Congratulations to Abg Irfan & Hamnah

Abang Irfan bin Abang Abdul Halil & Hamnah bt Jusri selamat diijabkabulkan di Sri Petaling pada Jun 15, 2008. Jom kita doakan berkat & rahmat untuk rumah tangga mereka.

World Disasters

1) Cyclone in Myanmar - a worse cyclone than the last major one that hit Myanmar in 1968. At least 18,000 were left homeless and endangered by epidemics.

2) Flood in Midwest - this "flood of 2008" has forced at least 24, 000 people to flee Iowa.

3) Earthquake in China - the quake that has killed approximately 40,000 people while tens of thousands are still missing.

4) Earthquake in North Japan - an earthquake of 6.8 magnitude has hit Northern Japan early this morning. So far, three are found dead and three are confirmed missing.

5) Food crisis in Africa - watching images of Pokot tribesmen of Kenya eating roasted rats in a bid to avoid starvation, images of rioters in Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mozambique among others clashing with police in protest against soaring food prices and Kenya's abandoned IDPs all tell a similar story: food is scarce.

Usrah

Pernahkah kau dipersoalkan begini apabila kau menjemput rakan-rakan kau menghadiri jilsah atau "usrah"?
-"Nak jadi baik bukannya setakat pegi usrah je!"
-"Kalau aku nak naikkan iman aku, banyak lagi cara lain selain daripada usrah!"
-"Aku tengok budak yang join usrah sama sahaja dengan yang lain."

Kawan-kawan, pada hakikat, mereka yang memberi persoalan lain ini cuba menutup kebaikan dengan memperkenalkan kebaikan lain yang mereka sendiri tidak amalkan. Mereka biasanya menutup kebaikan menghadiri jilsah dengan cuba menampilkan kebaikan yang lain seperti menghadiri ceramah agama, program-program kebajikan, atau perkara-perkara ma'ruf yang lain. Ataupun mereka cuba memburukkan jilsah-jilsah dengan mendedahkan kelemahan mereka yang menyertai jilsah-jilsah ini. Lihat bagaimana iblis telah berjaya membelit pemikiran mereka dengan membutakan mereka daripada melihat kebaikan sunnah sahabat-sahabat dengan kedua-dua jalan, kebaikan & keburukan.

Persoalan lain yang mungkin ditimbulkan adalah seperti berikut:
-"Siapa yang conduct usrah ni? Kalau si fulan bin si fulan, aku malas lah nak join. Dia tu kerek. Sembang je kemas. Mesti merapu nanti dia berceramah."
-"Aku tak boleh masuk dengan budak-budak usrah. Poyo."

Satu lagi kejayaan iblis dalam usahanya menutupi kebaikan duduk di dalam jilsah-jilsah kecil ini dengan memainkan api kedengkian. Aku dan sahabat-sahabat perlu sentiasa diingatkan akan tipu daya iblis ini. Siapa berani meningkah aku bahawa perkara ini berlaku saban hari dalam kehidupan kita?

Perjelaskan kepada umum dan pengikut-pengikut jilsah bahawa jilsah-jilsah ini diadakan bukan untuk kita mengaji agama semata-mata. Ia bukan sesi formal untuk menimba ilmu. Di sini adalah tempat untuk menghidupkan agama dalam diri, membina kecintaan sesama saudara seagama, dan memahami siapa manusia & hakikakt kehidupan yang tidak berakhir dengan kematian.

Taburkan benih cinta dan kasih sayang di dalam jilsah-jilsah saudara dan saudari dan buangkan prasangka. Kenali ahli-ahli jilsah. Belajar tentang keluarga mereka, kesukaan dan kehidupan mereka. Banyakkan alunan al-Quran dan hadis-hadis nabawi. Berceritalah tentang kehidupan Ar-Rasul dan sahabat-sahabat RA.Akhir sekali panjatkan doa sebanyak-banyaknya kepada Allah supaya setiap hati dalam jilsah kita diberikan hidayah dan rahmah.

This entry is a response to an entry in a friend's blog.

First time working on car

I am waiting for Shaafi and Edham to go for lunch. Earlier this morning, I replaced battery for Faran's car. It was my first time and alhamdulillah the car seems to work. I pray I did not miss anything while I was changing the battery. I don't want anything bad to happen to the car and especially to its owner. =P

Here is where I learn to replace car battery. It's quite easy and I think you can do it quicker after the first time. I want to learn how to replace tyres next. Hopefully tayar kereta Faran pancit tak lama lagi. =P

Challenge of diversity

I'm done with my English class for this semester. Yesterday I had the final examination. The exams was actually fun especially when it came to the essay part. The question asked whether a multicultural society would gain more in terms of development than a monocultural one would do. And of course I'd say multicultural society would progress better.

"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware. " (Al-Hujuraat: 13)

But a multicultural nation will not succeed just because it has a diverse society. Challenges of diversity are there and these challenge can simply turn the country upside down if not well met. What are the challenges? I would like to comment on one of them. A society of different beliefs and traditions is fragile. Naturally, human beings are more attracted to differences and contrast than to similarities and matches. Differences are there for us to enjoyed and our likenesses in humanity are there to connect us. The differences can only be enjoy with respect and positive mindset. And our similarities can only connect us if we think about them and appreciate them. The truth is we are a lot more alike than we are different but many of us do not realize this. Learn about ourselves and others to understand and appreciate what God has created.

I samurai

I, samurai, kill mermaids =P

That was me presenting Samurai tradition in class. The presentation was on Monday. Glad English class is now over. Yahoo!

Keadilan-Mu & Pengampunan-Mu

Bila aku merasa dianiaya
Bila aku merasa kebuntuan jalan
Aku ingin menadah tangan
memohon atas nama Mu al-'Adl
Tetapi aku seakan kebejatan upaya
untuk menampung sepuluh jari meminta
akibat bimbangkan keadilan-Mu
yang hanya menambah laknat padaku
Lantaran dosa dan kehinaan diri
yang lebih hitam dari lumpur hitam

Selajur aku teringat akan nama Mu al-Ghaffar
Lantas lari bimbangku sejauhnya
Lantaran keluasan pengampunan-Mu
yang tiada bertepi
Aku memohon atas belas kasihan
dan kasih sayang Mu
Supaya diampuni dosa
dibersihi dan dikasihi diri
Supaya aku ampuh menerima
segala aniaya maupun petaka
sebagai kaffarah penghapus noda