There are times when we are timid and shy about
expressing the love
we feel. For fear of embarrassing the other person,
or yourselves,
we hesitate to say the actual words "I love you." So
we try to
communicate the idea in other words.
We say 'take care' or 'don't drive too fast' or 'be
good.' But
really, these are just other ways of saying 'I love
you,' 'you are
important to me,' 'I care what happens to you,' 'I
don't want you
to get hurt.'
We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing
we want to
say, and the one thing that we should say, is the
one thing we
don't say.
And yet, because the feeling is so real, and the
need to say it is
so strong, we are driven to use other words and
signs to say what
we really mean.
And many times the meaning never gets communicated
at all and the
other person is left feeling unloved and unwanted.
Therefore, we
have to LISTEN FOR LOVE in the words that people are
saying to us.
Sometimes the explicit words are necessary, but more
often, the
manner of saying things is even more important. A
joyous insult
carries more affection and love within the
sentiments which are
expressed insincerely.
An impulsive hug says I LOVE YOU even though the
words might be
saying very different. Any expression of a person's
concern for
another says I love you.
Sometimes the expression is clumsy, sometimes even
cruel. Sometimes
we must look and listen very intently for the love
that contains.
But it is often there, beneath the surface.
A mother may nag her son constantly about his grades
or cleaning
his room. The son may hear only the nagging, but if
he listens
carefully, he will hear the love underneath the
nagging. His mother
wants him to do well, to be successful. Her concern
and love for
her son unfortunately emerge in her nagging. But it
is love all the
same.
A daughter comes home late, way past her curfew, and
her father
confronts her with angry words. The daughter may
hear only the
anger, but if she listens carefully, she will hear
the love under
the anger. "I was worried about you," the father is
saying.
'Because I care about you and I love you. You are
important to me.'
We say I love you in many ways - with birthday
gifts, and little
notes, with smiles and sometimes with tears.
Sometimes we show our
love by just keeping quiet and not saying a word, at
other times by
speaking out, even brusquely. We show our love
sometimes by
impulsiveness. Many times we have to show our love
by forgiving
someone who has not listened to the love we have
tried to express.
The problem is listening for love is that we don't
always
understand the language of love which the other
person is using. A
girl may use tears or emotions to say what she wants
to say, and
her boyfriend may not understand her because he
expects her to be
talking his language. Thus, we have to force
ourselves to really
listen for love.
The problem with our world is that people rarely
listen to each
other. They hear the words, but they don't listen to
the actions
that accompany the words or the expression on the
face. Or people
listen only for rejection or misunderstanding. They
do not see the
love that is there just beneath the surface, even if
the words are
angry. We have to listen for love in those around us. If we
listen
intently we will discover that we are a lot more
loved than we
realize. Listen for love and we will find that the
world is a very
loving place after all.
LOVE is a happy thing.
It makes us laugh.
It makes us sing.
It makes us sad.
It makes us cry.
It makes us seek the reason why.
It makes us take.
It makes us give.
Above all else it makes us LIVE.
It is not the presence or absence of people that
makes the
difference because a person need not be lonely even
if he is alone.
Sometimes it is good to be alone. But that does not
make us lonely.
It is not a matter of being present WITH someone. It
is a matter of
being present to someone.
So remember... If you love someone, tell him or her.
Remember always to
say what you mean. Never be afraid to express
yourself. Take this
opportunity to tell someone what they mean to you.
Seize the day
and have no regrets. Most importantly, stay close to
your friends
and family, for they have helped make you the person
that you are
today and are what it's all about anyway.
Pass this along to your friends. Let it make a
difference in your
day and theirs. The difference between expressing
love and having
regrets is that the regrets may stay around. If you
want others to
be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be
happy, practice
compassion
Friday, December 17, 2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
H.H. Dalai Lama
I have always been amazed by Dalai Lama, the Tibetan monk. I first learned about him when I read his book on the Art of Happiness. Now I am reading his autobiagraphy, Freedom in Exile. How he struggles to defend his people from the Chinese and how he was selected to be Dalai Lama based on the old Tibetan custom are something of an educational value.
His philosophies and wisdom somehow has open frame of mind to look at something from different view point. He once said in his book that being able to feel pain is indeed a blessing. Imagine those who suffer from leprosy. They result in eating their fingers from not being able to feel the pain. This is one of many many example of how we can learn how to cherish our life and feel grateful of what we have. I learn that we always have to compare what we have with someone who are less fortunate than us. This way, we will learn the value of what we possess.
Dalai Lama for me is a philosopher and all his words are based from his previous experience being in exile. He learns from hardship and interpret the value of it into something wonderful and of great significant importance in human life. One major lesson I learn from him is that we have to concentrate on something with permanent value. This is of course your bond with God which is in line with what Islam teaches its followers. That is the true art of happiness in life.
His philosophies and wisdom somehow has open frame of mind to look at something from different view point. He once said in his book that being able to feel pain is indeed a blessing. Imagine those who suffer from leprosy. They result in eating their fingers from not being able to feel the pain. This is one of many many example of how we can learn how to cherish our life and feel grateful of what we have. I learn that we always have to compare what we have with someone who are less fortunate than us. This way, we will learn the value of what we possess.
Dalai Lama for me is a philosopher and all his words are based from his previous experience being in exile. He learns from hardship and interpret the value of it into something wonderful and of great significant importance in human life. One major lesson I learn from him is that we have to concentrate on something with permanent value. This is of course your bond with God which is in line with what Islam teaches its followers. That is the true art of happiness in life.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Itsy Bitsy Stuffs.
I feel that God has created a plan for me. Whenever, I yearn for something and I am about to get it, chances are I do not get it. This is one way I can console myself. Again, life is not always the way you want it to be.
Ramadhan has over and truely this is the most fruitful Ramadhan I have ever had. As compared to the previous Ramadhan(s), this year's moves me. I did feel a bit reluctant to let it go. Probably because this is the first time I celebrate Ramadhan in oversea and the feeling is different. We need something to spark us to feel or to do something.
Hari Raya here was a lot less colourful compared to Malaysia. The second day of Raya, the heat is no longer there. I still remember last year when I celebrate Raya in Malaysia and the function goes for one whole month. Well, that's something that we need to learn from. Things change.
I have not written anything in my blog for quite sometimes. Need sometimes for myslef I guess to overcome all the itsy bitsy stuff that happen in my life right now. Emotional struggle if you like. I am not ready to write it here yet, and when the time comes, I will.
Ramadhan has over and truely this is the most fruitful Ramadhan I have ever had. As compared to the previous Ramadhan(s), this year's moves me. I did feel a bit reluctant to let it go. Probably because this is the first time I celebrate Ramadhan in oversea and the feeling is different. We need something to spark us to feel or to do something.
Hari Raya here was a lot less colourful compared to Malaysia. The second day of Raya, the heat is no longer there. I still remember last year when I celebrate Raya in Malaysia and the function goes for one whole month. Well, that's something that we need to learn from. Things change.
I have not written anything in my blog for quite sometimes. Need sometimes for myslef I guess to overcome all the itsy bitsy stuff that happen in my life right now. Emotional struggle if you like. I am not ready to write it here yet, and when the time comes, I will.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Why Should I?
I was in Melbourne for 4 days and I only had the chance to look around the city on the last day of my visit. While wandering around the city, I was attracted to this one old-man standing on a box to to get attention wearing colourful dress just like a man in a circus. He was playing hoola-hoop and in front of him there were two containers for donation. He collected a fair amount of money that day.
There was also one poster lying on the floor explaining why he did that. It seemed that he was the 70 year-old war veteran from South Korea and was fighting with North Korean before. He travelled around the world to collect donation to build a church to bring people back into faith. I do not know what drives him to do that, was it because of the war and he wants peace and the only way to achieve peace is through religion? Make sense!
Usually I will put a coin or two when I encounter this kind of people. But for this particular one was a bit different because he was collecting money to build a church. Why should I? It took me a while to ponder about this. I kept telling myself of whu should I donate to him if he wants to build a church?
Final thought. I shoved my hand in my pocket and put 20 cents inthe container. Why? This brought me back to thelecture by Sh Faizel that I did write in my blog entitled A Matter of Perspective. Why I should sow hatred towards the non-Muslim who wants to build a church for his people. I will do the same if I am in his shoes. After all, if his intention is sincere, why shouldn't I help him no matter from waht background he comes from? I tried to look from different perspective. Well, it took me a while to think but I think I did the right thing.
There was also one poster lying on the floor explaining why he did that. It seemed that he was the 70 year-old war veteran from South Korea and was fighting with North Korean before. He travelled around the world to collect donation to build a church to bring people back into faith. I do not know what drives him to do that, was it because of the war and he wants peace and the only way to achieve peace is through religion? Make sense!
Usually I will put a coin or two when I encounter this kind of people. But for this particular one was a bit different because he was collecting money to build a church. Why should I? It took me a while to ponder about this. I kept telling myself of whu should I donate to him if he wants to build a church?
Final thought. I shoved my hand in my pocket and put 20 cents inthe container. Why? This brought me back to thelecture by Sh Faizel that I did write in my blog entitled A Matter of Perspective. Why I should sow hatred towards the non-Muslim who wants to build a church for his people. I will do the same if I am in his shoes. After all, if his intention is sincere, why shouldn't I help him no matter from waht background he comes from? I tried to look from different perspective. Well, it took me a while to think but I think I did the right thing.
Sunday, September 19, 2004
I Did Something Stupid That Day
Sometimes I wonder why I can be so susceptible to things that I previously refrain from. Peer influence? May be. When people is in that kind of environment, they tend to do things done by people around them. I know that you should have a firm believe of what you do, but we are just human being bound to make mistakes.
I blame myself for what happen in Church last Friday. Do I really feel good after that? A mix feeling instead. Feel quite good and remorseful. I blame myself for having that mix feeling again. I should only feel bad for doing something that I have been adamant not to do it.
I can proudly say that my life is balance between entertainment and religion. Now I know that I am wrong. You can't balance religion with entertainment. You can only balance the nowadays world with the hereafter with the guidance of your religion.
I am a hypocrite myself. I tell people to do something good but then again I am no good myself. But people is always in the constant process of changing. I hope I make mistakes to learn not to do it again.
I blame myself for what happen in Church last Friday. Do I really feel good after that? A mix feeling instead. Feel quite good and remorseful. I blame myself for having that mix feeling again. I should only feel bad for doing something that I have been adamant not to do it.
I can proudly say that my life is balance between entertainment and religion. Now I know that I am wrong. You can't balance religion with entertainment. You can only balance the nowadays world with the hereafter with the guidance of your religion.
I am a hypocrite myself. I tell people to do something good but then again I am no good myself. But people is always in the constant process of changing. I hope I make mistakes to learn not to do it again.
Friday, September 17, 2004
A Matter of Perspective
I was facsinated by the sermon given by Sh Faizel yesterday about how we Muslim have to change our perspectives towrads the situation now. Given all the facts that is happening in the Muslim world now, we should not inculcate the feeling of hatred towards the so-called Western oppressors. They are opressors of course but will hate solve all the problems now? I use to give the feeling of contentment when I hear an American was slaughtered or an Australian was bombed. Well yes I feel sort of contented when these happen, but now I know that I am wrong. Rasulullah used to cry (if I am not mistaken! I am no guru in religion)when he heard that a kafir passed away. He could have saved that one person from the fire of jahannam.
Our perspectives need to be changed. The sheikh particularly takes Australia as the boundary of his talk. There used to be no mosque before in Perth but now we have 6 or more mosques. Muslim relatively does not feel oppressed living in this Western land. We have to cherished this. We have to learn to appreciate of what we have. Our view towards the non-Muslim have to be diverted from what we view them as now. We should treat them just the way we treat our Muslim brothers. Not all of them have the same way of thinking like other westerners that Muslim is a terrorist. I reckon that they can think in a more logical way that we Muslim. A generalisation may be but I guess it is a fact.
It is analogous to onw incidence that happen in Perth before when someone just shot himself in the shooting-practice area the sheikh narrated. They use to hold the pistol without any constrainst before but after the incidence happen they can only move it to the left or right. But then again it is to late to mend the situation. Who should we blame? The one who imposed the law or the one who commit suicide? Muslim should not create more damage in their own image. They should not fight fire with fire. It is understandable that sometimes out of desperation people tend to do stupid things. But living in nowadays world we need to slowly adapt ourselves to thier civilisations while still holding to our believes.
Things can happen in a matter of time. A slight mistake can result in major oppression among the Muslims. We need to alter our mindset and begin to view the situation nowadays in a way of how can we solve it not how can we fulfil our satisfaction. That's the bit and pieces that I gather from he talk and i write it down here for a reminder for me and for those who read this.
Our perspectives need to be changed. The sheikh particularly takes Australia as the boundary of his talk. There used to be no mosque before in Perth but now we have 6 or more mosques. Muslim relatively does not feel oppressed living in this Western land. We have to cherished this. We have to learn to appreciate of what we have. Our view towards the non-Muslim have to be diverted from what we view them as now. We should treat them just the way we treat our Muslim brothers. Not all of them have the same way of thinking like other westerners that Muslim is a terrorist. I reckon that they can think in a more logical way that we Muslim. A generalisation may be but I guess it is a fact.
It is analogous to onw incidence that happen in Perth before when someone just shot himself in the shooting-practice area the sheikh narrated. They use to hold the pistol without any constrainst before but after the incidence happen they can only move it to the left or right. But then again it is to late to mend the situation. Who should we blame? The one who imposed the law or the one who commit suicide? Muslim should not create more damage in their own image. They should not fight fire with fire. It is understandable that sometimes out of desperation people tend to do stupid things. But living in nowadays world we need to slowly adapt ourselves to thier civilisations while still holding to our believes.
Things can happen in a matter of time. A slight mistake can result in major oppression among the Muslims. We need to alter our mindset and begin to view the situation nowadays in a way of how can we solve it not how can we fulfil our satisfaction. That's the bit and pieces that I gather from he talk and i write it down here for a reminder for me and for those who read this.
Monday, August 02, 2004
My Wonderfully Beautiful Friends
There are a lot of wonderful things around us, it is just that we do not notice them or too busy to notice them. People are wonderful because they are full of wonder. Everyone that we meet in this life is indeed a god sent gift to us. To know them and to learn from them is a marvel.
Firas is a marvel to me. He never fails to wear a smile on his face whenever I see him. Whenever I see him, I will smile too. This is the sort of things that we would want to happen. People bring happiness to other people. Everytime I have an encounter with him, it makes me feel that this world is full of wonderful people and I will smile too. He once told me that his problem is financially related problem. Even then, I always see him smiling. When he sees we are reading Quran or teaching kids in the Musollah, he says Alhamdulillah and they way he says it really shows that he really means it and it comes from soncere heart. You know, you can feel when one praise something, weather it comes from a sincere or unsincere emotion. He really shows us that he is happy to see these sort of things happening around. He will always reminds me of how beautiful this world can be if we have people like him.
Sometimes we are afraid or may be uncomfortable to admit our life style as a Muslim. My every encounter with Faiz will see him wearing the white robe with a jacket outside if it s winter time. At first, it kind of surprised me and today I think he is a man of his own culture, of his own religion. He does not feel bad displaying his culture of his belief to other people. If we think again, why should we be afraid to tell them or to show them what we believe. I never notice anyone that feels uncomfortable with his presence and nor does him. He walks around the university with what he believes and with what he has been brought up with and we should too. Soft-spoken and can never easily get angry, Faiz is a perfect example of a real practitioner. Do we ever think why the Jews never feel awkward wearing their little thingy on top o their head? Do we ever think why the Buddhist monk walks around with his bald head wearing his yellow robe without even some feeling of shame even though he is surrounded with people wearing jeans and jacket? and why should we?
Firas is a marvel to me. He never fails to wear a smile on his face whenever I see him. Whenever I see him, I will smile too. This is the sort of things that we would want to happen. People bring happiness to other people. Everytime I have an encounter with him, it makes me feel that this world is full of wonderful people and I will smile too. He once told me that his problem is financially related problem. Even then, I always see him smiling. When he sees we are reading Quran or teaching kids in the Musollah, he says Alhamdulillah and they way he says it really shows that he really means it and it comes from soncere heart. You know, you can feel when one praise something, weather it comes from a sincere or unsincere emotion. He really shows us that he is happy to see these sort of things happening around. He will always reminds me of how beautiful this world can be if we have people like him.
Sometimes we are afraid or may be uncomfortable to admit our life style as a Muslim. My every encounter with Faiz will see him wearing the white robe with a jacket outside if it s winter time. At first, it kind of surprised me and today I think he is a man of his own culture, of his own religion. He does not feel bad displaying his culture of his belief to other people. If we think again, why should we be afraid to tell them or to show them what we believe. I never notice anyone that feels uncomfortable with his presence and nor does him. He walks around the university with what he believes and with what he has been brought up with and we should too. Soft-spoken and can never easily get angry, Faiz is a perfect example of a real practitioner. Do we ever think why the Jews never feel awkward wearing their little thingy on top o their head? Do we ever think why the Buddhist monk walks around with his bald head wearing his yellow robe without even some feeling of shame even though he is surrounded with people wearing jeans and jacket? and why should we?
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Life Unpredictables
Sometimes in life, things come and happen without we realising it. Sometimes it happens so fast for us to even get a glimpse at it and more often than not it develops slowly for us to savour. Most of the times we do not realise the things that happen around and upon us. We always take things for granted and sometimes forgot to give it back to those who deserve. Let us take one step back and look at the world we are in now. It is like a picture. If you are too close to it, all you can see is just a small black dot. But if you take a few steps back, you begin to see the whole picture and will appreciate it. The beauty lies when you know how to appreciate things and look at it from a different angle. Two people may see the same object but look at it differently.
Times and again we just do not realise that something has happened to us. May it be a good one or something to cry over. Let’s stop for a while and ponder the things that happen in this juncture of our life. We may be amazed by how lucky we are. We are indeed very lucky, it is just that we do not realise it. We always compare with something that is of higher value that what we have. Always look for the inferior and not the superior. This will help us to be thankful. If you think that you are lack of something, think of the others who do not even think to have the thing that you long for. May be due to poverty. Children of Somalia would be grateful to have a slice of bread for their lunch. They live in poverty until they do not know that they are poor, what more to know the meaning of being wealthy like a fire that doesn’t know that it is hot. If you think that you are lack of something and you look at others who possess it, this will only make you feel inferior and lose your self-confidence. We should learn to be thankful of what we have.
God does not send something to us for nothing. If we believe in blessings, everything that happens to us is indeed a blessing. It may look hard at times. If you happen to face a down point in your life, just tell yourself that it happens for your betterment. May be bitter at first, but as time goes by you will realise that it is a blessing in disguise. All we need to have is faith in what we believe. Keep reminding yourself that God always has better plan for you.
Everyone that we meet has a role in our life. God doesn’t send them to you without any purpose. It is our duty then to search for the notion why they are send to us and of course it takes time to discover it. You may know a girl, fell in love with her just to find out that she was just playing a fool with you. This may seems saddening at first, but if who choose to look at it from a different point of view and tell yourself that it happens for a reason, you will take it as a lesson of your life. Your intention has to be pure and sincere to really feel the gist of life. Most of us learn well when something unfortunate happen to us because we always forget to learn when we are fortunate. Life is indeed a school of ‘ No Pain No Gain’. If life is a smooth and comfortable journey, then our life will be a monotonous and flat road. Just bear in mind that there are always a meaning behind everything that happens in our lives.
We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want to say, the one thing that we should say is the one thing that we do not say for fear of embarrassing the other person or ourselves. We are indeed funny when we pretend to be someone else when we are with others but not our real self. We tend to project ourselves as what they want us to be rather than who we really are. This may be positive sometimes. If you are a serious person, but you pretend to act funny to make your friends laugh and to feel the pleasure of your company, that will indeed improve your social life and blend you in well. From the perspective of your own self, your ‘pretended being’ may lead to you not being your real self. We should learn how to act in public by being our real self. Everyone in this world has his own quality that we can share with. Therefore, we have to learn from others and try to savour the gist of their quality. Every person that we meet is indeed a lesson to us. As before, God does not send someone to us for nothing.
Life is indeed unpredictable because the unexpected always dawned upon us. The thing that we long for is always one thing that we do not get and the choice that we make is always not the right one. Life is funny because sometimes coincidence can be predestined and the unexpected can be your destiny.
*12.14am, 22nd March 2004
Currie Hall (Rm B211)
Times and again we just do not realise that something has happened to us. May it be a good one or something to cry over. Let’s stop for a while and ponder the things that happen in this juncture of our life. We may be amazed by how lucky we are. We are indeed very lucky, it is just that we do not realise it. We always compare with something that is of higher value that what we have. Always look for the inferior and not the superior. This will help us to be thankful. If you think that you are lack of something, think of the others who do not even think to have the thing that you long for. May be due to poverty. Children of Somalia would be grateful to have a slice of bread for their lunch. They live in poverty until they do not know that they are poor, what more to know the meaning of being wealthy like a fire that doesn’t know that it is hot. If you think that you are lack of something and you look at others who possess it, this will only make you feel inferior and lose your self-confidence. We should learn to be thankful of what we have.
God does not send something to us for nothing. If we believe in blessings, everything that happens to us is indeed a blessing. It may look hard at times. If you happen to face a down point in your life, just tell yourself that it happens for your betterment. May be bitter at first, but as time goes by you will realise that it is a blessing in disguise. All we need to have is faith in what we believe. Keep reminding yourself that God always has better plan for you.
Everyone that we meet has a role in our life. God doesn’t send them to you without any purpose. It is our duty then to search for the notion why they are send to us and of course it takes time to discover it. You may know a girl, fell in love with her just to find out that she was just playing a fool with you. This may seems saddening at first, but if who choose to look at it from a different point of view and tell yourself that it happens for a reason, you will take it as a lesson of your life. Your intention has to be pure and sincere to really feel the gist of life. Most of us learn well when something unfortunate happen to us because we always forget to learn when we are fortunate. Life is indeed a school of ‘ No Pain No Gain’. If life is a smooth and comfortable journey, then our life will be a monotonous and flat road. Just bear in mind that there are always a meaning behind everything that happens in our lives.
We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want to say, the one thing that we should say is the one thing that we do not say for fear of embarrassing the other person or ourselves. We are indeed funny when we pretend to be someone else when we are with others but not our real self. We tend to project ourselves as what they want us to be rather than who we really are. This may be positive sometimes. If you are a serious person, but you pretend to act funny to make your friends laugh and to feel the pleasure of your company, that will indeed improve your social life and blend you in well. From the perspective of your own self, your ‘pretended being’ may lead to you not being your real self. We should learn how to act in public by being our real self. Everyone in this world has his own quality that we can share with. Therefore, we have to learn from others and try to savour the gist of their quality. Every person that we meet is indeed a lesson to us. As before, God does not send someone to us for nothing.
Life is indeed unpredictable because the unexpected always dawned upon us. The thing that we long for is always one thing that we do not get and the choice that we make is always not the right one. Life is funny because sometimes coincidence can be predestined and the unexpected can be your destiny.
*12.14am, 22nd March 2004
Currie Hall (Rm B211)
I Wonder
I wonder why most of the time when we ask for something, the thing that we ask just do not materialise or happen they way we want it to be. Are we too impatient to wait for the right time for it to happen? Or simply it will not happen for our own good because god has a better plan for us? More often than not most of the time the things that happen around us are the things that we do not expect it to happen. Is it part of worldly miracles or surprises that make us joyful or depress for the time being? All that we seek in life is the sense of impermanence in happiness. Pleasure is something that always happens to us but it doesn’t stay there long enough to enable us to feel the true essence of happiness. All that we seek in life is happiness and true happiness does not happen until we look for it and begin to search and appreciate the things around you.
I wonder why sometimes we are very forgetful. We may have hurt someone’s feelings without realising it. But when we do realise it, we try to amend it but it so happen that we forget to say sorry to the person that we hurt. Worse, we realise that we have hurt his or her feeling but do not try to improve on it. Human beings are always forgetful. Is it the underlying nature of us since Adam? The beauty of saying sorry is that you have realised your mistakes and try to mend the heart of the person that you hurt. The person may not forgive you but at least you have done your part. We are sometimes very arrogant people to think that we are right all the time and refuse to listen to others because it will make you feel inferior. We need to stoop down a little and learn from all the small petty things around us because the gist of life lies between the thing that we think trivial and of least significance.
I wonder why the world can be so unfair sometimes. Why the poor has to suffer because they are poor. Why the 85% of world’s wealth are only enjoyed by 20% of global population. It is quite strange sometimes to think that the superpower can do whatever they want to oppress the weak and the world around us are cringing like a mouse afraid to voice out just because they are scared. They are scared to do the right thing because fairness is not longer defined by the prevalence of justice. Fairness is now the notion of the accumulation of wealth and satisfaction of greed by the strong forces regardless of the rights of the weak. They think that they are morally right and they carry the burden of the poor which make them think that they have the responsibilities of end this. The opposite happens. More damaged was done. Equality no longer fairly defined. What is equal to them is when they can enjoy the wealth of the other nation but do not want to share their own wealth.
I wonder why we can be so naïve to think that we don’t have what we want. Desires dictate our behaviour. Human nature is such that we are always not satisfied of what we have. We tend to look to someone higher than us and thus try to reach the same level. It does motivate us in a way but the sense of gratitude should also present.
* 9.06pm, 1st July 2004
I wonder why sometimes we are very forgetful. We may have hurt someone’s feelings without realising it. But when we do realise it, we try to amend it but it so happen that we forget to say sorry to the person that we hurt. Worse, we realise that we have hurt his or her feeling but do not try to improve on it. Human beings are always forgetful. Is it the underlying nature of us since Adam? The beauty of saying sorry is that you have realised your mistakes and try to mend the heart of the person that you hurt. The person may not forgive you but at least you have done your part. We are sometimes very arrogant people to think that we are right all the time and refuse to listen to others because it will make you feel inferior. We need to stoop down a little and learn from all the small petty things around us because the gist of life lies between the thing that we think trivial and of least significance.
I wonder why the world can be so unfair sometimes. Why the poor has to suffer because they are poor. Why the 85% of world’s wealth are only enjoyed by 20% of global population. It is quite strange sometimes to think that the superpower can do whatever they want to oppress the weak and the world around us are cringing like a mouse afraid to voice out just because they are scared. They are scared to do the right thing because fairness is not longer defined by the prevalence of justice. Fairness is now the notion of the accumulation of wealth and satisfaction of greed by the strong forces regardless of the rights of the weak. They think that they are morally right and they carry the burden of the poor which make them think that they have the responsibilities of end this. The opposite happens. More damaged was done. Equality no longer fairly defined. What is equal to them is when they can enjoy the wealth of the other nation but do not want to share their own wealth.
I wonder why we can be so naïve to think that we don’t have what we want. Desires dictate our behaviour. Human nature is such that we are always not satisfied of what we have. We tend to look to someone higher than us and thus try to reach the same level. It does motivate us in a way but the sense of gratitude should also present.
* 9.06pm, 1st July 2004
Sunday, July 18, 2004
From Hobart With Love
Five days in Tassie enthralled me. Hobart nestles at the toe of Mount Wellington is the second oldest city in Australia. Relatively small town like Perth but Hobart is more reserve in nature and warm in welcome. There is really nothing much to do there but loads of stuff to behold. I'd say Hobart is a perfect getaway to unwind and to feel the serenity of country life. Launceston, Huon Valley, Derwent Valley and Port Arthur will serve your eyes.
Well, that's not my whole point. Of course you go for a holiday for sight seeing but more importantly is the value that you get from your observation and experience in people's place. A day after I checked-in at Hollydene, came a group of Korean students for a five weeks English course in Uni of Tasmania. I met a couple of them. Communication is quite a problem but we manage to decipher each other somehow after a deep remuneration. Keno was one of them. They told me that Koreans seldom speak English and realizing the importance of English they Uni they are studying in Korea send them to English speaking country to master the language. Well, fair enough. This spaked my mind of the type of investment they country is making. Just like me here under sponsorship, investment for the country's future. They can see the long term effect of today's investment. This is waht we need to develop a country. Terry said that that is the reason why Malaysia is so thriving now.
I was thinking about Saudi Arabia then. They are currently employed about 30000 American, about 15000 British and 2000 Australians expatriates. Where are all the capable Muslims? Are they not given the chance for contribution or merely their talent was not explored? Saudi is a wealthy country in resources. They can builts big highways and flash palaces. Is that where the money gone in the name of developing the country? Physicaly yes but how about morally? King Saud may be does not see the importance in investing in his people because he si too busy obeying America's demand. This is where we are lack in. we can't see the future or at least see what lay ahead the next day.
Keno also told me that it is in their culture that when they elder in the group is moving away, they have to stand up and greet him as a show of respect. This is a real simple stuff but we seldom practice. This is so beautiful if can be incorporated into Malay culture. Sometimes we tend to forget this kind of simple stuff as we are busy thinking and learning the other worldly knowledge. This is the sort of value that we need to take or learn from other culture to further enrich our daily practical life. Most of the time we do not have to think or to look far. Most of the time they are just around us and it is up for us to notice of let it pass unnoticed.
We met Hong Yeh at the Melbourne airport on the way to Hobart and we became friends then rather quickly. We went to visit him in Launceston(2.5 hours north of Hobart) and was quite surprise of his hospitality given the fact that we only met him couple of days ago. It is easy to win friends and it is also easy to loose them. I learn that friends are like pet. You have to always look for them and once you got them, you got to 'cuddle' them with your heart. That are some of the things that I gather from Tasmania and have at least stolen my heart.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
What is in Islam?
I am currently reading a book by Dale Carnegie entitled How To Win Friends and Influence People.It mentions various ways how to get people attracted to you, how to be a good conversationalist and how to be a good listener. I think it kind of make sense the way the suggested. Most of the things are real simple stuff such as always smile and try to be a god listener, but in life these simple stuff are the things that we always forget to do. So, it is serves as a reminder to be somehow. One of the ways that he suggests is always pay attention to the person you are talking with. Be a good listener because the person you are talking to will feel that he is appreciated. These are one of the mant ways to win a person's heart. He illustrated numerous examples to prove that this way did and will always work.
Yesterday I was preparing for the kids saturday evening's religious class and I chose to talk about Akhlaq Rasulullah SAW. I was on the net for about an hour or so to look for material. One of the web listed down about 40 known akhlaq of Rasulullah SAW and I selected a few of them for my lesson. It so happen that one of the ways or manners Rasulullah SAW interacted with people was to listen attentively to the person He is talking to. I try to relate this with the material that I am currently reading.
We don't need great western writers or philosophers to tell us how to be a good interactor. We don't need the so-called greatest thinker of mankind to guide us how to behave. It doesn't take Socrates, Plato or even Aristotle to figure that out for us.Muslims have their very own role model and most of the time we tend to forget this. Al-Quran and Hadiths are the two main guidance that is timeless and borderless. Whereby, can be applied anytime and anywhere. Rasulullah SAW is the greatest example that we can have and indeed He was sent to perfect our morals.
Imam Maalik (R.A.) reports that it had been related to him that Rasulullah s.a.w. said: "I have been sent down by Allah to evolve moral virtues to the highest
perfection."
Allah s.w.t. has mentioned in Surah al-Qalam verse 4; ‘Verily, you are an exalted
character’
Muslims now should not forget their root and the failure to keep on reminding themselves on this is the root of the problems that we are facing now. Allah has mentioned that He has perfected for us our religion and has chosen Islam to be our religion. That is clear that we can find everything that we need in the essence of Islam.
* Flying to Melbourne tomorrow at 12.55pm then to Hobart the next day.
Yesterday I was preparing for the kids saturday evening's religious class and I chose to talk about Akhlaq Rasulullah SAW. I was on the net for about an hour or so to look for material. One of the web listed down about 40 known akhlaq of Rasulullah SAW and I selected a few of them for my lesson. It so happen that one of the ways or manners Rasulullah SAW interacted with people was to listen attentively to the person He is talking to. I try to relate this with the material that I am currently reading.
We don't need great western writers or philosophers to tell us how to be a good interactor. We don't need the so-called greatest thinker of mankind to guide us how to behave. It doesn't take Socrates, Plato or even Aristotle to figure that out for us.Muslims have their very own role model and most of the time we tend to forget this. Al-Quran and Hadiths are the two main guidance that is timeless and borderless. Whereby, can be applied anytime and anywhere. Rasulullah SAW is the greatest example that we can have and indeed He was sent to perfect our morals.
Imam Maalik (R.A.) reports that it had been related to him that Rasulullah s.a.w. said: "I have been sent down by Allah to evolve moral virtues to the highest
perfection."
Allah s.w.t. has mentioned in Surah al-Qalam verse 4; ‘Verily, you are an exalted
character’
Muslims now should not forget their root and the failure to keep on reminding themselves on this is the root of the problems that we are facing now. Allah has mentioned that He has perfected for us our religion and has chosen Islam to be our religion. That is clear that we can find everything that we need in the essence of Islam.
* Flying to Melbourne tomorrow at 12.55pm then to Hobart the next day.
Friday, July 09, 2004
My Sister's Beautiful Mind
Yi Shuang always leaves an unforgettable memory in me through her wisdom and maturity. With the fact that she is younger than me, I'd say that she knows more than me in terms of appreciating friendship and human nature. Ever since I know her in 2001, she has left a deep impact in my life as to how beautiful a human being can be. She once mentioned that I am as though like a tree can't wait to reach the sky when we supose to leave a memo to each other telling them what we feel about them at the end of our foundation year. I still keep that little piece of paper.
Even though that she is now in New Zealand pursuing her studies and I am stuck here in this peacefully boring place in one corner of Australia, I still treasure her wisdoms through her e mails. Hers is the only e mail that I seldom delete them from my inbox. I was just wondering how wonderful human mind can be. She indeed has a real dignified and wonderful frame of mind to look at things from different angle. I was reading this Dale Carnegie and he mentioned that the ability to see things from other people's perspective is a wisdom.She savours everything she sees and does. As far as I am concerned, she never did grumble over anything.
I'd like to dedicate this column to her and hope she can cherish the world with her mind that is full of wonder and beauty. I try to learn from her and I think now I begin to appreciate the thing that around me. We just need petty sacrifices as Emerson put it. Through her marvellous and magnificent way of looking at things from a dazzling perspective, I learn to appreciate life more than I ever have before. These principles and values in her somehow makes me think that she is older than me that makes her my 'sister'.
* To see something through a child's eye is wisdom but to behave in a childish manner is folly.
Even though that she is now in New Zealand pursuing her studies and I am stuck here in this peacefully boring place in one corner of Australia, I still treasure her wisdoms through her e mails. Hers is the only e mail that I seldom delete them from my inbox. I was just wondering how wonderful human mind can be. She indeed has a real dignified and wonderful frame of mind to look at things from different angle. I was reading this Dale Carnegie and he mentioned that the ability to see things from other people's perspective is a wisdom.She savours everything she sees and does. As far as I am concerned, she never did grumble over anything.
I'd like to dedicate this column to her and hope she can cherish the world with her mind that is full of wonder and beauty. I try to learn from her and I think now I begin to appreciate the thing that around me. We just need petty sacrifices as Emerson put it. Through her marvellous and magnificent way of looking at things from a dazzling perspective, I learn to appreciate life more than I ever have before. These principles and values in her somehow makes me think that she is older than me that makes her my 'sister'.
* To see something through a child's eye is wisdom but to behave in a childish manner is folly.
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Our Problem
Yesterday after my normal teaching at Musollah, me and Marko went for a Kebab at Broadway. It was his treat. The competition goes as to who can memorise Juz Amma first will get a treat. I spent the rest of the night at his place. Marko,Reza,me and later came Hakim and Iman were discussing about the issue of Muslim now. As usual Marko will have his own point of view. The problem with Muslim now is unity. It has sort of been ingrained in us that we just cannot unite. Tribalism has occured since the time of Prophet S.A.W. Killing and hurting each other has occured since the creation of Adam. Does that mean we can't change? I believe that those are God's given examples so that we can take lesson from. They say that all the problems that occur now result from the act of Muslims themselves and of course we do not discount the fact the greed of the Western world.
Tribalism and disunity in Iraq has resulted in what Iraq has become now. We sholud learn how the Prophet unite the Ansar and the Muhajirin. The Ansar and the Muhajirin have been fighting ever since they could remember. When they accepted Islam, they were brothers that would help each other and so much so would die for each other. These are the ways of uniting people. We just don't go to people's country to offer 'help' when they do not even ask for the help. In the name of justice, they invaded the country in order to so-called rescue the people from a tyrannical regime. More damaged was done.
Being in a non Muslim country somehow makes me feel more prone to know about my own religion. May be because of the environment that I am in. I know a lot of Sheiks here and I believe their way of communicating the idea of Islam is better simply because they are more outspoken. When you are the minority, the spirit to strive is stronger.
Muslim needs to switch their mindframe now to focus on the thing that befallen upon them. The Arabs have to forget(for a while at least!)their tribalistic manner. If we hold steadfast of the true teaching of Islam, all these things can be solved not true violance. We always tend to take the only culture but not the values from the West.
**Complete Amma and Ar-Rahman
Tribalism and disunity in Iraq has resulted in what Iraq has become now. We sholud learn how the Prophet unite the Ansar and the Muhajirin. The Ansar and the Muhajirin have been fighting ever since they could remember. When they accepted Islam, they were brothers that would help each other and so much so would die for each other. These are the ways of uniting people. We just don't go to people's country to offer 'help' when they do not even ask for the help. In the name of justice, they invaded the country in order to so-called rescue the people from a tyrannical regime. More damaged was done.
Being in a non Muslim country somehow makes me feel more prone to know about my own religion. May be because of the environment that I am in. I know a lot of Sheiks here and I believe their way of communicating the idea of Islam is better simply because they are more outspoken. When you are the minority, the spirit to strive is stronger.
Muslim needs to switch their mindframe now to focus on the thing that befallen upon them. The Arabs have to forget(for a while at least!)their tribalistic manner. If we hold steadfast of the true teaching of Islam, all these things can be solved not true violance. We always tend to take the only culture but not the values from the West.
**Complete Amma and Ar-Rahman
Friday, July 02, 2004
Why I write this.
Lately I feel that I always have something memorable to write. Things that I discover and things that I do and the things that all around me somehow steal a glimpse of my mind to be inscribed in here. Most of the time the things that I encounter are out of a sudden or unexpected. People say that the thing that you least expect is the thing that will change your life. I begin to look at life from different angle. I begin to savour the thing that I see and I do. This thing is nothing more than your encounter with people in your everyday life.
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