With some external forces, I had to
read this article and came about this statement.
“Without political democracy the very
possibility of social and economic democracy is destroyed. Political democracy,
is, therefore, the basis of all claims of the individual” (Humayun Kabir)
Approaching PRU-13 in Malaysia, we witness didactic and obnoxious campaigns of each side. Truthfully, condemnations on each other bring utter shame. The different preferences are not being respected. Thus, politic is called “dirty” by some people. In Islam, there are good Muslims (the believers) and bad Muslims (the not-so-believers), but we don’t judge Islam based on Muslims since Islam itself is the absolute truth - revelation from Allah. So as in politic, there are clean politicians and dirty politicians, and again we don’t judge politic based on politicians. We don’t judge the maxim and the principles, yet it is important to look at how people involved carry out the rule of conduct So, politic is not dirty.
So, as what Humayun Kabir has pointed out, without political democracy, we can’t have economic democracy. Without political democracy, social democracy isn’t for real. Cheating, deceitful acts, slanders, frauds, threatening and deviations are not political democracy.
Political democracy is the “basis of all claims of the individual”.
Political democracy is an individual right. The dissimilar preferences of political stance is an individual right. The differences should be respected, since one’s preference is upon one’s observation, thinking and belief. And most importantly, be critical, there are differences between a ploy and a fair play.
Whoever or whatever you support, let it be you to understand your choice. I’ll respect your preference since political democracy is our right. For me, I vote for hope, I vote for the betterment of the future, I vote for change (from good to better, from better to best). Above all, I vote for the sake of Allah. May Allah gives His redha to whom I vote.
“For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron” - Surah Ar-Rad: 11
The question is, bila nak bekki keadaan kita? Kali ning ke laing kali? Tepuk dada, relate, think and reflect. The little X you made is yours
11
July 2012. A biological indication for me of being a year older, in other words,
I’m normally aging.
My utmost gratitude to Allah for permitting
the time and space for me to reach and be 26 today, Alhamdulillah.
Often heard, age is just numbers. A
friend said to me that “Age is a bit more than number; it’s a multi-milestones
in life”. So, in this context, asking my ownself “HOW DO I GET OLD?” is far more significant and relevant than “how
old am I”. And being given the chance to hit 26, I’d like to write a humble
reflection of my life.
THE
PAST YEARS
Looking back, there were the regular ups
and downs that I’ve gone through. Though things didn’t get the way I wished,
yet I had been given things which were way better than what I always wanted. Alhamdulillah.
1. As mentioned in my blog 2 years ago, I’ve always wanted to further my studies, and I’ve been given the
chance for that. Allah has answered my prayers, Alhamdulillah!
2. There were many unexpected
hindrances along the way. i.e the IELTS test. I faced some sweet “chaos” before
and during the test. I prayed that Allah eases my ways. Thank you Nisa, Kak
Mony, Kak Lin, Abang Ijad, Dayah and Syamil. Devoid of their help, I may not be
able to make it, even to go to the test centre. And indeed, Allah has granted
my prayer. He eases my ways by “sending” those amazing friends. Alhamdulillah.
3. I always want to teach
good students and I’ve been given a chance to do so last semester. But again, things
didn’t go the way I want it to be. Receiving unwanted contempt in class has made
me realize that I have to learn more. After 14 weeks, I didn’t pissed off unnecessarily
and emotions were capably controlled (I manage to hold my tears! LOL). Prior to
that, I gains self-control. Evidently, things happen for reasons, the good
ones. Alhamdulillah!
4. Perhaps this turmoil would be one of the
most poignant events in my life. When I trust people, I trust them
whole-heartedly. And breaching trust would be so... not nice.To breach trust is
like pouring fresh water to the ocean. Then you get thirsty. It tastes salty
later. On the other hand, that is what others will feel if they put their whole
trust on us, and we make a fool out of it. If people trust you, do uphold their
trust sincerely, exactly like the way you want them to uphold and appreciate
yours. But, I learn that, first thing first, you need to mind your intention. Always, always, always
do things for the sake of Allah. When you have
good intentions towards others, and you do good things for His sake, no matter
how bad others go against you, ultimately you will be safe as Allah will
protect you. And in fact, doing things for the sake of Allah will protect you
from doing things that Allah forbids. I’ve been tested on trustworthiness, but
Allah has made me realize on other good things. Alhamdulillah.
“Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?”
(Ar-rahman: 13)
THE
PRESENT
1. Currently, there have
been not much of changes physically. I still love Ireland so much, I still
collect Irish stuffs, I still refer myself as an Irish (forgive me! Haha), I
still sing to little kids and I still can’t cook well. My current aim is to
make a good jemput-jemput, or “jjepuk” in Trenganuspeak. I haven’t tried any
since last year!
2. Yet, there are so many decisions
to be made, some are urgent decisions, and some are life-changing decisions.
Indeed, life is hard, but it gets harder when you think it is. For I don’t know
what’s going to occur in the future, I could just hope and make do’a, heaps of
do’as, continuously. To Allah alone I beseech to and gratified to. May Allah eases
my ways, ameen.
"Then,
when thou hast Taken a desicion, Put thy trust in Allah." (Ali Imran: 159)
THE
FUTURE
1. And talking about the
future, there are so many things to anticipate and to think. To prepare for the future, you must understand the past. Since I’m just a mere
helpless human being, I could just plan and make unwavering endeavors keeping
abreast with prayers to Allah. The future is uncertain, we could only plan, but
He is the Ultimate Planner for He’s All-Knowing. With dedicated effort and
sturdy faith on Him, come what may, you’ll ace. InsyaAllah.
2. Then, there comes the
issue of hitch-hiking. No, I'm kidding, people never bother about that, really. They are
inquisitive of “when” you’re going to be hitched (without –hiking).Seriously, it
is always a mystery. When Allah permits it, then it will be. When Allah says “Be
it”, then it will be. Getting hitched is not the final goal; it is only a way to get to the final abode –Jannah. On top of that, with non-stop do’as and
fervent search for His redha, may Allah grant us the best. InsyaAllah, ameen!
"...Allah
sufficeth me: there is no god but He: On Him is my trust,- He the Lord of the
Throne (of Glory) Supreme!" (At-taubah :129)
3. Apart from that, I also
want to a better Shahida, a better
daughter to my parents, a better sister to my siblings, a better buddy to my
mates and above all, a better slave to Allah, insyaAllah, ameen!
What you seek is seeking you – RUMI
(If good things are what your searched
for, behold that good things are searching for you too!)
What’s unique and ironic about life is
the duration of life itself. Commonly, being born is seen as a starting of
life, yet it could also be seen as a starting of death since every being will decease,
for death is inevitable. The
remaining time of our life is inversely proportionate to the increase of our age.
All in all, life is a journey of a destination;
we don’t know how far we are from the finishing line. We go through different
journeys, different routes, and different encounters; nevertheless our biggest aim
is the same; to be in His Jannah.
We
only live twice. The first life is
temporary, and it will dictate the result of your second life which is eternal, whether His
Jannah is for you, or not. May Allah forgive us, and guide us to the right
path, may Allah endow us with His infinite blessings, unbounded redha and vast
rahmah. Ameen!
I was so surprised knowing that Yusuf Islam is coming to Malaysia on last November 25th. Surprised and disappointed. I got really disappointed as I had no early knowledge about him coming here. Above all, I am indisputably happy and grateful for him coming to Malaysia again. I feel “closer” to him, as we’re on the same land - Malaysia land.
Yusuf during an interview on a national tele.
I remember my first time listening to his name and his song, he was on tour to Malaysia and I was six (or seven?) at that time. As soon as I listen to his song (Tala’al Badru Alayna), I asked my mum who he is. My mum told me that he used to be called Cat Stevens and known as Yusuf Islam after embracing Islam. And I was like “Ohhh….” Without really understanding what did that mean. And that was it, his name and the song I heard retained in my mind ever since.
A dozen years later, on the night before Chinese New Year’s holiday in 2005, I went to a talk by Dr. Jamnul Azhar Mulkan at the main hall of my previous matriculation. I was initially informed that it would be a religious talk, but to my surprise, that few hours of the talk had really left me with HUGE impacts – which I still carry the great upshot of the night up to now! I was internally “affected” with the facts and many things that I’d learnt on that very night! I’m really grateful that I went to the talk, I couldn’timagine how much had I missed if weren’t there, and it is not an overstatement to say that if I wasn’t at the talk, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I strongly believe that my life will be so much different. It was such a critical point of my life – to “mentally” growing up as a Muslim in “the state of being”. As a medical doctor and dakwah speaker (da’i), Dr. Jamnul Azhar Mulkan had delivered his talk in quite unique and thought-provoking ways. The tangible evidences of science had been justified thoroughly with the verses in Al-Quran. He showed us a video of The Creation of the Universe, and later he scrupulously explicated the theory of “Big Bang” – an explosion of zero density with zero volume that had been the definitive beginning of the universe. MasyaAllah! I was so engulfed with his outstanding explanation. I couldn’t write everything that I’d gotten from the talk (it would be too many “things” to write and as a recreational writer, I’m sure that there’ll be tonnes of ramblings from me). All I could say, I feel really small and indeed we’re infinitesimal slaves of Allah. Check out this video. You’ll see what I meant.
I was a mere Muslim teenager at that time who only follow what I should follow, my thinking was shaped by the normal and moderate upbringing and culture; without really comprehending, thinking or questioning anything regarding my faith. As a mere follower at that time, I only familiar with what I should do, but I don’t have the word “reasoning” and “correlation” yet existed in my faith. I haven’t discovered those words thus far, until the very talk.
I was 18 at that time, then only I realized how insignificant humans are in this certainly minute planet (out of gazillion of planets in the expanding universe) called the Earth. I felt extremely naive; I knew that I awfully need to seek for enlightenment and more knowledge so that I could vividly see the real purpose of life. After some digestion of what I felt that time, things were pretty much fathomable for me. A few days later, I found myself at the computer lab, googling for Yusuf Islam’s story of conversion - the starting point of my spiritual journey in understanding my ‘relationship’ with our Creator.
After reading his story, too many questions emerged. Why me; born and raised as a Muslim fail to see what he sees in Islam? Why I didn’t have such thoughts? The WH-questions kept ousting. I was convinced that I’ll get the answers by thinking and relating things that I know. With limited erudition, I ought to seek for more knowledge to figure out the right thing that’ll lead me to the right path, insyaAllah.
Yusuf’s almost-death-facing drowning experience in Malibu was his new awakening. From what I learn in literature class, I can connote “his swim” as a symbol of purification or rebirth. “Bathe yourself from impurities and you will be free from all sins” He was caught in the current of the sea. When the fear of death thumped him, he said “OH GOD! IF YOU SAVE ME, I’LL WORK FOR YOU”… and at that very moment, a helpful wave swept him away towards the shore. Some people have a big life-shifting encounters or spiritual insights which have effects on their decision,and for some, turning to Islam is a natural thing to do as Islam is the religion of fitrah.
To be what you must, just reach out for what you are.
YUSUF ISLAM
He knew Islam via his brother, David Gordon where he had been given a translation of Al-Quran by David. His brother did not become a Muslim, but Yusuf converted for nearly a year after realizing and researching about Islam. Here, it really makes me think that “hidayah” or “the light of guidance” will be endowed by Allah for those He wants to, we should constantly raise our hand and make du’as for His guidance to be led to the true path – for the ‘safety’ of now and the Hereafter. InsyaAllah. In fact, Yusuf mention that Islam is more familiar than foreign to him – that shows Islam is the deen of fitrah.
Yusuf’s story in Reader’s Digest
Ever since I read about him, my interest of knowing and learning about converts kept knocking up, and Alhamdulillah, I’ve meet many great Muslim converts which are completely inspiring and have enlightened me in myriad of ways. On other side note, amazingly, I have known so many Muslim converts all over the world that I’ve never envisaged before! Alhamdulillah, it is such tremendous blessings to be able to know them, talk to them, sharing with them and most essentially to learn from them. Thank you Allah for such priceless opportunities!
Above all, the story of Yusuf Islam’s conversion had become the catalyst and a strong platform for my journey of parting from meself from ignorance to the better phase of life - from insightfully blind to seeking for clear inner sight. Yusuf’s story of embracing Islam and he himself, as an outstanding Islamic icon are just two absolutely significant and meaningful subject matters during my preliminary passage of my mind and soul in “moving away” from being solely an oblivious follower to a follower that think. (InsyaAllah, that’s what I hope for. There’s too many to learn, still)
“If you don’t change what’s within you, you can’t change anything, and that’s where you have to start”
YUSUF ISLAM
As time goes on, my continuous learning is dependant through listening to Yusuf’s melodious soothing songs. The lyrics are simple, yet utterly utterlyutterlymeaningful! Indeed, Yusuf’s songs are great substances in educating my mind and soul synchronizing along harmonious and calm music. Listening to his songs demand NO plain listening but with the integration of imperative brain’s role to relating – associating my knowledge of the world to the message which are explicitly and implicitly transmitted from his pleasant sounding music to the ears which also act as healing therapy for the soul. You could just close your eyes, listen and understand the lyrics provided with the peaceful tune and the neurons in the brains will painstakingly do them work. The invisible beauty of Yusuf’s songs could be felt heartily. Yes, this beauty can be felt. Extraordinary beauty, methink.
My BELOVED belongings
I rarely listen to music, but only to Yusuf’s songs (that was after 18, well I used to listen to Westlife when I was a naïve snot *facepalm*). From his album, “Yusuf Islam and Friends” there’s one song that I love which I kept singing it to my little cousins entitled “I LOOK I SEE”. Unsurprisingly they love it too. (My singing or the song? That…I don’t know LOL). I’ve been listening to that for couple of years and I thought it was a good song for kids. Anyhow, in my reading class (in uni) I discovered the most astounding knowledge. The difference between the word “look” and “see”. The eyes ‘look’, but the brain ‘see’. Whatever we look (from the eyesight) will later be the fabrication of the brain where the brain will see - by making meaning of the things that the eyes had looked. How is this related to Yusuf Islam’s song?
I look I look I look, I see,
I see a world of beauty
Those are the two lines which really amaze me in terms of the underlying meaning that implies from the song. The lyrics were uncomplicated, yet the meaning is subjectively “splendid”. What the eyes look, the brain will interpret for its meaning. The eyes look at the trees, the ocean, the sky etc and the brain sees those as a world of beauty. MasyaAllah, how brainy!
“Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?” (Ar-rahman: 13)
How great the beauty of the Earth and the creatures who dwell on her
How great -- then how great the creator?
As it's mountains pierce the clouds high about the lives of men
Weeping rivers for thousands of years
But how many hearts are closed to the wonders of this sight?
Like birds in a cage, asleep with closed wings
(God is the Light by Yusuf Islam)
Beautifully written and wonderfully sung.
“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In faith to Islam had brought Yusuf fulfillment that fame and fortune could not. Yusuf Islam states that Islam diminishes the power of ego. We need to realize how small we are, and where we should be devoid of the blessings from Allah? Good music should be refining us from the internal impurities, and educates us to always be closer and fear our Creator. Bad music with profanities combined with sexual connotation do nothing except littering unfavorably to your mind and soul and slowly gets you drifted away from the right track. If you want to eat, eat healthy food, if you want to listen, listen to healthy sound.
If you’re a Muslim, be a good Muslim
If you’re a Christian, be a good Christian
YUSUF ISLAM
Not only Yusuf fights for the world’s holistic peace, he’s the heart peacemaker. Alhamdulillah. One of my dream (apart from my Ireland’s dream) is to meet him, insyaAllah. And at that time, I want to thank him for being such a universal inspiration.
In everything I do, I dedicate to You
because You made me, I am for You
Thus, I revere Yusuf Islam for the sake of Allah. Shall Allah bequeath upon him and his family His infinite blessings. Ameen.
