Cat love

You wouldn't believe, but yes I am still missing Cyprus - which is incredible, but at the same time, not at all; its magic is addictive, its love unforgettable. I even miss the cats, sorely! I went there at best as someone who was afraid of cats, at worst as someone who disliked them - but there I fell in love with the sweetest, most beautiful and playful cats EVER.  They really are special, ma sha Allah. Mummy cat at the guesthouse was pregnant again we think; may she have  an easy birth and lots of good kids, in sha Allah.

One of the beautiful cats at Sheikh Nazim's dergah, having her afternoon snooze underneath the dining table.

The next day, the cool cat from above had found a much sunnier, comfier place to nap.

Teeny weeny kitten, literally the size of my hand - stole many hearts, but really wasn't interested in anyone at all.

The kittens at the guesthouse are the most beautiful cats I have ever seen; here they are feeding away.

He definitely knows he is beautiful.

Miss you guys!

Finally, apologies if you're not a cat person, and have had to suffer through this post.  Perhaps this will make up for it - a reminder for us all, from Sheikh Nazim's masjid:

Ameen.

Saucepan of water

Bismillah,

This cool Iranian/German dude (may Allah preserve him!), known to the Lefke folk as Mehmet, is an absolute delight. He works and lives at AbdulHadi's guesthouse, where my parents stayed. If you ever get yourself there, ask him to tell you a few stories - he'll have you in stitches, alhamdulillah.

Anyway - this is him holding a saucepan of water as we were heavy-heartedly leaving. My cousin thought he was being impatient to make himself a cup of tea(!) and jokingly questioned him. He said it was tradition to throw water behind leaving guests, in the hope that they would return soon. I was both elated and moved; I went and got a bottle of water - and filled up the saucepan completely, for good measure! He balanced it well, ma sha Allah.

Later we asked our driver Hajj Umar (if you ever meet him, behave!) about it - he said that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was leaving Makkah after the conquest, the Muslims who stayed behind in Makkah, threw water behind him as he left, in the hope he would come back to them soon. And now this is a tradition they practise here in Lefke! Ma sha Allah!

The point of this post is that I am truly counting on the blessings of sidi Mehmet and his saucepan of water, in sha Allah.

Ya Ahad, ya Samad, salli ala Muhammad! - missing the sweet melodies of Lefke very much.

Secrets

Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani with his son, Shaykh Muhammad (Mehmet) Adil.

Ma sha Allah.

Lovesick for Lefke

Missing Cyprus, and its people very much indeed. May Allah long preserve Shaykh Nazim, his sons, daughters, and beautiful grandchildren. Special place, even more so special people.

Allahumma salli alaaa Muhammadin, wa alaaa aaaali Muhammadin wa sallim!