Let's Exercise...

This last month of 2007 is a very enjoyable month for me. As it edging towards the end and 2008 starting to gloom ahead, i cannot help but wonder what a year i have had in this soon-to-end 2007!

But please bear with me for a while. This time, i just want to talk about one particular thing: EXERCISE.

2007 mark a major change in my way of life, especially in terms of diet and health control. Just so you know, i arrived in 2007 as a rather slim young man after being fat for almost 6 good years before. So, you can imagine how excited i am for finally get the result i wanted. True to what people said, being slim (or if better - being fit ) isn't just about health or your look. It also affect your confidence greatly! How you present yourself to others, and even to your own self!!

I still remember the feeling i have when i speak with other people especially those i barely know. I keep thinking about what is their opinion about me that they're keeping inside their head. Are they keep looking at me as a fat boy instead of paying attention to my speech or other good quality in me? and so many others. I know i was a little bit self-conscious when it comes to my appearance and about what people would think of me, but i couldn't help it. And the result is, my self-confidence and self-esteem became very low, and so seldom can i step up or rise on certain occasion that i was in need to...

But all that started to changed when i began to pay attention on my diet and living style. When i started to shed more and more fat off my body, i realize my self-esteem getting stronger and stronger. Looking for a book and tips about diet from famous nutritionist such as Dr. Atkin (famous with his established 'Atkin's Diet') and the others, i started to count my intake of calories as well as starting to exercise...

Exercise... and that bring me back to what i want to talk about here today. As i write this posting, i actually just finished playing Badminton with my house mates and a good friend of mine. Well, i wish i could say that i was really good in playing badminton, but as the accurate word to say about my skill is 'just moderate', i found myself fully enjoy this game, and can't get enough of it. I can play for hours until my muscles got crammed, and still i want to play it again that very evening or tomorrow morning.

The same goes to Tennis. Or maybe i can say, even more than that. Even with constant frustration and upsets for failing to execute the beautiful shots that i always saw on TV (if there's an excuse, i would say that tennis is way, way harder than badminton, especially the one without basic of tennis: like me) i still want to play it. No matter what, i want to go out there and keep trying to hit the ball as hard as i can, and as 'in' as i able to!

And lately, my 'resumes' of exercise just getting wider. The latest entry on that list is Basketball. Once again, i am no expert, but through sheer determination and interest, i am more than able to hold on my own when facing my other more experienced friends. God, it's hard, but who can blame me for wanting to try. And now, the latest 'venture' of exercise that i have in mind is Table tennis, and i know i won't have to wait long for that to happen... as long as i keep my mind into it.

Okay now, why do i tell you all this? To show that i'm a very active person? Or to brag about my 'limited' talent in sports? Obviously the answer is no, because what i'm trying to tell here - more to myself actually - is that we can do whatever we set our heart and mind to. You don't have to be Lin Dan, or Roger Federer, or Michael Jordan to play those sports. All you need is your will power to do it, and you will find yourself doing it... with much fun and enjoyment that even you yourself will be surprised...

And if that's not enough, just know that you have to do it for your own good, and not to mention for your health too. As for me, i know that i am more 'kaki bangku' than what i want to admit, so that's why i opted to play on my strength rather than on my weakness. Furthermore, i just learn somewhere that sometimes we have to try many things until we find our true 'niche' in this life.

So, be it in sports, businesses, or other things in our life, don't afraid to try and take the risk. Because somehow, somewhere, we will finally find what we are really looking for...

English Literate...?

Assalamualaikum...

This is my posting at Seven Heroes blog... (without editing, sorry!) Enjoy while read it.

Today is a 'comeback day' for me to write in this blog after almost half a year absent now. Looking at the good writings of my dear friends in this house prompted me to post something in here even though i have no idea what to write about at this very minute...

Then, after pondering quietly for a while, i decided to write about the latest event, or more accurately, the newest excitement in our house: The emergence of English literate conscience among us; which still in it's early stage, but getting noticed and gaining interest by the time nevertheless...

As for now, i could say that nobody in his/her right mind will deny that English literate is very important in our lives. Put aside the notion that english language was coming from 'Barat', english is 'bahasa penjajah', or even english 'bukannya bahasa Syurga!', we have to agree that English is one of the important factors in our daily need.

The modern world now needs people with good/excellent skills of english. It's not because english is the best language in this world, because it is NOT! But, we happened to live in the age of modernization that happened to be championed by the Americans and Europeans! The Westerners!

Face the facts! We, Muslims always being downgraded because of our lack of empowerment in English language. Can't we see, that the Chinese and Indian changed their language from english to their 'pelat malay' as soon as they realized they are talking to Malay people, the Muslims?! Sometimes i wonder if they also looked down at us with pity in their eyes. What to say? poor Muslims, cannot even said one proper sentence in english!

It's time you know, for us to change. The chinese and indian in Malaysia are very lucky. They will at least armed with 3 languages ( their own, malay, english ) when they venture into their adulthood, looking for jobs or opening their own businesses. But we Muslims; we arrived at our adulthood world with only 1 and a half language ( malay and a very bad english ) hoping to land a good job with a good paycheck, without even realized we are being laughed and becoming jokes behind our back...!

So my friends, what do you say? We can do this! We can be good if we want to! We can compete with the others if we realized our weaknesses and try to mend it in the best way possible. Ask yourself and you will find the answers deep inside you. If you don't want to do it for you, do it for ISLAM!

AidanZ

After so... looong.....!

Assalamualaikum...

Well, it has been a long time since i last post anything here, emm, 5 months and a half to be exact!

And if you think that is not enough, i even forgot about the username of this blog and my username for gmail account! Only after a vigorous search and several upset remarks that came out from my mouth while conducting the search, i got both the username and without further delay, straightaway use it to write in this column...

A lot of things has happened to me in the last 5 month. Things that altered my life and even my perspective of life itself! While i wouldn't say that everything is good and being favorable to me, i would say i have learned more about life in these 5 months than in my whole life before.

The truth is, it's not like i didn't learn anything before. But while i did learn something new everyday, i never opened my eyes fully and wholly toward the real depth and meaning behind it. In short, it's like studying all over again, only this time with real feelings and with.. well... reality!

And i for one, am very grateful to Allah for His blesses in me, and for allowing me to learn and embrace all the changes around me with open heart and clear mind...

That's all for now, and i truly hope this 'starting-again-thing' would be resolute for me this time!!

Permulaan Menulis

Assaamualaikum dan Alhamdulillah, aku dapat menulis dalam blog Abang Zahar @ Aidan Z setelah mendapat jemputan baru-baru ini. InsyaALLAH jua, tulisanku ini adalah permulaan bagi siri-siri tulisan hasil pengalaman, pengamatan, pembacaan, perbincangan dan pengetahuan selama ini. Untuk permulaan adalah majlis penikahan dan kenduri Ajis pada 13072007 dan 14072007 baru -baru ini.

Untuk pengetahuan, Ajis merupakan kenalan rapatku sejak 2001 lagi dan secara kebetulan, aku dan dia hampir serupa dan bagaikan kembar. Kami belajar di Universiti Malaya, belajar di Jabatan Kejuruteraan Mekanikal dan duduk di Kolej Kediaman Kesembilan selama 4 tahun berturut-turut. Cuma, Ajis dapat menghabiskan pengajiaannya pada tahun 2005 dan aku pada tahun 2006 dan sekarang, Ajis sudah berkahwin dan aku masih bujang lagi...Hahahahahaahaha...

Secara kebetulan juga, pada tanggal 06072007,seminggu sebelum majlis pernikahan Ajis, atukku, Aboh meninggal dunia pada hari Jumaat bertepatan pada 1115 di Katil 16, Aras 4A, Hospital Putrajaya. Alhamdulillah, aku berada pada kedua-dua peristiwa tersebut dan menyaksikan akan kedua-dua peristiwa tersebut. Firman ALLAH Taala dalam Ayat 2, Surah al-Mulk: Yang Menjadikan mati dan hidup, supaya DIA menguji kamu, siapa di antara kamu yang lebih baik amalanya. Dan DIA Maha Perkasa lagi Maha Pengampun. Melalui ayat al-Quran ini, aku berbaik sangka kepada ALLAH Taala yang menguji akan daku dan banyak hikmah yang tersirat dan tersurat yang masih belum aku temui....

Kepada para pembaca sekalian, minta maaf kerana ini adalah 'posting' yang pertama dan agak peribadi sedikit... Dan kepada Abang Zahar, thanks for inviting me..... I am honoured to write in this lovely blog..... Hehehehehehehehe.... Jumpa lagi......

Mom - The Crown of My Heart

That Saturday morning, as I promised my mom, I took her to Putra Specialist Centre, Malacca for a final check on her cyst inside her uterus. With final check, I mean last check before the surgery, which was supposed to take place three years ago!

There was no sense of urgency at the moment, considering this wasn’t a life and death situation, at least not that I can think of. So, with no expectation, I walked into the hospital and made an arrangement for my mom to see one of the doctors there.

Dr. Tan Lee Nak.

That’s the name of the fine lady doctor that’s going to check upon my mom. “Obstetrician & Gynecologist”, said the sign on the door I entered with my mom. (Pakar Perbidanan dan Sakit Puan).

‘So, Doctor Tan, how’s my mom?’ I asked when the doctor came out from a small room adjoined to her office, with my weary-looking mom by her side.

Doctor Tan took her time before answering my question. With her finger pointed to unmistakably a picture of female reproduction system on the table (thank god I paid attention to my biology class), she drew one big circle on the right side of the picture. The right ovary...!

‘What is...?’ I cannot complete the sentence.

‘This circle represents the size of the cyst inside your mother!’ The doctor explained calmly. ‘The cyst is attached to your mother’s right side ovary and it’s getting bigger and bigger by the time’.

What?! My jaw dropped. It can’t be... I said to myself.

‘Err, doctor...’ I finally managed to say. ‘Exactly.. how big is the cyst inside my mom’s uterus..?And.. is it.. is it.. dangerous?

Once again, Doctor Tan took her time, before launched into a rather long explanation.

‘By now, you should know what is it the cyst that we’re dealing with..’ said the doctor. And then without waiting for my respond, she continued,

‘To answer your question just now, the cyst that attached to your mother’s right ovary is big. I can’t really say how big it is, but it is big. And to be honest, it can be dangerous if it stays in there any longer. Why? Because first, the cyst might burst open and the liquid inside it can be toxic to your mother’s body. Second, and more important, the cyst sometimes.. is an early indicator of cancer...!’

‘Did you say cancer... doctor?!’ I can’t stop myself. My heart is pounding, and by now, flashes of bad things started to flood inside my mind.

For a minute, the doctor looked startled by my hard expression. Then, she smiled and says,

‘Yes. But I still didn’t finish my sentence...’

As I nodded and say sorry, she continued,

‘What I said just now are the possibilities of what can happened if we don’t remove the cyst. And after I scanned your mother’s uterus a while ago, I can say that so far, there’s no sign of cancer on your mother’s uterus...’

I just said my syukur to Allah on the news when the good doctor, once again continued,

‘Although... I still have to warn you that everything will be confirmed; only after I removed the cyst and take it to lab for some tests...’

Exhaled deeply, I nodded once again and said,

‘That’s good enough doctor. That’s good enough...’

And after a while,

‘So, when can you do the operation, doctor?’ I asked.

The doctor smiled before she replied,

‘Actually... it’s up to you and to your mother. I can only suggest you do it as soon as possible.’

Nodding slightly, I turned to my mom,

‘Mak, doktor tanya, bila mak nak buat operation ni? Macam mana kalau selasa depan? Boleh ke mak?’

Looking at me, my mom nodded slowly. Okay.

‘How about this Tuesday, doctor? Are you free that day? I asked.

‘Tuesday’s okay,’ said the doctor. ‘I have no operation on Tuesday, and I can perform the surgery on your mother in the morning.’

And just as I thought, everything’s settled, and I can bring my mom home, my hope vanished just like that.

As I found out after that, the difficulties are just about to start...

Mom – the most important person in our life

One simple glance to the title above, no one in his/her right mind will ever disagree with the statement!

Yup, everybody in this world, I repeat, in his/her right mind, will agree that the amazing woman, who gave birth to us, raised us, sacrificed everything just for us, and loved us unconditionally with all her heart, is indeed the most important person in our life...!

In fact, it has been so universally agreed, the statement has somewhat became cliché in our life nowadays...

And mind you, when something... anything becoming a cliché, it always lost its depth and uniqueness, especially to the core meaning of it.

That’s what I thought the first time I wrote the statement for the title above... A cliché!

What I had in mind right now is to spill my heart in this writing... of how much I love my mom, and how much she meant to me. That... she’s the world, and... ooh, what can I say, she’s everything to me!

Moreover I want to spill my gut on how scared I am on the slightest possibility of losing her in one recent event, and how much I worried about her while waiting for her in the waiting area with my other siblings.

And also, I want to share with the others, the utmost relief I felt when my mom finally opened her eyes and smiled weakly at me, when I kissed both her cheeks and forehead, while trying very hard to contain my tears of joy and relieved...

Ooh, so many things I want to share in this writing.

Not just about all the turbulence in my heart these last few days, but also about a newfound lesson and ‘hikmah’ from all that!

Yet, when I sat in front of my laptop, and start to think of what is the title for this column, it struck me that no words would ever describe whatever I had in my mind and my heart right now...

Even when I finally decided to use the title above ( Mom – the most important person in our life ), I felt degraded by the ‘cliché ness’ of the words. Because for all I know, that sentence may or may not bring justice to what I really meant inside my heart and soul..!

Forgive me for blabbing, because finally I have decided; despite the ‘cliché ness’, I would stick to the title above, knowing that in my heart I really, really meant each and every word in it.

That,

Mom, you really are the most important person in my life!

Or...

Maybe I can change it to,

Mom, you’re the queen of my heart!

Wait for the next column for the details of the ‘recent event’ I mentioned above...

it's good to be back...

As the title said,

it's so good to be back...

Al-‘Azhamah

Pujian Dengan Hati dan Lisan kepada Sang Pencipta

Maha Suci Allah, yang mana langit dan bumi tunduk kepadaNya...

Maha Suci Allah, yang mana gunung-gunung tunduk tunduk kepada keagunganNya...

Maha Suci Allah, yang mana mata akan menitiskan air mata apabila mengingatiNya.

Petir berdentum untuk bertasbih kepadaNya..

Kilat sabung-menyabung untuk mengagungkanNya..

Burung-burung berkicau untuk berzikir kepadaNya..

Dan burung merpati berkicau untuk mensyukuriNya...

Sesungguhnya kemampuan untuk dapat syukur kepada Allah itu juga patut disyukuri.

Kemampuan untuk memuji Allah adalah satu keutamaan yang layak disyukuri...

Kerana kemampuan untuk memuji itu hanya diberikan oleh Allah kepada orang yang dikehendakiNya sahaja...!

Sesungguhnya...

Beribadah kepada Allah adalah satu kemuliaan..

Dan menghinakan diri di hadapan Allah pula merupakan satu keagungan.

Memohon pertolongan kepada Allah adalah satu kekayaan..

Dan berpegang teguh kepada Allah adalah merupakan satu kekuatan.

Ingatlah...!

Memerangi Allah adalah tindakan yang dapat menghinakan diri sendiri..

Mengkufuri Allah hanya mendatangkan laknat kepada diri sendiri..

Dan mengingkari kebaikan serta nikmat Allah adalah merupakan satu azab!

Krisis yang paling berbahaya dan kehinaan yang paling hina adalah ketika engkau bermaksiat kepadaNya..

Manakala malam-malam dan hari-hari yang paling celaka adalah ketika engkau memusuhiNya.

Dengan hujahNya, Dia menghumbankan hidung orang-orang yang sesat ke atas tanah,

Dengan keagungan nasihatNya, Dia mencela hati orang-orang yang lalai.

Dan dengan siksa yang dijanjikanNya, Dia menggoncang hati orang-orang yang zalim...

Namun jika engkau hambaNya yang soleh, bergembiralah...

kerana...

Kedudukan yang paling tinggi dan darjat yang paling mulia adalah ketika engkau bersyukur kepadaNya

Sebaik-baik masa dan saat-saat yang terindah adalah ketika engkau berzikir kepadaNya..

Dan semulia-mulia darjat dan seutama-utama kedudukan adalah ketika engkau bertasbih kepadaNya.

Sesungguhnya Allah, dengan pahala yang dijanjikanNya, Dia akan menenangkan hati hamba-hambaNya yang taat...

Semoga kita termasuk ke dalam golongan hamba yang taat dan tunduk kepadaNya.

Amin... Ya Rabbal 'Alamin

Kuliah Tafsir Surah Al-Mu'minun 3

Oleh: Ustaz Kariman

Tempat: Darul Ta’lim, TTDI

Surah Al-Mukminun: Ayat 28

فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنْتَ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (٢٨)

"Kemudian apabila engkau dan orang-orang yang bersamamu telah berada di atas bahtera itu maka hendaklah engkau (bersyukur kepada Allah dengan) berkata: ` Segala puji tertentu bagi Allah yang telah menyelamatkan kami daripada orang-orang yang zalim”

Sambungan daripada ayat yang lepas, Allah telah memerintahkan Nabi Nuh dan pengikutnya yang bersama-sama baginda di atas bahtera itu supaya bersyukur kepadaNya kerana telah menyelamatkan mereka daripada kaum Nabi Nuh yang kufur dan zalim itu.

Dalam ayat ini, sila perhatikan Allah telah menggunakan perkataan فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ dalam perintahNya agar Nabi Nuh dan pengikut setianya menyatakan kesyukuran mereka kepada Allah.

Dalam ilmu qawa’id bahasa arab, perkataan قُل yang bermaksud ‘katakanlah’, adalah bagi mufrad @ singular. Yakni perintah Allah itu hanya dituju kepada Nabi Nuh seorang, dan bukan untuk ramai seperti yang disebut oleh Allah pada awal ayat di atas.

Mengapa Allah menyebut sedemikian?

Ulama’ Tafsir mengatakan bahawa penggunaan perkataan itu bertujuan antara lainnya adalah:

1. Allah mahu menunjukkan kedudukan Nabi Nuh yang lebih tinggi dan mulia berbanding pengikut-pengikutnya yang lain.

2. Sebagai cara memberitahu bahawa apa yang diperintahkan oleh Allah kepada Nabi-nabiNya, juga bermaksud perintah yang sama kepada kaum nabi tersebut. Dan kaum itu haruslah akur dengan perintah yang diberikan.

Imam Qatadah, seorang Mufassir dari golongan Tabi’in memberitahu:

1. Apabila seseorang berperjalanan menggunakan kapal laut, doa yang boleh dibaca adalah dari Surah Hud, ayat 41:

وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (٤١)

“ Dan (ketika itu) berkatalah Nabi Nuh (kepada pengikut-pengikutnya yang beriman): "Naiklah kamu ke bahtera itu sambil berkata: ' Dengan nama Allah bergerak lajunya dan berhentinya '. Sesungguhnya Tuhanku adalah Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Mengasihani."

2. Manakala bagi perjalanan darat, doa daripada ayat Surah Zukhruf, ayat 13 & 14:

لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَى ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ (١٣)وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ (١٤)

“ Supaya kamu duduk tetap di atasnya; kemudian kamu mengingati nikmat Tuhan kamu apabila kamu duduk tetap di atasnya, serta kamu (bersyukur dengan) mengucapkan:" Maha suci Tuhan yang telah memudahkan kenderaan ini untuk kami, sedang kami sebelum itu tidak terdaya menguasainya -

"Dan sesungguhnya kepada Tuhan kamilah, kami akan kembali!"

3. Dan apabila sudah sampai/mendarat, doanya daripada Surah Al-Mukminun ayat 29:

وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَنْزِلْنِي مُنْزَلا مُبَارَكًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنْزِلِينَ (٢٩)

"Dan berdoalah dengan berkata: `Wahai Tuhanku, turunkanlah daku di tempat turun yang berkat, dan Engkau adalah sebaik-baik pemberi tempat ' "

Kembali kepada ayat 28 ini, perintah yang Allah turunkan supaya bersyukur itu adalah disebabkan oleh jaminan keselamatan yang diberikan Allah kepada Nabi Nuh dan pengikutnya daripada orang-orang yang zalim!

Persoalannya adalah, mengapa Allah tidak menyebut jaminan keselamatan itu, adalah daripada keselamatan daripada bencana banjir besar yang sungguh dahsyat itu, atau pun daripada perkara-perkara lain?

Sedangkan sudah amat pasti kaum Nabi Nuh yang zalim dan kufur kepada Allah itu akan musnah dalam azab yang diturunkan oleh Allah itu, dan sudah pasti tidak lagi dapat mengancam Nabi Nuh dan para pengikutnya yang soleh itu?

Jawapannya adalah kerana perkara yang terpenting bagi seseorang Mukmin itu di sisi Allah adalah aqidahnya, dan bukan nyawanya!

Maksud ayat tersebut bolehlah dikatakan seperti berikut:

Apalah gunanya, orang-orang yang beriman itu terselamat daripada bencana alam yang boleh meragut nyawa, jika mereka tidak terselamat daripada orang-orang yang zalim, yang akan sentiasa berusaha merosakkan aqidah mereka?

Lebih baik bagi orang Mukmin itu mati, daripada dia hidup dalam keadaan syirik atau rosak aqidahnya!

Mari kita lihat Surah Tahrim, ayat 11, yang mengisahkan tentang Asiah, isteri Firaun yang telah memohon agar diselamatkan aqidahnya oleh Allah SWT

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اِمْرَأَةَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (١١)

“Dan Allah mengemukakan satu misal perbandingan kepada orang-orang mukmin iaitu: perihal isteri Firaun, ketika ia berkata: "Wahai Tuhanku! binalah untukku sebuah rumah di sisiMu dalam syurga, dan selamatkanlah daku dari Firaun dan perbuatannya (yang kufur dan buas), serta selamatkanlah daku dari kaum yang zalim"

Wallahu ’alam

To be continued...

First Anniversary...

Today, 02 Jun 2007, is a day to remember...

Because a year ago, exactly on this very date, my big brother a.k.a. my best friend, got married, put an end to his bachelorhood of 26 years behind him, and officially start a new yet exciting world of marriage with one fine lady of his choice...

As if all that happened just yesterday, the excitement and the hectic situation on that day still very much alive in my memory... And as far as i know, will remain that way for a long time, probably till the end of my breath.
Well, it's not like your big bro or your best friend was getting married everyday right? So, it was only natural for you to memorize everything that happened on that day!

So, to make long story short, my brother was safely married that night (with two aqad...) that made him a happy husband to his great wife, Wan Zorah Othman, and a year later, - hmm, that's now - he is a proud father to a healthy baby boy, Ahmad Hasif Ikhwan...
(Which, makes me a proud Uncle Z to him...",)

So big bro, with a bright future waiting for you in this world, i just want to say,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...
And may all the happiness in this world will be yours and your families' ... forever!

Your little bro..