Thursday, July 28, 2011

He got married this month

He got married this month :-(

“Dan di antara tanda-tanda kekuasaan-Nya ialah Dia menciptakan untukmu isteri-istrei dari jenismu sendiri, supaya kamu cenderung dan merasa tenteram kepadanya dan dijadikan-Nya di antaramu rasa kasih dan sayang. Sesungguhnya pada yang demikian itu benar-benar terdapat tanda-tanda bagi kaum yang berfikir.” (Ar-Ruum :21).

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Siapa yang rugi?



Ambiga...
Semuanya bermula dgn desakan Ambiga utk membersihkan proses pilihan raya melalui gerakan Bersihnya.

Pembangkang...
Apa lagi... Tentunya melihat ini sebagai peluang keemasan utk bersekongkol dgn apa sahaja yg memperlihatkan kecacatan kerajaan, terdesak utk meraih sokongan menjelang pilihan raya

Polis...
Dalam keadaan kelam kabut dgn ribuaan org mara dr semua sudut dgn gerombolan penyokong yg ghairah dan naik seh, sudah tentu apa sahaja boleh berlaku atau ter-berlaku pada atau oleh sesiapa sahaja yg berada di situ. Pihak polis yg bertugas terdesak utk melakukan sesuatu utk menghalang kemaraan kumpulan atas dasar mempertahankan diri dan menyelamatkan org awam dan mungkin terlepas pandang akan asas atau principal pertahanan sesuatu kawasan tertentu yg perlu diberi perhatian khusus.

Najib...
Mungkin terdesak utk mempertahankan pihak polis, sekaligus mungkin menidakkan apa yg sebenarnya yg berlaku. Mungkin ya, mungkin tidak... Wallahualam...Allah SWT sahaja yg tahu...

SEMUA TERDESAK DGN KEADAAN

Akhirnya, siapa yang rugi?
KITA SEMUA yg rugi!
- Negara kita kelihatan buruk, busuk di mata asing
- Polis yg cuba menjaga keamanan cedera dan dikecam
- Mereka yg sertai demonstrasi juga cedera, fizikal dan emosi
- Kecederaan emosi dirasai oleh setiap lapisan masyarakat di seluruh Malaysia (SEMUA ORANG yaa... semua rasa sakitnya dan juga bersedih dgn apa yg berlaku)

Wahai seluruh rakyat negaraku yg tercinta....
Tak bolehkan kita semua duduk berbincang dan bermusyawarah?
Fikir-fikirkanlah...

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Traditional Islam in America

As I mentioned in my earlier post, one of my resolution for this year is to make time for Majlis Ilmu. Last night, I attended a talk titled 'Traditional Islam in America' by Imam Finch (Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch). It was my second talk channeled through Brother Mahdar from Arabic Academy Malaysia. From time to time I get talk invitations from him and I will try to attend whenever time permit.

Imam Finch is the imam at the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland, California. He is a teacher and program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation. He also works with SeekersGuidance and assists Zaytuna College's annual Summer Arabic Intensive program in Berkeley, California. He is one of five students who comprised the first graduating class of the Zaytuna seminary program. Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in the south, he embraced Islam in 1995 in Atlanta, Georgia when he was 20 years old. He graduated in 2008 with an ijazah in basic sciences of Islam.

'Traditional Islam in America' is indeed quite a tough topic to discuss. The speaker himself admitted this fact. He said that Islam in America has just reaching 50 years and that's not long enough to form a traditional Islam.

Wait a minute... what is 'Traditional Islam' really means?
I was puzzled myself.

Wikipedia defines 'Traditional Islam' as cultural Muslim, that is a general term used to define a group of people who are identified by association with a Muslim community rather than Islamic faith or rituals.

Okay, now I get it. In other words, what are the norms or traits which give the impression that a person or a group of people is the Muslims.

The discussion with Imam Finch was not as structured as the first talk by Shaykh Afifi Al Akiti which I attended sometime ago. To be honest, I'm quite disappointed :-( Imam Finch didn't really explore the topic sufficiently and simply rest with the fact that America has no traditional Islam. Which I can argue with his own fact which says traditional Islam evolves over time.

Traditional Islam Evolution
Traditional Islam evolves over time, transforming the way people live their lives, the fashion and style they put on, the way they speak and think.

People change and we ourselves can be foreign from our traditional Islam in which we came from. Imam Finch asked "How many are Malays here?" - Majority put up hands. "Who feels more confidence conversing in English than Malay?" - A few put up hands. "See.. you are foreign yourself, different from your tradition."

If traditional Islam evolves over time, it can exists as early as a second and start to evolve from then onwards. Hence, there must also be traditional Islam in America which has started since the last 50 years, although it is not pretty distinct like any other Islamic countries.



I once read an article in Al-Islam magazine which says that the niqab (purdah) is a custom or common practice in the Arab countries of the Arabian Peninsula such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE. So, I would say that's what defines traditional Islam in Arab countries. I believe there are distinctive values or style in other Islamic countries as well. But, the essence is still the same that is to cover the aurat e.g covering the head and bosom in this context.

I went for sight-seeing at Suomenlinna Island in Helsinki last month and met a Malaysian family, a couple with 4 kids. FYI, there are very very minimal Muslims tourist over there. During my 1-week work-stay, I only saw Muslims women twice! So, seeing someone with hijab (tudung) is very obvious among the people in the city. I remember the wife said to me she recognized me as Malaysian by my hijab style. So, I would say that's our traditional Islam in Malaysia, I guess.

Nevertheless, lifestyle, customs and cultural practices covering as small matters as food, drink, dress code to bigger matters like jurisprudence, administration and everything we believe, do and say, has to fall back to the essence of Islam, that are Al-Quran and As-Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

Deen = mind + body + soul = Iman + Islam + Ihsan

“Say: If you all love Allah, then wholeheartedly follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive your sins” (Koran 3:31). Man is body, mind, and soul all together, and does not find the deep inner peace of true religion without Islam, Iman, and Ihsan all together. It means observing the law (shari‘a), knowing the faith (‘aqida), and realizing the soul’s potential (tariqa).

P/S: What's written here is from my shallow and little knowledge and understanding. After all, I'm a learner myself.
Wallahualam...

Monday, July 4, 2011

Kenduri Kesyukuran & Doa Selamat (House Warming Event)

Last Saturday, we organized a house warming event (Kenduri Kesyukuran & Doa Selamat)in conjunction of our moving to new home sweet home and to thank Allah SWT for His blessing by offering and sharing a feast together. We invited family members and close friends. Alhamdulilah... the event went well with good weather.

The feast is really delightful and glorious with plenty of food until you feel hard to choose. In addition to my mom's menu, my aunties, grandma, some family members and friends also sponsored some food. Thank you all. May Allah SWT bless you all :-)

My mom's very-own-cooking menu:
Nasi Tomato
Ayam Masak Merah
Daging Kicap Pedas
Jelatah
Nasi Putih
Gulai Nangka
Ikan Masin
Sambal Belacan
Satay
Tembikai
Bubur Cacar
Air Oren

Sponsored food:
Kuah Pecal
Kuaci
Tapai
Karipap
Pulut panggang
Agar-agar
Kasui
etc

My cousin's husband (Abg Asri) who is a soldier, sponsored the tent from his camp which comes with banquet set: tables, chairs, table cloth, food tray, drink container etc. Even with the gold color ribbon wrapped around the chair rest just like wedding banquet. Hehehehe.... I was surprised coming home to see it and feel like a wedding ceremony. Plus, on the very same preparation day, the workers came to install the wardrobe in my room. It adds the feeling of wedding as if preparing the bride's room. kuikuikui... Perasan santan jerk!

The event started with Doa Selamat & Tahlil by Imam and a few jemaah after Zuhur. Followed by the feast. In the afternoon, my mom's marhaban group continued with Yasin recital and Selawat to Rasullullah SAW.



Alhamdulilah... May Allah bless us all with hidayah and rahmat. And may we, one whole family live in the new house happy ever after.

Thank you for all of you whom willing to spent some time to visit and join the feast with us. Thank you!

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