Thoughts of a Living Journey

"No, you cannot enter! Visiting hours have ended!"

2010-09-18T03:56:00.002+08:00

Al-Fateh Grand Mosque

"No, you cannot enter! Visiting hours have ended!"

"Oh, ok.. But, can I pray inside? Or is it closed?"

"You're a muslim? Where you're from?"

"Yes. We're from Malaysia."

"Why don't you say you're a Muslim?! Are you not proud being a Muslim?"

"I am proud to be a Muslim! It's just not custom to me to announce myself, "I am a Muslim"."

"Then you should say, "I am a Muslim." I'll hug you and say, "Welcome, my brother".. Well of course you can enter. Is he a Muslim too?"

"No, he's not."

"Well, you can bring him inside too. Show him around. Teach him about Islam. Just don't let him touch the Qur'an, OK?"

"OK. Jazakallah khairan kathiran!"

Me and Lucas inside the Grand Mosque

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamualaikum wbth and Salam Sejahtera dear readers,

Above are some of the lines of the dialogue between me and the Imam of Al-Fateh Grand Mosque in Manama City, Bahrain, 2nd September 2010; 23rd Ramadhan 1431.

Well, for a start, me and my friend Lucas (nickname) are exchange students from Malaysia, at Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria for 6 months. We left Malaysia at 11pm (Malaysian time) to transit at Bahrain, then transit to Frankfurt, Germany. Finally to Graz, Austria. Our transit in Bahrain is for 12 hours, so we decided to wonder around Manama City. We visited the Grand Al-Fateh Mosque near the city in the evening (around 5.00pm), about 1.5 hours after Asar.

That's enough about me. Lets get into the topic. See my picture, and examine it closely. Can u guess what am I going to write? Yeah.. That's it.. If you read the papers/news in Malaysia, you should already know from the first look at my picture.

Getting straight to the point; As a Muslim, for me, the recent issue in Malaysia where YB Teo Nie Ching (DAP MP for Serdang) came to the Surau Al-Huda, Serdang and YB William Leong (PKR Treasurer, Member of Parliament for Selayang PKR) into the Masjid At-Taqwa, Selayang baru, is non other than typical political polemic of Malaysia. I am not being prejudice to the government, but seriously, if anything got to do with Chinese/Indian affairs with Islam, have always been sensitive in Malaysia. Well, typically, Chinese and Indian is common to be known as non-Muslim in Malaysia, right?

YB teo nie ching giving her speech in the Surau Al-Huda, Serdang regarding her donation.

Photo (taken from the blog stated on it): YB William Leong in Masjid At-Taqwa

Anyways, my point in the previous paragraph are;

1. In the context of Race: Why should you prejudice to them (Chinese and Indian-mainly)? We are always being brain-washed that Malaysian are living in Multi-racial society, in harmony. I do NOT agree. Malays typically has always been RACIST. Sorry if I'm being harsh. But its true. Try prove me wrong. I am open-minded, and we can discuss. And to Chinese and Indian out there, you guys, too, ARE racist. Malays: Have you ever heard of words like,"Cina memang macam tu. Sombong", or "Suka menipu je dalam bisnes" or "Orang India (something2)". Sorry, I'm not that familiar with words agains Indians, or Malays.

Try making friends with them. Get to know them. Maybe there are, some of them like in the statement. Maybe there are like that when they are actually not close to you. You just don't realise the potential in them; Eg: You do realise, that majority of all the businesses in Malaysia controlled by Chinese. Or that Malays are very particular about manners and attitude, and you don't see another race in the world that actually is like the Malays. Or do you know that among the most feared army in the old times is the Indians,

because of their courage and straight-forward attitude? So do get to know them., and create that "harmony" multi-racial society. Put away your pride and false perceptions. And that goes to me too.

2. More importantly, in the context of ISLAM: Why do we need to fight or create the tense atmosphere among the races, or the religions when it comes to any of these affairs? For an instance, in the case of YB Teo Nie Ching, aChinese (or non-muslim) entering the Mosque (surau, actually). Do not simply say, "Cannot, I can't accept this!! No means NO!". let me ask,

Where is your duty of Dakwah with Wisdom (Hikmah)?

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِ‌ۖ وَجَـٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ‌ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۖ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ

Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (16:125)

Regarding this issue in Malaysia, actually in Islam, non-Muslim can enter the mosque. Refer to the Great Scholars in Islam. You will get the same answer. In this issue, you can visit this blog: http://jiwokelate.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/yb-nie-ching-ching-gembira-bertemu-tok-guru/. However, what I can conclude is, in this issue, is that you can enter a mosque (or a surau, of course), WITH a supervision of a Muslim. Well, you cannot touch the Quran, because you have to be clean and pure (sorry, I don't think the word "pure" can replace what I meant "suci". Or in Arabic, "Thaharah") to actually touch it. Muslim also cannot touch it if he/she is not "suci". We need to take the ablution or"Wudhu'/Air Sembahyang", beforehand, or if haven't Mandi Wajib/janabahafter junub, we need to do so to touch the Quran.

Anything with regards to the affair of Islam, refer to Islam. Do not refer to your feelings or "sensitivity" towards a nation/race. Allah said in the Quran,

ـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡ‌ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِى شَىۡءٍ۬ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلاً

"O ye who believe! Obey God, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to God and His Messenger, if ye do believe in God and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination." (4:59)

He reminded us that, If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to God and His Messenger. Or in other words, refer to Islam. Refer to the Great Scholars. Surely you can resolve the issue without having such hassle in Malaysia. Then, I'd like to share another verse;

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُہَدَآءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۖ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّڪُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ‌ۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

O ye who believe! stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others

(other race) to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (5:8)

Allah reminded us in this verse, that we should not let hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. the word used is "qaum" or "kaum", a Malay word. Do not because of your hatred towards Chinese/Indian people, lets you divert from justice. These

people deserves justice!

3. On both contexts: To all the Non-Muslims all the Muslims out there! Do not be prejudice about Islam! Do not rely on your false perceptions. Please.. Study Islam. Get to know Islam better. Islam covers every single aspects in life. Study the Quran. It IS the greatest book ever, the words of my Lord and your Lord, Allah. It is preserved by Allah Himself till the Doomsday, or the Day of Judgement. Quoting the words from Almarhum Sheikh Ahmad Deedat;

"For instance, if you take all the Quran, every single one, (even in the internet) and destroy ALL (and he means, ALL) of them! Then I will call 7 true Muslims Hafiz (the one who memorize the Quran) from 7 different continents all around the World, (and they do not know each other at all!) to write the Quran. Believe me, you will get the exact same Quran revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SAW 1400 years ago!"

Why is that? Because it is preserve by the Lord Himself. Get to know the True WAY OF LIFE, why are we born on this planet. And I say this because the Quran is not exclusively for Muslims. It is for ALL Mankind (and all other creatures too!). Why did i say that? Because of this verse;

"We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures." (21:107)

So you should study it (goes to me too!).

Speaking of the verse above, You also need to get to know the personality of the Number 1 Most Influential Person in History,

Muhammad Rasulullah (PBUH), the Last Prophet, Messenger of Allah. ("thee" in the verse refers to Muhammad Rasulullah (PBUH))

Enter Islam wholly (not partially). Be a good Muslim. Do what is told by Allah and His Messenger. Do not do what is forbidden by Allah and His Messenger. DON'T WORRY! If you are born as Chinese, you will die as Chinese. If you're born as an Indian, die as an Indian. If you are Malay, die as Malay. You cannot change your race no matter what you do. And it makes no difference which race you are. However, dying as a Muslim makes a difference.

Allah guarantees you the Heaven/Paradise/Jannah.

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ

"O ye who believe! Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. (3:102)"

ـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلۡمِ ڪَآفَّةً۬ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَڪُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬

"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy. (2:208)"

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said;

من قال لا اله الا الله دخل الجنة

man qaala laa ilaaha ill-Allah dakhal al-Jannah.

Whoever says, "Laailaaha ill-Allah" enters Paradise."

and the phrase "Laailaaha ill-Allah" meant "No (other) God other than Allah". Take time, and think about it k! Do leave a comment~ Thank you very much for your time! Jazakumullah Khair!

Lucas walking towards the Al-Fateh Grand Mosque (with Hidayah, InsyaAllah)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ . تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ"

Hai orang-orang yang beriman, sukakah kamu aku tunjukkan suatu perniagaan yang dapat menyelamatkanmu dariazab yang pedih? (yaitu) kamu beriman kepada Allah dan RasulNya dan berjihad di jalan Allah dengan harta dan jiwamu. Itulah yanglebih baik bagimu, jika kamu mengetahui."[As-Saf, 61:10-11]

A doctor's visit..

2009-06-17T10:43:00.005+08:00

last nite, a friend/a senior/a facilitator of mine came by my house.

He is Abg Firdaus Ujang.. ops.. now he is Dr Firdaus Ujang..

i've never meet him since he became a doctor at Serdang Hospital. It was fun meeting him yesterday.

The main topic of discussion yesterday.. was, "A doctor's life".

u can imagine when a young/junior doctor meets my brother, a medical student..

haha.. full of advice and motivating words..

A doctor's life.. houseman's to be precise.. is d toughest of all according to him.

among the housemen, they agreed to put their rank the lowest and smaalest, even smaller than a virus! he xplained that they are being scolded, shouted, & yelled at all costs, and at all circumstances, by their MO(medical Officer) and Specialists.

Even in front of patients, visitors, they're treated in the same manner by their superior.

Doctors hardly sleep and they themselves do not find time for food,

although they tell people to eat well.

in on-call duties, especially in ginaecology (is it d right spelling?), or sakit puan, he said, sometimes six mothers are delivering, and there're only 2 doctors.

can u imagine? he had to run here and there, and sometimes when he arrive at d ward, the baby's head is already out!

there're also occasions when mothers delivering outside d ward, at d waiting room, because they arrive late, or the ward is full..

then i said, "glad to be in the engineering discipline".

haha.. u noe, then Dr firdaus said that.. "yes, u shud be glad n thnkful. I had a friend, an engineer, now have worked for 2 years. salary: 5k. hols:every sat & sun. me? salary: not much as him. Hols: almost none!"

then he told us, sometimes a doctor did face toughest decisions in their life.

1) During an on-call duty (where doctor on duty is not allowed to go back home), he got a call from his late father, "Firdaus, come back home, all your siblings are home. we could go anywhere together. this is a rare oppurtunity. tomorrow they'll go back separate ways."

2) During an on-call duty, he receive a call from his sister, that his father's health is worsen, and that he is moved to the hospital. however he could not attend his own father, because he is on an on-call duty.

3) During diagnosing a patient in severe & accute condition, he got a call from his sister, that his father stopped breathing, and that other doctor are attending him. He just couldn't leave his patient his attending at that moment.

"tough"

is the one word i could define these situations.

When his father passed away, Dr firdaus managed to be by his father's side.

that alone don't count the occasions where he faces deaths in his hands, on patients that don't have hopes anymore (to fill in death-in-line form) and telling it to their families..

He also point out that in a research among doctors in Malaysia, 70% of them regretted to be doctors.. and so, he asked my brother the most important question,

"Why do you want to be a doctor?"

However, being a doctor did come with various other emotions. He said, you can't tell how happy, how delighted you are to make others happy.

Of course, Allah who make people healthy, but with the doctors effort, Allah grant them this nikmat, a nikmat where no words can describe, and that no man can give.

there are occations where mothers with one year old son came by the hospital to thank him in her deliver, and yet he don't remember her. too many mothers! hehe..

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ

Allah tidak membebani seseorang melainkan sesuai dengan kesanggupannya. Ia mendapat pahala (dari kebajikan)yang diusahakannya dan ia mendapat siksa (dari kejahatan) yang dikerjakannya.

On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns.

[Al-Baqarah, 2:286]

"Hai orang-orang yang beriman, sukakah kamu aku tunjukkan suatu perniagaan yang dapat menyelamatkanmu dariazab yang pedih? (yaitu) kamu beriman kepada Allah dan RasulNya dan berjihad di jalan Allah dengan harta dan jiwamu. Itulah yanglebih baik bagimu, jika kamu mengetahui."

[As-Saf, 61:10-11]

Mukhayyam 'Aroby Akbar fi UTP

2009-06-15T13:07:00.005+08:00

Usbu'il Madhi, hua Usbu'il ihtammu li, wa mustafa, wa mu'min, wa shahrohman, wa syawal, wa safwan, wa fadhli aidhan! Qad iqaamu UTP Mukhayyam 'Aroby Akbar, lit-tolibil madrasah ath-thanawi fi Perak fiih.

hehe.. could u understand? Last week is an important week for me, mustafa, mu'min, shahroman, syawal, safwan and fadhli too! UTP have held Arabic Camp for secondary school students in Perak.

We are not d facilitators as many had wrongly percepted. We were d support team, aka committee to make sure d event run smoothly. Whew.. outstandingly tiring but very happy indeed!

Some of us came back to UTP on Tuesday 9th June, and some others came back on d 10th. workload beforehand is a pain in d head. we had to plan accordingly a system to control the participants throughout d event. for d support team, there're only 6 muslimin, and 13 muslimat. for d participants, there're 48 muslimin, and 59 muslimat.

We were instructed by ust Rahmat to communicate with d participants in arabic, and that was a challege for us. Nevertheless, we tried.. and it turned out ok, (though a lot of time we spent to discuss ourselves what to say, and in some occations.. alright, a LOT of occations where we did speak malay with d participants.. hehe :P)

16 facilitators with 11 muslimin, and 5 muslimat, are d alumni of madrasah Tarbiyyah Islamiyyah Darussalam Gontor, Indonesia. Majority of them are currently studying in UIAM(IIUM), doing masters and PhD in various majors, such as Usuluddin, Syariah Islamiyyah, etc. Joining with their friend Ust Rahmat, they conduct the camp splendidly!

The method is to use tariiqah mubasyirah (the way of learning by heart), other than using conventional malaysian way of teaching arabic, tariiqah tarjamah (the way of learning by translating). it is proven more effective, and not to mention "funner"! hehe.. they used full arabic without any translation in explaining their lessons. games, quizzes, pictures, songs, and even dramas are conducted in arabic, except for minor crucial information and announcements on students' health-related and safety precautions, to make sure they get the message.

This post is just d intro.. I'll follow up later with d activities n more photos, k! Stay tuned.. :-)

"Hai orang-orang yang beriman, sukakah kamu aku tunjukkan suatu perniagaan yang dapat menyelamatkanmu dariazab yang pedih? (yaitu) kamu beriman kepada Allah dan RasulNya dan berjihad di jalan Allah dengan harta dan jiwamu. Itulah yanglebih baik bagimu, jika kamu mengetahui."

[As-Saf, 61:10-11]

Holiday... already is boring... why??

2009-05-25T22:18:00.006+08:00

I think it's a norm, when a holiday comes into our schedule, it would take a little time before it becomes boring. why is that??

From my point of view, these may be the reasons;

We let Ustaz speak to mere 5 people in surau or masjid in kuliah after maghrib
We let Quran and Allah's Words be as decorations on bookshelves and walls
We just look on posters and banners on our neighbourhood activites (Qiam/kursus jenazah/gotong-royong, etc..)
We let story books on shelves dust
We let our mother cook alone, knowing that we should help
We let our clothes in the wardrobe untidy
We let the bicycle outside rust
We keep on blabbering on the leaking pipe, and flickering lights
We tend to ignore the drying garden and moss-covered flower pots
We direct our younger brothers/sisters to study for their mid-year exam, yet we slumped ourselves on the couch watching TV, knowing that we could help them out.
We let our sneakers rot on the shoerack
We just watch our neighbours jog every morning/evening
We let the toilets stained here and there
We just share our boredom with our close friends, but long to see them.
We keep on procrastinate to do assigned jobs from parents, siblings, and/or relatives
We let our works be done by others
We let our mother/father out early to do the marketing
We let the car outside covered in dust and keep regretting it
We let the grass grow uncontrollably
We let mother do the dishes
We let the doors creak
We let the house' store in a mess

Why don't you;

Go to the Musolla/Masjid to listen to Kuliah
Read Quran, and Tadabbur its content
Join the neighbourhood activities
Read the story books
Help and learn to cook
Tidy up clothes in the wardrobe
Ride the bicycle, or repair one.
Get appropriate gadgets to repair the pipes and lamps
Do some gardening! At least, brush out the moss on the pots
Help our siblings in their studies.
Use the sneakers to to physical exercise
Jog with our neighbours, tighten the bond between neighbors.
Wash out the toilets
Visit, or Ziarah our friends and relatives.
do designated jobs from parents, siblings, and/or relatives
Do our work till it's done
Do the marketing
Carwashing!
Mow the grass
Wash the dishes and/or shoes
Repair the doors creak
Reorganize the house' store

We see various other problems and/or opportunities to gain hasanah, but we let it be the way it is. If we have the power, the control, why don't we do something? Honestly, if we could do these tasks, no holiday would be boring, and none would be enough!

وَالْعَصْرِ

By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

Verily Man is in loss,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.

(103:1-3)

مَنْ أَنصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللَّهِ

"..."Siapakah yang akan menjadi penolong- penolongku (untuk menegakkan agama) Allah?" Pengikut-pengikut yang setia itu berkata: "Kamilah penolong-penolong agama Allah"..."

"..."Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah." Said the disciples, "We are Allah's helpers!"..."

(61:14)

IF-an advice of life

2009-05-25T13:34:00.003+08:00

You can say that this poem is my favourite. learn from a journey~!

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling
مَنْ أَنصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللَّهِ"..."Siapakah yang akan menjadi penolong- penolongku (untuk menegakkan agama) Allah?" Pengikut-pengikut yang setia itu berkata: "Kamilah penolong-penolong agama Allah"..."
"..."Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah." Said the disciples, "We are Allah.s helpers!"..."(61:14)