AL Quranul Kareem

The old Quran...a bit torn  since Ive been using it for quite some time now..

I bought this old Quran when I was about to leave Philladephia for good after 4 years of being a student at Temple University. Pennsylvania. It was late Summer 1989, almost entering the  Fall season of that year. As usual during those lazy summer days I liked to walk around the neighboring streets and visited the street shops. My favourite street town was the 50th street where the Univ. of Pennsylvania still proudly stood. However, ironically, the shop where I bought this Quran was not situated anywhere along the street. I bought it at once a popular used bookstore called LAME DUCK BOOKS and it was situated at South 45th Street just 1 block from the apartment where I stayed. It's a small bookstore but had a huge book selections of any kind. Of all the books that I browsed through, this Quran really caught my eyes. I didn't really know why. Probably because the side pages of the book is coated with gold color. It looked really beautiful. I bought it for only $10.

The bookstore...now no more existed...It was first opened in 1984 in Philadelphia before it moved to Harvard Square...now, already closed (September 2010) due to the competition from online books.

I haven't really used this Quran  until  a year ago (ish...lama tu...1989 till 2012...) I always read the Surah Yassin from the specialized Yassin booklet. I just didn't make any effort to read the whole  Quran. But since last year I started using it an to really read the Quran softly on my own in the surau..(in my house). I began with the AlBaqarah...and now I'm already into Al Maaidah (biar lambat asal selamat...).

Reading Quran has been like a savior to me. Where else do I seek help if not from Allah? What are the words that can really put me into peace and tranquility if not the words from Allah? Yes, I feel calm and safe everytime I read the Quran, I do realized now that being away from the Quran will only make our life a disaster. You may have all the things in the world but your inner self will not be calm and at peace till you"speak" to Allah. 

With so many turbulences in life that we are facing everyday, what could be a better solution than to read, understand the Quran and preach it. I pray to Allah that by reading the Quran, my house will be not be "looked" as a grave and will always be "glowed" by its lightness. Aamin Ya rabbal A'lameen....

Quran transalated with Tajwid Help ..just bought this last Sunday during the Registration of the new intake of KMK students..RM80. Hope I could use it as often as the old Quran.

Kesah MAK

Tak banyak yang ibu tahu pasal Mak kecuali antara adik beradik MAK, maklah yang paling berjaya kerana MAK dapat jadi cikgu selepas sekolah tamat darjah 6. MAK kerja 'gomen' dan bergaji tetap. Waktu MAK sekolah dulu, MAK sangat aktif bersukan dan merupakan seorang 'runner' dan 'badminton player' sekolah dan daerah. MAK kata, takde siapa pun yang mendorong mak ke sekolah pada waktu itu termasuklah kedua ibubapanya tetapi kerana semangat ingi menjadi 'lain dari yang lain' MAK kuatkan semangat untuk belajar bersungguh-sungguh.

Ibu boleh dikatakan sangat bertuah kerana mempunyai seorang ibu yang juga seorang guru. Ibu belajar huruf A, Alif dan no 1 dari ibu ibu yang  ibu panggil MAK. Diwaktu muda MAK tegas dan garang orangnya. Kalau pasal pelajaran, pasal solat memang MAK takde compromi, samalah macam abah tapi dalam banyak hal, MAK lebih lembut. MAK lebih mendengar dan MAK lah tempat mengadu. Sakit demam, MAK jugaklah ibu cari walaupun baru semalam kena marah dengan MAK sebab main hujan.

Satu perkara yang ibu tak lupa pasal MAK ialah MAKlah orangnya yang memperkenalkan ibu kepada Khutub Khanah ataupun perpustakaan. MAK akan bawa ibu ke Khutub Khanah boleh dikatakan  setiap hari masa cuti sekolah. Waktu itu ibu dalam darjah satu lagi. Ibu mulai mengenali buku-buku komik kesah melayu lama seperti Raja Bersiong, SiBadang dll. Ibu tak ingat siapa penulis maupun pelukisnya. Tahun-tahun berikutnya ibu berkenalan pula dengan buku-buku karangan Enid Blyton yang diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Melayu seperti Kumpulan Lima Sekawan (Famous Five), 7 Perisik dan Cerita-cerita dari Aesop (Aesop Fables).

Ahh...dunia ibu waktu itu adalah buku cerita dan buku cerita sehingga setiap kali waktu membeli buku-buku sekolahpun, ibu akan selitkan juga sebuah buku cerita dalam buku-buku teks tersebut. MAK marah tapi MAK  beli juga. :)

Ibu jadi pembaca buku yang tegar di sekolah tempat MAK mengajar, melebihi murid-murid MAK sendiri. Sesungguhnya ibu menggunakan kesempatan yang ada kerana di sekolah tempat ibu belajar (Marian Convent), ibu belum berkesempatan meminjam buku-buku di khutub khanah sendiri di waktu itu. Hanya bila ibu berada dalam darjah 3 sahaja bari ibu dapat membuat sebarang pinjaman buku. Lalu, minat ibu beralih ke buku-buku Bahasa Inggeris kemudiannya seperti Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty dsbnya.

Begitulah hidup persekolahan Ibu waktu itu...IBU, MAK dan BUKU.

Bila waktu memanjat usia, MAK dah tak segarang dan setegas dulu terutama sekali bila dah bercucu. Nada suara MAK semakin layu dan lembut. Disebabkan itu jugalah, MAK beralah dengan besannya sewaktu Kak Long  'dilamar' oleh tok untuk dipelihara dan dijaga sepeninggalan ibu dan ayah di luar negara.  MAK tak mau berebut cucu atau berlaku apa-apa kekeruhan antara keluarga kami.

Bila kesihatan MAK mula terganggu, ibu mula mengambil alih tugas MAK dulu...sebagai pendengar setia. Segala keluh kesah MAK, MAK cerita pada Ibu.  Makan minum MAK, ibu cuba aturkan sebaik mungkin tapi tidak sama dengan cara MAK. MAK masak lebih sedap, lebih berperisa dan lebih kerap. Masakan MAK juga lebih berseni, tidak seperti  masakan  ibu yang biasanya ikut naluri. Lagipun ibu dah ada keluarga sendiri. Tak menang tangan ibu nak mengurus anak-anak  ibu sendiri. Benarlah kata pepatah..anak yang ramai belum tentu dapat menjaga MAK yang seorang.

MAK juga adalah insan yang menjadi kesayangan anak-anak saudaranya kerana sifat keibuan MAK yang kental. MAK selalu cium kami kelima-lima beradik walaupun kami semua   dah besar dan berkahwin. Teringat kata-kata seorang sepupu ibu tempohari,

" Kami masih teringatkan Wan Chik... (panggilan mesra MAK dengan anak-anak saudaranya) Dia selalu cium dahi kami ni bila kami nak balik.."

MAK juga suka menolong dan rajin bersedekah. Setiap minggu MAK akan bagi RM2 pada abah supaya bubuh di dalam tabung masjid. Sebab itu rezeki MAK murah. Mak boleh melancung ke UK, Australia, China, Indonesia, Vietnam selain dari mengerjakan haji dan umrah beberapa kali di sepanjang usia MAK.

"Kita kena tolong adik-beradik kita dulu. Jangan kedekut. Harta tu tak luak."

" Walaupun MAK bubuh nama pada harta MAK tapi ingat, hasilnya mesti dikongsi adik beradik..," pesan MAK.

"Mak selalu doakan anak-anak MAK, menantu-menantu MAK, cucu-cucu MAK...MAK sebut nama sorang-sorang. MAK syukur, anak-anak MAK berjaya. Menantu-menantu mak baik-baik belaka, jaga anak-anak mak elok-elok. MAK syukur sangat"  selalu MAK sebut perkataan -perkataan ini pada ibu. Hati ibu selalu rasa tersentuh. Terasa sangat ilmu keibuan ibu ni kerdil sangat.

Tapi inilah hasilnya ibu adik beradik. Insyallah, takde siapa yang berdengki atau rasa lebih maupun kurang. Ibu dan adik-adik ibu sentiasa pegang cakap MAK. Pohon Allah jauhkan segala fitnah dan hasad dengki kami adik-beradik. Semuanya berkat doa MAK.

Dan ibu teringat waktu Asyraf masuk ke Sekolah Agama Kedah 7 tahun dahulu, MAK lah  orang yang pertama  menangis kegembiraan kerana memang itulah doanya. Mahukan cucu-cucu menjadi  ilmuan yang beragama. 

Tapi sekarang MAK dah takde. Hari Ibu dah tak sama lagi.

"Macammana kamu sakit melahirkan anak-anak kamu, macam tu MAK sakit melahirkan kamu. Sampai demam-demam, bengkak susu dan macam-macam." kata MAK.

"Jangan tinggal solat, belajar rajin-rajin" pesan MAK masa ibu belajar di US dulu.

Insyallah pesan MAK takkan ibu lupa dan sentiasa sematkan dalam hati. Pada Allah ibu panjatkan kesyukuran kerana ibu dan adik-adik ibu berpeluang menjaga MAK waktu MAK sakit. Banyak pengajaran ibu dapat sewaktu menjaga MAK dulu baik dari waktu MAK mula tak larat sehinggalah MAK terbaring dan tak berdaya membuat sebarang pekerjaan. Bagaimanapun, ibu seharusnya memberi 'kredit' kepada ayah dan anak-anak ibu yang sangat memahami 'kesesakan' ibu waktu itu. Tanpa redho dan faham kalian semua, ibu takkan dapat menjalankan tugas ibu sebagai seorang anak kepada MAKnya.

Apa yang berlaku pada MAK sentiasa ibu ambil pedoman dan ikhtibar untuk menjadi ibu yang lebih baik kepada anak-anak ibu. You are My Everything. Hidup ibu rasa kosong kalau takde anak-anak ibu di sekeliling ibu. Paling ibu terasa bila anak-anak semua pulang ke asrama. Mujurlah ada Anisah di rumah menjadi peneman. Ibu tahu satu masa nanti semua anak-anak ibu akan kahwin dan berkeluarga dan akan meninggalkan ibu dan ayah di rumah...itulah sebabnya ibu mahu menghabiskan masa dengan anak-anak ibu bila berpeluang. Ibu tak mau 'miss' langsung kalau boleh. Anak-anak ibu adalah segala-galanya untuk ibu. Takpe kalau ibu tak berhubung selalu atau 'bersosial' dengan kawan-kawan ibu asalkan ibu tahu anak-anak ibu cukup pakai dan makan, samada sakit atau sihat, samada boleh belajar atau tidak...cukuplah semua itu...segala  rezeki yang ibu dapat terutamanya  untuk anak-anak ibu...Ibu bukan orang kaya tapi ibu lebih senang berkongsi limpahan nikmat yang ibu dapat dengan anak-anak ibu.

Ibu tidak sehebat ibu-ibu lain yang hidup susah tapi boleh mengurus anak-anak dengan baik dan penuh keimanan. Dengan bantuan Allah dan ayah, Ini sajalah yang ibu mampu buat. Fikirkan juga anak-anak yang tak beribu dan tak dapat  merasa kasih sayang emaknya. Semoga anak-anak ibu serta anak-anak orang lain juga dapat menjadi orang yang cemerlang  di akhirat dan di dunia..di dalam belaian dan kasih sayang seorang ibu..

"Happy Mother's Day!"

PRU 13...Overseas voter: A Malaysian story shared

As the PRU 13 is passed and done, there are a lot of things that need to be reflected examined. We can always blame our 'the other party' but personally, I think we'd also better look at our 'own side's' flaws.  I really enjoyed the whole process of the election this time around beginning from the Nomination Day ( I was at Kota Bharu that time and got a glimpse of Dato' Nik Aziz's soft spoken but wise and maturedly speech. He is a real crowd puller) till yesterday, the Election Day.

Rockets always fly to the Moon in Kelantan, it seems...

 
I didn't buy the newspaper today since I already knew the results before I went to bed last night. However, this  article@opinion by an overseas voter caught my eyes as I was browsing the internet. And, I'd like to share it with the readers of my blog....

"As a Malaysian working overseas, I am exercising my rights to vote and was happy to know I could register as an Overseas voter for the coming 13th General Elections. Malaysia is my home, and I'm eager to be part of this exciting time of the year. But I've been facing problems with fellow Malaysians who scoff at my decision to vote, as well as the technical problems when registering as an Overseas Voter online.
To my fellow Malaysian who claims that I am “political” and “patriotic” when encouraging her to register and vote as an Overseas voter, please understand that:

• Absentee postal voting is a new process and a very momentous occasion shaping the history of our country. You may scoff at the idea that this process is already available in the United States and other countries, but since it is now available for you - why not vote? You may think that results for overseas voters may be rigged, no election process is perfect. There are other countries with worse election corruption - have faith in your own country’s election process. Even in America, not too long ago, women were not allowed to vote. Yet you also do not get to vote in the United States because to this day you are still a Malaysian citizen. The right to vote is a fundamental human right in a democratic society. Exercise that right.
• I am not political for I do not partake in any rallies or side one party more than the other. I am educating myself on the policies and platforms of the parties, think critically and make an educated decision come voting day. This being why your parents sent you to study abroad so you have an equal chance at education and are trained to think. This also being why you are living in the US all these years as there is freedom of speech in the press and you can obtain unbiased Malaysian news and make a judgement for yourself. By abstaining to vote and showing apathy for your own country’s politics, you reflect yourself to be very naive and ignorant.
• I am as patriotic as the next person who criticizes about Malaysia. For the better part of our lives up until starting tertiary education in US, you and I both grew up in a time when Malaysia was developing and prospering. It may have taken some necessary evil to do so, but that was the past. You and I both have families still in Malaysia. We do not have children, but our family and friends have children and we still want to call ourselves Malaysians. The future of Malaysia needs a different direction, and the change starts now. After all these years of living in the US, you can realize that America is not perfect and know there is some good in our racial unity and the quality of Malaysian education and healthcare.

By abstaining to vote, you reflect yourself to be very naive and ignorant.

To the Election Commission:

• Please have English translation for ease of understanding official announcements, application forms and instruction process. I am sure most Malaysians living abroad will not understand the formal Bahasa Malaysia as well. Or have your instructions and guides on forms in a less formal language and more ‘idiot’ proof. Google translated English on such forms are also difficult to make sense.
• Please understand that not everyone abroad lives near a Malaysian consulate. Information needs to be disseminated sooner so that we can plan and make travel arrangements ahead of time. With only a one week notice of going to consulate between 9am-6pm on Sunday, the cost of plane ticket to get there is almost USD$500. Thankfully it is the weekend.
• I will give them the benefit of the doubt since this is the first time, but when contacting officials in the consulate department, most do not have any idea what to do or what the process is. Perhaps there should be clearer communication between EC and Consulate
  
  Source: 
  http://news.malaysia.msn.com/elections/overseas-voter-a-malaysian-story-shared
  
  
  
  
  

  

  A special voter no..999

   

  

  'Saluran 3' queue...I waited 45 minutes before I could cast my vote.

  
  
  

  

  My daughter's friend's father...:) LAIN KALI la..nampaknya.

  
  

  

  I was wondering...why the whole finger? It could be just a line on the finger..I think this process was the reason behind the long queue...

  
  
  
  Well, this next time ....PRU14 ('another' mother of all PRUs?)
  
  *** Sorry for the unreversable  pictures.