of Langkawi and giants

Still in holiday mood.
Am sluggish.

Oh I just got back from Langkawi.
The best island in the world!!

The trip was good, we skipped those places we went before few years ago.
Food: one word: fabulous! and cheap (ok so I cheated)
Shopping.. err we didn't shop so much except for chocolates.. the prices are not much different anyway.

The adventurous DM45 crew even got up to the two highest peaks in Langkawi: Gunung Mat Chinchang (why of course, by the famous cable car) and Gunung Raya (Yah is to be blamed for convincing us to go up there for its "spektakuya" view)

Although the journey up there (especially Gunung Raya) was scary, but it was worth it.

Its a Mountain people, not a hill.
So you can imagine being 5000 m above the sea level on an almost empty fuel tank with a kid who kept singing to the tune of Twilight Zone. We were above the clouds that rained on Kuah Town. Spectacular indeed, minus the frightening journey.

Legend has it that the two giants of Langkawi known as Mat Chinchang and Mat Raya battled against each other during their children's wedding. Mat Raya was furious because Mat Chinchang's son was wooing other girls when the bride was Mt Raya's daughter.

They fought so hard that the gravy from their curry pots were turned over and a river of gravy flowed and hence the city of Kuah (gravy) was formed.

I love listening to folklores. What the olden people could not explain by scientific grounds, they reasoned it out with wonderful tell-tales.

We then aptly name our own two giants with the two legendary giants.
Yah is mat raya (jalan pening2) and yis is mat chinchang (sebab anak laki dia banyak awek?)
While I got myself called Mat Sirat (because Yah cakap kunun macam intelektual. Cis).

Okay..back to woirk!! Och. Woirk woirk woirk.
Before the giant in the office gets back from lunch....ok bad joke.

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Iktibar

Ambil Iktibar Kejadian.

Thats a Malay equivalent to "Learn your Lesson" after being hit with negative incident (wait. Incidents are always negative).

They always like to tell us "there's a moral behind every story" and if we're critical enough we'll realise that God never intends harm to His servants, but He meant good.
To reach to this level of understanding would mean you have grasped the concept of gratitude.

But its not always that easy.
Especially when it involves human relations.

How well can we react to arrogant and insensitive remarks by someone we know?
How well do we stand to the friendship we thought we knew as the unfamiliar hateful words hurled to us?
How well do we cope to those who ditch us during our hard time?
What do we say to them after all these times, they're mocking us, belittling us, dissing and hurting us after what we did to them?
Do we turn away when they ask for forgiveness or do we embrace them?
Is it that easy to forgive and forget?

But first answer this..

We as servants to God, transgressed and sinned every day.

We delay our prayer time, we roll our eyes when our mothers ask us to help ger with the dishes, we deny the rights of our neighbours, we gossip about a friend to another friend, we wage war against ourselves, we classify people, we disunite ourselves with mazahibs difference of sunnis and the shiah, we spate of hungry and poor people while we shop lavishly, we look helplessly as our brothers in Falastin struggle with their life to defend what is theirs,we live our lives as if there is no Hereafter.

But He forgives.

Are you even better than Him not to forgive, now?
Forgive, you must.

Even as The Creator of things and beings, didn't we all commit 'something' against Him?
He Who had given us shelter and protection, Who had provided us , Who had given us joy in Life.
Who had given us Life. Imaan.

So what if someone spate you off?
Thats human nature.
We err.
We forget.

Remember the tearful day of our beloved Prophet saw in the city of Tha'if.
When Jibrail prepares himself to retaliate on behalf of the Prophet, seeing our beloved Prophet in pain and exhaustion for the stones thrown at him bloodied his face and the cruel words hurled at him pained his heart by the people of Tha'if, the Prophet stopped the angel.
He forgive them.

Yes.
He forgave them.
For their ignorance, some people say. But I believe that is the Prophet's loving and gentle nature.

What makes us even better than him?
Forgive, we must.


Someone close to me were hurt by her close friends.
It was unexpected to see how can a friendship that was built for so long was shattered in a day.
But they came back asking for forgiveness.
She accepted their apology and hold nothing against them deep in her heart.

I smiled. Baguslah dia ikut contoh Rasulullah.
But nevertheless, the moral of the story, the Iktibar is this: forgive. But Be careful.

While we do not end any friendship , but still choose your friends carefully.
Let this be a reminder for myself too. Iktibar.

Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi said:

"Know that not everyone is suitable to be your friend. You must verify that this potential friend has the neccessary characteristics that make friendship with him something to be desired. The one you seek to befriend must have five characteristics:

He must be intelligent, as there is no good in befriending an idiot, as he will only harm you when he wants to benefit you. By intelligent, we mean one who understands things as they are, either on his own, or if they are explained to him;

He must have good manners, and this is a must. One who is simply intelligent might be overcome by anger or desire, and obey his desire. Thus, there would be no benefit in befriending him;

He must not be a fasiq, as such a person would not fear Allah, and whoever does not fear Allah cannot be trusted;

He must not be an innovator, as his abundance of innovation is feared from befriending him;

He should not be eager for the dunya."

['Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin'; p. 126-132]

=) See ya guys around after the weekend!
White sandy beaches here we come!
Wasalam.

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oh batu puteh

Time moves so slowly today for me. Both because I'm waiting for the Pedra result out at 4 pm and then after work its our much anticipated Le Familie Holiday. =)

and I Yikes its barely 12.15 and I have another 45 excruciating minutes to go before lunch. Karen wants Mc D today. Why not.

But after that, its another LOD and I'm off.
Will somebody kindly update me the verdict?
Mana tau I habis buat LOD I terus cabut balik umah. Ngehe.

And if you ask me why do people care so much about the tug over an island which is smaller than a football field, I'll give you an example of those who doesn't give a damn if his house is taken over by someone else. Plus, its International Law all over again. Malaysia had a good win before over Indonesia, now with a good team of experienced counsels and strong submissions on the evidence, IMHO we have a good chance, but who knows what'll the verdict be.

But whatever it is, accept the decision. No need to create a furore, whatever the decision maybe.

Doakan perjalanan kami selamat.

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contempt of court!

Instead of appealing against the judge decision, she applied to commit the trial judge for contempt for maliciously dismissing her case.

Instead of mitigating, she was adamant that she did nothing wrong.

Judge Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad, who presided over the contempt of court proceedings sentenced her to 3 months jail for contempt of court for her application to commit the judge for contempt of court, starting today. However, the court allowed her to be released on RM30,000 bail with one surety after she sought a stay of the detention order.

I don't think she expected it, if you're thinking her lawyer would have advised her against it, she did it on her own. She was not represented.
In fact she sued her lawyer. She said 'Lawyers also had not helped her in the case".
And she lost faith to appoint another to represent her.
But this proves to be almost fatal.

I cringed while reading it. It's not that I don't symphatise with her, being a widow with kids and no money received after her husband's death, but... we have a system here and judges are meant to be respected. Too bad no one managed to convince her to take legal advices seriously. I doubt she understood how legal mechanisms works, as often as I even as a legal Counsel I would always have to check the law now and then, what more of a Lay person.

If she's jailed, who's gonna feed the kids? Kesian juga.

Read about it here.

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the downside

There is almost none.
To my job, that is.

I rarely get back home later than 7.
The paperwork, although not to be compared with criminal matters, is bearable.
And I'm passionate about it,so anything else couldn't be so bad?

But if there's one thing that gets on my nerve, is this:

clients who are lawyers themselves.
Gila demanding.

eh hello kalau kau bagus sangat buat sendiri la.

Sabar, sabar...

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got brain or not

On our side of the planet, Dr M quits UMNO, chickened out real bad when the govt announced that the Lingam Video findings made public.I'm not going to bore you ...with his antics,that is..won't surprise me either if he joins PAS (which he did, once, in 1970's, I think)

But on the other side of the planet, the world watches Obama going head to head against Hillary.

I don't favor the other circus (Clinton vs Obama), but McCain is just ridiculous.
It's an emperor with no clothes situation...at least as far as the US news media is concerned.

Why?
It's pretty clear that John McCain is being groomed by the government/corporate media to be the next president of the United States.

Obviously, this is bad news.

The man is half-deranged and can't even get his lies straight. He's worse than what most of us hoped would be the worst president of the last 100 years.

Why do the controllers want this guy?

Because he will be easy to manage.
He'll be their guy.
Brave New Films has generated over 2 million views of its McCain reality check videos so far. Impressive when you consider that "Crossfire" the bogus right/left discussion program on CNN had only 100,000 viewers.

Watch:


Of course this concerns the rest of the world. God knows what'll happen if the no brainer McCain-er takes over on behalf og a zog government. Hope any of those Americans bored of Obama's not so secret history and Hillary debatable debate would not have their attention diverted to Mr John here. Eh vote kesian2 mana tau boleh menang.

I've been busy this few days. Hope I can really fill the OUT tray before Friday.
We're going on a holiday =D
On the emotional side..I really love my family..

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A song that capture the hypocrisy and injustice

"Peace" appears on the album "Esther and the Protesters" by New Orleans-based singer-songwriter Esther Sparks.

If you are moved by its message, please pass it along. You can count on the fact that the Bush supporters who run Clear Channel will make sure it never appears on any of their radio stations.

Excerpt:

"Oh dear Lord,
Please don't just bless
America or us here in the West.

But dear Lord,
Please bless the earth,
and all her people
in life and death and birth."

Been busy the whole day.
Between courts I went back home for siesta and jengok2 Yah and Yis.

Mon mori Mr K and Yah the two doctors are sick.
My thoughts and prayers are with Mr K, who is so faraway.. Makan ubat and doa byk2, ye?
Hopefully my presence and eventual nagging would make Yah feels better.

ichigo buchan ..je sais que je t'aime.. I worry ='(

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duty to defend

This post is dedicated to two friends of mine, with a message don't be disheartened with the arrogant and ignorant people. Take heart and be strong.


May the words of Allah soothe your souls and guide your hearts.

"And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not become divided."
[Ali-‘Imraan 3:102]

"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful admonition, and argue with them in ways that are better."
[An-Nahl 16:125]

"The Believers – men and women – are protectors to each other, they order the good and forbid the evil…" [At-Tawbah 9:71]

...And help you one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression." [al- Ma`idah 5:2]

"Let there arise from amongst you a group of people calling all that is good, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, they are the ones who shall be successful."
[Ali-‘Imraan 3:110]

"And do not be like those who differed and split-up after the clear evidences came to them."
[Ali-‘Imraan 3:105].

Ibn Taymiyyah once said (taken from Majmu' al Fatwa)(28/231-232)

"When some people said to Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal that they felt uneasy about criticizing people, he replied:

"If I were to remain silent, how would the ignorant masses know the truth from falsehood?"

Those who introduce heretical writings which oppose the Quran and Sunnah and those who innovate in matters of worship, then it is obligatory that they be exposed and that the Muslims be warned against them – by unanimous agreement of the Muslim scholars.

In fact, when Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal was asked about a man who fasted, prayed and secluded himself in the mosque for worship; if he was dearer to him than a person who spoke against the people of innovation (Ahlul-Bid’ah), he replied:

"When he fasts and prays and secludes himself, then he does so for the benefit of his own self. However, when he speaks out against the innovators, he does so for the benefit of the Muslims in general, and this is more virtuous."

So it is clear that openly opposing the innovators is of general benefit to the Muslims and is considered one of the types of jihad in the path of Allah. Since purifying the Religion of Allah and defending it from their attacks is a collective obligation – as is agreed upon by the scholars.

For if Allah did not raise up some people to oppose the innovators, then the Religion would suffer harm, corruption and deviation. Indeed this type of corruption is even greater than the corruption resulting from the corruption of the disbelievers conquering the Muslims. Since when the unbelievers conquer the Muslims, they do not corrupt their hearts, nor their Religion, except after some time. Whereas the innovators corrupt the hearts from the very beginning.

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said (quoted from ar-Radd ‘alal Jahmiyyah waz-Zanadiqah (p. 2)

"All praise is due to Allah who, in every age and interval between the Prophets, raises up a group from the people of knowledge, who call the misguided to guidance, patiently bearing ill-treatment and harm.

With the Book of Allah they give life to the dead and with the Light of Allah they give sight to the blind. How many a person killed by Iblis they have revived. How beautiful their effect has been upon the people, and how vile the people have been towards them. They expel from the Book of Allah the alterations of those going beyond bounds, the false claims of the liars and the false interpretations of the ignorant-ones – those who uphold the banner of innovation and let loose the trials and discords; who upon the Book, oppose the Book and agree upon opposing the Book. They speak about Allah and his Book without knowledge, argue about what is ambiguous in the Book, and deceive the ignorant ones with such ambiguities. We seek refuge in Allah from the trials of the misguided ones."

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just the two of us

Early morning I was up for my daily run.
30 minutes is what I owe to my body and temple.

Met Makcik Saodah (one of the Taichi exponents woohoo) and she mouthed silent salaam seeing me.
I smiled.
Subang is indeed one of the best places to live, friendly people, compact city, glorious food, just the damning traffic woes give us headache but we'll live.

On the third round I spotted Mak's car circling with my kid brother scouting for me: breakfast.
So I ran faster into hiding.

Then I saw Makcik Saodah again, couldn't escape her gaze while she was preaching to two tudung-clad schoolgirls in their uniforms, eager actually to escape from Makcik Saodah's preaching.
And I heard her say:
"Tengok, kakak ni dan makcik je yang melayu ada kat sini. Just the two of us".

And I almost saw the schoolgirls wrath, as I passed them by, as if I am to blame for joining Makcik Saodah's conspiracy to enjoin more Malays to work out.

It's true.
For a nation of more than 55% Malays, two Malays out of 99% other races on the field is tad too obvious. How do we create a strong, reliable Dai'e if our bodily strength and wealth is limited and weak?

When i addressed this to my only staff in the firm, Karen said: "kita orang cina takut mati".
Then, what makes us?
Complacent?

Well, it wasn't that easy for me to appreciate health as Makcik Saodah (or the rest of the USJ 2 Sweat Club), I suffered a health scare few months ago and I vowed that should be the end of it.

My motivation is not construed to achieve any optimum weight, but for the overall health: the heart especially. So losing extra inch around the thigh will be a bonus. Though the bodily woman shape has taken its toll on me but it's not too bad. I used to be stick thin during the schooldays because I was a marathon runner, but the sporting life stopped abruptly when I began chambering. Konon penat sangat. Toyer je tau. (Other main factor because my sports trainer a.k.a Mr K the sportsman is now so faraway in India so I can escape the evening jog he used to initiate by buying the same pair his and hers trainers) I fill up the time by ehem..missing him. Muahaha. Alasan!

And I remember the first week of real work I ate nothing but nasi lemaks in two weeks straight, convinced that I didn't gain weight, so I took everything for granted; and considered the running up and down the court carrying the Pilot case as the substitute health regime for working ladies.
And yes I'm a cheapskate who will not pay extra hundred for gyms.
I believe the best exercises are free, so why pay yourself for commitment?
And then just one day: I collapsed. After a heart thumping pain. (Not only that, I realised that I became lethargic, sluggish, lack of focus and damn sleepy)

The pain went away in day, but it was enough to send the shivers down my spine!
I didn't know what it was: Syerotte said its angina (old men's illness..what!) while my doc sis happily announced that I had a panic attack (what! the sound of it is so... untrendy) hahaha.
But that was it.

But its not the mystery of universe when that happens if you don't look after your general health.

So that's my story.

I wonder what keeps Makcik Saodah going.
Maybe tomorrow I'll have a little chit chat and really ask her real name (jadi takla sukati aku je namakan dia Makcik Saodah).

Take care of your health.
Its amanah.
Not like you can substitute it with anything else.

Orang Islam kena kuat!!

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when the desire speaks

Take a short break from worldly affairs, it gets tiring.

Hamka the dead put a smile on my face with his wise (if not witty) reply (to a question emailed to him how to quit being gay) copy and pasted here for your viewing pleasure:

Manusia selalu cari penyakit yang kita tak faham…, iaitu kita tahu ianya salah tapi kita buat jugak, kita tahu dosa dan buat jugak, kita tahu akibat buruk akan datang tapi kita bantai jugak..

Akupun kadang-kadang begitu..oh!

Inilah sifat manusia yang kita tak faham…, tapi bila kita cuba faham, insyAllah ada jalannya.

Semua ini di sebabkan oleh dua fator.

1-Dunia yang pandai menipu,
2-nafsu kita yang kuat.

Dunia Allah telah ciptakan untuk tipu manusia, telah ramai manusia yang di tipu dunia, semua orang mati hari hari, tapi masih ramai yang mencintai dunia, berkorban untuk dunia dan bergaduh untuk dunia..

Sungguh ramai sekali orang yang tertipu dengan dunia. gila harta, gila kuasa, gila duit, gila hubungan jenis dan.. akhirnya
Mereka jugalah yang akan menghuni neraka…

Sedang dunia yang pernah di jumpai Nabi ketika israq mikraj, hanya seorang wanita tua yang pandai bersolek dan pandai mencipta angan-angan..

Kalau kita kahwin dengan wanita tua, apa kita boleh buat? Malahan dia akan menyusahkan kita, berak merata dan tak reti nak uruskan diri sendiri..

Tapi masih ramai manusia yang tertipu olehnya…

Sebab?

Manusia ada nafsu yang KUAT…
Nafsu yang pernah di bakar dalam api neraka selama 70 ribu tahun tapi masih derhaka kepada Allah…

Bila Nafsu dah kuat, wanita tuapun di rogolnya, malahan akan sanggup melakukan HUBUNGAN JENIS…

Moralnya adalah NAFSU YANG KUAT…

Jadi Nafsu ini akan kalah pada LAPAR…, ramai orang murtad datang dari golongan yang tak pernah berlapar…

Dan aku abaikan bab lapar sebab ummat akhir zaman cukup boring cakap bab lapar, akupun Oh!

Jadi ada tak cara lain atasi Nafsu?

Jawpannya adalah, NAFSU AKAN KALAH PADA SUASANA..

Di ceritakan bila nafsu masuk nereka panas, nafsu tetap kata pada Allah, engkau adalah engkau dan aku adalah aku, tapi bila masuk neraka lapar, nafsu cakap Engkalah Allah, tapi aku TETAP aku..

Lalu akhirnya menurut riwayat, NAFSU telah di kurung di tapak Masjidil Haram, selama beberapa hari sahaja, terus mengaku ALLAH adalah TUHANKU, aku adalah HAMBAMU…

Kita manusia yang hidup dalam satu zaman dengan perubahan yang begitu pesat, dan peluang dosa yang hebat serta SUASANA yang mampu ubah penampilan, dan citarasa kita..
UNTUK itu kita masih punya pilihan.

Sama ada mengasingkan diri, melahwan arus, ataupun, kita mencari ruang untuk lebih membaiki kehidupan kita.

Asing diri biasanya kalah pada Syaitan..
Melawan aruspun akan kalah pada DUNIA..
Nak nak tak nak ambil peluang duduk dalam SUASANA MASJID banyak banyak..

Orang sakit yang banyak pergi HOSPITAL, tak akan sembuh jika just duduk sahaja tanpa buat aktiviti yang patut, jumpa doctor dan ikut procedur rawatan..

Jadi orang yang sakit perasaan, dan sakit iman, kena DUDUK MASJID sambil ikut procedur, banyakkan DAKWAH, IBADAT, TAKLIM dan KHIDMAT…

Satu hari nanti, kau akan berkata, tiadalah yang aku paling benci melaiankan HUBUNGAN JENIS!

Itu saHAJA yang dapat aku tulis,,.
Lain kali ada info yang lebih baik, aku cuba kongsi…

Akhir kata kepada pengirim email:
Kau kata sekarang cuma sekali dua sahaja dalam seminggu tak ke masjid? Harap lepas ni improve kepada sekali dua sahaja dalam SEBULAN tak ke masjid atau sekali dua sahaja dalam SETAHUN tak ke masjid…, boleh?

InsyAllah..

: )

gay by choice

p/s: Once I confronted a gay friend of mine (who swears off the fact that he is gay) because circumstantial evidence proved the contrary. But who am I to judge. Allah is The Best Judge.
Maybe something did happen to him afterall. But I always believe that everything is by choice. That should be it. End of story.

But anyway this doesn't stop me from thinking why would anyone want to be gay? I did my little research, too. Interviewed some people while I did some legal aid at The Pink Triangle. I can only think of it being "fashionable" (yes I blame the whole hedonist propaganda~ the whole life for fun lifestyle). But then again, the question goes back to where do we put our faith in.. in heart or in... (fill in the blanks where apropriate).

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Latest youtube from IfAmericansknew

It has been 60 years of massive, ongoing, coldly calculated human rights abuses against the Palestinian people.

That's the legacy of the State of Israel.

Americans pay the bills for this tyranny and our hopelessly corrupt news media and elected officials go along with it because it's politically expedient.


Note: The videos of IfAmericansKnew.org are constantly removed by YouTube censors.

I have no idea how long this one will be up.


There is an astonishing amount of ignorance about the basic facts of the so-called Arab-Israeli conflict.




This footage was shot in the late 1940s to educate the public about the plight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had been made homeless as a result of the violence and intimidation that accompanied the founding of the state of Israel.

What most Palestinians thought would be a temporary dislocation lasting only a few weeks at most became permanent. Homeless with just the clothes on their backs, they were left in the desert without food, water, and medical care to die.

To Abg Suhail who had left for Palestine; our prayers be with you.

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Correct, its...

I'm sure you've read the reports already.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip has found that it was former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim who was talking to prominent lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam on the telephone.

Sources said the five-man panel also found that the video clip was authentic and that the conversation was true in substance. -The Star

Well, hmm?
I must congratulate Pak Lah for agreeing to set up the commission and really those who worked for it, including those who walked for justice. One historic event after another.
Told ya we live in Interesting Times.

Anyway~ I know this is a bit outdated (spent the whole Saturday outdoors) but I am glad that RPK is back in business as usual. Read about his latest development here. Nothing could hinder Pete from telling what its like really. Tak payah sorry2. (He apologised for aggreeing to accept bail). We need you out there rather than being in there. And for the Bloggers Defence Fund, thats goes to show how selfless you are.


P/s: Happy mothers day, mak
I know she'll probably say everyday's a mothers day (which is true anyway) ...

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of egms: votes, quorums and absentees in common (not!)

I am in the office while the BC's EGM is taking place since there's no one else around.
Ours is a small firm (of three people) so I've no choice but to absent myself from the EGM.
But don't discount my not attending as me being irresponsible member of the Bar.

Eh I keep tabs on the Bar Council Web ok. So far,as at 6, the house voted in favour of the amended motion. 323 voted for it and 51 against. Final count on number of members who signed up is 807.

I came across this comment by (none other but) Nik Elin:

Dear Mr Webmaster,

You have pictures of pretty girls at the EGM.
Since there are only pretty girls attending this EGM, I am not going. If you put up pictures of handsome lang chai's I'd probably be there to make up the quorum.

Nik Elin Zurina Bt Nik Abdul Rashid

No my attendance all this while is obviously not because of any handsome lang chai (don't know any good looking lawyers. Though I know the doctor bunch has a lot of stock).

Enough already.

On the other hand, I am glad the subscription issue is resolved finally.
To tell you the truth I'm not too Ok about freezing increment and bonuses to the Bar Council's staff. They really worked hard.
But since I didn't attend the EGM I cannot say this and that so much...

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of the in and the out (updated)

Update: watch the interview with the lawyer in charge on youtube:

The mother of all question would be: What if someone wants OUT?

Born and raised as a Buddhist, she prayed to deities like Tua Pek Kong, Kuan Yin and Thi Kong. 'Changing' faith is a question she never asked herself but.... she fell in love.
And for some people the sacrifices they do for love is beyond any explanation, any reasons and any doubt.

So she met an Iranian Muslim.
She too became a muslim.
They got married.

But not all love stories end happily ever after.
Deserted by the love of her life, and left without guidance, she was desperate to at least get her faith back.

So she fought for it.
What she needed was a declaration that she no longer a muslim.
She wants to renounce Islam.
(Afterall she stopped practicing when the husband deserted her)

What more can it be done?
The Penang Syariah Court ruled that her husband and Islamic authorities failed to give her proper religious advice.
They let her out.
This sets The Precedent.

I agree if The Precedent could ease religious minorities' worries about their legal rights.
As this is the first time a convert is has been permitted to legally renounce Islam.

(But God knows how many thousands have been secretly renouncing it, by their practice, words or worst, intention)

But thats not the message that the Syariah Court is sending.
Its not as if The Precedent sets out when you want out, you get it just.like.that.
In her case i.e. Tan Ean Hung's case, the court looked at several issues and facts of the case.
It remains that with little guidance, a convert is not expected to be fully conversant of the newly-embraced faith.
Especially when it involves conversion done for the sake of marriage.
But there's so many possible twist of the story, but what more can it be done in this circumstance?
(But this won't stop us from praying, right?)

Afterall this is a country is not an Islamic state.
Be at as it may, there are differences of opinions in handling such a matter.
Khilaf. (I shall leave this issue to the learned scholars)

Honestly I do not see much can be done, as I always believe that legal redress is always the final option. What I believe in is the whole-embracing method of dakwah.
The education itself.

I received several sms saying that the lina joys in Malaysia are rejoicing with the courts's ruling.
Hmm.
Facts of these two cases easily distinguished: Tan was not born Muslim but Lina, was.

I don't know how far could this ruling could open up to possible new issues, but I really hope that so much the court is emphasizing on the need to properly guide and advice the newly converts to Islam, the emphasize is as much needed to the born Muslims. (I still hold the rule that murtad is still haram nevertheless)

You and I know how little the effort of the government to give proper Islamic education.
Islamic subjects remain as one subject, but never integrated in all subjects.
And if you're lucky your parents might send you to the evening religious classes. (Fondly called as "skola gama"). And if you're not, no one makes a big deal about it.
Secularism at its best.

And when you grow up, the fundamental ibadah is deemed as the personal option.
Why do we react as if hearing apostacy is shocking as if it shouldn't happen when the surroundings of our society is never really Islamic?

Contrary to the times of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), every member of the society looks after each other, the society was close-knit and hence apostacy (there was none during his time. Munafiq lain cerita) is rather unheard of.

So the Question now is: Do we leave them out, too?

No we don't.
Unite and serve the call for dakwah.

When all of you and me is asked what have you done to your fellow Muslims as a duty as a muslim, I pray, we have the answer. After all, this is The Question asked by our Creator.

May whatever we do is for His pleasure.
And whatever we do, is guided by Him. Amin.

Prevention is something.
Education is everything.
Wake up Muslim, wake up.

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Al-fatihah

Seorang lagi ibu kembali ke pangkuan Ilahi minggu ini.
Pukul 4.30 pagi tadi, Pakdi yang akan melangsungkan perkahwinannya hujung minggu ini, telah kehilangan ibunya buat selama-lamanya.

Al-fatihah.

"Dan bersabarlah dalam menunggu ketetapan Rabb mu, maka sesungguhnya kamu berada dalam penglihatan Kami, dan bertasbihlah dengan memuji Rabb mu ketika kamu bangun berdiri, dan bertasbihlah kepada Nya pada beberapa saat di malam hari dan waktu terbenamnya bintang bintang (di waktu fajar)."
(QS. Ath Thuur: 48-49).

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point to ponder

Case on point:

Sedition Act 1948, Section 3(1) reads:

3. Seditious tendency.

(1) A "seditious tendency" is a tendency -

(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government;

(b) to excite the subjects of any Ruler or the inhabitants of any territory governed by any Government to attempt to procure in the territory of the Ruler or governed by the Government, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;

(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Malaysia or in any State;

(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

(e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia; or

(f) to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of Part III of the Federal Constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the Federal Constitution.

Even as the Sedition Act serves to censure free speech, reading through the news today on RPK's arrest made me think that the charge against him is rather strange. The cause of action is in relation to the recent post by RPK implicating Najib and his wife, but not to the Ruler or any government forming the above section 3. I read RPK's post and I was thinking hard on which paragraph of his statement is a danger to the government?

Hm. The eager legal eagle in me would've thought when reading Najib's press secretary reply to RPK's that there will be legal redress, I honestly thought it will be a civil action, forming out of the RPK's defamatory statement.

How naive of me.

Let's see how it goes.
How lucky of you and me all you you you young people to live in such interesting times.

p/s:
just last weekend I went for the talk in conjunction with theWorld Free Press day. Oh well.

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murmurs of the heart

From Abu Said:
There will be someone exiting from hell, a person with a drop of zarrah of imaan in his heart.
Abu Said then said:
For those who doubt, he should recite this: Innallaha laa yadzhlimu mithqaala dzarrah.
(Allah will never opress, even for an atom's weight)

note: hadith marfu'.
Reported by Tarmidzi and Bukhari as marfu' relating to an estensive hadith of syafaah.
(Kitab Ibnu Kathir 1/497)

Ibn ‘Athaillah in Al-Hikam stated:

telah di dalam kitab al-Hikam:-

"I therefore say what is measured by Allah is what is in the heart. Because of that the journey of the heart is utmost important and unchallenged by any other priorities. Knowledge in relation to that is extremely noble, as the purpose of learning Al-Kitab and As-Sunnah is for the improvement of Iman.

Yahya ibn Muazd was asked:

"When is a servant is considered truly sincere?"

He replied: when his akhlaq is comparable to an infant being fed, ignoring those who praises and those who condemns him.

When sincerity dwells in the heart, worldly affairs mean not a thing in self, the soul and the heart.

Wallahu'alam

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tag game

Tagged by Aja.

5 presents:
1. life-long contentment but not a single speck of complacency.
2. end of Palestinian war (end of zionist era)
3. end of Islamic-phobia
4. an honest reminder (and guidance) each and every day
5. peace

5 reasons for the above:
1. No matter what material desires will never satisfy any of us.
2. Can't seem to think how to end it. He Provides.
3. This is one thing that all muslim should be united for. He Protects.
4. Because I forget....
5. Everyone's eternal wish, right? 'aiysh azizan, au maut shahidan'

5 impression to the ones that I admire:
1. reminds me about Allah, mereka yg mutadayyin
2. sincere (susah wo nak cari)
3. polite dan bermanis muka
4. cool calm and collected
5. tidak memuji dan tidak mencaci.

Best thing he ever did for me:
He protects me.

5 greatest inventions:
1. the pen or its equivalent
2. optical lenses (both for my eyes and the camera)
3. the internet (and wikipedia and voip)
4. recycling centres
5. the watch (seriously takleh gi la kalo takde)

5 most hated:
1. hedonism
2. the jewish think tanks
3. muslims inciting hate and misunderstanding
4. things that does not justify its existence
5. pychopaths that preys on little children

I tag:
1. Wan Maryam
2. Aalaa'
3. Nurul Akmal
4. Uswah
5. Wan Fathiyah

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Al-fatihah

To Sidqi's dear mother.

The first and the last time I met her was at her house in Alor Star, two months ago when we visited her at her home in Alor Star. She was about to start with her chemotherapy session the day after our visit, and if no one told me she was ill, I would'nt suspect any of it: she was jovial and beyond calm.

Though during the visit she was 'full' of life, making meals for her visitors not once, but 7 times a day, my sister told me that before she was diagnosed with the big C, she was quite a different person.

The person that I met was a happy and funny mother to three obedient sons.
SS, a friend of mine, who had the chance of meeting her, said she's one of the most contented persons she have ever met.
She reminds me of my mother, of all loving mothers who cares nothing but for her children.

I still remember what she said: "when you know you're about to die, you'll appreciate life more."
Never did i suspect that she knew her time was coming.
Everyone was positive that she's going to be alright.

But as my sister updated to me, her illness had only worsened in few months.
The image of her in memory seems to betray the truth: I only can picture her smile.

Today, my sister texted me to tell that Auntie had just passed away.

Al-fatihah.
Sidqi, your loss is felt and I pray that Auntie will be placed amongst the Muqarabeen.
Ameen.

"...and the angels shall enter upon them from every gate, peace be upon you
for that you persevered in patience, excellent indeed is the final home,"
(Ar-Rad:23-24)

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all out

the culprit

I didn't realise what I got myself into when I agree to "go all out today" with ZI.
No offense, but what could happen so much in a day that starts at 12?
(and ends hopefully before my own self-restricting curfew at 11)

Especially with someone who is known prominently to arrive fashionably-late-my-foot minimum 2 hours?
But she asked me to give her benefit of the doubt.
Which I agreed to, but with a condition that the unfortunate late-comer is made payable to the usual crap 8% per annum.
Shheeesh lawyers.
(note: I do not condone the riba practices.)

She arrived 3 minutes late.
Only 3 minutes late.
World record!
Hoot hoot!

We actually planned to go to Arts for Grabs exhibition but we stumbled upon KL Alternative Bookfest.

Not bad.

A lot of independent publishers and actually the highlight of the day would've been meeting Farish A. Noor but he wasn't there....
I got myself few books. And three of it was free of charge.
SiS was there and made me answer their poll "would you read banned books"

1. yes
2. no.
3. I don't care
4. I don't know

Is that even a fruitful question.
I was really tempted to say don't you have any idea if its any books that should be banned, it should be any of those from your publication save from amusement purposes, but I gritted my teeth and on the recycled paper I said Hell Yes and got myself a free pen.

(Though later, while signing something else someone had pointed out :
Eh you sure got ink one that pen?
And I ever the naive one said : why, its a new pen I just got from Sis.
Someone: Yalor, like them la menapousal already~)
Shoot hahaha. Naughty naughty.

There was a talk on the Bersih rally, I think, because I saw Mak Teh the reformasi photographer so I pushed myself into the annex hall and listened until NY's favourite Quranic translator came in and suddenly I lost my appetite and dragged ZI to the top floor for the Arts for Grabs exhibition.


This one is really gooooood.
The artworks displayed were very impressive although I didn't spend anything there but the whole thing of endless gawking and ooohh-aahhhing took us 2 hours.
The crowd was a good mixture of people, but I guess me and ZI were the only two tudung clad girls.

I could sense our invisibility while I was standing still for 20 minutes looking at a pop-art photography when an American couple came to observe what I was watching for so long, the pop big head artist handed them his brochure and business card but not to me!
Annoyed because I thought artsy people are saved from shallow mindedness of labelling and biased judgments.
Then again I am, like I just did just now, generalising.

And to the next exhibitioner when she was told that we were lawyers by profession (at first she called us "adik", judging from our sneakers and shabby non-fashionista shirts and backpacks)
she only had this to say: Oh you lawyers like art too?
(she insisted to know. I did say I'm a student (of life) but she knows I was not telling the (whole) truth)

Hm we eat rice, too, you know.

ZI had wanted to go to this Bloggers gathering. A.k.a Maskara.
It starts only at 8.30 pm and we have 3 hours to kill.
So what next?

We decided to pay the Capitalist Centre a visit.
The Pavillion.
And after an hour of endless searching for something we can afford, we gave up.
And spent the next half an hour searching for the car!!!!!!!
I'm not gonna go Pavillion babilion ever!
(Cop2. Org Islam yang baik tidak akan mencarut)

And we resumed our journey to feed our art hungry soul to Maskara.
At Rumah Pena.

As a first timer, I'm pleased to witness masih ada jiwa jiwa anak melayu yang kritis.
The thinking malays are still here.
(Tonight coincided with AIM and AF something~ but that did not hinder full house at Rummah Pena)

I met Cik Daun, Sinaganaga and Taf Tah in person, and they're really nice people despite the fact that they're all celebrity bloggers.
When they asked for my blog address, I wished I'd the will to lie them in the face that I have none of it, because these people are really good at what they're doing and me I'm just a small-timer blogger jadi mek segan laaa.

Came back home really exhausted, my other half was studying and I hoped my absence gave him enough time to revise =)

I'll sleep happy today.
Dead tired too.

I'm well chuffed!

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finally

he has spoken.
Excerpt from Bar web saying he will not hesitate to seek legal redress over unfounded and unfair allegations made against him in the case involving murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu. In response to RPk's recent post.

Legal redress?
Bring it on.
Bare it all.

Now that we live in Interesting Times (of alternative media [read: blogs]), suddenly what the once "stupid" people of the nation writes or says (read: bloggers) matter.

Tun Dr M, Mike Tyson and the lelaki jawa perasan hensem who says he is Khir toyo now blogs too in their free time. Hmm. Really waiting for Zam.

p/s: I chuckled when I read what RPk wrote about us the learned legal eagles. He said:

And all I can say is that, and I repeat, while you need brains to become a lawyer, you really do not need to be a lawyer to have brains.

Why all this bitterness la...

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tazkeerah, pt.3

Hadhrat Mujaddid Maulana Muhammad Ilyas (rahimullah) said,

“‘Haqiqi zikrullah’ (real remembrance of Allah) is that a person keeps close custody of Allah’s Ahkam (laws) and Awamir (commandments)
regarding which opportunity, which situation and which occupation one is [engaged] in.
And this Zikr (remembrance) I enjoin more to my friends.”

[Malfuzat compiled by Maulana Muhammad Manzoor Nu'mani (rh)]

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the welcomed rude awakening

mouthful title, is it not.

Nuestras vidas son los rios
que van a dar en la mar
qu'es el morir

"our lives are rivers, gliding free
to that unfathomed, boundless sea,
the silent grave"

Jorge Manrique.

Here goes. I'll try to put this as simple as I can, and a short as I should.
I take whatever happened to me as a sign, the weird, if not distant tolls of bell, the much awaited awakening.

Things are not just waiting in the corner for it to happen~ you have to earn it!
The spot for you in Jannah is not guaranteed just because you're someone's kid, and no exemption from hell it is if you take from granted Allah s.w.t's mercy to forgive your sins and wrongdoings.
Likewise happiness is not yours just because someone told you to be happy with your life and thats it.

And to think life is just as well as it is when you start you day not thinking Him and His Blessings that you're alive the morning you wake up after your temporal death.
How could you.

All that came to me, the loud alarm clock of life, that is, didn't stop when the snooze button was hit. I had a dream about a friend of mine, few days ago and attempted to contact her was no small feat as she is in the UK, but I managed to talk to her this evening and true enough what she told me struck like a lightning to my heart. The need to hijrah.

Just as yesterday everything was eventual, I stumbled upon a book I didn't plan to buy (was planning to buy Hisham Rais' new book) instead I bought Night Train to Lisbon. A book about self-discovery. The Need to Uzlah.


Just as when I think my younger brother's choice of literary works is 'excusable', he got me wrong. The need to have Thabat'. I delved long at this phrase

I won't suffer, be broken, get tired, or wasted
Surrender to nothing, or give up what I
Started and stopped it, from end to beginning
A new day is coming, and I am finally free

and I pray I have the strength to stand up for what I truly believe in.

And my youngest sister told this 'didn't Allah mention it twice that in every hardship, there's blessing? (suratul Insyirah). The need to 'husnu zhon'.

Let us all have the wisdom to intepret Allah's blessing to guide our ways to Him.
Ameen.

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