A good balance of the spiritual and society

Islam: Between Ritual Worship and Development of Society

Written by Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Hajar (ummhajar@gmail.com)

In the world of Islam, we often have to face two types of conception that weaken this majestic religion. First is the conception that only restricts the effectuation of Islam to matters of ritual ibadah (act of worship) only without regarding or paying less attention to the issues of civilization growth and the survival of the ummah (Muslim community). It is as if Allah will only question personal matters on Judgment Day. On the other hand, issues on surrounding world or the relationship between Muslims or others seem to be excluded from the list of matters to be questioned and its reward weighed by Allah on Judgment Day. This conception has actually become a poison that sterilized some pro-religion groups throughout time.


The second conception that threatens this religion comes from those that trivialize or belittle the emphasis or discussion on matters of ritual ibadah in this religion. To these people, full emphasis must be given to matters of physical and economic development as well as the establishment of the external image of the ummah. Issues on ritual ibadah are too marginal and we do not have to ask too much about it. To them, it is as if on Judgment Day Allah will only question about matters of human relation only without questioning about the relation between humans and their Lord.

Both conceptions have actually disregarded the reality of Islam. Islam is a religion that stresses the importance of matters relating to the association of a soul with his Lord in his ritual ibadah. Similarly, Islam also put an emphasis on the association among humans specifically in fostering this world with the development of culture and civilization that is based on the teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Allah says in describing the humiliation that befell the previous human societies (translated as): “Shame is pitched over them (like a tent) wherever they are found, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah and from men…” (surah Ali Imran: 112)

Abdullah bin al-Mubarak was a prominent scholar that became one of the main references for understanding al-Kitab (al-Quran) and al-Sunnah. His comprehension and appreciation of Islam was unrivaled. In year 177H, he wrote to his comrade who was also a prominent scholar named al-Fudail bin ‘Iyad. Al-Fudail was an avid worshipper in Mecca and Medina and was so involved in his worshipping activity that he seemed to forget about the jihad (holy struggle) in defending the Islamic authority at that time. In his letter, he wrote a poem that was full with deep meanings. Among the verses that he wrote were:

O the worshipper of the Two Holy Lands, if you look at us,
Surely you will know that indeed you are being superficial in your worship,
Whoever submerges his neck in his tears (due to his deep meditation),
Verily, our neck is submerging in blood,
Whoever tires his horse riding through a worthless path,
Verily, our horses are getting weary in the battlefield.
(refer to: al-Zahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, 8/412, Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah).

In that poem, he intended to portray that the ibadah of an individual who is not concerned about the survival and destiny of the ummah is not a genuine ibadah. The deep concentration in worship and the tears shed is meaningless if one abandons the holy struggle while the others sacrifice and being sacrificed in fighting in Allah’s Cause. The journey undertaken for performing ibadah on an individual basis is worthless if we just let the others fight to their death in defending the ummah.

A true Muslim makes his life journey to be in balance between focusing to matters of ritual ibadah and focusing to the development of ummah in realizing his caliph duty on the face of this earth. The focus on ritual ibadah includes restoration of the soul from the angle of sincerity and perseverance as well as matching the original examples set by the Prophet s.a.w without producing add-ons that are not taught in the sunnah. In the meantime, the focus on developing the ummah should involve issues on the directions taken that are meeting the requirement set by Allah and His Messenger and the effectiveness of actions being performed as well as the strategy to ensure the glory of the ummah. To be neglectful of either of the two perspectives is considered as negligence towards this grand religion. No one is allowed to assume that either one of the two segments is not important or trivial.

The relationship between a person and Allah is the core of human civilization. The connection happens when the emotion and soul always remember Allah and ritual ibadah is performed using the methods shown by Allah through His Messenger. In truth, the need for a person to connect with Allah through ritual worship is being shared by all human beings who have humanistic characters. Only those who have altered their natural habit refuse to turn back to the Lord. That is because human beings are created with a natural tendency to be submissive and in connection with the Lord. This is the answer to the question of why almost the entire humankind on the face of the earth embraces religions. Whatever religion it may be, it is a reflection of the human needs to be close to the Lord or to ask for His help. However, other than the basic of belief, Islam is differentiated from the others by its specific way of connecting humans with the Lord that is depicted by the Lord Himself through His official envoy that is Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. In another words, this is the acknowledged method in preserving the relationship between humans and the Lord.

If not, it can only be classified as deviant teaching that does not receive any endorsement from the Lord. Therefore, no method in performing ritual ibadah is accepted unless it is given an emphasis on the sincerity of intention and the authenticity of its method as it is showed by the certified representative of the Lord that is Muhammad the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. If a Muslim takes lightly the issues of ritual ibadah such that he says “Just perform your ibadah in any way as long as you’re performing it” or “Just perform your prayer in whatever way as long as you’re performing it”, then he actually fails to differentiate between the religion of the Lord that was revealed to the Lord’s certified representative and the fabricated religion that is originated solely by the human’s idea or need. Allah says (translated as): “What! Have they partners (in godhead), who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah?” (Surah al-Syura:21) ‘A’isha reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: “If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Subsequently, Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi said: ”A Muslim must, in his ibadah, adhere to the boundaries prescribed for him. It is not enough to just aim for the blessing of Allah but the ibadah must be performed in the form that is authorized by Allah with the kaifiyyat (manner) that is blessed by Him. The ibadah of a Muslim is not supposed to be something that is fabricated by people based on their own desires and supposition. It is forbidden for anyone among the imams of Muslims even though his academic level is astronomical, and also forbidden for any educational body even though its status is tremendous, and also forbidden for any academic institution or for any groups of the Muslims be it small or big to fabricate (ibtida’) a new ibadah in the religion of Allah, or to add on to the ibadah specified in this religion, or to change the way ibadah was done during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. This is because only Allah is the maker of sharia (Islamic Law) and the Messenger s.a.w is the one who conveyed it while we are just the followers. All goodness is in al-ittiba’ (abide by what had been specified by Allah and His Messenger)”. (Al-Qaradawi, Al-`Ibadah fi Al-Islam, pg. 165-167, Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah).

Therefore, although Amina Wadud the woman who led Friday prayer a few years ago probably had a good intention of upholding women development to prove – in her view – gender equal rights but that was not the way to do it. Ritual ibadah in Islam cannot be performed without the illustration provided by Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. Although there is no specific prohibition, ibadah cannot be performed without any examples from the Prophet s.a.w. If we were to search the textual evidence that prohibits a woman from leading Friday prayer, surely we would not find any. As for the hadith from Jabir that was reported by Ibn Majah, “Do not let women to lead the prayer of men, the Bedouin to lead the prayer of the migrators and an evil person to lead the prayer of the Believers.” Its chain of narration is weak and it cannot be used as a point of reasoning. Instead, in a hadith from Umm Waraqah that was reported by Abu Daud with a hasan (good) chain of narration states that the Prophet s.a.w asked Umm Waraqah to lead the prayer of her household members in which one of them was a man. This hadith is a proof for enabling women to lead the prayer of men in their houses. It is like a mother leading prayer in her house and is followed by her son.

This is the standpoint supported by many ulama and among them is Dr ‘Abd al-Karim Zaidan in his book Al-Mufassal fi Ahkam al-Marah. However, Aminah Wadud wanted more than that. She inferred this hadith in a way that justified her desire to lead the Friday prayer. During the time of the Prophet s.a.w, Friday prayer was performed every week. There was not any woman appointed by the Prophet to become the imam of any of the mosques during that time whereas the women back then were more religious than Aminah Wadud. When Allah’s Messenger s.a.w passed away, some of his wives were still alive including ‘Aisya, Hafsah and Umm Salamah. Their knowledge was vast taken directly from the Prophet s.a.w in both the understanding and application of Islam. Still, it never crossed their minds to lead the Friday prayer. Furthermore, none among the Muslims who loved and adored them so much offered them to lead the Friday prayer. This was because that particular practice was never done during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. Therefore, ritual ibadah cannot be performed without any evidence to verify it although there is no evidence that indicates it is prohibited. In ritual ibadah, we cannot say that because the Prophet s.a.w did not prohibit it then we are free to do anything as long as there is no prohibition. Instead, in ritual ibadah, we must ask if the Prophet s.a.w instructed it or did it. This is the correct question to ask because if not, people will make all kinds of add-ons in ibadah. Even if he performed the subuh (dawn) prayer for eight rakaat (prescribed number of bows in prayer), he would just say: “I was sincere (in doing it). There was no prohibition from the Prophet s.a.w regarding the eight rakaat and the most important thing is sincerity.” If that happened, then the authenticity of the religion would be tainted.

Humans are allowed to be innovative and creative in other matters concerning their lives but not in matters of ritual ibadah. Allah harmonized all of us as a symbol of a united ummah in one religion. However, when we cross this forbidden ground, we will then see the Muslim society having various ways of ibadah that are different from each other. Differences in methods of ibadah between sufi groups, races, countries and so on. Subsequently, sectarian feelings emerge with words such as “This is our way” or “This is the way of our country or region” echo everywhere. They should be thinking of saying this is the way demonstrated by Allah’s Messenger s.a.w in his hadith and we are all his followers. Even more, some religious teachers only use custom as the basis of their teachings without knowing the relevant textual evidence.

Thus, it is not surprising if the ummah fail to be united when being oppressed by the enemy since even in matters of ibadah some have sectarian attitude. Unfortunately, in this world where we are required to be innovative and creative to enable us to manufacture quality products that are beneficial for humankinds and able to elevate the status of this ummah, we do not progress much. In fact, the part of Islamic world that has many editions of new methods of ibadah fail to produce or develop new materials or products for the world to use.

Thus, the emphasis on ritual ibadah is not to be deemed as trivial. There is a need for a balanced development between spiritual and physical, between the authentic way of ibadah and the progress of the mind as well as a creative and innovative civilization. Once again, I would like to cite the words of al-Qaradawi: “However, what we would like to assert from the beginning is that the hadarah (civilization) Islam intends to build is not like other civilizations that emphasize more on the body and the desire of a person, that emphasize on instant pleasure in this world. Thus, it places the world as the biggest matter to be concerned of and that is the limit to its knowledge. It does not allocate to Allah a position that is mentioned in its philosophy. There is no room for the Afterlife in its system of thought and education. This contradicts with hadarah al-Islam (Islamic Civilization). It connects human with Allah, ties the earth with the heavens. It makes the world for the Afterlife, blends the soul with materialism, balances the mind and heart and unites knowledge and religious belief. It puts a lot of concern on the fineness of manner as it does on material development. It is actually both spiritual and material civilization, dreams and reality, godly and humane, personal conduct and development and individual and communal. It is a civilization that is balanced and moderate.” (Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Al-Sunnah masdaran li al-Ma’rifat wa al-Hadarat, pg. 204, cetakan: Dar al-Syuruq, Mesir.).

Unfortunately, we always meet with those who put strong emphasis on matters of ritual ibadah but neglect issues of the development of ummah civilization. At the same time, we also meet with many who discuss issues of civilization but are so inattentive and forgetful over matters of ritual ibadah. Therefore, born were religious groups without strength, professional groups without guidance. Ibadah only fails to make us into leaders of the world and material civilization only fails to make us into servants of Allah. Do revert to a balanced way of putting emphasis.



Source: http://drmaza.com/english_section/?p=38

A long overdue poll

[nus_muslimsoc] What a Billion Muslims Think?‏
From: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Amir Hussain (syedamirhussain@nus.edu.sg)
Sent: Wed 4/16/08 2:22 PM
Reply-to: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com
To: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com

What a Billion Muslims Think?

By Aijaz Zaka Syed

Opinion polls fascinate me. They are, if honestly conducted, perhaps
the best possible way to gauge public opinion. At a time when spin is
the norm and global media is controlled, manipulated and dictated by
powerful cliques, corporate interests and governments, it's not easy
to get a clear picture on any given issue.

This is especially true when the story involves marginalised
minorities and dispossessed groups. And of late the Muslims, currently
the world's favourite punching bag, have been at the receiving end.

After the spectacular assassination of Marxism and disintegration of
Soviet Union, the West found itself a new enemy in Islam.

The 9/11 attacks in the US and 7/7 strikes in the UK were only
excuses, not the causes, to hasten this process. They might have
contributed to the current hysteria against everything Islamic but
they never were the Original Sin as we've been given to believe.

Myths like this have been demolished in a most interesting survey
conducted by Gallup. What makes this opinion poll like no other is
that it has been conducted over a period of six years, beginning after
the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Gallup conducted research in 35 Muslim countries, interviewing more
than 50,000 people, to come up with what it calls the first
comprehensive survey of Muslim world opinion.

And the results have also given birth to a book called, Who Speaks for
Islam? What a billion Muslims really think by John L. Esposito and
Dalia Mogahed.

The poll and the book offer a much-needed reality check on the
relations between the West and Muslim world. Some of the findings are
genuinely surprising and revealing even for someone like me who has
been obsessed with the issue.

Many conclusions of the poll only go to confirm what we in the Middle
East and Muslim world have always known but couldn't succeed in
putting them across to our friends in the West.

For instance, the fact that it's not Islamic teachings that drive some
individuals to violence but historical injustices inflicted and
perpetuated by some Western powers.

Which is why one so hopes that the urgent message this poll seeks to
convey reaches the Western audience — and the wider world. It would be
such a shame if it doesn't.

Because, as Dalia Mogahed argues in the book, Who Speaks for Islam…,
this ostensible conflict between Islam and West is far from inevitable.

Many concerned commentators including this humble hack have repeatedly
argued that what is fuelling the so-called clash of civilisations is
not some absurd hatred of the Christian West sanctioned by Islam but
Western ignorance about Muslims. The poll backs this argument.

A huge majority of Muslims regardless of where they live, whether in
Sunni Saudi Arabia or Shia Iran, they are surprisingly well informed
about the West, its values and ideals.

In fact, most of them admire the West for its scientific achievements,
economic progress and celebration of knowledge and excellence. The
West is admired by the Muslims for the political freedom, democracy
and rights it offers its people.

There are other findings that are equally interesting. Contrary to
common perceptions in the West, the majority of respondents think men
and women have equal rights.

A whopping 94 pc of Indonesians, the world's largest Muslim nation,
share this view. In Islamist Iran, the figure is 89 per cent. And in
the much-reviled Saudi Arabia, it's 73 percent.

A great majority of Muslims also believe a woman can work outside her
home in any job for which she is qualified (88 pc in Indonesia, 72 pc
in Egypt and even 78 pc in Saudi Arabia). And they also believe women
should be able to vote without interference (87 pc in Indonesia, 91 pc
in Egypt, 98 pc in Lebanon).

What about the legendary Muslim sympathy for terrorism? While 6 pc of
the Americans think attacks involving civilians are 'completely
justified,' in Saudi Arabia, this figure is 4 pc. In Lebanon and Iran,
it's 2 percent.

And mark this, it's important. The majority of Muslims absolutely
rejects violence and terrorism. In fact, many of the respondents
quoted Quranic verses to point out that extremism goes against Islamic
teachings.

Going by these findings, would any reasonable person in his right mind
blame Islam of championing extremism and violence? And remember, this
survey was not sponsored by Al Jazeera, Bin Laden's favourite channel,
but by Gallup, the biggest name in the business.

So what is it then that drives the West and Muslim world apart? The
answer lies in Western indifference, nay casual contempt, for a
billion believers and all that they believe in. I am not saying this;
Gallup poll does.

Again this shouldn't come as a surprise. While admiring Western values
such as democracy and freedom, Muslims feel these values are
conveniently cast aside when it comes to applying them to Muslim world.

More than 65 pc of Egyptians, Jordanians and Iranians believe the US
will never allow people in the Middle East to run their own affairs
and chart their own course.

When the Gallup pollsters asked Muslims around the world what the West
could do to improve relations with the Muslim world, the most frequent
responses were for the West to demonstrate more respect for Islam and
to regard Muslims as equals, not as inferior.

The Western contempt for Islam, especially the ignorance of Americans,
is not something that is imagined by us. The poll findings speak for
themselves.

The majority of Americans (66 pc) admit to having "some" prejudice
against Muslims; one in five say they have 'a great deal' of
prejudice. Almost half do not believe US Muslims are 'loyal' to their
country; and one in four doesn't want a Muslim as a neighbour!

Given these views, is it any surprising that Muslims are invariably
portrayed in the US media, including that big propaganda machine
called Hollywood, as terrorists?

If the Muslims harbour some degree of anti-US sentiment, it's not
because of what the Americans are; it's because of what they do or
have been doing in the Muslim world. But how would you explain the
deep-seated paranoia and Islamophobia in the US and West?

Whatever its causes, this divide is most unfortunate and unnatural.
Because there is a great deal lot that unites the Muslims and the
Americans. In an increasingly materialistic world, they continue to
hold on to their belief in God.

Unlike in Europe and much of the world, religion plays a healthy and
positive role in the day-to-day life of the Americans as well as
Muslims. They both cherish universal values like honesty,
truthfulness, hard work, accountability and being always loyal to your
family.

Just look around. What we have in common is much more than what we do
not — notwithstanding what the Bushes and Bin Ladens of this world
would have you believe. Which is why this divide is such a tragedy. We
Muslims want to bridge this gulf. Is the other side equally willing?

-Aijaz Zaka Syed is a senior editor and columnist of Khaleej Times. He
contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com

© Copyright 1999-2008 PalestineChronicle.com. All rights reserved

In understanding our position on this earth, there are two important things that we need to know, among many many things, about our relationship with God. One is Uluhiyyah and the other is Rububiyyah.

Rububiyyah means understanding that we come from Allah and are indebted to him. If you talk about free will, and freedom of choice, can you say that you willed yourself to be born by your mom and dad? Did you choose to be born on this earth? Did you choose your time and place of birth, your family background, how rich or smart your parents had to be or how good they were as parents? Then if you didn't, who made that choice for you?

Uluhiyyah means doing everything for Allah. Why do you do what you do? What meaning do you get when you've done everything you wanted, and it was extremely easy to do? If you work to please someone, how often it is that you won't please him a second or third time round? Why should we even bother about ourselves? In the bigger picture, how can what we do ever matter to anyone?

At the essence of it all, the concept of God still prevails and stands through the test of time or geographical location. You can talk about Allah to an African in Somalia, a Filipino in the Philipines or a technocrati in Sweden. Given that you know their language and mode of thinking, of course. You wouldn't want to affront them with arabic verses that they'd just see as middle eastern music. =)

Outspoken convert to Islam says she's still a feminist, but critics can't see past the hijab

> West challenged by one of its own TheStar.com - living - West
> challenged by one of its own
> Outspoken convert to Islam says she's still a feminist, but critics
> can't see past the hijab
>
> September 29, 2007
> RON CSILLAG
> special to the star
>
> http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/260456
>
> Once a hard-nosed, hard-drinking Fleet Street reporter, Yvonne Ridley
> today is a proud, pious and unapologetic Muslim. Islam is "the biggest
> and best family in the world," she says, but deeply misunderstood.
>
> The 48-year-old London-based journalist and political activist brought
> her campaign against the West and its war on terror to Canada this
> month, visiting Toronto, Waterloo and Montreal to speak at fundraising
> dinners for the Canadian Islamic Congress.
>
> "I've always been a fighter for women's rights. I still am. I'm still
> a feminist, except now I would say I'm an Islamic feminist. I have
> been supporting the Palestinian cause for three decades now. That
> hasn't changed. What has changed are people's perceptions of me.
>
> "As soon as I put on a hijab, it was like, `Oh my God, she's a
> radical. She an exremist.' And suddenly, I moved from being a
> journalist to a Muslim activist."
>
> But her visit here inflamed critics. B'nai Brith Canada, protesting
> she's a "terrorist sympathizer" whose views are "extremist and
> dangerous," called for her talks to be monitored by police.
>
> Ridley has been called an Islamist dupe and an apologist for
> terrorism. Remarks attributed to her include a reference to Jewish
> critics as "those nauseating little Zionists who accuse me of being an
> anti-Semite" and a characterization of London cleric Abu Hamza
> al-Masri, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence for soliciting
> murder and inciting racial hatred, as "quite sweet, really."
>
> Asked prior to her Toronto talk to comment, she denies nothing. Those
> reported remarks "are regurgitated by people who have an agenda
> against me," she tells the Star.
>
> Yes, she called al-Masri sweet, but "that was part of a one-hour,
> 20-minute talk in which he was featured for about 30 seconds."
>
> She was quoted "totally out of context," she says.
>
> "It would be like you looking at Hitler and saying, `Apparently, he
> was a very gifted artist and I looked at his work and it moved me.'
> The next thing you know, you pick up the paper and somebody is saying,
> `Oh God, that man said Hitler was gifted and he was moved by him.'"
>
> Ridley blames journalists, always out for a juicy sound bite.
>
> "This is the trouble with the media. I'm not having a go at you," she
> says, "but you do try and simplify issues....If you tell me what story
> you've been told to get and what headline you need, then I'll try and
> help you."
>
> Would she characterize a Muslim who calls for violence as un-Islamic
> or radical? "Historically," Ridley points out, "violence has worked."
>
> The Irish Republican Army "bombed their way to the negotiating table."
>
> And the 1946 bombing of the King David Hotel by the Irgun, pre-state
> Israel's Jewish militia, was "a defining moment in the British army's
> desire to get the hell out of Jerusalem."
>
> There's no difference, Ridley says, "between a suicide bomber and a
> Stealth bomber because they both kill innocent people. And the death
> of innocent people is always to be condemned."
>
> Ridley's extraordinary journey to her present activism began just
> after the 9/11 attacks when, as a reporter for Britain's Daily Express
> (which calls itself "The World's Greatest Newspaper"), she donned a
> burqa and sneaked into Afghanistan to cover the war on terror.
>
> At the time, she was an Anglican who attended church about twice a
> month, "which in Britain, is regarded as fanatical." She had a
> knowledge of Islam "you could probably write on the back of a postage
> stamp, and it was incorrect."
>
> Her assignment finished, she was making her way out of Afghanistan
> when the Taliban discovered she had camera tucked beneath her robes.
> Held and interrogated for 10 days in Jalalabad and Kabul, she was
> released after promising her captors that she would read the
>
> Qur'an. She kept her word and read the Qur'an. In 2003, she converted to Islam.
>
> Ridley, who wears a black hijab and jilbab, or floor-length cloak,
> prays fives daily, eschews alcohol, and bristles at suggestions she
> represents a textbook case of Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological
> condition in which the captive empathizes with her captor.
>
> "That comes from people who cannot accept that a Western woman has
> rejected what they see as Western values (in order) to embrace Islam,"
> she says.
>
> The Taliban have been "demonized beyond recognition, because you can't
> drop bombs on nice people."
>
> But "I did not bond with my captors," she says. "I spat at them. I
> swore at them. I threw things at them. I was aggressive. I was rude
> (and) obnoxious. I was the prisoner from hell."
>
> But what about her conversion? Has she compromised her journalistic
> objectivity by embracing the philosophy of her captors?
>
> "I didn't embrace the philosophy of my captors," is the crisp reply.
> "My captors were the Taliban, and (they) have a very specific type of
> doctrine. And I didn't embrace that.
>
> "I embraced Islam. I embraced what I consider to be pure Islam."
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ron Csillag is a freelance writer. Email:
> living@thestar.ca.

Christian clerics respond to Muslim hand of peace

Full text of the letter below:
>
>
>
> Christian clerics respond to Muslim hand of peace
> WAM
> Published: November 26, 2007,
>
>
> http://www.gulf-news.com/nation/Society/10170624.html
>
>
>
> Abu Dhabi: More than 300 Christian clergymen signed a letter,
> apologising to Muslims for Crusades and the consequences of the war on
> terror, which resulted in human and faith damages.
>
> In a letter titled 'Loving God and Neighbour Together', the Christian
> clerics replied to an earlier letter from 138 Muslim scholars titled
> 'A common Word Between Us and You'.
>
> Unprecedented
>
>
>
> Dr Habib Ali Al Jafri, Muslim propagator, said: "I am happy with this
> letter, which is considered as an unprecedented step to bring the
> Islamic and Christian faiths and civilisations closer."
>
> Speaking at a press conference held yesterday at the Abu Dhabi
> Cultural Foundation, Al Jafri said Muslims and Christians make up 55
> per cent of the world's population, and this new closeness serves as
> the first firm step towards returning to peace, brotherhood and
> harmony between people.
>
> He added that more steps would follow in response to the apology to
> enhance interfaith dialogue. The letter from Muslim scholars was sent
> to 27 Christian heads of churches around the world, including the
> Vatican.
>
> Twenty-five of them replied, but no reply has been received yet from
> the Vatican and an Orthodox church, Al Jafri said.
>
> Miroslav Volf, Director for Yale Centre for Faith and Culture, said
> the earlier letter from Muslim scholars has touched Christians and
> awakened the sentiments of tolerance and closeness between the two
> sides.
>
> The clerics who signed the letter are from all over the world, mostly
> from the US, and represent the largest sector of Christians.
>
>
>
>
> *****************************
>
> Following is the full text of the letter:
>
> Loving God and Neighbour Together
>
> As members of the worldwide Christian community, we were deeply
> encouraged and challenged by the recent historic open letter signed by
> 138 leading Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals from around
> the world. A Common Word Between Us and You identifies some core
> common ground between Christianity and Islam which lies at the heart
> of our respective faiths as well as at the heart of the most ancient
> Abrahamic faith, Judaism. Jesus Christ's call to love God and
> neighbour was rooted in the divine revelation to the people of Israel
> embodied in the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). We receive
> the open letter as a Muslim hand of conviviality and cooperation
> extended to Christians worldwide. In this response we extend our own
> Christian hand in return, so that together with all other human beings
> we may live in peace and justice as we seek to love God and our
> neighbours.
>
> Muslims and Christians have not always shaken hands in friendship;
> their relations have sometimes been tense, even characterized by
> outright hostility. Since Jesus Christ says, "First take the log out
> of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out
> of your neighbour's eye" (Matthew 7:5), we want to begin by
> acknowledging that in the past ( e.g. in the Crusades) and in the
> present (e.g. in excesses of the "war on terror") many Christians have
> been guilty of sinning against our Muslim neighbours. Before we "shake
> your hand" in responding to your letter, we ask forgiveness of the
> All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world.
>
> Religious Peace-World Peace "Muslims and Christians together make up
> well over half of the world's population. Without peace and justice
> between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful
> peace in the world." We share the sentiment of the Muslim signatories
> expressed in these opening lines of their open letter. Peaceful
> relations between Muslims and Christians stand as one of the central
> challenges of this century, and perhaps of the whole present epoch.
> Though tensions, conflicts, and even wars in which Christians and
> Muslims stand against each other are not primarily religious in
> character, they possess an undeniable religious dimension. If we can
> achieve religious peace between these two religious communities, peace
> in the world will clearly be easier to attain. It is therefore no
> exaggeration to say, as you have in A Common Word Between Us and You,
> that "the future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and
> Christians." Common Ground What is so extraordinary about A Common
> Word Between Us and You is not that its signatories recognize the
> critical character of the present moment in relations between Muslims
> and Christians. It is rather a deep insight and courage with which
> they have identified the common ground between the Muslim and
> Christian religious communities.
>
> What is common between us lies not in something marginal nor in
> something merely important to each. It lies, rather, in something
> absolutely central to both: love of God and love of neighbour.
>
> Surprisingly for many Christians, your letter considers the dual
> command of love to be the foundational principle not just of the
> Christian faith, but of Islam as well. That so much common ground
> exists-common ground in some of the fundamentals of faith-gives hope
> that undeniable differences and even the very real external pressures
> that bear down upon us can not overshadow the common ground upon which
> we stand together. That this common ground consists in love of God and
> of neighbour gives hope that deep cooperation between us can be a
> hallmark of the relations between our two communities.
>
> Love of God We applaud that A Common Word Between Us and You stresses
> so insistently the unique devotion to one God, indeed the love of God,
> as the primary duty of every believer. God alone rightly commands our
> ultimate allegiance. When anyone or anything besides God commands our
> ultimate allegiance-a ruler, a nation, economic progress, or anything
> else-we end up serving idols and inevitably get mired in deep and
> deadly conflicts. We find it equally heartening that the God whom we
> should love above all things is described as being Love. In the Muslim
> tradition, God, "the Lord of the worlds," is "The Infinitely Good and
> All-Merciful." And the New Testament states clearly that "God is love"
> (1 John 4:8). Since God's goodness is infinite and not bound by
> anything, God "makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends
> rain on the righteous and the unrighteous," according to the words of
> Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospel (Matthew 5:45). For Christians,
> humanity's love of God and God's love of humanity are intimately
> linked. As we read in the New Testament: "We love because he [God]
> first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Our love of God springs from and is
> nourished by God's love for us. It cannot be otherwise, since the
> Creator who has power over all things is infinitely good. Love of
> Neighbour We find deep affinities with our own Christian faith when A
> Common Word Between Us and You insists that love is the pinnacle of
> our duties toward our neighbours. "None of you has faith until you
> love for your neighbour what you love for yourself," the Prophet
> Muhammad said. In the New Testament we similarly read, "whoever does
> not love [the neighbour] does not know God" (1 John 4:8) and "whoever
> does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has
> not seen" (1 John 4:20). God is love, and our highest calling as human
> beings is to imitate the One whom we worship. We applaud when you
> state that "justice and freedom of religion are a crucial part" of the
> love of neighbour. When justice is lacking, neither love of God nor
> love of the neighbour can be present. When freedom to worship God
> according to one's conscience is curtailed, God is dishonoured, the
> neighbour oppressed, and neither God nor neighbour is loved. Since
> Muslims seek to love their Christian neighbours, they are not against
> them, the document encouragingly states. Instead, Muslims are with
> them. As Christians we resonate deeply with this sentiment. Our faith
> teaches that we must be with our neighbours-indeed, that we must act
> in their favor-even when our neighbours turn out to be our enemies.
> "But I say unto you," says Jesus Christ, "Love your enemies and pray
> for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your
> Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the
> good" (Matthew 5:44-45). Our love, Jesus Christ says, must imitate the
> love of the infinitely good Creator; our love must be as unconditional
> as is God's-extending to brothers, sisters, neighbours, and even
> enemies. At the end of his life, Jesus Christ himself prayed for his
> enemies: "Forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing"
> (Luke 23:34).
>
> The Prophet Muhammad did similarly when he was violently rejected and
> stoned by the people of Ta'if. He is known to have said, "The most
> virtuous behaviour is to engage those who sever relations, to give to
> those who withhold from you, and to forgive those who wrong you." (It
> is perhaps significant that after the Prophet Muhammad was driven out
> of Ta'if, it was the Christian slave 'Addas who went out to Muhammad,
> brought him food, kissed him, and embraced him.) The Task Before Us
> "Let this common ground"-the dual common ground of love of God and of
> neighbour-"be the basis of all future interfaith dialogue between us,"
> your courageous letter urges. Indeed, in the generosity with which the
> letter is written you embody what you call for. We most heartily
> agree. Abandoning all "hatred and strife," we must engage in
> interfaith dialogue as those who seek each other's good, for the one
> God unceasingly seeks our good. Indeed, together with you we believe
> that we need to move beyond "a polite ecumenical dialogue between
> selected religious leaders" and work diligently together to reshape
> relations between our communities and our nations so that they
> genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another. Given
> the deep fissures in the relations between Christians and Muslims
> today, the task before us is daunting. And the stakes are great. The
> future of the world depends on our ability as Christians and Muslims
> to live together in peace. If we fail to make every effort to make
> peace and come together in harmony you correctly remind us that "our
> eternal souls" are at stake as well.
>
> We are persuaded that our next step should be for our leaders at every
> level to meet together and begin the earnest work of determining how
> God would have us fulfill the requirement that we love God and one
> another. It is with humility and hope that we receive your generous
> letter, and we commit ourselves to labor together in heart, soul, mind
> and strength for the objectives you so appropriately propose.
>
> *Harold W. Attridge, Dean and Lillian Claus Professor of New
> Testament, Yale Divinity School *Joseph Cumming, Director of the
> Reconciliation Program, Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Yale
> Divinity School *Emilie M. Townes, Andrew Mellon Professor of African
> American Religion and Theology, Yale Divinity School, and
> President-elect of the American Academy of Religion *Miroslav Volf,
> Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Henry
> B. Wright Professor of Theology, Yale Divinity School Martin Accad,
> Academic Dean, Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (Lebanon) Scott C.
> Alexander, Director, Catholic-Muslim Studies, Catholic Theological
> Union Roger Allen, Chair, Department of Near Eastern Languages and
> Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania Leith Anderson, President,
> National Association of Evangelicals Ray Bakke, Convening Chair,
> Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding Camillo Ballin, Bishop,
> Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait (Roman Catholic) Barry Beisner, Bishop,
> Episcopal Diocese of Northern California Federico Bertuzzi, President,
> PM Internacional, Latin America James A. Beverley, Tyndale Seminary,
> Canada Jonathan Bonk, Executive Director, Overseas Ministries Study
> Center Gerhard B?wering, Yale University Joseph Britton, Dean,
> Berkeley Divinity School at Yale John M. Buchanan, Editor/Publisher,
> The Christian Century Joe Goodwin Burnett, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese
> of Nebraska Samuel G. Candler, Dean, Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta
> Juan Carlos C?rdenas, Instituto Iberoamericano de Estudios
> Transculturales, Spain Joseph Castleberry, President, Northwest
> University Colin Chapman, Author David Yonggi Cho, Founder and Senior
> Pastor, Yoido Full Gospel Church, Seoul, Korea Richard Cizik, Vice
> President, National Association of Evangelicals Corneliu
> Constantineanu, Dean, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Croatia Robert
> E. Cooley, President Emeritus, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
> Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School John D'Alton, President, Melbourne
> Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Australia Andr? Delbecq,
> University of Santa Clara Keith DeRose, Yale University Andr?s Alonso
> Duncan, CEO, Latinoamerica Global, A.C.
>
> Diana L. Eck, Harvard University Bertil Ekstrom, Executive Director,
> Mission Commission, World Evangelical Alliance Mark U. Edwards, Jr.,
> Senior Advisor to the Dean, Harvard Divinity School John Esposito,
> Director Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian
> Understanding, Georgetown University David Ford, Regius Professor of
> Divinity, Cambridge University Timothy George, Dean, Beeson Divinity
> School, Samford University Roberto S. Goizueta, Boston College Bruce
> Gordon, University of St. Andrews William A. Graham, Dean, Harvard
> Divinity School Lynn Green, International Chairman, YWAM Frank
> Griffel, Yale University Edwin F. Gulick, Jr., Bishop, Episcopal
> Diocese of Kentucky David P. Gushee, President, Evangelicals for Human
> Rights Kim B. Gustafson, President, Common Ground Elie Haddad,
> Provost, Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, Lebanon L. Ann Hallisey,
> Hallisey Consulting and Counseling Paul D. Hanson, Harvard Divinity
> School Heidi Hadsell, President, Hartford Seminary David Heim,
> Executive Editor, The Christian Century Norman A. Hjelm, National
> Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, retired Carl R.
> Holladay, Candler School of Theology, Emory University Joseph Hough,
> President, Union Theological Seminary, NY Bill Hybels, Founder and
> Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church Nabeel T. Jabbour,
> Consultant, Professor, Colorado Shannon Sherwood Johnston, Bishop
> Coadjutor, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia David Colin Jones, Bishop
> Suffragan, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Stanton L. Jones, Provost,
> Wheaton College, IL Tony Jones, National Coordinator, Emergent Village
> Riad A. Kassis, Theologian, Author, Consultant Paul Knitter, Union
> Theological Seminary, NY Manfred W. Kohl, Vice President of Overseas
> Council International, USA James A. Kowalski, Dean, Cathedral of Saint
> John the Divine, NY Sharon Kugler, University Chaplain, Yale
> University Peter Kuzmic, President, Evangelical Theological Faculty
> Osijek, Croatia Peter J. Lee, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
> Linda LeSourd Lader, President, Renaissance Institute Tim Lewis,
> President, William Carey Int'l University John B.Lindner, Yale
> Divinity School Duane Litfin, President, Wheaton College Greg
> Livingstone, Founder, Frontiers Albert C. Lobe, Interim Executive
> Director, Mennonite Central Committee Rick Love, International
> Director, Frontiers Douglas Magnuson, Bethel University Peter Maiden,
> International Coordinator, OM Danut Manastireanu, World Vision
> International, Iasi, Romania Harold Masback, III, Senior Minister, The
> Congregational Church of New Canaan, New Canaan, CT Donald M. McCoid,
> Evangelical Lutheran Church in America C. Douglas McConnell, Dean,
> School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary Don
> McCurry, President, Ministries to Muslims Brian D. McLaren, Author,
> Speaker, Activist Kathleen E. McVey, Princeton Theological Seminary
> Judith Mendelsohn Rood, Biola University Steve Moore, President and
> CEO, The Mission Exchange (formerly EFMA) Douglas Morgan, Director,
> Adventist Peace Fellowship Richard Mouw, President, Fuller Theological
> Seminary Salim J. Munayer, Academic Dean, Bethlehem Bible College,
> Jerusalem Rich Nathan, Senior Pastor, Vineyard Church of Columbus
> David Neff, Editor in Chief and Vice-President, Christianity Today
> Media Group Alexander Negrov, President, St. Petersburg Christian
> University, Russia Richard R. Osmer, Princeton Theological Seminary
> George E. Packard, Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies of the Episcopal
> Church Greg H. Parsons, General Director, U.S. Center for World
> Mission Doug Pennoyer, Dean, School of Intercultural Studies, Biola
> University Douglas Petersen, Vanguard University of Southern
> California Sally Promey, Yale Divinity School Thomas P. Rausch, S.J.,
> Loyola Marymount University David A. Reed, Wycliffe College,
> University of Toronto Neil Rees, International Director, World
> Horizons Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., Fuller Theological Seminary Leonard
> Rogers, Executive Director, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding
> William L. Sachs, Director, Center for Reconciliation and Mission,
> Richmond Lamin Sanneh, Yale Divinity School Andrew Saperstein, Yale
> Center for Faith and Culture Robert Schuller, Founder, Crystal
> Cathedral and Hour of Power Elizabeth Sch?ssler Fiorenza, Harvard
> Divinity School Francis Sch?ssler Fiorenza, Harvard Divinity School
> William Schweiker, University of Chicago Donald Senior, C.P.,
> President, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago C. L. Seow, Princeton
> Theological Seminary Imad Nicola Shehadeh, President, Jordan
> Evangelical Theological Seminary David W. and K. Grace Shenk, Eastern
> Mennonite Missions Marguerite Shuster, Fuller Theological Seminary
> John G. Stackhouse, Jr., Regent College, Vancouver Glen Stassen,
> Fuller Theological Seminary Andrea Zaki Stephanous, Vice President,
> Protestant Church in Egypt Wilbur P. Stone, Bethel University, MN John
> Stott, Rector Emeritus, All Souls Church, London Frederick J. Streets,
> Yeshiva University William Taylor, Global Ambassador, World
> Evangelical Alliance John Thomas, President and General Minister,
> United Church of Christ Iain Torrance, President, Princeton
> Theological Seminary Michael W. Treneer, International President, The
> Navigators, CO Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director, World
> Evangelical Alliance George Verwer, Founder and former International
> Director, OM Harold Vogelaar, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
> Berten A. Waggoner, National Director, Association of Vineyard
> Churches Jim Wallis, President, Sojourners Rick Warren, Founder and
> Senior Pastor, Saddleback Church, and The Purpose Driven Life, Lake
> Forest, CA J. Dudley Woodberry, Dean Emeritus, Fuller School of
> International Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary Christopher J.H.
> Wright, International Director, Langham Partnership, London Robert R.
> Wilson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Yale Divinity School
> Nicholas Wolterstorff, University of Virginia Godfrey Yogarajah,
> General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship in Asia Community Council of
> the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, OH.

what is means to be a Melayu

You know being part of a culture usually means you're part unaware that what you are is manifesting all around you in such a natural phenomenon that the whole point of it being a natural phenomenon is that you're unable to take it out of context and essentialise it without reducing it to something totaly different than what it was.

It's like a china pheasant in the middle of nowhere rearing his cows, or a German technocrat experiencing the overwhelming wealth that only 20% of this world truly has. It's indescribable unless it is percieved from an outsider's eyes.


But once in a while, it takes certain special individuals to make me realise the beauty of what it means to be Malay.



Dengan kelembutan gaya selamba
keserasian dengan melodi dan tempo lagu
menghayati lirik dengan penuh hiba, makna dan gusto
mengilhamkan budaya pementasan yang berwibawa

for all its worth, it was worth all the while

Sometimes I wonder if it's all that much worth it.
For all the times, the joys, the friendships and ties that bond.
So much has changed, so little has stayed the same in the passage of time.
For now it's a fine ground between what I really want and how I know it can benefit old friendships.

You never needed me there in the first place.
And that trust I had in the friendship was just washed away in the trickling stream of time.

Things change.
People change.
Mindsets change.

And for all it's worth, it was worth all the while.

I have people I trust, people I know really take me for who I am.
And maybe I enjoy their company cause I don't have to try so hard.
Try so hard to what?
That, I'm not exactly sure.
To what ends, I ask.
For that, I have yet to find an answer.

of the freedom of choice

I once heard in agama class on the official stance of freedom of choice in Islam. The question was: Do humans have the freedom of choice?

Most of us in class said, yup, totally.
Our reasoning was:
We can choose to do good, and choose to do bad, only we'd have to face up to the consequences as well. Like let's say (hypothetically) we'd decide to go clubbing the night before our final A level paper. We'd have short term fun, and like, totally screw up the paper the next day. A consequence we'd have to face. Of course, lucky smart ones can do both. They're the few that are truly blessed.


But our ustaz then told us that Islam is brought to us such that there are guidelines that us humans have to do so as not to harm ourselves. And constantly move in a direction that would bring out the best in ourselves.

So by reasoning that out, we'd have the freedom to choose how we'd like to spend our time, resources, wealth and energy in the domain of "good". Like you can do a million things with your free time. Just don't waste it off.

We can't choose to do bad, because that would mean doing something useless and harmful to us, and we'd have to face the repercussions.

This idea kinda stuck to me, but I didn't really understand it totally until recently, when I tried considering our choices we face on this earth. Like, why do we choose to face the consequences in the first place, and to be subjected to such guidelines or repurcussions?


And then it came to me... that that's cause we never actually HAD a choice in the first place. We couldn't choose to be born into this earth, and we didn't have a choice when we faced Allah as the first time as souls, and acknowledged His presence as our Creator.


In the larger picture, we were never given a choice.

Following this, we are in this earth because Allah wills us to be here, we're forever indebted to Him, and would have to follow the guidelines He has brought to us.

It's that simple, and scary at the same time. Because as much as we want to be in control, we're only in control of our lives in a way that we can put in effort towards a certain direction, and we should very much have faith that our efforts will pay off but at the same time that He has overall control over our lives, our destiny.


And then we realise that freedom of choice, like many other things thought up by man and his (usually secular) intellectual constructs, is merely a western concept that can only be used in the miniscule region of "goodness" that has been given to us by Allah.



So which direction would you choose?

The pain of stepping forward

And so I turned down yet another direct sales job again. There's too many, I tell you, people clamouring to train you to sell their products, with promises that you'd be given the best training, in the best corporate environment. Some with a lot of genuity in their tone, others with a slight sharp edge even years of training to be a suave salesman cannot remove. AND THEY DON'T ACTUALLY TELL YOU IN THE AD THAT ITS DIRECT SALES.

The person could have been a little lighter on his I-don't-think-you're-really-cut-out-for-this-at-all tone though. I mean, I might be able to totally describe to you in excrutiatingly clear detail what I understand your company does if not for my hesitancy in applying for the job and your painfully vague website.

Even my mom tells me I'm not cut of for sales. You'd need to have patience, a lot of it (and she says this extremely pointedly) apart from the polished speech right from the beginning. The ability to understand the customer's concerns, at every turn of speech, and turn around the sales in your favour.

The truth is I'd always admired businesspeople. The tenacity, positiveness, confidence that they exude, their guts and charisma.

And I know I'd wanna learn more about business. I've been telling myself that for so long.

And I know I'd wanna set up my own social enterprise someday giving work to people who badly need it. And train them if need be.

Idealistic, I know.

And another truth about me is that I do love getting myself into new situations. Drama, debates and whodahelloads else in JC, ODAC and dikir in secondary school, looking back I've always been very much into personal development and growth. I mean, I may have totally screwed up my first emceeing for HEARTSOUT and second for drama (which they told me like 30 mins before the show and wrote out my speech right then!) but I learnt and moved on. I may have sucked on the job, I hated admin work, gritted my teeth through bitchy people I've met, but in all it was all for good. I mean, we were in SCHOOL. Nobody cares if you screwed up your part on the presentation, flunked a really important paper, embarrassed myself in front of the class for saying something totally off the board or messed up bad in trying to make yet another out of point point.

My point is, I hate shoeboxing myself in. I've a whole lot of experience in a varied lot of things, but I don't exactly need to parade it in my resume or prove it to my friends or every single person I meet.

I hate being told what to be, what to do, how to do things just because I have a life sciences degree. I want to be able to do a million and one things and be good at them.

I wanna be able to live by my own ideals. And at the end of my life, know that I've lived a meaningful one and would have made the people around me better, and my parents proud.

I'd also want to know what I'm really really good at.

And about sales, maybe I'm just a wuss for not being able to have the guts to sell.
But maybe too I actually care about whether my target client actually needs the product as badly I would have to make it seem.
And maybe I'd like to actually believe that the product would make their lives really that much better for what I'd sell it for.

And maybe I'd like to actually devote my time learning so that I could actually make a product that would make lives really that much better.

Am I being too idealistic, or is this actually called living out my dreams?

*sniffle*

Sometimes, in the rapid effervesence of our lives, in trying to gain that perfect lifestyle, the perfect job, career, grasping right opportunities, being the best person you can be with your family, friends and people you come across, you forget that for some people...

just getting past their day is hard enough.

And that the important thing in relating to others is...

you'd benefit them too in the end, wholistically.

What inevitably changes, and what musn't change

Change is inevitable, and some say that those who cannot adapt to change will be left behind. But if what brings along with it is a corrosion of values, meaning of life and quality of inner being, than that is just...wrong.

Othman Clan 3rd Generation

I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and finally got down to doing it :)
Presenting to you some faces, sides, smiles and snides of the 3rd generation of the Othman Clan. Mr Othman was a humble keropok seller who lived in the Koon Seng Road area with a huge jambu air tree in front. Legend holds that his wife, Salmah Karnawi, was a loving but strict disciplinarian who used to pluck the branches off the Jambu air tree to rotan her kids if they were slightly naughty. I think the discipline tactics worked pretty well, heh. :)

Another family legend is that Mdm Salmah also used to cook fast and easy to cook meals so that she could spend more time doing other household chores and tend to her many kids. As quoted by her first granddaughter, erm yours truly, in recent times, "Macam suker hati nenek kalau dapat buat kerjer rumah, macam tak sama gitu kalau orang lain buat" that she still feels as passionate about being the matriarch in the house as she had back in the 1950's up until the early 1980's.

I really admire my grandmother. (But well, who in the world doesn't, right?) She raised her siblings because her mother died while giving birth to her fourth child, and then married her neighbour (who had fallen in love with her since their childhood days) at the age of 18, before raising 10 wonderful kids. *ahem* a bit biased la here.
She's got so much strength only a woman who's been through the hardship and throttle in life can speak of, yet she's so humble about things, and always so curious and wanting to learn even at the sunset of her lifetime.

Presenting to you the face and strength behind the entire 2nd and 3rd generations, infecting them with discipline, vigour and a thirst for knowledge (haha, right right), Mr & Mrs Othman:

-May Allah bless your marriage always, within every moment and through the generations...-

Daily Wisdom

5R (Rukun) to make yourself down to earth, yet closer to Allah

1. Strong conviction /Tekad yg sangat kuat..
Conviction to bring yourself closer to Allah/Harus tekad utk mendekatkan diri kpd allah..
"Intansurullaha wa yansurkum - Verily if u help Him.. He will help you.."
"we must have target to get progress"
Paling penting to take note..
Your family has to be close to Allah too/Keluarga harus dekat dngan Allah..

2. Banyak taubat ..
"innallaha yuhibbu taubatiallah...." cintakan org yg suka bertaubat.. Bersihkan diri..
Amalan terbaik.. Taubat..
While waiting for anything.. Istighfar... Anywhere.. tunggu bus, tunggu teman hidup.. tunggu mrt.. berdiri..

3. Jauhi maksiat..
Setiap maksiat.. maksiat paling kuat, maksiat mata..
Jangan tengok perempuan muda.. Isteri jadi tua.. (WHAT??!)
Jauhi maksiat mulut.. Gosip sebagainya..
berkata benar.. Baik..
Baca 10 pg per day..1 pg b4 solat.. 1pg after..insyaAllah qatam quran everymth..
Jagalah hati... Jangan mengharap benda yg tak perlu.. Jangan harap org puji..

4. Tingkatkan taat...
solat 5 waktu berjemaah di mjd.. Best! Syadid!
Jangan rugi tak tahajud everynite.. u tak tahajud everynite.. u rugii...
"azkurni azkurkum - ingat allah, allah ingat kita"
"wasta'inu bisabri wassolat... - org banyak solat.. Allah akan tolong lebihkan.."

5. Tebarkan manfaat...
Allah akan selalu menolong hambanya, yg senang menolong sesama..
jangan harapkan apa penghargaan.. Maupun tenkiu..
Everyting lillahi ta'ala..
Sebaik2 manusia.. Adalah manusia yg banyak bermanfaat..

Sounds simple, but so difficult to perform. Was bloghopping, and found this on
jenggo.blogspot.com
thanks eh, even if I don't know you, you'd get pahala ok!

Juncture @ http://www.biorole.com/notqualified.php

Some advice

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BioRole Scientific Solutions evaluated all leading training programs in the industry and recommends Kriger Research Center (KRC) as an ideal training institution. The professional developement Department of KRC specializes in online training for various positions in the industry. Their program is very instensive and highly recognized in the industry. For more information, you should visit www.kriger.com. When you have completed your training program, we would encourage you to return and reapply with BioRole.

Anyone heard of this company?

Natural wonders!

As mentioned before, east coast has the prettiest sights!

-10th May2007-



Look at the cat! haha. -I've found the hangout where the coolest cats in East Coast parole! If you wanna join must pay me $0.50 affiliation fees to join the club!-



Marlini was all strapped up!

looks like Paradise Beach to me! :) But if you fall in, remember to put the buoy back into its pretty place ok



-Singapore, my homeland, it's here that we belong...see the skyline? Never fails to make me feel patriotic all over. haha-



-Nothing holding up the skies-








3rd May 2007. Stormy stormy morning. The sea glistened on its own.







We had breakfast and a quick dip in the tumultous ocean which had a life of its own. so freaking cool. literally. haha.





Mushrooms! Saw it on the roadside on the way home. By that funny house all on it's own near Kembangan.

HAPPY 22ND!

Glimpse of April babies' 22nd birthday celebration...without THE unofficial camerawoman, who was camwhoring away in Kuching:)


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, darling gfs!



Everybody squeeze!
Sidenote: sigh everyone looks good in this pic EXCEPT me. So being the usual self-sacraficial being that I am...I shall post this up anyways. haha.

Sains Islam

A run through the keywords "Sains Islam" would bring you to websites on how the Quran has undiscovered miracles back in the 6th century already imbedded into its holy verses, and known only recently by latest 21st century technology. This only seeks to verify the authenticity of the Quran, but it doesn't commesurate a distinctive view on the approach to scientific endeavour, the islamic way.

The websites doesn't actually cover the theoretical aspect of what Sains Islam actually is, what it means to be a practiscing Muslim scientist.

Islamic Science goes beyond explaining these two concepts separately, there's science, which generally means a methodological approach based on repeat experimentation to verify the presence of data/facts on natural phenomena. Essentially, it's about discovering the natural world through experimentation to verify existing natural processes/relations/things. Science in Islamic terms can also include the social sciences or generally understood as "ilmu duniawi" or aquired knowledge, as compared to "ilmu ukhrawi" or revelaed knowledge.

From a western worldview, scientific methodology and commitment to the scientific endeavour basically means having a perception that what cannot be measured does not exist.

And this is probably where a secular understanding of the world ends, and where revelation comes in. For Divine Revelation tells us things that are unable to be thought of by the human mind, and if we do try to conjure up mental images, we'd need divine guidance so as to not be off track.

So if we spin the secular mentality and see it from a guided perspective, this means that science is a tool used for mankind to explore God's creations (His signs of revelation, in His creations: nature, man, living beings, insects, etc) and acknowledge His presence in the way we continue on with our lives.

Upon that, it's used also as a means to rightly enforce what mankind has inherited from Him as Khalifah on this earth. For example, if you're able to understand the complex web of biodiversity present in a particular terrain, you'd be able to manage human activities that balance off well with the preservation of that biodiversity.

Similarly, you'd be able to understand mental diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, to view how the molecules interact with each other to form the mental processes required in everyday thought. As such, you'd be able to derive the best learning processes for kids, or find out what are the possible mental strengths or shortages that one might have when predisposed genetically to a particular wiring of the brain.


But all these wouldn't come about if you woudn't have the right mental framework to hold you through. The understanding that all this secular knowledge is just a means that comes with a greater responsibility to find an end which is brings us closer to Him, and making a better life for all others around us to do the same.

I've always wondered like what's the point of saving (and this is a completely hypothetical case) an old dying tycoon with 5 billion in his bank and 5 squabbling children only for him to give his cash to his mistress, whom he will die in the arms of. Like...is his life more worthy than a child, who, battered by his dad and conceived by his mom out of wedlock has no fair chance in life to begin with? Then is it more worthy just to save wholesome people from wholesome families cause simply, they'd have a fair chance of being good citizens and contribute well to society?




My point being? I need direction. heh.

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The jobsearch process

ok I should really blog this out before it gets faded in the memory...:)
*brushes cobwebs off my blog*

And so for the last 3 days I've been working with this advertising company. Yeah it's totally different from my degree, but I figured I should try something that I've never tried before. And they were pretty keen on me too, a varied work experience in customer service at different levels and active CCA experience throughout your school years never hurt anyone.

So i totally loved the culture there. LOVED LOVED LOVED. It was an SME, so the people are pretty close, and since it's a face-to-face marketing company, their people are the essential resources of the company. It focuses a LOT on training, and learning from each other. I know it sounds like a very idealistic culture, but this is actually the case, and is implemented from managerial level down to the newest trainee-to-be. So the mornings would be full of trainings, trainings and more trainings, and a funny cheering session. Everyone gets involved, and it's like some kinda cheer-leading team. Plus the whole training structure was solid, and they were undergoing masive growth. Each person had their own individual goals and were enamoured by a supporting team around them.

But as much as I completely LOVED the learning culture, the essence of the job required me to do direct sales. And even though it would equip me with a lot of skills I would love to learn, I just felt I wanted to learn something more academically inclined, and not so much people skills, cause I believe that can be picked up without active training. Plus, I have this strong feeling that I really cannot convince people to buy something that they have a 50-50 stand on. I'd prefer to support people to buy what they need, rather than what they might not necessarily need. Practicality in business.

maybe childhood education would be worth a try. I'd love to set up an islamic montessori programme. yay:)

and thanks to my new phone, I've picked up a new hobby...
check out the pics!

-ok blogspot not working! pics next time!-

This is gonna be a super deep post...

Doing nothing has its merits...and the feeling after the last paper was invincible and incredible. All 15 years of education culminating into a neuro paper, I was smiling even before the paper started. Anyway, it went OK.

So anyway



this picture is usually on my sister's table, which faces the door and cupboard where all 3 of us usually change and dress up and stuff. Apparently, the picture is a leetle bit intimidating coz of the cheeky smile on my sister's bf's face, so when my sister comes in, she usually sees the photos like this:



which pretty much upsets her cause she feels like we're rejecting his presence in the family. It's not that. It's just the l0ook he gives us whenever we feel the most vulnerable.

So in the end, we compromised:







And check out the shrine that my brother has in his room to ensure that we do not miss him...I found it particularly hilarious that it takes up one-eighth of his room.