Selfie Nation

Assalamualaikum.

 

This might be a little overdue but I'd like to talk on Shaykh Hamza Yusuf talks here in Malaysia the past few days. For me, he's one of my favourite Muslim scholars, along with Tariq Ramadan as well as Nouman Ali Khan. If I remember correctly, I heard the news he'll be in Malaysia last June. I was since, very much looking forward to hear his talks here in KL.

However, I managed to attend to only two of his talks but Alhamdulillah it was more than enough. The first one was in PWTC and the second one was in Masjid Wilayah. I wouldn't be elaborating what he said in this post because lots of people are sharing his words of wisdom in FB, Twitter and the like. What I'd like to share is what I learn from his way of engaging with people.

 

Getting Closer

After a month or so deciding where Rahmah will deliver our first baby, we both decided that Gombak Medical Centre fits our needs the best. It's close to our house and lots of people around Batu Caves / Gombak are recommending this particular hospital (thank you Internet!)

So yesterday we went to the GMC to have our first check-up there. And at the same time to register Rahmah for her inevitable baby deliver, insha Allah in October. She got her usual ultrasound scan but this time around, it's not really as common as it was before.

To my pleasant surprise, we got to see our baby so clear this time. The chin looks so much like Rahmah but the nose looks like me lol. Whatever it is, as long as he gets any of my traits, he sure as going to be as cool and as good looking as his father haha.

Anyway, we both were in so awe at this point of time. And I was just smiling and uttering praises to Allah all the time. It was so breathtaking. To experience this hands on is just amazing to say the least. People always say "well it's the first child, you're always going to be excited whatever it is." Well, I hope my excitement for our newborn succeeds till our 10th child. Ehh?!! Hahaha.

The doctor the baby is in good health and in great condition for the delivery later on. Please go make dua for us okay guys? I really hope it'll go smooth sailing. On the other hand I myself have a little bit of catching up to do with regards to parenting reading materials. Do you guys know any good books on parenting and pregnancy as well?

Right now I'm on the 'Successful Family Upbringing" series by Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim Bakkar and a couple of articles here and there. Please do share if you know any good books/articles. Okay guys, till the next post. Insha Allah I'll try to bring the last update before the most anticipated event hehe. Assalamualaikum.

The 1st Pregnancy

Assalamualaikum.

How Ramadan so far guys? Motivated to do more ibadah this holy month? Or are you just seeing it passes you by like it’s an ordinary month like every other months? Nevertheless, I pray Allah make us to fully seize this golden opportunity to do more ibadah and ultimately be a better servant to the Almighty.

Now this particular post has been long overdue and instead of continuing to procrastinate it, I’m gonna make sure it going to publish at this hour (poyo). So I would like to share my experience prior to my wife’s pregnancy and during the pregnancy itself, which at this point of time she’s in her 24 weeks alhamdulillah.

So let’s start with our first year of marriage. At that time, we’re already have in our mind to have kids at the very first year. But instead of that, I think the first year was more adapting to each other preferences and nuisances hehehe.

Anyway, as the year came to an end, the pressure to having kids started to build up. Added with our friends whom already got pregnant and married in a similar timeframe like us. But I keep saying to myself, hey it’s just the first year. Still haven’t fully understand my wife completely and I am still not :P Though the feeling to play with our friends’ kids and talk to them in a way gave comfort to me.

Wordless Wednesday #2

Through These Times

Assalamualaikum.

It's been almost three months since both of us living in this new house. Alhamdulillah as for now it has been a wonderful experience for me. Which a bit ironic, because our old house was just a few kilometres away from our current house. But I like it here far better than we were in our old house. The old house is not necessarily bad so to speak, but I don't know maybe the serene and homey vibe this new neighbourhood gives. Heh amazing how a few adjustments can make quite a difference in your life. And both folks of mine and my wife also like it here. That's always a plus.

But still, the main question has not been answered. Where do I want to live? Where will my kids make their friends? I don't have any specific area but I kind of have a rough picture in my mind. Living just off the city would be great. I mean who doesn't right? Cheaper cost of living in suburban but still having proximity access to the city for working, relaxing and whatnot. Places like Setapak, Kepong, Gombak, Cheras etc. But you know what here in Batu Caves, things are really great. All the banks, shops, awesome eateries are just a stone throw away. Maybe, just maybe Batu Caves could the be the one. Only time will tell.

On the other hand, I don't really remember how it started but currently I kind of have a passion towards cooking haha. Before long, I have interest in cooking (slightly) but I always thought cooking is a tad troublesome. Leceh bak kata orang Melayu kita. Preparing all the things, cleaning all the dishes afterwards, buying all the ingredients in stores etc ugh I mean that's heck of workload. But after getting the work done myself, it's not too shabby. And now I'm loving em'. At times I even consider to learn to be a chef haha.

Anyway last Friday night, both of us went to a talk in UM. Aiman Azlan, famous vlogger was one of the panelist, other one was Brother Lim Jooi Soon the advisor of Perkim in Ampang. The talk entitled "Bahagiakah Aku" and rightly so. At the beginning of the event, I felt like a student all over again haha. Because it's an event for UM college students. At first I thought it was for public, but who cares. After all, I'm a student of life all these times hehe poyo habis. Before the talk got started, there were opening speeches and songs sang altogether by the audience. Being in numerous talks organized by plenty of organizations, this kind of bureaucracy hinders (how I would say this) a smooth, experience. I think maybe it's time for us to cut the chase and just go with what's important. I get its significance because that's how formal event should be, but.. maybe that kind of things that hinder people from going to the event. But hey, that's just me.

It was the first time of me hearing Aiman Azlan and Brother Lim talk. The thing that got me to this day is the story of how Brother Lim start to find the truth, the real truth. It was since he was a child. He said he felt uncomfortable every time he followed his parents pray because he didn't understand the reason behind em'. One day, his Non-Malay teams played football against his neighbourhood Malay team. The Malay team was lost and they started to fight and mocking each other. One Malay kid mock other kids saying why do you pray in front of an idol. The other kids mocked back saying why do Muslim people pray in front of a wall? The Malay kid replied back they actually can pray anywhere they want, even in an open field. And he asked the killer question, how can you pray something that is visible? The sun, the air is invisible, so is your God is weaker than the sun or the air. And know what, the question got he going till the real truth. He started with embracing Christianity and eventually Islam. And he has been an active preacher ever since.

Aiman Azlan raised interesting point that night. We always interested with stories how people find Islam, but we didn't find the answer to a more significant question which is, why they remain to be Muslim? They themselves search for the real truth and at the end of the road they find the beauty of Islam. People like us, born with Islam, printed in our I/C take Islam for granted. We just followed what our parents did, like praying, fasting and whatnot. And if we just follow em' for the sake of following em', we're just practising rituals, which is sad because to it's true. It is time for us to find Islam, to search the real reasons behind what we do. To find the real truth. Because if we didn't we would be stuttered whenever people around us test our belief. And I believe we will be tested especially in these modern times. May Allah make easy for us to strengthen our belief and foundations.

Initially I wanted to share life updates with you, but I went far away from my original road. Typical me hehe. I may want to further blog about the talk with Aiman Azlan and Brother Lim but that's if I'm really up to it, you know what I mean. I guess that's it for now. Peace.

Student of Knowledge

Assalamualaikum.

How is it going guys? Had a good weekend? Alhamdulilah I myself had a pretty good one. Let's start with last Thursday. My wife and I went for a talk in IIUM. It was given by Sheikh Navaid Aziz where we first heard him on our very first Twins of Faith. Prior to the talk, I remember he was hands full of stories that are both inspiring and full of lessons. And he was, again that night. The talk was on You Only Live Once, or YOLO to be short. This philosophy is what our youth nowadays live by. At least by majority of youths all around the social media. From what I can understand, YOLO means that you can do whatever you want because you only got to live once, especially when you do the crazy ones! From embarrassing yourself to indulge in sins, nauzubillah. But still, there are positivity behind this idea. Sheikh Navaid said that since you only live once, you got to seize the day and make the most of it. This dunya we live in is short for a reason; it is the place for us to sow the seeds, to do what Allah instructs and leave what He forbids as we will reap the rewards later in the Hereafter.

The next day, I was looking forward to hear Mufti Menk friday khutbah in Masjid Tun Abdul Aziz PJ. That morning I was actually kind of busy but alhamdulillah I got to the masjid in time. Suprisingly the masjid was not really full house when I first arrived. I reckon it was partially because most people didn't really know that he would be delivering the khutbah since I myself knew on Facebook. This is my actually my first time hearing Mufti Menk live. I got to listen to him a couple of times but most of them were on Youtube. Anyway, back to the real story here, Mufti Menk talked on Allah test gives on us. He asked the jamaah to wonder why did Allah create this dunya to be temporary and not forever? Because if it's forever there would not be tests and difficulties. Allah made it temporary so we would strive the very best that we can for us to book a ticket in His Paradise, insha Allah. He also talked about how the greater the difficulty the greater the reward we'll get if we only really understand how it would benefits us. One would not be crying in his prayers if one never got to face any kind of tests whatsoever in one's life. One would not be learning life's greatest lessons if life's on the right track all the time. Because the greatest life lessons were learnt when we were at our lowest.

May Allah make easy for us and may Allah make us to be always grateful for all the blessings He bestows upon us. Ameen.

Umrah Part 2

Assalamualaikum.

We were in Makkah for 5 days if I remember correctly. It was 5 days that I'd rewind it back if I could. The first day we're like still finding our ways around Makkah. But after a while, it has been el nature for the two of us. Alhamdulillah in this first trip to Makkah, we got to do a couple of umrah, 3 to be precise. If you intended to your umrah slow and steady, you ought to do them during dhuha time. Around an hour or so after subuh right after zuhur. Because for me that's when it's the least people around the Masjidil Haram. Once I got to do tawaf for like 20 minutes or so during dhuha time. That's quite impossible to achieve in the peak hours, I'll say it's from Zuhur to Isya'. Even after Isya' hundreds  of people were still all over the Masjid.

Our umrah package includes meals throughout our days both in Madinah and Makkah. So that way we could focus on optimizing our time for seeking Allah's pleasure. Anyway I don't know about anyone else in our Rayhar package, but  ohh boy did the food on Madinah or Makkah was amazing or what haha. It's a rare thing for me to eat only once during any meal time. One time tambah is the way to go for me hehe. I eat so much back then that one of Rayhar officials reckon I didn't miss Malaysia at all. L to the O to the L.

Wordless Wednesday

Mirrors

Bismillah.

Looking back at our marriage back when we were 22 years old, so many things have changed. Ohh I remember back then when I was so lack of common sense that the common theme of our arguments would be for the lack of my common sense. And I'd say till this day, but maybe down a tad bit, yes? Hehe. I would go further telling you what has changed for me but I would save that for other people to tell. Now what I want to tell you is how my partner has changed, far more interesting, yes?

First off, at the beginning of our marriage, my wife was kind of scared with my big family as most of them were.. socially active I would say. I for one completely understand as it can be intimidating for her to interact people like my family since she's can be a little bit shy being with people whom she's not familiar with. But now she can click quite a bit with other members of the family. And that make me happy. We family meet quite a lot so it's great for her to be comfortable.

Umrah Part 1

Bismillah

It almost been a week. Alhamdulillah last week my wife and I went to Makkah and Madinah to perform our Umrah. We went there for 12 days with travel package from Rayhar. Well.. technically it was 10 days because our flights were delayed. But at the end of the day we got there, and did get back home safely alhamdulillah, so what more can we ask right?

You know how people always imagine what their ideal or best day would be like. Well for me, my days visiting these two Holy places would by far are the best days in my lifetime ever. Felt like serenity is always in the air. Humility is constantly embracing me. And whenever I did whatever to please Allah, I felt religiously satisfied. Not that I didn't feel any before, but this time it was a whole new level.

Before this, I always hear people say they would definitely come to Haram again and again. Or for the people who are already retired, it's the only place left they would want to go in this world. Now experiencing it for myself, I understand what's the hype is all about :')

In Makkah, particularly Masjidil Haram there were ocean of people. Clearly, it's the most holy place in this world. But you know what? Never did I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people in the Haram. In fact, I felt closer to them thinking we're all there for the same reason, finding Allah's pleasure. And I can see people's mouth were uttering praises to Him all day along. The pilgrims, the contractor, the labors, the cleaner of the Masjid. All of them. It was a beautiful sight to see.

Anyway we were at Madinah for 3 days and the remaining days were filled in Makkah. The weather in Madinah is breezily cold. I reckon it was 17-20 degrees. When we're arrived at our hotel, we go on and pray our first prayer in Masjid Nabawi. I felt awe with the size of the Masjid and with its non stop visitors. The next day we're guided by our Mutawif to visit Baqi cemetery and Raudhah. Goosebumps were all over me when Ustaz Hadi guided us in saying salam to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) We continued with visiting Raudhah. It was full of people because they were fully utilizing their opportunity to pray and make dua in Raudhah as it was one of the place where Allah will accept our dua.

Fast forward and Makkah were our next destination. First thing we did in Makkah was our Umrah. I was actually nervous prior to our arrival, as I didn't know what to expect at the time, since it was my first doing it. We started our Umrah around 2 o'clock in the morning and finished it for like an hour and a half. Alhamdulillah our first Umrah went well. May Allah accept it, Ameen.

There are still so much things to be shared in this journey but I'd continue them in future post as it is now late and sleepy eyes is now very sleepy hehe. In the next post, I'd share my journey on the remaining days on Makkah and what are my thoughts on this trip as a whole. Till the next post, Assalamualaikum.