An Epic Journey

Assalamualaikum w.b.t

Alhamdulillah, I have attended this course over last weekend. It was my first time experience ever to attend a tafseer course. With my almost to none knowledge in Arabic, let alone tafseer studies, I can say that I learnt a lot in the 2 days. We covered the whole 111 ayat of Surah Yusuf. The lecture provides in depth analysis of the surah, and the lessons extracted from it. Some we can see right from the meaning of the ayat, but some takes deeper understanding and appreciation of the story (which we know it’s not just a story).

The course content also provides few distinct comparisons between few ulama’ and how and why it differs. It goes above and beyond of what I have expected. The constant reminder throughout the session was were there to worship Allah first and secondly learn, and I hope I met the objective. Subhanallah for the path that was opened for me to be in the course, albeit a short one.  Just from one surah, it shows how beautiful Islam is, for those who seek to know and understand. It’s a complete guide, comprising learnings to all walks of life. I hope I can share all, but it’s too much at one go.

InsyaAllah, I have the course binder with me, what I plan to do is capture parts of it and share with the rest of you from time to time. I hope Allah gives me the strength to do that. Hope we can all learn and apply the learning together, insyaAllah.

It was indeed, an epic journey.

The one I attended was in KL...could not find the KL poster :P

Wassalam,

p/s: I know I have been going against my words about the challenge, truly sorry!!!

Alternatif to 'Bersih' ?

So what's up on 9th July this year? Here are things that I am considering to do and maybe you have some other alternatives too!!

1. Visit my friend who has just given birth last 1 month, and 9th July is her birthday!!
2. Attend studies on Surah Yusoff by Al-Khauthar Institute - 9th-10th July
3. Attend Mukhayam Ikram at D'Kok Eco Camp, Kg Talang, Kuala Pilah - 9th-10th July
4. My alma mater get together organised by BBGS OGA - which is now canceled due to the so called 'Bersih'!!
5. My colleague's doa selamat in PD for his new bundle of joy - 9th July
6. Movie catch up marathon, since I have been enslaving myself (yeah rite!!) for the past two months
7. 'Bersih'kan my own house, since I have been neglecting them for more than just 2 months!!

That is all that I can think for now. High chances that I am going to no 2, insyaAllah...No 6 and 7 can still wait ( I guess.. :P )

I am a believer in democracy, by all means, say your piece, make yourself heard, fight for your rights, yada-yada... just not at the expense of some other people's time, money and convenience. Also safety at some point. We know how the last version turned out. The KL city area are filled with garbage, some stalls/shops are vandalised, and I don't how many businesses were interrupted for the day. Some may say that we pay good money (tax) so its DBKL's job to clean up the city, yes and no. They are paid to keep the city clean, but that does not mean they are to service at every citizen's havoc behaviour comes once in a while when these kinds of demonstration takes place. Its a pitiful sight of Dataran Merdeka, Masjid Jamek and all sorrounding area once all these gathering dispersed. I've seen the amount of garbage, and these people wants to 'Bersih' the system, they might as well start with their own behaviour.

There are alternatives to get your message accross, I just don't think a street rally which comes to all these consequences is one of them. Since there is a lot of intellegent folks that is engineering the rally, why not come up with a better, safer, cleaner, and more effective approach?

Or the least they can do, is proper control of their people during the rally. The last thing we want is a clip of Malaysian people doing all sorts of funny things with KL landmarks as background, and some very wrong headlines comes out in the CNN and BBC.

p/s: Challenge will resume tomorrow ;)

C26-A picture of you last year and how have you changed since then?

In front of Sony tent, fanzone inside the stadium, some 2 hours before Portugal-Spain kick off

Around this time last year, I was having the time of my life in the midst of football craze, while in the middle of some foreign land. It was a birthday that I hope to remember forever. How have I changed since then? I would like to think that I am lighter...(well, one can only hope..hahaha...) But honestly, I used to imagine that I can do things but now I actually believe it. The trip has caused few wings ruffled, and I learned to let go off some friends. I became more accepting of human behaviour and I learned what is feels to have your friend says one thing, and means another.

But, I have also learned to keep the few friends who remains true to me no matter what. Compared to last year, I nowadays seeks condolence from more ways than I thought I would have. I laid it all here, to be read by a bunch of warm strangers, you know who you are. Only one that I really met eye to eye, the rest, though we never see each other, I feel like I know you already, always offering kind words, even though halfway across the world :) thanks a bunch!! 

atas kayangan, Table Mountain

Today is my birthday, I TTT (turns thirty today!!!!) ;)

C25-10 Things I am Thankful For

Ya Allah...I am thankful for:

1. Being born a Muslim and gets to practice it as openly as I wish.
2. A set of super understanding parents. Although they are the typical Malay that doesn't offer words of encouragement, they have never said 'NO' to all the things that I do, not even once, as far as I remembers. (this includes staying out way past midnite when I was in Form 4 to volunteer at World Aids Day in Dataran Merdeka, and I went back by public transport)
3. A family that has been showing me what life really means, but yet remain cohesive through our multiple life challenges.
4. A sane mind,able to make decision on my own, and most of the time don't really bothers what people say. (my parents' treatment made me behave this way, and I love it!!)
5. A physically fit body with no serious illness. I may not be in the most fit in shape, but I can still walk and able to run if by any chance a dog chases me :P
6. The chances to live a fulfilling life thus far, living by my own definition.
7. A good brain, that I may say not even 5% utilized yet (according to research, most average human being only utilize 3% of their brain, the rest are extra capacity waiting to be used, so start thinking now!!)
8. My education life so far. I enjoyed my student days a lot, in all the places that I've been to. Not so much of the academic part, but more of the camaraderie, the adventures, the one or two not so good things that we've been through. I was never a depressed kid in school, in fact I escaped from other worldly issues in school.
9. My rezeki, in Islam, we believe that rezeki is something Allah has written for us even before when we born, right at the Lauh Mahfuz. It is all has been fated, and I am thankful for all things that I have so far.
10. Today, I am even more thankful to Allah SWT kerana telah diberi kesempatan menghirup nikmat Allah selama 30 tahun, a very long time, that it shames me for I have not really done any significant contribution to my deen, Islam.

C24-Something you are proud of in the past few days

I have been toying with the idea for quite some time. Thanks to Dyanna, who introduces me to this. Since then, I have been contemplating to make one, but what is the occasion? Then it hits me!! My Cape Town trip, and to make things better, Ija's birthday was just around the corner (it was June 11th). So I decided to make one for her. So it maybe more than past few days, but yes, am proud of it.

I spent a solid 3 days to put things together, this is not including the time stolen here and there to organize the picture, and cracking my head to come up with a proper storyline, so at last I just follow our trip's chronological order..(ddduuhhh!!)

back cover, i took the imagewrap photobook

I have it delivered to her office and she received it on Thursday (9th June) she was thrilled and overjoyed. We meet on Sunday, and I asked her to bring the photobook along as I have not seen the final product yet.

And since that day Ija has been carrying around the photobook like newlyweds did to their wedding albums... :D

Shaz looking at what she missed while Put was explaining the OZ map to me...

Us, the ori Cape Town 2010 gang

I actually made another one for my boss's farewell. Will update when I get the pics ;)

C23-What would you find in my bag?

I have few bags that I used quite frequently. But most of the time, I would resort to this RM10 sling bag bought at some "Pesta Barang Siam"

the bag & segala isi perut

 Take a closer look at what I have:

the daily staple

 From L-R : wallet (or purse?), car key, spec, camera, EPO, RD

Don't be fooled by the double appearance of 'Bonia' items. The wallet (or purse?) is only RM10 bought at some stall somewhere along Berjaya Times Square, the specs is ori 'Bonia' frame and case (courtesy of my optical claim... ;) )

Car key, of course, or else I'll be in training for the next marathon. EPO, I need to take daily due to my 'issue'. This is after being told off by the doctor :P . Camera is owned by dept, I am holding it and abused for personal usage as well. (My sis had my Sony A-200 for quite some time now... !!) and last but not least last month's (can also be last year's) issue of RD. I never read the magazine on time, somehow I could not even finish the whole issue!!

C22-Your favorite 5 books

I like fiction books a lot. I like reading poems too, but never had a single anthology yet. I have read many books growing up, both Malay and English. These might not be my most favourite book, as I believe I may have forgotten some of it, but these that I still remembers to be among the best :

1. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini - I had the book reviewed here, the story line is simple, about a boy and his friend, how he was 'betrayed' and how they moved on from the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. (I own)

2. Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami - A story set in the late 1960's, when Beatles' music were booming, when most of youth movement starts to form worldwide. Its about a guy's relationship with his deceased friend's girlfriend, and how he got through his student days. There was also an elaborate part of a sanatorium, where the girl lives after an emotional breakdown. Its a Japanese novel translated to English after almost a decade being in top spot of its own country. (I own)

3. Putik, Aziz Afkar - A very sad story of a young girl named Putik. She was born out of wedlock and the mother left her to a friend, while she fled the kampung and finds work in KL. In the mean time Putik was not well taken care off, she was pushed to do all sorts of chores at such a young age. From the writers description, she could not be more than 5 years old. She was not living like any other kids her age. The story ends with Putik died, after being brutally beaten and ****. I was crying uncontrollably during reading the book. I only read it once, yet I still remembers the plot and even some parts quite clearly. (I borrowed)

4. The Runaway Jury, John Grisham - Maybe the first John Grisham's novel that I read. The plot is complicated, twisted, and so full of lawyer-y terms. I became a fan since. (I own)

5. Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery - I read this book during primary/secondary school. I did not own the book, and the one in the school library was the hard cover version, so it was not up for the kids to borrow. So what I did, everyday I would go in and read 1-2 pages. I can't remember how long it took me to finish the book, but I did it. I tried to continue with Anne of Avonlea, somehow I did not finished it. Maybe I should buy a copy now and actually finish reading it ;) (I read slowly in the library)

I have the tendency to like the book that makes me cry. The darker the story line, the better, the more I cried, the more I think the book is good. Something wrong with me? because I also have to have once in a while my cry fix, be it books or movies. :(