Kisah Nasi

i know it's kinda vain to take others' words and then put them on your blog..but, who cares? anyway, i've read the following words/poems/verses in one of yesterday's newspaper, in which i found it so true! as a matter of fact, i hardly subscribe to any writings in newspapers, especially our local papers! but, this one is the exception! so, enjoy!

wahai nasi, 

beritahu kami rahsia kamu;

bagaimana agaknya kamu boleh memikat semua orang?

satu ketika,

kamu mesra dengan daging kambing varuval.

di ketika lain,

kamu bergaul pula dengan potongan daging ayam Ipoh yang empuk.

dan pada setiap pagi,

kamu tidak pernah ketinggalan,

untuk bersama-sama ikan bilis, sambal dan telur buat sarapan.

di pesta kami yang meriah,

kamu sentiasa di sana meraikannya bersama-sama.

di hari raya,

kamu menyertai kawan-kawan kamu,

dan membawa kami ketupat dan lemang.

deepavali tidak kan sama,

tanpa kamu memberi warna paling menarik untuk dijadikan kolam

dan di ambang tahun baru cina,

kamu membawa keluarga dari jauh untuk pulang.

mungkin rahsia kamu adalah,

kerana kamu tidak memilih -

tak kisahlah jika kami menggunakan penyepit, sudu dan garfu, atau tangan.

kamu gembira berkongsi makanan dengan kami.

hari ini, 

di saat kami berkumpul bersama keluarga bagi menikmati hidangan,

kami akan memikirkan akan rahmat yang di kurniakan sepanjang 53 tahun ini.

dan kamu akan terus berada di sana,

mengingatkan kami sekali lagi,

tentang rahsia sebenar negara kita.

bahawa kita semua berkongsi 1 periuk nasi -

yang dipenuhi,

satu demi satu,

dengan pengorbanan,

kerja keras dan perpaduan mereka yang hadir sebelum kita.

dan kita berkongsi 1 tanggungjawab -

untuk terus mengisi periuk nasi ini,

bersama-sama,

untuk mereka yang akan hadir selepas kita.

source: Maybank

The Spirit of Merdeka Day!

"1Malaysia: to Drive Transformation"

let's put the remarked notion into reality! otherwise, it'd only become empty talks! but, how & where to begin??

1. don't be fanatic, but "fan of ethics!"

being fanatic of one ideology would not bring any good to us! it's not wrong, tho, to believe in any! but, to have that mine is right, and yours is wrong kinda attitude is something ridiculous and unacceptable..let's put it in a simpler form..if i was to believe in socialism, it won't give me any rights, tho, to condemn secularism or capitalism..how on earth could i prove that my ideology is better than others?? thus, it's that important to be ethical whenever we are discussing any topics..furthermore, living in a modern world, in which each of us is entitled to freely speak our minds, would demand us to be substantially tolerate to any criticisms and discrepancies..we shouldn't misuse our freedoms to dismantle others, just because they have different views on life..well, i do believe, each of us, tho some are not that obvious, is longing to make this world a better place to dwell in..but, the approaches might be different from one person to another..thus, instead of discouraging them, why not we work as a team? it's not that difficult, in a real sense, to put our differences aside, as long as we are willing to give up our fanatic attitude, and thus be a fan of ethics! remember, Prophet Muhamad p.b.u.h was sent so to fix the people's morals on that day! guys, in the spirit of Merdeka Day, let's change for the better..don't be too emotional and judgmental! 

"jiwa kena besar, impian mesti mencabar!"

Reflection

after 8 months of blogging, i think it's now time for reflection..hence, i really need your opinions as to improve the way i'm blogging..please drop ur views on the comment section below..any opinions, regardless of constructive or destructive, will be highly appreciated! TQ

Remp-it

Tuhan itu di mana-mana:

..dijadikan cerita, di kampung saya, saya tidaklah mempunyai begitu ramai kawan2..kalau adapun, mereka yang pernah bersekolah rendah bersama2..itupun, kebanyakan mereka, saya sudah terlupa nama dan wajah mereka..bukan sengaja, tapi capacity memori saya ini terlalu kecil (i even once forgot my birthday)

..so, seperti kebiasaan, semenjak saya balik ini, emak semakin mengada-ngada (sorry mom, i am kidding..haha)..jadi, segala urusan membeli barang harian dan juadah berbuka diberikan pada saya: beli lauk dan sebagainya...kadang2 terpaksa ulang-alik sebab tersalah beli..emak pesan beli sawi, saya terbeli bayam..haha..yang seronoknya, bile mendengar leteran emak sebab dapat anak yang lembab! whatever! haha

jadi, hari ini, seperti biasa, dengan menunggang motosikal kegemaran, saya dengan pantas ke sebuah kedai yang agak jauh dari rumah semata2 untuk membeli karipap mee..entah kenapa, karipap mee merupakan juadah wajib berbuka bagi kami sekeluaga pada tahun ini..

..so, selepas bergerak selaju 60km/hr (nie max moto aku boleh pergi), maka sampailah saya ke tempat yang dituju...mak cik gerai tue dah kenal & naik muak  sgt dengan saya..x yah order, dy dah siap amikkan karipap mee tue..bagus mak cik nie..ada ciri2 peniaga yang berjaya..haha

then, sbb dh gembira dapat karipap tue, saya pon start moto nk balik...puas start, smpai selipar mahal  saya hampir putus..tapi moto x hidup..nk call mak, hp pulak x der kredit! cet! mak cik tue pulak x dapat nk tlg ape2..so, the last option is to drag the bike to the nearby workshop, which i guess, would take me like forever! haha..jadi, saya berdoalah.. "ya Allah, jika kau terima amalan2 aku sebelum ini, hadirkanlah orang2 untuk membantu aku"

x sampai 5 mins, sampai la dua orang mamat bermoto, yang saya pon x kenal..tapi yang satu tue, saya selalu nampak di masjid..so, sebagai yang sgt cool saya buat mcm x der pape2..tp, mamat2 nie pon cool jugak! dyorang tnyer, and then, w/ their helps, i managed to get my bike to the shop! i was like, thank God for answering my prayer!

dkt workshop tue pulak, kene tunggu hampir 2 jam..dengan panas yang x hengat, rasa seperti baru lepas mandi sungai! tp x per la..sempat la serba sedikit saya belajar dengan tauke kedai tue cara2 membaiki moto..cool jugak bermain dengan minyak hitam, spanar, nut, and etc..

haha... smpai dkt rumah, biler cerita dengan mak, dia boleh gelakkan! nice, at least i can put a smile on her face through my bad day! anyway, in the evening, i had met w/ one of my Stevens buddies, whom graduated a year ago! it was a great meeting as we talked about our past and present..i, myself, felt so motivated..anyway, got to go sleep now as i have to wake early tomorrow as to catch up my morning bus to KL..happy Ramadhan, guys! 

Malacca, 1515 : The Lesson

i am now reading "1515" written by Faisal Tehrani..the book is, by far, about the struggle of the Malacca people, namely the Malays, so to protect their state from the Portuguese..and it comes to my surprise, after reading half of this book, that there was a superwoman back then,named Nyemah Mulya, whose life was merely to stand for the people of Malacca..nonetheless, her immense contributions, as of my concerned, were yet being acknowledged by the history..it's sad since, for me, her struggle is very significant in term of lesson-learning to the people of today..

tho, i have yet to finish this book, i could barely conclude that the defeat of the Malacca empire was entirely due to lack of ijtihad (thinking)..the defense team was, irrefutably, huge and strong in term of numbers of warriors and equipments..yet, they were lacking of war strategies..consequently, the Sultan of Malacca was forced to surrender, and therefore, had  to find a new place to hide..if only, we had great strategists back then, Malacca empire might still be existed in today's world..and thousands of our people might not be ferociously killed,  and our women won't be mercilessly raped by the Albuquerque and his people!

but, it was already our past..and, by no means, we could change it so to favor to our sides..yet, the lessons do really matter, for us, in our way to shape the future..

as a matter of fact, several years before Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese, the people were living happily..their civilization was, undoubtedly, better than the Western people..the economy, likewise, was very blossoming..therefore, it was very rare to see poor people (if any, they were little in number)..since the life was so awesome, these people were ignoring some essential elements, in which later led to the embarrassing lost..the knowledge, at that time, was not highly appreciated..the people were so allured to entertainment, rather than equipping themselves w/ knowledge..while they were tirelessly partying night over night, their foes were planning ways of defeating them..by the time they realized, it was too late..the foes have been well prepared w/ equipments as well as strategies.. (to be continued)

Knowledge (Part 2)

as being mentioned in my previous post, the process of acquiring knowledge is indeed very tough, yet not impossible..hence, it requires a thorough plan so to restructure our learning institution..and here are my comments in regards to this issue:

• learning is not mere memorizing facts and figures
• the notion that teachers know everything  should be redefined, if not eliminated
• students are not just entitled to score high in exams, but encouraged to work more on personal research
• the syllabus must be revised more often, while the content should be more provocative, which could stimulate critical thinkings among the students
• the learning process should be in two ways - not only the students learn from the teachers, but it could happen the other way around
• to get the students engaged in more lively in-class discussion
• the teachers should act as facilitators, instead of instructors
• each schools should have more areas of concentration, which could cater to current students' interest..as of today, most schools have stressed only on few major areas: pure science, Koran sunnah (religion), engineering
• parents should not be the decision maker for their kids' future..instead, they should be a great supporter
• corporates should allocate more fund on research projects
• local community should create a conducive learning environment for the teenagers
• public library should function more efficiently, other than just a book store 

Knowledge!

knowledge has been, more often than not, misinterpreted by many of us, including me..some might ignorantly equate knowledge and information..yet, these two things are very different in term of their philosophical meanings..

knowledge, by and large, is broader and more inclusive than information is..one who possesses thousands of information will not necessarily be knowledgeable..knowledge, according to Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, is "the arrival of meaning, as a result of true information that one possesses."

so, literally, knowledge is composed of two important elements: meaningful and truthful..so, acquiring knowledge is not simply by reading/taking info from any sources, but is to do complete analysis and research..the credibility of the info, nonetheless, must be attested..only then, one can proudly say that (s)he is now possessing a knowledge!

yet, what is happening right now is the fact that people are not concerned of spreading knowledge..since the process of acquiring knowledge is much harder and complicated than of collecting info, one would rather choose to spread the latter..but, the question is, how much the information would help to build a very sound society, in which each of us is entitled w/ good and vast knowledge? 

and i beg to differ that what has been taught in our local schools or colleges is not how to acquire knowledge, but merely on how to possess information..one has only to memorize all the information given by the lecturer so to pass the exams at the end of each semesters..then, these high scorers will be applauded for the knowledge that they has ostentatiously gained..alas, no one does care on the subsequent process that involves the analysis part...this is very saddening for us, in general, since the real knowledge is yet to be acquired, but the process has been stopped..

so, i would like to suggest that the whole society (this includes the gov/politics, the business, and the civil society) to start redefining the philosophy of our education..abolishing UPSR, for example, might be one of the strategies to improvise our education system, yet it is minuscule in effect! we need more comprehensive plan as to tackle this problem..the gov/politics alone, might not be able to come up w/ a good solution..so, each of us, regardless of different ideologies, religions, upbringings, and etc, should speak our opinions so to give more inputs to those lawmakers..anyway, it is indeed very important to give proper and quality education to our kids so that our country can prosper and move towards higher level of achievement!  ;) 

Enthralling Story!

i found this very good article of how a once Christian preacher being a Muslim Chaplin..an astonishing disclosure of the misconceptions towards Islam, and Muslims generally..and how, we, the Muslims, should do in anyway possible to clear all these ambiguities and confusions..please feel free to click on the following link, and it'll direct you to this great article..Happy Fasting, brothers and sisters! ;)

http://www.famousmuslims.com/Yusuf%20Estes.htm

It was already Hari Raya for me!

i am so thankful to my beloved mom, aunt, and all my family members for making "hari raya" for me..there were ketupat, lemang, rendang, sambal kacang (my favorite), and etc..w/ many family members gathered in my house just now, the feeling was not much different from the actual hari raya..plus, some of my little cousins did play fire-crackers while some of my favorite hari raya songs were loudly played..

i just can't describe my feeling right now..i think it's now my turn to make them, especially my parents and my aunt, happy..they have done everything for me..and i've promised myself, in whatever cases, family will always be my first priority..my career would come after..Thank God for bestowing me such wonderful, and understanding family..

..and to mom, i really love you to the bits! no one would ever replace you! you're that special to me, in which i cannot translate it into words!

Pemimpin 'chipsmore'

Disclaimer: i'm neither a pious man nor a knowledgeable Islamic scholar..i'm just a layman, whose concern is more towards social development in any Muslim society..

Perihal Jemaah Masjid:

sembahyang berjemaah merupakan nadi kekuatan umat Islam..sejak zaman Rasulullah lagi, para sahabat sudah di tarbiahkan dengan solat secara berjemaah..justeru, tidak hairanlah jika kekuatan umat Islam pada ketika itu begitu dikagumi..

namun, jika diselusuri serba sedikit mengenai cara Rasulullah, sebagai Pemimpin pada ketika itu, berdakwah, tidaklah hairanlah para sahabat mempunyai keutuhan iman yang jitu..Rasulullah, dalam menyeru ke arah kebaikan, selalunya mendahului para sahabat dalam melakukannya..oleh dengan itu, tidak hairanlah jika Baginda menjadi contoh ikutan umat seluruhnya..

melihat para pemimpin Islam pada zaman kini, saya berasa sedikit gusar..ambil contoh, apa yang berlaku dalam konteks masyarakat setempat..saya amat kecewa apabila melihat wajah pemimpin2 masyarakat ini di masjid hanya apabila terdapat majlis2 tertentu..jika tidak, jangankan batang hidung, bunyi kenderaan mereka lansung tidak kedengaran di perkarangan masjid...mungkin, pada penilaian saya, mereka begitu sibuk dengan urusan kemasyarakatan yang menyukarkan mereka berjemaah (bersangka-baik)..tetapi, melihat telatah mereka yg berlebih-lebihan ketika hadir ke masjid untuk majlis2 tertentu menyebabkan saya rasa begitu meluat..sifat hipokrasi mereka yang tinggi menyebabkan rasa hormat saya kepada mereka hilang begitu sahaja..saya sedar, sebagai umat Islam, kita diseru untuk mentaati pemimpin selagi mana mereka tidak memerangi Islam..namun, berikan saya seribu alasan untuk saya menghormati pemimpin2 'chipsmore' seperti ini...

wahai pemimpin2 & bakal2 pemimpin Islam, beristiqamahlah kamu dalam menyeru manusia ke arah kebaikan..ingatlah, kelak di akhirat sana, kamu akan disoal di hadapan Dia, Allah, tentang amanah yang diberikan pada kamu!

p/s: i know it's bad to badmouth people..but, i would feel even worse to remain silent! a good citizen is the one who reprimands his/her leaders when they make mistakes!  ;)

Kenangan Bersama Arwah Atuk

Pusara Atuk (luar) & Pusara Nenek (dalam) 

pada 30 julai yang lalu, genaplah 11 tahun atuk kembali ke rahmatullah..atuk pergi pada ketika saya masih kecil, dan masih butuhkan panduan dan bimbingan atuk..arwah, pada hemat saya merupakan seorang yang rajin bekerja, warak beribadah, dan merupakan ayah dan atuk yang baik..atau dengan kata lain, arwah begitu sempurna pada pandangan saya..

namun, mahu atau tidak, saya harus menerima hakikat bahawa atuk sudah tiada lagi..atuk yang dulunya menjadi pelindung kepada kami adik-beradik tatkala ayah marah kini sudah lebih sedekad meninggalkan kami..bohonglah untuk mengatakan saya tidak sedih dengan ketiadaan atuk..tetapi, mahu atau tidak, saya harus menerima hakikat bahawa "setiap yang hidup pasti akan mati." itu adalah janji dia, Ya Rabb kepada seluruh umat manusia..

Atuk, Pada Ketika Hidupnya:

arwah atuk bukanlah lahir dari kalangan keluarga berada...menurut emak, segala yang diperolehi oleh kami pada hari ini, bukan diwarisi oleh arwah daripada bapa atau ibunya..semuanya adalah daripada titik peluh dan usaha arwah sendiri..arwah bekerja siang dan malam dalam memastikan kesemua 11 anaknya mendapat makan & minum yang mencukupi, serta pendidikan setinggi yang boleh..menurut emak, bukan senang bagi seorang ayah untuk membesarkan 11 anak, yang mana 9 daripadanya adalah anak lelaki..namun, dalam kesibukan mencari nafkah untuk keluarga, arwah tidak pernah mengabaikan kewajipan memberikan pendidikan keagamaan kepada anak2 mereka..rotan, kata emak, merupakan salah satu bentuk pelajaran yang diamalkan oleh arwah dalam mendidik anak2 beliau..alhamdullilah, hasilnya, anak2 arwah kini semuanya berjaya menjadi insan yang berguna...

dalam kesibukan mendidik keluarga, arwah juga sibuk dalam aktiviti kemasyarakatan..arwah, menurut mak, merupakan seorang yang begitu berminat dalam urusan politik (mungkin inilah menyebabkan saya meminati bidang politik)..arwah pernah pada suatu ketika menjadi ketua kampung..tidak hairanlah, jika arwah mampu bertutur sedikit dalam bahasa Inggeris..maklumlah, pada ketika itu, arwah selalu berurusan dengan segelintir pemerintah Inggeris..dalam politik pula, arwah merupakan penggerak utama UMNO di kawasan beliau..teringat kembali, cerita arwah, mengenai kehidupan beliau ketika berada dalam ancaman komunis..oleh itu, arwah selalu berpesan kepada saya (yang ketika itu masih kecil) agar sentiasa menghargai segala nikmat keamanan..

Kenangan Bersama Arwah: 

Saya bersama Arwah Atuk Sewaktu Majlis Khatam Quran Saya

ramai yang pelik mengenai ejaan nama saya..jika diteliti maksud shahrir di dalam bahasa arab, nama ini mungkin tiada maksud...menurut mak, nama saya diberikan sendiri oleh arwah atuk sempena mengambil nama ahli politik, Datuk Shahrir...mungkin sebab itulah, hubungan saya dengan atuk begitu akrab..sayalah merupakan satu-satunya cucu, yang mana atuk memberikan namanya.. (ceh, bangga la pulak! LOL)

sejak kecil, saya memang begitu rapat dengan arwah..setiap kali ayah marah kepada kami, saya akan segera mendapatkan arwah..jadi, selalunya saya akan terlepas daripada sebarang bentuk hukuman..kakak2 lah yang terpaksa menanggung azab rotan..haha..

arwah selalu berharap agar saya menjadi seorang anak yang pintar..menjadi cita2 arwah untuk melihat saya belajar di MCKK..namun, rezeki tidak memihak kepada saya..saya hanya mampu ke sebuah sekolah sains di johor..tapi, cita2 arwah tidak pernah luput dari ingatan saya..memandangkan saya telah gagal, saya akan berusaha memastikan generasi saya seterusnya mampu menunaikan hasrat arwah..itu merupakan janji saya pada arwah!

di besarkan bersama arwah, minat politik saya sudah mula bercambah semenjak kecil..setiap kali raya, saya akan join pak cik2 saya (ayah kurang berminat dalam politik) dan arwah berborak mengenai politik...ketika itu, saya masih lagi bersekolah rendah..instead of joining my other cousins, i already involved myself w/ adult matters..i know it was too early, but i loved it... ;)

for the record, saya bukanlah seorang yang nakal..segala perbuatan saya diawasi oleh emak dan arwah..tepat jam 6.30 ptg, saya diwajibkan berada di rumah..itupun, saya hanya dibenarkan keluar jika semua homework saya telah disiapkan..jika tidak, jangan haraplah untuk bermain bersama kawan2 yang lain..haha

namun, dalam ketidaknakalan saya (angkat bakut sikit, LOL), saya sudah dua kali dijahit..satu di bahagian dahi dan satu lagi di bahagian dagu..menurut emak, ketika kecil, saya nie seorang yang nakal, tapi tak nampak..entahlah, saya pun x faham apa yang dimaksudkan oleh emak..tapi, saya masih ingat, ketika sebahagian kecil di bahagian dahi saya koyak, ketika itu di sekolah agama, saya tidak berani memberitahu emak..saya pasti saya akan dimarahi..jadi saya merayu kepada cikgu agar hanya memberitahu arwah...jadi, arwahlah yang menghantar saya ke klinik..sesampai dirumah, emak sudah mencebik muka..saya tahu saya akan dihukum..nasib baiklah arwah ada, maka saya buat sejuta kalinya terselamat daripada dimarahi..hahaha

Arwah, Dalam Mendidik Kami Adik Beradik:

tidak pernah sekali, seingat saya, arwah atuk memarahi kami adik-beradik...semua kesalahan kami disusuli dengan nasihat yang tidak putus2..arwah mengajar kami erti kehidupan melalui penceritaan kisah silam beliau..oleh itu, sehingga sekarang saya tidak pernah bersetuju dengan "cara menghukum untuk mendidik." arwah atuk juga mengajar saya untuk berusaha keras dalam mendapatkan apa yang dingini..walaupun hampir segala permintaan saya dipenuhi oleh arwah, namun arwah tidak pernah mengiyakan segala tindak-tanduk saya...yang salah tetap salah! begitulah cara arwah mendidik kami, adik-beradik...tegas dalam sayang!

Arwah, Sewaktu Ajalnya:

arwah meninggal pada 30 julai 1999, yang pada ketika itu jatuh pada hari jumaat..arwah meninggal kerana serangan jantung..semasa hayatnya, makanan favorite arwah adalah "masak lemak cili api." dan kini saya pula menggemari lauk tersebut.. ;)

arwah meninggal sejam sebelum solat jumaat..arwah seakan2 sudah tahu bahawa beliau akan akan meninggal pada hari tersebut..sebelum meninggal, beliau sudah pun membuang air besar, memotong kuku, dan mandi sebersihnya..maka, urusan memandikan jenazah begitu senang dan pantas..saya masih ingat ketika saya menunggu mayat arwah, mukanya seakan-akan kekuningan..dan mulutnya seakan tersenyum...walaupun saya masih kecil ketika itu (baru 10 tahun) saya langsung tidak takut..arwah seakan2 masih hidup pada ketika itu..

Kini:

pada waktu dahulu, kami sekeluarga akan menziarahi pusara arwah pada setiap hujung minggu..itu merupakan aktiviti mingguan yang wajib bagi kami..namun, kini, semenjak kami, adik-beradik semakin sibuk, begitu jarang sekali kami menjenguk pusara arwah..namun Alhamdulillah, pagi tadi, saya bersama emak dapat mengunjungi pusara arwah..sekembalinya dari pusara, segala kenangan bersama arwah kembali bertaut dalam fikiran..saya sedar, selama ini, saya begitu sibuk mengejar cita2 dunia, sehinggakan saya lupa pada seseorang yang pada suatu ketika dulu merupakan orang kesayangan saya! Dear God, i pray so that his soul will be placed among the good ones! amin!

Antara Kemestian dan Digalakkan:

Ramadhan al-Mubarak:

Alhamdulillah, saya berkesempatan bertemu dengan Ramadhan sekali lagi pada tahun ini..seperti tahun sebelumnya, kali ini saya dapat menyambutnya bersama keluarga tersayang..walaupun tidaklah semeriah seperti tahun2 sebelumnya, atas kesibukan masing2, saya masih mampu tersenyum apabila melihat ibu, ayah, adik-beradik duduk semeja menikmati juadah berbuka bersama..segala kerisauan seakan hilang sama sekali..inilah dikatakan keberkatan Ramadhan al-Mubarak, selain berpeluang mendekati diri dengan Tuhan, saya juga dapat merapatkan semula hubungan kekeluargaan..

namun, dalam mencari keberkatan Ramadhan, ramai di antara kita yang mudah terlupa mengenai tangunggjawab kita sebagai seorang Muslim..

1) Bersegeralah Berbuka Puasa:

bersegera dalam berbuka merupakan sunah Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h..Nabi, menurut satu riwayat, berasa sangat gembira setiap kali berbuka..jadi sebagai manusia Muslim, memang menjadi suatu suruhan untuk kita menuruti dan meneladani segala cara hidup (sunah) Rasul junjungan kita..jadi ramailah diantara kita yang berusaha untuk menyegerakan waktu berbuka puasa..Alhamdulillah, niat di hati adalah untuk mengikut sunah Nabi..namun, dalam mencari keberkatan, janganlah kita mengabaikan kewajipan kita..sewaktu menaiki teksi untuk berbuka puasa bersama sahabat2 lama di Kuala Lumpur, saya begitu kesal melihat tindak-tanduk pemandu2 kereta dan penunggang2 motosikal di jalan raya..masing2 begitu gopoh memandu, seolah2 hanya mereka sahaja yang mahu berbuka..sopan-santun di jalan raya langsung diabaikan..agaknya, mereka lupa bahawa sebagai seorang Muslim, kita diwajibkan untuk menjaga keselamatan jiwa! tindakan gopoh-gapah mereka (kononnya untuk mencari keberkatan berbuka awal) sebenarnya mampu mengancan nyawa mereka sendiri dan orang sekeliling..wahai pengguna2 jalanraya, bersabarlah dan bersopanlah di jalanraya..jangan dek kerana untuk mengejar sesuatu, nyawa diri sendiri dan orang lain melayang! berbuka awal merupakan satu sunah, dan bukannya kewajipan..tetapi untuk menjaga keselamatan nyawa adalah satu kemestian! 

2) Solat Terawikh:

salah satu kelebihan bulan Ramadhan berbanding bulan2 yang laen adalah kerana di dalamnya terdapat ibadah solat terawikh..maka ramailah mengambil kesempatan untuk berterawikh..Alhamdulillah, jarang sekali saya melihat masjid di kawasan saya dipenuhi dengan ramai jemaah sepertimana sewaktu bersolat terawikh..Alhamdulillah, mungkin inilah keberkatan Ramadhan..namun, ironinya, jemaah solat subuh tidaklah seramai sewaktu bersolat terawikh..maka, timbullah persoalan, antara solat Subuh dan solat Terawikh, manakah merupakan kewajipan?? teringat kembali kata2 bro Waleed, sewaktu menyampaikan ceramah mingguan beliau di Stevens, malaikat2 akan mendoakan mereka yang mengerjakan solat Subuh dan Asar secara berjemaah..maka kawan2, ambil beratlah mengenai kewajipan, dan rajin2 kan lah dalam melakukan ibadah sunat! tidak rugi untuk kita mengabdikan diri demi dia, ya Rabb! 

3) Rancangan di TV

dalam Bulan Ramadhan ini, begitu banyak lambakan rancangan di TV yang berunsurkan agama..kadang2 timbul persoalan di minda, adakan rancangan2 tersebut benar2 mahu mendidik umat? atau sekadar mengambil kesempatan bulan Ramadhan? namun sebagai seorang Muslim, kita digalakkan bersangka baik! oleh itu, saya amat berharap agar rancangan2 berunsur keagamaan ini dapat diteruskan dan ditayangkan secara istiqamah! insha Allah!  ;) 

Thoughtful "rambling" [Paradox]

i don't feel like home:

the moment i arrived in the KLIA, about a week ago, i felt so awkward..logically, i supposed to be happy since this is my home country..but, i didn't feel that way...instead, i was so uncomfortable every time i spoke w/ some  malaysian guys..i don't know why, but it just happened..

to be honest, nothing in here that really makes myself happy..the tv shows are so lame, the newspapers are reporting unnecessary news, the prices of goods and products are so high (a good indication of high inflation), the internet connection is super-duper "fast"and etc..yet, thanks to my family, friends, and foods..because of these 3f, i could barely survive my first week in here..gosh, i have more or less two more weeks to go! please keep me alive, God!

changed & unchanged: 

to begin with, i am not a shrewd observer..but, i do observe! 

changed:

the prices of goods and products are increasing crazily..i did go to bazaar ramadhan recently to get some foods for iftar...to be honest, i am not a big fan of any "kuih-muih." so, instead of buying foods, i just walked around, meeting w/ my old buddies..but, i noticed the price of these "kuih-muih" is way more expensive that it was a year ago..two for rm1..it's so insane! 

there are currently many new tv shows..and they are getting lamer and more pathetic than they were few years ago! come on, guys! don't u think our people are getting smarter and smarter?? so, i beg u guys to consider the people's intellect every time u make a new show! please!

unchanged:

the customer service is yet to be good/improved...it's still the same as it was about a decade ago..i think our people should be more polite as compared to the people in the west..yet, it happens otherwise..i feel so bad!

the taxi drivers are yet to stop from manipulating the tourists..they charge these tourists higher than it was supposed to be..to make it even worse. some of these drivers are wearing white "kupiah." yet, they cannot resist themselves from cheating..

while i was in KL, i prefer to use public transport instead of asking my sister to bring me to this and that place..KTM commuter, and lrt are my favorite one! but, every time i boarded a train, i felt so sad..it was very rare to see our people to read books, magazines, and etc..why it is so hard to bring a small book to read while travelling? is it that hard? we should bear in mind that, "bangsa berjaya adalah bangsa yang membaca!" 

while waiting for my aunty in the hospital, i got to know a middle-aged man, whose wife is having blood cancer..this man, according to him, is a contractor..so, one day, while talking to me, he did receive a phone call..and then, he told me that he had to attend an iftar w/ a guy (a big guy) from one gov department.. haha..idk why, but i felt something fishy! i think you guys know what i mean! anyway, this habit has been rooted in our society for many years..if you don't know "somebody," it's very hard for you to be successful.. well, i feel so bad abut this! can we judge only based on one's performance?? and not other factors! People, can we change???

my aunt's updates:

what i do expect has becoming reality..she was diagnosed for having blood cancer..but, the doctor is yet to confirm of which type the cancer is..i really hope that my aunty will fully recover from this fatal disease..i cannot imagine my life w/o her around..she's the one, instead of my parents, who has given undivided support while i am in good or bad times..i want her to see me, growing up to be a good and charismatic man! i want her to see me, achieving my dream..she's the only person, who knows my real dream..i am yet to tell anybody, even my mom, about my actual dream.she's also the person, whom i look for whenever i need somebody to cry my problems..dear god, i pray w/ my heart and soul, that she'll regain her health! i want her to be happy since her happiness is also mine! 

..in malaysia (updates!)

currently:

i am yet to be home...still staying somewhere in Kuala Lumpur...my daily routine is the same: wake up early in the morning, and get some stuffs for my aunty in the hospital..since the visiting hours is from 12pm, i cannot stay long in the morning..so, usually, i continue my sleep after the "morning delivery."

and then, come back again around 12pm to 2pm..well, it has been awhile since i met my aunty..thus, i told her everything about my life in States..everything, from my personal to study life..she's happy, i guess, to know that i'm doing pretty good so far.. :)

then, after 2 hrs of little chatting w/ her, i'd go to nearby bazar ramadhan around 3 pm to get some foods for my aunty..well, it's bad to say here that the foods provided by the hospital is tasteless..no wonder, my aunty never finished her foods..pity her! ;(

and then, i'll be back to her ward again around 5 pm..as before, i'd stay up to 7 pm (about 2hrs)..then, i'd go out for iftar..it's pretty cool to have iftar alone! feels like an awesome dad, whose wife and kids are already dead! haha..ok, i am joking!

anyway, tho i am bit tired (yes, i am still struggling to fix my biological clock), am more than happy to be there around my aunty! today, i am thinking of showing her all pics of me while i am in the States..i hope i can make her smile today! ;)

GMUN:

i was told that my application has been rejected..i don't mind either since i got some more important things to do instead of attending this conference...anyway, thinking how many benefits i could have by joining this conference has made me felt a bit sad! nonetheless, i did try..and this time, i'm not that good enough to be selected..never mind! ;)

Vacation Plan:

honestly, i already made some arrangements w/ my old buddies for a short vacation trip..yet, to consider the current state of mine, i don't think i could make it! i feel so bad to my friends..but, in life, priority is very important..sometimes, we need to hurt ones' feeling as to cure another..i am not that perfect anyway, to keep all of them happy since i, myself, am not that happy either! anyway, i hope this decision serves me the best!  

12 hrs Transit in Incheon

Heung Ryun Temple: Main Prayer Building

(the temple for the riches, living around Incheon)

Heung Ryun Temple: Building to keep "Dead Ashes"

From Left: June, Me, Sam, Sam's Girl ( i forgot her name ;p )

The background is the Incheon FDU (Free Duty Unit) 

Incheon Bridge: 

The Longest Bridge in Korea (21 km in length, toll fare is about 11000 won (11USD) 

Cultural Parade at Incheon International Airport (seriously!)

Me, Coloring the Lotus Flower

(Lotus flower is a symbol of longevity according to their cultures)

The Lotus Fan: 

(I colored it by myself, seriously! took me about 1 & 1/2 hrs..good, right? LOL)

Pics!

* i don't really like pics..but, here are some, which describes of our 2 days & 1 night stand  in Connecticut - "beach"ing , peach & apple picking, and  eating! to Kak Mahanis & family, Abg Rizal & family, i'd like to extend my thanks for your warm & great hospitality..we'll surely go there again sooner or later!  btw, Happy Ramadhan, guys!  ;)

Unity!

it's always hard to discuss on this one particular topic - unity! all of us, w/ no exception, agree that unity is a vital element in ensuring the successful of a country..unity is the only key to protect us from any chaotic, and harmful situation, to tie us together, and also to nurture love among the people..

but, each of us might see unity from different perspectives..one might say, unity is a concept of total acceptance, in which everybody, of different backgrounds, might disregard their unique identities, and therefore, consider themselves as ONE!

another theory that worths to be considered is by thinking unity as a formula to unite people of various upbringing, or races, w/o compromising their own cultures..for me, both are good, but the latter theory seems to be better..

..as a kid living in considerably remote area, i was given only a little chance to mix around..in other words, diversity was totally out! just imagine, while i was in kindergarten, i have only Malay friends, sitting next to me..then, the same thing continued as i admitted to my primary school..the situation was getting worse, i guess, as i was selected to be in a boarding school..yet, i was very fortunate, as my misery stopped once i arrived in the States..i got to know a lot of people..i have few Turkish friends (most of them are very snobbish), Jews (in which many of them are very clever and kind to me), Chinese (from Main Land), and etc..what had enriched me later on was the fact that i'd been working w/ some Chinese, and local people for my research project..furthermore, i was called to engage in a brainstorming session (tho of my limited knowledge) during the research period..it was totally absolutely tremendously awesome..

but, as much as i loved to know more about Americans, i noticed that these people are not very diverse..tho most of them are from different races or beliefs, they do regard themselves as American..even, some of them (of my knowledge), to the extend, are shy to recognize their origins! this, for me, is something unacceptable..forgetting our roots for the sake of the unity won't make any good or sense! anyway, New York City was built by the immigrants..so, the current 'immigrant' generation should/must be proud of their ancestors..

anyway, just imagine if each of the Americans acknowledges their origins, while at the same time, learning other cultures..i guess, this country would be a lot successful than it is today!

as i said in my early post, i do support unity! i do support a cause of "color blind!"it has always been my principle that no one should be left out from any opportunities for their "minority" status! it ain't fair!

but, on different note, each of us should not be ashamed of our own races..me?? i'm always proud to be a Malay, regardless of how many bad title assigned to Malays..but, it doesn't mean i hate the other races..i guess it's not wrong to describe myself as a  "Malay" before a Malaysian...in other words, i am proud of being Malay, but i love my other races' counterparts..is it that hard to be that way???

Common Sense

"you asked me whose life was more important- yours or mine, and i answered MINE; you walked away angry, not knowing that YOU ARE MY LIFE!"

as i browsed thru others' fb account (one of my morning rituals as to get updates of my dear friends), i found a link that led me to the above phrase..well, it's very typical of me to look things from "non-positive" side..i know this phrase is figuratively beautiful and ear-soothing, but in other perspective, it just does't make sense to me..the sentence has too many ambiguities, which sometimes, without prudent consideration, might lead to misunderstandings between people involved..why should we use such ambiguous words, while we have such simpler and direct ways of conveying our message?? in above case, the real intention is to express one's love towards his/her pair..why shouldn't (s)he say "i love u" instead?? does it make more sense??

Common Sense:

true or not, based on my observation, Americans are more polite and civilized as compared to my people..i know, this is very hard to accept by most of the Malaysians..but, as a saying goes, "reality hurts/sucks!" yet, for some, tho they agree w/ this reality, they are still finding lame excuses as to define the lack of civilization in our society..yes, it's true that America has been existed for a long long time, more than 200 years ago..hence, logically, their civilization should/must be greater and superior than ours, which only gained independence about 50 years ago..but, for me, to use such reason as an excuse of our lack of progress, in term of social evolution, is nothing but a  pathetic one..

number is just an illusion..but, many prefer to stay in this mind-trap for the rest of their lives..well, for them, elders should be wiser/knowledgeable than the youngsters, elders should be respected regardless of any, and etc..but folks, realize or not, age is just another number, which does not have any authority to define one's characters..i would rather respect the young, who has more knowledge, rather than the elders who has nothing to offer since in the end, it's not how many years you have lived that counts, but how do you apply your knowledge for the benefits of your society, right?? 

so, back to our actual topic, to say that Americans are more civilized simply because of their long history as compared to ours, is ridiculous..we cannot blame the history as to reasoning our weaknesses, right?? thus, the only thing we should do now is by asking/searching their formulas of developing their civilized society..what do they have, in which we are yet to develop?? again, based on my observation, they have nothing special, which is very different from ours except their people are using their common sense so to live their daily lives..how should i prove this??? for the past 2 years, i have been travelling some places in the States, such as Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Orleans, and etc..one thing i noticed is that most of their public restrooms (tho not all) are very clean..i don't think they have more workers to clean the restrooms more often than we have in our country..so, how do they keep their public clean? the answer is simple but always have been overlooked by many..it's because most of the people use their common senses to flush the toilet bowl after using it, to throw toilet papers into thrash bin, to resist their temptations to "do art works" on toilet wall, and etc..all these etiquettes require no formal lessons in class, or constant lectures during the Friday's sermon (apply in Malaysia)..it's just to use ones' common sense..yes, it's that simple! believe me..another example is to come before the departing time if you use public transports..is it very hard to be there earlier than the schedule so that the bus, for example, could depart on time..don't you ever think or sense, how annoyed the people are to wait just for you???dudes, it's common sense to think that way..

hence, i guess, if our Malaysians apply their common senses in their every day lives, we might be able to solve many problems.. the government doesn't have to spend much money and time as to educate people to "cintai sungai kita," "hapuskan nyamuk aedes." and etc..believe me, there are many things in our lives that require no high education to do..it just needs sometime for us to ponder and realize our common senses..(also, in investment, there's a rule of thumb, in which investors use their common sense as to make important decisions)

adios amigos..

It feels good to be a Muslim

The Basic of Being Muslim:

..to become a Muslim, you have to bear your witness that there's no deity, except Allah (the Almighty), and Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h is the Messenger of Allah..

..then, you have to perform pre-determined actions obliged to you, such as praying five times per day, fasting in the month of Ramadhan, paying zakat, and  performing Haji (for the affordable one)

..well, if you see all these actions from the ritual perspective, becoming a Muslim is not much better than the nons..so, what makes us 'special'?

Direct Connection to God:

for some, praying 5 times a day is nothing but inconvenient, especially for those who are travelling..you have to find clean place to pray, you have to do wudu' as the pre-conditions of performing solah, and etc..but, only a few realize the importance of performing solah, instead of just "doing typical solah." unlike other ibadah, solah is the only way we can have direct communication to Allah (the Almighty)..there is no "hijab" in between, as far as i'm concerned..that's why, whenever we are in trouble, or in a need of something, we are encouraged to do 'solah sunat.' just imagine, you are in a huge trouble, and no one can really understand/listen to you..of course, you would feel so weak and bad about yourself..then, what should you do?? crying like forever?? smoking a box of cigarette?? listening to musics?? chilling and partying all night?? playing new video games?? and etc..well, these options might work for some, but only for a short-period of time..in other words, all these are the temporary solutions of all your problems..but, after some time, all your problems might haunt you back..and believe me, the second 'wave' might be more disastrous and harmful than the first one..but, for a practicing Muslim, the only best way to go, whenever he's in trouble, is to Allah..just give it a try..whenever you're in bad shape, you go and take wudu', and then performing solah sunut..after the solah, speak all your problems to Allah, and then ask for His guidance..last but the most important one (most of us overlook this) is to believe in your heart that Allah will definitely help you in one way or another, direct or indirect way, and sooner or later..and i think, this is one out of million reasons why we are much much better than the nons: simply because we have a direct access to Allah

Paying Zakat:

believe me or not, you might feel bad whenever you are paid for some works..you are worried in the way that you don't deserve the payment..well, for example, you are paid to work 10 hrs/day..but, how on earth you can confirm that you are working 10hrs, not less than that..so, how would you return all the unknown, and 'undeserved' payment back to your employer..thus, Islam has provided us a way to 'purify' our wealth so that we won't feel bad..by paying zakat (plus doing some sedekah), we could share some 'extra' money w/ others in need..so, zakat is not intended to 'steal' the money from us, but to 'return' the extra one..still, they are many Muslims refuse to pay zakat...and i'm wondering how could they declare themselves of being Muslims since real 'Muslims' would never take things, which are not designed to them..and here comes the principle of justice..

Fasting in the month of Ramadhan:

i don't know if there is any religions, except Islam, that allocates one whole month for his followers to fasting..but, as far as i'm concerned, there is NONE..unfortunately, instead of considering this as a special month, many Muslims complain the difficulty of fasting..many claim, we are becoming less productive, weak, and so on..well, for those, i feel so sorry..they are yet to understand Islam, and i hope they are guided to the right path..i'll try reasoning the benefit of fasting in a way that i face in my everyday life..for the past 10 weeks, i have been working 7 hrs/day for my research project..my working hrs is supposed to be from 9am to 5pm, with one hour break at 12pm..but, i have to admit that i was no way following this schedule..yet, i've tried my best to work at least 7 hrs/day..it means i have to start late, and thus, finish late (that explained why i came back late every night)..so, usually i took an hour break around 3pm (i am so flexible in term of lunch time)..before i took the lunch, i felt so energetic and productive..my concentration was, usually, at the best..but, after i took my lunch, the otherwise happened..i felt so full, and was so lazy to continue my work..i was wondering since i was supposedly becoming more energetic, due to extra energy consumed from the meal...how come i did feel so sleepy and weak?? then, sometimes, i did work for the whole 7 hrs w/o even taking any meal..and during that time, i was so into my work..then, i guess, the contradiction that i've faced could refute the claim that fasting is making us less productive..it's not the fasting, but our mindset..we are the one, who pamper ourselves..then, for me, the notion that "no food, no work" is something refutable..

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of family-oriented society:

i  bet, yesterday was such a wonderful day for my friends and i..while visiting one malaysian family in New Haven, Ct, we were be able to get-to-know w/ many other m'sian families..these guys are so close to each others..well, i guess, it's just one out of thousand benefits of living overseas..instead of living separately, they choose to picture themselves as a ONE BIG family..they love their friends' kids, for example, in the same way they love their own children..they cook, laugh , and, i am pretty sure, are concerned towards each others..the bond that keeps them together is what i really adore..and i hope, this noble r/ship will last like forever!

of travelling:

i've had a very great conversation w/ one of these m'sian guys (name is censored)..she talked a lot of her vast experience traveling all over the world..for her, traveling is one of the best ways to broaden and widen our perspectives towards life..this is what, according to her, is very essential in building one's great characters..well, what had amazed me the most is the fact that she could vividly remember her past trips whenever asked...that's cool, huh?