Muslim Bidayuh

The Yoga Duality

2008-11-29T12:20:00.000+08:00

What is yoga? According to Oxford Dictionary, yoga is

Hindu system of meditation and asceticism designed to effect reunion with the universal spirit.
system of physical exercises and breathing control used in yoga.

The National Fatwa council has declared that the yoga practice which involves three elements of physical movements, worshipping and chanting as haram (prohibited) in Islam.

So based on the definition and the fatwa restated above, it is safe to say that the recent prohibition of yoga fatwa will only apply to yoga as defined in the first meaning, but not to yoga defined in the second one.

And, as I crawled the internet in search for more information on yoga, I stumbled upon this page with the following statement:

Yoga is not simply a physical exercise, it is rather a form of worship to the sun instead of Allaah.

Collins defines yoga as: 'A Hindu system of philosophy aiming at the mystical union of the self with the Supreme Being:- a state of complete awareness and tranquility through certain physical and mental exercises'.

It is widespread and well known in India since early ages. The original name of this sport in Sanskrit is (Sastanga Soria Namaskar) which means "prostrating for the sun on eight places of the body". This sport has 10 known states among which the fifth stage where the person lays face down on earth touching the ground with his: both hands, the nose, the chest, both knees and the toes. By this one realizes prostrating for the sun on eight organs of the body.

The yoga exercises start with the first state which constitutes a bowing to the worshipped, i.e. the sun. These exercises must be accompanied by a number of words and phrases, which state clearly the worshipping of the sun and the orientation towards it. This is called (Mantra). It is said in a soft voice and regular tone and pitch. These expressions include the 12 names of the sun and here are some of the things they say:
1) Mitraya Nama which means: I bow my head for you O! Friend of everyone.
2) Rafayer Nama which means: I bow my head for you who is glorified by everybody.
3) Suria Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Guider of everyone.
4) Maritchay Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Forcer of the disease out.
5) Safitir Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Giver of life.
6) Bhasakaria Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Source of light.

Some of them add other expressions like:
Um Hram, Um Hraim, Um Hrum, …etc. This means: O! God.

When the Muslims were fighting Hindus, they used to say: Allaahu Akbar and the Hindus used to say: Um Hram (seeking Help from their idol). Longman dictionary defines "Mantra" as "a word or sound that is repeated as a prayer or to help people Meditate in the Hindu or Buddhist religion".

So, we conclude that yoga is not a kind of sport, it is rather an atheist form of worship that the Muslim should not indulge in under any circumstances. Some might wonder: what if the person practices the physical exercises without facing the sun or repeating the mentioned expressions?

The answer is: "If this sport becomes free of atheist expressions and free of facing the sun, bowing for it and greeting it, it is no longer yoga. It becomes some simple physical exercises practiced by all people and there is no harm to practice it provided two things are met:
First, re-ordering the exercises in a way different than the one in yoga and introducing some new situations in it to avoid similarity with yoga.
Second, avoiding practising these exercises in the times the Hindus observe it like at sunrise. The evidence for these two conditions is the narration in which the Prophet said: "Pray the morning prayer and then abstain from prayer until sunrise and the sun has completely risen, for it rises between the horns of Satan. That is when the unbelievers prostrate to it." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

So, since it is forbidden to perform the prayer at sunset or sunrise to avoid imitating the disbelievers, then doing some other practices that disbelievers devote themselves to do at fixed times is more entitled to be done in different times.

Know also that what some people advertise that yoga brings tranquility and calm is not peculiar to yoga. It is general to anyone who keeps on repeating innovative, polytheist expressions or words with the presence of mind and the concentration on something like a picture.

The scholars mention that the devils land on these people filling their minds and hearts with imaginations and illusions, making them feel a false tranquility which some followers of innovative ways and forms of worship, publicize.

In fact, the true tranquility of the soul and its purity are attained by following the Sunnah and adhering to it as well as remembering Allaah in the way He mentioned in His Book and in the books of Sunnah.
Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {… Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.}[13:28]. Allaah knows best.

So given the deep connection that yoga has in Hinduism, the recent decision taken by the National Fatwa Council to prohibit yoga which involves three elements of physical movements, worshiping and chanting, was indeed a wise one.

However, given the amazing curative and therapeutic ability of yoga as claimed by its practitioners, I think it is fine for us Muslims to incorporate the physical exercise and breathing technique performed in yoga without accepting the belief system that comes with it and omission of Hindu acts of worship such as the Sun Salutation, in which practitioners are supposed to praise and worship the sun.

And instead of chanting mantras in Sanskrit or Indian language, Muslim practitioners should make Dzikr, remembrance of Allah in performing their exercise and muscle stretches. This is not a case of syncretism or fusion of two religions, which would be spiritually invalid (click here). It is however, a set of techniques and skill to enhance the appreciation of one's faith. Indeed, many Muslim yoga practitioners find their prayers more soothing since performing yoga.

Nevertheless, I believe the controversies surrounding the fatwa would not have ensued and erupted to such a degree if the Council took some dedicated air-time over the television and radio, and also full statements on the newspapers, instead of just making impromptu statements, to explain how they have reached the conclusion to prohibit yoga with elements of worship.

"O Allah, we ask for Your protection from committing shirk (associating partners to Allah) to You in our consciousness, and we ask for Your forgiveness from anything which we do not know and of that we are not aware of."

Going Gaga Over Yoga

2008-11-27T17:20:00.005+08:00

This issue has been going on for quite a while now. After weeks of thoughtful deliberations, I presume, the National Fatwa Council, had finally declared that yoga is forbidden for Muslims due to the Hindu elements of worship and mantra-chanting involved in performing it.

This immediately reminds me of a statement from my lecturer who taught history. He said, "If you strip a Malay of his/her religion (which is Islam, according to the Constitution), you will see a Hindu." Why? Because, although Malays have adopted Islam as their religion, remnants of Hindu culture and practices are still maintained up until now and mind you, there's more than just yoga. In fact, yoga is quite a recent phenomenon among Malaysians after news of its curative and therapeutic abilities spread around the world.

Now, let's look at the development of the yoga prohibition fatwa, so far:

22 November 2008
The National Fatwa Council declared that yoga is forbidden for Muslims. The news made headlines not just in Malaysia, but also elsewhere around the world. Click here and here.

23 November 2008,
Discontent among the public started to surface over the fatwa. And once again, it also made headlines abroad. Click here and here.

25 November 2008
Yoga fatwa on hold following discontent which surfaced from the public and the requirement to obtain the rulers' consent to implement any Islamic ruling. Click here and here.
Perlis Mufti, Dr Asri Zainul Abidin urged the National Fatwa Council to provide an alternative for yoga, instead of imposing an outright ban. Click here.
Director-general of Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abd Aziz lashed out at Dr Asri on the issue of an alternative for yoga, saying that it was outside the real issue being discussed. Click here.

25-26 November 2008
Royalties, who are regarded as the guardian of the Islamic faith in the country, are going to have the final say over the fatwa, whether it will be implemented in their respective states or not. Click here and here.

26 -27 November 2008
Two conflicting views surfaced when news of the prohibition of yoga went over to our neighbor, Indonesia. A member of Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) said they won't ban yoga (click here), while another recommended Indonesian Muslims to stop practicing yoga while they investigate if it is against the teachings of Islam (click here).
Our Syariah-graduate, Prime Minister, finally intervened and voiced out his views. He urged all quarters to understand the fatwa without twisting the facts (click here), and later clarified that yoga can be performed minus the chants and mantras (click here).

Whoa! That's a whole load of news and controversies stirred by a single fatwa. And I wonder what's going to transpire for the next few days or weeks ahead. I had to agree with the view of a reader of The Star in today's paper.

When the whole world is talking about the global financial market crisis, Malaysia is concerned on yoga fatwa!

I do not dismiss the decision taken by the National Fatwa Council and I believe the fatwa was issued out of good intentions of the Council to safeguard the faith of Muslims in Malaysia but its effect has thus far, stirred many unwanted controversies and misunderstandings. I do have my own opinions concerning this issue but, judging by the length and links included in this post, I think I have to put it on hold for now.

Michael Jackson is Now Mikaeel

2008-11-24T08:10:00.000+08:00

LOS ANGELES: Pop star Michael Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel.

The 50-year-old singer, who was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, is said to have sat on the floor and worn a small hat while an imam officiated at the home of Steve Porcaro, who composed music on his Thriller album.

He is said to have been encouraged by Canadian songwriter David Wharnsby and Philip Bubal, a producer, who both approached him after he appeared "a bit down".

A source told "They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they though they had become better people after they converted." Michael soon began warming to the idea.

"An imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, the Muslim declaration of belief."

His brother Jermaine Jackson or Muhammad Abdul Aziz, previously hinted Jackson was considering converting to the religion.

"When I came back from Mecca, I got him a lot of books and he asked me lots of things about my religion and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful," said Aziz, who embraced the faith in 1989.

"He read everything and he was proud of me that I found something that would give me inner strength and peace." - (November 22, 2008)

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Alhamdulillah, after years of rumours that he had embraced Islam, especially when his brother Jermaine is already a Muslim, and his frequent trip to his Middle Eastern abode, it is finally confirmed that Michael Jackson is now a Muslim.

How I envy him. The moment he recites the shahada, he is as a baby, pure and sinless. No matter how much bad deeds he had done, how many hearts he had hurt or broken, over his past 50 years, all that is forgiven by Allah and it is now upon himself, how he will plan his life, and which path will he choose.

It is my hope, and I believe the hope of every Muslim, that Mikaeel will be a messenger of peace for our religion and follow in the footsteps of Yusuf Islam and Daud Wharnsby Ali, artists who have reverted to Islam and used their talents to call people to Islam.

May his return to this religion of peace will help promote Islam through his good conduct and through lyrics and songs that touches the heart of those in need, in distress, in desperation and especially those who have strayed from the true path of Islam.

The news I've read so far, didn't mention about his children. I hope Mikaeel brings them into Islam, too, and raise them to be good Muslims.

Review: Pensil [2008]

2008-11-17T08:20:00.004+08:00

Materials are insignificant for someone who thirsts affection.

Kebendaan tidak penting untuk insan yang dahagakan kasih sayang.

Pensil, is truly an eye opening film. It revolves around the life of Badrul who became mentally retarded when he contracted a fever as a child. His father died in an accident while on his way to buy medicine for Badrul at that time. He was then left to live with his stepmother, who despises him and treats him severely.

Although his stepmother treats him contemptuously, Badrul is a good son, who sincerely loves his stepmother. He supports their livelihood by helping a neighbor selling crackers around the village. Everyone in the village adores Badrul except for his stepmother and step aunt who both regard him as a burden and misfortune.

Badrul loves drawing, and for him, money is only needed to buy his supply of pencils and papers to fuel his hobby of drawing, a channel for him to express his feelings. Apart from that, other things are immaterial to him.

Casts:

M. Subash as Badrul

As a director who also plays the lead of the film, Subash has done what not many directors are able to do. He plays his part well and his handicap is portrayed consistently throughout the story.

Ruminah Sidek (Mak Mah) as Nenek (grandmother)

I had to choose her as my favorite cast in this film. She acts out a character that clearly is close to her heart – being a grandmother – and she does it excellently. Many of her dialogues drove me to tears.

Maimon Mutalib as Mak (stepmother), and Khatijah Tan as step aunt.

Both these actors clearly played out their part as the antagonist of the film. Their actions and words make you want to pull off their hairs, pepper their mouths, or even poke a fork into their eyes. There were a few moments which I thought that the stepmother would change for the better and see how Badrul had sacrificed for their sustenance, but it all turned out to be false alarms.

Kalau orang buat jahat dengan kita, orang benci dengan kita, orang tak suka kita, kita sabar. Sebab kita ni siapa punya? Allah punya.
Kita jangan marah dia, jangan marah mak. Mak pukul, jangan marah mak, sayang mak. Orang buat kita, kita jangan marah dia, kita kena sayang.
Cakap dengan Allah, Ya Allah Ya Tuhanku, baikkan hati mak aku, baikkan hati orang-orang yang tak suka dengan aku. Cakap dengan Allah, nanti Allah bagi, ye.

This reminds me of the noble character of our beloved Prophet peace be upon him. After being thrown with stones, to the extent that his sandal was wet with his blood, and insulted by the citizens of Tha'if, whom he invited to embrace Islam, Allah sent archangel Gabriel and the angel who keeps Akhsyabaini (two mountains in Makkah) to the Prophet.

Gabriel said to the Prophet, “Verily Allah has heard what was said by your people to you and what they have done to you. Allah has sent forth an angel of the keeper of the mountains, so you may command him to do as you please.” The angel then greets him and said, “O Muhammad, it is done, and now, what is it that you desire? If you desire that I flatten Akhsyabaini, surely I will.”

Instead of asking for the destruction of the people of Tha'if, the Prophet prayed, “On the contrary, I hope to Allah that He may conceive out of this people, a generation that worships only Allah and do not ascribe partners to Allah.”

In the film, among the things that astounds me most is how sincerely and innocently Badrul loves his stepmother, as he constantly chants “Sayang Mak” (Love Mother), despite the bad treatment he receives. This, I believe, is something that he learnt from his grandmother, an elderly woman who takes it into herself to be Badrul’s confidant and mentor. In fact, much of the themes and values which the film upholds are epitomized by Nenek, which Badrul then translates into his action.

Allah bagi rezeki macam hujan, semua orang dapat. Kena minta.
Rul tau tak, kenapa nenek sayang Rul? Sebab, ramai orang kat luar sana, badan dia sihat, tak cacat pun, tapi tak nak kerja.

Another interesting theme portrayed in the film is the reliance to God and the effort put to sustain a living. Badrul, although mentally challenged, does not succumb to asking people for money on the streets. Instead, he finds ways to make ends meet by first, helping a neighbor selling crackers around the village. He then performs various other odd jobs just to support himself, his stepmother and his passion for drawing. It should really make us ponder that, “Hey! This kid shouldn't be doing this, other people should be taking care of him not the other way round.” His attitude is in fact far flung from attitudes of many of our people who are physically and mentally healthy but lazes or refuses to do works, especially when it is not up their standards. I personally feel that the themes are purposely portrayed to satirically remind these people that as long as there's a will, there's a way, and all you need is an extra effort even if the work is not up to your standards.

May those who watch this film are enlightened and appreciate the message conveyed within. Some may say that it's too heavy or ends disappointingly, but for me it is just beautiful with its stark simplicity and the message conveyed within its story is much more important than what becomes of Badrul in the end.

Malaysian Reality of Ethnic and Religious Tolerance

2008-11-07T10:17:00.001+08:00

Malaysia often prides itself as model nation where a multireligious, multicultural and multiethnic society can co-exist happily, harmoniously and peacefully. Advertisements broadcast during festivites often depicts citizens from different religion and ethnicity share in the celebration of respective festivals.

However, the truth is actually farther from what's depicted. As the saying goes, birds of the same feather flock together. The social relations of the citizens of Malaysia still hasn't changed for the past 45 years of its existence, people still prefer to flock with other people of the same ethnicity or religion.

Pink flamingos in Kenya.

I do not deny that the nation, has in fact changed, developed and evolved significantly physically, infrastructurally, and economically, though the same cannot be said of the citizens of the vast interiors of Sabah, Sarawak and also possibly of Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perak. But these so called developments was not in tandem with the efforts to bridge the various ethnic and religious groups of its citizens.

In fact, politicians - some or maybe even many of them- preferred that this status quo of separating or segregating the citizens remain. Why? Because it prevents them from uniting for a common purpose and in the event that they do unite for a common cause, and of course for anything that is against the government, the government would then feed the citizen with suspicion of the other ethnic or religious group.

As a result, discussions of ethnic and religious matters has been classified as 'sensitive issue' due to the threat that is poses to national peace and security, when in fact the threat is just a perceived threat. A threat which we are forced to believe will happen when the discussion or discourse between ethnicities or religions are set up.

One of the stumbling block of an effective integration of our citizens is ignorance. Sadly, our political leaders have played a major part in restraing people from knowing and understanding the environment in which they live in. And according to Md Asham Ahmad, this is akin to reinforcing ignorance which is the root of misunderstanding (my addition), fanaticism and racism.

As nation that prides itself as a model of a moderate Islamic nation, Malaysian leaders, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, still has a lot to learn about Islam. And one of the things that they should know is that Islam despises ignorance.

People should be allowed to enquire and be curious, to learn and be taught, to understand and be understood. The and only then peace, security and harmony can be truly said to have prevailed.

Islam encourages us to know each other!

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and make you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things).

[Al-Hujurat, 49:13]

Islam is tolerant to non-Muslims and upholds justice!

God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loves those are just.

[Al-Mumtahanah, 60:8]

There is no god but He: that is the witness of God, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god be He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise.

[Ali-'Imran, 3:18]

There's no compulsion to embrace Islam!

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks. And God hears and knows all things.

[Al-Baqarah, 2:256]

But in matters of worship and religious practice,

To you be your Way, and to me mine.

[Al-Kafirun, 109:6]

and when we disagree over a matter,

Say: "Produce your proof if you are truthful."

[Al-Baqarah, 2:111]

So the verses above indicates that we are in fact commanded to know people of other ethnicity and religion. The diversity was created for us to eventually know each other. So interracial or interreligion discourse on an intellectual level is allowed so long as the limitations and conditions above are met. I believe our citizens are mature enough to have this kind of discourse. How long are going to keep each other in the dark about the 'others'?

Da'wah Training Seminar

2008-10-31T10:57:00.003+08:00

Dear brother/sister in Islam,

You are cordially invited to attend this programme:

DA’WAH TRAINING SEMINAR

Date: Sunday, 16 November 2008

Time: 8.30AM – 1.30PM

Venue: Dewan Kuliah G, Bangunan Sains Komputer,
Across the road next to Masjid Al Malik Khalid,
USM, Penang

Conducted by: Sheikh Yusuf Estes (from Texas, USA )
[www.islamtomorrow.com]

Fee: RM20.00 per participant

Organised by: IPSI [www.ipsi.com.my] & Pusat Islam, USM

Closing date for registration: Wednesday, 12 November (for IPSI)
Friday, 14 November (for USM)

Kindly contact Haji Kamarudin at 019 411 5665 or e-mail ipsi7@streamyx.com for further details and registration. You are advised to register early as seats are limited to only 200 participants. No new registration will be entertained on the day of the seminar.

Please forward this notice to as many Muslims you know.

Jazakallah.

Thanks to blogger Sis Aliya [Musings of a Mualaf] for this information. Please pray for her well-being as she will be undergoing a surgery soon.

Open House: Bidayuh Traditional House

2008-10-28T07:09:00.017+08:00

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The baruk's roof peak.

It's been a while since I last wrote about my people, the Bidayuh. In keeping with the tradition of open houses and the still ongoing (I believe) Raya celebrations - people say that you fast for a month, so you celebrate Raya for a month also - I would like to show you all how Bidayuh traditional houses look like. These are pictures of the Bidayuh house in Sarawak Cultural Village. Enjoy!

This is the baruk or headhouse. It is mainly a place for ceremonial purposes.

This is the interior of the baruk.

This longhouse is where the villagers reside. It is divided into biliks with a family residing in each bilik.

This contiguous, roofed space which connects all biliks is where socializing between families and communal activities and celebrations are done.

A very nice place to vent off the afternoon's heat.

Grinding rice into flour.

Many Bidayuhs nowadays, however, do not live in longhouses such as this anymore. Many villages are very similar with villages of other communities around the world, with each family having their own house fashioned to their on preferences. However, one unique feature that survived among the Bidayuh house architecture is the presence of a tanju in the compound of their houses.

The tanju is an open wooden platform, usually made of bamboo, about 10 meters wide adjacent to the panggau and joined to all sections within the longhouse to form an unbroken raised platform. Because it is uncovered, the tanju is the main venue on which the paddy, immediately after harvest, is winnowed, sunned and dried before being stored in barkbins (tibang) in the garret.

Individual Bidayuh family houses also have tanju in the compound of their house built either attached to the house or as a stand alone structure. Other than drying paddy, it is also used to dry other agricultural produce such as cocoa and pepper, one of the best agricultural product of Sarawak.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures...

When Tragedy Strikes: Sabr and Shukr

2008-10-22T07:55:00.004+08:00

Assalamualaikum and a very cheerful good morning to all!

Tragedy comes in many ways. Some creep slowly without us even realising it, others may hit us directly in the face. Some leave scars on our hearts, others may leave scars on our skins. Whatever it might be, may it serves as a reminder for us. A direct reminder from Allah S.W.T.

When tragedy strikes, be sabr (patient) and shukr (grateful), because a lot of people out there are facing much greater hardships than what we are facing and Allah knows what's best for his servants although we may dislike it or may even suffer from it. The previous post provides answers on how to handle frustration or stress in our lives (click here to view it). Therefore, always look on the bright side of things.

Sabr and Shukr
Words and melody by Zain Bhikha
Performed by Zain Bhikha
Album: Mountains of Makkah

Click on this image to view Zain Bhikha's official website.

There was so much on my mind in my bed I lay
I turned to my side and I heard a voice say
Stop all your whining, heart rates declining
You've got so much more than most
Look how you're sleeping, how much you've eaten
Don't you know that you're supposed to say

Chorus:
Sabr and Shukr are wonderful things
The praises to Allah we should always sing
when things go right it's from Him not me
And when they are wrong, we get through patiently

I got out of bed, began to walk
Bumped into some folks and we started to talk
Did you hear about the killing, the bloodshed the stealing
The grass got burned on the other side
Soldiers a coming, people a running
All that's left is the orphan child

Chorus
Bridge:
I opened my eyes and began to see
Everything that's happening around me
What seemed half empty now seems so full
There's no use crying over what's been spilled
While babies are dying, mothers are crying
Their containers have never even been filled

Chorus (Half)
Inn Allah ha, Ma As Saabireen

I opened my eyes, began to see
Everything that's happening around me

Chorus (Half)
Chorus (Full)

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Zain Bhikha is a singer and songwriter from South Africa. He is among those gifted by Allah S.W.T. with a very pleasing voice which he uses to entertain others and more importantly to introduce them to Islam. His purpose, he says, "Is to bring a deeper sense of self-realisation that we are not alone, and that each of us has a positive role that we can play towards serving ourselves, humanity and indeed all of creation."

Reminders to be patient (Sabr) and grateful (Shukr) in the Qur'an...

If it be His Will, He can still the Wind: then they would become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful.
[Al-Shura (Consultation) 42:33]

See you not the ships sail through the Ocean by the grace of God? - that He may show you of His Signs? Verily in this are Signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks.
[Luqman 31:31]

We sent Moses with Our Signs (and the command): "Bring out your people from the depth of darkness into light, and teach them to remember the Days of God." Verily in this are Signs for such as are firmly patient and constant - grateful and appreciative.
[Ibrahim (Abraham) 14:5]

...and how are we supposed to react when struck with tragedy.

Translation: [155] 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, - [156] Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To God we belong, and to Him is our return.”: - [157] They are those on whom (descend) blessings from God, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.
[Al-Baqarah, 2:155-157]

Frustration

2008-10-18T07:18:00.005+08:00

This post is dedicated to a dear friend of mine - you know who you are. ;)

The following is an item sent by an acquaintance. May we live our lives with more enthusiasm in every episode of our lives, which is presented to the Almighty with all the love in the world.

Why am I being tested?

[2] Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested?
[3] We did test those before them, and God certainly know those who are true from those who are false.
[Al-Ankabut (The Spider) 29:2-3]

Why didn't I get what I've always wanted?

... But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But God knows, and you know not.
[Al-Baqarah (The Heifer) 2:216]

Why am I tested as difficult as this?

On no soul does God place a burden greater than it can bear...
[Al-Baqarah 2:286]

Feeling frustrated?

So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: for you must gain mastery if you are true in Faith.
[Ali-'Imran (The Family of 'Imran) 3:139]

How do I confront it?

O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear God; that you may prosper.
[Ali-'Imran 3:200]

Nay, seek (God's) help with patient perseverance and and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit.
[Al-Baqarah 2:45]

What will I get from all this?

God has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods, for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise)
[At-Taubah (The Repentance) 9:111]

To whom should I put my hope on?

...Say: "God suffices (is enough for) me: there is no god but He: on Him is my trust, - He the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme!"
[At-Taubah 9:129]

I CAN'T STAND ALL THIS ANYMORE!!!

...and never give up hope on God's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of God's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith.
[Yusuf 12:87]

SubHanALLAH! Most Exalted is Allah!
Look at how the Qur'an provides all the answers to our desperation and suffering. May we be motivated by these words of Allah. May it motivates us all to present all the best there is we have to offer to Allah within our short span of age. May it be a cure to our hearts, which is hurt by despair, anger, sadness and loneliness.

Never despair, never give up because that is not the characteristic of a believer but of a non-believer. Put all our hopes on Allah for He alone knows what's best for us, for He alone is enough for us when all the people around us turn their backs on us.

The Story of the Pencil

2008-10-16T14:40:00.004+08:00

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point, he asked:

"Are you writing a story about what we've done? Is it a story about me?"

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:

"I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I'm using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up."

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn't seem very special.

"But it's just like any other pencil I've ever seen!"

"That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world."

"First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guide us according to His will."

"Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he's much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person."

"Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice."

"Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you."

"Finally, the pencil's fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action."

*Extracted from 'Like the Flowing River' by Paulo Coelho (one of my favorite writers).
*Pictures not present in original piece, added for illustration purposes. The numbers in the pictures indicate the number of chapter followed by verse of the Quran relating to the qualities mentioned.

The Return to Innocence

2008-10-13T11:36:00.001+08:00

First and foremost, this post has got nothing to do with the song Return To Innocence sung by Enya and Enigma, though they both share a common title.

The return to innocence is what struck my mind when I read an article in The Brunei Times titled Are you 'fitrah' as a child? After we drilled ourselves in total worship during the Holy Month of Ramadhan, Eid-ul-Fitr brings us the mood to celebrate our return to 'fitrah' or innocence as humans.

Islam teaches that every human being is born in the state of 'fitrah'.
Narrated by Abu Hurairah r.a., Rasulullah peace be upon him said, "Every new-born child is born in a state of fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian, just as an animal is born intact. Do you observe any any among them that are maimed (at birth)?"
[Sahih Muslim (English Trans.) vol. 4, p. 1398, no. 6423 and Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English) vol. 8, pp. 389-90, no. 597]

This is further supported by the following Quranic verse.

Translation: So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) God's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by God: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.
[Al-Rum (The Roman Empire), 30:30]

So in Islam, every child is born in a state of 'fitrah'. "What is fitrah?" some of you might wonder. Fitrah, according to Islam, is an inborn inclination, predisposition for any human being to recognize the unity and oneness of God, and ultimately accepts Allah as God, Lord over all creations without ascribing any partners to him. So inherently, every child is born pure and innocent, free from any sin or guilt, even from sins committed by their ancestors. For everyone bear upon themselves none, but their own action.

In fact the Prophet mentioned that even a child born to non-believing parents will also enter heaven.
It is related that the Prophet peace be upon him, said that he saw in a vision an old man at the front of a large tree and around him were children and in the vision he was told that the old man was Ibrahim and that the children who were around him were the children who, before attaining the age of discretion, had died. At this, some Muslims had asked him: "And the children of the polytheists, too, Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet peace be upon him replied: "The children of polytheists as well."
[Muhammad al-Ansari A. A. Qurtubi, Al-Jami'ul Ahkam al-Qur'an vol 12, part 14, p. 30]

Being with the Patriarch Ibrahim means being in heaven. From this hadith, it is evidence that Islam recognizes that all children whether born of believing or unbelieving parents, go to Paradise if they die before attaining the age of discretion.

For more info on the human fitrah and its definition, click here, here and here

So Eid-ul-Fitr - it has passed us 13 days now - is supposed to be a moment for us to return to fitrah or nature that Allah has destined for us, after a month of purifying ourselves off our previous sins. We should be as a child reborn on that day, pure and innocent. But are we? I leave that question for us to answer it ourselves.

I just love the picture of this baby. Colorful and vibrant. O Allah, make me as a baby, innocent and guiltless, fully submitting to your Lordship.

Wafizzouille (wa-fee-zoo-ee)

2008-10-11T21:40:00.009+08:00

Remy preparing crepe (small very thin pancake).

I have always had an attachment to the kitchen. One reason for it being a place where you find food for your belly and music for your tongue (as Remy of Ratatouille puts it), and the other reason for it being a place where ingredients are blend together to produce good food. I have always admired how my mother used to churn delicious meals out of the kitchen day in and day out, and I have always had this curiosity to try it out for myself.

I don't know if this is an existing recipe. I actually accidentally made it when wanting to save time, I just mixed whatever ingredients I had in store at that time in one dish and voila! it's not so bad after all. In fact, it's mmm so deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious that I have made it a few more times after that. :)

So here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 small shallot
2 cloves of garlic
2 sausages/frankfurters (chicken or beef up to your own preferences)
2 eggs
1 slice of cheese
3 tablespoon of oil
Sarawak Black Pepper (as Chef Wan puts it "is the best in the world")
Salt and seasoning to taste

Preparation steps:

Put the oil into a 5-6 inch saucepan or frying pan and heat it up.
While waiting for the oil to heat up, finely chop the shallot and garlic, slice the sausages to about 1/10 inch, beat the eggs, and cut the cheese into small square pieces.
When the oil is hot, put in the shallot and garlic, and stir until it turns golden brown and emits a pleasing aroma.
Then, put in the sausage and stir until it's slightly cooked. Add salt and seasoning to taste.
After that, pour in the egg and leave it unstirred. Reduce the heat and close the lid of the saucepan/frying pan.
After leaving it for about 10-20 seconds, open the lid and poke the cooked egg below to let the top uncooked egg to ooze onto the pan below.
Then sprinkle the cheese on top, then close the lid and wait for another 10-20 seconds.
When all of the cheese have melted, take it off the heat and season it with Sarawak Black Pepper. Your wafizzouille is now ready to serve.

I use a 5 inch saucepan to achieve the desired shape (which is round) and thickness (about 1/2 inch). You can use pans of other shape and size depending on your preferences but too large a pan will cause it to be too thin and therefore fragile (it doesn't really matter if you don't care about the aesthetics of food presentation).

Here's the final product.

Take a closer look.

And closer... Look at the melted cheese and sprinkling of black pepper. Delicious!

It can be eaten all on its own or with servings of hot white rice. Nasi beriani also can laa, or whatever that pleases you. Try it for yourself. ;)

By the way, why Wafizzouille? Hmmm, it's a combination of my name, Wafiy and Ratatouille, bonded together with double z's in the middle from piZZa, because of its pseudo-pizza appearance and topping.

Mom's Raya Delicacies

2008-10-09T10:25:00.015+08:00

I just went back from the Parcel Collection Counter to get kueh raya which mom sent to me before Raya and WAS SUPPOSED to arrive before Raya. Pos Laju is not that laju after all. They really should consider for a name change. Raya cards flooding post offices nationwide should not be an excuse for them to delay delivery especially those delivered through Pos Laju.

Anyway, I was so excited at receiving the parcel that I just tore the wrapping off without bothering to keep the wrapping paper for myself. :)

Inside the box, three plastic containers of kueh raya lay awaiting for me to munch into them. They were Almond Nut Brownies, Cornflakes Blueberry Biscuits and Walnut Oat Biscuits. When I opened the containers, to my dismay, the seductively sweet-smelling and mouth-watering Almond Nut Brownies was already infested with fungus. :(

Anyway, the other two are still edible. Here are the pictures.

Almond Nut Brownies. Already infested with fungus.

Cornflakes Blueberry Biscuits.

Walnut Oat Biscuits.

So enough of eyeing o_0 these biscuits. It's time to put it to the test of the tongue - taste. Though the brownies was infested with fungus, I manage to find one which was least affected and scraped the outer layer before tasting it. And as expected the taste is just nice. It must have been nicer if it weren't for the fungus.

Cornflakes Blueberry Biscuit Tasting.

Walnut Oat Biscuit Tasting.

Wow! Nothing beats mom's baking. Anyone interested? Welcome to my room. But there's not that much to feed too many mouths. I might even finish it all by myself. MMmmmmMMmmmm... :)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

2008-10-08T02:21:00.006+08:00

Oops! Though the title of this post is in Malay, I still think its not time yet for me to write a whole post in Malay. After a looooooooong vacation off the net, I'm finally back online.

I just arrived on campus after my first ride on the express train, Ekspres Langkawi, from Sungai Buloh to Batu Gajah. It's not so bad a ride after all. It would've been nicer if the trip is in broad daylight with a beautiful view all the way.

This is the ticket of my first ride on an express train.

So here I am wishing all of you out there once again - I sent a message on the shoutbox - a Happy Eid-Mubarak, Eid-ul-Fitri, Aidilfitri or by whatever name you may call it. An auspicious day celebrated by Muslims around the world after a month of fasting.

And as the customs of the people here in Malaysia, I would like to extend my apologies to all for my mistakes, misdeeds, misgivings and anything else I might have missed that might have caused you some sort of misfortune, mishap or misery.

That's all for now. Off I go to bed now. zzzZZZzzz.....

Rabbani or Ramadhani?

2008-09-19T15:30:00.002+08:00

What happens every year come the month of Ramadhan?

First, every sane, confessing and practicing Muslim, male and female, who have reached puberty, and who fulfills the requirement for them to fast, join in the act of fasting each and every day of the month of Ramadan.

Second, the mosques' congregation are larger than usual. In an effort to observe the effect of Ramadhan on us Muslims, I frequented the mosque within my campus by the end of Sha'ban. By Zuhur (noon prayer) on the last day of Sha'ban here in Malaysia, one saff (line) of the mosque was not even full. By the next day which was the first day of Ramadhan, the congregation for Zuhur has grown to occupy up to four saff of the mosque.

Third, by night, the mosques' congregation are even larger as the congregates join in the Tarawih prayer. A prayer which is offered only during Ramadhan. During the nights of Ramadhan, faces that may never show up at the mosque, other than maybe during Friday prayer, join in the Tarawih.

Fourth, with Ramadhan being the month when the Quran was first revealed, Quran becomes the month's most read book with some people attempting to finish reading through the whole Quran at least once, if not more, within Ramadhan.

And of course other than those mentioned above, there are just too much more that changes come the month of Ramadhan. Simply put, almost every Muslims turn into better practitioners of Islam during Ramadhan and of course its a good thing in keeping with the spirit of Ramadhan which is a month to upgrade ourselves spiritually by increasing our good deeds other than fasting during the day.

But rarely, maybe never, do we see the changes mentioned above, except of course the Tarawih prayer, last until after Ramadhan. In fact, by now the congregation for Tarawih prayer at the campus' mosque has shrunk somewhat.

By the end of Ramadhan, on Raya (Eid) the next day, mosques' congregations swell to fill its fullest capacity before it return to its pre-Ramadhan size.

And the Quran by that time, will be left to once again to accumulate dusts on high places as a sign of "respect".

So, is Ramadhan's mission accomplished if those mentioned above happen to us?

The end of verse 183 of chapter al-Baqarah above clearly mentions the purpose of fasting during the month of Ramadhan: so that by the end of Ramadhan we achieve what is called TAQWA - a state in which we strictly restrain ourselves from doing anything that invokes the wrath of Allah SWT, much more when it comes to sinful acts. TAQWA is part of the characteristics of a Rabbani person, mentioned in verse 79 of chapter Ali 'Imran.

Translation: It is not (possible) that a man , to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say to people: "Be you my worshippers rather that God's": on the contrary (he would say): "Be you the Rabbaniyyin (worshippers of Him Who is truly the Cherisher of all): for you have taught the Book and you have studied it earnestly."
[Ali 'Imran, 3:79]

The word Rabbaniyyin in the verse above (highlighted in bold blue) is interpreted by the Indonesian Foundation of Quranic Translators and Interpreters, as a person with perfect ILMU (KNOWLEDGE) and TAQWA. S0, in essence, all of us should be aiming to turn into a Rabbani person by the end of Ramadhan and throughout the whole year after that.

So the question that arises is: Do we aim to be Rabbani or Ramadhani (a better Muslim only during Ramadhan)? The choice rest with ourselves. Tonight marks the first night of the last ten nights of Ramadhan within which Allah has promised Lailatul Qadr, a night worth more than 1000 months. May we grab as much rewards promised by Allah before the end of Ramadhan and may we be given the chance to meet Lailatul Qadr in full readiness to make as much deeds as possible throughout the night.

Silent Sunlight

2008-09-18T11:03:00.002+08:00

Surah Ad-DhuhaChapter 93 of the Holy Quran

Silent Sunlight
a song by Dawud Wharnsby Ali
Album: The Prophet's Hands

La ilaha ilallah, La ilaha ilallah.

Silent sunlight welcome in,
there is work I must now begin,
All my dreams have blown away,
and the children wait to play,
They’ll soon remember things to do…
when the heart is young…
and the night is done…
and the sky is blue.

La ilaha ilallah, La ilaha ilallah.

Morning songbirds sing away,
lend the tune to another day.
Bring your wings and choose a roof,
sing a song of love and truth.
We’ll soon remember if you do…
when all things we’re tall…
and our friends were small…
and the world was new.

La ilaha ilallah, La ilaha ilallah.

Sleepy horses heave away,
put your backs to the golden hay.
Don’t ever look behind at the work you’ve done,
for your work has just begun.
They’ll be the evening in the end…
but ‘til that time arrives…
you can rest your eyes…
and begin again.

La ilaha ilallah,
silent sunlight…
La ilaha ilallah, morning songbirds…
La ilaha ilallah,
silent sunlight welcome in.

----------------------------------------------------------
This is a new favorite song of mine. Sounds a bit like church hymns. Wharnsby Ali's voice is definitely soothing to the ears. It is as if his voice is sweets and candies to my ears. The harmonic texture is truly, as mentioned, breathtaking and mesmerizing, too. The song describes the ambiance of the morning at the start of the day.

Among the recommended practices of the Prophet peace be upon him is solat Dhuha. Many Hadith narrate its importance and encourages it to be performed.

Narrated from the Prophet peace be upon him:
"Every morning, make it a habit upon every joint of your body to give charity, every tahlil (la ilaha ilallah) is a charity, every takbir (Allahu akbar) is a charity, enjoining righteousness is a charity, and it is sufficient (as a replacement) for the aforementioned deeds to perform two rakaat of solat Dhuha."
[Sahih Bukhari & Muslim]

The advantage of praying Dhuha is it opens up your fortunes and prevents you from being in destitute. As recorded in Kitab An-Nurain in which it is recorded that the Prophet peace be upon him said: "Two rakaat of Dhuha brings in wealth and keeps away impoverishment."

The time for Dhuha prayer is when the sun rises up to about a pole's high from the horizon until noon. The method to perform the prayer is similar as with other sunah (recommended) prayers which is two rakaat with one salam. It can also be done in four, six or eight rakaat. According to some scholars the amount of rakaat is unlimited because it is not explicitly limited by the Prophet as was narrated by her wife Aishah:

"The Prophet peace be upon him prays Dhuha four rakaat after which he adds as much rakaat as he pleases."
[Reported by Ahmad, Muslim & Ibn Majah]

Happy Birthday Malaysia!

2008-09-16T15:05:00.006+08:00

In remembrance of the day Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and the Federation of Malaya came together in 1963 to form a brand new nation called Malaysia - Singapore left 2 years later. Happy 45th Birthday Malaysia, 5 more years to the Golden 50. Let us all hope and pray for a better Malaysia in the future and start putting all our efforts towards it from now on.

I dream of a Malaysia that respects its citizens regardless of skin color, ethnicity and faith.
I dream of a Malaysia ruled by just, humble and God-fearing leaders.
I dream of a Malaysia that upholds the rule of law.
And my dream goes on and on...
As I put my bit of effort in realizing it
Someday in the future
Tiring and lengthy it may be
Slowly but surely it will materialize
A dream turning into reality
I will continue striving for it
Even if I may not live to see it

Fasting of the Olden Days

2008-09-06T02:40:00.004+08:00

Translation (by Abdullah Yusuf Ali):
O you who believe! Fasting is presribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.
[Al-Baqarah, 2:183]

The verse above that made fasting compulsory upon us Muslims, also mentioned that fasting was also prescribed to those before us. Therefore it is natural for us to wonder as to how did the people before us fast. Did they also fast for a whole month like us or did have to restrain themselves from things other than food, drinks and sexual intercourse?

Translation:
One day We shall raise from all peoples (nations) a witness (prophet) against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring you (Muhammad) as a witness against these (your people): and We have sent down to you the Book (Quran) explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims.
[Al-Nahl, 16:89]

As we all know, in the olden days, every nation were sent a prophet, a messenger of Allah, to guide them to worship Allah. With that each nation were also prescribed a set of laws and commandments called shariah, which was taught by each prophet to their followers with the guidance of Allah. And within every set of shariah were also command for fasting (saum), as there were commands for prayer (solat) and and giving charity (zakat). However, the method of performing each of the commandments might differ from the method prescribed upon the followers of Muhammad peace be upon him.

Fasting on alternate days

Allah prescribed fasting to Prophet David peace be upon him and his followers. However, the timing of their fast commandment differs from the fast commanded on Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his followers.

We, the followers of the Muhammad peace be upon him, were prescribed to fast for one whole month during Ramadhan. The fast prescribed upon Prophet David was not for any one particular month but instead, they were prescribed to fast throughout the year.

However, they did not fast each and every day of the year but on every alternate day and it goes on until they day they die. So there goes the fast prescribed upon Prophet David peace be upon him and his followers. We know this because a prophetic narration (Hadith) relates the fast of Prophet David.

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As:
Allah's Apostle said to me, "O 'Abdullah! Have I not been informed that you fast during the day and offer prayers all the night." 'Abdullah replied, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, "Don't do that; fast for few days and then give it up for few days, offer prayers and also sleep at night, as your body has a right on you, and your wife has a right on you, and your guest has a right on you. And it is sufficient for you to fast three days in a month, as the reward of a good deed is multiplied ten times, so it will be like fasting throughout the year." I insisted (on fasting) and so I was given a hard instruction. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have power." The Prophet said, "Fast like the fasting of the Prophet David and do not fast more than that." I said, "How was the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, David?" He said, "Half of the year," (i.e. he used to fast on every alternate day).
Afterwards when 'Abdullah became old, he used to say, "It would have been better for me if I had accepted the permission of the Prophet (which he gave me i.e. to fast only three days a month)."
[Sahih Bukhari Book 3, Volume 31, Hadith 196]

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:
Allah's Apostle was informed that I had taken an oath to fast daily and to pray (every night) all the night throughout my life (so Allah's Apostle came to me and asked whether it was correct): I replied, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! I said so." The Prophet said, "You can not do that. So, fast for few days and give it up for few days, pray and sleep. Fast three days a month as the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times and that will be equal to one year of fasting." I replied, "I can do better than that." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for a day and that is the fasting of Prophet David and that is the best fasting." I said, "I have the power to fast better (more) than that." The Prophet said, "There is no better fasting than that."
[Sahih Bukhari Book 3, Volume 31, Hadith 197]

If we were prescribed to fast like it was prescribed upon Prophet David and his followers, it would have been very difficult for us. Therefore we should be very grateful that Allah has made it much easier for us by replacing the shariah of fasting with one which is more suitable to our condition. Even Prophet Muhammad's companion, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr who narrated the two Hadith above, at the end of his age lamented that he should have followed the advice of the Prophet to fast for a few days only for a month.

Not speaking while fasting

The fast presribed upon Mary, Mother of Jesus peace be him, not only required her to not eat and drink, but also required her to keep quiet and not speak a word at all to anyone. Any word spoken will effectively nullify her fast. The description of the fast of Mary can be found in the Quran in the 19th chapther of the Quran which is Surah Maryam.

Within the verses in the Quran relating the story of Mary, we know that when her people came to her to ask her of the status of the baby that she was carrying, Mary who pledged to fast on that day did not spoke a word to defend herself. All she could do was to point at baby Jesus peace be upon him and Behold! with the will of Allah Jesus spoke to the people, defending the chastity of her mother and confirming his prophethood to the Children of Israel.

Translation:
[26] So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'
[27] At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!"
[28] "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"
[29] But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
[30] He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet;"
[31] "And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;"
[32] "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;
[Maryam, 19:26-32]

However, for us the followers of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, not speaking while fasting will not nullify our fast but only a recommended thing to do as it is in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet. And of course, other than those mentioned above, other prophets have also brought with them different methods of fasting suited to the condition of their people.

So from the methods of fasting of the people before us mentioned above, it is obvious that the fast that is prescribed upon us now is a much simplified command compared to the fast prescribed to those before us. So Merciful is Allah that those who cannot bear to fast, sick or on a journey are allowed not to fast.

And so Generous is Allah that, as I mentioned in the previous post, all the rewards of our good deeds on the month of Ramadhan are multiplied. May, by the end of this Ramadhan, we become a better person and a better Muslim, and most importantly achieve the real purpose of fasting throughout the month, as mentioned in the opening Quranic verse of this post, which is TAQWA.

*This post is a translation of a Q&A from www.eramuslim.com with my own additions and editions. The original text can be viewed here.

Shopping Spree for Heavenly Rewards

2008-09-01T01:06:00.010+08:00

Moon sighting (Al-Rukyah) is one of the method of determining the beginning of a month in Islamic calendar. The other method is Al-Hisab which is based on astronomic data and calculation.

This year, most Muslim majority countries around the world, except for a few such as Libya, has reached a consensus that today is the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadhan, the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. With that, it also marks the beginning of a month-long struggle against every Muslims' inner desires and urges for food, drinks and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset.

Muslims only need to fast between sunrise and sunset. Fast is broken after sunset and it is very recommended to eat a sufficient portion of meal before sunrise as an energy supply throughout the day.

Some may view this month-long, daily abstinence from basic earthly needs as a difficulty. The believers however, on the contrary, view Ramadhan as more than just being starved and thirsty throughout the day. Other than fulfilling the command of Allah, it is also a time for the believers for self-contemplating, self-purification and hopefully by the end of the month achieve absolution from all previous sins committed and also a higher degree of conscience of Allah's command over their lives.

This is mentioned in the Quran in the following verse:
Translation (by Abdullah Yusuf Ali):
O you who believe! Fasting is presribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.
[Al-Baqarah, 2:183]

... for heavenly rewards.

Other than that, as the title of this post suggests, this blessed month is also a time for the believers to go on a shopping spree, not for bargain-hunting or discounts or free gifts, but for the heavenly rewards that is multiplied especially for the month of Ramadhan for every act of worship or obedience to Allah.

Even breathing and sleeping is rewarded accordingly by Allah as mentioned by the Prophet in a sermon on the last Friday on Sha'ban on the reception on the month of Ramadhan:

"O People ! Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which with Allah is the best of months. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered. So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah's forgiveness during this great month. Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgement) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honour your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people, so compassion may be shown to your orphans. Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked ..." (continue reading)

For a period of one month, we, the believers, are offered a once in a year opportunity to put ourselves in overdrive mode to attain as much rewards as possible offered by Allah throughout the month of Ramadhan. Every act of worship or deed that we do receives more rewards in Ramadhan than when done in any other months. Every recommended, non-obligatory (sunnah) deed's reward equals the reward of obligatory deeds in other months, and every obligatory (fardhu, wajib) deed's reward is multiplied by seventy. However, any sin committed during Ramadhan will not be multiplied but will be counted as it is counted in any other months. SubhanAllah! Indeed Allah is most merciful to us, His creations.

Push yourself to the limit to attain the rewards promised by Allah this Ramadhan.

Ramadhan is also a time and realm for us to struggle one on one against our inner urges and desires because the devils are being chained by Allah, which prevents them from tempting us to do bad, which then leaves only our own urges and desires to tempt us in doing sinful acts.

Narrated from Abu Hurairah r.a. that the Messenger of Allah said:
"When the month of Ramadhan starts, the gates of heaven are open and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained" (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

Also mentioned in the Hadith above is that during Ramadhan, the gates of Heaven will be flung open and the gates of of Hell will be shut tight throughout the month. This clearly indicates the importance and significance of this month to us Muslims, which Allah has especially set aside for us to recharge our faith for one whole months to sustain ourselves spiritually throughout the other 11 months of the year.

It really lightens me up to see people being good comes the month of Ramadhan. It is such a magical month that those who very rarely attends mosque for even one of the five obligatory prayers, now go to the mosque on a daily basis for the recommended Tarawih prayers. Those who very seldom touch, much less read the Quran, now searches for it in their dusty cupboard or drawer to read it. Those whose words are almost always interspersed with curses and foul languages, abstain themselves from doing so.

Mosques will be full to the brim when it is time for the Tarawih prayers.

Being a month when the Quran was revealed, reading the Quran becomes a central activity for most Muslims.

A month of self-restraint. See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil.

They may do it on the basis that everyone else is doing it but the matter of sincerity is a secret known only between the doer and Allah. It is my hope that me, myself and each and everyone of us strive to purify all our deeds solely for the pleasure of Allah because we gain nothing from the "holier than thou" attitude, advertising every deed that we do in the hope that people will recognize us a pious person.

This verse from the Bible aptly describes what every Muslim should be aiming for upon entering Ramadhan.

This year's Ramadhan will be the third time I will be fasting as a Muslim. However, as a non-Muslim, I even fast during Ramadhan a year before declaring my shahadah. By that time, I also strove to abstain from consuming pork whenever I went back home. I believe that these were some of the underlying factors that helped to somewhat purify my inner conscience in my quest to understanding of Allah and the religion of Islam.

Given all the ease and promises by Allah and the Prophet of the rewards set aside for Ramadhan, it is such a great waste if there are people out there who just sit back and let Ramadhan pass by them without grabbing the chance to increase their savings of good deeds in their accounts of deeds. Indeed we humans are full of sins which we commit either intentionally or unintentionally, and the Ramadhan really is an opportunity for us to wash ourselves off all our sins.

With that in mind, I would like to extend an apology to all you readers out there for any misdeeds I may have committed to you. So while others might indulge themselves in a shopping spree of bargain hunting, discounts and free gifts leading up to Eid-ul-Fitr. Let us instead go on a shopping spree for as much rewards and forgiveness from Allah throughout this magical month of Ramadhan.

May we leave Ramadhan not only with loads of shopping bags (for those who can afford it), but also with a an increased savings of good deeds' rewards, bounties of forgiveness for our sins and a replenished iman to sustain us spiritually for the next 11 months.

Malaysia Merdeka on 31st August 1957?

2008-08-20T10:59:00.011+08:00

The historic proclamation of independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

It's almost the end of August right now and usually during this auspicious month of the year, our beloved nation Malaysia, goes on a national hype in preparation to celebrate its National Day or Independence Day or Hari Kemerdekaan which falls on 31st August.

The hype this year, however, is quite low which may be attributed to rising living cost which forces the government to avoid extravagant expenditures just for the Merdeka celebration which unfortunately benefits only a small portion of the population. It may also be due to the upcoming by-election in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency which will likely burn a huge hole in the government's pocket if the ruling coalition intends to wrestle the seat from their rival. That, however, is a tale for another day.

Usually, during this time of the year, offices and shopping malls, buildings and parks, public and private properties are decorated with colorful neon lights and the nation's flag, Jalur Gemilang, is usually put up everywhere from office desks to office buildings and from bicycles to busses. Everyone from Perlis in the northwestern-most state of Malaysia to Sabah and Sarawak on the other side of the South China Sea joins in this festive and historic celebration. The celebration usually ends on a high note on the 31st of August each year with concerts, fireworks and processions.

Jalur Gemilang is everywhere.

The Sultan Abdul Samad Builiding alight with neon decorations.

Fireworks at the strike of midnight at Putrajaya, the new seat of the federal government.

Procession by military personnel on the Day.

However, acknowledging that Malaysia as a nation achieved independence on 31st of August 1957 is utterly misleading and a complete denial of the history of its constituent state of Sabah and Sarawak which came together with the states of Federation of Malaya to form a whole new entity now know as Malaysia.

This is what Malaysia made of now.

Malaysia as this nation is now known throughout the world did not exist prior to 16th of September 1963. The only part of Malaysia that achieved independence on 31st of August 1957 are the nine Malay sultanates and two Straits settlements which came together to form the Federation of Malaya.

Sabah and Sarawak were also known as Eastern Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo.

Malaysia was formed when the Federation of Malaya came together with Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak on 16th September 1963 to form a whole new nation. The notion that Singapore (Singapore left the federation in 1965 due to ideological differences with the federal government of that time), Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia on 1963, as is recorded in some literature, is also misleading because it implies that Malaysia is a pre-existing entity by 1963.

Personally as a Sarawakian, it is of my opinion that the celebration of the National Day on 31st of August year by year is a refusal to acknowledge the history of Sabah and Sarawak, two states that have highly diversified the nation in terms of its population and also enriching to the nation's collective culture, heritage and natural resources.

Malaysia may not have orang utan as part of its wildlife if Sabah and Sarawak were not included.

I do not deny the right of Peninsular Malaysians to celebrate the day they achieved independence. But I feel that it is unfair to impose the celebration at a national level, acknowledging that Malaysia achieved independence on that day and refusing to recognize the real day on which Malaysia was formed.

Nationally, Malaysians should instead celebrate the date the nation came into being which is on 16th September 1963. It does not matter if the celebration is not called independence day because Malaya achieved it 6 years before that, but at least it is acknowledged as a National Day for Malaysia, the day Malaysia achieved nationhood. Currently only Sabah celebrates the 16th of September as Malaysia Day.

I meant no offense through this post. Sincerely I love Malaysia and I am proud of being its citizen. I appreciate the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the independence of our nation. All I am asking is for an appreciation of our shared history instead of the dominance of one's history over another.

A Journey of Superhuman Proportions

2008-07-31T10:23:00.011+08:00

Our galaxy, The Milky Way.

Yesterday, 27th of Rejab (the 7th month of the Islamic calendar), is generally accepted by Muslims to be the date of the miraculous journey of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him from Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, from which he ascends to the heavens to be in the direct presence of Allah.

This event is known as Isra' Mi'raj or Israk Mikraj. Isra' being the journey from Makkah to Jerusalem, and Mi'raj being the ascent from Masjid Al-Aqsa up to the heavens to be in the direct presence of Allah.

This occasion is commemorated in the Quran in the following verse:

Translation:
Glory to (God) Who did take his servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precints We did bless - in order that We might show him some of Our signs: for He is the One Who hears and sees (all things).
[Al-Isra' 17:1]

The beautiful verse above starts with Allah glorifying Himself for His ability to do a seemingly impossible task of transporting someone physically across lengthy distances and vast expanse of the universe in a journey which lasted for only one night. The miracle of this journey can only rightfully be ascribed to Allah as no technology of any kind, even by today's standards, can ever match the ability to transport human at extremely high speed as mentioned in the following Hadith (Sayings and Traditions of the Prophet):

Imam Ahmad reported from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Al-Buraq was brought to me, and it was a white animal bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. One stride of this creature covered a distance as far as it could see. I rode on it and it took me to Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), where I tethered it at the hitching post of the Prophets."

Even today's space shuttles and rockets are no match to the magnificent creature of Allah, the Buraq, which carried the Prophet.

Just imagine the resulting force our bodies would have to withstand if we were subjected to travel a distance as far as the eye can see in just a single stride which normally lasts for a fraction of a second. Surely it is only by the will of Allah that this journey was made possible.

The verse above then proceeds to mention that Allah did take his servant for a journey by night. Notice that the verse uses the word "servant" instead of directly referring to Muhammad peace be upon him. This is once again a reminder for us that the miracle of this journey is by the power and will of Allah alone. Muhammad is just His servant like anyone of us. With the only difference being the gift of receiving revelations and performing miracles by Allah's will as described in the following verse:

Translation:
Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner."
[Al-Kahfi, 18:110]

Another verse with a similar message is verse 6 of Surah Fussilat, the 41st chapter in the Quran. [Fussilat, 41:6]

Effectively, this verse refutes any attempt to ascribe divinity to Muhammad peace be upon him by saying that the journey was made possible because he possessed divine powers. It is impossible for a servant to do anything unless his master wills it and this verse clearly indicates the master-servant relationship between Allah and Muhammad peace be upon him.

The verse above [Al-Isra' 17:1] then proceeds to mention that the Prophet peace be upon him traveled to the Farthest Mosque (Masjid Al-Aqsa), a sacred site in Jerusalem, which is the homeland of the prophets of old, going back as far as to the time of Ibrahim Al-Khalil peace be upon him. There Muhammad led all the previous prophets peace be upon them all in prayer which signifies his rank as the leader among the prophets.

The Sacred Site or Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem with Masjid Al-Aqsa (blue dome) in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock (golden dome) in the background.

From Masjid Al-Aqsa, the Prophet is then lifted up to the heavens "in order that We might show him Our signs." In the heavens , he once again met all the previous prophets in their respective abodes in the heavens. Among the signs that was shown to the Prophet was the different punishment that will be received by sinners according to their act during their lifetime in this world such as slandering, adultery and other sinful acts. By the end of the momentous night, the five daily prayers that Muslims practice nowadays are established.

It is sad however, that not many Muslims nowadays really appreciate the importance of this event. It is even sadder that here in Malaysia, most media does not seem to bother to at least inform their readers, listeners or viewers of this momentous event. Maybe it's just not newsworthy!

To cap it all off, Isra' Mi'raj was something that really happened to the Prophet during his lifetime which signifies his closeness to Allah and his greatness as the seal of the prophets. When you really ponder on this event, it actually influences the Muslims in their worship and also communal life.

The five obligatory daily prayer that was established after this event signifies the importance of prayer as a form of worshiping Allah because the command was received in the direct presence of Allah.

Prayer (Solat) instills humility as we bow and prostrate. It also establishes a personal relationship between us humans and Allah.

In communal life. the punishments witnessed by the Prophet serve as a reminder to us of the adverse effects of actions such as slandering and adultery not only to the doer but also to the community at large. In effect, this reminder will help to develop a more civilized and harmonious society.

Slanders cause discord within the community.

Wallahu a'lam.

*Unless mentioned otherwise, translation of the Quran are based on Abdullah Yusuf Ali's "The Meaning of The Holy Quran".
*Unless named, the singular word "Prophet" with capitalized "P" refers to Muhammad peace be upon him.

References:
[1] Tafsir Ibn Kathir (http://www.tafsir.com/)

Introducing My People (Part II)

2008-07-27T10:28:00.014+08:00

I’ve been yearning to continue writing about this topic ever since I finished writing the first piece which I feel was too brief and also quite bland having not a single picture or photo to illustrate the culture of the Bidayuh people. Those of you who haven’t read it can check it out here.

It also took quite some time to continue because I had to do a bit of research on what to put up as, unfortunately, I don’t know very much detail about my own culture. I’m still on a learning curve and I hope you all are willing to go on a journey with me of my culture appreciation.

Before I proceed further with this post, it is of utmost pleasure for me to share with you all a verse from the Quran:

Translation (by Abdullah Yusuf Ali):

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God s (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)."

[Al-Hujurat, 49:13]

Described in the verse above is how Allah S.W.T. created mankind into various nations and tribes, not to disunite us, not to punish us for the sins of our ancestors, not even that we may despise each other. This diversity is in fact created so that we may get to know each other and ultimately help each other to achieve a fulfilling life both here in this world and in the hereafter.

That mentioned, it is with great pleasure for me to let you delve and discover further into the culture of my own people.

A Truly Diverse Community. This does not account the many sub-ethnic within each ethnic group.
Source: http://muhtarsuhaili.wordpress.com/

Based on the chart above, Bidayuh constitute 5% of the total population of Sarawak. However, a signboard in front of the Bidayuh House in Sarawak Cultural Village states that Bidayuh account for 8.3% of Sarawak population. Then, I searched the internet and I found in the “Sarawak” entry in Wikipedia that Dayak Bidayuh make up 10% of the population in Sarawak. Another data in the “Bidayuh” entry of Wikipedia states that a total of 158,700 Bidayuh reside in Sarawak, and considering the total population of Sarawakian from Wikipedia is accurate, that would amount to 6.3% of the total Sarawak population.

Bidayuh House Signboard in Sarawak Cultural Village.

So from all these numbers, I think we can safely assume that Bidayuh comprise between 5-10% of the total population of Sarawak. I’m still in limbo of searching an authoritative data on the statistics. If any of you happen to know how, please let me know.

Did I mention in the previous post that Bidayuh and other Sarawakian natives share similar skin complexion and facial features with the Malays, hence the confusion of us being identified as Malay especially by people across the South China Sea. Well look at the faces below and judge for yourselves.

Faces of Sarawak

One of the things that fascinate me most about us Bidayuh is that the myriad of dialects and accents that we speak despite being a very small community. Oftentimes I’m resorted to speak Malay to a fellow Bidayuh because he happens to come from a different village, hence uses a different dialect. It is even more surprising that sometimes, even villages that sit side by side have variances in their slangs and word usage.

According to Wikipedia, Bidayuh in Sarawak are generally classified into three linguistic groups (Biatah, Bau-Jagoi, Bukar-Sadong), other sources also use other classification scheme with the same or even additional groupings. The groupings then can be further be broken down to the village level through differences in intonation and vocabulary.

The table below presents some example of the words used by different Bidayuh dialect with their English and Malay equivalent.

English	Malay	Bukar- Sadong	Bau- Jagoi	Siburan- Padawan	Bra'ang- Pinyawa
Father	Bapa	Amang	Sama	Sama	Sama'
Mother	Ibu	Andĕ	Sino	Sinĕ	Sin(d)o
Food	makanan	pima-an	pinguman	pimaan	Pinguman
Rice	nasi	songkoi/ sungkoi	tubi	tubi	Tubi
I	aku/ saya	aku	oku	ku	Ěku
You	engkau/ awak	amu/ akam	mu-u/ ingan	ku-u/ kaam	(K)u'u/ ka'am

Source: Wikipedia.org

Since I’m from Kampung Stabut, which is in Padawan, so linguistically I belong to the Siburan-Padawan group. But then again Bidayuh in Padawan also speak several other dialects such as Bi-anah, Braang, Pinyawa, Bia’, and Sepug, so I can’t assure that I can speak intelligible Bidayuh with a fellow Padawan Bidayuh from another village.

This is surely very different with other ethnic such as the Iban and the Malay, which is despite their larger community and similar diversity with their own regional dialect they are still able to communicate with each other using a commonly understood Iban or Malay language.

Maybe its time for us Bidayuh to come together and develop a Bidayuh language that every Bidayuh can understand. I heard not so long ago that Bidayuh language is being considered to be taught in the classroom in Sarawak. I wonder if it is already in effect, and if not, when oh when…

Since this post has quite dragged on, I think it’s time for me to stop and continue on my quest of culture appreciation in a future post. Thanks for those of you who care to take some time to read this simple account of the Bidayuh people and I would highly appreciate any comment.

A Refreshing Sermon

2008-07-26T23:01:00.017+08:00

Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam, Selangor. I prayed here once during Maghrib.

I intended to write this post sooner but I had class after Friday prayer and there are some other things to attend to last night. Alhamdulillah, I’ve got some time to spare now, so better now or never.

Yesterday’s khutbah (sermon) had to be one of the most invigorating and refreshing Friday khutbah I have ever heard. I didn’t recognize the khatib (a person who delivers the khutbah), but his speech was very enthusiastic, his words seemed to struck a chord in my soul and it was just truly mesmerizing.

One of the content of the sermon that really moves me is when he recites Surah Al-Mu’minun, the 23^rd surah (chapter in the Quran), verse 1-11, and elaborates on its translation. It describes the characteristics of a true believer and, as the khatib mentioned, is a checklist for us Muslim in our daily conduct.

Click on the image to read the verses.

Translations (by Abdullah Yusuf Ali):

[1] The Believers must (eventually) win through, –

[2] Those who humble themselves in prayer;

[3] Who avoid vain talk;

[4] Who are active in deeds of charity;

[5] Who abstain from sex,

[6] Except with those joined to them in marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess, – for (in their case) they are free from blame,

[7] But those who desires exceed those limits are transgressors; –

[8] Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants;

[9] And who (strictly) guard their prayers; –

[10] These will be the heirs,

[11] Who will inherit Paradise: they dwell therein (for ever).

Listed in these words are the criteria for a Muslim, a believer, to inherit the much coveted Paradise of Allah. The criteria are beautifully sequenced, as Abdullah Yusuf Ali described them in his summary of the surah:

Faith, coupled with humility in prayer, charity, abstinence from vanity and from indulgence in appetites, and strict probity, must lead to final success, even though people mock and accuse the righteous of false motives, as did the contemporaries of Noah, of Moses, and of Jesus. (23:1-50)

Just imagine what a wonderful world it would be if all of humanity or at least all Muslims were to comply by these criteria, the world would definitely be a better place to live in, being in peace and harmony, because as they strive to achieve it, they will abstain from making evil to others and also to themselves.

Introducing My People

2008-07-19T09:04:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.
Peace be upon all of you who chance to visit this humble blog of mine.

As the first post for this blog, it is most appropriate for me to do a little introduction, particularly about my people, which most people will not usually identify as Muslim.

At first glance, most fellow Malaysians, especially those from the Peninsula, would immediately identify me as a Malay, which is not unlikely considering that most native people of Sarawak and also Sabah share, to a certain extent, similar characteristics such as skin complexion and facial features with Malays.

I remember quite vividly a trip with my father to enrol me into a local university. The taxi driver, in an effort to initiate a conversation, casually mentioned that there is a big mosque in the campus which is within walking distance from the residential college. Silence struck for a while before my father politely explained that we are not Malays and not Muslims. Well, I was, at that time, not yet a Muslim.

So as the title of this blog suggests, I am a Bidayuh, a Muslim Bidayuh. Most people who know of the Bidayuh will not immediately identify a Bidayuh as a Muslim. This is because Bidayuh are traditionally animists. However, nowadays most Bidayuh will usually affiliate themselves with a Christian congregation and almost every Bidayuh village have a church.

Muslim Bidayuh constitute only a small percentage of the entire Bidayuh community and Bidayuh villages with a mosque are extremely rare. Among Bidayuh villages with significant Muslim population are Kampung Darul Islam Belimbing and Kampung Bisira in Padawan, and Kampung Segubang in Bau.

The Bidayuh ethnic group, also known as the Land Dayaks during the reign of the White Rajahs, is part of the larger Dayak community in Sarawak, which also consist of Iban or Sea Dayak, the largest ethnic group in Sarawak, and the Orang Ulu, a term used to collectively refer to the many ethnic groups living upriver of Sarawak's vast interior.

The Bidayuh in Sarawak, who are said to originate from West Kalimantan, now mostly reside in Kuching and the areas surrounding it such as Padawan, Serian, Lundu and Bau. As for me, I hail from a small village called Kampung Stabut in Padawan. Luckily both my parents are from the same village, so we don't have trouble on which village to go back to during holidays.

Since my eyes are getting heavier by the moment, I think I'll have to stop typing now and continue this topic in another post. It is my hope that this blog will be a testament to my appreciation of my Bidayuh culture and heritage, and my Islamic faith, besides also being a channel for me to share my thoughts with the world.

Till the next post. Wassalam...