sayonara skuter kuning!

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

Suatu ketika dahulu, kala kau gagah sekali. 

Sudah lama jari jemari ini tidak berlegar di butang-butang keyboard, bermain kata-kata. Moga curahan kali ini, in sha Allah mudah dan memberi manfaat kepada diri dan insan-insan yang tergerak membaca. :)

Semenjak Honda Today lumpuh tiada mampu bergerak, sudah jauh kaki ini berkhidmat melangkah sehari hari. Turun naik bukit Manuel, pergi dan balik university. Dari pagi, matahari terik meninggi, sehingga pekat malam. Kadang kadang gentar hati melangkah dalam kelam malam, namun aku berlindung kepada Tuhan, dari kejahatan malam apabila telah gelap gelita. Kalau bukan dek kerna tarbiyyah dalam diri, sudah lama aku menjerit lari balik lintang pukang.

Disebalik kesusahan ini, tersimpul seribu tarbiyyah untuk diri kerdil ini.

Ketika membelek muka buku, pernah membaca suatu kisah.

Seorang buruh binaan sedang sibuk bekerja di tingkat paling bawah, kawasan pembinaan 10 tingkat apartment. Tiba-tiba jatuh syiling sedolar dari atas, melekat di lopak pasir tepat di hadapan matanya. Lalu dia kutip, pantas masuk ke dalam saku seluar. Selang beberapa ketika, sedolar lagi jatuh, tanpa terpinga, terus dikutip masuk ke dalam saku seluar. Begitu jua, situasinya untuk beberapa detik.

Sebenarnya, bos dia di tingkat 8 terpekik memanggilnya, namun sayu suaranya kedengaran di bingit pembinaan. Lantas di jatuhkan syiling agar dapat mencuit pekerjanya di bawah, namun sebaliknya berlaku. Lantas, mula di jatuhkannya butir-butir batu kecil mengenai badan si dia, satu persatu. Sedikit sakit dan kehairanan, menjenguk si dia ke atas, menyedari kehadiran bosnya di atas sedang memanggil. *tamat*

Mungkin cerita ini versi pendek dan lurus ke titik (baca: straight to the point). Namun, mudah untuk direfleksi kepada hidup ini.

Setelah, nikmat-nikmat Allah turunkan untuk diri seorang ini, mungkin aku mula lupa akan hakikat kehidupan seorng hamba. Luaran mungkin hebat, tetapi hati Allah sahaja yang tahu akan hakikat turun naiknya iman. Bila Allah cabut satu nikmat yang kita sayangi, maka tersentap hati seorang ini. Bahawa, buah epal yang manis itu tidak wujud semata-mata kerna pohon yg sihat, tetapi ada pencipta yang mengawal kesuburan dan kitaran hidup pohon itu. Hakikat hidup tidak lari dari mengembalikan kesyukuran dan pergantungan kepada Allah, Tuhan sekalian Alam.

Alangkah silapnya kita jika menyangka musibah itu suatu 'bad luck' untuk diri. Mungkin diri ini tidak pernah merasa hilangnya sesuatu yang besar, namun insan yang bulat-bulat percaya kepada Allah tidak pernah putus asa dari rahmatnya. Bahkan mereka itu yang memperoleh keampunan dan rahmat dari Tuhannya, mereka itu jua yang akan mendapat petunjuk. In sha Allah.

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return"

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Al Baqarah:155-157

Melangkah jua kaki ini melalui jalan-jalan yang suram, hanya berteman lampu malam sekadar penerang jalan, Alhamdulillah, dalam kesunyian ini, tidak semena-mena membuat daguku mendongak ke langit. Melihat dada langit malam dan seluruh penciptaanNya yang sempurna.

terpikir, bilakah kali terakhir kita mendapat ketenangan yang asli, melihat keluasan ciptaanNya? Bukan berteman lagu-lagu terapi mendamaikan, tetapi benar-benar membuka mata melihat sekeliling.

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding. (3:190)

Moga tiada lagi kita berduka akan nasib diri. Moga tiada rintihan di kala pagi dan petang. In sha Allah, kita berdoa agar Allah memberi kita kemudahan, kesenangan dan kejayaan dunia serta akhirat. Berkat usaha yang gigih dan tawakal yang sebenar, Allah mengurniakan dan lengkapkan nikmatnya ke atas setiap hamba-hambaNya. :)

In sha Allah, pengganti is on the way. :p

Indeed, it is just a fraction of life

Bismillah
Assalamualaikum wbt

استغفرالله العظيم

Forgive me ya Allah

استغفرالله العظيم

Please forgive me once again ya Allah

استغفرالله العظيم

Once again I ask your forgiveness oh Allah. Hope you are never bored in forgiving me.

The class was very small. 20 of us had to sit closely to be able to write on the table. To make thing worse, the petite fan on the ceiling wasn't working well and we had to let the door open or we might be dying on the floor suffocated. I was sitting next to Jason, one of my good friends here.

The tutorial almost came to an end.

She opened the floor for any question and started asking us one by one.

"Jason, do you have any question?"

"Nope" he responded quickly.

"Hafizul, do you have any question?"

" erk....no" it took me a while thinking whether I had any doubt on the subject.

"Are you sure?" She was such a demanding tutor.

"Yeah"

"I'm not convinced. Meet me after this"

"Oh man, not again" I whispered.

Early of this year she introduced herself as Kyung Yoo. She was an elderly woman who sometimes funny and strict yet caring.

“This is the way I show care to my students, there's no point telling them that they are good but actually they are not" she lectured me right after everybody left.

By the way she looked and her English, there was no doubt that she was a Korean, but working for both Uni Adelaide and UniSA as a law tutor.

To be frank, I and Jason were terrible in Law, but few weeks later Jason was crossed out of the list, leaving me behind. Maybe he showed some improvements or because he hardly asked any questions afterward.

"Hafizul and Jason, you guys didn't study. There is no point having an appointment with me if you didn't do your part" She argued when I requested an appointment with her weeks ago.

Honestly, I didn't really study much for law. Yet, I still pushed myself to go for lectures or listened to online recording, a day before the tute. Apparently, it wasn't enough. I put all the blame on myself.

Right from the beginning of semester I failed to manage my time properly. Procrastination had permanently been written onto my to-do list.

Sometimes, it crossed my mind that I wanted to prove she was wronged about me. I still believed that there was chance for me to shine in this subject, despite as we went deeper into topics, it confused me. Yet, In sha Allah.

But, there were no point of pleasing her. After all she was just a mortal human similar to me and you. Perhaps, she had a conflict of interest to maintain her reputation as a tutor. * Duty to avoid conflict of interest was under s181 and s182 of the Corporation Act fyi. Hurm, my law wasn't that bad afterall. Haha. * By the way, it appeared to me pleasing Allah is the best choice.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/themuslimshow

If I studied just to prove to someone that I was good, at the end I might got what I wanted, but on the side of Allah I gained nothing, just tiredness.

It was true that success it a rizq from Allah and everything has been decided even before we were created. Success and failure had been written. The pen had been lifted and the ink had dried. But we never knew what our fate was before it happened.

Islam was not a deen of magic. Hardly would we succeed if we didn't put our best foot forward and started aiming for it. By sleeping and watching Korean drama would never promise you a success ahead. * Disclaimer for those who extremely genius beyond reasonable doubt* apparently we need to work and start doing something.

“Why should I work hard if it had been written for me?" Some might be asking this question.

It was extremely true that the end product was already out and waiting to happen. But do know that the knowledge of Allah was superior and beyond ours. We may though we had choices in life. We could choose either watching the heart warming" winter sonata" or the fierce “fast and furious 6". Indeed those choices had been covered by the knowledge of Allah. He knew you would watch “winter sonata" alone in your room, on your bed, cried badly that even a box of tissue wasn't enough to dry your tears.

By the same token, He knew that you would embark an effort to work or not and the outcome would highly based on it. If it turned out otherwise, do knew Allah knew better for you.

The main reason for all these effort was merely to gain rewards from Allah.

If the cake was certain to be edible and awesome. Then, the mixing and baking were the one being rewarded by Him.

Similarly, if the outcome was certain, then our struggles were the one that may be rewarded, if we followed His path and did sincerely for Him.

So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it

And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it. (99:7-8)

In sha Allah, in the day of judgement, even a simple and small tiny good deed will be accounted by Allah, and likewise.

Thus, those who are, were or will be struggling for finals, ALL THE BEST. Make dua' to Him as He will hear you. Remember, never worry about the outcome as He has decided something that will bring us closer to Him and the best for us. But, do embark to struggle and make sure your boxes of reward are full in the end. 

Remember, after all study is just a fraction of life :)

In sha Allah, my first paper next week will be law. Please pray for my success and may Allah reward and done similarly to you. 

Source: http://www.facebook.com/themuslimshow

Last week I had my last tutorial with her.

At the end, she was calling my classmates’ names.

‘I know you guys wouldn’t have any trouble in Law” she added at the end.

“Did she just skipped us or she totally forgotten our names?” I told Jason.

I was sitting next to Dacklyen, one of the smartest in our class and no doubt she was looking at me earlier.

“Hafizul and Jason, you two are in trouble” Now all my thoughts were cleared.

As usual, she would be asking us if there was any question.

“Hafizul, do you have any question?”

“Nope” I answered instantaneously.

“Are you sure?”

She smiled and we all laughed.

An eclipse but not yet a sunset

Bismillah
Assalamualaikum wbt

They said we were crushed, but deep inside they knew nothing. 

It was one late evening in 2008. I was on my way to my most longed hometown, Sekinchan, when the bus passed Bagan Datoh, a small town in Perak. The side road was packed with blue flags and one huge picture of a smiling man appeared in the midst of those blue banners. There were still some flags of different colours, but they were obviously outnumbered. I didn’t care much as I was still in form four though. I took least care of the politics.

“None of my business” I whispered, before went back to my luring sleep.

It was nearly 12.00 am in Adelaide. All of us were excitedly looking at the screen, it was 21 VS 9 and apparently we were losing.

“No worries, we haven’t reached Peninsular regions yet” my friend tried to ease the tense as we started to look worried and pale.

Here I was, anxiously updating the page, absolutely the opposite side of  me, 5 years ago.

As the clock nearly struck 2 am, the simple majority was formed. Our hope crushed by the winning of the other armies. Soon, the Facebook was flooded with dismal comments and every pictures were turning black, for the very first time, we were celebrating 'Earth Hour' together.

“5.5.2013, the day where democracy of Malaysia died” one of them wrote.

Frankly, we were disappointed as well. We were praying and hoping for great news from the other armies.

Yet, Syeikh Jum'ah Amin said,

“We are relying too much upon our materials effort for victory, least we remember the Robbul Asbab, the Robb to those reasons” 

The Robb of where every fate lied on His hand

The Robb that would grant us victory

Our Robb, Allah the All Mighty.

Right from beginning, we enthusiastically went down to streets and people “Honked” for revolution, updating status daily, fiercely protecting the voting boxes, sharply looking for “paid foreigners” and strongly criticizing the ink purchased from MYDIN. But, our armies might forget Him, late for prayers and worse some might not even had time to pray.

Verily, He would postpone the victory if our armies not yet deserving it.

He knew the triumph would not distinct us from the other armies.

He knew victory would make us far from Him.

If we couldn’t preserve good relationship with Him when we were weak, unlikely we would when were victorious.

It was a strong reminder to me indeed. 

A true believers will not be in grieve as Allah has provided the cure
through His unbreakable promises

Before coming to Australia, we were obliged to attend a BTN, a brainwash program by the government.

“Lets us talk about politics” she said when we were asked to rank government, law and citizen based on priority.*If I wasn't mistaken*

“I would put it to the very last, as politic is always dirty” 

“No, no...Let’s talk about fair and clean politics” she argued

Well, it was now proven that mixture of politics and fairness did not go well, *if it was held by unrighteous people*

The next morning I woke up with hope that our soldiers weren’t tore severely. Alhamdulillah, thumbs up! The armies managed to block 2/3 majority of the parliament.

If we looked at the great battle of Badr, in which the greatness did not by the numbers *300 VS 1000*, yet it was due to the combat of haq against batil, the Muslims were victorious.

However, battle of Uhud came subsequently and the Muslims were defeated.

The tone in the Quran was totally different. It was declined to warning after the amazing triumph of Badr, yet more to consolidating in the aftermath of Uhud.

This was where my awesome friend quoted *verses revealed after the battle of Uhud*,

So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. (Al Imran, 3:139) 

“Don’t be weak and sorrow, because we are a superior against the other army. But, were we the true believer?” he said.

But it did not end there, next Allah said,

If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] we alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does not like the wrongdoers. (Al Imran, 3:140)

There were reasons behind it. Allah knew best. He may grant us defeat as a way to separate those who believed and those who didn’t, to see how we reacted to it. 

Did we still put all trust on Him? 

Did we worship and rely on Him more than before?

Did we still have strong and undivided faith on Him?

Believe Him, Allah did not like the wrongdoers.

If you thought solving a rubic cube was complex enough, politics went deeper than that and it could only be overpower by maturity.

Maturity in making observation.

If you asked a random guy of why he was supporting our allies, he might not be able to answer it.




They yelled for fairness, equality and better future, yet deep in their heart they might not know the true reason.

Maybe it wasn’t the time for us to achieve islamic government.

Yet, it was still time for us to develop islamic individual.

To touch the hearts of these people.

To built the community who put all trust to Allah.

Who worship Him as He was the Ahad in their lifes.

To reach out to the heard of not yet muslims, who began to be open-minded towards islam.

Those who not yet muslim that rather standing under the overwhelming hot sun, holding a green flag, rather than a blue one.

Who never rejected the rules of Allah, but complemented it to be the best.

Indeed, this defeat was a great victory for islam.

In Sha Allah

Allahu'alam

Alhamdulillah, You never stopped on me.

Bismillah
Assalamualaikum wbt

This route is long and challenging. You may be thinking of stopping in the middle.
But, trust Allah, this is the best route for you. 

Alhamdulillah. All praises belong to all mighty Allah, the only creator of you and me.

When I was in form 5, a brother used to come to my school and organised a random halaqah silently. With his red car *I don’t really remember, but most probably Kancil* , he successfully passed through the guards and parked his car near to the surau. While lying on my bed, I could obviously see his car from the widely opened window. I watched him silently.

Today he looked as smart as always with blue jean paired with a collared t-shirt. A small beard on his chin made him looked matured. He walked across the praying hall before coming to a stop at a corner, near to the exit. He was looking for someone, looking for me I guess.

 A message appeared on my Nokia, as expected.

“Do you wanna join us?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not coming”

It was in Ramadhan when I first met him. One evening I was reading the Quran, near to the entrance but hardly being seen as I sat behind a pole. Only few people were around. This was where his part began.

“Can we read the Quran together?”

I was stunned for a moment

“Yeah, sure”

I showed him where I was reading and we took turn reciting it.

After few pages, we stopped. He started to ask my name, where I lived....*common questions that you would certainly ask lol* and the conversation was getting longer and longer.

We exchanged phone number.

“I’ll see you again next week yeah. I’ll give you a message”

Me, a person who hardly say No literally said, “yeah, sure”.

That was the starting point where I started halaqah in my life. Yet, it didn’t last long. I stopped after a few meetings with him. Honestly, I was lazy and maybe I wasn’t that close to him. So, the desire slowly faded.

I often saw him in the surau, giving halaqah to those who were willing to stop, join and listen. But, I just smiled and walked away. *The pearl was already on my hand, but I let it slip away and rolled on the floor*

I still kept his number until today. But I never took the effort to say hi...

A year passed and I was accepted to Sunway University College, a private college in the middle of Subang Jaya, the most crowded city I had ever seen. I lived in Casa Subang, a 25-storey high apartment, in a well occupied house together with four other awesome housemates.

We planned, but truly Allah was the best planner.

This was where the second part of the story began.

One evening, my housemates entered my room.

“Someone is coming to our house tonight, and he gonna gives us some lectures on islam”
Without any hesitation, my roommate and I cleaned our room and opened some spaces to sit.

We sat in a circle that night, four of us. He was a very kind, intelligent, knowledgeable and an interesting man indeed. He introduced himself and later followed by every of us.

The meeting was the spark of my weekly halaqah.

Soon, the small group grew larger. Now, there were more than 10 of us. We spend around 3 hours of our Saturday night *If I wasn’t mistaken* learning about our deen and building ukhuwah among us.

Unfortunately, my heart was silently sealed, a devastating truth, indeed.

All went in and swiftly made it through my brain and escape. None stuck and travelled to my petite heart. I missed lots of daurah, qiams and other outdoor activities. But I kept on coming to the meeting, with empty mind and heart, always.

*The pearl was already in my hand, but I never polished it to shine and glitter*

Allah was my ultimate boss; He knew what the best was for me. Once again, He introduced me to halaqah.

“If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion” (Bukhari and Muslim) 

At least take this opportunity to repair the iman
and maintain it

This was where the last chapter revealed itself.

Alhamdulillah. 

I safely landed in Australia.

I rented a house, together with 3 other scholars. The house was small and old, perhaps that was the main reason why the charge was cheap. Yet, I thanked Allah for it.

The word halaqah wasn’t something strange here. In fact, dakwah and tarbiyah landed here long time ago. Most of the scholars here joined halaqah since their foundation years. They were more likely similar to me.

So, this group of students gathered around once a week.

Now, it had been a year. Tarbiyah had become part of my life. Frankly, I was struggling initially. No matter how hard I struggled, Allah knew the best. Eventually, He tied my heart to this long path. Verily, the aid from Allah was always there. 

It took time, honestly. Some might rejected it since the first day they heard of it, yet some were willing with hope to maintain themselves and revive the iman. Yet, in sha Allah, we would find that turning point.

“What about study then?”
I came here as students and study was my priority. This question was common among to those who were new. 

However, if we pictured life comprised of these three components, then dakwah and tarbiyah shouldn’t worried us. The hours of study shouldn’t be affected, but the time for self and lagha ought to be reduced and filled with halaqah and tarbiyah.

I may still a newbie compared to those who seriously walking in this path for ages, yet, I pray, together Allah will ease our path, grants us hidayah and cleans our heart to accept and appreciate the deen. 

In sha Allah my friends, Allah will open your heart too, one day, to learn more about this deen. Lets us pray towards that ultimate goal.

*The pearl was already in my hand. In sha Allah, I would never let it slip again, and continuously let it spark with light that shines others towards Allah*

Amin

In sha Allah.

Something about 1%

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

With Allah's mercy, even animals know how to love

I was at my friend house. We had  long talk after almost a year we been apart. I was sitting on my bike when I saw a mother hen and it cute little chicks were looking for food.

“I haven’t seen chicks for a decade. Real chickens at my house were long gone” I said

It was true. We used to have many chickens around the house when I was a little boy. When we wanted to have chicken for lunch, my mum would order us to catch one. My cousins and I would chase them around the house happily.

“I got one!” I yelled while holding a chicken on my right hand. My uncle slaughtered it, and we had chicken curry that evening. Ah, those moments.

I was looking at the mother and the chicks for a moment.

“They all were yellow except for that one” My friend was pointing at a dark looking chick, exceptionally different from the rest.

“Like in the Ugly Duckling” I said. We laughed.

The chicks would follow wherever the mother went, even the odd one. The mother looked so caring as she foraging the ground with her feet and started to look for invisible foods. The chicks would follow instantly.

It reminded me of something.

Salman Al Farisi Reported: The messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah has one hundred portion of mercy; because of one there is compassion between creation, and ninety-nine are reserved for the Day of Resurrection” HR Muslim.

It said, Allah had 100 mercies, but He gave one to humans, Jinn and animals on earth. With this one, there was love between His creations. Where the wild animals loved their young and humans loved each other.

I saw, with this one portion the hen loved its chicks.

If you think today you love your family sincerely, you love your best friend with all of your heart; remember Allah’s love to His servants is 99 times more than that. Could you feel it? If you think human loves is remarkable, with love humans are willing to sacrifice themselves, Allah’s love would be beyond imagination.

Ibn Qayim said, there are three signs of Allah’s love.

If Allah loves you, He puts you under trials.

When He loves someone, He gives them the “understanding” of islam

Whomever Allah loves, He deviates your heart for disobedient and sins.

Thus, whenever you are under His trial, be thankful as Allah wants you to remember Him. If you have chances to understand true purpose of human and a muslim, grab that chance as a muslim is more than fasting in Ramadan or praying 5 times a day. Be happy if your heart is cleans from the dots of sins.

Inshaa Allah, never have any bad thought on Allah as He always love His servants, especially those who are close to Him.

If today you are unhappy due to something, be thankful to Allah
If today you are tired of something, be thankful to Allah
As Allah is showing His love to you
And remember in every difficulty, there is ease.

Inshaa Allah 

Happy Ending Summer

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

This is just a few posts ahead from my previous joyful post of coming back home. Well, only two days left now. How strange the time passed, slow in the beginning, but faster at the end.A year ago, my close friend gave me a shirt. A long sleeved shirt with stripes of red boxes, yellow and orange. It looked cool and metro sexual. I wore those kinds of shirts back in Adelaide.

For that reason, after a while it made my arms looked fairer. My wrist and above had became equally radiant with my hands. I did look like a Chinese now. However, during the summer break in Malaysia the colour seemed to change drastically. Every single day, my skin was tanned by the blazing sun. The hot sweating weather made it impossible for me to don long sleeve anymore. Now, I realised why people said the price of Jannah wasn’t cheap. Deeply I admired women who covered themselves in such climate. They chose to please Allah and thus they deserved the most desirable paradise.

Alhamdulillah this summer had been great and filled with Allah’s love and blessings. He blessed my journeys, granted me opportunities and taught me priceless lessons.Despite two months passed like a fast moving train, I was totally grateful with the chance given to me.

A friend said, “Allah hides baraqah in your food everyday. It is there if you start with bismillah, and not if you aren’t. After you die, if people recognise and appreciate your contribution to this deen, means Allah has put baraqah to your age. If you study just for awhile, yet you gain lots, means Allah has put baraqah to your time” 

InshaAllah, by the same token, I pray Allah has put baraqah on me for the last two months.

He taught me that, not everything in life we are given right to choose. We never choose to be male or female, born as neither Malaysian or Korean, and we never pick the family to be born to. We never did.
Sometimes we can’t choose because it is rizq, assigned at our birth. Allah never let us choose because we never know which one will lead us closer to Him.

Port Noarlunga, Adelaide SA

My close friend told me that he never expected to end up in Sunway. His parents decided to put him in one of the local universities. Yet, Allah’s planning overwrote everything. So, in Sunway he was now for the next 2 years. Allah introduced him to friends that always remind him of Him, together sailing this life for the sake of Allah.

He told me he has never been good in study, yet he passed in every major exam.

“Study is always a choice, but result absolutely beyond our control. He decides it. It is rizq from Allah. He knows if He failed you in those exams, it will draw you further from him.” I told him one day.

No one will ever know what his rizq is today. Today, a fisherman will never know what kind of fish he will catch, a shopkeeper will never know how many customers will come and you will never expect what is your lunch today. So, wherever you’re today, be thankful. Because He knows, being there will put you closer to Him.

Be grateful to Him and watch Him as He gives you more and make you realise the blessings that slip through your daily eyes.

Till we meet again Inshaa Allah in next summer. Thanks for all the times, efforts and loves. May you always be in Allah’s blessing and protections.

Rizq=rezeki.

Muqaddimah yang ku pinjam

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

Ku renung ke luar jendela, melihat kebesaranNya

Rahmat Tuhan mencurah lagi. Mataku terpaku pada titisan air yang beratur jatuh. Terkenangku betapa taat kepada sunnatullah gravity yang islam. Dalam senyap memuji mengagung Allah setiap detik.


Risauku melihat diri. Megah pohon merendang ubi di tanah kosong. Hidup ilmu melangit namun fikrah sejengkal tanah. Tidak ku rasa Allah berbicara melalui kalamnya. Pintu hati terkunci rapi, tidak terketuk walau bibir kumat kamit melafaz tatkala gelap fajar. Mungkin labah-labah jahiliyyah masih bersarang di ceruk-ceruk kelam hati ini. Ku cuba halau, lari namun bersarang kembali.


Sebuah Persona meluncur laju, terpercik air dari lopak jalanan. Mujur siramannya lemah. Si megah Mercedes meluru pantas meredah runtuhan hujan. Lopak berdasar pasir kering menyiram tubuhku yang sebatang ini. Hairan aku melihat si tua berjiwa kekanakan. Mengejar membanding mainan yang besar dan indah. Berbangga-bangga dengan cita-cita berlainan nilai. Bila iman tidak di paku pada tiang-tiang hati, roboh rumah pemikiran terkorban akhlak.


Alam kuyup dicurahi hujan. Pohon bersujud syukur. Ternakan berkaca mata mengintai rumput segar nun di sana. Orang bertanya. Jika selain Allah, manusia serta jin, semua alam belaka, apakah kisah kewujudannya? Apakah kisah manusia pula? “Semua untuk kegunaan kamu dan binatang ternak kamu” (80:32). Besarnya kisah manusia sekiranya mereka mengerti. Semua tersedia masakan malas bekerja?


Ku dongak ke dada langit tinggi. Sejuk air jernih terpalit di wajah walau mentari membahang di belakang langit gelam. Tidak terlintas di benak hati manusia alam yang tiada pilihan hidup dengan aman harmoni. Walhal manusia nan bebas berfikir geliga saling mengkhianat dan tikam menikam. Alangkah ruginya manusia. Ku percaya. Tentu bisa gerakan alam berlari seiring gerakanku dalam litar deen yang sama.


Tidak cukup jariku membilang usiaku kini. Sungguh materialistic diriku merancang kehidupan hanya sebelum ajal menyapa. Walhal akhirat infiniti tidak pernah ku lakar dalam lukisan masa hadapan. 70 tahun hanya celupan jari di lautan membiru. 70 tahun hanya batu jalanan dalam timbunan delima berkilau. Hadiah dunia bak seurat benang dalam timbunan kain bercorak. Tiada ditoleh Sang Pencipta.

Sinaran mentari dingin ditapis udara lembab. Berkilau butiran air di hujung dedaun melengkap pelangi petang. Bayang-bayangku ganjil panjang ke utara sujud bersama sekalian alam. Membesarkan Tuhan, pencipta diriku dan dirimu. Namun tiada kenal manusia bongkak dan alpa akan minority mereka di dunia. Lantas ku sucikan diri, membasahkan hati, sujud bersama mereka yang sujud.

InshaAllah. :)

Macam macam soalan ada.

Bismillah
Assalamualaikum wbt.

Tiada kaitan, tp nampak smart. Jadi ku letak sekali. 

Janggal rasanya menulis Bahasa Melayu. Tidak pernah entry berbahasa selain Inggeris. Walau bukannya fasih, malahan grammar sesat jauh berbatu, atas dasar belajar di negeri orang aku karang juga. Bimbang kelu bila disoal Australian yang Inggerisnya sepantas formula 1. Tapi aku rasa post ini wajar berbahasa ibunda.

Qiengfei Dio berjalan disebelah kiriku. Seorang pelajar yang tinggi lampai dari China, tetapi lebih mesra menggunakan nama Edward. Kawan pertamaku di University of Adelaide.

“What is your religion”

Tiba-tiba Edward bertanya. Boleh tahan English mamat nie.

“Islam”

“Islam?”

“Seriously you never heard of islam?” terkejut aku mendengarnya. Aku sangka islam itu famous setelah segala riuh satu dunia. Obviously dia bukan islamphobia. Islam pon tak pernah dengar.

“Erk..I thought everyone knows. You know when you see women cover their hair, they are islam”

Itu contoh paling obvious aku boleh bagi. Payah juga aku nak terangkan macammana islam itu. Maklumlah tak pernah ditanya orang. Itu baru soalan macam mana islam, belum detail lagi.

“Are you a buddhist?” tiba giliran aku.

“No. I don’t have any religion”

“Oh, so you believe in what” Soalan pelik aku. Dah no religion, obviously believe in nothing. Hendak ku hentuk aje kepala otak nie.

“I believe in my parents”

*Muka terkejut* Pertama kali aku mendengarnya. Hendak aje aku tanye, “So who created you? How did you exist?” Namun sepatah pon tidak keluar dari mulutku. Kenape?!! Terlepas peluang nak biar dia berfikir.

**********************  

Jason, aku dan Edward berjalan di Rundel Mall untuk makan tengah hari bersama. Jason adalah rakan yang ku kenal secara tidak sengaja. Remaja 18 tahun. Seorang ABV. Australian Born Vietnamese
“Are all Malaysian have to cover their hair?” Edward bersuara.

“No, just those who are islam”

“Why do they have to cover their hairs? Is it made up of gold or something?” Jason bertanya dalam Australian accentnya. Sekali sekala sukar aku fahami apa yang dikatakan Jason.

“Well, It is an order from our God. So it is a must. They not just have to cover their hair but the whole body except for face and hands” Sambil menunjukkan pergelangan tangan. Maklumlah aku tidak tahu apa Inggerisnya.

“Well that is a shit. You have to cover the whole body and no one can see it” Jason tidak berpuas hati namun dalam nada mainan.

“No. I think it is the best for them. To protect them, so that men won’t just look at their body”

“Oh man, so I can’t see their body like sexy girls here”

“Obviously from you” kataku didalam hati. 

**********************

Aku, Jason,Arsene,Paul dan Babin berborak di Business Hub sehingga tiba masa untuk lunch.

“Where we gonna eat guys” Paul bertanya. Juga sorang ABV.

“Lets go to Hungry Jack” Sebuah fast food restoran ala-ala Burger King di Malaysia.

“I can’t eat there.” Aku menjawab pantas.

“Why?”

“I can’t eat pork”

“What? Why can’t you eat pork??” Bagai satu question mark jatuh menghempap kepala mereka.

“It’s my religion. I can’t eat pork and drink alcoholic drinks” aku menjawab ringkas. Mahu mengelak futher confrontasi.

“But, you can order chicken or beef there”

“I can’t as well. I don’t know how they prepare the burgers. Who knows they might fried it together and some are mixed.” Alasan yang sehabis logic dan munasabah yang mampu ku bagi selain dari faktor khilaf sembelihan ahli kitab. Sekali aku mention ‘sembeliha’ atau ‘people of the book’ sungguh panjang explaination nanti. Lunch boleh bertukar dinner.

Semenjak hari itu, aku menentukan tempat untuk makan, like a boss.

*Aku tidak pernah mengatakan sembelihan ahli kitab haram. Bagiku was-was & masih ada khilaf. Selagi ada makanan yang conform halal, itu lebih utama*

**********************

Aku, Jason dan Ain study bersama di Hub. Setelah beberapa ketika, aku keluar tanpa disedari Jason yang sibuk mengadap computer.

“You went to pray weren't you?”

“Yup. How do you know?” Agak terkejut aku mendengar soalan yang tiba-tiba.

“Ain told me” Aku menjeling ke arah Ain. I should have known.

“So you pray 5 times a day? Ain told me you have to pray night and day.”

“Yup” Lega aku Ain dah terangkan segalanya. Tak perlu aku menghurai panjang.

“You went to church right, every Sunday?” Masa aku bertanya pula.

“Yup. In the morning”

“So what do you do there?”

“We sing songs and listen to lectures”

“What do the lectures say?”

“I don’t know. I was asleep”

Aku tersengih. “Samalah macam kitaorang” ujarku dalam hati.

**********************

Bulan penuh keberkatan, Ramadhan telah menjelang.

“Let’s go eat” Jason dan rakanku yang lain mengajakku makan.

“Narh, I can’t eat”

“We are not going to eat pork”

“I can’t eat because I’m fasting”

“Ok, whatever” Jason malas melayanku.

Pagi itu aku menghadiri PASS program. Peer Assisted Study Session. Free, open and optional kepada sesiapa yang bermasalah dalam subject tertentu. Andrew, a purely Australian guy ketua untuk Microeconomics.

“Are you an Arab, because your name sound like one” Dia bertanya sementara menunggu kunci dari security.

Hafiz memang sound Arabic to anyone. Tiga suku kata seperti Hafizul sukar disebut. Namun, seminggu diperlukan Jason untuk mengingati namaku. Takpelah, dia special case.

“No. I’m from Malaysia. I’m a muslim” jawapanku padat dan tepat.

“Oh yes. Do you like fasting in Ramadhan?”

“Yup. How do you know?” saja aku tanya setelah sedikit bangga.

“I used to have friends who were muslim too and they are fasting, like a month”

Akhirnya, ade juga yang fahami islam. Aku bernafas lega.

*Di Malaysia, soalan sebegini mungkin jarang kedengaran. So, timbalah ilmu about your Deen sebelum ke negara bukan Islam. InshaAllah mudah*

We all have power, a hidden power. We are power rangers.

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

*I’m not promoting power rangers*

When we are taking about hiding our powers, superheroes do it better. Superman hides in a small remote town called Smallville, Batman only shows up at night when everyone are fast asleep and Ultraman becomes soo big that no one ever thought he is just one small-skinny alien fighting squad.

It cost nothing but action
Credit: Google image

They are different. *Daa...they had this one rare weird power that even I can’t get it* However, we have this special and unique but common power. But, rarely being used especially by Malaysian. *I think they don’t even know they have one...haiya*

I’m a person of few words and some of you are as well. *Just admit it* Meeting new people is the most horrifying moments, even an aunty or uncle could make me pee in the pant. After the word “HI” the awkward moments starts. *Sound of crickets filled the air...criek...criek...How do I spell the sound?!* As if time is passing so slow. A minute is like an hour, an hour is like a day and bla2.... Even worse, if there is even not a single word come out from both of us. It is the moments where I hope my phone ring and nonstop texts make their way to me. *I usually talk to simsimi*

But, this power changes everything. You would be surprised with the power of this power. *Obviously my English is rubbish* It shows it is better than I expected. You’ll never expect what kind of person are they if they didn’t fight back with their hidden powers. Sometime their power might be stronger, but stronger it is, the better.  It brings joy and warmth to the atmosphere. *Please leave if there is no clashes of power occur*

The effect of this power is powerful even it is unseen. On phone, you could feel the greatness of this power that comes through your voices.

Dale Carnegie wrote, this power is one of the ways to make people like you. It is a remedy to win friends and influence people. Even our beloved Prophet encouraged this power as it is rewarded by Allah.

Smile, a simple way to make a good first impression.

Lets us use this hidden power more often. *I challenge you to smile to 10 random people today, if you brave enough. And tell me the result* :) 

Which one, A or B or maybe C?

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

Well since I haven’t been writing in decades. I'm gonna throw to you a bundle of posts today. *I don’t even know whose bother to read this* but, hope you find this entertaining and useful.

I still remember this one particular question. An IQ question on making the right choice. A teacher once mentioned it and we kept on passing it around the school. With high hope, to expect this kind of question would be asked in interview for scholarships. Did they? *Narh! They never did*

Credit: Tumblr.com

You’re driving alone in a 2 seated Mercedes on a dessert with sun shining brightly on your head. *Don’t ask me why it is on dessert despite it sound illogic*. Abruptly, you came across three persons stranded in the middle of nowhere that obviously needed your aid, a beautiful lady, an injured guy and a close friend of your father. You can only carry one. Who would you choose? *end*

Well, making a choice is not easy. It is harder if we get confused between the good one, better and which one is the best? One wrong move, you will lose it, maybe forever. In economic term we called it opportunity cost. *Wow, at last my econs is coming handy*simply means sacrificing one for another.

Islamically speaking,

Do we ever wonder, in Islam, if everything has been written in Lauh Mahfuz, *a book where fate of every mankind has been written since his/her birth* why Allah still allows us to make choices in life?

Would it against fate if we made another choice?

It is common to say, life is all about choices. If you choose to be a thief, then a thief will you be. If you choose to be an engineer, an engineer will you be then. *I wanted to be an accountant, FYI if you guys are wondering, if not, nevermind...*

Credit: Google image

He is unfair for writing his fate as a burglar or a serial killer?

*I’m not an expert in answering these actually, I’ll call someone else*

“Oh, no mate. Never, we aren’t a robot” my friend spoke.

“He made you choose but you will never overrule the written fate. You are not reading this because it has been written, because you choose to. You can stop reading now and never come back. I’m not gonna stop you.” He added.

One slip of Nescafe went down my throat.

“Can I’ve some mate, a bit thirsty here”

“Oh sorry, where’s my manner lol” I quickly handed him a glass of teh tarik. His favourite.

“Where were we? Oh yes. You see your choice and what was written is matching.”

“How come He know what I gonna choose instantly, I might change my mind in the last minute” I asked as he was enjoying the warm teh tarik.

“He is God. Of couse He knows everything. His knowledge covers everything even before you are born. He knows what you gonna choose. So it is not his fault if you chose to be some bad guy, killing or robbing others. You had the choice initially. 

”

I nodded.

“So, in life how do I know I’ve made the right choice?” I asked again

“He provided you with the manual, the Quran. He gave you Prophet to bring blessing and warnings. He left you with sunnah. All these are the source and roots in making choices, orite?” He smiled.

“Orite, cheers mate!” I watched him finished his last drop.

*Oh Allah, please guide me in making the best and right decision*

If it is still unclear, please ask or refer to more complete sources. Eg. Hadis 4 imam Nawawi.

And the answer to that IQ question, you decide.

Rain, rain comes again tomorrow.

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt

Credit: favim.com

It has been raining since my first day at home. You heard me, after a year, I’m finally backed in Sekinchan! A long lost boy eventually found his way back. Alhamdulillah. Anyway, it appears that the monsoon season is on. Here some facts- it starts around October and expected to end in March. *I overheard it on TV* Yet, I do love rain so much chiefly after the hot sweating noon. It’s like a natural air conditioner that refreshes the air.

My mum went to the market this morning, and she said, “It is rainy season now. So fishermen hardly go out to sea in weather like this. Likely the price of fresh fish has gone up, so I bought dried fish instead” I laughed to it. No doubt my mum knows a bit of economic, on how demand and supply work. “No worries mum, I’ll buy for you tomorrow no matter how much it costs”. However, Malaysia remains untouched, perhaps a year is not as long as I expected. But, the money changed. From paper to plastic with completely a new design and I even surprised as now they have golden 50c coin and lots lighter than the old one. Perhaps one day we’ll see major changes. Hopefully we still live to witness and be part of that revolution.

The water is dropping from the ceiling and mum has to mop the floor when the rain stops. Despite she spend more than thousand to get the roof fixed and replaced, perhaps the work was done recklessly or maybe it was unforeseeable. Nobody knew.

Credit:ehow.com

But, I do know that in life we have to do our best in everything. Never take for granted the works or task given or the result would be disastrous and someone else might suffer. Remember that life is short and time is the most precious treasure we could own. We are only 19 or 20 for once. Our age will continue to grow and no one can stop it. Live a life without hatred and disappointment. People say, let bygones be bygones.  I know someone might feel guilty in his or her life, because of what they did or something that happen because of them. They feel shy to meet someone in person and live a silent life. Remember, good person is the one who learn from own mistake, but better person is the one who learn from other’s mistake. As long as you admit that you were wrong and sought sincere forgiveness, you’re all right.

On the other side of the world, someone might be living in anger and hate. He or she could never forget what happened and vowed not to forgive or meet that person ever again. Yet, everything happens for a reason and do know that they might be immature when that happened. They act without thinking of the consequences. Perhaps, they overlooked. They did what seem right and reasonable at the time. We all know that everyone does mistakes. Plus, nothing good will come out from hating. So lets us learn to forgive and forget. Start building a good relationship and look forward for better future.

*I seriously don’t know how rain is related to this*

Sayonara 2012 and Bonjour 2013!

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum wbt.

 I know you would say this post is a bit too little too late, but nevermind.

Well New Year is already here and I don’t have any closing post for 2012 like everyone did. *A bid disappointing actually* again, nevermind.

Let’s go straight to the point. 

Credit: Google image

People now believe in 1 Malaysia. I dislike reading and because of that belief we Malaysian share the same habit. We never read! We rather love sitting next to the window in buses or LRT, stretching our views outside thinking about Malaysian’s politics, planning of what to do with RM1000000 if we have such lots of money, commenting on others fashion like a designer or worse acting like a psychic by guessing what others are thinking. *Well, that are what I used to do before*

But, that was 2012. A year ago. Apart of fireworks, it is an annual norm for Malaysian to make unachievable New Year resolutions. An aim to reduce weight by 10kg end up gaining 11 kg, aim to work harder end up getting bundle of new works, staying up late and went home late at night. Unluckily, some might stick to last year’s aims for the fourth years in a row. I never say having new resolution is wrong, it is highly recommended, especially by me. I myself have a new one. Mine is to start reading. *This is not my last year’s aim ok*

I know changing one habit is absolutely hard. It is like a sole fighter in a fierce battle. *Well, that metaphor might be too much, you surely gonna lose, terribly. * But, it is never impossible. If 47 years old Bosnian muslim can walk to Mecca on foot to perform Hajj in 314 days, I don’t think changing a habit could be much harder than that. I just need discipline, passion and obviously books. *and money to buy books*

So, if you please stretch your hand and like in a movie, ‘let’s join me in a quest of knowledge and adventure’.*I would recommend a book ‘How to read for dummies’ for those who just started and ‘How to win friend and influence people’ for those in advance stage. * Narh, just kidding! Start reading today. You can make a different. Iqraq!

*wish me good luck btw*