Elegi: Masa

Kata dusta pembuka bicara,
Maka benarlah kata mereka,
Ya'ni akan masa mencemburui kita,
Menyusul dari rahim ibu hinggalah kembali padaNya,
Jelas sudah dunia berpaksikan masa,

Namun kita tidak mahu berputar dengannya,
Kalam nan agung Sang Pencipta,
Meskipun Dia bersumpah "DEMI MASA"!
Kita masih terpinga-pinga,
Akhir dunia gelap gelita,
Perbicaraan abadi bakal bermula,
Sungguhlah pengalaman bersulamkan masa,
Namun hanya bagi yang pantas dan bijaksana,
Mencatur teliti setiap gerak norma,
Agar tidak diperjudikan amanat kita,
Bagai jarum minit terengsot mengejar ibunya! 

Epilog : ISLAM kau TIDAK relevan!!

Islam kau tidak relevan!

Islam aku paling betul, adakah kau Muslim? Serius, adakah kau Muslim?!?! (ulang sampai relevan)

Antara persoalan dan kontroversi hari ini adalah bagaimana semua orang ingin terjun menjadi "Islamic", pada ini kita katakan Alhamdulillah, namun tidak duduk beberapa minit selepas mereka "berubah" mereka mula menjadi lebih besar dari Al-Ustaz, mula merendah-rendahkan orang lain, mula melihat dengan pandangan yang serba marah.

Begitu jua dengan orang yang sudah terbina Islam dalam dirinya sejak dari azali, maksud terbina disini adalah, batu bata Ad-din yang tersusun atau disusun oleh institusi kekeluargaan yang memupuk mereka, alam persekolahan yang mengajar mereka, rakan-rakan kelompok yang membimbing mereka dan pelbagai lagi.

Kebanyakan yang lahiriyah mereka dari kelompok ini tidak nampak bigger picture , kadang-kadang terlampau terperangkap dalam dunia mereka sendiri. 

Terlampau dibuai dengan utopia Islami mereka lupa realiti Malaysia masa ini, bukan sahaja berbilang kaum dan agama, bahkan dalam Agama Islam sendiri Kaum Muslimin bukan semuanya ditahap-tahap mereka.

Kita semua idamkan utopia Islami seperti yang dikecapi dahulu kala, namun ia tidak berlaku jika kita(Kaum Muslimin) tidak sedar akan relevan kepelbagaian umat, kepelbagaian jenis manusia di muka bumiNya ini.

• Bukan semua orang Islam lahiriyah mereka dalam keluarga "Islamic". 

• Bukan semua orang Islam punya cerap pemikiran yang sama pada ramai orang Islam yang ditarbiyah oleh jemaah-jemaah Islam sedia ada.

• Bukan semua orang Islam punya exposure Islami sepertimana sesetengah kita rasa.

• Bukan semua orang Islam dibimbing oleh bulatan-bulatan usrah mingguan yang kerap mengisi rohani mereka.

• Bukan semua orang Islam pandai mengaji apatah lagi bukan semua orang Islam adalah mufassir Quran.

• Bukan semua orang dipupuk susur galur pemikiran Ulama-ulama terdahulu.

• Bukan semua orang Islam berpeluang menjalani persekolahan dalam suasana Islamically conducive, mereka bukan produk Maahad, mereka bukan produk Sekolah Agama Rakyat, mereka jua bukan dari Darul Tahfiz mahupun sekolah Pondok.

[credit to the owner of the image is reserved]

Kerna manusia itu pelbagai. Kerna Insan maksud akarnya pelupa. Kerna semuanya tidak terbina dengan cinta, Kerna ada kala kita harus tarik, kita harus bimbing..Bukanya kita herdik, dan bukannya kita caci. Tapi kita toleransi sambil memberi inspirasi dan mengajak ke arah raj'ie.

Kerna manusia itu Raja Lalai. Dibuai alunan nafsu', Dihasut Shaitaan secara bertalu, Kita harus bangkit, Sebarkan dan Sedarkan. Membangun bersama-sama, Kita bina batu bata kehidupan yang penuh bermakna.

Never fan any flames, Be the one that lights up the darkness, be the one that resolves disputes.

Marilah. Genggam erat janjiku..Merentas batasan duniawi untuk cita-cita ukhrawi yang hakiki!


Salam Maal Hijrah 1434H

Epilog: Pemergian

gambar tiada kena mengena dengan yang masih hidup atau yang telah meninggal dunia

• Pemergian seseorang selalunya merobek satu ruangan yang aneh dalam sanubari manusia.

• Kita semua benci akan perpisahan, maka amat tepat kalam yang digarap  'you never know what you got until it's gone'.

• Hargailah segalanya sebelum kita pula dihargai mereka-mereka yang bakal 'terkesima' dengan pemergian kita.

Epilog : Hikayat Sang Pelupa

• Insan. Lahiriyah dan makna kata akarnya adalah pelupa.

• Itulah kita semua secara total, senantiasa berada dalam keadaan alpa, sering berada dalam keadaan terlena.

• Tidak sudah-sudah dibuai. Tiada kata yang boleh diungkapkan dalam leksikografi, carilah kata apa lagi yang boleh dihalalkan,dihendakkan, tapi sudah lelah gamaknya semua ingin bercerita tentang hikayat sang manusia.

• Walau al-kisah tampak baru, skrip tampak seperti berbeda-beda, namun hakikat cerita masih sekufu. Iaitu masih dalam keadaan terlupa. 

• Lupa akan satu masa, pernah bersaksi hadapan Ilahi dan mengungkapkan "Bala Shahidna", tapi kini masih alpa dalam mimpi alam fana. 

• Semua bermatlamatkan alam sejagat, bangkitlah dari tidur sang pelupa, perang masih belum tamat.

p.s image from kuukusblog

Elegi : Kembali Bangkit

Keluar ke kota jadi pelesit,
Pulang ke kampung bagai parasit,
Lahiriah rimba dewasanya konkrit,
Termakan janji ternobatlah hipokrit,
Dahulunya sihat kininya sakit,
Parahnya hidup berpaksikan Ifrit,
Bisikan nista mindanya menyempit,
Terbentang agam di ruangan langit,
Lauh Mahfuz terlakar kisah sulit,
PercaturanNya tersusun walaupun rumit,
Alpanya manusia yang bakal bangkit,
Dipersembah nukilan Raqib dan Atid,
Segala perilaku bakal tersabit,
Biarlah qalbu terjentik walau sekelumit,
Akhirnya kembali tiadalah perit.

[6/18/2012] 

Picture taken at Langkawi 21/7/2010

[picture taken at Langkawi Island 21/7/2010]

Elegy : Gloaming Ray

Dusk of the day,

Subsides mysteriously away,

Birdsong numbed in array,

Conscious minds taught not to stay, 

For tomorrow's built upon yesterday!

Epilog : The Departing Coercion

• No one ever look forward to goodbyes. Especially when the person going away has played a significant role in our lives.

• I've been here for almost 3 years, and being in the ascendency I've seen through 3 international student coordinators come and go.

• None is more posh going about his job than Dr Khaled. He's always been there for all Malaysian students in the Faculty of Pharmacy, his readiness to help at any given time amazes me.

• Unlike most(hope I'm not being stereotypical) Egyptians, he's always bold and truest to his words. I thought when Dr Attallah went away we'd have trouble replacing such great assistance.

•  After Dr Mamdouh came in for a short while, enter Dr Khaled, ready to give his all at any given time.

• He helped fought tooth and nail to ensure us Malaysians have a separate classes, he helped built the case to go against the Dean and the Faculty's wishes. For this I think is his greatest ever gift to us all, and we're always indebted for what he's given us. 

• I just wish everybody else could see and purely understand what he's done to help give us this opportunity. This semester was somewhat a revelation, a separate class, fully conducted in English, gives us all a breath of fresh air into our academic journeys.

• Now that Dr Khaled's left the university,I felt an abhorrent hole crept open in my heart. I'd always have him to talk to with regards to studies and matters pertaining to the university, always there to give great advices,pointers to help us all lead our way.

• I pray that he'll be successful with his stint in the States. You are a credit to the Egyptian people. All the best and may Allah bless your help for we are forever indebted to you. 

Palestine : A Facade? Fad? or everlasting Battle of Freedom?

1. I respect and salute everyone on their evidential concern on the Palestinian prisoners. What really is bothersome is the fear that this support is only for a few days or weeks, as soon as the flame dies, so does all the support that goes with it.Nauzubillah'himinzalik, hopefully this is not the case
2. Having said that, this hunger strike is not a new issue, first there was Khader Adnan then Hana Shalabi now Bilal Diab&Thaer Halahleh. If we are to support and stand with Palestinians, we need to be there for them 24/7 and 365 days a year.
3. Some questions were raised as to where were these people rising up now when Khader Adnan was on his hunger strike? But to me that never entails anyone to call a Muslim less of a Muslim just for the sake of it. Look at the bigger picture.
4. Amongst the positives seen from this so call sudden rise of awareness towards Palestine is that everyone is now busy googling, reading up about Palestine's history and getting on board with the recent events on Palestinian soil. Alhamdulillah, this is a cluster of positivism that would hopefully be instilled into everyone for a very long time!
5. Furthermore, this will give a hindsight to the potential of Muslims worldwide, they would be able to put aside political inclinations and difference in various matters to come together and be strong for Palestine. MashaAllah such unity. It is what I believe Monsieur Prof Tariq Ramadan was saying 'Universality is Islam is not uniformity, but Unity with Diversity.'
6. Remember, we as Muslims or those who are interested in such deep issues should, in my humblest of opinions at least study the history of it all. From 1920 when the British mandate started, the Arab Revolt back in 1939, the 1947 UN Partition plan, the 1948 Exodus,the Oslo Accordance, Geneva 1988 and many more.
7. I am not for once, telling you what is right or wrong, but from a viewpoint, we need to be in the know, before haranguing the gauntlet down on the Jews. We need to learn, to get ourselves acquainted with the Palestinian issue in accordance with campaigning and posting about Palestinian freedom.
8. Never support blindly and with no nous, Islam never preaches ignorance of such level. 
9. Again this is from the deepest depths of my hearts, I love Palestine, and I yearn everyday for it to be free, I believe all of us do as well. But please brothers and sisters, never stop there, not only with Profile Pictures, write more, be critical of the Palestinian issues, share your knowledge about Palestine with those who are in the dark.
10. Support for Palestine could start brilliantly by keeping them in your prayers, but as an individual one might ask what more could I do? I am a million miles away, I am not in that state, what more could I do?
11. Indeed there's so much more we could do, how about changing our lifestyles, not spending excessively, by which I mean going about our daily lives and living it with moderation, which I believe is asked from our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), by which I mean knowing that when we complain about petty things how things are over there with the people of the Quds.
12. Also follow the news on various Palestine based sites that consistently reports about issues in Palestine, you have aplenty Middle East Monitor,Electronic Intifada,BDS movement, Palestinkini and so much more. You also have the ever brilliant Ali AbuNimah on twitter and several other Palestine based journalists that reports on daily basis on the events occurring in Palestine.
13. What is more, it is good that we are really concern about Palestine,but never abandon Syria, never forget the starving kids in Africa, the multitudes of unjust massacres ongoing all over the world. Keep them all in your prayers!
14. NEVER ALLOW THIS TO BE A SEASONAL ISSUE, I BELIEVE THIS IS NOT AND NEVER SHOULD BE A FAD!  THIS IS NOT A FASHION STATEMENT MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, this is the REAL DEAL! and I pray that all of us will keep on going about the Palestinian issue till the day each of us will be taken away from earth, inshaAllah.
15. Again, I salute and am proud of this uprising, be it only on Facebook, it is a good start, but don't just stop there my dear friends, go on and make a difference, may Allah bless our efforts in whatever shape or form we intend it to be and hand-in-hand we will end the Israeli Apartheid and reclaim back Palestinian soil for their people.
16. It's an ongoing struggle, remember the Prophet (PBUH) said  'A group of my community will not cease to fight at the gates of Damascus and at the gates of al-Quds and its surroundings. The betrayal or desertion of whoever deserts them will not harm them in the least. They will remain victorious, standing for truth, until the Final Hour rises' (Recorded by Tabarani)

PALESTINE WILL BE FREE INSHA-ALLAH.

p/s: I invite constructive criticism of my writing in which I believe is retched with mistakes. may Allah bless your brilliant minds and beautiful souls.

Epilog : Retrospect

Social Media

• Aku telah pun berjaya mengharungi seminggu tanpa sebarang social media impetus
• Terasa pelbagai aspek diri dapat dipenuhi.Tidak beruntai aku sebagai seorang social media pariah.
• Not that those who use them are bad, tapi kebergantungan yang jelas tidak sihat lagi-lagi bila kita punya perkara yang jauh lebih memerlukan tumpuan, masa itulah social media menganggu kosentrasi, khayal dude!
• Sebab itulah aku "cuti sebentar" dari Facebook dan Twitter. Lama-lama bukak balik kot. 

Exploring

• Seronok jugak tanpa Social Media buat seketika ini. Pomodoro Technique yang diimplementasi pun lebih berkesan.
• Membolehkan aku membaca, menulis, dan melukis! Syok jugak dapat read up on a few new things seperti web codes html etc
• And voila! A new layout! Just tweaking a bit with the designs available, but I think I'm going to make more twitches after I finish reading a few tips and tricks from online blogging sites. ha!
• Simplistik design ni, kan?

Midterm Hullabaloo 

• Alhamdulillah exam midterm pun dah selesai.Markah aku memang tak selesai la kot, haha.
• Well, I took significant gambles on a few papers. Ada yang tak baca langsung, sebab konon "nak uji tahap pemahaman dalam kelas". 
• Exam yang sangat 50-50. Ada soalan yang bagi sakit jantung, ada yang bagi perut keroncong, ada yang bagi otak tertawa.
• Mood seakan hilang untuk belajar, secara jujur, tidak berperasaan langsung, masuk exam --> jawab-->blah muka toya. Selesai pun tak pikiaq 2-3 kali, betul atau tak jawapan tadi. 
• Psychologically drained. Macam-macam hal berlaku. Tapi sepatutnya kena cope well.
• Bila mana rasa down, pasti akan ada kisah yang boleh membangkitkan semangat skit, I came across this one article here. Sangat terasa, she is a fighter! Harus bangkit untuk finale supaya balik Malaysia nanti muka tersenyum qalbu gembira!

Need to plan ahead. Work hard+smart

p/s: this is quite random. dah lama tak tulis personal stuff. I guess I am bored. Cheers bub!

7 Powerful Tips to Avoid Anger

I read a very peculiar article on Productive Muslim that I'd like to share.

A man came to the Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and asked him (Peace and blessings be upon him) for advice. He (Peace and blessings be upon him) said,

“Do not become angry.” The man repeated his request for advice, and each time, the Prophet replied with this one phrase that sums up all good attitudes and behavior: “Do not become angry.” (Bukhari)

While you may not be able to avoid people’s anger and aggressive attitudes, you can surely deal with such situations in a wise and productive manner.

Anger can be like a fire. And you can’t possibly combat fire by another spark of fire, or pouring fuel onto it – this would result in a massive fire that would swallow everybody, including yourself. Whereas pouring water onto fire will curb it, if not end it entirely. Having a calm, tolerant temper can combat anger like water extinguishes fire.

Reacting calmly and tolerantly to an angry situation might first seem passive – but who cares! If you want to just add fuel to the fire, the situation will probably spiral out of control and end up in a fight of unpredictable magnitude.

I agree that being a calm, tolerant person does require a lot of self-discipline, which is normally “difficult”.

Here are some time-tested tips for averting anger:

1. You have to understand that anger is not a matter of power or ability.

“The strong man is not the one who can wrestle, but it is the one who can control himself when he is angry.” (Bukhari)

2. Regard anger as an infection

Keep due distance from those ill-tempered people, regardless of the extent of their anger and the reason behind it. Don’t react in a manner that will signal hatred. Doing so will probably just exacerbate the anger and exasperate the situation.

3. Feel free to delay your reaction

It won’t bruise your dignity nor tarnish your image. You can end your presence in this situation. Whether physically or if it’s a phone conversation, or a virtual presence with chatting, and react later when you’re mentally ready to deal positively with the situation.

4. Keep the interest of the Muslim community in mind.

”Do not be angry with each other and do not envy each other and do not turn away from each other, and be slaves of Allah, brothers. It is not halal for a Muslim to shun his brother for more than three nights.” (Imam Malik’s Muwatta)

5. React with a calming statement.

For example, “I understand how you feel, I know you must be angry, etc. Try and avert the angered person from thoughts that continue to anger them.

6. A few kind words can have a surprising effect.

Reverting the whole situation into a pleasant tone will help lessen tensions. On the other hand, harsh words trigger retaliation. Watch your words because they can set the tone for an entire situation.

7. Don’t become that person.

If you hate the attitude of the person who’s angry, know that reacting in a harsh manner will render you pretty much similar to him/her, so you’d better be careful.

Be strong and make your calm manner contain the situation. Be wise. Self-control is cornerstone to curbing people’s anger.

Remember that our beloved Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never took revenge over a personal matter.

It is narrated that “The Prophet never took revenge for his own sake, but if the laws of Allah were violated, he would take revenge for the sake of Allah.”

Remain wise and apply the virtue of patience, which is your key tool to avert aggressive and anger attitudes.

Remember, the relationships and attitudes you cultivate within your life will impact your productivity.

So remain positive and avoid negativity!

**article written by Maha Youssuf of the Muslim Tribune. All rights reserved.

Interlude

The recent hike in electrical taarifs/bills would burn a deep deep hole in our pockets, as if its not already burnt or "well-done" by the incoming summer heat! Yowza! 

Puisi Kerdil buat Baginda

Qalbuku penuh dimomok debu,

Ianya hitam lambang khilafku,

Tidak kusangka dapat mendekatimu,

Wahai Habibullah,

Kaulah yang kami rindu,

Saban tahun kami berselawat,

Kononnya kami beringat-ingat,

Kalam diulang ketika pemergianmu bagai hikayat,

Ummati,ummati pelbagai makna tersurat&tersirat,

Namun kami dibuai kealpaan akan ibrah pemergianmu,

Diakhir hayatmu masih dikau mengenang kami,

Kami yang lalai sekian hari,

Kami yang makin jauh dengan peribadimu,

Kami yang tidak pertahankan hadiahNya menjadi umatmu,

Tidak langsung pernah terlintas,

Aku yang kerdil,

Aku yang hina dina,

Dapat mengamati,

Walau sehelai peninggalanmu,

Qalbu ini tersemat dengan titisan insafi,

Qalbu ini mula menangis tidak terperi,

Aqalku merangkak cuba menyusun kalami,

Ya Rasulullah!

Daku ingin kembali,

Daku ingin mencari!

Hakikat cintamu sebenar yang pudar dimamah duniawi.

p/s: tak sangka terlepas aku melawat Tanah Haram, diberi hadiah menjulang Janggut Junjungan Mulia. Hari yang tidak akan sekali ku lupakan. Akan kusambung perjalanan Ibrahku dalam siri2 seterusnya dengan izin Allah.

Elegy : Sand Storm Hullabaloo

Desert Storm comes to fruition,

Tainted imagery of this imagination,

Finding justice in midst of all this pollution,

Minds are sullied with vague vexation,

Cerebration demolition of the population,

Wake up and recognize your mission!

#SandStormHullabaloo

Epilog: Talking Heads

• As of late and as ever, everyone has something to say about every single issue that arises.

• This is a commoner practice which is good in essence if done in the right way.

• Now I am not saying that I know the right way,rather its a point of observation amongst peers, and what we could see manifesting around us everyday.

• I believe in freedom of speech of course when practised in its fine right way. But it is a virulent practice that everyone is indeed threading on a very fine line.

• If you go overboard you might find yourself akin to the evillest of perceptions and if you're not going to say anything you'd be a passive passenger on God's earth.

• A fatal mistake that many of us seemingly commit every single day without fail is that we love to lash out criticism without any substance. It's the infamously named cheap-shots that we sometime use to get back on certain issues that doesn't bode well with our train of thoughts.

"Speaking little and listening much are virtues and signs of maturity. The desire to make oneself heard at all times is a sign of spiritual imbalance and shamelessness, even if some explain it away as a form of insanity"-Fethullah Gulen

• We often let emotions cloud our judgement. It's the very microcosm to the ever perishable healthy discourse between two parties engaging in a beautiful collision of ideas. Not akin to demonize each other, but rather trying to find a common ground and if a disagreement arises, respect each others personal views.

• The very art of a healthy discussion is to never allow, at any point, your emotions get in your way.

• Yes, principals are key, but as Professor Tariq Ramadan once mentioned "Without discipline, my ego is the first jail of myself".

• This is the thin line we're threading. Often we fall prey to our own egos, getting entrapped in our own prison of our mindset, wanting to champion a debate, the negative desire to see our counterpart fall and eat their own views up.

• We claim to be wanting to correct or to amend the situation, but in essence our "words of wisdom" just made things worse. Unfortunately, intentions never justify the end of our means.

• Existence of a check and balance principality is pivotal in order to ensure we do not skew off the thin line drawn over the years by our community's psychosocial aspects.

• Nothing that I have put together in the paragraphs above have not already been playing in our very minds, it is the implementation that becomes the problem. We all know the words, the wisdom, the mechanics but what we do not know is to reach out.

• It starts with us, change our perceived thoughts, be more flexible in taking our stand and never go astray with the principals and guidance that is drawn from the Quran and authentic Hadith.

• Never allow ourselves to be caught in a maze of zealotry or even fanaticism, but instead always have an open mind with regards to issues happening in and around us.

• Finally, The populous masquerade their cerebration in such a way they each think that the world envelopes around their train of thought processes. Sadly,it does not work that way. Voice your opinions with nuance and if you find it necessary to criticize, do it, constructively with compassion lingering in your very souls and minds

• Spread peace, diffuse any form of tension that arises and educate ourselves by reading more. =)

Epilog: Time-Continuum

• Time. A figurative discrepancy of sorts. A four lettered concise entity.

• A vestiture worn by some as an element of success. A determinant of sorts of how distinguished one could be.

• Time. A conundrum for those suffering from long standing chronic illnesses. A savoury account for those benefiting from it.

• Time. A cruelty. A sanctity. Everyone have their own definitions of what time is, but what it is, is exactly a variable that is constantly moving in a forward direction.

• I am reminded by a splendid saying by Golda Meir "I must govern the clock, not be governed by it"
  

• Albeit time being a nonadjustable variable, come what may, you could still alter the course of its succession.
  

• What happens today, tomorrow or even the next ten years , might as well be out of our cerebral reach, but we could work towards the betterment of it all.

Ibn Abbas narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:

"There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good." (Bukhari 8/421)

• Time is of the essence. Never abuse it, never languish yourselves with procrastination. Never allow it to manipulate us, instead we should assert our dominance upon it.

Allah mentioned in the Holy Quran

By the time (1) verily man is in loss. (2) But not those who believe and work righteous deeds, and enjoin upon each other the truth and enjoin upon each other steadfastness. (3) [Al-asr; Holy Quran]

• Time. A four lettered word. A sanctity if we protect its course. A conundrum if we falter in process of governing it.

Epilog: Faculties of the Mind

• 4 months, and nothing to show for.That was how dry it was. Well I reckon it was longer than that.

• This bottomless well of once deep thought processes and thinking could not express itself into words.

• It wasn't only the writers block, its my thoughts itself, shying away from being put into proper words.

• It's obvious I need to read more, more than what I've been reading and I have to widen the genre, to allow the ideas to flow.

• Also the productivity level and the urge to write down an idea on a notebook, a skill many of us have yet to master.

• So simple is it not, just carry a small notebook,notepad or some papers what have you and a pen.

• Every time that light-bulb in our faculty of minds flashes, get the pen and paper out, and jot that good stuff down, it may never resurface,ever again!

• Ahoy! Set sail, lets give it a try then!