.: Journey of Faith P2 :.

A continuation.

A little something to keep the spirits up:

1. Recite ayatul kursi before you sleep to have your own personal bodyguard while sleeping.
2. Raining time is a great time to make dua.  Every single rain drop has an angel bringing it down!
3. The angels change shift during fajr and asr. So you can get double the reward for praying fajr and asr.
4. Making others happy will make you happy. When you give to others, Allah will give to you back more!
5. Life is a test. The test of prosperity is more difficult than the est of hardship.  Because more people seek Allah in time of hardship while more people drift away from Allah when they prosper.
6. To be thankful for your wealth or children is to spend your wealth in the most pleasing way to allah and to teach your hildren to be obedient to Allah.
7. The best way to spending money is in seeking knowledge. When you spend it for knowledge (either for yourself or others), Allah will increase your wealth.
8. When there is no barakah in your wealth,  your money will easily flow out for useless reasons.
9. If The Creator addresses Rasulullah s.a.w. with so much respect, then we should at least do the same
10. Hadith explains the Quran
11. Raising your voice in an argument is a sign that your agument is weak
12. If you disrespect Rasulullah s.a.w,  then your deeds may be rejected
13. The companions gave up their life so that we can get the clear message of Islam
14. A lesson from Surah AlHujurat: Do not raise your voice above those of higher status (I.e., elders, teachers or those who hold position in society)
15. We are living in this dunya temporarily and don't know when our passport will expire
16. There are messengers who had very few followers, had only one follower and even had no follower at all. It was not their fault that their people do not accept Islam, rather it is the people's fault. Generally, people do not like to accept the truth that they consider strange.
17. Do not care about numbers or result rather focus of the quality of our work
18. If you obey most people on earth, they will indeed lead you astray (from Surah An'am)
19. The truth is strange so only few people will accept it. The number of believers compared to disbelievers are like a white hair on a black bull during the Day of Judgement. Be among the few!
20. Commit yourself to Allah, not to people
21. Your happiest, best moments should be the moments of your obedience to Allah
22. Even if you are alone, do not compromise tour deen regardless the pressure
23. People now leave the sunnah but do the bidaah
24. Are you a helper or a barrier for someone to become a Muslim? We are representing our deen whether we like it or not, whether we want it or not.
25. You will never be successful or creative in the field of area that you don't like. You must pursue the field that you like.
26. Believers should have the attitude of wanting to excel in halal matters better than others. Competitiveness in doing good deeds!
27. If you supplicate to Allah, He will love you more. Inversely, if you don't ask Allah, He will be angry at you.
28. When you lose something, always ask Allah to replace it with something better.
29. Nothing else can prevent a pre-ordained calamity to befall unto you other than dua.
30. You are on a battlefield against shaytaan. Always wear your armour! Recite the dzikr and duas in the morning and evening.

Reminding myself first before anyone else. 

8.45pm, Malaysian Time

.: 多难兴邦 :.

真希望真主保佑马来西亚.

A great calamity has befallen Malaysia, the country that I call home for now. More than 100,000 people in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak are gravely affected by massive floods and it is devastating to see the numbers and casualties increasing by the day. Efforts to provide relief are underway, yet one can't help but feel completely helpless.

For those who would like to channel funds, aids or any form of assistance, this Facebook page has compiled a comprehensive list of organisations to donate to: Blessed Gatherings KL

Let us set aside our differences and focus on being more compassionate and sympathetic towards the victims. Pray for their safety and may Allah S.W.T alleviate their sufferings, Allahumma ameen thumma ameen. 

Be concerned. Be human. 

6.47pm, Malaysian Time

.: Journey of Faith P1 :.

A traveler's guide.

A dear sister of mine is currently attending the Journey of Faith 2014 course held by IMuslim. Alhamdulillah, she has been sharing the knowledge to fellow friends. May Allah reward her immensely for sharing the knowledge and may we benefit from it as well, Allahumma ameen thumma ameen. As she is sharing the knowledge on a daily basis, there may be subsequent posts on this. 

Here are some of the GEMS that I got from her (edited):

1. To have eeman in Allah is to believe in Him, act upon your belief and utter your belief.
2. Barakah is consistent goodness. 
3. Sometimes Allah does not give you something right away because you are not ready for it.
4. The main focus of dakwah is tawheed.
5. Plant the seed of goodness. You never know when it will sprout.
6. To worship Allah is to do things that will please Him, be it actions, words or anything.
7. When we remember the blessings of Allah, we will become more obedient. Syukr!
8. When we don't clean something for a long time, the stain will get harder to be removed. That's the same as our heart that needs constant cleaning.
9. Constantly make tawbah, istighfar & remember Allah. Small deeds also cleanse the heart.
10. When there are so many sins, then there are so much dirt, then the heart becomes dirty and sick. Thus the sinner becomes weakened and hard to do good deeds.
11. Keep asking Allah for forgiveness via words and actions.
12. Everyone makes mistakes. And the best people are those who repent to Allah after they make mistakes. Allah loves the ones who repent.
13. A believer never falls into the same hole twice. He is either careful of that hole or takes another path.
14. Everyone gets angry but you must control it. Hold it back.
15. Be conscious of Allah.
16. The 5 daily prayers, jumaah & ramadhan are our pitstops to remind ourselves and refuel ourselves with taqwa.
17. Turn off your auto pilot. Don't make your ibadah as a mere routine without any reflection.
18. The quality of your heart is reflected by the quality of your prayer!
19. If our heart is clean & pure, then we will never get tired of Quran.
20. Be confident in your dua. Know that Allah is not incapable of granting your dua. The One who can create the heavens and earth from nothing can definitely grant you anything.
21. Ikhlas comes from the root word that means uncontaminated or pure. Let's keep our intention pure!
22. When Allah gives you knowledge, He wants to see if you appreciate it When you appreciate it, Allah will increase it!
23. Whoever seeks the path of knowledge,  Allah makes the path to paradise easy for him.
24. Consistency in seeking knowledge is the biggest challenge. Have the intention to understand and act upon it.
25. The gathering of knowledge is the inheritance of Prophet saws. Every moment of it is considered an ibadah.
26. Arrogance is rejecting the truth when you know it's the truth & belittling others.
27. If it is the truth, then you must accept it even if the person is less knowledgeable. That's the sign of humility.
28. The power to have the right intention is incredible.
29. No one knows what's inside your heart except for you and Allah.
30. The key to reach nafs muthma'innah is you must be contented with what Allah has given you.
31. To have the best relation with Allah, perfect your prayer.
32. Please Allah before pleasing others. You can't actually please people without pleasing Allah.
33. ASK - Just ask Allah. He is All Hearing.
34. Nafs Muthma'innah: Love what Allah loves, Hate what Allah hates, spend in His way and hold tight to His rope.
35. Make dua for beneficial knowledge, that is, a knowledge that will benefit you in dunya and akhirah. That you can reflect and apply, and not that you gain it to hurt others or for debate.
36. Allah commands us to worship Him not because He needs our worship but because we need the worship.
37. Regardless of how healthy, wealthy or influential you are, you will still need to depend on someone. But the creations will are not always dependable and will die. Thus depend on The Creator, The Ever Living, The Most Powerful.
38. It is very, very disrespectful to Allah to ask His creations first before Him! You must first supplicate to Him then only seek His response and search for the means via His creations.
39. The reason we don't depend on Allah is because our eeman is weak. We dont have enough conviction and dont have firm believe.
40. Sabr is at the beginning of the calamity, not the end. Then take the necessary actions.

Share the khayr!

1.51pm, Malaysian time

.: Visiting memory :.

The empire strikes back.

Oftentimes we go through life, experiencing a feeling or moment. Sometimes it lingers for a while. Sometimes, it disappears along the passages of time. These feelings or moments, come and go as it please. Yet sometimes, for some unknown reason, it resurfaces. The feeling or moment that had taken place many odd years ago, comes back in an instant, and it feels as though it was just yesterday that the particular feeling, that particular moment, occurred.

The decisions that were made then, the consequences that came along with those decisions, return as a haunting, a fleeting reminder. One pauses for a while, static, half wondering should the decisions that were made then be made again now? Or should one open-up to new possibilities should one choose to take on a different path? What lies forward remains unknown, yet the exhilaration, the mere thought of it is unspeakable of.  

The force is weak in this one.

1.54pm, Malaysian Time

.: Ilmfest 2014 :.

The culmination of knowledge. 

Alhamdulillah, despite missing the first day due to work engagements, I had a brilliant time at the conference on the second day. The speakers were amazing, the experience was phenomenal, and the fact that family and friends from other parts of the world flew over just to attend it, was mind-boggling. So much to digest, and so much more to implement, there are just not enough words to describe. Love the camaraderie and may Allah S.W.T reward those in realising the conference into a tremendous success. Allahumma ameen, thumma ameen. 

Among the GEMS taken away from the conference (paraphrased): 

1. Many times when we hear about something, we think it refers to other people. However, sometimes we have to take it personally. Take it personally and reflect on yourself. 
2. It is alright to want to look nice, to want things, etc but do not let it consume you. 
3. Wake up with this in mind: "The weight of this ummah is on my shoulders. Be the change for this ummah."
4. Real change, actual tangible change, that change is going to come from you, and it has to come from you, even from a micro-level. Don't think someone will do it for you. 
5. A lot of people say they are grateful, but it is just a statement unless it is attached to the heart. Constantly check the status of your heart.
6. Don't dwell on your sin. Make repentance and move on. Add more good deeds. 
7. You have been working on yourself, but don't forget the people around you. 
8. Don't let people think or convince you that you are insignificant. 
9. It is not about how much knowledge we have, but it is about how we use the knowledge.
10. Be extra careful from becoming a ritualistic Muslim. 
11. Relationship is like a tree. If the roots are strong, all is strong. To be able to stay together for years, is something to be treasured, cherished and respected.
12. We are different, but we have to come together and cover each other's back. Cooperate. 
13. Da'wah is to upgrade the standard of living for people. 
14. Positivity: That's what we need to be the change.
15. Be careful that when you speak, it doesn't hurt people.
16. Love is not dormant, it is an action based verb.
17. Complaining about Allah S.W.T vs Complaining to Allah S.W.T. Know the difference.
18. Keep the focus clear, not the ego. 
19. If you are right, the truth will come out. If you did wrong, seek forgiveness. Focus on the relationship. Trust.
20. The prayer is a comfort, a shelter, a refuge. It protects us from shamelessness and doing evil.
21. We fight among ourselves that we forget the real enemy; the devil and our desires.
22. A catastrophe is a catastrophe if you allow it to realise its' cause.
23. Your projects will only go far as your own ability will allow. 
24. Create value before asking from others. 
25. Touch hearts before asking for hands. 

Obviously there were many more GEMS, but these are the few that I managed to compile. Look forward to attending the next event, the National Achievers Congress 2014, and Divine Speech. 

Knowledge acquisition, from the cradle to the grave.

11.11am, Malaysian Time

.: Clustered ornaments :.

The closure. 

Traveling, can sometimes open up the mind, heart and soul to all sorts of things. Things we never thought of, and things that we never knew we had it in us all this while. Thus one gets to gather numerous experiences, invoke past memories, harness innate feelings, as well as establish new relationships. 

And yet, even with the exhilaration and amazement of this new-found hidden part of ourselves, it can also lead to the reality that such things would perhaps be better left unknown, undiscovered, and undisclosed. 

Tearing up. 

2.17pm, Malaysian Time

.: 哀しいキセキ :.

Encased memories. 

 “Allah gives us gifts, but then we come to love them as we should only love Him. We take those gifts and inject them into our hearts, until they take over. Soon we cannot live without them. Every waking moment is spent in contemplation of them, in submission and worship to them. The mind and the heart that was created by Allah, for Allah, becomes the property of someone or something else. And then the fear comes. The fear of loss begins to cripple us. The gift—that should have remained in our hands—takes over our heart, so the fear of losing it consumes us. Soon, what was once a gift becomes a weapon of torture and a prison of our own making. How can we be freed of this? 

At times, in His infinite mercy, Allah frees us…by taking it away. As a result of it being taken, we turn to Allah wholeheartedly. In that desperation and need, we ask, we beg, we pray. Through the loss, we reach a level of sincerity and humility and dependence on Him which we would otherwise not reach—had it not been taken from us. Through the loss, our hearts turn entirely to face Him.” 

 Yasmin Mogahed, Reclaim Your Heart 

As the sky cracks to open into another world. 

12.25 noon, Malaysian Time

.: Visionary spectrum :.

The heart clings to something ... 

Sitting in bed. Thinking all sorts. Just what is the next phase in life? The path that ought to be trod upon? Drifting aimlessly in this transitional life, letting it slide a breath at a time. Opportunities at bay. To pursue in knowledge enrichment, chasing after the sustenance to this very soul or to choose to remain in this static stance?

That does not belong to thee.

8.41am, Malaysian Time

.: 感恩是幸福的源 :.

Gratitude is the source of happiness. 

While I was in the LRT, I found myself with this question in mind;

Just what are people grateful for?

We often hear people saying they are grateful for their family, their friends, their career, education, wealth, and health, but I was not looking for the standard definition. More of, I was heading for the less than ordinary outlook of what it means to be grateful.

And I found myself at Petaling Street.

Walking along the dark alleys of Petaling Street, I came to the realisation that gratefulness can also be found in observing others, and I honestly feel blessed to come across the homeless. 

Through them, I discovered that gratitude doesn't necessarily have to come from something, or someone we are familiar with. 

Because honestly, it is easier to be grateful for something that we work for. It is fairly easier as well to be grateful for the people we have around us, particularly the ones who have been supporting us.

But for these people, they have no one, and they have nothing much. 

Or so I thought.

Despite their difficulties, the homeless are still able to impart lessons to appreciate the little that they have, the people they have taken for granted, and the random people that appear in their lives. 

Every single moment is cherished, and for them, they are never alone. It would not be far fetched for me to say that in reality, I believe they have so much more to offer. 

Because to them, everything, and everyone, matters.

12.19noon, Malaysian Time

.: BookUp :.

Saving books, one at a time.

Tuesday.

It was the beginning of another regular day at the office. There was still time to spare so I grabbed my phone, looked through my personal emails, and that was when I came across a blog comment.

Mike, the founder of BookUp, had left his email address. Usually I would regard it as spam, however my curiousity got the better of me, thus I decided to drop him an email. Through our correspondence, I learned about his project.

According to Mike, BookUp is the project brainchild of two everyday Malaysians who want to make a difference in the society, more specifically, the student’s society. It is a website which sells books for up to 70% cheaper. BookUp also helps book owners to sell off their own books.

Sounds phenomenal, but I wasn’t entirely convinced. During my off day, I decided to cruise over to their website and Facebook page, and do some epic probing.   

Their website (http://bookup.my/) is surprisingly simple and easy to use. I hoard books as a hobby, but for those who are keen on letting go of their books, BookUp offers 3 simple steps to sell 'em:

1.      Submit your books ISBN

2.      Ship for free (T&C applied)

3.      Get paid

Mike further explained, “As a student once, I understand the challenge of having too many unused textbooks at every end of semester during my university years. The worst thing is I do not know what to do with them, except sell it to the recycling centre or donate to the orphanage. I wish knowledge could be shared with others through books. We at BookUp will handle everything for you, including sales, marketing, packaging, warehousing, packaging and posting, so all you have to do is sit back and relax while we clear up your inventory for you.”

I have to hand it to Mike. He is very transparent about the details. In return for selling the books, they’ll be taking 20% off the sales after the sale is completed.

Honestly, I have not used their service. But I fancy the idea where people are able to buy and sell books at discounted rates, even if it involves used books. Books are still books, and every single one is filled with an abundance of knowledge waiting to be discovered.

And as a book-hoarder, I think the project provides an excellent platform for people to inculcate, or in my case, feed my love for reading, and learning, without stretching my wallet.

Awesomeness! :)

4.29pm, Malaysian Time