Undone Love

Beautiful…. Feels beautiful….
If we fall deeply in love
As possible as we can feel the feeling
The willing to own each other each other

However, if that all
Can be shown in one loving bond
Not as easy as ever imagined
To infuse our feelings

Please keep being the star in the sky
For the eternity of our love
Let your shine keep shining this world
So it can be the witness of our love
Our love… both our love…

Its too late
Now its all have ended
Maybe this is the best way
And we have to let this fact be the way it is

Let HIM Be the witness of our love

Maulid: Antara Sejarah Dan Amalan

*copy & paste alert*
taken from drmaza.com

Para sarjana sejarahwan Islam berbeza pendapat tentang tarikh sebenar kelahiran Nabi s.a.w. Hadis Nabi s.a.w yang diriwayatkan oleh al-Imam Muslim hanya menyebut bahawa baginda lahir pada hari Isnin tanpa menyebut haribulannya. Sesiapa yang membaca karya-karya sejarah Islam yang besar seperti al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah oleh al-Imam Ibn Kathir (meninggal 774H) akan melihat berbagai pendapat tentang haribulan dan bulan kelahiran baginda s.a.w.

Bagi yang berpendapat baginda lahir pada Bulan Rabi’ul Awwal, mereka berbeza pendapat pula dalam menentukan haribulannya. Ada yang menentukan pada 8 haribulan, ada yang pada 9 haribulan, ada pula pada 12 haribulan seperti yang menjadi anggapan ramai, ada juga pada 17 haribulan dan seumpamanya. Di samping di sana ada pula sarjana Islam yang menyatakan baginda lahir pada Bulan Ramadan dengan hujah-hujah mereka yang tersendiri.

Apa pun yang penting, sejarahwan Timur atau Barat, Utara atau Selatan tidak pernah berbelah pendapat tentang lahirnya seorang insan bernama Muhammad bin ‘Abdillah yang diikrarkan oleh umat Islam sebagai rasul terakhir yang diutuskan Allah. Hal ini berbeza dengan Jesus yang berada dalam gambaran Barat. Setengah ahli kajian mereka mempertikaikan tentang kelahiran Jesus itu sendiri.

Kelahiran Nabi s.a.w adalah peristiwa yang amat penting kerana ia peristiwa yang memulakan episod baru bagi kehidupan manusia sejagat. Penentuan haribulan atau bulan secara tepat bukanlah faktor utama. Tidak dapat menentukan tarikh lahir yang pasti, bukan bererti seseorang itu tidak wujud. Entah berapa ramai para nabi, tokoh, individu yang gagal dikesan tarikh kelahiran mereka, tetapi mereka wujud dan telah mewarnai sejarah.

Kegagalan sarjana untuk mengetahui hari dan bulan sebenar kelahiran Nabi s.a.w antaranya berpunca daripada tindakan para sahabah Nabi s.a.w yang tidak merayakan tarikh tersebut. Walaupun dalam sejarah Islam, merekalah generasi yang paling mencintai Nabi s.a.w namun mereka tidak membuat perayaan khas hari kelahiran baginda disebabkan kerana mereka tidak melihat baginda melakukan hal yang demikian.

Bahkan Ibn Kathir menceritakan bagaimana Saidina ‘Umar apabila dicadangkan permulaan tahun Islam dikira pada tahun kelahiran Nabi s.a.w, beliau menolaknya. Sebaliknya khalifah agung itu memilih tahun hijrah baginda sebagai permulaan kiraan. Bukan kelahiran tidak penting, tetapi hijrah adalah permulaan kejayaan dan sejarah perjuangan. Perkara yang paling utama buat seorang rasul ialah baginda diikuti, bukan sekadar dirayakan. Saban tahun orang Kristian Barat merayakan kelahiran Jesus, namun apakah kehidupan mereka sama seperti yang diajar oleh Jesus?

Hari berganti dan bertukar. Dunia Islam beralun dengan berbagai krisis politik yang akhirnya mencetuskan mazhab. Antaranya Mazhab Syiah yang asalnya merupakan mazhab politik, bertukar menjadi mazhab agama dengan segala macam aliran di dalamnya. Islam sepatutnya mencorakkan politik telah bertukar menjadi ‘politik mencorakkan Islam’. Lalu kefahaman agama dibina di atas blok-blok politik, bukan reka fikir politik itu diwarnakan oleh Islam. Maka perebutan kuasa berlaku atas agenda politik yang dimasukkan unsur Islam ke dalamnya. Maka berselerakanlah umat Islam akibat agenda politik berbagai aliran.

Di Mesir, Syiah Fatimiyyah pernah menguasai tampok kuasa. Berbagai agenda agama dilaksanakan dalam kerangka pemikiran mazhab politik yang bertukar menjadi agama. Berbagai perayaan agama dibuat dengan tujuan untuk mencapai matlamat politik yang tersendiri.

Dalam Fatawa al-Azhar diakui bahawa ahli sejarahwan Islam tidak mengetahui sesiapa pun yang memulakan perayaan Maulid Nabi s.a.w melainkan Kerajaan Syi’ah Fatimiyyah di Mesir yang mengadakannya secara besar-besaran. Mereka turut meraikan hari kelahiran tokoh-tokoh Ahlil Bait dan kelahiran Nabi Isa a.s. Kemudian pada tahun 488H dihentikan oleh Khalifah mereka al-Musta’la billah. Kemudian dihidupkan kembali oleh sesetengah kerajaan dan negeri. Demikianlah sejarahnya.

Ya, saya fikir, perasaan bersyukur mengenangkan sejarah kelahiran Nabi s.a.w dengan semangat untuk mengikuti baginda adalah wajar. Di samping kita perlu sedar fakta-fakta yang disebutkan tadi. Jika Bulan Rabi’ul Awwal ini dikatakan bulan kelahiran Nabi s.a.w, maka tidak salah untuk kita berceramah menceritakan sejarah perjuangan dan prinsip-prinsip Islam yang dibawa oleh baginda. Sama ada pada bulan ini atau selain. Sama seperti apabila kita melintas suatu tempat bersejarah, kita mengenang sejarah tersebut. Cuma janganlah kita ini menjadi manusia bermusim yang hanya mengenang rasul dan ajaran baginda pada hari-hari tertentu, tetapi kita seakan sudah tidak mengingati baginda selepas itu.

Di samping itu, hendaklah kita sedar, jika kita mengikuti Nabi s.a.w, maka pastikan kita tidak menokok tambah ajaran baginda apa yang baginda tidak izinkan. Baginda bersabda:

“Sesiapa yang membuat perkara baru dalam urusan kami ini (Islam) apa yang bukan daripadanya maka ia tertolak” (Riwayat Muslim).

Oleh kerana baginda tidak pernah menunjukkan kita ibadah khas sempena kelahiran baginda samada solat khas, atau puasa khas atau bacaan khas, maka kita tidak boleh mengadakannya. Jalan yang patut diikuti dalam masalah ini adalah jalan para sahabah baginda s.a.w. Sabda baginda s.a.w:

“..Sesungguhnya Bani Israil berpecah kepada 72 puak, dan umatku akan berpecah kepada 73 puak. Kesemua mereka dalam neraka kecuali satu puak”. Mereka bertanya: “Apakah puak itu wahai RasululLah?” Jawab baginda: “Apa yang aku dan para sahabahku berada di atasnya”. (Riwayat al-Tirmizi dinilai sahih oleh al-Diya al-Maqdisi).

Perlu diingat, antara keistimewanya sejarah Nabi s.a.w kerana ia dapat dikenal pasti antara yang tulen dan tokok tambah. Ini berbeza dengan sejarah pengasas-pengasas agama dalam dunia ini yang hampir keseluruhan sejarah mereka dibina atas sangkaan atau perkhabaran yang tidak pasti. Ilmu hadis yang menapis sanad dan matan telah memelihara fakta sejarah nabi kita Muhammad s.a.w. Hanya sejarah yang pasti sahaja yang menjadi ikutan kita, bukan yang direka.

Kata al-Sayyid Sulaiman al-Nadwi:

“Sesungguhnya sirah yang berhak diikuti oleh manusia sebagai contoh yang baik dan teladan yang tinggi disyaratkan terlebih dahulu mestilah bersifat tarikhiyyah (sejarah). Adapun sirah yang tertegak diatas dongengan dan cerita-cerita khurafat yang tidak disokong oleh riwayat-riwayat yang dipercayai kesahihannya, adalah menjadi tabiat insan tidak akan terpengaruh dengan apa yag diceritakan kepadanya tentang sirah peribadi yang direka sedangkan sejarah tidak pernah mengenalinya” (Sulaiman al-Nadwi, al-Risalah al-Muhammadiyyah, m.s. 41, Saudi: al-Dar al-Sa`udiyyah).

Buku Maulid al-Barzanji yang banyak dibaca dalam masyarakat kita ketika majlis kenduri-kendara atau selainnya mempunyai sumbangan yang tersendiri. Banyak sirah yang sahih dicatatkan oleh penulis karya tersebut iaitu Ja’far bin Hasan bin `Abd al-Karim al-Barzanji (meninggal 1187H). Namun satu hakikat yang diboleh dinafikan dari segi ilmu hadis bahawa terdapat fakta-fakta yang tidak sahih dalam buku al-Barzanji tersebut. Antaranya, beliau menyebut:

“Telah hadirlah pada malam kelahiran baginda (Nabi s.a.w.) Asiah (isteri Fir`aun yang beriman) dan Maryam (ibu Nabi Isa a.s.) dalam kumpulan wanita dari syurga)”.

Tiada satu riwayat yang sahih daripada Nabi s.a.w yang mengakui peristiwa seperti ini. Sehingga seorang pengkaji sejarah Muhammad Muhammad Hasan Syurrab menyebut:

“Wajib kita berhati-hati ketika memetik dari buku-buku sirah terutamanya buku-buku sirah yang terkemudian. Para rawinya (periwayat) banyak menokok tambah cerita dan sirah Rasulullah. Mereka mengaitkan kepada baginda mu’jizat dan perkara-perkara luar biasa sejak kelahiran sehingga kepada kewafatan baginda dengan perkara yang tidak ada sanad yang boleh dipegang. Seakan-akan para rawi ini melihat tujuan penambahan perkara-perkara luar biasa ini untuk memberikan kepada Rasul a.s. mu’jizat-mu’jizat yang tidak ada pada para nabi sebelum baginda (Muhammad Muhammad Hasan Syurrab, Fi Usul Tarikh al-`Arab al-Islami, m.s. 84, Damsyik, Dar al-Qalam).

Kita semua bersyukur dan bergembira dengan kelahiran Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. Namun kita wajib pastikan cara kita ikut dan faham mengenai baginda. Saban tahun banyak pihak yang meraikan maulid, apakah umat Islam bertambah dekat dengan baginda?

I Acquire Books, But Do Not Read Them

A great reminder myself and those who likes to shop for books of knowledge.

Taken from tawheedirst.wordpress.com

Question: I am a man who has - All Praise be to Allaah - many beneficial books and reference works, yet I do not read them, instead, I choose just a few of them. Am I guilty of sin in keeping these books in my house, bearing in mind that some people borrow some of these books and benefit from them, after which, they return them to me?

Answer: There is no sin upon the Muslim in collecting beneficial books and keeping them with him in his library in order to refer to them, benefit from them, and to lend them to those who visit him among the educated people so that they might benefit from them. Nor is there any sin upon him if he does not refer to them much. As for lending them to reliable people, who benefit from them, this is a lawful action and a means of getting closer to Allaah, the Glorified, since it supports the acquisition of knowledge and because this is included in the Words of Allaah, the Most High: “Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)” [Al-Ma'idah(5): 2]

And the words of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: “Allaah helps the worshipper so long as the worshipper helps his brother.” (Muslim no. 2699)

• Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz | Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol.1, p.367, DARUSSALAM

Saudi Govt Shakeup

Taken from kuwaitpost.com
RIYADH: Saudis yesterday cheered King Abdullah's sweeping government shakeup as a bold step forward, a day after he sacked two powerful conservative religious figures and named the country's first-ever woman minister. "Bold reform," Al-Hayat newspaper said in its headline, while the Saudi Gazette heralded the shakeup as a "boost for reform" in the Muslim kingdom. "Everything is fantastic. This is what we have been fighting for," said Ibrahim Mugaiteeb, leader of the Human Rights First Society, who has done
battle with successive governments over rights violations.

On Saturday, Abdullah announced the first major government shakeup since he became king in August 2005, naming four new ministers, changing a number of top judiciary chiefs and shaking up the Ulema Council, the leading clerics whose interpretations of Islamic rules underpin daily life in the kingdom. The king also named 79 new members to the consultative Shura Council, Al-Hayat said.

In major changes that appeared to target the ultraconservative clerics who have dominated the judiciary, he replaced Supreme Judicial Council head Sheikh Saleh Al-Luhaidan, who Saudi activists say had blocked reforms for years. And he replaced the head of the Muttawa religious police, Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ghaith, who had led an aggressive campaign in the media for a strict enforcement of Islamic mores, challenging other more liberal figures in the government. "The Saudi government reshuffle announced yesterda
y is not just a changing of the guard," the Arab News said in its editorial. "It is a clear sign of a major transformation in the kingdom.

Few were ready to predict just what changes on the ground could come from the king's moves. Battles over public morality and women in senior jobs have been brewing for years, and the challenges to the Islamic conservatives have grown in recent months. Women's groups have demanded more rights and the breaking down of barriers that limit their career opportunities; the public has clamoured for movies to be shown in cinemas, banned for 30 years; and rights groups have accused Islamic judges of harsh and incon
sistent judgements. And last week Princess Amira Al-Taweel, the wife of Saudi tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, complained publicly that while she can drive anywhere else in the world, she cannot take the wheel of a car in her own country, because women are banned from driving.

But the symbolism of the king's changes is bound to have an impact. The most symbolic was the naming of veteran educationalist Norah Al-Fayez as deputy education minister for women - the most senior job ever granted a woman in the Muslim kingdom. "She is one of the leading ladies of the country," Mohammad Al-Zulfa, outgoing member of the Shura Council, told AFP.

Al-Fayez put a crack in the thick glass ceiling that the country's strict version of Islam sets against her gender. "This is a successful step. We've always suffered from having a man occupy the position" overseeing women's education, the English-language Arab News newspaper quoted her as saying. "A woman knows what problems and challenges her peers face. It's a change for the better," she said.

Leading Saudi women's rights activist and academic Hatoon Al-Fassi said that she was very happy about Fayez's appointment although this step was not enough. "One woman is not enough, what will one woman do alone in a crowd of men," Fassi told AFP. "Her decisions will not be effective or tangible, but it is a step in the right direction.

Saudi Arabia's dominant Wahhabi school of Islam imposes a strict separation of unrelated members of the opposite sexes, forces women to be shrouded in black from head to toe, bans them from driving, and keeps them dependent on male guardians when travelling outside the home. Together such policies have hampered the promotion of women to top jobs in the kingdom where offices and businesses such as banks are required to have completely separate facilities for female workers.

Saudi women heavily campaigned in 2005 to be allowed to vote in the country's first-ever municipal elections, but their hopes were thwarted. So Fayez's appointment to the job, on the doorstep of the king's powerful Council of Ministers, is widely seen as a major breakthrough. The move shows the 84-year-old king's intention to move toward naming more women to high leadership positions in the future, Fayez said, according to local media reports. Fayez described her appointment as "a source of pride for all w
omen".

The 52-year-old graduated in sociology from King Saud University in 1978 and earned a master's degree in education from Utah State University in the United States in 1982. She then worked in the education ministry, specialising in women's education, and administered private schools before moving to the country's Institute of Public Administration in 1993. Fayez is married with five children, three boys and two girls.

Other women called her appointment a landmark step forward in the kingdom. "We believe that this is an occasion to push a number of recommendations to begin empowering women," legal expert Nawal Al-Mazem told Al-Riyadh newspaper. "This decision shows the direction toward allowing Saudi women to work in high positions in the government," another legal consultant, Asmaa Al-Ghanim, told Al-Riyadh newspaper. "More Saudi women taking ministerial jobs in the future cannot be ruled out," she said.

Even so, the move for women did not go as far as some expected. In January, Saudi media had reported that the new members of the Shura Council would include six women, who have not been represented on the council in the past. But none were present on the new list, making it likely that no women will be included in the consultative body before 2013, the next time appointments are expected.

More fundamental were the changes to the country's religious leadership, who dominate thinking in education, justice and social life. The removal of Luhaidan, who embarrassed the government last September when he said that the owners of satellite television channels airing "immoral" broadcasts should be killed, is believed likely to open more doors for reform.

The same is believed of Abdullah's shakeup of the Ulema council. He named a number of new members, and for the first time ever included representatives of all four Sunni schools of religious law. Previously only the Hanbali school, the ultraconservative one which dominates the Saudi version of Islam, was represented on the council.

Zulfa said the king's shakeup will bring "a new, different mentality" to government. Key to making sure the changes stick will be the king's most powerful adjutants, who remain in place in jobs they have held for decades, analysts say. These include his half-brothers Interior Minister Prince Nayef, Defence Minister Crown Prince Sultan, Foreign Minister Prince Saud and Riyadh Governor Prince Salman.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's new central bank governor is set to keep the oil exporter's dollar-pegged monetary policy intact as he faces the end of the third oil boom and a harsh global economic crisis, analysts said yesterday. The world's top oil exporter named Muhammad Al-Jasser governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) on Saturday. Hamad Saud Al-Sayyari asked to step down after 26 years at the helm of the Gulf's most influential central bank.

Jasser, who holds a PhD in economics and represented the kingdom at the International Monetary Fund, will likely uphold strategies such as a near 23-year policy of linking the riyal to the US dollar and investing in low-risk foreign assets. "I don't think you will see a sea change in current monetary policy," said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB bank, HSBC's Saudi affiliate.

He is a believer at the moment that the peg serves a very important purpose and it is to its advantage. I think SAMA will hold its position on currency policy, on being a proponent of the common Gulf currency and allocating foreign assets in a very conservative manner." After joining SAMA as vice governor in 1995, Jasser, 54, helped devise the bank's reaction to this decade's oil price rally, an onslaught of currency speculation in 2007 and, most recently, its reaction to an oil price slump and credit cri
sis.

In 2007, as the dollar hit repeated record lows against the euro, currency speculators piled into Gulf Arab currencies on expectations that they could follow Kuwait's lead and sever their dollar pegs to fight decades-high inflation. The currency bets drove the Saudi riyal to its strongest level in the peg's history. But like Sayyari, Jasser stood steadfastly by the peg, saying at the height of speculation last February that the peg served Saudi interests. "The view is that Jasser played a central role in t
he good management of the liquidity boom and now you haven't got the same problems in Saudi Arabia as you have in other Gulf countries, like the UAE," said Monica Malik, regional economist at EFG-Hermes.

Inflation in Saudi Arabia, home to about 25 million people, hit an at least 30-year peak above 11 percent in mid-2008, raising pressure for currency reform as the peg forced the state to shadow US interest rate cuts despite the price pressures. More so than its neighbours, Saudi Arabia tightened lending curbs by raising reserve requirements to put controls on credit growth as the kingdom invested oil wealth into diversifying its economy away from a reliance on oil export revenues.

Since rallying to a record high above $147 a barrel last July, oil prices have tumbled to just above a quarter of that level, dimming the prospects for growth across the world's biggest oil-exporting region. But the kingdom was not stung as badly as other states because its key investor in foreign assets, SAMA, sustained a policy of "very liquid, very safe, minimal risk" international assets, Jasser said last November.

In response to tight credit conditions late last year, SAMA shifted its strategy from fighting inflation to stimulating the banking system with interest rate cuts, reserve requirement reductions and by pouring liquidity into the banking system. "Jasser has been groomed for this position for some time," said one Saudi-based analyst, who declined to be identified. "I don't foresee any change in policy at all. He has been at the heart of decision making so this is not a surprise change.

But the new governor's approach to the outside world could mean a change for the better, they added. Regional economists and currency traders described Jasser as a seasoned economist who is more outgoing than Sayyari, who retires at 68 after acting as governor for a longer period than his four predecessors. Jasser holds a Doctorate of Economics from the University of California and was executive director for Saudi Arabia at the IMF from 1990 to 1995. "He is a very strong character," Sfakianakis said. "In t
hat way, you will see some change in how SAMA deals with the outside world. He is very captivating, very eloquent." - Agencies

Can Someone Explain this To him?

Kesian tengok si akhi ni. I`ve been trying to find the syarah of this hadith and also if there have been any tahqiq on it

Taken from salafiburnout.wordpress.com

According to this hadith, there are 8 Giant Mountain Goats in Outer Space:

Sunan of Abu Dawood 2205, Narrated Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib - I was sitting in al-Batha with a company among whom the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) was sitting, when a cloud passed above them. The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) looked at it and said: What do you call this? They said: Sahab. He said: And muzn? They said: And muzn. He said: And anan? They said: And anan. AbuDawud said: I am not quite confident about the word anan. He asked: Do you know the distance between Heaven and Earth? They replied: We do not know. He then said: The distance between them is seventy-one, seventy-two, or seventy-three years. The heaven which is above it is at a similar distance (going on till he counted seven heavens). Above the seventh heaven there is a sea, the distance between whose surface and bottom is like that between one heaven and the next. Above that there are eight mountain goats the distance between whose hoofs and haunches (hip and buttock) is like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, is above that.

And this:

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 39, Number 517: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, ‘I have not been created for this purpose (i.e. carrying), I have been created for sloughing.” The Prophet added, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar believe in the story.” The Prophet went on, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, ‘Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’ “After narrating it, the Prophet said, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it.” Abu Salama (a sub-narrator) said, “Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were not present then.” (It has been written that a wolf also spoke to one of the companions of the Prophet near Medina as narrated in Fatah-al-Bari:

Narrated Unais bin ‘Amr: Ahban bin Aus said, “I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I shouted at it. The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, ‘Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you will be busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?’ ” Ahban added, “I clapped my hands and said, ‘By Allah, I have never seen anything more curious and wonderful than this!’ On that the wolf said, ‘There is something (more curious) and wonderful than this; that is, Allah’s Apostle in those palm trees, inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).’ “Unais bin ‘Amr further said, “Then Ahban went to Allah’s Apostle and informed him what happened and embraced Islam.)” palm trees or other trees and share the fruits with me.”

The House Is Under Vicious Attack !!!

The roof is on fire and the windows have been broken into!!!
Enemies have surrounded the perimeter and day and night!
Launching their most destructive firepower on the existing foundation!!!
Inside, we stand in the kitchen arguing about who is going to do the dishes?!!!"
Inside, we stand in the living room arguing who`s going to vacuum the floor?!!!
Inside, we sit down in study area becoming critics?!!!

Stop the massacre !!!!!

Donate to Islamic Relief for People of Gaza
http://www.islamic-relief.com/

Donate to Interpal
http://www.interpal.info/get-involved/donate-for-palestine

Two Wheeler

Alhamdulillah after a year of sucessful negotiations with the parents, i`m officially a part of the riding fraternity here in Singapore. Inshallah eveything would turn out well and flexibility could at last be included in my life in terms of time. Nonetheless, its been two years since i touched a motorcycle since my TP test thus i`m in need of some advice from handling till maintainence and washing.... i have absolutely zero knowledge !.

Best Dosai In Sg?

Suggestions anyone

The `Movement` Mentality

And the culture of denial and pretense of various issues attached to it ignores somewhat very important questions in favour of 'empty slogans' and isolationism.

I hope that certain influential people can debate these topics honestly so that realistic solutions can be developed.
Inshallah we could break this culture, establish the problems and begin to solve them!

Betul ke Micheal dah tukar namer jadi Mikaeel?

The title speaks for itself

cinta Vs CINTA

cinta Kecil itu, adalah kekeliruan perasaan yang terbit dari keinginan untuk diberi perhatian, mahu dikasihi dan mengasihi, emosi yang kosong dari asas,matlamat, dan kesedaran terhadap implikasi cinta jenis ini.

Tidak keterlaluan jika saya katakan, cinta seorang anak kecil kepada kura-kura peliharaannya lebih mulia daripada cinta keliru ini,
kerana sekurangnya si anak kecil itu akan memberi makan, berbual dan membersihkan akuarium kura-kuranya, sedangkan cinta keliru antara dua anak muda ini tanpa mereka sedar hanyalah sekadar untuk melayan gangguan emosi yang sunyi barangkali .....juga tanpa sedar kedua-duanya sedang merancang untuk saling merosakkan antara satu sama lain.

CINTA sebenar itu harus terbit dari emosi dan naluri fitrah manusia.. Namun ia lahir juga dengan sandaran rasional dan sedar diri terhadap asas cinta itu, tanggung jawab yang mengiringi cinta tersebut serta kesan yang bakal lahir dari mematerialisasikan perasaan cinta seperti ini. Cinta yang ada ' Sense of begin with the end in mind!'

(Petikan dari buku Aku Terima Nikahnya yang ditulis olehSaifulislam.com, mukasurat 32- 33)

Kena Saman!

The time has come again for me where i receive a lot of nikah summons. Good things always come in small sizes, or sometimes medium. Summons can be electronically sent to u via hp, email or some summons can be in the form of snail mail. U r required to be part of a jury to witness two hearts tied together by the able hands of the judge/father of the bride and have a small or grand feast depending on where the hearing is. Some hearings can be done under the void deck , community centres etc etc. Ah well, best jugak kasi saman saman ni.

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Lesser Of Two Evils

Uncle Sam may have picked the lesser of two evils to lead the country but evil is still evil. Still can`t believe that he chose Rahm Emanuel as his Chief Of Staff which makes him the third Jew to take up that post. Nonetheless, its quite strange yet interesting to see a black dude dressed as a white dude playing the role usually white dudes will get.

Where is the Best Beriyani In SG?

Ideas Anyone?

Burnout

Time and Again, I`ve been reading a series of articles posted a year ago by an american convert brother umar lee that has been talked very much in the western muslim blogosphere with regards to the much evident ghulaat that has transpired with certain salafee organisations in the US that has brought about the social breakdown in their communities,excocommunication and boycotting between individuals which eventually brought up the decline in the Dawah in the country.

Umar has managed to open up a can of worms with his series and looking at the comments , more cans would be opened up. Nonetheless, he wrote out of his own personal experiences and its highly debatable that these things actually happen. What happens one might ask? Well its about salafees having a burnout due to the sad events umar had stated and whts worse, some of them leaving the religion all together or becoming sufis!

I can`t see this happening in Singapore at the moment as the dawah is relatively new whilst most of us are not converts and do not understand wht it feels like to lose an entire support system just because you are 'off' the list.

Umar`s Series(He deleted some from his blog, but i found a brother(apparently a burnout) who posted all of it in his wordpress)

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten(The one that has about 400 plus comments and counting)

Umar`s Clarification Of Some of the Comments in Part Ten and Some More Topics

If u guys want to comment,commentlah. Personally, for me, the question still remains in my heart, can history be repeated itself ? Could utopia be successfully implemented in a world that is so complex? I`m still sad at the state of affairs nowadays.

How the iPod Is Killing Air Freight

Just giving u guys some insights on my dayjob and primary interest. Basically the summary of the article is that the more smaller things get, the more cheaper it is to get the supply, and the even more cheaper it is to get it moving.

Taken from TrafficWorld

World air freight volumes are down, especially air freight volumes from Asia to the United States. The weakening U.S. economy is usually blamed for this decline, but that analysis overlooks something very small that has had a big impact on air freight: the iPod.

The popular little iPod - and other products like it - is playing a role in the decline in demand for air cargo space far larger than the iPod itself.

Click to Enlarge

Attempts to explain the decline focus on the slower economic growth rate in the United States, higher fuel prices that hit airlines and consumers this summer and events related to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but they ignore the impact of technological developments related to the miniaturization of products and improved packaging.

The scale and pace at which these two trends have occurred in electronics, aerospace and retail is quite breathtaking and explains how these trends, in combination with the economic slowdown and higher fuel prices, are hitting the air freight industry with an unprecedented decline in demand for air cargo space from passenger airlines and all-cargo airlines.

How did such a miniature product become so mighty? In the consumer electronics sector, a Sony Boombox weighing 10 pounds and as big as a large shoebox - more than 1,200 cubic inches - is being replaced by Apple's iPod. The iPod weighs only 8 ounces. The weight of one Sony Boombox equals the combined weight of more than 20 iPods.

The cubic area comparison is even more alarming. A fully packaged iPod occupies only 38 cubic inches. Therefore, more than 30 packaged iPods take up less space in an air cargo container than one Boombox.

The problem for air freight companies is compounded by the difference in the value of the products. While a much larger Boombox has a retail value of $75, the pocket-sized iPod is priced at $225.

It's important to note that even with the decline in air freight from Asia as measured by weight this year, the total value of U.S. audio and video electronic imports from Asia still increased by 3.8 percent through July over the same period in 2007.

The iPod's impact is magnified by the growth in its numbers sold worldwide. In 1997, the total sales of home and portable audio equipment units amounted to 60 million. Ten years later, in 2007, the total worldwide sales of iPod and other PMP/MPE players exceeded 215 million. As a result, the air freight industry is transporting more products with less total weight and a higher value but at much lower transportation charge.

Therefore, the miniaturization and improved packaging of electronic products has resulted in permanent elimination of weight and cubic space that will not reappear when the economy recovers.

While the iPod is an example of significant reduction in weight and cubic area on a per unit basis for products shipped via air freight, similar developments across other consumer electronic products that are much larger in size have contributed in greater amount to total weight and cube area decline in both international and domestic airfreight.

Consider the change from bulky console televisions to newer flat panel plasma or LCD televisions. A 4-inch-thick plasma television is so thin in comparison to the older console model with 30 inches or more of thickness that even with packaging, five plasma televisions take up less space than one console television. In terms of weight, the newer models are about one-third the weight of console televisions.

With more than 90 million flat-panel televisions sold globally in 2007, the impact of changes in television design on the air freight industry has also been significant. With these units representing still only 47 percent of all television units sold worldwide and gaining market share over console units, more reduction in air freight from this product alone is yet to come.

Technological developments in business electronic industries are also impacting the total tonnage handled by other transportation providers. For example, when Dell was shipping mainly CRT monitors with each weighing about 25 pounds, a million monitors would have weighed 25 million pounds. With the switch to flat panel monitors that weigh 7 pounds and are of greater value, the total tonnage now amounts to 7 million pounds that thus requires only one-third the total number of containers.

Hence, the carriers (whether airfreight, ocean freight, truckload, LTL or parcel) need to rethink how they price their service and capture the value of their service to reflect the changes in the supply chain and product characteristics in their customers industry.

Product weight and size driven changes are not limited to electronics alone but can be found in other industries as well.

Many aerospace parts used in the assembly of airplanes are now made of new materials that are 30 percent lighter and much stronger. The latest Boeing Dreamliner aircraft is designed with materials that will result in the entire aircraft being lighter than its predecessor by 20 percent.

Click to Enlarge

Improvement in packaging and related reduction in package size is also affecting air freight volumes.

These changes are partly influenced by the greening of America and the January 2007 changes in dimensional pricing for ground parcel service. Many companies that previously designed packaging to fit within the prior system of Oversized 1, OS2 and OS3 have been hit with up to double-digit price increases.

These companies have since focused on reducing excess air space from product packaging and contributed to the shrinking of the shipment sizes and the amount of space used in air freight shipments for international and domestic air freight movements.

Increase in the number of cartons loaded in an air cargo container has reduced the transportation charges per unit due to cost being spread over a 5 to 10 percent increase in number of cartons. Wal-Mart's initiative to reduce packaging has provided numerous benefits that have lead to reduction by 3.425 tons of weight in corrugated material, 727 fewer containers from improved density and $3.5 million in transportation costs.

Manufacturers and retailers such as Nike, Starbucks and Aveda have made similar repackaging efforts. Aveda repackaging efforts has saved 150 tons of virgin material, which has reduced shipping tonnage and saved millions of dollars in transportation costs.

Even Apple has repackaged the latest models of iMac. A current generation 20-inch iMac uses 66 percent less plastic and 42 percent less paper than the 20-inch iMac G4 flat panel while taking up 41 percent less space. Similarly, the packaging for the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro laptop is 45 percent lighter and uses 45 percent less volume than the 15-inch PowerBook G4. And, the packaging volume of the sixth-generation 120 GB iPod has been reduced by 82 percent from the first generation iPod. This allows Apple to ship 140 more units per pallet compared with the fourth generation 30 GB iPod.

So although renewed economic growth eventually will improve air freight volumes, air cargo forwarders, carriers and shippers need to understand the impact of changes in product characteristics on current and future air freight business - volume, pricing and revenue.

Jindel is president of SJ Consulting Group, based in Sewickley, Pa

Wanita Yang Tidak Di Sukai Lelaki

Dipetik dari Buku Romantika Kahwin Muda, muka surat 44-47.Ader 7 macam wanita semuanya, namun ana sajer jer nak highlight yang pada pendapat ana, paling kritikal (Pls refer my previous posting on this book).

4) Wanita Egois

Wanita tidak mau melayani namun selalu minta dilayani. Ia sibuk dengan urusan dan kepentingannya sendiri, bahkan sering menyendiri, tidak mau diganggu siapapun, seakan hidup sendirian. Jika berkumpul bersama orang lain, maka hampir tidak ada kontak batin sedikitpun. Keberadaan seperti ada dan tiada. Kalau menikah, maka terbentuk sistim rumah tangga yang tidak punya ikatan batin dan kehangatan interaksi serta hubungan yang harmonis. Bahkan hidup dalam rumah tangga dengan pola masing-masing, tidak punya perhatian dan cuek dengan kondisi keluarganya

7) Wanita Penentang

Wanita yang ingin selalu tampil berbeda dengan yang lainnya, suka menentang perintah, keras kepala dalam mewujudkan kemauannya, kaku dalam pendirian, tidak mau mengalah dalam segala macam hal walaupun ia dalam posisi yang salah. Sehingga dalam otaknya hanya ada satu prinsip, tidak mau tunduk kepada siapapun juga, termasuk suami. Inilah Wanita yang paling dibenci kaum laki-laki

The Secret Life of Husbands

Disclaimer: I`m not stereotyping that all muslim husbands are like that. The main aim of posting this article is i feel that the issue of sex/sexual education is still taboo within our malay/muslim community and biting the bullet to the masses in these type of platforms is best way to attain acknowledgement of the problems that has been escalating in recent times, what more with the development of information technology that is faster than the speeding bullet . I would welcome any constructive criticism if any.

As an IslamOnline.net cyber counselor, I am confronted on a regular basis with the growing phenomenon of pornography in the lives of Muslim husbands. Though it may come as a shock to many, according to concerned wives, pornography is becoming an increasing phenomenon for some Muslim men. It raises many questions, beginning with the most basic one: What is pornography an outlet for, specifically? Why are so many men turning to the "lesser adultery" or the adultery of the eyes despite their knowing - and not seeming to care - that both Allah and their wives are aware of their pastime? How can we better understand a Muslim adult male's desire to indulge in viewing pornographic material despite its illicit nature?

This article aims to explore some of these questions. Although no scientific data is available to make any formal claims about the topic at hand, I will attempt to provide some possible key underlying factors that contribute to the use of pornography by some Muslim husbands. To begin, I will frame my approach to understanding this issue in the context of the marital relationship.

It is narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half." (At-Tirmidhi)

According to Abdur Rahman Doi, "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered marriage for a Muslim as 'half of his religion' because it may shield him from promiscuity, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and a life which ultimately leads to many other crimes including slander, quarrel, homicide, loss of property, and finally the disintegration of the family system on which so much stress has been placed by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

This well-known hadith is often used to stress the importance of marriage within the life of Islam. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught that marriage is one-half of one's religious life. This is obviously because there are so many responsibilities within the marital relationship that one must fulfill. The responsibility of caring for one's spouse, for the spouse's property, dignity, and honor is all found within the marital relationship; not to mention what comes with the addition of children, family, and property. Thus, to begin to understand the problem of Muslim husbands' use of pornography, we must first look at what is happening within the marriage relationship and what needs are not being met within this institution.

Intimacy and Marriage

Marriage in Islam is meant to be an intimate relationship defined by love and the selfless fulfillment of each spouse's needs, as Allah tells us in the Qu'ran:

[And one of His signs is that created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.] (Ar-Rum 30:21)

[They are an apparel for you and you are an apparel for them.] (Al-Baqarah 2:187)

Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and the faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed as a protection. Each protects the other and hides their faults while complementing the characteristics of the spouse. Thus the apparel referred to, according to our erudite scholars, is one reflecting intimacy and support between the husband and wife. The husband and wife are meant to be each other's confiding friend, intimate companion, and trustworthy ally throughout life. If we take the Prophet's relationship with his first wife, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), as a primary example, we will find many illustrations that reflect these elements, such as the manner in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to the comforting arms of Khadijah after being confronted by Jibreel (peace be upon him) for the first time with the revelation of the Qur'an.

The intimacy does not stop at only physical or sexual compatibility but also includes emotional, spiritual, psychological, material as well as intellectual intimacy and support. It is a holistic closeness that is brought about by two individuals sharing a sincerity and bond in relation to each other's ultimate goal - closeness to Allah through surrender to His will. This shared goal becomes the basis for intimacy within the marriage, as the intention is not to please the other, but to please Allah, as one strives to fulfill the rights, needs, and desires of the other. From this joint effort, a synergy is achieved, a mutual affection, respect, and fondness for each other that can be called intimacy, and the selfless desire to support each other on the path to Allah, through times of both difficulty and ease.

This spirit of generosity and love becomes the basis for the marriage and acts as a tireless stream of energy and mutual attraction. The result is two people content with the will of Allah in regard to the spouse He has provided for each, and the taqwa (piety and fear of Allah) that prevents each from violating the marriage contract and Allah's Law.

In this ideal situation - a marriage grounded in taqwa, love, mutual respect and affection - contentment and devotion act as protection against negative outside influences. Each spouse is content with the other in terms of their needs, and over the conscience of each presides the knowledge that Allah is all-knowing. The relationship is based on love and a desire to provide for and serve the other, for Allah's sake. Although this might sound like an idealistic type of marital situation, it is not unrealistic.

When Allah becomes the center and focus of the marriage, rather than the center and focus being the mere fulfillment of selfish desires, happiness is more than achievable. The shift to align one's personal will with the will of Allah is what takes away from the incessant seeking of sensual gratification. Without this alignment, one seeks gratifications elsewhere than marriage, and, depending on one's level of taqwa, one might resort to avenues like pornography.

Telling Numbers Pornographic Websites 4.2 million Search Engine Requests 68 million Monthly Pornographic Downloads 1.5 billion Websites Offering Child Pornography 100,000 Sexual Solicitations to Youth in Chat-rooms 89% Source: Familysafe Media

Women as Objects

It appears that too often wives in our communities are seen as nothing more than glorified servants. I am reminded of one young Muslim couple from the country where I reside. Upon marrying, the husband "demanded" sex from his young wife five times a day. It became so difficult for the young woman - emotionally as well as physically - that she lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Religious Affairs.

Such stories help us to understand how women are sometimes viewed by many men. The status of women in Islam is a common topic used by Western critics of Islam who try to show that women are inferior to men within the body of Islamic teachings and its worldview. Although even a superficial study of Islamic teachings is sufficient to rebut the attacks made by most critics of Islam, it is often difficult to defend Muslims themselves who, by their own actions, blatantly violate the tenets of Islam in relation to the treatment of wives and women in general. This disregard for Islamic teachings is often due to the influence of culture and ignorance, and the inability to discern between divine knowledge and cultural practice.

The tendency to treat women as mere objects or, in the more extreme cases, as second-class, is real and does exist within our Ummah. This dark reality is an aspect that shadows the self, refuses to go away or be dealt with in a real way. Ignorant males often twist religious teachings to support oppressive cultural norms that justify their treatment of women as mere objects. Perhaps if it were not for Western critical assaults, the issue would remain undisclosed.

The objectification of women is a major contributor to the use of pornography. Men who view women as little more than sexual objects are more likely to delve in pornography than those who see women as equally valued, feeling, thinking human beings.

Escapism and Meaninglessness

Related to objectification is the phenomenon of escapism. Escapism can take the form of drugs, alcohol, mindless entertainment, and other forms. Escapism is often sought out when reality is unsatisfying, anxiety-provoking, or even unbearable in the most extreme cases. For many Muslim men today, the world is a highly unfriendly place. Rather than working to improve their situations in whatever way they can, however, many choose to escape by indulging in activities that take them out of their reality. Pornography is undoubtedly a form of escapism. It allows men to enter a world of free sex and unbridled pleasure, though it is limited to the eyes and whatever the mind can imagine. It gives men a few minutes of relief from a harsh and sometimes oppressive reality that even their own wives and families cannot assuage.

Spiritually, escapism can stem from a feeling of disconnection with Allah. When Allah's presence is not truly felt, reality can become unbearable. At such times, Allah seems so far away and His mercy unaccessible. It is truly a dark place that many men go when their hearts lose the ability to realize the divine gifts that are always at hand. This state of affairs, caused by a sense of meaninglessness, reaches a point where the vicious cycle of addiction becomes reality.

Thus, escapism through pornography reflects a life void of meaning. Alternatively, a meaningful existence provides perspective where life is seen as an endless opportunity to contribute, give, help, support and act from a selfless heart for Allah's sake. In such a state, it is difficult to fall into the temptations of pornography and other forms of escapism, for there is nothing to escape from; everything we could want is right before us. One shifts from a mentality of "what I am not getting out of life" to one of "what am I contributing?"

This is the simple difference between the mentality of the one who is slave to his lower self and the one who is the true slave of God. The lower self is always taking because it is never fulfilled, never satiated. The `abd (servant), on the other hand, is always content and wishes to share that contentment with others by being charitable and thus inviting others to share in it with. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us,

The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Have mercy to those on earth, and the Lord of the Heavens will have mercy upon you. (At-Tirmidhi)

Meaning is that which is arrived at in the soul and is, therefore, highly linked to man's ability to see the inherent interconnectedness of life. As Muslims, that means relating everything in our lives back to the Source of everything, Allah. Hence, constant effort and ability to see Allah's work and wisdom behind all aspects unfolds into daily life. With this perspective, nothing can ever be considered mundane. Quite the opposite, such a worldview makes life meaningful in a way that is unique to those who believe in God's total oneness. However, without looking through the lens of tawheed, there is a void inside of us that has room and fuel to grow. Thus, time is wasted, and there is a lack of desire to engage in anything of real value. We fall prey to pleasure-seeking behaviors to distract us from this sense of meaninglessness.

Out of Meaninglessness Comes Pornography

In my experience as a counselor, I come across many sisters trying to deal with husbands who are consumers of pornography. Below are two examples of the pain and frustration these women experience. What often compounds the problem is that many women assume their husbands are pious when they first meet them, only later to discover that they are consumers of pornography.

Case #1. One sister wrote the following:

Respecting that he was more of a practicing Muslim than I was, I tried to better myself as a Muslim, praying more regularly, wearing hijab, etc. This continued for about 2 years. I was the model wife and mother, and I built my life around the home and my family. Slowly I started finding pictures of other women, semi-clad, and some disgusting images on the computer. I asked him about it, and he said this was from before we met. … Though we shared the same bed, I was unable to be with him, after knowing and seeing the pornography, his text messages, his staring at semi-dressed woman, and whatever else he was secretly doing.

In the above case, the sister was forced to deal with not only pornography, but with a secret double life of her husband that included a possible affair with another woman. Despite her commitment to her husband and her family, the pain caused by her husband's secret double life, which included pornography, was too much for her to bear. It is not rare to find pornography going hand in hand with extramarital affairs and secretive double lives. Especially after many years of marriage, children, and a cooling off in a husband and wife's intimacy, men who turn to pornography in regular doses will sometimes succumb to the temptation of adulterous relationships. Pornography has a powerful suggestive effect on the mind, which is why many men who view pornography seek to imitate what they see in adult films with their wives.

Edward Marriot wrote about men and porn in the Guardian:

Extended exposure to pornography can have a whole raft of effects. By the time Nick Samuels had reached his mid-20s, he was altering his view of what he wanted from a sexual relationship. "I used to watch porn with one of my girlfriends, and I started to want to try things I'd seen in the films." … Married for 15 years, he admits he has carried the same sexual expectations into the marital bedroom. "There's been real friction over this: my wife simply isn't that kind of person. And it's only now, after all these years, that I'm beginning to move on from it. Porn is like alcoholism: it clings to you like a leech.

Case #2. In another case, a sister wrote to us believing that her husband was a hard-core pornography addict:

I've been married for almost 6 years and in all those years I've had to deal with my husband's addiction to pornography on the Internet. Well ... that's as far as I know. So far, I have no evidence to suggest that he engages in any haram activities outside the home. We've talked about this problem over and over, but it does not seem to stop. I've reached a point where I can no longer take this mental and emotional abuse from him. I've been a good wife to him but clearly he does not love me or appreciate me. We have two children and I'm ashamed that they have a father like him. To the rest of the world, he shows himself to be a good Muslim, religious and a good person overall. Only Allah knows the true him, and how much I suffer due to this problem which is increasingly causing more and more harm to our marriage and family.

In this case, her husband's pornography addiction leads to mental and emotional abuse. The pain and suffering the woman has experienced due to her husband's ongoing use of pornography can be compared to that of an actual adulterous relationship. David Morgan, consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who counsels men with a history of sexual violence states that

the more time you spend in this fantasy world, the more difficult it becomes to make the transition to reality. Just like drugs, pornography provides a quick fix, a masturbatory universe people can get stuck in. This can result in their not being able to involve anyone else. (Mariott)

The wide availability of porn in the information age has made it an easy outlet. With its growth on the Internet alone, porn has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Not ironically, its growth has run parallel with increases in relationship and sexual dysfunction. Though establishing any kind of causal relationship between these variables is way beyond the scope of this paper, even a superficial examination of the topic will bear out the multiple negative aspects and outcomes of pornography on the lives of individuals and families. It is now entrenched in the Muslim community as well, as our counseling questions indicate.

A Need for Understanding and Honest Investigation

The reason why men in our community are succumbing to pornography is uncertain without a serious attempt to study the issue. At this point we can only speculate from what we hear from our concerned sisters who are living with this problem every day, and seek to understand what is happening in Muslim marriages and families. Ultimately, the existence of any perversion in the lives of Muslims stems from the simple fact that Islam is not being realized in the way that it needs to in order to keep us away from what is unlawful as well as harmful to our selves, our families, and our community.

At Dis-Ease	At Peace
Pornography is the indulging of our frustrated selves. Frustrations are the result of conflict. Conflict is the opposite of peace.	Islam is peace, and is realized through a heart at peace with its Lord. A peaceful heart is one that is content with Allah at every turn. Is not the struggle, therefore, with the self? Therein lies the goal and the striving: to Allah and the cure.

It has been said that there is a spiritual remedy for every ailment. I believe that it is no different in the case of pornography and that the true cure lies, like everything, in turning back to Allah with a sincerely surrendered heart. When Allah's greatness, mercy, and omnipotence are not realized because He is not known and remembered, we open ourselves to many negative possibilities. The cure thus begins with a changing of priorities, values, and focus.

Pornography happens to be popular today due to its availability, accessibility, perceived harmlessness, and the fact that it can be done in the privacy of one's home without others knowing about it. As such, it is assumed to be a trail-less crime until a heartbroken spouse or a child stumbles upon it accidentally. It is for these reasons that we can defeat this enemy only through spiritual means. In order to do so, however, we must first understand ourselves and our spouses, and how we can best support each other on the path in, with, of, and to Allah.

Sources:

Doi, Abdur Rahman I. "Marriage." University of Southern California. USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. Last accessed 12 June 2007.

Global Market Institute. "GMI Poll Reveals That Americans Use Internet More For Friendship Than For Love." 31 Jan. 2006. Last accessed 6 June 2007.

Mariott, Edward. "Men and Porn." Guardian (Online). 8 Nov. 2003. Last accessed 6 June 20

In the Nick Of time

Alhamdulillah an hour ago i`ve managed to complete the quran during the blessed month of ramadhan.A task that i`ve never accomplished before in my 23 ++ years of existence. The most closest i`ve been to finishing was back during the army daze in the wilderness of Rockhampton,Australia( Exercize Wallaby 05).Mind you, tht in itself was a garguantan task as i remember reading under the dim lights of the LED and picnic laterns during trips to resupply my battalion during missions. Those late nights after lights off where everyone would be asleep in their tents(Those 30 odd men Tentages that has mosquito nets all over and sulphur all around to prevent possums/scorpions/ and whatever not from coming in) and i would sneak out in my kain pelekat or sometimes trackpants if its too cold(freezing sometimes) and read beside the showering rooms.

Ah well thts that, whts important now is to savour the moment. One thing i`ve learnt though is to have absolute discipline and be meticulous in planning your way to read, and reflect on the verses. Got this file from an American Brother whom for the past three years during Ramadhan hosted his own online quran reading competition for muslim netizens around the globe.


Taqaballowlohu Mina Wa Minkum Minal A'idin Wal Faidzin Wal Maqbuleen. Kulu Amin Wa Antum bi Khair

Worst Taraweeh Experience Ever!!!

Indeed if there`s such a thing as a Singapore Muslim Book Of Records, i would dare say that the most chop chop taraweeh/witr at the mosque most likely that u would like to go quickly if you want to have a good and fast bargain at the nearby geyalng SINrai bazaar is masjid wak tanjong. I`m really appalled at the process that the imam undertook in delvering the surahs(Juz Amma btw) during each rakaat as if he is at gunpoint. Tumakninah ke maner, tajwid ke maner , semua ke maner! Not to mention at every interval, there`s two or so pakciks that would yell their lungs out in proclaiming the so called interval `zikr` like as though they are in Kallang Stadium which is packed full of people. Terkejut boy boy ! Look i`m not supposed to be writing all this as ramadhan is close to leaving us (sobz). Its already the 23rd night and the writer now is at the other end of singapore`s eastern mosque in his own personal quest for ultimate solace. 9 more juz` to go insyallah!!