:: Water for a civilization ::

At home. But not mine. It's hers. (( She, who had dozed off hours ago although the real plan is to 'burn the midnight' oil till it's no longer night. ^^,)) At last, this friday (today?!) will be the beginning of the not-in-the-semester's-schedule holiday due to the 'water and tanks' problem. Got no idea when it will reach to its end. Glad that my block is -till this very moment, i guess- still among the unaffected blocks. Nevertheless, i'm among those who took the immediate-action right after hearing the official announcement made by MRC this evening. Afraid that tomorrow might not be the same as today. Also worried that SYABAS will be the most wanted and most waited guest!

Truly, water is the main source for human being to continue their day-to-day lives smoothly, regardless of their positions. People from all walks of life are in need of it. An established and undeniable fact, in deed. I did ask some friends, had they been given the chance to choose among these two situations, which one would be their choice, non-ironed clothes or unbathed body?(although it is not a proper english word, u know what i mean). Definitely majority of us will choose the first one. Body is more important than clothes, anyway. But optimistically said, i would have choose to not to be in the state of having to choose. Sorry for using the confusing + broken english!



In surah al anbiyaa' verse 30, ALLAH says:

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water ? Will they not then believe ? (anbiyaa' : 30)

Pertaining to the above words (in bold), a modern mufassir Muhammad Asad said:

The statement that God “made out of water every living thing” expresses
most concisely a truth that is nowadays universally accepted by science. It has
a threefold meaning: (1) Water – and, specifically, the sea – was the
environment within which the prototype of all living matter originated; (2)
among all the innumerable – existing or conceivable – liquids, only water has
the peculiar properties necessary for the emergence and development of life; and
(3) the protoplasm, which is the physical basis of every living cell – whether
in plants or in animals – and represents the only form of matter in which the
phenomenon of life are manifested, consists overwhelmingly of water and is,
thus, utterly dependent on it. Read together with the preceding statement, which
alludes to the unitary origin of the physical universe, the emergence of life
from and within an equally unitary element points to the existence of a unitary
plan underlying all creation and, hence, to the existence and oneness of the
Creator.

Got another fascinating point regarding the importance of water. During one of history lessons last semester, Prof Ghassan did ask us, why do you think the Chinese civilization flourished for a very long period of time, compared to other civilizations? Yeah, you see that there were dynasty after dynasty existed, taking their turn and prospering in its own numerous achievements. About the answer, none of us got the right idea. At last, prof Ghassan -after spending too much time waiting for the correct answer- he said that it's all because of its very large numbers of rivers and sea. Subhaanallah. A bountiful bless from HIM, giving us water, to purify ourselves, as drinks, and as well as to build civilizations!

Click here to see the list of rivers in China.

:: Personal vs Societal ::

Yesterday’s lecture was really an attention-grabbing one (I think). Especially because the venue of the class already changed to a normal class, making the gap between me and madam was only a few inches. I love it when the lecturers are spreading their words of wisdom and beautiful lectures exactly in front of me. For the past two weeks, my sociology class was stated in the slip as ‘will-be-having-the-lectures’ in Soca Lab. Urgh, it’s not a class. It’s a lab, a long yet narrow so-called class. It was hard for madam to just remain delivering the lessons by standing in front of the class since the ‘back-benches’ might having problem in earshot her words clearly. Due to this reason, for a moment or two, madam was forced to walk to the center of the class, ‘leaving’ me a bit far. I dislike that. I have to turn around my head almost the whole period of the lesson. It’s a tiresome 50 minutes for me.

However, all praises be to ALLAH. Yesterday’s was the beginning of the real excitement. We are now being placed in a proper and better venue to be spent there, thrice in a week. Being given the chance to learn about sociology is a blessing, really. It helps you to understand your ‘location’ in the society, how the society is giving a great impact to your life, plus you also will be exposed about other societies in this world, with their peculiarities, and of course, lots and lots more. More weeks left for me to grab this chance and enjoy learning all those excitements and knowledge.

For yesterday, we were taught about the theory of sociological imagination. A theory grounded by C. Wright Mills. It is a theory about an awareness of the relationship between an individual and the widen society. He stated that the society is highly potent and intoxicating in influencing your decision. Are we really aware of it? Let me give you and example. Our society (in Malaysia) tells that women are pretty in all colors-what to do- but there are certain colors which are strictly considered as women’s colors. For instant, a striking pink color. So, when a guy is choosing his t-shirt in a mall, he would undoubtedly think about others’ perspective towards him as well. He can’t choose a striking pink t-shirt, although he might be the one who are –fortunately- fated as a guy who likes pink. “It’s only for women”, the society said that. Then, it is proved that even in buying your own things; you are not making the decision on your own, the society has a share there. So it’s also a societal decision-making rather than solely personal.

The second example, committing suicide is regarded as a highly personal action. However, is it truly personal? Is there really a sane person who will suddenly kill him/herself right after he/she woke up from sleep, without any reasons? Absolutely the answer is no. The society is the entity which is forcing someone to commit suicide. Take one case, a student in a leading country in this world is committing suicide just because he failed to enter a prominent university, and surprisingly it is not something weird. Why? Because the society in that particular country said, it is better for you to die than to continue living in this world but being humiliated. It is obvious that the society really has a hand in shaping your life.

There are more examples given by madam yesterday but I think it’s enough for us to understand how society –in almost time- is making the decision for us. That’s why it is very vital for us, to choose a very good society in order to lead this life blissfully. However, interestingly said, isn’t it better for us, if in making any decision in our lives, we let Islam to ‘decide’ it for us as well? For example in the case of buying clothes, we are free to choose but it must be in accordance to the guard lines given by ALLAH. As women, when we are buying our stuffs, especially outfits, do we ‘allow’ the Islamic Law to share its views in producing our firm decision? Do we really consider which attire is allowed or not allowed, or which attire will contribute points of sins into our accounts and so on…? A thing to be ponders upon. :)

:: Sebelum atau Selepas ::

Baru beberapa jam pulang dari Kuala Lumpur. (Tiba-tiba abah offer nak guna broadband tak.. hehe..) Menjenguk kakak & abang. Juga menjengah bakal keluarga mertua abang di Melaka. Betul-betul banyak urusan yg perlu diselesaikan sebelum menikah. Hm.. Harap-harap giliran saya nanti simple sahaja, dan yg penting tidak menyusahkan.

Kasihan.

Ramai yang mengumpul duit sebelum perkahwinan semata-mata untuk membiayai kos 1 atau 2 hari perkahwinan. Bagi saya sepatutnya duit yg terkumpul perlu lebih difokuskan & dikhususkan untuk hari-hari selepas majlis perkahwinan. Hari-hari itu yang lebih memerlukan wang. Bukan sekadar 100 atau 200 hari sahaja malah lebih banyak jumlah hari yg akan ditempuhi. Bahkan semakin ramai insan yg akan 'menyertai' famili. Bagi yang diberi kecukupan dalam rezeki, Alhamdulillah. Bagi yang sebaliknya, juga Alhamdulillah. Kecukupan & kekurangan, kedua-duanya tetap ujian dari ALLAH. The thing that really matters here is what do you do in dealing with this life of test.

Teringat sewaktu saya belajar madah Aayat Ahkam. Tentang hukum-hakam yg terdapat dalam surah AnNur. Satu bab yg ingin saya bawakan serba sedikit dalam entri kali ini; AtTargheebu Fiz Zawaaj - Galakan utk menikah. Firman ALLAH dalam surah annur, ayat 32 yg bermaksud:

Dan kahwinkanlah orang-orang bujang (lelaki dan perempuan) dari kalangan kamu, dan orang-orang yang soleh dari hamba-hamba kamu, lelaki dan perempuan. Jika mereka miskin, Allah akan memberikan kekayaan kepada mereka dari limpah kurniaNya kerana Allah Maha Luas (rahmatNya dan limpah kurniaNya), lagi Maha Mengetahui.

Sebahagian ulama' berpendapat bahawa ayat ini ditujukan kepada wali kerana merekalah yg bertanggungjawab mengahwinkan anak-anak mereka. Namun perkataan kahwinkanlah di sini bukan sekadar membawa maksud menjalankan proses akad nikah, akan tetapi termasuk juga memudahkan perkahwinan. Memudahkan perkahwinan bererti tidak menjadikan perkahwinan itu sebagai sesuatu yg menyusahkan. Antaranya, tidak menetapkan mahar yg terlalu tinggi, prosedur yg menyusahkan, juga tidak menetapkan umur tertentu barulah dibenarkan anak itu berkahwin.

Perkara-perkara seperti ini adakalanya menjadi penyebab kepada berleluasanya masalah zina & maksiat yg semakin tidak terkawal. Teringat saya akan artikel yg mengatakan implikasi apabila yg haram (zina) itu lebih mudah daripada yg halal (nikah).

Sewaktu belajar topik ini di dalam kelas, saya benar-benar terasa sedih. Teringatkan pengalaman teman-teman yg terlalu susah untuk bernikah sedangkan hati sudah merasakan diri itu perlukan pernikahan. Ada yang bercucuran airmata ketika meluahkan rasa sedihnya; si ibu mahukan jumlah mahar yg tinggi, sehingga tidak mampu untuk dibiayai oleh lelaki yg ingin menikahinya itu. Ada juga yang hampir setiap hari mengalirkan airmata, mengenangkan bantahan ibubapa terhadap keinginan hatinya untuk menjadi sayap kiri seorang jundullah.. Alasan yg biasa, tunggu selepas tamat ijazah.

Entah bagaimana caranya utk menyelesaikan masalah ini.. Namun pada saya, setiap jalan menuju perkahwinan itu tidaklah semudah yg dilihat. Setiap jalan punya mehnah yg berbeza-beza & cara penyelesaian yg tidak sama meski nampak serupa.

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Pernah saya mengajukan soalan kepada kak Islah, 'kenapa ye orang lain nampak senaaaang sangat dapat kawin..' (sekarang saya rasa berdosa bertanyakan soalan itu. Seolah-olah tidak redha dgn ketetapanNYA. Malah mencemburui takdir insan lain. Maafkan diri ini..) kata kak Islah, 'ALLAH kan akan menguji hamba-hambanya, untuk lihat samada kita ini ikhlas dalam menerima takdirnya atau tidak. Jika kita sabar, itulah yg terbaik bagi kita. ' Rasa sebak mendengarkan jawapan kak Islah.

Rasulullah SAW bersabda;

"Ajaban li amril mu’min,inna amrahu kullahu lahu khairun
(Aku takjub akan keadaan orang beriman, sungguh segala persoalan adalah baik baginya)

Walaisa dzalika li ahadin illa lil mu’min
(Semua itu tidak terdapat kecuali pada diri seorang mukmin)

In ashabat-ku sarraa-u syakara fakaana khairan lahu
(Jika ia mendapatkan kelapangan ia bersyukur, maka itulah kebaikan baginya)

Wa in ashabat-hu dharra-u shabara fakaana khairan lahu
(Dan jika ia ditimpa kesusahan ia bersabar, itulah kebaikan baginya)"

(HR Muslim).

Sabar oh sabar, adakala aku menemuimu, tetapi mengapa terlalu cepat engkau berlalu... khabarkanku bagaimanakah caranya untuk mengekalkanmu dalam diriku...

:: A future plan ::

Thinking about my examination result... Reading friends' entries about the feeling-good-and-relief after checking their results... I FEEL LIKE CRYING!!!

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:: HOME SCHOOLING :: More often than not, what is the word that might cross our minds when we heard about it? In one word, how can we express our judgments or understandings on it? Impossible? Apalling? Sufiah? whatever.. As for me, i'll simply say; d.r.e.a.m :)

Yup, it's one of my dreams or i can say, a future plan for my children. People might say that it is not a well-known methods of teaching in most household in our country, or some other irony & sarcasm thinking will probably say; it is unrealistic or unworkable.

I admit that there are possibilities for bad consequences (e.g.: low ability in mingling with others) to occur but that's normal, almost everything & every action has its both bad and bright side. And in deed, i really can't say much about it since it is yet to be practiced. Still have to wait for about 5-6 years, maybe. The sooner the better, the more the merrier.

Got lots more to be done before making sure that it is a succesful method. It's very vital to make an 'experiment' on it. How many years of homeschooling, how many hours a day, how's the syllabus, who's the 'principal'/'vice principal'/'class monitor', the language.. Oh, still a long way to go!

More importantly, a meeting and so called discussion with my children's daddy have to be held first... Meaning to say that, at this point in time, i am to do nothing about the plan yet. :) Maybe just a few readings and observations.

Praying that ALLAH will help 'us' to teach our children, for the sake of serving the Ummah. InshaALLAH.

p.s:
Appendix 1

A link to a page where you can have a quick glance (if you have not much interest in homeschooling your child) or a methodically view (in case you are thinking of homeschooling your child) about the teaching syllabus. Note: the contents are free to be changed, especially in islamizing them. ;) Click here.

Appendix 2

Anyway, here are some of the homeschoolers reasons (according to U.S Dept. of Edu):

8.2% say: Child has special needs or disability
9.0% say: Student behaviour problems at school
11.5% say: Other problems which available with school
11.6% say: School doesn't challenge child
12.1% say: Object to what school teaches
15.1% say: To develop characters and morality
16.8% say: Family reasons
25.6% say: Poor learning environment at school
38.4% say: Religious reasons
48.9% say: Can give child better education at home

:: Keep the Change?! ::

Keluar bersama beberapa orang rakan pada minggu sudah.. Ada satu pengajaran yg selama ini saya tidak sedari & tidak pernah terfikir.

Menaiki teksi. Meter menunjukkan RM5. Seorang rakan menghulurkan RM10 beserta kata-kata: "Keep the change"... Saya dgn seorang lagi rakan mula berpandangan sesama sendiri. Dengan pandangan yg bermaksud "Biar btol..Apa kes..Apa barang..Etc etc etc..."

Kembali menaiki teksi utk pulang. Meter menunjukkan RM4.90. Saya cepat2 menghulurkan not RM5. Supaya tangan saya mendahului tangan rakan tadi.

Turun dari teksi, saya katakan bahawa sengaja saya cepat2 menghulurkan RM5 itu, supaya rakan saya itu tidak membazirkan wangnya utk kali yg kedua. Jawab rakan itu, "takpelah bagi lebih, kesian kat pakcik tu..."

Terkedu saya sepanjang perjalanan pulang. Terasa "teroknya aku!"

Pulang ke kamar, seperti biasa, saya yg kecoh ini akan 'report' apa yg berlaku kepada kak zikriah. Kata kak zikriah, "bagusnya, dia (rakan tadi) pandang orang dgn pandangan rahmah/kasih sayang..."

Semakin diri ini mengakui kesilapan...

P/s: Fokus kisah ini bukan supaya sentiasa membayar 'lebih' kepada pemandu teksi, tetapi supaya kita memandang manusia lain dengan mata hati.. Yg penuh dengan rasa kasih & sayang kepada sesama insan + pada tempat/orang yg sepatutnya... Wallahu a'lam.

:: Perpisahan ::

From JB to KL.

Hati tidak henti-henti dirundung kesayuan. Sayu kerana terpaksa berpisah dgn insan2 yg saya sayangi. Satu persatu insan-insan itu saya tinggalkan. Sungguh saya benci perasaan yg bersarang dalam hati kala ini. Duhai hati, moga hari esok langitmu cerah kembali. Insha ALLAH.

Satu perkara dalam hidup ini yg terlalu ingin saya hindari tetapi tidak pernah mampu, bahkan berkali-kali ia terjadi; sebuah perpisahan. Betapa saya tidak mahukan ia berlaku, namun apalah daya saya untuk menolaknya. Norma kehidupan, setiap yg bertemu itu pasti akan berpisah. Kata orang, jangan mulakan pertemuan seandainya takut akan perpisahan. Soalnya, kebanyakan pertemuan itu bukanlah datang dari kudrat mahupun iradat sendiri. Ia takdir Ilahi, dan yg pasti, rencana-NYA diiringi hikmah yg tersembunyi, dan adakala ia juga mampu difahami.

Benar sungguh bagai dikata, perjalanan hidup ini tidak akan selamanya selari dgn kehendak insani, meski diri benar-benar tidak mengingini, takdir Ilahi itu pasti terjadi. Tanda berkuasanya Ilahi, dan tanda betapa takdir itu tidak bisa diingkari, meski manusia itu berbekalkan pangkat & darjat yg tinggi. Ah, sungguh lemahnya kita ini. Mungkin kerana itu, sabar & redha perlu sentiasa ada dalam diri. Mudah-mudahan tiada rasa ingin menyalahkan Ilahi, bahkan sentiasa meredhai, agar diredhai.

Harapan hati, moga setiap perpisahan yg terjadi, bukanlah yg akan kekal abadi, meski mati itu menghampiri. Bukankah negeri akhirat masih menanti? Moga-moga kita bakal dikumpulkan di Firdausi, bersama-sama mereka yg kita cintai & rindui setiap hari. Untuk menikmati rahmat & kasih Ilahi yg tidak pernah mati.

Berikan kami peluang itu, ya RABBI… peluang untuk merasai keindahan sebuah pertemuan yg tidak sekali-kali diakhiri dgn perpisahan yg menyakiti, kerana kehidupan di syurga-MU adalah kehidupan yg kekal abadi. Amin.

Perkenankan doa kami, ya RABBUL ‘IZZATI.

:: Ma Zannuka Billah? ::

Khabar tidak baik. Buat seketika, mata ini terasa berat... tidak tertahan menakung air mata yg sudah terlalu berombak badai di dalam.

Moga hati ini terus yakin bahawa ketetapan ALLAH itu sentiasa yg terbaik. Mohon hati ini diberi ketabahan yg tiada henti oleh-NYA.

Bersabarlah. Ujian ini terlalu & terlampau kecil jika dibandingkan dengan ujian2 umat terdahulu.

Terkenang kata2 seorang sahabat... Yakinlah dgn ALLAH. Kukuhkan dalam hatimu bahawa ALLAH pasti memakbulkan doamu. Meski seluruh dunia mengatakannya mustahil, tetapi ALLAH menetapkannya berlaku, HANYA KETETAPAN ALLAH YG PASTI BERLAKU. Fa laa yahzunka qauluhum!

Lupakah kamu pada kata2 ALLAH dalam satu hadith qudsi:

أنا عند ظن عبدي بي ، وأنا معه إذا ذكرني ، فإن ذكرني في نفسه ذكرته في نفسي ، وإن ذكرني في ملإ ذكرته في ملإ خير منهم ، وإن تقرب إلي بشبر تقربت إليه ذراعا ، وإن تقرب إلي ذراعا تقربت إليه باعا ، وإن أتاني يمشي أتيته هرولة

(Muttafaqun 'Alaih)

Maksudnya: "Sesungguhnya Aku ini adalah pada sangkaan hambaKu padaKu, Aku bersamanya jika dia mengingatiKu, jika dia mengingatiKu dalam dirinya, nescaya Aku akan mengingatinya dalam diriKu... (ila aakhir)"

Maka apakah sangkaanmu kepadaNYA...??? Fa maa zannukum birobbil 'aalamin...???

Pertolongan ALLAH itu akan tiba ketika terputusnya harapanmu kepada manusia

:: Ibumu, ibumu, ibumu ::

"Menumpang di segenap ruang yang ada di lubuk berkasihan
Begitu indah setiap detik di dalam rahimmu
Sehingga teramat asyik setiap saat di pangkuanmu"

Sudah berkali2 saya mendengar lagu ini: Azimat Ibunda. Namun baru hari ini saya menyedari ‘kewujudan’ beberapa baris ayat ini. Dada ini sebak, terlalu. Teringatkan ibu yg sudah lama tidak saya ketemu. Saya terlalu ingin pulang menjengah ibu & ayah. Ingin menemani ibu, berkongsi cerita dengan ibu, menggembirakan hati ibu yg kesepian dan yg paling utama, saya ingin memohon maaf dari ibu. Entah berapa besar dosa saya kepada ibu. Akan tetapi, kerja2 yg terpikul di bahu ini benar2 telah menyekat niat saya. Maafkan diri ini... (“:)


Betapa indah hidup ini, seandainya hari2 saya ditemani ibu. Saya sedar, hakikatnya saya sudah melalui episod indah itu, sebelum saya tiba di dunia ini lagi. Tapi sayang, tika itu saya belum dikurniakan ingatan seperti sekarang. Entah bagaimana rasanya berada di dalam rahim ibu, setiap saat, detik, masa... Hampir dengan degupan jantung ibu, mendengar setiap bisikan hati ibu, berkongsi suka, duka, dan juga makanan dgn ibu. Subhaanallah!


Maha suci ALLAH yg telah mengukirkan sebuah rasa cinta yg teramat antara seorang ibu & anaknya, cinta yg tidak dapat digambarkan dengan kata2, kerana ia bukan utk didengari atau dibaca, tetapi utk dirasai. Maha Pengasih ALLAH yg telah memberi peluang kepada setiap insan untuk singgah sebentar di satu alam yg sangat mulia, dalam daerah yg terlalu istimewa, rahim ibu.


Melihat kepada lirik tadi, saya jadi sayu dan insaf. Menyedarkan saya sebuah hakikat bahawa hidup ini sekadar tumpangan. Mula menumpang di dalam rahim ibu, kemudian menumpang sebentar di bumi ALLAH sebelum meneruskan perjalanan ke destinasi yg seterusnya. Sahabat2, kita ini penumpang, lantaran itu, tiadalah layak utk kita berasa sombong atau megah diri hatta sekelumit cuma. Kerana kesombongan kita itu tidak akan pernah mampu utk meretakkan bumi Tuhan, apatah lagi utk menggapai langit Tuhan.


Sebagai hamba, janganlah sombong untuk:


:: Setiap masa memohon bantuan dari-NYA ::


:: Mengharapkan cinta & pengampunan-NYA ::


:: Melaksanakan perintah-NYA ::


:: Memohon agar dijauhkan dari seksaan-NYA ::


Sungguh, manusia itu sudah melampaui batas! Apabila dia memandang dirinya memiliki segala-galanya. (Al-‘Alaq: 6-7)