Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Diriku sungguh tak keruan
I was in my FB when I saw a pic of a friend who was so lucky to celebrate Eid back home.
In the pic, I saw her and family, sat around in circle, waiting turn to seek forgiveness.
At the minute I saw her pic hugging her mother in the morning of Eid, I broke in tears really badly. The last time I hugged my mother during Eid was in a motel out of nowhere in New Mexico when we were on road trip to Cali.
The very next year, mak was on her own flying to New York to attend my wedding at Vienna. Ever since, I pretty much spent my Eid either alone before rushing back for exams or class presentation, or quietly with M.
In recent years, I have seen some changes or progress of how I normally celebrate Eid in perantauan. Rather than decoying the Malaysian mood by boiling a packet of Maggi, a dear friend invited us to celebrate Eid with them. The fact that she is a very good cook and she made rendang exactly like Mak made (they both come from the same state), Raya is merrier than drenching myself with tears.
Whatever it is, most importantly about Eid is the prayer, for me, at least. Although being away from home has forced me to minimize the suasana. I am blessed and so grateful to Allah for the opportunity to experience another Ramadhan and another Syawal.
Who knows, next year, my Eid will be somewhere else. Insyaa Allah
In the pic, I saw her and family, sat around in circle, waiting turn to seek forgiveness.
At the minute I saw her pic hugging her mother in the morning of Eid, I broke in tears really badly. The last time I hugged my mother during Eid was in a motel out of nowhere in New Mexico when we were on road trip to Cali.
The very next year, mak was on her own flying to New York to attend my wedding at Vienna. Ever since, I pretty much spent my Eid either alone before rushing back for exams or class presentation, or quietly with M.
In recent years, I have seen some changes or progress of how I normally celebrate Eid in perantauan. Rather than decoying the Malaysian mood by boiling a packet of Maggi, a dear friend invited us to celebrate Eid with them. The fact that she is a very good cook and she made rendang exactly like Mak made (they both come from the same state), Raya is merrier than drenching myself with tears.
Whatever it is, most importantly about Eid is the prayer, for me, at least. Although being away from home has forced me to minimize the suasana. I am blessed and so grateful to Allah for the opportunity to experience another Ramadhan and another Syawal.
Who knows, next year, my Eid will be somewhere else. Insyaa Allah
Sunday, September 20, 2009
sajak
NASIK!!!
awat la hang sedap sangat
makan sepinggan tak cukup
2 pinggan baghu ghasa kenyang sket
aku dah gemuk dok hadap hang
perut aku dah berlipat lipat
nak buat lagu mana
hang sedap sangat
tak pekena 2,3 haghi
boleh gelupoq ataih lantai
pekena tiap2 haghi
aku naik cemuih
tak jumpa lama sket
aku mentekedarah satu periuk
oh NASIK!!
awat la hang sedap sangat
makan sepinggan tak cukup
2 pinggan baghu ghasa kenyang sket
aku dah gemuk dok hadap hang
perut aku dah berlipat lipat
nak buat lagu mana
hang sedap sangat
tak pekena 2,3 haghi
boleh gelupoq ataih lantai
pekena tiap2 haghi
aku naik cemuih
tak jumpa lama sket
aku mentekedarah satu periuk
oh NASIK!!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
ramblings
Lisan kadang2 tak terjaga
Janji kadang2 terabai
Hati kadang2 berprasangka
Sikap kadang2 menyakitkan
Should I give a chance?
When a time of me just let things go, they continued to push on the button
When I'm still perky of saying hi and calls, they didnt bother to answer or reply, or worse with answered with a rude cue of "nak apa?"
When I was greeted with a harsh shove of changes instead ofsalam in front of a stranger
When I tried to help what I can when someone they idolized so much screw up their plans, and ending up I was the bad gal who "tak mau tolong" instead of "tak boleh tolong"
As M noticed all the differences and I couldn't hid those anymore. I let him judge coz through all bad and good times, he always be there for me.
Yes, tomorrow is probably Eid. I am far from my mother and family. I am writing with a bad cognition of people whom I thought otherwise.
I hate losing friends but I dont mind throwing out the trash.
What they have done is too hurtful coz I very much know they wont do it to other people.
Selama ni aku buat mende utk kepentingan diri sendiri ke? I think I shall do things like that from now on.
Janji kadang2 terabai
Hati kadang2 berprasangka
Sikap kadang2 menyakitkan
Should I give a chance?
When a time of me just let things go, they continued to push on the button
When I'm still perky of saying hi and calls, they didnt bother to answer or reply, or worse with answered with a rude cue of "nak apa?"
When I was greeted with a harsh shove of changes instead ofsalam in front of a stranger
When I tried to help what I can when someone they idolized so much screw up their plans, and ending up I was the bad gal who "tak mau tolong" instead of "tak boleh tolong"
As M noticed all the differences and I couldn't hid those anymore. I let him judge coz through all bad and good times, he always be there for me.
Yes, tomorrow is probably Eid. I am far from my mother and family. I am writing with a bad cognition of people whom I thought otherwise.
I hate losing friends but I dont mind throwing out the trash.
What they have done is too hurtful coz I very much know they wont do it to other people.
Selama ni aku buat mende utk kepentingan diri sendiri ke? I think I shall do things like that from now on.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Something to ponder
What the Quran says about Places of Worship Source: Anas Zubedy
http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-bob-agency-what-quran-says-about.html
I grew up accustomed to Chinese drums and Hindu temple bells and the experience made me a Muslim who loves the Quran more than any other book in the world.
Let me tell you why …
I grew up at Fettes Park Penang, Evergreen Road to be exact.
From Fettes Road turning into Evergreen Road, you will need to battle a short slope uphill where we kids would need to paddle standing up while riding our bicycles and where many ladies would jump off to push theirs till the road flattens 10 meters ahead – about 100 meters later you will pass my house, house number 14.
There is an empty space almost triangular in shape where the two roads meet. At the centre of that empty land stood a large tall leafy bee infested tree with red colored nuts sprouting from the branches. On one side of the empty land was a row of shop-houses. On its corner lot wall the words NEW BOB AGENCY in red bold capital letters greeted the Fettes Park community for many years. So we call that little corner piece of land - Bob Agency. Across the road to Bob Agency stood two temples; one Chinese and the other a Hindu one.
Bob Agency for the better part of the year was left empty but the piece of land comes alive twice a year when the Chinese temple organize Chinese Operas ( Teng Lang Kho Tai) especially during the Hungry Ghost Festivals. Usually the first two days it would be the Chinese Opera (we use to call it Tong Tong Tong Cheng! Show) and followed by a second two days of modern bands belting the latest Chinese numbers and some popular western songs (I love it when the emcee announced something like “ Andy Gibb chang terk, Shallow Lancing!” ).
Each year the temple committee, both Hindu and Chinese will go house to house to request donation either for the upkeep, repair and temple improvement or for projects like the Hungry Ghost festivals or Thaipusam. Each time my Mom will ask me to tell them politely that as Muslims we cannot donate to a ‘To Kong’. (Besides, we actually did not have any extra cash anyway! Ha!ha!)
They too were polite and understanding and just moved away wishing me thank you regardless. I did not question my mom’s reasoning as I took it as true; not until 1977 when the Penang State Government was building the Penang State Mosque. I was 13.
It was announced that Loh Boon Siew the big Tau Keh of Penang donated RM 1 Million to the building of the state mosque. But wait a minute. We cannot give but we can take? That does not sound right and downright unfair. My mom had no answers so; I had to bring it up during agama class in school. After all, it will not be the first time I was asked to leave the class anyway- so what’s another period of wondering around the school (my eldest sister was not allowed to be in agama class at all during certain years in her school life !!!).
Honestly, I was not a bad boy. In fact I won the agama prize for being top in school twice. But I had questions that needed real solid answers. And, I do not give up easily!
Poor Ustazah. I asked her if I could donate to temples and her answer was a firm ‘No’. We can’t give but we can accept? I told her that my religion sounds unfair and I cannot accept her answer as my Grand Dad told me Islam is the most just religion in the world.
I refused to accept the answer and kept on harping on the RM 1 million from Loh Boon Siew. Finally she relented and said that if we were to give any donations to the ‘To Kong’, we must ‘niat’ that it is money we ‘ buang ke dalam sungai’. I told her ‘Ustazah dah merepet’.
She was by then in tears and it did not help that my classmates were cheering with drum beats – thumping the table top. She rushed out of the class and the rank cheered, the class went into the usual rumpus of school boys without supervision… but it did not last for long.
She returned with Ustaz Mahayudin, whom we were all scared shit of! And he was not alone; he brought his friend a handsomely meter long rotan. He banged the rotan on the teacher’s table a few times, we were dead silent. He uttered a few words of warning, and left. (Actually Ustaz Mahayudin was a kind and nice man, in fact I have never seen him use the rotan on anyone. I had good conversations with him, and he allowed differing opinions although he was worried of my constant questioning of the status quo. He treated Non-Muslims kindly too, and, always with respect).
I did not get my answer until my university days when I took to reading the Quran and Muslim history for myself. I discovered that the Quran suggested,
'WOE UNTO THOSE who give short measure: those who, when they are to receive their due from [other] people, demand that it be given in full, but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due! Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead? [and called to account] on an awesome Day (Quran 83: 1-5)
I also discovered that early Muslim leaders created a peaceful environment so that people from the various faiths can practice their way of life. In fact state money was used to build, repair and support the building of not just the mosque but also Non- Muslim places of worship. The Muslim army has a duty to defend all places of worship as the Quran commands,
(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is God.. Did not God check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure. God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).( Quran 22:40)
Back in the mid 90s I decided to buy a condo unit at Sunway area. Beside the wonderful square swimming pool, the other attractions were a Hindu and Chinese temple right in front of the guard house and a mosque just behind the corner. In the morning you can hear the azan, the temple bells and every now and then I get to smell Chinese incense bringing me back memories of growing up in Fettes Park and Bob Agency. The only missing link was a church :(
Each morning, each evening, each nite – each day that condo where I stayed for a good many years reminds me of another Quranic announcement. It is as though the Quran spoke to me directly,
To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what God hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way? If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God. it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute (Quran 5:48)
Thank You Bob Agency, Thank You Evergreen Road, Thank You Fettes Park, Thank You Penang, Thank You Malaysia!
Thank you for helping see the world the way God wanted me to see it.
Thank You God.
http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-bob-agency-what-quran-says-about.html
I grew up accustomed to Chinese drums and Hindu temple bells and the experience made me a Muslim who loves the Quran more than any other book in the world.
Let me tell you why …
I grew up at Fettes Park Penang, Evergreen Road to be exact.
From Fettes Road turning into Evergreen Road, you will need to battle a short slope uphill where we kids would need to paddle standing up while riding our bicycles and where many ladies would jump off to push theirs till the road flattens 10 meters ahead – about 100 meters later you will pass my house, house number 14.
There is an empty space almost triangular in shape where the two roads meet. At the centre of that empty land stood a large tall leafy bee infested tree with red colored nuts sprouting from the branches. On one side of the empty land was a row of shop-houses. On its corner lot wall the words NEW BOB AGENCY in red bold capital letters greeted the Fettes Park community for many years. So we call that little corner piece of land - Bob Agency. Across the road to Bob Agency stood two temples; one Chinese and the other a Hindu one.
Bob Agency for the better part of the year was left empty but the piece of land comes alive twice a year when the Chinese temple organize Chinese Operas ( Teng Lang Kho Tai) especially during the Hungry Ghost Festivals. Usually the first two days it would be the Chinese Opera (we use to call it Tong Tong Tong Cheng! Show) and followed by a second two days of modern bands belting the latest Chinese numbers and some popular western songs (I love it when the emcee announced something like “ Andy Gibb chang terk, Shallow Lancing!” ).
Each year the temple committee, both Hindu and Chinese will go house to house to request donation either for the upkeep, repair and temple improvement or for projects like the Hungry Ghost festivals or Thaipusam. Each time my Mom will ask me to tell them politely that as Muslims we cannot donate to a ‘To Kong’. (Besides, we actually did not have any extra cash anyway! Ha!ha!)
They too were polite and understanding and just moved away wishing me thank you regardless. I did not question my mom’s reasoning as I took it as true; not until 1977 when the Penang State Government was building the Penang State Mosque. I was 13.
It was announced that Loh Boon Siew the big Tau Keh of Penang donated RM 1 Million to the building of the state mosque. But wait a minute. We cannot give but we can take? That does not sound right and downright unfair. My mom had no answers so; I had to bring it up during agama class in school. After all, it will not be the first time I was asked to leave the class anyway- so what’s another period of wondering around the school (my eldest sister was not allowed to be in agama class at all during certain years in her school life !!!).
Honestly, I was not a bad boy. In fact I won the agama prize for being top in school twice. But I had questions that needed real solid answers. And, I do not give up easily!
Poor Ustazah. I asked her if I could donate to temples and her answer was a firm ‘No’. We can’t give but we can accept? I told her that my religion sounds unfair and I cannot accept her answer as my Grand Dad told me Islam is the most just religion in the world.
I refused to accept the answer and kept on harping on the RM 1 million from Loh Boon Siew. Finally she relented and said that if we were to give any donations to the ‘To Kong’, we must ‘niat’ that it is money we ‘ buang ke dalam sungai’. I told her ‘Ustazah dah merepet’.
She was by then in tears and it did not help that my classmates were cheering with drum beats – thumping the table top. She rushed out of the class and the rank cheered, the class went into the usual rumpus of school boys without supervision… but it did not last for long.
She returned with Ustaz Mahayudin, whom we were all scared shit of! And he was not alone; he brought his friend a handsomely meter long rotan. He banged the rotan on the teacher’s table a few times, we were dead silent. He uttered a few words of warning, and left. (Actually Ustaz Mahayudin was a kind and nice man, in fact I have never seen him use the rotan on anyone. I had good conversations with him, and he allowed differing opinions although he was worried of my constant questioning of the status quo. He treated Non-Muslims kindly too, and, always with respect).
I did not get my answer until my university days when I took to reading the Quran and Muslim history for myself. I discovered that the Quran suggested,
'WOE UNTO THOSE who give short measure: those who, when they are to receive their due from [other] people, demand that it be given in full, but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due! Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead? [and called to account] on an awesome Day (Quran 83: 1-5)
I also discovered that early Muslim leaders created a peaceful environment so that people from the various faiths can practice their way of life. In fact state money was used to build, repair and support the building of not just the mosque but also Non- Muslim places of worship. The Muslim army has a duty to defend all places of worship as the Quran commands,
(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is God.. Did not God check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure. God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).( Quran 22:40)
Back in the mid 90s I decided to buy a condo unit at Sunway area. Beside the wonderful square swimming pool, the other attractions were a Hindu and Chinese temple right in front of the guard house and a mosque just behind the corner. In the morning you can hear the azan, the temple bells and every now and then I get to smell Chinese incense bringing me back memories of growing up in Fettes Park and Bob Agency. The only missing link was a church :(
Each morning, each evening, each nite – each day that condo where I stayed for a good many years reminds me of another Quranic announcement. It is as though the Quran spoke to me directly,
To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what God hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way? If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God. it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute (Quran 5:48)
Thank You Bob Agency, Thank You Evergreen Road, Thank You Fettes Park, Thank You Penang, Thank You Malaysia!
Thank you for helping see the world the way God wanted me to see it.
Thank You God.
Friday, September 11, 2009
US robber returns to ask victim on a date
A US robber who went back to the scene of the crime to ask his victim out on a date was arrested after the woman chatted with him while her cousin called police.
Diana Martinez was parked in front of her Columbus, Ohio, apartment when three men pointed a gun at her head and stole her purse and her friend's wallet, local media report.
Martinez screamed and hit one of the men with her car door. They fled when a nearby neighbor threatened them.
But less than an hour later, Martinez spotted one of the men leaning against a banister overlooking the parking lot.
"He asked if I had a boyfriend," Diana Martinez told 10TV News.
Then he asked her out.
"We are not exactly sure what he was thinking at the time," said Columbus police Sgt. Sean Laird.
Stephfon Bennett, 20, was charged with aggravated robbery, the station reported. The other two men remain at large. Love makes you do crazy things
A US robber who went back to the scene of the crime to ask his victim out on a date was arrested after the woman chatted with him while her cousin called police.
Diana Martinez was parked in front of her Columbus, Ohio, apartment when three men pointed a gun at her head and stole her purse and her friend's wallet, local media report.
Martinez screamed and hit one of the men with her car door. They fled when a nearby neighbor threatened them.
But less than an hour later, Martinez spotted one of the men leaning against a banister overlooking the parking lot.
"He asked if I had a boyfriend," Diana Martinez told 10TV News.
Then he asked her out.
"We are not exactly sure what he was thinking at the time," said Columbus police Sgt. Sean Laird.
Stephfon Bennett, 20, was charged with aggravated robbery, the station reported. The other two men remain at large. Love makes you do crazy things
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)