Problems

It seems we have no water - this is a problem since today is meant to be the day that we recieve free-flowing water from the government (you only got one day a week, but it is not 100% set in stone what that day is) and our tank is meant to be refilled. We ran out on Friday night and used the emergency tank already, so it seems it may develop into a much bigger problem in the very near future. I really hope we don't have to go without water for the whole week, I just can't function without rinsing off in the mornings...

Last night I attended the laylat al-qadr (often translated as "Night of Power/Decree" refers to the night that Muhammed saaws recieved the first part of the revelation - Qur'an - from the Angel Gabriel) program at the Zawiya, which was really nice al-hamdoulillah. It was busy, non-stop. So today, on minimal sleep (few hours after fajr - dawn prayer - before class) I'm feeling a little tired, but its not to bad. I had a delicious mug of Patterson's coffee last night which kept me going, I even found it hard to fall asleep at fajr time subhan'allah. So there were two hadras (in which I was a non-participant), one lesson in Arabic, and two in English, followed by scrumptious pancake-like things with nuts and raisons in them smothered in syrup, followed by salat al-tasbih, witr and Qur'an recitation. Was quite different to how it is in Sydney (at least at Lakemba anyway). Al-hamdoulillah.

Grammar is going ok. Did abysmally on a test today - didn't study and my brain was pretty much non-functioning when it came to doing verbal analysis this morning - so insha'allah I'll retake it at some point in the near future. I'm thinking after Eid, since the Eid break starts on Monday (i.e. the day after tomorrow). I haven't had tajweed for a little while because my teachers mum is in hospital, so if you all wouldn't mind making du'a for her swift recovery I would appreciate it.

So Ramadan is almost over, and that brings us to the very exciting day of Eid! *yay* I've decided to put on a pancake breakfast for the single sisters (who are studying and not murids of the shaykh) since we only really have each other here. I know some of hte girls are already upset that they won't be with family etc, but what can you do. Surely pancakes will make it al better. Now. The much more exciting news is of course that I have managed to organise a small Eid trip (within Jordan) which I am uber-excited about! Basically, we (me, one of my old flatties and two of the other girls) are going to hire a car and drive down the Dead Sea Highway to Wadi Mujib where we will hike, swim in the dead sea and otherwise entertain ourselves. Then we will drive on to Kerak where we will explore the Crusader castle that remains there and have lunch. From there onto Petra, where we will do a Petra by night tour and then the next day do the regular 4/5hr hike before returning to Amman. Oh it is soo exciting. I'm sure that I will be crawling up the stairs at Petra panting disgracefully and that come the end of the break and my return to school I will be unable to walk, sit, stand - move pretty much. Should be GREAT! As usual I'll keep you posted and I'll get some pics organised - one of the girls can't swim and doesn't want to go in the dead sea because she's sure she will drown, no ammount of persuasion on my part reassures her that she will just float (all she needs todo is keep herself face up!). So if she manages to drown I'll certainly post it up - it would be somewhat of a miracle. SO in preparation for the trip I went shopping yesterday and managed to pick up 3 shirts and a quality pair of pants for 25JD/A$50 (the pants were reduced from 65JD to 10JD - BIG bargain). I need some stuff to hike in, all my clothes are for winter :(. What is very strange is that I thought I left more clothing here than I did, but apparently I have it all, so maybe I just have a fuzzy memory.

So that's about all my news really. Insha'allah you're all doing well. Please make du'a for me.

Much love and ma'a salama.