The Reader

Walking Sunday

Sunday is my cycling day for the last few months,but not this morning.I will take my wife walking this morning where the trees are more than 100 years old and 100 feet tall.As I walk,I will record the GPS locations and snap  a few photos of anything of interest to me.The route is called The Rover Trail,located at FRIM,Kepong.

How is your weekend?

 Do you look forward to your weekend?Most people do-just to have a break from their week days work.How do you spend your weekend?Everyone of us has our own answers.Before I forget,let me wish you a good and interesting weekend.

In general,many of us have 2-day weekend.That will be about 104 days a year.That is a big portion of our lives to manage.

Since I took cycling more than 18 months ago,most of my weekends were quite interesting.There is always some where to go for a ride.I am lucky because I have a lot of friends who share the same interest.Yes, we need friends.

Another hobby I love to pursue is photography.So far,I have not allocated sufficient time for it.And it is difficult for me to get a group of photo enthusiasts for a weekend photowalk.Most likely I have got to do it on my own,most of the time.

 Lately,after two of my three sons got bitten by cycling bugs,my wife has shown more interest to exercise as well.However, she prefers to walk and I think I should join her as my cross-training exercise.From my experience , to walk 10km is more difficult than to ride 20km!Beginning this year,my wife and me do go for our morning walk about once a week.I plan to make twice a week for our own sake as we grow older.I observe that  quite a number of my peers and my seniors suffered a lot of chronic illnesses as we grow old due to unhealthy lifestyles.

From my observations,during weekends,our shopping complexes  are full to the brims.Someone has described it so full that she has to step on other people's feet while shopping.People are coming to the city on weekends but it is the other way around in Jakarta( I was told).Most Jakarta city dwellers are moving out to the sunburbs for recreation during weekends.Libur di luar kota!

By engaging my family in weekend exercises and other social activities like meeting relatives and friends,I hope to enrich the life of my family members and at the same time it will enhance our health,insyaAllah.

Solat Berjemaah di Masjid

Kebanyakan dari kita apabila memilih lokasi rumah,kita selalu memilih kawasan yang mempunyai kemudahan saperti sekolah,kilnik,masjid,pasar dan sebagainya.Daripada perbincangan saya dengan beberapa pihak pengurusan masjid,didapati kurang dari 10 peratus penduduk muslim bersolat di masjid/surau setiap hari kecuali hari Jumaat dan bulan Ramadhan.Bila solat subuh,kadang-kadang satu saf pun tidak penuh.Begitulah rata-rata di pelbagai tempat yang saya pernah diami.

 Profail pengujung masjid setiap hari adalah gulungan yang sudah berumur.Jarang sekali saya lihat orang muda yang sentiasa solat di masjid.Mereka masih disibukkan dengan urusan kerja dan keluarga.Dimasa muda-muda dulu saya pun begitu juga.Bila sudah lanjut usia,ramai diantara kami berasa menyesal.Masa telah berlalu.Saya berharap gulungan muda sekarang ambil pengajaran dari kesilapan kami semua.

Diakhirat nanti kita menharapkan dapat menjadi tetamu Allah swt.Sama-samalah kita memeriahkan masjid dengan solat berjemaah sekarang dan dapat menjadi tetamu Allah swt semasa berada di dunia ini.InsyaAllah kita akan dapat menjadi tetatmu Allah swt diakhirat nanti dan termasuk didalam kumpulan mereka yang mendapat perlindingan Arash Allah swt diakhirat nanti.Ramai yang suka menangguh untuk menambah dan meningkat kualiti ibadah.Apa akan terjadi jika ajal datang sebelum sempat masa yang ditunggu?

Jom kita ke masjid...

Berikut saya sertakan Hadis berkaitan:

KEUTAMAAN SOLAT JEMAAH

 

Dari Abu Hurairah, ia berkata : Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda “ Solat seseorang dengan berjamaah berlipat ganda dari solat sendirian di rumahnya dan di pasar sebanyak 25 kali , iaitu apabila dia berwuduk, dia sempurnakan wuduknya, kemudian ia pergi ke masjid dan hanya semata-mata untuk solat; ia tiada melangkahkan kakinya, melainkan akan menambah tingkat dirinya satu darjat dan setiap langkah akan menghapuskan satu kesalahan. Apa bila ia solat, maka malaikat akan selalu mengucapkan selawat kepadanya selama dia tinggal di tempat solat itu dan tidak berkata-kata. Malaikat berdoa: Allahumma salli’alaih, Allahumma arhamhu ( Ya Allah berilah dia rahmat dan berilah dia kasih sayang ) dan ia tetap seperti orang yang mengerjakan solat selama dia menantikan solat .”

( HR Bukhari Muslim dan lafaz ini ada pada sisi Bukhari )

 

Dari Umar bin Khathab, dari Nabi s.a.w sesungguhnya baginda bersabda “ Barangsiapa solat di suatu masjid dengan berjemaah selama 40 hari dengan tidak pernah ketinggalan rakaat yang pertamanya dalam solat isyak, maka Allah akan menuliskan untuk dirinya pembebasan dari api neraka .”  ( HR Inbu Majah )

 

Dari Utsman, ia berkata : Aku mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda : “ Barangsiapa solat isyak dengan berjemaah, maka ia laksan solat malam setengah malam. Dan barangsiapa solat subuh dengan berjemaah, maka ia laksana mengerjakan solat malam sepanjang malam .”

( HR Muslim dan lafaz ini ada pada sisinya) dan Abu Dawud dengan lafaz : Maka ia laksana solat malam separuh malam. Dan barangsiapa solat isyak dan solat subuh dengan berjemaah maka bererti ia telah melakukan solat malam sepanjang malam. Hadith ini disahkan oleh Tirmizi dan Ibnu Khuzaimah, dan mengikuti zahir riwayat Muslim, iaitu : Sesungguhnya solat subuh dengan berjemaah, pahalanyalebih dari solat isyak dengan berjemaah, lafaz hadith ini ada pada Abu Dawud memperkuat hadith tersebut .

 

Dari Abi Darda’ , ia berkata : Aku mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda “ Sembahlah Allah seolah-olah engkau melihat-Nya. Jika engkau tidak dapat melihat-Nya, maka sesungguhnya ia melihatmu. Hitunglah dirimu dalam menghadapi kematian. Jauhilah olehmu dari doa orang-orang yang teraniaya, kerana sesungguhnya doa orang tersebut akan dikabulkan. Barangsiapa di antara kamu dapat menghadiri dua solat wajib, iaitu isyak dan subuh, sekalipun dengan merangkak, hendaklah ia lakukan .” ( HR Thabrani )

 

Pemimpin stabil dampingi ilmuan

Sumber Berita Harian:Untuk makluman dan renungan bersama.

'Pemimpin stabil dampingi ilmuwan'

RAJA Dr Nazrin Shah berkenan melihat buku ‘Knowledge, Language, Thought and The Civilization of Islam – Essays In Honor of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas’ di Kuala Lumpur, semalam. Turut memerhati, Syed Muhammad Naquib (dua dari kanan), Prof Dr Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud (kanan) dan Muhamad Ridzuan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Raja Muda Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, bertitah pimpinan negara yang stabil dan maju sentiasa mendampingi dan bekerjasama dengan ilmuwan serta menyediakan persekitaran politik yang tidak memusuhi kumpulan itu. 

Baginda bertitah, kejatuhan sesebuah negara bermula dengan kemunduran disebabkan budaya dan persekitaran politik yang membunuh perkembangan intelek kerana sifat takut serta gentar pimpinan yang sedang berkuasa yang berasa kedudukan mereka mungkin tercabar. 

"Pemikiran politik sedemikian amatlah destruktif. Pimpinan yang stabil dan negara maju sentiasa memilih pendirian untuk mendampingi dan bekerjasama dengan ilmuwan. Ini akan membantu membina kekayaan intelek dan khazanah negara," titah baginda

Baginda bertitah demikian selepas melancarkan buku Knowledge, Language, Thought and The Civilization of Islam – Essays In Honor of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), di sini, semalam. 

Buku setebal 566 halaman itu memuatkan 22 esei daripada 24 sarjana seluruh dunia bertujuan merakamkan pengiktirafan kepada Syed Muhammad Naquib, seorang ilmuwan Malaysia bertaraf dunia. Buku itu berharga RM108 bagi kulit tebal dan RM80 bagi kulit biasa. 

Hadir sama, Pro Canselor UTM, Tan Sri Dr Abdullah Ayub dan Datuk Dr Muhamad Ridzuan Muhamad Salleh, Naib Canselor UTM, Prof Datuk Ir Zaini Ujang dan Syed Muhammad Naquib.

Raja Nazrin bertitah, seseorang ilmuwan sebenarnya memiliki kehebatan yang lebih istimewa dan tulen berbanding penghormatan serta pengiktirafan yang diberikan kepada seorang Raja atau Ratu dan seorang Perdana Menteri. 

"Pengiktirafan yang diabadikan kepada ilmuwan lebih berkekalan, berpanjangan dan berterusan hingga jauh melangkau pasca hayatnya dan tidak sekadar semasa dia masih bernyawa atau sedang menyandang jawatan tertentu," titah baginda.

Message from Sarifuddin ;Arrived at SAvanaket at 3pm,about 3400km from home.Tomorrow to Vientiene~600km north.

Morning walk with my son:-)

 

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2108863

Getting better photos etc.

Yesterday I flipped through my old magazine on photography and re-read the article on twenty five ways to be a better photographer.This article was published in January,2007 issue of Digital Camera Malaysia.It was a great pity that I did not really bother to take notes of the tips given to improve my photography over the last  few years since I got my first DSLR on 21st Dec,2006.

On reflection,I was using my DSLR like I was using my compact camera Lumix LX8/TZ2.The change of equipment is not enough to create better photos.I need more knowledge,skills and techniques to create  better results. This reminds me of my previous Perodua Kembara,a 4X4 Wheel-drive that I only used to go to my office ,a distance of 2km from house in KL.The 4X4 features were not used at all-only on a few occasions when I ventured into kampung roads;but never on difficult and hilly terrains.It is quite similar to my camera in a way.What a waste!Similarly if one has a RM3000 mountain bike but it is only used to commute to the mosque/market,then it is more effective to buy an ordinary bike for RM400 at TESCO.

First lesson learnt is that it is easier to get better tools/equipments/vehicles than to use that them properly and fully gained their benefits.Second, the human element is a very important determining factor in creating change.

Below is one of my best shots using my DSLR:

 

Last night,I managed to talk to Saifuddin via Skype who has just crossed Cambodia border to enter Laos.He is well and everything is safe and okay.He is on 8,000km Indo China Adventure Ride.

Speed of delivery

Below is an excerpt from Malay Mail about the need for speedier decision making and execution of government programmes.Many years ago Tun Abdullah the previous PM of Malaysia talked and called upon the civil servants to improve the delivery system.And now the present PM Dato Seri Najib is about speed of delivery. IMHO,the most important component in the delivery system is the people.Do you have the right people at the right place to deliver the goods to the rakyat?Is there a sense of urgency in their work culture?If not,I have my doubts for things to improve. This what I wrote on this subject 6 years ago. NAJIB CALLS ON CIVIL SERVICE TO SPEED UP DELIVERY

PUTRAJAYA: In announcing the Government Agenda for 2010, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak called on the civil service to weigh in the speed of delivery to ensure success of the various government programmes. "Speed of delivery must be given greater emphasis to actualise the 'People First' concept," he said at his monthly meeting with his department staff at Dataran Putra here this morning. Najib said the Rakyat Di Dahulukan or 'People First' concept is not mere sloganeering but to deliver the promises made to the people. "We must cut down our time of delivery. We have achieved this in many areas, such as passport application and renewal, for example." He noted that if the private sector could improve its speed of service to the public, there was no reason why the government cannot do so. "Passport renewal took many days before but now we have managed to cut down the delivery time to only one hour." In unveiling the four elements of the Government Agenda 2010, Najib said speed must also be reflected in making decisions as well as execution.

The heat wave..

Everyone is suffering from the current high temperature.Ever wonder why? Just look out from  your doors/windows and balconies,how many big trees you can count within 100metres from house/office.I saw none from mine.

Below is a photo I took along the road to Kepong ,a new housing estate.Yes, indeed it is a 'housing' estate and see for yourself how many trees around the vicinity?

On my way home,I took this photo below as I left FRIM.Look how shady and cooling it is.

 The photo below showed the dawn when I arrived at Semenyih at about 7:30am.I believe it is the Broga Hill in the horizon and I knew for sure there is a waterfall there near the Orang Asli settlemet.There are a lot of trees up there but anyone want to live there?

Before we put all the blame on Global Warming,let us ask the first question:Who cut those trees and build concrete jungle for all of us?