Happy Merdeka Malaysians! | 1957 - 2014

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah, today the 31st of August 2014, Malaysians everywhere rejoice in the Lord's gift of independence. We are 57! The best gift of independence is peace. Peace of mind as a result of being free to think, believe and do according to one's own best choice. Not his, not hers, not theirs.

 

A man or a woman at this age is one who must be contented with a life well spent. A man or a woman at this age must have learned a lot of lessons in life hence eager to embrace the coming years with more confidence and faith in the ever merciful God who has given us plenty. Indeed, we have plenty to be thankful for, Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

 

This Sunday morning I am one Malaysian who wakes up in a foreign land feeling proud of my country. No matter where we are, we have the country's flag waving in our heart always. Today it's waving in a special way.

 

 

Sunday morning, 31st August 2014
From Hong Kong with love and good thoughts for my fellow Malaysians.
Wish y'all a great day.
May the coming years be even more meaningful for all of us.
Allah Kareem.
Ameen.
 

 

Majlis Ijazah for Sidi Allie Khalfe in Cape Town

Bismillah.

MashaAllah, I am delighted to share these lovely photos from Cape Town courtesy of Sidi Allie Khalfe.

He had been granted ijazah (permission) to transmit sacred knowledge from Shaykh Seraj Hendricks and Shaykh Ahmad Hendricks, from the ocean of knowledge of Almarhum Sayyid Muhammad bin Alawi al-Maliki.

The beautiful majlis as emanated from the photos below took place on the 22nd of August 2014.

Sidi Allie Khalfe granted ijazah by Shaykh Seraj Hendricks
who is nominated among top 500 influential Muslims

Joyous gathering

Almarhum Sayyid Alawi Al Maliki

Beautiful friendship. Beautiful moment!

Hong Kong - one traveller is loving it!

Bismillah.

Was in the cab, thought for a sec - that looked like Penang Bridge, almost, but nay, it's Hong Kong people! Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

And then a much respected friend from Cape Town popped in virtually to say hi and that I was missed, that Shaykh Seraj Hendricks was looking at some pages of this blog. MashaAllah. It's very soothing indeed to hear that : )

Hong Kong is going to be greaaat - I said to myself. And this is the view from my room. Subhanallah!

At the nearby Kowloon mosque, I met sister Bibi Jal, 65, who has been living in HK for 20 years already. She is the only lady-cleaner at the mosque. Five men are in charge of the male section. According to Bibi Jal, there are three imams at the mosque; Mufti Arshad and Mufti Shuib, both from Pakistan and Imam Shuib Abdul Rahman from India and Brother Ali Shah is the mosque's supervisor. May Allah bless them all. They have got a respectable profession indeed.

Kowloon Mosque on Nathan Road
nestled in a buzzing shopping district - Tsim Sha Tsui

Maghrib at Kowloon Mosque

Blessed to have Bibi Jal say a prayer for this faqir.

Oh someone is singing John Lennon's song Imagine at the hotel's lobby as I type this: "You may say I am a dreamer...but I am not the only one..."

A dreamer in Hong Kong

My "Cinta" | My love

Bismillah.

Cinta means love. Pronounce chin-ta.

The theme for Malaysia's national day this year is Di Sini Lahirnya Sebuah Cinta. It means "This is where love is born."

This morning as I entered the office lobby, there were people handing out tiny blue cards to staffs - a campaign for the upcoming Independence Day on 31st August. We are to take photos using the blue cards and express our love of the things/people we love - our country, our territory, our city - something, someone.

Tonight as I browsed the book as seen in below pic, I felt certain that I love the Muslim Saints and Mystics. They are simply amazing. It's so easy to love them because they speak the truth. They are a bunch of real, no-nonsense people.

Here's one anecdote of Hatim al-Assam who was a pupil of Shaqiq al-Bakhi, who died in 237 (852).  

"One day a  man came to Hatim and said, "I possess much wealth, and I wish to give some of this wealth to you and your companions. Will you accept?"

"I am afraid." Hatim answered, "that when you die I shall have to say, 'Heavenly Provider, my earthly provider is dead."

LOL

: D

Muslim Saints and Mystics
Episodes from the Tadhkirah al-Awliya'
of Farid al-Din 'Attar
Translated by A.J Arberry

Yes, I love my country, Malaysia : )

Strength giver | Keys of treasures

Bismillah.

It's natural that people look for strength every now and again because there is no power and no strength save with Allah, the High, the Great. We mortals have to search for it and rely upon the Creator, the Giver of strength.

It's no surprise that one of the top word search on this space is la haula wala quwwata illah billah. It is He who gives us the strength to do every action yet oftentimes we forget, thinking we are so smart and so capable to do this and that. We can be so proud even towards our own Creator, let alone fellow mortals.

Today I learned something small yet significant from my CEO. He said "don't take it as my opinion, it's just my personal wisdom." It's rare that people at top positions are not opinionated. Many people want to be opinion leaders, but I think real leaders lead based on wisdom. Wisdom is something that God gives to a person over time. It's not something you master through intelligence alone. It comes from submission to life's lessons. It's a result of surrendering to life's ups and downs, it's a result of pulling oneself up after falling down or getting knocked down. Wisdom comes with patience, whereas opinion is most likely accompanied with ego. He who is humble is rich - big time rich. He/she who is always thinking "I am right, you are wrong" has got to be poor. Humility is strength, because it is not within a person - who is limited. Humility is strength because it is drawn from the Strength Giver. It's something you have to draw down from His bank - which is limitless.

Speaking of God's "bank", the other top word search is 'keys of the treasures of the heavens and earth' which was posted about 5 years ago.

http://lisanaldin.blogspot.com/2009/05/keys-of-treasures-of-heavens-earth.html

After so many years, I had finally found the right artisan who could produce an artwork of that precious du'a. Alhamdulillah, He gives in His own time, not ours. All strengths are after all with Him, not us. La hawla wala quwwata illah billah.

Let not a day pass without reflecting on the Majestic Lord. Let not a day pass without leaving behind something good. Ameen.

Thorns and roses | Product of God

Bismillah.

If you want to look 10 years younger, be not a fault finder because everyone is a bearer of their own profit and loss, so no need to bother : )

Alhamdulillah it's good to be back in KL and to wind down with a good book - Devotional Stories compiled by Dr. Habib Siddiqui. The above is my takeaway from a chapter on stories of Shaykh Sa'di. The shaykh was rebuked for his fault finding:

"There was a certain young preacher who was learned and intelligent, a man of sanctity and a true worshipper. He was forcible in eloquence and correct in grammar, but his articulation was so faulty that he could not properly repeat the letters of the alphabet. I said to a holy man. "The youth has not got his front teeth!" "Speak not thus," he replied. "You have discerned his fault, but your eyes are closed to his many virtues."

"Thorns and roses grow together, why regard you only the thorns? He who is of bad nature sees nothing in the peacock but its ugly feet." Expose not the fault of others, for thereby are you forgetful of your own failings?" 

"Whether I be good or evil, keep you silent, for I am the bearer of my own profit and loss, and Allah is better acquainted with my character than you. I seek no reward from you for my virtues so that I may not be afflicted by you by reason of my sins."

"For every good act Allah will bestow not one but ten rewards. If you see one virtue in a man, do you pass over the ten faults that he has? Are not all things created, black and white, handsome and deformed, the product of God? Not every eye and eyebrow that you see is good: eat the kernel and the nut. And throw the husk away."

So don't bother.

_________________

Publisher credit: AS Noordeen    

p/s MJB: mucho gracias for the book : )

A window on life

Bismillah.

Praise be to Allah in all circumstances - Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal - He who teaches us a lesson in each and every circumstances.

Reflecting on the lives we have lost, reflecting on death would only point to one thing, which, as paradoxical as it may sound, is the essence of living. We only have one life to live, one which is eternal, for death is for a soul to taste and experience but is not finite on its own. Hence, our perspective should be far and wide and for the longest time, as far as the mind can reach, knowing that it's even beyond the farthest point that the mind may comprehend. 

Life is about forging ahead. In fact, forward is the only direction there is. Unless one is undecided thus be stationary and maintain the status quo. They say "you'll never leave where you are, until you decide where you'd rather be." And that place you'd rather be is the future as you so decide.

Because it is your life and yours only, it matters not what others say or do to derail you. As said my favorite tweeter - Women of History - "people who are too weak to follow their own dreams, will always find a way to discourage yours."

Life is about being bold in being yourself and having bold dreams. Let those who wish to bark, bark. But for us, let's just stay focused and waver not.

Reflecting from my bedroom window, it dawned on me that, you can view things whichever way you choose: square, rectangle, circle. And you may adjust the blinds as you wish. Should you still not like what is there to be seen, go frame up another view. The choice is endless. The choice is out there.

Love,

E

- always a pleasure to be writing from Penang : )

Malaysia mourns | All His

Bismillah.

Today, 22nd August 2014 is a day of mourning for Malaysia as we welcome with a heavy heart the return of the remains of twenty Malaysians who were on board flight MH17 that was shot down on July 17. Someone's beloved daughter, someone's beloved son, someone's beloved person is coming home at long last.

Inna lillah wa inna ilai hira ji'un.
To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

Our prayers and deep thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims of the MH17 tragedy.

***

"Our children are not ours. Our spouses are not ours. We were all born single and alone. No one was born as a couple. No one was born with a family of five. They are all His. Everyone who is in our life, is in our life, on loan. They are all His. We are His." - Ustaz Harryanto Rizal Rokman as quoted on TV Al Hijrah yesterday, commenting on people who tend to be overly possessive of the people in their lives. The ustaz also quoted Shaykh Ibn Arabi's du'a so that Allah would not fault him for that which is not his - that is his heart - because he is not able to control who is it that his heart may be fond of, because his heart is not his, but His.

***

Someone asked Muhammad Wasi: "how are you?"

Wasi answered: "What do you ask of him whose life is daily diminishing, whilst his sins are constantly growing!"

- Tazkirat Al-Auliya

So there, for us who are still alive, until it is our time to return to Him.

Inna lillah wa inna ilai hiraji'un.

***

http://lisanaldin.blogspot.com/2014/07/membelah-awan-harapan-mh-17-dalam.html

Rise above | Penang roots

Bismillah.

First and foremost, Dr. P know that I love and appreciate you. Yes, so true this saying you sent. We walk tall on our own two feet, we don't need to push people down in order to stand tall and look good. We speak from the heart and we speak our rights. We rise above.

By the way, I wonder if our enemies are still reading this "stupid blog". They better go get a life than hang around here. Glad to see the latest traffic report showing people coming here upon searching keywords related to knowledge and nothing to do with my sexy private photos LOL. 

Yes, we rise above. And we rise above from humble beginnings. Alhamdulillah. Am happy to share some photos of my roots. I grew up in a smallish flat. Small it might have been, I must credit my mother because our flat was very well decorated and well kept. Wished I could show photos of the interior taken in the late '70s. Maybe next time.

Flat Kampung Melayu, Penang

People are talking about the famous Kampung Melayu nasi kandar located on the ground floor of the flat. Proud to say that I had been enjoying it since I was 8! 

Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu, Penang

And the best part is that we have Shaykh Omar Basheer Al-Khalidi as our guardian saint. Let's pray someone would champion a refurbishment project of the tomb complex which needs continual preservation.

Maqam Sheikh Omar Basheer Al-Khalidi
Kampung Melayu, Penang

p/s

To all my sayang. I love you. You know who you are :D

Note:
Sayang is a Malay term of endearment for a person's sweetheart.

Loving couple through eternity - yes? no?

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah that Allah has enabled my family and I to travel safely to Penang despite having received threats after threats from someone. The latest threat was that she would send her spy to my KL home. Huh, another police report had to be made. So people, should anything bad happen to me, y'all have got some clues already. 

Times like these, I am reminded of a practice taught by Ustaz Kazim who claimed to have a good share of "enemies" himself. Of course, "there's no creature but He holds it by the forelock." He does, the Lord of Power does and not mortals who think they have an upper hand over other people whom they assume are weaker.

Anyway, it can be mind boggling how a couple could be so out of synch. One could be a fan of this space, whereas the not so in-synch other half reads but with a different kind of intention, to put it rather mildly. That's why they say, one man's pebble is another man's gem.  

When I was in Penang today, a visit to the holy maqam of Shaykh Omar Basheer Al-Khalidi led to a heart warming discovery, which goes to show that there are indeed happy couples through eternity. MashaAllah. Guess who?

His and hers

A beautiful abode for a loving couple

The tomb of Habib Syed Hassan bin Syed Haroon @ Alharu
together with his beloved wife

You may notice from the photo, branches of fruits hovering over the tomb, mashaAllah almost like a scenario in the heavens where fruits are abundant and would always be at hand for the People of the Right as mentioned in Al-Waqiah. 

Oh yes, to the mischief makers - the mufsidin - we say: to the left, to the left!

And to Allah we express our gratitude for giving us a sane mind.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.