Daddy's Day.

Abah,

I know this entry is kind of late but I also know you already know your daughter is lazy. :P

Selamat hari bapa, Abah.

Thanks for being such a great dad to us. I look forward for another 100 years living with you as my dad.

Take care and may God bless you always. InsyaAllah.

Trip to Langkawi

Recently I went to Langkawi with my family, my three aunties and my cousin to visit my grandpa who is not doing so well there. He has a chalet there so lucky for us we didn't have to book for our accommodation and transportation.

I moved to Ipoh on Wednesday and we went there on the next day. Perfect timing. :)

I don't quite remember when was my last visit to Langkawi before that but I am sure it was like years ago when I was still a student.

We reached Kuala Perlis around noon. Had lunch there, sort of a picnic because my aunties brought the food from home. Fuh..sungguh bertuah berjalan dengan orang tua ni. Then we took a ferry from there around 3pm. The ferry was not full and we sat at the top level. Me and my cousin changed our seats and sat at the back. Layanlah cerita Syurga Cinta.. dah pernah tengok cerita ni. The journey was around 45 minutes if I'm not mistaken.

Then we waited for my grandma to pick us up and went to the chalet. My parents and aunties were already exhausted at this time. So, I decided to go to the pool to swim with my sis and cousin. Felt good though, it's been awhile since I last went for swimming.

The chalet was really nice and comfy. My grandma said only foreigners usually come here to stay cause it is promoted only via the Internet. I checked the guest book and it was fun to read all the good reviews telling how much they enjoyed staying there. When we came there, no guests were around you know. She purposely closed the chalet for us. Ah well, there's a house tree as well. It was on top of the hill so being a forgetful me, I completely forgot to have a look. Stupid.

The next day we went shopping at Pekan Kuah. I tried to find a new pair of shoes since I only brought slippers (too lazy to tell why). But me being fussy is always the issue. Instead, my father managed to buy a pair for him. My sis bought some chocolates and 4 bracelets, my aunties bought some kain batik.. I don't remember what my mom and my cousin ended up buying. As for me, I bought a wooden jewelery box with 50% discount. Good bargain though. I don't really fancy shopping you know, one thing that is lucky being me.

And then we had to go back to the chalet cause my dad needed to go for Jumaat prayer so while waiting for him, we took a nap. Hehe. And then we went out again after lunch. We also went for a cable car ride. I did not have a clue it's that high you know. It reaches on top of a mountain! And there was a sky bridge on top there. I don't have any acrophobia but it did give me a chill when I was walking on the bridge especially when I tried to look down.

At night, we went to eat satay and seafood for dinner at Pekan Rabu. I managed to get myself a pair of shoes. Finally. We went home around 11 pm. Then I decided to try on the shoes and found out both are right sides and different sizes. How stupid is that? My family laughed at me really hard. It was just so frustrating. I am that careless, yes.

Early in the morning, right after breakfast, I insisted to go back to the shop to change my shoes. But the shop was still closed. Haha. So we went shopping again and my mom bought a comforter. I bought some chocolates for my brother but ended up got eaten by them in the car.

And then we went to Kilim Geoforest Park for a boat ride. My grandma contacted the guy there and asked for the newest boat. Cool. But we didn't even know that. We only knew once we were back to the chalet. Haha. Anyway, the boat ride was fun. We stopped at Gua Kelawar.. pastu tengok ternakan ikan.. kemudian lalu dalam gua buaya something like that.. pastu tengok helang makan. If you're going to Langkawi, make sure you try it. :) Sangat peaceful and relaxing. Tenang je. It's different from islands hopping. Don't be mistaken.

After that, then only I managed to change my shoes. Ah.. finally. When we were actually going back already. :P

We had our last shopping on Saturday morning, then headed back to chalet for lunch and then only we went to the jetty point. A quick shopping there but I didn't buy anything. I found a nice bracelet but I don't know why I didn't buy it. Only after getting into the ferry, I regretted. Aih.. nevermind that.

We reached Kuala Perlis around 7pm and suddenly our car showed the signal that battery is low. Abah did not dare to continue driving since it was a long journey. So we had to find a workshop around and most of them were already closed. We were already tired by then but what to do. Luckily Abah found a workshop that was almost closed and bought the battery.

Around 8pm we continued our journey and stopped twice at the R&R. Everyone was just so tired. We reached home at around 1 am I think. So tiring!

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Me with my mom while waiting for the ferry.


Ready to go. Abah already pening.


This is just acting. Trust me.

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Ok well.. this one too.


Mom and dad, looking so happy.

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Me with my cousin, Nurul. She's 24 actually. Doesn't look like one, right?


Abah : Diskaun untnuk warga emas takde ke?

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Mom is scared.


LOL at my mom. Her expression is priceless.

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At the peak.


I have no idea what the motive is.

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Me with my auntie.


We were doing some silly poses, but Abah just stood there with a blank face.

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Boat ride~


One of the breathtaking scenery.

Kelebihan Bulan Rejab.

Bulan Rejab adalah termasuk di dalam salah satu bulan-bulan Islam yang dianggap suci oleh umat Islam. Firman Allah s.w.t.


Maksudnya ;

Sesungguhnya bilangan bulan-bulan di sisi (hukum) Allah ialah dua belas bulan, (yang telah ditetapkan) dalam Kitab Allah semasa ia menciptakan langit dan bumi, di antaranya empat bulan yang dihormati. ketetapan yang demikian itu ialah agama yang betul lurus, maka janganlah kamu menganiaya diri kamu dalam bulan-bulan yang dihormati itu (dengan melanggar laranganNya) ; dan perangilah kaum kafir musyrik seluruhnya sebagaimana mereka memerangi kamu seluruhnya; dan ketahuilah sesungguhnya Allah beserta orang-orang yang bertaqwa.



Empat bulan yang dihormati sebagaimana disebutkan di dalam ayat tersebut ialah Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah, Muharram dan Rejab. Inilah yang telah disepakati oleh para mufassirin. Penghormatan terhadap bulan Rejab adalah bersempena penghormatan yang telah diberikan kepadanya semenjak zaman jahiliah lagi dimana mereka mengharamkan peperangan di dalam bulan tersebut. Inilah suatu pengiktirafan oleh Allah s.w.t. terhadap bulan Rejab di samping bulan-bulan haram yang lain.


Sejarah Islam telah mencatatkan beberapa peristiwa penting telah berlaku di dalam bulan Rejab, di antaranya ialah ;


Pertama : Peristiwa isra' Mikraj yang berlaku pada 27 Rejab mengikut pendapat sebahagian besar ulama' Islam. Ia adalah peristiwa di mana Rasulullah s.a.w. telah dijalankan dari Mekah ke Baitul Maqdis dan kemudiannya diangkat ke langit untuk bertemu Allah s.w.t. Di sinilah bermulanya kefardhuan solat lima waktu kepada umat Muhammad s.a.w.


Kedua : Peristiwa hijrah yang pertama ke negeri Habsyah oleh beberapa orang sahabat Rasululullah s.a.w. termasuk termasuk saidina Usman bin Affan r.a. dan isterinya Ruqaiyah binti Rasulullah s.a.w. Penghijrahan ini bertujuan menyelamatkan akidah di samping keselamatan diri ekoran tekanan dan ancaman hebat oleh puak musyrikin Mekah ketika itu.


Ketiga : Peristiwa perang Tabuk yang berlaku pada tahun kesembilan Hijrah. Ia adalah peperangan yang dipimpin oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. sendiri untuk menentang tentera Rom yang ingin mengembangkan pengaruhnya ke semenanjung Tanah Arab ketika itu. Walaubagaimanapun akhirnya tentera Rom membatalkan hasrat mereka kerana merasa gentar dan takut dengan kehebatan dan kekentalan jiwa tentera Islam.


Selain daripada itu, terdapat juga peristiwa penting lain yang berlaku di dalam bulan yang mulia ini seperti penaklukan semula kota Baitul Maqdis oleh Salahuddin Al-Ayubi dari kekuasaan tentera Salib pada 27 Rejab 583 hijrah. Imam As-Syafie yang menjadi ikutan mazhab umat Islam di tanahair kita juga dilahirkan di dalam bulan Rejab tahun 150 hijrah bersamaan 767 masehi.


TINGKATKAN AMAL DI BULAN REJAB SEBELUM SAMPAI RAMADHAN.
Oleh kerana itu, bersempena datangnya bulan Rejab ini banyak amalan sunat yang boleh dilaksanakan sepertimana juga di dalam bulan-bulan yang lain, di antaranya ;

1. Berpuasa sunat Isnin dan Khamis atau berpuasa sebahagian daripada bulan Rejab. Amalan berpuasa sunat adalah merupakan suatu galakan daripada Allah s.w.t. kepada umat Muhammad s.a.w. sebagaimana disebutkan di dalam sebuah hadis qudsi riwayat Imam Bukhari ;

Maksudnya ;

Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w. " Allah s.w.t. telah berfirman bahawa puasa itu adalah untukNya maka Allah lah yang akan membalasnya."



Imam Muslim pula meriwayatkan daripada Uthman bin Hakim al-Ansari, beliau (Uthman) pernah menanyakan Said bin Jubayr mengenai puasa Rejab. Said menjawab: "Aku mendengar Ibn Abbas mengatakan: "Rasulullah s.a.w berpuasa Rejab sehingga kami menyangka Baginda tidak berbuka (terus-menerus berpuasa) dan Baginda berbuka sehingga tidak nampak berpuasa." (Sahih Muslim)


2. Memperbanyakkan sedekah terutamanya kepada golongan fakir miskin. Ini berdasarkan hadis Nabi s.a.w. yang diriwayatkan oleh Hakim bin Hazam ;

Maksudnya :

" Tangan yang di atas ( pemberi ) lebih baik dari tangan yang di bawah ( penerima )"


3. Memperbanyakkan zikrullah dengan cara berwirid, bertahmid, bertasbih dan sebagainya. Firman Allah s.w.t. yang bermaksud " Hanya dengan mengingati Allah akan menjadi tenang dan tenteram hati manusia."

Apa yang kita harapkan agar amalan-amalan di dalam bulan Rejab ini dilakukan dengan penuh keikhlasan dan akan menjadi pemangkin untuk mereka yang benar-benar dahagakan kebesaran dan keagungan Allah s.w.t.

Firman Allah s.w.t.

Maksudnya ;

Maka sesiapa berbuat kebajikan seberat zarah, nescaya akan dilihatnya (dalam surat amalnya)! Dan sesiapa berbuat kejahatan seberat zarah, nescaya akan dilihatnya (dalam surat amalnya)!



Sabda Nabi s.a.w.: Hendaklah kamu memuliakan bulan Rejab,nescaya Allah muliakan kamu dengan seribu kemuliaan di hari kiamat.

Sabda Nabi s.a.w.:
Bulan Rejab Bulan Allah, Bulan Sya'aban bulanku & bulan Ramadhan bulan umatku.

Kemuliaan Rejab dengan malam ISRAK MIKRAJnya, Sya'aban dengan malam NISFUnya Ramadhan dengan LAILATUL-QADARnya.

Malam awal Rejab mustajab do'anya.(Dalam Kitab Raudhoh Iman Nawawi)

* Puasa sehari pada bulan Rejab mendapat syurga tertinggi (Firdaus).

* Puasa dua hari dilipatgandakan pahalanya.

* Puasa tiga hari pada bulan Rejab dijadikan parit yang panjang, yang menghalangkan dia keneraka (panjangnya setahun perjalanan).

* Puasa empat hari pada bulan Rejab diafiatkan daripada bala dan daripada penyakit yang besar-besar dan daripada fitnah Dajal di hari kiamat.

* Puasa lima hari pada bulan Rejab, aman daripada azab kubur.

* Puasa enam hari pada bulan Rejab, keluar kubur bercahaya muka.

* Puasa tujuh hari pada bulan Rejab, ditutup daripada tujuh pintu neraka.

* Puasa lapan hari pada bulan Rejab, dibuka baginya lapan pintu syurga.

* Puasa sembilan hari pada bulan Rejab keluar dari kuburnya lalu, MENGUCAP DUA KALIMAH SHAHADAH tidak ditolak dia masuk syurga.

* Puasa 10 hari pada bulan Rejab Allah jadikan baginya hamparan perhentian di Titi Sirotolmustaqim pada tiap-tiap satu batu di hari kiamat.

* Puasa 16 belas hari pada bulan Rejab akan dapat melihat wajah Allah di dalam syurga dan orang yang pertama menziarahi Allah di dalam syurga.

* Puasa 19 belas hari pada bulan Rejab, dibina baginya sebuah mahligai di hadapan mahligai Nabi Allah Ibrahim a.s dan Nabi Allah Adam a.s.

* Puasa 20 hari pada bulan Rejab, diampunkan segala dosanya yang telah lalu. Maka mulailah beramal barang yang tinggi daripada umurnya (pembaharuan umur).

Berkata Saidina Ali:

* Puasa Rejab 13 hari seperti puasa tiga ribu tahun.
* Puasa Rejab 14 hari seperti puasa sepuluh ribu tahun.
* Puasa Rejab 15 hari seperti puasa seratus ribu tahun.

Kelebihan bulan Rejab dari segala bulan seperti kelebihan Qur'an atas segala Qalam.

Puasa sehari pada bulan Rejab seperti puasa empat puluh tahun dan diberi minum air dari Syurga.

Puasa 10 hari pada bulan Rejab dijadikan dua sayap, terbang seperti kilat di atas Titi Sirotalmustaqim di hari kiamat.

Puasa sehari pada bulan Rejab seperti mengerjakan ibadat seumurnya.

Puasa pada awal Rejab, pertengahannya dan akhirnya seperti puasa sebulan pahalanya.

Bulan Rejab Syahrullah (Bulan Allah), diampunkan dosa orang-orang yang meminta ampun dan bertaubat kepada Allah. Puasa Bulan Rejab wajib baginya:

* Diampunkan dosanya yang lalu.
* Dipeliharakan Allah umurnya yang tinggal.
* Terlepas dari dahaga di hari kiamat.

Orang yang lemah dari berpuasa pada bulan Rejab hendaklah bersedekah tiap-tiap hari sekurang-kurangnya sebiji roti. Sasiapa bersedekah pada
bulan Rejab seperti sedekah seribu dinar, dituliskan kepadanya tiap sehelai bulu ruma jasadnya seribu kebajikan, diangkat seribu darjat, dihapus seribu
kejahatan.

Tiap sehari puasanya pada bulan Rejab dan sedekahnya pada bulan Rejab seperti ibadat seribu Haji dan Umrah. Dibina mahligai seribu bilik dan seribu bidadari, lebih cantik daripada atahari seribu kali.

Bulan Rejab bulan Allah. Bersedekah pada bulan Rejab dijauhkan Allah daripada api neraka kerana kemuliaan bulan Rejab, Bulan Allah. Allah jadikan di belakang bukit Jabal Qar bumi, yang putih yang penuh dengan
Malaikat dengan panji-panji berhimpun pada tiap malam Rejab meminta ampun oleh mereka kepada Umat Muhammad.

Allah menjawap: Telah aku ampunkan mereka! Barangsiapa meminta ampun (bersitighfar) kepada Allah pagi dan petang 70 kali atau 100 kali, pada bulan
Rejab di haramkan tubuhnya daripada api neraka.

Sesiapa berpuasa sebulan pada bulan Rejab, Allah berseru kepadanya:
"Telah wajib hakmu atasKu, maka mintalah olehmu kepadaKu. Demi ketinggian Ku dankebesaranKu, tidak Aku tolakkan hajatmu. Engkau adalah jiranKu dibawah `arasyKu, engkau kekasihKu daripada segala makhlukKu,
engkau terlebih mulia atasKu. Sukakanlah kamu, tiada dinding antaraKu dan antarakau".(dari kitabRaudatul Ifkar)

Puasa pada 27 bulan Rejab seperti berpuasa enam puluh bulan pahalanya. Jika disertai dengan sedekah seperti puasa seribu tahun, kerana kebesaran hari ISRAK-MIKRAJ.

Siapa melapangkan kekeruhan, kesusahan, kesempitan orang mukmin pada bulan Rejab dikurniakan Allah kepadanya Mahligai yang besar di dalam syurga Firdaus.

Siapa berpuasa tiga hari pada bulan Rejab dan beribadat pada malamnya(berjaga), seperti dia berpuasa tiga ribu tahun.

Diampunkan baginya 70 dosa-dosa besar tiap-tiap hari, ditunaikan 70 hajat ketika keluar nyawanya daripada jasadnya, 70 hajatnya di dalam kuburnya, 70 hajat ketika terbang suhuf (ketika Qur'an dinaik ketika berlalu di Titi Sirotalmustaqim.

Rejab ertinya ta'zim (kebesaran, keagungan, kemuliaan). (Rahmat, pemurah, kebajikan). Kerana kebesaran, keagungan dan kemuliaan bulan Rejab itu
maka Allah limpahkan rahmatNya, kemurahanNya dan terhadap hamba-hambaNya yang beriman dan beramal solih pada bulan Rejab, dengan berpuasa pada siangnya dan beribadat pada malamnya.

Demikianlah peri keistimewaannya keagungan bulan Rejab itu yang dinamakan dengan BULAN ALLAH.

REJAB bulan menabur benih.
SYA'ABAN bulan menyiram tanaman.
RAMADHAN bulan menuai.

REJAB menyucikan badannya.
SYA'ABAN menyucikan hatinya.
RAMADHAN menyucikan rohnya.

REJAB bulan taubat.
SYA'ABAN bulan muhibbah.
RAMADHAN dilimpahi pahala amalan.

Hidden beauty of marriage.

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce.. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I avoided her question.. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Dew so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce.

She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day..

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy... Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions... She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully..

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown

so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day,when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind.

I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I ran up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.......I cried and cried uncontrollably and carried her for the last time from the room to the hall with tears streaming down my face and gazing at my only son, his tears rolling from his eyes, they made me cry even more. I had lost my love, my wife and a loving and caring mother and nothing I could do now to put the clock backward. I had all the time now to look at her motionless body in detail but I knew it was going to be only for a short while until she made her last journey to the Lord... I held my son and wept again and again thinking of all the things I did not do for her when she was still alive .......and placed gently the flowers in her hands with my tears trickling on them.......she was gone forever, all my tears would not bring her back.

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank, blah..blah..blah. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

Credit : SimpleOona.