CARMEN - The Royal Opera House, 2006

Supplicant (Morningstar) made it out of the kiln with his wings! The Minotaur survived his first firing and is waiting for firing again, this time with glaze.

O Allah, forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last, open and secret.

Palm-sized Aaliyah Supplice since my White Glint charm design was lonely... Also, happy new year!

O Allāh, grant us a marriage that is free from pain, misunderstanding, and conflict. Even when we do face challenges, may we always be able to resolve them with kindness, understanding and respect. May we never be the cause of tears in our spouse's eyes, and may we never have to cry ourselves due to their actions, words, or anything else. امين

O Allāh, Marriage is a beautiful thing, but it can also be a test. May our marriage not be a trial, but rather a reason for us to enter Paradise together. May we live eternally in peace and love with our spouse in Paradise. امين

Supplice de la roue Les cartes sont sur @tire-une-carte / The cards are at @play-my-game

The thing I go back to again and again when thinking of Hob Gadling is the word devotion. This man really just…with no hope of reciprocity, not a single bloody hint that the Stranger would ever return to him…he waited. He built an entire pub, made sure the Stranger could find the pub, and made going to that pub a part of his routine so that just in case—just in case!—the Stranger decided to ever show up, out of schedule, he would be there. He'd be waiting. For thirty-three goddamn years! Or, if you're counting how long he's held on to his stubborn loyalty after a pretty devastating rejection, add a century to that number. All this, without any assurance that the friendship he's offering would ever be accepted. All this, for a being who hasn't even told him his name. I've seen gods worshipped with less conviction. It just, it makes me insane.

Al-baqra (196:199)

And complete the ḥajj and ʿumrah for Allāh. But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charityor sacrifice. And when you are secure,then whoever performs ʿumrah [during the ḥajj months followed by ḥajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during ḥajj and of seven when you have returned [home].

Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is severe in penalty(197)

Ḥajj is [during] well-known months,so whoever has made ḥajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of iḥrām], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during ḥajj. And whatever good you do - Allāh knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allāh. And fear Me, O you of understanding (199)

Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart and ask forgiveness of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

The root of most of the world’s problems is diseased hearts. Hearts which do not know Allah, hearts which are full of arrogance, greed and selfishness. Hearts which have become corrupted by sins and no longer taste the sweetness of īmān. Hearts torn apart by pride, envy and hatred, resulting in a fractured Ummah.

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.

(Tirmidhī 3522)

O Allaah, I ask of Your pleasure and for Paradise,and I seek refuge from Your displeasure and from the Hellfire.

امين

Allāhumma innī a`ūdhu biriḍāka min sakhaṭika, wa bimu`āfātika min `uqūbatika wa a`ūdhu bika minka lā uḥṣī thanā'an `alayka anta kamā athnayta `alā nafsika.

Being in a fully automatic bathroom that has half-working sensors on everything is mostly about waving your hands wildly in vigorous prayer to an uncaring god.