Grandma was awake by 4 as usual and did her daily routine of sunnah prayers before fajr. She had something to eat as she wanted to fast but after fajr she forgot about it and had a piece of chocolate hahaha...so she ended up not fasting. After morning prayers and reading surah Al Kahf we started talking about food. Told her I will cook meat so then she gave me her recipes and made it all her choice of menu instead. The next few hours we were in the kitchen doing the cooking, she can't just sit still and let me and mum do the work lol. The end results:
Beef fried with spices
Potatoes boiled then cooked with spices
Rasam (South Indian Soup)
I was supposed to do the cooking after grandma gave me the instructions but like I said, she couldn't keep her hands off the kitchen. The potatoes were the only dish I cooked by myself. After cooking we had lunch then we did some re-arranging because their luggages were not unpacked from the day before. In the afternoon, we all fell asleep.
In the evening, mum followed me to Lulu supermarket to get more 'Indian' ingredients. Grandma didn't want to come so she could complete her prayers and reading. Mum found most things to be more expensive than Singapore due to the currency so we bought only what we needed. Told her we'll do shopping when we go to Dubai, it's true that most things here are not worth shopping for due to the exorbitant prices. Felt nice having the alone time with mummy and doing shopping together! More home-cooked Singaporean cooking to come in the next days!
We missed lots of calls because we were sleeping in the afternoon, sorry guys! They are both fine and doing well here alhamdulillah =)
Well I'm going to try to write about their visit on daily basis so the family gets to know what they are up to. Will try to keep up with the updates but no promises if I get too busy sometimes...
So since last night after they boarded from Singapore I've had a sleepless night. Called mum the moment they arrived in Dubai and kept calling within the 4 hours transit. Later after they arrived in Muscat it was quite a bit of drama especially when mum couldn't find her luggage and I felt helpless waiting outside. I later braced myself up and went up to the personnel telling them the situation and that I wanted to go in to help my mum. Luckily the guy was kind and allowed me to go help mum. Waited for the bag for sometime then later I filed the complain.
When we got home grandma was really tired and went to sleep soon after. It was funny though how she felt that the house was too big for me to have it all to myself and asked me how come I do not fear staying here all by myself. She also chided me saying I should have gone to Singapore instead of making them both travel all the way here. Guess the fatigue from the flight made her say that hahaha. I told her she said she wanted to come when we spoke. She said yes but that was when I thought of the excitement without thinking of the long flight!
Mum was upbeat, didn't seem as tired as grandma and seems excited. I told them to rest whilst I go grocery shopping a little and when I came back, found them both knocked out. They didn't sleep much however, only about 2 hours.
They woke up after I got back so I served the food I bought, mandi. I had wanted to cook in the morning for their arrival but my luck was bad the cooker had a short fuse and stopped working. Called handyman to come fix it but by the time he was done, I had to make my way to the airport.
After eating till now, we've been chit-chatting. There are so many stories to hear and tell mashallah and it feels surreal to have so much music in the house as I'm used to being alone...in a good way of course! I'm still trying to convince mum to stay longer, hopefully at the end of this she'd have been enticed.
Grandma makes funny random comments like how my boots which I bought for the UK trip looks like a man's shoe and she thinks I have a man staying with me (ah I wish =P) Another one was about the meat that came with the mandi rice tastes like it was boiled with just salt and water because it was not spicy. She loved the Kerala pickle (acar) though which I had here which she has sworn she needs to buy to bring it back to Singapore. Mum was funny telling me how through their 7 hours flight to Dubai they didn't know how to use the entertainment system and grandma just enjoyed through watching someone else's screen - a Tamil movie lol!! They both find my place too cold...well I guess because it rained a little in the morning and it's very windy today. Mum is wearing 2 jackets over her clothes.
Grandma didn't sleep throughout the journey so she's knocked out again. Mum is watching Zee Aflam which is the Hindi movies channel. I'm surprised at the amount of energy mum has...by now she should feel as tired as grandma!
The Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) deeply regrets certain comments made by Minister Mentor (MM) Mr Lee Kuan Yew in his book Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going. These comments are in relation to the practice of Islam by the Malay-Muslim community (MMC) where MM Lee had urged the MMC to be less strict in their practice of Islam in order to facilitate integration, and in relation to the issue of gaps between the MMC and other communities in Singapore, where MM Lee opined that the MMC will never catch up with the other communities. We note that these views of MM Lee are not new. It is not clear why MM Lee has chosen to repeat them at this point.
However, because these views come from MM, and are repeated in print, it is important for the community to set its rejoinders. We do not agree with MM's views. In our view, MM’s comments have hurt the community and are potentially divisive.
Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong for any community in Singapore in being distinct, for it to carry out its religious practices, or in asserting its identity. Islam enjoins Muslims to integrate within the broader Singapore community. It is not mutually exclusive for a good Muslim to be a good Singaporean. In fact, a good Muslim is duty bound, in Islam, to be a good Singaporean.
Many other religious communities practise their rituals. There is nothing wrong with this. Further, many ethnic communities assert their identities. Again, there is nothing wrong in this. For example, the state-promoted policy of SAP schools (where it could be argued that students do not have the same opportunity to mingle with other communities) manifests the assertion of the Chinese identity. The Speak Mandarin campaign is yet another example of the assertion of Chinese identity. The MMC has accepted these assertions of identities as part and parcel of living in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community. Just like other Singaporeans, we celebrate diversity of beliefs and practices. It is therefore perplexing to see the Malay/Muslim community as being unfairly singled out for reasons which we cannot fathom.
It is unusual for MM to conclude that Muslims have not integrated based on his sporadic observations of eating practices of Muslims. Many Muslims have no qualms sharing tables with their non-Muslim friends and colleagues. Muslims are obliged to observe certain dietary restrictions, inasmuch as people subscribing to other religions (e.g. Buddhists or Hindus who do not consume certain types of foods) or others having dietary restrictions (vegetarians, vegans). It is a stretch and disingenuous to suggest that Muslims are against or less likely to integrate primarily on account of our dietary restrictions or eating habits.
Ironically, MM's comments, which had purported to touch on integration, could be potentially divisive. MM’s comments create the misperception that the MMC is against or disinterested in integration, which is untrue and unfounded. It tends to perpetuate this misperception for younger Singaporeans in particular, who may take his views, as the first Prime Minister of Singapore, as the truth. These misperceptions could hinder integration going forward.
Apart from the issue of the practice of Islam, MM had also commented that the Malay/Muslim community will never catch up with other communities in Singapore. Again, this is regrettable. To state this in print is effectively condemning the MMC as a lagging and marginalised community, even in the longer term.
MM's comments also raise questions as to whether they reflect the thinking of other political leaders. Does this thinking (relating to the misperception of Muslims being disinterested in integration, or that the MMC will never catch up with other communities) affect, directly or indirectly, other government policies? If this is not the case, then the State should clarify this. Otherwise, the perception will be that the comments expressed by MM Lee, as a core member of the Cabinet, reflects the official position of the Government.
1. Break your fast with a $1 meal. Over 1 billion people worldwide live on $1 a day. A good portion of Muslims not only spend their days fasting, but break their fasts with meagre meals, made up of foods like beans, rice, lentils & bread. At least 3 times this Ramadan, try to do Iftar with a $1 meal. It gives u a perspective beyond empathizing with the hungry from dawn to dusk only.
2. Give away something you truly love. Allah reminds us in the Quran: “You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend,” (3:92). Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., was noted to always be generous, and was even more so in Ramadan (Bukhari). Choose something you truly love and are attached to this Ramadan and give it to someone in need. The point of the exercise is to become closer to Allah by sharing with others and reducing our attachment to material things.
3. Console a grieving friend. Grief can take many forms, ranging from the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, illness, etc. If possible, visit a grieving friend or relative in person, meet for lunch, or at least call. Text messages, tweets, and wall posts just don’t cut it when it comes to really hearing someone out and giving the support they need in times of difficulty.
4. Begin one small, sincere, but regular good deed. The Prophet advised, “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even though it were little” (Bukhari). tart one, and only one, small good deed this Ramadan. It could be smiling more if you are a generally more serious type; calling or visiting parents just one more day a week than you usually do; or cooking one meal a week so your spouse has more time to remember Allah. Choose your deed and stick with it.
5. Host an Iftar for the hungry. Polish your guest list this year and include family, friends or neighbors whom you know are struggling financially or are truly hungry. Too often, we invite our exclusive clique of people close to us, most of whom don’t worry about where their next meal is going to come from. This year, expand your social circle and include those who are truly in need. Better yet, invite your “crew” and your new friends together.
6. Pray Taraweeh at a different Masjid. And different here doesn’t mean just in terms of location. Choose a mosque that boasts a congregation ethnically or racially different from you and the people you normally hang out with. Allah created human beings into nations and tribes so they can get to know one another (Quran 49:13). Take this to heart this Ramadan and familiarize yourself with brothers and sisters different on the outside, but spiritually connected to you deep down on the inside.
7. Prepare a meal for a community Iftar. Fire up during this Ramadan and cook for Iftar for the local Masjid, which usually hosts nightly fast-breaking meals.
8. Get rid of Iftar leftovers through food recovery programs and composting. If the fridge is stuffed and you can’t figure out where to put all those Iftar leftovers, don’t head straight for the trash. Throwing away food after a day of knowing what it feels like to be hungry means we haven’t really understood the lesson of feeding & empathizing with the needy that Ramadan teaches us. Locate a food recovery program or shelter that can use that good food and cut down on waste. If you can’t use a food recovery program, at least consider composting what you can.
9. Tolerate or forgive one bad habit or quirk of a loved one. As we remember Allah’s tolerance of our countless faults, this Ramadan, overlook or forgive a specific fault of a loved one. This can be small but annoying habits, like regularly losing the grocery list, forgetting lunch on school days, or perpetually being 15 minutes late.
10.Give up one, and only one, addiction. This runs the gamut from lattes to Facebook, to video games to chai/caffeine of any kind. The aim is to lessen dependency on those things we don’t truly need and remember that we should rely completely on Allah for all things.
I have been thinking a lot. I think a lot most days, but today is one of those days when I think a little bit more than the usual ‘a lot’. To the point that I can almost hear my brain nerves grooving.
It is bugging me that despite the many things I have in my mind, I do not have much to verbalize. I used to have a lot to talk about. Sometimes I’d glee about a person I am so crazy about and other times I’d whine about another who is driving me crazy. There have been lots of drama and I always had something to tell. Something that creates a buzz in me. Something that I almost die to share about.
That something seems to be missing right now. My life is static.
I wonder if it is my life that is static or that I have grown to be static. Correction. Maybe I have ‘chosen’ to be static, possibly subconsciously. Things that used to excite me no longer seem worthy to be shared eagerly. Correction again. Not things…but people. People in my life used to excite me to no end. Not that I don’t get excited anymore, but the degree is much less that it used to be. I am no longer ‘obsessed’ with anything or anyone. I am out of touch with who I used to think that I am.
Don’t get me wrong. I am happy and I am surrounded with love. I have wonderful loving family members who often check on me and wish me well. I have superbly close, caring friends whom I chat with almost daily. I am involved in things which I quite enjoy doing. I just cannot quite figure out what is the missing piece.
Now that I have written this much, I just realized it. I miss proximity to the ones who excite me. Phonecalls, texts and chat cannot beat the feeling of seeing, touching and physically being with someone I want to be with.
I miss my mum cheekily grabbing my bum and I miss her childishly asking for hugs and kisses in front of my siblings because they are mildly touch-phobic. I miss grandma feeding me with her hands and I miss playing with her loose belly. I miss cuddling up to grandma and holding hands with her in bed. I miss the times when I meet with my friends and the first thing we do when we see each other is give a really tight hug. I miss walking arm-in-arm with someone and leaning my head on a familiar shoulder. I miss carrying, hugging and kissing the babies of families and friends.
I define loneliness as not getting any hugs on most days…
(but I was overjoyed when I received the package from Singapore!)
(and this is for those who miss me...taken today!)
45:5 And in the succession of night and day, and in the means of subsistence which God sends down from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the change of the winds: [in all this] there are messages for people who use their reason.
I am amused by how I could not think of other way to address you except by LooSuMum. I tried referring to you by your name, it sounded awkward to me. To call you sis, friend or anything else did not seem to fit as well. It’s funny that I am most comfortable referring to you as LooSu. I wonder how it will be when we meet and there comes a time when I have to call you by some word…I wonder what will blurt out of my tongue.
So this is your much awaited love letter. I am sorry it took so long but you know I can’t force the words unless they flow naturally. Otherwise it would not be as spontaneous and meaningful…at least that’s what I think.
I miss you so much when I don’t chat with you for a day or two. It was tough going without chatting with you for so many days when I was not online for a while although I was with someone I love intensely, my best friend. Imagine me missing you when I am with her. It goes to show how much you mean to me and it is genuine. I don’t miss you just because I need your advice or need to vent something out. I miss you simply because you mean a lot to me. Your chats with me can sometimes be plain everyday stories but I still look forward to them. If anyone else, I would be wondering why am I sharing/listening to sometimes boring details of daily life. With you, it’s different. The insignificant details somehow become significant. The monotonous becomes fascinating. You are the best chat buddy I could ever have and you still are. So I miss you.
I love you so much just for the fact that you care a lot for me and are always there when I need a listening ear. You don’t judge though sometimes subtly or bluntly, you give your frank opinion. There were times when I became defensive, stubborn and argumentative but you stood by me without taking anything personally. You know me so well, sometimes you see things in me which I do not see in myself. Come to think of it, we have only been mostly chat buddies. The times I met you in person can be counted with the fingers, yet I can safely say that you know me more than most people who have spent so many years being my friend. In fact, I think among my friends, you know me best. I do not know what the future holds for me or for you. I might be back in Singapore but Allah knows how my life will turn out to be and what are the chances of me getting closer to you, possibly meeting up with you a lot more. Perhaps it will happen or perhaps not. Perhaps we will just stay close as online friends but not so much as friends who spend time being physically near each other and indulging in activities. I do not know, but what I do know is that all these time, I have shared so much with you that it doesn’t matter if I get to be close to you in other ways or not. What I have from you, as my chat buddy, is more than what I could ask for in a friend. So I love you.
I thank you so much for always being there, for always listening patiently even though sometimes what I say or do is childish and immature. You also honoured me by sharing your own stories with me, although I am a much younger friend. You taught me a lot by relating your experiences and you don’t give up teaching me although sometimes I simply don’t listen. Like how you tell me not to be too attached to someone but I still do. Like how you try to sometimes warn me from making a wrong move but I still go ahead, then get into trouble and end up whining back at you. I know a lot of times you could have said to me “I told you so,” yet you are so accepting. So I thank you.
Now that I finally found a way to tell you the 3 things I wanted to tell you, this letter is complete. All I wanted to say was that I miss you, I love you and I thank you.
To be honest, she hasn’t been writing because she was trying to stop herself from surrendering to despondency. At this time of adversity, she feels out of touch, out of control, as if sucked into an endless spiral of helplessness. She is holding on to a thin line of hope and faith. Faith in Allah. The one thing that is keeping her adrenaline in tact. The single thing that is pushing her to not give up. The driver behind her fired up desire to fight back.
She has been fighting the need to complain about the injustice she had been facing over the past few months. The untruths that had been spread about her. The baseless accusations. The betrayal by some whom she trusted. She is still fighting that need because to put everything out in the open would mean acceding to the injustice. She is not going to stoop as low as those who treated her unfairly. She has better things to do that is more worthy of her time and energy.
Don't ask what happened. When its time, all will be revealed.
So I am back in Muscat again after spending a week in Singapore from 17th September to 24th September 2009. Being back here feels surreal. I go about everyday like I am not truly living the days although alhamdulillah, my work is not affected.
As much as I spent the last 5 months being overseas, home still gives the most familiar and relaxed feel. If I were to honestly compare living environment, I should be a lot more comfortable here because the house is better. The place is spacious and neat. I get to sleep in a comfortable queen-sized bed with a nice quilt in an air-conditioned room. I don’t have to do many house chores and I don’t have to be responsible for anything. Back home is the opposite.
When I saw my family members and friends, it felt so nice and when I got to my room, I knew nothing compares to that familiarity and sense of belonging despite the difference in living conditions (for a lack of a better phrase).
Thursday, 17th September 2009
The night of 17th September when I arrived past 9pm, I met my soccer friends, Mas, Eunice, Nani, Dina and Yaya (who surprised me because she was supposed to be working) at the airport.
(Yaya is so light!!)
(Clockwise: Dayah, Mas, Eunice & Yaya)
(Dina, Mas, Nani & Eunice)
Mas, Eunice and Yaya are my closest friends since the past 5 years. The ones who always give me the tightest hugs without any inhibitions. The ones I hang out with the most when in Singapore. The ones who know most of me and are in the loop of all the latest happenings in my life. The ones who would go out of their way for me whenever I needed them. I know of all my friends, they are the ones missing me the most when I am away from home because I miss them the most too.
We went to Popeye’s Chicken to eat and later, my sis came as well. Eunice drove us all to my home and went to fetch Dayah who later joined the group. They all chilled at my house that night. I was telling them stories of my stint in Muscat and Dubai. They laughed a lot at me because they said that I spoke a little differently than usual. According to them, I now speak in high and low pitches in a melodious way. I felt that myself. I guess it came from spending too much time with the Omanis that I began to speak a little like them. My friends had a good laugh.
Oh, when I arrived home, mum was so so so euphoric she came and gave me many tight hugs and kisses. My brother seemed neutral, acted cool like a man but I am sure he was glad to see me too. My sister, as usual, was only too glad that my friends were making fun of me…
Later past midnight, when mum wanted to go sleep, my friends and I went to a nearby 24-hour restaurant and we had prata with drinks. Ah, the delight of food in Singapore! We ate, drank and chatted till about 3am and then Eunice drove the others home. I was deadbeat but I came online till fajr before I went to sleep knowing I would miss fajr if I slept before that.
Friday, 18th September 2009
I slept most of the day, tired from my flight the day before. Reality hit me when I had to iftar alone because everyone else was at work. This is Singapore’s lifestyle…so different from Oman. I was supposed to cook for iftar but upon finding out that no one else was home, I decided to have just dates, milk and cereal. When mum came home later, she cooked the prawn sambal for me.
Saturday, 19th September 2009
This was the last day of Ramadhan and I still had lots to do to prepare for Eid. The black dresses I bought in Dubai for my family members for Eid, were too lengthy for us all so the first thing I did was send them for alteration. I then proceeded to Geylang (a place in Singapore famous for Ramadhan period because it is where most Muslims do their shopping pre-Eid). I met my brother in Geylang, had iftar with him and then did all my shopping within 4 hours. I bought for my family the bluish 2nd day traditional baju kurung with some accessories and bought a lot of other stuffs as gifts to bring back for my Omani friends. Lucky I was efficient enough to have managed to catch the last train ride back home. Glad the brother was patient with my shopping =)
Sunday, 20th September 2009
This was first day of Eid. When I woke up, I was so happy because my eye infection was suddenly no longer as visible as it was up to the day before, masha’Allah. It was a miracle. I had been praying that the swelling and redness would go away so I will not look awful for Eid. My prayers were answered, all praise is to Allah!
My poor brother had to work till 3pm as he was serving National Service and did not get leave, so we left home pretty late. We first went to mum’s eldest sister’s place, followed by my cousin’s (because they stay in the same building) and then we made our way to visit my favourite grandma (dad’s mum). I was so excited I’m telling you. Grandma was just back from Umrah the day before and was at my eldest Aunt, Jamilah’s place. There, I met most of my aunts and cousins from dad’s side except my eldest uncle’s family and one cousin. They left early.
I did not eat as I was waiting for grandma to feed me. I was determined, I could not care that the place was crowded and that everyone would watch her feeding me and tease us. They were all family and knew my habit anyway. When grandma finally took food, I asked why she put so much rice on the plate, she said it was because we were both sharing it. However, she ended up feeding me most of it, even when the plate was refilled another time. I think that was the one time this year I ate as much rice as that in one meal. With every mouthful she fed me, the food only tasted better, masha’Allah. At some point, a friend of hers came with the family. I was a little embarrassed, especially because they recognized me as the ‘girl mentioned in the newspaper’. I was thinking they must have had their impression that I am this successful girl with a strong personality crushed upon watching me being fed…hahaha…
Anyway, we did not go anywhere else to visit that day because I insisted on spending all the time with grandma. When we finally got home after midnight, I got a call from Majda and Junior Asma wishing me Eid (in Oman Eid was the next day due to the moon not sighted). Talking to them was the perfect ending to my 1st day of Syawal 1430.
Monday, 21st September 2009
On 2nd Eid, after mum got home from work, we went to visit grandma’s sister, another elderly in the family. Apparently, she made mum promise mum would take me to her because she missed me so much. Well, she is just like my own grandmother, although I am not as close to her, so I agreed that we should go visit her. There, I met a few other extended family members, which was good.
Later, we went to mum’s youngest sister’s place followed by one of dad’s younger sister’s place. Our day ended very late, by the time we got home, it was almost 2a.m.
Tuesday, 22nd September 2009
This day was special because I met up with all my favourite people! I visited my favourite teacher, my best chat friend, Hajarah and my soccer sisters, to celebrate Yaya’s birthday.
Before I left to Oman, my teacher had just given birth to a baby girl so this time when I saw the little girl again, she is 6-months old. We took a photo together (still waiting for my teacher to send me the photo). I also saw my favourite tutee, but he was all shy and tired, he did not talk to me much.
As for my chat buddy, there was a lot of catching up to do. For some reason, with this lady, I never run out of things to talk about, although I chat with her almost everyday. She knows most details of my daily life and how I feel about the happenings. It was her birthday on 1st of September so I gave her a belated gift I bought in Dubai. When it was time to part, it felt difficult…I wished I had more time to spend with her.
I then proceeded to Plaza Singapura to meet my soccer sisters at Swensens:
After the celebration, we did not feel like ending the day there so we proceeded to Mas’s place, rented a vcd and watched Chandni Chowk to China. At some point after midnight, Dayah and her brother left whilst the rest of us had a sleepover at Mas.
Wednesday, 23rd September 2009
I had lots of errands to do. I went to the bank to settle part of my loan, did some shopping for necessities I would not get in Oman, went to the dentist and also managed to visit Nadia, since I happened to be near her place. Later, I went home and started packing as I was leaving home the next day, by 11p.m and was expecting visitors prior to my departure. After packing most of my things, I started helping mum in the kitchen for our guests the following day.
Thursday, 24th September 2009
We hosted an Eid cum farewell gathering. We invited family members, both from mum’s and dad’s side, my sister invited some of her colleagues and I invited my friends too. This gathering was a last minute thing…because there were many people who wanted to see me before I left Singapore and I thought that having the gathering made it possible to see them all at one go. The setback was that I got to spend very little time with each individual as I was busy trying to entertain everyone…but I am glad for those who came. At least I got to see them and they got to see me =)
Grandma was a little upset because she felt that I did not spend time with her. I think she was also shocked because until Wednesday, she had the impression that I was staying in Singapore till the weekends. When it was time to say goodbye, as most of you already know, grandma cried sooooo much. It broke my heart. Totally.
Later, mum’s youngest sister’s husband drove me to the airport, with my aunt, her two children and my brother. I told mum not to come because she needs to work the next day. As usual, mum’s only advice to me is to eat well (because she knows I don’t eat properly). Grandma told me to be consistent in my prayers, to remember to read the qur’an, etc. My friends all asked when will be the next time I go home again and I told them probably in 2010 insha’Allah…
On the way to the airport, my aunt commented that I have great friends because they all made the effort to come to my house to see me before I left. Alhamdulillah…I have to agree with her that I am fortunate to have such friends. My family members are all awesome too! I have learnt to appreciate the people around me much more now that I have to stay away from home…
At the airport, Mas and Yaya came (she rushed from work). I also met my university friend, Joshua, as he was there sending off someone else. My heart was shattered again when Yaya could not control her tears.
I proceeded into the gate shortly after midnight as my flight was scheduled at 1.40a.m. Till we meet again, Singapore!
It is past 1a.m here in Oman, fajr time in Singapore. I am in tears because today is my mum’s birthday and I am not around for her. Ever since I came back from my one-week trip to Singapore, I have been terribly homesick and it shows no matter how I try to mask it.
I cannot describe what exactly I am feeling except that I am weighed down by something. I imagine if I were back home and still awake, I would attempt to cook something for mum. I will wake her up and prepare breakfast for her. Knowing my mum, I would have made her day from a simple gesture of making a cup of coffee for her. Once she goes to the shop (she works as a shop assistant), she would proudly say to those she usually talks to, that she is happy because her daughter made a cup of coffee for her in the morning. My mum is one to appreciate the smallest gestures that would have not been of any big deal to anyone else.
When I was home for that one week, I tried to be at my best behaviour but there were certain times during which I felt that I was not a good daughter. My mum was doing so much for me. Prior to my arrival, she cleaned up my room. When I got home, she hugged me so tight, kissed me so many times and immediately told me that she had bought prawns to cook my favourite sambal the following day.
I, on the other hand, was not too kind. Once during that week, she called me and asked for help but I was sleeping, I refused to do what she asked me to. On first day of Eid, I grumbled at her for agreeing to deliver muruku to someone’s place before heading off for our usual visiting. I eventually felt bad and made it up to her, but I wish I could have had more sense of control and be a nicer daughter.
On the last day that I was in Singapore, we hosted an Eid cum my farewell gathering. Mum stayed up till 5am that day to make the Malabari traditional bread (calledpathiri), which most of our family members love, amongst other things. I too did not sleep and continued working throughout the day, cleaning and preparing the things to be cooked for our guests. My mum kept calling throughout the day, asking me how I am, telling me to go get some sleep and not tire myself too much. The amount of love she has to offer is bountiful. Her energy and determination are laudable.
I miss my mother so much, but I don’t want her to know that I am feeling uneasy. If she knows, it will make her sad. I’d rather she thinks that I am coping really well being overseas so that she is free from worries.
Now down to my homesickness. I don’t know what it is because I am as happy here as I was when I left. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my living situation and the family, as usual makes me happy…but for some reason, it feels different. I feel unsettled. Possibly because previously it was Ramadhan so there was a certain routine to the daily life but now things have changed.
Other than that, I feel it is the fact that when I was leaving Singapore, too many people shed their tears. My grandma was the worst and because she cried so much, she triggered the others to cry too. My mum would not have cried otherwise, she is an incredibly strong woman. Some friends cried as well…so I left with a heavy heart. Besides that, there’s something else that has been bugging me. A friend who used to be really close to me, did not attempt to call me whilst I was in Singapore. I texted this friend saying that I was back in town and informed the friend of my date of departure. I expected at least a call but maybe I was expecting too much from someone who had been selfish all throughout our friendship anyway. With expectations came the disappointment. I know I should not have, but I could not help it. We had so much history and memories together, I feel sad that there is absolutely no weight to the relationship anymore.
I know most people would advise me to let it go and yes, I could do that because we have been apart anyway. I just cannot accept that someone could be so indifferent after all that we have shared for so many years. I am troubled, I feel a tinge of anger.
The easiest excuse for me right now is that I might be just PMSing…
I am writing from Dubai airport right now. Reached here at 6a.m. and my next flight is only at 9.35a.m. Did some shopping at the duty free but I was done quickly. Most of you know I am not much of a shopping person.
I just talked to Majda a few minutes ago and I am so glad I finally heard from her. She was with her cousin at the hospital so I did not get to see her or talk to her before leaving. I was a tiny wee bit sad, but I understand that her cousin needs her so much more at times like this. I admire Majda’s sacrifice for her cousin, taking really good care of her and being by her side all night long. I am proud of having a new close friend like her. It has been 27 days since I got to know the family. We met on 22nd August 2009, 1st Ramadhan 1430. This will be a date to remember in my personal diary.
I got a goodbye hug and kiss from Junior Asma, although that sleepyhead was in dreamland before I woke her up to say that I was leaving. Ms. Asma and her eldest son, Muhammad, drove me to the airport. Ms. Asma gave me so much Omani dates and some scarves to bring home. They are all so generous, masha’Allah…
Right now my thoughts are all in Singapore. I cannot wait to meet my family and friends! I also have to settle some stuff when I am back home…one of my stops will be the bank to pay off some of my school loans. Besides that, I guess I will have to do some Eid shopping and possibly some house chores to prepare for the festive. I wonder what changes occurred whilst I was away, at home and outside of home. I hope that I won’t get much of a shock with any major happenings while I was away. I would prefer to go home in peace and go back to Muscat free of worries.
Many of my friends sent me messages that they would want to meet up when I am in Singapore. Honestly, with only one week, I wonder how many meetings I can squeeze in considering I have to also prepare for Eid. I will have to see the situation once I am back in Singapore and decide how best to schedule my meetings. I would want to meet as many people as I can…I miss most of my friends. Family members will be easier since it is going to be Eid and everyone will be gathered for the celebration.
I should go to the gate soon. I hope I will sleep through my flight. I am still fasting and would prefer not to break my fast, although in Islam, as a musafir (traveller), I have the right to break my fast. I have gotten all 26 days of fasting so far, I feel that it would be such a waste if I missed this one day. I am aiming at a full Ramadhan this year so unless I am really desperate for water, I will maintain my fast today.
In Islam, it is also known that a musafir’s prayers are given more weight compared to normal days. Before I flew, my Omani family members all asked me to pray for them. I have been praying for everyone I love and will continue to do so till I arrive in Singapore. May Allah grant us all good faith and happiness in this life and the hereafter…
I have reduced my online presence mainly because I am now staying with my Omani colleague Ms. Asma and I no longer have incessant access to the internet. Even if I do have that, I suspect that I would still spend much less time being online because I can say that I “have a life” now…hehehe…
So here’s your much-awaited update:
After my first tarawih, I felt that I had a good start to Ramadhan. For the past few years being in SMU, I always got too busy to do much ibadah even during the fasting month but now that I am working in a Muslim country and staying with a practising Muslim family, things fall pretty well in place. I have been quite consistent with praying on time, doing tarawih and keeping up with my recitation of the Qur’an daily, alhamdulillah.
On the first day of Ramadhan, my colleague was prepared to take me in after work, but I was a little shy and did not know what to expect so I told her that I would stay in office till a bit later and ask boss to send me to her place for iftar (breaking of fast). Once I got to her place on the first day, I felt comfortable and stayed for the night. Since then, I have been following her home from work.
The fact that there are 2 other girls around my age, Ms. Asma’s daughters, makes it a lot easier on me. At the very least, I have some sort of a guide on how I should behave in their culture. Their hospitality is masha’Allah amazing. The two girls treat me so well and are always making sure I feel comfortable. They are always attending to me during iftar and would not let me do anything to help unless I insist, insist and insist. Ms. Asma and her husband already treat me like a daughter. I feel truly blessed, alhamdulillah.
My routine for Ramadhan since I moved in here is that I go to work in the morning, come back between 3-4.30p.m., do my asar prayers, sleep for a bit, wake up and read the Qur’an till maghrib, have iftar followed by a trip to the mosque for isha’ & tarawih. We skipped going to the mosque on a few occasions because some of them were not feeling well and sometimes there were visitors in the house. One thing about this Omani family (I am not sure if it applies to most Omani families but I suspect it does) is that they get visitors pretty frequently. Ever since I stayed here, I have met so many people. I have trouble remembering their names!
Once, Ms. Asma had to visit someone at the hospital and I tagged along. The hospital environment here is so different from Singapore. It looked like each patient had at least 5 visitors. Most people have big families and they all seem so close-knitted and well connected. I wonder if anyone here ever feels lonely. From my observation, to be in solitude is almost non-existent in this environment. No wonder my Arab friends feel so out of place in Singapore…
Oh by the way, Ms. Asma’s family speaks Arabic and Swahili. I am still trying to grasp the way they speak Arabic so I doubt that I will learn Swahili anytime soon. Otherwise, I think I can get used to the culture because its mostly Islamic so there’s nothing too peculiar for me. Food wise, I love it here. I have not tasted anything that did not suit my taste…so far everything was acceptable and delicious. I especially love the samosa, the home-made fish finger and the tea. I think instead of losing weight during Ramadhan, I won’t be surprised if I gain some! I am not a glutton though; I eat moderately. I also like it here because the iftar is pretty simple with just a few dishes. Nothing too elaborated or causing too much wastage. It’s good.
I feel really comfortable except I am still quite shy when there are so many people around. Plus they speak the Omani Arabic, which I don’t quite understand except a few terms here and there unless they speak really slow and use proper Arabic. So I have been quiet. Guess I am still just observing, absorbing information about the way they are and being quite careful so that I don’t unintentionally do or say something that goes against their values. I am still at the exploring stage. I am sure I will get used to this soon because I like the environment =)
Before today, I have never been to the mosque here in Muscat. Well I never had the need to and I heard that most mosques here do not have a female prayer area. On Wednesday, I had a chat with my new Omani colleague, Ms. Asma who told me that a mosque near our office has female praying area and that the imam is sunni (most Omanis are Ibadis - Sunni and Ibadi refer to different denominations of Islamic practice) so I decided to visit the mosque today for maghrib (the name for the fourth daily obligatory prayer for Muslims) and stayed till tarawih (the extra, non-obligatory but highly encouraged to do, prayers offered during the month of ramadhan after isha').Maghrib in Muscat was at 6.34p.m. and Isha' (the name for the fifth and final daily obligatory prayer for Muslims) at 8.04p.m., I spent the time in between to read the Qur'an. I took the photo below before isha' when I was all alone in the room.
During maghrib, there were a few ladies (not more than ten) so when it was all empty before isha', I thought I might end up praying alone. Suddenly shortly after the isha' azan, a stream of ladies came in, all dressed in black abaya (the usual all-black dress worn by Arab women) and filled up 3 rows. I felt a bit out of place being the only one in my white prayer attire.
The tarawih (literally translated as resting) was performed slightly differently than in Singapore. For one, they only do 8 raka'ah (back home its usually 20 - raka'ah refers to one unit of Islamic prayer, each prayer is made up of different number of raka'ah). Tarawih prayers are done in pairs of two raka'ah and the supplications in between the tarawih here was short, not as elaborated as compared to in Singapore. Plus, instead of saying "solaatul tarawih rahimakumullah", the imaam (the person who leads the prayers) referred to the prayer as "solaatul qiyaam" (solaat means prayers and qiyaam means stand). I also noticed most women praying with their arms down at their sides (Ibadis practice) and they do not say 'ameen' after fatihah (the opening chapter from the qur'an read at every raka'ah). Not that I mind the differences, just noting them down in my head. Most other things are standard though, like the supplication after prayer. Plus, I felt consoled that there were some sunnis among the women as well as I was not the only one with my hands on my stomach during qiyaam. I noticed all these prior to the congregational prayers, when they were doing sunnah (non-obligatory but encouraged) prayers individually.
Well that was my pioneer experience of doing tarawih here =) From tomorrow insha'Allah (god-willing), I will be with Ms. Asma as she invited me to stay with her for this month, not wanting me to be all alone for Ramadhan. I accepted it so that I could experience the culture up-close, so stay tuned for more updates! Not sure how frequently I will update though, I might end up being too busy immersing myself in the culture that I have no time to write!
I have missed 2 Muslim Mondays, so I am going to attempt to answer both questions today! I have been too busy at work, and still have about 6 open tasks to do later (on a Friday, which is supposed to be my weekend!). Hmmm it's okay though, I choose to clear the work before Ramadhan so I can breathe a bit for the coming week. Lots of work but I am much much happier without a sadistic colleague to work with (maybe not THAT sadistic...this word is too strong, but I am using it anyway). I also feel a lot more useful and motivated, so all is good! Alhamdulillah =)
For Muslim Monday this week, Sis Lisa hosted and the questions were:
1. When you decided to revert to Islam, what did you learn through research, reading or talking to other people that made your decision for you?
2. If you were born into Islam, did you ever think about or consider researching or learning about other religions, or were you always happy and content to be in Islam?
Obviously, I can only answer the 2nd one because I was born into Islam and even spent a whole chunk of my early life in an Islamic environment; 11 years in an Islamic school. I have to admit that I have been content to be a Muslim because nothing else seemed appealing or logical.
When I was really young, I always asked myself what if all the adults around me were lying to me about religion. What if they all ganged up and decided to lead me on a religion that is false. What if all those actions I performed were not for God and it was only so that I would obey my parents and teachers. Strangely, I considered the possibility of everyone conspiring against me and making me believe in something that is not true. Thus I did a lot of soul-searching and always looked at others around me.
When I felt that I admired the non-Muslims who could be free and not be confined to hijab, I one day went out of my house without it (I was between 11-12 years old then). I felt so naked and came home crying. I decided that was not what I wanted.
When I looked at Hindu temples in Singapore, it felt weird that they had statues which seemed horrific more than giving a sense of peace. I also don't understand the concept of mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with skewers for absolving sins. Nor can I accept that there are so many different gods for different purposes.
Turning my attention to the Chinese Gods, I could never understand the burning of paper money for the deceased or praying to an altar in the home through burning an incense. During Chinese funeral, there are always a group of people gambling while at the wake in the middle of the night, at the reasoning of keeping them awake. To me, this is funny.
Looking at the Christians, I felt that although their message was always about spreading love, they can be quite pushy which felt contradicting. The concept of Trinity did not make sense to me anyway, how one can be three and three be one?
Having grown up in Singapore, those were the alternative religions I was exposed to, but I can say that I was never impressed. I do not mean to offend anyone though, apologies to my non-Muslim friends if this post is provoking. Its just my personal opinion.
Besides that, I had wonderful Muslim role models, which leads me to last week's Muslim Monday post hosted by Sis Shereen, about a woman who has inspired me. My grandmother is one woman who inspires me.
Since young, I have been close to my grandmother. My family members unanimously agree that I am her favourite, though she won't admit it outright because she doesn't want to be accused of favouritism.
During my early years, my family stayed with grandma so she practically raised me up with my parents. She is a pious lady who prays a lot and lives her life according to sunnah every way she can. She taught me to have faith in Allah and pray to him for every single thing. When I was sick, she'd teach me some prayer and miraculously the following day, I would feel better. She taught me to be clean, because that is what Islam advocates; from simple things like keeping the house clean, washing clothes and food by letting water run over them, to purification from hadas. She taught me to read the Qur'an when I was still young such that when I started going to school, I was one of the better ones in recitation. She always encouraged me to learn. My childhood was near to perfect because I had my grandmother.
When I was a ten, my dad passed away and we were no longer staying with grandma. During my teenage years, I used to have lots of fights with my mum. My mum, at that time, was as hot-headed as I was and would sometimes say nasty things about grandma when she was angry, just to spite me. We would both have a huge argument and predictably, I would pack my things and 'run away' to grandma's place. Grandma was always there, welcoming me with open arms, but she would subtly instill in me that I should not disobey my mum while I stayed with her. She would never get angry at whatever mum says, knowing that my mum says things she don't mean out of anger. Grandma is always so forgiving. She would also try her best to make me apologize to mum and go back. My selfless grandmother.
I grew up watching someone live the Islamic life and being such a strong and patient woman despite the adversities she faced. She gave birth to 3 sons and 5 daughters, my dad passed away and the others, except two, are married and with children. My grandfather passed away when I was 2 weeks old and grandma had been alone for 26 years. With such a big family, one can imagine the difficulties she went through. One of my uncle is schizophrenic and the others had their own episodes and stories. I saw grandma standing by everything and the most amazing trait is her deeply ingrained belief in prayers. One example is that she never gave up believing Allah will cure my uncle's illness one day.
I miss my grandma and especially being away from her on Ramadhan. She used to teach me every single ibadah, from the du'a to recite before sahur and after sahur while waiting for fajr prayers to du'a after breaking of fast. When I was younger, she used to lead the tarawih prayer (if we did not go to the mosque) and after I grew up, it was my turn to lead and she'd always give me kisses after the prayers. I miss the semolina porridge she loves making as an appetizer during iftar (breaking of fast). I miss sleeping next to her and cuddling up to her. I miss the Muslim bedtime stories she'd tell me.
My grandma is the best example of a Muslim I knew throughout my life. I love her to bits and right now, I am in tears missing her so much...
I am suddenly feeling patriotic on our National Day and me being away from home and working!! I need to pledge:
We, the citizens of Singapore Pledge ourselves as one united people Regardless of race, language or religion To build a democratic society Based on justice and equality So as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation!
I love Singapore, but I like Muslim countries too. I think now that I have friends here, playing soccer weekly, being busy with work, I feel more settled. If things change again, I will have to start over. Duh!
A nomadic life is interesting but quite sad...yet I am not sure if I would want ultimate stability.
I love my home, I love my family, I love my country and I also love the home I created for me. If you know what I mean. I should learn how not to be attached to anything but if I do that, life will be so boring. I'd rather have negative emotions than no emotions. I love feeling =P
I am rambling from severe lack of sleep. Bear with me.
The morning light is by your countenance, And the splendour of the night is by your plaits. A treasure of blessings, the highest of grace, The guide of the ummah of the way to HIS law. The highest honour, of Allah's mercy The predecessor of his community. The trees began to walk, the stones began to speak, The moon was split in two, upon his gesture. Jibril (a.s) came on the night of the ascension, And Allah called him (to the heavens) to bestow upon him the honour. Thus Muhammad (pbuh) is our leader, The answer to our glory and dignity.
Firstly, I'd like to apologize to Sis Lisa for my oversight and thank you for letting me proceed with my topic =)
When I was confronted with the questions, as usual, naturally I became a little defensive and in my opinion, did not articulate my thoughts as well as I would in writing. That has always been my weakness because I am a thinker more than someone who accurately expresses thoughts spontaneously. In midst of any discussion, I always have ideas flowing in my head which I would not easily say out for fear of saying something impulsively and never being able to take it back. Moreover, I live by the principle to which Allah says never to say anything to which we do not have adequate knowledge of or in conjecture:
"O MANKIND! Partake of what is lawful and good on earth, and follow not Satan's footsteps: for, verily, he is your open foe, and bids you only to do evil, and to commit deeds of abomination, and to attribute unto God something of which you have no knowledge." [2:168-169]
"For, most of them follow nothing but conjecture: [and] behold, conjecture can never be a substitute for truth. Verily, God has full knowledge of all that they do." [10:36]
The one thing this friend of mine can never understand is the fact that faithful Muslims can follow a single book and consider the Qur'an the truth. Well honestly, it is not in my position or concern to make him accept this because Allah says in the Qur'an:
"And if thy Lord willed, all who are in the earth would have believed together. Would thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe? No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah, and He places doubt upon those who will not use their reason." [10:99-100]
However, I do appreciate him criticizing Islam and bringing facts to the table because it only serves to strengthen my faith, realizing that all the answers I look for, can be found in the Qur'an.
So since he asked me if GOD is so divine, why would GOD allow HIS word to be misinterpreted and misused?
My premature thinking whilst we had this discussion, which of course I did not say out in order to not end up in endless arguments, was that it is amusing to expect God to treat human beings like children, where everything has to be spelt out literally. In the Qur'an, Allah has made it clear that HE offers freedom of faith to everyone:
"SAY [O Prophet]: "O mankind! The truth from your Sustainer has now come unto you. Whoever, therefore, chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, goes but astray to his own hurt. And I am not responsible for your conduct." [10:108]
"Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs (to open your eyes): if any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm): I am not (here) to watch over your doings." [6:104]
"Alif. Lam. Ra. These are the messages of revelation - of a discourse clear in itself and clearly showing the truth. And it will come to pass that those who are [now] bent on denying this truth will wish that they had surrendered themselves to God [in their life time]. Leave them alone; let them eat and enjoy themselves the while the hope [of vain delights] be guiles them: for in time they will come to know [the truth]." [15:1-3]
"Say: "Everyone acts in a manner peculiar to himself - and your Sustainer is fully aware as to who has chosen the best path." [17:84]
Naturally with freedom of faith, every individual is free to choose what to believe and what not to believe and thus acts according to his own interpretation of faith but of course those who investigates properly sees that the Qur'an strongly condemns the acts of the deviants.
"But [remember that an attempt at] requiting evil may, too, become an evil: hence, whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God - for, verily, HE does not love evildoers." [42:40]
The Qur'an also condems acts of oppression:
"The blame is only against those who oppress men and wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice: for such there will be a penalty grievous." [42:42]
I personally feel that it is a major injustice to judge Islam based on the misdoings of transgressors. Aside from that, to understand why Allah would speak in a complex and metaphorical way through the Qur'an, we have to understand the context of when and how the Qur'an was revealed.
The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, which is a complex, artistic and poetical language by nature and they were revealed to Arabs at a time when poetry and beautiful literature were highly regarded. Thus when it was revealed, it automatically attracted some of the influential Arabs at that time who could see that there was no way an illiterate and uneducated person like Prophet Muhammad (peace to be upon him) could be the author. This was proof that the Qur'an is not just an average book and proof that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is simply a messenger.
The Qur'an also offers scientific notions which at that point in time, if easily interpreted would give rise to the people disbelieving the message the prophet brought to them. Imagine explaining a text to people regarding scientific knowledge, which was not discoverable until recent times.
The Qur'an is meant to suit the time when it was revealed, thus it was poetic because that was what attracted the people the most then. The Qur'an is also meant to suit recent times, thus modern scientific knowledge has been found to fit with the scientific notions hidden in the artistic language of the Qur'an. This proves to me that the Qur'an is dynamic for all the times it is presented in.
Why was the Qur'an sent to the Arabs in Arabic?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent to a community in which idol worship was popular and they were in darkness (ignorance, paganism, superstitious idolatry, arrogant materialism, infanticide, prostitution, incest, dowry extortion, oppression of orphans, disregard for the poor, and scorn of the weak which were characteristics of Mecca in those times). At the same time, Mecca was also a popular place because idol worshipers visited it regularly. The Arabs were also nomads, which contributed to the spread of Islam. Despite the fact that the Qur'an is in Arabic and was originally sent to Arabs, Islam has spread to many other nationalities and is one of the fastest growing religion today.
"Now if We had willed this [divine writ] to be a discourse in a non-Arabic tongue, they [who now reject it] would surely have said, “Why is it that its messages have not been spelled out clearly? Why - [a message in] a non-Arabic tongue, and [its bearer] an Arab?” Say: “Unto all who have attained to faith, this [divine writ] is a guidance and a source of health; but as for those who will not believe - in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them: they are [like people who are] being called from too far away." [41:44]
For the other question, proofs of how Islam has worked for a society, I can only think of the times of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his caliphs. One will have to study the history to appreciate how Islam brought light into the lives of people during those times. I also told him about how Shariah works well alongside civil law in Singapore...but that led to other arguments from him (e.g. why would we need Shariah since civil rights are available now).
At the end of the day, as I said, his criticisms only served to strengthen my faith in Islam. It does not matter if he thinks I am simply following an old religion because those who taught me brainwashed me into it. I am still a proud follower of Islam who appreciates the Miracles of the Qur'an, knowing Allah chooses whom He wills to have faith...Alhamdulillah... "And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning." [17:36]
For this week's Muslim Monday, Sister Sadia, who is the host for this week's Muslim Monday, had posed the following questions:
Name a place where you definitely first felt like you could feel ALLAH around you and I mean really feel it.
Where do you pray mostly, personally or otherwise?
What will you serve for iftar and who will you most want to invite?
I haven't been active on Muslim Mondays, apologies, but whenever I have the time like today, I try to contribute! So here are my thoughts:
I can't say that I have actually felt Allah around me the way I feel something physically coming near to me. What I feel all the time is the fact that I am being watched over my every actions.
When I trip and don't fall, I say alhamdulillah and I know that HE hears. When something good happens and I feel happy, I know that I owe it to Allah's generosity. When I feel hopeless, I say a prayer and I know that HE understands. When I do something I am not supposed to (e.g. arguing with my mum) I feel guilty. When I went to the mountains in Oman and saw how spectacular nature is, I could not stop thinking how great Allah's creations are. When I was in pain last night before falling asleep, I asked Allah to alleviate my pain and make it go away when I wake up. The moment I woke up, I felt that the pain had reduced and I thanked Allah. I have been taught since young to always think of Allah, so I guess by now it has become nature. Despite that, I still struggle to become a better Muslim everyday...
Recently, I have been 'bombarded' lots of times by my colleague Frank, who claims to be an atheist. He loves having these religious debates and keeps questioning me about my faith. At times, it gets heated. At times I am stumped with his questions. He thinks that I am taking things for granted and that I follow what my religion says because I am indoctrinated.
To a certain degree, I agree with him that unlike those who found Islam after investigating other religions, being a born Muslim, I am more likely to take things for granted. I took it that meeting someone like him is Allah's way of reminding me to increase my knowledge of Islam. I don't agree with him totally though, because being born a Muslim and being taught about Islam does not necessarily determine one's faith. I believe that being a practising Muslim is every individual's choice to make.
As for the place of prayers, I usually pray in my room or if I am outside, I go to the mosque or public prayer rooms. I am the sort who feels comfortable praying anywhere as long as I can find a neat secluded spot, the direction to Ka'bah and a clean cloth/paper to sujud on.
Hmmm for iftar, I am not sure if I will be in Dubai or Oman! I guess I will be alone most of the time this year =( Whenever possible, I hope to get invited to my Muslim friends' home. Also hoping to be able to go home towards end of Ramadhan and spend Eid back in Singapore! Wallahu a'lam...
An American was seated next to a little Iranian girl on an airplane when the stranger turned to her and said, "Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."
The little girl, who had just opened her colouring book, closed it slowly and said to the stranger, "What would you like to talk about?"
"Oh, I don't know," said the American.
"Since, you are Iranian, how about nuclear power?" and he smiles...
"OK," she said, "That would be an interesting discussion but let me ask you a question first."
"A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?"
The American, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."
To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power... when you don't know shit?"
