Assalamu'alaikum anak-anak ku, dan saudara-saudaraku yang dirahmati Allah SWT.
Semuga ini memberi peringatan, kesedaran, dan perubahan yang mendalam kepada kita semua sewaktu kita masih hidup dan sebelum kita mati....
Talkinkan diri sendiri ....
...sebelum kita ditalkinkan.....
(Petikan dari Diari Muslimin 2011, 1432-1433H)
WAHAI SAYA BIN IBU SAYA
-----------------------
Wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA -
Wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA -
Wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA -
Hendaklah kamu ingat akan janji-janji Allah, yang mana kamu ada bawa bersama-sama dari dunia ini. Sekarang kamu menuju masuk ke negeri Akhirat. Kamu telah mengaku bahawa tiada Tuhan yang disembah dengan sebenar-benarnya melainkan Allah dan bahawasanya Nabi Muhammad itu pesuruh Allah.
Ingatlah wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA. Apabila datang kepada kamu dua malaikat yang serupa seperti kamu iaitu Munkar dan Nankir, maka janganlah berasa gentar dan takut. Janganlah kamu berduka cita dan risau serta janganlah kamu bersusah hati dan terkejut. Ketahuilah wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA bahawasanya Munkar dan Nankir itu hamba Allah Ta'ala, sebagaimana kamu juga hamba Allah Ta'ala. Apabila mereka menyuruh kamu duduk, mereka juga akan menyoal kamu.
Mereka berkata:
Siapakah Tuhan Kamu?
Siapakah Nabi kamu?
Apakah agama kamu?
Siapakah saudara kamu?
Apakah kiblat kamu?
Apakah pegangan iktikad kamu?
Dan apakah kalimah yang kamu bawa bersama-sama kamu?
Di masa itu hendaklah kamu menjawab soalan-soalan mereka dengan cermat dan sehabis-habis terang, tepat dan betul. Janganlah berasa gementar, janganlah cuak dan janganlah bergopoh-gapah. Biarlah tenang dan berhati-hati.
Hendaklah kamu jawab begini:
Allah Ta'ala Tuhanku.
Muhammad Nabik
Islam agamaku.
Baitullah itu kiblatku.
Semua orang Islam dan orang beriman adalah saudara aku. Kitab suci Al-Qur'an ikutanku, malahan solat lima waktu, puasa di bulan Ramadhan, mengeluarkan zakat dan mengerjakan haji diwajibkan ke atas aku. Dari masa hidup hingga aku mati aku mengucap, "La ila ha illallah Muhammaddur Rasulullah".
Wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA. Tetapkanlah hatimu. Inilah dia suatu dugaan yang paling besar. Ingatlah bahawa kamu sekarang sedang tinggal di alam Barzakh sehingga sampai satu masa kelak. Kamu akan dibangunkan semula untuk berkumpul diPadang Mahsyar.
Insaflah wahai SAYA Bin IBU SAYA. Bahawasnya mati ini adalah benar. Soalan malaikat Munkar dan Nankir didalam kubur ini adalah benar, Bangun dari kubur kemudian kita dihidupkan semula adalah benar. Berkumpul dan berhimpun diPadang Mahsyar adalah benar. Dihisab dan dikira segala amalan kamu adalah benar. Minum di kolam air Nabi adalah benar. Ada Syurga dan Neraka adalah benar. Bahawasanya Hari Kiamat tetap akan adanya, begitu juga Tuhan yang Maha Berkuasa akan membangkitkan semula orang-orang yang didalam kubur.
Diakhirnya kami ucapkan selamat berpisah dan selamat tinggal pada kamu di sisi Allah Ta'ala. Semuga Tuhan akan memberi kesejahteraan kepada kamu. Tuhan jua yang menetapkan hati kamu. Kami sekalian berdoa mudah-mudahan Allah Ta'ala menjinakan hati kamu yang liar dan Allah menaruh belas kasihan kepada kamu yang berdagang seorang diri di dalam kubur ini. Mudah-mudahan Tuhan akan memberi keampunan dan memaafkan kesalahan kamu serta menerima segala amal kebajikan kamu.
"YA Allah Ya Tuhan, kami merayu dan bermohon kepada Mu supaya tidak diseksa mayat ini dengan kemegahan penghulu kami Muhammad SAW. Subhana rabbika rabbil izzati amma yasifun wassalamun'alalmussalin walhamdulillahi rabbil alamin".
Setiap yang bernafas, pasti akan merasai mati, "Kullu nafsin zaa iqatul maut"
Firman Allah SWT didalam Surah al-A'sr(Maksudnya):
" Demi masa, sesungguhnya manusia itu benar-benar berada di dalam kerugian, kecuali orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh, yang ingat-mengingati supaya mentaati kebenaranm dan yang ingat-memperingati dengan kesabaran".
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Muslim girl’s guide for dealing with boys
Muslim girl’s guide for dealing with boys
Life is full of crazy obstacles, but the one that will probably bug you the most and always be getting in the way is the opposite gender. Here, from one sister to another, is a Muslim girl’s guide for how to deal with guys.
No Touching:
Muslims are forbidden to touch any non-Mahram person of the opposite gender (Mahram is your dad, brother, father-in-law, husband, grandfather, and your parents’ siblings). That means no patting on the back, no handshaking, no pushing, no shoving, no holding hands, and obviously no kissing and all that.
No Flirting:
Not even with Muslims. Flirting means that you’re saying or doing things on purpose that make the other person attracted to you. There’s no set criterion for what flirting is, but every girl knows what it is and how to do it.
Muslim women are supposed to be better than the kind of women who share their beauty with all men around her and who think they are worthy only if half the men they know are in love with them. A wise man once said, “Don’t start the mower unless you intend to cut the grass.” If you don’t want a guy’s advances, then don’t do anything to earn them. You really only want to marry one, good guy and spend the rest of your life with him. Chances are he won’t be the same dork you fluttered your eyelashes at in high school.
No Boyfriends:
As a Muslim, you know that having a boyfriend is Haraam because it leads to Zina – illegal sexual relationship. Allah expressly forbids romantic or sexual relationships outside of marriage. When people go against that rule, the society degenerates, people use and abuse each other, diseases spread and the sacredness of marriage as an institution is destroyed. It’s not right to date to get to know each other (that includes talking on the phone). In Islam, non-Mahram men and women aren’t allowed to be alone together.
No Boy-Friends:
The easiest way to ensure that you don’t end up falling in love with some guy before you’re ready to get married is to avoid making friends with boys. Of course, if you’re studying in a mixed school, you will have to interact with boys, but that doesn’t mean you should be best buds with them. Most relationships begin with friendships. Chances are you’re not ready for marriage and your parents won’t let you get married. Moreover, you’re still in school and your crush is not the sort of fellow you want to spend the rest of your life with, so just avoid being friends with him in the first place. It really is the best formula for saving yourself from needless temptation.
When you have to talk to boys in school, it’s best to maintain a distance. That means that you don’t confide in them and you don’t unnecessarily engage in needless conversations. Don’t joke around and never flirt. Yeah it may be a little hard, but we’re talking about your hereafter here. There are plenty of great girls all around who can be your friends and if you really think only a man will understand your problem, then talk to your brother, your father, or an uncle.
Be Disaffected:
That means that nothing a boy says will hit your nerves, make you blush, or get a reaction out of you. It also means that you are uninterested in what they do as well. Imagine yourself being in an airplane looking down at the scenery below. You’re not much interested in what’s going down there, because though it looks really nice, you’ll have to jump off the plane to really check it out. Likewise, the guy may look really nice, but to get him, you have to jump off the plane, i.e., commit spiritual suicide. Though the fall may be fun, you will eventually hit the ground and go “splat” on the Day of Judgment, or even sooner may be. It’s not worth the sin.
Remember that Allah is watching you always! Isn’t it being ungrateful to Allah’s favors? How dumb is it to take the eyes that Allah gave you and do things with them that He told you not to (like ogle at boys)? How much stupider is it that He can see you doing this, and you know it!
- Ambreen Juvale
"Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications"
Life is full of crazy obstacles, but the one that will probably bug you the most and always be getting in the way is the opposite gender. Here, from one sister to another, is a Muslim girl’s guide for how to deal with guys.
No Touching:
Muslims are forbidden to touch any non-Mahram person of the opposite gender (Mahram is your dad, brother, father-in-law, husband, grandfather, and your parents’ siblings). That means no patting on the back, no handshaking, no pushing, no shoving, no holding hands, and obviously no kissing and all that.
No Flirting:
Not even with Muslims. Flirting means that you’re saying or doing things on purpose that make the other person attracted to you. There’s no set criterion for what flirting is, but every girl knows what it is and how to do it.
Muslim women are supposed to be better than the kind of women who share their beauty with all men around her and who think they are worthy only if half the men they know are in love with them. A wise man once said, “Don’t start the mower unless you intend to cut the grass.” If you don’t want a guy’s advances, then don’t do anything to earn them. You really only want to marry one, good guy and spend the rest of your life with him. Chances are he won’t be the same dork you fluttered your eyelashes at in high school.
No Boyfriends:
As a Muslim, you know that having a boyfriend is Haraam because it leads to Zina – illegal sexual relationship. Allah expressly forbids romantic or sexual relationships outside of marriage. When people go against that rule, the society degenerates, people use and abuse each other, diseases spread and the sacredness of marriage as an institution is destroyed. It’s not right to date to get to know each other (that includes talking on the phone). In Islam, non-Mahram men and women aren’t allowed to be alone together.
No Boy-Friends:
The easiest way to ensure that you don’t end up falling in love with some guy before you’re ready to get married is to avoid making friends with boys. Of course, if you’re studying in a mixed school, you will have to interact with boys, but that doesn’t mean you should be best buds with them. Most relationships begin with friendships. Chances are you’re not ready for marriage and your parents won’t let you get married. Moreover, you’re still in school and your crush is not the sort of fellow you want to spend the rest of your life with, so just avoid being friends with him in the first place. It really is the best formula for saving yourself from needless temptation.
When you have to talk to boys in school, it’s best to maintain a distance. That means that you don’t confide in them and you don’t unnecessarily engage in needless conversations. Don’t joke around and never flirt. Yeah it may be a little hard, but we’re talking about your hereafter here. There are plenty of great girls all around who can be your friends and if you really think only a man will understand your problem, then talk to your brother, your father, or an uncle.
Be Disaffected:
That means that nothing a boy says will hit your nerves, make you blush, or get a reaction out of you. It also means that you are uninterested in what they do as well. Imagine yourself being in an airplane looking down at the scenery below. You’re not much interested in what’s going down there, because though it looks really nice, you’ll have to jump off the plane to really check it out. Likewise, the guy may look really nice, but to get him, you have to jump off the plane, i.e., commit spiritual suicide. Though the fall may be fun, you will eventually hit the ground and go “splat” on the Day of Judgment, or even sooner may be. It’s not worth the sin.
Remember that Allah is watching you always! Isn’t it being ungrateful to Allah’s favors? How dumb is it to take the eyes that Allah gave you and do things with them that He told you not to (like ogle at boys)? How much stupider is it that He can see you doing this, and you know it!
- Ambreen Juvale
"Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications"
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lessons From Life - The Pretty Lady
Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.
The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept quiet... The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her. All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet.. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.
Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'
The Moral of The Story:
This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today.
We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make
us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be
bitter or jealous .. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away.We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us.
We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony.
Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'.
We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river.
This will immediately remove all our agonies.
There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.
The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept quiet... The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her. All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet.. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.
Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'
The Moral of The Story:
This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today.
We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make
us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be
bitter or jealous .. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away.We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us.
We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony.
Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'.
We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river.
This will immediately remove all our agonies.
There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu 'alayhi wassallam: His manners and disposition
"By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been stern and ill-tempered, they would have dispersed from round about you" (translation of Qur'an 3:159)
About himself the prophet (pbuh) said
"Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment."
(Malik, Mawatta; Ahmed, Musnad; Mishkat)
---------------------------------------------------
Assalamu'alaikum to Muslim brothers & sisters, and greetings to all friends.
The above is the preamble of a greater topic, sent by a Facebook friend from "الله-Daily Reminders-الله". The topic is on:
Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu 'alayhi wassallam : His manners and disposition
source: from Athar Husain's Book "The Message of Mohammad"
[ www.AbdurRahman.org ]
I am humbled by the examples shown by Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), by having this reproduce in my Blog, I hope to be reminded from time to time when I read it.
And If I am able to live, even by a small fraction of the examples shown by the Prophet (Pbuh), then it will be a big achievement for me in my quest to seek Allah understanding and acceptance of all He has commanded, through the life of our Prophet (Pbuh):
Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu 'alayhi wassallam: His manners and disposition
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
By nature he was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be gracious and to overlook the faults of others. Politeness and courtesy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and sincerity were some of the keynotes of his character. In the cause of right and justice he could be resolute and severe but more often than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He had charming manners which won him the affection of his followers and secured their devotion. Though virtual king of Arabia and an apostle of Allah, he never assumed an air of superiority. Not that he had to conceal any such vein by practice and artifice: with fear of Allah, sincere humility was ingrained in his heart. He used to say,
"I am a Prophet of Allah but I do not know what will be my end." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Al-Janaiz")
In one of his sermons calculated to instill the fear of Allah and the day of reckoning in the hearts of men, he said,
"O people of Quraish be prepared for the hereafter, I cannot save you from the punishment of Allah; O Bani Abd Manaf, I cannot save you from Allah; O Abbas, son of Abdul Mutalib, I cannot protect you either; O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, even you I cannot save." (Sahahin)
He used to pray,
"O Allah! I am but a man. If I hurt any one in any manner, then forgive me and do not punish me." (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 6 pg. 103)
He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to older people and stated:
"To honor an old man is to show respect to Allah."
He would not deny courtesy even to wicked persons. It is stated that a person came to his house and asked permission for admission. The prophet (pbuh) remarked that he was not a good person but might be admitted. When he came in and while he remained in the house, he was shown full courtesy. When he left Aiysha (ra) said,
"You did not think well of this man, but you treated him so well."
The prophet (pbuh) replied,
"He is a bad person in the sight of Allah who does not behave courteously and people shun his company bacause of his bad manners." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)
He was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished (Abu Dawud, Tirmizi). He did not like people to get up for him and used to say,
"Let him who likes people to stand up in his honour, he should seek a place in hell." (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab, Muhammadi Press, Delhi).
He would himself, however, stand up when any dignitary came to him. He had stood up to receive the wet nurse who had reared him in infancy and had spread his own sheet for her. His foster brother was given similar treatment. He avoided sitting at a prominent place in a gathering, so much so that people coming in had difficulty in spotting him and had to ask which was the Prophet (pbuh). Quite frequently uncouth bedouins accosted him in their own gruff and impolite manner but he never took offence. (Abu Dawud Kitabul Atama).
He used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all muslims to do likewise (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Attendance on ailing persons"). He would sit with the humblest of persons saying that righteousness alone was the criterion of one's superiority over another. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals (Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi).
Whenever he visited a person he would first greet him and then take his permission to enter the house. He advised the people to follow this etiquette and not to get annoyed if anyone declined to give permission, for it was quite likely the person concerned was busy otherwise and did not mean any disrespect (Ibid).
There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him. Aiysha (ra) has stated,
"He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping." (Qazi Iyaz: Shifa; Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter: Kitabul Adab)
He would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and widows (Nasi, Darmi). Once when there was no male member in the house of the companion Kabab Bin Arat who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants (Ibn Saad Vol. 6, p 213).
------------------------------------------
How beautiful were the examples of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).....!!
Today, I have made it a personal conviction to go through this daily reminder before I start my day, and I pray to Allah to give me the strength & guidance so that I may not forget. And if I do forget, please Allah, awaken me to the right path, for I am just Your servant who is imperfect. I have many imperfections, one of which is forgetfullness.
O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for my parents, my parents-in-law, my teachers, my wife, my children, my siblings, my relatives, all my Muslim Brothers & Sisters, and I seek Your forgiveness for myself too...Ameeen.
About himself the prophet (pbuh) said
"Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment."
(Malik, Mawatta; Ahmed, Musnad; Mishkat)
---------------------------------------------------
Assalamu'alaikum to Muslim brothers & sisters, and greetings to all friends.
The above is the preamble of a greater topic, sent by a Facebook friend from "الله-Daily Reminders-الله". The topic is on:
Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu 'alayhi wassallam : His manners and disposition
source: from Athar Husain's Book "The Message of Mohammad"
[ www.AbdurRahman.org ]
I am humbled by the examples shown by Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), by having this reproduce in my Blog, I hope to be reminded from time to time when I read it.
And If I am able to live, even by a small fraction of the examples shown by the Prophet (Pbuh), then it will be a big achievement for me in my quest to seek Allah understanding and acceptance of all He has commanded, through the life of our Prophet (Pbuh):
Prophet Muhammad salAllaahu 'alayhi wassallam: His manners and disposition
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
By nature he was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be gracious and to overlook the faults of others. Politeness and courtesy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and sincerity were some of the keynotes of his character. In the cause of right and justice he could be resolute and severe but more often than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He had charming manners which won him the affection of his followers and secured their devotion. Though virtual king of Arabia and an apostle of Allah, he never assumed an air of superiority. Not that he had to conceal any such vein by practice and artifice: with fear of Allah, sincere humility was ingrained in his heart. He used to say,
"I am a Prophet of Allah but I do not know what will be my end." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Al-Janaiz")
In one of his sermons calculated to instill the fear of Allah and the day of reckoning in the hearts of men, he said,
"O people of Quraish be prepared for the hereafter, I cannot save you from the punishment of Allah; O Bani Abd Manaf, I cannot save you from Allah; O Abbas, son of Abdul Mutalib, I cannot protect you either; O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, even you I cannot save." (Sahahin)
He used to pray,
"O Allah! I am but a man. If I hurt any one in any manner, then forgive me and do not punish me." (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 6 pg. 103)
He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to older people and stated:
"To honor an old man is to show respect to Allah."
He would not deny courtesy even to wicked persons. It is stated that a person came to his house and asked permission for admission. The prophet (pbuh) remarked that he was not a good person but might be admitted. When he came in and while he remained in the house, he was shown full courtesy. When he left Aiysha (ra) said,
"You did not think well of this man, but you treated him so well."
The prophet (pbuh) replied,
"He is a bad person in the sight of Allah who does not behave courteously and people shun his company bacause of his bad manners." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)
He was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished (Abu Dawud, Tirmizi). He did not like people to get up for him and used to say,
"Let him who likes people to stand up in his honour, he should seek a place in hell." (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab, Muhammadi Press, Delhi).
He would himself, however, stand up when any dignitary came to him. He had stood up to receive the wet nurse who had reared him in infancy and had spread his own sheet for her. His foster brother was given similar treatment. He avoided sitting at a prominent place in a gathering, so much so that people coming in had difficulty in spotting him and had to ask which was the Prophet (pbuh). Quite frequently uncouth bedouins accosted him in their own gruff and impolite manner but he never took offence. (Abu Dawud Kitabul Atama).
He used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all muslims to do likewise (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Attendance on ailing persons"). He would sit with the humblest of persons saying that righteousness alone was the criterion of one's superiority over another. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals (Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi).
Whenever he visited a person he would first greet him and then take his permission to enter the house. He advised the people to follow this etiquette and not to get annoyed if anyone declined to give permission, for it was quite likely the person concerned was busy otherwise and did not mean any disrespect (Ibid).
There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him. Aiysha (ra) has stated,
"He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping." (Qazi Iyaz: Shifa; Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter: Kitabul Adab)
He would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and widows (Nasi, Darmi). Once when there was no male member in the house of the companion Kabab Bin Arat who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants (Ibn Saad Vol. 6, p 213).
------------------------------------------
How beautiful were the examples of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).....!!
Today, I have made it a personal conviction to go through this daily reminder before I start my day, and I pray to Allah to give me the strength & guidance so that I may not forget. And if I do forget, please Allah, awaken me to the right path, for I am just Your servant who is imperfect. I have many imperfections, one of which is forgetfullness.
O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for my parents, my parents-in-law, my teachers, my wife, my children, my siblings, my relatives, all my Muslim Brothers & Sisters, and I seek Your forgiveness for myself too...Ameeen.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Why She Won't Wear Hijab! A Discussion by A.Q. Alidost
It all started when I tried to explain to a relative, the need for Muslim women to wear the hijab/tudung. I was of course having a difficult time facing a defensive brickwall....
Then suddenly, another friend, a European Muslim convert female, sent me this link:
http://www.islamtomorrow.com/articles/Hijab_she_wont_wear.asp
from the website, Islamtomorrow.
The article, provide a clear explanation & understanding why a Muslim woman must wear the hijab... It is educational....a must read for all Muslimin & Muslimah.
This Article, For Muslims & Non-Muslims - Harsh Questions, Real Answers!
May Allah bestow upon the person who created the above website, with good health & success in this life & there after, ameennn..!!
Title: A conversation for Muslim sisters
---------------------------------------
"I'm so tired."
"Tired of what?"
"Of all these people judging me."
"Who judged you?"
"Like that woman, every time I sit with her, she tells me to wear hijab."
"Oh, hijab and music! The mother of all topics!"
"Yeah! I listen to music without hijab…haha!"
"Maybe she was just giving you advice."
"I don't need her advice. I know my religion. Can`t she mind her own
business?"
"Maybe you misunderstood. She was just being nice."
"Keeping out of my business, that would be nice..."
"But it's her duty to encourage you do to good."
"Trust me. That was no encouragement. And what do you mean `good` ?"
"Well, wearing hijab, that would be a good thing to do."
"Says who?"
"It's in the Qur'an, isn't it?"
"Yes. She did quote me something."
"She said Surah Nur, and other places of the Qur'an."
"Yes, but it's not a big sin anyway. Helping people and praying is more
important."
"True. But big things start with small things."
"That's a good point, but what you wear is not important. What's important
is to have a good healthy heart."
"What you wear is not important?"
"That's what I said."
"Then why do you spend an hour every morning fixing up?"
"What do you mean?"
"You spend money on cosmetics, not to mention all the time you spend on
fixing your hair and low-carb dieting."
"So?"
"So, your appearance IS important."
"No. I said wearing hijab is not an important thing in religion."
"If it's not an important thing in religion, why is it mentioned in the Holy
Qur'an?"
"You know I can't follow all that's in Qur'an."
"You mean God tells you something to do, you disobey and then it's OK?"
"Yes. God is forgiving."
"God is forgiving to those who repent and do not repeat their mistakes."
"Says who?"
"Says the same book that tells you to cover."
"But I don't like hijab, it limits my freedom."
"But the lotions, lipsticks, mascara and other cosmetics set you free?!
What`s your definition of freedom anyway?"
"Freedom is in doing whatever you like to do."
"No. Freedom is in doing the right thing, not in doing whatever we wish to do."
"Look! I've seen so many people who don't wear hijab and are nice people, and so many who wear hijab and are bad people."
"So what? There are people who are nice to you but are alcoholic. Should we all be alcoholics? You made a stupid point."
"I don't want to be an extremist or a fanatic. I'm OK the way I am without hijab."
"Then you are a secular fanatic. An extremist in disobeying God."
"You don't get it, if I wear hijab, who would marry me?!"
"So all these people with hijab never get married?!"
"Okay! What if I get married and my husband doesn't like it? And wants me to remove it?"
"What if your husband wants you to go out with him on a bank robbery?!"
"That's irrelevant, bank robbery is a crime."
"Disobeying your Creator is not a crime?"
"But then who would hire me?"
"A company that respects people for who they are."
"Not after 9-11"
"Yes. After 9-11. Don't you know about Hanan who just got into med school?
And the other one, what was her name, the girl who always wore a white hijab…ummm…"
"Yasmeen?"
"Yes. Yasmeen. She just finished her MBA and is now interning for GE."
"Why do you reduce religion to a piece of cloth anyway?"
"Why do you reduce womanhood to high heals and lipstick colors?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"In fact, I did. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth. It is obeying God in a difficult environment. It is courage, faith in action, and true womanhood.
But your short sleeves, tight pants…"
"That's called `fashion`, you live in a cave or
something? First of all, hijab was founded by men who wanted to control
women."
"Really? I did not know men could control women by hijab."
"Yes. That's what it is."
"What about the women who fight their husbands to wear hijab? And women in France who are forced to remove their hijab by men? What do you say about that?"
"Well, that's different."
"What difference? The woman who asked you to wear hijab…she was a woman, right?"
"Right, but…"
"But fashions that are designed and promoted by male-dominated corporations, set you free? Men have no control on exposing women and using them as a commodity?! Give me a break!"
"Wait, let me finish, I was saying…"
"Saying what? You think that men control women by hijab?"
"Yes."
"Specifically how?"
"By telling women how and what to wear, dummy!"
"Doesn't TV, magazines and movies tell you what to wear, and how to be `attractive'?"
"Of course, it's fashion."
"Isn't that control? Pressuring you to wear what they want you to wear?"
[Silence]
"Not just controlling you, but also controlling the market."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you are told to look skinny and anorexic like that woman on the cover of the magazine, by men who design those magazines and sell those products."
"I don't get it. What does hijab have to do with products."
"It has everything to do with that. Don't you see? Hijab is a threat to consumerism, women who spend billions of dollars to look skinny and live by standards of fashion designed by men…and then here is Islam, saying trash all that nonsense and focus on your soul, not on your looks, and do not worry what men think of your looks."
"Like I don't have to buy hijab? Isn't hijab a product?"
"Yes, it is. It is a product that sets you free from male-dominated consumerism."
"Stop lecturing me! I WILL NOT WEAR HIJAB!
It is awkward, outdated, and totally not suitable for this society ... Moreover, I am only 20 and too young to wear hijab!"
"Fine. Say that to your Lord, when you face Him on Judgment Day."
"Fine."
"Fine."
[Silence]
"Shut up and I don't want to hear more about hijab niqab schmijab Punjab!"
[Silence]
She stared at the mirror, tired of arguing with herself all this time.
Successful enough, she managed to shut the voices in her head, with her own opinions triumphant in victory on the matter, and a final modern decision accepted by the society - but rejected by the Faith:
"Yes!" - to curls on the hair - "No!" - to hijab!
"And he (/she) is indeed a failure who corrupts it [the soul]!"
[Holy Quran 91:10]
Subhana'Allah!!!
"Nay! You prefer the life of this world; While the hereafter is better and more lasting."
[Holy Quran: 87:16-17]
"You are the best community (Ummah) raised up for (the benefit of) humanity; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah."
[Holy Quran: 3:110]
Then suddenly, another friend, a European Muslim convert female, sent me this link:
http://www.islamtomorrow.com/articles/Hijab_she_wont_wear.asp
from the website, Islamtomorrow.
The article, provide a clear explanation & understanding why a Muslim woman must wear the hijab... It is educational....a must read for all Muslimin & Muslimah.
This Article, For Muslims & Non-Muslims - Harsh Questions, Real Answers!
May Allah bestow upon the person who created the above website, with good health & success in this life & there after, ameennn..!!
Title: A conversation for Muslim sisters
---------------------------------------
"I'm so tired."
"Tired of what?"
"Of all these people judging me."
"Who judged you?"
"Like that woman, every time I sit with her, she tells me to wear hijab."
"Oh, hijab and music! The mother of all topics!"
"Yeah! I listen to music without hijab…haha!"
"Maybe she was just giving you advice."
"I don't need her advice. I know my religion. Can`t she mind her own
business?"
"Maybe you misunderstood. She was just being nice."
"Keeping out of my business, that would be nice..."
"But it's her duty to encourage you do to good."
"Trust me. That was no encouragement. And what do you mean `good` ?"
"Well, wearing hijab, that would be a good thing to do."
"Says who?"
"It's in the Qur'an, isn't it?"
"Yes. She did quote me something."
"She said Surah Nur, and other places of the Qur'an."
"Yes, but it's not a big sin anyway. Helping people and praying is more
important."
"True. But big things start with small things."
"That's a good point, but what you wear is not important. What's important
is to have a good healthy heart."
"What you wear is not important?"
"That's what I said."
"Then why do you spend an hour every morning fixing up?"
"What do you mean?"
"You spend money on cosmetics, not to mention all the time you spend on
fixing your hair and low-carb dieting."
"So?"
"So, your appearance IS important."
"No. I said wearing hijab is not an important thing in religion."
"If it's not an important thing in religion, why is it mentioned in the Holy
Qur'an?"
"You know I can't follow all that's in Qur'an."
"You mean God tells you something to do, you disobey and then it's OK?"
"Yes. God is forgiving."
"God is forgiving to those who repent and do not repeat their mistakes."
"Says who?"
"Says the same book that tells you to cover."
"But I don't like hijab, it limits my freedom."
"But the lotions, lipsticks, mascara and other cosmetics set you free?!
What`s your definition of freedom anyway?"
"Freedom is in doing whatever you like to do."
"No. Freedom is in doing the right thing, not in doing whatever we wish to do."
"Look! I've seen so many people who don't wear hijab and are nice people, and so many who wear hijab and are bad people."
"So what? There are people who are nice to you but are alcoholic. Should we all be alcoholics? You made a stupid point."
"I don't want to be an extremist or a fanatic. I'm OK the way I am without hijab."
"Then you are a secular fanatic. An extremist in disobeying God."
"You don't get it, if I wear hijab, who would marry me?!"
"So all these people with hijab never get married?!"
"Okay! What if I get married and my husband doesn't like it? And wants me to remove it?"
"What if your husband wants you to go out with him on a bank robbery?!"
"That's irrelevant, bank robbery is a crime."
"Disobeying your Creator is not a crime?"
"But then who would hire me?"
"A company that respects people for who they are."
"Not after 9-11"
"Yes. After 9-11. Don't you know about Hanan who just got into med school?
And the other one, what was her name, the girl who always wore a white hijab…ummm…"
"Yasmeen?"
"Yes. Yasmeen. She just finished her MBA and is now interning for GE."
"Why do you reduce religion to a piece of cloth anyway?"
"Why do you reduce womanhood to high heals and lipstick colors?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"In fact, I did. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth. It is obeying God in a difficult environment. It is courage, faith in action, and true womanhood.
But your short sleeves, tight pants…"
"That's called `fashion`, you live in a cave or
something? First of all, hijab was founded by men who wanted to control
women."
"Really? I did not know men could control women by hijab."
"Yes. That's what it is."
"What about the women who fight their husbands to wear hijab? And women in France who are forced to remove their hijab by men? What do you say about that?"
"Well, that's different."
"What difference? The woman who asked you to wear hijab…she was a woman, right?"
"Right, but…"
"But fashions that are designed and promoted by male-dominated corporations, set you free? Men have no control on exposing women and using them as a commodity?! Give me a break!"
"Wait, let me finish, I was saying…"
"Saying what? You think that men control women by hijab?"
"Yes."
"Specifically how?"
"By telling women how and what to wear, dummy!"
"Doesn't TV, magazines and movies tell you what to wear, and how to be `attractive'?"
"Of course, it's fashion."
"Isn't that control? Pressuring you to wear what they want you to wear?"
[Silence]
"Not just controlling you, but also controlling the market."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you are told to look skinny and anorexic like that woman on the cover of the magazine, by men who design those magazines and sell those products."
"I don't get it. What does hijab have to do with products."
"It has everything to do with that. Don't you see? Hijab is a threat to consumerism, women who spend billions of dollars to look skinny and live by standards of fashion designed by men…and then here is Islam, saying trash all that nonsense and focus on your soul, not on your looks, and do not worry what men think of your looks."
"Like I don't have to buy hijab? Isn't hijab a product?"
"Yes, it is. It is a product that sets you free from male-dominated consumerism."
"Stop lecturing me! I WILL NOT WEAR HIJAB!
It is awkward, outdated, and totally not suitable for this society ... Moreover, I am only 20 and too young to wear hijab!"
"Fine. Say that to your Lord, when you face Him on Judgment Day."
"Fine."
"Fine."
[Silence]
"Shut up and I don't want to hear more about hijab niqab schmijab Punjab!"
[Silence]
She stared at the mirror, tired of arguing with herself all this time.
Successful enough, she managed to shut the voices in her head, with her own opinions triumphant in victory on the matter, and a final modern decision accepted by the society - but rejected by the Faith:
"Yes!" - to curls on the hair - "No!" - to hijab!
"And he (/she) is indeed a failure who corrupts it [the soul]!"
[Holy Quran 91:10]
Subhana'Allah!!!
"Nay! You prefer the life of this world; While the hereafter is better and more lasting."
[Holy Quran: 87:16-17]
"You are the best community (Ummah) raised up for (the benefit of) humanity; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah."
[Holy Quran: 3:110]
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The time has come for you to leave the nest.....
"Anak ku (my son) Nabil Aizat, the time has come for you to leave the nest....".
Today is the 3rd day, that Nabil found his way to Cologne, Germany, to start his journey as a university student for the next 5++ years. May Allah provide him the strength, guidance and good health to face the challenges that lie ahead.....
In not so many words, the following are my thoughts to my son ....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear anak ku Nabil Aizat.
Rightfully so, as you have mentioned, "The time has come for you to leave the nest".
Anak ku. To be successful in life, always remember that we can plan our efforts real well, however it is the will of ALLAH to make it happen or not.
Therefore, the first rule in all your effort, it is very important to HAVE & MANIFEST the
- Required attitude,
- Willingness to do
- Knowledge to execute, and
- Skill to perform.
With the above attributes, and Bismillah hirRahman nirRahim (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Ever Merciful), then proceed to fly and soar anak ku...higher and higher... to the best of your ability.
Do it, not for me or anyone else, but to serve The AlMighty Allah.
Anak ku Nabil Aizat, your guiding principles will always be your "Values System".
And your values system, come from the following elements:
1. Religious beliefs,
2. Personal beliefs,
4. Educational beliefs, and
5. Upbringing
Nurture them well, because in whatever situation you are in, you are always guided to make the right decision & right action, insyaAllah.
Anak ku, awaken your day:
With a prayer & ask for His guidance!
Greet everyone & every time with a smile!
Give everybody the best of yourself!
Plan & organize your day!
Action right away!
Trust that everything will be ok!
Go with happiness!
Give your best!
Help others who are less fortunate than you!
Anak ku.
Integrate good personal attributes in all activities & turn them into ‘meaningful’ actions.
Give ‘enchanting’, not ‘denting’ experience to the people that you meet in your life.
Last but not least, always be reminded,
THE HUMAN VALUES (NILAI-NILAI KEMANUSIAAN)THAT WE CARRY WITH US, & HOW WE MANIFEST (DEMONSTRATE) THEM IN OUR LIFE,
OUR WORK & TO OTHERS,
THOSE ARE THE LEGACIES THAT WE WILL LEAVE BEHIND.
THEY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED,
EVEN AFTER WE HAVE BEEN LONG GONE..
Anak ku, you Mom & I... we pray for your good health, & may Allah The All Mighty protect you & guide you to through the right path, Ameen.
Go in peace anak ku Nabil Aizat...
With our prayers, millions of love & hugs, go anak ku, to perform your responsibilities & duties...
- Your loving Mak & Ayah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And may this advice serve to remind me too, of my responsibilities & duties, insyaAllah......
Today is the 3rd day, that Nabil found his way to Cologne, Germany, to start his journey as a university student for the next 5++ years. May Allah provide him the strength, guidance and good health to face the challenges that lie ahead.....
In not so many words, the following are my thoughts to my son ....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear anak ku Nabil Aizat.
Rightfully so, as you have mentioned, "The time has come for you to leave the nest".
Anak ku. To be successful in life, always remember that we can plan our efforts real well, however it is the will of ALLAH to make it happen or not.
Therefore, the first rule in all your effort, it is very important to HAVE & MANIFEST the
- Required attitude,
- Willingness to do
- Knowledge to execute, and
- Skill to perform.
With the above attributes, and Bismillah hirRahman nirRahim (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Ever Merciful), then proceed to fly and soar anak ku...higher and higher... to the best of your ability.
Do it, not for me or anyone else, but to serve The AlMighty Allah.
Anak ku Nabil Aizat, your guiding principles will always be your "Values System".
And your values system, come from the following elements:
1. Religious beliefs,
2. Personal beliefs,
4. Educational beliefs, and
5. Upbringing
Nurture them well, because in whatever situation you are in, you are always guided to make the right decision & right action, insyaAllah.
Anak ku, awaken your day:
With a prayer & ask for His guidance!
Greet everyone & every time with a smile!
Give everybody the best of yourself!
Plan & organize your day!
Action right away!
Trust that everything will be ok!
Go with happiness!
Give your best!
Help others who are less fortunate than you!
Anak ku.
Integrate good personal attributes in all activities & turn them into ‘meaningful’ actions.
Give ‘enchanting’, not ‘denting’ experience to the people that you meet in your life.
Last but not least, always be reminded,
THE HUMAN VALUES (NILAI-NILAI KEMANUSIAAN)THAT WE CARRY WITH US, & HOW WE MANIFEST (DEMONSTRATE) THEM IN OUR LIFE,
OUR WORK & TO OTHERS,
THOSE ARE THE LEGACIES THAT WE WILL LEAVE BEHIND.
THEY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED,
EVEN AFTER WE HAVE BEEN LONG GONE..
Anak ku, you Mom & I... we pray for your good health, & may Allah The All Mighty protect you & guide you to through the right path, Ameen.
Go in peace anak ku Nabil Aizat...
With our prayers, millions of love & hugs, go anak ku, to perform your responsibilities & duties...
- Your loving Mak & Ayah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And may this advice serve to remind me too, of my responsibilities & duties, insyaAllah......
Monday, January 04, 2010
A Tip - Learning The Holy Qur'an Thru Internet
Assalamu'alaikum brothers, sisters... Muslim & Non-Muslim alike.
I would like to share a few site, that allows you to open & some to download the complete Holy Al-Qur'an, complete with simple explanation on how to learn & acquire the basic reading skills. I would suggest that you go through every site that I have listed below, then you decide the one that will suit your need, InsyaAllah.
Before you proceed, you might want to listen to these beautiful Quran recitals by 2 young Arab boys, listen with your heart...!!
InsyaAllah, one day you will be able to read the way they did too...
Listen to a Young boy reading quran with a beautiful voice:
Listen to UMIT HUSSEIN NEJAD A recitation in Pakistan by an Iranian young boy The boy recites Surah 93 of the Quran:
DOWNLOADS - LEARNING HOW TO READ THE AL-QURAN WEBSITES:
My recommendation is this one, because it has English Transliteration, to help in earning how to pronounce correctly. You can use this application to read and learn Quran offline without the need for an internet connection, after you have downloaded:
http://www.quranflash.com/en/download/index.html (146mb)
Other sites that might serve your needs:
http://www.jannah.com/quran/flash/quranflash.html (listen & read only)
http://www.allahsquran.com/free/ (free Al-Qur'an for non-Muslim & new Muslim in USA)
http://www.freequran.com/html/front.htm (Order free Al-Qur'an or read)
Once you have understood the basics, then you will be blessed with better reading skills (InsyaAllah)if you could find a proper ustaz (islamic teacher) to guide you further on the Tajweed and proper pronunciation. Your local mosque or Islamic Councils is your point of contact.
I hope this small information be of some help to those who are searching for a simple learning aid though the internet.
May Allah bless the persons who has taken their time to come up with the above websites, so that we may benefit, Ameen.
I would like to share a few site, that allows you to open & some to download the complete Holy Al-Qur'an, complete with simple explanation on how to learn & acquire the basic reading skills. I would suggest that you go through every site that I have listed below, then you decide the one that will suit your need, InsyaAllah.
Before you proceed, you might want to listen to these beautiful Quran recitals by 2 young Arab boys, listen with your heart...!!
InsyaAllah, one day you will be able to read the way they did too...
Listen to a Young boy reading quran with a beautiful voice:
Listen to UMIT HUSSEIN NEJAD A recitation in Pakistan by an Iranian young boy The boy recites Surah 93 of the Quran:
DOWNLOADS - LEARNING HOW TO READ THE AL-QURAN WEBSITES:
My recommendation is this one, because it has English Transliteration, to help in earning how to pronounce correctly. You can use this application to read and learn Quran offline without the need for an internet connection, after you have downloaded:
http://www.quranflash.com/en/download/index.html (146mb)
Other sites that might serve your needs:
http://www.jannah.com/quran/flash/quranflash.html (listen & read only)
http://www.allahsquran.com/free/ (free Al-Qur'an for non-Muslim & new Muslim in USA)
http://www.freequran.com/html/front.htm (Order free Al-Qur'an or read)
Once you have understood the basics, then you will be blessed with better reading skills (InsyaAllah)if you could find a proper ustaz (islamic teacher) to guide you further on the Tajweed and proper pronunciation. Your local mosque or Islamic Councils is your point of contact.
I hope this small information be of some help to those who are searching for a simple learning aid though the internet.
May Allah bless the persons who has taken their time to come up with the above websites, so that we may benefit, Ameen.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Good Values Through The Power of Story Telling - Make It R.E.A.L
Good day friends.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there live a family of Onions.
Interval Notes:
In the old days I was told, all plants could talk.... maybe it was true.., because even now, some people talk back to their plant & flowers...!!
The plants & flowers also have hands & feet!
But now, all the hands & feet are gone, and they also lost the ability to talk. Don't know why, but if you wish to know more, then I'd suggest that u look up the internet ...It's there somewhere...i think...!!
Anyway, the father Onion was known as Bawang Besar (Big Onion), the mother Onion was known as Bawang Putih (White Onion), their only son was known as Bawang Kecik & their only daughter was known as Bawang Merah (Red Onion).
They were a very happy family.
Bawang Besar & Bawang Putih always respect each other in their talk.
They hold hands and stayed close to each other in their walk.
There were lots of love in the family of Mr. Bawang Besar.
Bawang Besar the husband, never fail to kiss his wife before leaving for work, and in return, Bawang Putih, the wife never fail to kiss her husband's right hand.
There were also lots of happiness & smiles too in the family....
Always respecting each other in the way they communicate.
Always hugging each other whenever they meet & to show affection.
The children, Bawang Kecik the son & Bawang Merah the daughter, would hug & kiss their parents before going off to school.
As brother and sister, Bawang Kecik & Bawang Merah always willingly help one another, always sharing toys, and never fighting over small matters.
Being family of Onions, shedding tears of joy or tears of happiness come naturally to all of them...obviously!!
The moral of the above story..... through the eyes of my children, are many!!
You see, through simple parables, the above is one of the ways that I knew then, to instill human values in my children. I read parables to Danial and Amin when they were kids. When they grew up, it was then to Nabil & Zalikha.
It was through bedtime stories like this that I too, learned from my father and mother how to to be the person that I am now. Parables simulate interest, in adults as well as children. Parables could be use to provide strong messages. Parables also provide simple guiding principles in our everyday action and decision making. And parables are easily remembered for many many years.
Values can be taught, and could be learn through simple means. One of the means is through the power of parables. I found that values cannot be enforced but they need to be instilled, internalized, inculcated and integrated via the application of R.E.A.L action and examples.
Those were my simple routine, just before calling it a day, lying in bed with my child in each arm, and their heads resting on my chest close to my heart, the story telling begin and the world of fantasy came alive!!
It was almost the same characters everynight, but I never fail to get questions like:
"Did Bawang Merah help her mom in the kitchen?"
"Did Bawang Kecik have many friends?"
"When the their mom is sick, who cook for them?"
"Did they sweep the floor everyday?"
and etc...etc.... and many much more about stimulating questions, sometimes until I FELL ASLEEP...hehehe!!
Then they would wake me up and asked me to continue... or just shake me up until i was sober enough to give them the answer that they want..... such was the power of parables!!
And what are R.E.A.L actions and examples?
It is the application of Respond, Etiquette, Alive, Love in our daily interactions and activities with others, or in the performance of a task.
R is for a sincere RESPOND & show of RESPECT to others with simple greeting and/or with a smile. When we acknowledge the presence of others, it makes them feel at home!
E is for Etiquette, by acknowledging / addressing others with due formality when required or affectionately when due. It also about our attitude...how we carry ourselves...with pleasantries or with a snobbish outlook.
A is for Alive!. Deliver our speech, conversation and tasks with zest & enthusiasm...show it! It makes others feel that they are important and that you care to go that extra mile willingly and with great sincerity.
L is for Love & Compassion (..dengan kasih dan sayang)! When we internalize and intergrate love & compassion in all our activities and the things that we do, we tend to do it from the bottom of our heart.
The spirit of caring for others and delivering it with sincerity is part of communication. It also makes us more human..!!
As human beings we are not perfect. We make mistake, learn from it & stand to be corrected. We must therefore strive to be a better human being, have good relationship with other human beings.
I hope that I am always reminded of those positive Human Values every time I talk and write about them. And today I hope I have manage to share this reminder with all readers, through the 'Power of Story Telling & R.E.A.L'
Last but not least, always remember..
The VALUES that we carry with us…
& how we manifest (demonstrate) them in our life & our work….
Those are LEGACIES that we will leave behind…
…& Will always be remembered
even after we have been long gone ….
This is a picture of my mother (She passed away in July 2007). A source of inspiration & compassion for the family. She left behind a legacy, touching the hearts of many who are not as fortunate as many of us. She had a generous smile and always ever willing to listen. At the age of 80, She learned to speak English at the age of 80. Joined Cosway as an agent when she was 70 or 75 yrs old. I think she must have been the oldest MLM agent that I know...
That's my loving wife & me.
This is my 1st born son, Danial Aizat. He is the 1st protector to all his siblings.
My other children (from left), Nabil Aizat, Zalikha Aliah & Amin Aizat.
Zalikha with Shazmeen Hashim, affectionately known as Meen, our daughter-in-law.
We are one as a family and together, we are pillars of love & strength to each other...
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there live a family of Onions.
Interval Notes:
In the old days I was told, all plants could talk.... maybe it was true.., because even now, some people talk back to their plant & flowers...!!
The plants & flowers also have hands & feet!
But now, all the hands & feet are gone, and they also lost the ability to talk. Don't know why, but if you wish to know more, then I'd suggest that u look up the internet ...It's there somewhere...i think...!!
Anyway, the father Onion was known as Bawang Besar (Big Onion), the mother Onion was known as Bawang Putih (White Onion), their only son was known as Bawang Kecik & their only daughter was known as Bawang Merah (Red Onion).
They were a very happy family.
Bawang Besar & Bawang Putih always respect each other in their talk.
They hold hands and stayed close to each other in their walk.
There were lots of love in the family of Mr. Bawang Besar.
Bawang Besar the husband, never fail to kiss his wife before leaving for work, and in return, Bawang Putih, the wife never fail to kiss her husband's right hand.
There were also lots of happiness & smiles too in the family....
Always respecting each other in the way they communicate.
Always hugging each other whenever they meet & to show affection.
The children, Bawang Kecik the son & Bawang Merah the daughter, would hug & kiss their parents before going off to school.
As brother and sister, Bawang Kecik & Bawang Merah always willingly help one another, always sharing toys, and never fighting over small matters.
Being family of Onions, shedding tears of joy or tears of happiness come naturally to all of them...obviously!!
The moral of the above story..... through the eyes of my children, are many!!
You see, through simple parables, the above is one of the ways that I knew then, to instill human values in my children. I read parables to Danial and Amin when they were kids. When they grew up, it was then to Nabil & Zalikha.
It was through bedtime stories like this that I too, learned from my father and mother how to to be the person that I am now. Parables simulate interest, in adults as well as children. Parables could be use to provide strong messages. Parables also provide simple guiding principles in our everyday action and decision making. And parables are easily remembered for many many years.
Values can be taught, and could be learn through simple means. One of the means is through the power of parables. I found that values cannot be enforced but they need to be instilled, internalized, inculcated and integrated via the application of R.E.A.L action and examples.
Those were my simple routine, just before calling it a day, lying in bed with my child in each arm, and their heads resting on my chest close to my heart, the story telling begin and the world of fantasy came alive!!
It was almost the same characters everynight, but I never fail to get questions like:
"Did Bawang Merah help her mom in the kitchen?"
"Did Bawang Kecik have many friends?"
"When the their mom is sick, who cook for them?"
"Did they sweep the floor everyday?"
and etc...etc.... and many much more about stimulating questions, sometimes until I FELL ASLEEP...hehehe!!
Then they would wake me up and asked me to continue... or just shake me up until i was sober enough to give them the answer that they want..... such was the power of parables!!
And what are R.E.A.L actions and examples?
It is the application of Respond, Etiquette, Alive, Love in our daily interactions and activities with others, or in the performance of a task.
R is for a sincere RESPOND & show of RESPECT to others with simple greeting and/or with a smile. When we acknowledge the presence of others, it makes them feel at home!
E is for Etiquette, by acknowledging / addressing others with due formality when required or affectionately when due. It also about our attitude...how we carry ourselves...with pleasantries or with a snobbish outlook.
A is for Alive!. Deliver our speech, conversation and tasks with zest & enthusiasm...show it! It makes others feel that they are important and that you care to go that extra mile willingly and with great sincerity.
L is for Love & Compassion (..dengan kasih dan sayang)! When we internalize and intergrate love & compassion in all our activities and the things that we do, we tend to do it from the bottom of our heart.
The spirit of caring for others and delivering it with sincerity is part of communication. It also makes us more human..!!
As human beings we are not perfect. We make mistake, learn from it & stand to be corrected. We must therefore strive to be a better human being, have good relationship with other human beings.
I hope that I am always reminded of those positive Human Values every time I talk and write about them. And today I hope I have manage to share this reminder with all readers, through the 'Power of Story Telling & R.E.A.L'
Last but not least, always remember..
The VALUES that we carry with us…
& how we manifest (demonstrate) them in our life & our work….
Those are LEGACIES that we will leave behind…
…& Will always be remembered
even after we have been long gone ….
This is a picture of my mother (She passed away in July 2007). A source of inspiration & compassion for the family. She left behind a legacy, touching the hearts of many who are not as fortunate as many of us. She had a generous smile and always ever willing to listen. At the age of 80, She learned to speak English at the age of 80. Joined Cosway as an agent when she was 70 or 75 yrs old. I think she must have been the oldest MLM agent that I know...
That's my loving wife & me.
This is my 1st born son, Danial Aizat. He is the 1st protector to all his siblings.
My other children (from left), Nabil Aizat, Zalikha Aliah & Amin Aizat.
Zalikha with Shazmeen Hashim, affectionately known as Meen, our daughter-in-law.
We are one as a family and together, we are pillars of love & strength to each other...
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Our Istanbul Holiday & Fehmi Bey Hotel
Recently, We had a family holiday in Istanbul from 19 to 26 December 2009. There were 5 of us (My wife & I, my 2 sons age 22 & 19, plus teenage daughter age 15).
I retired from MAS early this year, and with my last annual privileged tickets still valid till December 2009, we decided on a destination that should be an exotic place with historical sites, as well as allow us the opportunity (not to lavish...hehe) to do lots of window shopping fun at least! So without much fuss, Istanbul was straight away on everybody's mind!
As usual, before any overseas travel, I like to plan & prepare for the trip. Top on the list is the budget; daily allowance on food, tidbits, tippings, transport, pocket money for everyone, souvenirs, tours, & incidentals.
Next strings of TO-DO-THINGS are currency change, clothing to pack, type of instant food & snacks to take, range of medication & vitamins, how many luggage to bring, & of course estimating the extra space required to stuff the 'unexpected' miscellaneous purchases by everyone!! And not forgetting too, a place to stay in Istanbul... getting a good & reasonable HOTEL!!
So today, my post is only on 'FEHMI BEY HOTEL, SULTANAHMET-ISTANBUL", and how I decide to select this place & why I stayed there... Yes, Fehmi Bey Hotel, the cute small hotel that became our 'HOME AWAY FROM HOME'...great hospitality & great location!!
My son Nabil Aizat has already written a lot of things in his Blog about the many interesting activities & the places that we visited during our holiday there. You should also visit his Blog, & you will be amaze at his creativity & the pictures that he has uploaded!! Really, it is MERHABA ISTANBUL!!
Anyway, finding a suitable hotel, with the right budget, right location, and central to where you want to go is very important. Imagine if you could just step out of the hotel & just walk to get your meals, walk to the places of interest, walk to the money exchange office, walk to .... ahhhh...wherever you want to go...!! That was the sort of convenient that I had in mind, when I browsed through the internet.
After reviewing almost 20 hotels in the Trip Advisor posts, I decided to select & stay at Fehmi Bey Hotel because of the positive reviews. The other reason is that we wanted to be around Sultanahment area (Old City) where the tourist sites are.
I communicated with Mrs Tuba, and she was very prompt every time. The booking was smooth & I managed to get a price reduction, that made a great impression on me!
For an apartment with daily breakfast for 5 persons, to me that rates are very reasonable @ 120 Euro per nite, with a 5% discount if cash payment. And the airport pick-up & transfer was also thrown in by the hotel free of charge because we stayed 7 nights.
On 19 December, we arrived at Ataturk Airport at 6am, and a gentleman by the name of Mishal (I hope I spelled the name correctly!) was already waiting for us. Very nice gentleman, only that he could not converse in English, but that was not a problem at all, we exchange pleasantries in sign & body language!
Airport to Hotel took about 25 to 30 minutes. Fehmi Bey is a family run hotel. When we arrived, the owner Mr Mehmet was there to welcome us. He spoke excellent English, so does the front desk staff.
Check in officially was 12noon, but since we arrived early in the morning, we were given early checked-in and were also invited to have free breakfast at the top floor cafe, at no extra charge!
We went up to our room, it was an apartment with 2 bedrooms plus a huge living room. There was a fridge, tea making facilities (assortment of Turkish tea), aircond, heaters in the living room and in both bedrooms, telephone & TV. A security box was also provided. There were ample space in the bedrooms to put the luggage and to move around.
Breakfast starts from 7.30 to 10.30 am, at the 5th floor. I have a bad knee so I was definitely relieved to find that the hotel have service lifts.
The breakfast was good; fruits, cereals, yogurt, fresh milk, boil eggs, scramble eggs, fresh toasts & Turkish buns, fruit juice, coffee, tea, meat slices. chicken slices, etc...etc... to eat as much as you like..!! Mind you, this is not a big star hotel, but all these are considered excellent to me. The view from the cafe overlook the Marmara Sea, and just on the other side, a magnificent view of the Blue Mosque. If you wish to smoke, just step outside the cafe hall, and find yourself in an open space terrace. I was told during summer, most of the guest will enjoy their breakfast here, and also to enjoy a good session of sun bathing.
We had a wonderful stay at Hotel Fehmi Bey during our family holiday in Istanbul. The hospitality was fantastic, the rooms were excellent and spacious with huge living room in between, and the breakfast was good!! I could not have ask for more, of course I could have stayed in a 5 star hotel, but that would just be wasting money. To me Fehmi Bey is a STAR Hotel!! It is a "Home" away from home.
I would like to thank Mr Mehmet, the owner and staff for making our stay a memorable one. The area was close-by to all the interesting sites & within walking distance. Just around the corner, you can start visiting The Islamic Museum, Blue Mosque, Arasta Bazaar (just behind the Blue Mosque), then proceed to the Basilica Cistern, Aya Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Another short walking distant away is the Grand Bazaar & even the Spice Bazaar was a short distant away from the Grand Bazaar.
Food is everywhere! Just 2 doors away from the hotel is a small Doner Kebab shop, very cheap @ 2 TL (Turkish Lira) where Ibrahim the waiter will be ready to serve you. Along the road from the hotel, there are many nice Turkish food that will fill you up. Lunch or dinner is around 30 to 40 TL for 5 of us at one of this small shops. We just walked around & explored!!
I can only remember a few staff's name from Fehmi Bey Hotel and all of them have nice smile & are not pushy trying to promote tours or whateva. They are helpful without being overzealous. I like that.
We went on the Bosphorous Sea ship-cruise and the Sultana's cultural show & dinner, & I had Ufuk, one of the front desk staff to make the bookings. The tour operators picked us up for free, from & to hotel. I would also like to mentioned Hasbe, who went the extra mile to serve us tea at the cafe after we came back from sightseeing late into the nite, very thoughtful!!
Definitely if we have another opportunity, we will stay again at Fehmi Bey, and will recommend to anyone that would like to stay in a "home" away from their home!!.
Istanbul was great, and staying at FEHMI BEY was great too!!
I would like to say thank you to MAS my previous employer for the flight tickets, thank you to Trip Advisor for having a travel website, thank you to Fehmi Bey Hotel & staff, & thank you a million times to my wife, my son Amin & Nabil, and daughter Zalikha, for enjoying the holiday, for having a great time, for the laughter, the fun, the joy that I see on your smiles, & for being together with me.
Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), we had a a great time in Istanbul staying at Fehmi Bey too!!
Here are some pics to where we were:
Our room key at Fehmi Bey Hotel... solid brass!!
At Lobby of Fehmi Bey Hotel
The breakfast spread...duduk2 cari makan..!!
The breakfast setting... ermmm...delicious!!
Our room.... spacious ehhh..!!
'A Home away from home' at Fehmi Bey Hotel...
View from rooftop of Fehmi Bey... notice the Blue Mosque in the background..?
View from the rooftop again.... looking at the Marmara Sea
The neibouring site-seeing places...
at the park.... very central to everywhere..!! First day out....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
