9th Zulhijjah 1438 H | 31st August 2017 | Malaysia turns 60

Bismillah.

Today is indeed a special day for us Muslims and especially for Malaysians.

My thoughts and prayers are with my friends who are at Arafah right now. I sure hope they remember to say a prayer or two for me.

Today is, of course, our Independence Day - Malaysia celebrates her 60th Merdeka today.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for an awesome country to call home.

A special day like this calls for a special feast for iftar today.

Tomorrow will be a bigger feast as we observe the Eidul Adha celebration. Yes, it will be the traditional chicken rendang, beef dendeng, ketupat, lemang and what not tomorrow. Today is a "big biryani day" as we normally do it here in Penang.

Alhamdulillah life is very good in Malaysia.

May life get only better for us Malaysians.

Ameen.

p/s

You should know by now that Malaysian Muslim women are well known for their ever so colorful scarves. Lol.

Proud to be a Malaysian.
Proud of this vibrant nation.
Yes, I am homegrown.
 😁

Enjoy this video.

Malaysia turns 60 | Sixty flags

Bismillah.

May Allah grant us a whole lot more for the gratitude we have for our beautiful country Malaysia.

I am pleased that my mother has inculcated in me quite a bit of patriotism. She is one who is concerned about people not raising the Malaysian flags at home. She said "We can't expect the Americans to come to our village and put up a Malaysian flag in our house compound. It's not too difficult to raise a flag at home in conjunction with the Merdeka (Independence Day) celebration."

So, this year, because Malaysia is celebrating our 60th year of independence (merdeka), and to delight my mother, I made an effort to install 60 flags at our Penang home. Yes, 60! Nine big ones and 51 mini flags. With the help of my niece and nephew, we made it!

I think we might be a bit more patriotic than most people because my late father served in the army and was involved in direct physical confrontations with the communist soldiers several decades ago. 

May Allah continue to keep Malaysia safe and progressive always. 

Ameen.

Hibiscus or Bunga Raya is Malaysia's national flower

Our Merdeka party has begun.

Homemade prawn noodles 

(ala Penang of course) 

Together we feast : )
Together we rise!

***

Demi cintaku padamu
ke mana pun kau kan ku bawa
ke hujung dunia
ke bintang kejora

For the sake of my love for you
I shall take you with me every where
to the end of the world
to the Morning Star

: )

God bless Malaysia!

He knows it

Bismillah.

That's from the Quran of course: Q6:59.

I took the photo from a morning walk somewhere near Queensbay in Penang.
It was on a Monday when everyone else might have been suffering from Monday blues. LOL.

The Lord is generous, I expect the Lord to be generous always, He is what we expect Him to be. So I pray He will let me have much more free Mondays bi iznillah.

Of course, not a leaf falls but that He knows it.

So we should chill.
Don't worry, be happy and let God.

: )

Ray of Light

Bismillah.

It's wonderful to rise early and catch the morning sun. This was taken at the Youth Park in Penang.

On some days, we seek out for rays of light but let's try to....

And to all of the people in our lives who once was a ray of light we desperately needed to see, we pray so that Allah An Nur showers them with His Lights of Love and Abundance.

Ameen.

p/s
Morning walks on this lovely island of Penang are simply awesome.
There's a long list of places to go with free admission.
The best things in life are free : D

Vista point atop of a top uni in Penang

Bismillah.

Hi folks

We too have twin towers with a connecting bridge between them, right here in Penang.

Check out the Penang Bridge in the background, it's the first/older Penang Bridge not the second/longer one known as Sultan Abdul Halim bridge. This is taken from my fave vista point since I was 17. It's at one of the top local universities of Malaysia. Alhamdulillah praise be to Allah for letting us live long til our present age and healthy too.

Let's make full use of our leisure time before we are overcome by busy-ness. Alhamdulillah I am getting used to a semi-retirement lifestyle already.

May Allah grant us a wonderfully fruitful life until old age. Ameen.

The tall cylindrical building on the left is KOMTAR,
Penang's earliest high rise building
and somewhere on the right, the one with orangy roof is micasa.

Alhamdulillahi hamdan yuwafi niamahu wayukafi u mazidah

North Face | Cape of Spending

Bismillah

Assalamualaikum,
Hi guys,
The Eidul Adha holiday has begun for me : D

Alhamdulillah!

It's time to put on my north-face (since I am from Penang - the northern part of Malaysia). Not that it has ever left me. LOL. Yes, it's time to drive up north, face north, everything north. North-bound, YaHuuu!

Not going to apologize that the upcoming postings for the next few days will be light and easy as I holiday in my hometown - George Town - a Unesco World Heritage site. The annual (8th) George Town Festival is still buzzing, by the way, it's for the whole month of August.

And yes, as can be seen in the news screenshot - September will be even more fun, lots more holidays galore in Malaysia In Sha Allah.

Joyfully stuck in Tanjung Belanja
[not Tanjung Belaga - I mispronounced it.]
It's somewhere past Ipoh (northbound). Didn't know there's such a place. 
It means 'Cape of Spending'. LOL. 
That's a big sign/clue of the usual occurrence when you are on a holiday. LOL 

A typical scene when you drive along the North-South Highway during school holidays.
But, life in Malaysia is jolly good, regardless.
Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for this beautiful country.
Next week, on the 31st of August, we are going to be 60 years old - Malaysia.

Below - is one proud Malaysian:

Gotta praise the Lord for having delivered me safely home.

Wish y'all a wonderful weekend.

p/s

Did you know George Town was first (historically known) as Tanjung Penaga or Cape of Penaga after Penaga trees which grew abundantly at the Cape (George Town). Penaga trees are known for their white fragrant flowers.

Oh yes, that's why Penang girls are ever so sweet-scented. LOL.

From Penang with love

My job | Your job

Bismillah.

Let's not confuse ourselves.
Let's focus on our own jobs.
LOL

Moreover, this is my space.

I speak my mind.

I don't need validation from you to say that I am pious or religious or knowledgeable or good or doing the "right" thing,  according to your definitions.

Just get out of here if you don't like it. I didn't force you to come here in the first place nor am I affected if I lost a visit from you.

But for all the backbiting/slander from you, I say thanks for letting me "score" easily on your account.

I am sure you have got dependents under your care, you should busy yourselves guarding them instead.

Let me just do my job here - it's MY job to LIKE me.

LOL.

Kindness

Bismillah.

It amazes me to see many more non-Muslims showing kindness in a big way without being showy and more importantly without having any elaborate "outer religious-appearance" as the sense of humanity runs deep in them.

Perhaps we Muslims should scrape-off the religious sugar coatings and focus more on the crux of the matter. I know some Hajis at my office who keep harping on their hajj experience especially during this hajj season as if they are the chosen ones and are forever pure, without realizing that being lazy, bluffing their way and claiming free credits on work matters etc. is definitely not Islamic. And that's basic.

May Allah protect us from the ill effects of a self-righteous disease.

May Allah enable us to keep a habit of showing kindness always, in a small or big way. Ameen.

1st Zulhijjah 1438 H

Bismillah.

La ilaha illAllah
to the number of nights and ages
La ilaha illAllah
to the number of days and months

May Allah grant us tawfiq to improve the quality of our ibadah and multiply it during these auspicious first ten days of Zulhijjah.

p/s

For full azkar as recommended by Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

http://muwasala.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Adhkar-for-the-First-Ten-Days-of-Dhu%E2%80%99l-Hijjah-1.pdf

Frankly speaking, I found it a bit challenging, definitely not for the "faint-hearted", but let's just read them. 

La hawla wala quwata illah billah

***

I wish y'all a productive Wednesday.

234 | Tuesday

Bismillah.

O you who have a tendency to wake up late and spend the day unproductively, know that today is the 234th day of the year. Of course, one who is not mindful of the time does not bother what day of the year it is.

One good thing about trying to blog every day is that you are more aware of the number of days that have passed and how many more days there are left before the year ends.

There are 131 days left in 2017.

What would you do?

Clean the planet, except your room?

Bi iznillah, I am excited about 2018. It's good to be excited and have positive expectations on the Generous Lord. After all, He is as what we expect Him to be. Allah says, "I am as my servant expects Me to be."

Therefore,
expect the Lord, to always be super generous and compassionate towards us.
That He would pick us up quickly and heal our wounds every time we fall or get bruised.
That He would facilitate our work, our endeavors, our travel plans, and everything else.
That He would make us cash-rich, a multi-millionaire perhaps, not just in terms of assets.
And rich with good deeds and praiseworthy character.
Ameen.
***

It's Tuesday. Come on every body, let's twist.
; )

p/s

Gosh, it just occurred to me, if I were to live past 80, I should do something worthwhile from age 50 to 80. That's like 30 years. What can you do in 30 years? Write 5 books perhaps? Have another three blogs perhaps or whatever they may call it by then. May Allah provide for us well until old age. May we become useful senior citizens, useful and inspiring for the youth in terms of wisdom. May we remain healthy and agile until our last breath so that we don't bother other people with our weaknesses.

Ameen.

Pilgrims of hearts

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

I am indeed pleased to learn that one pious young gentleman whom I got to know through the blogosphere, is leaving for hajj this week.

I have not met a young man who is blessed with excellent manners as he is. My heart says he will attain hajj mabrur for he more than deserves it, and I reckon it's going to be like a walk in the park (almost) for him. [Ameen]

Feeling absolutely fortunate that I have someone who would say a prayer for me at Arafah this season. [I have got four of them. How many have you got?] In sha Allah.

Let's say Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for all the praiseworthy people with whom we have crossed path. May Allah continue to shower plenty of blessings on them.

Ameen.

Eight peas recipe

Bismillah.

Found this good recipe this beautiful Sunday morning and decided to make a poster of it as a reminder for me-self and my nieces and nephews especially. They have become ardent readers of this space. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen : )

Of course, I need motivation every day just as I shower every day. Not sure about you. LOL.

And should anybody (people with emotional baggage) try to pull you down with their negativities, tell them like we do in Penang: "Pea-rah". LOL.

Or say it like the Malaysian Indians do: "Pod-dah". LOL.

p/s

Laughter is an instant vacation.
Can't wait to go holiday with the other "pea in the pod".

p/s

Oh yes, the feeling you get when your fried noodles taste twenty times better than the better ones you have ever bought. LOL.

#CookLikeAPenangite

Congrats Malaysia! | Great sportsmanship

Bismillah.

I am super proud to be a Malaysian on this night especially - the Opening Ceremony of the 29th SEA GAMES which has been officiated just a while ago by His Majesty the King of Malaysia, Sultan Muhammad V.

The country is witnessing a historic event as it's being overseen by an uber-sporting and very capable Sports Minister of Malaysia who is also competing in the SEA GAMES  in the equestrian polo sport.

The motto for the games is "Bangkit Bersama" or "Rising Together". We learn from a hadith that a believer is like a brick in a structure of a building, one supports the other. It would be amazing if we could truly complement one another. The outcome of rising together would be even more amazing! I think we need to show greater sportsmanship on matters of the religion for the benefit of all and everyone.

   

May Allah grant us the strength to keep fit and make our limbs strong so we could be useful to people around us especially the weak among us.

"Fill your mind with truth,
your heart with love,
your life with service."

Let's confabulate | Connecting the right way

Bismillah.

It sounds a bit odd - confabulate, but it's nothing odd really LOL. It means to chat or converse informally. My command of the English language is pretty poor, people mocked me for it, so I try to learn a new word every day. 

Confabulate - that's what I've been doing here lately, chat informally with myself, chronicling thoughts, experiences and feelings. It's not just important to connect with oneself inwardly (as in reflect). It's equally important to connect with our loved ones in the right way instead of getting busy being 'connected' in the virtual realm.

I consider myself fortunate to be connected with a Mekah resident. I asked her for advice re hajj (pilgrimage). Having lived in Mekah for more than a decade, I asked her how many times had she performed hajj already. "I stopped counting. It's not about the number of times, it's more about trying to improve myself each time. I got tested differently each time. It's different every year."

And this precious lesson, I managed to dig from her - a committed tholabul ilmi, pious but never self-righteous.

• Taubah (repentance) is the most important thing. We should learn from Prophet Adam alaihisalam on the importance of continual repent.
• It's also important to acquire as much knowledge as possible prior to hajj. We should be inspired by Prophet Idris who was gifted with vast knowledge.
• Thirdly, we must act. It's about doing. Prophet Nuh is one who taught us plenty of lesson about the virtues of actions/good deeds.
• Fourthly, we must have tawakkul. Prophet Ibrahim alaihisalam showed us how great he was in putting his trust in Allah. He left Hajjar and Ismail in the desert, he submitted to Allah completely, he was willing to slaughter Ismail but Allah changed the decree. The enemies wanted to burn him, yet he submitted his fate to Allah, who saved him eventually. So we have to have trust in Allah.  

In a nutshell, it's about repenting, acquiring knowledge, doing/acting and having faith (tawakkul) in Allah.

Subhanallah!

You know they say, we are the average of five people we often spend time with. I sure hope Allah makes me spend a lot more time with pious, humble and knowledgeable people like this one special friend of mine.

And, yes, may Allah grant us more opportunity to connect with and make us belong with people who meet and part for the sake of Allah, just so that we get to win His protection on the Day of Resurrection.

Ameen.

  

Ameen.

Seeing vs recognizing

Bismillah.

Sometimes, the most religious and profound wisdom is said by people who outwardly appear to be not so "religious".

I think this is the one truth that transcends religions as it is a universal truth that is hard to deny.

Yes, an American singer/actress said this, how true I thought.

"People see God every day,

They just don't recognize Him."

- Pearl Bailey

As Muslims, we should strive to see and recognize His Attributes (Asmaul Husna) that is abound, around us. And keep a good heart, cos verily He sees our hearts "live" and the universe is quick to recognize it too.

Happy (belated) Thursday.

: D

Upholding one's ideals

Bismillah.

Of course, it's never easy to uphold one's ideals all the time. But on some days, we should feel grateful that we are able to carry out our ideals. It's about having faith in oneself and having positive expectations that someday you would be able to live it. 

One of our common ideals that are attainable pretty easily is honoring guests and spreading cheer. 

Yes! Happy to have made my guests happy.
Truth is I am happier that they came and took away a sea of my sins.
LOL
Yes, we all love beautiful objects, don't we.
Allah jameel yu hibbul jamal

Thank God for good guests.
[Not gate-crashers/impostors.]

Alhamdulillah for the littlest of blessings.

Tuesday Tips: Use your energy to believe

Bismillah.

Ahah! Yes, Eza, please be mindful of this simple lesson.
Tuesday tips for you, here goes:

YaHuuu!

I'd like to believe that I have gotten a million good vibes in return
for having sent good vibes through this space for almost 10 years.
All praise to Allah the Most High, He who inspires all things good.

p/s
I am liking my posters.
Hope you like it too ;-)

Wings to fly | Malaysia my home

Bismillah.

It's August. It's a special month for Malaysians. We as a nation will turn 60, come 31st of August 2017.

Sixty is a nice sounding significant number. It sounds kinda sexy. It's a pretty serious number though. How would you expect a 60-year-old person to be in terms of character and behavior, mentally and physically?

A country that is 60 years old already, that's what we are. We have done pretty well, methinks.

What does home - Malaysia - mean to me? I would like to quote Dalai Lama:

Yes, Malaysia has given me wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay.

I feel loved. The country loves me and I love her, absolutely.

I have benefited from a good and cheap education offered by the country.

Benefited from a handsome scholarship to study abroad.

Benefited from lots of perks of working at a Government-linked company.

So, yes, the country has given me wings to fly.

Coming back to my roots is "a journey" I cherish every time.

The feeling you have when the flight captain says: To all Malaysians, we say 'welcome home'.
And of course, there is no reason NOT to stay. Nay.

I say to my fellow countrymen - stay beautiful, stay grateful, stay you!

Happy Merdeka.

Let's enjoy our birth month. Enjoy August!

Greater gratitude

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.
May we wake up tomorrow with greater gratitude.


Sweet dreams : )

Count the days | Make the days count

Bismillah.

Allahumma soyyiban nafi'a
May Allah make the pouring rain beneficial.

It's raining right now in KL.
Yes, we all yearn for everything beneficial.
May Allah An Nafi' - the Source of Good, the Benefactor grant us everything beneficial. Ameen.

I am at a beneficial crossroad Alhamdulillah. I must proclaim this upcoming bounty from Him. It is yet another proof that He has been listening to my plea and He will be offering bi iznillah. He Allah subhanahu wa taala is indeed the ultimate, the best Arranger/Manager/Planner.  

Yes, one beneficial move I am so looking forward to is: working for only 24 hours a week or 156 days in a year! YaHuu! Although in reality, I will end up "working" more days for all kinds of other activities, that's OK, as long as the official working days is just 156 out of 365 days.

So what do I do on the 209 off days?

On a serious note, if we were told we have just 209 days to live, what would we do? What would you do? How do we fill up the 209 days? What kind of schedule would you put together? Quran recital 2 hours a day perhaps? Visit the sick and fast, every other day? Gotta think about it seriously. How do we make the days count?

May Allah keep us occupied with thoughts, speech, actions that are pleasing to Him, every single day. That we only engage in everything beneficial for our dunya and akhirah. 

Aameen.

p/s
May our life be more and more spectacular as was the meteor shower which decorated the sky tonight (13 Aug 2017). I didn't see it for myself but it's there above us all this mid-August. Life may not be anywhere near decent, let alone spectacular for many of us, so we pray Allah removes afflictions and sadness at comet-speed. He can do anything He wills.
Aameen.

Day of Thanksgiving

Bismillah.

A day to be thankful, as we learned from our honorable Shuyukh, it's "today" that Allah created Adam and placed him in paradise.

More often than not, we let the week passes by with little consciousness of how special Friday is. Perhaps we should say TGFA - Thank God For Adam. May Allah grant us the capacity to always be cognizant of this great blessing no matter where we are.

And, yes no matter where you are, enjoy the journey, enjoy the adventure.
Friday...yay...yay...yay
: D

"A Fellowship of Faith" - latest book by Shaykh Allie Khalfe of Cape Town

Bismillah.

We would like to say heartiest congratulations to Shaykh Allie Khalfe on the successful launching of his book: "A Fellowship of Faith" - a detailed commentary of the Surah Fatihah on 6th August 2017. The book is prefaced and endorsed by the Grand Mufti of Cairo and Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah. 

The event was graced by Umar Kemp. Below is a short intro of Sidi Umar Kemp, in the words of Shaykh Allie expressing gratitude for the launch of his book - A Fellowship of Faith.

"Our senior, Umar Kemp is in his 90s and is a treasure and pillar of strength and wisdom in our Cape Legacy. He is a living Ghazalian and the most senior Ba'Alawi scholar in perhaps the entire Southern Africa, having sat before the master, Shaykh Muhammad Salih Hendricks who was a contemporary of the Awliya of Makkah, including Sayyidi Bakri Shatta, Shaykh Bakr Bab Sayl, Shaykh Umar Ba Junaid, Sayyid Abbas Al Maliki and many others, all of whom drank from the basin of Sayyid Ahmad Zayn Dahlan (may Allah bless them all). He blessed our book launch this morning with his gentle heart and firm resolve. It is their duas that we seek and their sincerity that brings barakah to places they enter so that all the books were sold out this morning. Thank you all for your support and may Allah bless all of us with His infinite Mercy and Compassion." 

To order the book: contact 0714138725
Price: South African Rand 150
Pages: 180

Attendees at the book launch on 6th August 2017.
Alhamdulillah, though we may be far apart, though we are yet to meet,
the jemaah in Cape Town is close to our heart.   

[Info & pics published with permission from Shaykh Allie]

Be constantly courageous

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum...
Better late than never.
What was I up to three days ago - Wednesday?
[It's Saturday. This is a backdated posting.]

God knows!
LOL.

Anyhow, give a pat on your back if you have done it before - if you were once courageous. That you tried. Not to have tried is the true failure. That you pushed yourself against all odds. That's one of the countless branches of faith. That you keep pressing on, try again and try again cos as the wise men say, courage is like a muscle, it gets better and stronger by use.

[Yeah...am pushing for a small posting each day of Twenty Seventeen.]

Says Tom Krause

To anyone of you out there who could use a little push to forge ahead, I say just do/act in spite of the fear.

"In His hands is all good."

- Quran 3:26

Lunar Eclipse in KL - 8th Aug 2017

Bismillah.

Subhanallah!

From my balcony
photo captured by my niece

Err...this video more or less captured my experience but the eclipsed moon didn't turn out well on my phone. [Obviously, it's a partial eclipse Eza. I was thinking of the song 'Total eclipse of the heart' - perhaps. LOL.]

Nevertheless...you get to see KL in the wee hours.

It's 3.19 a.m. already. My thoughts at this very moment, are words of Cyril Connoly (writer/editor 1903-1974): "Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self."

Thanks to each of 1 Million of you - soul - who swing by this insignificant space, well aware that I have written as notes to myself and I thank you (most of you) for not minding me being myself. Some people mind, this I understand but not bothered. LOL.

There in mid-air, our souls meet albeit so brief.

In spare seconds you leave,
hopefully with something positive.

A little something. A piece of me, sweetness, warts and all.
: D

Slay thy Monday | Mind your time

Bismillah.

Yeah...honor thy father and thy mother, and slay thy Monday.

Make them proud. They wouldn't want to see you defeated by Mondays. They wouldn't want to see you defeated on any day, for that matter.

Have a productive and pleasant week guys.

I am excited about this week cos I gotta couple of lessons left til I complete my Quranic Tajweed lessons. Alhamdulillah. Bi iznillah.

I read from a friend's FB page about a pious Malaysian woman who died at a mosque in KL between Maghrib and Isha with the Quran firmly clasped in her hands. According to her family and friends, she was istiqamah in her passion and commitment for the Quran. She was a Ph.D. holder, an Associate Professor who dressed pretty normal (no niqab) I mean no way you could have guessed the degree of her taqwa. Not that a person's taqwa is as grand as her jilbab/his beard or whatever. She was one who made full use of her time on things that count - the Quran and doing good to people.

I am ashamed of myself as I write about her. I am not minding my time as wisely as I should. I just want to make an intention - to be like her, to be clingy to the Quran, to be busy slaying the pages of the Holy Book at a faster speed than my fingers could scroll the phone. It's not going to be easy. But the fact remains that time is like a knife if you don't cut it, it cuts you.

Same language of faith

Bismillah.

Mr/Ms Anonymous says, everyone smiles in the same language. I reckon that's one of several common things we share in regards to the language of faith. No matter how crooked your smile is, it gives you a good chance to set things straight.

So smile more. It's sunnah.

It's our common language.

Let's try to always stay on top of things and smile

p/s

This blogger is extra elated as she awaits a million hits for this space. Three hundred to go.

She is loving herself a wee bit more and she is not apologizing for it.

: )

Between hallux and minimus

Bismillah.

Between hallux and minimus, just please don't step on my toes cos securing Jannah is my own responsibility. 

When the noises rise above the decibels we could tolerate, heed this advice from Dr Bilal Philips: "It's easy to get swayed by what people say, but ask yourself, who is going to give you Jannah? Allah or those people?"

Taffakur (contemplation) could help direct our soul to Jannah. Looking inwardly to ourselves, not outwardly to others. 

What is your door to Jannah? Your mother? Whoever or whatever it may be, let's find our own doors. No need to be bothered about other people's hallux and minimus and all that's in between. Mind your own toes. Never mind hers/his. Don't step on mine, so I won't step on yours.

Have a wonderful Saturday and Sunday, folks.
And slay your Monday

   

Create your own sunshine | Get off line

Bismillah.

Yup...true!
On some days, you just have to.

Let's admit it we are addicted to input.

Something to think about this weekend.

This article on the virtues of daily journaling is an eye opener for me. It may not be your cup of tea though. Regardless, the fact is we have become addicted to input and get easily distracted by other people's agenda. Therefore, the writer suggests we spend me-time, off-line of course, to reflect and write out our inner feelings/thoughts/dreams - focusing on creating our own output. Create our own sunshine.

Journaling is therapeutic, to say the least. Read on if you are already into writing or one who might want to consider it - journaling.

Anyhow, I sincerely hope no one is addicted/negatively distracted by my ramblings.

Let's log off now and get on with the real world.

Here's to a happy weekend.

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-p-hardy/why-keeping-a-daily-journal-could-change-your-life.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter

On turning ten | The Turner of hearts

Bismillah.

I am feeling a lil melodramatic now that this space is turning ten years old very soon.

Of course, I feel 10 years older. What can 10 years do to a person? To you? To me?
Plenty!

I will say, I have had enough.
LOL.

It was The Turner of hearts who turned my heart to this space. It was The Turner of hearts who has made me turn the page and scribble a bit and turn the page and repeat - quite religiously.

A ten-year-old girl is one who would reach puberty anytime.
A ten-year-old girl is one who begins to discover her own feminity.

When I was ten, I represented my school in athletics, netball and traditional dancing competition. I won 5 gold medals in the school sporting event. I was at a peak in terms of physical activities. Alhamdulillah for those wonderful memories.

Glory be to Allah for letting us have unique experiences at different stages of life. It is He who turns our hearts towards a thing. He gives all of us unique interests through different phases of our lives.

Let us be among those who see His miraculous workings every day on us and others.
And be among those who are mature in thinking, accepting and appreciating His wondrous actions on us and others.

Ah...on a lighter note, I hope I look 10 years younger. LOL.

OK folks, thanks for tolerating my ramblings.
Thank God It's Thursday.
May Friday unfold more magic and happiness to you and me.
Aameen

Lisan Al-Din blog = A 10-year-old tree
(bi iznillah)

Magic number | Hasbunallah

Bismillah.

I noticed our venerable Habib Umar bin Hafiz had on two occasions prescribed this azkar when asking for aid from Allah to remove difficulties and also prevent a mishap - 450 times - is the "magic number" to recite. 

There must be some secrets as to why a certain number of repetitions is recommended for a certain azkar e.g. 100, 75, 33, 27 and in the case of  Hasbunallah wa nikmal wakil - it's 450. 

Let's have this here for future reminder/reference.

Let's heed.

May this simple lesson and practice bring much benefit to he/she who has in the chamber of his/her heart, a secret plea.

We must thank Allah for we can't fathom the number of times when we surrendered to Him Al Wakil and He evicted major harm from us. That which seemed as an unanswered prayer or a withholding was actually a big blessing. Or that He acts/reacts on our behalf with greater might and wisdom.

: )

Allahu Akbar!


Ref: Muwasala.org

In august company

Bismillah.

I am not sure about you, but I keep failing at realizing that I am in august company 24/7. Am talking about the Lord, He is with us 24/7, a fact that we often forget.

If we were to work on this fact alone, that is to be truly conscious of His presence, His nearness, and His power, things would be completely and positively different.

Something to chew as we embrace the month of August, already! Oh dear Lord, the year is coming to an end so quickly.

Victor Hugo that famous French poet says:
"Prayer is an august avowal of ignorance.'

Yes, we gotta pray harder for we know not what's in store tomorrow.
We gotta keep praying cos He knows better what and when better to answer our prayer.

Aameen.