Digital Darkroom Software Review: Darktable

Program: darktable (1.6.3; updated to 1.6.7 late in the review process)
Platforms Available Tested: Linux, Mac, Windows
Installation: normal download dmg & drag app to Applications folder (or wherever you like). Easy.

darktable is probably the closest to Lightroom that you’ll find in the open source space. With the exception of user-definable albums (they’re called Film Rolls in darktable, and they’re a bit strange to use), you can do everything in darktable that you can do in Lightroom, and more, most of it in a few different ways.

Thankfully, I’m not trying for a comprehensive review here… I just want to see if darktable can replace Lightroom for me. Continue reading “Digital Darkroom Software Review: Darktable”

Independence Day

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Say: “He is Allah, the One and Only,

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

Allah, whom all things need and who needs none,

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

He wasn’t born, nor did He give birth,

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

and there is nothing like Him anywhere.

 

Surah Ikhlas

Oh Allah! I seek independence from all those things that distract from Your worship, from all those things that call me away from Your path, from the cares and worries of this life that intrude during dhikr and dua, and protect me from associating partners with You in anything. Ya Allah help me to remember You, and give thanks to You, and worship You in the best possible manner. Oh Allah! make me independent of all things but You! Amin. Amin. Amin. Continue reading “Independence Day”

Ramadan Halftime Report

We’re more than halfway through Ramadan now… What have we done? How have we performed? Where have we fallen short? What can we do to improve in the next half?

Well, I’ve lost my temper, lost my nerve, lost my focus, and failed in innumerable ways. I’ve spent most of my non-working hours trying not to catch up on sleep, and the rest of the time split between eating/drinking, working on photography projects, taking care of chores, and generally not making worship a priority.

Could I have done better? Maybe, but I didn’t and I can’t go back now.

What can I do differently? Can I modify my activities to include more worship, while still taking care of my responsibilities and chipping away at projects? Can I further modify my sleep schedule (or modify my work schedule and consequently sit in traffic) to accommodate more tarrawih? Can I take the extra 10 minutes it will take to perform wudu and pray 2 rakat of qiyam when I wake up in the middle of the night? Can I turn off the radio and spend my commute time reciting Quran and making dhikr? Can I start repeating some dua and dhikr during work and rest time (“la ilaha il Allah,” for example, can be said without ever moving the lips and could theoretically be recited anytime I’m not talking, eating, or sleeping)?

In sha’Allah.

And whatever I do, In sha’Allah , I need to focus on the quality of my worship, rather than just trying to cram in as much as possible.

May Allah guide me to be a better slave in the last half of Ramadan and in the coming years. May He accept my (and all of our) fasts. And may He grant me many more Ramadans to worship Him and many more opportunities to draw closer to him. Amin.  Continue reading “Ramadan Halftime Report”

Surah Ad-Duhaa

وَالضُّحَىٰ

By the morning brightness

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ

And the night when it covers with darkness,

مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ

Your Lord has not taken leave of you, nor has He detested [you].

وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ

And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life].

وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ

And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.

أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَىٰ

Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?

وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَىٰ

And He found you lost and guided [you],

وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ

And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.

فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ

So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him].

وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ

And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him].

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ

But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].

Surah Ad-Duha 93

This Surah has been running through my head all day… Alhamdulillah.

So much better than some pop song or something.

Continue reading “Surah Ad-Duhaa”

Astagfirullah. 

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.

Surat Al-`Ankabūt 29:2-3 Continue reading “Astagfirullah. “

Dua of the People of the Cave

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way! Continue reading “Dua of the People of the Cave”

Blessings of Ramadan (1)

Allah azza wa jall has blessed us with this month to focus on Him and to seek his pleasure. And Alhamdulillah we’re able to witness this blessed month: may He make us able to see many more and to make ever-better use of the time to draw closer to Him. 

One thing that I’ve noticed just today: time during the day yawns out, seems very long; time in the evening is compressed. Fajr time is roughly 4:40am here in North Texas; Maghrib time (sunset) is roughly 8:45. That gives us a bit more than 16 hours to pray three of five prayers, make some Nafl (voluntary) prayers, make dhikr and dua, etc.; work 8+ hours; take a long nap; work on personal projects; etc. On the flip side, we have a bit less than 8 hours to pray 2 prayers, go to the masjid for extended night prayers, make qiyam ul layl; eat and drink all that we’re going to; and sleep as much as possible. 

This year, Alhamdulillah, Samie has a job and gets off work about 9, 9:15, so that adds a layer of responsibility to that hour or so between breaking fast and going to the masjid (or bed… Astagfirullah, for me, most nights, it’s bed). 

This makes me intensely grateful for the rest of the year, where I can rush around and rock out chores and then relax in the evening. So far, it’s been the reverse for me very many nights, and the rushrushrush right at the end of the day is difficult. 

Alhamdulillah Allah has guided me to this place, this wife, this family, this job, and He daily gives me the strength and focus to accomplish most of what I need to, and some of what I want to. May He guide me to make better use of the free time during the day, to draw closer to him and spend more time giving thanks, Amin.