No Second Thoughts

Last year, when i was woken from my 'slumber', and being blessed with my other half having a precious part of her body removed, my life has taken a better meaning.

Taking God's reminder, it got me back into Orbit and readjusted my Focus.

On reflection, my experience might not be the best, but i am gratefull that it did happened.

This resulted in my two marvellous Umrah experience in April and May, and InsyaAllah, my journey this Monday, 16th Nov to perform my obligation with my wife.

I once heard that, there are 22 reasons, why one finally perform the Hajj, despite it being one of the 5 Pillars of Islam.

Well, i do succumb to one of the reasons, when i was given the 'friendly' reminder last year.

As a Muslim, performing the Hajj has always been one of the ultimate dream.
Growing up, literally, hearing untold stories of the experiences of the Hajj from others, sometimes gives a different connoctation.
Sometimes it might have some negative impact to mere mortals, who are not devoid of sins.

It is a known fact that the 'calling' to perform the Hajj, was sounded by Prophet Ibrahim and the 'calling' by Allah Taala was done even before the Earth was formed.

It is also a common knowledge that every Muslim hopes that those that has gone earlier for their pilgrimage, will also 'do the calling' for them, when they are there.
This is called 'Seruan'..
I have received a few request to 'seru' them to follow the path....
InsyaAllah i will do the needfull.
In fact i will do a little bit more, and i wll also 'seru' for those that has not requested it.

I hope that i will be able to perform the Hajj, admirably and get through with flying colours, with the Grace of Allah.

I hope, when i come back, i should be able to encourage others to perform their Hajj soonest, without having the experience of being reminded like me.

For me, there was never a Second Thought, when matters of performing the Hajj is concerned.
It is only my human weakness that, only at this age, i am finally making the serious effort to really do it.
My example is not a good one to emulate.

I am sure all Muslims do not have any Second Thoughts when matters of the Hajj crops up.
It is just a matter of wrong priorities.

The Next Raya-Friday,27th November

Now that Raya Puasa is just a memory, i am reminded that the next Raya is only 2 months away...Raya Haji, which should fall on Friday, 27th November.

I am planning to be in Makkah by then, InsyaAllah.

I know that it will be a new experience from spending Raya here.

May ALLAH accept what i have done

As Ramadan draws to a close,InsyaALLAH tomorrow,
I hope ALLAH TAALA accepts my month long compulsory fasting.
Like what i wrote earlier, i hope i pass the month long test.
Only GOD knows.
As i watched the Friday morning program Tanya lah Ustaz, i am attracted to what was said.
The correct greetings for Raya should be "May Allah accept what you have done" and the greetings that we have been accustomed to all this while, "Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Bathin" is a Malay greeting.

It makes a lot of sense to me, because after a month long puasa, it is most appropriate that we should hope that we get full marks, or rather GOD accepts fully what we have done.

We know how we have performed and we truly know
that GOD knows better.
We hope HE accepts what we have done.

Likewise my Raya wish to all my friends this year and thereafter..
"May ALLAH accepts what you have done"....the month long puasa

And plus the usual Maaf Zahir Bathin..

Malaya plus Sabah and Sarawak

Today 16th September is Malaysia Day.
Giving the fasting month as an excuse, there is no extra-ordinary events lined up to remind us of the significance of the day.

Likewise, it was never an occasion in the past for celebrations, especially for us this side of the South China Seas.

Reading through some write ups on the formation of Malaysia, it crosses my mind that not many on the Peninsular values the significance of the additional two states into one Malaysia.
Many still harbours the thoughts of Singapore leaving us and how Singapore is nowhere near us.
Many are still asking the same question.."How come Singapore can do it?".

Will Sabah and Sarawak leave us in the future?
How come Brunei managed to keep out of it and yet remain strong?

I may be wrong in thinking about these.
Who am i to think on behalf of the people of Sabah and Sarawak?

Did i pass the Puasa?

In a few days time, the month long puasa will end, and the old routine will continue.
Life will be normal again.
My puasa has been quite a normal routine one, not much challenges.
I am truly blessed, Alhamdullillah.

But there are many others who have more challenges during the fasting month.
Definitely, those that has to work in the field away from the air-conditioned office, like the Traffic policemen,soldiers,pasar malam, construction,.. etc..etc..has a more challenging puasa than me.
I should know because in my previous career, i was subjected to such conditions..
Maybe they get more marks for their extra challenges.
I am not sure about mine.
Did i pass this puasa with just enough points or....?
I hope so....

Anyway, this Sunday, i will be celebrating Raya back in Sungai Patani with my family at my sisters house, because my mother is there.

I have not been celebrating Raya back there for the last few years, with good reasons..
This year i do not have a valid reasons, not to be with my mother and siblings back home.
I will take a slow drive this Saturday, very early in the morning.
To the few readers that drop in, i would like to wish you a Safe and Memorable Raya.

The Lukewarm Response to this years' National Day

(I posted this to my RMC Old Boys yahoogroup)
Dear all,
I might be wrong here.
It seems that the overall response to this years' National day is rather lukewarm.
I am referring to our E-list here.
In previous years we had some postings about our National day or rather i would post something just to highlight our National day.There will be one or two others who would do similarly.

This time around there is none and i am the only one at the moment, just a day away from 31st August to write something here.

Am i surprise?
No i am not because i too am feeling rather lukewarm about this year's do.
Unlike in 2007, when i was involved in the parade itself when we had 50 of our OPs marching up front on National day parade, this year seems quite a distance away from that feeling i had two years ago.

Am i being less patriotic?
Am i being less Malaysian?
Am i getting ungratefull?
Am i the only one?


Some says that it is the H1N1,
Some says that it is the fasting month

But nobody is saying that they are not in the mood to be reminded of the day, 52 years ago,
when our fathers gladfully declared and celebrated their Independence from their Colonial masters.
Yes,the tv is constantly screening flashback of that moment in time, but then again statistics has it that most of us alive now are oblivion to that day 52 years ago.
Yes we can pretend to have some sentiments but, that is only superficial because, most of us were not there then...
It is only a historical sentiments that we have.....we are play acting to be sentimental about our independence.
Again i might be wrong here, and there are many genuine Malaysians out there who are truly appreciative of our forefathers fight for Independence!!

To top all that had happened recently, the 'cow's head' incident yesterday in Shah Alam, seems to me an indication that something is terribly wrong.
I can understand the sentiments of some of those who objected to the location of the temple.
But i cannot accept the idiotic act of parading the 'cows' head'.
I liken it to our childhood act of drawing a line on the ground and drawing a circle there on each side as an indicator of our father's head and daring the other guy to step on it.

That is inviting trouble...
Now that it has happened, i am sure there will be many 'rumours' and 'wild tales' that will follow.
There will be many stories of the 'pigs head' and many others.....

I am not sure how our Govt is going to tackle this.
Can they ISAed all those guys that took part yesterday?
Can the Indian leaders convince some Indians to take it coolly?
Can the Police seriously control everybody?
Can the others tolerate the idiotic act as an act by some Idiots out to cause mischief?

I know fingers are pointing here and there.

Can we on this E-list do something so that things will not escalate or be blown out of proportion?
I am sorry if my posting here, be misconstrued an an out of place posting or a piece of rubbish....

I am just trying to reason out how wonderfull, the last 52 years has been, less the Communist Insurgency and the Racial Riot of 69, that our nation has been blessed with.
Overall, we have not done badly.
I know some disagree and says that it could have been better, but on looking back, we are OK.

Since i am just older by a year than our National day, i am gratefull to my parents and grandparents for being responsible to ensure that i have a better life than them.
My National Day sentiments is for them.
Merdeka, Merdeka Merdeka.......
In English it is Freedom Freedom Freedom.
And it is the Freedom of the Mind that is Ultimate.
Free the Mind from Hatred.....

OP Azudin O Fuad

52 Years is a long time

As we are about to be reminded of the 52 years after we got our Independence from our colonial masters, i am lost for words as what to write.

I decided to post the picture of the flags which was taken at the foot of the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
The flags are displayed 24 hours a day.Rain or shine.
I know another friend of mine, a retired Jeneral, who writes about the flag in his blog. I did not make any comments there but i thought that i have a different angle as how the flag should be raised.
From my observations, it seems that the flag is only raised once and it stays there forever.
Unlike my basic training of raising the flag and lowering it down before sunset, it is becoming a trend now, that our flags are raised up the flag poles and remains forever up there.
Sometimes the flags remains for 365 days a year, i.e. from one National day to another!!
Sometimes, the colours changed and the shape too changed due to wear and tear..

Is the flag just a decoration?

Is flying the flag 365 days a year day and night a sign of one's utmost loyalty to the nation?
Do we need to physically keep the flag flying?
The flag too needs some rest...

In my military life, we took care of the flag with utmost respect and care.
The flag is raised and lowered every day.
The flag is lowered and kept dry, when it rains.
There is always somebody who is nominated to take care of the flag.
Looking at the way flags are raised now, it seems that once they are up there, then nobody cares about them, come rain or shine!!!!
Can this also be a metaphor at how loyal we are to our country and leaders?