Perihal Mat Indera

Whose this Mat Indera guy people have so been talking about lately, ever since Mat Sabu raised the issue in a ceramah a couple of weeks back?

People have been talking, saying that Mat Indera was responsible for the Bukit Kepong attack. I knew a bit about Bukit Kepong, from the movie by Jin Shamsudin. I knew that in the movie, a police station was attacked by some bad ass communist guerrilla. But that's really all I knew. Honestly, I initially had no clue that Mat Indera ever existed!

Bukit Kepong, the movie

So amid all the issue highlighted by Utusan and KJ, I decided to read some history about this guy. Here's a photo of him.

Bad ass or hero?

Read more of the story of Mat Indera here, here and here. For those of you too lazy to do so, here's a brief knockdown.

Mat Indera, or his real name, Muhammad Indera is a descendent of a worrier from Siak. Apparently, he was said to be a religious person, being a Hafiz as well, and his teachers, among others were Kiai Haji Fadzil Bentan and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's father.

He became involved with politics to help drive out the Brits from Malaya and joined Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM, lead by Dr. Burhanuddin Helmy- another name that was only mentioned in passing in our textbooks) and Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API). Probably inspired by the Indonesians in their fight for independence from the Dutch (using primitive weapons like bamboo spears), Mat Indera took his battle into the woods, guerrilla style. That's where he met Bintang Tiga. Even though both parties had different missions, as the saying goes, 'the enemy of your enemy is your friend' Mat Indera soon joined forces with Bintang Tiga.

Aware of the threat posed by Mat Indera, the Brits wanted him, DOA. They set about spreading rumours and propaganda about the man, saying he was a dangerous communist man with no religion and moral values, and they offered $25000 for his capture.

Then came the Bukit Kepong incident. Some say he didn't authorize the killing of the police officers, let alone burning of their dead bodies (he had just wanted to catch some of the officers). Some say that he arrived late at the battle field, and wasn't involved in the fight. Others claimed that he tried to prevent the killings of the police officers, going as far as pointing a rifle at a communist member to stop him from humiliating the dead. And some claimed that he even helped some of the officers escape.

After the incident, his bounty rose to $75000. Finally, the Brits caught some of Mat Indera's men and collaborated with them to capture Mat Indera, promising them land and wealth. Mat Indera was caught and hanged to death in 1953. An end to yet another freedom fighter.

There lies a hero- Tok Janggut

If you look closely at the story of Mat Indera and how it was portrayed by the Brits, there's vast similarities with that of Datuk Maharajalela, Mat Kilau, Datuk Bahaman, Abdul Rahman Limbong and Tok Janggut (see above). Tok Janggut also fought and killed Malay police officers and soldiers who sided with the Brits (scumbags), and he was portrayed by the Brits as a rebel and traitor to the Sultan of Kelantan. When Tok Janggut was finally killed, his body was humiliated to the highest degree by being paraded all over town and then hung upside down for all to see. You can read his story here and here. And for all that, what did out text book portray him as? Read below, an extract from Buku Teks Sejarah Tingkatan 5 (KBSM).

Yet another selfish Malay noble man who didn't want to pay the taxes?

Was that really all in Tok Janggut's fight? He didn't want to pay taxes? Lost of political powers and influence? Is that really how we want to remember him as?

Are these stories of traitors or freedom fighters? History is written by those in power. Wallahualam.

Fasting Footballers

This is a very good read from The Independent about Muslim soccer players observing the month of Ramadhan and at the same time, playing a high level of competitive soccer. Very inspiring!

In Pursuit of Lailatul Qadr

We are now entering the last 4 or five days of Ramadhan. Tonight's the 25th night, which is an odd night. Then we have the 27th and 29th nights. So that means we have 3 more odd nights. It may proof to be futile to speculate when the night really is. It may be nice and cool at your place, but then all rainy and thunder storming at mine. Or cold and freezing at another.

So lets just do our utmost and strive to find this night of 1000 months.

Misconceptions Regarding the Story of Yusuf

I remember a few months back when I was shopping for my wedding invitation cards and looking at samples, a du'a and a 'catch phrase' caught my attention.

The du'a was:

"Ya Allah, Satukanlah hati kedua mempelai ini seperti Engkau satukan hati Adam dan Hawa, Yusuf dan Zulaikha dan seperti Engkau satukan hati Muhammad SAW dan Siti Khadijah."

The catch phrase was:

Tidak perlu mencari secantik Balqis, andai diri tak sehebat Sulaiman.
Mengapa mengharap teman setampan Yusuf, jika kasih tak setulus Zulaika
Tak perlu mengharap teman seteguh Ibrahim, andai diri tak sehebat Siti Hajar
Dan mengapa didambakan teman hidup yang sempurna Muhammad, jika ada keburukan pada diri.....

Those phrases were undoubtedly catchy and romantic, and would seem to sit perfectly well in a wedding card. Problem was, in my limited knowledge, I never knew that Yusuf (pbuh) married Zulaika.

And as yesterday I was reading Surah Yusuf, I decided to read the seerah of this prophet a bit more, particularly the part about him and Zulaika. So lets take a brief look into this story.

For starters, there is no mention, what so ever, of the name Zulaika in the Quran, with the only women being mentioned by name is Maryam, mother of Isa (pbuh). In the Quran, what is mentioned is 'the wife of the Al-Aziz (ruler). So where did this name, Zulaika come from? Most say its from isra'iliyyat's traditions but then a quick glance at Wikipedia says that the Bible simply mentions her name as the Potiphar's wife. Allah knows best.

The first part of the story of Yusuf (pbuh) and The Al-Aziz's wife is narrated in the Quran from verse 21 to verse 33. It starts with the Al-Aziz buying Yusuf (pbuh) and introduced him to his wife. He asks his wife to receive Yusuf honorably and that they might find him useful or even adopt him as a son. The story continues with the wife inviting Yusuf unto herself and commit adultery. Yusuf (pbuh) rejects her advances and tries to reason with her, saying that the Al-Aziz had treated him honorably and that wrong doers never prosper.

And Allah said, "She verily desired him and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his Lord." and "...Lo! he was of Our chosen slaves."

When the Al-Aziz discovers his wife's bad intentions (even after she pleads her innocence), he asks that Yusuf (pbuh) forgets about the incident and that his wife ask for forgiveness for her sin.

But alas, in such high society were gossips and rumours tend to spread faster than forest fires (yup, even back then!), the women in the city learned about the incident. And when the wife heard of this, she wanted to make a point and called upon the women to her palace for a feast and gave them fruits and knives to cut the fruits with. Then she called upon Yusuf to enter the room. Stricken by Yusuf's beauty, the women cut their own fingers and went as far as to claim that "...This is not other than some gracious angel." The women made advances towards Yusuf, which lead to Yusuf praying, "O my Lord! Prison is more dear than that unto which they urge me, and if Thou fend not off their wiles from me, I shall incline unto them and become of the foolish."

The second part of the story is narrated from verse 50 to verse 53 of the same surah. When the king of Egypt requested that Yusuf be brought to him, Yusuf asked the king inquire about the incident with the women who cut their hands. So the king summoned the ladies and asked about the incident. The wife of the Al-Aziz then proclaimed, "...Now the truth is out. I asked of him an evil act, and he is surely of the truthful.....I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful."

That was the end of the mention of Yusuf and the Al-Aziz's wife. No where did the Quran mention about Yusuf (pbuh) later marrying the woman. Nor was it mentioned in any Hadith. So where is this Romeo and Juliet-esque love story coming from? Allah knows best.

With regards to this wife of the Al-Aziz, was she an evil person? Lets put ourselves in her boots. She was wife to a very important person in the Egyptian hierarchy, a very busy man. She was probably most of the times alone in the house, with only the ever so beautiful Yusuf (pbuh). So beautiful was Yusuf that the prophet Muhammad once said, “When I met Yusuf (pbuh), I saw that Allah (swt) has blessed him with half of the beauty of the whole world, while the other half has been spread over the rest of it.” (Sahih Muslim).

And if the two decided to commit that sinful act, they could've easily concealed it from everyone's knowledge. Temptations could bring the worse of mankind. That was what the wife thought. But it was not to be for Yusuf was a prophet.

As narrated in the second part of the story, the wife later acknowledged her sins and asked Allah for forgiveness. And Allah is most forgiving. So that is that. Wallahualam.

For more reading, go to here, here, here and here.

Ramadhan Then and Now

As we approach the final few days of Ramadhan, it's only fair to compare my previous 4 year experience of Ramadhan in Nashville, TN, with what I'm experiencing now in Malaysia.

I'd have to say I really enjoyed fasting here in Malaysia, especially with my family and all. It's thrilling to relive the experience that I had prior to my stay in the US. The 'kuih muih' and the variety of food on offer at Ramadhan bazaars are at times overwhelming. It makes the decision on what to buy somewhat tougher. The blast and cracks of fire crackers and fire works throughout the night (even though sometimes quite annoying) are just some of the things I miss hearing. And then there's the 'bedil' the loud blast in Kuala Terengganu that signals the time for Imsak and break fast. Those are just some of the things unheard of in the US.

But whose to say I don't miss the Ramadhan in Nashville? Because I really do! I miss break fasting together with my friends at ICN, and the occasional sahur there. I miss it's Terawih, and especially, I miss the food. That's why during the break fast here in Malaysia, some of the things I cooked include, manggo lassi, tandoori chicken, and Waffle House style hash brown (others, I have forgot).

However, it's quite saddening to see that the month of Ramadhan is nothing more than just a tradition to some of us. We fast only because everyone else is doing so. Terawih here in Malaysia is most attended only during the first week of Ramadhan. Where everyone goes during the remaining weeks is quite a mystery. Even the last 10 days which contain Lailatul Qadr can't encourage people to visit the mosque. That my friends, has got to change.

Ar- Raheequl- Makhtum

Looking to find a detailed comprehensive biography of the Noble Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)?

Then look no further than Ar-Raheequl- Makhtum, or in it's English version, The Sealed Nectar.


It starts with a brief introduction of how Arabs came about, and covers in detail of the happenings throughout prophet-hood, all the way to the death of the Messenger (PBUH).

An extract from the publisher's note goes, "No doubt The Sealed Nectar is a book of great value and praiseworthy work of the life of Muhammad (PBUH), written by the Eminent Shaikh Saifur- Rahman Mubarakpuri of Jamiah Salafiyah, Banaras (India). The first Islamic conference on Seerah was held in 1976 in Pakistan announced a world contest of writing a book on the life of the Prophet (PBUH) which had a $500000 grand prize for the best 5 books. 171 manuscripts were received from all over the world. The Sealed Nectar won grand prize for its authentic and sound collections of narrations." Abdul- Malik Mujahid.

This book, would InsyaAllah give you a very good understanding of the life of the Prophet (PBUH), as well as correct some misconceptions regarding it. This includes the infamous misconception of when the song Tala Al Badru 'Alayna was sung, which was actually during the return of the Prophet (PBUH) and his army from the Battle of Tabuk, and not during the Great Pilgrimage. Allah knows best.

Enjoy.

Rapatkan Saf, Luruskan Saf

"Rapatkan Saf, Luruskan Saf..." calls the Imam right before takbiratul-ihram. But do we bother?

I guess not.

That's one of the main problems I realize in our congregational prayer. We neglect the rows. We stand a distance from one another, and our rows are far from straight, even with carpet lines to the aid.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: "When you begin your congregational prayers, straighten your rows...." [Muslim; ch. on tashahhud]

Nu’maan bin Basheer (radhiallahu anhu) once says: "Once Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) faced us and said: "Straighten your rows". He repeated this thrice. He then said: "By Allah, you must most certainly straighten your rows or else Allah Ta’ala will disunite your hearts". Hazrat Nu’maan bin Basheer (radhiallahu anhu) says: "I then saw the people joining together their shoulders and ankles". [Abu Dawood, Sahih ibn Khuzaima]

"Straighten your rows and come close together, for indeed I see you behind my back" [Bukhari]

Jabir bin Samurah (radhiallahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came out to us (once) and said, "Why do you not stand in rows as the angels do before their Rubb?" We asked: "O Messenger of Allah! How do the angels stand in rows before their Rubb?" He (PBUH) replied, "They complete each row beginning with the first and filling all the gaps."


Abu Hurairah (radhiallahu anhu) reported: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said, "If the people were to know the excellence there is in the Adhan and in the first row, and they could not (get these opportunities) except by drawing lots, they would definitely done that. And if they were to know what excellence lies in joining the Prayer in the first takbir, they would have vied with one another. And if they were to know what excellence is in the Night Prayer and Morning Prayer, they would have definitely come even if crawling (on their knees).

Please read this interesting piece of article regarding the formation or rows in salat.

Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd said:

One of the new things that we see some people doing, with no evidence in sharee’ah, is that in prayer they try to align themselves with a person on the right if they are on the right hand side of the row, or to align themselves with a person on their left if they are on the left hand side of the row, and they turn their feet inward so that their ankles are touching the ankles of the people next to them.

This is something for which there is no basis in sharee’ah and it is going to the extreme in implementing the Sunnah. This is wrong on two counts.

The alignment of the row should begin from where the imam is standing. Whoever is on the right of the row should align himself by looking at those who are to his left (i.e., closer to the imam). Thus the line will be straightened and the gaps will be filled. Alignment is done by lining up necks, shoulders and ankles, and by completing the front rows.

But to try to spread the legs wide and turn the feet inward so that one's ankles touch one’s neighbours’ ankles is an obvious mistake and an exaggeration, and a new interpretation which is indicative of going to extremes in trying to apply the Sunnah. It causes annoyance and is not prescribed in sharee’ah, and it widens the gaps between people standing in prayer.

That becomes apparent when the people prostrate, and when they stand up again they become distracted in trying to fill the gaps and turning their feet to make their ankles touch their neighbours’ ankles, which makes them miss out on what they should be doing, which is to make the toes point in the direction of the qiblah.

Doing that is like competing with one’s neighbour and trying to take his place. All of that is not prescribed in sharee’ah.

Laa jadeed fi Ahkaam al-Salaah, 12. 13."

So the next time we show up to form rows in our salat, make sure we do it right.

Allah knows best.

When News Coverage is ****ing Bias!

Pardon my French.

Muslim father murdered daughter for having secret boyfriend - BBC.
Muslim father strangled daughter to death for disgracing family - FOXNews.
Muslim husband beheads wife- CNN.
Muslim father slains daughter for falling in love with wrong man- FOXNews.
Russian neighbor stabs Muslim woman 18 times to death for wearing headscarf- what news?

We trust news channels like ones mentioned above to bring coverage of news all around the world. When a pregnant Muslim woman is killed by her neighbor in a courtroom in German, after being continuously verbally an physically harassed and called a terrorist, stabbing her 18 times in front of her son, you'd expect the news to make the headlines. But did it? I'm afraid not!

Marwa Al-Sherbini, a pregnant mother of one, was stabbed to death in a German courtroom, after giving testimonial to the court about insults thrown at her by her neighbor. It took 18 stabs to finally stop the violence.

When security personnel finally made it to the courtroom, they shot Marwa's husband in the leg, initially thinking he was the attacker. The husband was actually trying to protect his wife, and is now in critical conditions after 3 stabs and a gunshot. Adding insult, German tried to bury the story.

Cruel? Unfair? Biased? Hypocrites? That's the reality of the world we live in today.

Read more here. TIME magazine also published an article here. Show your support for Marwa Al-Sherbini, and all the Muslim women out there by joining this Facebook group.

May you rest in peace, Marwa Al-Sherbini. May Allah put you in those that are granted jannah for your shaheed. And may this death inspire others to withhold their rights, as a women, and as a Muslim.

Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Basically, the people of this world can be categorized into 3. The Fat. The Skinny. Or The Fit. Which one are you?

The Fat

Everyone knows that being fat isn't the healthy way to be. It's doesn't look right, it doesn't feel right, coz it ain't just right! I would guess that fat people are those that have a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than that recommended. You can check your BMI by some simple calculation or if you're too lazy (I know) you can just calculate online at this website. (You can calculate a lot more than just your BMI here). There are of course other ways to determine whether you're fat or not, and if you're not happy with the 'accuracy' of the BMI method, feel free to try others.

There are many negative effects of being fat (and PRAY you're not obese) that I shall not name all. But to name a few, there's diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, etc.

The Skinny

You're still not safe by merely being skinny. You might look a bit right-er than the fat, but you're still not quite there. I would say skinny people are those that fall short of the recommended BMI. I understand that people are just happy to be skinny, especially Malay girls (yes, I'm sorry) but as I mentioned above, that doesn't categorize you as being healthy, yet. I also notice this popular saying (among girls especially), "Buat ape ko nak exercise, ko kan dah kurus," (Why exercise, you're skinny already). That is surely not the right attitude.

The Fit

…and healthy. This is where you wanna be categorized in. Normally, the fit would have a BMI within the recommended range.

So how do you become fit? By exercising and dieting of course. But let me tell you this; it's easier said than done. This is because to be consistent in both is difficult indeed. You'd need discipline, courage, enthusiasm and a strong mind to succeed. And let me tell you something else; like anything else, the fruit is sweet and worth it.

But don't get me wrong here. I'm not asking you to hit the gym, although that is surely a very good option. By exercising, I mean (besides hitting the gym) by playing sports, swimming, running, jogging, or heck, even walking. You need to burn calories. Burn the fat. Ah, and one thing about burning fat is that, unlike muscles, you can't target specific areas where you'd like to burn. You can't say I want to get rid of my buncit and start doing sit ups. It doesn't work that way. You have to indulge in cardio exercises (swimming, running, etc) to burn your fat gradually from your body. So there are tons of ways to exercise (did I mention yoga and Tai Chi?). It's only a matter of pick and choose.

Alas, don't forget the diet. Because, contrary to popular belief, without the right diet, you can't quite reach it. You need to eat the right things, things that are healthy, which would give you the right amount of energy to drive you in your daily routines. And by healthy, it's not only about eating vegetables. It's about eating a complete and balanced all round diet, one that corresponds with the food pyramid. Rule of thumb is simple: To lose weight, eat less calories than you burn, and vice versa. Even in Al-Baqarah , "Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome (healthy) in the earth..." By simply eating chips and drinking Coca-Cola won't do you good.

This brings me to another point. People of the past, i.e. during the time of the Prophet, must have had really healthy lifestyles. Else, at 60, they won't be able to go to war, walk the burning desert, or go dakwah so successfully. Their secret: eating right and exercise. Sure back then there weren't the push ups or jumping jacks that we have come so fond of now, these guys just had less of doing nothing. They don't sit around as much as we do, they don't sleep a lot, and yes, they pray. A lot! Which, for obvious reasons, is a way of exercising.

And now, for why is it important to be fit and healthy? The reasons are obvious. Exercising and eating right decreases your chances of falling sick. Your cholesterol level decreases, your body fat percentage decreases, and you become stronger both physically and mentally. You become more confident and satisfied of yourself. And if health benefits isn't enough to convince you to exercise, then what about the attraction of the opposite gender? Exercising will tone your muscle, giving your body the shape that everyone desires, both for male and female. No more beer bellies, flabby arms and legs or out of proportion body parts, and heck, no more plywood figures. If these two still won't encourage you, then I say no more.

I rest my case.

Penn State Student Dies At Smokies

Death comes to us all. It's just a matter of how and when. So always be prepared.

"Every soul is bound to taste death" Al-Imran 185.

Last Sunday, Penn State freshman Nublan Zaki Norhadi was killed when he drowned at Abram Falls, near the Great Smoky Mountains national park. The incident occurred roughly at around 7pm on May 24th, but the body was only recovered at 1.30 pm the next day. Read more here and here.

Backpacker magazine recently ranked the Abram Falls trail as the ninth most dangerous hike in America as a result of high exposure to drowning and hypothermia hazards. The article cited 29 deaths on this trail since 1971 as a result of water related accidents.

My prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends. I can only imagine how hard it was to be there during the incident, and how hard it would be to digest the fact that your son is no more. The deceased was expected to go home for the break this Thursday.

Innalillahi wa inna illahi raajiun.

Is Yoga Haram?

There was quite a commotion a few months back when Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan of Malaysia issued the yoga practice as haram. So the question arises here, is yoga actually haram in Islam?

Yoga, as defined by Wikipedia is a traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in both Buddhism and Hinduism. In Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu Philosophy, and to the goal toward which that school directs its practices. From the Merriam-Webster dictionary: a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation. Finally, from dictionary.com: a school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle.

All Muslim scholars agree that yoga, when it's spiritual chantings and mantras are included in the exercise is haram. There should obviously be no doubt about that. There's no knowing what all those chantings and mantras mean and refer to. That is indeed blasphemy and leads to syirik. Nauzubillah hi min zaalik.

However, is it also considered haram to practice just the exercise part of yoga, i.e minus the mantras? This is where the debate lies. Some scholars say it's ok to do so, while others believe otherwise. And both have strong grounds to hold their case. I am stressing here that I am not issuing a fatwa of my own. That is not my level. I am merely just pointing out the reasons some scholars believe it is permissible in Islam to practice yoga (the exercise) and otherwise.

The debate behind the opinion that yoga is haram is largely based on the hadith ,' Whoever resembles a people is one of them' (Abu Daud). And since Yoga's root is Hinduism, it falls in that category. Other than that, since Yoga contains the mantras which praises and proclaims another deity other than Allah, it is syirik, and must therefore be prevented. Do correct me if I'm wrong.

On the other hand, yoga is considered permissible according to some scholars is when it is preformed without the chantings of mantras. Because yoga, without the mantras is just like any other flexibility exercise.

I do yoga for the sole purpose of increasing my flexibility. Having good flexibility helps me increase my range of movement, makes me less prone to injuries, and decreases muscle pain. Read more on yoga physical health benefits here. The bizarre movements you do in yoga certainly helps in reaching this goal. And while others like to believe that yoga also increases spiritual strength and helps you relax, I don't really buy into them. Yoga movements are really tough, and so it is really hard for me to relax while doing them. LOL. Anyway, I have better ways of finding inner peace. And that is of course is through the remembrance of Allah.

'Only in the remembrance of Allah can the heart find peace,' - surah Ar-rad: 28

Trinity explained

How do you explain the concept of trinity? Well, this guy might just have the answer for you! Watch.



Thanks babe for sharing such amusing info. LOL.

Here's ten reasons why Jesus (PBUH) is not God.

Raya here and there

Ramadhan will be leaving us again this year, tomorrow, as it did all those previous years, taking away all that extra offerings and barakah from The All Mighty with it. We never know if we'll breathe another day to meet with this holy month again next year. With that, what a shame it would be to those who didn't gain anything, whether it be Allah's mercy, barakah, or forgiveness, in this holy month. How sad it would be to be getting nothing other than hunger and thirst during such a blessed month.

But heads up people, we still have one more day of Ramadhan! So, insyaAllah, let's make the most of the final moments we have with Ramadhan. Tomorrow signals the last day of fasting for the majority of Muslims world wide, in Nashville included. 1 Syawal will fall on Wednesday, October the 1st.

It did struck me however, the fact that Muslims don't celebrate this glorious day together. My sister in UK for instance, is celebrating Eid tomorrow, on Tuesday, a day earlier than the most of us. Same is said of Saudi Arabia. Heck, I even heard the Kurdish community in Nashville is having theirs tomorrow.

Why is this so? I mean, Eid-ul Fitri besides Eid-ul Adha is two of the greatest, most glorious celebrations we have in the Muslim calender. The least that could've been done is assign the same date for the celebrations. Why differ from one place to another, from one organization to the other? The dating of 1 Syawal is year in and year out, the hottest discussion most of have towards the end of Ramadhan.

The two methods applied to determine the day is first, by lunar sighting. If that is impossible, then the calculation method is used. Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world celebrating tomorrow used the former method while the rest agreed to use the latter. Why is that we can't agree on one specific date? If someone claims to have witnessed the moon, why can't we all follow suite?

Is it a case of ignorance and ego? With one claiming to be the better than the rest? Are we to stubborn to agree with each other? What message are we sending out to the non-Muslims when we can't even have a consensus on one of our holiest day? Christians are able to celebrate Christmas on Dec 25 with no fuss. Why can't we? Where is the unity that we talk about?

One Eid throughout the world. Read what AMJA online had to say.

Zahid's Flaw

In the wake of the recent ISA arrests, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department claimed that the detainees had to be blamed. He said that those detained had ignored past warnings and history when they chose to propagate disharmony in the society.

Being a former detainee himself, we must all think that this guys knows what he's taking. He defends the act since it's for the greater good.

Then came his flaw.

'He also lambasted those who wanted to use religious principles in justifying whether the ISA was Islamic or not, adding they must differentiate between criminal, civil and syariah laws.'

Er, mister, I thought syariah laws consist all, INCLUDING criminal and civil laws as well?

Read it here.

What the Heck?!

I was reading across the internet today and came to this article in Berita Harian dating before the Permatang Pauh by election (yes it's quite old). It's about Arif Shah believing that he would be getting luck in that election because of the date and some related numbers. Read it here.

What the heck? Never thought there were still some Muslims believing in such khurafat. Boy was he wrong!

Boring Friday Sermon

I attended the Friday sermon at Masjid Terapung today and I must admit, the sermon was really, really boring!

As with many other mosque in BN's controlled states, Masjid Terapung's sermon had to be based solely on prepared text. So as accordance to Hari Pahlawan/Patriot's Day on the 31st of July, the title of the sermon was something like, "Memperingati Hari Pahlawan". Or Merai, or something close to that matter, I don't really remember.

Now don't get me wrong, I have the highest respect dan menyanjung tinggi mereka semua. Without their brave hearts, what would have become of Malaysia. They sacrificed a lot for their future generations, even though it meant they wouldn't live to see them. Portuguese, Holland, the Brits and Japan all witnessed first hand our patriots' courage and strength. Hats down to them all!


But why the Friday sermon? Of all places, why there? Heck, the audience wasn't even right. Old men who were incapable physically and small boys who couldn't even understand the sermon all together. And the sermon asked people to be always prepared to give it all to the country.How could these group of people do that? Schools would be a much better location for such speech.

And not to mention, in a list of steps taken by the government to help patriots, the khateeb didn't forget to mention about sending kuih-muih raya to armed forces stationed overseas. Wow, what a contribution!

I remembered a few years back when I atended a Friday sermon at a masjid in KL. The title: How to prevent Aides mosquitoes. Now khateebs even act as health directors! Fuh, I never knew.

The step to enforce khateebs to read prepared text, if I'm not mistaken, was taken to prevent political 'smelling' sermons at masjeed. But how many masjeeds were actually giving politic sermons were there? If any, it was only one or two PAS masjeeds. Most PAS masjeeds I attended have actually offer political free sermons.

The PAS masjeed behind Sekolah Menengah Sains Dungun's Friday sermon was really first class. The khateeb had a very 'lantang' voice. His eyes were moving from corner to corner, as if he were looking to every attendee in the eye. His grasp on the 'tongkat' was really tight, as if his life depended on it. And he was talking very enthusiastically, which in turn made us enthusiastic just by listening. It was very enjoyable.

This contradicts with khateebs in government controlled mosques. The khateeb is slightly above lifeless. They grasp the tongkat lightly, and hardly look at anyone. And the sermons, well, as above. Hence, the sermon was nothing more and nothing less than a boring speech by the Khateeb.

A Land Called Paradise

Listen to this very good nasyeed from Kareen Salama.

Obama for Democrates

Obama Tuesday night secured the 2,118 delegates to claim the Democratic nomination. He will then compete with Senator McCain for the US President. If Obama does win the election, we will, InsyaAllah, see the withdrawal of the US troops in various countries, namely Iraq.

Let's wait and see the outcome of this. Hopefully, for the better of the world.

Tawakal Concept in Islam

I was on my way back to sg buloh from work yesterday with my father when we stopped at this toll both to pray Maghrib. Concerned about shoe thefts, my father and I put our shoes close to the door of the surau. And Alhamdulillah, they were safe.

After finishing the prayers, a group of three people entered the surau. One of them asked me whether it was safe to leave their shoes outside. My father replied that it was safer to keep their shoes closer, as thefts are happening everywhere these days. So the guy moved his shoes by the door and urged his friends to do so too.

Surprisingly, both replied, "Alah, tawakal je la,"

My father smiled, and I knew why.

"Konsep tawakal tak betol," he said.

Tawakal isn't just about leaving your hope all to Allah without doing anything. You have to show effort in improving the condition.

It's true fate is in Allah's hand, Kun fayakun. Allah kata jadi, maka jadilah. But then again, "Verily, never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.."
[Qur'an 13:11]

Remember the hadith: "One day Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, 'Why don't you tie down your camel?' The Bedouin answered, 'I put my trust in Allah .' The Prophet then said, 'Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah ' [Tirmidhi].

Moral of the story? First put your effort, then put your trust. May we take notice.

Aduhai Bangsa KU!!

I read this from my father's blog. I also read it at this blog. Papers everywhere are also reporting it.

The chronic states of our youths of today.


These ape like creatures were seen partying wildly and drunkenly during those wee hours of 4 am at a private party in Port Dickson.

As Umar Ibn Al-Khattab once said, "If you want to see the future of a country, look at it's youth today,". The future of Malaysia, in my perspective, does look a little too gloomy in this case. I really don't like what I'm seeing. Ape like creatures ruling the country? No way.

But then again, in this Bolehland Islam Hadhari country that we live in, anything goes.