The Reader

Caught reading books..

Nowadays I noticed a lot of people spend their time reading even though they are walking and even driving.Sadly they are not reading books but reading what is on the screens of their mobile phones or tablet electronic devices.Someone even collided with me because she was reading her mobile phone while walking!

On the right is a rare scence where I saw a few people reading books at the LG floor of Suria KLCC.

Looking back for the year 2011,what books have you read,what lessons have you learnt from your book reading and what is your reading plan for the year 2012? If you are on Facebook,please join at Bookcafe group.

Today is the last day of 2011.let us say good bye to 2011 and may I wish all my readers a Happy,Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2012,insyaAllah.

Where is your heart?

 

Please take a few minutes to watch this video and reflect on your heart-where it is and what it is?

"(Iaitu) orang-orang yang beriman dan tenang tenteram hati mereka dengan zikrullah". Ketahuilah dengan "zikrullah" itu, tenang tenteramlah hati manusia. (Ar-Ra'd 13:28) | <Embed> | English Translation 

Let us strive to attain the maqam of qalbu salim.InsyaAllah

Galaxy

Let us begin with the definition of galaxy:

galaxy [ˈgæləksɪ]

n pl -axies

1. (Astronomy) any of a vast number of star systems held together by gravitational attraction in an asymmetric shape (anirregular galaxy) or, more usually, in a symmetrical shape (a regular galaxy), which is either a spiral or an ellipse Former names island universe extragalactic nebula Related adjective galactic

2. a splendid gathering, esp one of famous or distinguished people

The vast borderless sky always fascinates me since I start to learn more about astronomy.

Another Galaxy that I like to own is quite small even compared to planet earth.It came  from Samsung-it is called Galaxy Note;-)It costs RM2299 but with some contract arrangement with a few telcos,one can get at just below RM1400.It is too big for my palm size but fits well with my man bag.

Talking about galaxy reminds me of Starwars.I am not good at reading science fiction but many of my friends and me love to watch Starwars.Here is the link to the virtual Map of the Galaxy far,far away....It is mind boggling even though it is a figment of human imagination.

By looking at the photo of the known universe and seeing planet earth as a dot,my immediate expression is Subnallah-the signs of Allah's creations.That is only the known and that can be seen using the present technology.What more if I could know the unknown and see the unseen!

Below are a few ayats from The Holy Qur'an for us to ponder and later sujud akcnowledging the Mighty God-Allahu Akbar:-

  
Sesungguhnya pada kejadian langit dan bumi, dan pada pertukaran malam dan siang, ada tanda-tanda (kekuasaan, kebijaksanaan, dan keluasan rahmat Allah) bagi orang-orang yang berakal; (A-li'Imraan 3:190) | <Embed> | Close Translation 
Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.

Sesungguhnya Tuhan kamu ialah Allah yang menciptakan langit dan bumi dalam enam masa lalu Ia bersemayam di atas Arasy; Ia melindungi malam dengan siang yang mengiringinya dengan deras (silih berganti) dan (Ia pula yang menciptakan) matahari dan bulan serta bintang-bintang, (semuanya) tunduk kepada perintahNya. Ingatlah, kepada Allah jualah tertentu urusan menciptakan (sekalian makhluk) dan urusan pemerintahan. Maha Suci Allah yang mencipta dan mentadbirkan sekalian alam. (Al-A'raaf 7:54) | <Embed> | English Translation 


(Ingatlah peristiwa) ketika Nabi Yusuf berkata kepada bapanya: "Wahai ayahku! Sesungguhnya aku mimpi melihat sebelasbintang dan matahari serta bulan; aku melihat mereka tunduk memberi hormat kepadaku". (Yusuf 12:4) | <Embed> | English Translation 


Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami telah menjadikan di langit: bintang-bintang (yang berbagai bentuk dan keadaan) serta kami hiasi langit itu bagi orang-orang yang melihatnya. (Al-Hijr 15:16) | <Embed> | English Translation 


Dan ia memudahkan bagi kamu malam dan siang, dan matahari serta bulan; dan bintang-bintang dimudahkan dengan perintahNya untuk keperluan-keperluan kamu. Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu mengandungi tanda-tanda (yang membuktikan kebijaksanaan Allah) bagi kaum yang mahu memahaminya. (Al-Nahl 16:12) | <Embed> | English Translation 


Dan (Ia mengadakan) tanda-tanda panduan jalan, dan dengan bintang-bintang (pada waktu malam) mereka dapat mengetahui arah yang hendak dituju. (Al-Nahl 16:16) | <Embed> | English Translation 


Tidakkah engkau mengetahui bahawa segala yang ada di langit dan di bumi tunduk sujud kepada Allah dan (di antaranya termasuklah) matahari dan bulan, dan bintang-bintang, dan gunung-ganang, dan pokok-pokok kayu, dan binatang-binatang, serta sebahagian besar dari manusia? Dan banyak pula (di antara manusia) yang berhak ditimpa azab (disebabkan kekufurannya dan maksiatnya); dan (ingatlah) sesiapa yang dihinakan oleh Allah maka ia tidak akan beroleh sesiapapun yang dapat memuliakannya. Sesungguhnya Allah tetap melakukan apa yang dirancangkanNya. (Al-Hajj 22:18) | <Embed> | English Translation 


Allah yang menerangi langit dan bumi. Bandingan nur hidayah petunjuk Allah (Kitab Suci Al-Quran) adalah sebagai sebuah "misykaat" yang berisi sebuah lampu; lampu itu dalam geluk kaca (qandil), geluk kaca itu pula (jernih terang) laksana bintangyang bersinar cemerlang; lampu itu dinyalakan dengan minyak dari pokok yang banyak manfaatnya, (iaitu) pokok zaitun yang bukan sahaja disinari matahari semasa naiknya dan bukan sahaja semasa turunnya (tetapi ia sentiasa terdedah kepada matahari); hampir-hampir minyaknya itu - dengan sendirinya - memancarkan cahaya bersinar (kerana jernihnya) walaupun ia tidak disentuh api; (sinaran nur hidayah yang demikian bandingannya adalah sinaran yang berganda-ganda): cahaya berlapis cahaya. Allah memimpin sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang dan peraturanNya) kepada nur hidayahNya itu; dan Allah mengemukakan berbagai-bagai misal perbandingan untuk umat manusia; dan Allah Maha Mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu. (An-Nuur 24:35) | <Embed> | English Translation 

 Note:To understand the meaning how far is one light year,kind read my previous posting here.

Collage of my photos around Core Island,Putrajaya

Core Island,Putrajaya Slideshow: Adib’s trip from Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia to Putrajaya was created by TripAdvisor. See another Putrajaya slideshow. Create your own stunning slideshow with our free photo slideshow maker.

Blogging pays..

I used to blog out of guilt. Every now and then, my investors would sternly suggest I blog more. I’d grumpily obey and then point to the flat traffic graph as clear evidence of blogging’s fruitlessness.

It was a self-fulfilling prophecy of fail.

I’ve written previously about my first month of serious blogging in terms of performance & initial thoughts. A couple months on, I now see a clear ROI — even if you have no traffic.

via thestartuptoolkit.com

I have been blogging using typepad.com since 2003 and it costs me about RM270 per year.This blogging platform is not free like blogger.com(blogspot) but I like it because I am in control of what gets into my blog.For the record,I have been blogging before all these apps came way back in 1989 using geocities.com.Anyway that is history...

So far from the record of the last 8 years using typepad,my average pageviews per day is 210-nothing much to shout about.However I am grateful to all my loyal readers who keep reading my blog.Thanks everyone.As far as I am concerned,if someone out there can benefits from my blogging,then my efforts and cost are paid in full.Personally I get satisfaction in sharing.By the way,blogging also improved my writing skill,taught me on how to organise my thoughts before I write and gets me more friends.In short,it pays!

Wakaf

The above is one of most beautiful wakaf I have seen located at Taman Saujana Hijau,P11 Putrajaya.Some called them gazebo.There are so many of them provided for by the government but the public has made very little use of them.Are wakaf out dated or irrelevant?Your views ,please.By the way,here is a photo where my friends had morning coffee at Taman Tasik Cempaka,Bangi,Selangor.

In the mid 70's when I travelled from Kota Bharu to KL,I have to stop for my rest or luch at some wakaf along the highway.Nowadays, travellers have better choices at R&R.Way back in 60's I remember one wakaf in the middle of padi fields where my kampung folks take a rest,had their meals and did their solat.Nowadays,they can reurn home by motor cycles.

Just go to the garden of KLCC or a few gardens in Putrajaya.They have plenty of wakaf.Sadly,our locals seldom make use of them and most of the time they were used by the foreign workers.Some months back,my riding group held our picnic in one of these wakaf.

Note: I have taken photos of some wakaf.Here is the link.

Photos:Blue sky..

I have a field day today snapping with my camera phone...weather was almost perfect-blue sky,bright and yet cool...My only regret was that I did not bring neither my Lumix LX5 nor Canon 450D.

Moleskine for 2012

I have been using moleskine notebooks and diary for the last seven years.However when it comes to diary,I prefer the local one under the brand name monologue.This month I bought a new classic pocket size notebook for my personal notes that I carry every where.My hardcover large plain notebook has a few more pages,so I bought a new one -a special edition under the theme of Starwars!This large notebook I use for taking note at business meeting and it also contains my business plans,todo list,notes etc.This year I discovered and bought a small packet that contains squared papers and ruled papers packed in a nice black package.It contains Memory Index Cards.Now,I can't wait to use them even though I still have a few pages from the old ones[2011].Below is the photo:

For my next year diary,I plan to use a monologue diary,similar to Moleskine but better and cheaper.Paper quality,moleskine is a few steps above the lines..Below is my 2012 dairy..

For sketching,which I seldom do,I use QuoVadis.

Another bag?

I am not going to ask the  ladies how many bags they have for their personal usage,especially hadbags but nowadays men are getting more bags.I am guilty as charged and I will not reveal the exact figure but almost 10-old and new.I have a bag for my business documents,project documents,a PC,two for my bicycles,two sling bags(business and leisure) and two compact/light travelling bags.Did I forget anythings else?My gym bag!

As we grow older,we collect a few things and they become our baggages-either physical,sentiments and prejudices.Personally I prefer  to travel light as my destination is more important than my journey.It is too cumbersome and heavy to take along everything we encountered over a few decades,so I decide to take what matters most to me at any one time...

The photo above is my new bag for my new bicycle to usher me into the New Year 2012.That was my excuse for buying this bag when my wife made a remark that I have bought two bags already this month.[Honestly I like the colour and the shape of the bag that matches well with my bike,not to mnetion it is from Lancaster,UK].Whenever my wife buys a new handbag,my usual remark is how nice it is.It matches your new dress...[that is wisdom after being married for more than 30 years..]-C'est la vie..

Islamic books to read in 2012

Every time I go to KLCC,I must enter Kinokuniya Bookshop.When I was there yesterday afternoon,I saw the place was packed with people.It may be the school holidays or the year end sales but I was very pleased to see a lot of people roaming the aisles along dozens and dozens of bookshelves.In some shopping complexes,only food courts are full of customers.

First thing I visited was the the New Arrival shelves and then the Highlights.Nothing caught my interest except the New Collection of Short Stories by Jeffrey Archer.Then it suddenly dawned on me as a muslim that there are so many people looking for books to read written by someone's else but not many people are really interested to read the book that came from Allah swt.Just give some thoughts to so many novels that we read and compare that  to the number of times we read the Qur'an;not to mention there is a very small minority among us Muslims who had finished reading the complete translation of Qur'an.At my age,I must know my priority!

 

Kitab Al-Quran ini, tidak ada sebarang syak padanya (tentang datangnya dari Allah dan tentang sempurnanya); ia pula menjadi petunjuk bagi orang-orang yang (hendak) bertaqwa; (Al-Baqarah 2:2) | <Embed> | English Translation 

 

After buying a moleskine notebook for the new year 2012,I went out of the bookshop to go home.On my way to get my car,I heard someone calling my name.I turned a round and had a pleasant suprise.He was Prof Dr Muhammad Zainiy Uthman from UTM.After a brief conversation,he showed me his latest book-about 2 inches thick entitled Lata'if Al- Asrar Li Ahl  Allah Al-Atyar of Nur al-Din al-Raniri.[Exposition on The Fundamental Aspects of Sufi Doctrines].By the grace of Allah swt,I got what my heart desires-a book about my favourite subject via an unexpected  meeting.Allah listens and He grants to whom He wishes.Thank you my Lord for Your kindness to add another lamp to shed more light on my path to seek knowledge and come closer to You.InsyaAllah.

By the way,I read only a few books -less than a dozen a year.For those who read more Islamic books,kindly recommend to my fellow readers of this blog and me what books to read in 2012.Thank you.