Kerana Pekatnya Air Gula

Kerana Pekatnya Air Gula

Sang remaja dan anak dara,
Orang muda serta si teruna.
Aku melihat kebanyakan kita,
Sungguh asyik membicarakan tentang cinta,
Iaitu cinta antara dua jantina,.
Dan setelah aku memerhatikan seketika,
Aku tersedar mengapa kita sedang terlena.

Bagaimana mungkin kita tidak berfikir tentang cinta,
Bila mana ia sentiasa berada di mana-mana,
Di dalam cerita, novel, nyanyian mahupun sastera,
Serta dalam seloka atau dengan sekeping gambar,
Tidak terlepas daripada memperkatakannya,
Segala kisah keindahan cinta.

Bukanlah diriku hendak mengatakan,
Seolah-olah cinta itu sungguh hina,
Atau rasa tersebut adalah berdosa,
Kerna ia adalah satu kurnia,
Daripada Si Dia Yang Bijaksana,
Dengan sedikit daripada nikmat syurga.

Namun aku hanya ingin menukirkan,
Bahawa masyarakat kita sudah terlebih rasa,
Pada kepekatan manisnya air gula,
Kerana cinta yang sering berkaitan dengan emosi dan jiwa,
Maka jiwa yang sudah hilang keseimbangannya,
Tidak akan mampu terbang ke destinasi mereka,
Sebaliknya lemah ditiup angin kecewa.

Bukan salah berkahwin muda,
Namun aku harap kita lebih bersedia,
Bersedia bukan sekadar menjaga sesama kita,
Tetapi hakikat tanggungjawab pada sang dunia,
Yang telah lama diperketawa dan dihina,
Maka biarlah Allah yang menjaga kita.

Cukuplah kita menambah gula,
Dan meletakkannya pada lain rasa,
Mungkin tentang cerita perjuangan baginda pula.

Mekah Al-Mukaramah
30 Ogos 2012

p/s: terjumpa tulisan ini ketika membelek semula buku nota lama yang sudah diganti baru.

Keeping The Written Thoughts.

Hi. Hihi.

Assalamualaikum.

Allow me to fill the emptiness of this blog with few writings I wrote in the past 3 months. I had always reminded myself to copy-paste them here but forgotten when the free time came.

This one is the thoughts I tweeted last two Sundays before. That time, I just gone through quite hectic days, regarding SMSA works and welcoming new juniors ( I am currently the Welfare and Career Officer). Then, that night I was just relaxing in my room. The thoughts came as I was about to go to sleep. It nothing much actually, but I thought it just might worth to keep it recorded here.

What lies we always wear, trying to fool our own heart.
Just random thoughts flew through the mind, for all the events past by.
Good night to the world, let all the complexity gone cold.
From deaths to friends, and promises we pledge.
And I am just His servant who isn't perfect.
I only pray I can be the better guy tomorrow, for the journey still lie before.
Forgive me my friends, and to the Lord is my only hope.
Truly, this is the Good Night. =)

Tweets from William Street, Sheffield.
21st October 2012.


Next:
This one is much much older. Written, or technically tweeted (again), when I was waiting for my brother to pick me up as I just pulled out from a program in UPM. I was supposed to be in the program for a month but for a few circumstances I didn't get my chance to go on with it. It was quite a loss that I couldn't finish it. Anyway, these tweets are in Malays. I decided to keep them here because it is the tragic reality of our world. More, I realised it didn't just happened in our country, but repeated all over the globe and throughout history. Let me present to you,

Kebenaran Yang Tercemar

Hak dan batil bersulam-sulam. 
Yang hak disulamkan kebatilan, dan yang batil disulamkan dengan hak. 
Dunia akhir zaman penuh fitnah durjana.
Dusta noda bersedia memperdaya mereka yang buta.
Kerana mata si buta seorang si penglipur lara.
Hanya kerana si penunjuk jalan penuh dengan kusta.
Dan si pendusta memakai sutera.
Maka tertipulah sekalian manusia...

Tweets dari UPM, Bangi.
7 July 2012

With that, I thank you.

Assalamualaikum.

=)

Ouh yeah, I went to Australia last month (September 2012). It was really nice seeing and hanging out with the old friends again, honestly.
The bald head was because I just got back from Umrah haha.

My Umrah trip. Here are two couples who were dating in front of the Holy Kabah.
Sweet tak? lol.
Thanks God for the sustenance You give me. Please allow me to visit Your house again.

Bangsa Melayu

Idea yang tiba-tiba mendatang, ketika diri sedang memerhati pakcik-pakcik tua di dalam masjid seusai daripada solat Zohor. Karya yang bertajuk, Bangsa Melayu

Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah, lagi Maha Penyayang.

Bangsa Melayu,
Adalah sebuah bangsa,
Yang menjadi Raja di Asia Tenggara,
Suatu ketika adalah penakluk benua,
Sedang bahasanya bekas Lingua Franca,
Kalam ilmu agama dan bahtera,
Diguna mereka yang mencari cahaya,
Ketika di zaman kegemilangan nya.

Bangsa ini,
Sangat suka berjenaka dan bergembira,
Bergelak ketawa bila bertemu teman setia,
Senyum sentiasa ketika gembira,
Walaupun pada si pengembara,
Yang baru saja bertegur sapa.

Bangsa ini,
Pada adatnya sangat ramah mesra,
Lemah lembut pada bicara dan bahasa,
Bersulam-sulam dan menyindir perkara biasa,
Tidak gemar memulakan persengketaan,
Sedangkan hati mereka sangat mudah terasa,
Bertikam hanya selepas satu kadar masa,
'Bersabar kita ada had' katanya.

Mungkin semua kerana mereka,
Telah lama ditanam dengan ajaran agama,
Yang kian bertapak sejak kurun 6 lamanya,
Dibawa terus dari punca asalnya,
Para sahabat dan anak murid baginda,
Yang tidak pernah lelah menyebarkan nilai,
Menjadi permata dalam diri kita,
Serta mungkin dalam bangsa Somalia juga,
Yang berkongsi pada pengajaran yang sama.

Bangsa ini,
Bukanlah kaum yang malas sebenarnya,
Tapi hanya kerana terlalu merendah diri dalam jiwa,
Serta kurangnya keyakinan dalam hati,
Hasil dipijak selama seratus tahun lamanya,
Ketika lemah lembut mereka diperguna,
Dan diperikat dengan tipu daya,
Oleh bangsa lain yang licik bercerita,
Kerana berperang dan menipu adalah adat di sana.

Diriku menulis karya ini,
Bukanlah kerana hendak membangga diri,
Jauh sekali dari menabik dada,
Pada darah yang mengalir dalam hati,
Namun hanya ingin lebih mengenali,
Pada diri dan bangsanya sendiri,
Yang sering kali terjatuh ke dalam perigi,
Kerana gagal mengenali,
Siapakah dirinya ini.

Mungkin sudah tiba masanya,
Untuk kita bangkit kembali,
Mengulang sejarah seribu tahun yang dulu,
Sebuah bangsa yang mulianya mereka,
Kerana agama yang diterima.

Gambar hiasan; M Nasir. haha
sumber

Peace~

p/s: semoga semua nilai-nilai murni dalam bangsa kita kekal sehingga ke hujung zaman. =)

Writing

To write something, whether an article, a poem, or a song, is not as easy as it seems. To voice out your opinions, we have to reread back what we have wrote so that it doesn't seems too 'stupid' or childish. More, the important things are at how we write our words, how formal or 'mixed' they are.

Our writings are actually a 'window' to our inner self. A wrong step may lead others so see inside us what we hope others don't know. They are the 'voice' inside us that we always talked with all the time, which is actually our own self, so most of the time only when we wrote back what the voice said to us, we can really 'see' what have been lingering in our mind all these time clearly.

If I am to regret with my school days, one of them is to underestimate the function of languages. Honestly, I really didn't see back then the point of 'how' to score in languages subjects, and its use in real life later. I mean, if maths or sciences they are about knowing the facts right and able to use them back in our exam papers. Then we might use all the facts and knowledge to invent something new. But English and Malays? All I saw was only the grammars, which I thought are quite annoying. I never get to see inside me how mastering them can really be any use, except to talk to each other, which I had in my mind, "Well at least we can talk right? What else do the teachers want?" lol.

Seriously, I have to apologise to my languages teachers for sleeping in their classes all the time. God knows how much they always err, annoyed with me. Sorry teachers, I was a fool.

I don't know whose writing is that, do I? haha

That was not until I finally had to 'use the language' in real life, such as to give a speech. Only then I realised how awful I was in finding the right word at the right time. I was trembling, stutter in my speaking and anxious that I don't know what I was saying. The next thing I remember I already finished my words and on my the way back to my seat. The words have to be properly arranged whenever I want to send a formal letter so that we can get what we requested.

Then, I had to learn how to 'speak correctly' so that others will get what I mean to say and understand my message. Misunderstanding is one of the major reason that cause a plan to fail or didn't happened as it should. Worse, it will lead to fighting and any organisation to crumble. Most people know how to speak, but nowadays not everyone can really 'communicate', thanks to the technology that have been occupying new generations 'communicating' with robots and computers only. They missed the important lesson of social skills.

Words can also be used to raise others passion or to calm down when one is down. The right words can touch one heart and change someone. Only now I finally get to see the beautiful and artistic behind languages. Sigh.

Eh wait, I wrote to much. What I really mean to say is that, writing is not as easy it seems. I have ideas in me, but when I try to write them, they always didn't went as I wanted to. I mean, I always get stuck in vocabulary, and arranging my sentences, not to mention with terrible grammar. Lots of time, they end up sound so 'stupid' that I get stressed, I closed the tab helplessly. You don't want to know how many drafts I have in here. Haha.

However, I think I am getting a hang on it. Since I was aware the importance of languages, I have been reading books to improve myself, in vocabulary and ideas. Please do bear with me in my slow posts.

Oh yeah, one more thing. In conclusion, I really think writing is really good for everyone. At first, we may sound really stupid, ashamed with what we wrote, but if we are to learn slowly, we will able to write nicely and soundly acceptable to most of people. To leave a writing can actually be important, especially if what we wrote can somehow 'change' others, directly or indirectly. If we are to die, at least our writings, the good ones, can stay and be read by others. We might have chance to gain rewards even after we die, God Willing.

That's all for today, assalamualaikum~

=)

Nothing particular in this one.

Ehem. Assalamualaikum. =)

How are you? Missing me already? lol, just kidding. I doubt it anyway, because nevertheless my absentee in here, I am quite active in my facebook and twitter. Plus, is there really a loyal reader out there? erk, haha.

However, please forgive me for the no-post last month. I've been occupied with the end of the year exam studies and preparations. If any of you reader notice, I tried to do at least one post a month, and seems I just failed myself on that target. Haihh, my apology. I know that to reward any loyal reader of this blog, I should be diligent in updating it.

Right now, I already back to my beloved country, Malaysia. =D

To think about it, nearly a year have past since I furthered my study overseas to University of Sheffield. Even as I am writing this, a part inside of me still have the feeling 'excited' and 'not believing' that I already there. Honestly, when I was small, I thought it just a very vague dream that look like impossible for me to achieve it. I remember clearly in my mind, I had this dream since I saw my eldest sister went to Cork, Ireland to do her medic. I was only in my lower form grade, and I wasn't a really bright student either. Instead, I am one of the hardworking people out there.

Why am I saying that? Because if you are to check my examination records, I am not of the top students in the monthly or annually exam every year in my schools. Instead, they were always up and down, which show the time when I get studious, and not.

All and all, I still recall clearly in me that I have been asking to Him to allow me to study to England since I had that ambition (the moment I had a sister who went there), despite my 'incapability' or the not-promising records back then. I believe if I am to able to go to England, it all depends on Him. When He wills a thing, is only to say to it: Be! and it is! (Kun Fayakun). Hence, I don't think I deserve to be proud of myself. It is not because I am smart or what, instead all my happiness and gratefulness should be given to Him, the All Powerful and The Best Planner. Alhamdulillah~

Enough of my rambling, I have a few ideas and things in my mind that I have wanted to write, but seems doesn't come out here properly. I will try to write them here later, insyaAllah.

Please pray for me for my exam result, and I get to write the ideas here smoothly. Farewell, until we meet again.

Assalamualaikum.

During the exam preparation, proof I really was studying last month lol.
Location: Information Common, University of Sheffield's biggest library, a 6 stories building.

 =)

The knowledge from Spring Camp 2012

In His name, the Most Beneficent, the Merciful.

I always enjoy going to talk, forum or camps whenever I see there's one. This because in my opinion for someone to grow more and expand his view, he should seek more knowledge. However, whenever I got back from one talk or forum, I always had people said to me "Haris, share what you got with us", and I will replied "InsyaAllah". But, most of the time I didn't fulfilled the promise, because I don't know how and when. The information I got mostly stay in my book, in exception of few lines that stuck in my mind. Other than those, I can say I didn't even bother to revise or re-read them back.

Before this event, I went to SIMPLE, Sharing Islam With People, a two days talk program by Brother Shah Kirit, a Muslim convert speaker from Malaysia who shared with us his experience and journey of how he met Islam, the resistance he face and his wide knowledge about other religions. Today, he is an active speaker who give talks around Malaysia about the importance of spreading Islam messages to other non-believers.

Back to our topic, I planned to write what I got from the program to share with others but due to few circumstances, again I failed to fulfill my promises. With all those promises I broke, I am deeply apologise and ashamed of myself. Now, allow me to share my experience and knowledge I got when I went to a Spring Camp with the theme of "Face-THE-Book".

The Spring Camp was organised by Ikram UKE for four days and three nights, from Thursday until Sunday. The camp was held at Gilwell Park Scout Activity Center, located just at the suburb of  the city of London. One can't never though that there is a park which is really suitable for outdoor activity at only half an hour car ride from the London centre.

The theme, as one can guess, is about the importance of ourselves to read and understand 'The Book', the Holy Quran, by our heart. There were three talks given throughout the camp, from Mr Azman Yaacob, Ustaz Azzam Che Idris and Brother Aiman Abu Zaid. I don't think it is practical for me to write back ALL what I have written in my book but I will try to share with you the important ones and what had me able to relate back with our life.

The first talk given by Mr Azman Yaacob was about Surah Al-Furqan (chapter 25) verses 63 to 77, the characters of Ibadurrahman (the true servant of Allah the Beneficent). There are twelve characters all of them, or some might say seven depends how they tafseer the verses. Mentioned by Allah one bye one, the characters are the humble and tawadu', the one who says good words even when being cursed at, who prostrate at nights (Qiyamullail), one who scared of the Hell-fire, they who spend neither extravagantly or parsimoniously, who have strong aqidah and believes to the oneness of Allah, one who do not slay human soul, who do not commit fornication, he who repents, doesn't be a false witness, who leave meaningless actions (langha), the one who know by heart the words of Quran and finally, those who prays for their families.

source

Then, Ustaz Azzam Che Idris gave an explanation of how we can 'interact' with Al-Quran. He said, to interact with the Holy Book we should read every words and verses of it and feel as if Allah is talking with us, and every words in it are mean to ourselves. He told about the trick of 'putting our name' into the verses when we are reading it, for example instead of "Ya Muslimin ....", we can read it as "Ya Haris...", so that we can really get the warnings or the messages into our heart. He encouraged us to have an intention that one day we should have a firm grip on the Arab language, for the sake of getting the Quran words more deeply.

Finally, it was a talk about Surah Yusuf from Brother Aiman Abu Zaid, an Egyptian who is living in London. He is a member of Ikhwanul Muslimin. He told us that the story of Yusuf in the Quran is a very special one. This because it is the only tale in Al-Quran that is completed in one chapter and being fully narrated from the beginning to the very end, to compare with others stories which at most occasions being told separately in different chapters and some is not being fully written of the details. What we can learn from this beautiful story is about four aspects of human: mental, heart, psychology and physical. The story of Prophet Yusof is about the process of tarbiyah one had to go through in his life. He said, tarbiyah means a process of trying to gain a degree of completeness through a gradual process of development.

Done with the talks, here is the best knowledge that I personally think have really amazed me, the story of Jalut and Thalut. My team had been given a task to do a play of the story of Jalut and Thalut, extracted from Surah Baqarah (chapter 2) verses 246 - 251, and I found this story is very interesting and have a great lesson for us to learn. These are the verses:

Did you not see a group from the children of Isra’il (Israel), after (the time of) Musa when they said to their prophet: [QETafseerComment] “Appoint for us a king, so that we may fight in the way of Allah.” He said: “Is it (not) likely, if fighting is enjoined upon you, that you would not fight.” They said: “What is wrong with us that we would not fight while we have been driven away from our homes and our sons?” But, when fighting was enjoined upon them, they turned away, except a few of them, and Allah is Aware of the unjust. (246)


 And their Prophet (Samuel A.S.) said to them, "Indeed Allâh has appointed Talût (Saul) as a king over you." They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth." He said: "Verily, Allâh has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allâh grants His Kingdom to whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower. (247)


And their Prophet (Samuel A.S.) said to them: Verily! The sign of His Kingdom is that there shall come to you At-Tâbût (a wooden box), wherein is Sakinah[] (peace and reassurance) from your Lord and a remnant of that which Mûsâ (Moses) and Hârûn (Aaron) left behind, carried by the angels. Verily, in this is a sign for you if you are indeed believers. (248)

Then when Tâlût (Saul) set out with the army, he said: "Verily! Allâh will try you by a river. So whoever drinks thereof, he is not of me, and whoever tastes it not, he is of me, except him who takes (thereof) in the hollow of his hand." Yet, they drank thereof, all, except a few of them. So when he had crossed it (the river), he and those who believed with him, they said: "We have no power this day against Jâlût (Goliath) and his hosts." But those who knew with certainty that they were to meet their Lord, said: "How often a small group overcame a mighty host by Allâh's Leave?" And Allâh is with As-Sâbirûn (the patient).(249)

 And when they advanced to meet Jâlût (Goliath) and his forces, they invoked: "Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience, and set firm our feet and make us victorious over the disbelieving people." (250)

So they routed them by Allâh's Leave and Dâwûd (David) killed Jâlût (Goliath), and Allâh gave him [Dawûd (David)] the kingdom [after the death of Talût (Saul) and Samuel] and Al¬Hikmah (Prophethood)[], and taught him of that which He willed. And if Allâh did not check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief. But Allâh is full of Bounty to the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists). (251)

Let me try to summarise it from what I learnt. The story is about Bani Israel after the time of Prophet Musa, when they were attacked and conquered ('we have been driven away from our homes and our sons') by Jalut and his men. The ones who had escaped prayed to God to give them help to defeat the evil people. They claimed that they will do anything in order to fight for justice. Ironically, when Allah had ordered them to fight, only a few of them took heed of the call while most of them didn't (' when fighting was enjoined upon them, they turned away, except a few of them,') . Funny isn't it? Yet we didn't realise this situation is very similar today.

However, after that Allah had appointed one man among them to lead the fight against Jalut, which is Thalut. Again, this decision was questioned by themselves as if Thalut was not the right guy and claimed that they are better than him ('They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fitter than him for the kingdom'). Prophet Samuel (based from tafseer Dr Mohsin), the Prophet who had been conveying the messages to them all those time, said that the box of Prophet Musa and Harun, At-Tabut (believes to contain scriptures of Taurat), which had lost before that will be returned to them (' that there shall come to you At-Tâbût (a wooden box), wherein is Sakinah[] (peace and reassurance) from your Lord and a remnant of that which Mûsâ (Moses) and Hârûn (Aaron) left behind, carried by the angels') as a sign of Thalut leadership so that they will obey him. Only after that, they had no choice but to accept him as the leader.

Again, the twists doesn't stop there. When Thalut had gathered enough people and set out with his army to fight against Jalut, he decided to screen his army. After a very long march, he gave out order to his army to not to drink any water from a river they going to pass soon, in exception for one sip. It turned out that most of his army doesn't follow the command but only a few of them ('"Verily! Allâh will try you by a river. So whoever drinks thereof, he is not of me, and whoever tastes it not, he is of me, except him who takes (thereof) in the hollow of his hand." Yet, they drank thereof, all, except a few of them.') With that, he took only those who obeyed his order and went to the fight with Jalut. With God will and His mercy, this very few number of people, yet the best of the best of Iman, managed to defeat the large number of enemy army and Dawud, who is to be the Prophet Dawud and  the next king for the new kingdom later, was the one who killed Jalut.

So that is the story of Thalut and Jalut, full of lessons for those who want to reflect. Honestly, I was very happy when I get to learn the messages of the tale thoroughly. I means, of course I have came through this verses a lot of time, but only this time I get to realise the wisdoms.

In the opening of the tale, we can see a situation at which is very familiar of what is going on today. We always heard people complaining about injustices or oppression happening around the world, and they prayed to God to help the oppressed. Yet when its come to practice or when they been called to fight, they are reluctant and refused to join. So much like the children of Israel.

Next and the most important one, this story is telling us the significance for us to fight 'with ourselves first' before we want to defeat tyrannies. The test of holding themselves from drinking the river water symbolic the importance for us to have a high discipline and and build up our Iman first before we want to fight against evils.It is a simple logic of, how can at one part we claim that we are fighting for Him but at other parts of us we are disobeying all His commands. In the end this story, as been repeated again and again in the Quran, is reminding us that victory is given by Him and not from our strength totally.

Importantly, this verses indirectly have strengthen my believes I strongly hold into before this, which is the need to change the people first before we want to change a system, or to change ourselves first, as a dalil for me. If not, our efforts will just be in vain.

With that I think I am done sharing what I got from the camp. You are more than welcome to tell me if there is any fault in here. Assalamualaikum, and see you again~ =)

p/s: oh forgot, for the play, our team won as the best show lol (eh forgot to tell again, it was a competition that night!)

The Bitter Truth

Today yet again, I met the bitter truth.

And one could ask, "How do you know it's true?"

I could only say, "Well, it is true."

Because it is not hard to see it through.

Thought the pain its do is pretty too.

For bitter truth is not for those who wait,

Nor it isn't for one who enjoys being fed,

Or who has such proud in their heart,

And again, nor one who is blended in hatred.

Because bitter truth is only for those who seek,

The one who dares to question his own food,

Finding the real reason behind every root,

Which then should he be able to swallow the bitter, yet the truth.

O bitter truth, how much pain you still want to do?

Or I could choose to be a fool,

Not doing what I should really do,

Letting it grow, like a cancer it grew,

But one day, we will fall into the irrefutable hole.

My friends, have you found your bitter truth?

Or you rather chose to be a tool?

Of others, who only told you a half of truth.

Which you thought it is the whole food.

-Muhammad Haris Hamzah-
16 March 2012, University Of Sheffield

source: Anuar's