lutfi belwael

Tinta Cinta

2011-11-18T23:19:00.001+13:00

Sebuah cerita kasih sayang antara dua insan yang belum pernah dikisahkan sebelum ini. Aku masih ingat kisah mereka berdua, bagai hanya semalam aku tontoni filemnya. Tapi bukan cerekarama yang aku maksudkan. Realiti kehidupan. Walau aku sudah lama tak melihat mereka, dan berada jauh dari kehadiran mereka, aku dapat merasakan kehangatan cinta mereka.

Pernah ada orang bertanya, "Lutfi, bagaimana kau mengenal erti cinta, sedangkan kau belum pernah menyelami lamunannya?" Soalan yang adil ditanya, kerana memang aku tidak pernah berpunya dan mempunyai, semenjak dua puluh tahun lebihnya. Jawapan aku mudah, "Aku mengenal erti cinta dari kisah dua insan ini. Kisah ini aku turut kongsi sejak dari kecil lagi. Aku dididik dan diasuh dengan cinta ini, dan aku melihat, mendengar dan mengalaminya. Cinta ini bermula di rumah kedua ibubapaku. Ummi dan Abah, merekalah yang mengajarku erti cinta."

Aku terjaga dari tidur, mahu membuang air kecil. Aku pun keluar dari kamar, dan sebelum sempat mencapai tombol pintu bilik air, aku perasan lampu di ruang tamu masih terpasang. Siapa agaknya yang masih terjaga? Besok sekolah, adik-beradikku sudah dibawah selimut semuanya. Menjenguk, aku melihat Ummi tertidur di atas sofa, jam menunjukkan hampir pukul 1 pagi. Ummi memang degil. Selalu tak mau mendengar kata. Aku mengeluh, tanpa menghiraukan perangai Ummi yang tak berubah, aku terus masuk ke bilik air.

Ummi memang macam tu, selagi Abah tak pulang dari ofis, selagi tu Ummi takkan masuk bilik. Hari-hari Ummi akan tunggu kepulangan Abah, yang bersusah payah bekerja mencari pendapatan untuk menampung kami sekeluarga. "Ana," kata Abah diganggang telefon bimbitnya. Itu nama panggilan kesukaan Ummi. "I balik lambat lagi malam ni. You masuk lah tidur dulu." "You balik pukul berapa?" "Tak tau lagi lah sayang." "Okay." Begitulah perbualan mereka hampir hari-hari. Dan tetap begitulah perangai Ummi hampir hari-hari.

Sehabis aku membuang air kecil, tiba-tiba aku terdengar bunyi kereta memasuki halaman rumah. Abah dah balik. Aku bergegas mencuci tangan dan mahu pulang ke bilik tidur, tapi hatiku tiba-tiba menahan diriku. Tunggu dulu. Dari dalam bilik air, aku mendengar bunyi enjin kereta terpadam, kemudian pintu rumah dibuka dan ditutup semula. Aku diam, tak mahu Abah perasan aku tak tidur. Aku menunggu dengan sabar, memasang telinga, cuba meneka apa yang sedang berlaku disebalik pintu bilik air yang tertutup.

Senyap. 1 minit. 2 minit. 5 minit.

Hampir 10 minit berlalu tanpa mendengar sebarang bunyi atau kata-kata. Apa yang sedang berlaku? Aku tak tau. Aku tak pernah pun ambil tau sebelum ni. Hairan. Kenapa senyap? Aku tak sabar, dengan perlahan-lahan aku membuka sedikit pintu bilik air dan mengintai dari dalam. Dengan berhati-hati agar tak dilihat, aku ternampak Abah dengan pakaian kemejanya sedang berjalan dalam gelap, lampu ruang tamu telah dipadamkannya. Dan yang mengejutkan aku ialah Abah sedang memangku Ummi yang sedang lena menaiki tangga kearah bilik tidur. Abah? Bisik hatiku. Aku merapatkan kembali pintu dengan perlahan. Aku tak pernah tau Abah yang sudah berusia mampu berbuat begitu. Aku tersandar di dinding bilik air, mendongak, tersenyum lebar. Bukan cerekarama, tapi realiti kehidupan.

Kisah ini satu dari pelbagai yang aku tau. Ummi kadang-kadang pada hujung minggu, selepas kami sekeluarga solat Subuh berjemaah, akan meluncur ke dapur. Abah biasanya akan tidur semula setelah selesai membaca ma'thurat. Aku pula melihat Ummi bertungkus-lumus membuatkan sarapan pagi. Katanya, dia mahu menghidangkan Abah "breakfast in bed". Bolehkah kamu membayangkan wajah Abah saat dia sedar ada sarapan terhidang di atas katil? "Surprise!" ujar Ummi bila Abah terjaga. Bukan cerekarama, tapi realiti kehidupan.

Ummi dan Abah tak segan menunjukkan kasih sayang mereka di hadapan anak-anak mereka. Abah pandai mengorat Ummi, tapi Ummi cepat segan di depan kami. Selalu ditepis ayat-ayat manis Abah. Kami adik-beradik sering tertawa. Kadang kala juga, mereka bergaduh. Bertengkar sampai tak bertegur sapa. Perkara kecil sahaja, tapi sebab Ummi wanita yang sensitif, dan terkadang Abah terlanjur dalam bergurau senda. Pintu bilik tidur dikunci, dan dari luar kami mendengar pertengkaran mereka. Ummi malu bergaduh depan kami, tapi biasanya Ummilah yang pertama keluar bilik, menangis atas katil aku.

Seringkali Abah menipu, kerana mau mengambil hati Ummi. Ada sesuatu yang Abah sangat mahukan. Berminggu-minggu Abah menyebutnya, tapi bila Abah dapat tahu Ummi pun mahukan benda yang sama, tiba-tiba Abah kata dia tak mahu. Ummi tak tau, tapi kami beradik tau pengorbanan Abah. Bukan cerekarama, tapi realiti kehidupan.

Inilah asuhan cinta yang aku kenali selama ini. Aku dibesarkan dalam persekitaran begini. Ada pahit dan manis, asam garam kehidupan itu biasa. Kalaulah aku ditanya bagaimana aku mahu membina suasana rumahtanggaku kelak, jawapanku mudah, seperti Ummi dan Abah.

Yesterday, I Cried

2011-11-10T16:02:00.000+13:00

"Fi, kau anak aku yang paling taat. Kau tak pernah melawan cakap aku. Kau tak pernah mintak apa-apa dari aku. Kau bukan kecik lagi, kau dah besar Fi. Kau buatlah apa-apa yang kau nak sekarang, aku redha."

Isn't it a wonder how a simple telephone call can make you cry and reduce you to tears? It's not so much of what was said, but more of who said it. Maybe deep down, without realising it, I've waited for these words from him for 24 years.

Abah, you're my hero. That will never change.

Because He Asked

2011-11-03T18:33:00.000+13:00

I asked Allah to break my heart. He did.

Because She Asked

2011-09-15T22:27:00.000+12:00

There was once a woman who lived long ago in a city in a desert land. She was a noble woman, respected and upright. She was married and had children of her own, but one day her husband passed away and she was widowed. She spent the days of her life as a single mother, busying herself with her business she had running. It was a big business, she was a merchant and she used to trade goods.

She was not a normal trader, she was intelligent and always invested in the best products. She had the natural ability to discern something of that which had quality. Out of her brilliant mind, the business grew and she became wealthy and successful in her career. She was instantly known amongst her peers and became praised in her community.

The more her business grew, the more people she had to employ to assist her in running it. She had many maidservants, and hired many men to go on trading expeditions for her. Unfortunately, many of those whom she hired were only trying to rob her of her wealth and were dishonest with their dealings with her. This was because they were aware of how much wealth she had earned from her trade. She would regularly hire new people from the city to replace them.

One day, she decided to hire a handsome young man to run her business dealings for her. This man was not like other men, there was something about him that was different, a quality he had, but she could not decide what it was. Days passed and she would notice him, sometimes even sort of spy on him to see what he was up to. When the man returned from his tradings for the day, he would always return with more than what she had expected. His returns would constantly be more than what the others had.

This took her by surprise and she began liking him, although the hired man was completely unaware of the fact that he had caught her attention.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Her business flourished, all thanks to this young man. He was always honest with her, and never tried to cheat her. Her love for him grew, and one day she decided to make a big decision. She wanted to ask for his hand in marriage, but like all women, she was afraid at first.

Why wouldn't she be? He was a bachelor in his mid twenties, while she was a widow with children. So she decided to consult her elders, and close friends. Upon hearing this great news, her close ones were elated. They were so happy and supportive of her choice, and admitted that the two would make a great match for each other.

So the woman sent one of her trusted maidservants to inquire about this matter to the man, to see if he was available for marriage, and whether he would consider her. A man who had a beautiful character, who was honest, hardworking, trustworthy, and produced amazing results for her business.

And we all know how the man responded. Because if it was not for his response, we would probably not be who we are today. To everybody's delight, he responded with a yes and graciously accepted her offer. And one the most amazing tales of marriage and shared life was to be told from then on.

So who was this woman? She was none other than the Mother of Believers, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her. And the man, was our beloved Rasulullah, may peace and blessings be upon him. And the city in which this event took place was in the blessed city of Mecca.

SubhanAllah, doesn't it sound hard to believe? Here we have the story of Muhammad SAW, his life story, his seerah. A woman older than him, previously married with children, was inquiring about a younger man, from one of the best families in town. The honour of his acceptance wasn't just Khadijah's alone. It was his too. He was going to marry one of the most beautiful hearts in all of the city, in all of Mecca. A woman who's heart would soon sacrifice everything she had to support him, and Islam.

What I would like to highlight is that Khadijah asked for Prophet Muhammad's hand in marriage. She initiated the communication. She was the one who proposed to Muhammad, not the other way round.

Remember that Khadijah was not just any woman. She was a dignified, honourable lady. Just hearing her name instantly inspires us to want to be a better Muslims, to sacrifice more, to discover inner strength and the true spirit of altruism. Personally, she is the epitome of what I think a woman can be, intelligent, successful and esteemed in character and conduct.

Might I remind you that it is because of her that, after Muhammad, Islam began with a legacy that starts with a woman. It is because of her sacrifices that we are Muslims today. She gave all that she had, everything she owned, from her hands, heart, and soul for Islam. Sometimes we overlook the details and fail to appreciate how this beautiful love story began. Khadijah asked. And it was because she asked, that she got that blessed answer.

Sadly, we have ignored this example from Islam of women sending someone to inquire on their behalf about marriage. That back in the day, women themselves were proactively involved in the marriage process. Sisters nowadays accuse others of being desperate when they let others know they are looking to get married. Families believe that a daughter must be sought after and it is shameful for a daughter and her family to approach a man for marriage.

And so, many beautiful, smart, educated, talented women are waiting and waiting for Mr. Right to knock on their father's door. And in the silence of a new beautiful day, when no one is looking women may feel sad and despair.

Of course, we all know everything is in the hands of Allah. Of course we know that there is reward in sabr, but in every other area of ibadah, we don't just sit around and wait for things to happen. For Hajj we save, for money we work, for knowledge we seek it out. Marriage doesn't have to be an exception.

It's time to re-examine our value system, and not forbid or look down upon the sunnah. Practiced by one of the best women to have walked the face of this earth. Remember being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. It's harder to give away your love, when risking the potential to get hurt or disappointed, then it is to receive it. Khadijah did it, so why not follow the sunnah like her? Because she asked, you could too.

Disobeying Allah, for the Sake of Allah

2011-08-25T06:04:00.000+12:00

It's so perplexing that it's not funny anymore. And unfortunately it is becoming a trend. Do you know what I'm talking about? Some of you do.

I see those who stay up the whole night praying and reciting the Quran during the nights of Ramadhan. So much so, that they are unable to get up the next day and end up missing the Fajr prayers. This issue is real, and we must correct it before it spirals out of control.

Islam teaches us fiqh awlawiyaat, the law of prioritization. To do and act upon that which is of utmost priority at the prescribed place and time, before anything else. Clearly, there is a popular misconception of priority between the fardh (obligatory) and the nafl (supererogatory) during the month of Ramadhan.

Maybe because during this period we focus so much on promoting the voluntary acts of worship that we neglect what has been made mandatory. This goes against all Islamic principles.

The truth is, we often forget that the waajib is a given, and this can be very misleading for some. We have forsaken that which is heavy for that which is light. Do not be fooled into thinking we have earned Allah's pleasure in doing the aforementioned. We claim we are obeying Allah, but to the contrary.

As always, this reminder is for myself before anyone else. Don't do it. Stop disobeying Allah for the sake of Allah.

Eyes Like Rivers

2011-07-29T00:20:00.001+12:00

Suasana pada malam itu sunyi, kesemua residen telahpun melelapkan mata. Mungkin aku saja yang masih terjaga, cahaya lampu bilik menerangi sebuah sudut di Massey. Sekali-sekala bunyi heater memecah keheningan malam. Aku menarik selimutku dari katil ke tempat duduk.

Kata-katanya pedih, menusuk kalbu. Susah aku menelannya. Bagai memakan ubat yang pahit, tak suka. Tapi aku tahan, dan menelan, mungkin ada kebaikannya untuk diriku.

Aku tau perkataannya benar, aku yakin. Tak pernah dia menipu aku sebelum ni. Dialah sebaik-baik sahabat, jujur dan tak berahsia. Maka aku terus memaksa mataku melirik ayat-ayat yang tertera pada muka itu. Aku membaca ayatnya dengan perlahan, satu per satu.

Ah, benci! Aku benci setiap untaian kata yang terukir, bukan sebab apa, tapi sebab kata-katanya tepat sekali mengena diri ini. Bukan janji manis kau berikan, tapi nasihat dan pedoman.

Kegelapan malam membaluti bumi Palmy, yang kian lama makin sejuk. Dari tingkap, musim dingin amat jelas kelihatan. Malam disinari sang rembulan purnama, dedaun kuning dan merah bertaburan di sekitar Tararua Hall, dan jendelaku dipenuhi frost.

Tapi disebalik tenteram yang nyata, hatiku menjerit penuh marah. Disebalik udara yang sejuk, darahku menggelegak dan dadaku membuak. Nafasku menjadi pantas, denyutan hati pun meningkat. Jemari seperti menggenggam bara api, geram, sekali lagi aku cuba menghadam mesej yang terkandung.

Aku tak tau kenapa lidahku terkelu, bibir terkunci. Mau saja aku meluahkan segala isi hati. Marah menjadi resah, aku menahan sebak. Mengapa susah sangat mahu menelan? Ya Allah, leraikanlah aku dari ikatan keresahan yang membelenggu jiwa dan fikiranku. Telah sekian lama air mata tak mengalir membasahi pipi.

Aku tak berganjak sedikit pun dari tempat duduk, walau hati ini diserbu seribu satu perasaan, ayatnya berjaya mengocak ketenteraman nurani, aku membeku. Lara, sedih, hiba, sayu, duka, kesemuanya berbekas dalam hati. Aku mahu menangis, tapi air mataku kehausan.

Kenapa tak keluar, aku pun tak tahu. Oh, mahal sangatkah tangisku ini? Bisik hatiku.

Sometimes I wish I hadn't known. Things would have been much better that way. Your words, impetuously uttered, bleed my soul more profusely than a mighty sword could. It reminded me of what our Prophet used to say, "If you knew what I knew, you'd laugh little and weep much."

Now I understand. There is much to know, but I cannot bear them now. And how I wished the Lutfi in the future could come to the present, give me a hug and tell me that everything's going to be just fine. That would be reaffirming.

Anak mataku terlintas pada penulisan seorang alim yang pernah berkata, "When the heart becomes hard, the eyes become dry." Saat itu jiwaku terdetik. Aku dapat merasakan sesuatu yang membanjiri dada, hampir melimpah, dan akhirnya air mataku berderai bagaikan butiran kaca tanpa henti. Aku melepaskan segala linangan yang telah sekian lama tak tumpah ke bumi ini.

Ya Allah please, if my heart has become hard as a rock, then moisten it ya Allah with the remembrance of death. That this life is transient and the next is everlasting. That this too shall come to pass. That unto you shall all my problems return. And that in the end, it doesn't even matter.

Memang benar kau penawar, susah ditelan, tapi siapa sangka kau mudah dihadam. Sahabatku, Al-Quran.

Protector or Predator?

2010-10-15T07:33:00.000+13:00

Real men are protectors of women, not predators of women! While scouring the web, I came across this news. The article shows a clip of an Israeli soldier belly dancing around a female prisoner, blindfolded and bound against the wall, illustrative of the occupiers' sick mentality.

When I read the story by Al Jazeera I was infuriated. By God, I wanted to rip the soldier's heart out. In the video, I saw a coward and a courageous person. I will leave you to decide on who is who. Islam is in dire need of real men. We are in need of ar-Rijal.

I would like to remind everyone of the story of the Caliph named al-Mu'tasim, ruler of the Abassid empire from 833-842, successor to al-Ma'mun and Harun ar-Rashid, an excellent example of ar-Rijal.

Once a Muslim woman was being teased by Jews in the Jewish quarter of what was then Byzantium bordering the Muslim empire. The Jews pulled at her hijab and mocked her in a most ignoble manner.

She cried and wrote to the Caliph addressing him in her letter, "Ya Mu'tasimah!" (an emotional plea) and told him of what had happened. When the Caliph heard of this news, he was so outraged he dropped the cup of water he was drinking.

Immediately, Caliph Mu'tasim wrote back to the Roman Emperor of Byzantium, saying:

"Ya kalb ar-Rum! (Oh you Roman dog!) I have an army of men that stretch from where I stand (Baghdad) to where you stand (Constantinople), who love to fight and die as much as your men love to live."

This was the honor that Muslims once had, which I pray we will have once again. One of our sisters was mocked in the market and the Muslim ruler was willing to protect her dignity with his entire army.

By today's standards, a simple teasing may seem trivial. Women are assaulted on the streets every day, and you would not see the President waging war against the enemy. But the magnanimous Caliph was not going to let this slip.

Such was the value of Muslim women in that day. Precious and venerated. May Allah give us leaders with that kind of valor and chivalry. Because real men are protectors of women, not predators of women.

Letter to The Leader

2010-10-14T00:26:00.000+13:00

The following is a letter that was written by Hasan al-Basri to the Caliph ‘Umar ibn Abdul Azeez.

“When ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-’Aziz assumed the caliphate, he wrote to al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Basri asking him to write to him and describe the just ruler. Al-Hasan, may God have mercy on him, wrote:

“Be it known to you, O Commander of the Faithful, that God instituted the just ruler to be the redress of every wrong-doer, the discipline of every unfair person, the correction of every corrupt man, the strength of every weak one, the justice of every wronged being, and the refuge of every fightened individual.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is like a shepherd who is tender towards his camels and kind to them; he takes them to the best pastures, prevents them from going to dangerous places, defends them against wild beasts, and protects them from the harms of the heat and the cold.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is like a father who feels compassion for his children, works hard for them when young and teaches them as they grow older, earns for them during his lifetimes, and saves for them after his death.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is like a tender mother who is dutiful and kind to her baby, who bears him and gives him birth unwillingly, who brings him up as a child, staying up at night when he does, and being quiet when he is at rest; she suckles him for a time and then weans him, she rejoices when he is healthy and is saddened when he is in pain.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is the guardian of orphans and treasurer of the poor, educating the young among them and providing for the older ones.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is like the heart among the other body organs: they are healthy if the heart is healthy, and sick when the heart is sick.

The just ruler, O Commander of the Faithful, is the one who stands between God and his servants; he listens to what God says and conveys it to them, he looks to God and makes them look too; he is led by God and he leads them. Therefore, O Commander of the Faithful, in relation to the realm given to you by God, may He be exalted and magnified, do not be like a servant whose master entrusted him with his wealth and dependents, but who wasted the wealth and drove away the dependents like tramps, thus impoverishing his master’s family and frittering away his wealth.

Be it known to you, O Commander of the Faithful, that God has prescribed punishments to act as deterrents to wicked deeds and vile acts. So if these deeds and acts are committed by those responsible for implementing the punishments, what will happen? God has prescribed punishment as a means to better living for His servants. So if the one who should be doing justice to them kills them, what will happen? And remember death and what follows it, O Commander of the Faithful, when you will have no adherents and no supporters to help you against it; so provide for it and for the great terror that follows it.

Be it known to you, O Commander of the Faithful, that you have a home other than the one you are in now. In it you will abide for a long time. Your loved ones will abandon you and leave you in it all alone. Provide for it that which will remain with you. “On the day when a man flees his brother, and from his mother and father, and from his wife and his sons.” (Q. 80:34-36)

Remember, O Commander of the Faithful, “…when what is in the tombs is resurrected, and what is in the breasts is gathered” (Q. 100:9-10), secrets will become manifest, and the Book “…leaving out nothing small or great but has recorded it” (Q. 18-49).

Now, O Commander of the Faithful, while you still have time and before the arrival of the appointed hour of death and loss of hope: do not rule God’s servants as the ignorant do, and do not behave with them as oppressors do, the way domineering arrogant ones conduct themselves with those they deem to be weak, for they observe no covenant or compact of protection. Otherwise, you will end up bearing your burdens and other burdens too, and you will carry your loads and other loads too. Do not be deceived by those who enjoy what causes you misery and those who eat good things in this world of theirs, for you will then lose your good things in the Hereafter. Do not look at your power today but look rather at your power tomorrow, when you are captive in the snares of death, standing before God, may He be exalted, and in the presence of the angels, the prophets, and the apostles, when “All faces shall be humbled before the Living, Self-Subsisting One” (Q. 20:111).

O Commander of the Faithful, although I have not achieved in my sermon what earlier men of intellect have, I have not withheld advice and sympathy from you. Consider this letter of mine to you as would a healer who gives his beloved to drink bitter medicine because he hopes for the cure and good health it will bring about. Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, God’s mercy, and His blessings.”

By Abu Sa'id al-Hasan ibn Abi-l-Hasan Yasar al-Basri, 642 - 728

(p 25-26 of “The Unique Necklace: Volume 1” by Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih)

The Ink Has Dried

2010-10-03T01:43:00.000+13:00

If there was one thing I learned from Nicki Campbell's management lectures last semester it's this; you don't necessarily have to like whom you trust. Liking them helps, but it's not a requirement for trust. This was a powerful message that really taught me a lesson in life.

She had many such inspiring lessons. Her messages were penetrating and deep, yet subtle at the same time. Deep enough that the impact it made on my life went unnoticed, and the classroom full of people around me were oblivious to that part of my life.

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose; to teach a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be. A housemate, a friend, a neighbour, a lecturer, a child, a teacher or even a complete stranger, but the second you meet them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

Sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair at first, but in reflection, you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would not have realized your strength, potential, will power or heart.

Nothing happens by chance or means of luck. Allah has ordained everything for us. He has laid out every day of our lives before a single day had passed. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of our souls. They train us to be patient, and teach us to be grateful.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless. You might have reached where you wanted to go, but would have learned nothing on reaching there. There would be a destination, but no real journey, no adventure.

As the author John Amatt puts it, "Adventure isn't hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an attitude which we must apply to every part of our lives. Facing new challenges, seizing new opportunities, testing our resources against the unknown and unpredictable and in the process discovering our own unique potential."

People whom we meet and who affect our lives, and the successes and downfalls we experience, help to create who we are and who we become. These experiences are our daily adventures. The bad experiences are the most valuable because it is often from them that we learn the most. They are probably the most poignant and important ones.

Hurt, betrayal, loss, sadness, and failure; these are the great builders of character. Only those who have hurt and lost or have been sad and disappointed know how to truly comfort and forgive another in the same circumstances. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love, and open your heart and eyes to the little things. Most importantly, if you love someone tell them, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.

Similarly, the English poet John Keats says that failure is in a sense, the highway to success. In as much as every discovery of what is false, leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error, which we shall afterward carefully avoid.

You then can't help but realise, that there aren't any real failures in life, only experiences. So be movers of society and challenge the status quo. Believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, you will never be able to achieve your dreams. And learn a lesson in life each day you live.

Our days in Palmy are numbered. And so is our time left on Earth. Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it, everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. You may not have the chance to share, talk, listen, dream, and love, teach, or enjoy this moment again.

It is amazing to witness Allah's grand plan. When we actually get to take a step back and see the big picture, we cannot help but smile. And to secretly know that nothing happened by chance, and every part of our lives has a reason and a purpose, makes me wonder; how can this not increase us in gratitude?

How beautifully intricate Allah's writing and pre-decree. Thanks Nicki, that was probably one of the best semesters I had. As the famous hadith states, "The pen has been lifted and the ink has dried."

Sharpen Your Axe

2010-05-20T11:17:00.001+12:00

“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have laboured hard for.” - Socrates

Have you heard the story of a very strong and skilled woodcutter who asked for a job with a timber merchant?

The story goes, the woodcutter got the job with a good salary and decent work conditions. And so, the woodcutter was determined to do his best for the boss. His boss gave him an axe and on his first day, the woodcutter cut down 15 trees. The boss was pleased and said: “Well done, good work!”

Highly motivated, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but could only fell 13 trees. The third day, he tried even harder, but only 11 trees were chopped down.

Day after day, he tried harder but he cut down fewer trees. “I must be losing my strength,” the woodcutter thought. He apologised to the boss, claiming he could not understand why.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked. “Sharpen my axe? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been too busy cutting down trees,” said the woodcutter.

He sharpened his axe and immediately was back to 15 trees a day. Since then, he begins the day by sharpening his axe.

Most people are too busy doing and trying to achieve, that they never take time to learn and grow. Most of us don't have the time or patience to update skills, knowledge, and beliefs about something, or to take time to think and reflect. Many assume that learning ends at school and so sharpening our axe is not a priority.

So, what exactly is sharpening the axe? Dr Steven Covey, who popularised the term, believes it means “increasing your personal production capacity by daily self care and self-maintenance.”

Most people fail to understand what it means and mistake it for taking a break or vacation. If you're overworking yourself and your productivity drops off, take a break.

However, that isn't sharpening the axe, that's putting the axe down. When you put down a dull blade and rest, the blade will still be dull when you pick it up.

The woodcutter does need downtime to rest, but it is not “sharpening the axe.” The woodcutter only becomes more productive by sharpening his blade, analysing new woodcutting techniques, exercising to become stronger, and learning from other woodcutters.

Sharpening the axe is an activity. As Muslims, we can sharpen the axe of our lives in many ways. Try and read a book every day. But there are so many books, so where should you start? A good tip is to start with the Qur’an. It’s surprising the number of Muslims who never took the time to read this book. You will learn many things you never knew that you never knew.

Get out of your comfort zone by changing your surroundings. Help those in need. A new environment gives you more exposure and forces you to learn from others’ experiences. It is said that a good person is someone who learns from his own mistakes. But a great person is someone who learns from other people’s mistakes.

Sharpen your axe through interaction, such as picking up a new hobby and increasing your potential in it. Play sports, play music, paint. Learn the martial arts. Have a beneficial conversation with someone with a different world view. Talk to the elders, talk to the children, talk to someone of the opposite gender or different faith. Have you ever seen the world through their lenses?

Stretch yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Study something new and broaden your view of the world. Write a book or keep a blog. Take photos. Make a movie. Sing and dance. Overcome a specific fear you have or quit a bad habit. Have a daily exercise routine or take part in some competition. Identify your blind spots. Understand, acknowledge, and address it. Ask for feedback and get a mentor and learn from people who inspire you.

You have to do it as often as possible. Because if you're so focused on your task at hand with no time for discussion, introspection, or study, you're not really moving forward. Just as a car needs to be refueled to keep going, we too need refueling through learning.

And when you have learned, teach others. Give good advice. Ali ibn Abi Talib once said, “You cannot give something you do not have.” So master your skills and pass them on to someone else. Unless we are sharpening our axe daily by observing the changing world and changing ourselves accordingly, we risk becoming irrelevant.

In Japan, the “Kaizen mindset” means that every day, you find ways to learn something new and apply it to what you're doing. This makes you alert, mindful and constantly improving.

Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Steve Jobs have a continuous appetite for learning and growth. They always listen and watch in the hope of learning new ideas and discovering new truths and realities.

Many of us do just the opposite. By staying in the same environment for many years, although we become experts and our roles become easy, our learning flattens.

We don't like change as there is pain and struggle in taking on new roles. But “On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can withstand.” The more we fail, the more we struggle. The more we struggle, the more we learn. It makes us more mindful of the things around us.

Harvard Professor Ellen Langer, reminds us of our natural inclination to be mindless. Mindlessness is our human tendency to operate on autopilot, whether by stereotyping, performing mechanically or simply not paying attention.

We are all victims of being mindless at times. Like during our five daily prayers. It has become some sort of ritual in our lives, one that has diminutive meaning. By sharpening our axe, we move from a mindless state to a mindful state; from “blind faith” to “true faith.”

Why then do so many people fail to sharpen their axe? Well, axe sharpening isn't as fun as whacking away at the tree. And it is painful and tedious work.

Religious leader David O. McKay once said: “The greatest battles of life are fought out daily in the silent chambers of the soul.” Probably the first battle of the day is struggling to get up versus going back to sleep.

Sharpening the axe is a daily inner battle. Self-educated president George Washington and sharpened his axe daily by cultivating the discipline of reading. It is no wonder that God’s first instruction to man was “Read!”

Of course, too much or aimless axe sharpening can become another form of procrastination. Many like to attend training courses and classes but end up never using the axe. After sharpening the axe, use it or all is in vain.

How are your various blades doing? Your skills, your knowledge, your mind, your physical body, your relationships, your motivation, your commitment to succeed, your capacity for growth, your emotions - are all of them still sharp? If not, which ones are dull, and what can you do to sharpen them?

Abraham Lincoln once said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I'll spend the first four sharpening my axe.” What are you doing to sharpen your axe?

The Spider

2009-10-28T22:26:00.005+13:00

I ran as fast as I could. I didn't take the bike this time because I didn't have time to go home and grab my helmet. I was restless and almost out of breath. My mind was clogged with all kinds of thoughts. Mostly negative ones. Questions that I myself would answer. I would hear strange voices in my head. Oh, I hope I arrive soon. I kept saying astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah while running.

It really hurts, this pain in my chest. That same feeling you have when you feel like the weight of the world rests on your shoulders. You're alone and you have no one to turn to for help. You can hardly breathe and it becomes difficult to swallow, because a lump has formed in your throat. Your heart is pounding and you loose sense of reality. You cannot think straight. But somehow, on the surface, you look calm and composed. Not a tear nor sweat. And nobody knows. Not a soul.

This is sadness.

Truly, Allah the Almighty has power and control over all things. In one instant, he can take away everything you ever held dear away from you. He can take away your very joy and happiness even if you had everything you ever wanted beside you.

"God is testing you Lutfi."

"I know."

"Be patient Lutfi."

"I know."

"Calm down Lutfi."

"I know! Why do you keep telling me things I already know!?"

"Calm down Lutfi."

"Be quiet!"

"Control your temper."

"Shut up!"

The voices in my head grew louder. Ya Allah, ampunilah dosa-dosaku! Why are you testing me like this? Why me? Why here? Why now? The questions made me feel numb. O Allah, I want to weep. I really want to weep. But where are the tears?

I finally reached the doorway to the masjid, entered the access code and went in. It was long after 'asr prayers, and nobody was in sight. The suns evening rays peered through the open windows and the rustling of leaves outside could be heard. I dashed to the small rack where the imam used to pray and I took hold of a copy of the Quran with English translations.

O Allah, talk to me. What chapter should I read? Desperately holding back my tears, I tried to figure out an answer. Just at that moment, a spider jumped out from between the books on the shelf where the Quran used to be. So I opened the Quran. Al-Ankabut, Chapter 29, The Spider.

الٓمٓ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ

"Alif Lam Mim. Do you think that you will be left alone on saying "We believe" and that you will not be tested?"

And the tears came flowing down.

To love her for Him

2009-08-28T00:40:00.002+12:00

Many people have been talking to me about marriage lately. I wonder why. I still remember this one occasion when a friend of mine asked,

"Lutfi, are you married?"

"What!? No! Do I look like I'm married?"

"Engaged?"

"No, I'm not. why?"

"Why don't you get married?"

"Well now that you ask, marriage is not that simple for me. And you didn't answer my question."

"What's so difficult? You're an able man. Get married quick."

"Easier said than done, brother."

"Look Lutfi, I got married at the age of 27 and the first thing I thought was 'Why in the world didn't I get married sooner?'"

Laughs. OK, he might have a point. I mean, he's not the President for nothing.

Why is marriage not that easy for me? Surely, there are so many reasons why it's not easy. It shouldn't be easy for anyone! Why do you think marriage is considered as half of our deen? There is such a heavy weight on marriage in Islam such that it is so highly regarded by Allah in many narrations of our Prophet PBUH. Many people do not consider the implications of a pure relationship between a man and a woman in a marriage. That's why many of them end in divorce. What are the typical questions someone asks when considering marriage? Spouse? Money? Education? Job? Wedding? Guests? Food? And the list goes on. Material things.

How many people even ponder on the most essential points? And this is especially so for the man. When I inquire about a woman for marriage, I do not want to know what she should do for me, I want to know what I should do for her. In my opinion, marriage in Islam is not for satisfying my needs. It's not for me at all. It's for Allah. It's for Islam. It's for my wife. It's for my children. It's for my family. It's about responsibility. It's about providing love and care to another soul as Allah has commanded.

If I marry, I will ask my wife of nothing, except that she obeys Allah and His Messenger. For I know that on the Day of Judgement, I will bear the weight of her sins on my back if she doesn't. Islam says, what's mine is hers, what's hers is hers. Islam says, she will be rewarded with the good deeds that I do, and I will be punished for the bad deeds that she does. My wife in this life, is my wife in the next. Marriage is eternal and transcends death. A marriage for Allah's sake may bring me to Jannah, while a marriage based on anything else may bring me to Jahannam. It's more than just 'tying the knot'.

But Allah knows, I want to hold her hand and guide her when she is lost. I want to protect her when she is in danger. I want to be her crying shoulder and wipe away her tears when she is sad. I want to laugh at her jokes. I want to be patient and understanding with her when she is angry. I want to forgive her faults when she makes a mistake. I want to accept her flaws and imperfections. I want to be kind and gentle to her. I want to be her friend and companion. I want to be her guardian and supporter. I want to be her teacher, leader and imam. I want to be the father of her children. I want to be there for her through sadness and sorrow, hardship and grief. I want to be there for her in happiness and ease. I want to please her for the sake of Allah.

I want to show her compassion and affection like the Prophet PBUH, who used to show a great deal of affection towards his wives. Aisha reported that the Prophet would only enjoy his meals when she would sit next to him. They would drink from one cup and he would watch where Aisha would place her lips on the cup so that he could place his lips on the exact position. He would eat from a bone after she would eat from it, placing his mouth where she had eaten. The Prophet used to also help around the house. Aisha narrated, Prophet Muhammad used to stitch his clothes, milk the goats and help in the chores inside the house. I want to emulate our beloved Rasulullah SAW, and I know, this is why it isn't easy.

So ask yourself now, is marriage easy?

A Winter to Remember

2009-07-12T17:58:00.006+12:00

Alhamdulillahi rabbal aalameen, all praises due to Allah, Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. This winter has been one of the most fulfilling and satisfying mid year break for me thus far. If somebody asked me what I did throughout the 3 weeks of holidays, I probably wouldn't know where to begin. Not a second of my time was wasted doing unbeneficial things, so it really got to me when I saw people posting up "BORED" or "BOSAN" on Facebook, MSN and YM. If only they planned their break well and preoccupied themselves with good activities, they probably wouldn't even have time to post up such things.

Some of my friends went back to Malaysia, some of them went to Europe. Some of them went snowboarding (jealousnya), and some of them went skydiving. As for me, I didn't go to many places and I didn't do many interesting things. I didn't even manage to catch Wolverine, Star Trek, Transformers, Angels and Demons etc. I was probably one of the last to know about MJ's death. But I know for sure, I wouldn't trade my experiences I gained this winter, for the world. I met so many good people and made so many new friends. Allah knows how grateful I am to have met these people, for it is He who has decreed this for me. I just wonder how it was possible I didn't meet these people earlier.

Meeting new people, living and working together with them has taught me heaps. There were many things I thought I knew about dealing with other people, but truth be told, it's different in practice than in theory. I guess I could say it all began with JUNZ in Christchurch this year. The program was attended by more than 100 participants from Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin and offered a wealth of knowledge not easily found. As the person in charge of Palmy, it was quite hectic for me in the days leading up to the actual event. Sorting out information and funds for a small number of people was already difficult and time consuming, a lesson in itself. Alhamdulillah, despite the outbreak of influenza, we managed to pull it off successfully. Campfire, obstacle course, frisbee, composing, singing, sketch, product design, essay writing, treasure hunting, riddles, praying and all.

In Christchurch, Hafezz and I stayed with Arul at Ilam village. Thank you Arul, you didn't have to accommodate us and stay up for us. You didn't have to send us, pick us up, bring us around, cook for us or wait for us. But you did, and we really appreciate your warm hospitality and generosity. May Allah bless you. I also got the chance to visit Chuang and see her house and I managed to meet Terence and Merlin too. A thousand thanks to them for having us over as well.

Back in Palmy, I delivered a sermon regarding Muslim youth in the Massey musolla and I led the prayers that Friday. I had lots of help from Bidi preparing for it. Thank you Bidi, for the rehearsal and time check. Nerve wrecking would be an understatement the night before. Thank you Hafiz for the emotional support. Alhamdulillah, after all was completed, I received a "well done" from Dr. Ibrahim, a "good lecture" from Br. Jawad and a "wonderful speech" by Br. Aamir and Br. Saqib. I think I received at least 50 handshakes, smiles and jazakallahs too. But most importantly, I received a hundred odd attentive pairs of eyes and ears from the congregation. When that happens, satisfaction is guaranteed.

Being the host for Bersatu Games didn't help ease the commotion either. I had to take photos throughout the event and make videos for the closing dinner in limited time. Being the only MUMSA photographer, I had to be at all the sport venues at all times. Thankfully I had Safwan, Sheng, Haizat and Nadly help me out when I wasn't around. And God knows how time consuming it is to create even a short video. Luckily Shah was there with the awesome videos he made previously. This time around, I didn't win any medals. And I didn't win any video competition either. But the greatest win for me, is engraved on every single Bersatu 2009 medal out there, stitched to every sleeve of MUMSA's jersey, and inscribed on the banners around Massey University. My medal is in the photos of hundreds of people, and in the memories they have. My contribution is the Bersatu Games logo itself. It took 10 minutes to design, and my motivation was not liking the other design. Haha! Double thumbs up to MUMSA, the best Bersatu Games ever! 12 months in the making, comes down to 4 days. A job well done. The bar is now raised so high, I doubt anybody would beat that anytime soon.

The UMNO debate organized by Mimi was another interesting event. It was conducted concurrently to the Bersatu Games at Kingsgate Hotel, where the participants stayed during the games. It was in Malay, and my proficiency in my mother tongue is embarrassingly low. Simply said, we lost. But that's OK for me, as I wasn't there to win anyway. I volunteered to gain experience, to throw myself out of my comfort zone, like a fish out of water. Not many people dare do that I'm sure. And I have no regrets, except for letting my teammates, Iswandi and Jeffrey, down. Since the topic of debate was PPSMI, I was also there because I honestly wanted to know other people's opinions on the subject, and yet be in a position where I could comment and not just be a spectator. I learned a lot that night. And I apologize to the judges especially Pn Siti, and the audience for not putting on a show like Amir's team. Thank you for those who came to see me that night. I truly cherish it. Looking on the bright side, the debate paid for my Bersatu Games dinner (won $50) and got me a certificate (still pending). No loss there.

All this was happening while housemates Hafezz, Afnan and I were having fever, cough and flu, on and off for 2 weeks. All this was also happening while we were having countless visitors to our humble home. Friends from Australia, friends from UK, friends from around New Zealand. What a trying time. Alhamdulillah, I now realize that the more guests I have, the happier I feel serving and spending time with them. The more we give, the more we get. One of God's peculiar laws of life, experienced first hand. From Pn Siti, Ustaz Lokman, Abang Razif, Mimi, Ida, Zaid, Haq, Ridhwan, Fauzi, Shazwan, Roslan, Abang Izzu, and many more. We apologize for our shortcomings, please forgive us. Do come visit us again, whether it's just for lunch, dinner, supper, sleepover, chat or train ride. Our doors are always open. Thank you also to Kak Sharina and Kak Yusma for the supper. Thank you to Fairuz for the souvenir from London.

I could go on forever with this entry, but I have to stop somewhere. And I think it would be fitting for me to end with a verse from the Qur'an:

وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦ‌ۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدۡرً۬ا

Which roughly means:

"And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion." [At-Talaq, 3]

Thank you everyone for making my winter an awesome winter, you know who you are!

Photos by Shoradhi.

Pelupa

2009-06-17T02:28:00.009+12:00

Apakah perasaanku ini? Aku tak gembira pun macam yang mereka katakan. Bahkan aku semakin sedih. Apa ni? Exam dah habis la. Kenapa aku tak rasa seronok? Bukankah semua orang memang menantikan saat ini? Saat bebas daripada tanggungjawab belajar, dan masa untuk merehatkan minda buat seketika. Saat boleh berhenti stay up untuk study. Burning the midnight oil la katakan.

Apakah sekarang ini bebas boleh melakukan apa-apa sahaja? Ramai orang bila habis exam pergi berjalan-jalan, menonton wayang, bersiar-siar di tempat-tempat yang boleh menghiburkan hidup mereka. Ramai orang yang bila habis exam, stay up satu malam untuk main game atau menonton movies atau membuat perkara-perkara yang lagha. After all, they earned the right didn't they? Release stress selepas study all out. Release tension selepas tekanan exam. Sekarang ni payback time kan?

Inikah yang mereka katakan "merdeka"? Inikah yang semua orang nantikan? Kalau inilah yang mereka inginkan, aku lebih rela untuk kembali semula ke musim exam yang penuh dengan keinsafan. Aku tidak gila. Tetapi aku sedih dengan tingkah laku ramai orang di sekeliling aku. Mengapa mereka berbuat demikian? Tidakkah mereka tahu bahawa exam, kesempitan dan kesusahan itu merupakan ujian awalan sahaja? Tidakkah mereka tahu bahawa ujian boleh datang dalam pelbagai cara dan bentuk? Tidakkah mereka tahu bahawa kelapangan dan kesenangan itu juga merupakan suatu ujian bagi mereka?

Cuba kita berfikir sejenak, berapa ramai orang menjaga tingkah laku dan tutur kata mereka pada musim exam? "Exam la, tak elok mencarut." Berapa ramai orang memanfaatkan seluruh masa dan tenaganya demi preparation exam? "Sorry, aku tak boleh follow, aku kena pergi library, kena study, ada paper besok." Berapa ramai orang meningkatkan amal ibadah mereka menjelang hari-hari sebelum exam? Berapa ramai orang yang jika dahulu asyik tinggal solat, sekarang cuba solat pada semua waktu? Berapa ramai orang yang sanggup berdoa sepanjang malam, solat hajat dan solat tahajud pada waktu-waktu sebelum peperiksaan?

Berapa ramai pula berhenti berbuat demikian kerana semua exam telah pun berlalu?

Kalau sebelum exam, ada yang mula rajin bangun pagi untuk solat subuh. Yang lagi baik, pergi berjemaah di masjid. Tetapi selepas exam, semua solat pun tertinggal kerana tertidur akibat main game semalaman. Kalau sebelum exam, ramai yang bertungkus lumus mengatur dan melakukan aktiviti harian demi menghargai masa untuk menelaah ilmu. Tetapi selepas exam, boleh lepak-lepak sambil membuat benda-benda yang tak berfaedah.

Ramai yang berusaha mendekatkan diri mereka dengan Allah sebelum exam semata-mata ingin dikurniakan kejayaan dalam peperiksaan, bukan untuk mencari keredhaanNya. Kerana setelah exam berlepas, mereka tidak lagi hiraukan semua itu. Pada mereka, peperiksaan sudah selesai dan tiada lagi apa-apa yang perlu mereka lakukan untuk score atau pass. Ya, memang merupakan lumrah manusia untuk mengingati Allah pada waktu susah sahaja, dan melupakanNya ketika senang.

Namun, Allah tidak seperti itu. Dia tidak lupa, tidak lena dan tidak lalai. Dia Maha Mendengar dan Maha Melihat. Dialah yang Maha Mengetahui segala sesuatu. Dia sahaja yang mengetahui isi hati kita yang sebenar. Dan Dialah yang Maha Adil. Dia akan memberikan kita balasan yang setimpal untuk diri kita. Allah knows us better than we know ourselves. He is closer to us than our jugular veins! Results peperiksaan semua sudah ditentukan Allah, even before we sat for the exams itself. Allah akan memberikan ganjaran kepada mereka yang sabar dan istiqamah dalam ibadah yang mereka lakukan.

Aku luahkan perasaanku ini, bukan kerana ingin menuding jari kepada mana-mana pihak. Malah, aku mencoretkan di sini, agar pesanan ini menjadi peringatan buat diriku sendiri yang serba leka akan kehadiran Allah. Aku tulis dengan harapan agar sesiapa yang melihatku membuat perkara yang aku sendiri tidak suka, tolong ingatkan aku, kerana aku insan yang pelupa.

The Poets

2009-03-29T16:21:00.008+13:00

You know that feeling when you learn a new word in the dictionary? You've only just increased your vocab by a mere word, but all of a sudden you start seeing that word everywhere. Signboards, newspapers, advertisements, books, websites and even hearing it on TV and in conversations. It's not that those words weren't there before, but it didn't make sense to you previously. It was a jumble of letters that you ignored. A hum that didn't register. Now that the word makes perfect sense, it fits snugly like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle. And you begin to feel satisfied that finally, you've found that last piece.

That's the same feeling when God shows you the meaning to a Sign. You start seeing it everywhere you go and in everything you do. You start being conscious of Him constantly because of those Signs. His Signs. You feel like God is speaking to you directly. And only you. Others do not see what you see, even if you try explaining it to them. Again, it's not that those Signs weren't there before, but it didn't make sense to you previously. Now that they bring meaning, you can see them vividly. You have a sense of fulfillment that finally, you've found that last piece.

This is how I feel. It didn't take long for me to wonder, "Have I really found the last piece?" How can I say I've found the final piece, when I never knew I lost it in the first place? How many more pieces am I missing? How many more pieces do I not know of? And then I realized that the pieces won't come looking for me. Instead, it is me who has to go looking for it. "Verily the Signs are clear for those who can think." [Q:030:021] "We have made the Signs clear to you so that hopefully you will use your intellect." [Q:057:017] "Then which of the favors of your Lord shall you deny?" [Q:055:013].

As our boxes, our hearts and our trust in God open up; we are faced with new challenges. We meet those with different cultures, lives, dreams and views. We meet those reluctant to feel the earth, taste the rain, lean naturally to the sun, growing to the light of God’s mercy. As we share this road of life, shall we not share this gift of hope in the way that it was shared by the Prophets of the past, with their people?

He Frowned

2009-02-28T01:12:00.003+13:00

Massey University Islamic Centre

Dear brothers and sisters, as some of you may be aware, we recently had a boys' youth camp for the lower North Island. Alhamdulillah, though it was successful, one thing that came to my attention was the behavior of some of the boys. I don't think it is appropriate for me to go into the details but given that this generation will soon take over from its predecessors I thought it would be appropriate for me to deliver a sermon on this subject.

This sermon was delivered by brother Mukarram on Friday, 27th February 2009 at the Massey University Islamic Centre.

To every father and mother, who is loving, merciful, and compassionate, who is concerned that their own flesh blood do not become fuel and firewood for a fire whose fuel is men and stones, as Allah the Almighty says:

“Oh you who believe! Save yourselves and your Families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are appointed angels stern and severe, Who flinch not from executing the commands they receive from Allah, but do precisely what they are commanded.” (Tahrim 66:6)

To every teacher and caller to that which is good:

Know that the wealth of nations is not stored away in the depths of the earth, nor is it merely spread out on the surface. The wealth of nations is not in treasure troves. It is not just in gold and silver. The wealth of nations is more than what many people imagine it to be. The real wealth of nations is the human being…

Man, with his faith, his honour, his ability, his values…is the greatest wealth that nations have, and the youth are the most important component of this human wealth.

For this reason it is said: If you would like to know the future of a nation, then know, what is the situation of the youth from that nation? What are the youth occupied with? What are they concerned with? What are their ideals? What are their goals in life? What are they doing? What do they think about? What do they dream of? What do they talk about in their gathering and conversations?

Oh Muslims!

How great is our need? We, as Muslims today, living in the lands of Islam and outside the lands of Islam, but especially those who live outside the lands of Islam; how great is our need of a reminder and an exhortation. Because everything that our youth face, our sons and daughters, everything that they see and witness, everything that they hear each day, contradicts and opposes their belief, their religion, and the manners and morals of Islam. There is only the small, occasional exception. This is a natural consequence for anybody, whether by choice or compulsion, who lives outside his own environment and society.

The question is: How do we confront all of this? How do we protect our youth? How do we make our children aware and acquainted with their religion and belief, observing and adhering to its principles? How do we make our children grow into adults that will practise this religion and live according to its rulings, and that they will be distinguished by their belief and their view of life, as they will be distinguished by their Islamic manners and conduct?

The secret is found in one word: education. Our education of these youth; by following the most beneficial ways and methods of modern education, by implanting love of this religion, love of Allah the Almighty, by implanting love of the Messenger, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam. By implanting the principles of this true religion in our youth they will understand this religion and learn it in a clear and sound way, that is free from being confused with customs and traditions. Know that any tradition or custom of a people that opposes or contradicts the Shariah, in its objectives or rulings, must be rejected. Teach them Islam in a way that is built on the foundations and bases of modern education. As for methods of dictation without understanding, compulsion without belief, they will not be of any use to them in the presence of what they will learn in their schools, colleges and universities. Allah says: “Know that there is no god but Allah.” (47:19). Imam al-Bukhari included this verse in his chapter entitled: “Knowledge, before Saying or Doing.” On the foundations of knowledge of this religion, the understanding of its reality, the comprehension of its objectives, the meaningful grasp of its message, there is learning and education, which leads to sound practice and application.

So make your sons and daughters individuals that believe in this religion and practice it with knowledge, understanding, and complete satisfaction. Make your children advocates and callers to this religion, proud of what they believe in. Don’t make your son or daughter someone who, when they’re with you, do what you want to see them do, but when they’re out of your sight they do what they want to do or what their friends want them to do. They live with a split personality, wandering astray, confused. Then, maybe a day will come when they will declare their apostasy from the religion, renouncing everything they see from it as restrictive, not having any faith at all.

Teach your children that the believing group that carried this religion in the beginning were youths like them, so why should they not be the same? Teach them that those who gathered around the Prophet, peace be upon him, in the beginning of his call in Dar al-Arqam, and who carried the call, the da’wa, on their backs to the rest of mankind, were youths. Ali was an adolescent. So was ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Abd Arahman bin ‘Awf, Al-Arqam bin Abi Arqam, Sa’id bin Zaid, Musa’b bin Amir, ‘Amar bin Yasir, and so on, hundreds of youths. It was they who strived day and night, sacrificed and persevered, struggled so that they could spread and implement this religion, its dignity and glory. Overnight the Muslims acquired an empire. Authority and leadership was established for them.

Under the Ummayyad dynasty the area of the Islamic state expanded and spread, as far as the lands of Sind and India in the East, as far as Spain and the borders of France in the West. The leaders of the conquest were youths like Muhammad bin al-Qasim al-Thaqafi, who opened up the land of Sind, ans he was only 27 years old. Muhammad al-Fatih, who opened up Constantinople, was only 23. It is said he must have read the Hadith: “You will open up Constantinople, and the leader will be a great leader, and the army will be a great army.” The heart of this youth, Muhammad al-Fatih, desired to achieve the destiny of this hadith, and Allah gave him what he desired. He was indeed a great leader and ruler. Do our youth have great hopes like these youth? Like Uqba bin Nafi, and Tariq bin Ziad. There is the great example of Osama bin Zaid, the youth who was given command by the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa salam, over an army which included the great Companions, like Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. It was if the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa salam, wa indicating that the youth would be the prime force for this religion.

Teach your children that these youth from the Companions, and their children, and those who followed them, did not reach a great and majestic peak except with two things:

1st: They adhered to the religion, in belief and thought, saying and action, implementing and applying.

2nd: They carried the message of Islam to the world with great effort and sacrifice, and the strength of their patience, such that Allah says: “Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Some of them have died, and some still wait, but their determination never changed in the least.” (33:23)

And Allah says: “By men whom neither trade nor sale can divert them from the Remembrance of Allah, nor from regular prayer, nor from paying Zakat. Their only fear is for the day when hearts and eyes will be turned about. (24:37)

So what prevents our youth today from being men in form, and in reality mountains?

Oh Youth of Islam!

You see the world today groping about in the darkness of materialism, and the gratification of worldly passions, in anarchism and deviation. And with this and that you see oppression, despotism and the seizure of the capabilities of peoples and nations. Your nation is in the midst of this. It is experiencing the greatest share. Your Islam, your religion, is being targeted.

And see and hear the plans and schemes that are being devised to scrutinize and beguile what the people still have from this religion, to suffocate the values and examples and legacy of the Prophets.

So where are you in regard to all this, oh Muslim youth! Do you realize the danger? Do you grasp what is happening?

If not then let every mother, father, and teacher implant in their children these realities. Make them understand these concepts, always, until they become fully aware of their responsibilities to this religion.

And know, oh youth of Islam, that the period of youth has a special reckoning with Allah. All of life in taken into account, but youth is special. In the Hadith: “The feet of the Children of Adam, on the Day of Judgement, will not move from their Lord until being asked 5 things: His life and how it occupied him, his youth and what he did while it lasted, his wealth, how he acquired it and how he spent it, his knowledge and what he did with it.

Oh youth, know that if you are not preoccupied with Truth then you are preoccupied with falsehood. This is a maxim in the science of education. If you do not fill your time with seeking knowledge or effort or work, for the sake of a livelihood, then you allow your time to be filled with that which has no benefit, and you will pull yourself and lead yourself with passions and whims, following Shaitan in disobedience to Allah.

We ask Allah to help us understand our religion, and make our youth from the best of youths, and make them like those who came before them, in faith and action, and that they become like those who Allah describes: “ In truth, they were youths who believed in their Lord and we increased them in guidance. We gave strength to their hearts. Behold, they stood up and said: ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him, if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity.” (18: 13-14) Wasteful saying is far from the Truth.

All Praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and may His peace and blessings be on the final Messenger.

The Confederates

2009-02-26T00:55:00.006+13:00

Clubs Day 2009, Concourse, Massey University

Clubs day was the usual drill. MUMSA had its booth tucked away in a sea of people. The School of Engineering and Advanced Technology gave away free tshirts to Massey Engineering students. Another pair of jammies for me I say. First lab today was quite satisfying. The Prof complimented my lab report. Come evening, I played indoor soccer with the guys and had a jog with Afnan. For the first time, I cooked masak lemak for dinner and it didn't turn out half bad. Kak Intan briefed me on the ingredients and ratios. I had a rough idea of what to mix, and improvised on some missing ingredients. Thats it for now, I have 7 straight hours of class and lab tomorrow so I better hit the sack.

---

Forwarded email from Syarif Lee:

Blood Clots/Stroke

STROKE IDENTIFICATION

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics). She said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, Ingrid might still be alive.

It only takes a minute to read this.

If a stroke victim can get to a physician within 3 hours of the attack, the effects of a stroke can be reversed. The trick is getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters: S.T.R.
If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save lives.

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S: Ask the person to SMILE
T: Ask the person to TALK and speak a simple sentence coherently
R: Ask the person to RAISE both arms

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, the person may have possibly suffered a stroke.

Another indicator of a stroke: Ask the person to stick out his tongue. If the tongue is crooked or if it goes to one side or the other, that is also a possible indication of a stroke.

The Opening

2009-02-22T23:52:00.003+13:00

Snowboarding on Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand, Winter 2008.

For a long time my blog has lost it's personality. I used to only post things related to current issues and share articles I found interesting while scouring the web, and neglected jotting my personal experiences and endeavors through life. Until I realized I could actually do both. I want to make my blog personal again. And I might as well do it while i'm in New Zealand. At least I'll have something to look back on if I grow older. And this way I can keep in touch with my family and friends indirectly. After all, this is a web log.

Today I handled the grill with Afnan at abang Ziad's kenduri and helped wash up. Afnan is my new housemate. I recently finished clearing up my room and began the tedious process of making my house a home. Dollars and Sense was a good place to start. Here are some one liners for you. Hafezz wasn't well today. Rainbow still doesn't start. Nadly is settling in. John crashed his PC. Worm switched rooms with Eric.

Surprisingly, I woke up to abang Razif's voice just now, and for the first time in 2 years, I wasn't annoyed. He's back in Wellington now, and I miss him already. Tomorrow I will begin class at 8am. I reviewed my study guide just now and the contents are frightening. May God make it easy for me.

I met many new faces in Massey, and met many old ones too. Massey seems awkward for me now. It just doesn't feel right somehow. Maybe it's the missing seniors. Maybe.

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http://www.understandquran.com/ This is a really useful resource to understanding the Quran, in plain English.

The Criterion

2009-02-19T13:53:00.003+13:00

Photo during Fajr, Masjid an-Nabawi, Madinah al-Munawwarah,
before security personnel caught me.

I want to share with you an excellent guide to lead you to the understanding of the Quran. It's called the Quran Dictionary. All you have to do is spend a few minutes reading it everyday and inshaAllah within a year, you will understand most of the Quran. Is that not an effort worth investing?

"And indeed, We have made Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)?" (Al-Qur'aan 54:17)

So, make this book a part of your life by downloading it free here.

---

A forwarded e-mail from my sister:

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as 'Euro-English'.

In the first year, 's' will replace the soft 'c'. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard 'c' will be dropped in favour of 'k'. This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter. There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome 'ph' will be replaced with 'f'. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent 'e' in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing 'th' with 'z' and 'w' with 'v'.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary 'o' kan be dropd from vords kontaining 'ou' and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl.

Have Faith

2009-02-11T05:41:00.006+13:00

I came

I saw

I conquered

Signs of weak Faith:

1. Committing sins and not feeling any guilt.

2. Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.

3. Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for prayers.

4. Neglecting the Sunnah.

5. Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things and bothered and irritated most of the time.

6. Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad tidings.

7. Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making zikr.

8. Not feeling bad when things are done against the Shariah.

9. Desiring status and wealth.

10. Being mean and miserly, i.e. not wanting to part with wealth.

11. Ordering others to do good deeds when not practising them ourselves.

12. Feeling pleased when things are not progressing for others.

13. Being concerned with whether something is haram or halal only, and not avoiding makruh things.

14. Making fun of people who do simple good deeds, like cleaning the mosque.

15. Not feeling concerned about the situation of Muslims.

16. Not feeling the responsibility to do something to promote Islam.

17. Liking to argue just for the sake of arguing without any proof.

18. Becoming engrossed and very involved with dunia, worldly things, i.e. feeling bad only when losing something in terms of material wealth.

19. Becoming engrossed and obsessive about ourselves.

---

Okay, so how do I increase my faith?

1. Recite and ponder on the meanings of the Quran. Tranquility then descends and our hearts become soft. To get optimum benefit, remind yourself that Allah is speaking to you. People are described in different categories in the Quran; think of which one you find yourself in.

2. Realize the greatness of Allah. Everything is under His control. There are signs in everything we see that points us to His greatness. Everything happens according to His permission. Allah keeps track and looks after everything, even a black ant on a black rock on a black moonless night.

3. Make an effort to gain knowledge, for at least the basic things in daily life e.g. how to make wudu properly. Know the meanings behind Allah's names and attributes. People who have taqwa are those who have knowledge.

4. Attend gatherings where Allah is remembered. In such gatherings we are surrounded by angels.

5. We have to increase our good deeds. One good deed leads to another good deed. Allah will make the way easy for someone who gives charity and also make it easy for him or her to do good deeds. Good deeds must be done continuously, not in spurts.

6. We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of death is the destroyer of pleasures.

7. Remember the different levels of akhirat, for instance when we are put in our graves, when we are judged, whether we will be in paradise or hell.

8. Make doa, realize that we need Allah. Be humble. Don't covet material things in this life.

9. Our love for Allah must be shown in actions. We must hope Allah will accept our prayers, and be in constant fear that we do wrong. At night before going to sleep, we must think about what good we did during that day.

10. Realize the effects of sins and disobedience- one's faith is increased with good deeds and our faith is decreased by bad deeds. Everything that happens is because Allah wanted it to. When calamity befalls us- it is also from Allah.

Photos from Mammoth Rock, Saudi Arabia.

Min Makkah

2009-02-03T08:38:00.007+13:00

First post from the K.S.A. or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not going to say much. Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah are a lot more modern than initially expected. The same can be said for Kaabah Al-Musharrafah. There's going to be non-stop construction till 2015. Mega plans for Baitullah have been proposed and approved of. We have had non stop traveling since day one. Just completed my 4th Umrah today.

Places I have been up until just now:
Jeddah
Madinah
Al-Ula
Madain Salleh
Mammoth Rock
Ottoman Railway Station
Thamudian Tombs
Arab Cultural Museum
Makkah
Taif
Arafah
Mina
Muzdalifah
Tanaim
Bir Ali
Wadi Kuday
Dates Market
Jabal Rahmah
Jabal Uhud
Jabal Thur
Masjid Haram
Masjid Nabawi
Masjid Quba
Masjid Qiblatain (2 kiblat)
Masjid Malik Fahd
Masjid Ibn Abbas
Masjid Bilal ibn Rabbah
Masjid Imam Bukhari

Tomorrow InshaAllah will be going to:
Hudaybiah in the morning
Gua Hira expedition at night

Photos for now:

Wassalam Alaik.

Here I am, Allah! Here I am!

2009-01-25T18:15:00.000+13:00

Peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon you, our beloved Messenger, and his family. Tomorrow, I will be leaving for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to perform pilgrimage with my mom. We will be heading to Madinah first, and from there to Makkah. God willing, it will be my first visit to the Holy land and the Holy mosques, and my mother's second. This will be my last post before I make my way to be a guest in the House of Allah. I ask God to make the journey easy for the both of us, and I pray that we return home safely. I would also like to ask forgiveness from all my relatives and friends for all the sins I have committed. I will pray for you, please pray for us too. Labbaik! Allahumma labbaik!

"Behold! Safa and Marwah are among the Symbols of Allah. So if those who visit the House in the season or at other times, should compass them round, it is no sin in them. And if any one obeys his own impulse to good - be sure that Allah is He Who recognizes and knows." [Al-Baqarah:158]

Ignorance is Bliss

2009-01-07T18:08:00.002+13:00

Amidst the heightened Israeli offensive in the Gaza strip, I feel it is more than necessary and timely to pen down some thoughts of mine regarding this issue. For those not in the know, the current Palestinian casualties stand at an alarming 660 with up to 2950 Palestinians wounded. The Israeli ground incursion that began 3 days ago have aggravated the situation and continue to terrorize the Palestinians as we speak.

Inevitably, the terrorist Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the Middle-East have sent shockwaves of grief, fear and anger to millions of Muslims throughout the world. Muslims and non-Muslims alike, from North America to Europe to Asia, stand hand-in-hand to rally and protest the illegal attacks. It is therefore appalling to see many fellow Muslims in Malaysia insensitive to the ongoing catastrophe. On the eve of the new year for example, while air raids and shelling continued to bombard civilian homes in Gaza, Malaysians partied the night long with elaborate mega concerts being held to usher in 2009. What is more disgusting is that the majority of people attending these celebrations were ignorant Muslim Malays.

That aside, if there is anything more frustrating than seeing the ignorant Muslims not taking action, it is seeing the ignorant Muslims who take the wrong actions. One of the most un-Islamic things to do during these times of conflict is to go and attack Jewish homes and synagogues throughout the world, as was reported today in The Star. I feel outraged that many Muslims still do not understand the difference between Jews and Zionists. The same outrage when the West fails to distinguish Muslims and Arabs (and now terrorists). We call them ignorant of not being able to tell the difference, but have we ever considered ourselves to fall in the same pit of ignorance?

Judaism is a peace-loving religion based on faith, who want as much peace for Muslims as for themselves. They do not recognize or approve of the state of Israel, nor do they support the occupation of Palestine. Jews outside of Israel do not fly the Israeli flag. They follow the teachings of the Holy Scriptures of Torah sent down unto Moses by God Almighty, and have nothing to do with Zionism. Zionism on the other hand is a movement founded approximately 100 years ago based on nationalism with the goal of setting up the state of Israel. They do not follow any religious teachings and claim Jews who do, are anti-Semitic. Don't take my word for it, if you want more details visit http://www.nkusa.org/ and while you're at it, watch these videos:

Ofcourse, you will never see this on CNN. Wassalam.

The Price of Progress

2008-12-26T17:17:00.005+13:00

By HASSAN M. FATTAH
Published: March 8, 2007
Mecca Journal

MECCA, Saudi Arabia — Five times a day across the globe devout Muslims face this city in prayer, focused on a site where they believe Abraham built a temple to God. The spot is also the place Muslims are expected to visit at least once in their lives.

Tamara Abdul Hadi for The New York Times. A huge project is under way near the Kaaba, in the Grand Mosque, altering the skyline at Islam’s holiest site. The Abraj al Bait Mall will bring an amusement park ride, fast food and a lingerie shop to the neighborhood.

Now as they make the pilgrimage clothed in simple white cotton wraps, they will see something other than the stark black cube known as the Kaaba, which is literally the center of the Muslim world. They will also see Starbucks. And Cartier and Tiffany. And H&M and Topshop.

The Abraj al Bait Mall — one of the largest in Saudi Arabia, outfitted with flat-panel monitors with advertisements and announcements, neon lights, an amusement park ride, fast-food restaurants and a lingerie shop — has been built directly across from Islam’s holiest site.

Not everyone considers this progress.

“Mecca is becoming like Las Vegas, and that is a disaster,” said Ali al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, a Saudi opposition research organization. “It will have a disastrous effect on Muslims because going to Mecca will have no feeling. There is no charm anymore. All you see is glass and cement.”

The mall, which opened a week before the annual pilgrimage, called the hajj, in December, is the first phase in a $13 billion construction boom in Mecca that promises to change how this city, forbidden to everyone but Muslims, looks and feels.

The Abraj al Bait housing and hotel complex, a 1.5-million-square-yard development that will include a towering hotel, has begun to redraw the skyline of this ancient religious city.

When the project is completed in 2009, it will include the seventh tallest building in the world, its developers say, with a hospital, hotels and prayer halls. A public-announcement system pipes in prayers from the Grand Mosque across the way, and worshipers can join the masses simply by opening their draperies.

In nearby Jabal Omar, an entire mountain is being flattened to make way for a huge hotel and high-rise complex. And elsewhere, cranes dot the skyline with up to 130 new high-rise towers planned for the area.

“This is the end of Mecca,” said Dr. Irfan Ahmed in London. He has formed the Islamic Heritage Foundation to try to preserve the Islamic history of Mecca, Medina, the second holiest city, and other important religious sites in Saudi Arabia. “Before, even in the days of the Ottomans, none of the buildings in Mecca towered higher than the Grand Mosque. Now these are much higher and more disrespectful.”

Money is certainly one of the motivators in the building boom. Every year, up to four million people descend on this city during the pilgrimage, while a stream continues to flow through here during the year, spending an average $2,000 to $3,000 to stay, eat and shop.

Billboards along the way to Mecca remind investors of the potential earnings from owning an apartment here; some claim a 25 percent return on investment. Advertisements on Arab satellite television channels remind viewers that “you, too, can have the opportunity to enjoy this blessed view.”

Muhammad al-Abboud, a real estate agent, recounts tales of Pakistani businessmen plunking down $15 million to buy several apartments at a time. Saudi princes own entire floors.

A three-bedroom apartment here runs about $3 million, Mr. Abboud said. One directly overlooking the Grand Mosque can reach $5 million.

Critics of the development complain that the result is gated communities where worshipers can separate themselves from the crowds, thereby violating the spirit of the hajj, where all stand equal before God.

“All of Mecca is a sanctuary,” Mr. Abboud said. “So how could something like this not be snapped up?” But some groups say the building boom also has religious motives. They accuse the archconservative Salafi, who hold great sway in Saudi Arabia, of seeking to eliminate historic spots, fearing that these sites would become objects of worship themselves.

Dr. Ahmed of London has cataloged the destruction of more than 300 separate antiquity sites, including cemeteries and mosques. He says the house where the Prophet Muhammad lived was razed and today a dilapidated library, with its windows and doors shuttered, stands in its place.

“It is not respecting the Kaaba, not respecting the house of God or the environment of the sanctuary,” Sami Angawi, a Saudi architect who wants to preserve Mecca’s heritage, said of the development. “You are not supposed to even cut a tree in this city, so how could you blow up a mountain? The Islamic laws have been broken.”

Progress has exacted a heavy price in Mecca. More pilgrims than ever can come here, thanks to billions spent on tunnels and infrastructure to accommodate them. But in exchange, the city’s once famed night market, where pilgrims brought their wares to sell, is gone. The Meccan homes and buildings that filled the area near the mosque were demolished in the 1970s to enlarge the mosque. The neighborhoods and families who lived near the mosque and welcomed pilgrims have long since moved away.

Mecca has long been a commercial as well as a religious center, but increasingly global brands dominate here.

Mr. Angawi, the Saudi architect, has led a lonely campaign within the kingdom to bring attention to the destruction of the historic sites. Dr. Ahmed has worked to lobby Asian and Arab governments to press the Saudis to stop such demolitions. And Mr. Ahmed, in Washington, has built a database of the historic spots now destroyed. Many Muslims inside and outside Saudi Arabia have remained silent about the issues, they say, fearing the loss of financing from Saudi Arabia for religious institutions and projects.

Saudi officials say they have been painstakingly preserving the Islamic artifacts they find, and operate two small museums in Mecca. In all, they say, more than $19 billion has been spent on preserving the country’s Muslim heritage. They dismiss their critics as cranks who have no following.

Developers and real estate agents, meanwhile, say the construction makes room for even more Muslims to take part in the hajj, and therefore serves the greater good.

That suggests that the changes are far from over.

“Mecca has never been changed like it has now,” Mr. Angawi said. “What you see now is only 10 percent of what’s to come. What is coming is much, much worse.”

The New York Times

Inspiring Stories

2008-12-13T12:39:00.002+13:00

Most people know that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. What is not widely known, however, is that long before Bell's world-changing invention was announced, a German schoolteacher named Reis almost built the telephone. Mr. Reis' phone could carry the sounds of whistling and humming, but it would not transmit human speech. Something seemed to be missing.

Many years later, Bell discovered Reis' error. The adjustment of one small screw that controlled the electrodes was off by one-thousandth of an inch. When Mr. Bell made this minor modification, he was able to transmit speech loud and clear! This infinitesimal distance-an amount few of us could even calculate-made the difference between success and failure.

Today the telephone is an absolute necessity in every home and business. Few inventions in modern history have had such far-reaching ramifications. Bell Labs and the Bell Telephone System are widely known entities. For want of a minor adjustment, the name we all associate with the telephone could have been Reis.

Don't miss the small adjustments you may need to make on your way to success. And don't give up. Keep pursuing your goal until you succeed!

---

The story is told of two boys who went ice skating on a rural pond. One skated beyond the boundaries into the danger zone and fell through the ice. His friend, who was quite a bit younger and smaller, saw him thrash around in the icy water and then disappear under the ice. He began frantically trying to break the ice with his skates and his fists, but it wasn't working.

Then the boy spied a large tree limb at the side of the pond. He ran to it, pulled it to the spot where his friend was trapped under the ice, and amazingly, lifted it over his head and threw it, shattering a hole in the ice so his friend could get air. Then he pulled his friend out of the icy water.

Later, as people marveled at how the smaller boy had been able to lift the huge limb and pull his larger friend from the ice, they asked, "How did you do it?" The older boy who was rescued came up with perhaps the best explanation, "He did it because there was no one there to tell him he couldn't."

When you must ask for advice, always ask someone who wants to succeed as much as you do. Otherwise, you may be better off on your own; that way no one can tell you what you can't do!

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Articles adopted from Panitia Bahasa Inggeris 2008

Post Exam Syndrome

2008-11-06T15:06:00.002+13:00

"All answer scripts have been collected, you may now leave the examination hall."

Those words marked the end of yet another academic year for 40-or-so of us techies. (Yes, we are affectionately referred to as "techies".) Advanced Chemistry was extremely hard. I think the paper title is an understatement. I'll leave it at that.

Watching Barack Obama's acceptance speech online prompted me to search for John McCain's concession speech. No wonder the Americans had trouble deciding on who to vote for. Both men are of equal caliber and stature. I was indeed moved by Obama's words. He is inspiring to say the least. But what was more important than Obama’s victory speech to me was the humble words of Senator McCain. Throughout the campaign, he has differed vehemently with his opponent by opposing him in important tactical and strategic political issues, and has had millions of people follow him and believe in him for it. And then after all that, he humbly accepts that in order for him and his people to make the real difference, they have to unite and move behind one leader, and that that leader is Obama, not him. This in my opinion, is a great example of two good leaders. Both men respected each other's views and acknowledged each other's sacrifices. Bush's and Gore's catfight 4 years ago would pale in comparison. I scoffed at Bush's acceptance speech.

Du'a for me:
Ya Allah, sekiranya Engkau telah tetapkan aku gagal dalam peperiksaanku, maka aku redha dengan ketentuanMu. Aku lebih rela menerima ujian itu agar aku lebih hampir kepadaMu, daripada aku mendapat kejayaan lalu mendustakanMu. Namun Ya Allah, aku tidak sanggup melukakan hati kedua ibu-bapaku, kerana diriku yang serba kurang ini. Jadi berikanlah yang terbaik untuk diriku, sesungguhnya Engkau sahaja yang Maha Mengetahui. Ameen.

Sports Tracker

2008-10-27T22:45:00.005+13:00

Today I had a jog with Ken after performing Asar together. I managed to try out the Nokia Sports Tracker software just now. It's a great tool for tracking brisk walks and workouts as the name suggests. IMHO it's kinda cool since it tracks a lot of info and even supports Google Maps for Mobile or any *.kml software. You can also opt to upload and share workouts with other users via Google Earth online. You can use it with or without GPS switched on but you would miss out on most of the features if your phone doesn't support GPS.

Here are some screenshots of the software and my workout summary:

Settings I used on Nokia N82:
Assisted-GPS set on high filtering
No altitude offset
Measurement units metric
Autolap signal disabled
Training diary auto

Procrastination

2008-10-25T12:34:00.008+13:00

After reading the latest entry from my sister's blog, I got myself to thinking and decided to post something related to her current exams predicament.

Procrastination.

Many of us have this guilty habit as I found out after last night's halaqah. In Malay it is menangguh-nangguhkan kerja. It is inevitably, and unfortunately so, one of the major cancers of society. There is both good and bad news. The bad news is, some of us have yet to recognize that we have been plagued by this mental disease. The good news is, there is a cure. Read on to know what procrastination really is, why we do it and how to overcome it.

Procrastination is avoiding things which need doing. It is doing other things when we should be on task and working. Things like:

surfing online (ie. YouTube, Facebook, Friendster)
chatting with friends (ie. YM, MSN)
playing computer games (ie. DoTA, PES)
watching TV (ie. Prison Break, Heroes)
talking on the phone
making excuses for not studying, like "I'm not in the mood"
saying "I have other things to do first" or "Just 10 more minutes" or "I work better under pressure"
telling yourself there is plenty of time
tidying you desk when it doesn't need tidying and wasting time

These statements get us to postpone important tasks and duties. We all do this at some stage but it can get to a point where procrastination becomes a real problem in our lives.

The more we procrastinate, the bigger the task in front of us becomes and the harder it is to take action. Failure to act can produce many undesirable feelings.

Guilt: "If only I had done..."
Inadequacy: "I can't do it"
Stress: "There's never enough time"
Anxiety: "If I fail the paper..."
Depression: "I'm just not coping..."
Self doubt: "I'm Not sure I'm capable..."

Why we procrastinate
Procrastinators are often accused of being lazy and disorganized, but not getting on with your work is often an indicator of other factors at work, such as:

You may be setting yourself too high a standard and faced with unrealistic goals, you put off doing your work. Thinking that an A pass is what you must get and a B or C mark is not good enough
You may not see the relevance of your work and so cannot be bothered doing it
Finding the task boring
Sometimes you may be unclear about what is required and this leads to avoidance
Fear of failure, where the task may be new and fear of the unknown prevents you from making a start
Personal problems e.g. problems in relationships, financial concerns
You may feel you don't have the skills to do what is asked and feelings of inadequacy or anxiety prevent you from starting
Having difficulty concentrating; daydreaming; staring into space; having a distracting environment; having a disorganized workspace

Procrastination is a bad habit and like other bad habits it can be broken. There are two main causes and these are "crooked thinking" and "learned behavior" patterns. Crooked thinking is thinking in a way that is neither productive nor helpful and prevents you from tackling the task. Crooked thinking is based on irrational ideas or beliefs which keep you from getting what you want or need.

Learned behavior is acting in a way that got you what you wanted as a child, but as an adult is not appropriate or helpful to you ie. having a temper tantrum or running away from an issue.

What to do about it
First of all, understand and accept that procrastination is not helpful. It interferes with your academic and personal success and can have painful consequences.

Those old excuses you have been using to avoid starting work just won't hold up under close scrutiny. Challenge each one as it pops up.

Prepare your study environment. Have everything you need at your fingertips: books, pens, paper, adequate lighting. Be neat. Minimize noise and distractions.

Take a stand. Commit yourself. Tell a friend, your parents, a supervisor or someone who matters, about your new work plan.

Talk to yourself with positive statements like:

"No time like the present"
"The sooner I get it done, the sooner I can do what I really want to do"
"I am doing what I have to do, now!"
"It is less painful if I do it now rather than later"
"I have done this successfully before, so I can do it again!"

Don't catastrophise. Jumping to conclusions that you are not good at something will only create a wall of fear that will stop you cold. Recognize that your negative predictions are not fact. Focus on the present and what positive steps you can take towards reaching your goals.

Get Started: Make a Plan!

Firstly remind yourself of the reasons why you are studying - revisit your hopes, plans goals and ambitions.
Get an overview of what has to be done. This is the "big picture". Be honest with yourself as to what needs doing and by when.
Write down what is in the "big picture" and transfer any deadlines on to a wall planner for easy checking. Put your list of things to do up on the wall so that it is easy to see. You can cross things out as they are completed.
Set your priorities. Start on the topic that has the closest deadline or is the most urgent to complete.
Break a big task into smaller bits, because smaller tasks are more manageable than the whole thing.
Study in small time blocks rather than in huge time chunks ie one hour study sessions are more helpful rather than two or three hour blocks.
Get started! Write the first sentence or opening paragraph or make a list of issues or headings you want to include in this section of your work. Just get started!
Keep reminding yourself that you can do this! You've successfully done it before! (rational self talk). You'll do it again! Dwell on success, not failure.
Allocate specific periods each day for your study and stick to them. Being flexible with your time is fine but watch out for any avoidance tactics coming from "crooked thinking".
Reward yourself when you have completed a task. But don't forget to get back on task until all the work is completed.
Be realistic and don't aim for perfection. Get down the basic information required to complete the task. You can "fine tune" your work later if there is time.
Remember, handing in an adequate piece of completed work is better than missing a deadline and feeling bad about it!

This post was adapted from Massey University Student Counselling Services. For Muslims, you can see a related post here wa innAllahu ma'ana. I wish everybody, especially those in Massey University, all the very best for their exams. I know many people can't wait for summer break, and neither can I.

Blog Action Day 2008

2008-10-11T14:17:00.006+13:00

Do you own a blog? Yes? Then you too can participate! Get up, take action and do your part.

(But watch the video first lah.)

See Blog Action Day for more information.

Where do I go from here?

2008-10-09T16:33:00.006+13:00

Some decisions are tough to make, even though to others it may seem simple and obvious. The right choice isn't necessarily the easiest. You cannot please everyone, but you can please those who have priority in your life; God, parents, family and yourself. I know someone who is at crossroads in her life right now, and I hope she makes the right choice. Good luck!

Long road ahead: Photo taken at Ohakune, base of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand in July 2008.

Exams, Tests, Assignments, Reports

2008-10-02T12:46:00.005+13:00

So much work at hand? Is the world unfair? Have you put in so much effort into something and not received what you wanted? Are you down with a test? Stressed out? Do you feel like giving up?

May these words from Allah inspire you the same way it has inspired me.

Why am I tested?

"Do men think that they will be left alone on saying "We believe" and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false."

"Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction? Lo! We tested those who were before them. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign."

[Al-Ankabut : 002-003]

Why don't I get what I want?

"..But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth and ye know not."

"..but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not."

[Al-Baqarah : 216]

Why is this test so difficult?

"On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear.."

"Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope.."

[Al-Baqarah : 286]

Why am I so frustrated with myself?

"So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: for ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith."

"Faint not nor grieve, for ye will overcome them if ye are (indeed) believers."

[Ali-Imran : 139]

How should I face them?

"O ye who believe! persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper."

"O ye who believe! Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed."

[Ali-Imran : 200]

What should I do?

"Nay seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who are humble."

"Seek help in patience and prayer; and truly it is hard save for the humble-minded"

[Al-Baqarah : 045]

What do I get out of all this?

"Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise).."

"Lo! Allah hath bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs.."

[At-Taubah : 111]

Who should I seek help from?

"say: Allah sufficeth me: There is not god but He: On Him is my trust - He the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme!"

"..say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no God save Him. In Him have I put my trust, and He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne."

[At-Taubah : 129]

I cannot stand it anymore!

"..and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."

"..and despair not of the Spirit of Allah. Lo! none despaireth of the Spirit of Allah save disbelieving folk."

[Yusuf : 087]

Thank you Sister Yusmahanim for sharing this with me. Original text translated from Malay. Quran translations from Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Pickthall respectively.

The Purpose of Eid

2008-09-29T08:34:00.008+13:00

Islam teaches Muslims how to celebrate Eid. On these days, Muslims take a bath and wear their best clothes.

Even though fasting is not permitted on Eid, the major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking - rather, it is the prayer that brings Muslims together to remember Allah’s bounties and celebrate His Glory and Greatness.

The Eids and their celebration in Islam carry a distinctive meaning and spirit. They are totally different from the celebrations of other nations and cultures.

For other nations, a holiday is a chance to immerse in worldly pleasures, or to involve oneself in prohibited acts to the utmost. But not so for Muslims!

For Muslims, Eid is an occasion to increase in good deeds. Each Eid marks the conclusion of an important worship, and the determination to continue in obedience and submission to Allah.

In moments of extreme pleasure or sadness, a Muslim never forgets his Lord’s Greatness, Might and Glory. A Muslim's actions are always controlled by this continued remembrance and awareness of Allah (taqwa).

Therefore Eid is not an occasion to take a vacation from Islamic responsibilities and commitments, nor to waste time and money. It is not “fun for the sake of fun”. Rather, it is a controlled and directed rejoicing that is of ultimate and definite benefit for the Muslim ummah.

Eid is a chance to multiply good deeds by bringing happiness and pleasure to the hearts of other Muslims, by helping and supporting the poor and needy, and by getting involved in pastimes that emphasize the strong and serious Islamic character.

Allahualam wa barakallahufik akhi Mohamad Albadawi for sharing. Eid mubarak wa taqabbal Allahu minkum. Marhaban ya khaira da'!

Salam Perantauan

2008-09-23T14:49:00.004+12:00

Some amusement amidst the seriousness, dedicated to all overseas students. Watch video:

Source

Happy Birthday Wen Li

2008-09-23T02:30:00.009+12:00

I'm not good in cooking, i'm not good in drawing and I don't have anything to give. So I made this instead.

Hope you like it.

Ayat-ayat Cinta

2008-09-22T01:17:00.003+12:00

I know i'm probably one of the last few people to watch this movie, but I would just like to share this part of the movie I like.

The clip tries to preach the message of patience and sincerity in our trials and tribulations Allah gives us. I got alot out of this clip. Hope you get something out of it too.

Ramadhan: The Big Picture

2008-09-21T10:55:00.008+12:00

Muslim faithful throughout the world are currently observing the holy month of Ramadhan. Observant Muslims participate in fasting (sawm), one of the five pillars of Islam. Eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity is prohibited from dawn until dusk, when the fast is broken with the evening meal called Iftar. Local customs define varying traditions, including differing types of food used to break the daily fast. The fasting is meant to teach a person patience, humility and sacrifice, to set aside time to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance.

Symbolizing the faith of Islam, the crescent moon is seen at sunset on top of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

An officer of Brunei's Islamic authority looks through a telescope as he performs "rukyah", the sighting of the new moon for Ramadan, over the skies of Bukit Agok outside Bandar Seri Begawan August 31, 2008. Muslims scan the sky at dusk at the end of their lunar calendar's eighth month in search of the new moon to proclaim the beginning of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Ahim Rani)

A Palestinian man reads from the Koran, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in a mosque in the West Bank city of Jenin, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)

Indonesian men attend Friday prayer at Istiqlal mosque, the biggest in Southeast Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Irwin Fedriansyah)

Jordanian Muslim girls queue in line outside a humanitarian center for waiting for meals to be donated at the time for the breaking of their fast, or Iftar, on the 13th day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Amman, Jordan, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Nader Daoud)

A Palestinian woman is seen on her way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Palestinian women lead young girls through the Kalandia checkpoint, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah, to cross to Jerusalem to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound on September 19, 2008. Thousands of Muslim faithful have been crossing every week from the West bank to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest shrine, since the start of the holy month of Ramadan three weeks ago. (DAVID FURST/AFP/Getty Images)

Israeli border police hold back Palestinians on their way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, at Kalandia checkpoint, between the West Bank town of Ramallah and Jerusalem, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Palestinian women walk past men (on the other side of the fence) waiting to cross a checkpoint to get into Israel in order to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

This picture taken September 5, 2008 shows a stall worker preparing roasted chicken wings to be sold at a Ramadan bazaar in downtown Kuala Lumpur for the breaking of their fast. In Muslim households across Asia, the inflation crisis is casting a shadow over the holy month of Ramadan, and making the nightly ritual of breaking the fast a more meagre affair. From Afghanistan to Malaysia, the high prices of food are forcing the poor to go without, and curtailing the lavish evening buffets which the well-off have flocked to in better economic times. (KAMARUL AKHIR/AFP/Getty Images)

Kashmiri Muslims pray inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

A Pakistani man prepares sweet drinks for people to break their fast at a mosque during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Lahore on September 3, 2008. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)

A Palestinian boy holds a homemade sparkler firework after breaking his fast at the end of the second day of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah,Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

A seller of traditional Syrian sweets calls out for customers in the Meidan quarter of Damascus September 2, 2008. Sales of the sweets go up during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri)

A Muslim woman reads a copy of the Koran at the Istiqlal mosque during the second day of ramadan in Jakarta, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, on September 2, 2008. (ADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images)

In a pre-Ramadan tradition, Bosnian Muslim girls wash their face with water from cave as local tradition claims that the water and prayers inside the cave will bring personal beauty and success for the year, near the Bosnian town of Kladanj, 50 kms north of Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. More than 30.000 people gathered to pray inside and outside the cave this year. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)

A Bangladeshi vendor sells traditional sweet meats for breaking the Ramadan fast, at the Chalk bazaar in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman)

An Egyptian family looks to buy a "Fanus Ramadan", a traditional lantern popular during Ramadan, at a shop in el-Sayeda Zaynab district of downtown Cairo, late August 28, 2008. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

A Palestinian Muslim girl prays in the men's mosque before the evening prayer called "tarawih", during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

A Pakistani man offers Friday prayers atop a mosque roof during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

A man has his eyes smeared with traditional Kohl eyeliner before Friday prayers during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad September 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder)

The Al-Zaim family of Duxbury, Massachusetts sits, gathered together for their dinner after 7pm on September 14th, 2008, to break their Ramadan Fast. (Justine Hunt/Globe Staff Photo)

Workers sew prayer caps in a factory in old Dhaka, Bangladesh on September 18, 2008. Prayer caps have huge demand during the holy month of Ramadan. (REUTERS/Andrew Biraj)

Kashmiri Muslims offer prayers inside the Jamia Masjid, or Grand Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

A child prepares food for Iftar (evening meal) before the breaking of fast on the first day of Ramadan at Memon Mosque in Karachi, Pakistan on September 2, 2008. (REUTERS/Athar Hussain)

Lebanese "Musaharati" Mohammed Fanas wakes up observant Muslims for their overnight "suhur" meal before the day's fast in Sidon's Old City in south Lebanon just before dawn on September 3, 2008. (MAHMOUD ZAYAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Visually impaired Palestinian students read verses of the Koran, Islam's holiest book, written in Braille, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Al-Qabas Islamic school in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Workers dry vermicelli, a specialty eaten during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, India on September 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder)

A Kashmiri man rests after performing prayers inside the shrine of Sufi saint, Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, during Ramadan in Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir on September 11, 2008. (REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli)

Thai Muslim children pray at a mosque during Ramadan in Narathiwat province in Thailand on September 9, 2008. (MADAREE TOHLALA/AFP/Getty Images)

Afghan men offer prayers on a hill top overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan on September 8, 2008, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (SHAH MARAI/AFP/Getty Images)

A worker prepares traditional sweets at a pastry shop in Tehran, Iran on the fifth day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan September 6, 2008. (REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl)

Muslim women attend prayers on the eve of the first day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia on August 31, 2008. (REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas)

In this picture taken on September 13, 2008 a Pakistani labourer stacks bananas being kept in increased quantities for the holy month of Ramadan in the storeroom of a fruit market in Islamabad, Pakistan. (FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP/Getty Images)

A boy sleeps in a mosque while waiting to break his fast on the first day of Ramadan in Makassar, Indonesia on September 1, 2008. (REUTERS/Yusuf Ahmad)

Source

Salam Lebaran

2008-09-18T02:56:00.010+12:00

Here are some proposed postcard designs for Eid.

Browser Wars

2008-09-12T08:09:00.010+12:00

For all of you who get excited about everything Google offers for free, be alerted about Google's newest browser, Chrome. Please do note that nothing in this world is free; if it is, then the truth is hidden behind the facade. Remember, one of Google's revenue stream is selling user data to corporates around the world.

The first blow came when Chrome's end user license agreement appeared to give Google a perpetual right to use anything one entered into the browser. Section 11 said that users retained the copyright to their works, but "by submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any content which you submit, post or display on or through, the services". Whew!

Stung by the outcry from the internet community, Google quickly said that it planned to soften the contract terms, which will retroactively apply to anyone who has already downloaded the browser.

There are also privacy concerns: what type of information does Google plan to store on its servers to provide the autosuggestion feature? Right now the company states that if users leave on the autosuggest feature in Chrome and have Google as their default search provider, they have the right to store any information typed in the Omnibox. This is the easiest way to build tech profiles of users, say experts, since what we search for defines who we are.

Google has clarified that it plans to store about 2% of all such data, along with the IP address of where the query was entered.

The browser war has begun in earnest. Microsoft’s recently released eighth avatar (beta) of IE made a big pitch for privacy. Firefox’s next version promises higher speed and other bonbons. Tech pundits say that it will be difficult to wean loyalists from IE, especially since the bulk of the users are regular, not-so-tech-savvy netizens. Mozilla’s Firefox (Google’s former pal) might be on a slippery slope, since it also uses an open source browser and appeals to the cool quotient.

As for Chrome, the jury is still out.

History in The Making

2008-09-11T09:25:00.014+12:00

The worlds largest particle accelerator also known as the Large Hadron Collider was switched on at 0830GMT yesterday approximately 100m below the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. In about 30 days time, the proton particles, or hadrons would have been accelerated by high tech superconducting electromagnets, to the equivalent distance of 27 kilometers, to achieve the estimated 99.99% the speed of light. All this, happening at sub-zero temperatures of minus 270 degrees Celsius or 3 Kelvin, which is close to absolute zero, automatically making it the coldest place in the universe.

The fundamental driving force of this $10 billion dollar experiment is to answer some of the most basic questions of life. What is the universe made of? According to Professor Trevor Kitson here in Massey University, this international project aims to prove the existence of dark matter, the same entity of what black holes are made of. He said that if this experiment succeeds, it will ultimately verify the super-symmetry theory, also known as susy. The susy theory claims that each object in the universe has an identical and symmetrical opposite, much like a pair.

"And of everything We have created in pairs: so that ye may receive instruction." (051:049)

The underlying basis of susy can be understood by the analogy of matter and anti-matter. Everything that is matter, has an equal but opposite anti-matter. In other terms, every amount of "something" has an equal amount of "nothing", and the 5000 scientists are there to observe the creation of that "nothing". An instant Nobel prize is awarded to any of the 5000 scientists who manage to prove the theory.

Professor Trevor Kitson says that only roughly 5% of the universe is visible to the naked eye, and this experiment would also try to validate the theoretical 11 dimensions, as opposed to 3, we live in. He also adds that all physicists are lunatics. (Trevor is a Professor in Organic Chemistry)

In my opinion, this experiment has already succeeded and the outcome of the experiment is irrelevant. This experiment, is in essence, asking a yes-no question. If the results are positive, it will confirm decades old theories that remained until now, merely theories. If the results are negative, it doesn't mean the project was a failure. All it means is we were wrong all along and Kak Nadiah can just as well flunk all her remaining exams and throw away 2 years of her degree in Physics. We have succeeded because we have asked the right question. The answer, doesn't matter. Either way, we have created history.

I recommend viewing this and this.

Ramadhan Health Guide

2008-09-09T05:19:00.006+12:00

Thank you to brother Zahid Hussain from Kansas for sharing this with me.

At the end of this article is a neatly compiled document talking about the positive effects of fasting carried out by millions of Muslims around the world during the holy month of Ramadhan.

This booklet talks about the benefits of fasting, advises the person who fasts to wisely choose the right food to consume, describes the physiological changes that occur in our body, provides tips from health care professionals.

Another use of this booklet I found is that it is convenient for us Muslims to educate our non Muslim friends and community members who would easily understand the benefits of fasting. Ultimately, it could be used for Da'wah.

This booklet is authorized by Surinder Sharma (a non Muslim), National Director, Equality and Human Rights, Department of Health, United Kingdom.

Thought I would share this booklet with you all. I highly recommend it. You can download the full PDF version here.

You Should Know This Man

2008-08-18T22:20:00.005+12:00

You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to any one of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your religious and political beliefs, personal and social habits, you must still know this man!

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numberless social and political reforms, established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent his teachings, and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and action for all times to come.

HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD, peace and blessings of Almighty God be upon him and he accomplished all these wonders in the unbelievably short span of twenty-three years.

Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him was born in Arabia on the 20th of August, in the year 570 of the Christian era, and when he died after 63 years, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had changed from paganism and idol-worship to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since!

The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him “the most successful of all religious personalities of the world”. Bernard Shaw said about him that if Muhammad were alive today he would succeed in solving all those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our times. Thomas Carlysle was simply amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.

Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time, as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. He was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these difficult departments of life.

The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields such as religious thought or military leadership. None of the other great leaders of the world ever combined in himself so many different qualities to such an amazing level of perfection as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him.

The lives and teachings of other great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and the place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity today to reconstruct accurately and precisely the lives and teachings of those men.

Not so this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. Not only was he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history, but every detail of his private and public life, of his actions and utterances, has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the information so preserved is vouched for not only by faithful followers but also by unbiased critics and open-minded scholars.

At the level of ideas there is no system of thought and belief-secular or religious, social or political-which could surpass or equal ISLAM- the system which Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him propounded. In a fast changing world, while other systems have undergone profound transformations, Islam alone has remained above all change and mutation, and retained its original form for the past 1400 years. What is more, the positive changes that are taking place in the world of human thought and behavior, truly and consistently reflect the healthy influence of Islam in these areas. Further, it is not given to the best of thinkers to put their ideas completely into practice, and to see the seeds of their labors grow and bear fruit, in their own lifetime. Except of course, Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, who not only preached the most wonderful ideas but also successfully translated each one of them into practice in his own lifetime. At the time of his death his teachings were not mere precepts and ideas straining for fulfillment, but had become the very core of the life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained individuals, each one of whom was a marvelous personification of everything that Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him taught and stood for. At what other time or place and in relation to what other political, social, religious system, philosophy or ideology-did the world ever witness such a perfectly amazing phenomenon?

Indeed no other system or ideology secular or religious, social or political, ancient or modern - could ever claim the distinction of having been put into practice in its fullness and entirety EVEN ONCE in this world, either before or after the death of its founder. Except of course ISLAM, the ideology preached by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him which was established as a complete way of life by the teacher himself, before he departed from this world. History bears testimony to this fact and the greatest skeptics have no option but to concede this point.

In spite of these amazing achievements and in spite of the countless absolutely convincing and authentic miracles performed by him and the phenomenal success which crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment claim to be God or God’s incarnation or Son - but only a human being who was chosen and ordained by God to be a teacher of truth to man kind and a complete model and pattern for their actions.

He was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble and exalted mission-and his unique mission was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE AND ONLY GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living in accordance with the laws and commands of God. He always described himself as A MESSENGER AND SERVANT OF GOD, and so indeed every single action and movement of his proclaimed him to be.

A world which has not hesitated to raise to Divinity individuals whose very lives and missions have been lost in legend and who historically speaking did not accomplish half as much-or even one tenth-as was accomplished by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him should stop to take serious note of this remarkable man’s claim to be God’s messenger to mankind.

Today after the lapse of some 1400 years the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. Today they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind’s many ills which they did when Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, was alive. This is our honest claim and this is the inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical and unbiased study of history.

The least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive, concerned human being is to stop for one brief moment and ask yourself: Could it be that these statements, extraordinary and revolutionary as they sound, are really true? Supposing they really are true, and you did not know this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him or hear about his teachings? Or did not know him well and intimately enough to be able to benefit from his guidance and example? Isn’t it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and made some effort to know him? It will not cost you anything but it may well prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.

Come, let us make a new discovery of the life of this wonderful man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him the like of whom never walked on this earth, and whose example and teachings can change YOUR LIFE and OUR WORLD for the better. May God shower His choicest blessings upon him!

Written by S.H. Pasha

Ten things people should know about Islam

2008-08-18T00:51:00.003+12:00

The purpose of this article is to help clear up some of the primary misconceptions about Islam, in the hope of promoting better understanding of this religion.

by Deborah Birkett

1. Allah is God. The great majority of the non-Muslims I meet believe that Allah is a kind of personal name for some kind of small-"g" god, perhaps like Jupiter or Vulcan (gods of the Roman pantheon). I've even heard people refer contemptuously to the God of Islam as a "desert god," as if Judaism and Christianity originated in Yankee Stadium or something. The fact is that Allah is simply a compound word made from the Arabic words al (the) and lah, (god): the God. Monotheism -- the belief in a single, supreme, divine creator -- is the central and most important aspect of Islam. (And it's pronounced uh-LAH, not "Al, uh?") Even most English translations of the Qur'an I've seen do not translate the word. I believe it is really problematic and misleading not to translate such a key word for which there is an exact English equivalent.

Along these lines, I've taken several Muslims to task for using the Arabic term for God when they're speaking in English: all it does it serve to confuse those for whom it's never been made clear that Allah is the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians. Muslims may differ on various points with Jews and Christians, but this is not one of them. You'd never know, though, from the way these groups act with each other much of the time, that they each hold dear the same belief in the God of Abraham, Moses, and of Jesus (for Christians and Muslims) and, for Muslims, of Muhammad. (Muslims accept all the prophets prior to Muhammad, including Jesus. More on Jesus shortly.)

2. The biggest sin is Islam is shirk: "associating partners with God." Shirk may be generally defined as polytheism, but also includes such things as the Christian concept of a triune God, or the worshipping of anything other than God, whether it's a human being, any natural/human creation or phenomenon. This tends to create quite a theological abyss between Muslims and polytheists, but also with Christians and certain other religious groups.

You can imagine from this that expressions such as "Holy Mother of God!" give most observant Muslims the theological willies.

3. Muslims don't believe that Jesus was the son of God. As mentioned in #1, Muslims accept Jesus (in Arabic, "Isa") as a prophet, and an extremely important one at that. Following from #2, however, they do not accept the Christian belief that Jesus was the son of God (literally or metaphorically), although they do believe he is the son of Mary (in Arabic, "Maryam"). They further believe that at the time of the Crucifixion, another man was substituted for Jesus and made to look like him. Jesus was then raised up, "body and soul" by God into heaven.

This is probably the most significant point of difference between Christians and Muslims. Some Christian theologians and clergy believe that Christians err by placing too much emphasis on Jesus and elevating him to God's level, but that's an argument for another time and place.

4. Muslims don't worship the Prophet Muhammad. This naturally follows from #2, but, I suspect because of the extreme emphasis on Jesus in much of Christian practice, many assume that Islam parallels this with Muhammad and Muslims. While the Prophet is considered by Muslims to have been the human being with the best character, he is still regarded as a human being, albeit an exceptional one. And while he is regarded as the final prophet of God, he is not the only one. He does not have divine status, although Muslims hold him in the highest regard and are expected and encouraged to try to emulate his habits and characteristics, those being of the highest quality.

Muslims were for years incorrectly referred to as Mohammedans (spelled variously). This has generally become archaic, but you still see it now and then. It's actually profoundly offensive, since it implies shirk. (And while we're on it, it's Muslim, not Moslem, and Qur'an or Quran, not Koran.)

5. Translations of the Qur'an are not the Qur'an. It's well-known that something is always lost in translation. For those English speakers who don't ever expect to read the Bible in Hebrew, Aramaic, and whatever other languages in which its component texts originally appeared, it seems to be accepted that translations of the Bible are all more or less equally valid, although one may have a preferred translation. But only the Qur'an in its original Arabic is considered to be the Qur'an; translations are treated with great respect but are simply not equally valid. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (who was completely illiterate) by God through the angel Jibril (Gabriel). Muhammad memorized the passages as they were revealed and recited them and shared them with his family and followers. Pre-Islamic Arab culture was predominantly oral, and others ultimately learned and memorized the entire Qur'an; it was not completely written down until after the Prophet's death.

There have been many, many translations over the 1400-odd years since it was first written down; plenty of them are bad -- a few of them deliberately so in order to discredit Islam. Many poor translations offer little more than the bias and ignorance of the translator. But it's imperative to remember that any translation is at best an approximation, and it can be very dangerous to make sweeping judgments based on translated verses, especially in isolation.

6. Not all Muslims are Arabs; not all Arabs are Muslims. There seems to be widespread confusion about this. I suppose that, on some level, it's understandable: the Qur'an was revealed to an Arab speaker in Arabia, and two of Islam's holiest sites (the Holy Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah) are in what is now Saudi Arabia. But Arab people live in many countries, not just Saudi Arabia, and subscribe to many different religions, not just Islam: Christianity, Judaism, and Druze among them. The most populous Muslim country in the world is not even an Arab country: it's Indonesia. Only about twelve percent of the world's Muslims are Arabs. Muslims are nationals of many countries, from India to Sweden to Australia. Anyone who wants to can convert to Islam, and it's actually only a minority of Muslims who are also of Arab heritage. Also, not all Arab customs are Muslim. All Muslims do not speak Arabic, although prayers are to be said in Arabic, and Muslims are encouraged to learn to read Arabic so that they can understand the Qur'an. And while I would really, really like to believe this doesn't even need to be said, recent events have proved me wrong: not everyone with brown skin or wearing a turban is a Muslim or an Arab.

7. Culture is not religion. So much of the oppression and misogyny (female illiteracy, "honor" killing, female genital mutilation, forced marriages, physical abuse, etc.) we hear about in quasi- and pseudo-Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran stems from patriarchal cultural customs and baggage and not from Islam, although it's always "justified" sixty ways to Sunday with supposed religious dictates and self-serving interpretations of scripture.

If any of these countries actually thoroughly implemented Islam as intended and honored the spirit as well as the letter of the "law," women, for example, would not only have far more rights and freedoms than they currently do in any of these countries, but the behavior of men and the actions of governments would have to change so radically that you would probably not recognize these countries at all. Islamic concepts and requirements are that different from how these countries currently operate.

8. Islam is not a monolith. It is a large, widespread, rich, and complex religion, with an extremely intricate and sometimes enigmatic scripture, and an estimated 1.2 billion followers worldwide. There is overwhelming diversity within the Islamic world, beginning with the major Islamic subgroups: Sunni Muslims (accounting for around 85-90% of Muslims), Shi'ite Muslims, Sufis, Ismailis, and other small splinter groups. Within these groups there are schools of legal thought; there are four major ones within Sunni Islam alone. Muslims might be born into the religion or convert to it, and this contributes to the diversity within its adherents. It's absolutely essential not to see any one Muslim, genuine or otherwise, as representative of all Muslims.

The very diversity of Muslims worldwide is one reason the annual pilgrimage (hajj) to Makkah, the birthplace of Islam, is so compelling: every year for over fourteen hundred years, millions of Muslims have united for a few days, putting aside all differences of race, ethnic background, class, gender and language, to participate in a ritual established by the Prophet Muhammad.

9. Jihad does not mean "holy war." This has to be one of the most damaging, most persistent myths about Islam. The Western media have helped perpetuate this, but there are plenty of benighted Muslims who insist on misapprehending and incorrectly using this term. Jihad, (which comes from the Arabic root word jahada, meaning "to toil, to exert oneself, to strive for a better way of life") is correctly translated as "struggle" or "endeavour," and can easily apply to such things as a student working to earn a medical degree or a group of people raising money to build a mosque. It can apply to the struggle to control one's temper, or to learn to read and write. It encompasses the idea of struggling or fighting for good or against evil, but that does not necessarily mean with violence, and it certainly does not mean that any crackpot claiming to be Muslim and waving a Qur'an around can decide who is good and who is evil, and start killing people.

There are certain extreme circumstances under which the notion of jihad might encompass aggression or armed conflict, but these are only to be engaged in as a last resort, when all legal, political, economic, social, and diplomatic attempts to defend Muslims and their right to worship, or to combat other severe oppression (and not only against Muslims), have failed. Any kind of military action is, at best, a subset of the concept of jihad. In fact, there is a well-known Islamic saying indicating that any kind of military conflict is the "minor jihad"; the "major jihad" is the struggle to control and improve oneself. Some of the passages in the Qur'an describing battle and aggression (the passages militants often quote out of context to support their agendas) are narrating actual historical events, not advising them as a course of action or a religious duty. They are also offset by many other passages enjoining peace, mercy, goodness, tolerance, patience, forgiveness, compassion, restrictions in warfare, etc. It seems the bin Ladens and "Muslim" militants of the world just haven't gotten to those parts of the Qur'an yet.

10. Islam does not promote, sponsor, condone or encourage terrorism or murder. The smear campaign against Islam (during the twentieth century in particular) has been extremely thorough and successful.

The Revolution Has Begun

2008-08-13T07:38:00.006+12:00

I will begin by saying you must watch the following video..

I know a revolution when I see one, and this my friends, is the next big thing. If these are embedded within newer technology (and trust me it will, give or take 2 years) it will make the Plasma Screen-slash-HDTV breakthrough look like nada.

To put into perspective of how groundbreaking this discovery is, ask yourself this: Remember the birth of the mobile phone 10 years ago? Its bigger than that.

You are witnessing the dawn of things like 3D TV, 3D gaming, interactive learning, customizable displays, and the possibilities are endless. For you futurists out there, my bet is, expect to see real time 3D movies in 3 years (tops).

Oh, and I don't think Nintendo ever saw this coming! (but they conveniently nicknamed the the Wii prototype the Revolution)

..it all began with the Wii.

PS: WiimoteWhiteboard software is open source and can be downloaded free from Johnny Lee's blog here. Now all I need is a Wiimote.

Pure Ecstasy

2008-07-14T12:42:00.005+12:00

The following clip won the best video themed "The Road to Bersatu" at the Bersatu Games 2008 dinner and closing ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand.

I hope they will never forget this video, as I will never forget making it. Inspired by Matt Harding.

What's in a friend?

2008-06-02T21:38:00.001+12:00

Define 'friend'. Five years ago, it wouldn't have been as complicated as I believe it is today. Nowadays describing this term has become a daunting task, what with the advent of the internet, social networking sites and instant messaging. This term has been abused, causing its value to decline and making the correct definition very vague.

The oxford dictionary defines a friend as 1. a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations 2. a familiar or helpful thing 3. a person who supports a particular cause or organization.

Sounds simple enough. Straightforward and to the point, right? So when you receive the email "XYZ added you as a friend on Facebook", there shouldn't be any problems.

Recently I logged into my Facebook profile and this is what I saw:

Blardy hell, where did all these 'friends' come from? Don't get me started on Friendster. It was almost double that.

So I checked out the 21 friend requests and it turns out I don't know any of them. Yeah sure some of them were mates from high school or met once or never before, but none of them actually know me. I'm not trying to act all cocky and decline them, but I refuse to let them into my circle of friends just so that I can be a statistic on their profile.

This is where the problem with defining 'friend' comes in. Do you accept somebody's request when you have never personally met them yet have 30 friends in common? Or you went to the same school but barely know their real name? I'm sorry, but if memory serves me right, none of these friend descriptions fall into any of the categories explained above.

Just explain this: I have a 'friend' who claims to be 'friends' with Siti Nurhaliza, Lee Chong Wei, Kenny Sia, Afdlin Shauki and Jeff Ooi. But only through Facebook, and he hardly ever leaves his room. Go figure.

I think the root of the problem lies within the competitive nature of many people. Like I said before this is like some kind of popularity contest where the popularity meter is gauged by the number of 'friends' you have on your profile. I hate this trend, but it seems inevitable. I also hate having to categorise friends based on how close you are, but this may be the only solution. Next time I might want to receive an email like "XYZ added you as an acquaintance on Facebook".

Signed, sealed, delivered.

For future reference

2008-05-30T09:24:00.004+12:00

There are some video's I would like to share with my future self. So that one day when i'm older i'd look at this post and know I had taste. This is a song worth listening to. For all you Coldplayers out there, this is Coldplay's newest single, Viva La Vida:

This is the trailer to best movie I never watched. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", based on a novel and a true story, I recommend anyone and everyone to watch it, especially if Hollywood is beginning to be cliché, IMDb rates it 8.2. Also goes by the title "Le Scaphandre et le papillon":

I think live looping is cool. A man can be his own orchestra. Oh, the powers of technology. Watch this video if you don't know what live looping is. None of it was prerecorded, and this technique is becoming a trend. Thanks to my sister for this:

And finally, the rapper Jay Z defines as "a breath of fresh air". This is Lupe Fiasco, the Muslim singer cum songwriter who claims he doesn't go to clubs, doesn't drink and doesn't smoke. I personally like his other song American Terrorist, but here is Muhammad Walks (PBUH) by Lupe Fiasco.

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Video Della Casa

2008-05-21T03:11:00.002+12:00

I made this video a few months ago while I was back in Malaysia for the summer break. How I dreaded those traffic jams and red lights. Now, I'd give anything to have them back. They say, you can take the boy out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the boy. I miss home!

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Spotted: On a minivan.

2008-05-01T04:43:00.001+12:00

I suppose they couldn't afford an alarm system, so they put a German Sheppard in the car.

Malaysian Dreamgirl

2008-04-28T04:07:00.001+12:00

It's not like me to be posting a topic of this nature, but cut me some slack, I am a guy after all. Ten intense weeks have passed and Malaysian Dreamgirl has finally come down to 3 contestants. The finalists being rooted:

Cindy

Adeline

Hanis

And a short promo for Yunalis from Subang:

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Updates

2008-04-23T07:49:00.003+12:00

Just some personal updates.

I got bored with the nasi-putih-campur-lauk-ayam routine, so I tried to bake some cookies for a change. Tried to. This is how they turned out.

There were more cookies, but don't ask me how the previous ones turned out. Hint: Oven to bin.

Note to self, I seriously have to vary my cooking more.

Ummi just got back from Indonesia with Abah. I presume they had fun. Oh and Mother's Day is around the corner. I want to do something special for Ummi, but I'm lost. So I need suggestions ay-sap.

Also, congrats to my sis who scored in her finals.

-Photo removed by Editor-

Somebody wanted to see the housemate of mine who recently embraced Islam. I can't remember who, so I'm just putting up his photo here incase he/she is reading. His name is Kaseem, but we still call him Ken because old habits die hard. Ken was his name before he became a Mualaf.

And lastly, here's a JPEG of the badminton tourney poster I designed. Amacam?

Signed, sealed, delivered.

What Would You Do?

2008-04-21T07:44:00.001+12:00

I wonder what it would be like for me to be a female Muslim. How would I dress? Would I wear the hijab? Would I observe my religion strictly? It's hard enough being a Muslim male, always having to explain the meaning of halal to every restaurant owner, butcher and shopkeeper here in New Zealand. I didn't realise how difficult it was for a Muslim woman to live in a non-Muslim majority country. Not many people know what they experience, even for a Muslim male like me. Head-scarf clad women truly are the flag bearers of Islam. Unlike the men, they have to wear their religion constantly. Muslim women everywhere should be proud of themselves.

This video also got me thinking: What would I do if I saw an injustice toward a Jew?

Video can be found via webcast on ABC Primetime.

KL Freeze in Unison

2008-04-10T01:18:00.002+12:00

I was going to comment on the Arsenal vs Liverpool game, but Shah had beaten me to it. So instead I decided to promote Improv Everywhere's KL Freeze in Unison:

KL Freeze in Unison. 2.30pm. Sunday 13th April.
Where human beings get together to do something in unison, without speeches or reference to their age, colour, sex, beliefs and background.

They did it in London. Also in New York City.

And we’re doing it in the heart of Kuala Lumpur!

*Latest update on Facebook. 504 Attending, 1047 Maybe Attending, 7676 Awaiting Reply.

Organised by RandomAlphabets.com and 3 Facebook groups
1. United Colours of Malaysia - The 1+2 Campaign
2. Improv Malaysia
3. Malaysia: Travel Affairs

Freeze is a ’mission’ introduced by Improv Everywhere. Those participating will go to a certain location (Freeze Point) and freeze for a few minutes. Just like in the YouTube videos. That is all you do.

If you don’t understand that, then I hope you are not a registered voter.

We will meet at our Gathering Point 2.30pm (a location near our Freeze Point) for time synchronization and a quick briefing. Because this rooted from an international movement, you have to be punctual. Seriously.

Location for our Gathering Point will be revealed at 11pm on 11th April. It will be revealed on this event page, http://RandomAlphabets.com/ and private message only to those Attending and Maybe Attending.

It has to remain a secret till then. Has to. Or all will fail and the Ring won’t make it to Mordor.

Don’t worry. It will be a place conveniently accessible by public transport. Bus, train, taxi and penyapu terbang.

Here's the video from NYC's Grand Central Station:

Signed, sealed, delivered.

The Sufiah Yusof Issue

2008-04-09T05:56:00.005+12:00

I admit that when Odd and Syadah brought up the Sufiah Yusof aka Shilpa Lee controversy that resurfaced a few days ago, I didn't have the faintest idea on what they were talking about. The news didn't make such an impact here in New Zealand as opposed to back home in Malaysia. However, after Googling "Sufiah Yusof" suddenly the name struck a chord and my jaw dropped in disbelief.

It was undeniably shocking reading the first ten or so articles about her. I remember reading her story years ago and that made me feel connected to her in a way as if she was a long lost friend. It was appalling to read her tragic story and many people were either sad, angry or both at the fact that something like this could happen. Like me, they too felt strongly about this matter. Already, people were pointing fingers at someone to blame while others were rallying to offer her help.

As for me, my head was piling up with unanswered questions. I just could not comprehend the fact that a maths "prodigy" has turned into a dishonourable prostitute. Even after reading numerous articles online, there was something that all the websites I came across had missing. Her side of the story. There was nothing that came from her. No confession. No defence. No comment. Nothing. It was either her father, her brother, her ex-husband or her friends speaking. So I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and wait until I could hear what she had to say before judging or condemning her. That's when I found this:

WARNING: This video contains graphic content and partial nudity. If you are a minor or easily offended, do not watch this video.

Here's my two cents. What she is doing is nothing new or unheard of in this present day, even for Muslims and even in Malaysia. My question is, why is this any different from what is going on in our own country? We Malaysians are making such a big commotion out of the whole issue and we fail to realise that these immoral acts have long been operating in our own backyard. This is simply a case of "kera di hutan disusukan, anak di rumah kelaparan".

I'm sure many would disagree and argue that she is different because she is a "genius" and losing her brains would be a grave loss. Muslims, be reminded that we are all equal in the eyes of God, and the only thing that distinguishes us is Taqwa (fear of God). In my opinion, we should help those who want to be helped, first. Why put urgency on her? To the extent of appointing Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim to lead the "misi menyelamatkan Sufiah". By doing this, the Malaysian Government have clearly demonstrated to the nation where their priorities lay.

Put yourself in her shoes. Would you want somebody knocking on your door telling you, you needed to be "saved"? Now put yourself in the shoes of a lowly prostitute on the streets of KL desperate to make a living and put food on the table. How would you feel knowing that the government decided she needed help more than you did? What Sufiah is doing is between her and God, the Almighty judge. Her actions affect only her and her loved ones, nobody else. Yes, she is a heartbreaker, but it ends there.

What we can and should do is make du'a for her and pray that she receives hidayah. InsyaAllah one day she will realise that what she is doing is wrong and find the true path. There are countless stories in Islam whereby persons have shifted from one extreme to another, Umar al-Khattab being of good example. God will help those who help themselves. Even if she no longer wants to contribute to society with her knowledge, what have we Malaysians got to lose? We have Adi Putra.

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Enter Post Title Here

2008-04-02T01:52:00.002+13:00

This is stupid. I have a zillion things to blog about. New experiences, feelings and thoughts. Yet expressing myself in words doesn't satisfy me. My words don't represent what I am thinking or feeling at all. I can't seem to verbalize and pen down my thoughts as they are. I write something and end up deleting everything. Sure it's normal one time, but it get's frustratingly annoying the tenth time. I have one too many unpublished drafts. Just like those people who write unsent letters, I have that syndrome too. So I came up with an idea. Instead of me figuring out the right words for all my posts, I just tell you what I intended to post about. Then the rest is up to you to figure out. You catch my drift? So here goes my list of unpublished drafts:

1. The one about me having to wear spectacles.

2. My super duper awesome trip to Bali.

3. The death of my junior, arwah Mohd Faizal bin Ahmad Kamil.

4. Arsenal losing top spot in the Premier League.

5. The haunted corn maze.

6. Maulidur Rasul on Good Friday.

7. My North Island tour of New Zealand.

This included tobogganing the sand dunes of Te Paki.

And quad biking the plains of Paihia.

Plus rafting the rapids of Kaituna.

Those aren't everything but they top the list. Does anybody have any other ideas on how else to better express myself? Maybe I need to start a band. Maybe I should call the band "I Started This Band To Express Myself" and write a song called "I Wrote This Song To Express My Thoughts". Maybe I need to snap more photo's. Maybe I need to make a movie. Ah yes, maybe I need to make a movie.

That thing there is the tip of New Zealand. Cape Reinga, served on a silver platter.

The main problem I have is I tend be wary of what I write. I have this conscience constantly breathing down my neck asking me "What if people don't like what you think?". So then I delete what I personally think and end up writing what other people think. That way I would gain acceptance.

I have got to get rid of that stupid voice and stop deleting everything I write. I think I need to pledge something to mark this significance. From now onwards, I vow to myself to never ever press the delete (or backspace) button until I have hit the publish button. Mark my words. ~~Nevre~~ Never! (Dammit)

PS: Today I fell for an April fool joke courtesy of John. I would have skinned him alive if he weren't miles away by the time I figured it out.

PPS: Today also Iman sent me this photo from India via Yahoo! Messenger.

Before I end, I just want to say Odd has a new blog, so be sure to check it out.

I will end this post with the following verse from the Holy Quran:

"Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say: "We are Christians:" because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant."

(005:082)

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Storytelling Rediscovered

2008-03-20T01:40:00.005+13:00

I have been using this piece of technological marvel for the past 2 weeks now and I have to say it's a real delight. The screen is pure eye candy and the plethora of functions it houses is impressive. It's an instrument of art that's aesthetically pleasing in all departments. Low and behold, the Nokia N82:

Testing the A-GPS function indoors. For best homing results, a clear line-of-sight with the sky is needed.

It was accurate to within 3 meters. This is Tararua Hall and the dot shows Hanning's room just next door.

Here's the N82 ad:

The People Have Spoken

2008-03-08T18:40:00.004+13:00

A new dawn for Malaysia has arrived and a new chapter in Malaysian history was opened as the National Front suffered a major shock defeat in what was to some, the most nail-biting and nerve-wrecking General Elections to date. Barisan Nasional (BN) triumphed in 7 states while Barisan Alternatif (BA) swept 5 others, namely Selangor, Penang, Kedah, ~~Terengganu~~ Kelantan, and Perak (in no particular order). This was a horrific outcome from BN's point of view; one of the worst losses in history as big names like Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil became casualties to relatively political newcomers.

I am especially happy for Nurul Izzah Anwar since I have been following her progress via the internet for some time. This was big news to me when I clicked on MalaysiaKini.com and the lines "Nurul Izzah set to create upset" appeared onscreen. My jaw dropped when I saw who she was contending with. My jaw dropped further when Selangor was officially announced a non-BN state. Whoa.

MalaysiaKini.com was one of the many websites I visited for minute-by-minute updates, as with many other people residing outside of Malaysia. That probably explained the flooding traffic which caused the long loading times. This happened even after stripping down all graphical content and bandwidth intensive objects from the site!

I too felt the tension some few thousand kilometres away. It was as if I was right there in Malaysia. Never before have I sat in front of my PC hitting F5 on one website for close to four hours screaming and shouting for joy at mere text! (This does not include the times when Arsenal's game is not broadcasted on Sky Sports or ESPN.)

Texts started pouring into my phone inbox from my colleagues in Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand as soon as the first few results aired. My Yahoo! Messenger had to be logged off due to false rumours spreading and spamming of election results. One of them said something along the lines of "PAS menang besar! Alhamdulillah, akhirnya bulan sampai juga di Tanah Jelapang Padi! Takbir! Allahuakbar!" I could almost hear him screaming into my ears.

It is time for change now after the defining moment in front of the ballot box is all said and done. Many promises have been made, and many should be kept. We all want a transparent government that can be held accountable by its people and ruled by law. We want a government that recognizes all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion as a nation of one. We shall see how things turn up, for when the next election comes around and my government needs a vote, be sure that I'll be casting mine.

In my last post, Odd asked me why I had stopped writing. This one's for you, Odd. Hopefully you get to read this before your flight tonight.

Y! for Vista

2008-03-05T01:24:00.002+13:00

Busy as a Bee

2008-02-29T19:10:00.003+13:00

Macro Mode

2008-02-18T02:58:00.002+13:00

Sports Stars or Stars of Islam

2008-02-13T02:58:00.000+13:00

By Abul Maati Zaki

Sport plays a prominent role in society. But more often than not it is the personalities that feature decisively in the lives of the spectators. In that case they can either be a good influence or bad one.

A few days ago, soccer star Lamin Conte of Wahda Club in the United Arab Emirates embraced Islam. He said: “What pushed me to Islam is the gathering of players at one particular time to perform prayers, and the way the players and club officials have treated me. I was encouraged to ask for some books in English about Islam from my colleagues, Adil Matar and Ibrahim Saif. This helped improve the picture the West has drawn about Islam in my mind. I was also aware of the behaviour of my Senegalese colleague Bori Lah.”

Conte of Sierra Leone, who is now called Mohammad, said that footballers and sports personalities take on a great responsibility in refuting the charges that the Western media has directed at Islam.

Like Mohammad Conte, Egyptian Ahli club player Felix Abouagi of Ghana was excited when he saw his colleagues fasting during Ramadan and playing on the pitch with the same seriousness, and without complaining of inadequate nutrition. He said that what drew his attention to Islam was “the prostration of thanks” some players did when they scored goals.

The Ghanaian player embraced Islam, has named himself Ahmed and is now the proud father of Ashraf. Abouagi and his football colleagues are regular prayers at a well-known mosque in Dokki. He admits that at first, he was surprised when he saw people praying in rows and sitting on the ground when praying in the street.

Then there is Mohammad Rashwan, the renowned Egyptian Olympic star. In the final match of heavyweight judo competition at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, he declined to take advantage of his competitor’s knee injury (the Japanese, Yamishitta) by avoiding kicking him on that knee. The Japanese hero won the gold medal, while Rashwan received only silver. Yamishitta kissed the Egyptian player, held his hand high and toured him around the hall where spectators shouted “Mohammad, Mohammad.” Regarded as the best judo player ever, he still hailed Rashwan’s upright character and invited him to visit Japan. There, the Egyptian player found how the Japanese welcomed and appreciated him. He married a Japanese woman after she embraced Islam. Moreover, the Japanese began to read about Islam after they noticed Mohammad’s behaviour. A large number of them embraced Islam because of the player’s good example.

Brazilian coach of the Moroccan royal army club, Fouzi Faria, who led the Moroccan squad to the finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, was impressed by the behaviour of some of his team players who insisted on performing their prayers on time and refused to eat in Ramadan. Fouze was surprised because despite their thirst and hunger, they were the most disciplined on the field, the best in terms of behaviour and enjoyed their colleagues’ love and appreciation. Asking one of them what the secret was, the player replied: “I try to abide by the rulings of Islam because our religion is based on good treatment.” The Brazilian coach read a lot about Islam before he converted to Islam and called himself al-Mahdi.

In some cases it is when sports personalities speak that they draw attention. Ahmed Hassan, football champion of the Egypt squad, Kugali club in Turkey and formerly of Ismalia Club, was asked about his ambitions in life. He replied: “I wish that my behaviour, the pattern of my life and my duties take me to heaven.” This came in an interview by a prominent sports magazine. This reply, for sure, will raise the interest of many youths. Let’s hope that his reply will be a model example to many who already regard football personalities as their mentors.

In other parts of the Arab world, attention is drawn to teams gathering before matches to recite the Holy Quran and pray to God to give them success in the match. The replay by international sports channels of a goal scored by Saudi player Said al-Uwayran in his country’s match against Belgium in the 1994 World Cup in the United States, may place in the mind of spectators a picture of Saudi Arabia as a country containing Islamic shrines. Although others may think of it as an oil-rich state and not much else, the general conception from this image can leave one not normally presented by the media. This is similar to Iran’s win against the USA in the 1998 World Cup in France, when politicians claimed that achieving victory with America in other fields is also possible.

Ali and Islam
We can probably say that heavyweight boxer Mohamed Ali Clay has been a great ambassador to Islam. He was elected by different sports and media organizations as the best sportsman in the 20th century. The famous boxer actually converted to Islam while he was under the eyes of the world winning fights throughout the early part of his career. Activities other than boxing were also witnessed by the world: his support for the spread of Islam in America and out with it, his visits and activities at Islamic centers in different states, raising funds for these centers and support to poor communities.

The world loved Mohammad Ali, as the world’s heavyweight champion developed boxing from a violent sport to an artistic one. He would ‘float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.’ But the world expresses its sympathy with Ali, who now suffers from Parkinson Disease and unfortunately due to boxing. His name alone conjures up in the minds of many the obvious question: Why did Ali convert to Islam?

Egyptian swimmer Rania Elwani, who trained in the United States for five years, said she was much impressed by the people’s interest in Islam. “ I performed prayers before quitting swimming and wearing hijab,” she said. Elwani continues to say that she entered into several debates on Islam including accusations against it, of which the ugliest is that it is a religion that calls for killing, terrorism and destruction of civilization. But the search by some Americans for the truth has lead them eventually to embrace Islam and preach it.

British Muslim boxer Nassim Hamid, who often prostrates to thank God after winning fights, also shows a similarity to Mohammad Ali. Common practice is that the winning boxer jumps up for joy or is carried by his supporters. But Nassim Hamid, the world’s lightweight champion who always wins by a knockout, draws much interest by his prostration of thanks.

Impact of Names
A number of sports personalities affect spectator’s perception simply by their Arabic names, like Mohammad, Mustafa, Ali, Hassan or Noreddin.

In German football league matches, Turkish-born player Mohammad Shul, star of the German league and one of the top five clubs in footballing history (Bayern Munich) performs well. His name certainly draws the interest of German people, especially since he is a star of the German national team and is polite on the field. He enjoys wide popularity. The name Mohammad is a symbol of Islam, and this player’s behaviour is a symbol of the religion.

A colleague of Shul in Bayern Munich is Bosnian Muslim player Hassan Saleh Hamiditch, who has drawn sympathy from the German people towards his fellow countrymen during the war with Serbia. His name is a symbol for football fans worldwide who follow the European league. He raises in the spectator’s mind the oppression of Muslim minorities in Europe.

Zein al-Din Zeidan, star of the French squad and Italian club Juventus, who is of Algerian origin, influenced the issue of illegal immigrants in France and policies adopted by the right to deport Arabs and immigrants from France. Zein al-Din, the French people’s most-loved-person, was instrumental in changing this policy. The slogan ‘France for all,’ and ‘France is the melting pot of all cultures,’ was voiced, despite the fact that Zein al-Din himself may not have an inkling what is going on in Arab countries. But his name alone is a symbol that Arabs and Muslims have a unique potential.

The name of his countryman Ali bin Arbia, star of Paris Saint Germain club, remains a symbol to Islam. This name is repeated daily to football fans in France and Europe. He is a focus in the media because of his abilities as a striker. The name of his fellow citizen, Rabbah Mager, star of the Portuguese Porto club, is repeated in European championships because of his goals. The same applies to Moroccan player Mustafa Haji, who plays for English club Coventry City. He is a distinguished player and plays for his country’s national team. He won the title of Africa’s Best Sportsman in 1998. This name, Mustafa, raises in the mind of spectators and readers a modified picture of Islam.

The African footballer, Ismail Coibali of Mali, who plays for the German club Freiburg, indicates to spectators that Islam is a universal religion. Some Muslim sports persons who refuse to drink alcohol, be pictured naked or insist on fasting are considered interesting personalities to their colleagues and fans.

Taking an interest in political causes
The presence of Arab players in European clubs sometimes draws attention towards the Arab-Israeli struggle. For example, players of the Belgian club “FC Bruges” were surprised by the captivation of the Israeli media of their Egyptian goalkeeper Nadir al-Sayed. He was asked his opinion on the issue and he replied by claiming his undivided support to the Palestinians. They were interested by al-Sayed performing Asr prayer on the pitch during halftime in their European league match.

Egyptian footballer Hani Ramzi passed through a similar situation four years ago. He was playing for German club Verder Bremn, which traveled to Israel to play a European league match. He was followed by television cameras to ask about the oppression of Christians in Egypt. He replied: “Don’t think that what you do against the Palestinians we face in Egypt because of religion. In Egypt, Muslims and Christians live in harmony and refuse to accept the ugly massacres you carry out against our brothers in Palestine.” He added, “Egyptian Christians will only enter Palestine with Muslims after liberating al-Aqsa mosque.”

Reactions like those of Hani Ramzi and Nadir al-Sayed have caused a stir in Belgian and German media. They also refute the accusation that Copts are oppressed in Egypt and show the insistence by Arabs, Muslims and Christians on liberating Palestine from the desecration of the Israelis.

Sports personalities who are followed by children, youths and adults can affect peoples’ attitudes negatively or positively through their behaviour. Those personalities should recognize this role.

The Iranian national football team offered a positive sporting example on Islam and Iran after the Islamic Revolution through the behaviour of its players who offered gifts to their American competitors during their encounter in the world cup.

Sports personalities certainly have an influence. One hopes that they use it for the good of Muslims, the spread of Islam and winning European and American public opinion in support of Muslim and Arab rights? Sports personalities should have a positive impact.

Hi, Im from Facebook.

2008-01-31T09:28:00.001+13:00

I despise Facebook. This enormously successful business describes itself as "a social utility that connects you with the people around you". But hang on, why on God's earth would I need a computer to connect with the people around me? Why should my relationships be mediated through the imagination of a bunch of supergeeks?

Does Facebook really connect people? Doesn't it rather disconnect us, since instead of doing something enjoyable such as talking and eating and dancing and drinking with friends, we are merely sending little notes and amusing photos in cyberspace, while chained to our desks? Picture this: A kid spending a Saturday night at home alone on Facebook, drinking at his desk. What a gloomy image. Far from connecting us, Facebook actually isolates us at our workstations.

Facebook appeals to a kind of vanity in us too. Put up a flattering picture of yourself, a list of your favourite things and voila, you can construct an artificial representation of who you are in order to get approval from your friends. It also encourages a disturbing competitiveness around friendship; it seems that with friends today, quality counts for nothing and quantity is king. The more friends you have, the better you are. You are "popular". Just check out the new Facebook magazine: "How To Double Your Friends List."

Now, don't get me started on people privacy. Do Facebook users ever actually read the privacy policy? If you read it, you will find that you actually don't have much privacy. Go ahead and view that profile page of your not-so-distant-friend and instantly 300 of your other friends are notified. And then yes, there's the smart Pepsi ads that target specific audiences who previously declared their love of the soda. It's making innocent Facebook users the target of marketing campaigns by collecting data about the users. The same data that is supposed to be used for finding people with similar interests.

This global cyber republic with a population of 59 million is essentially, a virtual country that has surpassed the population of our very own nation. At its current growth rate of 2 million immigrants per week, it won't be long until it will surpass China's.

So, have you repented yet? Do I still need to pry you away from that dreaded website? Or you still think you're not an online social networking site victim? Do yourself a favour. Retreat from the whole thing, remain as unplugged as possible, and spend the time you save by not going on Facebook doing something useful, such as reading books. Reconnect with nature. (Damn you air-cond!) And if you want to connect with the people around you, revert to an old piece of technology. It's free, it's easy and it delivers a uniquely individual experience in sharing information: it's called talking.

Departed

2008-01-28T05:38:00.000+13:00

Benazir Bhuto dies of suicide bombing; Christopher Fernando dies of heart attack; Heath Ledger dies of drug overdose; Megat Junid dies of prostate cancer; Suharto dies of multiple organ failure.

We all know we will face death sooner or later, but sometimes we need reminders to tell us that our time could be soon and that this fact is very real. Nobody having premonitions on a plane is going to warn you that you are next.

Just some food for thought.

I just got off the phone with my cousins and favorite aunt Chu, who called from the States. We talked for quite a bit; a little over an hour I think. You see, after I got back from New Zealand for my summer holidays, I was informed by Ummi and my sister that Chu had a health related problem. Being away from my family for 10 months, naturally I was the last to find out. Chu was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo surgery. The news was a big deal to me but being the "emotionless" person that I am, I took it coolly.

Alhamdulillah, the operation was a success and she can now go home to be with her family in Memphis. She now has to go for radio therapy daily and go for follow-ups with her doctor. However, judging from the jokes she kept cracking, she was already in good health and for that I am grateful. In times like these she can be so selfless and put a smile on my face, something not many people can do, especially over the phone. I'm happy for the phone call Chu, it was much needed. May God grant you the best of health, insyaAllah.

Step aside iPhone

2008-01-24T05:55:00.001+13:00

I've recently had the privilege of reviewing the latest addition to the Nokia Communicator series, nicknamed the Nokia E90. It's got a host of features you would only dream of having on a cellphone; assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) being the most appealing in my opinion. After trying out most of the phone's bells and whistles, I can safely say that this cellphone has everything, including the kitchen sink.

Sure it's not exactly an Apple iPhone (ok it's not at all an iPhone) but it's exterior finish is elegant, classy and streamlined to say the least. Everything on the surface is flush, a much improved design compared to it's predecessors. If the iPhone is sleek and sexy, this handheld is purely style and substance. Indeed the iPhone was and is a much anticipated must-have, but it never really lived up to it's expectations. I guess all the hype backfired on Apple. Where the iPhone falls short in features, this phone kicks ass. Major ass.

We're talking dual TFT screens (both 16M colors), dual cameras (exterior 3.2MP with flash), dual keypads (interior full QWERTY keyboard), 3G, HSDPA, EDGE, HSCSD, GPRS, A-GPS, WiFi (802.11b/g), quad band GSM, PTT, FM radio, TV out, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, infrared, Java MIDP 2.0, Adobe Flash Lite, Adobe Acrobat Reader Lite, Real Player, Zip Files and the list goes on. Phew, now try and say that in one breath!

I will update this section once I have fully finished reviewing the phone. Until then, I have a date with geekdom.

PS: Seems like the whole world is blogging about Heath Ledger's death. Suspected drug overdose. I found out from here, here and here. Weirdly enough, they are all female bloggers. What a suh-prise.

Fancy Footwork

2008-01-21T06:35:00.000+13:00

Pasar malam TTDI

I used to hate Chelsea FC not because of their players but mainly because of Mourinho. Now 5 months after the appointment of Avraham Grant, I'll have to admit, I do miss the "special one" a tad bit. I used to enjoy hating him; it was one of my guilty pleasures. I mean, whats there not to hate? He's cocky, foul-mouthed (called Wenger a voyeur), big-headed (he friggin' calls himself special!) and ill-humored. In a nutshell, he's the perfect grouch. But now, the guy at the head of the Blue's helm is an Isreali holocaust survivor. I'm hating this guy more than I could have ever hated Jose, which is supposed to be a good thing, but it isn't; I'm simply hating him for the wrong reasons. What's more is that he is a personal friend of Roman Abramovich. I begin to question Mr. Abramovich's credibility for shortlisting Mr. Grant.

Managers aside, Chelsea FC is a very formidable team in my humble opinion. Even more so after the acquisition of Nicolas Anelka during the January transfer window. I personally like a handful of their players including Sheva, Drogba, Anelka, Ballack, Terry and Lampard. I remember back in the old days when Chelsea wasn't a strong title contender; they were like what Portsmouth is now. It just shows they have come a long way since then.

Chelsea is now in a league of it's own; miles behind Arsenal and Man Utd, yet still just out of reach of Liverpool. That said, it's nice watching the Gunners having to play catch-up with the Devils. It makes football interesting. As for the Reds, all I can say is good luck Rafa.

Worcaholic

2008-01-20T18:20:00.001+13:00

I come into the office one Monday morning. Sweating from lugging around my over sized laptop bag, I sit down, switch on the AC and reach for todays paper. All the while I'm thinking of that dreaded Practical Work Project I'm supposed to present; the one I haven't completed in eons. Instantly I'm greeted by Scott Adam's daily Dilbert strip:

Somehow, being an intern now just got to a whole other level. Unimportant eh? Jaga kau.

The Big Two-Oh

2008-01-01T19:11:00.000+13:00

This post is way overdue. If my calendars served me right, 28th December 2007 marked the two whole decades that have passed since I was brought into this world. "Yip-pee."

I didn't answer five hundred phone calls on my birthday, no. I didn't receive a thousand text messages and no, I didn't throw a fete for the entire neighborhood. What I did have was a cup of tea and a dose of antibiotics.

And fever.

What better way to spend my birthday than to have a wonderful test from God, just as a little reminder to tell me that I was noticed by God on my birthday. Thinking of it from that perspective felt comforting for my grief in a way. Grief being fever, flu, sore throat, coughing, headaches and the complete package. It was during my illness that it actually dawned upon me.

I'm twenty.

At first it sounded more like, "I'm twenty??". Then, it turned into something more like "I'm twenty!!". At least thats how it sounded in my head. I'm a teenager no more. It was such a strange and distractive momentary paranoia. And by "momentary" paranoia I really mean "perpetual and incessant" paranoia. I guess it must have lasted quite a while. I trust all you twenty-something-year-olds out there understand my predicament. I'm a ~~big boy~~ man now! I'm.. OLD! It sounds gross now that I put it that way.

Anyway, my wishful thinking then turned towards ignorance. So what if I'm twenty? Big deal. They say age is about mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter. I don't know what to think now. I remember being a kid, full of joy wrapped up in bubbly innocence just a few years back. It all seems so jaded now.

I don't know how being twenty is any different from being nineteen. I guess I'll have to wait and experience it for myself. How was your big two-oh? Anything like two-oh-oh-eight?

The Getaway

2007-12-13T07:54:00.001+13:00

This is how I would sum up my short 3-day-2-night vacation in Port Dickson last weekend. Since "a picture is worth a thousand words", here's my 14 thousand word entry on a recipe of how to wind down and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

What you will need:

1. Fine, white sandy beaches

2. A bright golden sun

3. Sparkling, crystal clear sea water

4. Azure blue skies and fluffy white clouds

5. Lush, refreshing green palm trees

6. Natural wildlife

7. A glorious sunset

8. A warm and cosy bed

9. A steaming hot jacuzzi

10. A magnificent water closet

11. A relaxing ambience and an exquisite decor

12. A dining delicacy

13. A heavenly, mouth-watering chocolate dessert

14. And ofcourse, a high speed internet connection

The result?

Indulgence

CLEAN

2007-11-27T08:16:00.000+13:00

A peaceful assembly, organized by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), was held as part of a campaign for clean, free and fair elections in Malaysia. BERSIH representatives also handed over a memorandum to HRH the Yang Dipertuan Agong. Participants are encouraged to wear yellow as a symbol of protest. For more information, please visit BERSIH.org.

415

2007-11-22T13:53:00.000+13:00

Datuk Lost In Translation

2007-10-25T15:10:00.000+13:00

Malaysians are all too familiar with Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's tongue twisting verbal back flips. Sometimes, the Public Works Department Minister's choice of words can leave even the most cunning linguists baffled. The following are some of Samy Vellu's humorous quotes:

1. Commenting on the speed and efficiency of Pos Laju's delivery system:
"Besok kirim, hari ini sampai!"

2. At a TV interview, when trying to say he was ashamed, he said:
"Kemaluan saya besar."

3. Samy Vellu once said in a speech:
"Kita akan bina satu jambatan untuk orang-orang kampong di sini."
One Pakcik asked, "Datuk, sini takde sungai, buat apa bina jambatan?"
and Samy gloriously replied, "Kalau takde sungai, kita bina sungai!"

4. Samy 's favorite quote on national television:
"Toll naik sikit, manyak marah saya. You ingat semua ini toll saya punya bapa punya kah!?"

5. During the water crisis:
"Semua orang diminta jangan membuang aiyerr."

6. Regarding social problems:
"..orang-orang muda sekarang banyak hisap dada.."

7. At a blood donation campaign in Sungei Siput:
"..marilah kita semua menderma dara.."

8. During the height of the Al-Arqam saga, he said in a press conference:
"Saya gembira bahawa didapati tiada pemuda MIC terlibat dalam kes Arqam."

9. At an opening ceremony:
"Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, saudara mara, sesudah semua orang makan kenyang, sekarang kita mempersilakan Datin Paduka Rafidah Aziz naik ke pentas untuk membuka kain."

10. Commenting about his modesty:
"Sebenarnya, kemaluan saya sangat-sangat besar."

11. Pilihanraya:
"Orang PAS selalu kafir sama orang, saya pun dia kafirkan."

12. On the leak issue at the Parliament:
"Itu attap bocor sebab ada banyak sampah! Awak ingat saya kasi bawa naik itu sampahkah?"

I hope the Government isn't reading this. This was reposted from a Friendster bulletin. Please don't sue me Datuk. It's just a joke! :)

Suasana Hari Raya

2007-10-15T00:23:00.001+13:00

All credits to Shahridin. :)
Featured song: Anuar Zain & Elina

Eid, now what?

2007-10-12T05:20:00.000+13:00

Eid is just around the corner! Saturday the 13th for Malaysians, but for us New Zealanders, we will have to wait for the announcement later today. Here are a few guidelines on what to do on the day of Eid.

1. Bathing:
One of the sunnahs of Eid is to take a bath before going out to the perform the Eid prayer.

2. Eating before prayer:
One should not come out to the prayer center or mosque on Eid before eating something. It is sunnah to at least eat a few dates.

3. Takbeer on the day of Eid:
This is one of the greatest sunnahs of this day.

“... (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah (takbeer) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.”

The time for making takbeer on Eidul Fitr starts from the night of Eid until the time when the imam comes in to lead the prayer.

4. Congratulating each other:
People may exchange congratulations and good greetings on Eid, no matter what form the words take. For example they may say to one another, “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum" which means "May Allah accept (the fast and worship) from us and from you” or simply “Eid Mubarak” and other similar permissible greetings. It is also customary for Malaysian children to receive money from the elders, and this is not prohibited in Islam.

5. Looking one's best for Eid:
On the day of Eid one should wear his best clothes. So men should wear the best clothes they have when they go out for Eid. As for women, they should avoid adornment when they go out for Eid, because they are prohibited from showing their adornment in front of non-muhrim men. However, it is permissible amongst other Muslim women. A woman who wants to go out is forbidden to wear perfume or to show off in a tempting way in front of men.

6. Listening to the Khutbah:
The Eid khutbah differs from the Friday khutbah in that it is sunnah and it is not obligatory to listen to it. Imam An-Nawawi said: “It is mustahab (recommended) for people to listen to the khutbah, although the khutbah and listening to it are not essential conditions of the Eid prayer."

7. To go out by one route and come back by another:
One should vary his routes on the day of Eid. So, if one should go out walking one way, then he would come back walking by a different route. It is said that this is done so, so that the two different routes would testify in one’s favour on the Day of Resurrection, because on that day the Earth will speak about everything that was done on it, good and evil. It is also said that this is done in order to demonstrate the symbols and rituals of Islam along both routes and to pronounce the remembrance of Allah.

These are the few sunnahs a Muslim should observe on the day of Eidul Fitr. It is also Haram for one to perform saum (fast) on this day.

On another topic, I would like to announce to the world that Malaysia has finally reached space!

Dr Shukor is the ninth Muslim to fly into space. He is also the first to do so during the holy month of Ramadhan. He will be there for the Eid festival, and will treat his crewmates to a celebratory meal. It is learnt that he has brought traditional Malay "kuih raya" for the occasion and will be demonstrating the making of "teh tarik" in zero gravity.

For the rest of the time he will try and observe the dawn-to-dusk fasting rules of Ramadhan. Muslim clerics in Malaysia have prepared special guidelines for him on observing religious rules while on the International Space Station (ISS).

He will use a wet towel rather than water to clean himself before praying, and is not obliged to kneel in zero gravity or face Makkah while praying. To avoid confusion about prayer times, Dr Shukor will follow the time at the launch site in Kazakhstan. They are expected to dock on the ISS sometime today.

He will be there for 10 days in which he will be conducting scientific experiments aboard the ISS. Contrary to popular belief among Malaysians, Dr Shukor will not be going to the moon.

Salam from me, I will end this entry with the following verse:

"Wondrous is the case of the Believer; there is good for him in everything. If he experiences something good he is grateful to Allah and that is good for him. If he experiences adversity he is patient and that is good for him as well."

Starsailor

2007-10-11T14:56:00.000+13:00

So why do we fast?

2007-10-09T18:59:00.000+13:00

If only we knew.

I saw this video on duduk sebentar, berfikir sejenak.

Ramadhan 101

2007-10-03T18:11:00.000+13:00

شَہۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ‌ۚ فَمَن شَہِدَ مِنكُمُ

ٱلشَّہۡرَ فَلۡيَصُمۡهُ‌ۖ وَمَن ڪَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ۬ فَعِدَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ‌ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا

يُرِيدُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُڪۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُڪَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَٮٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ

"The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful." [002:185]

There are 3 parts in the month of Ramadhan. Divided by its first 10 days, the mid 10 days and the last 10 days.

Part 1. Rahmah (mercy)
Part 2. Maghfirah (forgiveness)
Part 3. Nijah (salvation)

During Ramadhan, Muslims are expected to put extra effort into following the teachings of Islam as well as refraining from anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backstabbing, and gossip. In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to recite the Qur’an in its entirety.

Fasting is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God. The act of fasting is to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the saum (fast) is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, as well as to evoke the feeling of sympathy towards those who are less fortunate, with the intention of making Muslims more generous and charitable.

Performing the prayer of Sunah Tarawikh and Sunah Witr after the Fardhu Isha' every night in Ramadhan is also urged for all Muslims. The prayers consist of 8 rakaah, followed by 3 rakaah.

Fardhu (mandatory)
Sunah (optional)
Haram (forbidden)

The best night in Ramadhan is called the night of Lailatul Qadr. It is the night that angel Jibril (Gabriel) came down to mankind. The Holy Qur'an was sent from Allah on this night to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). Muslims are encouraged to perform du'a and zikr (supplication) during this period.

Qadr in English means honour, dignity or power. Lailatul Qadr means the night of honour or night of power. It is this night in which the first Divine Revelation came to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), when he was in prayer in the cave of Hira.

This is one of the holiest and most blessed nights in Ramadhan, in which the reward of worship on this night alone is better than the worship of a thousand months, equivalent to a person’s lifetime. Muslims do not know when Lailatul Qadr is exactly, but it likely occurred on one of the odd nights on the last 10 days of Ramadhan according to Islamic scholars. On this night one should perform Nafil Namaz, recite the Qur'an, du'a and zikr as much as possible.

Before I end, I would like to wish my dear family and all my Muslim friends hearty iftars (break fast) during this month and Eid Mubarak! May Allah reward all your good deeds in abundance, insyaAllah.

Through Imran's Eyes

2007-09-19T01:27:00.000+12:00

Freedom of Blog?

2007-08-26T15:47:00.000+12:00

Did you know that the most rapidly growing medium of communication in Asia is via blogging? Just imagine, almost anybody who deals with computers nowadays has a website or some form of weblog of their own. WiredNews reported that in August 2002 alone, Blogger.com registered 1 new blogger every 40 seconds. Now thats alot of people we're talking. I mean forget the media, there is a totally whole new form of information exchange going on here, and it's growing, fast. Don't you feel privileged to know that you are part of this too? You are a statistic. Like us all bloggers, we are all being monitored. Oooo, now the sound of that makes me feel so wanted-by-the-police-ish. *squints around room looking for hidden spycams*
Take a look at this recently:

How much freedom in "freedom of speech" do we really have? Even in blogs? Before long, new bills and laws will have to be passed and implemented to govern these online journals as blogging will inadvertently affect the way policies are made. It may seem far-fetched, but cyber-laws have already made their way into many countries, and it is only a matter of time before it reaches our shores. And where theres law makers, theres definitely law flouters.

Not to be confused with Namewee the infamous v-logger.

50

2007-08-21T01:39:00.001+12:00

Al-Rajhi Bank is one of the most aggressively expanding foreign banks in Malaysia. And one thing about this bank really seems to fascinate me.

No, it's not the claimed, oh-so-tempting "Unbeatable Mutual Funds" the bank is offering to its customers. Its something else. Its something about its.. well.. erm.. "design".

Take a good look at the bank's logo and tell me you don't find it a little.. obscene..

Come on, don't tell me you can't spot 2 balls and a batang sticking out in that picture. Honestly, these Arabs kan.. of all symbols.

Diorang ingat sperm bank or what?

---

On another note, those who frequent the Elite highway at the USJ-Subang interchange, beware. Speeding off to KLIA again?

Hoho.. Latest speed trap at Elite highway installed on 17/07/07 from KL to KLIA. This one sure kena... coming down slope, kap chai oso more than 90kmph. Its a digital camera speed trap with unlimited shots. Don pray-pray ah.. got 300GB of HDD. Effective range is up to 300m.

Huala wei.. since when Malaysia so canggih eh? 3 bijik sekali hantam. Got built-in IR lamp so malam pon confirm kena...

Now Malaysia can lawan Western country. But why wait so long to install? Other country long time edi.. see..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALAYSIA.. :)
Celebrate together-gather eh..

Blogurge

2007-08-17T14:27:00.000+12:00

You know how you go through daily life and all of a sudden you get a blogurge? It's something that happens especially to bloggers, usually when they're going through something interesting or experiencing something for the first time. You know, the time when you think to yourself "I could blog about this incident" and unconsciously the words you feel like typing out spill out in your head. And you feel like if only what you're thinking now can be published, or at least saved as draft. In your head. It's the sudden urge to blog, or simply blogurge. Note, non-avid-bloggers will never understand this symptom. You need to experience it to actually know what a blogurge is. Or am I the only freak who gets this?

Hope not.

Well, i've had a number of blogurges recently and usually by the time i get to my PC whether it's late at night or during my free time, the blogurge has died down. It happens so frequently to me that i'm getting really fed up! I totally forget what i really intended to say and usually by that time i've lost my mood. So i'm posting this entry solely to release my blogurge.

GAAAAAAAK!

There, much better.

Miss Them So

2007-08-14T09:07:00.000+12:00

Brotherly Love

2007-06-17T08:00:00.000+12:00

Getting a little cramped in here. Just a wee bit.

Playing God

2007-06-11T00:32:00.000+12:00

This is a tobacco plant that is expressing a firefly gene. Since the genetic code is almost universal, genes can be transferred to different species and still be expressed. Some knowledge from Bio 101.

Cool, now where did I put that blowfish?

PS: To all my dear friends who are having exams, I wish you all the best in sitting for your papers. Please pray for my success. Remember that seeking knowledge is not for exams but for the sake of glorifying God. Education, for life.

That's a Wrap

2007-06-04T02:15:00.000+12:00

Finally, the first semester has come to an end. Exams however, are looming. Big deal. I just want to impart some knowledge from what I learnt in Chem 101.

According to Prof Trevor Kitson, this, my friends, is a pyrrole molecule:

It's name has a "pyr" prefix because all nitrogen containing substituents are pyretic in nature. Simple enough right?

Next, is the phosphole molecule:

You can probably guess that it has the "phos" prefix because the nitrogen has been replaced with a phosphate in the carbon ring.

One brilliant Australian scientist managed to synthesize an entirely new molecule by substituting phosphate with arsenic.

This is the molecule:
Only one can wonder what this molecule would soon be called.

Answer: arsole

(name certified by IUPAC)

If you think it ends there, think again.

When arsole is fused with a benzene ring, it becomes benzarsole.

So if it fuses with 3 benzene rings, it's called tribenzarsole.

Even worse, if it fuses with 6 benzene rings...

sexibenzarsole

Enough said.

Post Flick

2007-06-01T00:06:00.000+12:00

Islam, once at forefront of science, fell by wayside

2007-05-30T12:28:00.000+12:00

For centuries, Arabic was the language of science and medicine, as English is today

Sunday, April 11, 2004
By Michael Woods, Post-Gazette National Bureau

TOLEDO, Spain -- Islamic medicine and science led the world for centuries while Europe stagnated in the Dark Ages.

From 800 AD to 1500, Arabic was the language of science, as English is today. Muslims occupied Spain, and Europeans flocked to Toledo and other Spanish cities, or traveled great distances to Baghdad or Damascus, to translate Islamic science and medical books into Latin.

Islamic medicine in the year 1000 was a marvel of sophistication, featuring competency tests for doctors, drug purity regulations, hospitals staffed by nurses and interns, advanced surgeries, and other practices beyond the dreams of medieval Europeans.

So why is much of today's Islamic world a "scientific desert," to use the stark language of a 2002 article in the journal Nature? Why do many predominantly Muslim countries, home to 1.3 billion people and 75 percent of the world's oil wealth, neglect science and technology? And how might they recapture their amazing scientific heritage?

These questions have resounded at international, Arab and Islamic scientific conferences and have made headlines in science journals. Here's how the Nature article summed up the situation in the Middle East, for instance:

"The region is, for the most part, a scientific desert. In some states, oil wealth has allowed the construction of fabulous cities, magnificent mosques and sumptuous shopping malls. But little scientific infrastructure has emerged. Collectively, the Arab nations spend only 0.15 per cent of their gross domestic product on research and development, well below the world average of 1.4 per cent."

Muslims account for 20 percent of the world's population, but less than one percent of its scientists. Scientists in Islamic countries now make barely 0.1 percent of the world's original research discoveries each year.

Authorities on Islamic science cite various reasons for this state of affairs, but the Koran is not among them.

"The Koran actually forms one of the cornerstones of science in Islam in a way unlike any other scripture of any other religion," said Glen M. Cooper, a professor of the history of science and Islam at Brigham Young University.

"The Koran enjoins the believer and the unbeliever alike to examine nature for signs of the creator's handiwork, evidence of his existence, and his goodness," Cooper said. "Reason is revered as one of the most important of God's gifts to men. The examination of nature led historically into a scientific perspective and program."

Farkhonda Hassan, a professor at the University of Cairo who has written about barriers to science careers for Islamic women, agreed.

"The teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam emphasize the acquiring of knowledge as bounden duties of each Muslim from the cradle to the grave, and that the quest for knowledge and science is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman," she said. "One eighth -- that is, 750 verses -- of the Koran exhort believers to study, to reflect, and to make the best use of reason in their search for the ultimate truth."

Search they once did.

The rise of Islamic science
After Muhammad's death in 632, Muslim armies swept out of the Arabian Peninsula and expanded the borders of Islam east and west.

They absorbed not just land, but also scientific knowledge from India and Greek learning planted centuries earlier by the armies of Alexander the Great. Muslims translated into Arabic the treasures of Hippocrates, Aristotle, Archimedes and other great physicians, philosophers and scientists.

By 711, the Muslims had reached Spain, and they ended up dominating the region until Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella drove out the last of them in 1492.

The impact of Islam's discoveries during this period went far beyond individual innovations like algebra or the establishment of models for modern hospitals and universities. The spread of Islamic knowledge to Europe sparked, or at least helped to spark, the Renaissance and scientific revolution of the 17th century.

"It is highly probable that, but for the Arabs, modern European civilization would never have arisen at all," Sir Thomas Arnold and Alfred Guillaume wrote in their 1997 classic, "The Legacy of Islam."

Robert Briffault wrote in the "Making of Humanity" in 1938 that "Spain, not Italy, was the cradle of the rebirth of Europe. After steadily sinking lower and lower into barbarism, it had reached the darkest depths of ignorance and degradation when cities of the Saracenic world, Baghdad, Cairo, Cordoba, and Toledo, were growing centers of civilization and intellectual activity. It was there that the new life arose which was to grow into a new phase of human evolution."

Yet most Americans are completely unaware of Islam's rich scientific heritage, said George Saliba, a professor of Arabic and Islamic science at Columbia University, and more than a dozen other experts interviewed for this article.

"That is unfortunate," Cooper said. "Much of our modern science and philosophy owes a large debt to Islamic civilization during the Middle Ages for preserving the classical heritage in all intellectual fields, and for improving upon it in many of these fields. If the average American understood this, there would be fewer smug citizens looking down on 'backward Muslims' with hate and fear."

Two reasons Americans are relatively clueless on the subject are the Arabic-English language barrier and a long tradition of U.S. historians focusing on European scientific traditions, said Jeffrey Oaks of the University of Indianapolis.

"Anything not taught in high school is going to escape public consciousness," added Thomas F. Glick, an expert on Islamic history at Boston University.

Some historians from mainly Islamic countries see it differently.

"We believe that, for dishonorable purposes, there is in the West an intention to ignore the important scientific role played by Muslim scholars during the medieval age," said Abdul Nasser Kaadan, a professor with the Institute for the History of Arabic Science at the University of Aleppo in Syria. "This is to support the allegation that Muslim and Arabic mentality never in the past and not in the future can lead any scientific research."

Explaining the decline
So what happened to the once glorious scientific legacy of Islam and Arabia? Experts cite many things.

Universities were an Islamic invention later adopted in Europe, but Muslim universities did not shelter and preserve scientific knowledge during wars and other upheavals. Christian warriors carved up the Islamic empire and cut off contact between great scientific centers. Here in Spain, the Catholic reconquest of Ferdinand and Isabella deprived Islamic science of the great libraries and schools in Cordoba, Seville and Toledo.

Conflicts also cut off science's lifeblood -- cash for research and education. And the Ottomans, who took over much of the Islamic world in the early 1500s, used their resources to make war, not science.

In the 1700s, a puritanical form of Islam took root in Saudi Arabia, with a doctrine that rejected knowledge acquired after the first 300 years of Islam's existence.

Several scholars said one problem is the lack of awareness among Arabs and Muslims about their own scientific heritage.

"Muslims generally are unaware that their civilization had a high point of superiority in nearly every aspect," Cooper said. "Their current challenge is to face the fact that the Islamic edge has been completely lost.

"It would be a hard thing, I think, to be part of a religion and culture with such a glorious history as that of Islam, when that glory is all in the distant past, and an essentially godless civilization -- from their perspective -- enjoys the lead in power and science."

Eventually, in the United States and Europe, science began paying some of its own bills. Inventions like the telephone, radio, plastics and antibiotics led industry to pour billions into scientific research. In much of the Arab world, science remained dependent on handouts from sultans, kings or caliphs.

"Science and scientific research can flourish only when a country is affluent and has a sound and balanced economy," said Ahmad Y. al-Hassan, also a faculty member of the Arabic science institute at the University of Aleppo. "But when agriculture is the dominant sector, then a country will remain poor, and when petroleum is the only source of income, then this economy in the long run also is doomed."

Others also cited Arab oil wealth, and how rulers spend and invest their billions.

"They probably would have been better off without their mineral resources," said J. J. Witkam of Leiden University in The Netherlands. "It is a corrupting element in any society. But when societies are so unbalanced as most Islamic countries are, then it gets cancerous proportions."

The United Nations Development Program called oil wealth "a mixed blessing" in a 2003 report that called on Arab countries to reclaim their scientific heritage. It focused on the 22 members of the League of Arab States and their 280 million people.

UNDP pointed out that Arab rulers invest much of their oil money in the United States and other foreign countries, rather than using it to develop their own nations, and import technical know-how instead of educating ample numbers of their own citizens to be scientists and engineers. The report also cited "the pursuit of personal gain, the preference for the private over the public good, social and moral corruption, the absence of honesty and accountability and many other illnesses."

Experts also link the stagnation of Islamic science to a movement that took root more than a century ago that contends all knowledge can be found in the Koran. Meanwhile, the industrialized world has been moving toward a "knowledge society" fueled by information and liberal education.

Signs of rebirth?
The UNDP report also described what's needed to re-energize scientific inquiry in Arab and Islamic societies.

It included relatively straightforward suggestions like spending more on scientific research and ordinary education rather than religious schools. Other recommendations would involve reinventing new systems of government in some countries. One called for "guaranteeing the key freedoms of opinion, speech, and assembly through good governance bounded by law." Some involved correcting tenacious problems like poverty and unemployment.

"Our civilization once supported a knowledge society that was the envy of the world," said Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, a U.N. assistant secretary general who helped prepare the report. "They will do so again if we clear away the defective social, economic and political structures we have piled upon them. We can free our minds to reason without fear; free our people's souls to breathe."

Columbia University's Saliba echoed the need to focus on education.

"What's needed to increase research in Islamic countries?," he asked. "The same thing that is needed in any other country: priority on education, funding, training of teachers, building better relations between school and home, educating the parents, allocating higher budgets for education than for defense -- a situation that is not too different from what we face in this country, as well."

Arab scientists and governments are making some progress.

In 2000, a group of leading scientists formed the Arab Science and Technology Foundation in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The emirates are among a handful of Arab countries -- which include Egypt, Pakistan, and Jordan -- that are investing more in science education and research.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, the ruler of Sharjah, donated $1 million from his own pocket to start the science foundation and provided its $5-million headquarters building. The foundation hopes to raise $100 million so it can provide research grants and encourage Arab scientists in other countries to return home.

The emir of Qatar is backing the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which is building a vast "Education City" featuring branch campuses of Carnegie Mellon and Cornell universities.

"The pendulum can swing back," wrote Ibrahim B. Syed of the University of Louisville in an article about Islamic medicine:

"One thousand years ago the Muslims were the great torchbearers of international scientific research. Every student and professional from each country outside the Islamic Empire aspired, yearned, and dreamed to go to Islamic universities to learn, to work, to live and to lead a comfortable life in an affluent and most advanced and civilized society.

"Islamic countries have the opportunity and resources to make Islamic science and medicine number one in their world once again."

(Michael Woods can be reached at mwoods@nationalpress.com or 1-202-413-0294.)

Malaysia’s richest get richer

2007-05-25T15:26:00.000+12:00

These are Malaysia's 40 richest people according to Forbes Asia's June 4th issue. Their total net worth is US$43bil, up 65% from US$26bil last year. This is partly due to the strengthening of ringgit which is now trading at RM3.39 to US$1.00. Forbes Asia said the country’s wealth creation was boosted by a thriving economy, which benefited from recent government moves to reduce taxes, and a buoyant stock market. Seems to me that Malaysia's heading in the right direction. Well, for these people anyway.

Ong Beng Seng US$580mil
Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir US$220mil
Raja Datuk Seri Eleena Raja Azlan Shah US$228mil
Puan Sri Datin Chong Chook Yew US$320mil
Yaw Chee Ming US$370mil.
Lee Swee Eng US$150mil
Khoo Kay Peng US$130mil
Datuk Lin Yun Ling US$160mil
Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin US$155mil
Tan Sri Robert Kuok US$7.6bil (still #1)
T. Ananda Krishnan US$7.4bil
Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong US$4.3bil
Datuk Tony Fernandes US$230mil
Datuk Kamarudin Meranun US$190mil

Not Funny

2007-05-21T10:25:00.001+12:00

Spotted in FHM issued January 2007

I don't know about others, but I think that this has really gone overboard. It's not possible that they did this unknowingly because this was shot in Singapore, where many Muslims reside. If their intention is to make a mockery out of Allah, then I hope they receive hidayah from God to change. Muslims, pray for them.

Post Flick

2007-05-19T15:50:00.000+12:00

Post Verbatim

2007-05-16T10:24:00.000+12:00

Have you ever been caught with your foot in the sink of a public toilet?

According to Salam Cafe which is a weekly Muslim panel show in Australia, this might help if you're caught in an awkward position while taking ablution (wudhu):

The top six excuses when you're caught with your foot in the handbasin of a public toilet:

6. My shower doesn't work.

5. I'm just working out for athletics.

4. (The distraction ploy) "Your fly's undone".

3. (Play dumb) "Oh, this is a sink? Thanks".

2. (The language lie) "I no spikka da Engleesh today".

And the #1 smart alec line:

"I wash my feet five times a day, so they are cleaner than your face".

Wassalam.

Post Tableau

2007-05-14T21:08:00.000+12:00

Meet The Pirates

Post Tableau

2007-05-05T09:30:00.000+12:00

Wine testing.

Post Tableau

2007-04-28T00:39:00.000+12:00

Sorry Abah, promise tak ulang lagi..

Not-So-Bitter Defeat

2007-04-26T10:37:00.000+12:00

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Jose: Psst, thats enough Diddy, quit muckin' around. This is serious!

All Messed Up

2007-04-16T14:36:00.000+12:00

Conclusion

Bungee 101

2007-04-13T15:54:00.000+12:00

Hop on..

..fix you up here..

..fix you down there..

..wait 2 minutes and 142 feet..

..then jump..

..and fly..

..and that's how it's done, LSG style.

To do before 25:
rapid raft
horse-back ride
jet ski
parasail
freefall
mountain hike (Kinabalu)
~~bungee~~
skydive
ski
surf

Bitter Defeat

2007-04-08T22:23:00.000+12:00

Arsenal 0-1 West Ham

"Arsenal dominated the entire match but found themselves a goal down at half-time after Zamora stayed just onside to chip over Jens Lehmann." (ESPN Soccernet 2007)

"It was quite an extraordinary match in which Arsenal launched attack after attack only to find West Ham's goal leading a charmed life. The Gunners hit the woodwork twice and had a total of 30 efforts on goal without finding the net." (BBC Sport 2007)

These are just some excerpts if only to put my frustrations into perspective.

Here's some recap:

Also, this should spark some footie fan interest:

Manchester United 0-1 Portsmouth

and about Man Utd's defeat, "Well this defeat, against a team who had only won one of their previous 10, was such a shock that it was a surprise there was not a lunar eclipse over this ramshackle old stadium at the final whistle." (The Telegraph 2007) LOL!

Post Tableau

2007-04-02T13:28:00.000+12:00

Just a random pic. Welcome to my Inbox.

Post Tableau

2007-03-30T08:22:00.000+12:00

Picture taken inside Physics 101 Lab. Note, those aren't the newest Macs. Newer ones can be found in the Computer Lab or Library.

Truly Malaysian

2007-03-24T21:20:00.000+12:00

Some time ago, The Star Online puts up a fun online quiz called How Malaysian Are You?

That's all fine and dandy, but I was thinking - as we become more complex and modern as a society, how do we know what's Malaysian and what's not? Some say driving rudely is intrinsically Malaysian, but down under their drivers are a hundred times worse than Malaysian drivers. Similarly, your IC might say you're Malaysian, but when you listen to Britney Spears, eat McDonalds and can't speak more than two words of Malay, how Malaysian are you?

It has come to a point where we gotta stop wondering "How Malaysian Am I?" and start wondering "How un-Malaysian Am I?" And exactly just how un-Malaysian are you?

There's only one way to find out.

How un-Malaysian Are You?

What is your name?

1. What is teh tarik?

A) a delicious frothy drink prepared by repeatedly pouring hot milk tea from one can to the other.

B) A beverage that tastes no real difference to a normal milk tea.

C) "teh tarik" is the name of teh l33t h4x0r who'll pwn j00 @$$ if j00 n0t c4r3fu|.

2. When you have your dinner, what cutlery do you use?

A) Chopsticks only

B) Fork and spoon

C) Fork and spoon you stole from Malaysian Airlines during one of your flights. You also have a MAS plastic saucer plate you kept somewhere. No wonder Malaysia Airlines lost so much money so they had to raise their fares!

3. If "destination" in Malay is destinasi, and "action" is aksi; what is "section" in Malay?

A) seksi

B) sectsi

C) seksyen

4. What is freedom of speech?

A) You are free to say what you want without fear

B) You are free to say what you want without causing fear

C) You are free to say what you want only if you agree with me, otherwise you shut the hell up and get lost lah!

5. You're walking along in a shopping centre when the young lady in front of you suddenly slipped and fell. You...

A) Look at her in bewilderment, then continue on your journey.

B) Help her up

C) Help her up but only if she's HOTT

6. You're walking alone in a park when you came face to face with a complete stranger and he gave you a brief smile. You...

A) Smile back at him and say hi

B) Give him a weird look as if he's a mental nutcase

C) Clutch your handbag/wallet tightly and run away as fast as you can

7. Which of the following are cities in the UK that you're familiar with?

A) Leicester, Blackpool, Sheffield

B) Manchester United, West Ham United, Liverpool United

C) Chiao-SEE, Midduh-BLO, Ah-ser-NUH

8. Which of the following types of movies will most likely be banned/heavily edited by Malaysian censors?

A) A controversial fiction based on the conspiracy theory that Jesus Christ had a child with prostitute Mary Magdalene.

B) A proudly Malaysian made documentary / musical about the former leader of a now-defunct communist party

C) A romantic comedy about a magazine writer who tried to lose a guy in ten days, but ended up falling for him instead.

9. Which wedding last year do you think is worthy of being considered Wedding of the Year?

A) Datuk K and Siti Nurhaliza

B) Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

C) Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson

10. What exactly is a "Multimedia Super Corridor"?

A) A designated area where companies of a certain status can enjoy generous tax breaks.

B) Neh, the place where you go shopping for computer. Vely cheap one..

C) Neh, you know the... the... the very high tech one ah. Aiya I lazy to exprain to you.