Epilog Silam – Kumpulan Haikal
My Tunes April 27th, 2013
Dalam mengenang kisah hidup silam
Ku sedar dari kesilapan lalu
Tuhan beratnya dosa-dosaku
Masihkah ada ampunan buatku
Tuhan… Dalam menempuh hidup ini
Banyaknya dugaan datang menguji
Tuhan… Ada yang dapatku gagahi
Dan ada yang gagal ku hindari
Tuhan… Dosaku menggunung tinggi
Tapi taubatku tak ku tepati
Tuhan… Rahmat-Mu melangit luas
Terlalu sedikit ku bersyukur
Kini ku kembali pada-Mu
Mengharap maghfirah dari-Mu
Moga ‘kan terampunlah dosa-dosaku
Biarpun ujian melanda
Ku tetap berkasih pada-Mu
Kerana ku yakin kasih-Mu
Kekal tiada sudahnya…
Album : Erti Pengorbanan
Munsyid : Haikal
Youtube:
Tale of the Three Legged Cat
Family March 29th, 2013
Sakeenah’s cute doodles; the three legged cat.
This post was drafted a long while back. I just came back and thought to finish it off.
On one of the nights, Sakeenah and Aneesah stayed up late (it’s always troublesome to get them to bed early). Sakeenah was doodling on a piece of A4 paper which she got from Aneesah. Aneesah, on the other hand, acquired the paper from our printer’s paper feed. Such a collaborative work, and in the end, the paper was turned into shreds!
Anyway (before the paper was shredded into small pieces and before Sakeenah was doodling), I came up to Sakeenah and was wondering what she was going to draw on the paper. She said it’s going to be a cat. So she drew two big circles and a tiny one right in the middle – and that was it, that was her cat.
Sure enough her cat was missing other features. I asked her, where is the tail and where’s the body?
So she draw the tail first. After that she draw the body. Later on she added the hair, the eye brows and the legs.
She then realised that the tail was wrongly located (as it was in the body and not at the back), and this made her draw another tail at the back. I’m impressed. The fact that she tried to relocate the tail just shows how observant kids can be. The next time your kids draw something, maybe you’d want to try and interview them about their drawings!
Anda Seorang Introvert? Anda Istimewa
Contemplation November 25th, 2012
Anda seorang yang pendiam, lebih suka menyendiri?
Mungkin bicara Susan Cain di bawah dapat menaikkan semangat dan betapa pentingnya diri anda. Mesti tonton (video ini diterjemah ke dalam bahasa Indonesia)!
Blinded by Heart that Refuses to See
Contemplation September 4th, 2012
May this month of Syawwal continues to be an avenue for my Muslim brethren to grasp the opportunity to fast the six days of Syawwal as highly recommended by the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، – قَالَ ابْنُ أَيُّوبَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، – أَخْبَرَنِي سَعْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ، بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الْخَزْرَجِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، – رضى الله عنه – أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
“ مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ ”
He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually.
During one of the first few days of Syawwal in Kelantan, I was fortunate to meet Qayyim, a young boy gifted by Allah with a knack in learning, memorizing, and beautifully reciting verses from Al-Qur’an despite his visual impairment. He had won second place in JAKIM’s first season reality show, Adik-adikku.
Muhammad Qayyim Nizar Sarimi reciting some verses from Al-Qur’an.
As I sat listening to his wondrous recitation (subhaanallaah), I contemplated. Qayyim, among a few others of similar disability whom I know, can recite the Qur’an far better than any of us who are blessed with all the five senses.
It’s common to hear amongst ourselves that one who is physically challenged often have a ‘gifted’ ability of some sort. A compensation to cover up the loss – one would say.
Put it another way, it can also be a means of reminding us what we are capable of achieving if we but align our minds and determination correctly and put our faith in Allah. With all our five senses, aren’t we more capable of achieving better?
Let us take a moment to reflect.
Bantuan untuk Saudara-saudara Rohingya
News August 5th, 2012
Belum pun selesai isu saudara-saudara kita di Palestin, kini tercetus pula berita tentang kezaliman puak Rakhine ke atas masyarakat Rohingya Muslim. Namun, berdasarkan pembacaan pengarang serta maklumbalas individu tertentu, isu kezaliman ini bukanlah suatu perkara yang baru malah sudah bertahun-tahun lamanya.
Kebetulan di Surau Bangi Perdana pada malam semalam, wakil dari Majlis Ulama Rohingya Malaysia telah datang untuk menerima sumbangan bagi mangsa-mangsa Rohingya. Alhamdulillaah, sebelum ini tercari-cari juga kepada siapakah bantuan dapat disalurkan – dan malam tadi terjawab jua pencarian tersebut. Pengarang tak akan ulas lebih lanjut tentang rusuhan yang berlaku di sana, namun dengan bersumberkan maklumat daripada blog Majlis Ulama Rohingya Malaysia, mudah-mudahan kita semua sedar tentang situasi sebenar yang berlaku ke atas saudara-saudara kita.
“Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman itu adalah bersaudara”
(Surah Al-Hujurat: sebahagian daripada ayat 10)
Berikut adalah maklumat untuk menyalurkan bantuan:
Nama Akaun: Majlis Ulama Rohingya (MUR)
Nombor Akaun: 2007021000029939
Nama/Alamat Bank: AGRO Bank, Ibu Pejabat Agro Bank, Leboh Pasar Besar, Peti Surat 10815, 50726 Kuala Lumpur
No. Telefon Bank: 03-2731 1600
No. Fax: 03-2691 4599
Untuk sebarang pertanyaan, sila hubungi Ustaz Mohd Ayub bin Abd Ghafar (Bendahari Majlis Ulama Rohingya – MUR) di 016-220 4416
One a Muslim, Seven a Kafir
Contemplation August 3rd, 2012
According to one hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu), the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has mentioned that eating 7 times the amount of 1 meal (which justly befits one’s stomach capacity) equates one to being a kafir. Na’uuzubillah.
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم :
”يَأْكُلُ الْمُسْلِمُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ، وَالْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَاءٍ”
“A Muslim eats in one intestine (i.e. he is satisfied with a little food) while a Kafir (unbeliever) eats in seven intestines (eats much).”
This hadith moved me. I had searched online for it to obtain the Arabic text after hearing it from an Ustaz. Alhamdulillaah, may Allah bless the people who are contributing to Sunnah.com. May Allah protect His Revelation and the Prophet’s traditions wherever they may be for I had easily found that particular hadith at the said website.
In our Malaysian culture, food is easily associated with family-togetherness, gathering, festivities, celebrations, just to name a few. Indeed, food brings us together, but if taken more than the necessary amount, it brings forth laziness, sleepiness, and the like. We all know it. I know it. You know it. You don’t need rocket science to prove it! What we don’t want is for us to place ourselves further away from Allah due to barriers that we purposely took upon in order to satisfy our gluttony. Yet, no matter how clear as crystal the Prophet’s practices and instructions are, we are more inclined to fill up our tummies to the brim! Na’uuzubillaah.
When laziness kicks in, taraawih becomes extremely ‘heavy’. Forget taraawih, even congregational I’sya’ prayer becomes a burden. Astaghfirullaah. It becomes such a burden that one would even sleep during his prayer! From myself, I have left not one but many sessions of congregational prayer especially Subh and Maghrib. Had the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) known this, I know he would be very unhappy. May Allah forgive our sins and increase our awareness.
Today’s post serves as a reminder to myself and my beloved readers. Let us not forsake the offerings which Allah has promised us in the Qur’an, especially during this blessed month of Ramadhan.
‘Kereta Sorong’ di Langit Allah
Contemplation July 18th, 2012
Subhaanallaah.
Beberapa malam yang lalu, langit begitu indah sekali dihiasi bintang-bintang yang berkelipan. Barangkali kerana sudah begitu lama tidak melihat bintang-bintang, pengarang berasa begitu teruja dan begitu lama memandang ke langit ciptaan Rabbul-’Aalamin. Alangkah indahnya! Bahkan pengarang berasa terpanggil untuk menyuruh anak-anak memandang ke langit dan menikmati perkara yang sama.
“Wah, banyaknya stars!” Sakeenah kata.
“Banyaknya stars!” Sampuk Aneesah dengan pelatnya.
Malam itu kami memang teruja kerana belum pernah melihat langit sebegitu indah setelah sekian lama. Apatah lagi anak-anak kami. Mereka sejak lahir tidak pernah mengamati langit di waktu malam. Manalah tidak, seingat pengarang, langit jarang sekali berbintang. Kalau berbintang sekali pun, asyik diliputi awan atau kami memang tak perasan.
“Itu dia kereta sorong,” bisik hati pengarang tatkala melihat gugusan bintang yang bentuknya seperti kereta sorong. Kalian pernah perasan? Dalam banyak-banyak buruj yang ada, ‘kereta sorong’ itulah yang paling senang dicam kerana terdiri daripada gugusan bintang yang paling menyerlah. Antara bintang-bintang tersebut dinamai Alkaid, Mizar, Alcor, Alioth, Phecda, dan Dubhe. Entah bagaimana nama tersebut diberi tapi itulah yang dinyatakan dalam sumber International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Ursa Major – atau lebih ‘mesra’ dikenali sebagai kereta sorong. Walau bagaimanapun, di tempat lain, ada yang memanggilnya dengan istilah ‘the great bear’, the plough’, dan ‘the big dipper’.
Istilah bahasa Inggeris untuk gugusan-gugusan bintang ini adalah constellation. IAU telah mengenal pasti 88 jenis bentuk/corak gugusan bintang di langit. Subhaanallaah, menarik! Bila lagi boleh melihat bintang-bintang di langit ya?
Ya Allah, pertemukanlah kami dengan malam yang tiada terhijab langitnya oleh awan agar kami dapat menikmati dan mengkaji langit-Mu. Moga bertambah keimanan kami terhadap Keagungan dan Kebesaran-Mu.
The Real Ustaz
Contemplation June 13th, 2012
With a worried look on his face, the Ustaz looked down hard on the floor, deep in thought.
“I am sorry,” he said as he raised his head.
“Dakwah is not supposed to be the work of an Ustaz alone. It is but the work of all of us here. We are the ones who should carry on the work of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam),” he continued.
The audience was stunned. Not knowing how to react.
It was tradition that during a solat hajat or doa selamat occasion, an Ustaz would be called in to deliver a 1 hour long tazkirah session in our family. This time, the Ustaz had hit us with something that neither of us bothered to think or act upon seriously. Although the term “dakwah” used was general in its sense, I could not help but think that he was also hinting that this simple tazkirah session alone could have been easily done by any of our members in the family.
A wise friend once told me this: in a group where people are sharing knowledge, no one is more powerful other than the one who has knowledge. It then becomes befitting that whoever has that knowledge should share it with others.
Dakwah is supposed to be the work of everyone. Dakwah was never meant to be a specialization to only a selected number of people. It was supposed to be our specialization.
Surah Aali-’Imraan: Ayah 110
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind.
You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.
If only the People of the Scripture had believed,
it would have been better for them.
Among them are believers,
but most of them are defiantly disobedient.”
[Surah Aali-'Imraan: Ayah 110]
Pahlawan “The 99″
Featured Posts June 12th, 2012
Jabbar the powerful.
Samda the invulnerable.
Widad the loving.
Jika anda seorang yang gemarkan komik superhero, watak-watak seperti Superman, Batman, Spiderman, dan banyak lagi jenis -man mungkin tidak asing lagi. Paling tidak, anda pernah mendengar tentang watak-watak tersebut. Namun, pernahkah anda mendengar tentang pahlawan The 99?
The 99 mengisahkan tentang 99 batu nur yang berselerakan di seluruh dunia. Kisahnya bermula di Baghdad, apabila Darul Hikmah yang merupakan pusat intelektual dan tamadun, telah diserang oleh kuasa Hulagu Khan, cucunda Genghis Khan. Tidak jauh dari situ, para cendekiawan Darul Hikmah melihat sungai Tigris berubah menjadi hitam setelah puak Hulagu Khan membuang khazanah ilmu mereka ke dalam air sungai tersebut.
Ingin tahu lebih lanjut? Anda kena baca salinan percuma yang boleh didapati di sini: Sila baca siri yang bertajuk “The 99: Beginnings”
The 99: Beginnings
Two Sakeenahs in the House
Family June 10th, 2012
A moment to remember: Sakeenah meeting Aneesah for the first time
“Teenah nak matan (Sakeenah nak makan)” – Sakeenah wants to eat.
“Teenah nak panjat (Sakeenah nak panjat)” – Sakeenah wants to climb.
“Teenah sakit perut (Sakeenah sakit perut)” – Sakeenah has stomach ache.
“Teenah diri (Sakeenah berdiri)” – Sakeenah is standing.
These were all statements from our Aneesah, not Sakeenah. Evidently, she was using her elder sister’s name in reference to herself. My wife was the one who noticed this, but at first, I didn’t believe. All this while we’ve been calling her own name and the least I would expect is to have two daughters calling themselves ‘Sakeenah’!
“Teenah nak tisu bet-tul (Sakeenah nak susu botol)” – Sakeenah wants bottled milk.
It eventually became habitual that even my wife and I started to call Aneesah as ‘Sakeenah’. Realizing how contagious this phenomenon was, we started to remind Aneesah of her own name and began rephrasing every sentences with her own name. Alhamdulillah, it worked out well. Although, occasionally she would still use ‘Sakeenah’ as her own name.
“Mana tudung Teenah (Mana tudung Sakeenah)?” – Where is Sakeenah’s tudung. There she goes again. We just bought her and Sakeenah a tudung.
Sometimes I wonder, could it be that our attention for her has been lesser than what we’ve shown to Sakeenah? Despite our effort to give equal attention, as humans, I admit, we tend to err and there’s no knowing along the way where we could have gone wrong. After all, how do I measure equal love?
For a 2 year old, I really can’t tell what’s going on. Perhaps she sees so much love shown for Sakeenah that she has decided to choose her name, words, and actions like Sakeenah?
One thing about Aneesah is that she really loves her sister no matter how bad they might quarrel at times. Her love was attested when she had to part from her sister the day Sakeenah was admitted to HUKM for an MRI scan. Aneesah seemed unhappy and depressed. She even called out for Sakeenah. I felt sorry for her. I tried to cheer her up but most of the time, I found her in a state of profound silent. When Sakeenah returned the next day, Aneesah was so happy that she hugged Sakeenah for so long. This was far more emotional for a drama!
I normally give a small peck on Sakeenah’s cheek before I leave with my wife for work. As for Aneesah, I wanted to, but I dare not to because she is a special type who has ultra-sensitive ‘sensors’ that enable her to wake up and eventually ‘siren’ the entire neighborhood with her deafening cry (Masya-Allah, too much for a small kid, don’t you think? Well, it may sound that I’m exaggerating, but one time, I could hear her cry even several meters away from the house!). Thinking back, it could have just been a small peck that could have made a lot of difference. Who knows, maybe she’ll call herself Aneesah from now onwards!
Or, it could have just been that since Aneesah sees her elder sister as a role model, she simply copycats everything including how Sakeenah addresses herself.
Our princesses. Abi & Ummi love you both, kids!
Just to double check, Aneesah is here beside me as I’m typing. Let us reaffirm her identity shall we?
Abu Sakeenah: “Ini siapa?” (Who is this? – while patting her chest).
Aneesah: “Eesah” (Aneesah).
Good to hear that! On the other hand, there were also odd occasions where our petite Aneesah gave a different but innocent answer:
Abu Sakeenah: “Ini siapa?” (Who is this? – while pointing to herself).
Aneesah: “Suar (Seluar)” (Pants/Trousers).
Happy parenting to all parents!
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