Monday 7 July 2014

Ramadhan rambling

It's been a week of Ramadhan.

I am okay with the no food and drink restrictions.

No problem at all as I don't eat and drink much anyway.

The harder part is about having to be a good girl.

I am not a good girl.

Well, not as according to the usual interpretation of what it supposed to be for a good Muslim girl.


I don't wear a tudung, have dyed red hair, wear mostly a bit tight and short clothing and I swear quite a bit in normal conversation.

Something like, "What the fuck Khaled think he is doing, fucking up Johor like that?"

I think most, if not all my pahala puasa went up in smoke just because of my swearing.

I am trying to limit it though. For instance, I hardly write such profanities in this blog.

Anyway, fasting, to me, is the third easiest of the five basic things to do for a Muslim.

The easiest to do is reciting and believing the Kalimah Syahadah - professing that Allah is the only existing god and that Mohammed was god's prophet.

That I can do rather well.

My mother, however, once told me that it was not straight forward easy for her.

When she first fell in love with my father and wanted to marry him, it was hard for her to sincerely believe in the existence of a god as required for a Muslim .

She was at that time officially a Taoist but actually an atheist.

The thought of converting to Islam was also scary with all those talks about terrorists, stoning adulterers to death, chopping of hands etc.

She also thought that it would be hard for her to give up eating pork and her favorite Japanese beer.

However, she said my father had only asked her for only one thing - to believe that there is only one God.

That's all.

My father even said she can eat all the pork that she wants and drink as much beer as she can consume.

All he ever wanted for a start was for my mother to believe that Allah is the only god.

With some effort she did, and after a while things turned out alright. My father never demanded anything from her except for the first request. Things simply fell into place after that.

My mother, however, is not the typical Malaysian Muslim convert. She didn't change her name and still behave and look very much like any other non-muslim Chinese lady.

Okay, now, the second easiest basic thing to do as a Muslim for me is paying the tithe or zakat.

Just fill up the necessary forms and pay the required amount at the pejabat zakat.

Very easy. It's basically a bit like doing charity.

Next to fasting during Ramadhan in term of difficulty to fulfill as a Muslim is going on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Mecca.

It's a one trip in a lifetime for any Muslim who can afford it.

It's not going to be very easy for me to do that one, but I think one day I will be able to afford it and actually make the once in a lifetime trip.

I love traveling anyway.

Also, the experience is great, so I was told by those who had been on the pilgrimage.

Makes you feel really close to Allah, they said.

That's cool.

Now, the most difficult basic thing to do as a Muslim for me is performing the five times a day prayers.

It's shameful but I do admit, I am struggling on this one. I simply don't have the discipline.

Whatever it is, I am trying to improve on it.

Insyaallah, hopefully one day I can get it right and perform my solat accordingly as required of me.

Okay, I am quite sleepy now. It's almost 11pm.

Need to sleep now.

Good night.

15 comments:

  1. Go on annie. Believe in Allah and believe in yourself can do it. Its easy as you said. What you need most 'keyakinan'. Nobody can help you on this. You have to obey.

    First and foremost, solat. If you manage it well everything follows. Dont be ashamed, some ustazah and ustaz will teach you.

    Be a good muslimah, annie. Spread your love. Islamik way... bersedekah and berkebajikan banyak-banyak. Everybody will pray for you.

    Johor, aftet PM's visit, hopefully will be ok, I hope.

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    1. Don't bank so much on PM to address the issues in Johor. What's going on there is just another cycle of evil vs good. It is just to test us on how we react to the evil things happening in front of our eyes.Do we just behave like pigs, who just watch or even enjoy the spectacles or be a tiger who will roar and attack. Orang yang beriman tidak akan berdiam diri, paling sedikit mereka berdoa kepada Yang Maha Kuasa. Berkat doa dan usaha kita, yang zalim pasti akan tersungkur, percayalah, insyaallah.

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  2. Allah is simply an Arabic word for single god or God with a capital G. It is not a muslim/ Islamic god.

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    1. Don;t know even the Christians here want to go arab style, I thought it was just the Malays.
      What's wrong with Bahasa?Are the Christians here arabic or are they Malaysian?

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    2. Re. Allah is simply an Arabic word for single god or God with a capital G

      Well said. Not three in one like the Christian god. Then why do the Christian in Malaysia insist to have it?

      Re. It is not a muslim/ Islamic god.

      Then whose god is him?

      Al Ikhlas

      Say:Allah, the One and Only; [1] Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; [2] He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; [3] And there is none comparable unto Him. [4]

      [Qur'an 112:1-4]

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    3. Dear LOL,
      What is Quran to you? A holy book or a dictionary?
      Most Arab people (i.e. Egyptians) learn English at school and God is translated into Allah, not ilah because ilah means a god of many gods or a deity. Whether it is absolutely one god or 3-in-one god, it is not relevant because Allah is simply an Arabic word for God. Just search "God in different languages" and you will see in Arabic, God=Allah. Arabic Bibles also use Allah but there is no problem over the usage of the Arabic word among the Arabs. Why? Because Arabs know that it is a word in their language.

      Original Quran is in Arabic, of course it uses Allah, an Arabic word. Imagine if Quran was revealed in Icelandic, the Quran would definitely use Icelandic word for God. The Arabs will definitely roll on the floor and laugh when they hear that there is a group of an ethnicity that want to monopolize an Arabic word Allah. Allah is God in Arabic, most suitable to be used when speaking Arabic only, it is not a god of any group of people.

      And lastly, please do not accuse me of being a "Chinese" or "DAPig". I am not being a champion of the Malaysian Christians who fight for the right to use the Arabic word Allah but I am saying this because I think "Allah is only for Muslims" etc is really stupid.

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    4. Re. Most Arab people (i.e. Egyptians) learn English at school and God is translated into Allah,

      Here is your original comment:

      Quote " Allah is simply an Arabic word for single god or God with a capital G. It is not a muslim/ Islamic god " Unquote

      and here is my rebuttal to prove that Allah is the one and only Muslim God as opposed to your comment based on Al Quran :

      Say:Allah, the One and Only; [1] Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; [2] He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; [3] And there is none comparable unto Him. [4]

      [Qur'an 112:1-4]

      Re. What is Quran to you? A holy book or a dictionary?

      Of course it is a holy book and as a guidance for every Muslim thus I quote a Chapter in Al Quran, surah Al Ikhlas to be exact to substantiate my comment.

      Re. The Arabs will definitely roll on the floor and laugh when they hear that there is a group of an ethnicity that want to monopolize an Arabic word Allah

      First thing first which Arabs are you referring to, The Muslim, Christians or the Jewish?

      and here is part of your original comment quote "It is not a muslim/ Islamic god " Unquote

      NOW wouldn't the same ARABs you were referring to will be "definitely roll on the floor and laugh " too if your are lucky for your comment is tantamount to "BLASPHEMY" and your head be rolling instead?

      Let us Look at the basis of argument here in Malaysia. It is not about monopoly of the word, it is about translation of the word "god" in Bahasa Melayu which is Tuhan. On that basis that the Malaysian Christians insisted that they want to use the term "Allah" instead of "Tuhan", while its publication is in Bahasa Melayu and not Arabic.

      What is their motive in the first place? Do they actually read the Bible in Bahasa Melayu? Do most of them speak Bahasa Melayu on daily basis? Read and watch all of their press conference, are they all in Bahasa Melayu?

      Re. Allah is God in Arabic, most suitable to be used when speaking Arabic only, it is not a god of any group of people.

      Please refers to your original comment and see whether it explained the above and again read my comment above about this.

      Try not to generalize issue here, for what is applicable in Arab world may not necessarily applicable here in Malaysia. While in Rome acts like a Roman, While in Greece acts like a Grecian.

      Your comment Quote "It is not a muslim/ Islamic god." Unquote is an insult to the Muslim not only here is Malaysia but through out the world.

      Thing would have been different if you were to put "Allah is simply an Arabic word for single god or God with a capital G in the Arab-Speaking World" where the Christian and others use the same term to refer to God."



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    5. Re. And lastly, please do not accuse me of being a "Chinese" or "DAPig".

      I know you are not, for I have read few of your comments before

      Re. I am not being a champion of the Malaysian Christians who fight for the right to use the Arabic word Allah but I am saying this because I think "Allah is only for Muslims" etc is really stupid.

      But it will be STUPID to have a stance or opinion without having the knowledge of the subjects.

      1. The Christian in Malaysia are not Arab;

      2. They don't speak Arabic:

      3. They don't practice Arab Culture;

      4. The issue in contention here is that they want to use the term "Allah" in the Christian Publication in Bahasa Melayu and not in Arabic;

      5. They want to use the term GOD in Bahasa Melayu as "Allah" (Arabic) instead of "Tuhan";

      6. God is translated as Tuhan in Bahasa Melayu and not "Allah";

      7. They are many sects of Christianity here in Malaysia, from Catholic, Protestant, Methodist and Evangelist;

      8. The Christians in Malaysia are not the same as the Arab Christian who uses the term Allah as God and further there are also Coptic Christian in Arab speaking whose practice is based on the old testament bible (Injil Barnabas I think);

      Read here about the Arab/Coptic Christian

      Quote " Arab Christians (Arabic: العرب المسيحيين Al-'Arab Al-Masihiyin) are ethnic Arabs of Christian faith,[8] They are the remnants of ancient Arab Christian clans or Arabized Christians (Melchites). Many of the modern Arab Christians are descendants of pre-Islamic Christian Arabian tribes, namely the Kahlani Qahtani tribes of ancient Yemen (i.e. Ghassanids, Lakhmids and Banu Judham). During the 5th and 6th centuries the Ghassanids, who adopted Monophysite Christianity, formed one of the most powerful Arab confederations allied to Christian Byzantium, being a buffer against the pagan tribes of Arabia. The last king of the Lakhmids, Nu'man III, a client of the Sasanian (Persian) Empire in the late sixth century AD, also converted to Christianity (in this case, to the Nestorian sect).[9][verification needed] Arab Christians played important roles in Al-Nahda, and because Arab Christians formed the educated upper and bourgeois classes, they have had a significant impact in politics, business and culture, and most important figures of the Al-Nahda movement were Christian Arabs.[10] Today Arab Christians play important roles in the Arab world, and Christians are relatively wealthy, well educated, and politically moderate.[1]

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians

      Look at the sequent of statement and logic, none of them is in favor of the request for the Christian in Malaysia. You don't have a sound understanding about the issue in contention, thus is not for you to say whether the Malaysian Muslims stand on this issue is stupid or not.

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    6. Dear LOL, like I said before the word Allah is an Arabic word. I am not saying the Christians must have the right to use Allah because the Bible is not in Arabic, they should use the word Tuhan instead, perhaps it is true that they want to try to convert Muslims to Christians and I apologise for forgetting to put these in my previous comment.

      Your argument based on Surah al-Ikhlas is just so flawed because some of the words are in Arabic while the word Allah is left unstranslated. You use the surah like it is a dictionary and define whether Allah is okay to be used by non-Muslims or not. Arabs have been using Allah since even before the Quran was revealed.

      You still don't get my point "if the Quran was revelead in Icelandic, the Icelandic word for God would be used instead."?

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  3. If we ever get married Annie you'll have to dress up hehehehe. wonder how you look really cos you keep writing up about yr physical appearance quite often don't you? Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahiim. There is no deity to be worshipped but the One True Lord of all creation, Eternal and Everlasting, Merciful and Just, ever accepting of the repentance of His servants.

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  4. Annie,

    Semua rukun Islam yang lima mesti ditaati dan dipatuhi oleh semua umat Islam yang bertaqwa kepada Allah swt.

    Alhamdulillah, Annie telah mentaati tiga daripada rukun tersebut.

    Kumpulkan semua ketaqwaan dan kepatuhan kepada Allah swt untuk mengerjakan solat. Solat adalah wajib selagi kita waras. Malah ketika secara fizikal kita tidak mampu mengerjakan solat, kita wajib mengerjakan dalam hati!

    Kewajiban mengerjakan Solat adalah pada tahap yang tinggi. Solat adalah amalan pertama yang dihisab di hadapan Allah swt di mahsyar kelak.

    Apalah bekalan kita ketika itu kalau kita tidak bersolat atau mengerjakan solat secara tidak menentu?

    Sebagai umat Islam, kepercayan adanya hari pembalasan di alam akhirat merupakan salah satu daripada rukun Iman yang enam.

    Gembelingkan seluruh kekuatan keiman dan ketaqwaan untuk mengerjakan solat lima waktu secara istiqamah. Sekiranya belum mampu, lakukan solat dengan bacaan bacaan yang wajib dan perlakuan yang tertib.

    Annie sendiri telah lihat bagaimana ibu sendiri, bila telah yakin dengan kewujudan Allah yang Esa segala ajaran Islam yang lain mudah ditaati.

    Begitu juga dengan Solat. Apabila telah dilakukan secara berterusan walaupun pada awalnya melakukannya secara paling asas, In Shaa Allah, kualiti Solat akan bertambah meningkat dari semasa ke semasa.

    Bacaan bacaan dalam Solat akan bertambah, disertai dengan zikir dan doa. Melalui pengalaman diri dan rakan rakan maka akan terbuka jiwa untuk mengerjakan amalan amalan Solat sunat.

    Solat sunat ini walaupun tidak wajib, juga amat penting. Solat solat sunat berperanan menutup segala kekurangan dalam solat solat fardhu yang dikerjakan dan banyak ganjaran lain kurniaan Allah.

    Mengerjakan Haji wajib kepada yang mampu. Tanamkan niat dengan ikhlas untuk mengerjakan ibadat ini. In Shaa Allah satu hari nanti akan Allah makbulkan.

    Mengerjakan ibadat Haji merupakan kembara ibadat yang berbeza dengan kembara kembara yang lain. Pelajari ilmu yang cukup mengenai ibadat ini supaya ibadat yang kita lakukan nanti sempurna.

    Seperti ibadat ibadat lain, niat mesti ikhlas hanya kerana Allah swt. Bersihkan diri dan jiwa sebelum menunaikannya. Minta keampunan segala dosa daripada Allah swt dan manusia terutama ibu bapa sebelum mengerjakannya.

    Banyak perilaku yang kurang elok dilakukan sesetengah Jemaah Haji/Umrah semasa di Tanah Suci. Antaranya, ada yang terus terusan marah marah dan merunggut runggut atas alasan yang kecil, melakuan perbuatan yang memalukan seperti kencing di hadapan jemaah lain. Ada juga yang 'meronta ronta' hendak pulang ke tanah air walaupun baru sampai di Tanah Suci!

    Sedangkan ramai Jemaah lain yang bertambah banyak ibadat dilakukan, bertambah mulia perilakunya, bersabar dalam apa juga keadaan dsb.

    Mengapakah keadaan yang berbeza ini terjadi? Hanya Allah swt yang lebih mengetahui. Mungkin ini satu petunjuk sama ada ibadat Haji kita diterima Allah swt atau tidak.

    "Haji yang mabrur ( diterima Allah ) tidak ada balasan lain melainkan SYURGA!"

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  5. Salam Annie,

    1. I would like to share with you a secret: I was a wild child. I did everything you could possibly think of until one evening at about 10.00 pm, 27 years ago. Unexpectedly, just before I start my night shift work at 11.00 pm, I felt the urge to solat. Alhamdulillah, I had never stopped to solat until now. Sure, I still commit sins here and there, but the more sins I committed, the more committed I became with my solat.

    2. To cut a long story short: One day while I was talking with my mum (Allahyarhamah) and my aunty (my godmother), the topic of their experiences while performing their Haj came up. Of those many magical and fascinating stories told, my mum told my aunty that one of the thing that she did while there was to dua’ for Allah to perform my solat! It was then that I realized it was about the same time that I had suddenly felt the urge to solat that fateful evening (16 years ago, which was parallel to that time when my mum was saying her dua’ for me at Mecca!), Allahu Akbar. Instantaneously, my aunty too told my mum that she too dua’ for me while in Mecca. But, it was not for me to solat, but for me to get married soon! (This might sound corny; but I actually decided to get married in my forties one fine day when I got up from my sleep. Again, I knew then why it was so!).

    3. The Secret? Ask your mum to pray/dua’, for you! Her dua’ is very potent, and Allah answers her dua’, every time; be that of good or of bad intention, which the latter, some mothers did (unfortunately). Please do not get me wrong, but once you have started performing your solat more regularly, you would view all things in a different light; trust me, Insyallah.

    Wassalam.

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    1. P.S.
      Correction: Of those many magical and fascinating stories told, my mum told my aunty that one of the thing that she did while there was to dua’ for me to perform my solat!

      Thank you, Annie!

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  6. Choose the easiest solat. And do it without fail. That's how I started.

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  7. A friend's mom passed away on Sunday evening and her funeral was yesterday Afternoon. I visited my friend to pay my last respect to his mother at the Surau near his house. After the solat Jenazah and the body was about to leave for final resting place, I looked back into the Surau and saw a blind woman reading Al Quran using braille. Masyaallah and Subhanallah.

    Saya sendiri malas mengaji, kalau mengaji pun baca surah surah pendek ikut "dan" aje.

    I saw my friend Almarhumah Mom's face, she look so serene and full of nur iman. There is no embalming in Muslim funeral and the body was washed and covered with kafan (white clothe) as it is. Her son is "anak yang soleh". he helped with the "mandi jenazah", be the Imam for "Solat Jenazah" up to the final resting place where the body was placed in "Liang Lahad".

    The morning before his mother passing, I saw him sitting quite long, longer than usual, at the mosque that we frequent after subuh prayer, not knowing that his mother is really sick at that time.

    Al Fatihah to his mother.

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