Saying goodbye to Ramadaan :(

Salam,
The last few nights I have been sharing Qiyam prayer with my new friends in Kuwait and attending this late night prayer at the Grand Mosque of Kuwait with them. The last time I went, I went with two of my friends from the university. Their names are Dina and Heba. They are very nice girls. They were so excited because it would be the first time they would be going to the Grand Mosque let alone the late night prayer there. I was also excited for them. We went early and they saved me a spot inside the main inner hall of the mosque in the front rows. It was absolutely breathtaking in there. The spiritual energy in the room was thick like a fog. From the moment we met up to the moment we parted, nothing but the word of Allah was upon our lips, flowing freely from our hearts like a surging spring of water.
We happened to be next to a lady who had converted to Islam from Christianity ten years ago. She was very nice. During the prayers, as I was hearing the beautiful words of Allah in Arabic recited by Sheikh Al-Afasy (yes the same person who prayed in my mosque this summer in the states and who is in the nasheed video posted above), and I still don't understand most of it, although I have noticed I pick up on many more words than before.

Actually, even without understanding it well, the spirit of the word still comes through very strongly. So during this time as I was praising Allah and receiving the spirit of the words of the Quran, a couple things inspired me to suddenly reflect upon our prophet Moses, peace be upon him, and remembering a story from the bible I had read year before about him and his face glowing after having been in communion and talking with Allah.

Whenever he would talk with Allah after the Mt. Sinai experience his face again would shine. Moses would cover his face with a veil so that his shining face would not overwhelm his people. Such is the Glory of God! Imagine when if we will get to see His glory without a veil someday, with our own eyes, imagine that day when we will have that honor if Allah wills it for us insha Allah. A straight forward encounter with the Allmighty Lord of the Worlds. Well, we get that actually. Each day we all can prostrate to our Lord in salat and no veil between his glory and ourselves. He gives us the privilege to commune directly with him every day. Let us remember this when we are in prayer and I think if we do, we can't help but fall to our knees in prostration (or Sujood in Arabic).
Two things inspired me to think upon this story and image of Moses in my head:
1) The beautiful chandeliers and lights from the enormous hall were brightened and the reflection of the lights sparkled into my eyes through the tear drops on my eye lashes during the salat
2) A verse from the Quran my friend next to me, Dina, had just sent to me the day before -

the likeness of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp; the lamp is encased in a glass. The glass is like a brilliant star. It is lit from a blessed tree, an olive tree that is neither of the East nor the West. It is as if its oil would give light even if fire had not touched it. Light upon light. And Allah guides to His light whom He pleases. [This lamp] is in houses that Allah has permitted to be erected wherein His name is oft-remembered. They glorify Him in them in the early morning and evening, men who are not distracted by commerce and trading from the remembrance of Allah. (24: 35-37)

Here is the actual story of Moses' conversation with Allah (swt), these two things inspired me to remember, quoted directly from the scriptures derived from the bible:
Exodus 34:27-35
27 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."
28 Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

In the Taurah, it is even mentioned that the divine glory is so much that it might even cause people to die from being near it, so Allah asked Moses to prohibit the people from coming near Mt. Sinai during that time, even the other priests had to sanctify themselves if they thought to come near.

You know when I read this again, I see that it is somewhat reminiscent of our time fasting during Ramadan. A long period of fasting, reflecting on the word sent from Allah, and salat.

At any rate, the real magical moment for me, other than the light reflecting from my tears inspiring this thought, was that the moment I began thinking upon this image of Moses, at the very same time, the Sheikh Al-Afasy mentioned "Musa" the name of Moses in Arabic. Apparently just as I was envisioning this story, he was reciting from the Quran about Moses, peace be upon him, at the very same moment. SubhanAllah. It was chilling to say the least. Masha Allah. Of course immediately the tears began flowing freely down my cheeks from the power of that moment.

This whole Ramadan has been just one blessing after the other, one amazing moment after the other. AlhamdulEllah.

Last night my good friends Sarah and Salma took me shopping for Eid. It is a tradition to buy a new outfit for the first day of Eid. Eid is the celebration time after Ramadan ends. It was a lot of fun. I really like all my new friends here. They are all so well-behaved, so kind, so positive, so considerate, and their hearts are after the favor of Allah. I feel so blessed, Allah is so gracious to me and to all His servants. Let us remember to be constantly grateful to Him.

It is so inspiring many of my good friends from before and now I haven't talked with in a few days because they are doing Istakaf which means staying in the Mosque for a long time and just dedicating all the time and energy to Allah during that time. Anyone can do it and you can stay as little as one full day or as much as the last ten days. I am so happy for my friends who are doing that it will be so good for them. May Allah accept their efforts and I wish I could do it too but I learned of it too late. I hope to try it next Ramadan inshallah.