Backwards To Move Forwards?

Do I go back to being a dreamer to find myself,
Or does the road ahead lead to a new me?

Easier Said

I felt the cool morning breeze
Sensed the drizzle on my skin
It started to rain
I stood, requesting to wash away my sins
If only it was that easy.

It's Close - You Can't Run

One man, battered and bloodied,
He went out on his own to fight the war.
The others chose to delay for the worldly.
A brave man, a heroic soldier;
He fought so valiantly
Alone.
No brothers had a clear notion;
Now he lies battered and bloodied.

Run, run, all.
Everyone rushes to gather
They seem to know where to go.

I am approached in the commotion
"You don't look like you should be here,
Cross over."
I don't.

So many of us, so many of the faithful.

But wait.
The other side lurks of the familiar.
Promises are made.
STOP!

But they all go running.
I choose to stay.
My daughter! She runs to go.
I reach for her, she returns.
A quick reminder,
A soothing word, and she is firm.

We two, we stay
And await our fate
As best we can muster.
Giving ourselves strength
With the constant reminder of the surety in the Hereafter.

Why are they running away....

Hadhrat Umar's Dua (Prayers of Supplication) During His Inaugural Address

O Allah I am hard, make me soft to promote the Truth, to comply with Your injunctions and to aspire to a better life in the world hereafter.

O Allah make me hard for the enemies of Islam and for those who create mischief so that their designs against Allah come to naught.

O Allah I am a miser; make me generous in the promotion of the good.

O Allah save me from hypocrisy. Strengthen my resolves so that whatever I do, I do for the sake of winning Your approbation.

O Allah soften my heart for the faithful so that I attend to their needs with a sense of dedication.

O Allah, I am careless, make me responsible enough so that I do not lose sight of You.

O Allah I am weak in offering my obedience to You; make me active and fortify my faith.

O Allah bestow on me faith, and the power to do good.

O Allah give me the power of self-criticism and self-assessment.

O Allah bestow on me the insight into the meaning of the Qur'an and the strength to act in accordance with what the Qur'an says.

O Allah You are capable of doing anything: bless us with Your favour.

Amin.

From the book - "Hadrat Umar Farooq" by Prof Masudul Hasan

Enlighten Me

Stay awake, sleepy head.
What do I hear inside my head?
Instructions to go? ... Confusion plays.

Men in a row, keris lie ahead
A brave hand reaches out
And claims his stake.

Symbolic its sign,
Towards a duty to uphold;
Is this the start to what the world awaits?

Am I a witness to what I see?
Or am I in that row awaiting Thee?

A Sad State Of Affairs

The world is in a sorry state,
Wake up, wake up before it's too late!

We humans fail to heed

Hold the sword up high,
The time is nigh.
Together united, as one;
Divided we fall.

Wander or Wonder

It's been a few days and this is on my mind:
The likelihood of a firm establishment when least expected is ... possible or dire imagination ...?

23rd of the Ninth 1430

Three bearded men dressed all in white. An immense silence with sentiments of peace.
They bow where the arches are white encompassed with gold that seems to glitter from lights reflected off glass walls.
A vision of serenity, humility, subservience.
Allahu Akbar

Accountability

We can't just sit and wait for things to happen. It won't just happen 'one day' that the light suddenly dawns on you.

Why do we make the choice of going the wrong way when we have been given the intellect? - "Comfort; happiness; my life, my choice?" - Is it really so?

We are all travellers in this world and may we find a shady tree for respite. But don't lose hold of what is ahead of us. No, not in this 'real world', but in Reality.

An End To It

When unhealthy behavioural aspects take the better of a person and he is overcome by revengeful behaviour, he thus fails to see the possibility of hurting even those he loves.

Moments

Tender moments past us by
Like dew drops lost in the morning light
Capture we not the beauty,
We fail to see why.

Here I sit among the many
Whose lives have gone by without a tarry
A short time they had to live
Without the burden of sins to carry.

We heed not reminders aplenty
Choose we instead to gorge and plunder

When the chosen time comes,
When we depart
The anguish, the pain, the suffering, the regrets;
The doom we brought upon ourselves

Why oh why mankind, do we choose to fall
Why do we fail when given all
Why did we not strive to achieve
What Allah has decreed

Weak in iman
As knowledge we do not seek
Feeding our souls with hatred and greed

Wisen up I beg you
See the light
Dim it is now, make it bright

Hear the calling and repeat His name
Brotherhood, sisterhood, have we forgotten all?
Reconcile within, and amongst
Strive for the next with no blame and shame.

Freeing Oneself

By the Soul,
And the proportion and order given to it;
And its inspiration as to its wrong and its right; -
Truly he succeeds that purifies it,
And he fails that corrupts it!

Ash-Shams (The Sun), Ayat 7-10

A View To Behold

Sitting at my balcony watching the rain fall, listening to the pitter patter of the raindrops, feeling the spray of rain on my face and sensing the cool breeze on my skin.

It's such a beautiful world, why do we humans choose not to see it as so.

Awakening Of The Senses

I have a phone to make calls and set appointments and reminders. I have a laptop for work and keeping in touch with my friends. I have a car to take me places.
Thank you.

I had wings that were clipped, I was a bird in a cage, I felt like a dog on a leash in a park.

Walking down a dark alley, emotionless, a lone figure.

These are the memories I hold.

I have an empty heart that cannot reciprocate anymore.
Sorry.

And so I move on

To feel the patter of rain on my face,
The caressing of a cool lingering breeze,
To stand barefoot on the sand,
Ignited by the warmth of the sun on my skin.

I feel, I see, I hear, I sense.

Moving on

Many Steps Backwards

This toying around with Math & Science being taught in the English Language or Bahasa Malaysia has my nerves frazzled.

My daughter has been learning Science & Math in English and I must say it has created an interest in her to watch English Science Programmes & related Documentaries on TV, in addition to reading English books on Science related topics. Both my boys learnt the said subjects in BM. With the comparison, I am rather disappointed we have turned back to BM. I still believe we can work on it by improving the mastering of the English Language whilst continuing with the subjects in English. Now if school children have to master English to do well in Science & Math, then that will keep them on their toes.

From what I read in today's The Star, in year 2012 when my daughter is in Form 3, she will have to start studying Science & Math in BM. How is she going to cope?! Sorry to say, but the stupidity of it.

How do we continue to progress as a Muslim nation if we chose to take steps backwards instead of progressing forwards?

A Thought To Hold

Life's sorrows - we have to release them before it takes a hold of us.

While We Still Can...

Life is a trial. May we remember to ask for forgiveness for our misdeeds, be they intentional or unintentional; while we still can....

The Beloved

At times I wonder, if each human being had 10% of our beloved Prophet Muhammad's (sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) character, the world would be a much better place. Would even 1% suffice?

Don't Try!

YOU CAN'T MEND SHATTERED GLASS!

Waited In Vain...

There was no reciprocation for a hand that reached out,
I waited and waited but in vain...

For my friend, Aida

In life we go through different terrains
As a new born, we might start on the plains
We get on a boat and ride on a bubbling brook
Sometimes the weather fairs and at times
We bare the windy weather and the cold rain.

The possibility of shooting the rapids!
Should be taken as an experience to learn from
We ponder on in life wondering if we have taken the right route
Be it on the rough seas or a calm one.

We put our faith in Allah and take things in stride
Our trust in the Almighty holds us steadfast.

With our feet firm on land
We walk through deserts and gardens
Stride up hills and climb mountains
To stand in awe at the wonders of our Creator.

To be able to reach our hand out to grasp
The ocean of limitless knowledge waiting to fulfil us
Oh to be filled with the light…

As travellers on this earth
May we always remember that we will one day return to Him.

Aida, may your endeavours in the name of Allah
Be showered with blessings.

You have been a dear friend to me
I appreciate very much your opinions and thoughts
In my search to be a better Muslim.

Take care Aida and may our paths meet again.

Wasalam

Who Sets Us In Motion...

I sit here - having done my work on my laptop, checked my emails, and now browsing through the news, all whilst sipping my not-so-hot chocolate. Activities surround me and take my thoughts away from my own world. I can't help wonder if each and everyone of us actually know why we do what we do, each day of our lives. Do the individuals at the next table know his or her purpose or are just going through the motions; if so do the individuals ever wonder who sets them in motion?

Which One Is It?

Sometimes we seek for an answer,

And we receive various responses.

How then do we know the path to take?

Let's Layout The Facts

Here I sit and tell myself where I am is my own doing.
So is it about time to move on?

I wonder, I ponder,

How do I flourish if I don't grow?

Who Are They Trying To Hoodwink?

On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of Evil.
But the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof.
Now are they but looking for the way the ancients were dealt with?
But no change wilt thou find in Allah’s way (of dealing):
No turning off wilt thou find in Allah’s way (of dealing)
Sura Fatir, Ayat 43

But when he delivereth them,
Behold! They transgress insolently through the earth
In defiance of right!
O mankind! Your insolence is against your own souls-
An enjoyment of the life of the present:
In the end, to Us is your return,
And We shall show you the truth of all that ye did.
Surat Yunus, Ayat 23

To any that desires the tilth of the Hereafter,
We give increase in his tilth;
And to any that desires the tilth of this world,
We grant somewhat thereof,
But he has no share or lot in the Hereafter
Sura Ash-Shura, Ayat 20

The parable of those who spend their wealth
In the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn:
It groweth seven ears, and each ear hath a hundred grains.
Allah giveth manifold increases to whom He pleaseth:
And Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things.

Those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah,
And follow not up their gifts with reminders
Of their generosity or with injury,-
For them their reward is with their Lord:
On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve
Sura Al-Baqarah, Ayat 261 & 262

It will be said to him:
“Read thine own record: Sufficient is thy soul
This day to make out an account against thee.”
Surat Bani Isrā-īl, Ayat 14

And thou wilt see
Every nation bowing the knee:
Every nation will be called to its Record:
“This Day shall ye be recompensed for all that ye did!

“This Our Record speaks about you with truth:
For We were wont to put on record all that ye did.”
Sura Al-Jāthiya, Ayat 28 & 29

The Familiar Tune

“Bring!!!” The familiar sound of an alarm clock ringing. Seconds later another and minutes later, another alarm goes off. In this era of technology, mobile phones are abuzz with numerous alert sounds waking us up for the day ahead.

Households are a hive of activity in the mornings, each individual owning an agenda for the day; be it the Math test at school, the ‘deadline dilemma’ at work, or the umpteen household errands to run. Some of us have the pleasure of stretching our sleep time by pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock.

The trusty alarm clock also ensures we don’t miss the football game on TV in the wee hours of the morning, the weekend fishing trip, our early morning jog, the “clinch a million dollar deal” business meeting, and not to mention having to arrive at the golf club by 7am.

Have you ever noticed that there seems to be less “alarm clock activity” over the weekends? And that got me wondering.

How many of us actually switch on our alarm clock with the main intention being to fulfill our Subuh (early dawn) prayer? To ensure we are up before the break of dawn, washed and dressed. Looking out our window, inhaling the fresh, cool air and appreciating the wonders of the heavens whilst eagerly awaiting the call to Prayer.

In the quiet of the morning, we say our doas, seeking to strive on the right path. One foot out the door, and we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, forgetting our intentions and doas made in earnest just that morning.

Come night, after performing our Isya prayer, whilst we sit and contemplate, we realize the “don’ts” that we have done for the day. The things we vowed not to do, the words that should not have been spoken, the uncharacteristic behaviour we ought not to have portrayed.

Everyday poses a new beginning, a new learning experience. Be it at home, at work, at school and within the community. With each new day, do we strive to keep Him in remembrance constantly whilst we walk in this world?

Sometimes I wonder if we have forgotten our sole purpose in life.