenate and energise and you will be back with a much fresher outlook on everything.

Oh one final thing before I step on that gas pedal to flow on full turBo - a brain dump! - to get rid of all the negativity and useless things so I can focus on all the positivity and useful things.

Enjoy your week - and as the motorway (highway) signs in the UK say; 'Tiredness can kill, take a break!' - so do take frequent breaks - I hope to continue with mine!

The Park, Library, Angels...and the Secret Garden!

...Yes, all in a days work...or was it a couple of hours?...

So like you can guess the scenario right?

*Lets my readers guess the scenario - Park, Library, Angels and Secret Garden...*

OK, so I was getting depressed and decided to go for a walk in the park. Walking slowly and taking in the beautiful surroundings - I thought, should I sit and contemplate? I really needed to sit and contemplate - but since I don't do these 'alone' walks I felt weird - I usually take the kids with me. So I walked to the library instead...

There I mused over books (I didn't take my library card with me, so couldn't borrow any books). I grabbed a few titles and got comfortable for a quick read. Bio on Gandhi (read a few pages - interesting), then there was a book about unleashing the genius within us - and I'm all for that - as I truly believe we are all geniuses and it was a good read and then there was a title about angels - spirituality.

Hmm, I thought, hmmmm.

So I opened it - and read it - and lo behold I found that according to the lady who wrote it and according to her spiritual beliefs one has a guardian angel with them all the time, even has a name and is waiting for us to converse with him and he will reveal his name to us...and...we also have an angelic side to us and we have wings!!!!

So after all these years I finally understand my back pains - my wings are so heavy they are pushing their way outwards to fly high in the sky!!! :-D

There were also exercises on how to call your angel to get him to touch you and reveal his name as well as feeling your own wings.

I'll tell you the exercises only if you like this post and if you comment! lol

Then it was time to go home - my wings were getting tired! So again I walked through the park, taking a different route, being keenly observant, I discovered....a Secret Garden!!!

It had four gates all the way round, all locked and it was hiding behind trees and bushes and when I peered through the gate it was so cute and pretty! It had benches and flowers and I yanked the door to see if i could get in...but to no avail!

There was a board saying that if we climb over the paint will go on our clothes and we get caught...well something like that...ahhh it reminded me of the 'Secret Garden'!

I think I'm going to plan some daily walks in the park now and pluck up the courage to sit there alone and contemplate, meditate, reflect, ponder etc etc - if it wasn't for the weirdos - and see if I can get into that secret garden....

Kara BookClub

...it's all happening on Facebook - so if you have an account then join the Book club! :)

Initiated by yours truly *ahem* its a book club where we shall read books and then discuss them with the group.

I love reading and want to read more - I missed out on alot of great titles (from bios to the real deal) when I was younger because the titles I was choosing - although best sellers and fantastic - were more of an escape for me from reality.

I'm a late bloomer - but I have blossomed - hamdullilah. So now catching up on all the missed reading!

Paulo Coelho is our author at the moment and the book 'Like Flowing Rivers'.

If you've read his titles then feel free to drop a message!

Enjoy your week ahead, hope it's full of productivity, learn lots, apply it in your lives and then pass it on and most of all - pay a visit to your local library, grab a book, cup of hot choc, tea, coffee, some cookies....and enjoy....

Allah's Many Blessings...

...So Which of Your Lords favours Will YOU Deny? (Surah Rahman of the Holy Qur'an).

A colleague friend that I have recently been working with on some media projects lost his parents at a very young age - in his teens!

We're about the same age, both youngest in our families and it hit home - real hard!

Could I bare the loss of my mum and dad? Could I have handled it at such a young age?

Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we return...

From amongst Allah's many blessings is our parents - for without them we wouldn't be here. Our mother who carries us and protects us for nine months and then gives birth to us...our father who works day and night to feed us...and both of them nurturing us to be who we are today.

If you have parents - give them a hug, give them a kiss, tell them how much they mean to you and spend some time with them.

If your parents soul has returned to its rightful owner then may their souls rest in peace and may you ALL be united with your parents in Jannah al-Firdaus - ameen!

Allah (swt) has blessed us immensely - let's thank Him for all these blessings....

Resolutions...

To be Resolute and Firm that you will do what you say you will do (please people, the good stuff, the good stuff!).

So another Ramadan has ended - Ramadan 1431 - and who knows if we shall be here to see another - *say a prayer - please God another Ramadan, please!* and again we have made some 'resolutions' - BUT, the million dollar question is, will we stick to our resolutions?

And the answer is - Ofcourse WE WILL!!! :)

Ramadan is a perfect time to make new resolutions (yeah, and you thought we should make resolutions for New Year!) - but we should always spend at least 10 minutes at the end of each day to review our day - what did we accomplish? Did we achieve our goals, What can we do better or instead?

Something to take note of - Goals which are written down are more realistic than those which stay in our head and we need to start dreaming more with our eyes open - are you ready to dream and achieve the life you always wanted? :)

God helps those who help themselves - and it is high time we did help ourselves - because Allah (swt) made us the best of all Creations - He (swt) gave us Aql - intellect - and the freedom of choice.

We won't discuss the concept of Qadr (Will) here as it is a deep subject - next time maybe (remind me!) insha'Allah.

We can live the life we want to, be happy, achieve all our dreams and goals - so are we willing to make it?

Write down your goals - choose a couple to start off with so you can get into the flow insha'Allah - and write down why you want to achieve it, what it means to you, when you want to achieve it by and how you will achieve it.

You can have the most giaganticist goal you want - but the key is to write it down, then start breaking it down to manageable chunks - what you aim to achieve this week, next week and by the end of the month.

Your resolutions could be to stop a bad habit - let's say smoking - because smoking is not only a bad habit, it's a very expensive habit, and hey it really does not make you look cool at all!!!

Again write it down and stick it where you can see it - highlight it - and then put down all the things you will do to try and stop - such as attending some stop smoking workshops etc.

The key to achieving happiness in life and attaining the highest of Jannah is to follow the Commands of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) who is the best of all examples and to be positive, surround yourself with positivity, read positivity and live it!!!

If you haven't already then quick grab your 'Thought Book' and get writing and start achieving!

And remember - stay Resolute!!! :)

Mercy Mission: Pure Matrimony

...Not found him or her yet? Tried everything? Given up? Well fear nada - as Mercy Mission is back with another fantastic project - Pure Matrimony!

Check out the Vid and sign up at the website to find your soul mate! http://www.purematrimony.com/

Mercy Mission - helping ourselves to help others!

http://vimeo.com/14873492 from Shot & Chopped Productions on Vimeo.

Mercy Mission: National Zakat Foundation

...Mercy Mission - helping ourselves to help others! And please remember - there are many people here in the UK who need our help and our Zakah is obligatory for them! Please check out the Vid and visit the website! http://www.letusbelieve.com/

Mercy Mission - National Zakat Fund from Shot & Chopped Productions on Vimeo.

We Be Inspired...

...through Motivational and Inspirational workshops!

Bringing you short, sweet and simple reminders for the Last 10 nights of Ramadan 2010!

To get your daily email for the next 10 and to be inspired to achieve the best in the last few that we have left then send an email to 'webeinspired@selfaware.com' and in the subject line put 'Where's my daily email dude?' and insha'Allah you shall get your daily mail!

Once you receive your email all you have to do is read, be inspired, implement and click the 'forward' button to all your contacts - and feel the rewards pile up on your scales! :D

Your Free Invitation - Join Now!!!

You know I love inspiration - and I'm inspired by inspirational people!

Well I'm blessed with many beautiful friends - who are not only my friends til eternity but my sisters.

Two of them have a blog - and I invite you all to visit these blogs, read, comment, enjoy and pass on to others.

The first is by Samia Kara - my Algerian beauty. Her blog is deep and touches your soul. It is spiritual, yet informing and full of passion. Join her journey on http://karasamia.blogspot.com/

The second is by Shereen Shuaib - my Yankee Palestinian princess. Her blog is all about psychology - as this is her chosen field and she is also furthering her studies in this area. Her blog is very informative and educational and delves into this subject deeply. To join her journey and learn all about psychology click on http://theshrinkss.blogspot.com/

Please visit these blogs and enjoy a new day of learning! :)

Ramadan Mabrook 1431 AH!

Peace to ALL,

Here's turBo wishing you all a very blessed month of Ramadan 1431 AH - may Allah (swt) shower your lives with His infinite mercy and may all your duas be answered - ameen!

Do remember all those who are less fortunate than us as well as all those suffering across the globe - we may fast from dawn to dusk - but many starve for days and days.

It's the month of the Qur'an - so let's pick it up, open it, read it, study the tafsir, contemplate on its message and apply it in our lives - not just in Ramadan, but everyday of our lives.

Let's invite everyone to Islam - show them what Islam is all about and show them how our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived Islam - the religion of peace and the religion of tawheed.

It's been a tough year for me with all my health issues and I feel truly blessed to witness this month again. Do keep me and my family in your prayers.

And don't forget - if you need an emaan boost this Ramadan and want to make it the best yet - then tune into Ramadan TV Sky Digital Channel 843.

Tweet, tweet twooo

...Nope - not an Owl, guess again?

Ramadan TV Sky Digital Channel 843 - Your ONLY Ramadan Channel this Ramadan 2010.

Need an emaan boost this Ramadan? Want to watch halaal and beneficial programes?

RTV - Ramadan TV Sky Digital Channel 843.

Follow Ramadan TV on Twitter

http://twitter.com/RamadanTV2010

...On a Mission...M3 - RTV Mission!

MERCY MISSION has launched a new and fantastic project - ‘Ramadan TV’ - the UK’s first Ramadan-dedicated channel - launched on 10th July 2010 on Sky Digital Channel 843. It will run up until the end of Ramadan. And shows will go LIVE from the 5th of August - insha'Allah! So, tune in and enjoy a line-up of some fantastic shows and did you guess? Yup turBo is producing a few things here and there for the station lol. I'm already enjoying the buzz of it all - and the creative juices continue to flow! I will be producing the 'National Ramadan Bus Tour' Roadshow (the bus will be stopping at a stop near you - London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Glasgow - launching 16th August), do pop by to get your free dawah literature and some dates to break your fast - and hey - why not take along all your non-Muslim friends and colleagues and really get into the Ramadan Spirit! The show will be aired on Ramadan TV - so if you can't make it, then definitely tune into watch all the fun! I'll also be producing a sisters show (but that's top secret, so you'll have to pop over to Sky Digital Channel 843 to see what it's all about!) - and here's turBo saying Ramadan Mabrook 2010! :D

Astronomy

Have you ever looked out your bedroom window at night and stared at the starry night?

Have you ever been out in the open - fields or something - and looked up at the night sky - full moon and lots and lots of stars?

Beautiful isn't it? :)

The wonders of Creation - 'So which of your Lord's Favours will YOU deny?' (Surah Rahman of the Holy Qur'an) - all praise to the Creator!

The Qur'an talks about the night sky, about the sun, the moon and about day and night - its an amazing Book - if you've never picked up and read the translation - I hope you do, as truly it will transform your entire existence!

Ive always been fascinated with the world of the unseen, space and the solar system - its just amazing!

So after years of wondering and pondering - Ive found an online beginners course, 'Astronomy' and will be enrolling onto it in October (alongside my niece!) - can't wait, seriously though - turBo is ecstatic! :D

Let me know (and all the blog followers) of your 'Astronomy' experiences (from studying a full university degree - to just simply opening your bedroom window and gazing at the night sky).

Viva La Espana - Campeones del Mundo!

...Felicitaciones Espana - Campeones del Europa y Mundo de futbol!

Si, turBo habla espanol bastante bien! ;)

Well I did say - 'may the best team win' and they did - so congrats to Spain for their fantastic achievement - they truly deserve it - and congrats to all the teams who made it to the qualifying stages of the World Cup and participated - they all played exceptionally well (except the English side - and I may be patriotic - but they played crap - simple!).

I enjoyed watching the World Cup with my familia - hope you all enjoyed it too! And, ofcourse, there is a lesson to learn and a moral of the story (there's always one - if we look hard enough we'll find it) - and the lesson is 'hard work, determination, persistence, perseverance, team work, passion and hope'!

Have a fantastic week peeps :)

Thirsty For More...

...Inspiration, Motivation and the company of Great Contemporary Achievers - turBo loves it! :)

You know in today's busy and crazy life - some people are so self-centred - I mean, it's OK to have 'Me Time' - and we need it, and in fact we should at least spend 10 minutes every night analysing our day and what we achieved, what happened, what we could improve - so continuous self development and self improvement - but to think that the entire world is against us and we shall think of only ourselves - now that is wrong and just makes one bitter!

There are many people in this world who have devoted their lives - firstly to bettering themselves (understanding the purpose of their life, creation, existence) making the most of their lives and giving back to the world - helping you and I and everyone in between achieve the life we want, we desire and truly fulfil the reason for our existence.

The following two dudes are more than inspirational and they are such motivational speakers that they are helping turBo in her quest and mission to inspire the universe (wait for business number 3 which I am piloting at the moment and due to launch on 1st November) it will be local, national and international - so hope to see you in a arena near you to inspire and motivate you - strictly turBo flow style (I will be using my real name lol).

So, here you go - if you haven't heard of these dudes then here's their website, have a visit and have a fantastic day! (many of you have already been inspired by them - but for those who haven't then today could be the change you envisage!) :)

http://www.briantracy.com/

http://www.tonyrobbins.com/

NLP - Neuro Linguistic Programming

Absolutely FANTASTIC! And I'm going to further my studies in this area by applying for the Practitioner and Master Practitioner course - and what direction will I take? A Spiritual and Youth Coach - with NLP!

OK, no, I haven't suddenly lost the plot - well actually, I'm sure I have a few times in life - but hey, if I didn't then I wouldn't be uniquely me would I? :D

From my Life Coaching experience (see below for that post) I thought lets give NLP one more chance - because I believe in chances in life - and see, my first NLP experience was that bad that I didn't even blog about it! (trust me if I go into details - you will also be put off!) that I had almost given up - and this time round it was that good that I even picked up a book (you know turBo loves books!) 'Da Vinci and the 40 Answers' - have you read it? Brilliant isn't it? I've only read the back cover yet - lol.

You know I like sharing with you all. This course was once again funded (its about £400) and I got a scholarship for it - and so could YOU!

Want to change your life? Want to be a better and stronger and more productive you? Want NLP - well now you can! My weekend at NLP has not only landed me a 'Diploma' but full on support and inspirational tips - and you get to learn so so much that I'm applying them to all my businesses - all the techniques, ideas and games (yes, I did ask his permission - they are not copyright!).

So to get that Scholarship all you have to do is click on the website below and apply - and I totally totally recommend it and am so glad I attended - we even had someone who travelled all the way from Egypt for this course! Well...what you waiting for? Here's your chance to get the life YOU want! :)

http://www.free-nlp.co.uk/index.html

1GOAL Education For All

One of the basic rights all human beings should have is 'Education for all' - free education at both the elementary and secondary stages. However, this is not always the case across the globe today. Children are still deprived from receiving education for more than one reason - and therefore I believe that collectively there is more than one reason why we should support educational groups and organisations wholeheartedly - and even get involved ourselves - on fundraising, projects, activities etc - to raise awareness and to make a change.

My Masters degree thesis is on 'Children's Right and Education'. I'm very passionate about learning, reading and writing and when I got a text message (sms) on my mobile asking me to sign up for a new educational campaign - naturally I did - and forwarded that text message on to all my contacts.

I visited their website - and joined again! (that's how passionate I was!) - fantastic project, fantastic work and YOU can get involved!

Have you heard about it? It's called '1Goal Education for All'. In keeping up with the World Cup spirit a fantastic bunch of people from across the globe came together and put together this new initiative.

If you woke up this morning thinking, 'what shall I do today, I wish to make a difference in the world I live in' - then your answer for today is '1Goal Education for All'.

Check out their website and be part of this new and dynamic initiative - you never know who's life you may touch today - and you could make that difference which you were wishing for!

http://www.join1goal.org/home.php

Freedom of Speech and Movement!

Oh, the irony! - and talk about upholding the values and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)!

And what really gets to me (and since this is my blog I can give my opinions) is the fact that I paid £3,600 to read for a Masters degree just this last year in LLM International Human Rights so I could work in the field of 'human rights' and do my part in spreading some peace in the universe. I guess the saying is true - 'help yourselves before you help others' - so I suppose I will need to help the UK understand what the values and principles of the UDHR are before I go around spreading peace!

Dr Zakir Naik, a renowned Indian speaker on 'comparative religion' and with a mission to spread peace across the globe has been excluded from entering the UK for his 'Peace Tour' - where he would have delivered speeches across London, Birmingham and Sheffield.

The New British Parliament suddenly sees him as a threat - why? Well, for spreading peace! (Exactly!).

The media has done a fantastic job as always to misinterpret people and to spread hate - taking many things out of context and using them where they feel appropriate - to cause more hate and problems.

And, as always, it is left to the peaceful citizens to pick up the pieces! Sometimes I wonder, 'how do these people sleep at night?!'

But we shall persevere - and we shall work even harder to spread peace and harmony. If you would like to read more about this issue or in fact get involved and do your part or have your say then please check the following website.

http://www.peaceforall.org.uk/index.php

South Africa 2010 - FIFA World Cup

...May the Best Team Win!!!

And am I referring to the England team? Well, naturally - Yes! :D

But, honestly...may the best team win - and that team is the team who works together, is focused, determined, passionate and dedicated.

These are some of the key and core skills in team work and team play - and they are not only essential on the football pitch - but in fact they are key and core skills in the board room, when starting up and working on a project in any given field and almost anywhere where team work is required.

I used to be a football fanatic when I was younger - played it and watched it passionately. But over the years got busier in other work. I will be spending some time with the family watching the footie World Cup (watched the opening ceremony and South Africa v Mexico with mum and dad!) - so I shall be enjoying and rooting on all teams - I hope you all enjoy it too.

Don't forget - if a football team is a 'team' then we should all be a 'team' - and what I mean by that is watch the footie, have a BBQ and have fun - no need for violence and hurting each other - after all its just another sport - another game! If the football players don't beat each other up then why do the fans get into this hooliganism? Pathetic really! (I don't only blame the alcohol but I blame the mental state of people in the world today!).

So this World Cup - enjoy the footie and lets not have any violent clashes and hooligan behaviour. Oh and let me know your thoughts on it - do you love football or loath it? Whichever it is its going to be fantastic! :)

No Excuses - Its 2010!

...You ever wondered who these Islamists are? Where do they come from? What do they want? What is their hidden agenda and why are they so against the 'Western World'???

...Yeah - I'm still wondering who they are too! :D

My name is turBo - and I'm NOT a terrorist! But y'all knew that right?...Right??? At this point you can all nod your heads to say 'yes, we know you ain't!'

Ive called this post 'No Excuses - its 2010'. Why? Simply because we are at an advanced stage of the human race where man has (through God's Will) made many discoveries - education, medicine, technology etc and everything is literally at our fingertips.

If we need to find out about something - we use the popular search engines on the Internet and the info appears infront of us within seconds.

However, this advancement - although its for our benefit - can also be very detrimental if it falls in the wrong hands! Too many people hating and wanting to cause friction between each other and communities.

Amongst these people there are those who have devoted their lives - or atleast part of it - in spreading the truth and providing us all with information which can open our minds and change the way we think - for the better.

I know there are many of you who visit my blog from across the globe - and I have no idea whether you are male or female or whether you are a person of a faith or not. You may have come across alot of stuff on the Internet as well as television about Muslims and because most of it is negative you now have a very negative view of Muslims (not all of you ofcourse).

I don't blame you - because media is a very powerful tool. I'm part of the media - and this blog is truly international - so I know what effects my words can have once written and posted.

So we don't have an excuse - if we don't know something - we search it - and we should. We should make up our own mind about things and not be influenced by negative media coverages.

So, here in the UK some professionals have got together to help us understand who Muslims are and what Islam teaches. Ive checked out the website and I'm giving it a thumbs up and sharing it with you all here. Please check it out - enjoy the read and pass it on to all those whom may benefit.

The campaign is called; 'Inspired by Muhammad' and the link to the website is: http://inspiredbymuhammad.com/

No Excuses - Its 2010!

Weekend at Life Coaching Training...

...WOW! Is all I can say!

It was a fantastic experience - two days of Life Coaching intro and basics to help oneself and to decide if life coaching is for me. I can honestly say that this was my first course where I was alert throughout!

The trainers were brilliant - delivery was excellent and the whole weekend left me with a buzz and excitement to get my third business up and running asap. But i need to relaunch the second one before I go inspiring the entire universe.

Well I can successfully say (after all these years of wanting to be a life coach) that although I'm a people person and an excellent listener, I'm more suited as a 'get-up-and-go' inspirer and motivator - that's definitely where my strengths lie.

Although I'm always there for my people if they need me, or need help and advise (I'm a legal eagle, so it's innate) I'm not suited to be a life long 'Life Coach'. But I will discreetly use some skills that I have learnt on my friends (one is advised never to life coach one's family or friends!)

So, turBo is officially 'turBo flow motivator' (minus the gym suit/lycra and the burkha).

If you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about then scroll down the posts and read and don't forget you can still apply to attend one of their fantastic courses - and you may find a Life Coach in you! :D

Secrets to Success...

...What are they?

You may have read many books, articles, journals on this topic as well as attended lectures, seminars and courses - and you may have benefited from them all (that's their purpose and even turBo benefits from them) - but do we actually 'take action' after reading these books or attending these seminars - or are we of those who like a 'quick fix' to give us that confidence boost.

Ah-ha! That word - 'Confidence' (read previous post on this topic).

This post is based on my thoughts and feelings as well as what I have learnt from the above. It also helps me through the rough patches - so I hope you benefit from this post and it helps you out if you're in a 'rough patch'.

Before embarking on a project or becoming a leader - as in setting up your own business or an organisation - we need to have a check list of the basics and work through them to better ourselves. Some may say that these basics are knowledge, skills, courses etc - and that we need to continuously work on these throughout our lives or even through the project or business we are setting up. It is true that these skills or the basics can be obtained whilst embarking on a project or whilst being fully involved in it - but personally I feel that some things need to be checked beforehand and we need to work on them.

Anyone can be a leader and a good worker in any given field. I believe in putting 150% in everything I do - yes I do strive to do the best - because I look to my pious predecessors and take them as my example - I mean who brought the entire Europe out of the Dark Ages - yup, you guessed it! :D (Err, NO! It was Bush or Bin Laden - it was the true ambassadors of Islam who were not only God-fearing but sincere in their intentions in everything they did!)

The basics - what are they? I believe that they involve our own personalities and character. Lets not use the excuse of 'broken homes' and 'underprivileged something something' and 'lack of opportunities' - because although turBo recognises and appreciates that that exists (turBo does not judge nobody!) she also originally comes from a ghetto - and she made it - how? because she wanted to make it and she put in 150%!

Not only that but faith in the Almighty - the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in between and yes, you and I!

Firstly - Faith - in the One who Created you - and the belief that if it is written for you then it will surely happen. Now that is not to say that if it is not written in your destiny, you don't try at all - because if you don't try - you won't know! Its about accepting it - its meant to be it will be - if not, lets move on!

Secondly - Intention and Sincerity - for me these two go together. Intending to do it for the sake of God only and that there is a reason why God put me on earth so I gotta do what i gotta do (the good that is and helping to make a difference). Also being sincere in what one does - remembering and going back to the intention at all times - if you are not sincere - then it ain't gonna happen! Also - these need to be checked continuously throughout our lifetime - so we work on these always.

Thirdly - Character and Personality - what is it with the arrogance? aggression? jealousy? envy? (the deadly sins) - how has that helped anyone ever? Arrogance was the main reason the Devil got his behind kicked out of heaven! There is no need for it. Its the Devils whisperings - and again we need to work on it - but trust me - you put your heart, mind, soul, blood, sweat, tears into something then you can do it! So stop hating, start rating and do something!

There are also many other character traits I could mention - but you get the gist of it. And personality - walk into a room and light it up with your goodness, sincerity and pureness and be a star that shines - and helps everyone to achieve our main goal and purpose in life - worship of the One true God! Go on, be a STAR!

Fourthly - Passion - not the deadly sin type - but being passionate and eager and happy in what you do and what you want to do and achieve - and work hard to achieve it. Put in the hours, put your mind to it and you'll succeed.

For me these are some of the basics - maybe you will agree and maybe you will disagree - its all good - however, do take some time to ponder over these.

Secrets to Success is not only about the skills we learn, the knowledge we gain and the courses we attend - yes they aid us in our mission in life and that is their purpose - but also to recognise what God has blessed us with and how to utilise those 'gifts'

We need to work on our personality and character - and admit it - however appealing some services or goods may be - you're unlikely to purchase or use them if the person behind them is - urm - well - lets be polite - crap!

If these basics are checked and continuously checked and worked on then I believe that all other factors relating to Success will further aid us in what we do (business, project, etc).

Oh, and do take from the successful around you - and next time you listen to their audios or attend their seminars or read their books - check out their personality and character - not to judge them - but to see how it fits in with being successful.

We all have our inner 'Secrets to Success' - I hope you enjoy unleashing yours and putting them into practise :)

Life Coaching Course - Read and Apply!

Have you ever attended a 'Life Coaching Course'? Are you a Certified Life Coach? Or, are you interested in this area?

Well, turBo is really interested in this area and business number 3 (due to launch officially in November 2010) will have an element of 'Life Coaching' to it - but I'm not intending on being a Life Coach - though if you all ever need to talk and get things of your chest - I'm all ears :D

I recently attended an NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) course in London (15th April) - I was very sick and did some serious train and underground missions all the way to the Ibis Hotel at Earls Court. It was an intro to the course, but could have enjoyed it just that little extra if I was feeling just that little bit better and if that NLP baba wasn't so vulgar! (He wasn't a Brit!)

So, next weekend I'm off to my first Life Coaching course and real excited - going with my best buddy and her sister, so should be lots of fun. And here's the even cooler part. My mate forwarded the email to me (I didn't even know the Academy existed) applied and got chosen to attend in less than 24hrs (they said it takes 3 days to decide!).

...Sooooooo, would you like to attend??? Guess how much it actually costs? 500 pounds and if you get selected its absolutely...........FREE! For the whole two days!

Here's the link http://www.the-coaching-academy.com/

I will be at the Leeds course, so if you come - hollah! And if you attend any of the courses, let me know how it went - and I'll post up my experience after the course!

Happy Life Coaching! :D

The World is on FIRE!

Latest and Exclusive News - Heard here first on turBo flow - 'The World is on FIRE!'

...well, its not up in flames as such - but all you have to do is turn on the news channels and - good Lord! (if you don't have a TV set at home then - I see your point now!) :)

What happened to the good ol' days eh? *Nostalgic Moment* (go on - have your lil moment too - close your eyes and take yourself back to the days when you were an innocent little flower - ever so eager to blossom and enter the world that you thought would bring you so much happiness and joy - oh those lovely lovely days...)

OK, back to reality and present time - not everyone had a good childhood (those who suffered of illness maybe, child abuse, oppression, war etc) their innocence was ripped away from them - so all they probably wanted was to grow up and live for themselves - or do something which would change their condition and the condition of those around them.

No, but seriously - is it a sign of the end times? It could be the beginning of the end... *X-Files theme music*...

The Volcanoe - and the entire world came to a standstill - talk about testing ones patience - but seriously we all have bigger volcanoes to worry about than the Icelandic one!

Greece has debt issues - riots!

Didn't China or somewhere have an earthquake n all?

Oh and UK hung itself! (ah common Mr PM's - it ain't that bad!)

But in all the gloom and doom we still have - FAITH and HOPE - and if we loose either then we loose ourselves. Life's a test and without being tested we will never appreciate our existence on this planet - or appreciate any other creature for that matter.

I hope and pray that wherever you are life is being just and fair to you - turBo's motto is 'Justice and Fairness' and if not then fear not - your time shall come! :)

Hollah back and let me know how your doing - I know many of you are visiting from across the globe - I do hope you enjoy some of the posts - there's about 63 or 64 in total - so even if the first few seems crap to you - don't give up as there are some fantastic posts to keep yourselves entertained with as well as some 'Be Inspired' Vids (hopefully have another one coming this Friday).

I'm still sick - slow slow recovery - so keep me in your prays! :)

Guest Post: Cool Tips!

Taken from Friday Nasiha – www.fridaynasiha.com (subscribe and get a weekly Friday Nasiha email in your inbox!)

* Seven Ways to Peace and Happiness *

Rule 1: Let's fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health, and hope, for "our life is what our thoughts make it."

Rule 2: Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like.

Rule 3: A. Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. B. Let's remember that the only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude - but to give for the joy of giving.C. Let's remember that gratitude is a "cultivated" trait; so if we want our children to be grateful, we must train them to be grateful.

Rule 4: Count your blessings - not your troubles!

Rule 5: Let's not imitate others. Let's find ourselves and be ourselves, for "envy is ignorance" and "imitation is suicide."

Rule 6: When fate hands us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.

Rule 7: Let's forget our own unhappiness - by trying to create a little happiness for others. "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself."

Compiled From:"How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" - Dale Carnegie, p. 186.

...turBo is very sick

...hey peeps, hope you are all doing phenomenally well!

Ive been very sick for the last 8 days and still sick - just managed to drag myself on the Internet to check my emails - so I thought let you all know (I haven't updated blog this week!)

So please keep me in your prayers as turBo needs them more than ever...thank you!

See you all soon on the next post :)

Knowledge Seekers Club - making Islam fun to learn!

...one of my many ventures! :D

We're having an Easter Special - and the theme? Prophet Jesus (as)!

Wow subhan'Allah, so much to do - no sleep - little 7 to 11 year olds to look forward to - 6 days of it - fantastic!

I first started doing some Islamic Studies classes for my nieces and nephew at home back in 2001 and this Ramadhan just gone relaunched it with the new name and new game!

I have launched it into the community and since November 2009 have been overwhelmed by people wanting their children to attend - may Allah (swt) guide all their young ones on the straight path - ameen!

The website is under construction and once it goes live i shall let you all know so you can check it out.

Business number two was also launched in November 2009 - but will relaunch it this sha'baan coming (month before Ramadhan Insha'Allah) and business number 3 - in November 2010 and business number 4 in April 2011 - oh of course and all the studies on top of that lol

...well its not your average flow - it is turBo flow! :D

Will keep you all updated on all of it as insha'Allah you will all benefit from them too!!

Keep me in your prayers peeps! But now - its sleep time! :)

turBo says - Hamdullilah...

...for waking up alive and being here in this world for another day - to do a little more good and to repent a little more!

...28th March was a big one for turBo (go on, guess my age and win a prize lol) and besides waking up alive and thanking God for blessing me, you know what makes this day extra special? Been woken up by my mum with her gorgeous smile and face that shines like the full moon on a clear night - ahhh this day every year - priceless!!!

Have a fantastic week peeps - keep popping round and don't forget to spread the word about turBo flow to to your family and friends. I still have quite alot of work on right now - another crazy month (even the weekends!) but I will try and make the blog more frequent once workload has calmed down - til then, I know you have plenty of posts to get through! :D

Words of Wisdom - by Jesus! (AS)

...sometimes, only a few words are enough! :)

Once Jesus (alayhi salam) met Iblis [Satan] and Iblis said, “Is it not true that only what has been decreed will happen?”Jesus replied, “That is true.” Then Iblis said, “So throw yourself down from the top of this mountain, and let us see if you live or not!” Jesus answered, “The servant does not test his master; rather, it is the master who tests his servant.”

From “Walk on Water The Wisdom of Jesus” by Hamza Yusuf

...Spring is hereeeeeeeeeeeee!

...Finally!

OK, well I say finally, but I think we still have more rain in store for us (Brum, UK) - but at least the winter snowy months have gone.

I mean, I do like the snow - it's fun - however it does get a bit too much sometimes! There's benefits in winter months as well as summer months - but December up until mid-Feb are not sooo good for me!

Oh and this year there has even been a shortage on tulips because of the unexpected cold wintry snowy months!

Well, lots more for me to get up to this year. I have set up my own business (turBo is a business lady - lol) and two more before the year ends and a fourth one this time next year - God Willing. With that I still have loads of study and lots more fun days ahead :)

And, yes I know you have noticed that I haven't blogged in the last three weeks - however I did put up some 'Guest Post' which I enjoyed alot and thought share with you all - so I do hope you all benefited. The Friday Reminder series is still there - but won't be as frequent as I was hoping.

But fear not - turBo is still here to entertain you - and if you are new to the blog then you have lots of catching up to do! :)

Keep me updated as well - what you are all up to - what's been happening in your lives - remember YOU are my global familia and you're all very important!

Catch you all later. Have fun and lets enjoy some warmer weather! :)

Guest Post: Cool Concepts - Cryptanalysis!

Taken from Friday Nasiha - www.fridaynasiha.com (subscribe and get a weekly Friday Nasiha email in your inbox!)

Communicating top secret information is a precarious and risky process, so to avoid vital statistics falling into the wrong hands, messages are scrambled, masked and coded so only those with the right information or tools can read them. This process is known as cryptography; the scrambling of a message is known as encryption and the de-scrambling is decryption. For anyone other than the intended recipient, the message is meaningless, unless that person uses cryptanalysis to break the code.

The real cryptanalysis milestone was passed by al-Kindi, who revolutionized the area when he wrote A Manuscript on Deciphering Cryptographic Messages. Part of this included a description of the method of frequency analysis, which means he noticed that if a normal letter is replaced with a different letter or symbol, the new letter will take on all the characteristics of the original one. So if all a's that appeared became t's, and all th's were replaced with g's, they would still have the features of the letter(s) they replaced. A word like athlete would become tglete! Even though the letters change, what cannot be disguised are certain characteristics a letter has, like its frequency of occurance.

If we look at the English language the letter e is the most common letter, accounting for thirteen percent of all letters. So, if e is replaced by symbol #, # would become the most common symbol, accounting for 13% of the 'new' symbols. A cryptanalyst can then work out that the # actually represents e.

From studying the Arabic text of the Quran closely, al-Kindi noticed the characteristic letter frequency, and laid cryptography's foundations which led many cryptographers from European Renaissance states to devise sever scheme to defeat it.

"The birth of cryptanalysis required a society which has reached a high standard of development in three disciplines, namely linguistics, statistics and mathematics. These conditions became available at the time of al-Kindi who had command of these three disciplines and more." - Dr. Simon Sing, The Code Book, 1999

Compiled From:"1001 Inventions:
Muslim Heritage in Our World" - Salim T S Al-Hassani, pp. 268, 269

Guest Post: The Essential Sunna

Taken from Friday Nasiha - www.fridaynasiha.com (subscribe and get a weekly Friday Nasiha email in your inbox!)

The technical definition of Sunna is all that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did, said, or approved. When the term Sunna is used, our minds are diverted immediately to the manners and morals which we are so careful to observe, while dressing and eating, walking and praying.

I have no intention of belittling the importance of these relatively minor acts that he left behind. It reminds me of a beautiful incident from his life. A man and his son came to meet the Prophet. As he came out of his house, the buttons of his shirt were open. Both of them shook his hand and went away. That was the only occasion in their lives when they came face to face with the Prophet. But, for their entire lives they always kept the buttons of their shirts open - not because it was obligatory, but once you fall in love with someone, each and every action that he does, and each and every thing that he says, becomes dear to the heart. It has to be followed.

If, however, you consider the technical definition of Sunna, and if you look at the life of the Prophet from the moment he received revelation in the cave of Hira till he breathed his last in Madina, what is it that stands out as his most dominant concern and his main activity? The most outstanding feature of his life was that every moment was spent in dawa, in inviting his fellow human beings to live in submission to their Creator. He lived every moment of his life in purifying individuals and making them grow in their love and submission to Allah. Every moment of his life, he talked about and carried out his mission. In the streets of Makka, in the valley of Taif, on the battlegrounds of Badr and Hunayn, and in the totality of affairs in Madina - dawa was his essential concern. That was his essential Sunna.

Compiled From:
"In The Early Hours" - Khurram Murad, pp. 92, 93

Guest Post: Cool Tips - Avoid Conflict!

Taken from Friday Nasiha - www.fridaynasiha.com (subscribe and get a weekly Friday Nasiha email in your inbox!)

"Even petty disputes between individuals can be costly. The time, money, and effort spent in the conflict itself, not to mention the mental and emotional cost that's involved mobilizing for the conflict and getting over it, can be heavy indeed.

The least costly way to deal with conflict is to avoid it. Many conflicts are simply not worth having, and with a bit of forethought and prevention, they can be stopped before major damage is done. Abraham Lincoln wrote, "Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbours to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser in fees, expenses, and waste of time."

Take the following steps in order to prevent conflict before it starts:

Know who you're dealing with: One of the characteristics of Japanese businesspeople is to spend a great deal of time checking out people or firms before embarking on business ventures with them. They intend to do business for a long time and want to make sure mistakes are avoided at the outset. Westerners often find the practice tedious and unnecessarily time-consuming. But it does have its merits.

Get it in writing: Spell out as many eventual sources of contention as you can anticipate. An old proverb advises: "Good fences make good neighbours."

Avoid impossible situations: Don't think you are Superman or Wonder Woman. Unless you are expert at turnaround situations, if really good people have failed, you probably will, too.

Check out great deals going in: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. Investigate. Ask for references. Ask hard questions. It's better to risk offending someone than having an economic loss or embarrassment later on.

These tactics can save you a great deal of time and effort in conflict resolutions involving any relationship".

Compiled From:"Time Tactics of Very Successful People" - B. Eugene Griessman, p. 145-146.

What's Your Latest Read?

...Lets get interactive Global Familia :)

So tell me, what is your current read? What are you reading at the moment? Something for work or your studies? Are you reading for pleasure and leisure? Hey, do YOU even like reading?

Well, I love reading! 'Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body!' (and I forgot who quoted that! Let me know if you know).

I have a few fantastic titles on my list...I will be having a library day this week, hopefully, and will get these titles, and once I'm done I will give you all a book review :)

So Inspire me and all the readers of this blog and let us know what you are reading, why you are reading it, what you have learnt, how has it inspired you to further your existence in this world and why should we all read it....lets have a season of book reviews here! :)

And if you would like to write a book review and have it popped on the turBo flow blog, then I will guest post you with your book review. Email it to nadi@2die4.com (yes, I'm a die hard 2pac fan!)

Happy reading and look forward to your reviews and comments! :)

...I'm Left On The Shelf! No One Wants Me!

...So...you're single, looking for a life partner - tried all the online marriage sites, family, friends, aunties...but you just can't seem to find 'The One'!

"What's wrong with me? Why doesn't anyone want to marry me? I know I'm not good enough - I'm just left on the shelf!!!"

And this is followed by depression, comfort eating, sleeping all hours, hating, shouting, mood swings - and - wait for it - the ultimate one - what's the purpose of my life?! (well, to get that one answered, just scroll down and read the post on 'What's my Purpose!) - But for now - check out the video below (thank you Facebook friend for posting it!) and at the end - smile! (plus its Sunnah to smile).

OK, OK - since you are here and since this may apply to you and since all i want to say really is; 'get over it!' - I'll be nice - after all YOU are my global familia and this is a touchy subject! So, firstly - get over it! and secondly - its not all that bad - really - you just have to focus, make the right moves, talk to the right people and get practical and productive. And now you say; "well, doh, it hasn't worked!" - OK, yeah i hear you - But there's more to our lives than just being depressed - so if you need help - seek it (depression is a bad thing!) and read the post on 'What's my Purpose' - follow the formulae (do share the formulae with everyone - but remember its copyright - turBo came up with that one!) and make it happen!

If it's meant to be - it will be - and if you're still not happy then watch the video again and again!

We have one life to live - lets not waste it worrying and being depressed and lets make it happen! :)