.: Crimson tide :.

Years have passed.

But there are some things that can't be forgotten ...

Are you sure you are a Muslim? You don't wear the hijab. You don't know how to read the Qur'an. You spend more time with the disbelievers. Do you still think you are a Muslim?

At the tender age of 10, one starts to question ...

What is a Muslim?

What is Islam?

Who is God?

And embarks on a journey to find the truth.

7.17am Malaysian Time

.: Melancholy breeze :.

The way of love.

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

The Dalai Lama

A brand new day.

2.38am Malaysian Time

.: Paradoxical paralysis :.

Lesson 3.

We were going to have dinner when I saw some beggars begging for alms at the roadside. They wore tattered clothing, held a chipped rice bowl and there was so much sorrow in their eyes.

No one stopped to offer any alms. No one stopped to offer a kind word. No one stopped at all.

Everyone was too concerned in their affairs that they didn’t take the slightest notice of these beggars.

It was a painful and pitiful sight.

----------------------------

A few years ago, I was at an eatery with a friend. He tried to stop me from looking at the cleaners but I was too stubborn to listen. That was when I saw the cleaner eating food left by the patrons. At that time all I thought of doing was to buy her food or offer her some money. However, my friend stopped me saying it will only bring more shame to the lady. I felt disgusted at myself for comfortably having good food while another person had to eat leftover scraps. I was terribly disturbed by this.

----------------------------

For ever so long have I been blinded and shielded from acknowledging the sufferings of others. Seeing these people and the situation they are in, reopened my eyes, my heart and mind to the cold realities of life. This time around, I chose not to push it all aside. 

Alhamdulillah, God must have wanted to give me a chance to redeem myself.

Starting right here in China. 

11.55pm Malaysian Time

.: اسم :.

What is in a name?

I mentioned that my Arabic [Egyptian] teacher mentioned to the class that my name is an old Egyptian name.

Hence it got me pondering a bit. My name was given to me by my siblings. Big brother simply loved the story of Siti Hajar [Hagar] and Ismail [Ishmael] Alaihi wa Salam. Sis followed along with him. Besides, how cool is it to be able to name your sibling? I didn’t get that chance and the family never expected me to make a last minute entry into the family tree either.

Therefore:

• When you name someone, do you have a certain criteria that you have/want to fulfill?
• Is it based on the meaning?
• Is it based on the origins of the name; the history behind it?
• What does your name mean and how symbolic is it to you?
• Will you change it if you have a choice? And to what?

Happy 2010. ^^

1.53pm Malaysian Time