Rendezvous 2010

Our first roadtrip with our baby Polo to wrap up 2010!
We did it!!

Kissed that ass!

Hohoho!

I started my Monday mornin with a Bang, literally tis mornin! All was fine when i drove to work until the lil Benoi Road stretch when I had to stop for traffic behind a Mercedes cab. I wasn't speedin n I had my foot on that brake pedal for awhile yet...BANG! My colleague, who was my makin her first day return to work after maternity leave was in a blur. I was kinda shocked...like how the hell did i bang the cab?? Oh my heart felt like droppin for a moment. But I had to face it...my first accident.

The cabby & I came out n inspected our vehicles. NO DENTS! PHEWWWWW ALHAMDULILLAH~~
But there were scratches n the paint on our car plate was crumpled. Urghh! Taxi driver looked at me..looked at my car...asked if we can settle it right there. But I only got $50. So he took my no. and said we'll settle it after he dropped off his passenger.

I called Cuzzin Liz and asked how much would a paintjob cost on a bumper. I thought of offerin the cab driver $200 but she said "NO DON't Kak Supi. $100 should be more than enuff." Ok so i borrowed my colleague's money & managed to get it settled with that $100 & the cab driver said he didn't charge me for his cab rental etc. and simply told me to recommend ppl for his service should anyone need to use Mercedes Limo service! He smiled & went off & my colleague who was with me said he looked pretty happy.

Told another colleague abt the accident & he said that the scratches can perhaps be covered with wax. I told him, i noe no shit abt waxin man...so he tried usin his wax on my car...and sure enuff, the scratch was GONE!! Then i recalled that the cab's bumper scratches looked less serious than mine!! Wahhhh no wonder uncle was smilin away when I gave him the money!

Lesson learnt at a price.

Btw, to my Lesbo Raf...surely tis will be one of the most memorable birthday of urs tt i will remember...LoL! Enjoy the last of ur 20s! Yeah u have 6 months extra as compared to myself

Unanswered

Taken from:

http://www.islamfactory.com/articles/4/why-duas-are-accepted

Ibrahim ibn Adham - may Allah have mercy on him - a third century scholar, a teacher and a companion of Sufyan ath-Thawri, was asked about the saying of Allah - the Most High: "and your Lord says: "Call on me I will answer your prayer..." [40:60]

"We supplicate and we are not answered."

So he said to them:

You know Allah, Yet you do not obey Him,

You recite the Qur'an, Yet do not act according to it,

You know Shaitan, Yet you have agreed with him,

You proclaim that you love Muhammad Yet you abandon his Sunnah,

You proclaim your love for Paradise, Yet you do not act to gain it,

You proclaim your fear the Fire, Yet you do not prevent yourselves from sins,

You say "Indeed death is true", Yet you have not prepared for it,

You point out the faults with others, Yet you do not look at your faults,

You eat of that which Allah has provided for you, Yet you do not thank Him,

You bury your dead, Yet you do not take a lesson from it."

 

Hakone till home

from Tokyo we invaded the highlands of Hakone!
Tis album covers Day 7 to Day 10!

Tokyo Trooopin!!

26.10.10-04.11.10
The much anticipated group trip!
5 adults and a baby, 10 days in Tokyo! Whoa!
Tis album covers Day 1 to Day 6

The Dignified Wife

A ceremonial gun carriage awaits her tomorrow since she passed away on 02.10.2010. Although she is not quite a high profiler herself, she was afterall behind the main man who moulded Singapore. Madame Kwa Geok Choo or better known as Mrs Lee Kuan Yew surely was one whom although not many know about, is a familiar face who is always by the side of her husband,our Minister Mentor Mr Lee, always seen smiling with bright eyes.

I always had the impression of her as one who is graceful & firm without showing airs despite being the wife of Singapore's "somebody". No one looked half as poised as her with white hair in a cheongsam/shamfu. I knew little about her & only a few weeks back that I read the interview of the MM by The New York Times about their lives and her health goin into decline to the point that she was bedridden. I was really moved by their loving demeanours....I know, I get all warm & fuzzy seein & readin abt old people being all lovey dovey!

Photo taken from The Straits Times

Anyhoo she reminded me of Siti Khadijah, the Prophet's Muhammad's first wife some what. Both had similar qualities. Both were successful & intellectual individuals on their own yet both choose not to outshine their husbands & were always there to support their husbands, with calmness & wisdom...they went through thick & thin together & are their husbands' best Companions ever! And she was quoted to say "I walk two steps behind my husband like a good Asian wife". Much admiration & respect!

So here's to u Mrs Lee...may u rest in peace!

Another Muslim Invasion for America?

Well I'm not sure how America will react to Muslim takin spotlight again in America, especially in NYC, after the huge furor over the building of the Islamic Centre or what they call it as Ground Zero Mosque cos the next Muslim Invasion for them will be an exhibition of 1001 Inventions, focusing on inventions contributed by the Muslims while the western world was still stuck in the Dark Ages, that are relevant to the modern world. Say hello to the Golden Ages, New York Hall of Science! The exhibition will be comin to them in December, or so I read (oh! ain't that the Christmas season...it's the birthday of Jesus so why is Islam celebrated AGAIN??? ain't it blasphemous?? :b)! I would certainly like to see the reactions from them cos I see bigotry has infected them now as how it has infected those in the Muslim nations (now they are the ones burning & exploding holy books & puttin up outrageous demonstrations & picketing...oh don't blame me for assumin...that's what the MEDIA shows).*raise an eyebrow*

Ok...sarcasms aside, the exhibition held in London looked absolutely wonderful especially with a lil intro vid ala Harry Potter featurin Ben Kingsley as a librarian who turned into one of the Muslim great engineer! I really would love to see tis exhibition come to Singapore or ard tis region as not only would we learn abt history but also how when the true spirit of Islam is practised & embraced, it not only binds people together, but also bring knowledge together for Mankind to progress & keep the peace. It's abt time that terrorism take that back seat from bein the face of Islam, cos it never was Islamic. Comin from a Muslim with a scientific background, tis is more excitin than anticipatin Gunther Von Hagen's BodyWorlds! I hope it will be well received wherever it will goes on display!

Wheehoo~~

1001 Inventions - Discover The Muslim Heritage In Our World | 1001 Inventions

http://www.1001inventions.com/
What many not know or told about Muslims' contributions to the world!! May tis open the doors to more positivity & progress, insya Allah!

Eid Reflections

The Eid weekend's over and it was celebrated with a different routine this year. From the preps to the home visits. The preps for Eid went exceptionally light for me as the hubby was pretty "siao on" & did most of the chores that I was usually entrusted with. I'm very thankful for tt as I have been feelin pretty lethargic & crampy for the last few days of Ramadhan. Mak also took leave from work durin the last week of Ramadhan so it was an in-laws tag team for housework while i was pretty much spared to go to work without takin leave until the eve of Eid. I didn't feel the festive mood until tt very eve.

This Eid, I realise how important the role of my mum in my life all tis while. I reflected upon those who are stayin on their own & all the works they have to shoulder themselves thru Ramadhan preparin iftar & sahur & realised I am indeed so lucky to still have her ard. Sometimes I skip the laundry, the cookin & whatever else that demands of me in the house, she is there to help me out & push me to do them.

Mum-in-law faced a new challenge tis year as her only daughter is now in the US to study & her other children are all doing shift work. Hardly are they home to break their fast together with her & she is always griped by the feelin of loneliness. I can understand her situation & really hope that she can overcome it soon. Loneliness is such a poison... Again I realise how my own mum has been so strong as she deals with life without a husband & tt she is able to cope when I leave her for a period of time to travel. Tis Ramadhan, I tried my best to spend much iftar sessions at home, to accompany her.

On Eid, i missed out hangin out with my maternal family as I have now joined Iyuan's family. The whole atmosphere was a change. I missed the kecohness of my past Eids, travellin together with my cuzzins havin lotsa fun! Nevertheless, I guess next Eid, we'll have to plan ard our changes & hopefully we can get a better time coordination next time...

As of now, we shall go with the flow & rejoice that we are able to celebrate Eid as husband & wife this year wearin matchin clothes for the first time! Hee...so Eid Mubarak everyone & may God bless our lives forward!

 

(missed takin photos on Eid itself, tis was on 2nd Syawal)

(Yanni since u mentioned...kita memang sanding lagik! haha!)

Chunkfest & Fyz

Love, Peace, Ice Cream, Music & one happy birthday boy & gang!

The Goodly Life

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Reflecting every moment of tis life....

"By Al-'Asr (Time). Verily Man is in loss. Except those who have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and enjoin upon each other in the mutual teaching of Truth, and enjoin upon each other Patience/Steadfastness" Surah Al-Asr

The Month of Seeking Closeness to Allah

May we benefit from this Khutbah on Ramadhan...insya Allah

Link

Change of Hearts

In my life, I have never really been so turned off or affected by anyone's comments or attitude except for those who are very critical of others or those who like to put others down. I cannot seem to find harmony with such people & I will find myself either gettin agitated or losing my cool whenever they open their mouths or trying to make myself scarce from them so that my ears won't feel so "hot".

There was one particular colleague who really got me so turned off a couple of years back that it was very hard for me to stay nice & not burst into a rant here at that time. I'm not sure if for havin such foul mouth & attitude towards me, did I sneak a prayer hoping that God will open her heart so that she will discover the goodness/beauty of Islam. Yes, I'm talkin abt the one Dee decided to nickname Porky Bitch some time back.

On the way back yesterday, another colleague told me to ask abt her well-being & I was perplexed. Whatever for?? Only then that I learnt, that tis gal...has embraced Islam & is fasting! I was SHOCKED! UTTERLY!! I was still skeptical & resolved that I should approach her myself..And like it has been fated, that gal visited my neighbouring lab & I actually did open my mouth to initiate talk to her after so long. Hurhurhur! Masya Allah, indeed she said she has converted. Well, she is dating an Egyptian Muslim & she is now learning to become a Muslimah. I asked her what happened to ur Pork!? (I can't help it y'all!) She laughed and said..."I've overcame it!"

I dunno whether to snigger at her or be happy for her! Maybe I should do both! Hahaha! God pls forgive my mean side. Heh! It's really hard to believe how God always pull surprises on us to teach us values & morals....Ahh madness but all's good! Alhamdulillah!

I hope through her learnings of Islam, she will find wisdom & be led to live a blessed Muslimah life...

Here & Now

I let out a small laugh yesterday as I was seated between Iyuan & Mak while breaking their fasts. Both looked at me curiously. I was reminded of the lil "getting to-know-you" iftar last year. He was awkward but cool, Mak was too but both tried makin conversations with each other & I was there hoping so bad that Mak won't be hard on him....back then we were engaged...now we are married and they both get along fine!

First day of Ramadhan tis year went pretty breezily and today we had our first sahur together. It's nice tis sudden sense of togetherness, makes me feel warm & fuzzy. We are back to three...it used to be Abah, Mak & me...now it's Mak, hubby & me...

Hope that tis is the beginning of blessings in tis beautiful month & that may all get better from here on....insya Allah...

Welcome back Ramadhan!

Alhamdulillah here we are, another Ramadhan!
Let the benefits & goodness of tis holy month prevail above evil & insecurities that plague the world.

From You we pray for Strength, Guidance, Mercy & Forgiveness and in You we put our Trust & Faith...
Oh dear Lord, hear us

IslamWay Radio-Quran Recitations

http://english.islamway.com/sindex.php?section=erecitorslist

S.O.L.O

Woohoo I survived the morning traffic crunch to work on my own tis morning n parking the car nicely..
 


Now to face the challenge of Friday traffic after office hours...Bismillah!

Catchin Orianthi, Wondergirls, Tokio Hotel & Katy Perry@Singfest 2010

We finally decided to go to Singfest last week & looked forward so much to soakin up the fun & excitin performances last nite! I suggested to the babes that we should put on wigs! Inspired by Katy Perry's California Gurls vid...and they gamely agreed! So with wigs on, from Park Mall to Fort Canning, Singfest here we go!! Hahaha!

It was such a blast!! Missed The Likes but every artists after that were Not disappointing! Tip top performances! I am especially impressed with Orianthi...and of course most entertained by Katy Perry!! Ahh so so love her stage set-up! Thank u Mesye, Lola & Roxy for helluva fun time together!! xoxo

Thrill Rides

Wheeeeee~

My aunt requested for Iyuan to send her to the airport on Friday & we are holdin on to her car for the week end. It is very timely as prior to that, I had actually made arrangements to see Baby Amelia on Saturday & take my mummy-in-law out on Sunday to celebrate her birthday..so yes, thrill rides became part of the agenda! Hehehe~

I'm really pretty jittery when it comes to my aunt's MPV. It is my phobia handling her big bulky car as the last time I drove it, I nearly hit someone's car while lane changing, had bad braking judgement and had a hard time trying to park in between cars that Raf kept holdin her breath & prayed hard we won't get into an accident! I was about to be down with flu then, so perhaps that can be used for an excuse for such shitty driving but now, i'm all fit...so no excuses at all.

And yes, i think i definitely improved & really feel pretty accomplished tis week end especially since I was drivin solo for a bit without the hubby next to me to provide extra confidence boost & pair of eyes to look out for traffic! Hee~

So Saturday's thrill ride kicked off with drivin to Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal then pick Liz up at Marine Terrace who then became my V. Comm for the rest of the day/nite, then we drove to Downtown East to pick up Sitz & Wan & then to Dee's place to see her baby in Pasir Ris and then June joined us and we ended up drivin along Beach Rd, then to Mustafa Centre & then to Bugis Junction before I head home to take a quick shower and then off to fetch Iyuan from the terminal again! Whoaaa tt's a hell lot of an adventure or what?? Hah! And and and...I managed to do parallel parking la!! well it was a parallel parking slot, but the technique was not quite the tricky stuff. Hahaha! Managed to filter lanes pretty well & even parked the car in the multi-storey carpark for the nite! YEAY!!

Hah but of course what's a thrill ride without some learning incidences right? Hehehe firstly was the BIKE incident. I was happily cruising along the ECP towards Rochor when tis Mat Motor was drifting closer n closer to our car! Cuzzin Liz pulled my steering wheel so as to avoid the bloody Mat! I was kinda shocked because I didn't realise he was gonna bang into us! I can see him by the corner of my eye, i thought he juz wanna go between lanes so I didn't react! *toing!* When we passed the Mat, he & the pillion were really lookin very stoned out, no expression on the face man. Scary! so moral of tis story...check my blind spots every few seconds & be more aware of vehicles ard the car especially drifting ones! Eeeks!

Another one will be the BUS incident in the evening. Ok tis one also some kinda thrill cos firstly I entered the wrong lane after the traffic junction and again cuzzin Liz was my savior directing me & pointing frantically to my right lane! We were at the junction near Shaw Tower towards Suntec & it was actually controlled by a lot of TP  since there was the NDP rehearsal goin on nearby, and I had to commit such a negligent act in front of them!! Liz said she noticed a TP staring at me!! Die!! And guess what? After that, I realised...I did not switched on my headlights!! Double die!! I really really hope the TP did not take down my aunt's car no. & get myself into trouble! Liz said I might get my driving points deducted!! That'll be so so heartbreaking! So tis incidence, I learnt to look at the arrows on the road properly & think before I move off from junctions.

It's the mummy-in-law's birthday today & she requested to go to a place where she can see & hear airplanes in the sky...and i was like? where should we go?? A couple of people suggested Changi Beach & oh boy, Changi Beach we did go after dropping off Iyuan to work. Juz me, mummy & sis-in-law on a rainy & chilly Sunday! She seemed to enjoy herself & after that, I suggested perhaps we could have coffee & tea. Took awhile for me to think where to go to avoid crowd, jams & crazy parking so I decided to take a chance for Dempsey. So GoogleMapped & got the instructions & followin all well when I came to blank moment staring at the signboard with many expressways written on it. Panicked and end up exiting on CTE towards City. then panicked again, I ended up goin behind Paragon & comin out thru that lil lane from Lucky Plaza & into the heart of bloody packed Orchard Road! OMG!!! I know if I don't make wise judgement I will either knock down pedestrians or hit vehicles! I managed to clear pedestrians quite easily by inching my car slowly & not giving way, otherwise I'll be stuck there forever..then to go into Orchard Road was scary cos i was from a minor road turning out into a major road that is already jammed up & what more, i had to get past taxis! And u noe how taxis are...but luckily, I have no idea how...I managed to manouvre the car... whether i was super close to other vehicles or what I didn't care, I juz resolved & tried my best & Alhamdulillah, got thru the crazy traffic & out of it pretty nicely!! No getting honked at, people! PHEWWW~

I think that was the most thrilling experience by far! Filtering in tight places in Orchard Road! Haiyo bloody SCARY!! But I did it!!! WOOHOO!! So we did end up in Dempsey & chilled out at HOUSE where both mum & sis fell in love with the ambience & really felt comfy in. I'm so glad all went well today & to top it off, my mum-in-law said "Eh Sophie, u drive like u an experienced driver eh, tak mcm baru pass 2 bulan" and before we parted she also said "Thank u so much, u made my day!" and hugged me....Alamakkkk i tell u....HAPPY & RELIEF GILA k!!

Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah!!

Rounding-rounding satu Singapore yo!

Haha ok not exactly, juz a few lovely places we went to over the week end

Another half a month to go...

Tonite is Nisfu Sya'ban...we are movin closer to Ramadhan again, alhamdulillah. Tis is the period where I will have my fasting trial-runs, in order to repay the fasts i missed last year. I thot it is good time to do so before the real deal commence the following month. Apparently, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w also fasted alot in the month of Sya'ban & it is also mentioned in a hadith that on tis night, Allah forgives,grants mercy & rewards those who seek Him. So hopefully I'm among those whose sins & negligence Allah forgives.

Tis year I am repaying my fast on my own (usually I'll do so with Mak)...so i've wakin up at 4am & cookin up simple dishes for myself. I'm not very versatile with vege, been cookin carrots, cauliflower, french beans & some mushrooms here n there but come Ramadhan...i dun think my husband can withstand those day in day out, although I learnt that he can simply survive on cereals! Any easy peasy Sahur recipes to share anyone,preferably somethin soupy & not so spicy? Insya Allah I will try to keep up tis enthusiasm & keep my stove busy next month...

Lookin forward to Ramadhan as a wifey!

Night Fest 2010

A nite out museums-hopping tryin to soak in a lil on culture & art....

Wakeup Project

http://www.wakeupproject.com/Videos.asp
Videos that perhaps lead to a bigger picture of the Universal truth...may hearts & minds be opened & a greater understanding be established.

-The Divine Book
-The Arrivals
-PHASE 3

Appearance & Reality...from PHASE 3



Discovering the Balance

Waka Waka Pizza Party

Never mind that Argentina lost, we had a blast!

A Piece of Malaysia in Singapore

The status of the railway station, as well as other issues such as the water supply to Singapore, is disputed between the governments of Malaysia and Singapore.

When Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, there was no border control between the two countries.When the two countries established border controls, both the Malaysian and Singaporean Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) officers were stationed at Tanjong Pagar for immigration clearance of railway passengers. Road travellers clear immigration at the Malaysian side of the causeway and Woodlands, Singapore upon entry to Singapore. In this case, the CIQ of both countries are separated.

Following an agreement between Malaysia and Singapore which was reached on 24 May 2010, railway operations into the station will cease by 1 July 2011, after which the building will be conserved and may be integrated with future developments on the site. KTM's southern terminus would be relocated to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint.

(excerpts taken from Wikipedia)

Will miss boarding & alighting the train here....tis is one for the memory...

Violent religion?

Recently I came across videos & conversations about how questionable & contradicting the verses in the Quran are that some even pointed out that Islam ultimately promotes Violence when in power & God is somekinda dictator, only wanting to be worshipped while the Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings be upon him) is potrayed as a big tyrant in the period post-Mecca.

It troubles me how it is becoming easily convincing for people to actually believe what they see or hear about Islam through these means, whether they are non-Muslims or even Muslims themselves. 

I pray for constant guidance for all my loved ones to maintain/strengthen ur faith despite all these elements that try to sway us away from the real deal...

Here I'd like to share abt why violence is part of the Quran & was put to practise by the Early Muslims. (long article taken from http://seekersguidance.org/ans-blog/2010/06/02/explaining-the-caravan-raids-by-early-muslims/)

Question: Can you please tell me the Islamic point of view on early Muslims attacking caravans? I get this a lot from non-Muslims and I wish to give them a proper response. Unfortunately, militants also use this reasoning as an excuse to do their militant attacks.

Answer: Wa alaikum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

The question of caravan raids by early Muslim and their justifications is an important question with serious modern implications. This is why sound Islamic knowledge, both the letter and spirit of the law, is so important to attain.

The caravan raids that took place during the early Migration period can never be used [and abused] to justify modern terrorist attacks on civilians, or cowardly assaults on one’s own countrymen Muslim or non-Muslim, or rebellion against one’s own governments whether Muslims or non-Muslims, or to conduct vigilante operations to fulfill one’s ambitions of bloodlust and revenge.

The Reason Why the Caravan Raids by Early Muslims Took Place

The early Believers of Makkah were mercilessly persecuted for their faith, in their own hometown, by their own kinsmen and countrymen who could not tolerate their call to fix the injustices in their society, which spanned from the spiritual to societal. For thirteen years while the Prophet (peace be upon him) lived in Mecca, he was forbidden by God Most High to do so much as lift a finger in self-defense against his persecutors.

The early Muslims were powerless, outnumbered and boycotted. Still, they did not resort to guerrilla tactics, coup d’etats, terrorist methods nor assassinations, when all of that could have easily been attempted. The command on them from God Most High to keep the peace and order within their society and respect its laws, even uphold the trusts and contracts they had, is telling for how Muslims who perceive themselves in similar situations today should behave. Their only response was to increase themselves in devotion to Allah, and pray for ease. This attracted even more people to the message of Islam.

After the order by God to migrate to Madina, the Muslims had their own state, but the Makkans still sought to vanquish them. Thus, the raids were in self-defense, fully conducted within the laws of Islam which forbade the killing of innocent civilians or even the harming of people with whom you have covenants of peace. Even if the early raids were pre-emptive, the trade being conducted by the hostile Makkans was the selling, at times, of the stolen properties of the exiled Muslims, in order to amass materials and weapons to exterminate the nascent Muslim community of Madina in a looming war they were planning.

What took place after the migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Madina with regards to the caravan raids were actions between two independent states with rulers and laws, not guerrilla leaders, militias or vigilante terrorists. They did not occur on any one state’s land- rather, on the no-man’s-land of the vast Arabian desert. There were no international laws, no government relations, no treaties of peace and diplomatic ties, nor accepted rules of engagement like there are today in our times. There were no covenants of citizenship, but even then, there was the concept that a visitor from a hostile that entered the city legally was never to be harmed.

There was also no “khiyana”, or treacherous deception, even though the migrants were Makkans and looked just like their aggressing countrymen [even being from the same families], yet they clearly declared the renunciation of their citizenship, identified themselves openly and separated before they defended themselves, and never harmed civilians or acted as an “enemy from within” in Makkah. They were never a fifth column in their countries, nor attempted assassinations, overthrows, or terrorist attacks to force Makkan to accept their demands when it was possible to do so, even under the worst persecution.

It is clear from this that the terrorists of today do not have a moral [therefore Islamic legal] leg to stand on.

History is Not the Same as Islamic Sacred Law

Historical events in the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are not Islamic legal rulings. One cannot pick up a book of Prophetic biography by themselves and come to conclusions on how to deal with complex modern-day issues of international gravity. Rather one returns to the mainstream scholars, both for guidance on how to view past and new incidents in an Islamic light, and for rulings on how to behave in contemporary contexts.

When a Muslim is supposed to return to mainstream scholars on minute issues of personal law rather than go into the primary texts to find their own whimsical solutions, isn’t it more obvious that people should return to them for clarity on major issues which hold innocent life and millions of people’s safety in the balance?

Likewise for those outside of Islam looking in, they should know that any wars and violent resistance in the prophetic biography should be seen in the same light as any mention of war in the holy books of other world religions, such as the Battle of Jericho and those fought by Moses, David and Solomon in the Old Testament, or the wars between the Kauravas and Pandavas in the Hindu Gita, or stories of self-defense which are the cornerstone of Sikh history.

While all of these religions’ stories of struggle have been twisted by extremists to justify expedient political ends and even terrorism, the main purpose of remembering those events should be to teach good values and condemn oppression, not to justify terrorism.

This space is too short to get into the nitty-gritty legal details of how and why senseless violence, terrorism and traitorous vigilante attacks are impermissible and completely against the spirit of Islam. If one is interested, a 600-page fatwa by a scholar named Shaykh Tahir al Qadri can be read which elucidates more or less what the position of the mainstream scholarship is. It is clear from that that the caravan raids of Islamic history can never justify the terrorist attacks that take place today.

Violent Interpretations Must Be Refuted and Marginalized, By All Sides

This seems obvious when it comes to terrorists and extremists justifying their hideous actions through distorting religious teachings.

However, the misconceptions of some people who fanatically criticize and negatively portray prophetic history are the other side to the same coin that bears the warped understandings of modern day terrorists and militants

Both groups actually employ the same misunderstandings of the same past events and push it on one another to fuel each other, except that the terrorists claim to be believers and use these misinterpretations to justify their heinous actions today, and the Islamophobes do not believe, and use their misinterpretations to justify fear-mongering and demonization of the Muslim communities in their countries, which are by-and-large peaceful, moderate, loyal and law-abiding. No doubt, the side of the terrorists is inexcusable however, while the Islamophobes still have a right to their opinions.

Both sides blame the other for their own existence and need to struggle; furthering violent misinterpretations of Islamic history on either side then, only leads to “self-fulfilling prophecies” which convince misguided and uneducated Muslim youth that these Islamophobes represent the majority of the “other” and rather than refute their misinterpretations logically through the religion, they accept them and actually make them their own while being rebelliously proud of it. While the chicken-or-egg blame-game continues (was it terrorism or aggression?), its consequences distract the mainstream good people of both sides from reaching lasting solutions for peace.

Hence, we as those who call ourselves Muslims and claim to follow the highest moral example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) need to speak up first, to break this vicious cycle, and clarify the truth for ourselves and instruct our own people in it before anything else, and trust that good people of all walks of life will notice, listen and thus marginalize those who propagate misinterpretations from their side.

How Muslims Should Deal with These Types of Historical Incidents

Although an event-by-event exercise in apologetics has its place, if you are looking to answer these types of questions it will never end because the heart of the matter is not being discussed – the greater context. It is easier to adopt a general approach unless you, or the questioner, have time to delve deeply into history and fair sources.

One must look at the over-arching teachings through source texts, in this case Qur’an and prophetic narrations, which will clearly show the sacredness of life and the importance of respecting covenants and legal systems. Also, the prophetic biography, taken as a whole with Makkan and Madinan periods considered, will show us this. This should teach us the spirit of the law. Then, for the law itself, we must return to the mainstream scholars, who follow the way of the majority, preferably those from the same land as the questioner so language and mentalities are clearly understood and communicated, all of whom would condemn the types of modern-day militant attacks you are asking about.

One cannot compare between a prophet who is directly instructed by God on what to do, and modern-day followers who claim to draw lessons from that prophet, while completely violating known and set-down principles of the sacredness of life in their religious teachings taught explicitly by that prophet. Today, we have limited knowledge of exactly what took place and how in religious history. Thus, we accept that because God sanctioned these events, they fully took place within the context of the broader moral teachings of respect for life and justice, though we may not understand. This applies in the life stories of Moses, David, Krishna, and Muhammad (peace be upon him), to name a few across various traditions. Then, we return to the greater teachings that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself laid down for our own actions, and emphasize historical events in a positive light that reflects the lessons of those greater teachings.

Patience, being peaceful and just, and taking the higher road has always been hardest to take, but this cannot be explained to those who follow what suits them or their situation, because they did not imbibe the compassionate teachings in their own faith before acting in its name.

In any case, it is obvious that people who violate Islam’s teachings on the sacredness of life will never win their struggle. While they continue with their misguidance however, it is the duty of Muslims before any other people to stop them, through force of arms and education and prayers for guidance, because the way to help your oppressive brother is to stop his hand from committing oppression, regardless of whether he feels oppressed.

 

PIE/SLE/BKE

first time behind an alien/hybrid honda

first time carryin 4 passengers
first time hittin 3 expressways in a nite
and we survived despite the crazy u-turn stunt!
heh it's said practice makes perfect so...again again??
and P-plate shall be for parking

Post Mother's Day/Sis Pre-Birthday/Couples Getaway@Tioman

Back to Berjaya Resort & clear waters of Tioman tis past long week end! All went pretty fun n well except for the much waiting n waiting for our ferry rides & coffee shop local food for lunch & dinner. Services there are beginnin to be such a turn off for such a beautiful island with such beautiful nature....

Peri Peri Lovely~

The initial idea was to pass to dear Sue my French phrasebook for her use in Paris but since she said she missed havin a girly time...Voila! It turned out to be a girly(and one lil dude) nite out at Nandos & J.Co. for us who haven't catch up in ages! Thank u babes for makin some time for a lil dinner & a lil chit chat together!! Luv ya!!

Merci beaucoup mes amis~

Lesbo Loves~

always cheerin n supportin me thru all kinda situation especially for secret missions & gatherings. thank u for bein my "partners-in-crime" always! taitai lunch done, now..for the joyride? hehehehe

Jitters

hopin that a second chance is all it takes.

needs clarity, focus & gumption.

pls let me pass.

tis time.

amin.

10 Tips for Expecting Muslims

It's not my time yet, but here's some knowledge to share with future mummies & daddies :)

The exciting news has barely seeped in that the overjoyed Muslim couple starts planning and preparing for the imminent arrival of its new bundle of joy. Although the level of nervousness, excitement and anticipation does depend greatly on whether it is a first-time pregnancy, or a subsequent one that will add to an existing brood, nevertheless, no one can help but enthusiastically look forward to a fresh new stint on the parenting journey.

Time immemorial has seen women give birth successfully. Each human being we behold is proof of the fact that some day, many years ago, a pregnant mother carried and bore that individual during several stages of difficulty and innate weakness.

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

“And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: his mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his utter dependence on her lasted two years: (hear the command, O man!), “Show gratitude to Me and to your parents: to Me is (your final) Return.” [31:14]

Yet, when a woman embarks on this journey, even if it is not her first time at it, she becomes overwhelmed by a myriad of diverse, and sometimes conflicting, emotions – euphoria, anxiety, hope, despair, joy, fear, excitement, foreboding, and uncertainty, to name just a few.

For Muslims, this new development (pun intended) calls for higher levels of taqwa (consciousness of Allah), and complete, unswerving tawakkul (trust in Him). As I have been on this journey a couple of times, and having experienced answering the questions of many sisters who have turned to me for counsel when they were in the family way, I have decided to share today some tips for the expectant Muslim parent, for the future benefit of those who are already on the way to becoming parents, or hope to some day:

You are not the only one scared by this

If you find yourself imagining how difficult it will be to give birth to and care for a baby, rest assured that every woman feels that way when she becomes pregnant. No one was born to be “the perfect mother”; in fact, the so-called ‘perfect mother’ doesn’t exist. Every mother who has ever lived, made mistakes and learned from them. Most had really bad days during any of their pregnancy trimesters, when nausea and bodily aches made them cry; when their feet swelled up in the 9th month and standing or walking became a nightmare; when they said the most obnoxious things during a mood swing, or when they thought they’d just never be able to pull through any of the difficult stages. You are not alone!

Seek forgiveness

Expectant mothers feel guilty about complaining of pain, fatigue and weakness; of grumbling about lack of strength; of being deprived of the enjoyment of previously pursued hobbies and pastimes, and for feeling scared and overwhelmed about the future. They feel guilty because inside, they know that in actuality, they are being blessed by Allah, by being given a baby through a safely progressing pregnancy. They know that scores of women who are not able to conceive would give an arm or leg to be in their position – yet they cannot prevent themselves at times from feeling hopeless, lonely, tearful and utterly miserable.

Know that your body is undergoing the biggest change possible – such a change involves emotional and physical upheavals; lots of crying, worrying and whining. However, there is one very effective way to release the corresponding guilt: repentance on a daily basis. It wipes out whatever bad you do. Remember to continue with this beneficial procedure during pregnancy. Recite the masnoon istighfar at least a hundred times a day. It takes only a few minutes.

Thank Allah

Being blessed with a child is indeed something we should be grateful for. Remind yourself that you are blessed; that to know that you are fertile is a very positive, morale-boosting feeling for a woman. Remind yourself that the mortification felt by countless women, who are unable to conceive after being married for several years, is much more psychologically and emotionally, trying than a few months of pain, weakness and fatigue.

Even if your pregnancy is “unplanned” or “unwanted” – force yourself to thank Allah for this blessing, because a pious child is one of the greatest means of benefit and reward after a Muslim leaves this world. Look at the bigger picture and console yoursef by thinking, for example, “In a few years, I will not even think about this pain and weakness, insha’Allah, but will be enjoying the company of a beautiful child!” Also, remember that pious offspring is one of the major sources of continuous rewards for a Muslim even after death.

Do your homework/gain knowledge

Gain knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth; not just on its Islamic rulings and jurisprudence, but also medical know-how about what is going on inside your body. Reading on the Internet is a very efficient way to find out the basics, as long as you are wise enough to differentiate between the facts and myths.

Introduce the Quran to your baby

When the fetus is fully formed, just after the first three months of pregnancy are up, it can hear sounds from outside the mother’s body. While your baby is inside you, it primarily identifies and gets accustomed to your voice. It is at this point that healthcare providers advise the expectant parents to start talking to their baby as if it was right there in front of them. The baby quickly identifies the voices of people it hears the most, especially its mother.

Capitalize on this one-on-one, exclusive bond with your unborn baby, which will be gone once the pregnancy is over. Recite the Quran  (if you can, without rushing through it) every single day until the delivery date, once your fourth month of pregnancy has begun and your baby will be listening to each and every word you utter. When a mother speaks, the sound waves of her voice travel to the baby, so imagine how great the effect of melodious, soothing Quran recitation would be on the fetus! Divide your recitation so that the baby hears the whole Quran in your voice before you deliver.

In addition, recite the du’a that the mother of Maryam Bint `Imran did when she was expecting her baby:

إِذْ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ عِمْرَانَ رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

“Behold! a woman of ‘Imran said: ‘O my Lord! I do dedicate unto You what is in my womb for Your special service: So accept this of me: For You hear and know all things.‘” [3:35]

With this du’a, you can renew your intention every day that this baby would be a pious servant of Allah who would devote his or her life to striving in Allah’s cause. You will see the amazing results of thus dedicating your child to Allah during pregnancy, once your baby is safely delivered and starts to grow. The child will show an innate affinity towards the Quran and other forms of worship from very early on in infancy, insha’Allah!

Be patient

Prophet Muhammad [صلى الله عليه و سلم] said that, “….the woman who dies during pregnancy is a martyr.”

[Narrated by Ahmad (23804), Abu Dawood (3111) and Al-Nasaa'i (1846)].

This inevitably means that whilst she is pregnant, she is akin to a warrior or worker in Allah’s path. Imagine! You are bringing a life into this world…but not just one life. Your offpsring is the continuation of a lineage – a predecesssor to many more generations, insha’Allah.

The difficulty that you are going through is written for you because of the magnanimity of the work being taken from you – the greatness of the responsibility of bringing a life, or rather a continuation of existing life, into this world! No wonder you are stricken with fears, emotional turmoil, mood swings, lack of sleep, physical fatigue, bloating and in the latter stages, debilitating immobility.

To be patient means to try not to say unpleasant and negative things; not to snap at and make life miserable for others, and to persevere in worship and obedience to Allah as usual, despite the difficulty.

Seek advice

The importance of sisterly moral support and consultation cannot be underestimated. It makes an expectant mother feel much better to hear the past pregnancy experiences of friends and relatives. However, when talking to other women and seeking their advice, it is very important not to undermine your own uniqueness. Allah created the one-of-a-kind you, and that means that not everything that works for someone else might work equally well for you.

Also, the same woman experiences different pregnancies with each baby. If you had severity of nausea and vomiting with your first baby, its possible that, with your second, equally severe backache and edema will pose the biggest challenge. Know that every mother uses a trial-and-error method to get through the rigors of pregnancy, and you should also do that.

Follow your intuition

Allah guides His pious slaves by inspiring them to do something – He might place an idea or thought in your head, make you chance upon an article, book, or a phone conversation with someone that will become the means to finding the right solution to your problem. Whilst it is always wise to take the advice of elders and women who have “been there, done that,” you must trust and follow your own gut feeling, or intuition. A woman is programmed a certain way, and she should do what she herself thinks is right for herself and her unborn baby.

Do not be overtly apologetic

Likewise, if you choose not to follow someone else’s advice about your pregnancy, you do not have to feel guilty about it or apologize to them profusely. You have the right to choose to do what you think is best for you and your baby. And that includes choosing the appropriate obstetrician, birth plan, and mode of birth (home birth, water birth, etc.).

Allow room for mistakes

Last but not the least, remember that making mistakes is normal and perfectly acceptable. If you do something wrong, just rectify your stance and learn from the “Oops, I did it again!” experience. All mothers make mistakes; that is how they get good at what they do. Allah will forgive you for those mistakes, as long as you keep turning to Him in sincere repentance (as mentioned in point number two above) and are conscious of Him whenever you make a decision regarding yourself and your (unborn or born) baby. There is no right way or wrong way of nurturing a baby and what works for each mother-child pair is unique.

Your baby’s birth will, insha’Allah, signal the end of most of your physical troubles, but it will commence the next stage of your jihad – nursing and caring for your baby around the clock. With each passing day, each passing hour, you’ll learn the ropes and Allah will make it easier. Each succeeding baby is, likewise, easier to care for than the last one, as you have been there, done that, until the day comes when you can literally nurse and change a diaper whilst half asleep, without even turning on the light!

Taken from: http://muslimmatters.org/2010/05/17/the-family-way-ten-tips-for-expecting-muslims/

Walk/Shop/Eat/Talk

cherished simple pleasures :)

The BB's Engagement

Cuzzin Liz's engaged to her Mr Policeman! Alhamdulillah all went well! Now to scheme for her bachelorette party & the Pak Bing Bing!!

All I Ever Wanted Tour-Kelly Clarkson

27.04.10

The crowd was alot less than the gigs we attended before but heck, Kelly brought the house down! Iyuan said she is The American Idol, and we believe she is even when she was just in t-shirt & jeans. Seems like too short a gig but it was awesome wholesome!

Tis Kick Ass Semi-Domestication

Oh my Sunday....started with ironin hubby's t-shirt at 0540h n then a lil sleep n then 2 rounds of laundry. Then off to Vivo with mum to accompany her get a new handphone & meet the hubby. I can't believe that she wanted an iPhone & she was so keen to learn usin it from him! But the shop was left with the 32GB ones, which would be rather under-utilised by her so she ended up with a HTC Legend, thanx to the son-in-law! OMG makes me feel lame that i'm still usin button phone!!

Caught Kick Ass(it was kick ass awesome movie!) and then off to Giant to by some household cleaning stuff. Came home dropped the stuff on the kitchen floor, went into the bedroom n back to kitchen only to find Mr Muscle for mold & mildew leakin from the plastic bag! DAMMIT!!

So i messed up, i had to clean up! And it struck me yesterday that Mum was lamentin on how dirty our kitchen floor looked & we should mop it some time soon..and VOILA! Today her wish came true at such ungodly timing of 2220h!! Aiyoooo it's not Hari Raya eve & i have to wipe & mop the floor!! Wah that Mr Muscle was super strong...tiles changed colour almost immediately when i do the wiping! Mak was super pleased...i told her please don't make tis kinda doa la...see it comes true, but at such bad timing Mak oii!! She grinned & instructed me to wipe a lil more here & a lil more there   -_-''

After 4-5rounds of rinsin & much perspiration, damn the floor looks virginally clean! And all tis while, the hubby was in the bedroom & didn't look for me!! I bet he must be in front of the comp!! So when I wanted to grab my towel for a shower, oh yes sure enuff he was!! I found him like tis:

Hehehehe so poor thing...must be so tired! Thanks ah God for the wicked humour! Dunno if i should feel kick ass or ass kicked man. And my hand still stink of that Mr Muscle even after showerin!!! 

Honey Supplier: Healthy Lifestyle International Sdn Bhd

http://www.alibaba.com/product/my100844324-107676948-101459806/Honey_for_door_gifts_and_souvenirs.html
Hah i just stumbled upon tis!
It is the company which I ordered my customised wedding favours from! Uncle Lau uses the picture of it without my permission (i came up with the sticker design myself!)! But it's ok, i won't sue! Nice chap who offers pretty good deal & customer service, the melaleuca honey supplied is yummy too!

31.03.10-03.04.10: Azure Waters & White Sands Callin@Pulau Redang

Redang beckons!

Worth the 20h of coach travel time + 3h of ferry ride! Redang was a much needed beach getaway for gettin sun kissed, snorkle & simply slackin away...what more with awesome company...ShioK!

And i still have the picture of that big ikan jebong we saw upclose in my mind!! FREAKYYY!!

Freedom of Expression

ideas;conveyed

Tender Mercies of God & Provident Living

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

I like the simple way these important messages are conveyed. A Mormon's speech with underlying Islamic way of life & beliefs. Though they found the Lord through Jesus (peace be upon him), we are blessed with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) leading us to that same Lord, in the most compassionate way...may we learn from each other & be strengthened in our faiths :)

Why "No Pork, No Lard" simply Cannot do unless...

u come into a situation from Sura Al-An'am ayat 145:

"Say (O Muhammad): "I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine― for it is an abomination or what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's." But (even so) if a person is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits― thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

otherwise, in all other circumstances, Halal meats are what Muslims (non-Muslims can choose  that too) should eat. well i'm not preachin or tryin to bring down others, but i guess in such times where "No Pork No Lard" food are bein pushed so much in our mult-racial & multi-religion society & people are tryin to cash in on us, so great is temptation But we have to be Wise in choosing our food (yeaps check those food labels too), whether do we eat for blessings or simply for lustful desires. Well, it's not juz food but for everythin else in tis temporal life...

take heed, should u care beloved brothers & sisters...here's why:

"Why should ye not eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced, when He hath explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you,― except under compulsion of necessity? But many do mislead (men) by their appetites unchecked by knowledge. Thy Lord knoweth best those who transgress. Leave (O mankind, all kinds of) sin, open and secret. Verily, those who commit sin will get due recompense for that which they used to commit.Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allah's Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and disobedience of Allah). And certainly, the Shayatin (devils) ever inspire their friends to contend with you; if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be Mushrikûn (polytheists) [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism]."  Surah Al-An'am 119-121

Halal la..la la la la...Halal la..la la la la~

Cayman Islands-Kings of Convenience

Drift away~

I'd Rather Dance With You-Kings of Convenience

Didn't vid the whole song cos I'd rather dance!

Misread-Kings of Convenience

If you wanna be my friend
You want us to get along
Please do not expect me to
Wrap it up and keep it there
The observation I am doing could
Easily be understood
As cynical demeanour
But one of us misread...
And what do you know
It happened again

A friend is not a means
You utilize to get somewhere
Somehow I didn't notice
friendship is an end
What do you know
It happened again

How come no-one told me
All throughout history
The loneliest people
Were the ones who always spoke the truth
The ones who made a difference
By withstanding the indifference
I guess it's up to me now
Should I take that risk or just smile?

What do you know
It happened again
What do you know

Kings of Convenience

A night of beautiful acoustic folk-pop, with Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe at the Eslaplanade Concert Hall

Vids with Yanni, Shafiq & Mr Man Bitch in mind:
Misread-Kings of Convenience
I'd Rather Dance With You-Kings of Convenience
Cayman Islands-Kings of Convenience

perSPECtives

Paul Frank's Peace of Mind, Iyuan's speckies.

I Decided My American Idol IX

it's SIOBHAN MAGNUS, no other!!!!

WOoOoOOtSS!! WoOoOOts!!!!

i haven't been followin the Idols since Fantasia Barrino was crowned but tis season is one bloody interestin one to watch & be surprised with the different contestant havin their own edge or indie takes on the theme songs. I LOIKE!!!

the only other time i heard Siobhan sang was Chris Isaac's Wicked Game, that hit me and now Siobhan so so so slayyyed Rollin Stone's Paint it Black, gave it a lil ol skool Metal screaaaaamingggg!! And her sweet smile & quirky style?? i LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! oh she's such a delight!!

Logic & Sunnah by Yusuf Estes

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Making sense of them all.
Jazakallahu khairan, Hashem for sharing this vid & Yusuf Estes for such excellent simplicity in Da'wah.

Friends

Last week there was an article about friends featured in the paper's Mind Your Body section and it classified 3 types of friends who contribute to improve one's well-being. Today i met the Man Bitch & he remarked that i am becomin more n more housewife-like a.k.a domesticated. I know. Not quite the social one runnin ard organisin all kinda fun girlie meet-ups & hang outs anymore. No longer chatting online every nite, being there for those in need to purge off their daily stress or struggles or be the first to share happy news & rouse up some kinda agenda. 

I find the lil Cancer(the crab not illness..choy!) bit in me is developing more & more as I'm pretty much now been rather snuggly in my own shell, though alot of times i wish i was out there, havin & makin fun! I still have the verve but somehow i lost the mood. But despite the much mellowness that have overcome myself (i'm surprised, really), I noe I am still loved & am very grateful to have found my Movers & Shakers,those who give me kickstarts or simply kicks in the ass so i can rise up to my potentials & responsibilities; my Cheerleaders, who are always there to cheer me on when i'm feelin so shitty & helpless at times & Workout Buddies/Activity Partners, the ones who work their asses with me so that i won't feel pathetic doing things alone....Thank u for being there for me even tho i am always not around :)

I miss good ol times, I miss some of you but life goes on...

Ok, now must go goreng nuggets for hubby who's comin back from Noon Shift work!

See??

Much love~

Lil Idris' Fetish

He's so cute!

Baby Loves!

Asqalany
Avery
Zhong Xian, Idris
Maisarah

Bride Obsessed with Personal Touch: Signoria Nuziale

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Intro:
As a bride-to-be, I was obsessed with wanting my wedding to be one with good warm vibes & one with personality, something that makes me feel real & comfortable rather than an occassion where a bride just follows the notion. I wanted to enjoy the process towards the big day. So here I'd like to share the people/vendors who made that journey wonderful for me, whether or not their service were hired by me or not. To them, you deserve the credit!

Review:
This was the first Wedding commitment that I signed up...even before the engagement took place! What attracted me most were the Fantasy shots done up by this studio, which was pretty unique compared to the usual outdoor n studio posed bridal photoshoots. Checked them out at a bridal exhibition & after hearing the price of the package, I found it rather reasonable although I have been warned by friends that SURELY we will end up pumping in more money than the package price (this seems to apply over almost all photoshoot packages).

The contract period for the package is 5 years, so it wasn't till it was close to our wedding that we contacted the rep, Lynn, then go for outfit fitting session & set a date for the shoot. That would be a year plus after I signed up tis package. I had a choice of 5 outfits but I ended up only with 4 as I told the coordinator that I'm bringin one casual dress myself. But on the actual day, I brought 2 own clothes, as I simply could not go without taking along the wedding dress I wore on my wedding, done up by L.A.B Bridal Couture.

Was happy with the make-up & hair styling by Sharmaine as it wasn't OTT, it was natural looking & not too pale/muted and for the first time somebody actually dare to use Blue eye shadows on me, it was pretty! Photography was a breeze..our photographer Simon gave good & clear directions, teasing us along the way, trying his best to make us kiss! *malu*

Then after about 2 weeks, we were called back for photos selection...MAJOR headache! Cos the photos turn out so lovely, I was impressed as we did not discuss anything abt the mood or feel that we want the photos to have and I was hoping that they don't turn out looking very polished & modern and yes, they didn't turn out so! WoOots! Then about a month plus later, we had to review the albums layout. I simply had to have some input & Ming Siang the designer had to readjust some things before the final products were finally ready.

Such a tedious process over photographs but all in all, me VERY HAPPY even though tis is where i throw most of my money into for wedding affairs...such is our Wedding Investment, hopefully they'll last long enough to show even our great grandchildren!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Website: www.signorianuziale.com

Tis Love is Whimsically Charmed!

The last of the wedding moods captured, post-honeymoon~
Beautifully put together by Signoria Nuziale (www.signorianuziale.com)

I want ur Love & I want ur Revenge

cos i so miss bein with GURLS ONLY!
wish i can meet all my lovely ladies but i don't always have the opportunity, i hope for more to come :)

Ibadah (Worship)

Pure & Simple, take ur pick & have a blessed day!

1. Prayers or Solat

2. Prescribed Alms-giving.

3. Fasting.

4. Haji or pilgrimage to Makkah.

5. Reciting the Holy Qur’an.

6. Remembrance of Allah in all possible situations.

7. Earning one’s livelihood in accordance with the regulations of the Shari’ah

8. Fulfilling one’s obligations towards one’s companions and neighbours.

9. Persuading people to act righteously and dissuading them from what is reprehensible and forbidden.

10. To follow the Sunnah, or the practice of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him an grant him peace)”

Couple Couple Week End

A rare week end that we getta spend time together...

21 Guns

Green Day doin an AC/DC & Pink??

Live in SG, 14th Jan 2010

The Louder Than America Gig...Heyyy Ho!

Green Day totally rocked the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the 14th of Jan. It was AWESOME!! The stage set was simple but heck the attitude & the energy & throw in pyrotechnics...the gig was SUCH A BLAST! If I am not mistaken, at least six members of the audience were pulled up on stage by Billy...they must have had the time of their life those lucky buggers while the rest of us were left Green with envy.

RAISING CHILDREN WITH DEEN AND DUNYA

http://prodigic.multiply.com/journal/item/537/RAISING_CHILDREN_WITH_DEEN_AND_DUNYA
A good article for Muslim parents/parents-to-be.
Thanks Mr Fyz for sharing :)

Oh how considerate but poor zhu zhu

I pity McDonalds for their lil blunder in offering the Lucky Charm/Chinese Zodiac Doraemon series without the Pig in conjunction of ushering in the Chinese New Year!

Albeit a sensitive & respectful move for the Muslims, it is a lil "misguided" and it is kinda upsetting cos the pig is replaced by somethin totally not Chinese-y...CUPID?? People here question why Mc Donalds are only sensitive towards the Muslims & not showing the same sensitivity for the Hindus & Buddhists & Christians. Already many in this region are not happy with the Malay Muslims who burnt churches in Malaysia & now this? 

But we didn't ask for tis from Mc Donalds.... 

In any case, I don't think Muslims here are offended with the presence of pig soft toys at fast food joints and the same applies for dog soft toys. Eating the flesh of swine or anything of its derivatives IS Haram(not permissible in Islam) but not playing with toy piggies. Hopefully we learn a lil somethin from tis episode as a nation & not let this incidence along with what is happening across the Causeway undermine our religious & racial harmony. Nevertheless thank you for the thoughtfulness :)

Perhaps Mc Donalds can emm bring in those cute zhu zhu as a lil CNY surprise for our Chinese friends...it's still not too late? 

See...so cute....but these ones are from Hong Kong, they look way nicer than the Singapore version:

 

From http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_475721.html

MCDONALD'S exclusion of the pig from its Chinese zodiac Doraemon collection has generated much displeasure, going by last Saturday's report, 'McDonald's pulls pig toy'. Many viewed the episode negatively, but there are positives to it.

First, while McDonald's may have showed 'a lack of cross-cultural understanding' by its decision to replace the pig toy with a Cupid one, its fundamental intention - to respect Muslim sensitivity - is commendable in Singapore's multicultural context.

Second, Muslims in Singapore were understanding and accommodating towards the issue. Responses cited in the report showed that Muslims were sympathetic to the unhappiness of Chinese customers who wanted to collect all 12 animals, and would have been agreeable with a pig toy had it been introduced.

Contrast this with the tensions and conflicts overseas, where offence can be taken over the use of terminology and symbols, and it can be seen that the Muslim community here is rational and accommodating when dealing with issues pertaining to religion.

Third, Chinese friends I have spoken to did not disagree with McDonald's concern over Muslim sensitivity. Instead, they disagreed with its handling and felt it had proceeded in a tactless manner that highlighted the irregularity, since the omission of the pig would naturally lead to further questions and controversy.

Although McDonald's could have handled its toy promotion better, the incident reflected positive signs of accommodation and understanding from various segments of society. Rather than frown on our differences, we can afford to smile at how this episode brought out our young but advancing collectivity as a multicultural nation. Perhaps this will make the Doraemon collection even more valuable.

Ng Junrong

In the name of God..Allah is Universal lah!

I cannot fathom the big brouhaha abt the Herald weekly using the word Allah as God for Catholics in Malaysia. Its disturbing that the Malay Muslims in Malaysia are making such a din over this issue.This is not the first time I roll my eyes & get restless from the news comin from Malaysia. Why why why...do they have to do something to instigate confusion & disharmony using religion, using GOD?!

Allah is a Universal God and we Muslims have no right to tell Christians, Catholics or Jews not to use the word Allah to refer to as God. It is the same God we are referring to also any way, what's the deal??

Perhaps there is a BIG fear & concern of confusion among young Muslims or vulnerable ignorant Muslims but emmm rather than ban the Catholics if they(malays) are scared of confusion & conversion, What about looking into the education system & introduce a more solid Islamic curriculum huh? Malaysia takkan tak boleh? xb

Please stop this nonsense la, it is malicious & ridiculous! Tak bagus tau berfikiran sempit....


Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names....."

Surah Al-Isra' (17:110)










 

New Year Unions

The new year started with unions!
Of Atiqah & Ardi goin all Javanese on their wedding day & of a steamboat date@Yanni's & Azmi's. Yeay!

Organising a movie date or a gathering seems to be really tough nowadays, nevertheless i'm optimistic...they'll come along the way in 2010! Have a blessed year ahead with ur loved ones everyone :)