Are we now?

"The move is a sign of the Islamic country's submission to persistent U.S. pressures to persuade Islamic states change religious education syllabus claiming that such changes would help contain the spread of radical views and limit the increase of terrorism.

Among the changes the Moroccan government made, was removing a picture of a mother and her daughter wearing Hijab, the Islamic headscarf, from the latest editions of a text book.

Also a verse from the Qur'an where it asks Muslim girls to wear the Hijab has been taken out of the books.

Abdelkarim El Houichre from the Association of Teachers of Islamic Education expressed doubts about the government's motives:

"I think there is pressure coming from the United States, which believes that teaching about traditional Islam and teaching girls to wear headscarves will somehow encourage extremism and terrorism," he said "

More on: Morocco changes religious syllabus

So our freedom of practicing religious belief now has to be compromised by this so called 'terror'?
Why do you have to provoke anger and ridiculousness?
So much of freedom and rights... the one country that's known for voicing rights is now being very narrow-minded.

Madrasah Ramadhan

Her dark eyes were fixed onto the computer screen. Her brain was working fast- absorbing, digesting and letting every word sink deeply into her processing chamber. Minutes ticked and her face scrunched up into a deep frown.

'Where has this girl gone?' The question kept repeating itself at the back of her mind.
As she read more and more of the past 2 years entry of her journal, more questions arose.

'What happened? What has gone wrong in the past year?
What made it change?
How did she become worse?
Has it been slowly progressing for the past 10 months? Or has she always been like this?

'This is not who I want to be! This is not who I worked to be!' She thought disgustedly.

Her gaze snapped towards the mirror next to her study table.
'I don't know who you are anymore' She whispered softly.
'You are not the same person anymore. When?' She asked silently. 'When has everything changed? Why was the personality so different as day and night?'
Or was this person really herself? Has she not recognized it before?
Has she not noticed it before?

It's weird- the different things she always recite in her dua and the different things she's portraying in her character.

"You failed yourself." She told the reflection in the mirror.

She realized now that everything went down hill faster when she thought her friends were purposely hurting her. That night, she recalled, she cried herself to sleep- believing there's no one anymore to listen; no one except the Creator of the Holy Book she was reciting while sobbing till she fell asleep.

The next day, she felt numb and retaliate silently at everything and everyone. She fell back faster into her old-self- hooked up with some of her worse habbits back then and distinctively feeling the feelings she poured in her poem back then- 'Feels like Being Left Alone'.
How long ago was that? 6 years ago? That long, huh?

Ironically, it felt worse this Ramadhan. This Ramadhan was not like last years. No significant better difference and she kept wondering why.
Admittedly, she knows she's an emotional wreck. And she hated it. She needs to solve her problems. She doesn't want to let this Ramadhan goes before settling her emotions, character and attitude.

There's no guarantee that she'll see the next Ramadhan and it will be a total waste if she keeps on wallowing in her darkness without trying to capture the light.

"I want to change –no- I NEED to change" she voiced out loudly. It reverberated throughout her room.

'I am going to change. I will not let 3 years of hardworking waste away. I will change my attitude for the better. I wish for a better character and I will work for it.
It's time to leave this nonsense behind.
It's time to throw this jahiliyah away.
It will be hard, but it will be worth it!'

She took a pen and a paper and started to jot what she wants to achieve before the next Ramadhan, hopefully by the end of this Ramadhan.

This is 'Madrasah Ramadhan' for her.
InsyaAllah...
_______________
Wahh.... lamanya tak 'menulis'. I used to have this 'itchiness' to write a fic/poem back then.... sekarang dah tak de... And tetiba datang balik... 'tangan gatal nak menulis' :p

History of Medicine

I was doing one of my Infectious Disease lectures while waiting to break the fast, when I stumbled across this:

2000 BC- Here, eat this root
1000 AD- That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 AD- That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 AD- That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 AD- That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 AD- That antibiotic doesn't work anymore. Here, eat this root.

I laughed.

Insan Utama

My mood's up to listen to this song...
Somehow, it motivates me to do some studying :)

Listen to: "Insan Utama" (click to download)
Munsyid: Haddad Alwi

Engkau mengenalnya
Insan yang utama (Siapakah kiranya?)
Lelaki pilihan
Menjadi utusan
Ia menunjukan
Jalan kebenaran (Muhammad kukira)

Baik hatinya (Baik hatinya)
Santun perangainya (Sungguh santun perangainya)
Jujur katanya (Tak pernah dusta)
Kita menyayangnya (Bersholawatlah baginya)
Ia teladan bagi kita semua (Ia-lah teladan kita)
Sebagai karunia yang diberikan Allah bagi semua
Muhammad nama-nya
Ikuti jalan-nya
La la la...

UMMA Community Clinic

This almost brings me to tears. (Thanks to a friend for putting this video up in the weblog)

Fuel Watch

TEN News reported that the fuel price will keep on plummetting till probably reach the lowest AUD 1 early next year.
We've seen the effects now.

I'm happy.
Can save up on my petrol budget *YaY*

News of Friday

We had our Iftar at UWA musalla on Friday night, then tarawikh there afterwards.
Everything seemed normal.
And we had Iftar at our friend's place, organized by WAPEC last night.
Only then did I know.
There was a drive-by shooting at Mirabooka mosque during tarawikh on Friday night!
Even though nobody was reported seriously injured (though their mind would be traumatized), I still can't believe that it happened very near to us, in Perth! In Ramadhan, a holy month, nontheles!
What are they trying to invoke? A terror? While we are peacefully praying?

"A WOMAN has told how a bullet missed her head by 5cm when it was fired into a mosque in a drive-by shooting.

Ahdielah Edries, 38, was on the second storey of the Mirrabooka mosque, north of Perth, on Friday night when an unknown gunman fired a shot through the window.
"We were in the middle of praying ... I was in front of the window. I heard what seemed like a massive explosion and felt something go past my ear," Ms Edries said..."

More on: Mosque targeted in drive-by shooting

The Way of Love

The Way of Love- Hadad Alwi
(Download here - Credit to Intan, I fell in love with this nasyid)

The Prophet's Path, the Way of Love
Only by this Love you'll rise above
Like a dove that's been set free
Love with longing is the key
This love with longing is the key

Honey, nectar, sweetness and cream
Orchids blooming by a mountain stream
Starlit skies and waves on the sand
Next to love they can't stand
Next to this love they cannot stand

Yaa Robii yaa sarii'ar ridho irham man ro-su maalihir-rojaa
Wa thina maa qod sa-alnaa bi liqoo-i khoiril anaami,
Yaa khoiral a'anaami

The Prophet's Path, the Way of Love
Only by this Love you'll rise above
Like a dove that's been set free
Love with longing is the key
This love with longing is the key

Honey, nectar, sweetness and cream
Orchids blooming by a mountain stream
Starlit skies and waves on the sand
Next to love they can't stand
Next to this love they cannot stand

(How can I find a way to express
Something that cannot be thought or guessed
Something more than just words
This love is neither seen nor heard
This love is neither seen nor heard

Love is the rope Given by Allah
It will save you from every flaw
Grasp it then He will draw you near)

Yaa man-ismuhu dawa wa dzikruhu syifaa-un lana
Robbiy faj'al mujtama'na ghoyatuhu husnul khitami
Bihusnul khitami
____________________

Tengah menelek-nelek tarikh untuk balik Malaysia... Chosen date is on weekdays, which means kena tunggu weekend baru boleh balik Sg. Petani.

Apa yang boleh dibuat for the rest of the week while waiting for Sat/Sun?
Beraya rumah orang? (Sementara tengah minggu 2/3 raya)
Apa yang biasanya dibuat tahun-tahun lepas?? Mengimbau kembali...

Oh...

I'm threading on a sensitive line.
This was usually the time I went and visit my grandma.
But she's no longer here...
'Al-Fatihah'

P/s- Exam's less than a month time. I won't be updating as much. Ramadhan kareem to all.

Allahumma Balighna Ramadhan

Only 2 more days and we'll come into Ramadhan al-Mubarak... Can't wait! The article below is one that I copied from Dakwah Info. Happy reading, may it be a reminder for us:

"Sedar ataupun tidak, bulan suci mulia yang telah kita tinggalkan lalu dengan penuh pengabdian dan keazaman untuk peningkatan sebagai seorang Muslim yang benar-benar menyerah, tunduk patuh kepadaNya bakal menjelang tiba. Maha Suci Allah yang telah mengurniakan umur yang setahun lebih panjang dengan mengurniakan kita sekali lagi Ramadhan, untuk kita koreksi diri, pertambahkan iman dan persiapkan kekuatan dan bekalan. Seperti doa yang biasa kita ucapkan; Allahumma Ballighna Ramadhan. Seperti doa yang diajarkan Rasulullah saw kepada kita;

Apabila Rasulullah saw melihat anak bulan Rejab, baginda membaca,
"Ya Allah, rahmatilah kami dengan Rejab dan Syaaban, dan sampaikan kepada kami Ramadhan." (Hadith riwayat at-Tabrani dan Ahmad)

Betapa besar kurniaan Allah kepada kita di dalam bulan Ramadhan, dimana Rasulullah telah mengajarkan kita untuk berdoa agar kita dihidupkan sehingga sampai bulan Ramadhan, supaya bulan itu dimanfaatkan untuk kita menjadi seorang hamba yang patuh kepadaNya.

Bagi para daie ilallah, peluang mengecapi Ramadhan sememangnya ditunggu, di kala tamatnya Ramdhan yang lepas dengan penuh tangisan ketakwaan dan air mata keinsafan. Bulan bukan sekadar nikmat, tetapi penuh ujian serta peluang amal dakwah untuk mendekatkan manusia pada jalan Allah swt.

Persediaan dan perancangan perlulah dilakukan untuk kita memaksimumkan segala peluang yang di bulan Ramadhan ini. Sebagaimana yang dimaklumi, amal kebajikan akan diganjarkan setingkat lebih tinggi jika ia dilakukan pada bulan Ramadhan. Yang sunat diberi pahala wajib. Yang wajib digandakan dengan gandaan sesuai dengan kurniaan Allah swt Yang Maha Kaya.

Ketika Ramadhan menjelang, Rasulullah saw bersabda bermaksud, "Wahai manusia, menjelang tiba bulan agung lagi berkat. Bulan yang di dalamnya ada satu malam yang lebih baik dari 1000 bulan. Sesiapa yang mendekatkan dirinya dengan mengerjakan amalan Fardhu, seolah-olah dia telah mendapat 70 pahala Fardhu di bulan-bulan yang lain. Sesiapa yang mendekatkan dirinya dengan amalam-amalan Sunat, seolah-olah dia mendapat pahala amalan-amalan Fardhu di bulan-bulan yang lain. Ia adalah bulan sabar. Ia adalah bulan yang awalnya rahmat, tengahnya keampunan dan akhirnya selamat dari Neraka..." (Riwayat Ibn Khuzaimah)

Antara persiapan yang perlu dilakukan menjelang Ramadhan ialah:

1) Memahirkan diri dengan segala rukun,sunat,harus,makruh yang berkaitan dengan puasa di bulan Ramadhan, sunat tarawih dan lain-lain lagi.

2) Membiasakan diri bangun pada sepertiga malam untuk bertahajjud, untuk mendekatkan diri pada Allah, dan membiasakan tahajjud di bulan Ramadhan.

3) Memperuntukkan beberapa jumlah wang untuk dijadikan sedekah jariah dan zakat fitrah. Bagi mereka yang telah akil baligh, maka belajarlah membayar zakat fitrah sendiri.

4) Menyediakan diri dengan kurang makan dan berpuasa, namun perlu diingat dengan sabda Nabi saw dari Abu Hurairah;
"Janganlah kamu berpuasa sehari atau dua hari sebelum tiba bulan Ramadan melainkan orang yang biasa berpuasa dengan puasa yang tertentu maka bolehlah dia berpuasa" (riwayat Muslim)

5) Strategi tersusun untuk memperbanyakkan hafalan, bacaan, tadabbur, tadarrus al-Quran. Pada bulan ini kita mempunyai kelebihan kerana musuh ketat manusia telah di rantai, sebagaimana sabda Rasulullah saw dari Bau Hurairah;
"Apabila tiba bulan Ramadan, dibuka pintu-pintu Syurga dan ditutup pintu-pintu Neraka serta syaitan-syaitan dibelenggu."(riwayat Muslim)

6) Melatih diri semua sifat Islamiah seperti sabar, kurang bercakap lagha dan keji, menjauhi mengumpat dan mengata, dan perbanyakkan senyuman kepada semua sahabat.

Jadi sahabat sekalian, sematkan azam masing-masing untuk kita memperbanyakkan amalan fardhi dan amalan dakwah kita di bulan Ramadhan yang bakal tiba beberapa hari sahaja lagi. Persiapkan mental mulai sekarang dan tekunlah istiqamah dengannya.

Doa kita..Allahumma Balligna Ramadhan...amen..."
_____________________
Zura and Diana's Graduation Day:

Diana & Zura's Graduation

White Tulips

I was thinking of uploading the photos after I've taken all the photos from the other girls. Obviously that's not going to happen soon, so I've uploaded what's mine.

For the first time our trip has to be divided into two seperate days, although we were all going to the same place- Araluen Botanic Garden. Blame it on the different spring break period between UWA and Curtin. I ended up joining the Curtin's group one Sunday earlier than the UWA's group.

Hopefully next year we can ALL go together again... Enjoy the pictures- the flowers are lovely, subhanallah! I fell in love with the white tulips...

Araluen Trip '06

~Nothing could describe this happy feelings when two of the original 2002 batch of Pet scholars came to Perth for graduation. I was 'lepaking' with Diana one evening and we were catching up on old and new stories when suddenly we realized one thing- our topics has moved from studies and girl stuff to career and future...

Almost 5 years have past... where did the years gone to?

Coming soon: Diana & Zura's Graduation Day