Masih lagi dalam keadaan teruja setelah selesai bakti siswa minggu lepas. Teruja dengan sikap orang kampung yang sangat mesra dan mengalu-alukan kedatangan kami, pelajar-pelajar UIAM untuk berprogram bersama mereka. Juga, dengan bapa angkat kami(saya dan Fauzi) walaupun tidaklah senang hidupnya tapi sedaya upaya menyediakan yang terbaik buat kami selama empat hari di sana.

Program Bakti Siswa yang diadakan itu adalah merupakan aktiviti tahunan di UIAM. Ia dianjurkan dengan kerjasama empat Mahalla iaitu Faruok,Zubir, Asma adn Nusaibah. Program tersebut telah diadakan di Kg. Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam, Selangor dari 3 hingga 6 Disember yang lalu.

Penduduk Sg. Air Tawar rata-rata 95% terdiri daripada orang jawa. Ia terletak dikawasan paling hujung Negeri Selangor bersempadan dengan Negeri Perak. Sumber pendapatan penduduknya hampir 100% adalah pertanian yang terdiri daripada kelapa, pisang dan kelapa sawit.

Hari Pertama, Khamis, 3 Disember 2009
Awal-awal pagi lagi kami sudah berkumpul di hadapan tangga besar menanti bas untuk membawa kami ke Sabak Bernam. lebih kurang pukul 9.00 pagi, bas mula bertolak dan mengambil masa hampir 3 jam sebelum sampai ke kampung yang paling hujung di negeri selangor itu. Selepas selesai penerangan oleh Tok Sidang(Ketua Kampung), kami diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat masing-masing. Saya dan rakan Fauzi diserahkan kepada Pak Cik Idris.

Malamnya pula diadakan majlis perasmian yang dihadiri oleh wakil UIAM,wakil pegawai Daerah Sabak Bernam dan beberapa kenamaan lain.

Hari Kedua,Jumaat 4 Disember 2009

Pagi-pagi lagi saya,Fauzi dan beberapa rakan lain sudah berada di Balai Polis, Sg. Air Tawar untuk aktiviti bergotong royong. Sebahagian yang lain pula, berada di masjid untuk aktiviti yang sama. menjelang tengah hari, gotong royong selesai dan kami dihidang dengan Nasi Ambeng, makanan tradisional masyarakat jawa. Makanan ini terdiri daripada nasi, ayam yang dimasak kicap, kacang, mee goreng dan beberapa jenis makanan lain. Sangat sedap.

Disebelah petang pula, aktiviti survey dari rumah ke rumah. Aktiviti bertujuan merekodkan pendapatan dan jumlah tangggungan dalam setiap isi rumah. Peserta dibahagikan kepada beberapa kumpulan dan melakukan survey di kawasan yang belainan. Saya, Fauzi dan 3 rakan wanita yang lain ditugaskan di Kg. Dato Hormat.

Selepas selepas selesai survey, perlawanan futsal dan bola jaring diadakan antara pelajar-pelajar UIAM dan pemuda-pemudi Kg. Sg Air Tawar.

Pada sebelah malam pula, kami disajikan dengan Tazkirah di masjid berserta dengan solat Maghrib dan Isyak berjemaah

Hari Ketiga, Sabtu, 5 Disember 2009
Pada sebelah pagi, aktiviti survey diteruskan tapi di kampung yang berlainan. Tujuan masih sama seperti hari yang sebelumnya.

Pada sebelah petang, aktiviti bebas bersama keluarga angkat dan latihan persembahan kepada peserta yang telibat dengan malam kebudayaan.

Akhirnya, waktu yang selalu dinanti-nantikan dalam apa-apa program pun tiba. Tanpa aktiviti ini, program dirasakan tidak lengkap, iaitu malam kebudayaan. Selain pelajar-pelajar UIAM, pemuda-pemudi kampung juga menunjukkan kebolehan mereka diatas pentas. Saya dan lima rakan yang lain turut membuat persembahan dengan menyanyikan dua buah lagu; Kasih Sayang dan Keluarga Bahagia.

Hari Keempat, Ahad, 6 Disember 2009

Akhirnya selepas empat hari berkampung di Sg. Air Tawar, tibalah masa untuk pulang. Setiap pertemuaan pasti ada perpisahan. Majlis penutup diadakan pada sebelah pagi dan disusuli dengan majlis bergambar dengan keluarga angkat masing-masing. Oleh kerana masa masih panjang dan bas untuk pulang hanya akan tiba pada pukul 2:00 petang, ayah angkat kami, Pak Cik Idris mengajak kami bersiar-siat di tepi pantai. Lebih kurang pukul 2:30 petang kami bertolak pulang ke UIAM.

Pengalaman
Banyak pengalaman ynag diperolehi tetapi yang paling tidak akan dilupakan adalah ketika melakukan survey dari rumah ke rumah. Kami telah melawat sebuah rumah yang dihuni oleh dua orng warga emas bersama empat orang cucu mereka. Oleh kerana uzur, mereka berdua tidak berkerja dan bergantung sepenuhnya kepada cucu sulung berusia 19 tahun dan berkerja sebagai nelayan. Paling menghibakan adalah apabila dia memberitahu yang gajinya seminggu hanyalah seratus ringgit, itu pun tidak tentu, kadang-kadang kurang dari jumlah itu. kalu dicongak,pendapatan sebulan hanyalah RM 400 dan sememangnya tidak mencukupi.

Pada saat itu saya sedih, malu dan rasa bersalah pada diri sendiri.Dalam keadaan saya selalu kecewa dengan hidup saya, kehidupan saya lebih baik dari remaja itu. Paling tidak saya berpeluang untuk belajar dan biasiswa yang saya dapat sebulan melebihi pendapatan remaja itu.

Itulah kehidupan, bila melihat orang lebih senang, kita rasa resah gelisah membandingkan diri tak seberapa. Tapi bila melihat orang lebih susah, timbul rasa bersyukur tak terkira.malunya diri ini

Sekian saja untk kali ini. sesungguhnya, pengalaman program ini tidak akan dilupakan.
Walaupun hanya sedetik bersama, tapi seabad terasa.

P/s:Kepada rakan-rakan yang menyertai program ini, komen-komenlah sikit ye. Paling tidak saya tahu siapa anda.

There is nothing much to write since few weeks ago. I quite busy with my fyp, personnel life and the identity dilemma that I going through, and plus I hardly trying to finish few books that I did not finished while at the same time try to fully understand by hope that can get ideas to write again.

While some of my hobbies become less interested to me, I started to realize that the only thing that constantly I do for the last few years till now is reading and writing. I did not play futsal for 3 months and loss my interest on swimming since few weeks ago. Whenever I read, knew and discover new things, I feel happy and it a kind of peace that parches into my heart.

It was on the second day of the last year Eidul Fitri, when I had a conversation with my mother. It was at night.  Our conversation just move around of what happened in the family, my mother struggle to give education to us, my deep regret on my own life and how does our future will look like. My mother comes across very significant point of our conversation when she said there is nothing much change for the last nine years in our house. She still sleeps in the same bed, the bed that inherited from my grandfather; keep her clothes in the same places and there is no sofa, no refrigerator, no dining table and the only electrical equipments that we have are radio and television. The only thing that changed is ourselves, her beloved children that growth up in front of her eyes.  The money that she gets from cultivation of paddy field after deduction of debt, the left is fully used for education of her children. So, there is no much money left for home-improvement.

My mother might not inheriting money or wealth to us, but she inheriting something that much more important that is knowledge, by using the money for sake of education.

And I’m sure your parents also do the same thing.

Talked about money, I remember about what Stephen M. Pollan write in his book, Die Broke. He suggested the four important points for the secure financial life:

1. Quit Today
2. Pay Cash
3. Don’t Retire
4. Die Broke

Die Broke which is the title of this book itself is the important point that we can relate to ourselves in context as a Muslim. He suggested that a person should not keep the wealth and asset but instead plan his life in such way that when he dies, there is no asset under his name and asset that need to pass to his children. The idea might seem weird but according to him inheritance the money encourages the belief that money has intrinsic value rather of its own rather than just being a tool for the daily life.

On the other hand, he makes few recommendations on the treatment of financial asset

1. Treat assets as resources to be used while one is alive, not treasures to be use after one’s death.
2. Aim to die broke and don’t expend efforts to build up estate.
3. Use the accumulated wealth otherwise spent to preserve an estate to help one’s family and improve one’s life.
4. Better to give to one’s child while it can still do the most.
5. One is a human being, not a company and one’s money should not outlive the owner.
6. Exit life as one comes into it: penniless.

Let’s examine the above points in the light of the Islamic teaching.  The words Exit life as one comes into it might hear quite radical in term of the financial planning. Leave this world as we come into it means we die without leaving any wealth and asset to our children. In this modern world, this suggestion difficult to accept since we live in this world that anything we want; education, medical treatment and food requires money. For some people, who always live in comfortable and always expected the asset from their parents once they die, this principle can lessen their comfortable life in the future.

But if we study this principle in the light of the Islamic teaching, this is not a new concept. This principle is the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet and his companions. For the sake of the religion, they give everything they had to spread Islam.

Abdul Rahman bin Auf, amongst the foremost companion of Prophet, makes used his wealth available for the cause of Islam.  He left Mekah at the time where he was very rich, to migrate to Madinah. He was asked to leave Mekah by Quraisy in the state of penniless as when he was first come to mekah. Despite of that, he successfully became rich again in Madinah, by using his skills in business.

Abdul Rahman bin Auf’s attitudes in dealt with wealth is what the Muslim need nowadays. The Muslim that feel the money only in the hand not in the heard, thus willing to give away anytime need for the cause of Islam. The Muslim who his heart not detaches to the money, but always wants to see his religion spread around the world. He know the money come from Allah, the as the vicegerent in the earth the money should be used to the cause of religion.

The Pollan philosophy might not totally can be accepted but with modification and adaptation to the Islamic principles, the philosophy can be applied to the Muslim’s life who want to free from material temptation, but at the same time do not leave the world without inheritance (money, wealth). This is kind of Muslim that can be success not only in this world but most importantly in the Hereafter.

Assalamualaikum kepada semua

Setelah lebih setahun berblog dengan menggunakan perkhidmatan blog percuma, kini saya telah mempunyai blog dengan domain sendiri. Di harapkan dengan adanya blog baru ini, dapat meningkatkan komitment saya dalam menulis dan juga dalam kehidupan seharian.

Seperti kebanyakan orang, tujuan saya menulis dan mempunyai blog hanyalah semata-mata untuk berkongsi cerita dan pengalaman dengan anda semua. Dengan harapan apa-apa yang dinukilkan dapat memberi manfaat, teladan atau pengajaran kepada anda dalam menjalani kehidupan seharian.

Oleh kerana ini adalah blog persendirian, ianya akan berkisar tentang kehidupan saya dan apa-apa isu yang berkaitan isu semasa, politik, agama dan lain-lain adalah berdasarkan pendapat dan pandangan yang digarap melalui pembacaan dan pemerhatian. Jadi, jika ada tersalah fakta,pandangan atau apa-apa sahaja, harap anda dapat perbetulkan.

Moga-moga, usaha sedikit yang saya cuba lakukan ini, berkongsi ilmu dan pengalaman akan diberkati Allah.

insya-Allah.

Sekian, Terima kasih

amuslimhouse.com

Ia Bukan Sekadar Rumah

Dalam hidup saya, saya ada beberapa rakan yang saya ibaratkan sebagai pandai menunjukkan emosi. Apabila mereka dalam keadaan marah, anda dapat melihat perubahan pada wajah dan juga perbuatan mereka. Muka akan bertukar menjadi merah padam, kata-kata pula agak tegas dan wajah nampak garang. Tapi jika keadaan mereka dalam mood baik, lain pulak jadinya. Mereka menjadi peramah, bermotivasi, periang, dan kata-kata mereka membuatkan anda jadi bersemangat. Kadang-kadang melihat wajah pun sudah cukup untuk merasa tenang.

Orang sebegini ada baiknya. Melalui perlakunya, orang sudah dapat mentafsir akan sikap dan peribadinya. Jadi, orang tidak akan melakukan apa yang menyebabkan dia marah, kecil hati atau terguris. Buruknya, orang sebegini boleh merubah keadaan dari ceria, gembira kepada sedih. Cuba bayangkan kalau dalam meeting, tiba-tiba dia beremosi , sudah pasti orang akan diam dan hilang semangat untuk bercakap dan memberi idea-idea yang bernas sebab rasa down.

Saya pulak, dalam apa-apa keadaan pun masih boleh tersenyum(tersengih). Saya mampu senyum dalam keadaan gembira, sedih dan marah. Kadang-kadang saya marah tapi orng tidak sedar sebab kebiasaannya tersenyum dan menggunakan ayat-ayat sindirin untuk meluahkan rasa marah.

Orang yang marah sebenarnya gagal mengawal emosi. Dia membiarkan emosi mengawal dirinya, yang sepatutnya dikawal oleh akal.

Saya yakin anda tentu pernah menghadapi keadaan dimana dimarahi orang. Dalam keadaan begitu apa yang anda lakukan. Sudah tentu anda juga berasa geram dan mahu melepaskannya.

Orang marah kat kita sebab dia nak lepas geram yang dah lama tersimpan. Mungkin dia geram pada perkara-perkara tertentu dalam hidupnya yang langsung tiada kaitan dengan kita. Geram dia yang dulu, dia bawa ke masa sekarang.Dia simpan rasa geram tu lama-lama. Jadi, bila ada peluang untuk marah, dia lepas. Geram yang dulu dan geram yang disebabkan oleh anda sekarang dia kumpul semuanya, pastu dia lepas sekaligus kepada anda, seperti gunung berapi yang baru nak meletus. Panas, hangat, menyakitkan.

Sebaiknya jika anda dimarahi orng lain, diam, tenangkan hati dan fikiran anda. Tarik nafas dalam-dalam. jangan respon pada kemarahan tu, jangan balas balik dan jangan layan lama-lama.Jangan biar emosi mengawal anda, tapi andalah yang mengawalnya. Biarkan orang itu bercakap dan melepaskan kemarahannya. Biarkan dia habis bercakap. Setelah itu, baru anda buka percakapan. Jika anda bersalah cepat-cepat minta maaf dan katakana anda sedia menerima apa saja hukuman. Tapi, janga risau, manusia sifatnya agak lembut. Kata-kata lembut anda akan menghilangkan rasa marahya. Dia akan merasa bersalah kerana bertidak kasar kepada anda padahal anda tetap cool dan bercakap dengan penuh hormat.

Marah ibarat api. Jika orang marah, anda jangan membalas dengan perkara yang sama. Jika itu ynag anda lakukan , anda seolah-olah menyemarakkan lagi api. Akhirnya, jadilah tindakan yang balas membalas yang mungkin berkesudahan perkara yang tidak diingini.

::Faizalkhamis
::5:51 pm
::Thursday, November 13, 2009

Situation 1
I was in the café with my two international friends. I talked to one of them while another one was ordering the food. I said;
“You know man, I’m happy of leaving this university next semester, but I will leave without the happy ending. I’m not happy with my academic, family and social life. Everything that I have planned just went wrong”

Then,he replied;
‘You know man, if I’m telling you my life when I was in my country, you will cry. You see our Palestinian friend,Mahmoud, he went through the worst life than me. You have better life than us. Just say ALHAMDULILLAH”
It was really touched my heart. I wish this kind of friend will always be here, next to me.

Situation 2
It was on the second Eidulfitri. I had a short conversation with my mom;

“Mom, sometimes I feel very unlucky. I try not to think about it but still when I come back, I will remember the entire thing that happen in the past and still continue until now. I’m return home without feeling happy. I really don’t know what I should do anymore”.
My mom smiled, I look directly to her wrinkles face. Then, she said;
“You know, for you to enter the university and acquired knowledge is the lucky enough. Don’t you think so my dear son?”
I stuck. My heart was crying and I regret for the word that I had said.

Situation 3
I got two supervisors for my project this semester. My co-supervisor, Dr. Waleed always gives me these motivational words every time I meet him;
“You should care yourself more than anybody care of you”.
This quote makes me feel more responsible toward myself and in everything I do.
Then, I asked myself , “do people care who I’m?”

::Faizalkhamis
::6:42 pm
::Sunday, October 11, 2009

My mind is cloudy
My soul is empty
My heart is broken
My life is in chaos
My faith is shaken
My motivation is down
The road that I’m going through is stick
The mountain that I’m climb is high

I walk on the lonely road
No one standing by my side
No one to hold

Sometimes,
I’m afraid of myself Afraid
if I’m loss my life
Loss what I’ve before
At the moment where my dreams Still in the sky
Far away to reach
Far away from my hand to grab

Like the lonely man in the desert
Who walk around
Search for water
To heal the thirsty
The same thing goes to me
Sometimes, from far away
I could see water
In the middle of sand land
But when I come close
It’s nothing there
Its just deception
And again and again
I regret,depressed, sad
And my searching will still continue.

Sometimes
I felt really tired
Tired
For searching something I called happiness
Tired
For not be able to find it
Tired
For being sad and depressed
Tired
For being thinking of people’s life
Tired
For question my own life.

When I got depressed with my worldly life
And it’s contents(People)
I ask myself
Where should i go?
To find happiness
In the world fill with hatred
Where should i do?
To heal this torture heart
In the life full of Sad.

There’s nothing , nothing much

I just could lied on the bed
Close my eyes and sleep
And wish
If this sleep could be forever
Afraid if i might loss my faith
If i’m fail again in the future.

Trouble….i’m really in trouble

Certainly I know
I just need keep in my mind
In what ever I do
Where ever I go
Allah is always with me
Even more closer than my veins
And I will never walk alone…….

::Faizalkhamis
::12:03
::Friday,September 11,2009,(21 Ramadhan)

I was in leptospirosis lab that day, reading a magazine when Hui come and disrupt my concentration. Be a practical student, you will not have much work to do sometimes unless if you doing at private company where they pay on what are you doing. So, reading was a part of my activities if I’m feel fed up of doing nothing. Upon looking me reading a magazine, he asked:

What do you read?
-A magazine…
What magazine?
-It’s about muslim and current issues in Malaysia
Is it a magazine published by ABIM?
-No…

That conversation continues for few minutes until I get to know why this 50 years old ummarried Christian man can perfectly proclaim syahadah and also know the meaning of surah Al-Fatihah. 15 years ago, he was searching for the truth of the religion. He learnt about Islam and other religion but then choose Christianity as his faith. He learnt Islam for few months under ABIM (Angkatan Islam Malaysia) programs, which is include learning some basic principles such as how to proclaim syahadah, solat, 5 pillars of Islam and others. At the end, after know many thing about Islam; he rejected to proclaim syahadah when the officer ask him to do so.

The above story perhaps tells us that if Allah doesn’t want to give hidayah to a person, then a person will not get it. This is not a new but there are many people who turn away from Islam even though the have deep understanding on this beautiful religion. You might know Karen Amstrong, an author who write many popular books about Islam and Dr. Maurice Bucaille, the author of the popular book, Quran, Bible and Science(picture), which both of them, in fact of doing many research on Islam, still not embrace Islam( from what I know, Dr. Maurice was not a muslim until his death in 1998).

However, there many non-muslim who embraced Islam after getting shock to know that the holy book, Quran has many interesting information that never found in the other religion’s book. An example, a brother called himself as Baba Ali(picture), an American Muslim, a very popular guy on internet for his dakwah videos. He enthusiast about Islam came a long before September 11.Through the research and discovery on this Islam, he found how amazing this religion especially when we look to the scientific facts within, thus rejected the claim by many Islam-hatred people that Quran was written by Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him). Of course, al-Quran is not a book of science, but the scientific facts that presented more than 1400 years ago in it, purposely for reminder to man to reflect the greatness of Allah and thus give the full submission to Him.

One of the scientific facts that very important is the way Allah created the universe. For me understanding the early of universe very important because from that we know where the universe and everything inside it came from.

The expansion of the universe has become the greatest discoveries during the 20th century .It is open the window for the scientists to think more than sciences itself .Even the Albert Einstein who before believe that the world is static, at last confessed that the world is constantly expanding each seconds .The expansion of the universe was open the scientists mind to accept the existence of God .Before that, many scientists are believe that the universe is static and it will continue at this condition without end .Even Albert Einstein was tried to find the equation to fixed with this theory, but failed , except he need to make some adjustment to his equation .And at last he said”God not play dice” even though he is atheist .

The first attempted try to prove the expansion of the universe has done by Russian physicist,Alexandra Friednman in 1922 .He produced computations showing that the structure of the universe is not static instead expand .And then another scientist ,George Lemaitre recognize the Frienman’s work and declared that the universe has a beginning and will expanding before come to the end .However, for the few years, this theory was not attracted much attention because no observational evidences.

However , everything has changed in 1929 when an American scientist, Sir Edwin Hubble has made an important discoveries in the astronomy field .Using the big telescope(picture) from the California Mount Wilson observatory, he discovered that their light was shifted towards to the red end of the spectrum and this shifted is directly related to the distance of the stars from the earth .According to the law of physics, the light beams travelling towards the observation point tend towards violet while the light beams travelling away from the observation point tend towards red .So based on the Hubble’s observation,it’s mean that the stars are move forwards from the earth because the colour is red.

Actually, the stars not only move away from the earth but also each other .The expansion of the universe can be explain when you blow the balloon. Lets say that you make many points on the balloon that represent the stars (galaxies) and then you blow it .As the balloon becomes bigger, you can see that the distance between each points are greater.

So, what does it mean?

It mean that the expansion of the universe not caused by the movement of galaxies but the expansion of space .Like the balloon, the point just move because the movement of balloon rubber . One may wonder , how can space in the universe expands? .For this question, we go back to the Einstein’s Relativity Theory which is stated that time and space are not constant .It can change.

So, the expansion of the universe is the good evidence for people to turn back to God .It is because universe has beginning which is mean it is created out of nothing .Created out of nothing means creation and the only One who have power can do all this thing that is God .After the Big Bang, the universe continues to expands until it come to the end .So, the question now where we are going after the universe?.Definitely, we will going to the new world where what will doing in this world will be judge accordingly .The expansion of the universe that has been discovered in last century actually was revealed 1400 years ago when human know a little bit about the universe .It was stated clearly in the muslim’s Holy Book, al-Quran .In the one chapter, sura’ Ad-Dzariyat,verse 47 which means:

it is We Who built the universe with(Our creation) power,and, verily,it is We Who are steadly expanding it.

The key words here are”steadly expanding it” which mean that the universe is expands with the constant rate .This is prove that this Holy Book is really came from the God that is Allah .However, it’s depend to ourselves whether we want to give attention on this revelation or not .The truth has come .If we ignored it just because our arrogant, surely a great torments are waiting us in the hereafter.

p/s: going back to Kedah tonight for a week.

:: Faisal
:: 5:57 pm
:: Sunday, July 05, 2009

Again, this is my personal story.

When I was a teenager, I always consider myself as an unlucky guy. Everything around me seen to be very bad form my personal life until may academic result. I always compared my life with the other, especially the one have a better life than mine and dream how do feel if I have the same life as them. When I look a parent with their happy children, I ask myself how do i feel if I in that position. I promise to myself if one day I get married I will never let my children feel isolated, lonely as I always feel during my teenage time as a result of being ignored my father. When I received SPM result, another unlucky feeling came into my life. My hardworking study seems to be not compatible with the grad that printed in the slip. The result was no really good and not so bad, but it unable me to pursuit my studies overseas in astrophysics as I always aim to do since 16 years old.

However, as I grow up, I started to understand that there is no such thing as unlucky or lucky. Everything that we experienced must be a reason behind it and It will never happen just like that, unless if we always complain about our life. The most important thing is how we going through the life with the patience, hardworking and sincerity in completing the tests in sail to the next world. Our life should be like water in river flowing from the mountain down to the sea. On the way, it will face many difficulties that resist it movement. As the resistance become stronger, the flow also become faster. But the one who always complain and thinking his bad luck just like water in the puddle that not flows at all. After a long time, the water will dry and started to smell and not useful at all. Means, if we always complaint our life, pending for good life without doing anything for the success, we will be useless and ignored by the rest. Even though you may not succeed in pursuing your dream, perhaps the reward that you will get in hereafter much better that the reward that you will get if you success in this world.

For a quit long time, I always try to find anyone who I understand me, even not 100% understand, but at least try to listen and help my life. The one that really want to be my friend in easy and difficult time without any hope of getting advantages from me, but only sincerity in help another Muslim. Alhamdulillah, my searching is come to the end when I met someone who I never expected to be closed to me. With her white skin, softly speaking, a pair of ‘lesung pipit’ on her face and always dressing baju kuring, Kak Noni is truly a Muslim Malay girl.

Even though our friendship will come to the end when my internship is finish soon, but the time we share our story will always left a sweet memory in my life. We share the same story too, she know how do I feel when I said that I am not always like to back home. Like her who lost mother almost a year ago(i’m still have mother), the only thing that make me happy when go home is when I see my mother face and my beloved little brothers. Without them, perhaps going home will not left much meaning.

Since I know Kak Noni almost a month ago, we always share many story when we met. We like to make joke, laugh and something try to understand and advise each other regarding our problem. Honestly speaking, I feel very comfortable speak to her; tell my problems and get a very sincere advised from a woman that consider as my own sister. She never let me down and each time we met, I feel so happy.

I never to close to any woman throughout my life (except my little sister and my mother). Of course in cyberspace (YM, social network), I know some people a quit well. That’s only limited in the cyberspace, never extended to the real world. I can say that I know good people more in the cyberspace rather than in daily life, through chatting and reading their personal social network. Even one of my classmate who never speak to me in the class know myself a quit well through chatting and reading my blog, and luckily she even know the way I’m construct my sentences in the blog(I really want conversation with her). But my relationship with Kak Noni a quit different, I know her first in real world before we started to chat. Now,at least I have some one who understand me and I have a place to share my story even though I know It will not last long.

Surely, the present of Kak Noni is very meaningful for me. Hopefully, our friendship will continue even after I finish my internship and after she gets married soon………yeah…………

p/s: To Kak Noni, jangan marah saya lor..he..he…
P/s: I was thinking to stop blogging few days ago, but then come up with fresh idea what to write….weird lor…

:: Faisal
:: 4:41 pm
:: Saturday, June 06, 2009

“aik, sal buku ni gak yang kau beli? Kan buku ni untuk perempuan? Macam la tak da buku lain lagi ”. Kata seorang kawan

“ entah la, mungkin sebab cover dia yang cantik kot”. Saya menjawab.

“ ehh..ye ke? Entah-entah kau dah ade kot, sebab tu kau nak baca buku tu, jadi kau akan lebih faham tentang dia”. Dia cuba mengusik.

That conversation between me and my friends happened few months ago. My friend argued with me why amongst the many book available in the bookstore, that book (A Walk through Life, Issues and Challenges through the eyes of a Muslim Woman) become my choice. I bought that book long time ago in a bookstore but only finish reading a year later.

I don’t really know why, but one think I’m really sure myself, I always excited when I go to bookstore. I read variety of books, history, religion, politics, science, ideologies etc. Any books that seem to be interesting and will benefit to me, I will not hesitate to buy even though it may cost a lot of money.

I always wonder about women.

My wonders to the women based on the fact the patience and hardworking that shown in my mother’s life. For the last few years my mother used to be my inspiration. The struggle, hardworking, and never give up that built up inside her soul inspired me when I was studying in the university. At that time, perhaps because I already mature, I started to realize how special my mother in my life. Every time I look into my mother eyes, I can feel a kind of spiritual energy transfer that can not be described by any energy transfer formula that ever learned in the school or university. That spiritual transfer that always motivate me at the moment when I feel depress, lonely and at the time when I lost my life. The only thing that can describe this spiritual transfer is the love of the son to his mother.
Perhaps, that is the only reason why I feel very enthusiastic to read this book, to understand more about women, thus understand also the special attitudes that have in my mother as a woman.

The book had been written by a woman, so some part of the book seems to be more inclined and biased toward the woman. But it’s ok, because as a reader we need to be a smart reader.

Here is some of the important points that I get from the book.

1)Women and men are not same
As prominent Muslim scholars form US, Yusuf Estate said, men and women are not same. But there is fairness between them. If you be able to understand this concept, you can see how wonderful Allah swt created the human being. Men and women have been created with their own characteristics to fulfill the role and responsibilities that have been placed on them.Man being created with strong with deeper voice, strong and tough. That’s why man can play him role as protection to the wife and children.
“ Men are the protector and maintainers of women, because God has given the more( strength) than other , and because they support them from their means……….”-an-Nisa’ 4:34

On the hand, women being created with soft personality. A woman normally has melodious voice, beautiful and petite. A woman is submissive, more emotional, caring, patience and always precise in whatever she does. That what make woman different from man and be able to wake up in the middle of night when the newly baby crying, pending for the milk. Man, on the other hand, will continually sleep even he is the one who notice the baby is crying (opps, not all man like that laaaa..).

2)The need for a man
Like a man who needs a woman to support and give strength in his life, the same thing goes to a woman. A woman hopes that man can lead her to sail the life to the future, to provide a good life not only to both of them but also to their coming children. For the Muslim, the task is more, not only to sail a comfortable life in the future, but also to make sure the path they are going through is according to the Islamic principles. Even, in Islam, the purpose of married itself is to attain the pleasure of Allah. No love can be put above the love to the Almighty Allah. In fact, the love feeling between different genders consider as one of the sign in Allah creation;
“ And among His Signs is this, that He Created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your( hearts); verily in that are signs for those who reflect.”-Surah Ar Rum 30:21.

If I’m not mistaken, in Islam when a person get married, she or he is already consider fulfill a part of his religion. It’s mean here that, if the love between the spouses is because of Allah, the marriage and they newly life can bring close to the Allah. Otherwise, if the love because of nafs, then they married may end up with failure in the future after they feel bored with one another.

Married make everything between a man and a woman halal, thus protect the society from the social problems and created the future generation of Muslim with the peaceful and Islamic environment.

3)The Sex Life
The title ‘The Sex Life’ might see to be not appropriate and sensitive to be discussed. But as the 23 years old young man (which is should be mature enough..he..he..),I think it is reasonable to discuss here.

The one which had been born as a normal person cannot deny the important of the sex. Even though you may have many reasons for getting married, the sex desire for sure is an important reason since to it is a part of human requirement and Islam make it halal by allowing marriage.

In the some society, they tend to believe that a woman duty is to serve husband only, so perceive in her mind that husband sexual desire should be fulfill first and forgetting her own need. There are also those who advocate that the wife has no right to refuse the husband right for sexual intercourse, where as the wife no right likes the husband for sexual intercourse. This opinion perhaps, not in the line with the purposes of marriage which is as complement to each other. A wife is a garment for husband and husband is garment for the wife. So, how could be in the sexual matters which related to husband and wife and can create a loving between the spouse can be only the right of the on part only? The role of husband to fulfill and satisfy his wife‘s sexual need can avoid a wife from committing zina out of despair or frustration from being neglected by husband in sexual matter.

4)Nurturing the children
When you are still single, you are feeling lonely. You feel like there is something wrong with you and there is some emptiness in your heart that you need to fulfill with. Other than fill your heart with the taqwa to Allah, you also know that as human being, you need a person that can be your life partner until the end of life. So, you start to find and get married and you thanks to Allah, because at last the emptiness has been filling with the present of a loving one. As life goes on, you start to feel bored with a new life. Then, you start to realize that boring in a marriage life can be eliminated by the present of children and start to plan for it. That’s how the life going on. With the father, mother and children, that’s what we called as family.(Baby’s picture: here)

Children are the gift from Allah swt. They are trust form Allah to the parents, so parents have responsibilities over children and otherwise. Children can be light to the parent if they grow up with the Islamic values being installed in their soul and can also being a pain if they grow up otherwise. Children are born pure and the parents that responsible to shape a child attitudes to what ever their want to be in the future.

There is a story of a man who brought his son to the umar al Khattab and complaining his son act that not respect him at all. Upon hearing, Umar r.a said “o boy, don’t you know what right a father has on his son?

The boy then asks “o commander of the faithfull! Do the children too have right over his father?”

Umar r.a replied by “first, he should search for a good mother. He should marry with virtuous, religious women, and must not marry any questionable nature and doubtful character. Second, he should name the child with a good name, and third, he should impart religious knowledge of child and teach Quran”.

The son replied by said that none of the right had been fulfill by his father.

This story tells us how important of a woman to find a good and righteous man to be a father of her children. The same is expected to a man to search a righteous woman, so that they can nurture and grow up the children to be good person in the future and provide the Muslim ummah with good generation that can built again a great Muslim civilization like what we had previously.

The above points are only few important points that I pick from this book.

That’s it for this entry. Thank you for reading….

P/s:I wish happy mother’s day and happy birthday to my mother. She will celebrate her 49 anniversary( if im not mistaken) this coming friday ,15 may.

::Faisal
::9:12 pm, in Library
::Wednesday,May 13,2009