American Muslima Writer -Daring to Work Towards Jannah

I dream to have an extra room in my house that I can dedicate just to praying and studying Islam. I'd put those low Arab cushions on one wall. Soft blue carpeting (not too thick, just a mat style) in the center with a few prayer rugs on top facing the quibla so anytime i want to pray there is already a setup. The other wall will have a few bookcases with Islamic books and Quran. A nice Qur'an holder with Qur'an next to the Arab seats. Thin white curtains to allow in the sun and soft breeze. I picture my kids reading quietly on the cushions next to my husband who is drinking tea and reading Qur'an out loud. We are properly covered in this room with a loose hijab for me and my daughter and caps for the men. This is my room of peace and reflection and simplicity. Oh how I long for this room.... my personal Masjid.....
I have always loved Masjids. They are so dear to my heart. In America I used to ditch school just to go to the masjid to reflect. It had deep blue carpets and no decorations at all. Simple and open. I used to also clean this masjid because I felt the mexican maids (non-muslims) didn't do a good enough job. I'd scrub the walls and floor and vacuume. My favorite masjid is the one in Tempe built to look like the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem. Upstairs they have a dividing white curtain between the men and women and it flows in the breeze of the ac/open windows. The sun shines in through cut windows. Two short bookcases hold Qur'ans. It's a quiet neighborhood so you don't hear horns honking or anything disturbing. It was here I had my first real Ramadan and staying the night at the masjid. It' was here I learned my first Surah (besides Al-Fatiha) by listening over and over to a recording and repeating and following along in my transliteration Qur'an.
When I got to Lebanon and masjids were everywhere I didn't find a special one I loved the most. They all had fancy thick carpets. Never the less when I enter a masjid my heart calms and I feel at peace and am able to consintrate on prayers like I can rarily attain at home. Finally I found a masjid I liked to visit because the floor is made from bamboo rolled mats. When you put your head on that hard scratchy surface you feel the act more of bowing/prostrating to Allah. It is small and located on the Corniche (sea walk) so you can smell the fresh breezes and when you're done praying you turn to leave outside and the Mediteranean Sea is there in your face for you to reflect on.
I've been to quite a few masjids here in UAE. My favorite are the ones that are not too decorated. My first Jummah was in the Jumairah Great Mosque in Dubai with my two kids (also my son's first masjid trip) and it felt so peaceful. The next time we went to Abu Dhabi we visited the famous Shiek Zayed Masjid. It was huge and awesome but the whole time I could only see the beauty of it. I felt happy to be at a masjid but I didn't feel peace. Too many things for the eyes to wander to. It's not actaully allowed in Islma to decorate masjids liek this. TO waste precious money on a building when they could have used it to help needy people. It's sad. It was amazing yes but still I thought of the poor people that are starving and struggling to make ends meet praying in a fancy place like this. My blogroll "Flowers in the sand" has great pictures of the masjid in her achives. So I left with a sour taste in my mouth- though yes again it IS beautiful and breathtaking. There are two masjids near my house and I've been to one and it had a shabby woman's area that doesn't look like they even clean it so I'm not sure abou that place.
I would love to have a specail masjid I can go to with my kids (ie a place for women who can brestfeed and still pray) where I feel peace and openness and higher goodness. When I read of The most Pious Woman ever's tale in the Qur'an my heart burns to be like her. The Good Maryam, Mother to Prophet Isa (Jesus) used to have her seclusions where she prayed and reflected. Masha'Allah.
So I wish for my own peaceful corner.....