The Reader

Blogs of Story

Yesterday I have discussion with Kimster and Torque about story writing using blog.I fully support their idea to start with Real Love stories even though I have not much to tell when it comes to love stories...Everyone of us has a story;the question  is whether we want to tell someone or write about it.

You can read Kimster's posting here.

I have written about the power of the story some time back. Now, story telling has entered the world of business-not just in our folklore. You can read the cover story of the Business Week May 2nd,2005 edition.

Personally, I tried to do the same thing more than five years ago using my homepage at geocities, but it failed to take off. May be I did not do the right thing or the time was not right. In December last year, I started a sister blog to The Reader, but I have yet to write a few stories there.InsyaAllah I will update it as soon as I can recall and sit down to tell my story....

Here is the 10 Download power_of_story.doc of the story.

I do for Allah?

How often  we say we do this and that for Allah? Is it really for Allah or we assumed what we  did was for Allah. This is a very important issue.It is directly related to our 'niat'. Niat is not related to the mind but to the heart(qalbu).And the heart 'moves' like sine wave...

How do we ensure that all our ibadah is ikhlas-the 'niat'(intention) that accompanies our action.To qualify for the ibadah, the action must be for Allah alone and not for anything/anyone  else.

I am NOT qualified to give a lecture on this subject matter.My intention in writing this short note is to remind myself and my fellow muslims/muslimahs to be  aware of it and start to learn more about it from qualified guru or ustaz/ustazah.Just imagine what a BIG waste if we do all the good deeds for the wrong niat!!!

Here is the first of Forty Hadith compiled by Imam Nawawi:

1. On the authority of the Commander of the Faithful Abu Hafs Umer ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) say:

" Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated."

One of the ways to achieve the state of 'ikhlas' is to be in state of taqwa all the time.It is not easy but all of must strive for it.Ibn Katheer defined taqwa as to fear Allah and be conscious of Allah all the time.

So, let us be aware all the time that for our actions to be accepted as ibadah,we must have ikhlas in our hearts.

A phone or a PDA?

While on the plane to KB two days ago, I was told by MAS stewardess to stop using my 'handphone' when the plane was cruising.When I told her that what I was using is  PDA(personal digital assistant), she kept quiet and left me alone. Actually, I was updating my calendar on my Treo 650( a smart phone-phone/pda combo) and not using the phone function.Btw, Treo 650 is also a phone.

With new models coming to the market, some airlines staff may not be able to differentiate between the phone and the pda.With some models of smart phones/pda, we can send sms/email while on flight without anyone knowing it(?). Of course,I don't do that.

On another occasion, a man was talking to someone when the plane was about to take off.A few of us "looked" at him, but but he ignored us.We jusk shaked our heads...

On the flight back to KL last night,  a young man who was sitting next to me took out a GPS gadget and switched it on. May be he was trying to locate his position-just for the fun of it.

Nowadays, some people( I may be one of them), are armed to the teeth with their electronic gadgets either on the bodies or in their bags while on the go.Personally, I used to carry a notebook,a mobile phone, a pda and a mp3 player.I love to have a GPS equipment but I have yet to get the money to buy it. Nowadays, I only have my smart phone/pda( Treo 650) and a mp3 player(iPod). It is very convenient for others that I am connected wirelessly but at time, I just love to be left alone.To my friends,if you can't call me, just sms (text) me-I will get back to you.

By the way,can someone shed some light on how using mobile phone( hand phone) or electronic equipments  may endanger the aircrafts while on taking off or landing?

Note: You can read my mini journal of using pda here and the mp3 here.

Got something to say..

On writing..

"You don't write because you want to say something
   - you write because you've got something to say."
                   --F. Scott Fitzgerald

For today, I have nothing to say...

On poetry..

Poetry was not written to be analysed,it was meant to inspire without reason,to touch without understanding.-From The Notebook-by Nicholas Spark.

So be it...I am silent.

Plastic tempayan

This photo was taken when it was raining.It is located in front of the door to my mother's kitchen. What you see now is just an old plastic pail.

Fast backwards 40 years ago, this plastic pail would be an earthenware tempayan and its gayung is made of coconut kernel.Before anyone entered her house,he/she had to wash his/her feet-for most of them didnot wear any shoes or sleepers at that time...

Now, this pail of water is used to water her flowers in her garden.

Talking about plastic, it reminded me of the film The Graduate and the naughty Mrs Robinson;-) As time passes by, more and more products are made of plastic.Hopefully ,our hearts remain human forever...

If music is the food..

If music is the food of love,then play on my friend....

I can only listen and drift along with it...the only thing I know about music is Do Re Me when I watch the late P. Ramlee film and The Sound of Music. To improve my knowledge on music and enjoy it as well ,I also attended musical shows at Panggung Negara and MPO,KLCC.

What fascinates me most is how could the musicians remember all the actions to generate the music?When I asked my friend who can play musical intruments and sing at the same time,he replied,"It is the same thing how you remember your engineering formula". Well, that is life...he is a musician and I am an engineer.

Another interesting thing about music is that it is so universal. Just look at how many Malays who don't understand a word of Hindustani songs and yet they were engrossed in the songs and some even can sing the songs from memory!

Personally, I listen to Malay and English songs mainly.

Since I don't know to play any musical instruments, I will stick to my iPod and enjoy the songs and the Quran recitations(Al-Ghamidi and Al-Bassit).

It is a play...

The Mukaddimah of the book Perjalanan Rabani began with Surah al-Hadid,ayat no 20.Below is the translation:

57:20    Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers;  soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from God and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of God). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?

Tha ayat reminds me that I have done very little for my final abode of everlasting life-the Akhirat. Most of the the first and second thirds of my life was spent for this world. Now, I am living in the last third of my life-which I donot know how much is left. I must increase my rate of preparation for the akhirat.None of us knows when is our last day; therefore every day I must make full use of the time given.

50 is the beginning of the old age.I have passed that two years ago...

To my fellow muslims/muslimahs who are younger,please donot assume that you can defer to do your ibadah after your are 50.Some of those I know were called back earlier...

To my undertanding, the ibadah in Islam is for ALL ages-young and old.

And honestly,I don't want to be like cattle as mentioned in this ayat below:

7:179    Many are the Jinns and men we have made for Hell: They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle,- nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning).

Do you read me?

"I read ,therefore I am the reader?".

The word 'read' has a few  meanings-varies with time and space.

The first word in  the Quran begins with the word Iqra-literally means read.What does the word 'iqra means  to our Holy Prophet Muhamad who was an illiterate person?

In Bahasa Melayu(Malay language),there is the difference between what is 'tersurat' and 'tersirat'.

Not only what is written and what is spoken can be read, we also can read the actions of others.

May I know your views on the word 'read' that exists in many places and context.

The Borders is open..

Note: This is a backdated posting which I should have written on 19th April,2005.I could not write it because I was disconnected from the Internet for the last two days.

I am pleased to welcome a new big bookshop in Kuala Lumpur-The Borders!
It is the biggest so far( in floor area) compared to others in KL.It is located at Times Square.By the way, I have yet to visit the bookshop.My recent visit to Borders in Singapore a few years ago. It has great collection of books and the restaurant attached  to it serves great food-equally good for the mind and the body.

Almost every week, I visit either Kunikoniya,The Times and MPH Bookshops.Somehow, I find peace being surrounded by books and time just flows away...however,I don't buy books every week, but at least one book a month on average.

If you have kids,it is good to bring them to bookshop every month to let them see the latest titles. This way, I believe ,will create the love for books and hence will inculcate the reading culture in our family.

Personal Note: The book Perjalanan Rabbani is now being read by my wife and my 16-year old son.It apppears that I have to buy another copy for myself.

Dated: 21/4/05

Book: Perjalanan Rabbani

This is the book that I have been waiting for.It was written by Prof. Madya Dr Musa Bin Fathullah Harun. He comes to my surau(mosque) to deliver his Kuliah subuh on every 3rd Sunday of the month. Personally, I have been following his lectures for the last three years and I won't want to miss even once. His subject is tasawuf.Previously, he was using his other book Pengantar Tasawuf Islam and now he is using this new book to teach us.

The full title of this book is Perjalanan Rabbani-Merentasi Alam Dunia,Brazakh dan Akhirat. It gives us the understanding of the purpose of our life and guide us to live this life and to return to Allah swt.If I have time only to read  one book this year, then I choose this book.

To-date, I have not seen the book in the bookshops yet, but I think it will be very soon.Personally, I will try try to get 10 or 20 copies to facilitate my friends in KL to get the book from me directly.If you live near KL,and want to buy the book,please let me know by sending email to me.

Notes:
Publisher: Prof Madya Dr Musa bin Fathullah Harun
Printer: Syarikat MEZA,No 7 Jalan Haji Hashim,Kg Baru,50300,Kuala Lumpur.
ISBN No: 983-42406-0-0
Price: RM 45.00
No of pages:719