Christian Muslim Forum
Posted on February 27, 2013 Leave a Comment
Hello!
A quick blog post to say that my details are finally up on the Christian Muslim Forum (CMF) website. Yay! After nearly a year and a half with the forum, I finally managed to send them an updated bio and photo to place on the website.
I joined the forum in June 2011, as the Muslim Family specialist, joining forces with my esteemed colleague Heather Al-Yousef. Since then we have worked together on workshops for Christian and Muslim mothers, on how to handle difficult teenage relationships, as well as more recently producing guidelines for Imams and clergy on interfaith marriage.
It has been a wonderful experience working with Christian counterparts on the same issues, and sharing the same values and vision.
I will try to keep the blog updated with more details of the work I do with CMF and other organisations. By the way you can also read my updated bio, on the link above!
Ciao.
Friday thought(s) of the day
Posted on December 7, 2012 Leave a Comment
Something I have observed during my short life. Everyone is born with the capacity to become a great leader, to have endless compassion, the capacity to forgive in their heart, overlook the faults of others and be kind when you see someone suffering (even if you do not agree with their actions). We are not born to be followers, but slowly over time our hearts are eroded and we forget we ever had this greatness in us. Following or appeasing the crowd/others becomes applauded and we can no longer see that this is another manifestation of our ego and ultimately results in the degradation of our souls.
Yet speaking up or standing up for what you believe in, does not mean attacking another personally or trampling over them. Something I always say, is that you can say anything you want – without hurting others or harming yourself, if you couch it in the right way, with compassion.
The Top 6 Actions that promote career success (from Forbes.com)
Posted on November 15, 2012 1 Comment
Here is a link to an article that I came across today. It details six actions that promote career success, sounds simple and when you think about it, it really is. Nevertheless, these actions really resonated with me so I thought I’d share them with you.
Although aimed at women, I think these tips are useful for men too: anyone who finds themselves on a career roundabout or with an attitude that holds them back.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2012/11/13/the-top-6-actions-that-promote-career-success/
Hope you find it as useful!
For my husband Dr Nafeez Ahmed
Posted on November 13, 2012 Leave a Comment
Below is a status I posted on my facebook for my dearest husband, on our 12th year marriage anniversary (25/10/12)…
People who know me well, know that I’m normally a private person, who tries to keep work and personal life separate, (as much as I could working in the community). Close friends would often tell me off for not, introducing Nafeez properly, or taking him with me to “high-level” networking type events. Often I was told, “I didn’t know you were married to Nafeez Ahmed!” In fact an MYH Trustee, whom I worked with for nearly four years, remarked in June “It was only recently I found out, (as a result of everything that happened at MYH), that you are married to the British Muslim who had a spat with Christopher Hitchens!”, “well yes”, I replied “our politics and professional work are so different ”. My Nafeez is a neo-Marxist academic (I think) and I’m well let’s just say more pragmatic than a radical.
But today is our 12th year anniversary of marriage and I’m breaking a long habit to come out of my protective bubble and wish Nafeez a happy 12th year anniversary in a very public way. Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed jaan, I cannot believe it is 12 years since we embarked on this journey together. There has been tears, sadness, crises but all of these have just made the laughter, wonderment, joy, amazement and happiness all that much sweeter and precious.
For me, for many reasons this anniversary is a special one, despite everything that has happened this year in such a public way. For what is not in the public domain is that my personal email and records were savagely intruded upon by a group of individuals over indulging in voyeurism to know the medical records of my immediate family, to know the finances of the family business, and to know, and this has been the thing that I have found hardest to grapple with over the last few months, intimate and personal details of our relationship that no other is privy to. And for this my darling Nafeez I am sorry. I am sorry that because of who I am, where I worked, the values I held close to my heart and the dream I believed in, that we were violated in this way, but most importantly I couldn’t be that garment for you the Qur’an refers to. The irony hasn’t escaped me that over the last few months, whilst I haven’t been able to protect your confidentiality, I have and still am protecting the confidentiality of this group of individuals.
So my darling hubby Happy Anniversary. Here’s to, a lifetime together in this world and an eternity together in the next!
What does it mean?
Posted on October 6, 2011 Leave a Comment
I’m always struck by how much meaning we attach to conversations we have with those around us. I’ve done it myself, a loved one had said something completely innocuous, however I have taken it as a criticism or viewed it in a negative way, which then led to a confrontation or passive negativity. Often we are not cognizant of the fact that we are attaching our own views to what people are saying, effectively filtering what we hear and how we hear it.
‘Non-violent Communication’ by Marshall Rosenberg provides useful tools to unravel the way we hear, what it is that people are telling us and in fact disentangle that, from what it is they actually need. Thus, you are able to truly hear what is being said.
Communication is critical, to every aspect of our lives, so it’s critical that we can, not only communicate effectively but in a way that is non-violent and compassionate.
I have learnt a lot since joining MYH, however communicating in a way that is compassionate, and listening without judgement, are two essential life skills that I have had the opportunity to hone and continuously strive to embody. I am sure these will stay with me for the rest of my life and enable me to meaningfully connect with others.
Hello World
Posted on September 17, 2011 Leave a Comment
Hello,
This is my first blog post! To say hello and let you know that I have decided from time to time to comment on what’s going in the world, share some of the super work I’m doing and generally ramble.
Don’t expect frequent and consistent blog posts yet, it’s going to take me sometime to get into the swing of blogging. Hopefully though, when I do blog you will find some nuggets of insight.
Compassion, kindness and respect are my buzz words, so they will feature a lot along side issues such as social justice, structural inequalities, social exclusion and generally making the world a better place.
Tata for now,
Akeela
Akeela Ahmed MBE 