Steeds: al-Adiyaat

Salam. it took an effort for me to write this one post. *sigh* i am currently not in the mood. in fact, i feel like i wanna lie around the house, watching telly, facebook-ing, and eating whatever there is in that fat fridge. not that im not aware that i shouldn't be wasting precious time like this ='(  i'm returning to auckland soon and by then i won't be having any time to read fikrah books or writing stuffs in this blog. huhuhu... gosh i need a push. i need to counsel myself, by writing sth in this blog. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim....=)

 In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath),

2. And strike sparks of fire,

3. And push home the charge in the morning,

4. And raise the dust in clouds the while,

5. And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse;-

6. Truly man is, to his Lord, ungrateful;

7. And to that (fact) he bears witness (by his deeds);

8. And violent is he in his love of wealth.

9. Does he not know,- when that which is in the graves is scattered abroad

10. And that which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest-

11. That their Lord had been Well-acquainted with them, (even to) that Day.? 

[1]Demi Kuda Perang yang tangkas berlari dengan kedengaran kencang nafasnya,
[2]Serta mencetuskan api dari telapak kakinya,
[3]Dan meluru menyerbu musuh pada waktu subuh,
[4]Sehingga menghamburkan debu pada waktu itu,
[5]Lalu menggempur ketika itu di tengah-tengah kumpulan musuh;
[6]Sesungguhnya manusia sangat tidak bersyukur akan nikmat Tuhannya.
[7]Dan sesungguhnya ia (dengan bawaannya) menerangkan dengan jelas keadaan yang demikian;
[8]Dan sesungguhnya ia melampau sangat sayangkan harta (secara tamak haloba).
[9](Patutkah ia bersikap demikian?) Tidakkah ia mengetahui (bagaimana keadaan) ketika dibongkarkan segala yang ada dalam kubur?
[10]Dan dikumpul serta didedahkan segala yang terpendam dalam dada?
[11]Sesungguhnya Tuhan mereka Maha Mengetahui dengan mendalam tentang (balasan yang diberikanNya kepada) mereka - pada hari itu.

Allah created Earth and its wondrous inhabitants along with a reason. there were underlying lessons that we can deduce by just watching and appreciating animals and nature. they give you an insight  to the Greatness of the Almighty, they penetrate your hearts with the love of Him and more importantly, they have the intention of bringing you closer to Your Creator and the Creator of this vast universe. MasyaAllah..=)

Lets take horse as an example. Horses by nature are beautiful. they are strong, agile and robust beasts. their fur are naturally sleek, soft and nice to touch. and when they trot, we can see how the muscles of their legs responded and synchronised with their movements. However these beasts by nature are wild and uncontrollable. they go in herds and stick to their own kind. they are animals of pride and arrogance.  


ironically, the horses that we see today are tame and 'friendly'. let me remind you that these horses were trained to obey their masters. they were taught to accept orders..such as bow down, sit, trot, etc. this showed that wild animals are able to be trained and tamed. 

1. By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath),

2. And strike sparks of fire,

3. And push home the charge in the morning,

4. And raise the dust in clouds the while,

5. And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse;-

and they could also be trained into becoming steeds. steeds that stood firm in the face of danger. steeds that charge at fierce and armed enemies. steeds that obey their master.  

6. Truly man is, to his Lord, ungrateful;
7. And to that (fact) he bears witness (by his deeds);
8. And violent is he in his love of wealth.
9. Does he not know,- when that which is in the graves is scattered abroad
10. And that which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest-
11. That their Lord had been Well-acquainted with them, (even to) that Day.?

relating these consequent ayahs, we can see that Allah relates arrogance of humans with the courage of steeds. horses could be tamed into obeying their master. to fight for the cause of their master. what about humans? humans and horses have something in common. they both are 'wild' in their own distinctive ways; horses, in their rebellious ways, and humans, always wanting to satisfy their selfish desires and cravings. Humans are also ungrateful and arrogant. they bluntly go for the wealth and entertainment of the world, unconcerned of the watchful eye of The Master. nonchalant of The Day when their evil deeds are uncovered. 

thus the prime message that is being conveyed is, if animals can be tamed and trained to obey their master, humans too could be molded into becoming a faithful servant to their Master. humans were blessed with refined minds and they have the gift to differentiate right from wrong. they have the ability to make appropriate decisions with the guidance of al-Quran and Sunnah. humans are expected to utilise the contents of al-Quran and learn the likes and dislikes of the Master.

we Muslims are the steeds of Islam and we have a common Master. He calls for us to obey and work for His Cause. every effort that we thrust upon is counted and He will reward us for our patience and compliance.

Wallahu a'alam.

Crossing Borders, Maintaining Boundaries

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

as a Muslim, it is our utmost obligation to uphold the honour of our religion. this is undeniable. in fact, the fights and wars fought by the Prophet SAW and His Companions against the unbelievers were to preserve the honour of Islam. But Allah only allows wars, DURING CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. other than that, VIOLENCE IS PROHIBITED.

"And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings; then to their Lord is their return and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do" (6:108)

in the verse above, Allah had made clear that to offend and show insolence against other religion is forbidden. Allah stressed that we should portray respect for other religions and their believers. Islam promotes peace and do not easily resort to violence to disentangle a dispute. and if Allah regarded vulgar words towards other beliefs as wrong, and disrespectful, what more inflicting violence upon them. the point i am trying to make here is, violence should be the last option in solving a problem. simply because it is not a way of Islam and Allah despised it.


i am quite upset reading the news relating Muslims committing violence as a way to channel their frustrations and anger. namely those who commit to terrorism. i can see no patience in their actions. if they deeply understand the teachings and the ways of Rasulullah SAW carrying out the da'wah, they wouldnt be so impulsive. 

For the sake of thy Lord, be patient! (74:7)

 Rasulullah SAW was a tender-hearted person and he loathed violence. He was also very patient when dealing with people who do not accept Islam. The best feature of our beloved Prophet is loving. Remember when he was turned away by the people of Taif when he went there to spread da'awah? They pelted him with stones until he was soaked with blood. But when Jibril a.s offered to punish the people of Taif, Rasulullah SAW disallowed him. He believed that the people of Taif should be given another chance. Masya Allah!!!


maybe i am not the right person to have a say in this because i do not personally experience the oppression and discrimination that are imposed against most Muslims in most defined countries. i feel for our brothers and sisters in Islam who were in vain and i never forget them in my prayers. May Allah be with them always and guide them through the hard times, and may Allah grant them Jannah. However, i am not saying that this is an excuse for Muslims to impose violence upon others whom they regard responsible for this situation; innocent citizens. if we sincerely look into this complication, seek back for Allah's forgiveness and blessings, inshaAllah He will help us weather through this hard time.

Lastly, we Muslims should know our boundaries when acting upon a particular situation. Everything that we do will reflect upon the religion that we hold. We do not want to add more salt to the wound, do we? And at the same time, tear down the wall that bordered our view of the ways of our Prophet SAW. InshaAllah, may we get answers and guidance.

Wallahu a'lam.

Thank You for Your Remembrance

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim…

It was a normal day. Fine Wednesday morning. Nothing unusual. It was 10.30 am. I took out the wet clothes outside, to be dried. And that was when I saw IT. My cat was unusually lying under the sun. I thought it was a bit strange because he always rested under the shade. And his body was oddly still. I came nearer to have a closer look.

His eyes were wide open and strangely rolled sideways. There was no glow in his eyes. Just hollowness. Empty. Void. The body looked rigid and bereft. There were smear of feces at his feet and it was an odd colour. I stood over him long enough to realize I was sweating from the heat of the Sun. It took me like, forever to internalize the fact that my cat had just died. No wonder I heard him making loud noise this morning while I was watching Human Stories on tv.  I thought he was fighting with Kucing Stokin as always. But no, he was in pain. And I ignored him. T_T

Two of my other cats came near me and looked at me. One of them went over to sniff the dead cat. A gush of sadness and anguish rushed over me. I cried. I’ve got to bury it, I thought. I looked around and found a spade. Started digging. And once in a while glancing at the dead cat. The other two cats just watched, nonchalant. I’ve got to lift the body into this hole, I thought. So I went to get the gloves. I did not want to do this. I had this crazy idea that the cat will jump up, suddenly alive and bit my hand. (This is the kind of paranoia you’ll get when you read too much of Stephen King’s absurd novels like the Pet Sematary).

This was the cat I used to scoop up in my arms and pat and love and…now it is dead. I placed him in the hole, and before I bury it, I raised my hands and recited Ayatul Kursi for him. T_T

Nobody likes to be reminded of death. As much as I want to shun away the thought of it, I realized that I HAD to be constantly reminded that death is always near. One second you are alive, and maybe the next you are no more. that's reality. Thank You Allah, for reminding me today. That showed You actually cared for me and You wanted me to learn something. And what i learnt was death is catching up on me as days go by. i feel fear...but that has brought me closer to You. Thank You Allah for your Remembrance. T_T

Enjoy Your Life =D

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...

Salam everyone. Hopefully whoever reading this is in the pink of health, insyaAllah. i myself is in good condition. currently staying at home, babysitting my brother and taking care of the house =p feeling quite bored at times. which is why i decided to look for a book to read throughout this break. i was shopping with my bestie yesterday and i found this really interesting book titled 'Enjoy Your Life' by Dr Muhammad al-Arifi and it costed RM 60 (ouch lol).

i just started reading it today and my impression of the content was, not bad at all. i recommend it for Muslim teenagers. it is no different from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, except that there were addition of hadiths and excerpts from the Quran. basically this book aimed in shaping the interpersonal skills and utilising the hidden abilites of young Muslims in line with al-Quran and Sunnah. The author also presented the readers with some examples from the Seerah of Rasulullah, of how Rasulullah and his companions disentangle crisises during their time, and how we could extract lessons from the events so that we could apply them to our current lives. very inspiring. two thumbs up plus a smile =D

Buat Ukhti Teh Afifah yg disayangi...

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim....

Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah. then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme (9:111)

Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere (2:155)

just two days ago one of our akhowats was befell with a tragedy. she was scheduled to get married on 11/12/2009, in the morning and a few hours later, her husband, her mother- and father-in law met with a tragic accident which swept away their lives. Innalillahiwailaihi rajiun...may Allah bless the souls of Akhi Ariff and his parents. Amin.

to my my beloved Ukhti Teh Afifah, i pray that you will weather this hard time with patience (sabr) and may Allah bless you with solace and peace at heart. He is Most Loving and Giving, and He will neveer abandon His servants who are loyal and compliant. Kak Teh, you are a strong person. HE knew you could endure such hardship, which is why He chose you. You gave me strength Kak Teh, by just seeing you in the newspapers and in television. For someone like me who has very brittle iman, i feel as if i obtain the strength to be a better servant to Him. So that when HE test me with such event, i can withstand it.

Ya Allah Ya Rahim, Ya Jabbar Ya Mutakabbir...please forgive us for neglecting you, abandoning you...please help us, assist us in our trying times...please don't punish us before we have the chance to repent...Ya Allah, before you take us away from this dunya, allow us to leave with iman in heart...knowing that there is No Ilah besides You and Muhammad is Your Messenger..Amin..

to whoever reading this, tolong sedekahkan Al-Fatihah kepada Akhi Ariff, kedua ibubapanya dan rakan Akhi yg turut terkorban...

http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Saturday/BeritaUtama/20091212062835/Article

Wallahu A'alam

>_<

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim....


often, when things don't turn out the way you wanted it to be, you start asking yourself why. (stare at the wall and blink twice). you knew that you planned it well, all set, and knew it is going to yield out right. when i was in taylors i used to get over-the-top emotional when it comes to exam results. they were usually acceptable, not too bad. but i always thought they were not compatible to my so-called enormous efforts. sometimes i just couldnt accept the fact that my results were slightly lower than some of my classmates. so i would call my parents and complained. and sometimes cried. i know, i was such a drama queen.

tahajjud, sunat prayers, sunat fasting, were only during the exam seasons. i thought if i performed all these additional prayers and ibadah, Allah would be pleased with me and He would give me the exam results i wanted. well, i am very very grateful that Allah was really patient with me back then. i usually get what i wanted, but i did not accept them wholeheartedly. but Allah knows best, He is the best planner and He knows His servants well. underlying the events happening in our lives are lessons for us to decipher and reason.

if i would have gotten what i wanted, i don't know where do i stand in His eyes...Ya Allah, forgive me Ya Allah..i was such an ungrateful piece of rot...

But verily thy Lord is full of grace to mankind: Yet most of them are ungrateful (27:73)

last night i checked out my exam results, which determined whether i could get in officially into med school and Alhamdulillah, i passed. this means i am returning to auckland next year. the results were not that great, but the MAIN POINT is, i got through. what i got was what He wills. i learnt to accept, because acceptance shows gratitude. and if i really mean it when i said, " i'm doing the exam because of Allah," i would not be whining like how i used to. i guess i should stop looking at the value of the results as what is stated on the result sheet. i should stop comparing my results with others. i should stop asking myself foolish questions. what i should do is start viewing my results as a sign of love from Him. i should start believing in Him to guide my life. i should start improvising myself in terms of my relationship with Allah.

So put thy trust in Allah. for thou art on (the path of) manifest Truth. (27:79)

Wallahu a'alam. =)

(congrats to aliaa,aida, aan and afiq too. you guys rock. heh)

Ittaqullah

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...

Update:

i have been abandoning this blog for quite some time. and that doesnt give a good feeling. well, i was busy with some stuff..and i always had had something to write about but the timing is always not right. i am finally back in malaysia last saturday after a long and tiring flight. but i'm glad i'm home Alhamdulillahirabbil alamin =) and oh yeah, selamat hari raya aidil adha to everyone =) taqabballahu minna waminkum =)

	On the authority of Abu Dhar Jundub bin Junadah, and Muadh bin Jabal that the messenger of Allah said : "Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people." Tirmithi narrated the hadith and said it was fine, and in another version, said true and fine

The first phrase of this hadith is clearly significant although it is such a simple message. 'Fear Allah wherever you are' means (according to Mustafa Abdul Rahman) to remember and fear Him regardless of place and time, in any possible situation. Regardless of whether we are among others or by ourselves. two different places may have different environments (bi'ah). adaptation to different environments may be complicated as distinctive environment has its own societal make-up and norms. as a Muslim who understands, one should not be dissolved into the norms of the defined society (if it doesnt conform to the norms of Islam). this is difficult i know..

O ye that believe! Fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger, and He will bestow on you a double portion of His Mercy: He will provide for you a Light by which ye shall walk (straight in your path), and He will forgive you (your past): for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. (57:28)

the right thing to do is to have pride in what the Prophet (pbuh) taught us. a wise thing to do is to show others the characteristics and the beauty of Islam, through our personality, clothings, speech and attitude. this is a jihad of the mind. while there are others who havent seen yet what Islam has to offer, WE the ones who 'understands' this religion by heart has the obligation to convey to them what is true.

nobody is without sins. in the following phrase, Rasulullah said 'Follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out'. It simply means that our good deed could deplete our past sins.

And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night: For those things, that are good remove those that are evil: Be that the word of remembrance to those who remember (their Lord): (11:114)

Ibnu Mas'ud once said that praying five times a day could deplete the sins committed in between the prayer times.

Rasulullah also said that we should 'behave well towards other people'. So this part of the hadith is a bit disconnected to the rest of the hadith. The first two parts told us of fearing ALlah and countinuously do good deeds to wipe out the bad ones. what is the connection between the former two with the latter'? this hadith is trying to convey the message that taqwa towards Allah also includes doing good towards others. You see, taqwa, literally speaking, is holistic. implementing taqwa towards Allah also means imparting it into our actions. only ALlah knows if there is taqwa in you, nobody else can know it. while others may not know it, they can actually SEE IT through how you go about your life. and one of them is how you behave toward others.

Wallahu a'alam.