Sunday, May 20, 2012

Past and present

How fast time flies these days... there are various of hadith and verses in the Quran that giving hints about what will happen when we are approaching the dooms day. One of it if I'm not mistaken is time pass us by fast. I felt i just woke up this morning, and now i gotta go to bed again! And it's kinda hot now, very hot. Even it's just 8.40 am but the the weather is hot like we are approaching 11.00 am! I don't remember much but maybe you can read about it to find out more. I've found some info on the net, try this one http://www.endoftimes.net/01_endtimes.html

Ok, I'm off topic haha, actually i wanna update you guys on todays' activity. Beside doing my laundry and some spring cleaning, I went out with my 2 ex-schoolmates! I had an amazing time with them today at KLCC. I can't imagine how these 2 being a mother to a 3 and 4 children! We had a good laugh learning our past and can't imagine how we turned out to be like this now hahahahaha! We never so much closer before at school than we are now. But having a meeting like this one today surely improve our bondings. I learnt a lot of things from them and hopefully they do to from me which i doubt it :) Don't wanna talk much since it's 24 minutes past 1 am already, here are some photos for you guys:






Oh! by the way, I found my long-search book at Kinokuniya just now. Didn't buy it but hopefully it will be in my incoming list soon hehe...


Taken from Wikipedia some of Muhammad Asad profile:

"Muhammad Asad (2 July 1900 - 23 February 1992, Urdu: محمد اسد), born Leopold Weiss, was a Austrian Jew who converted to Islam, and a 20th century journalist, traveler, writer, social critic, linguist, thinker, reformer, diplomat, political theorist, translator and scholar. Asad was one of the 20th century's most influential European Muslims.[1]
In 1947, Asad was given Pakistani citizenship by the newly established Muslim state of Pakistan and appointed the Director of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction by the Government of Pakistan, where he made recommendations on the drafting of Pakistan's first Constitution. In 1949, Asad joined Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as head of the Middle East Division and, in 1952, was appointed Pakistan's Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Nations in New York.[2]
Muhammad Asad is famously known for his two publications - The Road to Mecca, a biographical account of his life up to the age of 32, his conversion to Islam from Judaism and his journey to Mecca, and his magnum opusThe Message of the Qur'an, a translation and commentary of the sacred book of Islam, the Qur'an.
In 2008 the entrance square to the UN Office in Vienna was named Muhammad Asad Platz in his honour. That is the first square in Austria to be named after a Muslim.
Leopold Weiss born on 2 July 1900 to a Jewish family in Lemberg, Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (which is currently the city of LvivUkraine). Weiss was a descendant of a long line of Jewish rabbis; however, his father, Akiva Weiss, broke from tradition and became a lawyer. Leopold received a religious education and was proficient inHebrew from an early age, as well as familiar with Aramaic. He studied the Jewish Bible or Tanakh, the text and commentaries of the Talmud, the Mishna and Gemara, also delving into the intricacies of Biblical exegesis and the Targum.
After abandoning university in Vienna, Weiss drifted aimlessly around 1920s Germany, working briefly for the expressionist film director, Fritz Lang (F.W. Murnau, according to The Road to Mecca). By his own account, after selling a jointly written film script, he splurged the windfall on a wild party at an expensive Berlin restaurant, in the spirit of the times. While working as a telephone operator for an American news agency in Berlin, Weiss obtained a coveted interview with Russian author Maxim Gorky's wife, his first published piece of journalism, after simply ringing up her hotel room..."

I first came to know him last 2 years when i attend a talk or seminar about him. He is an interesting figure to know and read about. Go on find a copy! 

Till then, adios amigos! 


Friday, May 18, 2012

Thankful for not having or belonging

It is amazing if God blessed us with wealth. They are 2 type of wealth,  firstly, property wealth and second wealth of the soul. We all know what is property wealth, but little knows what is soul wealth.That's why many people only strive for property wealth but not seriously searching for soul wealth. Successful always being measured on how much money they've earned, assets in possession, cars and houses that you've owned. Beside time and energy, we even willing to sacrifice life for this purpose. 


Bless with food, one of the wealth
Wealth

 What is soul wealth and how to hunt for it? Soul wealth is a peace of heart that can withstand any challenge in life. As Prophet PBUH said, which meant: "It is a miracle the circumstances of a believer. Indeed all business/affairs that they are in, in good condition. And no one will ever gain this condition except for the faithful one. If he/she awarded something, he/she is thankful, then the award will be good for him/her. But if he/she had misfortune, he/she is patience, so the misfortune will be good for him/her" (Riwayat Muslim)


People who have soul wealth cannot be disturbed by things happen outside himself/herself. He/she is strong like a reef in the ocean. Untouched even caught in a storm. What happen outside him/herself can be controlled by what is in his/her heart. The peace in heart is gain by remembering Allah. Remembering Allah produces good values or sifat -sifat mahmudah (in malay & arabic) which is the precious core of soul wealth. 


Thankful is one of sifat mahmudah/good value that is very important. With gratefulness, our hearts will be fertile. Everytime they been given bliss, enjoyment or pleasure, they are thankful and remember the Giver (Allah). They always feel that they only the borrower, not the owner of those bliss, enjoyment or pleasure. The more they get from Allah, the more they borrow from Him. Grateful people feel that they don't own anything realizing that all are His. 
A peace of heart


If they get a little from Allah, they feel that it is enough due to sifat Qana'ah (means to live simply by what Allah s.w.t. had given us, no sulking). If there are many or lots of it, they will give some to others or the needy due to generosity. Their souls are free because they don't want to be slave of wealth, man and situation. Thankful people always ashamed of belonging to others than Allah. When man feels like not having or belonging, that's the peak of tranquility and happiness in life.


In fact, this is the essence of the du'a that being taught by Rasulullah s.a.w to us: "Ya Allah, i seek your protection from trouble/poverty and sorrow. Please protect me from weakness and laziness. Please protect me from being a coward and stingy. I seek your protection from debt and assault." (Riwayat Abu Daud)


Little bliss, but not dishearten. Lots of bliss but not detrimental. Thankful people can give during their lowest and highest point of life. Their hearts get rich everyday and they are able to make others happy and together share the enjoyment and peacefulness. We can only be happy when we make others happy :) 


Magazine Solusi issuance no. 43
- i translated this article literally from Solusi issue no. 43; Subur dengan Syukur. You are welcome to correct my translation especially the hadith. I love this article so i thought i should share it in here. Hope you enjoy it. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The 76th UiTM Convocation on 13th May 2012

Been like what 10 years since my convocation. Last week i went to my sister's convo at UiTM Shah Alam. I am so honored to be in the new hall, Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor UiTM. I was told that this is the first time a convocation being held there. Watching the students receiving their scrolls one by one reminded me of my time haha! I don't remember much about how am i on the stage. I miss those days with my friends. It's amazing feeling to stand up there and receive your award, but life is more than an award for me. Being an adult i think i have a different perspective of life now. It's not about competing anymore. It's about giving and forgiving and contributing :) Mom! I've grown up now hehe... But If i am given another chance to study and be on that stage again, why not?  :) But that time, I am the one to give away the awards.... one day my dear, one day... just to add another dream of mine. I should do the 100-things-to-do-before-I-Die list haha! What do you think? Let see how much good deeds i get to accomplish before God hits my STOP button. Anyway, here are the pictures taken during the event:


With my graduated sister

The 3 Musketeers! 

It's not everyday we had this girlie photograph hehe!

Isn't making faces is a creative way to pose? :p

Nice one!

I just that veggie being in the centre of a bouquet hehe

Yellow is so sanguine and vibrant

Before the students and VVIP entering the hall

A Presentation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad 

The New Hall: Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor



Search for knowledge, and spread them, the reward from Allah is far more bigger than this :)

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Tea book's festival

I've been reading a lot lately, but i have not shared anything with you guys. I felt so guilty. This time around i'll try my best to post my conclusion on books that i've read :) Most of books that I've read were in Malay :) But i know my friends who are reading my blog are from all around the globe. I'll try my best to translate the synopsis in English. Simple English of course. Am Malaysian so am not an expertise in English, pardon me if my translation is inaccurate. Feel free to comment on it, the floor is open. 


First of all, i would like to thank my dad for being an inspiration to this reading hobby. We've seen you read since we were small. I don't like books that much before but growing up slowly i am becoming my dad. I started with comics, i love colors, pictures, music and drawing and arts. From there i turned to intelectual stuff. But not too much. Am not that brainy!  I don't have any specific genre of book. Anything that capture my brain and eyes haha! Am an easy-going person i guess. I have resolution this year to ready a quantity of book every month, which i don't know if i can fulfill it or not :) i'll try... 




Ok, here goes... I've just finish this one good book. The title is Pemikiran Dr. Mahathir Tentang Islam (Dr. Mahathir's Thinking On Islam) by Dr Ismail Hj Ibrahim. Dr. Mahathir was Malaysian 4th Prime Minister. He stepped down in 2003 peacefully on his will. He had contributed a lot to Malaysia. I always adore him. A doctor who can leads a family and a nation. Dr. Ismail did not promote him for any other reasons but because he worked with him previously. You'll understand what i meant when you read it. 


I've jotted down some points that can benefit me. And i hope they do too for you.


1)  It is obvious that Dr. Mahathir is learning a lot from Prophet Muhammad PBUH way of managing a country or nation. No one can deny Prophet Muhammad PBUH as a good leader. He was recognized among Muslim and non-Muslim. The things that being followed by Dr. Mahathir were:
a) Democracy system 
b) Promote seeking of knowledge
c) Value women and their contributions not only to family but also to the 
nation, country.  Women is more than a daughter, wife and mother.
d) Discipline and consistensy (istiqamah) in everything we do
e) Always open up our heart to others' views or opinions 
f) Always appreciate others given to you even with a small thank you letter 
(you never know if it means world to others! Prophet Muhammad PBUH taught us to be grateful. Even he had been guaranteed Paradise by Allah but he always kneeled down to pray every night granting for forgiveness from Allah. How down to earth is that?)
g) Think big pictures and turn words into action. That's what Dr. Mahathir is. Most people talk big but never get into action. 
h) Never stop others to be creative in what they do. We have to be encouraging instead. 
i) Promote harmonious living among Muslim and non-Muslim. There's nothing to battle about. All we have to do is respect and love each others. 

I remember a scholar once said, Al- Quran and Sunnah are the 2 best guidances in life. While Rasulullah or Propher Muhammad PBUH is the best practitioner in the world! Our job is easy to understand Al-Quran & Sunnah then copy Rasulullah PBUH :) Let's spread the words and live a better world. 


That's all for now. I say it's worth it to get this book. I bought it for only RM2.00 at MPH Alamanda. Or you can always request at any book store nearby!