The Reader

Asyura':10th Muharam

The 10th of Muharam this year is two days from to-day.It is on 2nd March,2004. I was reminded to fast tomorrow(1/3/04) and the day after.To my fellow muslims/muslimahs, let us fast as an ibadah sunnah to seek forgiveness from Allah Rabbul 'Alamin.

For more info on Asyura".

Note: To regular visitors of this blog,please be informed that there will be no postings on 1st and 2nd of March,2004.

Godiva Chocolatier

Three days ago I went to Sun Moulin for my usual bread supply at Isetan,KLCC. Next to it,I have a pleasant suprise to see a kiosk was set to display and sell a colletion of Godiva chocolates.Reading the words Godiva reminds me of the comments made by a few of the readers of this blog on my previous posting.

Honestly, I was undecided to blog about it or not.If I don't, some of my friends who love chocolate may miss the opportunity of buying these 'sinful' master pieces.If I do, many will go there and spend at least RM50 and blame it on me;-)

Well, now you know my decision and I will accept all the blames if you feel guilty of buying some expensive chocolates that cost at least RM50.00 per gm!

The word Godiva also reminds me of Lady Godiva. I dare not post her picture on a horse here.Is there a relationship between the lady and the chocolates who shared the same name?

Have a nice weekend to all.

Note:The Movie-Cold Mountain: 3/5

Welcome back,Ya Hujaj!

Welcome back my friends from your Haj! I hope and pray that all of you have been blessed with Haji Mabrur.

For the last 15 to 45 days, you have been praying at the mosque EVERYDAY for EVERY prayer i.e five times a day.How do you maintain at least half of them if not all when you will be going back to work as before? Or are you going to return to your old ways when you come home?

When you were in Masjidil Haram or Masjid Nabawi,you read Qur'an for an hour everyday.Would you read Qur'an again everyday when you are at home? Not one hour, but just one 'ain?

When you were in Makkah or Madinah, you had very little chance to commit sins.Could you refrain from committing sins when you are back home when the opportunities are plenty?Before and during your haj, you prayed and cried asking forgiveness from Allah for all the sins you have committed in your past life. Are you going to honour your words to Allah when you are now back home?

Be prepared for the trials and challenges that you will face as the days pass by.IMHO, you will know in one year's time whether you have passed the test or not.

Reminder:"The world is but a moment, so make it a moment of obedience."[Imam asy-Syafi'i]

May Allah swt guide us and keep us in the right path like those He had guided,InsyaAllah.

Another slope failure?

Impassable: A massive landslide near Habu in Ringlet has cut off Tanah Rata and the upper parts of the Cameron Highlands via Tapah. Authorities say it will take at least a week before the road can be reopened to traffic.Checks with the tourism and hotel authorities in the highland resort showed that there have been no reports of any tourists being stranded.

The above photo and notes are taken from The Star Online
Two months ago, I blogged about slope failre and now it is happening again!

Let me take a part of my previous posting:
"We cannot manages failures per se, but we must manage the factors and the parameters that contribute to failures.I hope those responsible for our road safety have done all the above. If not, we just wait for another failure."

Note: Now, I started to read the novel The Da Vinci Code. If you don't see any posting in the next few days, it means that I am lost in Museum Louvre in Paris-captivated by the beautiful eyes of Mona Lisa;-) My last visit was in 1997 and it was worth every penny.

Palm Users Group

Last Saturday, we had our usual gathering of palm pda users group.We call it BTM-Black Thing Meeting because most palm pdas were black in colour like palm111,palm111c. Now, to some of us BTM means Beams,Talks and Makan!

During this gathering, we learn from each other and we also have fun! To-date,we have more than 300 subscribers in our mailinglist and more than 6000 visitors a month to our website.Thanks to all especially the moderators and contributors of articles.

You can visit our Forum or our mailinglist. I founded this egroup some four years and it is quite active online and offline.If you are a palm pda user, you are most welcome to be our member.It is free.
Btw, our palm egroup is called Palmx-X for Xpert,Xperience and Xtreme!

Note: The photo was taken was taken by the mother of the baby in the picture. Thanks to her and to everybody who attended our recent gathering.

Giving books

The last time I received book as present was in 2000-almost four years ago. And this morning, someone who is an avid reader of this blog,got it delivered to me.He went out all his way to look for the book and buy me The Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown.THANK YOU!!!

IMHO, giving away books is a good deed and culture.You can see what books I have given away at my bookcrossing website.

To cut the long story short, you can read more about my views on giving books.

What goes around comes around...

Note:
My thanks also goes to other two persons who is sending me a book on Sunnah and Bidaah and CD of Qur'an recitation by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz al-Sudais.THANK YOU!!!

Jazakallahu Khairan

Nice restaurant..

The photo shows a nice setting to have snack at KLIA. When it comes to eating the food( and the choice and the price),I prefer the smaller restaurants along the departure lounge.

By the way, may I have your views about the restaurants at KLIA. Thank you.

Idle chessboards..

After my morning walk with MHI this morning(MHI took this picture using his P800 Sony Ericcson phone),I stopped at an empty table near the playground at KLCC garden. There are at least five of these tables but I have yet to see anyone play chess there:-(( Most of the time I only see families sitting there eating breakfast in the morning.

I can play chess but not a good player.My son can beat me anytime.Here is a note I wrote a few years ago when I had a few anxious moments when he took part in a Chess Competition at PWTC.

IMHO, chess is a good game that people of all ages can play and enjoy, but I don't think it is a popular game in Malaysia like it being played at the parks in a few western countries.

Maal Hijrah

May I wish all my muslim readers a Prosperous and Blessed New Year 1425 beginning tomorrow 22/02/2004!

The above is a special rose that blooms in my wife's garden beginning yesterday. I seldom see yellow roses in her garden(only about twice a year) and I believe this is a special occasion to herald a new year..

Reminder to muslims: It is sunnah to fast on the 9th and 10th of Muharam.

The Appointment

"Why is it that Cik Yus has to die?",asked my 15 years old son.Then ,he continued his rationale: "Three years ago her husband passed away and now her turn to die due to cancer.I really pity her children".

My cousin died three years ago of heart attack in his forties.His wife Yus ,also in her early forties ,passed away last weekend.At her death bed, I took about twice as long to recite Suraah Yaasin because my reading was interrupted by the tears that keep flowing..I feel so sad looking at the four kids without a father and a mother:-((

Now,it is my turn to answer a similar question that I used to ask my late father when I was 20 years old. To me, at that time,it appears that Allah was unfair.My father told me that it is the justice of Allah and told me that I won't understand until I am forty years old! When I clocked forty , I looked for the meaning in order to understand and yet I could not reconcile and still could not understand...

Two years ago ,I attended a lecture given by Dr Sayed Naguib al-Attas at ISTAC.Then only I understood that I would not be able to understand the Wills of Allah. If I could understand the 'mind' of God, then I will be at par with God,which is not achievable by any human mind or soul. Therefore, I could not understand. All I could tell my son was that all of us belongs to Allah;it is His right as the Owner of all His creations to do what He pleases.

Let me qoute an excerpt from the book "Don't Be Sad".

It is incumbent upon everyone to realise that death is hovering above us.At any moment,day or night,death can come.Caliph Ali bin Abu Taalib expressed in lucid terms the reality of our life:

" The Hereafter is travelling towards us and this life is travelling away from us; so be among the children of the Hereafter and not the children of this world.For today is action without reckoning(judgement), and tomorrow is reckoning without action".

From this saying,we can learn how imperative it is for us to improve ourselves,to renew our repentance.and to know that we are dealing with The Lord,Who is Generous,Powerful,Great and Kind.

Death does not seek permission prior to arrival,nor does it gives early warning that it is on the way. The Qur'an informs us:

{[No person knows what he will earn tomorrow,and no person knows in what land he will die]}-Qur'an 31:34

{[The Appointment to you is for a Day,which you cannot put back for an hour(or a moment) nor put forward]}-Qur'an 34:30