Princess of Sheba

My whole week is fulled with lots of house chores. From cooking for Sajian Nusantara, our pioneer business to taking care the little monster, Abu for a few days.. A week full with tarbiyatul aulad wa bait (kid's and family education) ;p 


My hands are now full with cuts, not from cooking, but been bullied by Abu. Maybe he wanted to make the protest because I left him alone at home whilst busy processing the orders. A day Abu true's owner brought him back to his home, I managed to shower him.. Haih, exactly like treating a little baby, aside from nagging him..


But I realized, being a woman is not just simply taking care the children nor cooking.. More roles are carried by a woman called wife.. To educate the woman to be as supportive as Siti Khadijah ra who Rasulullah praised and loved only her in her time might be impossible. To develop oneself to be as adorable but intelligent as Siti Aisyah ra might not come true. At least, there are some of their characters that we can achieve, though.

"Never did Allah (SWT) give me a better wife than Khadijah.  She believed in me when all others disbelieved; she held me truthful when others called me a liar; she sheltered me when others abandoned me; she comforted me when others shunned me; and Allah (SWT) granted me children by her while depriving me of children by other women." (Riwayat Ahmad dan Thabrani)

Siti Khadijah is so mature, she didn't question unnecessary things to her husband when the Prophet was so scared after meeting the Jibril. Rule no.1: avoid nagging! ;p 


Being a supporter in a time you also need support is not easy. As woman, I know how hard we are to be calm in such stressful situation. Yet at least, we can try to show to others that we are calm (although our hearts are burning!)


When I watched this video, what came across my mind, how huge the support Azizah has gave to her husband until almost every single sentence he said, there always be the word of 'Azizah'. Allah.. Although both of them are far no better than Rasulullah saw and Siti Khadijah, but at least, there is one story we can use as example on this era, reflecting the same situation. How far the supportive wife can inspire the husband..


More of her story here..


I've said to my friend, a quote which suddenly appeared in my mind that time. If we can't be as perfect and mature like Siti Khadijah, the best wife for him, then we should try to be like Siti Aisyah.. She's a jealous lover, intelligent and a bit childish, but the Prophet loves her more than the other wives. Characters showing a typical woman but still, she's the apple of his eye.


Is searching for my character.. Am I mature or childish? 
What ever it is, being the prettiest companion for someone in the jannah is not a choice. It's a vision.



p/s: I'm not a fan of Wan Azizah nor Anwar. Just taking some ibrah (lessons) from her life to improve myself..


"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists." 


Nur Suhaila Zulkifli 
Nottingham.

The Angel of Paradise

Dua minggu berkelana di tempat orang.. Sama seperti tahun sebelumnya.. Bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa untuk jiwa ini. Moga pengorbanan sebegini masih dapat diteruskan pada tahun-tahun yang mendatang..


Kelana bukan sebarang kelana.. Kembara menuntut ilmu dan menginsafi kerdilnya hamba ini di sisi Tuhannya.. Bila kita diberi tanggungjawab, bila kita diberi kepercayaan, bila kita diberi kuasa, kita mudah lupa, yang beri adalah Allah. Yang pilih kita adalah Allah.. 


Sudah ditetapkan kepada diri, jadi seorang yang lembut hatinya.. Dengan ilmu yang diterima, moga gugurlah dedaunan keegoan.. Sedangkan Allah sendiri adalah Al- Latif.. Lembut tidak bererti longlai dan lemah. Kerana hati yang lembut itu bisa saja menggoncangkan dunia dengan kepimpinannya.. Walau tinggi mana pun kedudukan wanita itu, biarlah ia menjadi seperti ratu negeri Saba', sedar siapa yang lebih berkuasa dan tunduk pada kuasa itu.. Kerana jiwanya adalah jiwa yang teguh, ia tahu apa yang boleh mengubahnya.. Diri sendiri.. Bukan dari luar..

“Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman itu adalah apabila disebut nama Allah, bergementarlah hati mereka, dan apabila dibacakan kepada mereka ayat-ayatNya, bertambahlah iman mereka dan kepada Tuhan mereka sahajalah mereka bertawakal”

***
Pulang sahaja dari kelana itu, perkara pertama dirisaukan, lambakan emel yang memenuhi inbox.. Kali ini berapa ratus pula.. Memang kebanyakannya notification dari facebook, namun kebanyakan itu adalah diskusi kerja. Yahoo Group sudah tidak mendapat tempat sebagai medium perbincangan, sebaliknya di facebook group. Seolah-olah, sudah tidak boleh lari dari  facebook. Niat untuk deactivate bukan lagi satu pilihan yang ada..


Terleka sebentar dari menghabiskan sisa emel yang belum dibaca. Tertonton rakaman ceramah Ustaz Azhar Idrus dan Zizan di GeMS. Menarik sebab ramai anak muda yang hadir.. 70 ribu orang.. Siapa sangka, anak muda kita bukan semuanya dahagakan hedonisme.. Malah kebanyakannya ada fitrah Islam, cuma perlu kena pada caranya..


Bukan setakat ceramah, penyanyi seperti Akhil Hayy dan Shahir juga dijemput hadir.. Lagu Bahagia dalam Perpisahan, kalau diamati menunjukkan keindahan kalau budaya couple itu ditinggalkan. Teringat sewaktu menonton Simfoni Kasih Ustaz Zul dan Sham Kamikaze. Kata Ustaz Zul, lagu Iris nyanyian Awie diciptakan untuk seorang yang bergelar isteri.. "Ha, abang-abang yang datang dengar lagu ni, balik tu, ciumlah isteri kat rumah tu.."


Sambungnya lagi, lagu KepadaMu Kekasih dicipta M Nasir untuk menzahirkan cintanya pada Ilahi.. Allah.. Baru tahu perkara ni.. Selalu sahaja dengar lagu ni.. Tapi tak tahu apa ruhnya..


KepadaMu Kekasih
Aku berserah
Kerana ku tahu Kau lebih mengerti
Apa yang terlukis di cermin wajahku ini
Apa yang tersirat di hati
Bersama amali


KepadaMu Kekasih
Aku bertanya
Apakah Kau akan menerimaku kembali
Atau harus menghitung lagi
Segala jasa dan bakti
Atau harus mencampakku ke sisi
Tanpa harga diri


Hanya padaMu Kekasih
Aku tinggalkan
Jawapan yang belum ku temukan
Yang bakal aku nantikan
Bila malam menjemputku lena beradu


KepadaMu Kekasih
Aku serahkan
Jiwa dan raga
Jua segalanya
Apakah Kau akan menerima penyerahan ini
Apakah Kau akan menerimaku
Dalam keadaan begini


***
Perjalanan kelana itu memberi seribu satu pengajaran..


"Doa itu senjata orang mukmin.." Sudah acapkali didengar kata-kata ini.. Namun sejauh mana hati ini menghadamnya? Percaya, Allah sentiasa mendengar kata-kata hambaNya. Yakin, Allah akan berikan yang terbaik untuk hambaNya, asal hambaNya terus-terusan meminta.


Sebaliknya hamba ini mudah sahaja tidak bersabar menanti setiap petunjuk. Sedangkan hamba ini sering mengambil langkah sendiri sedangkan dia tidak tahu seperti apa yang Tuhannya tahu.. 

“Ya Allah, hanya rahmatMu yang aku harapkan. Jangan tinggalkan aku sendirian walau dengan kadar sekelip mata. Perbetulkan segala urusanku. Laa ilaha illa anta (Tiada Tuhan selain engkau)” Riwayat Abu Dawud, Ahmad.

Yakinlah, Allah itu ada dan Maha Mendengar..
Bila cinta kepada Allah itu mengatasi cinta segalanya, insyaAllah, dirimu akan dapat apa yang kau nantikan..




"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists." 


Nur Suhaila Zulkifli 
Nottingham.

KepadaMu Kekasih

After two weeks, the tiring days have passed by. Nottingham Malaysian Games. All Malaysians in UK-Eire know about this. Nottingham Malaysian Society doesn't need to do bombastic promotion to invite people around the globe to attend NMG. Yeah, aside from what Yuri said in the post mortem meeting- "We do need a promotion video to let the people know, what we serve for them in NMG." I agree, because the only thing the Malaysians know about NMG is the Malaysian style of Sports Day and Canteen Day!


Looking back to the past tiring two weeks, loads of smiles, loads of excitements where seen when more than 5000 Malaysians coming from all over UK, Ireland and Scotland gathered in the same place- University of Nottingham. Everyone was happy to meet old friends after a few months or even, a few years! Lots of chatting, eating, playing, walking happened from 9am to 7pm of 12th November 2011. It's a pleasant scenery to view.


Not missed to be mention, all the hassle, all the ciaos and all the RUBBISH made along the way. Frankly speaking, I wonder, why Malaysians on that day (every single year of NMG, though!), acted the same way like the people on the Malaysia's street. Every two litters been picked up, you'll find a ciggarette bud. Wonder, where all those smoking people coming from. Well, because you hardly find Malaysian smokers in Notts. 


After 4 years, this was my first time to step into Power League, the venue for football. I've been warned by my friends, I'll see the typical Malaysian guys who seem like never see women before. 'Sweeting' at women. Luckily, I didn't manage to experience that. Perhaps, all those guys had gone away. 


It was another 'noble' experience of seeing loving Muslim couples holding hands- after 2 months I flew off from Malaysia. I don't mind about our Chinese or Indians friends, it is their choice. But for Muslims, sorry to say, I'm tired. As if, only you have the boyfriend or girlfriend! I prayed, their love lasts even when they get married.


After all those miserable day, my heart asked myself about the social purpose of NMG: "Who were we actually serving for?" If we were serving the VIP, they were just a few. If the flow of NMG seemed mess in their eyes, they could condemned us and refused to give the sponsorship. 


If we were serving the players or the food tenders, they (some of them) kept commenting and criticizing all the efforts we've made without trying to put themselves in our shoes. If we were serving the thousands of visitors, we did not actually have time to please them for coming to Notts. Even, the volunteers and committee didn't have time to be spent with our friends coming from other universities! Plus, all the mess and jam been made (by no one's friends), honestly it was tiring. 


My study circle's mates said, "I talked to one of the chess players. He said, he just managed to practice an hour session before the tournament. He came to NMG mainly not to be a player, but to meet his friends." 


Other responses normally heard when you ask the visitors, why you come to NMG? : 
" I want to go to Malaysian Food Festival (MFF) and find the authentic nasi lemak I'm be missing for long time!"
" I want to give support to our university's basketball team!"
" I want to gain extra money to support my family. That's why, I want to be the tender of selling food in MFF."


Every single of us have lots of reasons why we were here. As the volunteers, although it was tiring and stressful and hurts (we cried for organizing NMG, don't you know that!), to be a volunteer of NMG is something not to be missed. 


We spent lots of memorable time working together, regardless of gender, race and belief (and political view:p) . We went home at 2am after setting up the Sport Center. We gave wake up calls at 4.30 am on the day itself. We had meetings until 1am. We craved for food after long hours haven't eating something (because we were too busy until forgot to eat!). We helped each other cleaning up the venue. We showed our tremendous care (although we are not too caring persons!). We got the chance to make new best friends. We (ehem, not me) cooked delicious volunteers' and VIPs' food from 6pm to 2am non-stop. And the lists seem endless..


Here some memorable statements that makes my day! It just a few, though! Too many to be print-screened!

Post NMG 2011 ♥

Ya Allah, please make me a good servant of Yours. Give me the best ending of my life, during the time I hold my last breath, the time people wash my jenazah, the time people perform my last 'solah', the time my body buried in the soil, the time I'm alone in barzakh.

Please never let the worms and what ever soft-skinned amphibians be closer to my dead body.. Please..

Oh, I need to strive harder to avoid the creatures getting closer to my body in my life after death. Really really need to be a good servant to Him, so that He fulfill my will. Amiin..

p/s: This post is written right after I saw two big slugs on my way to the washing machine. Don't expect me to remove them from blocking my way! I'll never do that! Eeeeyyyyyy...

"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists."

Nur Suhaila Zulkifli
Nottingham.

Wormphobia

Reflecting back to 3 years of gaining tarbiyah. Watching a video of Sultan Muhamad al-Fateh, the Conqueror make me realise. His story influences me a lot from the beginning I approached the true meaning of being a Muslim. Up til now, my tears easily flow when I reflect back how honourable he is in the eyes of the Prophet (peace be upon him). I found his leadership and achievement as my strength in the battle to jannah. The history has never fail to touch my heart.


I didn't know why. There was one video telling about the journey of Sultan Muhamad al- Fateh and his army to conquer Constantinople. When I watched it, all of a sudden, I promised to myself, "I'll pray in Aya Sophia no matter what happen." And yeah it was. 


I went to Turkey after a few months. And the promise still kept fresh in my head. I knew, no one is allowed to pray there anymore since it has been used as museum during the time of Kamal Attarturk. I didn't tell my friends about this. I walked alone in the huge magnificent building, finding a safe place to pray. It's hard to find place free from people though. What most important for me that time was, as long as the guards didn't stop me and the tourists didn't feel too awkward seeing someone's praying. 


Taking ablution using the mineral water in my hand, alhamdulillah Allah eased my way to perform solah tahiyatul masjid. I can't describe how calm it felt when my face touched the floor of Aya Sophia, once a sacred masjid which witnessed the victory of Islam.


Alhamdulillah too, our apartment in Istanbul was facing the Bosphorus Strait. The first day I was in  the old city of Istanbul, facing the Bosphorus on my right and Golden Horn on my left, tears running through my cheek. "Oh, Lord, I'm here. I'm in the place where Islam has once rule the world." It seemed like I could feel the anxiety and share the happiness of the success. I prayed, my iman and faith would increase through the journey in Turkey. Praise to Allah, I went back to UK as a better Muslim.


May his story always reminds me to the strength and success a Muslim can achieve. Plus, how the success link to a close relationship with Allah. Hablun minal Allah (relationship with Allah) and hablun minan nas (relationship with human).




"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists." 


Nur Suhaila Zulkifli 
Nottingham.

Motivation To Success

"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists." 


Nur Suhaila Zulkifli 
Nottingham.

The Meaning of Sacred Guidance

I found this post is so funny and quite.. hm.. I can say, 'sinis'. Couldn't find any better words in English that can portray 'sinis' really well.


Sebelum start baca paper hari ini, ini sedikit analisis bagaimana sebuah tajuk media direka.

Nah bacalah, pankreasmu bakal digeletek dengannya...

Situasi sebenar : Seorang nenek pegi kedai beli ubi, tiba-tiba dilanggar beca lalu mati di tempat kejadian.

Buletin Utama - "Nenek meninggal dunia, pemandu beca dicari."

Harian Metro - "Hangat! Nenek mati dengan ubi di tangan."

Utusan Malaysia - "Nenek mati dilanggar beca satu propaganda pembangkang?"

Harakah - "Kami tiada beca."

Malaysiakini - "Beca langgar lari bukti kerajaan makan rasuah."

Obefiend - "Nenek meleis mati. Aku suka vodka."

Twitter @NajibRazak - "Nenek sanggup mati kerana ubi, menunjukkan ubi 1Malaysia berkualiti dan digemari rakyat!"

Blog Melayu paranoid - "Keraguan sijil halal ubi mungkin punca nenek mati dilanggar beca."

Ibrahim Ali - "Sampai bila kita nak tengok nenek-nenek Melayu mati dilanggar beca akibat ubi orang Cina dan India? Melayu perlu bangun menentang!"

Pancaindera - "Kisah nenek dilanggar beca diabadikan dalam filem terbaru David Teo, Beca Gangster."

Mastika - "Misteri penarik beca: temubual eksklusif dengan hantu ubi."


Samy Vellu - "Beca tak bayar tol dicari! "


***
Just came back from a talk given by Palestinian Christians. Interestingly, aside from telling what and how they undergo their religious routine oppressively in Palestine, the term peace and justice have been said repeatedly. Just like if I listen to a talk carried out by the Palestinian Muslims. There's similarity to be pondered upon.


The post above actually reminds me back to the statement said by a Palestinian Christian lady about the bias of media. "You read CNN, you'll find, '3 US armies were killed in Palestine' as the title. And there's small print down the news saying '300 Palestinians were killed in this battle'. And when you read Al-Jazeera, the headline will be -'300 Palestinians killed'. And nothing stated about the US army."


I admit that. In Malaysia, it also happens the same way. Best way, is to compare both side of news. You've got the internet anyway. Extract the information you got and digest the one you have choose critically.


Other than the media bias issue, I'm attracted with their support of Hamas. "Hamas is good people. It's unfair to put Hamas alongside with the terrorist because they fight for equality and justice of Palestinians- either they are Muslims, Christians and Jews. They do the humanity works. I've got lots of friends who are Hamas. And I know them really well."


Overwhelming with what he said. SubhanaAllah (praise be to Allah), it shows me how a jundullah (the army of Allah) should be. Always show the akhlak (manners) of Islam to everyone around you. Remember, you carry the amanah (responsibility) of maintaining the good name of your jamaah (society).


May Allah strengthen the Palestinians' unity against injustice always. Palestine will be free!


"Verily, my solah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists." 


Nur Suhaila Zulkifli 
Nottingham.

Media Bias