Write it yourself | My pen

Bismillah.




Love this tweet by @Epic_Women.
But the poster above is designed by yours truly ya : D

No, you can't touch my pen, let alone hold it. LOL.

Alhamdulillah for the simple pleasures of life i.e. blogging freely, speaking up freely, writing freely. It's kinda fun training my brain to craft contents inspired by something I read, see, hear, experience or feel. It's a good practice to sharpen the mind like reading the Quran out loud - you have to sort of prepare your vocal cords in advance for the next word just as you recite the current word. Gosh, I don't know how to articulate it, but I think you understand what I mean by that, about reading the Quran - your brain and eyes have got to be fast. I am at Chapter 20 now. What about you?  I just realised there's one chapter I enjoy reading each and every time - Surah Shu'ra' - The Poets cos it's easy to read, short rhythmic sentences, poetic-sounding, love it!

Wama tawfiqi illah billah.

My success is only by Allah.

p/s
Hope you like what you are reading here - the story of my life : )

If it pains you, then leave. LOL

Week 44 | Number matters

Bismillah.

What was I thinking, of course, there are only 52 weeks in a year, not 56.
356 days in a year, yes.
It's Week No. 44 already. Alhamdulillah.

Alhamdulillah, so far I managed to keep up with my "daily rambling ambition" that is to celebrate life every single day by just saying (typing) about 200 words a day just to mark the day. It's like the cliched advice: count your blessings every day. But really we should not downplay the significance of seemingly insignificant actions.

"Recognize your daily successes. They are the foundation upon which more will come your way."

- Gary Loper (a mindset coach from USA)

Of course, number matters, especially in relation to our bank accounts. LOL.

Most people say numbers don't matter as far as one's age is concerned, but I think it does, cos I don't want to be 17, or 27 or 33, cos that would tantamount to discounting Allah's gifts. Would you like to return those years if there's such a thing as "Yes-Return-Policy"? That does not make a good "numerical reasoning" does it? LOL.

The generous Lord has given us the blessing of existence so now we know Him and His wonderful creations. Or did He create us so He could know Himself?! Ahah.

The more we know Allah.

The more we understand life.

The more we love Allah.

The more we appreciate life.

The more we recognize His Power.

The more humble we become by His every gift, 

day in day out.

The more we know Allah

The more we understand our "self"

Subhanallah wa bihamdih.

Subhanallahil Azeem.

Here's my most fave quote of the week. It's by Ernest Hemingway. 

#fastabiqulkhairatiamintheraceareyou

#iamresponsibleformyownbookofdeeds
#admitityoulikemymotivationalpostcardsdontyoulol

  

Sunday state of mind

Bismillah.

Tomorrow is Monday?!

It's OK. I have enough patience and positive expectations because I will be on leave on all the Mondays in 2018 and beyond In Sha Allah.

Allah Kareem.

 🤣

This is by Allah another miraculous blessing which I never thought possible. But indeed He is extremely generous. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

I am A-OK actually.

Wish you a fabulous (whatever that is left of) Sunday. May it be as colourful as my scarf 😁

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - let our state of mind be one that is faithful, grateful and hopeful for in Allah's hand is all good.

#2018isgoingtobesuperawesomegodwilling

p/s A little bird told me some people are not happy seeing so many photos of me. LOL. Don't be silly ya cos I did not force you to visit this space. And let me remind you, it's not your job to like me, it's my job to like me 😁👍

Thank God for yummy delivery | Happy Saturday

Bismillah.

I love my family for they know on most days I prefer to stay indoor and do my own thing (catching up on blogging among other things) so they leave me alone and delivered the Bisou cakes I ordered promptly. LOL.

[TQ Nish-Nish]

yummy delivery

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for good food and good times alone, but technically speaking we are never alone cos He is always around, always present.

If eating cake is wrong, then I don't want to be right, ever. But I want to be right about being clingy to the Quran cos I really need a handsome lawyer in my grave. I won't mind sharing a cupcake with him as long as he makes sure I don't get spanked. LOL.

Enjoy the weekend, folks.

Let's give today the chance to become one of the most beautiful days of our life.

Fruitful Fri-yay

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum
: )

[Always wear a smile because you never know who is watching LOL]

I am writing as is and I will quote Cicero again, "even if you have nothing to write, write and say so." 

I have been very busy with work. It's good to be busy, needless to say. A little bird told me some souls kinda missed my presence these past few days. Heh heh...thank you. I missed this space too. It's my intention that my words and gestures, though short and snappy (or silly) would bear some sweet fruits or put a smile on someone's face.

I "seek to be worth knowing rather than well known." as said, Sean Gardner

Good night folks.

I am just too sleepy and in desperate need of the weekend. LOL.

  

  

Let's do this tomorrow, first thing in the morning - to give it a chance to become the most beautiful day of our life. As for today, it's a wrap! 

: D Alhamdulillah.

Thanks for tolerating this Fri-rambling. It looks a bit like my fave fried eggs: over easy.
LOL.

      

Be the best creation | Q98:7

Bismillah.

I gradually realize as I engage more closely with the Holy Quran that there are plenty of tips in it.

We all want to be the best this, the best that. It's good to want to be the best. In our quest for attaining success and becoming the best, we tend to get sidetracked, detoured, or even lost because the road map is not clear.

Know that the Quran gives us one simple formula for being the best of creation, the best of creatures. It's in verse 98:7. The code is easy to remember Q987.

Allah tells us, all we need to do is do just two things:

1. Believe
2. Do righteous deeds.  

According to  Sunni Tafsir, "believe" means believing in Prophet Muhammad salallah alaihiwasalam and the Quran. Secondly, we are to perform acts of obedience or good works privately between ourselves and with our Lord.

It's quite a simple formula methinks. But should we get sidetracked, detoured, or even lost sometimes we should not lose heart, we should not lose faith but keep forging ahead cos as said Winston Churchill, "Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." 

Pray Allah grants us tawfik and hidayah to believe and to do good works every day until the last day of our life so we are blessed with a good ending (husnul khatimah). So we may be successful and qualify as one of the best creations/creatures ever lived on earth. Ameen.

p/s
Hope you like the poster I crafted.
#alwaystrytodosomethingoriginal

Ref: altafsir.com

What do you say

Bismillah.

What do you say to people who acted as if they are holy and branded you a b_ch when you could see that actually, they're far from holy. We should know that people whom we condemn for their seemingly wrong-doings might, in fact, be better than us. And that people who have children under their responsibilities should busy themselves guarding and guiding their own children instead of being nosy and judgmental on others.

I remind myself that fighting against my own lower nafs is a constant jihad. It's a lifelong process. I pray Allah will give me true friends who would look out for me, should I get derailed. I pray Allah protects me from people who try to derail me from the Straight Path. Ameen. 

I say Alhamdulillah. Perhaps it's good to have people cursed you, called you names, looked down on you etc., cos it's really sweet knowing you are none of those and that Allah loves you very much so He elevates your status even more and grants you plenty of gifts.

I say Alhamdulillah, I have got good fundamentals, and that I am not fake.

I say Alhamdulillah, I am faith.

Speaking the language of faith

#iamintochapter19ofthequranthankgod
#fastabiqulkhairatiamintherightrace
#jagaanaksendiribagibetuldanjangansibukhalorang😉
#guessmakcikgotthemessagealreadylol

Think limitless | Become comfortable with the uncomfortable

Bismillah.

This is what I learned this week, that many people try to escape being in uncomfortable situations. I think it's something that if I try to master, I would succeed big time, over time sooner or later. But the sooner the better. It takes practice, a lot of self-psyching and a huge amount of courage. But if you think about it, it takes a small trick to switch the discomfort around and put it to rest.

I just wanted to have this posting/reminder here so I could come back to it whenever any fear of discomfort try to creep in. The more you allow yourself to be in uncomfortable situations, the more practice you get, and with more practice, you'll get better and you'll master it eventually. So don't be like those who despite having a big post/salary they shy away from being in uncomfortable situations. Be brave, seek more opportunities, more practice sessions, that's the only way you could learn, better yourself, sharpen your mindset and polish your skills.  

Have a can-do "possibilitarian" attitude, always, all the time, anytime.
Just do it.

Credit: Chris Hughes

Cheers!

Are you non-negligent or are you a devout? | 10 or 100?

Bismillah.

Gosh, I've just learned that the difference between the two i.e. being non-negligent or devout is 90 verses. It's a matter of choice: either you do 10 or do 100.

Yes, there's a hadith about people who should be envied. One of the two types of people who should be envied is the night time Quran reciter. 

No wonder I have got many more people who envy me these days. LOL. Just kidding!

On a serious note, if you do not wish to be branded as negligent, then you should read 10 verses of the Quran every night. There is a hadith narrated by Al-Hakim, the Prophet (pbuh) says: "Whoever reads 10 verses at night, will not be recorded as one of the negligent."

If you wish to belong to the "upper class competitive" group then you might want to do 100 so that you would be recorded as one of the devout. [click on the link below, for reference to related hadith on this matter]

It's amazing the fact that we are told about the yardstick/barometer/ruler/benchmark yet we ignore. Instead, we busy ourselves with people's IG/Twitter/FB/Blog making ourselves envious towards people who seem to have more than us in terms of looks, lifestyle, job, wealth, social status, car collection, jewellery, smart-rich-good-looking spouse, whatever. Those people are not envy-worthy unless they recite the Quran regularly, at least 100 verses of the Quran every night and/or that they spend plenty of their wealth for the sake of the truth.

To be in the devout-category, we need not do much actually, except to read 100 verses which might take us around 40 minutes a day. That's shorter than your nightly Netflix hours or other meaningless hobbies that do not carry any points for your Book of Deeds. Time is the ultimate luxury, so let's be mindful of how we invest our time.

I am writing this reminder for myself and all, as a sign of gratitude for the tawfik that the generous Lord has afforded me and thus I hope He would grant me more : )

[Good to be selfish sometimes. LOL.]

I am also grateful that I have done pretty well on a work-related exam today. So I pray Allah would grant me bigger success for the gratitude I have.

Everyone stands a chance of being "the subject of envy". It's easy, we already know the requisites, so what are we waiting for?

#ithankAllahforthetawfikboost

#fastabiqulkhairatiamintheraceareyou

Ref: https://islamqa.info/en/45839

Trusting the Controller

Bismillah.

Kuala Lumpur
22.10.2017
Easy Sunday morning...

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

Happy to be (finally) seated at my desk at home this beautiful Sunday afternoon after having completed the usual weekend chores. Although deep down I wish I had settled down sooner to do some important revisions but we gotta trust the Controller. "And who is it that is in control of all that exists?' (Quran 10:31)

Yes, we gotta trust Him Allah subhanahu wataala cos "In His hand is all good." (Quran 3:26)

And we gotta be grateful that He places in our heart a good level of certainty and optimism so we are neither restless nor doubtful of what is to come tomorrow.

In God, we place our trust, none other than Him.

Wish y'all a pleasant Sunday.

May Allah equip us sufficiently to face whatever it is that we have to face in the coming week - week no. 43.

Hasbunallahu wanikmal wakil.

p/s

There were some youngish inexperienced supposedly pious men and some 50-something holier-than-thou nosy women who had given me unsolicited opinions, expressing their worries about me not having a boyfriend/about who I should/should not befriend and all the things that are none of their business. In truth, they have got their own dependents/family they should worry about. Never mind me, I have got enough love-vitamins LOL. I don't contribute to their book of deeds, I have a mind of my own, I do my own thing. I'm excited about the possibility of having 80 adopted sons! LOL. Bi-iznillah! May Allah the trusted Controller, make my dreams come true and accept my intentions as among the mukhlisin. Ameen.

#sendingoutmymessagetotheuniverse 

: D

p/s
Did you know that the two popular du'a pertaining to increasing knowledge and understanding i.e. Rabbishrohlisadri...and Rabbi zidni ilma both reside in Surah Taha? Taha is also one of the names of our beloved Prophet (pbuh). I was delighted when I came across both verses today.

#ithankAllahforthetawfikboost

Let go | Unload

Bismillah.

Let us let go of the unimportant baggage, perhaps a "tail" that is too heavy.

We all know what is it that weighs us down, so let us reflect and seek tawfik (strength) from Allah to get rid of any encumbrance.

Unload.
Only load that which counts, that which carries weight in the eyes of Allah.

There are 14 Saturdays left until 2018, it's a good time to do some inventory check and chuck away anything that is stale.

Wama tawfiqi illah billah.

Stay original

Bismillah.

If I am not for myself, who will be?
Definitely not you. LOL.

I thank Allah for a wonderful holiday in Penang, engaging with people who matter. I thank Allah for a fruitful Friday spreading some cheer to people who occupy themselves with the Book of Allah. May we become like bricks that support one another for the sake of Allah.

Ameen.

Be original, do things that you really like cos [small] people will criticize you anyway whereas big-hearted people, build and lift others up.

: )

Happy Today

Bismillah.

Keep counting our blessings.
Keep hoping for the best.
Keep feeling good so we would attract more good stuff.

Keep reciting Quran on a daily basis.
Keep making zikir and salawat.
Keep the faith strong.
Keep moving forward positively until the day we return to the Creator, pleased and pleasing to Him.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for today.
May He grant us more.
Ameen Ya Kareem Ya Wahab Ya Rahim.

Alhamdulillah those brothers in faith, a little boy and a cat, let me join them while waiting for my mother buy some fresh seafood : D

#hammockmakesmehappyanywhereanytimeithankAllahforgoodtimes
#allvisualsareminecapturedbyyourstrulytoday

Festival of Lights | Deepavali | Diwali

Bismillah.

I would like to wish our Hindu friends and everyone who observe the Deepavali celebration, a very happy and joyous day! As we spend the holidays with our loved ones, let's not forget those who are less fortunate who have been groping for a beacon of light so they could once again live a decent life.

I am grateful to have arrived in my beautiful hometown - Penang. Grateful for the safe and ever so pleasant drive north-bound. Alhamdulillah.

Keep calm and live life positively "off the wall".

I'm heading to a beach resort soon to treat my dearest mother, cos my heaven is under her feet : D
Identify your pass to the heaven and earn it!
Wama tawfiqi illa billah.

#fastabiqulkhairatiamintheraceareyou

Moments that matter

Bismillah.

Says Rose Kennedy

May we become more mindful of each present moment and seize it optimally in the way that is pleasing to the Lord.

Our Lord is indeed generous. He rewards us for merely gazing at the sea.

May we contemplate and recognize Him on the horizon and within ourselves.

Rabbi zidni ilma

Warzuqni fahma

P/s

This is a backdated posting.

What was I doing on Tue?

Was busy practising for my upcoming tests.

Practise practise practise towards excellence.

Aslahallahu umural Muslimin

Bismillah.

http://www.trtworld.com/opinion/we-are-creating-a-lost-generation-of-rohingya-children-11351

This heart-wrenching photo has to be here to remind us of how fortunate we were as children.
That we have to be more grateful.
That we have to do more and pray harder for our less fortunate children.
That we have to work harder in whatever capacity we are in so that no child will have to cry begging for safety, food, shelter, and love.

Do not doubt the power of a sincere du'a.

O Allah, we implore You to improve the lives of these children.
You are Most-Kind, be kind to them as You have been with us.
Provide for them as You have generously provided us with sustenance and comfort.

Ameen Ya Mujibuddua, Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim, Ya Aziz, Ya Zal Jalali wal ikram, Ya Razak, Ya Alimun Hakim. 

http://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2017/10/pictures-words-explain-rohingya-suffering-171016124920701.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/09/rohingya-children-recall-horror-losing-parents-170923101726789.html

 

Credit:
aljazeera.com and Darul Murtadza

Write and say so

Bismillah.

I like M.T.Cicero, that celebrated Roman lawyer/writer/orator/statesman, cos he is real. Only someone who is real would say what he said. That "even if you have nothing to write, write and say so." LOL.

Yes, to be frank, I have nothing to write about yesterday and today's posting slot except to tell it as it is. That I have spent my weekend indoor being productive doing spring cleaning, cooking, reading the Quran, reading some positive stuff on Twitter and tweeting, and eating of course. Oh before I began all those activities, I went to KLCC mall for a while on Saturday to check out Tiffany's latest jewellery collection. LOL. Yes, I did! And bought some yummy salads from Isetan Food Store and a slice of cake from Bisou. Hah...hah... I am revealing my weekend "KLCC pit-stop ritual" to the public.

And this morning I walked to a stall to get my Nasi Lemak fix. LOL. Nasi Lemak is Malaysia's most popular breakfast consisting of rice flavoured with coconut milk, hard boiled egg, fried anchovies and squids sambal (hot sauce) and cucumber.

Oh, what did I cook for dinner? Chicken kurma cos it's easy peasy.

M.T.Cicero was a lawyer. I am courting a lawyer, a good looking one! Heh heh...how so? Yes, by reading the Quran regularly, a drop-dead handsome brilliant guy will be my loyal companion in the grave bi-iznillah.

😂

I thank Allah for this tawfik-boost I have been experiencing. Alhamdulillah indeed. I pray Allah would grant you a good dose of tawfik too. Oh yes, you are included in my dua per verse 41 of Surah Ibrahim. "Rabbanaqfirli waliwalidaiya wa lil mukmini nayauma yaqumul hisab" - that Allah would forgive all believers on the Day of Reckoning.

It's a big day no doubt. Perhaps every year as we eagerly wait for our birthday like it's a sure thing and embrace it with merriment, we should also reflect on the inevitable Day of Reckoning cos it's a big deal - bigger than our birthdays. With each birthday we get closer to the ultimate big day - the Day of Reckoning.

So do you reckon you would do well on that big day? I ask myself.

Hope you have had a productive and pleasant weekend too. Let's embrace Monday and week no. 42.

Oh, dear Lord, we are getting closer to week 56. Time flies.

Time is of the essence.

Good night from KL.

-E-

Love is a piece of cake

Bismillah.

Hope your Saturday was sweet and fattening.
LOL.

But on a serious note

don't forget to make plenty of zikir

so that we have got something

with a good weight on the Scales.

14:40 & 14:41

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum folks

On this blessed day, I wish to remind myself of these two important verses from Surah Ibrahim which I came across at Subuh today. Alhamdulillah, I am grateful for this new discovery and thought I should share so that Allah will grant more useful knowledge.

I am not very pious, I didn't have proper Islamic teachings when I was growing up, did not graduate from Islamic colleges like some of our learned readers, hence I get easily excited whenever I discover something new in the Quran.

I may be wrong, but I think most people memorize and recite frequently the dua from verse 40 of Surah Ibrahim - "My Lord, make me steadfast in Salah, and my offspring as well. And my Lord, grant my prayer."

But not the dua from verse 41. So let's pay attention to both verses 40 & 41 of Surah Ibrahim.

I didn't know until this morning that the verse following the popular dua about being steadfast in performing salah,  is an equally significant dua.

"Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and ALL BELIEVERS on the day when reckoning shall take place." - Quran 14:41

Subhanallah, I think one who recites this must be very generous and thoughtful.

Let's be among those who are generous and thoughtful.

On the Day of Reckoning (Yaumul Mahsyar) we might be panicky thus are only concerned about our own fate, but here while we are still in this realm, we could recite this dua for ourselves, our parents and everyone - all believers.

I am thankful to have found this verse.
May Allah increase our knowledge and understanding.

Rabbi zidni ilma war zuqni fahma.

Wish y'all a blissful Friday.
😁

#ithankAllahforthetawfikboost
#fastabiqulkhairat

The best day in the year

Bismillah.

What is the best day in the year?
Every day.

Says who?
Says Ralph.
LOL.

I think it makes sense cos that's all we have - the present - today. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come cos we are not promised tomorrow.

Alhamdulillah we have to celebrate life every day. To celebrate means to be grateful.

p/s
Did you inspire someone today?
Did you make someone smile today?

😁😍
My Thursday was great.
Hope yours too.

Dedicate your heart to Love

Bismillah.

So...let's dedicate our heart to love and not lose it too much.

And let's not feel bad if love makes us shed tears sometimes.

For love is what it is.

It makes us vulnerable at heart.

It makes us realize that it is, in fact, a feeling that He has created to remind us that we are mere mortals.

That in the end, it is His love that nurtures us and protects us until we return to the Source of Love:

- He Himself.

"To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven."
- Karen Sunde

Sanctified month

Bismillah.

I think we should remind ourselves that we are still in the sacred month of Muharram.

That we are told to avoid doing wrong to ourselves for wrongdoing during the sacred month is more serious and incurs a greater burden of sin than in other months. And similarly, righteous deeds would garner greater rewards.

So I remind myself first and foremost and my nieces and nephews who have become avid readers of this blog - that we should be cognizant of this sacred month of Muharram and race to pile up on good deeds.

Let's do more good to our parents this month.
Let's read more Quran this month.
Let's do more zikir 'Subhanallah wabihamdih' this month.
And the list goes on.

May Allah replace all our bad deeds with good ones and bless us with the multiplier effect of Muharram.

#iamintheraceforgooddeeds
#fastabiqulkhairat
#thosewhopokedfunatusbeforeforourwrongdoingsmustbepuzzledcosGodisgivingusplentyasHereplacesourbaddeedswithgooddeedslol

Mon-dane not

Bismillah.

No, Monday is not for mundane stuff.

Monday need not be mundane. Monday ain't mundane.

Monday need not be mundane. Monday ain't mundane.

Hah hah try this new tongue-twister I've crafted (to be honest) on Tuesday, as this is a backdated posting LOL.

Or rather let's call it a a mantra for us to beat Monday blues.

Monday is far from mundane actually, it's an auspicious day as it is the day the Beloved of Allah was born. Other than Friday, I think we should make plenty of salawat on Mondays to honor our Prophet salallah alaihi wasalam.

says Dogen a Japanese poet/priest from Kyoto

Open a vein | Make room

Bismillah.

"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."

- Ernest Hemingway

Guess the millennial's version is:

There's nothing wrong with blogging. All you do is sit down at a lappy and open a vein.

But the thing with the good ol' typewriter is you can't edit much.

What was I doing last Sunday? (this is written on Tuesday after attending a briefing on Executive MBA and my mind is all over the places thinking how on earth can I get hold of  USD200K +/-)

Hmm

Whatever it is, let us bless our day by making room for reciting Quran.

You know I had attended many religious talks and blogged (shared notes) about it - high-level tasawwuf and what not. After about 9 years I go back to realizing the importance of the basics/key fundamentals like reading the Quran and becoming more conscious of the obvious that we have to know how to prioritize on the deeds that carry more weight in this dunya and akhirah cos time is the ultimate luxury.   

So every day, be sure to make room for deeds that bring the best ROI for our akhirah and dunya both.  

Who am I? | Dreamer

Bismillah.

A little bird told me some curious souls are googling "who is E.Ismail Lisan al-Din"
LOL.

The answer to that query is: she is a dreamer. Although in the blog profile she describes her occupation as a seeker and a lover. LOL.

Anyway, she'd like to quote Joan Didion:

"I write entirely to find out
what I'm thinking,
what I'm looking at,
what I see
and what it means.
What I want
and what I fear."

Yes.

I'm thinking "me" is all I have, the raw vulnerable me. I can't photoshop me - my soul; just that my photos tend to look photoshopped but actually no, it looks better than I do in person cos I use Samsung Note and "sharpen" is the chosen "effects". But it's all my own face. LOL.

I write to find out what I am looking at. I'm looking at life on a daily basis as I embrace it with gratitude hence the attempt to blog daily, sometimes ahead of time, sometimes backdated. I used to write more serious stuff on Islamic lessons from majlis taalim which I attended quite regularly but not anymore cos I have changed and grown to be a different kind of person as compared to my early years of blogging. There are still plenty of religious information which I had posted that are yet to be internalized and practiced. Though I'm glad I have memorized almost all of the new selawat I heard/learned from the shuyukh. Alhamdulillah.

Writing makes me truly see things from an intimate angle. Oftentimes, I see the one obvious reality that life is short thus we have to prioritize our time wisely. I am grateful for the tawfik-boost that I've been getting lately so I read the Quran daily and make plenty of selawat. Alhamdulillah. This is a wonderful blessing really, cos some holier-than-thou people called me "satanic". They should leave me to my path cos I don't contribute to their book of deeds. LOL.  

Anyway, when I write, no matter how tasteful or tacky my writing appears to be, it helps me dive deeper on the meaning of the subject that I dwell upon. It helps me find some clarity to this subjective and dynamic thing called life.  

And when I write, I somehow would discover what I really really want to express from the random mental sparks that hibernate in the brain and the waves of feeling that engulfed my heart. 

As I write, I realize my fears get unmasked...so I often wonder if it might be my last posting. I can't help but wonder how would some of the regular genuine readers know if I have moved on to meet the Lord. 

So, I agree with Joan Didion.

Anyhow, who am I, is of course not important to you or anyone as we are all obsessed and preoccupied with knowing ourselves. One of the popular Sufi maxims is that he who knows himself knows his Lord. Yes, life is primarily about knowing oneself, knowing the Lord and worshipping the Lord we know.

Never mind me, this is another typical Saturday nite rambling. LOL. Just leaving a small insignificant mark that I am alive and grateful for today.

"You may say I am a dreamer, 

but I am not the only one..."

Think beautiful thoughts

Bismillah.

Think it. Write it. Live it. Be it.
[Tokyo-2016]

So that our world becomes a beautiful place. 

So that we may live a beautiful fulfilling life.

So that we become a happy and grateful person.

Wish y'all a weekend filled with joy and laughter. 

: )

p/s
Happy birthday, H.E.
May you quickly evolve to be the best version of you.
Bestest of wishes from Beta.

***
Good read:
https://dailyinspirationandgratitude.com/2017/10/03/to-succeed-you-must-tell-a-different-story-self-improvement/

Happy World Teachers' Day | Universe-sity

Bismillah.

For all the wonderful teachers out there - mine - especially those who coached me on strengthening my faith and servitude to Allah. Some of whom do not hold the official title of a teacher or ustaz/ustazah, yet a simple lesson through words that originated from a sincere and caring heart and actions that were selfless - be it a sisterly/brotherly/motherly/fatherly gesture, all of them "teachers" shall forever be in my heart and mind.

May, we too, in turn, have the opportunity to impart one or two useful lessons to others.    

It is commonly agreed that only teachers who are passionate about teaching can make students truly passionate about learning. Yes, admittedly, there were also teachers we disliked as a child. I remembered a couple of them who discredited, discounted me, and who deliberately dampened my spirits. But at least, they too taught me something!

Rabbi zidni ilma

war zuqni fahma

Move forward

Bismillah.

But it sure helps a lot if you read the Quran regularly, do plenty of salawat, pray wholeheartedly, contemplate deeply, and be confident in Him - yaqin.

Wama tawfiqi illa billah
And my success is only through Allah.

May the rest of the week be fruitful and peaceful.

-E-


#thankYouAllahforthetawfikboost

p/s
I have begun to tweet more. It's more about motivational stuff to psych up myself 😁
@EzzaIsmail

p/s No, there's nothing wrong with my right eye. Lol.
😉

Character | Shine

 Bismillah.

"Reputation is what people think of you;
character is what God and Angels know of you."
- Thomas Paine

So, what character are you presenting to the Lord today?

Says Ali ibn Abi Talib

If I may be sentimental a wee bit. I am kinda missing my Quran tajweed teacher as I treat myself to a cocoa drink tonight cos that's what I served my guide most of the time - Maresi or Landessa coffee/cocoa. Alhamdulillah, something to remember him by and keep me motivated with my recitation.

I believe if we are of any good, it's not because we are good, it's mostly because there are so many good people out there who keep praying for us. 

O Allah, grant me Your love
and the love of those who love You
and actions that will bring me closer to Your love.

May You make us rise with greater tawfik each and every day. May You make us shine in Your eyes.
Aameen.

"Read the Quran again and again and forget about what's bothering you. Allah's words have the ability to give you peace of mind." 

- Dr Bilal Philips

Fourth Quarter Affirmations | OAKtober

Bismillah.

YaHuu...we have reached the 4th Quarter of 2017. It's October already. We sure can draw inspiration from the good ol' oak trees.

"The tallest oak in the forest
was once a little nut that held its ground."

Why not renew our affirmations for this last leg of 2017? By the grace of Allah, may we sail this last quarter smoothly.

I can't wait for Quarter 1, 2018 for a couple of reasons which I won't disclose here. LOL. InShaAllah will get there bi-iznillah.

More money in my hands please ; )

Those lil notebooks on the table say:

1. Believe you can and you're halfway there.

2. Be a pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside.

3. Trust that when the answer is no, there is a better yes down the road.

4. If you're going to rise, you might as well shine.

: D

Hope my small sharing could give a spike to your Monday mood.

p/s
Me - after a quick grocery run, after iftar yesterday, hence the upbeat feeling. Alhamdulillah.

"The best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago. The second best time is today." - James Carville

So today on the 2nd of October, let's start a new good habit, something that would make us proud and grateful when we look back, that we started today.

p/s

I started a new habit - reading the Quran on a daily basis - since mid-September, I'm now at Chapter 11. Alhamdulillah. I hope my ustaz reads this. LOL.

Auspicious weekend | Grand Muharram

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum
Hi folks

So have you done the 1000 Al Ikhlas today? Malaysians observe Ashura today by the way.

I have done it  Alhamdulillah for the tawfik-boost, again.

So now I can chill for a bit while waiting for iftar.

I wish to encourage our young readers to imagine Allah running to you as you put effort to walk to Him (per Hadith Qudsi). Imagine you making one step - reciting one Al Ikhlas and counting the beads one at a time - imagine Allah making 10 steps to you in return.

So if we may do some maths, that's like 1000 x 10 steps = 10,000 steps which the Lord reciprocates! Amazing. And the rewards for fasting and doing any good deeds in this month of Allah - Muharram - is even greater. 

You know Malaysia used to have YES (Year-End-Sale). We might still have it or have they coined a new acronym for the big sale festival? Anyway, it is incomparable and better - the Muharram offer. Amazing how generous Allah is, already giving us a big bonus at the start of the new year, instead of at the end of the year. So let's grab it!

Know that you genuine readers who think well of me; those who made du'a for me; those who have helped me; those who gave me all kinds of presents (like that tasbih/misbaha and prayer mat in below pic) and those who have asked me to make prayers for them - I have got all of you covered in my special petition this weekend! 

: )

I have a feeling 1439 Hijri is going to be an awesome year bi-iznillah. But in order to secure a good year, let's make full use of this grand month of Muharram.

#fastabiqulkhairatiamintheraceletsrace
#ithankAllahforthetawfikboost