Sunday, December 24, 2006

.: Ledang Part II :.

Just some of the ledang pictures...out of the 300 plus shots...













Tuesday, December 19, 2006

.: rain on ledang:.
i love rain. i sincerely do. rain can brighten up my mood instantly. i am in fact more productive at school and at work when it is raining.


then, i realised, well, not always. not when i am carrying a WET bag of capacity 60+10l, with WET heavy clothes, wearing WET socks in WET boots, trekking down ledang, from base camp at kolam ayer gajah to the resort, at NIGHT. That itself almost took 6 whole hours, by the end of which, i was totally exhausted (i walk weird now)


oh yes, to the horror of my mom (who thinks that mountains should not be climbed during the rainy season - i shouldve heeded her warning), i climbed gunung ledang on the 15-16th december (more like 17th coz we were stuck there for sometime) with 12 others. part of fmsa programme for the out of school youth/youth at risk.


learnt a lot from the trip like the fact that i am not as fit as i used to be (i promised myself that i will start my jogging/sports routine again - there was a time i can jog to bedok reservoir from my home in simei without stopping even for a mere moment). of course more importantly, got to know the youth better. well, when you've climbed 1,276 m together in gruelling weather, all defences are down and sharing opinions, feelings and thoughts (which could be quite hard for the youth in normal circumstances) was an easy feat. we talked about love, life
and ...

oh, of course there's the perk of taking pictures with my VERY OWN panasonic lumix. blossom blogged about my purchase at sim lim square(the night before i went to ledang - i brought the manual up ledang but was too exhausted to read) so you may want to read http://withinmyneurons.blogspot.com/ ...


well, i didnt have the time to fully explore the functions of the camera but got excited using the zoom (12x optical zoom) and the macro mode (makes the tiniest flowers on the ground look oh so pretty)...also VERY grateful that the camera bag was shock and water resistant. took a total of 306 pics. the scenery from the summit was blocked by the rain and fog (hujan & bidai/kabus). one of the youth, described it aptly, "kak, ni macam scene dari mimpi-mimpi." (trans. kak, this looks like a scene from dreams)



close to nature, away from the busy-ness of town,it was a good time to reflect and ponder. the greatness of Allah who has created all.
and yes, i still love rain.

below, a picture of leaves on ledang grounds. a brief reflection.







For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created being's perception: none knows them but He. And He knows all that is on land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth's deep darkness, nor anything: living or dead,
but is recorded in [His] clear decree.


surah al-an'am 6:59





Sunday, December 10, 2006

.: malay :.

me: hakim, kenapa hakim suka hari raya?

hakim: sebab hakim boleh pakai "baru kasut"!!! *smiles gleefully*

"baru kasut" - a literal translation of new shoes. Those who do know malay would immediately find fault in the phrase' structure. shouldve been "kasut baru" instead. Recently, hazim said "sekolah beg"(school bag) instead of beg sekolah. to my mum's horror, 6 year old hakim doesnt know how to count, citing the number eleven or sebelas in malay, as "satu belas" (this problem was rectified in one night - my mum had what- i- would- call the "numbers-drill" with him before he went to sleep)

it is of course not the children's fault. Growing up in a house (we live next door to each other so more like 2=1 house) where parents, aunties and uncles speak english constantly with the exception of their grandparents (we insist they speak more malay with their atuk & nenek), english-speaking friends and english-language TV programmes, it is no wonder that they would turn out the way they are.

not that we dont place importance on the malay language - yes, we get worried when their malay exams are round the corner. we, of course, do not hide our expectations that they should score As especially in their mother tongue. "jangan malukan bangsa ok. ur abah, emak, cik sainy, cik nana and mak busu(myself) used to get A*s, A1s and awards for malay tau." (now to think of it, kesian jugak budak-budak ni)

ooops, now that i mentioned it, teringat pulak, yes, i used to ace my malay, getting awards for the language year after year (some of my peers actually thought that i would become a malay teacher). oh well, until the asean scholars came while i was in secondary three and i had to concede defeat. bahasa melayu dieorang POWER! But now that i dont speak much malay, my malay has gone "karat". the last time i gave a talk in malay to an audience of 200 odd people, the makcik thought i was malaysian.

POKOKNYA (one of my fav words- translated to mean " the point being") i still do believe that malay as a language and as a culture is still important & relevant. the language is wonderful, kind and subtle, delicate even - nature as a common reference in its idioms. the culture (the good ones) which includes cooperation, communality, respect and reverence to the elders and putting others before self are some things that would do good if instilled in the young today. malay is also a language that has reference to arabic and islam.

bahasa menunjukkan bangsa dan budaya. bahasa melayu melambangkan budaya, dan budaya kita seharusnya budaya islam.

semoga adat, bahasa dan budaya tak lekang dek zaman, tak luput dek hujan. terus segar membina jati diri seorang melayu muslim.


Sunday, November 26, 2006

.: its been a long time :.

last update : november 7th

hhmmmm...hope the following would explain my MIA-ness:

1. exams. exams. exams.
2. (overdue) assignments
3. work. work.work. (audits round the corner)
4. D&D prepz (i am in the committee - work commitment. again)
5. all of the above + my-first-ever breakout on the face (and no, this is not what ive been waiting for all my life)

its been (and still is) a roller coaster ride.

" Do you think that you may enter paradise before Allah tests those of you who had fought (in His Cause) & also those who are as- Sabirin?" Ali Imran 3: 142

oh, found solace (sementara tadi last min hafal sebelum exam)...

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience & as-Solat. Truly Allah is with the As-Sabirin (the patient ones)" Al Baqarah 2:153

best kan? Allah tells us He is going to test us and then gave us the-how-to-get-help manual. And then, He rewards us. Subhanallah

ok, i am starting to rant. Oh FYI, i won the 2nd lucky draw prize kat D&D. OSIM I-Gallop. Anybody wants to buy it? it costs $950 but i m willing to negotiate. i was aiming for the canon iixus, 6.8 megapixel digicam, which was the 4th prize. the alternative is to sell i-gallop to get a digicam. i need e-bay.

before i stop making any sense at all. shall stop. uploading pics reminded me of all the picture-accompanied stories i was supposed to blog about. but that shall wait.

:: marlina un-plugged, signing out::

un-plugged - a term coined by my dearest friend to explain that its an un-edited piece of writing

oh, my bro just came back from spain (work trip. i am envious) enjoy the pictures...

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

.: invitation:.

i invited my non-muslim colleagues over to my place last saturday. to avoid awkward & embarassing moments, i decided to send out an email:

dear all,
Just a few pointers for those who are visiting a malay/muslim house the first time ever (to avoid potentially embarrassing moments):


1. dress decently - anything below the knee is fine. avoid spaghetti straps/tube tops or anything else that is too revealing. short sleeves are fine.

2. do not shake hands with the opposite sex - its actually against the religion to have any physical contact with the opposite sex. a simple "hi auntie" & "hi uncle" is fine to acknowledge the elders

3. things to bring? i dont think there is any need to do so but in case you feel weird coming empty handed, past examples include food, fruits and chocolates. for malays, we dont really bring stuff when going hari raya visiting but i realised most of our non-muslim friends would. so, up to u!

4. take off your shoes when going into the house ( i think this applies to most asian homes)

other than that,
on a personal note, my dad is as crazy as i am. and my mum understands english but is not proficient in speaking in english.

Friday, November 03, 2006

.: a lovely surprise :.



ring ring..ring ring..

me: hello, good morning, marlina speaking.

vincent (a colleague who was covering receptionist duties) : marlina, i left you a voicemail! u never check ah?! no service quality! eh, got somebody dump item here. DIK (donation-in-kind) ah.

me: (to sharon) you expecting DIK item ah?

*sharon shakes her head*

vincent: better come down now ah. before the big boss sees it.

me: ok. (a little angry that i had to go down when i was happily doing my work on my pc)

vincent: better bring a trolley down. big item

me: ok.

*hang up the phone*

me: sharon, you want to help or not?

sharon: no, i have an important email to send. jasline (my boss) asked to do.

me: ok (by this time i was pissed)

*go down with a trolley*

when the lift opened, i saw a bouquet of flowers and a parcel. so, i thought that the flowers are from the dept - bday surprise lah konon & that the parcel was a DIK item. to my surprise (again), the card read:


Dear Pink

Just wanna wish you a happy 24th birthday! May Allah bless you with longevity, best of health, happiness & success. thanks for being such a darling! may this birthday bring greater joy to you & family. We love you lots!

From: bloss, tedd & S.B.


*above: the roses on my desk at work*

so sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. *flashes a mega-watt smile from ear to ear*

vincent: happy birthday!!!

me:(flabberghasted) thanks. anyway, no need to bring trolley what, this kind of parcel, so light i can just carry myself.

*went back to office*

my dept was crowding around me, admiring the flowers which coincidentally matched with my pink kebaya. my boss asked to open the package, wondering what is it.

upon opening it, i saw ...


J.J.D.S Limited

To: Miss Marlina Bte Mohd Isa

Message:
please kindly acknowledge this parcel

Thank you

*by the way, J.J.D.S stands for Jasline. Jones. Dawn. Sharon - my dept mates*


there in the box is something wrapped with newspaper. ta da! a document bag (the bigger one in the picture below) which TOTALLY MATCHES my last-minute-bought hari raya handbag.


*I told you it TOTALLY MATCHES. 'touching' seh that my colleagues notice what i bring around - maybe they've decided that i shld be more feminine (i usually bring my bag pack to work) *

A double surprise. Didnt expect that people would go through so much effort for my birthday. My colleagues cracked their heads trying to think of how best to give me my bday present (esp Sharon) & my friends gave such a wonderful surprise at work, which was timed (engineered coincidence?) perfectly.

so sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet...

Really, it is not so much of the presents, but the loving effort that those around me have put in to make it such a memorable experience.

Nothing else to say but THANK YOU.


.: pink in bloom :: counting my blessings :.

all pictures courtesy of Samsung's SGH E530 hp camera =D

Monday, October 09, 2006

.: gems & jewels :.

had iftar on saturday at fmsa, followed by taraweeh, led by bro bakri. couldnt resist asking him to give a tazkirah (short reminders) after taraweeh.

I know some of you may have already been bored by the numerous allegory/metaphors/ parallelisms (why do i feel that my former literature teacher would be flabber-ghasted that i have since mixed all these terms up? oh well =D) on ramadhan but well, just another one to share - boleh buat modal during sharing sessions lah kan.

here's an excerpt (note: definitely not word for word - closest to what i can remember):

" a brother used to remind us during his tazkirah about ramadhan. He said, Ramadhan is like a ship filled with gems & jewels. it docks itself in our shipyards for a month once a year, and we are free to take all the gems & jewels. But only for one month. The ship will sail and will return to us the next year. But we will never know whether we will be there to welcome the ship."

" today, i attended a funeral prayer for a wife of an ustaz. Today somebody else will die, and tomorrow, somebody else, and then somebody else. somebody else will die every other day. you notice i am using the word somebody else? It is human nature to think that it is not going to be us who may die. We think we are immortal, lest we are not...We pray for Allah's forgiveness and His Mercy on us, especially in this blessed month. Lets make the best of what is left of it."

within such a short tazkirah, i was reminded of ramadhan, life & death. And I definitely didnt regret to tebalkan muka (thicken the face - usually used when someone plucks up enough courage to just do something which is potentially embarrassing) and ask for that tazkirah.





Tuesday, October 03, 2006

.: conversations on the go - cont'd :.

as we shared about differences in cultures etc. my colleague highlighted:

S: you know, there is an interesting observation i made about the malays, which i think could be unique to singapore

me: what?

S: that you can have tudung-clad makciks (my colleague has spent 15 years here & thus am capable of malay, & singlish) and walking next to them would be their teenage daughters who are scantily clad, with tattoos etc. i mean in india, you wont have that. the girl would probably be bashed up by the family.

me: really?

S: just the other day, i was at MOS (Ministry of Sound - I know coz i read the papers) & u have these malay girls drinking, smoking & dancing, and their dressed so provocatively. i mean, u can still look nice & be decently clad.

me: yeah...i guess, it depends on the upbringing (nothing much to say mah)

S: You know, in India, messing up with Muslim girls is a NO-NO. I mean, even at the varsities muslim girls are respected. And they are the most gorgeous girls. You know the afghan girls, have the most perfect features- everything! But we wont even dare mess around with them. I mean, asking her out for a cup of coffee is something you'd think twice about, lest the family comes after you.

me: dalam hati (in my heart) BESTNYA!!!!!

Monday, October 02, 2006

.: soon :.

i have been blessed to have a friend, blossom, who in turn has been blessed with a car of her own (yes, she does not share it with her husband)...so kind is she to chauffeur us around should we want to go to the same place or happened to be in the same area (you get the drift)...and of course, i enjoy my time with her for do we not only share laughter, but tears and thoughts as well...obviously, i was excited that we were finally gonna meet after what seems like ages (ok, it was roughly two weeks)...anyways, an email asking her what time she would be coming to fetch me, turned into a simple poem which she thought i should share...so, here's the 2 mins or so worth of word play...
* * * * *
soon...
i will see you...

soon...
i will talk to you...
soon...
i will laugh with you...
yet
soon...
may never come...
soon...
is not guaranteed...
soon...
is not our right...

unless God wills it...
insya allah
* * * * *
yup, in my haste to meet her, i suddenly remembered that i may not live the next second if God wills it so. we all have our own appointed times. we just dont know when. death, though, is guaranteed.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

.: conversations on the go :.

i was in the car with a collegue, S, who was kind enough to send me home. he was an indian national up till about 15 years ago & still goes back annually. had an interesting conversation - talked about many things; Singapore, India etc etc(the journey from buona vista to simei isnt exactly short, if you know what i mean. put in the heavy traffic during peak hours & u get an hour's journey). I have decided to 'document' excerpts of the conversation in the next few blogs, insya allah. here's the first one:

conversation 1:

S: You know, while i was living at xyz road across the c _ _ _ _ _, a lot of them would come to the hawker centres on Sunday & preach.

me: really? i've never experienced this even though i stay next to c _ _ _ _ _ _

S: yeah! and they can be very agressive. I mean, if your religion is so good, you dont have to go all the way out. People will naturally be attracted to it

point taken. it is true isn't it? the truth is obvious & people would be naturally inclined to it. Islam is a beautiful religion because it strives on bringing about the best character in its believers and mankind as a whole. It is not mere philosophy nor mere rituals.

"And verily, you (o Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character. You will see & they will see."
(Al Qalam 68:4-5)

The Prophet was an epitome of best character. He was sent as a mercy to mankind. He is the best examplar.

Maybe, if we follow him a little, wee bit, the world would be a more beautiful place.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

.: butter bun:.

its a wonderful morning for me, coz it was raining...and i had a wonderful breakfast. masya allah. i bought prawn sambal bun sbb mcm nak makan something pedas, even though ,my maid dah pack-kan (rosak bahasa: eng+malay) roti & home-made strawberry jam (my mum made it). sekali, the baker asked, " u want butter bun? just baked, very nice). i mula-mula 'eksyen' tak nak, sekali my friend beli & i saw it. it looks so 'damn' good (i actually think this is an oxymoron). all faculty of reasoning (e.g. its super-fattening) failed. I bought it, & i am glad i did!!!

it is hot roti (bread/bun), with melted butter cream inside and sugar powder topping on the outside. the roti is fluffy, and there is a hole in the middle, and u can see the melted butter. upon biting, the butter oozes out, and u start eating like a child, messy. It was creamy with a tinge of sweetness. masya allah, what a beautiful breakfast experience. nikmat...subhanallah

And there are on earth [many] tracts of land close by one another [and yet widely differing from one another; and [there are on it] vinyards, and fields of grain, and date-palms growing in clusters from one root or standing alone,[all] watered with the same water: and yet, some of them have We favoured above others by way of the food [which they provide for man and beast]. Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for people who use their reason!
13:7-10

we have been given so much blessings...uncountable really...maybe it is time i should TRY counting them everyday...

small, simple things like the butter bun, makes me happy =) i havent stopped smiling

Saturday, September 02, 2006

.: MUVO SLIM :.

i've been wanting to get a creative muvo slim. i called creative headquarters a few months ago, no longer in production. went to the comex IT fair yesterday, with the hope of getting one. to my dismay, "Sorry, we dont sell it anymore". eyes cast down, i called blossom to inform her of the disappointing news. walking aimlessly at the fair, i saw a laptop bag i really liked, couldnt decide to be practical (all black) or be spontaneous (I really liked the green & black one). Took almost half an hour and finally decided on the green (so much for just wanting to check out the mp3 players ONLY).

Blossom called in-between to say that she happened to spot a brand new MUVO SLIM (PINK!!!!) on e-bay selling for $90! Unbelievable (although its a 512 mb aje lah, instead of the 1gb i wanted)!!!

sms-ed the guy when i reached home, and he called. so, here's an account of the bargain:

Mr Muvo Slim (MMS): hi...

Me: hello..yeah, my friend called earlier. i am interested in the Muvo slim. whats the lowest price u would sell it for?

MMS: hhhmmm, actually...the price i quoted on the web is the price i want lah plus i can deliver to you, anywhere in singapore. ok, why dont u tell me how much u are willing to pay for it??

Me: $50?? *meekly, coz this is a brand new, unopened pink-coloured pink muvo slim i am talking about..now to think of it, maybe i shouldve been more adamant. oh well*

MMS: $50???!!!! * melampau lah pulak marlina ni!!!!*

Me: ok-ok, $70?? *by this time, my adrenaline was rushing*

MMS: $80??

Me: $75?

MMS: *laughs* ok lah

Me: mouth gaping...*keep your voice cool, marlina* ok, great

made arrangements to meet for the exchange today.

the muvo slim is lying next to me right now. its pretty in pink.

masya allah.

disclaimer: the account above is an excerpt of the conversation, which has been aptly summarised so that this entry wont run for pages. it may not be the exact words but indeed as close a resemblance it could get to the real conversation. it is also good to note that this is the first time i bought anything, anything at all from e-bay. what an experience.

ps: thank you, blossom =)

Sunday, August 27, 2006

.: DO AS YOU SAY :.

The packet of spaghetti was strewn all over the kitchen floor.

my sis: Lin! Look at your nephews...

hakim & hamim, look at me, doe-eyed, tinge of guilt across their faces. hazim was on his way out of the kitchen.

me: astaghfirullahal azim... !hazim, please help pick the spaghetti up.

hazim: i didnt do it. it was hamim.

me: still, dont you want to get extra pahala (good deeds) by helping out?

hazim: you, say only. why dont you do it yourself?

me: -

i was stumped.
" O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do."
- as saff 61:2-3 -
i got up. went to the kitchen & helped the children pick up the packetful of spaghetti on the floor.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

.: ainul mardhiyah :.

it has been a looooooong time. indeed, my concerns found in my very first posting, whereby i wont be able to update this blog regularly are founded.

nevertheless, the situation has forced me to think about the more significant events of the daily nothings.

one of the more significant events then, would be the birth of my second niece on the 27th June 2006. we've waited for a long time for a niece (ten years to be exact). we had a girl ten years ago, and ever since, it has been boy after boy after boy (all four of them) - not that i am complaining because the boys brings us such joy.

ainul mardhiyah...a source of blessing...

may she hold true to her name, as she grows up, insya allah...

Friday, June 30, 2006

.: a trip that almost never was :.

22 June 2006
2300 hrs - too tired to pack, "tomorrow-also-can" pack attitude sets in

23 June 2006
(to help you realise how LATE I was,

pls note that i was supposed to leave home between 0630-0700hrs)

0430 hrs - wake up; it is still a tad too early

0500hrs - i should really start packing but zzzzzz...

0530 hrs - ok, can't wait, PACK NOW!

0615 hrs - 90% ready, "now, where is my passport???"

0645 hrs - still can't find passport, exasperated especially when mummy, fiza & mai are already on their way to chua chu kang to meet blossom...

0700 hrs - trying to comfort self at the prospect of not being able to go for a loooong awaited trip with my girl-friends... "maybe God is not allowing me to go to melaka...mesti ada hikmah di sebalik segala..."

* * * * *

for those who are wondering whether i actually MADE IT, I DID!!! alhamdulillah, managed to find the passport at around 0730, immediately called the gang and then, rushed over...alhamdulillah, i am also blessed with kind & patient friends who would've otherwise gone off and left me miserable in singapore...

blessed also am i to be able to be part of such a wonderful experience...the drive, layan-ing the children; hanaa & nadhrah (who is sooo cute), the girls nite out at melaka central (loooong story- we sorta got lost ther
e,while trying to find our way to jalan hang tuah-managed to reach home at 2 a.m.), the food (loads & loads of it- good prescription for those suffering from anorexia, but of course a hazard for those who easily puts on weight, like yours truly...), the girlish chatter (it was an all girls trip- all 7 of us...yeehaa!!!) but best of all, the mornings...

with a house situated just opposite the mosque, the recitation of the quran at 0530 hrs from the mosque's PA system acts as a wake up call which almost cannot be missed (the PA system is super loud!!!)...the azan at 0545 beckons you to pray...despite being sleepy & tired, the body wakes to the call of prayer...

with freshly brushed teeth, wudhu' and telekong donned straight from home, an almost undescribable feeling enshrouds - pure peace & bliss...as you see others, family & strangers alike, walking towards the mosque, with the same purpose - the sole purpose to worship Allah, you feel that you are a part of something bigger; a larger community of believers...

meeting relatives during subuh was an added bonus - a warm welcome, a stream of smiling, familiar faces...





after subuh, instead of still being sleepy & tired (like back at home), the body is energised, taking in the crisp fresh air...a morning walk to the sawah or padi fields proves to enhance this refreshing and enriching experience...



contentment sets in as i
count my blessings...for the trip that almost never was...


And if you would count the graces of Allah
, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
- An-Nahl 16:18 -

blog entry especially dedicated to:
cik midah, or more lovingly known as mummy, for the house & hospitality
kak erni a.k.a blossom, who accomodatingly (including layan-ing all our kerenah) drove us all there & back safely
fiza & mai for being such good company
the girls, hanaa & nadhrah who made the trip all the more interesting

special thanks to
abang uda a.k.a kak erni's husband, without who's car, we wouldnt have made it to melaka
auntie noi (mummy's sister) who prepared food for us & brought us out for wonderful roti prata
mak nah, mak eton, mak mah, mak kiah, mak uda, cu nan, pak yib, kak ida...basically orang-orang kampung serkam who made the trip all the more meaningful for me

* * * * *
kg serkam, melaka, 23-25 June 06








Saturday, June 17, 2006

.: Contact :.

was watching the last part of the movie, 'contact', starring jodie foster,
directed by robert zemeckiz & screenplay by micheal goldenberg
- couldnt help but reflect on some of the profound dialogue.
immediately googled to get the transcript at
simplyscripts.com
"I had an experience I can’t prove, I can’t even explain it, 
but everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real.
I was part of something wonderful, something that changed me forever;
a vision of the Universe that tells us undeniably
how tiny, and insignificant, and how rare and precious we all are.
A vision that tells us we belong to something that is greater than ourselves.
That we are not, that none of us are alone"

"I wish that everyone, if even for one moment, could feel that awe, and humility, and the hope ..."
 
a movie that attempts to show the need to combine both science & faith.  islam , has
always thrived on this because it is not just a meaningless, unfounded faith of purely
spiritual basis but instead explains in a clear and rational fashion where we are from,
who we are and what we are supposed to be.
And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth).
Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah
(mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge) (and lodged it)
in a safe lodging (womb of the woman).Then We made the Nutfah
into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood),
then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of
flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought
it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allâh, the Best of creators.

After that surely you will die. Then, again, surely you will be resurrected.

- al-mu'minun 23: 12-16

we are indeed, tiny, and insignificant because we are created by THE CREATOR.
we do not exist on our own; we are helpless unless given His aid.
and only to Him we turn to for HOPE.
we belong to something greater than ourselves because
we are created for a GREATER Purpose.

As a line in the movie goes,
" we are an interesting species; capable of sweet dreams and the most horrible nightmares."
which would we choose?



Tuesday, June 13, 2006

.: Mus'ab :.

no, not a cute guy i met recently...actually, he is someone young...a youth like YOU & me (i am assuming that you - whoever you are, are a youth or at least youthful)...an inspirational figure, who was a companion of the prophet s.a.w...who gave up his material comforts for the TRUE CAUSE...

Mus'ab bin Umair had been brought up by his parents with great love and affection. He was very rich and was said to be the most well-dressed youth in mecca. His parents would buy a dress worth two hundred dirhams (i am thinking hugo boss or calvin klein equivalent?) for him. He embraced Islam in its early days without the knowledge of his parents. However, when they found out, they tied him up and compelled him to stay at home. He managed to escape and emigrate to abyssinia (the first hijrah) and then, to Madinah.

Even though he was brought up in luxury, he was living a life of abstinence. Once when the Prophet was sitting down when Mus'ab walked passed him. He had only one sheet of cloth to clothe his body which also bore a number of patches including one of leather. Then Prophet with tears in his eyes, mentioned abt Musab's life of luxury before Islam.

During the battle of uhud (second battle in islamic history), mus'ab was the flag bearer and even though there was a lot of confusion (during the battle of uhud, the enemies re-attacked after the archers came down from their posts where they were supposed to guard the passageway around the hill, causing heavy losses on the muslim army) he stood at his post like a rock. The enemy came and cut his hand holding the flag. He held it with the other hand and even this hand was cut. He held the flag to his bossom with his bleeding arms. Finally, the enemy pierced his body with an arrow.

At the time of his burial, he had only one sheet to cover his body. This sheet was too short for his size and when it was drawn to cover the head, the feet would be exposed and when drawn to cover the feet, the head would be exposed. The Prophet said, " Cover his head with the sheet and his feet with the Azkhar leaves."

- adapted from the book, The Stories of the Sahabah, An English Translation of Hikayat-i-Sahabah by Maulana Muhammad Zakaria

i was thinking that this is a guy who used to don on expensive clothes, and yet upon his death, he does not have even enough cloth to cover himself up. not that he became excessively poor but i think its because the companions of the prophet s.a.w knew what was REAl which was the hereafter...

guess we could still be stuck in the "MATRIX" (to be explained at another time) at times...

disclaimer: i am not propagating suddenly throwing away all your clothes & suddenly realising that you have none left.


.: action & knowledge :.

knowledge without action is insanity
action without knowledge is vanity
- imam al ghazali -

something which was shared during the youth matrix camp '06 conducted from the 9-11 june, which was just a few days ago. still recovering from the lack of sleep and mental exhaustion..yes, fmsa (pronounced as fam-sa, an acronym for Fellowship of Muslim Students Association) camps are full of mental and emotional somersaults and marathons which are good for me - we need both physical and mental exercises...

anyway...

vanity, according to oxford advanced learner's dictionary, 7th ed, pg 1412, means:
1) having too high an opinion of one's looks, abilities, etc; conceit.
2) quality of being unsatisfying or futile; worthlessness."

i think the quote is thus so precise...to act without knowledge actually shows that a person is vain
(referring to the first meaning) thinking that he/she is able to deliver without knowing exactly the CONTENT and in doing so, does not benefit anyone, lest him/herself. just reflecting on all those times i 'bubble-d' (slang for weaved, go around, beat about the bush) my way through something - like during a debate or speech or etc. hhhmmm...

as for knowledge without action is insanity...i think it is self explanatory (my eyes are getting heavier) since we are enjoined to do good and forbid evil.

Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting all that is good, enjoining Al-Ma'ruf and forbidding Al-Munkar. and it is they who are successful. al-Imran 3:104



Saturday, June 03, 2006



.: THE BATTLE :.

while i was trying to clear my yahoo inbox (they are in the thousands), i found this gem of a story in one of those forwarded emails:


One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that

goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves. One is Evil. It

is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt,

resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility,

kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and

faith."


The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
"Which Wolf wins?"


The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Friday, June 02, 2006

.: REFLECTIONS :.


the rebutia entry triggered some memories; memories of my student days, which though is not too long ago (july marks a year's anniversary) is a Life-Phase away...

reflecting on the difference between the vibrance of knowledge seeking (in school setting) and the realities of working life....i've realised, eversince i started working proper 6 months ago, that one is most free when one is a full time student..i know most of the CURRENT students would beg (profusely) to differ on this but just think about it..

when else would you have the luxury to attend a two hour lecture physically and not mentally (this happens especially when there is an upcoming camp and you are part of the organising committee; worse, if you are the chairman)?? when else can you spend HOURS in the library, reading up on things that interest you while trying to find relevant books for your assignment?? when else can you engage with your fellow coursemates and lecturers, for the pure joy of seeking knowledge, and knowing that they too want the same - no, not only the 'A' grade but SOCIAL JUSTICE?

I enjoyed my years studying in uni tremendously (note: the enjoyment may wane a little during exam periods)...not that i do not enjoy work or that it is terribly arduous..just that the possibilities laid out for a student (yes, that 4 months-loooooong holiday can do a lot of things; humanitarian relief, overseas training, serious self reflection, catching up on other things or people who mean a lot to you, like your family)seems to be more than that for the working adult..possibly because, students are fuelled with youthful idealism, enthusiasm and energy compared to the working adult who spends eight to twelve hours in the office and then, has little energy left to do much after work..

" we need spirited, energetic & strong young people whose hearts are filled with life, enthusiasm, zeal & dynamism; whose souls are full of ambition, spark within you." -muhammad iqbal

may allah swt give me, and my teman - teman seperjuangan, the strength, patience and istiqamah to continue in our efforts to further His Cause with much creativity and enthusiasm...ameen


disclaimer: while student life should be the most embraced, studying should not be an end in itself, but a means towards achieving a higher purpose, that is to seek mardhatillah...wallahu 'alam

Thursday, May 11, 2006

.: REBUTIA :.

got another day mc thanks to the averse reactions to the antibiotics for my tonsilitis...decided that i am having more brain power today, well enough to write about the confessions of an economic hitman when my dearest friend, azma reminded me, over msn, about REBUTIA...

with pictures to accompany, courtesy of kals' (another dearEST friend- i know "est" is supposed to denote MOST, but we shant argue about language rules,and you get the point-these people are basically extremely dear to me) otherwise known as philosophical perfectionist (if i have time, shall tell you abt the history behind the nick),and azma, i thought i should write about REBUTIA instead, before the memory is ebbed away with time...

REBUTIA REBUTIA...

an adventure based learning centre in malaysia - a training cent
re which uses outdoor training as a methodology to raise God-consciousness amongst the participants.. i went there twice, once with sp and the other was with pbmuks, of which i was part of the organising committee..oh how I miss those days!!! yes, those were the days...the company we had, the serene surroundings, the programme; imagine abseiling down a waterfall after a long day's trekking or walking alone at night in the thick jungle, clear water cascading down the river; bliss! (subhanallah), and the trainers whom were so inspiringly sincere in conveying THE MESSAGE..masya allah..they forbid evil yet arent offensive..they walk the talk, and invite (not force) others alongside with them..

i am grateful to be exposed to good people and granted good company when i was in uni, without whom, i'd probably be somewhere (or someone) else (possibly a not-too-pleasant-somewhere/someone-else) right now...you people know who you are and i would like to thank you for everything..

enjoy the rebutia pictures...


serene jungle in which we trekked

high elements - quite nerve-wrecking, even with the safety harness
well, i happen to be acrophobic (totally scared of heights)

the girls at the "colosseum"-
more like an outdoor auditorium, tribal council look alike



forever etched in memories...











Wednesday, May 10, 2006

.: FIRST ENTRY :.

in the name of allah most gracious most merciful...

yes, always start something good with a basmallah...so i am hoping that this is something good indeed...

while the world has caught onto the blogging craze EONS ago (ok, i am exaggerating but it sure feels like a long time ago), i honestly never really seem to get the idea, for some very simple reasons:

a. why would I expose MY LIFE for the WHOLE WORLD to read?!
b. i am not someone who is consistent in updating stuff lest my blog which i think would be the least in priorities; well, i lead quite a busy life..sort of..
c. who in the world would read MY BLOG?! *ok, this is where i have a crisis-do i want people to read my blog or dont i? *

so, why have i converted from a 'blog-resistor' to a 'blog-embracer'??

well, there are several factors/ engineered coincidences which have led to this conversion:

a. my friend's blog -erni, more affectionately known as blossom...an interesting blog which actually encourages good words...so, i thought, maybe then blogging is not just about writing a journal & letting the whole world read it
b. my fever and tonsilitis - my temperature was 38.5 degrees celsius last night and my throat is so sore that swallowing my saliva is a slow, painful and measured task (i am on soft diet now- yes, PORRIDGE!)...Being on MC allows me some time to type something, somewhere
c. i just finished reading a book " the confessions of an economic hitman" (categorised as current events/politics, non fiction) today and was inspired by the author to share the knowledge and blogging seems to be a feasible tool...*i'll write about it at another time- too much brain power needed for that one- u know, i am on medication*
d. blogspot marketing - yes, i fell for it!!! "get your own blog in 3 simple steps" - seems easy enough and so, in the spur of the moment, i just decided to sign up

et voila! I suddenly have my own blog...i have no idea how this is going to be..heck, i had a hard time trying to think of a blog name & address..."me, myself & i" seem very narcissistic but i guess, its apt enough since whatever i will post would probably be about things that affect me in one way or another (note: not always ABOUT ME)...*as you can see, i am trying very hard to justify my choice of blog title - a lack of creative juice due to the 38.5 degrees celsius temperature sound like a good reason*

okiez, i think that should be it for my first posting...shall not bore you (i dont even know who i am talking to - as at NOW, nobody, NOBODY even knows this blog exists) or myself further...

marlina signing out...