Siapa pula akan ke kubur kita nanti?

Gambar pagi 1 Syawal apabila anak2 dan isteri menemani ibu mertua ke kubur arwah father-in-law!

Alhamdullillah...semoga kebiasaan menziarah kubur bukan sahaja d lakukan pada hari Raya, tetapi hari2 lain juga.

Menziarah kubur boleh tergelincir menjadi satu perbuatan bidaah. Namun jika dengan ke kubur boleh mendamaikan hati orang2 yang telah di tinggalkan, dan dapat mengingatkan yang masih hidup tentang kematian, maka saya rasa itu satu amalan yang baik.

AlFatihah kepada saudara mara dan mereka yang telah mendahului kita ke alam Baka'.

Adakah kita sudah bersedia? Siapa pula yang akan menziarah kubur kita nanti? Walapun hanya sekadar membersihkan nya!

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Selamat Hari Raya ..~!

To all readers, I want to take this opportunity to wish you 'SELAMAT HARI RAYA, Maaf Zahir Batin'.

> Jika ada salah silap yang tentu nya saya tidak sengajakan, harap dapat di maafkan.

> Jika ada terkasar bahasa, tersalah gurauan, saya mohon maaf.

> Jika ada saya menyentuh perasaan tuan dan puan, saya minta maaf.

Kami berhari raya pertama di Jasin Melaka. Hari raya kedua dan seterusnya di KL. Pada hari Sabtu 3hb September, kami ke Raub Pahang memetrikan silaratulrahim dengan keluarga Tuan Jasmi sempena majlis pertunangan anak lelaki kami. 


Gambar file - Raya 2010.



Berbuka puasa di Umbai, seafood!

Surprisingly, the journey from KL to Jasin last night was smooth without much traffic!

Today, we went to Tesco in Cheng to buy food stuff for the Hari Raya. Again. A pleasant surprise - when two trolley full only cost us RM630.
The purchase included lots of packet food stuff we want to bring to Saudi. Similar things would cost about thousand Ringgit in Jeddah!

The best surprise of all was at the Mumbai seafood this evening when I and my family hosted an Iftar for my mother in law and my BIL and his family of 11 children!

We ordered lots and lots!
Four tables were full of grilled fish of various species, crabs, squids, cockles, kupang, and prawns.
Before the bill came, my wife told me to be ready with a least a eight hundred Ringgit!
Guess what? The bill was RM430!

The food was fresh and tasty! It was satisfying to see the children, ours and BIL's, enjoying every dish and finished everything.
We adults enjoyed ourselves too, no body was counting cholestrol tonight, which was great!!

Alhamdullillah!!!

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Double storey corner shop lot available!

For Sale or to Let!
500metre from Tesco, in Cheng Baru Melaka!

Suitable for car show room, workshop, restaurant, or office!

Rental: RM 2500 per month!
Sale : RM 499,000.

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A Condo with a 270 degree view~!



Mountain View from the balcony!



KLCC view from the balcony.

A condo which offers the above views is FOR SALE.

The unit is on the 23rd Floor of PV8, Platinum Hill Condo project which is located beside MRR2 and within walking distance to a 'happening' hubs for food and beverages. The Melati LRT station is less than 5 minutes drive away.
Access to anywhere is made easy via MRR2, DUKE, LRT, Jalan Gombak, and the Setapak road.

This is a corner unit with 270 degree view. Facilities available are; Round the clock security and security access control, a swimming pool, fully equiped and well maintained Gymnasium, Mini market, laundry, and a 24 hour mamak stall.

It is FREEHOLD!
1800 SQ feet.
3 + 1 bedroom.
3 bathrooms.
It comes with fittings; 4 ACs, Lightings, 5 ceiling fans, Kitchen cabinets and built-in wardrobes, bathrooms fittings, curtain rails and curtains.

 Please call Mr. Hafiz  at 010-2266077 for Viewing.
RM670,000. Negotiable.

26 Ogos - Sekali lagi ~!

"File picture 26 Ogos 2007: All of us di Rumah Anak2 Yatim DarulIzzah, Bangi~!
The visit was captured HERE"

Buat kesekian kalinya aku di ingatkan

tarih keramat, tarih berkat, tarih ibu melahirkan

melebarkan senyuman di wajah ibu dengan tangisan

walaupun tangisan pertama itu tanpa airmata

ianya bagaikan memberi petanda

kehidupan yang bakal di lalui

akan ku tempuhi saat2 yang akan aku tangisi

sering tewas dengan godaan nafsu sendiri

kesilapan yang sering di kesali.

Buat kesekian kalinya aku di sedarkan

apabila di hari kelahiran bapa mengalunkan azan

aku di beri peringatan tentang kebesaran Tuhan

dan Rasullullah ada meninggalkan pedoman

dan aku di seru menuju kepada kejayaan

maka aku bersahadah dengan lisan

kemudiannya aku memahami

sudahkah aku bersahadah dengan hati ?

Malam ini,
di ambang peringatan hari kelahiran

aku bersujud syukur dengan segala keistimewaan

kasih sayang yang menyapa diri

kesunyian yang mencuit hati

jatuh dan bangun putaran kehidupan

suka duka permainan perasaan

kenapa di kesali sekiranya nurani ada keimanan

tidak kah aku pasrah ?

bukan kah takdir dari Allah?

cukup kah kesyukuran ku?

atau masih aku hamba kepada nafsu?

Kali ini,
bukan seperti kesekian kali sebelum nya

kerana kali ini aku merentasi mercu petanda

jika waktu yang lima, di kira sudah Asar

jika warna di kanvas, di lihat sudah pudar

jika makanan di saji, di rasa sudah hambar !

Namun hati masih meronta melawan arus

kenapa begini?

sukarnya untuk di mengerti!

Di malam ke duapuluh lima Ramadan ini

sunyi nya alam

hening dan damai

walau pun tiada tangisan

air mata tergenang tanpa ku sedari

tersentuh hati sendiri

menerima kucupan dari isteri

menerima ucapan  dari putera2 dan puteri

menerima doa dan ingatan dari sahabat2 Ehwan Muslimin

menerima Rahmat tanpa sempadan dari Illahi

aku bersyukur

kerana masih lagi di sini!

(2.30 pagi, 26 Ogos 2011)

The Eagle has landed ...

Descending!

Landed on the balcony!





Curious!



A perfect pose!



Subhanallah! Maha Suci Allah yang menjadikan segala mahluk di dunia ini. Aku begitu terharu dengan kehadiran yang tidak di duga dua pagi berturut-turut. Se ekor helang terbang dan hinggap di balkoni condo kami tepat jam 8.30 pagi semalam dan pagi sebelumnya. Dia datang, hinggap, menyanyi kan lagu yang sukar di mengerti, posing untuk anak-anak kami mengambil gambar dan kembali terbang bebas ke angkasa.

Balkoni apartment kami di tingkat 23 di Taman Melati, mengadap terus ke pemandangan KLCC. Namun sejak kami tinggal di sini, helang yang hinggap ini lah pemandangan paling istimewa!

MashaAllah...pujian bagi Allah yang membawa MahlukNya ke mana yang Dia kehendaki. Dari luas nya angkasa, dan dari berbagai pilihan yang ada, helang telah memilih balkoni kami untuk melepaskan lelah. Kami bersyukur dengan kehadiran sekejap itu...dan apa jua yang hendak di sampaikan melalui nyanyian nya, kami redha walaupun tidak memahami. Keredhaan semata-mata, dengan pengetahuan, kehadirannya ialah dengan kehendak Allah jua!

Pagi ini, kami akan menanti saat jam 830 pagi.

Taking off again~!

(Photo credit: All pictures were captured by our sons Haziq and Luqman)

After three days home...

Having been home for three days, I can share a few things I have and have not done.

1. I have not yet been to any Bazaar Ramadan. I just don't have the urge for it. I started to question the hygiene of some of the food on offer, knowing that some of them were prepared from early morning to be eaten after dusk.

2. I have not been to any Buffet Breakfasting! I have heard of too many cases of huge wastage when the hungry and gullible people brushed aside any form of conscience, and piled up their plates with food which later were wasted. On top of that, Maghrib prayer is often compromised due to 'time' or 'venue' constraints.

To the left is a shadow of the the camera
lady cum the beautician!

3. Yesterday I went for a facial treatment. My face has been subjected to harsh desert sun and sandstorms and I felt it was a necessary indulgence to give it a once over scrub. After 90 minutes, most of the time I spent sleeping, I felt clean. The beautician said most of her clients during this time are people who have returned from the Middle East~! "True or not?" Sounds like a made up story lah !

"Haiyyaa, so dirty ah!" She said a few times while digging deeper into my skin to extract whatever she manage to find.

Was that supposed to make me feel good? I am still trying to analyze the psychology of the lady who insisted that she be called a beautician, and who seemed intent on making me feel ugly!

4. I have been to a couple of banks, and processed a couple of things. Generally happy with the service level. I am hoping my applications for loans will be approved!

5. I have taken an LRT ride on the Putra line from end to end! It took 45 minutes from Taman Melati to Kelana Jaya. Not bad at all. During the ride, I finished scanning through one daily nespaper, managed to text message a few people, and even had time to people-watching! One odd couple caught my attention, as they were giggling away while seating too closely together like they were a pair of Siamese twins joined at the hips! They were both men. Ermmm.

6. I have been out every evening after Terawih to meet friends for Morreh~! Oh...this I really like a lot!

7. Today, I am looking forward to host for Iftar some 30 friends alumni of Dubai. We will makan-makan and do Terawih prayer also. Just like the good ole' days! Ahlan Wasahlan!

Home coming to Tayar Meletup!

My wife and two sons came to meet me at the KLIA. By 1145am we were on our way, to Bandar Sri Putra because I wanted to view a house we purchased there and we wish to sell. It was a good diversion since my next appointment was at 2pm in Shah Alam. 

When we arrived in Bandar Sri Putra, I asked my son to drive first into Bukit Mahkota, to take a look at the bungalow lot we have purchased some fifteen years ago. The project didn't take off. Vandalism was the order of the day. All man holes have their covers stolen, putting high risks to any unwary drivers.

That was what happened to us! When trying to negotiate his way around a road made narrow by over grown lalang, my son drove straight into one of the man holes.

Bang!!! One of the front tyres burst.

Hence, under the mid-day sun today he received his first practical lesson on how to change tyre!

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A Ramadan Cutural Night, an event in the desert ~!

Bersama Zuraimi









There are employees from 27 nationalities working in the company. Although they have traveled thousands of miles to come to this place to live and work together, they often spend time among themselves. There have been very little Inter-racial integration. At best they have learned to live with some degree of tolerance.

Using the experience of growing up in a Multi-Racial society in Malaysia, I urged the H R department to organize a CULTURAL night which brought all the nationalities together. The event finally took place tonight. Employees form nine countries put up a show of their tradition and culture much to the appreiation and amusement of an ALL males audience.

It was a night when we witnessed colourful display of diversity and rich cultural heritage from Indonesia including the Kuda Kepang dance. The Phillipine were equally gallant with their performance which included the famous bamboo dance. A funny skit from Sri Lanka which put audience in stitches. The Saudi contigentent put up an eloborate sketch of song and dance themed, 'Saudi Hospitality'.

The first odd thing about the whole event was, the absence of musics. The show could be about dances, or funny skit, but there was absolutely no musics allowed. Movements were guided by clapping and rhythmic sounds of their voices.

Another thing about the event was the absence of females. I was happy to notice a few children were there. In a community of employees living in a remote part of the desert, there have been literally zero form of entertainment. The children were indeed enjoying the show. It was heart warming to watch them cheering and clapping. If only their mothers were allowed to come along...I was thinking to myself...that would have made the event even more the merrier.

But alas, women are not allowed to mix freely, and many of the husbands here do not wish to have their wives watch a show where all the performers were males!

Still it was a jolly evening! I enjoyed myself too. The event which started at 1030pm finally ended with  a sumptious dinner of generous portions of Lamb on Hanizz rice for all the 1000 employees who attended.

My little contribution to Anak2 Melayu di UiTM~!

When I received an invitation from UiTM to give a talk on the topic of 'Global Opportunities to Local Graduates' I happily and promptly accepted. I am truly excited with the opportunity to share some of my own professional and personal experience in a way which can motivate our young generation of leaders to leave their comfort zones and challenge themselves to places beyond their own imagination!

The time in University for students itself is a unique opportunity! This is the time to really understand one's own passion, potential, hopes and fears! It is the time to explore all possibilities, finding as much informations, and validating them against one's own goals in life.

A personal vision, is the sole responsibility of the beholder, and a necessary step to take if one is to achieve one's dreams.

"Go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you will see further!"

Locked Out~!

Yesterday morning I was locked out!

Okey, my mind was pre-occupied with things. My hands were also full - with thrash bags, my lap top bag on my shoulder, cat's food and what I thought were house and gate keys. Bang...I slammed the door closed with my foot. I put the cat's food down under the shade where the cats normally feed, and walked to the rubbish bin outside on the street. 

I then thought I have left my sun-glasses inside. I wanted to open the door - then I realized I have left both the house key and the gate key inside. What I had in my hand was indeed my sun-glasses! Ermmm, someone please tell me this was only a once-off lapse, and not a permanent sign of aging.

The whole day while in the office I was figuring how to get in! I called my once-a-week visiting maid to ask if she keeps one spare key. 

"Yes...but only house key, sir!" Replied Linda, nervously.

At 4pm I was already in front of her house to collect the key. I explained carefully that the reason I am taking they key was because I have left mine inside the house. I didn't want her to think I was not trusting her to keep the house key while I would be gone for my Eid leave. She relaxed and recovered from her nervousness.

About 5pm I was in front of my house - with no key to open the gate. Gates to Arab houses are high like fortresses. I thought about climbing, but immediately abandoned the idea! Safety first, was not what stopped me. It was something else called 'Kurang Upaya!' 

As the temperature was soaring high at above 40 degree, I stayed in the car and waited for the temperature to cool down a bit more and hoping that I would get some ideas or that a miracle would happen! 

Then God sent me His help! 

Rizwan, an Indonesian who worked as a driver for an Arab family a few doors away from my house walked to the same rubbish bin on the street near to my house. Four months ago, when I moved to the neighborhood I have approached him and introduced myself. We chatted about three times after that.  The last few nights I have seen him at the local Mosque praying Terawih. Little did I know that one day, I would be needing his help.

I stood near to the gate, and helped to push him up. With a little more effort from him,  he jumped down on the other side.

The gate was opened at last.

As a show of my appreciation, I gave him a packet of the Patchi chocolate which I have bought to bring back to Malaysia for my children. 

Now,  we have become closer friends. I might have been locked out from my house, but God has opened my eyes and heart to appreciate kindness that could come from simple people.

"Friendship without self interest is one of the rare and beautiful things in life." - James Francis Byrnes

A perfect life it is not until...~!

I have been told many times and by different people that I am lucky! A few of them would go on to elaborate why they think I am lucky. I listen. Not because I don't know about my life any better than they do, but because I too can become naively curious about what others see in me. Call it vanity if you like!

If the person talking is a male, they normally say things related to my family. How lucky I am to have a wife and have the children like I have. While he continues to talk, I would let my mind wonder to his family - trying to reflect what kind of a wife or children he has. Often, in doing that, I become convinced myself that I am indeed lucky, and I also see enough goodness in his situation to reciprocate with compliments about his family. At the end of the day, a family is only as good as how much love and respect we have and show for each other!

Cinta, tanpa bara, dingin tidak bermaya!

"Abang tu memang baik hati tidak bertempat, dan marah pun tidak bertempat!" 

Suara Lina masih terngiang-ngiang di telinga Idham. Bukan sekali, bukan dua kali, dan tidak juga tiga kali. Bah kan sudah beberapa kali Idham tersungkur, tertiarap, jatuh bagai kan nangka berulat di tangkai.  Dan setiap kali itu juga Lina telah mengulangi kata-kata yang di anggap Idham sebagai berpuaka.

Berbedzanya, kali ini waktu dia di sentakkan oleh kecurangan kekasihnya, Lina tiada untuk mendengar rintihan hatinya yang remuk terluka. Lina juga sudah tiada untuk mengulangi kata-kata puakanya. 

Lina sudah pergi.

Perkahwinan mereka yang telah memasuki tahun ke lima belas roboh bersepai juga ahirnya. Mereka cuba bertahan. Sudah dua kali sebelum perceraian berlaku Lina lari meninggalkan rumah yang di hiasi oleh kecurangan suaminya. Dua kali itu juga Idham berjaya memujuk. Berjanji dan bersumpah untuk tidak mengulangi kesalahan lalu. 

Kali ketiga, Lina nekad! Setelah puas memujuk dan merayu, Idham pasrah. Mereka bercerai talak satu.

Allah Kareem!

Begitu lah ramainya mengelilingi Kaabah ketika selesai solat Maghrib tadi.

Sedang menunggu Azan. 

Bayangkan, ratusan ribu manusia berkumpul d Mesjidil Haram sewaktu Iftar tadi. Bayangkan kebanyakan daripada mereka tidak membawa sebarang bekal untuk berbuka kecuali doa dan tawakal dengan rezki Allah. Kemudian bayangkan ketika azan bergema...dan ratusan ribu manusia tadi, kesemuanya, memakan tamar dan meneguk air zamzam. Ada juga yang dapat membasahi tekak dengan kopi Arab dan teh panas.

Bayangkan...kebesaran Allah, dan sifat "Kareem" Nya terhadap umat Rasullullah Muhamad swt.

Bayangkan lah...betapa sukarnya untuk manusia membuat perancangan untuk memastikan kesemua ratusan ribu manusia begitu akan mendapat rezki dan bahagian masing - kecuali dengan Kuasa Allah, di atas sifat Kasih dan Sayang, dan Pemurah Nya ke atas setiap tetamu di Rumah Allah itu.

Malam tadi, saya sendiri di antara ratusan ribu manusia di sana! Alhamdullillah.

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Berbuka Puasa bersama Ir. Dr. Fuad Abdullah di Jeddah~!

Fuad Abdullah was the best student in STAR for the MCE exams in 1971.

It has been the tradition of the school to engrave the names of Best Students on a plaque hanged on the wall of fame in the school hall.

However you can't find Fuad Abdullah's name. The name you can see taking that space is Yeoh Keat Hean!

There is an enlightening explaination to that. In 1978, one year after his graduation with an Enginerring degree from a UK University, Yeoh Keat Hean embraced Islam, during the holy of Ramadan! SubhanaAllah...

I asked him tonight when we met for Iftar, "How did you first got attracted to Islam?"

He answered, "from STAR days. Even when I was in STAR I fasted during Ramadan" Allahuakbar...!

He is today a Syariah advisor to a reputable financial institution in Malaysia. He has a Phd qualification in Islamic Studies, and a Master's degree in Islamic Syariah! MashaAllah~!

Bro Ir. Dr. Fuad, after all these years, still is the same vibrant, unassuming, humble and deeply intellectual person whom I admired when he was my senior in STAR.

I was in form one when he left after his MCE exams.

Tonight is out first meeting since then. I still find myself in awe of the man~!

May God continue to bless you brother! For me, it was God's blessing that I got to see you tonight.

We went into a Lebanese Restaurant for the Iftar, but all tables were taken.
Had to make do with Lamb Chop at the Steak House.
(Ahamad Kamil, Ariffin, Ir. Dr. Fuad.)

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Malam Lailatul Qadar (Malam Seribu Bulan)

Bagaimana Mencari Lailatul Qadar (Malam Seribu Bulan) Serta Tanda Tanda Orang Mendapatkannya.

Malam Lailatul Qadar

Keutamaannya sangat besar, karena malam ini menyaksikan turunnya Al Quran Al Karim yang membimbing orang-orang yang berpegang dengannya ke jalan kemuliaan dan mengangkatnya ke derajat yang mulia dan abadi. Ummat Islam yang mengikuti sunnah Rasulnya tidak memasang tanda-tanda tertentu dan tidak pula menancapkan anak-anak panah untuk memperingati malam ini (malam Lailatul Qodar/Nuzul Qur’an, red), akan tetapi mereka bangun di malam harinya dengan penuh iman dan mengharap pahala dari Allah.

Inilah wahai saudaraku muslim, ayat-ayat Qur’aniyah dan hadits-hadits Nabawiyyah yang shahih yang menjelaskan tentang malam tersebut.

To be a millionaire, whose dream is it?

There are many books and websites which publish all sort of tips and tricks on how to become a millionaire. Just look at these books listed on Amazon here.

So, everyone should know the 'How to ...!'

Therotically at least, if people follow the tips and tricks, they can become a millionaire.

An important question is why would anyone want to be a millionaire?

I am often made to understand that people need lots of money to live, and some need lots of money to live happily. On the other hand, I have also seen people who have just enough money to pay for their three meals a day and not a penny more to spare living very happily indeed.

Just to emphasize on the point I am trying to make here, there are also many people with lots of money who are unhappy and living miserably.

Career tip: Seek advise to market yourself~!

One lesson I learnt early in my career - By being in awe of people in power seats, I was suppressing my own potential~!

As the story went, I was a wide-eyed gullible young engineer in Texas Instruments Malaysia. The year was early eighties. The MD was one Mr Smith, and the Operations Director was one Mr. Lee. Both were Americans with heavy Texan accent. Daunting personalities, at least for me!

Every day, the two gentlemen would tour the production floor, at different times, and coming from different directions. The unpredictability of their visits played havoc with one particular emotion in me - fear! I was afraid.

Malaysian expats in the Middle East !

Expats account for  as high as 70 percent of the employment market. In the labor category, it is 100 percent! This unique feature opens up opportunities for other nationals to flock to the Middle East. Malaysians included.

When I left the UAE in 2009, there were about  4000 Malaysians working there. In Dubai alone, there were around 3000. 

Now, in Jeddah, there are around 1000 Malaysians registered with the Consulate. I am aware of similar high number in Qatar, as the country is building up for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Owning up~!

I am taking a bold move to place my name as the title of my blog. I am owning up to every thing I will be writing here. This will be my forum, to express or digress, as I wish. 

 Owing up!

A definition I found on the web says, own up confess, admit, tell the truth, come clean, come out of the closet (informal), example use in a sentence Last year my friend owned up to having an affair.

Although I cited an example of a friend owning up to having an affair, my interest in the phrase 'Owning Up' is more about Taking Responsibility!

In our daily life we play many roles; a father, a husband, an employee, an employer, a boss to a few, a subordinate to another, a citizen, a voting member of a constituent, a consumer, a neighbor, a writer, a reader, a driver, a passenger, and many more...

Even without changing our personality, we can be an active role player, such as a speaker, at a certain time, and a passive player, such as an audience at another time.

Each time, and in every role, we must own up to who we are, in that role. To take responsibility - to play our part as who we are and not as someone else.

In owning up to who we are - we will learn to be more honest as a person, and especially to ourselves. 

Hence, by making my name as the title of the blog, I am constantly reminded that I am responsible for what ever I write here. I will write as honestly as I know how, and it will be my view point which I can own up to. You may not always agree with me, but that is ok. At least, you would know who I am and what I stand for.

Taken from Here.

Azizi's Do'a - part 1

 The morning sun kissed his cheek. Azizi squinted his eyes to look at the screen of his Blackberry Torch. No, he was not checking the time. Instead he was looking for any missed calls or messages. He sat up, stretched his arms and moved them in circular motion to loosen his frozen shoulders. He forced himself out of bed and walked into the bathroom to make Wudu' for Fajr prayer. 

"Better late than never!" That has been his motto. If there is any principle that  Azizi has managed to lived religiously by, it must be this one. He has been habitually late for his Fajr prayer.