Today, I saw the truth from what I have been hearing about… and unfortunately, it became a second time for my pair of eyes. It was sad, but unfortunately true enough. I guess it is time for me to stop generalizing that ALL Malays are Muslims.

An incident befell one of my relatives just recently. When I learnt of this on Sunday, I felt unsettled, I wish I could help. For now, I can only pray for her. When it came to our knowledge of what happened, not only it was rather unfortunate, it also came at the wrong timing. However, it triggered my secondary school memories in my mind.

Ahhh… yes, my bitter-sweet secondary school memories. It was happy-yeh-yeh time for me during the first two years, but reality began setting in when I was in Sec 3. I made some questionable decisions and sacrifices for my own good. But eventually, it was those decisions, sacrifices and not forgetting some good friends, wonderful teachers and my supportive parents – I did well for my final-year Sec 3 exams and my ‘O’ Levels.

The important lesson learnt then, was to know who I was mixing with, and the courage to amend oneself. I was mixing with the wrong company which had cost me my grades.

Looking back, I realized that Allah was there with me the whole time during my ‘transition’ stage. He gave me strength to pick myself up and to keep on persevering. He gave me courage when some people had no faith in me. He gave me company when I felt so alone and left out.  

And He still is with me. =D

I guess when one decides to change for the better,  especially when one is a Muslim, one needs to realize that change is possible because Allah is there, our Number One supporter. So, know that changes are good, though most are hard. But most importantly, know that it is possible because Allah is always there, so you must not give up.

Recalling what my mum used to say when I was in Primary 6, “Your most memorable education life is always during secondary school.” Well, it was memorable yet tough one for me. Perhaps, it will just stay with me as a scar for now, till I have kids and it might be a good example to them one day.

How the mum is ALWAYS right, and how the rest always need to shut up when this happens.

You see, I am unwell today and am planning to be on medical leave. My plan was to go to the polyclinic at 9-ish am. At 8.30am, my mum INSISTED that I should make an appointment, and says that the waiting time for the doctor will be shorter this way. I wasn’t too keen on the idea, I thought it was kinda r*bb*sh. After her third consecutive time repeating her instruction, she finally got up and got me the leaflet with the number to call.

So I called, and now my appointment is at 2.45pm. Grrrr.

A lovely article taken from Facebook; The Ideal Muslimah; www.AbdurRahman.org

Following is a compilation of Ahadîth that speaks of ways in which we can erase our sins, InshaAllâh!

Repenting

A servant [of Allâh's] committed a sin and said: O Allâh, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you. [Hadîth Qudsi]

O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it. [Hadîth Qudsi]

Abû Bakr radhiAllâhu `anhu reported:

“I heard the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam saying: ‘Allâh forgives the man who commits a sin (then feels ashamed), purifies himself, offers a prayer and seeks His forgiveness.’ Then he recited the ‘ayyah: ‘And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allâh and implore forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allâh? – and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever- a bountiful reward for workers.”‘ [al-'lmrân: 135-136]. [Abû Dawûd, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, al-Baihaqi, and at-Tirmidhî who calls it hasan.]

Performing Wudhû

Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:

When a bondsman – a Muslim or a believer – washes his face (in course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes will be washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water ; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water, with the result that he comes out pure from all sins. [Sahîh Muslim]

Narrated Uthmân ibn AffânradhiAllâhu `anhu:

The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said: He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails. [Sahîh Muslim]

Performing Prayer

Narrated Uthmân ibn Affân radhiAllâhu `anhu: “I heard Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam say:

When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer) with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to for all times. [Sahîh Muslim]

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: “Allâh’s Apostle said,

“The congregational prayer of anyone amongst you is more than twenty (five or twenty seven) times in reward than his prayer in the market or in his house, for if he performs ablution completely and then goes to the mosque with the sole intention of performing the prayer, and nothing urges him to proceed to the mosque except the prayer, then, on every step which he takes towards the mosque, he will be raised one degree or one of his sins will be forgiven. The angels will keep on asking Allâh’s forgiveness and blessings for everyone of you so long as he keeps sitting at his praying place. The angels will say, ‘O Allâh, bless him! O Allâh, be merciful to him!’ as long as he does not do Hadath or a thing which gives trouble to the other.” The Prophet further said, “One is regarded in prayer so long as one is waiting for the prayer.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu:

“The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said: He who purified himself in his house, and then he walked to one of the houses of Allâh for the sake of performing a fard (obligatory act) out of the Fara’id (obligatory acts) of Allâh, both his steps (would be significant) as one of them would obliterate his sin and the second one would raise his status. [Sahîh Muslim]

Attending the Jumu’ah Salâh

Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu: The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:

Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed. [Sahîh Muslim]

Narrated by Salman Al Farsi radhiAllâhu `anhu: The Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for the Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays as much as (Allâh has) written for him and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Doing good deeds

Narrated Ibn Masud radhiAllâhu `anhu: A man kissed a woman and then came to Allâh’s Apostle and told him of that, so this Divine Inspiration was revealed to the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam:

“And offer Prayers perfectly at the two ends of the day, and in some hours of the night; (i.e. (five) compulsory prayers). Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (small sins). That is a reminder for the mindful.” (Qur’aan : 11.114) The man said, Is this instruction for me only?” The Prophet said, “It is for all those of my followers who encounter a similar situation.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Performing Umrah and Hajj

Narrated by Abû Huraira : The Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“Whoever performs Hajj for Allâh’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud radhiAllâhu `anhu narrated that the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:

“Alternate between Hajj and ‘Umrah (regularly), for these two remove poverty and sins just as the blacksmith’s bellows removes all impurities from metals like iron, gold and silver. The reward for Hajj Mabrur is nothing short of Paradise.” [Nasa'i and Tirmidhi, who regards it a sound hadîth ]

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“(The performance of) ‘Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allâh) is nothing except Paradise.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Saying ‘آmîn’

Narrated by Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: The Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“When the Imâm says ‘Aamîn’, then you should all say ‘Aamîn’, for the angels say ‘آmîn’ at that time, and he whose ‘آmîn’ coincides with the ‘آmîn’ of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Fasting and performing prayers in the night of Qadr in Ramadân

Narrated by Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: The Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“Whoever fasted the month of Ramadân out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allâh, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allâh, then all his previous sins will be forgiven .” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Sending salutations

Abû Talha Al Ansari radhiAllâhu `anhu said, “The Prophet, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, woke up one day cheerful and beaming. His companions exclaimed, ‘O Prophet of Allâh, you woke up today cheerful and beaming.’ He replied,

‘Yes! A messenger of Allâh, the Mighty and the Glorified, came to me and said, “If anyone from your ummah sends you a salutation, Allâh will record for him ten good deeds, wipe off ten of his sins, and raise him thereby ten degrees in rank, and He will return his salutation with a similar salutation”.’ [Ahmad] Ibn Kathîr considers this a sound hadîth ]

Being kind to animals

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, ‘This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allâh thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allâh’s Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“A prostitute was forgiven by Allâh, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allâh forgave her because of that.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Leaving grey hair

Amr ibn Shu’aib related on the authority of his father from his grandfather that the Prophet sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“Do not pluck the grey hairs as they are a Muslim’s light. Never a Muslim grows grey in Islam except that Allâh writes for him, due to that, a good deed. And he raises him a degree. And he erases for him, due to that, one of his sins.” [Related by Ahmad, Abû Dawûd, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah] And Anas said, “We used to hate that a man should pluck out his white hairs from his head or beard.” [Sahîh Muslim]

Some simple supplications through which we can erase our sins, Insha’Allâh!

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle said,

“Whoever says, ‘Subhan Allâh wa bihamdihi,’ one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Abû Huraira radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said,

“Whoever says: ‘La ilaha illal-lah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shai’in qadir,’ one hundred times will get the same reward as given for manumitting ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his accounts, and one hundred sins will be deducted from his accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield for him from Satan on that day till night, and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he.” [Sahîh Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh’s Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:

If anyone extols Allâh after every prayer thirty-three times [SubhanAllâh], and praises Allâh thirty-three times [Alhamdulillah], and declares His Greatness thirty-three times [Allâh hu Akbar], ninety-nine times in all, and say to complete a hundred: “There is no god but Allâh, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him to praise due, and He is Potent over everything,” his sins will be forgiven even if these are as Abûndant as the foam of the sea. [Sahîh Muslim]

Abû Hurairah radhiAllâhu `anhu reported that the Prophet, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said,

“If anyone sits in an assembly where there is much clamor and says before getting up to leave, “Subhanaka Allâhumma wa bihamdika, ashadu an-la illaha illa-anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayka” (Glory be to You, O Allâh, and I begin with declaring all praise is due to You, I testify that there is no god but You; I ask Your pardon and turn to You in repentance), he will be forgiven any sin that he might have committed while in that assembly. [Tirmidhi and Al-Baihaqi, (Kitab ad-D'wat Al-kabir)]

Mu’adh b. Anas radhiAllâhu `anhu reported that the Prophet, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said,

“If anyone wears a new garment and says, “Alhamdu lillahillazi kasaabi hazaa wa razakabehi min ghairi hawlin minna walaa kuwwata” ‘All praise be to Allâh, Who clothed me with this garment and provided it for me, with no power or strength from myself’ Allâh will forgive all his previous sins.” [Abû Dawûd, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah]

A motivational article, for us who need some reminding at times. In Malay. Enjoy.

Kasih Sayang Allah Kepada Hamba-Nya

After much much MUCH procrastination, I have finally gotten myself to start leading a healthy lifestyle. Not only with the hope of improving my immune system, but also to lose weight (since the chances of me growing taller has become ZERO at this age*sadded*).

With the help of my Pasir Ris kaki, we started our healthy lifestyle by jogging last Saturday afternoon. Oh yes, that jogging session got us reminiscing poly days when we were *’conned’ into take the NAPFA test, otherwise we wouldn’t graduate, that was what we were told. And NAPFA test means 2.4km run. I remembered myself running a short distance at Bedok Reservoir, and walking the remaining distance of the 2.4km route. No prizes for guessing what was the result – FAIL. Hahahaha.

*On graduation day, we found out that those who did not take the NAPFA test and have no reason to skip it also graduated with us. Pfffft. Buang energy aku je jalan 2.4km.

On Sunday morning, we played badminton till our right arms were a bit sore. Farha’s also going to make me eat bananas by making me eat her Banana Choc Chip muffin FIRST, before eating the fruit SECOND. We’ll see how that goes. Haha.

So here’s to healthy lifestyle. Since morning, my brain has been trying to churn out healthy recipes to make for lunches (since Chinatown is not so Halal-healthy-friendly). This shall increase the list of senang-macam-kacang recipes that are already in this space. Heh.

To make things even more exciting for me, my cousin’s getting married on 22^nd November, so I am targeting to lose a little weight by then, so I can wear the pink baju kurung Pahang that all of us girls are wearing (best nyer!!!!) and stay pretty. Hmmm, I wonder if my cousin can make me her escort, so that I can have a high chance to be in all her pictures. Hahaha, menyebok aje.

Hehe… wouldn’t hurt riggggght?

My mum asked me this morning,

Mum: What do you want for your birthday?
Me: Hmm. I dunno.
Mum: You better tell me what you want, then I buy.
Me: Just buy something that Iwill use la.
Mum: Buy what?
Me: A car.
Mum: Ok.

I’m getting a car bebeh, way before I get my license. Woohooo! JAIHO! Haha.

I just told my boss that I had shed 1kg for skipping lunch. And he laughed super sarcastically. Pffft.

I came back to the office and found not one, not two, not three, but FIVE packs of Apollo Hazelnut Stick Wafers on my desk! Thank you Sweet Santa Clause Siew Ying Siew Mai!

Yes, yes, I am going for SPIB tonight! I shall sacrifice my work this time and go go go! I’m just thinking what is the fastest route (besides taking a cab). Erm…. cab?

And my linner (Lunch + dINNER) looks weird… :S

Today, I went to my cousins’ birthday party – a pair of loving sisters who, despite being born on different years, share close dates with each other.

So this morning, with the bad habit of buying gifts at the very last minute (most of the times), went down to White Sands in search of the birthday gifts. Oh my God, looking for two gifts for a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old who are sisters is no easy task man.

Factors I had to take into consideration were:
- Size of gift must be the same with each other (otherwise one sister will be wondering ‘How come my gift is smaller than my other sister?’, then she will hate me forever.
- What they like
- Buying something that they will not throw everywhere
- Costs about the same for each

Of course, I am Ikhlas in buying those gifts. I just didn’t expect it would be this challenging. Hah. After an hour in Popular Bookstore, I got what-to-me-seemed-like-a-perfect-gift for both girls. Heehee. Damn impressed with myself.

After which I decided to drop by the library one level below, because it had been AGES since I stepped into that place. And I ended up with two awesome books. Malay books.

Haha. For someone whose Malay language is deteriorating, I am surprised as to how I even ended up at the Malay section in the first place.

AND AND, I went home with a Cup Walker in my right hand. *grins at Farha* I even did a mini-promotion to my Uncle who came from JB and he said it tasted so nice, knowing that he shouldn’t be drinking those things in the first place. But I made him. Hahahaa, evil me.

Anyways, I went to my cousins’ birthday party in the afternoon and I didn’t take much pictures because:
1) There were many people in the house.
2) The battery was going flat. *stares at Tok*
3) The birthday girls were running everywhere! (That I only managed to take a photo of one. -_-”)

But at least it was a great place to be at because it gave us a chance to catch up with my paternal relatives and meeting new people. =)

With that, Happy Birthday to Aufa and Ain Nur, study hard and be good always!

08th October 2009

Finally The Army has called my brother to fulfill his duty as a true blue Singapore male citizen. I had always dreaded for this day to come, because I knew things at home were going to be less noisier. =(

So, my mum made me take leave from work (one month in advance) to escort my brother off to Tekong. Actually, the fact is that in my family, the only person to go through NS is my brother, to date (not sure if I might have another brother in future, haha), because during my dad’s time, he didn’t have to go through NS (lucky him).

There was a tinge of sadness in my heart when we were in ferry leaving Tekong. Sure, he has been away for one week or a few days for overnight/overseas camps, but I had a change of heart when he’s going off to Tekong. Especially when he doesn’t have network coverage to call home. And after I heard scary stories of army. =(

On a slightly happier and much relieving note, the facilities there are very sufficient. They have this canteen which has plama TVs. Then they have this ‘lepak room’ with aircon, a pool table, TV, sofa, etc, where they can just hang out and interact with their other camp mates.

If they were giving away free army stuffs from Tekong, I would ask for their mosquito net. That thing would look so cool to be hung over my bed. Actually, I think I’d rather have their vacuum-packed meals. Their menu sounds yummy to me.

And I know my mum would ask for their New Balance shoes, which apparently, their reason for having New Balance shoes was to cater to the flat-footed.

I may be known as a Daddy’s girl, but I’m also a Brother’s sister who can be quite clingy to my brother (though I don’t really show it). Already on the first night he was away, knowing that at 9.30pm every night, they are allowed to call home, I was the one who tried calling my brother’s mobile the moment the clock struck 9.30pm.

But, he didn’t have reception over there. Nonetheless, I was optimistic, and thought Starhub may be playing some sort of prank on me, so I tried again at 10pm. I was left with no other choice except to really believe that there’s no reception over there.

I really miss him. =(

I know he’s going to be okay. Ya Allah, please give him strength to the difficulties he may face, and Your protection from all the bad things.