Anger Management

Someone I know once said to me:

I used to have anger management issues. Even the smallest spark of anger can make me burst like hell. Sometimes I believed that my body was manufacturing explosives that just can wait to get detonated. I mean seriously, who the hell gets angry over an out-of-reach remote control? Okay, so maybe a majority of couch potatoes do, but how many actually spank the remote control for being such a "naughty little thing"?

Fun-ny. Makes me laugh every time I think of it. And my anger gets worse by day and by weeks and by months and by years until I actually experienced heartache. I took no initiative to control myself. But somehow, by the light that God sent to me, I realised that anger only makes me feel worse, and it's me that should face the consequences, not the person/appliance that I'm mad at. To cut things short, I started to remind myself whenever I get angry. To not make a fool out of myself. To not be such a bratty, insolent child. To try to stay calm whenever possible.

And (surprise, surprise) it worked! It feels good to not have this blaze in your heart and in your mind and in everywhere around your body. Sure, you get pissed off once in a while, but that's still not a reason to go haywire. You can either continue getting yourself pissed off, or you can choose to skip all the nasty words and foolish actions and go straight to smiling and forgiving.

Trust me, you'll be amazed by how wonderful this world is if you can control your anger.

Not her exact words, but it carries the same message. Her advice has also helped me a lot in dealing with situations that do nothing but get on my nerves.

Kenapa Susah Sangat Nak Bangun Sepertiga Malam?

I do not own this pic [credits]

Pernahkan kalian sebelum tidur memasang niat untuk tahajjud, tapi end up bangun melihat jam sudah pukul 6? Atau pernahkan kalian terbangun sebelum masuk waktu subuh lalu terus memejamkan mata untuk kembali ke dreamland?

Perkara biasa. Even yours truly pun selalu alaminya. Tapi si yours truly nie mengalami sesuatu yang amat memelikkan dan menghairankan. Seingat yours truly  (why am I referring to myself as yours truly?), haritu masa kena bertolak awal untuk ke airport, tak da masalah pulak untuk bangun pukul 3.30a.m. Bingkas bangun aja tatkala bunyi alarm kat fon mengganggu tidur. Masa pergi volunteer kat UCSI pon tak menjadi masalah untuk yours truly bangun sebelum tiba waktu subuh.

Lalu si yours truly terfikir, apakah reasons seperti pergi airport dan pergi volunteer menjadi pendorong yang lebih hebat untuk bangun awal berbanding dengan ibadah? Apakah reason untuk beribadah itu tidak cukup kukuh untuk yours truly mengetepikan perasaan mengantuk dan memisahkan diri dari katil? Masih tidak dapat mencari jawapan kepada persoalan-persoalan itu.

Beberapa hari yang lepas, bagaikan datang Mak Cik Hidayah (pinjam karakter nie ya Inche Gabanna@angelwearsgucci) menampar lembut pipi yours truly, rancangan Assalamualaikum @ tvalhijrah ada membincangkan cara tidur Rasulullah S.A.W. Lepas mendapat bantuan daripada Inche Google, kutemui jua riwayat/alkisah yang related to the discussion.

Nah, sila baca dengan penuh penghayatan:

Dari Ummul mukminin hafshah binti Umar bin Khathab RA, beliau di tanya tentang bagaimana tempat tidur Rasulallah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam di rumah beliau hafshoh. Maka beliau menjawab bahwa tempat tidur Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam adalah sebuah kain yang dilipat menjadi dua. Kemudian pada suatu malam, ummul mukminin hafshah berkata dalam hati, “andai kain ini aku lipat menjadi 4 lipatan tentu lebih nyaman untuk Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam”. Maka dilipatlah kain itu menajdi 4 lipatan, maka Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam tidur diatas kain tersebut. Keesokan harinya Rasulullahshallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam bertanya, “wahai hafshah, dimanakah aku engkau tidurkan malam ini?”, hafshah menjawab,” itu adalah alas tidurmu, namun aku lipat menjadi 4 lipatan dengan maksud engkau lebih nyaman tidur diatasnya”. Maka Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam berkata, “kembalikan seperti sedia kala, sesungguhnya, empuknya tempat tidurku, membuatku terhalang untuk sholat malam”.

Sedangkan Rasulullah sudah berasa sukar untuk solat malam dek kerana kainnya yang selama ini dilipat dua, sudah dilipat empat, apatah lagi kita yang tidur di atas katil nan empuk! Beserta aircon nan menyelesakan (jika ada), selimut nan cozy, bantal nan fluffy dan teddy bear nan cuddly!

MasyaAllah.

Mana mungkin kita mampu berpisah dari keselesaan yang amat itu. Tambah-tambah lagi kalau kepenatan dek menyiapkan assignment dan report yang tidak berkesudahan, alamatnya sampai ke siang masih tersangkut dalam alam mimpi. Nauzubillah~

Inilah sesuatu yang kita perlu atasi dan lawani. Sifat malas dan terlalu mengikut nafsu dan kehendak. Rajin-rajinkanlah diri untuk mempelajari serta mengaplikasi amalan-amalan harian Rasulillah a.k.a sunnah agar kita sama-sama beroleh manfaat. Kepada yang rajin dan gigih berqiamullail, syabas dan tahniah diucapkan. Kepada yang sedang dan ingin berusaha (seperti yours truly ini.. huhu), jangan putus asa. Ganbatte kudasai! (suka hati aku ja pakai bahasa orang) Semoga suatu hari nanti kita tergolong dalam golongan orang-orang yang tidak meninggalkan solat malam. Ameen

Dan lagi satu, seandainya kalian terbangun tengah-tengah malam for no reason, jangan sia-siakan peluang itu! Mungkin itulah panggilan Allah untuk kita beribadat pada waktu itu. Alangkah ruginya sekiranya kita tidak menyahut seruan Allah! Mungkin, pada tika dan masa itulah doa kita akan makbul, andai kita mampu menepis bisikan syaitan dan bersujud menghadap Ilahi. Ajaklah juga orang lain untuk bersama-sama qiamullail. Mungkin dengan ajakan dan dorongan itu akan secara tidak langsung menjadi pembakar semangat untuk diri kita sendiri.

Harap perkongsian yang tidak seberapa ini dapat membawa manfaat.

Sekian.

2011

"Do you want to please others, or do you want to please Allah?"

Tak ingat exact words dia, tapi lebih kurang macam tu lah persoalan yang dia ajukan kat aku lebih kurang tiga tahun yang lalu. Masih segar dalam ingatan aku.

Lokasi: bilik di Kolej Keris Mas, UKM.

Tujuan: PPCS 2011

Masa tu aku roommate dengan Nur Mawaddah. Suatu hari tu, seorang budak yang aku kenal dengan nama Alia masuk ke bilik untuk meminjam iron. Dulu aku ingat setiap kali aku mention nama "Alia", orang mesti akan tanya, "Alia yang mana satu?" 

Eh, ada berapa Alia kat sini ni? Aku kenal sorang ja. "Alia yang kripto tu." jawab aku. 

"Dua-dua Alia kripto." 

Mak aih. Tepuk dahi. 

Tapi sekarang aku dah kenal Alia Meliki dan Siti Nuralieya. Haish, payah betul kalau diri ini tak kenal orang.

Okay, back to main story. Aku tanya budak bertudung labuh itu, "Kau pakai baju hijau tu (yang kecik nak mampos) atau baju lain?" 

Pada masa itu aku sendiri dalam dilemma. Nak pakai baju hijau (sebab sepatutnya semua diwajibkan pakai) atau baju lain. 

Lalu dia dengan yakinnya menjawab, "Alia pakai baju lain." 

"Bukan kita semua mesti pakai baju hijau ka?" aku terus mengajukan soalan. 

Tanpa berfikir panjang, dia terus memberi jawapan di atas. "Do you want to please others, or do you want to please Allah?". 

Nah, penampar.

 Pada zaman itu aku masih tidak kenal akan ayat-ayat seperti yang dituturnya tadi. Janggal. Jarang kudengari. Alien. ET. Asing gila bagai berjumpa dengan kucing bertanduk. Eh.

Well, the question posed is self-explanatory, so no need for me to elaborate. Entah kenapa, kata-kata si Alia Meliki ni melekat kat memori aku sampai saat ini. Biasanya aku ni spesis manusia yang mudah lupa. Alpa.

Berdehem kuat-kuat. 

Soalan itu membawa sesuatu yang sangat bermakna, meskipun hanya sepotong ayat yang mungkin sudah biasa didengari oleh segelintir masyarakat di luar sana.

Lama-lama, setelah minda aku dibasuh dengan kematangan dek 1001 pengalaman pahitmanissukaduka yang ditempuhi, aku mula faham akan mesej yang terkandung dalam statement tersebut. Harus kita ingat, dalam apa jua tindakan kita, Allah mesti dijadikan keutamaan, kerana sesungguhnya...

Tak tau kenapa. Rasa macam nak share ja peristiwa ini, takut-takut suatu hari nanti slip my mind pula kan. There are some things that you just can't trust to memory. 

Heh..

Ya Rabb

Ya Allah, takdirkanlah apa yang terbaik bagiku dan rakan-rakanku. Sesungguhnya Engkau yang Maha Mengetahui sedangkan kami tidak mengetahui.

Ada kalanya aku inginkan sesuatu sedangkan sesuatu itu akan membawa keburukan kepadaku.

Dan ada kalanya aku tidak mahukan sesuatu sedangkan itulah yang terbaik bagiku.

Yakinlah, kau dah berusaha. Allah lihat pada perjalanan, bukan destinasi. Allah nilai melalui usaha, bukan natijah

It's tough sometimes, to tell yourself that it's okay, to pick yourself up from the ground and brush the dirt off your clothes, to remind you that you've still got another chance. Easier said than done, they say, but how can we gauge the difficulty level if we don't try.

Just a small reminder to self to keep me from breaking apart in the days to come.

The Brother I Always Had

~This is a short story~

The river is flowing smoothly, reflecting the rays of sunlight into several different directions. My mother told me lots of stories about rivers, most of them related to how dependent the human were on this particular source of water. But that was a long time ago. Now, the river has changed. In terms of appearance and usage.

I hear ruffling of dried leaves. Without even turning around, I spoke, "Nice day isn't it?"

A person slowly produces to my left; my elder brother. He carefully takes his seat right next to me, staring off into space just like me. We don't usually spend our holidays together because of the different systems that our academic institutions use, but when we do, we spend most of it admiring the outdoors.

"What brings you here?" my brother has a gift of answering questions with questions, something that we do not have in common.

"I was just thinking of getting my mind off things,"

"Sounds like you're having a really hard time in school," he focuses his eyes on me without turning his head in my direction. I've been telling him stories of my school life, but it suddenly occurs to me that I have never even mentioned anything about the hardships I face.

"How do you do it brother?" I ask, picking the dried leaves one by one and tearing them into pieces. He gives me a puzzled look. I let out a long, painful sigh.

"How do you go on with life? How do you know exactly what to do and how to do them and why you're doing them? How do you.... decide?" I burst into a jumble of questions that has been bugging my head long before my brother arrived.

From the corner of my eye I could see a smile on his face. He always has that smile. The smile that tells its observer that everything is okay. The smile that reminds me of happiness. The smile that I wish to be able to put on my face for a change.

Despite the questions that I have just thrown at him, he answers all of them with just one simple answer. "Trust".

Well that sure helped. He ruffles my hair the way he does when I was 5 and he was 7. We were so young then, so happy and so ignorant of anything and everything except ourselves.

"Now tell me," my brother continues after realizing the silence that has filled the air due to my inability to respond to his previous answer. "What is it that you want to talk to me about?"

"Brother, when you are asked to make a decision that will leave a massive impact on your future, what do you do?"

"Istikharah," he nods towards the horizon "Seek guidance from Allah, because it is He who knows best."

"Okay. So all my life I have always wanted to be a doctor. No matter what happens. My eyes are only on becoming a medical student somewhere in the UK and obtaining a medical degree and serving the people of the country." since I'm am very bad at choosing the right words, I decided to be straightforward.

"Go on."

"But as I grow up, I begin to learn that there are tonnes of job opportunities out there that might somewhat be right for me. And..."

"So you're saying that you're no longer interested in becoming a doctor?"

"No... That's my problem exactly. I just don't know what to do any more. I envy those who have vision, who have mental images of the future so vivid it even seems real to me. I want to be just like them, brother. I want to know my path and where I'm going to go using that path."

I could see him taking in the varied emotions on my face, trying to put the best words together to form a phrase that'll hopefully be the perfect solution for me. Seeing that he doesn't seem to be able to come up with anything, I resumed, "I don't even know what I'm interested in. I love math. You know how I used to solve mathematical problems just for fun, but none of the jobs in this particular field interests me. I mean, to work with numbers all day? I'd be pulling out the white flag already. I claim that I am interested in Biology, but the fact that I could score better in Physics and Chemistry makes me wary of my choice. What if I don't make it? In Biology I mean. But neither Physics nor Chemistry brings me the excitement the way Biology does."

I pick up a stone and throw it to the river. It hops, once, twice, then sinks in the river with a plop. I turn to face my brother who has been listening very patiently to what I had been saying. He's often the most patient in the family, the exact opposite of me.

I add, "Through my observations I could see two types of people. One are those who are willing to do anything to achieve what they want. Goal-oriented. They expect high, work hard and achieve higher. They... have what it takes, because they are raised in that manner. Their parents taught them to be self-critical and determined and they grew up to be that way. The other, however, live in the most modest manner they could manage. They're more inclined to go with the flow and accept anything that comes their way. They're more relaxed," as I finished the sentence, I look at my brother again, waiting for his response after he has kept quiet for so long - too long for my liking. He is always the one who talks. I'm the listener. But it's nice to have a change once in a while.

"Well, which one of these do you think you belong to?" he questions me further.

"I don't know, brother. Sometimes I think of myself as the former group, because I had always been the type who aims high. I work hard. I am hardworking, which would probably eventually lead me into becoming workaholic in my career. But... when I moved to this institution, I began to rethink. I began having doubts about my aim, my future, my goal, my life principles. Everything. I wish to lead a simple life, but at the same time I can't get rid of this urge to work hard and grab opportunities. It's in my genes, brother. I can't get rid of it. But being just hardworking would not help if I have no skill in taking advantage of things, which apparently is exactly what I lack. I can't even sound convincing. Some people, however, are a natural,"

It was a long speech, but I stop when I heard my brother breathing in hard, like he finally has something to say.

"Sister, I know it'll be very difficult to see others who are better or are more successful. It doesn't make you green with envy; it makes you feel down, like you don't belong or you don't deserve anything. I know you, sister. But be reminded that Allah the Almighty has planned your life and my life - our lives - as perfectly as anyone could ever wish for. Don't you think, that if you were to question the 'why can't I be like them', that you would actually question what Allah has bestowed upon you?" he chuckles, grabbing another stone and tossing it into the river. "Syukur is key, sister. It makes something so small look so big and so fulfilling."

"Above all, dear sister, is that you never lose hope. Allah is always by your side. Okay, now I sound like a song lyric, but who cares," my brother has always been a fan of Maher Zain. "Life is nothing without trials, and maybe all of the uncertainties that you are facing is merely a trial from Allah, knowing that you are strong enough to go through it." he gives me a reassuring pat on the back. 

"Speaking of which..." he says as he shoves his right hand in his jeans pocket, "... here's a dua that'll be of great help to you, InsyaAllah." and he hands me over a piece of paper containing a few dua's written in Arabic.

"Thanks brother. I do feel a bit relieved now that I have someone to talk to," it's true because I did not notice the weight on my back until it was gone. My brother's answers, though they did not answer my questions directly, give me hope. He cannot make the decisions for me, but his advice is enough for me to be ready to face the future. I know what I must do next.

Ten minutes pass as we get lost in our own thoughts, appreciating the breeze tickling our cheeks. The sun is almost high above our head, but I do not even feel any heat on my skin. Apparently the weather is nice today. More minutes pass, until my brother breaks the silence.

"Hey sis, have any boyfriends yet?" I immediately feel like wrestling my brother to the ground, but all I can do is flinch upon hearing the word boyfriend. 

"I'm seventeen, brother!" I reply, punching his arm so hard that I think I hear a faint "ouch" coming from his mouth. I am surprised as well as embarrassed by the question. He knows how much I hate talking about boys to him. In fact, I never even told him about any.

"Hmm... What does it mean when you say that you're seventeen?" he smiles a crooked smile, a reminder of why I refuse to discuss this topic with him.

"That I'm still too young for boyfriend stuff, duh!" I answer, clearly irritated while my brother seems to be enjoying it. "Oh and by the way, I don't even want to have a boyfriend."

I don't know how, but I somehow get the feeling that my brother is worried that I might find a guy of whom I really like (my brother is somewhat the protective type). But at the same time, he is also worried that I might not. Maybe he doubts my skill in searching for the perfect person for a life partner, and I don't blame him because even I doubt myself. But that's a whole different story.

My brother looks pleased by my reaction. He gets up, brushes some dried leaves from his jeans, and offers me his hands. "C'mon sis. Let's go home"

So away from the river we stroll, hand in hand. Just like old times.

I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you

-Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire

"I Can't Stop Sinning" - YouTube

It was narrated that a man who used to sin a lot came to the wise and righteous man, Ibrahim Ibn adham. He was from the early Muslims. So he tells him, "Give me some advice because I always sin."

So Ibrahim Ibn adham (ra) tries to shame him out of sinning in front of Allah SWT. He says, "If you want to sin against Allah SWT, go ahead and do so. Just don't eat or drink; don't drink from Allah's food and don't drink from the drink that He provides for you. Don't use his provision."

How can I do that, when everything is provided by Allah?

Does it make sense to sin against Allah while you're eating His food?

You're right. Give me the second piece of advice

If you insist on sinning against Allah while eating His food and drinking from His drinks, then at least don't sin against Him on His land.

That is bigger than the first one, when all the land belongs to Allah.

Is it proper then, that you sin against Allah while you eat His food and you do it on His land?

Give me the third piece of advice.

The third piece of advice is if you're going to insist upon doing all that, then at least sin where He can't see you.

This is even greater

Does it make sense, that you sin against Allah on His land, while eating from His food that He provides, and you do it right in front of Him?

Give me the fourth piece of advice

If you still insist upon sinning after all this, then continue sinning, but when the Angel of Death comes to take you, tell them to wait for you until you make 2 rakaat salah and you repent to Allah Azza Wa Jal

The angel won't allow me.

Then when they commanded to throw you into the hellfire, refuse to go with them

They won't allow me........ Enough! Enough!

The man had gotten his advice. He had understood the admonition, and it was said that from that day the man went on without sinning against Allah SWT

Watch full video here:-

11 Things You Should Know About Creative Da'wah

Gambar hiasan

What's the first thing that flashes in your mind at the sight of the word da'wah? Bulatan gembira? Guys in jubah and serban? Ladies in tudung labuh? Some boring talk that acts great as a lullaby? Hmm.. Let's leave those questions at that.

How about creative da'wah? Ever heard of that one before? You might or might not notice, but creative da'wah is growing at a rapid pace all around us. Internet, Youtube, facebook, comics, films, books, blogs. Do those ring a bell? No? Yes? Well, creative da'wah is a new way of spreading the word of Islam through modern and more efficient mediums. As we all know, we live in the era where gadgets, smartphones and social media become an inseparable part of our daily life. People spend a large amount of time in the virtual world, so much so that we spend less time in the real world. So how is the old school da'wah going to survive?

*Gasps... Does a dramatic "oh nooo!!!" sound effect...*

That's where creativity comes in. And yesterday Alhamdulillah 9 of us from Pusat PERMATApintar Negara made it to Universiti Malaya to attend The Muslim Show: Dakwah Kreatif Era Baru. Those series of talks got me into thinking that yes, da'wah can be done via the most simplest acts that even we tend to overlook. I took down some notes, and for my own benefit (and other's), I decided to share it right here on blogger.

11 Things You Should Know About Creative Da'wah

Say what you know, know what you're saying

There is this famous quote by Imam Hasan Al Basri (I do not know its English translation)

Seandainya seseorang itu hanya dapat menyampaikan dakwah apabila dia sempurna, nescaya tidak akan ada pendakwah.

I'm sure you guys get the gist of the above statement. But then here's the catch: Don't speak unless you truly know and understand what you're talking about. Sometimes misconceptions arise when people who know nothing act like they know everything. Don't let your ego trick you into not willing to accept the fact that you do not have the answer for everything. In other words, jangan buat pala! 

This is brought up during the talk entitled "Non-Muslim Bertanya: Al-Quran dan Bible Menjawab" by Dr. Danial. He did give us a few answers to simple but somehow deadly questions. Say, a non-muslim told you to define the Quran. Of course you would not want to look like someone who knows nothing about their own guidebook right? Here's how the answer should look like (Sorry because the definition is in BM) 

Al-Quran merupakan kalam Allah berbentuk mukjizat yang diturunkan ke atas Nabi Muhammad SAW dan ditulis di atas mashaf melalui riwayat yang mutawattir dan membacanya merupakan ibadah. 

Seems a mouthful, but if you'll get the hang of it once you truly understand the meaning.

Proof that Al-Quran is a mukjizat?

- Kebenaran kisah-kisah

- The prediction in the Quran has been proven true (kisah yang akan datang seperti kemenangan Rom ke atas Parsi selepas kekalahan teruk)

- Verses concerning science has been proven true by recent scientific findings

And listen to this: even the Western researchers admit that the Quran is authentic and has never been changed in any way nor will it ever change in the future. The bible however, not-so-surprisingly differs throughout the different schools of teaching. For instance, there are 73 books (surah) in the Catholic Bible, but the Protestants have 6 less! That's a food for thought. Hmm.....

Ciri dakwah secara berhikmah:

• Berlembut
• Adil dengan apa yang diseru
• Berilmu dengan apa yang diseru

Creative Da'wah is a Trial

LIFE is a trial, is it not? In everything we do, in everything that we possess, a trial tags along with it, whether we realise it or not. So Ustaz Zamrin Zainuddin spoke about trials in da'wah, specifically creative da'wah.

Our emotions are being put to the test. "Boleh jadi yang kita akan jadi bajet bagus. POYO! Rasa kita ja yang betul, orang lain semua salah" Ini semua poyooooo. Yup, with creative da'wah comes fame, glory, fans, wealth and attention never before experienced by the people before they were involved in this platform. You no longer get to walk in public without hearing giggles and murmurs of your name coming from a radius of 2 meters. You can never again walk in the supermarket without some of the other shoppers approaching you with a pinch of hope to snap a photo with you - and upload it somewhere on the web.

But is that what you are searching for? Fame? Say you're about to die tomorrow, will that still be your main objective in melibatkan diri in creative da'wah? Again, put some thought to that.

Besides that, there is a physical trial too. Being in the work of creative da'wah means that you'll have invitations pouring out in all directions; and you'll have to migrate from one place to another. But this is no excuse to skip meals or put your health at stake. It is a tiring job indeed.

Observe and learn

The best thing about being the spectator is that you have the chance to scrutinize and learn from what you observe. At least that's what Saiful Nang said. Being a (former) dyslexic, he used to sit at the edge of the field during a football match instead of joining his friends in the game. Watching the game enables us to detect successful strategies or failed plans. By watching, we could easily point out mistakes that someone has made, and mentally construct a new way to fix it.

Maybe now you're just this dude who has the intention of doing creative da'wah but has no idea where to begin and how to do it. Don't fret though, because there are lots of public figures of whom you can observe and learn from. Take baby steps, says Aiman Azlan. Sooner or later you'll get to it, insyaAllah..

Aiman Azlan comel

Kisah Aiman Azlan

Who has never ever heard of this fellow Youtuber all his/her life? (Me. Well, until recently of course. Hehe). He was a student in Canada in Biology and Psychology (wow). So one day he saw the Mat Luthfi video Drama Sebelum Kahwin (yeah, I like this one) and an Anwar Hadi video and thought to himself, "Why don't I do the same? :D". So his very first vlog was born, meant for his family back in Malaysia. His friends and family gave positive feedback. A friend of his even said, "Hey, I didn't know you were a funny guy" and he was like... Okay... Hihi... So he continued doing vlogs. You can go watch his YouTube videos, or read his blog!

During the Q&A session, a guy asked him: How did you make the video and just... meletup? Well, he said, I didn't even go to facebook and promote my video and stuff. Just know that you're doing the right thing. InsyaAllah there will be people who will follow and listen. :)

Kisah Hilal Asyraf

It all started back in his 6th Form year, when he used to give tazkirahs in class. His friend recommended him to start a blog, an idea that was still fresh and uncommon in his school years. He agreed but left his friend to set the blog up because he wasn't the tech geek kinda guy. Unfortunately he forgot the blog's password and made a new one under the domain langitilahi. He still collaborated with his friend of course; him doing the article while his friend handled the template and stuff.

He had to visit 300 or so blogs per week just to promote a new article that he has written. But now with the birth of facebook and other social media, such a method is no longer deemed necessary. Now we could just share it on our facebook page or tweet about it etc. So then a book company asked him to be one of the writers and so that was how it happened (that he finally became an author). Langit Ilahi, his website now has more recruits, including he himself.

Blogging

If you choose to start a blog, be consistent with it. Hilal Asyraf mentioned that he found that successful blogs have daily updates. But if you think that it's too much of a burden, do it on a weekly basis or a few times in a week.

Divide the post into smaller sections (also mentioned by Hilal Asyraf). Just like what I'm currently doing!

Tips Fatimah Syarha

Seeing her on stage, I could actually feel how humble and down to earth this person is. I like her, though I never read her book and I don't even watch the Aku Ada Wali series, but I am planning to do so some time.

She was asked a question that goes "Setelah masuk dalam industri hiburan ini, tidak kah ustazah takut akan terjerumus dengan fitnah?" And her answer was that fitnah can happen all around us. Our kids are a fitnah. Women are fitnah. But don't take it the wrong way. By fitnah, it just means that we have to be extra careful about it to prevent bad things from happening.

As a scriptwriter, she advised the audience to play around with emotions. Take the emotion sad for example. There are various types and degrees of sadness. Some are sad to the extent to overflowing tears and runny nose while others are just feeling the lonely kinda sad. Some have tissues with them to wipe their nose. Some simply stare out the window and sigh a big sigh. Or maybe the turn-to-Allah kinda sadness. So express the emotions of the characters through these methods, and the viewers might actually grasp the message more efficiently.

And her quote that warms my heart:

Jangan maju dek puji, jangan mundur dek keji, dalam memburu janji Ilahi

Kisah Ustaz Don

As I observed him, I came to a conclusion that he is this sempoi, laid back and santai kind of person. As he speaks of his past, I imagine him as a budak nakal that suka main-main dan tidak serious.
".... tapi miskin pun, hobi dan minat tetap perlu diteruskan.... Hobi saya dulu membaca komik..."
"... bagi saya lah kan, siapa yang tak baca komik Dragon Ball takda kehidupan..."

ternganga sambil tepuk dahi

Actions speak louder than words

There are types of people who find it difficult to express thoughts in words. The idiom above is perfect for them. "Berjaya dalam studies pun kira da'wah jugak" says Aiman Azlan. It's true, because by doing the right thing, by chasing excellence, success in this world and the hereafter, we are actually saying, "Hey, come on dude. Do as I do".

If you can't start with the big stuff, just start by displaying good attitude.

smile

And last but not least,

Be creative!

Do what people haven't done yet. I may not be the best person to talk when it comes to talking about da'wah, but simple acts go a long way. Don't let your mind be enclosed by this so-called box that doesn't even exist! Let your imagination run wild and do your best. Stay strong~

credits to Saidatul Assila :)

Bintang Syurga

Huhh.. Sekarang nie tengah exam week. It's been a while since I blogged, so I decided to share with you guys something that has kept me inspired to strive on the path to Jannah.

Ahmad Ammar. The word awesome doesn't begin to explain who he really is. I remembered some time during last year that my mother and I were in front of the TV watching Pencetus Ummah and apparently a woman was on stage, talking about somebody's death. I didn't pay much attention but I was aware that she didn't even shed a tear when the whole audience seemed to be rubbing their eyes in sorrow. Bak kata aku, dia steady jaaaa.

It wasn't until early this year that my mother told me about this guy and how he fascinated the whole country and even the whole world. I watched a youtube video on him. And previously during usrah (a.k.a. bulatan gumbira), the topic of Ahmad Ammar was brought up. We listened to a song dedicated to and inspired by him, Bintang Syurga.

Nah, ini lagunya... Enjoy! Hayati lirik ya...

Biar darah jadi baja
biar tulangku menjadi tonggaknya
Islam tetap di puncak
biar imanku terus melonjak
  
Aku tegar 
aku rela
sekalipun aku dihenyak 

Burung-burung hijau terbang
Oh ku tenang melayang
syurga firdausi menunggu ku datang 
bidadari pun tersenyum
merindu cumbu harum 
di saat cinta mekarku bercantum
  
Pergiku tak kembali
kerana memburu nikmat syurgawi
itulah yang hakiki itu yang abadi
dan ku tidak mati
bahkan hidup dengan rezki Ilahi
  
Kejayaan (kejayaan)
kebahagiaan (kebahagiaan)
bintang syuhada yang dirindukan
  
Datang datanglah wahai syahid 
dambaan mujahid
aku relakan sakit yang sedikit
  
Dari tahanan sementara
biar aku nestapa
demi bahagia untuk selamanya

Boleh dikatkan ini antara lagu Nasyid yang aku memang suka la. Because those Nasyid songs about love are just not my type.

So, if you guys have yet heard of him, do google him someday, and read his life story and journey. Watch videos of him on youtube. He merely lived for 20 years, but in that small amount of time, he managed to achieve and contribute immeasurable deeds towards his deen. 

Sahabat: Apa Sebenarnya?

Gambar hiasan jaaa credits

Tipulah kalau dalam persahabatan itu tiada pergaduhan
Tipulah kalau dalam persahabatan itu tiada perselisihan
Tipulah kalau dalam persahabatan itu semuanya manis-manis belaka
Hmph. Tipu ja semua tu

Sebab kenyataannya persahabatan ini penuh dengan naik turun. Ups and downs la kata orang putih. Waves. One minute the friendship sails proudly on the crest, the next, it stumbles down to the trough (a bit of physics there kids)

But why. Why is it that we fight and argue and get mad at each other? Because no matter how similar we think we may be, or how much in common we think we may have, we are actually two separately distinct creatures. And simply because of that, we disagree with even our closest friend to a certain extent; and more often than not, this leads to something known as.... merajuk. Lol.

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There was sometime this year or last year, in the "surau" perempuan, somebody scribbled on the whiteboard something that goes somewhat like this "hentikan bff jahilliyah, amalkan ukhwahfillah". (not exact words)

Somehow my response was delayed as I had only just recently felt a smack on the face by that statement. (baru rasa tertampar oleh statement di atas) BFF. Jahilliyah? Hmm... I used to have declared BFFs since primary school and to this date, I only had *counts on fingers* three or four maybe? There was this one BFF of mine since Year 3 and I always thought "If we were to go separate ways, I don't believe that I shall find another BFF". In other words, I shall be BFF-less; and back then that was some kind of nightmare! Dum dum dummmmmm....

But then after she moved over to Perak in Form 2 (almost 6 years of friendship yawww), I became closer to someone else and acquired a new BFF - and I assume she did the same too. Then in Form 4, after stepping into a prison an institution by the name of PERMATA, I was truly confident that I shall never find a BFF ever again - and I was right. Of course my classmates are all besties of mine, but to declare them a BFF is like....... Not gonna happen in a million years.

Member kelas aku. Kasi blurrrrr sikit :P

Don't get me wrong. I don't mean it as a bad thing. In fact, it's a great thing because QuadP life has given me the sense of ukhwah. Ukhwahfillah which defeats BFFs any day. Because I have figured that BFF only lasts in the dunya - whilst the we are still in close contact with the person - when Ukhwahfillah lasts till Jannah. MasyaAllah. How could you ever compare that. In Ukhwahfillah, we strongly believe that the day will come when we shall meet once again and that is in the akhirah. Subhanallah. Amalkan amr ma'ruf nahi mungkar. 

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"Here, everybody's friends with everybody. Is that right?" I remembered Marie's speech ever so vividly.

Even she was affected by the lively ambience that PERMATA brings. It's damn true. Back in my previous school, I don't even talk to most of the students much, but here, I interact with lots of different people everyday. I don't need to proclaim someone as a BFF because I'd rather be friends with anyone and everyone.

Quoted from a friend of mine: "Dia (Marie) pun dapat rasa hidup kita nie penuh makna". 

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Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous

Fikir-fikirkanlah. Rugilah kalau di dunya nie share macam-macam. Buat macam-macam bersama. Happy sama-sama. Tapi di akhirat kelak menjadi musuh dek kerana tiadanya iman dan taqwa dalam equation persahabatan kita.

Peringatan untuk diri sendiri yang sering lalai dan alpa.

Let Her Go

Just watched this lyric video late in the afternoon and realised how much it applies to us humans

Well you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missing home

Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go~

I can't help but remind myself of the times when being with classmates felt so bliss. 

Of the times when we gather at the round table and crack up jokes.

Of the times when arguing just became a means of having the world equilibrated (or so to speak)

Of the times when we mock and laugh at each other

Of the times when we waited up for the others during lunch, and applauded their arrival

Of the times when debating makes the bond stronger

Of the times when we stay up all night just to finish up a class project

Of the weekends spent filming

Of the weekends spent having meetings

Of the moments worth cherishing, even though piles upon piles of assignments and homework await

But then again, how long do these things last? There're not gonna be there forever. Someday, we're all gonna die. Just the other night the Maghrib discussion was on how much we actually need to rely on The Almighty. Everything happens with the will of Allah, and it is something that we need to apprehend.

I happen to come across another Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan video which, somehow or another, is related to this whole thing (though it does seems to be a bit off topic but who cares)

And Then There's That

What if I eventually become the person that I have always thought I would never be? There only exists a tiny line that separates the good side from the bad, and switching between those two is actually not as difficult as you may think. I remember back in those days when I was quiet and timid and rarely speaking, I used to think that "oh, I shall never be arrogant." (with the whimsical voice of an innocent young girl)

That's pretty much straightforward and clean. It puzzles me as to how a person would feel so proud of themselves, to the extent that they would not so much as look at the people of lower standards even if they used to be best buddies. But now, the reason has become clearer than never before; and it scares the pants outta me (sorta). It's a nightmare, to imagine that the future you would be the exact type of person you have always hated.

Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended...

Choices

Khairul Ain had just left. (Phew) I was just seconds away from reaching my keyboard when she plunged in and made havoc =='

No matter. I was initially planning on writing about how sleepy I currently am, but there's more to life than sleep.. So.. (as a matter of fact it is the second time today that she became the barrier between me and slumber. Not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing)

Since earlier today I was greeted by news that requires me to make a decision, that would be exactly what I shall be speaking of in this post. Several time in life we encounter a fork road (or fork path?) and we tend to spend a lot of time just deciding on the left or the right. But most of the time, such ample leisure can never be obtained and you have to come to a right choice sooner than you can say I love broccoli.

Some decisions are huge and will unleash its effects in the long run, and in these cases you will have to choose right. Istikharah. Ask for guidance from Allah as it is He who knows best. By performing Istikharah (as I have read from a website), you shall be confident that the choice that you picked is the best. Even if you find yourself somewhat proven wrong in the future, know that what might appear good or bad may not be as we think they would be. Belief. Believe that what Allah has in store for you is the best plan you could ever wish for.

Doa. It's the moment when we raise our hands and pray that we realise how small and weak we are and how much we depend on Allah.

Before It Happens

Am sitting here currently having nothing better to do than stare at the computer screen. Wal 'asr. Indeed, mankind is in lost.

Somehow I was reminded by one of Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) hadith that goes

Amar bin Maymoon Al-Audi (radhi Allahu anhu) narrates that once Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) gave the following advice to a Sahaabi: “Treasure five things before five: Your youth before old-age; your health before illness; your wealth before poverty; your free time before becoming occupied, and your life before death." [Tirmidhi] 

Youth before old-age. I'm not deluding you when I say I'm still young. Still have the strength, the capability, the power. Still able to stand on my own two feet. Alhamdulillah.

Your free time before becoming occupied. Most of the time, I find myself either having absolutely nothing to do or extremely huge piles of work to be settled. When will I ever learn? *sigh*

Your life before your death. YOLO. I'm sure you've at least heard of that. You only live once. You only have one chance to live in this dunya before going on to the hereafter. So why waste this golden opportunity, to gain as much amal as could? Because when Malaikat Jibril comes, you know that your time is up...

Silence

Many times I remind myself of this quote

Many times I try putting it to practice

Many times... I failed...

O Allah, provide me strength to refrain myself from unnecessary speech,

for the more words produced by the mouth, the more likely it is for me to speak things that may be the reason for Your displeasure

I am only silent in the presence of those I am not used to (a few years back I used to be the quiet type)

And once people whom I am comfortable with gets into my zone, I start talking, often about worldly things. I should stop that. Halt. Terminate. Discontinue. Put a stop to it. 

People always say that girls talk way more than boys, and I disagree with that statement to some extent. I do wish that one day I may reduce the urge to speak nonsense. Amiin. Truly, the tongue is the sharpest, most powerful weapon that one owns.

However it is, I just have to be certain that I shall never throw in the towel. Ever.

Music in Islam + Acapella

Before I proceed, I'd like to remind fellow readers that I'm not in any way influencing you. Rather, this is just to share what I have recently found through readings and videos on the internet. It all started way back in school, when a few of us were discussing about music, and that someone has discovered a video by Mufti Menk regarding the origin of music.

The Believing Heart

Dan kepada Allah jualah tertentunya urusan memberi panduan yang menerangkan jalan yang lurus; dan di antara jalan-jalan yang dituju ada yang terpesong dari kebenaran; dan jika Ia kehendaki, tentulah Ia memberi petunjuk kepada kamu semua (yang menyampaikan ke jalan yang lurus itu).

If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions

Dan jika Allah menghendaki, tentulah Dia menjadikan kamu satu umat (yang bersatu dalam ugama Allah yang satu) akan tetapi Allah menyesatkan sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang peraturanNya) dan memberi pertunjuk kepada sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang peraturanNya) dan sesungguhnya kamu akan ditanya kelak tentang apa yang kamu telah kerjakan. 

So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith.

Dan janganlah kamu merasa lemah (dalam perjuangan mempertahan dan menegakkan Islam), dan janganlah kamu berdukacita (terhadap apa yang akan menimpa kamu), padahal kamulah orang-orang yang tertinggi (mengatasi musuh dengan mencapai kemenangan) jika kamu orang-orang yang (sungguh-sungguh) beriman 

Partner for Life

An agreement with a fellow classmate had made it possible for this post to be written (I hope you're reading this NUR AMALIN :P). It'll be a lie if I said that the thought of having a life partner, or as people simply say it, a husband, had never crossed my mind. It has, mind you, and I won't be gasping in astonishment if a data were to suggest that every teenager had at least considered this topic once in their lifetime.