tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30437787895592716042024-03-15T11:10:49.435+08:00Life's little somethingThis blog is a special dedication to my three children Shak,MS and Sofi and my hubby AK. Its a Life Journal on the little things that has happened around us, the photo memories, and of my interests and passions in life itself. sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-54326874204058731292024-03-04T11:09:00.000+08:002024-03-15T11:09:54.596+08:00<p> The Last Leg of my daughter’s Journey to a pretigious MBBS deggree</p><p><br /></p><p>The alarm rang at 5.45 today on 2nd March 2024. As usual we got up and called MS who was visiting his friend in London, before proceeding to pray Fajr. We already packed everything needed to take Sofi for her FINAL exams in Seremban. After discussing with Ak and Sofi and phone calls to the hotel, we decided to leave a little later than planned. You see, check in time to the hotel was at 2.30 pm. It usually takes 4 hours to reach Seremban from wbere we live. So if we leave at 9:30 am, it will be just nice to have lunch a d check into the hotel. That was the plan. The journey did not work out as our plan because exactly 2 hours later on the highway we came into a complete standstill. </p><p>Apparently, a treller had overturned and caused a massive traffic jam on both the north and southbound traffic. In my lifetime, I have been in several traffic jams on the highway. Usually the traffic will move after about 15 to 20 minutes. This time, we were still at the same spot, after 1 hour of waiting in the car under the hot scorching sun. Initally we thought, this will of clear in a bot. But as time went by, we inly manged to cover about 5 Km in 2 hours. I remember my sister travelling to KL on the same day. Do I called her to warn about the traffic situation. Unfortunstrly, she too left just before us and now in the same situation as us. .. So after 4 hours in the traffic jam, we reached Simpang Pulai rest area which is small compared to the one in Tapah. We decided to take a break, pray and have our lunch. There was nothing fancy in this R&R. Ak snd Sofi had pau, which is a steamed buns with sweet snd savoury fillings. I had laksa noodle soup. Than I bought some red guavas and Sofi bought some waffle for dessert. Just then my sister called and informed us that the traffic had cleared and they are on their way to KL finally. We quickly got back into the car and continued our journey. Traffic started to flow but people who had bern stuck for many hours in the heat, were driving recklessly. Time and again I had to remind Ak to sliw doen. I can see he was slso getting tired. Since he had his frozen shouldre prinlem, he had bern having a lot if pain in his arm especially driving long distance. But what to do? I can’t drive long distance and Sofi is also not used to driving on this highway. Finally after another 2 hours, we entered Kl. According yo the GPS, it will take another 2 hours to reach our destination. So we have already sat through 8 hours. I reall pity the one sitting behind me. She ean really get overwhelmed with all that is happening just before sitting for the most important exam in her life. </p><p>So finally around 7.30pm we reached our destination. The hotel we chose, Hotel Villa, is nothing to shout about. It is just a simple 3 star hotel in the location we want. Sofi did not want to stay in other hotels. She was familiar with the location here and getting in and out of the hotel was very easy. We settled down and had a good night sleep, Alhamdulillah. The next day was Sunday. Ak and I went for our morning walk after Subuh prayers. We went to the Lake Garden and was surprised to see very few people at the park. Back home, our parks will be full of exercise enthusiast especially on weekends. We saw only a few old people at this park. Later in the day we just tried to cheer Sofi up and kept ouselves busy. By evening, both her siblings called to wish her good luck. Sofi's exam day is on the same day of Ms's birthday. As a mother, it was very difficult for me to see one child miserable because of exams and another miserable because he far away from family on his birthday. We had to call Ms later to cheer him up. So afetr getting Sofi's clothes and all her OSCE apparatus ready, we settled down for the night. I set the alarm for 5 am, but end up waking up and 4 am.</p><p>So finally, the exam day dawn upon us. Sofi messaged at 6 am that she is awake and getting ready. Ak and I prayed and quickly called Ms who although is in another country, always is involved in everything we do. At 7.15 am we left to sent Sofi for her exams. We reached the campus around 7.35am. We parked the car and just waited awhile. I saw many anxious faces coming to attend the exams. Some came with friends, a few drove themselves and some came with family. Exactly at 7:43, Sofi decided to go into her examination hall. We gave her a hug and wished her all the best. For now, the door just shut behind her, and all that I can hear is the sound of birds chirping around the campus. </p>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-69285926324016239262024-02-05T17:35:00.001+08:002024-02-05T17:35:42.690+08:00They call me Sergeant Major<p><br /></p><p>Growing up with my parents in the 70s and 80s, was very different from what we see today. My father was a well known and wealthy businessman. He had a chain of retail shop selling branded men's fashion. My father was a very hardworking man. I have not seen my father taking a nap, or watching television in day time during the week. Only on Sundays he was a little more relaxed and rests. Same goes to my mother. She is always doing some kind of chores at home. Having five children, a grand daughter and two cousins and a cat living with us, it was a constant cooking and feeding of the whole family. On top of that, she also loves sewing and embroidery. But as we were growing up, I remember she had no time to continue with her interests. In the 70s and early 80s, there was no fastfood restaurants where we lived. Everything we ate, was either cooked at home or bought from a 'Nasi Kandar' restaurant. As such, eating anything, I mean anything which is not rice, was a treat. Fried noodles, beehoon, murtabak, roti jala, capati, satay or samosa was a treat. In fact my mother sometimes tries to make jelly, and cakes for us. We would all eat happily having something other than rice. Pasta and pizza was not known at that time. in mid 80s Mc donalds, Kfc and Pizza Hut came to my country. That was when we first ate fast food. I remember saving my pocket money to eat Kfc on Saturdays with my friends. </p><p>Nowadays we see so many restaurants and fast food around us. The variuos burgers, pastas, pizzas, cakes and other treats are available 24/7. Kids get to choose what they want to eat for every meal. Parents don't have to go through the tedious job of marketing, cleaning the fish, chicken, meat and storing them. Even there is Nasi Melayu, Nasi Kandar, Sushi, Arabic food, Turkish food all available on apps on the phone. Parents nowaday don't even have to leave the house to buy food. I remember how Ak used to go to the local restaurant and queu up to buy lunch or dinner when the kids were growing up in the 90s and early 2000. According to WHO worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975. With over 4% children aged between 5 to 19 overweight or obese in 1975. While 18% in 2016.</p><p> Changes in dietery habits plays a major role in this dramatic increase in obesity , as we see how the children and parents eat a lot of energy densed food that is high in carbs and sugar. Unlike before when I was growing up, kids nowadays sit and watch Tv or computer most of the time. In my childhood years, I used to come home from school, have lunch, do my homework and wait for Tv station to start at 5 in the evening. ( We had no Tv station operating before 5 pm on weekdays ). Then I used to watch cartoon until 6pm. Then it was playing time. Either I will go cycling or play with my niece and neighbourhood friends in the porch. Usually we will play until it is time for Maghrib prayers. Than we will wash up, read Quran, finish up homework and finally watch tv until time to sleep. I carried this pattern with my own children. Of course their tv time was much more than mine and also it was harder to get them to go out to play. I remember chasing them to get up and move every evening. Usually it was I who actually got tired of running and shouting at them.</p><p>The scam of convenience, has also brought so much comfort but at the same time more misery in life. People are more sicker and sadder as opposed to before. Everything you need is only a finger tips away. As long as you have money as they say... ( but now you can use credit cards even though you don't have money ). </p><p>Today kids also feel they are more entitled and deserve things immediately without even working hard for it. When were growing up, we used to get hand me down from older sibling. Moreover new things were only bought for Eid or birthdays. That way there wasn't much wasting and shopping was also a treat. As kids, we used to look forward to go eid shopping because that was the only times we get to choose what we want. Of course some of this upbringing style I demonstrated on my children when they were younger. So I got the name Sergeant Major👮. They say I am very strict with them and do not shower them with things like how their friends parents do. They have to work hard and top marks in class before Ak and I buy them expensive gifts like bicycle, camera, play station etc. Actually I do not regret one minute for being called like that. In fact I take it as a badge of Honour from my children. Because of this, till today, they are very careful with things they buy, and they don't procarsinate in their work. I try my best to instill in them the values and tradition I learnt growing up, because I think old tradition keeps our soul and memories alive. The joy of simplicity is not felt until you see this chaotic world of contant changing and upgrading and self indulging society. I do feel sorry for someof the children in this generation. Since the parents also grew up without any values and tradition, we see so many problems such as temper tantrum, social disorder, binge eating among children. Parents in this millineum must make sure to hold on to the rope of religion, family values and tradition to ensure the future generation move away fro this unsustenable pace set by a fake , induging society. Only then they can find self sufiency and inner peace. God Willing.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-10086773311957625522024-01-28T11:21:00.000+08:002024-01-28T11:21:27.603+08:00Dry Taps Again !<p>We live in a beautiful island in Malaysia. Our main water source is from Sungai Muda. Recantly in 2023, we had 2 major water pipe burst that caused water crisis to almost the whole of Penang. At that time MS had come back from UK for holidays and Sofi was also on break. Having this two around was a blessings. They helped to carry water and fill up the water tanks upstairs. I have one 80 Gallon water container in my balcony. We store water inside here for emergency. Since it had been awhile since we had any water crisis, this water had become "stale"and cause itchiness, if we bathe with it. So now we had the tedious job of transfering this water to toilet tanks and the rest for washing and watering plants. Since the pressure was very low, we only had a little water coming from the hose in the porch. MS and Sofi, helped to transfer water from the porch to the balcony by tying a bucket to a rope and pulling it up. They managed to fill the entire 80 gallon water container. Meanwhile Shak had water still in her house since her condominium tank was large and had enough water for up 3 days.</p><p>Now in January 2024, we had another burst pipe in Sungai Perai. Water was cut without any notice and 80% of our island was left without any water. Some of us still had the water we collected in December for another water disruption. But most of my neighbours had discarded the water were left with no or very little water in the water tanks in our houses. This time around, MS and Sofi were not around. Ak had to carry the water to fill up all the pails in the house. The water was only trickling in the porch. So we had to catch the water and transfer to other parts of the house. I helped filling pots with water for the kitchen use. </p><p>So the Water Supply Corporation of my island announced that there will upgrading works for the burst water pipe.The old underwater pipeline is incurring a leak. This old pipelines will be decommisioned and replaced with new pipes. Thus we have to brace for another major water disruption in 2 weeks. In the meantime, they will try to patch up the leaking pipe and supply water to all the disrupted area. My neighbour, who has a large family decided to invest in a huge water tank placed outside his house. This attracted so many other neighbours to come and have a look at this shining marvel. My neighbour was so proud of his investment and even tried to influence Ak to purchase one. Of course his sister is selling the motor and she will give us a good price, he said. I put my foot down and told Ak absolutely no tank sitting in our porch . We noticed the pump and motor for this water tank, makes a very irritating noise. I even heard the noise in the middle of the night. So the next day when Ak was chatting wih the neighbour, he brought up the subject of the noise. Now this neighbour admits he didn't know about the noise before buying it. Unfortunately there is nothing he can do about it. So for now we have to adjust living in our house with this irritating noise until my neighbour decides to shut it off.</p><p>In the meantime, we are continously storing water and using water sparingly. Clothes cannot be washed at home because the water pressure is so low, we cannot turn on the washing machine. For now we have send our clothes to the laundry. I also cooked a few meals and freeze them. It is not safe to eat out when almost 80% of the island will be out of water. Of course I am grateful that we at least have some water and a roof over head during this crisis. I cannot imagine how life is in Gaza where water is deliberately shut down to torture the civilians. I feel so privileged when I turn on the pipe at home to see water flowing. We have to accept a little difficulties in life and stop complaining too much. What we are going through is not even an ounce compared to the people of Gaza. Anyway, I pray for the safety of the divers who are doing the dangerous job of going underwater to address the leak. </p><p><br /></p>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-41666623590972694882024-01-23T21:57:00.000+08:002024-01-23T21:57:14.097+08:00The Hospital VisitToday is the dreaded day! I have my routine appointment to see my doctor every 4 months. Usually our day starts after morning prayers. We talked to MS than straight away to shower and get ready. Then we had our breakfast and headed to the hospital. For the first time in so many years, we got to see the doctor DR. O as soon as we arrived at the hospital. This particular doctor I have been seeing her for the past 15 years. Lately she talks to me very bluntly and I might add a little rudely too. Anyways the consultation took a few minutes and this time she recomended for me to take medication for my slight elevated sugar, I politely declined and told her I will try and modify my diet and exercise before considering her suggestion. <div><br /></div><div>This is the kind of doctors I would like to avoid. They think everything can be corrected by popping pills. No advice on natural path, diet control or supplement intake. Unfortunately I am too tired to bring my entire history and build a rapport with a new doctor. For now I am stuck with this one. Same goes to my dentist. You see this dentist Dr. A that I have been visiting for the last 15 years, does not have a good reputation. She is clumsy and her charges are high. But.... she talks well, gentle and the important thing is she listens to me. I am absolutely terrified of dentists. She is a very sisterly kind of dentist and will not force me to go through procedures that I am not comfortable with. Of course my children and Ak are not happy. But then, who is the patient? I ask them. So for now, I am definitely not changing dentist. I have an appointment to fix 3!!! crowns with her in a couple of weeks. Wish me luck. I hope I am going to keep this appointment. </div>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-50309709437645311842024-01-22T12:08:00.003+08:002024-01-23T22:38:12.484+08:00Happy 2024<p> When new year dawns upon us, the phrase a new beginning is always used. New beginning according to Google is to allow yourself to accept challenges that bring good things to you. This past 4 years of my life had been the most challenging one. from the onset of covid, I had several health issues that kept me off my daily routine. There was a point when I even forgot what a normal day I used to have. We don't notice some of these blessings until we loose them. As time goes on, I accepted these challenges and put my faith in Allah swt, that what I am going through is going to strengthen me. </p><p>Good health is one of the biggest blessings people take for granted. No matter how much money one has, or how successful the person is, as soon as they are faced with health issues, everything else take a backseat. Good health is not only the absence of disease, it also means your mental and social well being. Maybe that is why I had encouraged my children to study medicine, when they showed an interest in this field. Now my son, MS is a qualified doctor and doing his GP training. Lil Sofi, isnt little anymore. This young lady is in her final year as a medical student. </p><p>If I could turn back the clock, I certainly will advice them to choose another field like their big sister who is an accountant. I noticed my son MS, who used to be a jovial light hearted teenager, became a very serious and reserved young man since he became a doctor. Sofi on the other and who was already a serious person has become so reclusive. I find myself asking them "where is your smile? Have you lost it?' Maybe it is not the job, maybe it does not happen to everyone. But it happened to my children. I want them back as how they were, growing up. Nobody talks about the social well being and mental health of medical students and junior doctors.They are meant to be able to handle everything that is put on their plate. I totally disagree. As a mother of 2 children who studied and studying to be doctors, I see how much work, time and sacrifices they put into their daily life. Everyday is studying, every single day for 5 years and beyond. Beyond this 5 years, days will still be as challenging or proberbly more challenging. We just need to put our faith in the Almighty because He said in the Quran Al Kareem, " Allah does not obligate anyone beyoind his capacity" 2:286. With that I am signing of for now, Hopefully I get back my interest to write on my blog again.</p><p><br /></p>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-57459332135220186382019-05-23T16:32:00.000+08:002020-05-10T22:35:15.994+08:00Doha, QatarWe were so happy when Qatar Airlines finally came to Penang International Airport (PIA). Now we can fly direct to London via Doha and safe some time. So instead of a transit, we opted for 3 days in Doha. Doha is a very small city. Actually one can cover major tourist attraction in a day, I found out later. But since we already booked for 3 nights. we took things slowly and enjoyed our stay here. The<br />
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major Souq in Doha is Souq Waqif. I always liked to visit the local Souq, or central square of a country I am visiting. This gives you a rough idea of their lives, culture and tradition. Souq waqif presents you how Qataris, preserve their old market with its fascinating buildings, structures and alleys. It is also quite clean and houses a few boutique hotels and fine dining restaurants. Next to this market and a must visit is the Falcon Souq. Qataris love this bird and they really take care of the birds so well they even have a Falcon Hospital for them. Apparently there is only two such hospitals in the world. These Falcons can fetch up to thousands of Riyals. These winged friend really enjoy their lives with all this attention. Although I personally think it quite unfair to tie them up and not allowing them to fly freely.<br />
Another place nearby is the camel ground. Here you can see camel feeding and if you get lucky try going for a camel ride. Another place of interest will be the Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA)<br />
It’s a clean modern building and has a cafe downstairs. The artefacts are from around the world. You can even see a bejewelled falcon with rubies, emeralds and other gems. Wonder how much $$$$ this would cost!<br />
The magnificent structure of The Pearl Qatar will surely fascinate anyone looking at it. Nestled along the Corniche is this man made island spanning only 4km. This is a first freehold artificial island open to foreign residents. It is a lavish and luxurious promenade with Super Brands and fine dining. Qataris sure know how to live an extremely luxurious lifestyle<br />
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Pigeon Towers is another interesting place located in Katara Cultural village. A sanctuary for pigeons highlighting arabian heritage. Katara Cultural Village also houses museums, planetarium, restaurants etc. We were lucky to be taken on a short tour around the Village by a caddy. Truly enjoyed the ride.<br />
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There are other places like Doha Corniche, Malls, musuems that we did not visit. Maybe next time Insha Allah. By the way there is this restaurant called Zaitoon serving delicious food. It is really worth trying. Another suggestion is a Syrian Restaurant in Souq Waqif called Damasca. The food is average although ambience really takes one into a beautifully Arabian decorated interior. That’s all for now. Hope these info helps someone.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0Doha, Qatar25.2854473 51.53103979999998825.0557273 51.208316299999986 25.5151673 51.85376329999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-1190216756148831122019-04-08T10:22:00.000+08:002019-04-08T10:32:05.101+08:00I am BackBismillah<br />
Alhamdulillah a'la kulli Hal<br />
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I really feel I have abandoned this blog of mine which was so part of me when the world didn't have other social media like Fb, Ig, Twitter and others. Life gets too complicated with all these social platform and it seems to be a competition or so of who gets the best updates and likes. When I started to write my blog in the year 2007, my main reason was to note done what was happening around my life, experiences, recipes and such to actually share with my eldest who was studying in New Zealand. She was so homesick, and we did not have a stable internet network connection to Skype and talk often. Time zone also affected our interaction and this blog was one of the only way for me to share what was happening with her. Then when my son went overseas, other forms of social media was more reliable and popular that this blog had taken a back seat. Now that all the children are grown and even my little one had left the nest, I find more time to update this blog of mine which I so really miss.<br />
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Yesterday we want for our monthly Hadith Bukhari class in Usm which was delivered by Ustaz AlHafiz Moulana SS. Ahmed Bakhavi, who is also the Imam of Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur. The respected Ustaz, is very knowledgable and able to grasp our attention fully for the whole 2 hours. Every time I attend his class, I always feel there is so much more of this beautiful Deen that I still don't know. Today I will be attending our weekly arabic class and inshAllah will update in my next post what we learned.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-16760274491991560542019-02-26T16:35:00.000+08:002020-05-10T16:39:12.539+08:00Keys to Paradise<div>
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Hadith: Narrated Malik ibn Hubayrah: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him, it will assure him (of Paradise). When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be a few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition. [Abu Dawud Book 20, Hadith 3160]</h4>
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sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-28571713142191816042017-11-27T11:03:00.000+08:002017-11-27T11:04:10.180+08:00It's already been 8 days since I came down with a bad sore throat and flu.Actually hubby had it before he passed it to me. I am now taking my second course of antibiotics. The sore throat has gone down but now I am having chesty cough. During this kind of flu season, I really miss one thing that I enjoy most. My morning walks. We really take our health for granted. Only when we fall sick do we then realise the importance of good health. This morning while drying clothes, I was looking at my neighbourhood park behind my house. Young and old were there doing their morning exercise. I so long to be there although on other days when I am perfectly well laziness sets in. There is something different walking in the mornings compared to in the evenings. The air is so fresh and crisp. The birds, bees and bugs are flying so actively. There seems to be so much positive energy around in the mornings. We have a Tai chi group in our park. Actually we have a few tai chi groups. The one I usually join has the most number of participants. It is very encouraging to see people above 60 so active and deligently attend the Tai chi class everyday. I pray the Almighty gives me and my family the strength to be active when we reach old age. Amensarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-3110666614155073612017-02-16T14:46:00.000+08:002017-11-27T10:51:08.524+08:00Tacos in the houseTacos... yes this is what my youngest Sofi had been talking about all week. She loves tacos and had asked my son, studying in UK to buy her the shells. Here in my fridge the taco shells had been sitting cozily not touched or eaten. Reason?? I feel too guilty making it when my son is not here. Its his favourite too and he bought it! So my lil sofi knowing I will not be making it jus now, decided to make it herself today. After hours of seaching for authentic taco recipe, she finally announced that we will be having tacos for dinner. So now the tedious work started. Exactly at 3.30 pm she entered the kitchen to do her 'preparation.' I had already cleaned and cut the chicken fillets. First she made the marination and the relish. Next she prepared the salsa. Which was surprisingly a mixture of grilled vegetables pureed to make a salsa sauce. Then she pan fried the chicken. There was a delightful aroma of spices in the air in my kitchen. I was absolutely confident that we will be having something delicious for dinner. I was absolutely right. The tacos were extremely good. This was her first time cooking although she had baked many times before. Hubby and I were impressed. It really feels good to come down and have dinner prepared for you. I think I can really get used to that idea. Hmmmsarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-46710607200461709692016-11-15T11:16:00.000+08:002016-11-15T11:16:45.617+08:00SPM ( equivalent to O Levels) started last week on 8th of November 2016. Today is 15 November 2016. My daughter Sofi is sitting for her 4th paper of the SPM examination. Just a while before, I had prayed and asked Allah swt to make the paper easy for her and all other students. This daughter of mine, the youngest, the wittiest and the most hardworking girl is going to finish school. In less than 3 weeks from now, she will complete her exams and will be "school free." I have mixed feeling though. Although I am happy for her, part of me still long for the days of getting up early morning to prepare breakfast for her. Preparing her school uniform, helping with homework, getting lunch ready before she comes home....and the list goes on. I know, she will still be at home for a good 4 to 6 months before college. But then its not the same again. Children grow up. They start a new chapter. They become more independent and your role in their life becomes less. Take for example my son. For years I did everything for him. When he first went to University Malaya. My husband and I cleaned up his room in his hostel. Soon he had another offer, which took him to Kolej Mara Banting. Here we scrubbed clean his room, wiped the windows and fan, took out the mattress and gave it a good beating under the sun. We even put up mosquito net on his window. Actually we had created so much scene, that many of his college mates already recognised us on the first day! We did the same for my eldest when she went to university too. There my husband and I even changed the flooring mat for her.<br />
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Now my son is overseas. He does everything for himself. He moved houses. Enrolled in the Uni. Cooked, washed and ironed himself. I feel helpless when he has a problem and I can't go and solve it for him. My eldest is also married and runs her own house herself. Soon it will be the same for my little Sofi. I find it most difficult to let her grow up. But time waits for no one. I know this young lady will soon grow up into a beautiful and intelligent young woman. Just as how her two elder siblings have grown. My husband and I have given them the necessary knowledge to survive on their own and pray that they have a successful life no matter where they are.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-44777257143031128682014-01-29T17:29:00.000+08:002014-01-29T17:29:31.140+08:00Jannah Surrounded by Difficult Things<div>
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Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said: "When Allah created Paradise, He said to Jibreel: 'Go and look at it.' Jibreel went and looked at it, then came and said: 'O my Lord! By Thy might, no one who hears of it will fail to enter it.'<br /><br />Allah then surrounded it with disagreeable things, and said: 'Go and look at it, Jibreel.' He went and looked at it, then came and said: 'O my Lord! By Thy might, I am afraid that no one will enter it.'<br /><br />When Allah created Hell, He said: 'Go and look at it, Jibreel.' Jibreel went and looked at it, then came and said: 'O my Lord! By Thy might, no one who hears of it will enter it. '<br /><br />Allah then surrounded it with desirable things and said: 'Go and look at it, Jibreel.' Jibreel went, looked at it, then came and said: 'O my Lord! By Thy might and power, I am afraid that no one will remain who does not enter it.' [Abu Daud]<br /><br />Hellfire is surrounded by tempting things and sin appears attractive to us. On the other hand, Jannat is surrounded by difficult things such as sharing wealth, exercising self control and sacrifice. In school, for instance, we do not consider it fair to give the student who worked hard and did well the same grade as one who did not bother with his or her studies and failed. Similarly, Allah's justice does not allow the compensation of the doer of evil and the doer of good to be the same either. It would not be fair for human beings to be given eternal life and eternal happiness without our having at least attempted to earn it.<br />
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The online version of Daily Hadith is available now, please visit <a href="http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com/"></a><a href="http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com/">http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com</a></div>
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sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-3961226035905252572013-02-15T10:54:00.001+08:002013-02-15T10:54:45.874+08:00The Most Beautiful Asmaul Husna (Dr. Ary Ginanjar)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WKQmwxFa6pU" width="459"></iframe>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-44455927465770533482013-02-06T10:13:00.000+08:002013-02-06T10:13:00.710+08:00Kittens..here they comeNew members in my family, Alhamdulillah. Bought these two cute adorable kittens on 31/12/12. More than a month already. The brown is Queen Sheera and the white is Kublai Khan. Don't ask me why we named them such. It was chosen together with my children. Life has not been same since tey came. It like having a new baby in the house, Kublai Khan who was 9 weeks old was absolutely tiny weighing only 0.5 pounds. He was also not well, having diarrhea and loss in appetite. We had to nurse him slowly and now Alhamdulillah he has recovered. Back in my younger days, I had a cat called Mr. L. Now it was not difficult to look after him. He was a stray and I brought him back from school. You see, I used to bring home stray kittens found on the way back from school. My mom will quietly let them go in the nearby market the next day. She would tell me, the kitten had run away. When I brought Mr. L back home, he melted everybody's heart. Including my mom. He was so clever, and obedient. He understood straight away all the rules in the house. He never sat on the carpet or climbed on the sofa or even went upstairs. He sleep the whole morning, and wait for me by the gate to come back from school. Then after lunch he will sit next to my books when I do my homework. In the evenings he will take a short nap before entertaining us with his antics. Then at night he will wait for my father to come back home at the end of the road. As soon as he sees my father, he will dash back to the house, as though he was in a race with my dad !!. Then after dinner, he will sit on the roof of my dad's car and watch outside the house. During the night we keep him outside. This is when he will go around the neighborhood with fellow buddies. We had Mr. L for more than 6 years. During one of his nightly outing, he was bitten by another cat and had blood poisoning. We took him to the Vet but unfortunately he did not survive. I never had a pet since then. But now Queen Sheera and Kublai Khan seems to have stolen my heart again. They remind me so much of Mr. L that I am always talking about him whenever they do their antics. I don;t know how long they will be with me. These persian cats are more difficult to look after.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kublai Khan & Queen Sheera</td></tr>
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<br />sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-9108632824206040532013-02-01T12:20:00.000+08:002013-02-01T12:20:00.260+08:00The Not So Rich Millionaire<div>
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Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Richness does not lie in the abundance of (worldly) goods, but richness is the richness of the soul (heart, self)." [Muslim]<br /><br />There are millionaires who are obsessed with making more money, always worried that their wealth is not going to be enough for them. Their insecurity does not let them enjoy what they are blessed with. Such a person despite having riches cannot be called a rich person. For what good is wealth that does not allow its possessor to feel rich, secure or happy? True wealth is the wealth of contentment. This is a gift from Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) and it lives as contentment in the heart of a person.<br />
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I think all of us at some point in our life have fallen into this category...that is not being contend with the Blessings of Allah swt and always looking for other material things to make us happy. Many times we tend to buy stuffs over and over again just to remind us that these items can elevate our status or make us look rich and high class. It is not wrong in owning good things for the right reason. It will be wrong if we buy them hoping to show it off. That is when Takabbur ( arrogance ) enters the heart. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Prophet Muhammad(Peace be upon him) said in an authentic hadith<b style="font-style: italic;">,"Whosoever has an atoms weight of arrogance in his heart will not enter Jannah."</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><i> </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><i>May Allah swt protect us from shaitaan and his mischief and make us Syukur with all the Blessings we have. Ameen</i></b></span></div>
sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0Penang, Malaysia5.2632341000000009 100.484622700000054.7573401000000013 99.839175700000041 5.7691281000000005 101.13006970000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-78345178492025435272013-01-30T12:40:00.000+08:002013-01-30T12:43:12.671+08:00It has been so long since I last posted anything in my blog. With all the new devices such as smartphones and tablets around, I know I have no excuse to be lazy. Anyway life had been going with the usual ups and downs. It has been more than a year now since I last sign in. Something triggered in me to start my writing again. Maybe because I have been emotionally troubled for the last few weeks. The reason....? Only Allah knows. Since a year ago I have enrolled myself in online courses to study more about Islam. Just now I was reading the Seerah of our Beloved Prophet saw....the chapter on Hijra after the the second covenant of Aqabah. It was at this time that a " petite Muslim State " in a vast country with ignorance and disbelief was established. The Prophet saw gave his consent to the muslims to leave Makkah to Madinah. Coming back to present, I find that we all need to migrate physically, or spiritually from time to time to enable us to be a better Muslim. It has been an emotional roller coaster for me since my son left to college in another state. Part of me wants to follow him to look after him, while another wants to stay here where we have created our own little home....Anyhow, I pray Allah swt show us the correct path and keep us steadfast in our Deen,,Ameen<br />
<br />sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-16255335231941818152011-02-25T10:50:00.000+08:002016-11-15T11:17:49.762+08:00Keys to Paradise<div>
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Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea. [Bukhari Vol 8 Book 75, Hadith 414]</h4>
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sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-29976956394256201402011-02-08T10:52:00.001+08:002011-02-08T10:55:09.342+08:00Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him ) BirthdayExactly one week from now that is on 12 Rabiul Awwal (15 Feb) we will be celebrating Our Imaam, the Best of all Creation , Prophet Muhammad saw birthday. It is very common to see people out of joy and tremendous respect to our Beloved Prophet saw, celebrating it not knowing if it is a sunnah or a bid'ah ( innovation). Below is the answer to the question should we celebrate Mawlid or not. by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #552e14; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #552e14; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><b>I</b></span></span> hope all Muslim brother and sisters please check with scholars before doing anything in our religion in the name of culture. Culture should not be religion and religion should not be culture. May Allah swt guide and prevent us from doing any innovation to our religion. Ameen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #552e14; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><b>.</b></span></span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #552e14; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #aeaeae; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"><span class="question" style="color: #fe0607; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">Why some people accept and some unaccept the celebration of the Prophet (saw )? What is your opinion? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/249/mawlid%20nabi">http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/249/mawlid%20nabi</a></span> </span></span></span><br />
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Praise be to Allaah.<br />
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There is nothing in the Qur’aan to say that we should celebrate the Mawlid or birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do this or command anyone to do it, either during his lifetime or after his death. Indeed, he told them not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus (upon whom be peace). He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allaah and His Messenger.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari). What has been reported is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made the day of his birth a day of worship, which is different to celebration. He was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was entrusted with the Mission or when I was first given Revelation.” (Reported by Muslim, al-Nisaa’i and Abu Dawood).<br />
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Moreover, we know that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) were the people who loved the Prophet most. Was it reported that Abu Bakr, who was the closest of people to him and the one who loved him the most, celebrated the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Was it reported that ‘Umar, who ruled for twelve years, or ‘Uthmaan, did this? Was it reported that ‘Ali, his relative and foster son, did this? Was it reported that any of the Sahaabah did this? No, by Allaah! Is it because they were not aware of its importance, or did they not truly love the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? No one would say such a thing except one who has gone astray and is leading others astray.<br />
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Did any of the imaams – Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi’i, Ahmad, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Seereen – do this or command others to do it or say that it was good? By Allaah, no! It was not even mentioned during the first and best three centuries. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a saheeh hadeeth: “The best of mankind are my generation (or my century), then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come a people who will not care if their testimony comes before their oath or vice versa (i.e., they will not take such matter seriously).” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi). The celebration of the Prophet’s birthday appeared many centuries later, when many of the features of true religion had vanished and bid’ah had become widespread.<br />
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Thus this celebration became a sign of one’s love for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? But can it be possible that the Sahaabah, the imaams and the people of the best three centuries were unaware of it, and it was only those who came later who were aware of its importance?! What the Qur’aan tells us is that love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is demonstrated by following the guidance he brought. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):<br />
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“Say (O Muhammad): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.<br />
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Say: ‘Obey Allaah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then Allaah does not like the disbelievers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:31-32]<br />
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The first aayah explains that love is just a claim, but the proof of sincerity is following what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought. The second aayah reaffirms the importance and necessity of obeying Allaah and His Messenger. Hence Allaah ended the aayah with a very stern warning in which those who refuse to obey are described as kaafirs, and Allah does not love the disbelievers. We ask Allaah to keep us safe from that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us of the danger of not obeying him, and the danger of adding to what he brought. The celebration of Mawlid or his birthday is indeed an addition to what he brought – as all the scholars agree. He said: “The best of speech is the Book of Allaah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The most evil of things are those which are newly-invented (in religion), and every innovation is a going astray.” (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa’i).<br />
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We ask Allaah to protect us from bid’ah and to bless us by helping us to follow. Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.<br />
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Islam Q&A<br />
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Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid<br />
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</div>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-70222020587385383602011-02-02T13:12:00.000+08:002011-02-03T14:32:33.156+08:00Addrasul Awwal ( First Lesson ) At beginners level we were only taught the basic greetings when we meet friends and family. Do say out aloud and memorise them. Better still if you can write them down in arabic and check your spellings in any arabic dictionary.<br />
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Greetings<br />
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Soba`hal Khoir = Good Morning<br />
Soba`han nu`r = Good Morning ( reply )<br />
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Masa`al Khoir = Good Evening<br />
Masa`an Nur = Goos Evening ( reply )<br />
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Fur sotun sa'idah = Pleasure Meetng you<br />
Fur sotun sa'idah = Pleasure Meetng you ( reply )<br />
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Syukron = Thank You<br />
Afwan = You're welcome<br />
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Ilal liqo' = Goodbye<br />
Ma'as salamah = Goodbye ( reply )<br />
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Marhaban = Welcome<br />
Marhaban = Welcome ( reply )<br />
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What you have to do now is memorize the greetings above and the best way is to use the arabic greeting instead of english when meeting friends and family. After that you can practice them in arabic writing.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-82392230594614380462011-02-01T10:57:00.000+08:002011-02-01T10:57:24.250+08:00Miracle Makeover....physically or mentally?It has been sometime since I last involved myself in any kind of business or trading. Recently I met a childhood friend of mine who has joined a skin care and cosmetic direct selling company. She was havinfg a skin care class in my hometown and as a show of support for this sister, I enrolled in the class. The class was very informative and the sisterhood among the participants was great and without much persuasion, I joined in as a member. So now here I am as a Beauty Consultant.<br />
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</div><div>When I reached home after the class, I was amused to see my three children and husband waiting eagerly for me...to see my transformation ( You see, they thought I went for a miracle makeover ). Alas it was just me....with a little bit of colors on my lips and cheeks but with a whole lot of determination and confidence to start my new trade InsyaAllah.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Please make du'aa for me so that I do not back out from this opportunity that Allah swt has put forward for me. May He grant all of us qualty activities to fill our time with. Alhamdulillah</div><div><br />
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</div>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-50545798444907075592011-01-29T23:37:00.000+08:002011-01-29T23:37:17.325+08:00Arabic For BeginnersLast year I had enrolled in Arabic for Beginner class. My intention is to learn and understand this beautiful language which had been chosen by the Almighty. Here I will try and share what I had learned and hope someday Allah swt gives you and I the gift of understanding the Arabic language.<br />
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Introduction to Arabic Alphabets<br />
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There are 28 alphabets in the arabic language. Below is how it is used in words.<span></span><br />
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Alphabet Meaning<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A - Al Alif Alif ( the alphabet ) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">B - Bait House </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T - Tilmidh Student in primary </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Th - Thalathah 3</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">J - Ja`mi'ah University</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">H - Hur`uf Alphabet </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kh - Khoir Good/ well</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">D - Ma<b>d</b>rosah School</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dh - Dha`lika That</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">R - Rob God/ Almighty</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Z - Zauj Husband</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">S - Sayya`roh Car</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sy - Syamsiyyah Umbrella</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">S - Soba`h Morning</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">D - Abya<b>d` </b> White ( color )</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T - <b>T</b>o`lib Student in Secondary/ University </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Z - Bu`<b>z</b>oh Ice cream</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">`A - `A`ilah Family</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gh - Ghurfah Room</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">F - Fursoh Pleasure</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Q - Qolam Pen</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K - Kitab Book</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">L - Ha`<b>l </b> News<b> </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">M<b> - </b>Mudhakkar Male </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">N - Lau<b>n </b>Colour</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">H - A<b>h</b>lan Welcome</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">W - Hu<b>w</b>a He </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Y - Yaum Day</span><br />
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Here I try my best to deliver the sounds and words used say these alphabets, As a student of this beautiful language I ask Allah swt to forgive me for any errors that I make knowingly or otherwise. The first step is to be able to recognise the alphabets in this words and better still practise writing it in arabic.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-13063050827319918352011-01-27T08:10:00.000+08:002011-01-27T08:10:39.106+08:0099 Names of AllahHadith:<br />
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah has ninety-nine Names, i.e., one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Paradise; and Allah is Witr (one) and loves 'the Witr' (i.e., odd numbers). [Bukhari Vol 8 Book 75, Hadith 419]sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-20739186489260475572011-01-25T10:09:00.000+08:002011-01-26T09:02:23.648+08:00A new beginning.For almost the whole year of 2010 I had not updated my blog. There are many reasons and excuses but none of which is good enough an excuse for not maintaining my blog. It had become an abandoned project just like somethings that we drop off half way in our life. Maybe it could have been boring, monotonous or maybe I just run out of idea on what to write. After my pilgrimage to Mecca in 2009, I came back with many resolutions. One was to decrease my time on the Internet so that I can spend more time in my prayers and gain knowledge about my religion. But then I realised that by sharing my knowledge through this blog, I am doing something worthwhile where others could learn and share their experiences. Thus with renewed determination, I decided to continue with my blog. InsyaAllah, I am planning to continue Recipe for my children for now. And if time permits I will be starting a new topic on "Teaching Reading for 2yrs - 6yrs using the Montessori Method. InsyaAllah.sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-59222904407560907532011-01-02T22:14:00.002+08:002024-01-23T22:20:38.997+08:00My Own Little BusinessToday I am writing more on my new business interest. The friend I was talking about, decided to do her skin care class for my two daughter and also as a training session for me. My daughters naturally did not mind being the lab rats for this kind of experiment. I had called my friend over for lunch. I had prepared for her a special lunch and insyaAllah I will share the recipe with you soon. It was my late mom's recipe Coconut Rice, Chicken Masala Curry, Tandoori fried Chicken, Beans and Carrot stir Fry and ice cream with fuit cocktails for dessert. (Whoa, after puttting it down in words, only do I realise how much of excessive calories that would have cost me!)<br />
After lunch we settled ourselves at the dining table where she will be conducting her demo.To my amazement, my friend took out a cabin size luggage bag which has all the cosmetics, lotions, creams, mirrors, cotton etc. According to her, I too must bring along this kind of bag when I conduct my skin care class!! <div><br /></div><div>I had a look at how she demonstrated all the various layers of lotions, creams, and foundation to prep my daughters faces. Then she applied the various application for the cheeks and eyes. Also lipstick and lip gloss. My daughter of course were absolutely over the moon to be given a makeover by my friend. They were encouraging me to learn all the tricks on how to apply all these colours. I agreed to attend this companys business meeting just to see what it was all about. During the presentation of this company, I found it hard to concentrate and focus on what was happening in front of me. I have attended many classes, religious and for self improvement before. I never feel so detached to what was happening around me as I felt during this meeting. After I reached home, everyone was eagerly waiting for me. That was when I told my children and AK that this is not the kind of business I would like to do. So there goes another dream of me opening my own business. Nevertheless, I will still continue my search. To own and run a small successful business. Till then pray that my dream comes true.</div>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043778789559271604.post-74314290983841902902009-11-30T15:11:00.001+08:002024-01-22T15:16:58.571+08:00My journey to MakkahI still remember the day when Ak and I went back to our house in Kuala Lumpur, and found the letter from TH saying we were selected to perform our Hajj this year. My excitement turn to anguish when we found out that we had not replied by the deadline date, Then started the many phone calls explaining we have moved to Penang and have not updated our address. So finally TH told us to be on standby. We had to take our vaccine, attend a crash course on Hajj Pilgrimage, pack all ou bags and wait. A few days before departure, we finally got the good news. So now we officially became DuyyufurRahman. Our flight was from Kuala Lumpur. My children were all still very young. My eldest was 19, my son was 15 and my youngest was 10. They will be staying with my in laws for the whole time. <div></div><div><br /></div><div>Our flight was upgraded to business class all the way to Jeddah. The whole journey was like in a dream. I never would have imagined that I will make this most important pilgrimage before the age of 40. It is difficult to put into words my experience, because each and everything we went through is a test. Whether it is good or difficult, all of it is a test. The only thing I want to highlight here is the first time my eyes, "touched" Kaabah. The feeling is unimaginable. It is beyond words. Tears will come because of the joy and a kind of fear. I did my Umrah at age of 26. My 2 kids followed us. The youngest was not born. It is the same feeling you get no matter how many times you look at the Kaabah. </div><div><br /></div><div>The same feeling when we went to Madinah. The heart flutters with joy when in raudah. We feel so close to the Prophet saw. As though he is welcoming us to his Masjid. All in all it was a very sacred journey. Made a few friends for life. Hope to go again to Makkah, this time with all my children, God Willing</div>sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14649907910353378555noreply@blogger.com0