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.