Roller Coaster Ride

I went to UAE last year (cerita lama dah basi). Dubai and Abu Dhabi specifically. We took some time to enjoy some of the man-made leisure in these super flashy cities.

We got to the Ferrari World and of course the first ride we took was the The Formula Rossa - the fastest roller coaster in the world. I know it promotes itself, to be the fastest in the world, but I am always a skeptic when people make claims.

And when I was on it, Ya Allah, it was fast! The track doesn't look that challenging but the speed is crazy. It goes on from 0-100km/h in 2 seconds flat and goes on to 240km/h tops.

I haven't been on roller coaster since 1997, and that one was only in Genting. The last one I had before was in Alton towers, UK. And yes I am a sucker for roller coaster, would always jump for the chance to be in the most front cabin or whichever that is deemed the scariest ride.

So when I was on the Formula Rossa, I was expecting the same feeling but when the speed got on me, in my mind I was thinking, I must be aging for this is really scary. On top of that, I kept thinking about the kids, especially jackJack. I was so worried that they would be chucked out of their seats. Jack is so thin, I was so worried he would slip out of his belt.

I guess now my worries have shifted to the kids unlike before when I care only for myself. Motherhood?

Anyway, only after that I made some research and apaprently none of teh coasters I ever ride before was in the ranking of top ten fastest coasters in the world.

1. Formula Rossa, Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi UAE - 240km/h
2. Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, United States 206km/h
3. Top Thrill Dragster, Cedar Point, United States- 190 km/h
4. Dodonpa, Fuji-Q Highland, Japan -172 km/h
5. Superman: Escape from Krypton, Six Flags Magic Mountain, United States - 167 km/h
6. Ring°racer, Nürburgring, Germany -160.0 km/h
7. Steel Dragon 2000, Nagashima Spa Land, Japan - 153 km/h
8. Millennium Force, Cedar Point, United States - 150 km/h
9. Leviathan, Canada's Wonderland, Canada - 148 km/h
10. Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion, United States - 140 km/h

That explains why I thought it was so scary. Not because I am aging and what not. Because it was really super fast. Nothing like I have ever ride before.

And thus I conclude, I am still young. At heart.

Wait for Ibu

I came back quite late yesterday at about 9 at night after going out of the house since early morning. I came back home, famish! I hope my lover and and the kids spared some of the good parts of the grill they bought for dinner.

Lover kept smsing when am i going to get home because none of them had dinner yet. I was a bit not happy because its late, and they still not eating yet? I mean, do I have to do everything around here?

Why have they not eaten, i asked as i entered the kitchen.

They wanted to eat together with you. 

Awwww

Sukaaaaa

Tak jadi marah.

Smart Stuff

I remember when I first came here, among  the changes I enforced in the family is to have an all together sit down dinner. No eating in front of the tv, on the couch, upstairs, in front of the tv. Even though we cant do it everyday with lover because of his odd timing, but I insist the rest must come down and be there.

I personally feel that there is so much bonding during this family get together. And since I am not working, I should make the best of the time I have.

But something evil is creeping in lately. This doesn't happen much at home though. It is mostly when we have our dinner outside. Enter the restaurant  Myself, lover, haziq and the kids will take out our respective Iphone, S3 (TRAITOR!), ipod and ipad. We will check the wifi, and our eyes are glued on the phone or tablet whatever.

Look we are not talking to each other. Sometimes even if we do, we wont be concentrating on the convo. Evil indeed this whatsapp that makes me pay attention to others more than my own family at this hour. And all these smart gadgets became so addictive that my heart yearns for it almost all the time.

Do you not see this happening almost to all. Sitting together but all are quiet staring at the gadget? I am a believer in a good old conversation. Jack, is in his talkative phase. He talks non stop and can go from one topic to another. Haziq, less talkative, but I enjoy the convo I have with him. Sya talks less but play alot with jack (oh by the way she must stop reading at dinner table too). I don't think I want to miss all of these.

Time to take action! No more smartphones, tablets and even story books at dinner table. I must stop this before this evil become permanently stuck on our hands and we lose the ability to talk to our loved ones, and only LOL and emoticon faces with those far away from us.

Who is with me?

Look at Our Food

I saw some food show or documentary (I can't remember) where the host is trying to show where food actually comes from. A chicken burger for example, comes from a chicken. The thighs and the breast pieces that they cut up nicely and sold in the food store actually comes from a chicken also. Slaughtered (or killed for them) and cut up to pieces. And if you have to start from scratch, there are wiggly yucky bits and stuff. Many were squirmish doing it. Some even look like they will vomit.

Like for real.

Anyway, I try my best to always point to the kids where their food comes from. Too bad I don't live in situation where there are much to be shown. I still try though to get them involved.

Like this is where you get buah cempedak, from a tree belakang rumah nenek, cut, mix with tepung and goreng and makan.
This is pokok tebu. It is Haziq's job to cut it into reasonable pices, peel off the skin (because makcik air tebu kata kalau tak buang kulit nanti mesin dia rosak) and send it to makcik air tebu.
This is coconut where you get the santan and i got to cook all the high cholesterol delicious food that you like.
This is daun kunyit.
This is kelapa muda petik rumah mak long. Tolong belah and ambik air dan isinya.
This is a cow. And this part where you get the rump. tenderloin. The ribs.

Haziq is also given a job to cut up the whole chicken to eatable pieces. Squirmish at first but getting a hang on it. Nak kena fine tune aje sikit insya Allah.

If you reflect on your food and go beyond the salivating part, you will come to realise how weak we are as human. None of us can produce our own food source even if you are the richest person in the world. You can buy food. You can buy ingredient but you have to get the source's ingredient from the earth.

The soil toiled. The sea fished. The fruits reaped. Can we produce any of these?

Sure there is some chemical "food" people produced, but those are not food. They are poison. And still they have to get the source from nature.

Reflect on your food, you will know that the One who creates you is Ar Rabb, the Provider and the Nurturer .  Food - we regard as an ordinary thing. Had Allah not provided the means for it, it was not in the power of man himself to have created the food on the earth in any way.

Allahu Akbar.

Abasa 80: 24-32

Then let man look at his food, (24)
We pour forth water in abundance, (25)
And We split the earth in clefts, (26)
And We cause therein the grain to grow, (27)
And grapes and clover plants (i.e. green fodder for the cattle), (28)
And olives and date-palms, (29)
And gardens, dense with many trees, (30)
And fruits and herbage. (31)
(To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle. (32)

Jim Mim 'Ain

We were discussing surah adiyat (me and my children) sometime ago. And we reached the 5th verse.
 فَوَسَطۡنَ بِهِۦ جَمۡعًا  Penetrating forthwith as one into the midst (of the foe)By the way it was a great discussion and I learned alot  of general knowledge concerning Arabian horses doing this surah. You  can read part of it here

Al Adiyat 100: 1 - Arabian Horses
Al Adiyat 100: 1
Al Adiyat 100: 2 - Horseshoes
Al Adiyat 100: 3-5

So we got to ayat 5 and I pointed out the word جَمۡعًا and I briefly mention the word comes from the three root letter which is جمع. Which in general means group or join or unite. And as most arabic words, they are derived from a three  root letter.  And they can then means similar but different. So from the letters jim mim 'ain, you can get the word 

jumuah (Malay) pronounce is Jumaat. جمعة 

Jamaah - as in solat jamaah  جمعة

Jamek - as in Masjid jamek. جامع

Majmuk - مجمع

Ijtima' (meeting or gathering) - اجتماع

Can you see, the changed word still have the root letter jim mim 'ain?

Then, suddenly Sya asked me, what would jima' mean? It is spelt like this جماع

:O

:|

It means having sex Sya.

Then Haziq roared and Sya went red on the face..and Jack laughed even though he did not fully understand what was happening.

_________________________________

The other day, I was casually talking to haziq about how some music videos are like porno especially the arabic ones particularly if they singers from Lban0n. 

Then Sya asked, is porno like jima'?

My Advice to My Children

My dear children,

Let me share you a tip to save yourself from the agony in your ears and at the threat of disrupting the stability of your growing rebellious hormone. You know, how I go berserk when someone left their uniform, for example, on the floor? And as the built in characteristics that I have within me, if I go berserk on one of you, it means an Armageddon will come up soon . One person got the ear, the rest most likely would get plenty of ears from me too.

So, my advice is, if you see anything not at the right place for example pencils strewn on the bed and floor, soiled undergarment peeking from under the bed, damp towel on the toilet floor, books here and there and not on the table or bookshelves, bed not done, telekung not folded and on the bed, help each other by reminding everyone to get the things in the proper place. This also mean placed nicely and not thrown into the cupboard because the secret is, I check.

Make an alliance against me this way. Cooperate. Collaborate. Strategise. Get your line of defense up. Build a fortress (keep it neat). Do all of those before my big hundred eyes catch hold of the lopsided duvet.

This way you can save the agony of day long attack of loud sound and thumping and most likely the stinging cubit. Those loud sound, thumbing and stinging cubit will also guarantee you no computer, IPad games and IPod chatting and whatever you find pleasurable.

So if you work together, and that I do see you work together, I will very likely close one eye, but leave 99 open if you know your maths, on certain things.

May Allah bless you my children.

Parenting Skills

If there is any in me. Allah musta'an.

Every Friday morning (which is the weekend over here), I will tell the children to clean up my little garden. Pull out the weeds, pick all the dried leaves, sweep and sometimes wash the steps. The have been doing it every Friday not whole heartedly I suppose. But this is what I call character building Insya Allah. And plus because I can.

Last friday Jack came snuggling beside me and complained and complained like he usually does. He complained to me about Haziq. That Haziq is always angry at him, that Haziq accused him of being slow and Haziq always take his job away when he was going to do this. Abang is always angry at me.

I always watch them when they are together supposedly working and Jackjack being the youngest and sometimes either clueless or just plain lazy is always working ever so slow. He would sometimes get so involved in his own imaginary world of fighting zombies and stuff, he would be playing by himself and sway his broom or brush everywhere.

He usually gets the easiest job which is to put the collected leaves in the plastic and put it near the bin. But he would spend his time "fighting" that the he forgot about his job. And usually he would rush when I am down there for inspection or when his abang and akak are nearly finished. Then he got panicked and complain even more.

So after he complained, I hugged him and said to him, maybe you are playing too much and not doing your job properly. He retorted, I am doing my job!" It's abang who always take my job away! So I told him today, you must quickly put the leaves away in the bin, so abang doesnt take your job away and he doesnt get angry. Of course he would say, "Abang will still be angry." Yeah he complains a lot. Peck in the cheek. A tickle. He was fine Insya Allah.

Then later, haziq came to me complaining about Jack. he was only playing. he never does his work. And when I told him to be quick, he got angry. Then because I cannot wait any longer, I had to finish his work for him, then he got angry.

Then I told him to be patient. he is only seven and very imaginative. Give him small task, and remnd him often because little kids need more reminders. Never finish his work for him. You can slightly punish him by leaving him when you are all done, or threaten him sometime before you are going to actually finish. But as the bigger one and also the leader you have to know his talents and his weaknesses and play with it. Gentle but stern. And in the end, you have me to report to. You have to instill team work and keep the team happy so that all of you achieve the same goal - i.e. please me (and a clean frontyard).

And remember Haziq, I had to deal with you when you are at that age.

This is all so funny I think. Their squabble. Their argument. But I need to skill to be somewhat fair and also not demotivating either. Otherwise I can easily say, O shaddap!

I pray that they are close with each other even after I am gone.

__________________

It is worth to note also, that no one has a fight with Sya. Sya diligently pull out weeds, cut off unwanted branches and throw things away. Allahuma Bareek.

Reading the Hadith Cautiously

I am trying to make a habit to bring  a book when we go out together - me and the kids or when lover is around. So I could read a story to them while we wait for the food. We have not finished the sahabah book yet so I have been taking the book everywhere.

So we read about Abu Ayub al Ansari the other day.I didn't manage to finish the book when the appetizer came, but continued reading. While we were munching the Apple Bees delicious boneless buffalo wing in honey and barbeque sauce  and the celery dipped in the sour cream, I got to this part of the hadith.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah reported,

Once while Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were sitting, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam came to them and said,

“What has  caused you two to sit here?”

They replied, “By He who has sent you with the truth, nothing has brought us out of our houses except hunger.” The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,

“By He who has sent me with the truth, nothing has brought me out other than this.”

So they went until they came to the house of a man from the Ansar (Abu Ayub al ansari), and the woman of the house received them. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said to her,

“Where is so and so?”

She replied, “He went to fetch some drinking water for us.” So the man came carrying his bucket and he said, “Welcome. Nothing has visited the servants better than a prophet who has visited me today.” Then he hang his bucket near a palm tree, and climbed it and returned to them with a cluster of dates. So the Prophet sallallah alaihi wasalam said

“Why you didn’t pick (some of them)?”

The man replied, “I wanted you to choose with your own eyes.” Then he took a blade (to slaughter a sheep) and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,

“Do not slaughter the one that gives milk.”

So he slaughtered a sheep for them that day and they all ate. Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said

“You will be asked about this on the day of Judgment. Hunger caused you to come out of your homes and you did not return until you had eaten this meal. So this is from the delights.”

We knew the hadith from our at Takathur lesson so I was feeling a bit jittery reading it. haziq was  also looking worried.I read the hadith real slow as I and we actually were worried for we were enjoying the ni'mah more than the Prophet and the sahabahs were in the hadith.

Let me share it with you. Here is the full at Takathur notes in my wordpress.

May Allah forgive our sins - the one we know and we don't know. May we feed ourselves with halal and attain it through halal means also.

___________

Anyway in case you are wondering who Abu Ayub al Ansari is, he is the sahabah from the ansar, that Prophet Muhammad stayed in his house in Madinah when he made hijrah before the masjid an nabawi was completed.

Here is a short story about this great sahabah.

Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb, known as Abu Ayyub Al Ansari, came from the Banu Najjar, and was a dear and close companion of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

He enjoyed a great privilege many of the Ansar in Madinah dreamt of having.

When Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), reached Madinah after the Hijrah from Makkah, the Ansar of Madinah greeted him with great enthusiasm, love and longing. Their hearts betted for him and their eyes surrounded him with great admiration and love. They wanted to receive him with the most hospital reception they could give.

Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) entered Madinah on his camel. The chieftains of Madinah walked next to him, each and every one of them hoping to get the honor of Prophet Mohamed’s stay at his house. They stood in the way of the procession and addressed the Prophet saying " O Messenger of Allah, please do accept our hospitable accommodation, for we are influential people who are great in number and wealth. We can also guarantee your support and protection.”

Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) mildly urged them to get out of the way of the camel, for it was ordered by Allah to stop at a certain place.

The camel stopped at an open space in front of the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. But Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) did not get off the camel. After a few minutes, the camel started moving once again, however, it turned around, retraced its steps and kneeled in the same place where it stopped before. Abu Ayyub’s face shone with joy and satisfaction. He went out to Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and greeted him with great enthusiasm. He took the Prophet's baggage in his arms and carried them so close to his heart as if he was carrying the most precious treasure in the world.

It was not the first meeting between Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari. They had met before when the Madinah delegation journeyed to Makkah to take the oath of allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH).

Abu Ayyub's house had two floors. He prepared the upper floor for Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) to stay in. however Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) preferred to stay on the lower one.

Night came and Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) went to sleep. Abu Ayyub ascended to his room, but when he closed the door, he shook with regret and told his wife:

"Woe to us! What have we done? The messenger of God is below and we are higher than him! Can we walk on top of the messenger of God? Are we standing between him and the Revelation? If so, we are doomed."

They were extremely worried, and had no idea what to do. They got some peace of mind when they moved to the other side of the building where they were not above Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

In the morning, Abu Ayyub said to the Prophet(PBUH):

"By God, we did not sleep all last night, neither myself nor Umm Ayyub."

"Why not, Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet.

Abu Ayyub told him how terrible they felt because he was staying below them.

"Don't worry, Abu Ayyub," said the Prophet. "We prefer the lower floor because we have a lot of visitors.”

"We submitted to the Prophet's wishes," Abu Ayyub related, "until one cold night, the roof was damaged and the water spilled on the upper floor. Umm Ayyub and I stared at the water. We only had one piece of velvet, which we used as a blanket. We used it to wipe the water fearing it would seep through to the Prophet. In the morning I went to him and said, 'I do not like to be above you,' and told him what had happened. He respected my wish and we exchanged floors."

The Prophet (PBUH) stayed in Abu Ayyub's house for about seven months until his mosque and his dwelling were built. Thus, he became the neighbor of Abu Ayyub.

Abu Ayyub loved Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) with all his heart and the Prophet also loved him dearly. There was no formality between them. The Prophet (PBUH) continued to regard Abu Ayyub's house as his own.

These are glimpses of Abu Ayyub's life during peacetime, but ever since the Quraish tribe began to fight against Islam, to raid Al-Madinah, the land of Hijrah, and to instigate tribes and organize armies to eliminate Islam, Abu Ayyub became a professional in warfare. He was in the front rows in Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq and the rest of the battles and wars. He devoted himself, his money, and property to Allah.

He did not stay away from any battle the Muslims fought from the time of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) till the time of Mu'awiyah unless he was engaged at the same time in another.

Even after Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) died, Abu Ayyub never turned his back on a battle that the Muslims were destined to fight in.

The slogan that he kept reciting to himself day and night, secretly and openly was that verse of the Qur’an “March forth, whether you are light or heavy”.

He never missed an expedition, except once. He refused to fight in an army, which was lead by a young Muslim assigned by the caliph. Abu Ayyub rejected this choice. This one and only mistake shook his innermost self, and he was always full of regrets as he repeated, “It is none of my concern whoever Ali appoints.” Ever since he made this mistake, he never missed a battle.

It sufficed him to live as a soldier in the Muslim army, fight under its slogan, and defend its sanctity.

The last battle Abu Ayyub took part in was the one prepared by Mu'awiyah and led by his son Yazid against Constantinople. Abu Ayyub at that time was a very old man, almost eighty years old. But that did not prevent him from joining the army and crossing the seas as a graze in the path of God. In this particular battle, he was wounded. The commander of the army went to check on him. He was breathing heavily as if his longing to meet Allah made him impatient with the few minutes left in his life. The commander, Yazid Ibn Mu’aawiyah, asked him, "Do you need anything, Abu Ayyub?"

I wonder if any of you can imagine what Abu Ayyub’s last wish was?

He asked Yazid to carry his body to the furthest point inside the enemy lands and bury him there, then to break through the enemy line until he reached his grave so that Abu Ayyub might hear the sound of the galloping Muslim horses clattering over it and realize that they have achieved victory. Do you think this is poetic verse? No, this not a poetic verse nor a whim of imagination. It really happened. It is a fact that the whole world witnessed one day, and stood there watching and listening, not believing that this could be true. Yazid carried out Abu Ayyub’s will to the fullest extent.

Finally, the body of this great warrior was buried in the heart of Constantinople — Istanbul nowadays.

taken from HERE.

Reading the Sahabah Stories

One of the intermittent things we did when we went for the umrah journey is that I read out aloud to them the story of the sahabahs. There were many idle times time to kill. There was waiting time at the immigration, at the restaraunt waiting for food, at the hotel in between solah time in haram or whenever.

I decided to bring a book about the sahabahs. The reason being was because I rarely could cover this topic in the halaqah. They have short chapters. They are not very academic because they are stories. So its the easiest and most effective especially that we were on the move.

The book I used - Portraits From the Lives of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasalam Volume 1 & 2 - Abdur Rahman Al Basha. I personally find this one the best book for sahabah.

Haziq particularly enjoyed it alot. I personally recommend you to read, discuss and go through the seeraah and the stories of the sahabah especially with your boys the budding teenagers. Boys usually need someone - a figure - that they can look up to and emulate. Boys like to hear and know about men - real men.

OK we have different biography that we can introduce them too. The highly successful people. We can talk to them about Steve Jobs, Bill gates, Nelson Mendela, Malcolm X, Company CEO or whoever. I have nothing against telling them about non muslim leader. There are things we can learn from all.

However, I personally would make more gravity on conveying the Muslim heroes more and the non muslims as supplement only. If we keep shoving them worldly personalities that are successful in the world only - then the only success they believe is the worldly one. The ultimate objective is the greatest success which is the afterlife.

Not that we cannot have both. Why not? We do ask for hasanat in this world and after. So have balance. And balance must beaccording to the ratio of life of the hereafter against life of the world. You are better in maths than me. Go figure.

Anyway, try different angles to what spark our boys' (and girls) interest. Leadership, battles, strategists, linguists, businessman, courage, steadfast, strength, knowledge and so forth.

I am not sure what spark Haziq really. he seem to like any battle stories. That is why he prefers the seeraah of Madeenah and the battles during Khalifah Abu Bakar and Umar. I personally prefer seerah in Makkah. But hey this is not about me.

You could identify the personality that suits your children most and slowly live it. The teenagers will relate to this I think. Sya and Jack just take take this as stories but Haziq is already at the age of thinking another layer deeper into their personalities.

I can't wait for the time that I put more gravity on Sya's teenage interest and I will share here Insya Allah.

learning about sahabah is crucial for they are the ones that Prophet salllahu alaihi salam said are the best of generations after him. They are real people who are also exposed to mistakes and sins. We can learn from their struggle and their strive and how they go through their life in the worship of Allah and Insya Allah we also can become like them.

They are described as "Monks by night and knights by day."

What drives their discipline? What are their understanding? What are their motivation? Do they breathe the same air? See the same sun? Shade under the same moon? Do they belong to the same world?

A loooonnnnngggg project to be done. Time? Where is my time? May Allah expand my time for Him.

Jack Can Swim

I remembered writing in the blog about sending the kids to swim last two summers. But then we had ramadhan and we went back to Malaysia and then come winter, I didn't continue with the class.

I enrolled them again last summer. They went for one month. Then we had Ramadhan and we went back to Malaysia and wehei now is winter. But this time, I wasa bit more serious. I have committed themselves (and me as the driver) to continue their swimming class and paid in advance last summer. This is in line with my mission and vision for them this year, Insya Allah.

So I have been spending some of my evenings ferrying them to their swimming class. And had to spend more time at the pool watching them.

Sya was doing very well. She seems to have flair in swimming. She looks very graceful in the water. Well done Sya! In three months she has jumped from Level 1 to Level 5. Allahuma Bareek.

Now jack is a different story. I have been watching him flapping his hands in the water and kicking wrongly or not kicking enough, holding on to the wall with one hand and pretending to swim with the other, cheating laps. Basically he just didn't get it. Even with the aid of the board he could half drown himself. Panas aje gua tengok.

Ferrying them home I would tell him what he did wrong, "You didn't raise your hips enough, you must put your head in the water, your hand must be straight. you didn't kick enough." And at home we practiced it on the bed. And in the car going to class, remember hips up, kick kick kick, head in water."

Months and months I am watching him in agony thinking how expensive the class is and wondering when will he get it.

But this year, he showed changes. Masya Allah. Like alot! He knows how to kick, raise his hips. I only corrected the way he raised his head to get some air. And for now, I didn't have to pay attention and watch him like a hawk anymore. I could actually read a book.

And he is now kept chosen to be the exemplary swimmer for his class. Allahuma Bareek.

Ya ya makcik sangat gembira.

Remember children, when we do something we do excellent all the way. This is IHSAN. The outcome is up to Allah. But try the best you must!

In the mean time, ketahuilah ibu membebel sebab ibu sayang.

Best of Companions

One of the greatest parenting moments, to me, must be seeing your children in the right company. That when they get together, they play and they have a good laugh. And they thread their playing with remembrance of Allah, in their own way. Giving riddles. Reminding each other about an ayah they just learned. Or the hadith they just heard.Or a story they just read.

And to finish the day off with reciting quran to one another, swiping on each other's ipod, checking their friend's recitation. And then randomly select an ayah to see who can continue them.

Once in a while the parent would come in and join the fun and share what she learned and to reflect together.

And this would be Subhanallah beautiful. Almost heaven.

May Allah bring to my children companions who loves Allah and His words, Al Quran.

May the companions rubbed off perfume on each other.

The Prophet ﷺ reminds us of the importance of good company in this hadith (record of the Prophet ﷺ):

“A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

Good read BEST COMPANIONS

Bismillah Police

Haziq has been a bit naughty lately. So told his other two siblings. He has not been saying Bismillah before eating. Gasps!

THE BOOK OF DRINKS (KITAB AL-ASHRIBA)
Muslim :: Book 23 : Hadith 5006
Jabir b. ‘Abdullah reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When a person enters his house and mentions the name of Allah at the time of entering it and while eating the food, Satan says (addressing himself: You have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; but when he enters without mentioning the name of Allah, the Satan says: You have found a place to spend the night, and when he does not mention the name of Allah while eating food, he (the Satan) says: You have found a place to spend the night and evening meal. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Abdullah through the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

If you would like to read more, you can check out one of my older posts in the other blog : THE MANNERS OF EATING

Sya and Jack have been keeping in check with him. reminding him "Have you said your Bismillah" . have you said it? have you? Have you?



This is one of the latest attempts. Putting it on his plate to remind him.

They call themselves the Bismillah Police.

Part of efforts of enjoining good, forbidding evil. May Allah bless them.

The best day of your life

Sya had an assignment to ask each of the family members to describe to her the best days of our lives. I, the mother of my children, in the effort to every now and again make my children feel good, told her that one of the best days in my life when I had all of them as my children. And I was not lying either because lying is haram.

Haziq mumbled something about getting recognitions and don't know what else. He mumbles a lot in his gruffy voice nowadays.

Jack confidently answered that the best days in his life are Friday and Saturday.










HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!

We all burst out laughing in the kitchen.

(Friday and Saturday are weekends here)

Adik Beradik

Haziq shares the room with Jack while Sya sleeps on her own. That's the plan.

But sometimes jack is found in Sya's room. Sometime Sya is found bunking in with her brothers. And sometime to the annoyance of haziq, he sleeps in Sya's while the other two cramped in Jack's small bed.

But now they have a plan and both of them told little jack to sleep with me instead. So they could have privacy in their rooms.

I don't mind Jack sleeping with me. I do miss his presence. Lover is annoyed though. But still say yes and send him to our bed when Jack ask for his permission.

And this was tonight. Each of them told jack to sleep with me. Of course I told the two of them off for sending jack out of their rooms.

Anyway, before he sleeps, I read with him the story of habil and Qabil. A simple one with pictures to colour. And when come the part that Habil got killed, Jack began to look sad.

And when we finish it with Habil being buried, he cried.

I was not expecting that.

I hugged him and reminded him that he has brother and sister who loved him.

Ooooppss I forgot, the two just send him out of their rooms.

Haziq was already feeling guilty when I told him off earlier. And when I called the two of them, and when they saw him, they hugged him and treat him like a baby until a smile came back to his face.

Then Haziq accussed me of purposely chose this story tonight.

Later I told Jack that Allah tells us stories in the quran for us to take lessons from. I cried, I told Jack, to many stories because of the lessons that I derived from some of them. Understandably that you cried in this one. Allah wants you to take lesson from this story. jealousy. Siblings rivalry. Fear of Allah. I didn't use these big words though.

I ask Allah that my children will continue to love each other for the sake of Allah even without my presence. May they live their life in taqwa.

Cuti Sikit

In Qtar there are three public holidays. The major ones are for Eid Fitr and Eid Adha. Both are for good one week. The last one is for the independence day: 1 day.

Because break is so rare, I love them to bits. Many Msians take this time to buat makan-makan (plus it is raya time anyway), or have a break over the others sea, picnic and off sort.

And for me this time round, this cuti eid adha is another breather. I am really bad at housekeepinglah. :( I know and have told myself quietly if I were to allatul (another arabic word for you which means immediately) sort everything - punch papers, staple them put in a file - things will be kept tidy. Most importantly you can find it when you need it. Ni tak, for months there are papers stack here and there. And when I badly need them, I can't find them. And now ehen I am thinking of sorting them, I am stuck hours rereading them. Best pulak. he he.

Picture : My working table at slightly good time.

The new term has nearly end. I really should be writing down what I want to do mostly for the kids besides what I am already doing with them. I have quit some weekend classes, it is time to make full use of the otherwise used time for something good. But I feel the need to sort of schedule what to what and when and how, because my head is fill with so many things.

This for me that for me, those for them and this one and that one and those too and perhaps that also. Plus all of that. Ahah! this is good too!

Subhanallah! Breathe in and out. Ok kita kemas dulu!

What My Mother Taught Me

Sometime ago, I think it was during the Malaysia's mother's day Ummikusayang dot come launched a competition for any of the members of ummikusayang to do a write up about "what your mother taught you". I didn't participate because I am slow that way. I did read many of the write ups. Many of them wrote about how their mother was their influence on their excellent culinary skill.

This bring shame to me. My mother was a great cook. She also used her talent for the extra pocket money. When I was young, i had to follow her send her kuehs to kedai kopi. She made excellent kueh. But did I learn any? Noooo. To much shame.

I taught about this for sometime until the competition finished. Hahahahha.

Until recently I was reminded again. I think I know the answer now. My mother was the one who taught me to read the Quran. She always spend her time on the floor and me with a muqaddam on the rehal doing the alif ba ta and later on continued to read. Until i was confident enough to read the quran then only she sent me to some ustazahs.

I grew up thinking,this is what mothers do. Mothers are the one who teach their children the early reading of the quran. There is no other way to it. So that was it!

I knew I will grow up becoming an executive and drive an Audi and play tennis and I know I want children of my own and I will make sure I will take the full gear responsibility to teach my children to read the holy book.

But not the masak kueh and jahit-jahit part though. despite growing up seeing my mothers do it, I don't feel that it is a mother's job. Maybe because she did that for our living. I kan nak jadi executive bawak Audi. :P (sekarang menyesal dan kueh tak ada bubur nasi pun tak ada)

But now, looking around me, i see all mothers send their kids to a better teacher, a better sheikh. I am sure their kids reading are much better than mine. Not to mention faster too. So I am not sure whether I am actually doing the right thing.

But then when I think of my mum, I always make dua' that Allah multiply her hasanat and the good ilm that she taught me (and the other children she taught)and that the quran will be her defender in yaumul akhirah. When i read the quran I ask Allah, to double triple quadraple the hasanat of me reading to her.

And I feel that I want these from my children too.

We talked about this, Haziq and I. That how much i need dua' from him (and the other two copetot). I may not be able to fulfill this hadith,

Narrated by Uthman, "The best of you is the one who learns the quran and teach others."

I may not be able to teach others but at least I have my children, Insya Allah.

And if we cannot teach, do not despair, because our effort and encouragement in ensuring our children are learning the quran counts big time!

I ask Allah to guide me to do the right thing to nurture them in becoming the best of mu'meen.

Ramadhan Shahrul Quran

Subhanallah! Ramadhan is coming very soon. May Allah prolong our age so we can meet Ramadhan again. Our youth (ya ka youth?), our health is not a guarantee of life even a second from now.

And if we sincerely make niyah of wanting to fulfil our time this coming ramadhan with ibadah, and yet we are prevented from doing so, Allah is Most merciful, we would still have the reward of the niyah.

One way to realise this niyah is by making plans for this Ramadhan. Let's make plans to increase our ibadah for this coming holy month. And one of the iabadah that we can and MUST make is the quran.

Ramadhan shahrul Quran.
Ramadhan is the month of Quran.

Let's make plans to how we can fulfill this holy month with the Quran. After discussion with the kids, we came up a suitable plan for each of them. They are of different age and thus different capabilities and different level in terms of the eloquence and understanding of reading.

Same goes to all of us. If you wish to strengthen your memorisation of the quran, you may do so either by increasing the quantity or revising the past memorised ones.

You can also follow the rule of minimum four pages reading per solatul fard to finish the quran by the end of Ramadhan. My advise is, when you have the time to read more, do so for the contingecy times.

For the younger ones or the new to quran, you can set the number of pages or verses.

Or make a change, read the translation and also the tafseer of the ayat. You can get the ibn Kathir tafseer HERE.. Can also look up to the common words in the Quran. I wrotes some tips HERE. May it help you.

I am asking Haziq to write up an action plan to what he wants to achieve. I asked him to look at known distractions like traveling to Malaysia, travelling within Malaysia, possible berbuka with friends. So he can tell how much more he needs to put his efforts during his free time.

I am making log sheets for Sya and Jack just to keep track of their schedule. Can be used as a reward proof later. *winks*

Have a plan. Set a goal or goals to live quran in this holy month. At normal time reciting just one letter in the quran earns us 10 hasanat. What more in the month of Ramadhan. As usual goals have to be realistic but yet challenging. May Allah make it easy for all of us.

I think spending sometime with the quran is doable, whether you are a working mom or dad, or a student with an important exam coming. Whoever you are and whatever you are doinf. If you take a short step to get closer to Allah, Allah will run towards you. Surely we want our ramadhan at this increased age better than the years before. A verse? Maybe two. Perhaps a page. At least listening to them.

And when the Quran is recited, listen to it with attention, that you may receive Mercy.” [Al Aaraf 7:204]

Perhaps more of the quran then lagu raya this time round? He he.

Do you have any tip to share with me? Jom share ajr.

Keeping Them Busy

It is now the two-months long summer break here. And I clearly remember the last year loooonngg summer break. Where they basically sleep, eat, play games, watch TV. Ok we do a few activities but most of the time they sleep, eat, play games and watch TV.

So I thought I just try to keep them a bit more occupied.

I am sending Haziq to the masjid for his memorisation every weekday morning up to Dzuhur. He still has to go to his regular mengaji with his ustaz a few days in the evening. This arrangement has been good, Alhamdulillah. When he is doing one surah for his morning lessons, he needs to strengthen another surah in the evening. This keeps him on his toes being challenged. May Quran be in his heart.

There is also some programmes for the girls in the morning. Not everyday though, but sufficient. Apparently for the memorisation they are so far memorising the Fatihah and three quls to the dismay of Sya. But I told her there are always other things that you can learn from different teachers and different environments. Even if we think we know, there are always new things you can learn. Plus not to mention I have already paid the class wokei. :P. But Alhamdulillah they are learning other stuff too like dua's that I haven't got to teaching yet. And also she is getting cool presents for being able to memorise teh surahs and the dua'. He he he

I am sending Jack to the same mosques as Haziq because he kept telling me that he wants to go to the mosque for ngajiing when he is six. So there you go. According to haziq, when he recites with the ustaz he would look down all the time looking very nervous. Once finished, he would go on his fighting mode with some imaginary people and berguling-guling in the mosque.

Also, I signed all of them up for swimming class. Well haziq can swim already, so he is learning to improvise his breast stroke at the moment.

So they are busy but still, once they got home, terus main computer. Grrrrr. I haven't come up with activities to do at home yet for them. We still have our halaqah once a week. I need to do something daily but somehow, I have stuff to catch up too. Allah Mustaan.

At other times, I busy themselves with washing the dishes, lap habuk, siram pokok, kemas bilik and many more interesting character-building activity. they will thank me one day, insya Allah.

Or otherwise, I will remind them to thank me. Hahahahha

Zachary is Six

Laaa dah besar dah baby ibu.

Jack is not feeling well today. he has ulcer in his mouth and a bit of runny nose. And everybody fusses over him. Sungguh terasa sedih when he doesn't want to eat much. And he doesn't smile much. It's like the world has lost its colours. And yang paling over is Sya. She is such a big mama over Jack. Goodness!

And at other times, whenever Jack makes a cute face. The kids will fuss over him. Awwww.

Or when he makes baby voice. the kids will fuss over him. Awwww.

Overnya. Ibu dia relax aje.

And when he wants to get me, he would make a cat face and a squeaky baby's voice and iterate the latest dua that he had memorised.

Awwwww. Eh ibu dia relax aje. Tak cair pun.

So there you go, jack is still the baby of the house. And he still cries in kesedihan when I raise my voice to him. But lesser than last year.

He is still very thin.

He likes to hog the computer which makes me really angry. He can play the runescape game non stop. And his partner in crime is haziqwho is playing with him at the other end of the network. So I have to come up with activities to make him stay off that. Yes I can pull off the WIFI. And I have in several occasions. But in most occasions I had to do my thing too...so there you go.

His memorisation is doing good when he wants to pay attention. Gertak aje sikit nangis. Bleargh. He has memorised up to Al Adiyat. Not that much but moving Insya Allah.

He seems to like maths too. But in relative to the rest of them he is not as dilligent. And I am finding myself with less and less time to pay attention to their work particularly jack's. Hoping to catch up during the school holidays.

He knows his cue that I want kisses and hugs from him and he obliges much. *muahs* Sampai bila gamaknya dia nak kena kiss and hug?

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The Last Break

I enjoyed the children's last school break. I need the break myself. A breather.

Anyway among the things I did was mostly to make sure the children do not have an idle time. Heh heh heh.

They were asked to make major cleaning of the house. Kih kih kih! They had to clean
1. the white kitchen cabinet
2. scrub the kitchen's floor sampai ke ceruknya
3. wash the toilet.

The school break is for me. :D

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I am not creative in nature. I cannot translate what is in my mind to a product that is decent looking made by my hand. I can't draw. I can't do much crafts. I can't cut things.

But Alhamdulillah lover is better at that. He has the patience and dexterity for it. Which i always use to his maximum potential. :D

For this break, I bought some balsa wood. Because Haziq wanted to mae sowrds out of it. Obviously I couldn't make swords out of planks of wood. I couldn't make small plank of wood out of a plank of wood for god's sake. I asked lover to do it. And so he did. The kids get to do other things like gluing. But soon I think can be allowed to use the knife on its own...until he shows that he is not clumsy or like to fling things about.

But lover said, he had started using the knife at a younger age. Hmm..

The kids googled up the sword model of their preference and lover went to the drawing board.

They made three swords and a gun.


Jack the warrior. Grrrrrrggghhhhh
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I am hoping that for each school break, we would have some some form of themed projects. Alhamdulillah we managed one for this school break.

We were on the topic rain.

Subhanallah, I enjoyed researching for this project. Seriously I learned alot. The objective is for the children to understand that rain is a blessing. And as I researched through, I began to understand even more that what is there to it about rain. More than that rain can provide water and let growth in barren land.

If you want to read up about the details, you can read it HERE.


Some pictures

Our Water cycle model. Exaggeration on the life.

Anyway we talked about the normal water cycle process : evaporation, condensation and precipitation. With a lot of other elements on each cycle such as the evaporation of salty ocean water results into sweet rain water that can be used by the earth by the will of Allah.

Al Waqiah 56: 68-70

Then tell Me about the water that you drink.Is it you who cause it from the rainclouds to come down, or are We the Causer of it to come down? If We willed, We verily could make it salt (and undrinkable), why then do you not give thanks (to Allâh)?

We talked about the wind that blows the cloud to where Allah instructed. We also talked about wind that blow haze covering our country. And wind that blows the ashes in the Iceland volcano eruption covering Europe halting "life".

Al Aaraf 7: 57
And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain). Till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed.

We also talked about water that seeps into earth and are collected as water table. Subhanallah.

Al Mu’minoon 23: 18
And We sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and We gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, We are Able to take it away.

Just a little glimpse of what we learned. And the mess that we made.



I hope that they ubderstand how much blessings has Allah put on us and to take heed from Allah's signs all around us.

I based may of these on the book Kitab tauhid Az Zindani. Thanks to my friends who introduced this to me in our study group. I don't have the book myself. So something for me to get bila balik Malaysia nanti.

All in all we had fun. And I am happy that the two weeks break is somewhat filled with various activities. The mess is still there. And we are starting the busy schedule again. And I am finding myself to look forward to the two months summer break pulak. :D