Maghrib 12th Rabiul Awal 1439 H

Bismillah.

A sight to behold!
The skies of KL welcome an auspicious day.

I was proud to have witnessed the beautiful moment and captured it.

May we "dance" from moment to moment with thoughts and salawat for the Beloved of Allah, the only one who will defend us in the Hereafter. May we belong among those whom he salallah alaihi wasalam longs to see, though we have never met.

Sallu Alan Nabi.

Tonight as I reached chapter 29 of the Quran, I had a somewhat emotionally choking moment as I imagined the man through whom the sacred verses had been revealed, imagined the circumstances at the time of revelation. How simple his life was. How heavy his responsibilities were. How committed he was at wanting to guide mankind. How terrible the challenges he faced. How unassuming he was in his household. How much he loved and defended women and children. How warm a friend he was with his companions. Unlettered, yet a champion he was and still is.

Sallu alan Nabi.

Ya Nuuran Nuuri

Ya mudabbiral umuri

balligh anni ruha 

Sayyidina Muhammad 

tahiyyatan wa salaman

[Forgot where I learned the above selawat, but it has stayed in my heart for several years now.
Rabbi zidni ilma]

Thank God It's Holiday Season

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah, work-wise, it's a wrap! Already? Yes, already, for me even though it's not even December yet. LOL.

Thus, I'm taking things light and easy. Just trying to post a shorty a day because that's what I pledged to do at the beginning of the year. And the year is quickly coming to an end, it's getting more apparent as we see more red and green everywhere.

Many of us will be treating our families to a vacation, a quick get-away, shopping trips etc. As Muslims let's not forget to make a niyyat of earning the pleasure of Allah as we spend our earnings for people and things that matter. And be grateful for the good times and opportunities. 

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

- William Arthur Ward

What more, if the days are special as we spend leisure time with our loved ones.

May Allah grant us a whole lot more as we proclaim His bounties. Ameen.

Respond & Change

Bismillah.

Happy Tuesday!
This is a backdated posting.
What was I doing on Tuesday?
Was thinking of fun stuff to do soon : D

May Allah grant you ease as He has granted me ease.
Ameen.

p/s

'Change is in all of us' is a new campaign by SK-II skincare, by the way. I spotted their promo booth at the KLCC mall. Credit must be given where it's due : )

Embrace change.
Embrace a better version of you
zahir & batin

Let's go for it | Gear up

Bismillah.

Monday was a fun day for me and my colleagues at the office. It was extra laid-back yet we were fed with some pertinent info re company's growth, in the presence of the CEO and the Chairman. When work feels fun, you know you are at the right place doing the right thing, heading towards the right direction. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for being awesome-ly gainfully employed.

"When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too."

- Paulo Coelho

The keyword is: strive. In Islam, as you all know we have a principle called fastabiqul khairat. Thus we have to gear up and go for it.

We ought to make the most of good health before we are afflicted by illness.

We ought to make the most of our ability before we are down with inability.

May all our hard work bear sweet fruits in this dunya and akhirah.

Ameen.

Geared up for Zumba cum briefing session.
The CEO (a non-Muslim) complimented me on my gear : D
[I think we can do our bit in showing to non-Muslims that Muslim women are active and that wearing hijab is not a hindrance to a progressive lifestyle.]

Sunday Fun Day | Dance your dance

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum,

Hi folks, just a quick one cos just like you, I was busy entertaining my loved ones and me-self. Just don't forget to make niyyat as ibadah to earn the pleasure of the Lord.

Visit Malaysia, we've got plenty of wonderful places to check out, put your feet up, chill and shop.

Genting Highlands, Malaysia

No one else can dance your dance. 
No one else can sing your song. 
No one else can write your story.
- Lisa Nichols


Let's embrace the coming week - Week#48 of the year, with gratitude and stronger resolve.

Give God everything you have

Bismillah.

Hope you have had a productive Saturday with your loved ones including the One whom should be our Most Loved One and one that which is not just a lip service. And that means we've got to give everything we have got, do the max we can, give our best.

As far as the mortals are concerned, we have to give all to the one through whom we might secure a ticket to the heaven bi-iznillah. Your mother. Your mother. Your mother. And then your father. Even if they are no longer around in this realm, your du'a is priceless cos obviously when you yourself enter the grave, you can't be making du'a for them anymore!

And hopefully, the Lord would overlook and forgive our shortcomings. May He consider them as unintentional typos. LOL.

: D
Once typos are made - don't stumble over them again.
"Don't stumble over something behind you."
- Murray Newlands

3000 salat for Rabiul Awal 1438 H

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah, this is it, I had been waiting to learn a new selawat for this year's Rabiul Awal from none other than Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

I sure hope the honourable shaykh as ahlul bayt would intercede for me. That he would say something to this effect: "Ah...yes Eza learned and practiced many of the selawat I shared with the public through the years." 

LOL

OK it's going to be a busy weekend memorizing this and getting on with the 3000 selawat challenge the habib has put forth this year.

Allahumma salli wasalim 
'ala 'abdika wa rasulika
khatamin nabiyyin
wa akramil awwalina wal aakhirina
Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi 
wa sahbihi wat tabi'in 
wa farrij 'alal Muslimin
Ya Qawiy Ya Matin
wak fi sharraz zalimin

Let's get to it.

The Rabiul Awal clock is ticking. About 25 days left.

Sallu alan Nabi

Yes-vember | Right frequencies

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah, first and foremost for Rabiul Awal of course. And secondly, I won't take NO-vember for a month cos it's a super YES as far as His bounties are concerned. LOL.

And it's a reminder to myself and my nieces and nephews especially, that we have to always ensure we are on the right frequencies with the Creator if we wish to receive His Divine gifts.

Think good. Feel good. Send out good. Receive good. Feel good. 

And repeat : )

via GIPHY

On a serious note, let's gear up (spiritually) for tomorrow guys, cos it's Fridayyyyy yay! I have got three more chapters to go to complete the Quran, in sha Allah. Looking forward to wrapping it up by Sunday and treat me a wee bit. 

"Life is too short to worry about what others say or think about you. So have fun and give them something to talk about."

LOL

Do your "thang"

Bismillah.

It's Wednesday. Do your thang (thing).

"You were born an original. Don't die a copy."
- John McGrath

Alhamdulillah for this productive week.
I'm just enjoying doing my thing here in the blogosphere and at the office-sphere.

What's most important is I like it and hopefully, the Lord likes it too.

Tuesday motivation | Here's to today and someday...

Bismillah

Here's a good reminder for myself and the young readers. Yes, the average age of our readers are dropping, isn't that good? The veterans know enough or too much already LOL. Reminders need to be shared with those who need, those who are thirsty, those with somewhat empty cups. Those who are full to the brim, need not come here cos this place is too amateurish for your big brain, you might as well go spend time with your kids and/or grandkids. LOL.

This saying is by Elbert Hubbard, an American writer, publisher, artist and philosopher. Boy, do I like that brilliant combo! He said, and I saw it on Twitter @ChuckCanady (Credit must be given where it's due, always.) OK Elbert said:

"Dreams can come true, but there is a secret.

They are realized through the magic of

persistence

determination

commitment 

passion

practice

focus

and hard work.

They happen a step at a time

manifested over years,

NOT weeks."

So, it's something you can't hurry like you can't hurry love ; )

And check if you've got all the 7 ingredients with you all the time today and not someday. Persistence, determination, commitment, passion, practice, focus and most important of all - hard work. Then someday...we will surely realize our dreams, bi-iznillah.

Not easy, but it's going to be worth it.

May Allah grant us success in the form of a praiseworthy life in this dunya and akhirah.

Ameen.

via GIPHY

Happy World Children's Day | Rabiul Awal

Bismillah.

Says Marianne Williamson (American Author)

As adults, we should do more to make the children around us become healthier and happier because even if their minds are so pure that they do not have a file called "All the things that could go wrong' there are in fact many of them who have been wronged.

May Allah grant us the tawfik (strength) to become better adults who set good examples for the young ones.

In conjunction with the arrival of the blessed month Rabiul Awal, we should emulate the manners of Rasulullah salallah alihi wasalam when dealing with children, how he would lower himself to stand at their height so he could embrace them. Quarreling in front of the children is a no-no obviously.

My prayers are with the children who had been visiting my house on the first day of Eid for decades. And also the young huffaz would-be at a tahfiz school in Penang (whom I am emotionally attached to). May Allah grant them all tawfik and hidayah so they would grow up to be ahlul abrar - intelligent and pious men and women who are beneficial to their families and the communities. Ameen. 

As compared to the children in the first photo, this boy is luckier. He has just graduated from an Islamic pre-school and he is a digital native who is very good at gaming.

Extra | Be extraordinary

Bismillah.

Woke up extra early, hence feeling extraordinary : )

Read extra pages of the Quran during unusual hours, hence feeling extraordinary.

Enjoying being myself and not caring to fit in, hence feeling extraordinary.

"We don't have to be ordinary," said one young Canadian singer, Shawn Mendes, I saw on Twitter. That's a simple yet powerful statement. Empowering too.

Ahh...wait, that's the first call to prayer (iqamah) for Subuh, I'm hearing. The mosque in my village in Gelugor, Penang had recently begun calling the fajr azan twice, as required by the State's Islamic Council. That's wonderful indeed. It's always good to make an extra effort, calling people to do good i.e. perform solah and pave the way to falah (success).

OK, it's time for me to do something extra now before Subuh comes.

Suddenly, the word extra sounds kinda sexy and pretty. LOL.

Have a happy and fruitful Sunday, folks. Fruitful in terms of dunya and akhirah. 
Do extra.
Score extra.

Basking in the morning sun, a couple of days ago.
When life is good, be grateful and no need to be apologetic about it.
When life gets a little challenging, be patient and face it with
extra strength.
Extra deeds bring added benefits.
Extra early early-birds catch extra worms.
Whereas, late risers get extra baggy eye-bags.
LOL

Be ready and willing

Bismillah.

This highly encouraging advice by Wayne Dyer:

Let's be ready and willing to welcome miraculous bounties. Allah is more generous than we could ever imagine. And of course, we all know that He gives even when He seems to withhold.

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

- Dalai Lama

Week No 46 - done (pretty pleasantly Alhamdulillah)

Enjoy the weekend. May we occupy ourselves with deeds that are pleasing to the Creator.

Be ready and willing!

: )


p/s
Always ready for an awesome day in Penang:





p/s
Oh great Lord, how can an innocent girl who reads at least 10 pages of Quran a day and does quite a bit of wirid regularly, gets labelled a Satan?! LOL. Is it because she has nice photos here? Is it because she appears to be blessed with a wonderful life? Ahh...let me say for the umpteenth time, we should love and impress ourselves cos people are going to judge anyway even though they should be more worried about their own clan 😛
Okay whatever, I'm heading to the beach later. 
Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah : ) 

Love yourself | Friday bliss

Bismillah.

"Love is the great 
miracle cure.
Loving ourselves 
works miracles 
in our lives."
- Louise Hay
(American motivational author 1926-2017)

Have a blessed day, folks.
Take care and love yourself.

Am cherishing the opportunity to earn a ticket to heaven - serve my mother 😁 Alhamdulillah
[Carries more weight for me than attending talks that make you feel good for a short while. I think we have to be smarter at prioritizing according to our own unique circumstances.]

Let's have our heart attached to one special man - Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Sollu alan Nabi.

#fastabiqulkhairat
#1000alikhlasperday
#500salawatperday
#ihavereachedchapter25ofthequranwhataboutyou
#letsraceindoinggooddeeds

Much love (for myself lol)
-E-
17.11.17

Penang's popular snacks
Jeruk Pak Ali
http://www.jerukmadupakali.com/
[and Charbroil Recipe Hiong Piah Brown Sugar biscuits]
#onlyinpenang #proudtobeamalaysian

Be more

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah to be in Penang again, to have the opportunity to be dutiful to my dear mother, to do a little bit more. And be more.

Quote by @InspowerMinds

Back at my fave couch in da houze.
And back to hammocking at a fave secret spot.

Alhamdulillah we get to learn something every day
from this universe-sity.
"Blessed are they who see beautiful things
in humble places where other people see nothing"
-Camillle Pissarro

A reward without measure | The good-doers' troop

Bismillah.

Be steadfast and patient in doing good/being virtuous, if you want a reward without measure/reckoning. This I learned from Verse 10 of Surah Az Zumar (The Troops).

You know, every year as an employee we get measured up and our annual bonus depends on our efforts/contributions that are being carefully assessed before the employer determines the final performance score. But here in this verse, we might get a reward/compensation in full without having to go through any reckoning, if we were to be patient and steadfast, how cool is that?! 

Let's join in the good-doers' troop.

Surely, you can do better than her!
#fastabiqulkhairat

"Say: O my servants who believed! Be Godfearing of your Lord. For those who did good in the present, there is benevolence, and the earth of God is one who is extensive. Only ones who remain steadfast will have their compensation without reckoning."

Translation by Laleh Bakhtiar from AlTafsir.com

Say: 'O servants of Mine who believe. 

Fear your Lord. For those who are virtuous in this world,

there will be good, and God's earth is vast.

Truly the steadfast will be paid their full reward in full

without any reckoning.'

Translation by Royal Al Bayt Institute from AlTafsir.com

Make a dashing dash | Join in the universe's qura'at and exceed all

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum
Hope everyone is keeping busy being healthy, wealthy and happy.
By the way, being wealthy means being rich in matters of dunya and akhirah.

We have come to mid-November. Alhamdulillah.
Let's fill up the "dash" of our life in the best possible manner.
Do things that carry weight for eternity.
Quran, zikr (especially through salat) and salawat carry plenty of weight.
The rest is just a light fleeting filler.
Think about it.







What is the best zikir in the "eyes" of Allah?
I found this brilliant definition on IslamToday.
http://eng.islam-today.ru/fatwa/what-zikr-is-the-best-in-front-of-allah/

Before you read on, this is my takeaway from the article:
Let's join in the universe's qura'at.

"As a rule, the word zikr (also dhikr) is used to mean different ways of praising and elevating Allah and making duas. Some scholars say that zikr is any kind of words or actions which turn into the reason for receiving a reward.
According to Quran, zikr is salat (or namaz) which is the most universal way of worshipping. When a believer performs salat, he or she remembers Allah and praises Him. To satrt a salat, a believer performs ablution. Preparing for salat and thinking that shortly you will stand in front of God, you remember Allah and pray to Him.
Zikr also includes your intention and takbir. A believer continues to remember Allah when he praises Him and says that there is no God but Him. A believer also reflects on the meaning of ayats which he or she reads. The condition of a believer's heart changes depending on the ayats which he is reading. The most considerable zikr is belief in Allah and constant memory of Him. While performing salat, zikr is presented by reading Quran. zikr of your heart during salat is presented by your reflections, fear, hope and love. 
A human being has a body and a soul. Likewise, this world consists of the visible and invisible worlds. A human body, like this visible world, consists of some material substance. So zikr performed by the human body is a symbol of the zikr performed by the universe.
Thundering, leaves palpitation, birdsong and all the rest sounds of this world are some kind of qura'at. When reading Quran during salat, we join this zikir and exceed all the rest."

Subhanallah!


 

Mantra for Week #46 of Twenty Seventeen

Bismillah.

May you and I have a productive and rewarding week.

There's much good in keeping busy and productive.

A little progress each day 
adds up to big results.

And think happy thoughts in order to have a rewarding week.

Wama tawfiqi illah billah.

And one more thing, let's count our blessings.

[O Allah, thanks for giving me nice scarves, nice smile, nice earrings, nice everything. LOL]

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

"At the end, people will judge you anyway. So don't live your live impressing others. Live your life impressing yourself."
- @TheSecretForYou

p/s
Too bad if some people are not happy seeing my photos here.
I'm super excited exploring my Samsung Note8. Wait til I get iPhone8 and Oppo F5 🤣
#obsessedwithnewphonesandtheircoolfeatures
#attachedtoQuran
#fastabiqulkhairat
#balancingdunya&akhirah
👍

Oh my God | Seclusion

Bismillah.

Oh, my God, I've cheated on my weekend seclusion plan a bit. But I guess the All-Seeing God wouldn't mind cos I have reached Chapter 23 of the Quran. Done a thousand Al Ikhlas too. Ya Huuu!

Alhamdulillahil lazi hadana li haza

Wama kunna linahtadiya

Lau la an hada nallah

[If you still are not familiar with this verse, refer to my old postings. It's one of my fave, memorized by heart.] 

By God, this posting is to encourage my nieces and nephews so they know we could have a dunya & akhirah well balanced always and all the way until our last day on earth. That doing zikir, selawat and daily Quran recital are cool. It's not just meant for old people who have nothing better to do.

This world and its amusement is a gift. As long as we don't go overboard, we will be fine. If our outer appearance happens to be a bit "deceiving" let it be, as long as we have covered the obligatory and supererogatory (nawafil) tasks for the day, we can have some fun.

Oh yes, girls just wanna have fun.

Boys too, of course.

But be smart about having good scores in our book of deeds for the hereafter cos that would last for eternity.

Ok guys, have a fabulous Sunday! I wanna go back to my seclusion routine and enjoy being at home - Baiti Jannati. My house is my heaven 😁 it's quiet and peaceful Alhamdulillah.

Oh my God, please increase my iman and increase Your wonderful blessings for me in this dunya and akhirah. You are my God and to You alone do I worship. From You alone, I receive all the super cool bounties. Ameen.

***

p/s

But of course, my house is quiet and peaceful cos I don't have a nagging, bad-tempered spouse. LOL.

Oh my God, let me live in the kingdom of singledom for as long as it is good for me, my dunya and akhirah. Ameen.

11.11 | Bare sticks | Singles' Day | Unattached

Bismillah.

11th November
The date is chosen because it's got "four bare sticks" there, 1111, bare, not a single branch
hence single, so single. LOL.

This soon to be globally-accepted special day started in 1993 at Nanjing University, China where students observed or rather enjoyed the day celebrating their singledom. Interesting eh? But I guess for single people every day is a chill day, there's less stress cos we don't have to worry about unfaithful spouse or stubborn kids or nosy in-laws. LOL. 

However, since 2009, thanks to Jack Ma (who needs no introduction), the day, 11th November has become an utterly frenzied shopping day online at Tmall and offline too, not just for the singles, though. Well, God knows the number of single people in China or in the Rest of the World, and only God knows how much one married man benefits/profits from the day. I hate you Ma. LOL. Anyhow, I'm sure there are millions of consumers who are pleased with their catch-of-the-day.

***
Everything you need to know about Singles' Day:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarandipkaur/2017/11/08/1111-everything-to-know-about-singles-day/#66e7298e6f61


Single or not, it's best to be unattached.
Well, you know to whom we should be attached to.
Glory be to Him.
And the other special being - Prophet Muhammad salallah alaihi wasalam, our ultimate rescuer.

I know, nice shot eh? : D
Captured by Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Captured this morning, by yours truly.
#itagtherightlocation
#icantstandpeoplewhotookaphotoinpenangandignorantlytaggedkl
#iamaproudresidentofbothklandpenang
#iamanintelligentsingleladysopleasedontplaythefoolwithmelol

Let go and let live

Bismillah.

May you have a blissful, fruitful and joyful Friday.

I am excited about spending the weekend in seclusion to catch up on some spiritual work. (Aww!)

Hmm...maybe just go out for an hour at most to grab salads and cakes. LOL.

I know you need not know details of my schedule. It's just me being super grateful for His blessings - to be alive and kicking 😉

Let go of anything that slows us down and let live a wonderfully paced and productive life as a cool servant of Allah.

He is Time.
He is with us all the time.
So cherish the times.

***
Reminds me of the song by Kool & The Gang:
Cherish the love
Cherish the life we live
Let's cherish every moment we have been given
The time is passing by...

😍

KL (view from my office)
4 p.m. Friday 10 Nov 2017

Consistent

Bismillah.

The only "cons" we need - consistent!

That is being regular (istiqamah) in praying, reading Quran, reciting salawat, paying alms, doing good to our parents, increasing our knowledge and skills, being truthful and dependable, improving our behaviours, believing in ourselves, getting rid of the negative, and last but not least, be consistent in remembrance (zikr) of Allah.

Ok Eza, you can do it!

Just do it.

#fastabiqulkhairat

#stayfocusedontherace

140 to 280 | 2018

Bismillah.

Today, someone is giving us a chance to say more, to say twice the amount. You know who. It's Mr Twitter. Of course, we all know Mr Twitter is not forcing anyone to tweet 280 characters. They are just giving us a chance to say/write a little bit longer on their platform. Should anyone wish to write longer than 280, they should try blogging. That's a no-brainer.

Imagine if you have spoken to someone about something, perhaps a confession, perhaps about a painful fact, perhaps about a good news, then the recipient party says, go on say more. What would you say? Of course, it's no big deal, maximum word-count can't be taken too seriously except for dissertations or exams methinks. Ah...that's it, up until "methinks" is 428 characters already. LOL.

If God were to limit our prayers to 280 characters come 2018, what prayers would you say?

I'd say: 

O God, I thank you for this gift of life, that I've been given the opportunity to smile and cry, so I know you are my Lord. My life revolves around Your gifts or the seemingly withholding of gifts. I'm grateful for every single day as I embrace it with hope for yet one more day. 

Hah...hah...that's 280 characters there.

I'm just excited about counting down to 2018.

What about you?

Perhaps we should recite 2,018 Alhamdulillah or Subhanallah or Surah Al Ikhlas or Hasbunallah wa nikmal wakil?

Let's.

    

That's all we need

Bismillah.

Says Mother Teresa

Need I say more?

No need to say more.

Let's be mindful of the moment, each moment.

As in every posting, it's a reminder for me, first and foremost.

: )

Happy Tuesday.

p/s

It's a happy Tuesday for me cos I got myself a new fave phone - Samsung Note 8.

Alhamdulillah. Allah Kareem.

A date to remember 7.11.17 so I know how many months it would last and survive any cracks due to my clumsiness. LOL.

No, wait, that's not going to happen - that's a negative self-affirmation there, no way, let me rephrase:

I am a poised, graceful elegant lady who is always careful with my belongings so they last really well for the longest time. I am grateful for every single blessing, therefore, my Lord will give me more.

Yes!

p/s
O Generous Lord, I need an iPhone8Plus too please and the new Apple Watch.
I deserve it cos I am always grateful, and I work hard, I recite the Quran regularly and recite plenty of salawat.

: D

Week 45 | Always on time

Bismillah.

"Put your faith in the fact that God is always on time."
- @IyanlaVanzant

So very true.

The blessings, the lessons etc that turn up in our life appear at the most suitable time like He is always on time about teaching us, about warning us, helping us, guiding us and gifting us. Subhanallah. And most definitely He will be on time when taking us back to Him!

There are just about 8 weeks to go until 2018.

I am sure you too, are feeling blessed and contented with 2017 so far.

I cherish each day as we leave 2017 behind. I made an intention to mark each day in my own strange way and I have managed to do 310 postings up until today. Alhamdulillah. The least of the positive and beneficial things uttered each day had been Bismillah.

Let's attach ourselves to Allah every single day. Let's attach Allah to every single thing we do. The pious among us have reminded us that if we're unable to say Bismillah at the start of a deed, it's quite likely the deed is either not permissible or discouraged.

He is Time. Let's attach ourselves to the times, every single moment. May Allah carry us with His grace from one moment to another.

Wish y'all a productive and fabulous week.

Wama tawfiqi illa billah.

 

Flood of hopes and prayers

Bismillah.

This is a backdated posting.

[It's Monday evening. Hope the weather gets better cos HRH Prince Charles & Camilla have just arrived in Penang : D ]

I was in my hometown Penang during the weekend when many parts of the island and Butterworth got crippled due to floods which had gotten worse during the wee hours of Sunday.

Some people texted, asking me if I was all right. Yes, yes Alhamdulillah, thanks, it's all good in Gelugor, Penang. 

Thanks to caring Malaysians, a flood of aid, hopes and prayers have reached the flood victims in the affected areas. We should consider ourselves fortunate for there are other people/communities in other states elsewhere in Malaysia and abroad who are going through worse predicaments due to acts of God, or evil acts of irresponsible people, or even self-inflicted pain.  

May Allah protect us and grant us patience during times of trial and may we be even more grateful for the blessings of comfort, peace and joy during times of ease.

Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal.

p/s To state the obvious: if your place is not flooded, stay put, no need to leave. If your heart is flooded with pain, escape to Allah. It's the best form of escapism 😉

When it rains

Bismillah.

My mom's cafe at home.
Yeah, those light bulbs are extra bright cos I've just cleaned them LOL.
Cleaning the house is ibadah too : )

When it rains we pray so that Allah pours all things beneficial.

Allahumma soyyiban nafi'a.

You know Penang is a popular tourist destination, I feel a little sorry for those who visit this island to enjoy a sunny day on the beach. Yeah... rain could dampen the spirits of those who come to wander the streets of Georgetown - World Heritage site, too. Those who come to escape from their problems or hide from their in-laws LOL, I suppose it's good to take away some nasi kandar and just stay indoors during not so tourist-friendly weather like today. 

But on a serious note, a friend of mine was advised by one ustaz who is a rukyah/spiritual healer, that rainwater is actually good for cleansing oneself from the effects of sihir.

So, rain is good certainly.

I love rainy days, absolutely.

Allahumma soyyiban nafi'a.

Happy Saturday folks.

It might be a little cold in the country of your residence. Anyhow, we all love November nonetheless cos it's almost time for more good times in December and the new year bi-iznillah.

Alhamdulillah.

***
"How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
None. The light bulb will change when it's ready."
LOL

How many daughters does it take to clean four light bulbs?
Just one. A good one ; )

Jummah Mubarak | Hi

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah to have arrived safely at my Penang home. I realised I have got a couple of postings due and thought I should first greet you on this blissful Friday.

I am pretty sure you wouldn't mind me saying Hi, unlike the gentleman who was before me at the cashier of a Petrol Station, he looked at me amazed as if I did something wrong when I greeted the cashier 'Hi.' I am not sure about you or everybody else but I always greet the person in charge at payment counters. There's nothing wrong with that.

Anyway, thought I mention about Surah Ad-Dukhan cos I received a booklet on the tafsir of Surah Ad-Dukhan from the Zakah Centre. I thought what a coincident this week is Week 44 and Surah Ad-Dukhan is the 44th Surah of the Quran!

Let's read it up and take heed before it's a lil too late when the skies are filled up with smoke and the inhabitants of the earth become thirsty and hungry and puzzled as the Final Day approaches.

So we gotta say Alhamdulillah for a peaceful day like today.

By the way, research shows that "visiting places we love may be more influential than possessions we own (objects). It could increase calm, joy and connection." 

Oh yes, I sure love Penang!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/placed/201710/places-influence-well-being-more-possessions

On youth and age | Five questions

Bismillah.

The popular dai'e (ustaz) who visited my office yesterday reminded the audience of the most frequently-given-advice about the five things that Allah will question us:

1. How we live our life here in this fancy beautiful world? [As a foodie, shopaholic, eat, sleep and repeat?No?]
2. How we utilize our youth? [Clubbing? Smoking? Womanizing? No?]
3. How we earn our wealth? [Siphon some funds so that we/our family could live a flamboyant life? No?]
4. How we spend our wealth? [Uncountable handbags/shoes/clothes for oneself? No?]
5. What we do with our knowledge? [Keep, keep, keep, neither practise nor share? No?]

"Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art," said Stanislaw Lec.

So the question is how well did we optimize our youth? How neat and beautiful will the artwork turn out?

Time to reflect, rectify and rejuvenate before we return and get resurrected.

Wama tawfiqi illa billah.

Do not look back | Welcome November

Bismillah.

One Malaysian dai'e (ustaz) who is well known for his humorous delivery yet loaded with practical advice came to my office today. Listening to him caused a sharp uptick in my annual laughter graph like 1st Nov is 'World's Laughter Day' LOL. But on a serious note, the ustaz did impart several important lessons about making the right intention solely for Allah and not wavering when we make a decision to move forward because when Prophet Muhammad salallahalaihiwasalam made his hijrah, he did not look back, not even once. Whenever we do something which we know the Prophet has done, we should consciously make a niyyat of following sunnah as we do it.

The ustaz also encouraged us to pay full attention to verse 100 Surah An Nisa.

"And he who emigrates leaving his home in the way of Allah will find (for hijra/migration) many places in the earth and plentiful provision (for sustenance) and he who leaves his home, migrating towards Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him (on the way) his reward with Allah is ensured and Allah is Most Forgiving, ever merciful."

Therefore, be brave to better yourself, as you 'emigrate' from a not-so-positive condition to a better one, as you move forward, do not look back. Yay!

Yes, yay, I welcome November joyfully. We've got about 8 weeks left before 2018. I have very positive expectations for Twenty Eighteen.

Bi iznillah. God willing.

And I'm not looking back. We can't beat Him, the Most Generous and Most Loving Lord when it comes to sweet surprises : )

More so November 2017 cos plenty of good stuff on the way
making it a month to remember InShaAllah
a month that is agreeable all right