When The Lease Expires..

Cancer and death are quite a perfect duo.. Death has taken its toll to cancer since science has ever been discovered.. Cancer can get acquainted with many parts of our anatomy, may it be blood, brain, liver or even breast.. So, is cancer a death sentence to many.. only Allah knows best..

But some may say, yes it is.. according to them, cancer is like a biological time bomb implanted in human body.. well, i reckon the whole experience can only be best described by the contracted beholders but most importantly, above all this, everything is under the will of the Almighty.. nobody can deny HIS will, we can be deadly sick by the minute but recuperated alright in due time, or if HE says it's our time to go, so it is, albeit we were in the pink of health just minutes before it.. Kun Fa Ya Kun..

Cancer has been the popular vocabulary recently, to me at least.. i've crossed path with quite a number of people whom have been contracted with one.. and that includes my cousin, a bombshell has been dropped on her when she was told she has breast cancer at the age of 34.. when she learned the truth, the cancerous cells have been eaten her alive all the way to stage 3.. devastating right? well, that's pretty much it with cancers nowadays.. when one learns the ugly truth, BAMM!!, stage 3 or 4 await at the advance edge.. and these fatal cells make quite a rapid "progress", due in a month or 2, perhaps 3 if they are lucky.. my mom's friend was told she had leukemia just a week before she passed on.. and that definitely shocked the livings.. well, i guess that's probably the reason why some people named cancer as a death sentence.. it happens too fast..

This afternoon i received a text informing that someone i knew had lost her life to breast cancer.. she has fought a fierce battle down to her last breath.. the news i received at 1pm turned out to be a false alarm.. her heartbeat stopped then but she had revived to life 40 minutes after, so everybody was relieved but her condition continue to deteriorate hours later.. preparing for the worst, her aged wheelchair-bound mother came to bid her final goodbye to the beloved daughter, and at that moment the heart stopped beating, for real.. so as the clock ticked at 4.05pm, there she was a daughter, a wife and a mother lying on the hospital bed, surrendered her final battle at the age of 37.. she left behind 5 kids, with the eldest being 12 and the youngest is barely 2.. the poor toddler is still struggling with formula as he was still breastfed by his late mother just two months ago..

Everything just happened too fast.. she didnt even get to do a chemo yet.. It was started last October.. a small swollen lump under her bra line had opened up the gate of truth.. she underwent a check-up to seek the truth and a bombshell dropped on her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at an advanced stage of 4.. the cancerous cells had "progressed" to her liver.. but that didnt put her spirit down.. being a tough fighter, she took the news with a smile.. within these two months, her health deteriorated, but she still can managed to pull a smile.. i can still remember the moment she smiled when i visited her 2 last weeks.. when her visitors were sinking in tears upon seeing her condition, she can still put on a smile and said, "Hey, what's up with the tears, it's not like im gone, please be done with it already".. we knew deep inside she was aching, her body was bailing out on her with most parts of her anatomy were crippled.. but that didnt stopped her from smiling and that made our hearts sank even deeper..

Whose heart will not sink to see a young toddler went berserk looking for his mom.. he has been separated from his mom since she was hospitalized.. seemed to know she may not be coming home in a pink of health, the poor lil child was crying for his mom and that left his father with no option but to bring him to see his mother 2 days ago.. perhaps he knew his mom was leaving him, so there he was meeting his mom for the last time.. that would just break everybody's heart, wouldnt it..

We just dont know what the future holds for us.. she was healthy as she thought she was 2 months ago before the bombshell dropped on her.. and this could happen to us as well.. only Allah knows if we will still be around next week, next month or next year.. staying oblivious of the future, we should at least do our part to pay attention on our health.. this should be a reminder to me, i always take my health for granted.. whenever a headache occurs, i would take it as mild migraine.. whenever my stomach ache, i would reckon im having indigestion discomfort.. i would faint already at the thought of medical checkup.. procrastinating a medical checkup is seen as the best option right until the health deteriorate severely.. sometimes i reckon, enduring a pain is nothing compared to an ugly truth..

We may be in the pink of health as of we are breathing now, but only Allah knows best if our health may bailed out on us moments later.. Anyhow, comes whatever obstacles, let's not sink in despairs because Allah is always there for us.. Turn to HIM and have faith.. Anyways, i would appreciate your kindness to extend an Al-Fatihah to this tough fighter.. May she will be laid to rest in peace.. insyaAllah..

Death happens to anybody, anywhere, anytime.. when our lease of life expires, it's time to leave everything behind and return to HIM.. our time will come, sooner or later..

Truly to Allah we belong, and truly to Him shall we return..

Whoa, whatever works for 'em, man!!

This is a jaw dropping insight and im totally speechless!!..

Owh, i truly appreciate the space i have in my room now.. it makes me love my bed even more!! i feel like swimming in it!! God, im thankful for the luxury of having a room all to myself with an en suite bathroom for my convenience and to top it all off it's bigger than this guy's living room.. owh man, this is beyond my wildest imagination that such house would ever exist and i dont think we can ever get to come across a house any smaller than this one.. it feels like living in an airplane with shelves of compact compartments.. and it gets worse when you have to share the tiny space with other human being.. it's like you can feel each others' breathing.. and it's fancy being a 39y.o guy sharing a tiny room with his mom.. hats off to this guy!!

Seriously, whatever works for the Japanese to own a property nowadays.. and perhaps claustrophobic may not exist in their vocabulary.. A pat on the back for the Japanese!!

10th Muharram 1432 ~ Asyura

The Day of Asyura, it marks the 10th day of 1432H, in the month of Muharram.. Today is the day to be celebrated by all Muslims with good faith.. There were eventful histories took place on this very day.. among others were it was the day of Prophet Noah's ark came ashore, and the day Allah s.w.t saved Prophet Musa a.s and his people, and the day Allah drowned the Pharaoh and his army.. Allahua'lam.

Thus, Let's embrace the day by fasting and doing good deeds.. have a good read on an insightful article about fasting on Asyura at this webbie..

So dear friends, Happy Asyura Day.. :)

My Reward

I reward myself for acing my 2nd sem by bringing my sister and i, together with Naem and Aimi on a day-out at Sentosa & Orchard last Saturday..

Initially, we wanted to visit USS but hard luck, all tickets were sold out.. well, never mind.. we had a great time posing at its entrance that day.. i guess that was just good enuff for now.. we reckon the crowd might subside after school holidays..

So we went to tour Sentosa Island instead.. opted for the 4D Magix & CineBlast activities, we did the pirates and extreme log ride.. after that we rode a shuttle to Siloso Beach, took pictures, however we were asked to leave for crashing the Zouk private party zone.. actually, we reckoned the real reason why we were asked to leave was because we didnt look like any of Zouk goers at all.. u know, the hijab and all.. plus the party wasnt even started, not until 7pm.. well, never mind that, we are no party goers anyways.. so to vent our anger, we went to get some adrenaline rush at the Luge & Skyride.. wow, they rock!! especially the Luge.. i definitely wanna do it again..

After Zuhur prayer, we left Sentosa for Orchard to indulge Ayam Penyet Ria @ Lucky Plaza.. right after that we headed to iLuma for Harry Potter exhibition.. but it was kinda disappointing.. there werent much to see.. only posters and some of their clothing worn in the movies.. we took enough pictures though.. with that we head back to Orchard to pray at Masjid Al-Falaq, stayed for Maghrib as well.. before we head back to JB, we enjoyed the Orchard's lights at night..

So those were pretty much all of my reward.. however, i reckon the latest version of iPod Touch would be a great reward though.. is there anyone kind enough to get me one? Ngeee~

Alhamdulillah

I just received my 2nd sem result and im smiling from ear to ear at disbelief.. Alhamdulillah..

I thank Allah for HIS blessings that have eased me out during my despairs.. There were times when i feel like quitting, but HE didnt leave me struggling alone out there.. Alhamdulillah..

When we are in despairs, turn to Allah because HE will send HIS blessings to help us out.. InsyaAllah

At times when we dont believe in ourselves, HIS blessings will surprise us out, so lets keep our faith intact and turn to only Allah..

Ahlan ya Muharram

Comes the 1st month of New Year, be it Muharram or January, Resolution will be the most talked about by many, either the new or renewed wishes for the next 12 months ahead or the reflections on the recent-passed calendar.. some may be seen as fulfilled and some were otherwise or perhaps none of those were satisfied at all in the previous year, Allahua'lam.. anyways, i dont have any specific resolution for 1432H or 2011.. it's enough to say that i pray for a great year ahead.. insyaAllah if Allah allows it, i hope that i can complete my EMBA with flying colors.. May Allah grants me and my beloved ones with good health, wealth (Rezeki) and wisdom.. insyaAllah..

I pray for a great year ahead to all Muslims in the whole wide world.. Amin..

Baiting & Fishing @ Popular Mega Bookfair

Weehoo!! I went fishing yesterday and came home happily bagging a full net.. No, i didnt go near the sea during this rainy season.. my baiting & fishing activity revolved around Danga City Mall and my bait stuck at Popular Mega Bookfair.. yesterday was the preview day for Popular Card member and all i can say that it was cheap, cheap, cheap!! the discount was almost 90% for certain products..

The Percy Jackson Collection for Aina4

My fishing net has bagged 6 cds and 7 books.. 3 of the cds are japanese drama boxsets which were sold 3 for RM10, a saving of RM61.70 on those.. a jaw-dropping indeed!! while the other 3 are movies which were up for grab for RM10.50 each.. tehee!!

I get myself the hard cover of Jefferey Archer's Path of Glory & Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart at RM16.90 each.. who cant be smiling for these babies, right?.. my youngest sister wanted the Percy Jackson Collection which was sold with 30% off.. i also get myself a Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird and a children book, Return to the Hundred Acre Wood.. my oh my, i have plenty of books and cds to keep me occupied during this semester break.. ngee~

This Bookfair is on up till next weekend.. i plan to make a 2nd visit there when my sisters are here next week.. Aina² wants to get Jane Green books while my youngest Aina plans to get the remaining 2 Percy Jackson books.. tehee!!

Suturing A Mother's Heart

It broke my heart to see a very aged, almost a century old deeply hurt mother bursting into an ocean of tears on an evening of Eid-ul Adha.. The sacred day had witnessed a sad sonata for this poor mother.. The second she grabbed and hugged me with tears in her eyes, my heart melted right away, totally understanding her sorry plight.. Empathy is the only antidote that i can offer.. An irony to this sacred event, a mother's heart has been hurt and broken into pieces yet again for the umpteen times by none other than her own kins.. It'll take forever, perhaps down to her last breath to nurse her wounded heart and suturing each of its pieces back together.. Wake up, Children!! Your mother's heart is aching, deeply, sinking in sorrow..

Feeling rejected and dejected, she traveled miles away, leaving her own home to find a new sanctuary to nurse her heavily injured heart.. at her own home, she couldnt help feeling estranged, rejected and dejected by her own kins.. she has traveled from one home to another until she settled down in her new sanctuary.. A year has passed since then.. The almost a century old mother has tasted the bitterness of feeling unwanted in her own home..

Her dear husband has left this world, resting in peace.. Helpless and vulnerable as she already is, she has witnessed her own kins are drifting far away from her, one after another.. her most-dear child has turn himself away from her in her own home, completely disregarding this old mother's heart despite her tender loving care throughout these years.. hoping for the wound to heal over time, she moved in to another child's place within the close vicinity.. and yet again, she was hurt.. she has been rained with reasons and excuses hinting of wanting her away from them.. with the remaining strength and guts, she tried her luck with yet another child of hers, but only rejection was left to be harvested.. her maternal heart was stabbed several times by her own children..

Having not much choice in her hands, she was determined to step out of her own home a year ago.. there, she had to bid goodbye to the place where she had harboured the love with her dear husband and children for more than half a century.. with heavy and wounded heart, she had carried herself traveling miles away from her own place to a rather foreign land.. The small language differences didnt hinder this mother to find a new sanctuary.. here, the residents of her new sanctuary hope that she'll feel loved and happy.. unlike in her own hometown, the small language barriers here might limit the daily communication but the people here are hoping that she can feel the love they harboured for her.. i'Allah..

A mother's heart would still be wounded upon thinking of her ingrate children.. deep down she still harbour high hopes of wanting to come back to her own home.. it is her very initial sanctuary after all.. thousands of memories were crafted there with her late husband and children, that place was where she had lived her entire life.. and may it still is, a dream she has kept deep inside her heart..

On the sacred day of Eid-ul Adha, with high hopes she expected to be invited back home upon knowing one of her child was visiting her at the new sanctuary.. after a year away from her own hometown, she misses her initial sanctuary back home, and perhaps harboured the intention of visiting the place where her husband was laid to rest.. for that, she has waited the whole morning for her child to arrive.. "When are they arriving?", "Where are they now?", "Are they here yet?".. these questions were rained anxiously by her the entire morning.. her waiting has come to an end when the long awaited child arrived at 3.00pm.. the 3 hours of meeting was far fetched from her expectation.. there were neither a single word nor an invitation uttered by her child of wanting to bring her home.. she was feeling devastated and rejected yet again.. just minutes before the break of Maghrib, the child asked for the permission to leave.. her strength had completely diminished, she couldnt hold her tears any longer.. once the child step out of the door, the poor old mother burst into tears, feeling deeply wounded.. succumbed to feel totally rejected, she just couldnt stomach to waive her child goodbye, staying inside sinking in her sorrow.. after a while, she could only mustered her remaining courage to say that she has resigned to her fate of spending her days at the new sanctuary.. she has no other place to go but here.. wouldnt that break your heart to see a vulnerable old mother sinking in her sorrow, deeply.. i dont know if her heart can be sutured anymore.. it is beyond repairs, too many scars and painful wounds to be nursed..

For all i know, the people of the new sanctuary are trying their hardest to provide for her needs with love.. they just hope whatever they do will help this old mother to mend her broken heart, despite deep inside they just know, it is nowhere near from the reality.. yeah, reality bites!! a mother's heart is delicate and only tender loving care can nurse it healthily.. while the Almighty still loan her to us with limited lease of time, all we need to do is to care for her.. i'Allah, with this, it is hoped that she can be a proud mother.. i pray hard that my mother and myself will not experience any of this horrific tragedy.. i'Allah, i hope my sisters and i will always remain true to love our mother with all our hearts despite what happens.. i cant even imagine what my life would be without her..

Anyways, i pray for the children of this old mother to find their way back home and remember to love her with all their hearts, cherish her while she's still here.. i hope they will suture back the every broken pieces of her heart together and nurse it with full of love.. may they will come around and realize that they'll be old too someday.. Only Allah knows best, what the future might hold for us.. we never know if what goes around comes around.. Allahua'lam.. in the meantime, let's love our mothers with all our hearts, if we are drifting away, take a second to remember their sacrifices, giving birth to us, to raise us, to put up with our unreasonable antics, to nurse us with love.. whatever it is, we just have to remind ourselves that "Syurga itu di telapak kaki ibu"

Grin!!

because i had a wonderful rendezvous with 'em yesterday (technically!! as it's 1.30am now).. ngeee~

No, i have no intention of writing a review here.. it's enuff to say that i just cant wait for Part2.. Ngeee~!!

Eid Mubarak

To all Muslims,
Eid-ul Adha Mubarak

Merdeka!! Merdeka!! Merdeka!!

TGIF!!! and Weehoooo!!

I've finished my final exam.. Tehee!! TOODLES to my 2^ndhorrific semester and the infamous ECONOMIC ANALYSIS as well.. thank you for making my life a living hell.. muahaha.. I just cudnt be happier when it's finally over.. phew~

MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!!

Ok ok.. I know this is an outdated entry.. I've enjoyed a week of MERDEKA since last Sunday.. for the past 5 days, I've been hogging the TV as if I haven't been watching it for years.. it took me 2 days after the final exam to went back online.. I just feel that I need to rekindle my relationship with my precious TV.. ahaha.. so what should I do to kill the time during this semester break.. hurmmm~ vacation sounds like a good idea but with whom, yea? Aina4 is still struggling with her finals.. Aina² is super busy at the hospital, she's in the transition of becoming a MO.. I've also been thinking of visiting Aina³ in NCL during Xmas since we've been granted the 9 days leave but I dunno if I can stomach the cold weather and at the same time Aina³ is intended to spend her Xmas break in Egypt.. so at the moment, the UK vacation is put on hold for a while..

Naem has suggested 12^th Dec as the day for our Universal Studios day-out.. yeay!! Cant wait!! I hope Aina4 can make it to this trip.. lil hope for Aina² to join us as she might still be very busy.. Aina³, u gotta wait till ur summer hols next year, yea!!

Anyways, in the meantime, I just have to get myself really busy with my beloved TV programs..

Mondays – The Amazing Race

Tuesdays – The Biggest Loser Asia

Wednesdays – Juggling between CSIs on Axn and Rain on KBSW

Thursdays – Juggling between The Amazing Race Asia on Axn and Rain on KBSW

Fridays to Sundays – anything interesting will do

See, sounds pretty busy right.. wakakaka!!

Halloween in Islamic Perspective

If yesterday, i touched about the misconception of "Crossed-Fingers", today i feel like sharing info about Halloween in Islamic Perspective.. again, this urge comes from my saddened heart for knowing some of my friends were celebrating this so called spooky annual festival..

i know, my entry comes 3 days too late as Halloween has been celebrated last Sunday.. however, i guess im not doing any harm for putting up this entry today, albeit 3 days too late.. insyaAllah this is for a good course.. with this, i hope i will not get to see any of my friends enjoying Halloween next year.. this festival should be regarded as the dreaded misconception by all Muslims as this event can lead us to idolatry or syirik.. nauzubillah.. let's protect our faith and aqidah, friends..

Virtually all Halloween traditions are based either in ancient pagan culture, or in Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, they all are askew forms of idolatry (shirk). As Muslims, our celebrations should be ones that honour and uphold our faith and beliefs. How can we worship only Allah, the Creator, if we participate in activities that are based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world? Many people participate in these celebrations without even understanding the history and the pagan connections, just because their friends are doing it, their parents did it ("it's a tradition!"), and because "it's fun!" Understandably, we like to be part of our community and extend our tolerance by sharing in joys of others.

So what can we do, when our children see others dressed up, eating candy, and going to parties? While it may be tempting to join in, we must be careful to preserve our own traditions and not allow our children to be corrupted by this seemingly "innocent" fun. When tempted, remember the pagan origins of these traditions, and ask Allah to give you strength. Save the celebration, the fun and games, for our 'Eid festivals. Children can still have their fun, and most importantly, should learn that we only acknowledge holidays that have a religious significance to us as Muslims. Holidays are not just excuses to binge and be reckless. In Islam, our holidays retain their religious importance, while allowing proper time for rejoicing, fun and games.

Guidance From the Quran
On this point, the Qur'an says:

"When it is said unto them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed, come to the Messenger,' they say, 'Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.' What! Even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?" (Qur'an, 5:104)

"Has not the time arrived for the believers, that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed to them? That they should not become like those to whom was given the Book aforetime, but long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors." (Qur'an 57:16)

These are some of the extract from an article taken from Muslimness website.. the rest of the content can be found here..

Lets Watch Our Words..

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Islam,

Are you familiar with the phrases, "Cross my fingers", "I keep my fingers crossed", or "Cross my heart n hope to die" and the likes.. i believe most of us have at least heard these phrases once or twice.. these words are popular and frequently used in movies, dramas and songs to symbolize good luck or for nullifying promises.. in fact, unfortunately, some of us have embedded these words in their daily vocabulary without realizing the meaning behind it.. these words may sound cool to you but lets be reminded brothers and sisters, to be very careful of what we utter in our conversation as it may hurt our aqidah and faith in the end..

The reason why im posting this issue is because im saddened by the fact that these phrases are widely used without guilt by some of my Muslim friends, especially in their FB statuses.. there were few instances whereby i was taken aback after reading their statuses as these phrases were "nicely" arranged in their sentences; staying oblivious of its meaning.. Thus, i figured perhaps i can use this medium to unveil the truth behind these phrases.. hence, i went to visit Mr Google and found an interesting article to support my doubts.. these are pretty much the gist of the message, however, the full content can be found here..

Crossed fingers have a Christian usage as well. Yet even here there is a divergence of opinion as to its exact meaning or origin.

While most agree that it was a “secret sign” employed by Christians when Christianity was illegal there is a divergence of opinion as to what it evolved from. Some today suggest it is a version of a cross (two fingers “crossed over” each other, thus symbolizing a cross). Yet I have trouble with that suggestion.

For the earliest Christians, when this symbol’s usage first developed, the cross was not as common as a symbol as the fish for Christianity. Since the cross was a depiction of a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution its usage was less common in the first century and came into use as early as the second century.

The fish, however, has a much earlier usage by Christians. ICHTHUS is a Greek word, which means fish. Christians used the word as an acrostic, meaning “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.” There are early examples of a fish scribbled in places associated with Christians-used as a sign to identify one Christian to another. Many suggest that crossed fingers were a simple fish sign one Christian would use to identify them to another.

It amazes me that the simple symbol of crossed fingers can be used in so many different ways-as a symbol for good luck or giving the user the ability to lie. Yet for us the most important usage would be a symbol of the Christian faith. It either is the symbol for the cross (possible) or a symbol of a fish (more probable, in my opinion). As a symbol for the fish it’s a profession of faith-saying that the user believes that “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, (is the) Savior.”

So Brothers & Sisters, lets be reminded again to be careful of our words.. whether the "crossed fingers" symbolizes cross, or fish, this phrase and act are the symbol or identity to portray faith in Christianity.. dont get too carried away to copy the Westerners lifestyles as these are probably their propaganda to shove us astray from the right path.. so brothers and sisters, dont hurt our aqidah by uttering these words or copying this act.. Let's say NO to the phrases of "Cross my fingers", "I keep my fingers crossed", or "Cross my heart n hope to die" and the likes..

Let's say "Allahu Akbar", "Alhamdulillah", "Subhanallah", "Masya Allah" instead.. and make these words as parts and parcels of our lives..

Miss Spoiled Brat

I cudnt help to feel a lil bit down on my luck when i have to cross path with such a very spoiled person.. She gives me nothing but series of migraines.. being the youngest child in her family, im good to say that she's the biggest spoiled brat i've ever met in my adulthood.. thank god, my youngest sister turns out fine and is nothing like this spoiled brat.. not even close!!

My bad luck began when i had to be in the same group as her.. well, in the outside, she looks perfectly fine.. Alhamdulillah, her appearance fits her as a fine Muslimah.. and for those who dunno know her, they might think that she's a very well respected person as she always talks about blessings, taqwa and more (in her facebook, of course).. and she looks bright and one of the most interactive student in class.. she loves to shoot questions albeit sometimes few of it were seen unnecessary.. thus, i thot, having her in my group will be a good thing for she may be able to support us in our studies.. lil that i know, it will turn out otherwise in due time..

I begin to notice her true colors when we were in our 1st semester.. we were needed to perform a mini research project.. while me and my other 2 group members were in the library having a discussion, she seems to be the one with the most arguments.. to her, this was wrong, that was unacceptable and whatnot.. despite her tonnes of arguments, she failed to give solutions.. and while all of us were discussing in the library, she, on the other hand was so busy with her lappy, u know, "facebooking".. each of her movements seem very much important to be updated, that includes during lectures too.. she'll be updating stuffs like "im waiting for my presentation turn", "im sleepy in class", "the lecture is so boring".. bluerghh!! a lil too obsessed with facebook.. and kinda self-centered too!

Anyways, after knowing her for almost a year now, i can managed to conclude she is nothing as she may seem in the outside.. her works were just junk, despite her countless arguments.. i had to be the one clearing up her mess.. normally i would have to sacrifice my night sleep, burning the midnight oil to amend her crappy works.. and i thot im the very last minute person here but she's far worse.. other than her crappy works, she is very pampered as she would love to wait for others to spoon-feed her.. when it comes to work delegation, she would pick the easiest task.. she contributed the least in group discussion, presentation, write ups..

Last friday, i had my patience tested at its peak.. she was crafting her antics yet again.. instead of contributing and completing her part in our group project, she went on asking us for answers of her own individual assignment.. i cudnt help but to snap.. but alhamdulillah i still have sanity in me.. instead of swearing, which has been drafted earlier on.. i wrote an email in a very fine and subtle words to remind her to be considerate of others.. it's unfair when she's not contributing to the group.. well, lil that i know, instead of understanding my message, she failed to attend classes the next 2 days during the weekends.. when asked, she told that she wanna quit school.. she had intention of quitting but as she received my email, her intention is being materialized sooner..

Crap, i know she's blaming me.. despite feeling disgusted, i went on apologizing to her if she's quitting because of me.. i reminded her not to make hasty decision, but to no avail, she's quitting anyways.. well, darling.. suit urself.. it's your future at stake.. perhaps, it's the best thing for us all.. at least we will not be burdened by you anymore..

It's fancy to cross path with a 27 y.0. spoiled brat.. says who spoiled brat can be found during teenage years only.. and it's a shame to have a well respected person in the outside to act in such a way.. i hope it will not give a bad impression of us Muslims.. most of us, do things perfectly, instead of taking responsibility for granted.. anyways, i pray that she'll come back to her senses sooner or later and do not follow her heart blindly.. i'Allah.. a lil advice to her,

"You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs"

School Holiday Comes Early this year

Applies to school students in Muar only.. and that shouldnt be a happy occasion, pupils!! As the API has reached the undesirable level.. perhaps, doctors and private clinic practitioners gotta thank our neighbour, Indonesia for helping 'em getting more customers.. huhu!!

So dear colleagues in Muar, take good care of yourself !! I hope everything will resume to normal soon..

Schools in Muar close as haze worsens

This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

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KUALA LUMPUR: All schools in Muar have been advised to temporarily close as the air quality in the district has reached dangerous levels.


Muar recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 432 at 11am yesterday.


Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education Minister, said schools should be closed if the level passed 400,


“School principals will still be able to work but students do not need to attend school until the level is below 400,” he said yesterday.


Muhyiddin, who chaired a National Security Council meeting to discuss the haze, said that co-curricular activities in all 204 schools in Muar should also be cancelled.


However, he said the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia examinations would proceed as scheduled but students were required to wear protective masks during their tests.


He said the air quality in Muar reached an unhealthy level on Monday but rose to the dangerous level at 11pm on Tuesday.


“The Department of Environment has been monitoring the air pollution since Oct 15 via 51 monitoring stations in the peninsula. The API recorded in all stations showed healthy and moderate levels except for Muar and Malacca,” he said.


Malacca’s API was at an unhealthy level when it recorded a reading of 111 at 11am yesterday, he said.


Muhyiddin said an action plan was already activated to deal with the situation.


“We have asked the Muar authorities to inform the residents of developments. We are not hiding any information so that safety measures can be taken,” he said.


“The DOE is sending 10,000 masks to schools in Muar to be distributed to the students. Mineral water will also be given as people are encouraged to drink clean water during this bad weather,” he said.


He said the DOE would also begin cloud seeding as soon as possible.


Asked about the cause of the haze, Muhyiddin said it was due to fires in Sumatra which were sparked by the dry and hot weather.


He added that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas had contacted Indonesian authorities to discuss how both countries could keep the situation under control.


In Muar, Education Department officer Ramli Abdul Samad said the department would begin distributing masks to the schools soon.


Ramli said a short shower in the afternoon had reduced the haze in some parts of the district, especially in the Sungai Mati areas, but there was still haze in Sungai Balang and along the coast.


Healthy API readings are below 50, moderate (51-100) and unhealthy (101-200). Readings above 301 is deemed hazardous.


For updates on the API nationwide, visit the department website at http://www.doe.gov.my

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Tak Cukup Melayu?

Hurmm, statement apakah itu? Ada orang kata sapa yang tak pandai makan sambal tempoyak tuh tak cukup melayu.. sabo je la.. sambal tempoyak ke kayu pengukur kemelayuan.. muahahah.. biar betul..

Ada ke patut aku yg muke sangat melayu ini dikatakan tak cukup melayu sbb aku tak pandai makan tempoyak.. bukan belagak tp kalo makan tempoyak esp masak lemak terus rasa pening ngan nak mun².. rasanya combination santan ngan durian tuh mmg power kot.. huhu.. sabo je la kan.. set tempoyak aside, bring me all other ulam²an & sambal belacan to prove my Malay authentication.. muahahaha!!

10.10.10 Catastrophe

10th October 2010 (10.10.10)
Many of us looked at it as a nice date, some were looking forward to it for thinking it was an auspicious date, you know for fairy-tale wedding, birth and whatnot.. but little that we know 10.10.10 will also carve a tragic history for witnessing such fatal catastrophe on the nicely combined binary-ish date.. Allahua'lam..

Al-Fatihah for the deceased.. send some prayer for 'em, people..

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ، وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ اْلأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَاراً خَيْراً مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلاً خَيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَزَوْجاً خَيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ

Took place at route 222.9 of PLUS highway, this fatal tragedy has drawn massive attention, not to mention anger among the nations since the last 2 days and yours truly is no exception.. I was taken aback upon learning the nature of the crash.. how can a heavy vehicle like a bus seemed light enough to fly into the contrasting roadside after hitting the guardrail and later ploughed into 5 other vehicles unless it was driven fast and furiously.. this is a bus that we are talking about, not some kancil or any light weight vehicles.. thus, only one logic reason comes fleeting in my mind, that is the speed of the bus can explain it all..

The speed must have sparked a huge momentum upon hitting the guardrail thus it flew the bus literally over to the other side.. so stop blaming on the strength of the guardrail, braking and steering system of bus and whatnot.. a speeding vehicle has higher potential danger to engage in a bigger crash impact, what more a furiously driven heavy weight bus.. rumor has it that the bus was driven at 150km/hr at a predetermined 90km/hr speed limit area .. Allahu'alam.. only the survivors can tell the real situation..

This fatal accident has caused 12 casualties which include the driver himself.. innalillahi wa innalillahi rojiun.. it is sad to know that most of the victims are still young and had their whole lives ahead of them.. one of 'em is going to his convo, some are college students and a girl on her 1st ever bus ride.. i know Allah knows best, it is their fate and their lease of lives have been cut short, but a precaution could minimize the fatalities, hence the horrific tragedy.. everyone knows that speed kills and yet they still let it happens insanely..

i have personal experiences of being provoked by a Delima bus and other buses while driving on the right lane at PLUS expressway.. i find it absurd to be shoved away by heavy vehicles when they are supposed to adhere 80/90km/hr speed limit.. these drivers seem to have the same kind of intimidating moves of shoving cars in front of them away by tailgating and flickering their high-beam light.. urgh, isnt it just plain dead annoying!!

these drivers seem to forget that they carry lives in their custody.. i just hope that at the expense of this horrific tragedy, an expensive lesson is to be learned by us all, not just the drivers, the enforcers and public as well.. please remember, speed kills..

i just love the idea of engaging a hotline system for allowing passengers to report via calls and smses pertaining to bus drivers' attitudes and actions while behind wheels.. this will let them know how serious we are.. don't let us lose faith on the main mean of Malaysia's public transportation.. frankly speaking, if somebody asks me to ride a bus at the moment, my only answer would be a big flat "NO!!".. so to all the bus drivers, please redeem yourself, regain back our trust & confidence in you and stop risking our lives for some foolist and reckless acts!!

of Eid 2010 Affair [here n there]

29th Syawal, today that is!! owh time flies!!

Little that i realize my last entry was on 29th Ramadhan.. whoaa, genap 1 month!! this hiatus was a tax at the expense of being a good (as if!!) student.. my Eid was taxed too, i've not been to a single open house.. i was caught up with my studies in between classes, assignments, presentations, exams and whatnot..

But that didnt bother me, in fact my Eid was celebrated in moderation despite the long mandatory holidays, it was well spent on writing up and completing the piles of assignments.. and regretfully, we didnt managed to snap any family raya photos together.. perhaps, our moods were kinda affected when my sister had to return to the UK just 5 days before the 1st Syawal, albeit ironically she had a blast celebrating Syawal there.. whilst shamefully here, we only managed to visit only 2 houses during Eid itself..

Our Eid mood was also diminished when my mom had to be hospitalized when her sugar level suddenly rose to 23.. she even had to underwent minor operation to remove inflamed ulcer at her back which was then thought as a pimple by her.. Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly..

So all these were pretty much the here and there of my Eid.. nothing much, nothing fun to shout about.. apa bleh buat, layannn je laaa!! tehee!! anyways, i managed to snap few piccas during Eid Feast at the office, hence, bear with me and layan je la ye.. tehee!!

Eid Mubarak

29th Ramadhan.. Already? Has it been 28days all this while? Time flies, huh..

In less than 48hrs Ramadhan is leaving us, really soon and will be away for a year.. i guess most people realize Ramadhan is sailing its journey towards the end for Eid has been the most talked about since the past couple of weeks.. however, ironically, do we really realize that Ramadhan is near its end and it's gonna take a year to be reunited again.. maybe, the thot on Eid has occupied the bigger picture in this scenario.. thanks to the promos on mass medias, shopping complexes, bazars and the list goes on for creating such hype, sigh!.. whatever it is, let's just hope, we'll get to meet Ramadhan again next year, i'Allah.. :)

Albeit Eid is coming in 2 days time, my excitement is nowhere near to be found, wondering far astray and having difficulty to find its way home.. probably, an adult like me finds Eid is just another normal day to go through and there's nothing to be excited about.. that makes me envy the kids out there.. how i wish i can be kid again..

Hmm on lighter note, my Aina³ has safely arrived in Newcastle, her semester reopened the next day upon her arrival.. another year celebrating Eid without her, so close, though!! it was 5 days more to Eid.. my Aina² is only granted a short Eid leave and will resume duty on 3rd Eid.. that leaves me with Aina-Buchuk at home throughout the Eid week.. but she's not the only company i have during Eid, my lecturer has awarded us with enough homework to keep us busy during the holiday.. i have 4 case study due on the 18th Sept and 1 marketing plan assignment to be completed.. that's more than enough to occupy my time during the holiday.. kinda a turnoff though, or more of an anti-climax precisely.. huhu..

Anyways, i would like to take this opportunity to wish all Muslims and Muslimahs across the globe, Eid Mubarak, Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin.. Remember Ramadhan is coming again in a year and until then, don't get too bloated for the next 11 months..


Be it with excitement or not, let's celebrate Eid with love for Syawal is the month to extend our love, care and concern towards family, friends and the society.. This is because Love is...

“حلآل”

What does Halal or “حلآل”, means to you? or how strong is your sensitivity towards the Halal compliance by the food makers.. Let's go back to basic and question ourselves on how rigid are we in adhering the Halal compliance.. As Muslims, Halal is not something that can be kidded about.. whatever we consume is gonna be part of our flesh and blood.. we are what we eat, remember?

Lately, Halal status has been the alarming national concerns to us Muslims.. issues have been pressing one after another.. from Ramadhan Buffet to McD and to QBB Ghee.. last 2 days i've received an email from a colleague concerning McDonald's' halal status.. the issue is probed around Jakim's statement to withdraw Halal recognition for Uruguay Islamic Centre which involved Mac Food Services (M) Sdn. Bhd.. In the email, there was an attachment of a paper-cutting stating that Mac Food is the supplier for McDonald's.. Allahua'lam.. upon reading the email, my mind has been traveling back and forth to the countless visits i went to indulge on McD meals.. owh, i feel like fainting already.. Ya Allah, i seek for your forgiveness on my negligence to comply on the nahi mungkar..

Out of curiosity, i feel the urge to seek for the truth.. thus, i went to Halal Malaysia website and to my utter relieve, i found Jakim's statement dated 23rd August 2010 stating that Jakim is not suspending or withdrawing Halal Certificate for McDonald's or Mac Food Services (M) Sdn Bhd.. i'Allah, let's hope that statement can clear our doubts towards McD.. the statement can be found here.. Allahamdulillah..

However, to my dismay, the good news ended once i stumbled upon this statement in the Halal Malaysia website.. it is concerning QBI Packaging Sdn Bhd and its QBB Pure Ghee.. Jakim's statement dated 23rd August 2010 is suspending the Halal Cert for QBI until further notice, hence, the suspension covers on QBB Ghee.. the statement can be found here.. and my mind went back and forth again to number of times i indulged on Sugi Cookies, Pineapple Tarts, Nasi Minyak and the list continues.. imagine how famous this ghee is during Ramadhan and Eid especially among the cookies makers.. i almost bought the ghee myself the other day for having the intention to make Pineapple Tart.. Alhamdulillah, i didnt managed to grab that thing or it might go to waste.. but the point is, imagine how many of us have been consuming this substance since childhood.. it's totally frustrating.. i hope Jakim can clear this matter as soon as possible.. for us Muslim consumers, it's our duty to search for other Halal options until Jakim can prove it otherwise..

All these while, it seldom occurred in our minds that Halal issue can be this tensed and pressing in M'sia considering its claimed as an Islamic country.. i always have the impression that getting Halal food in M'sia is no biggie.. looks like, we have be extra careful on what we consume and what we buy after this.. we cant take it for granted and similar to Muslims whom stay abroad, we should also always remind ourselves to look on the labels of the items we buy so that we can be certain that the food is Halal.. but somehow, i think Muslims who live abroad especially in the UK have more conveniences to look for Halal foods.. the products in the UK are more Halal or vegetarian friendly than here in M'sia.. i've been there once and i found that most of their products state clearly if the items that are suitable for vegetarian.. i think M'sia should do that too.. we cant just be too sure that all M'sian products sell in the market are Halal for our consumption.. let's make Ramadhan this year as a start to walk the talk on nahi mungkar compliance.. Allahu'lam.. :)

Tamar . Kurma . Dates

Tamar, Kurma, Dates or whatever it is called refers to the very same thing.. The highly consumed fruit during Ramadhan El-Mubarak.. some just cudnt do iftar without it, and there are some whom just cudnt deal with it's sweetness.. and personally, i dun fond sweet stuff as well especially the soft very sweet ones [tamar] but there are some tamar i can deal with for they are less sweeter than the rest.. those are the fresh tamar and the dried Mariami by YuTa.. the fresh tamar reminds me of the days of our pilgrimage, when we can have easy access to fresh tamar on the street.. fresh tamar tastes the best.. nothing compares.. :)

Anyways, i came across an article of the benefit of having tamar in Ramadhan.. May it changes our perspective towards Rasulullah's most consumed food.. :)

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Breaking the fast with dates is a Ramadan tradition, as most of its benefits are unique to this particular fast. Breaking one's fast with dates, as well as praying before iftar, are both mentioned in the Hadith literature: "The Messenger of Allah would break his fast with ripe dates before he would pray. If those were not available, he would eat dried dates. If those were not available, he would drink some water."

One of the many physical benefits of breaking the fast with dates is that our body benefits from the date's high level of natural sugars. Sugars travel most quickly to the liver, where they are converted into energy more quickly than any other nutrient. Muslims have an immediate need for this energy when they break their fast, for they need energy to perform their sunset prayers. Ironically, one also needs this energy to consume the iftar meal. When a person eats, the body uses energy to digest the food. Eating large quantities of food immediately after fasting is not healthy for the body, which is in a weakened condition. Eating a date first helps the body start its digestive process and gives it the energy to deal with the secondary, more complex foods, eaten during ifta.

Dates are also high in vitamins A and B6, folic acid, potassium, natural sodium, iron, and magnesium. Thus, eating dates daily during Ramadan is like taking a daily multivitamin. This daily multivitamin can create a stronger and healthier body, one more fit for fasting. Dates also contain large amounts of dietary fiber, which can prevent any constipation that might result from eating the traditionally rich foods served during Ramadan. Additionally, dates protect the stomach and intestinal tract from parasites and bacteria, and thus is a good preventative medicine when eating iftar at unfamiliar locations.

Dates also have a special place in Islam. In fact, they were one of the Prophet's (SAW) most frequently consumed foods. For this reason, their benefit is most likely spiritual as well as physical. If their benefit were purely physical, one could perhaps consume any fruit high in natural sugars before iftar to gain similar benefits. However, the act of following the Prophet's (SAW) tradition is one way of connecting and remembering him, which is spiritually beneficial for Muslims.

One should pray after eating dates and before eating the main meal, because this short break gives the body time to metabolize the dates and water that have been consumed and to start the body's digestive processes, which have been resting all day. Eating large amounts of food immediately after breaking the fast resembles starting a car and the driving it without giving it enough time to warm up. As we know, this can damage the engine's internal mechanics.

The same is true with the body, for jump-starting the body's digestive processes can shock the entire organ system. In some cases, this shock could be dangerous. In most cases, however, it is simply an unhealthy way to break the fast. The immediate dangers are apparent in the increased need to sleep after the iftar. This sleepy feeling comes about because the body has expended so much energy on the digestive system that it needs to lower its other bodily functions in order to perform its digestive duties properly. Over time, this habit can cause long-term damage to the body.

...Wallahuaklam...