linda saabani

2005-04-20T20:53:00.000-04:00

Speaking Without Knowledge

courtesy of Islamic Articles

Speaking without knowledge is a dangerous matter. Allah said in Surat al-Isra’, Ayah 36:

[Do not act or give judgements in the Religion without knowledge. On the Day of Judgment one’s ears, eyes, and heart will be asked about their deeds.]

The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, also advised in this matter. Both at-Tirmidhiyy (in his book Al-Jami^) and the hafidh, Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr al-Qurashiyy (in his book, As-Samt, which means "The Silence") narrated from Prophet Muhammad that he said:
"Say something good or else keep silent."

This advice is important to follow because giving judgments in the Religion without knowledge is among the ways which lead a person to be a loser in the Hereafter. Indeed, this matter is among the top reasons leading people to enter Hellfire. The one who says something is "halal" (permissible) or "haram" (forbidden) in the Religion without relying on a valid religious permission to do so is sinful and deserves the severe torture in Hellfire.

The pious, knowledgeable people said it is a very good act for the person to say: "I do not know," when it is applicable to do so. If one does not know the religious judgment on a particular case, he should not venture his own opinion on it. Once, when Imam ^Aliyy was asked about something which he did not know, he said, "I do not know." Then he added, "How soothing it is for me to say ‘I do not know’ when I do not know." Imam ^Aliyy meant that he felt comfortable not to answer a religious question when he did not know the answer to it. We should take heed and follow the words of Imam ^Aliyy in this matter. He was one of the most honored Companions of the Prophet--known for his high level of knowledge and comprehension in the Religion.

Once, when Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, was asked what the best and the worst places were, he answered:

"I do not know. I will ask Jibril." When the Prophet asked Jibril, Jibril also said, "I do not know." After a period of time, Jibril returned to Prophet Muhammad with the answer which Allah revealed to him: "The worst places are the markets and the best places are the mosques."

This is a sahih hadith related by Imam Muslim and others. The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, taught us a very important lesson by his response. It is not shameful for one to reply, "I do not know" when it is applicable, but it is shameful to speak about religious matters without knowledge.

Only Allah knows everything. For the Muslim to be safe on the Day of Judgment, he should speak only about what he knows. If one needs an answer to a Religious question, he should ask one more knowledgeable than himself or a trustworthy Muslim who can ask another pious, knowledgeable Muslim. This is the way the knowledge of the Religion is taught, and this is the way the knowledge is preserved.

2005-04-19T19:28:00.001-04:00

Bite Your Tongue

Everything we say and do in life has consequences. Just like throwing a stone into a pond, sends ripples across the water affecting all around it. We are free to say and do as we choose but the consequences of our words and actions are our responsibility.

How many times have hasty words been spoken making a wedge between once loving friends or spouses?

Sometimes we think something bad about a person and in anger or when emotions are high, we make those thoughts vocal. If we could have waited a little, these negative thoughts may well have been replaced with more kindly ones.

To speak or act while in a state of anger is really a mistake. It is a good idea to bite your tongue and wait until the next day. If the same level of emotions are present, then speak out, but chances are you will have forgotten why you were angry.

{The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! He between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.} (Sura Fussilat 41:34)

Contributed by: Velma Cook

(courtesy of IslamWay Radio)

2005-04-18T23:45:00.000-04:00

Another article from the same site:

Why Our Prayers and Dua'as are not Answered

Taken from Khushoo fis-Salaat (p.62) of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee - rahimullah.

IBRAHEEM IBN ADHAM - may Allaah have mercy on him - a third century scholar, a teacher and a companion of Sufyaan ath-Thawree, was asked about the saying of Allaah - the Most High:

"AND YOUR LORD SAYS: 'CALL ON ME I WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYER..." [40:60]

"We supplicate and we are not answered."

So he said to them:

You know Allaah, Yet you do not obey Him,

You recite the Qur'aan, Yet do not act according to it,

You know Shaitaan(Devil), Yet you have agreed with him,

You proclaim that you love Muhammed, (P.B.U.H) Yet you abandon his Sunnah,

You proclaim your love for Paradise, Yet you do not act to gain it,

You proclaim your fear the Fire, Yet you do not prevent yourselves from sins,

You say "Indeed death is true", Yet you have not prepared for it,

You point out the faults with others, Yet you do not look at your faults,

You eat of that which Allah has provided for you, Yet you do not thank Him,

You bury your dead, Yet you do not take a lesson from it."

The Article

2005-04-17T20:53:00.000-04:00

This is an article I stumble upon one of the links Sall gave us..simple but nice..huhu

Ten Things We Waste

1. Our Knowledge: Wasted by not taking action with it

2. Our Actions: Wasted by committing them without sincerity (refer previous post ^_^).

3. Our Wealth: Wasted by using on things that will not bring us ajr (reward from Allah). We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things which have no benefit in this life or in akhirah (hereafter).

4. Our Hearts: Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah, and the feeling of longing to go to Him, and a feeling of peace and contentment. In it's place, our hearts are filled with something or someone
else.

5. Our Bodies: Wasted because we don't use them in ibadah (worship) and service of Allah.

6. Our Love: Our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.

7. Our Time: Wasted, not used properly, to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for past deeds.

8. Our Intellect: Wasted on things that are not beneficial, that are detrimental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.

9. Our Service: Wasted in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah, or benefit in dunyaa.

10. Our Dhikr (Remembrence of Allah): Wasted, because it does not effect us or our hearts.

From Br. Mukhtar, based on a lesson of Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

The Article

A nice article~

2005-04-16T23:51:00.000-04:00

In Search of Sincerity
by Muhammad Alshareef

In one of the battles that the Muslims waged against the Romans, the Muslims – under the commandment of Maslamah (rahimahullaah) – surrounded a city that had a tall and well-fortified wall. The siege went on for months.

Then one night, one of the Muslim soldiers came to General Maslamah and told him of a hole that he had accomplished to bore through the wall. “It is only large enough for a slim soldier.” He knelt closer. “Quickly, send with me someone who can squeeze through and fight the army on the inside until he has opened the gates for all of us to enter.”

Maslamah sent out the news, and that night someone volunteered. In a sweeping assault, the gate was opened and the Muslims were victorious.

Maslamah, overwhelmed with happiness, sent out the word that the soldier that entered the hole should come forward. No one showed. A day passed and the request was repeated. Another day, then another. No one arrived to take credit.

On the fourth day, a soldier approached Maslamah, his face wrapped in a scarf. He said to him, “I have news of the soldier that entered the hole.”

Maslamah sat up sharp, “Tell me who it is?”

“First, however,” said the soldier, “he has three conditions before exposing himself. Do you agree to this?”

“Of course,” Maslamah said.

“The first is that you do not try to compensate him for what he did. The second is that you do not tell anyone who he is. And the third is that you shall not ask for his presence ever again. Do you agree to these conditions?”

“It is agreed,” Maslamah said.

The soldier, uncovering his scarf, said, “It is I. I went through that hole only for the sake of Allah.” Then, turning, he walked away.

After that day, Maslamah was often heard praying to Allah, “O Allah, (on the Day of Resurrection) grant me companionship with the soldier of the hole.”

Sometimes at any Islamic school, there are children who pray at the back, but the actions are better described as 'playing' (no, not with a lisp). Then when the head master or whoever they consider to have authority above them approaches, they all stand erect in complete devotion.

They are children and Allah will not take them to account. However, there are many adults that do this exact thing but on a more serious scale. The ingredient that we all need to work on throughout our lives as Muslims is Ikhlaas (sincerity) and, In sha Allah, that shall be our topic for today.

Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah:

[Say, "Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first (among you) of the Muslims."] Surah Al-An'aam 6/162,163

[And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakah. That is the correct Deen.] Surah Bayyinah 98/5

In defining Ikhlaas, Al-Jurjaani – rahimahullaah - said that it is to not seek any audience for your deeds other than Allah.

When one looks over the text of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, they will come to the realization that Allah ta’ala and His Messenger – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – speak about sincerity in different aspects: Sincerity in Tawheed of Allah and sincerity in our intentions. Sincerity in our worship, such as in Salah, Sujood, Fasting, standing in Ramadan, standing in the night of Qadr, sincere love for the Masjid, Zakah, Sadaqah, Hajj, Jihaad, repentance, supplications, recitation of the Qur’aan, and so much more.

The Qur'aan and Sunnah speak about sincerity in all our verbal statements, sincerity in our refined and upright AKhlaaq (character), sincerity in our Tawakkul (placing of our trust) in Allah, and sincerity in all actions.

Commenting on the verse: [He who created death and life to test you (as to) which of you is best in deed] Surah Al-Mulk 67/2, Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaadh – rahimahullaah - said, “It is those deeds which are most correct and most sincere.” The students asked, “O Abu Ali, what are deeds that are correct and sincere?” He said, “If a deed is done sincerely, yet is not done correctly, it will not be accepted. And if a deed is done correctly, but not sincerely for Allah, it will not be accepted. It must be done sincerely and correctly. Sincerely, as in for Allah alone; Correctly, as in accordance to the Sunnah.

He then recited the verse of Allah: [So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.] Surah al-Kahf 18/110. (See Madaarij As-Saalikeen 3/93)

With Ikhlaas we can be saved from misguidance as Prophet Yusuf – alyhi as salam – was saved. Hear Allah’s words: [And thus (it was) that We should avert from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our Mukhlaseen servants.] 12/24

With Ikhlaas the books can be turned in our favor in the last minutes of our lives just as what happened to the man that murdered 99 men. Allah ta'ala saved him in the end because of his sincerity in repentance.

With Ikhlaas one will be saved from Hellfire and granted a lofty position in Jannah. [And they give food out of love for (Allah ta’ala) to the needy, the orphan and the captive. (Saying) "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah, we wish no reward from you nor gratitude. Indeed, we fear from our Lord a Day severe and distressful. So Allah will protect them from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness. And will reward them for what they patiently endured (with) a garden (in Jannah) and silk (garments).] Surah Ihsan 76/8-12

Dear brothers and sisters, we must understand that there are certain things that contradict our Ikhlaas to Allah. Of these things are three, Reyaa', Sum'ah and 'Ujb.

Reyaa' is to perform an act of worship with the intention of showing it off to people, seeking their praise or some other vanity. Thus this person is seeking to be glorified or praised or hoped for or feared through this action. An example of this would be such as donating a large sum of money in order that people may think the contributor is generous.

Sum'ah is similar to Reyaa', but as the Ulumaa' have said, it is those verbal statements that a person does for the sake of people. Such as someone making ballooned threats against the Jews in Philisteen just so others would think he is courageous.

Ibn Al-Mubaarak – rahimahullaah – said, "Perhaps a great deed is belittled by an intention. And perhaps a small deed, by a sincere intention, is made great."

'Ujb is the cousin of Reyaa'. It is when a person becomes impressed with himself for the 'great' deeds that he has done.

This and all the other types are viruses that can kill our actions and turn them against us on the day of Resurrection.

Ya’qoob al-Makfoof – rahimahullah – used to say, “The sincere one is he who hides his good deeds in the same way that he would hide his bad.”

From the Seerah, as Sa’d ibn Waqqaas narrates: … as for Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, (after the conquest of Makkah) while escaping by sea, a terrible storm befell them. The owners of the boat shouted, “At this moment pray to only God and pray sincerely, for your gods cannot avail us in any way through salvation from this storm.” ‘Ikrimah said, “By Allah, if Ikhlaas can only save me on the sea, then on land nothing but it can save me.” (He then raised his hands and pronounced), “O Allah if you save me, you have upon me an oath that I shall not rest until I arrive at Muhammad – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – and place my hand in his."

He then came to Rasul Allah – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – became Muslim, and was later martyred in Jihaad.

Part II
Sincerity is a topic that is not only key to Islam, but it is also a subject that the Kuffaar and philosophers have pondered for centuries. The English have a saying that goes to the effect of: To hunt with the lantern of Diogenes.
Diogenes was a Cynic Greek philosopher who lived about 320 years before Prophet Eesa – alayhis salam. He believed there was no sincerity – no Ikhlaas – in any human being. To vividly prove his point, he was said to have gone about the streeets of Corinth in broad daylight with a lighted lantern looking for a sincere man. From here the English coined the term To hunt with the lantern of Diogenes when speaking of a group of people whose sincerity is extremely absent.

Indeed insincerity in our actions is something very dangerous and can lead a person to ruin. Ibn Masood – radi Allahu ‘anhu – would advise his students, “If your intention is one of these three, do not seek knowledge: To shame the ignorant, or to argue with the Fuqahaa’, or to cause people to turn their faces in your direction. Intend with your actions and words that which is with Allah, for indeed that which is with Allah shall remain and everything else shall perish.”

In conclusion, Ibn Al-Qayyim – rahimahullaah – said, “Deeds without sincerity are like a traveler who carries in his water-jug dirt. The carrying of it burdens him and it brings no benefit.”

May Allah ta'ala make us all from those whose deeds are done in accordance with the Sunnah, deeds that are done sincerely for the sake of Allah.

The article

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2005-01-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Back to School!
------------------

Today is the second day of school and yet I'm still in cuti mood..huhu..Thinking of doing better this semester but it won't help if I just think. Action speaks louder than thoughts..(+_+)

Watched some Korean drama during the break..

Autumn Tale: I only love the first three episodes of the series.. The rest is just dragging and repetitive, but the first three episodes were able to touch my feeling - I cannot stand the mother-daughter issue that was stressed in the episodes.. it breaks my heart.. A very sad drama but has typical Korean drama storyline.

Romance: The series is just ok, well not as good as I thought it would be. Maybe I cannot accept the relationship of the main leads although I admit they were very compatible in the series. And I noticed that some of the supporting actors/actresses cannot act well..huhu.. What kept me watching the series till the end is the family relationship issue in the drama. The thing I love most in this series is the appearance of a cute little boy who is about 4-5 years old. Very cute!

Other series that I watched/going to watch:

Full House

I love this series very much. Very comical yet it can still produce touching moments between the main lead - the 'husband' and 'wife'..huhu..A very nice drama indeed ! ^_^

Damo

2 more episodes left before I'm going to start watching this one. This is different from the other Korean dramas such that it is an ancient one - full of Kungfu-like martial arts. From some 'preview' clips that I watched the cinematography is quite beautiful. (I love ancient stories anyway :D)

note: too much of entertainment might be bad for one's studies..ToT..uhuk

sambungan

2005-01-16T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Trip - Part II
------------------

Farah - the girl who is fluent in BM although brought up in US.. kagum2

Tasha's Mak Lang's food.. yummy!

Beijing and Belacan, LA

Universal Studios - It's raining cats and dogs! We missed Waterworld! Thank God for the rain ticket! :D

'roller coaster' roads in San Francisco, we cannot see the bottom..

cute birds all over the place at pier 39 ^_^

sunrise @ Grand Canyon - subhanallah, nature's beauty!

amazing sight at Nevada and Arizona's border - Just how many mountains/hills are there? o_O

Hoover Dam - the border

crookedest street in the world - testing's Kay's driving skills

The buses have 'cables' on top of them - only in SF? huhu.. ^

Golden Gate Bridge! The oceanic view looks like a painting.. subhanallah.. so beautiful

Sausalito ~ remembered about a Hong Kong movie starring Leon Lai and Maggie Cheung.. heh

Somebody fell down aka 'jatuh tersembam' in Sausalito.. funny experience for us.. hehe :P

Alcatraz <=> Pudu Jail ?

Alhamdulillah, this was a very nice and enjoyable trip.. I really love it.. wish I can have more =^-^=.....................#

winter trip!

2005-01-07T15:58:00.000-05:00

The Trip
----------

Dec 23rd - Jan 4th

Troy -> Tucson -> Grand Canyon -> HoooverDam -> Vegas -> Longbeach ->Legoland -> Universal Studio ->Hollywood-> San Francisco ->Tucson ->Troy

Kay, Teh, Siti, Tasha, Shiek and Me

a Minivan

siti's 'live action stunt' - using the minivan ^O^

bread with tuna, sardines and egg -> 'makanan ruji' ^_^

the search for halal or malaysian food

a 'very good anak dara(kay's words) mannered dinner' in Penang Garden

a lot of "waaaa.."s in legoland - a children's place *_*

"are your parents around somewhere?" - quote from a pakcik guard asking us in vegas

....to be continued

*brief summary of my recent road trip

finals week

2004-12-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

The 'weeks'
-------------

2 hectic weeks: last week, this week

last week: 1 client meeting, 2 presentations, 1 quiz(last minute cancellation), 2 final reports

this week: 2 final exams, 1 club budget

but no matter how hectic they might be, there's always time for:

Entertainment world (^____^)
-------------------------------------

a couple of titles selected from my hard drive:

My Sassy Girl (Korean Movie)

part 1: kinda funny, but the story makes the 'hero' looks like a 'dumb' guy
part 2: I like this part more, it has more meaning and shows the 'true colors' of the characters, and the ending is also good, I think.

Autumn Tale (Korean Series)

(I only have 10 out of 16 episodes, will watch when completed)
People who watched this series said that it's a great drama for those who like 'tearjerkers'.. huhu.. a very emotional drama, full of crying scenes.. very sad.. T___T

Love Story in Harvard (Korean Series)

(I only have ep 1-5, still waiting for the rest to come out)
The guy who stars in my love patzzi and my little bride is in here..people said that this series is quite good..I haven't seen it yet though.. huhu

Romance (Korean Series)

(I haven't watch it yet, I only have half of the entire 22 episodes, I'll watch when the collection is completed)
The story revolves around a high school senior who fell in love with his teacher, and also their family problems. From what others said (again), this is a good series, very cute and touching.. can bring tears sometimes..and this story is on air back in my home country now, on tv2..heh..

-----------------------------------------------------

*do people in other countries watch Malaysian series? I wonder.. ^_^ *

~~~

2004-12-12T02:51:00.000-05:00

My Mighty Sword ~

*adapted from sister's usrah @ Stacwyck IV

-what the..?
-sword? violence?
-saber rider? samurai? cool..

nope.. in this context, the mighty sword = du'a

get to know more about 'du'a':

"usaha dan tawakkal tangga kejayaan" - effort and prayer is the key to success (not direct translation.. hoho)
effort and prayer must go together.. not one after another
we must be sure of what we want.. be really hopeful (as long as what we want is Halal~)
be humble when make 'du'a' from Allah
besides talking about our sins, we should agree with our weaknesses
among the best times to make du'a: after solah, during our fast, between azan and iqamah
other times:the last 3rd of the night, last moment after Asr, during 'sujud'
be in a clean - taharah state when making du'a
be sure that Allah can grant our du'a
always remember the 3 ways Allah can do that:
-instantly
-Allah exchange the things we want with sthg else
-granted in the 'Akhirat'

/(_)\

2004-11-29T13:55:00.000-05:00

Back to School
-----------------

how I spend my thanksgiving break:

cooking rendang /(@_@)\
korean series - my love patzzi (^_^)
raya celeb - dam dam bunyi meriam (T_T)
moviemaker sessions (o_o)
black friday = shopping ($_$)
travel! travel! \(^o^)/

and of course.. did not get in touch with any school material.. not until 5pm on the last day.. huhuh

:) :) :)

2004-11-23T05:52:00.000-05:00

Eternal Happiness? (^_^)

*adapted from Sister's Usrah @ Stacwyck III

When asked about the goal of our lives:

"I want to graduate from RPI with good a CGPA and get a good job later"
"I want to help my parents".
"I want to get married and live happily with my husband and kids :D".
"I want to lead a happy life with my family ;)".
"My short term goal is get a 4.0 CGPA. My middle term goal is graduate from RPI with honors. My long term goal is get a good job, help my parents..and perhaps have my own company..hehe".
"I want to be happy."

All of us choose to have a happy life ahead. Of course, that's a norm among us: humans. But what do we mean by being happy? What is eternal happiness? But most importantly, how we do achieve it?

I have five cats at home. Being close to them most of the time, I noticed that their happiness level rise up when they eat, play around, being 'cared' and 'noticed' by humans (huhu.. cats really love attention), and when they perform the 'mating' process. But we are not cats. We are humans with different senses of happiness that vary a lot among individuals, and most importantly, we have 'Aql'.

There's one thing we should remind ourselves first before anything: - this world is only a pit-stop, the eternal life starts after The Day of Resurrection.

When we want to go somewhere, whether for a short time, a long time, or even permanently, we need to prepare. We need to pack our things and bring together our most important properties. When we go for a walk during the dark night, we bring a torchlight to provide us with light. When we travel to another country, we bring passport and visas for security purposes. Even when we go out anywhere in any countries we have our IDs as recognition stuff. When we go for a job interview, we prepare our portfolio and credentials to show what kind of experience and skills we have.

We cannot bring our torchlight into the grave to light it if it's dark. We do not have any passports or IDs to show who we are. We cannot print out our portfolio and take it with us when we are buried. But we can prepare for the afterlife in another way, using our ibadah and taqwa.

To achieve eternal happiness in the afterlife (which can be found in 'Jannah'), we have to be 'prepared'. Are we prepared yet ? I'm afraid I'm not (hehe.. frankly :D).

the last week

2004-11-09T22:13:00.000-05:00

the last week of Ramadan

-time passed so quickly.. uhuk

A quote from one of my classes last week:

-don't wait and only do something after you are told, figure out what needs to be done and do it, plan the work and work the plan

Boston -> MIT

-sightseeing at MIT.. (a place for smart people.. uhuh).. nice river scenery, SubhanAllah..

Flu season

-health is a bless, then sickness is a test.. a test of patience and perseverence..
-remember Allah all the time :)

CIT

2004-11-03T20:02:00.000-05:00

CIT

huhu..Creativity and IT..I'm not a very creative or artistic person, but somehow I love this class.. It's one of the most relaxing and enjoyable class Ive taken in RPI so far, well minus a few boring lectures.. the grading is very subjective.. no homework, no exams, we just need to finish a final project, have a notebook and attend the classes.. cool..

I have Branda Miller as my recitation instructor; in a class with about 16 students- more than half of them Malay XD..She's very curious about learning other people's cultures and religions, particularly ours - her students. She often inquires about Malay cultures, practices, Islamic values such as Ramadan etc. She herself is a Jewish woman. Being a Hollywood film editor, I can see that she has passion on video presentations and presentations with meanings/strong message.

After a few thinking and planning processes, I chose 'photo editing' as my final project presentation. What I'm gonna do is a slide show which shows that "even if the same character is posted in different background the whole picture can bring out different meanings".

- at first, in my proposal I choose 'war' as my theme
- then in my first critic presentation I change my theme to 'general'
-after considering some suggestions from the Branda and the class, I went back to my initial idea: war theme.. uhuk

I'm not really into arts, but somehow I enjoy doing this project, even if I have to learn Photoshop,MovieMaker and Dreamweaver. (Maybe a part of me loves arts, who knows? XD).I want to make this piece as meaningful as it can be even with this little artistic ability that I have, InshaAllah.

~Sickness is a Test.. I'm in the middle of a test now :D~

renung2 tenung2

2004-11-02T00:50:00.000-05:00

taken from che teh's blog.. based on an email she got from her cousin:

"Kita sibuk mengusahakan kekuatan (QUWWAH) dengan teknik penghafalan, pulun,semak kertas periksa semester lepas, buku rujukan itu,buku rujukan ini, baca buku sampai bengkak2 mata, buat nota sampai berkajang2 tapi kita terlupa sesuatu iaitu TAQWA. Kita hanya yakin dengan QUWWAH kita akan perolehi kejayaan sehingga mengabaikan TAQWA.

Kita tak rasa sedih kalau tak bangun tahajud, mengisi akhir malam dengan bermunajat dan bermanja-manja dengan Allah, merintih dan menangisi dosa, tapi kita rasa lebih terhibur bila bergayut sehingga pukul 3 pagi.

Kita rasa keluar makan dengan pasangan kita sebagai cara yang boleh menenangkan fikiran, menyuburkan kasih-sayang, tapi kita tidak rasa dengan keluar musafir dengan mencari ilmu dan membuang mazmumah, mampu memberi kekuatan pada jiwa yang lemah.

Kita sanggup meringankan syariat mengikut hawa nafsu kita, tapi kita tak sanggup menjadi hamba yang bersyukur atas segala nikmat dan bersabar dalam bermujahadah dengan jiwa yang keji.

Jelas!.. walaupun kita bergelar mahasiswa tetapi kita JAHIL. JAhil dalam mengenal Allah dan menilai antara haq dan batil. Kita tidak serius dengan janji Allah, kita buat main-main bila menghadapNya, tidak ada rasa malu malah terkadang tidak beradab denganNya.

Bila kita gagal mencapai apa yang kita mahu, kita bersangka buruk dengan Tuhan Yang Maha Agung. Kita melemparkan sangkaan pada ZAt Yang Maha Suci. Hati kita telah mati dari merasa didikan dan teguranNya. Kita sudah tidak terasa kasih sayangNya melalui ujian yang ditimpakan. Kita bersyukur ketika di dalam nikmat tetapi kufur di dalam ujian."

( ^ 0 ^ )

2004-11-01T01:58:00.001-05:00

We Can Make Changes
(from someones' blog)

Here is the story of an elementary schoolteacher: Her name is Mrs. Noriah. As she stood in front of her primary five class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Aziz Sulaiman.

Mrs. Noriah had watched Aziz the year before and noticed that he did'nt play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Aziz could be unpleasant.

It got the point where Mrs. Noriah would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big " F " at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Noriah taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Aziz' s off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Aziz's primary one teacher wrote, "Aziz is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners....he is a joy to be around."

His primary two teacher wrote, "Aziz is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His primary three teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Aziz's primary four teacher wrote," Aziz is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Noriah realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself.

She felt even worse when her students brought her Teachers' Day presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Aziz's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.

Mrs. Noriah took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stone missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Aziz Sulaiman stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Noriah, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Noriah paid particular attention to Aziz. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive.

The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Aziz had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Aziz became one of her "Teacher's Pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Aziz, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Aziz. He then wrote that he had finished sixth form third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been rough at times, he'd stayed in school, stuck with it, and would soon graduate from university with highest of honors. He assured Mrs.Noriah that she was still the best and favorite teacher he'd ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he'd ever had. But now his name was a little longer - the letter was signed, Aziz Sulaiman, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that year. Aziz said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years earlier and he was wondering if Mrs. Noriah might agree to sit in the place at the wedding which was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Noriah did.

And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Aziz remembered his mother wearing on their last moments together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Aziz whispered in Mrs. Noriah's ear. Thank you, Mrs. Noriah for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.

Mrs. Noriah, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, "Aziz, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook. It is you. Please try to do it in a positive way.

Life's Journey

2004-10-31T01:52:00.000-05:00

(taken from someones blog)

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life; for without them,life is meaningless.

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the pastnor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all of the days ofyour life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.The quickest way to receive love is to give love.The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly. In addition, the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Do not dismiss your dreams.To be without dreams is to be without hope.To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only whereyou have been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

entertainment review XD

2004-10-26T00:38:00.000-04:00

Mukodono (My Husband)

This Japanese drama breaks my heart. It is about a talented singer/songwriter who never know his own father and whose mother died when he was a kid. He fall in love with a young woman and decided to secretly marry 'into' her family - that means changing his last name to the woman's family name. The series then ventured into their married life.The main theme is mostly about family relationship. Every single episodes might seem funny and pointless at the beginning, however as it goes on the scenes can even bring tears to the eyes. The 'loving family' theme is really touching :'(. I truly enjoy watching the series anyway! :D

EoRin Sinbu (My Little Bride)

A sweet and cute Korean movie. The story is basically about a college student and a high school girl who has known each other since childhood, who suddenly have to marry each other (tricked by the girl's grandfather XD). They keep their marriage as a secret as the girl is scared to let her schoolmates know about it. Then the movie continues on as many things happen in their process of truly realizing their love for each other. It's a cute movie, seeing how childish the girl is and how caring and understanding a former 'playboy' can be for his young wife ;)..

Ramadan

2004-10-17T23:38:00.000-04:00

It's Ramadan again, just like last year and the years before, again we fast and pray tarawikh. But then, we should ask ourselves, 'Can we make a difference this year?'. That's up to us to decide and realize :)

adopted from Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan - Ali Al-Tamimi

Some of the Lessons from A Beautiful Month

LESSON 1: Gaining Taqwa
"So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, ‘Has this fasting day made us fear Allah more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not? "

LESSON 2: Drawing closer to Allah
"When one sins, one feels distant from Allah. That is why one might find it heard to read the Qur’aan and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allah and wants to worship Allaah more, because he is not shy from his sins"

LESSON 3: Acquiring patience and strong will
"So when one fasts, and gives up one’s food and drink, and one’s marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience."
"We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver."

LESSON 4: Striving for Ihsaan (righteousness and sincerity) and staying away from riyaa’ (showing off)
"Allah said in a hadeeth qudsee, "Fasting is for Me and I reward it." (al-Bukhaaree) Allah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, "Fasting is for Me", because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allah."

LESSON 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related totruthfulness and discharging trusts.
"The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah (SWT) has no need that he should heave his food and drink." (al-Bukharee) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners."

LESSON 6: Recognizing that one can change for the better
"The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those whorepent." (Ibn Maajah) Allah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient. "

LESSON 7: Being more charitable
"The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person’s reward." (at-Tirmidhee) "

LESSON 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims
"In this month we sense that there is a possibility for unity, because we all fast together, we break fast together, we all worship Allah together, and we pray Salaatul-`Eid together. Therefore we sense that the unity of Muslims is possible. "

LESSON 9: Learning discipline
"One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mold their lives around. "

LESSON 10: Teaching the young to worship Allah
"If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty."

LESSON 11: Caring for one’s health
"Fasting has many medical benefits and it teaches Muslims to take care of their health and too build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone." (Muslim) "

Indeed, Ramadan is a month of inner reflection and self-control :)

friendship

2004-10-13T19:44:00.000-04:00

we discussed about friendship in class. why yes, we will feel lonely without friends. Found a poem while surfing the www, a sweet one about friendship. Don't know who's the author though~

True Friends

A friend is someone we turn to
When our spirits need a lift.
A friend is someone we treasure
For our friendship is a gift,

A friend is someone who fills our lives
With beauty, joy and grace
And makes the world we live in
A better and happier place.

A friend is someone who are close in thought
That no distance can ever seem far
Friendship is something that could not be bought
Remembrance in the hearts by saying a du'a

A friend is someone which brings you close to Allah
And not one that brings you astray
A friend will makes you strive for madhatillah
And someone that helps you to see the true way

A friend is someone that will advice you kindly
Whenever You do wrongs
A friend is someone that will not praise you too high
For that will makes you fall

A friend is someone that greets you with Salaam
Accompanied with a smiling face
A friend will make you see HIS Kalaam
And du'a for HIS grace

(=^.^=)

2004-10-03T22:28:00.000-04:00

I love this story..really..^_^

The Best Planner

By Muhammad Al-Shareef

As we look over the crowds at Hajj, we are overwhelmed by the numbers of people that have come here to worship Allah. Throughout Hajj, we find ourselves similarly overwhelmed by the sheer number of lessons that we have learned on our journey - lessons of patience, of compassion, of humility.

Every corner you turn, every spot you can find to sit (if you find one) has the potential to mold a Hajji for better or worse. Sharing our experiences with each other helps us reflect on what we have learned, and may also have the invaluable effect of encouraging our fellow Muslims to perform Hajj.

Here's a story from my Hajj this year, which truly showed me that Allah is the best of planners.
During my Hajj this year, a man in our group became very ill while we were staying in the tent city of Mina. As we sat down to dinner, he began shivering uncontrollably. We stopped our dinner and made dua for him. Soon, paramedics were called, and carried him to the hospital on a stretcher.

The morning after he returned from the hospital, I went to sit with him in the tent. He told me he was afraid he would be unable to perform his Tawaf at the end of his Hajj, and asked my advice on what to do about that. I told him, 'No problem, Allah does not place a burden upon you more then you can bear. However you'll be required to sacrifice a sheep to be given to the poor, as a means of fulfilling that Tawaf duty.' He asked me to arrange the sacrifice, and gave me the payment of $100 US and 400 Saudi Riyals, for him and his wife. I promised him I would take care of it.

A few hours later, I checked my pocket to make sure the money was still safely there. It wasn't! I couldn't believe it - I lost the guy's money! Fiqh questions raced through my mind: Would I be Islamically required to pay it myself? Should I tell the guy I lost his money or just leave it up to Allah?

Hours passed, and night fell. The money was really gone. The day was over, and I had not been able to fulfill my obligation of purchasing the sheep for the man and his wife. I was so depressed.
After Fajr the next day, I came back to where my bags were located, and found a brother sitting there. He said, "Oh sorry, is this your spot?" When he moved out of the spot, I noticed a lump of cash underneath him. What? How? It was the money the guy had given me! I was soooo happy. Finally, I would be able to purchase the sheep for him today.

About 20 seconds later, after having spoken to Shaykh Nur Abdullah, the brother who gave me the money turned to me. He said, "I was speaking with the Shaykh and he said that I cannot pay a penalty for Tawaf AlIfaadah." (I had thought he was asking about Tawaf Widaa' in which one could pay the penalty). "The Shaykh said that they have wheelchairs on the roof. So, uh, do you have my money ... listen, I understand if you already bought the sheep, don't worry about it."

I looked down at his money that I had found just 20 seconds ago. Had it been with me the day before I would have surely purchased the sheep for him.

I put the money in his hand and told him the story of how Allah had saved his money.

=) (=

2004-10-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

this is sweet.. like the article.. :)

(taken from the article 'When Friends Hurt Each Other' by Muhammad Al-Shareef )

Allah created humans with differences. It is the law of creation. Different tongues, different colors, different cultures… all that on the outside. On the inside, humans were created with many degrees of knowledge, intellect, and comprehension of concepts. This is all a sign of Allah’s all encompassing power to do whatever He wills:

"And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are signs for those who know." [30:22]

Humans shall differ, that is not the issue. The issue is: How as a Muslim should one confront these differences of opinions and what should be our relationship with someone of a different opinion.

Allah ta’ala commanded us to call and advise people in this Deen of Al-Islam. Many Muslims set off on this mission blindfolded, not realizing that the map was there in the Qur’an also. In fact, in the very same verse where Allah commanded us to call and advise people in this Deen, Allah taught us how to do it. Read the following verse carefully:

[Invite (fi’l Amr – Allah is commanding) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction and argue with them in a way that is best! ]
– Surah An-Nahl 16/125.

There is no need to philosophize. No need to talk in the flower gardens. It is right there, plain and simple for anyone who would take heed.

There in that Ayah are the three ingredients to apply when we disagree with someone. The same Allah that taught us to debate the truth, taught us how to do it:

With Hikmah
With good instruction, and
To argue in a way that is best.

What does it mean to have Hikmah when differing with someone?

The nephews of Rasul Allah once set one the most beautiful examples of Hikmah in advising others. Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn – in their young age - once saw a senior man performing Wudu incorrectly. Together they arranged a plan to teach the man without insulting him, advising him in a manner befitting of his age.

Together they went to the senior and announced, “My brother and I have differed over who amongst us performs Wudu the best. Would you mind being the judge to determine which one of us indeed performs Wudu more correctly.”

The man watched intently as the two grandsons of Rasul Allah performed Wudu in an explicit manner. After they had completed, he thanked them and said, “By Allah, I did not know how to perform Wudu before this. You have both taught me how to do it correctly.”

-^_^-

potato~~

2004-09-11T19:48:00.000-04:00

i just got an email from a friend which i thought has an interesting article:~

A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart >for imagine your lifetime???"

Moral of the story: Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you will not carry sins for a lifetime. Forgiving others is the best attitude to take!

good afternoon! :)

2004-09-06T16:35:00.000-04:00

"How to think like Leonardo Da Vinci" - the title of the book i just started to read today. The first part mainly revolves around the life of Leonardo and his remarkable contributions during the Renaissance era. I didn't really liked the first part. For me it was more or less like rehearsing a form four History textbook. Now I'm starting to read the second part which touched 'The Seven Da Vincian Principles' (which I find to be more interesting)

Curiosita - an insatiable curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continous learning
Dimoustrazione - a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes
Sensazione - the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience
Sfumato (literally going up in smoke) - a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty
Arte/Scienza - the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. 'Whole brain' thinking
Corporalita - the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise
Connessione - a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnecredness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking

This book is actually intended to help readers improve their way of thinking by using Leonardo Da Vinci as an example. The back cover of the book insisted that 'Genius is made, not born'. Indeed, people around the world have continously debated whether the nature or nurture part of a person plays the bigger part of shaping a person's personality, which of course includes their thoughts, learning potential and creativity. The book want readers to uncover hidden talents, sharpen their senses, and liberate their individual inteligence, in order to master such life changing abilities as:

problem solving
creative thinking
self-expression
enjoying the world
goal setting and life balance
harmonizing body and mind

Well, that's a basic summary of what the book is getting at. Personally, I myself don't know if I have hidden talent or not. But I do believe in individuality - where every person has something special in their own way.

Come to think of it, our Creator is the most creative of all, creating all of us humans as different persons, creating the super complex universe with uncountable creatures - still or alive. Subhanallah.