"X'mas"....LEST WE FORGET

We were invited to dinner by a dear friend and his wife at Paakeza Restaurant on X'mas Eve. It is not part of the X'mas celebrations,(we do not celebrate X'mas),  but we remember Prophet Isa ('alaihi salam) all the same. Neither in the Quran  nor in the Hadiths does it say about the time  Prophet Isa AS  (Jesus)  was born. The Quran says the following: Chapter 19, Surah Mariam, Verse 16-36.

16.  Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from the family to a place in the East.

17.  She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; Then We sent to her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

18.  She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) most Gracious: (come not near) If thou dost fear Allah."

19.  He said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son."

20.  She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me And I am not unchaste?"

21.  He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, "That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us: It is a matter (so ) decreed."

22.  So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.

23.  And the pain of child birth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree : She cried (in her anguish): Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight !"

24.  But ( a voice ) cried to her from beneath the ( palm tree ) : "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided rivulet beneath thee;

25. "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm tree: It wii let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.
26.  "So eat and drink and cool  (thine) eyes. And if thou dost see any man, say, "I have vowed a fast to (Allah) most Gracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being."
27.  At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms.) They said: O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! 
28.  "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was nota man of evil, nor thy mother a woman of unchaste!"
29.  But she pointed to the babe, they said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
30.  He said: " I am indeed a servant of Allah? He hath given me Revelation and made me a prophet;
31.  "And He has made me blessed whosoever I be, and hath enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live;
32.  "(He) hath made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable;
33.  "So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again).
34.  Such was Jesus the son of Mary: (It is ) a statement of truth about which they (vainly) dispute.
35.  It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is.
36.  Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: This is the way that is straight.


The above translation is from Abdullah Yusuf Ali
...........lest we forget.
 

After a short mention on  Prophet Jesus (Isa AS) we ordered our meal. It is a Kashmiri Cuisine and we enjoyed dinner among friends who are mostly above 60 years old.

On the left is Dato' Dr. Hussein, our host for the sumptuous dinner.

Thank you Dato'

I thought it was a rare occasion to be meeting up with friends over dinner for people my age, and so I began to take pictures. (I'm always with my camera these days refining my skill on photography). But ooops! The battery ran out and I could only take two snap shots. Blame it on age!

On Friendship:

Like Diamonds, Good Friends are Forever.                                

Make Du'a for Friends, for they are family, especially in times of need.

The Family that eats  together stays together.(So are friends).

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