Men are from Mekkah, and women are from Madinah

An excerpt from the book, Love Unveiled by Alima Ashfaq.

Mekka is a hard, dry land - Much like this, men are generally dry and don’t know how to cry. If they do, they don’t want to show it and instead keep all the pain within them under the guise of masculinity.

Medina is soft, with water flowing beneath it and the rain is consistent throughout its seasons - Which reflects women who can easily cry and they’re not scared to show their emotions. In fact, under the guise of femininity they display their emotions regularly.

Mekka has a harsh climate; it’s rough and known to be a mountainous area - Men’s beauty lies in their masculinity, power strength and ruggedness. This is what makes them attractive and allows them to lead effectively.

Medina is lush, full of splendour and serenity - Women are known to be peaceful, full of serenity and their femininity makes them beautiful. 

Mekka’s main emotion is `izzah, they are full of honour and will do anything to protect it. They like to be respected and acknowledged, this is what motivates them to excel as individuals.

Medina is full of sukoon, the people are known for their softness. Women are generally more loving and caring; they’re soft by nature and will generally give more than they receive.

Differences in Qur’anic verses:

Mekkan verses are short, straight to the point and general.

Medinan verses are long, detailed and at times they keep going on and on.

Based on a true story.

I

TODAY MY 7-YEAR OLD BROTHER PUNCHED ANOTHER BOY IN THE FACE

He punched this little boy

and the boy cried.
The little boy’s big brother came running after my brother
when he saw what happened.
My brother managed to escape, but..
when he went home I got so angry I decided to scream at him
I screamed and screamed
I even hit him.
Hard.
Nothing happened; he didn’t feel guilty,
neither did he know what he did wrong in the first place.
So after dinner I calmed myself down.
I said to myself that I shall have a heart to heart talk with him.
And I did.
It turned out that his best friend dared him to do it
I spoke to him, gently with serious but kind words.
I asked him- “Do you think Allah will forgive you? Why should He do that?
It’s not fair is it? You punched a boy who didn’t do anything to you.
You made him cry. Did he make you cry?
The malaikah (angel) has written down all that happened this afternoon.
How do you feel about that? Do you think he (the angek) wrote nice things?
Do you think he will ask Allah to put you in Jannah?
I don’t think so! *he started tearing up at this point*
You cry every time Abi reads the dua (wallah, i swear he does)
but you don’t think before you act?
Do you know Who you’re not listening to?
Do you know that Ummi and Abi are both as angry as I am?
Do you know who created that boy?
(he answers: “Allah”)
Who created you, then?
(-“Allah”. again)
What if Allah decides to put the boy in Jannah and you in Hellfire
would you like that?
Do you think that is fair?
Yes?
Would you like me to punch you for no reason?
(-No.)
Then? Was the boy sad?
(*he nods)……”
Our conversation went on for almost 45 minutes. I talked, and talked, trying to put some sense into him. At first, all I was feeling was utter disbelief and shock. I couldn’t even look at him. I absolutely HATE, DETEST, ABHOR bullies. I hate them so much. I even talked to my brother about the possibility of his picture being hung on the Notice Board saying “BULLY” instead of the usual “EXEMPLARY STUDENT”. He got really upset. This, i reliaze was the best method to talk to a child. You cannot lose your temper and vent it all out at them. The key is to make sure they realize their mistake, identify its nature i.e. whether it was pleasing or displeasing etc. Alhamdulillah, the more I talked to him, the more i learned. I learned many things that I could not have acquired in most classes. Oh Allah forgive us all.