Humanity

It's irony how nowadays, we subject a person or a troop of people according to their religion. Some westerners, or those of liberal thinking; would perhaps still consider Muslims with all those beard, those white hat (kopiah) and women with burqa or black veils; are terrorists. This explains all the banning issues against many Muslim women worldwide on wearing a head cover.

Well, clearly while many others fight for their right to wear head covers or scarves; there are still more out there who do not realize the concept of covering our aurah is a MUST and COMPULSORY. Not merely necessities. Sad isn't it? Thank God; for Allah, The Almighty Lord; is The Forgiver, alhamdulillah:)

People often misinterpret humanity. They always pin point the religion. For example, if one acknowledge another a syiah; automatically they will have to picture some sort of Basshar Al Assad regime in Syria. Well I had experience something we call 'Humanity that matters'. Something of that mindset that we have to tuned ourselves to, so that we don't judge. Instead, be experienced. Or in other words; do not judge the books by their covers. And I must emphasized; we Muslims; are supposed to always husnudzon (Thinking only good towards something or someone) first, before putting labels, but yet, many of us still fail to do so. I am too at times. Lets repent and switch our mindset. 

Bandra West, looks like a big city but behind those are slums.

When I went to Mumbai two years back, my friends and I had trouble in the search for a good silent place to solah, to pray in the crowd of Colaba. We entered to one shoe shop owned by a Muslim. Unfortunately, the water supply somehow shuts that time so we were really at end wits to where we should perform our solah. They then, showed us the route to a nearby musolah. It was Friday noon that time, so you could imagine how many Muslim men were there at the musolah.

Apparently, we were looking at each other, and asked ourselves how could we passed by all these men who were listening to Khutbah. Though we were a bit perplexed why the shoe shop owner we went earlier didn't actually go for the Jumuah solah. Then, there's a lady who came from the musolah, approached us, and led us the way. For women, they have this one small room (very small, can accommodate one bed kinda room), so we saw some women in black robes (Jubah) and black veils (Burqa') who were performing solah in there. And the room for wudhuk was somewhere else. 

ALLANA HOUSE, COLLABA :) The musolah where we pray. 

Of course, it wasn't much of a surprise that the women didn't pray like we 'did'. I mean, I am quite well versed of the difference in our mazhab. Most Muslims in India they practice Mazhab Hanafi, which didn't require them to really cover their feet while solah/prayer. So, they saw us 'differently' and started staring. All we could do was to reciprocate their stares hehehe :) 

Oh did I tell you that McDonald around Colaba isn't Halal? Well, upon coming here, there are a lot of doubts regarding any fast food's restaurant's status. Our seniors who had been there, told us we should not worry because yes, it's halal. But in the Musolah, Fariyal, a good friend of mine who was among those who is most peculiar about Halal food, asked one woman after finishing our prayer. Well, what to do then? Our craving for McDonald was let down after knowing it's not Halal. Rather, we had our lunch in a local Muslim restaurant called Olympia. It was still nice though but of course pricey.

the restaurant almost close (they don't have lunch at 3 pm)

Nothing could express our gratitude to Allah Al Mighty for showing us the way and ease our intention to do our obligation. Not many masjids of any kind would let women to enter and solat. But something really shocked me during my research for Ethnic studies in 2nd year. 

We went to Bhendi Bazaar to interview this local Imaam, as for Ethnic project on Islamic religion; comparison between that of in Malaysia and India. I told our experience, and somehow, the Imaam told us that the musolah we entered might not be of that of a Muslim. Because, in India all masjids disallowed women to enter since most women don't even pray. And because most of them are not Sunni, or following the Mazhab Syafiee. 

What sadden me the most is to know that, many Muslims, in India, treat their wives just as to keep them at pleasure, do house chores, take good care of the children and that's basically it. No need to teach them regarding Islam or to guide them towards it. Plus we got to know the musolah we went to in Mumbai was a place of worship for a religion or belief called Bahai. 

Bahai if I am not mistaken is one of the 'Syirik' and misleading belief as well as misleading preaching there is in this world. But how come those people, even if it's true they aren't Muslims could let us pray in their place? As if they saw the hardships or difficulty that we faced during that time to find the place to do so. This really touched my heart. They are seriously humane to me. Humane in knowing that we were in difficulty and willing to help as well as respecting our religion. 

Isn't that just blessed to experience such a wonderful thing. Humanity doesn't count whether you are a Muslim, a Syiah, a Christian, Hindu or even an Atheist. It is one kind of 'blessing' or gift that Allah puts in our hearts but most people couldn't show. The war or the slaughtering of humans made by those tyranny in Syria; those are not humanity; but see how the people from all over the world voiced out the hatred towards violence towards those innocents Syrians. Remember there's a circulating photo of Muslim men who were praying were guarded by Christian men in a circle because there was a riot in Egypt recently? All those are humanity. Humanity doesn't stick just to a particular religion. They go by heart. Only those with clean hearts could express it and show it. May Allah bless us with such hearts :)

>>p/s: loving to reminisce first year, where all of us were more united. But then I realize I am the one who's putting a distance between my colleagues and myself. Pardon me, but I guess I am just a loner:)>>

Guidance

"Apa tarbiyah dayana ye?"

"Dayana, nak share?"

"Dayana, iman macam mana hari ni?"

Those questions which some of you guys or some of my friends who happen to read them, feel quite as well easy to reply. To give answers. For me, these are killer questions. Killer than a question of when will I get married or to engage. Gulp.

For some reason, before I return to Belgaum for my third year; I had set this goal to grab every opportunities that come knocking at my door. Grab that and just do it! . I was so eager to come back. To return to my usrah mates and all. But guess what I did mentioned when reaching Bangalore airport? I said to my friends, I can't wait to return to Malaysia again T.T

I remember how I first joined all this usrah sitting was in my first year. Someone, anonymously pasted a note on my door asking me to join a sitting in someone else's room. It was my dear friend Mer's room. I was perplexed and almost follow Fariyal's sitting or picnic. Hahaha. Then I realized, I got 'selected'. Got selected to Ohana :)

Those were the times, we were all bunch of innocent 'little girls'. Who know nothing more except coming to India to study, become a doctor yada yada yada. Things were mostly just approaching 'Wahan; a love towards dunya. Until at one point, every usrah mates you had in your sitting, start to change bit by bit. You know you are stepping ahead towards something more 'secured' than anything you could ever had wish upon for. Towards better-ment. Towards something eternal happiness.

My friend D, whom I met in Premed UiTM, who also almost became my roommate; was among my usrahmates who had go so far in this 'Path' towards becoming a better muslimah. I just couldn't describe in words of how she has changed but all I know is yes, she has changed, 180 degree. I somewhat do not recognize her anymore. It's a miracle how the deen can immediately change her. Her personality, her actions, words uttered out from her mouth. SubhanALLAH!

Then, now that is she is happily married (at my age), it simply shows how beautiful Allah is taking care of her, protecting her. Not only that, I also kind of envy for the fact that my friend D is spreading happiness and goodness of tarbiyah in everyone. Of course, not everyone is being gifted with such capabilities. Everything goes just too fast for D. But I am happy for her !

Again, recently a new friend, Amirah Lina, shared this verse 57:16 from the Quran.

Has the time not come, for you Dayana? As if Allah asked me this on my face. It hurts. After almost three years, have I not yet realized? That there is better things to chase for. There are better things that I should hold on to? Because I've felt the pain, the staggering pain when chasing for something not even close to security. Not even an ant size close. It's hurting waiting for love which is not even true. Yet, I still hold on to some sort of false promises. How weak.

It has been almost a month for third year I am here. I've updating in twittah how clueless my life is. Suddenly, those spirit to start searching and those awakening boost I've set before I came back here all gone. Well, can't blame CFCS though. But seriously, I was in my calamity of thoughts. I was between "Yes I can do this!" and "What if what if I lost"

Truth is, what my previous Naqibah said is true. Joining some sort of Qudwah Hasannah is indeed a hard thing to do. But once you have step into and out of that journey; your heart will bloom with flowers. I want to feel that flowers. I want to have those flowery moments and thoughts with all these sisters who are in the same path with me. But I guess, I just need to try a little bit harder.

Then came another video sharing. Remember Salahuddin Al Ayubbi; one of the greatest leader and king that ever lived. Who opened Palestine? He was so great that even then everyone loved him. Even the non believers. And when he died, everyone mourned so bad. Until today, there are no leaders or kings as great as him. Those who went to his tomb and grave, even cried and 'pray' so that Salahuddin would wake up and save Palestine, Syria, Iraq and all. How irony? Now that the lives are asking a favor from someone who had deceased? How irony. How weak. How pathetic!

What are we now really? I see myself as such a supine-spineless person. Who even to join a sitting for usrah is still hard for me to say OK directly. What am I? What are we? Where are we heading to?

So yes people. We all need reminders. Let them be youtube videos (Please make full use of youtube, do more lah! ), let them be your friends, like myself, I envy over my roommates who is not also holding a high position in students association here but also a daie and let them be the Quran itself.

Aidan, a dear friend, hit me hard on my head. "Please don't be a spoil brat people!" She said recently. True, friends are there, to remind you of your Tarbiyah Dzatiyah (Tarbiyah when we are alone) and Tarbiyah Jamaiee (Tarbiyah when we are together). Yes! I agreed on the fact that I am spoiled. All I did was getting spoon-fed. I was not doing all the things for Allah. I put Allah on the second or third priority. I put 'friends' as my first. How would the others see me if I didn't do certain things? Maybe if I start joining them for all these Islamic lectures, I'll be part of them. Those were my thoughts. Just so wrong to think back.

I know Islam is not about uniformity, but unity. Yet, I am still found it hard so hard soo soo hard to start, and build that UNITY among these wonderful sisters here. And if the unity is not what I yet to feel or to 'get', how would I spread dakwah?

Just do it ! That's the perfect answer for now.

>> If you love someone, stop giving false hopes. <<

Illusion

was it just an illusion?

did I just wake up from a dream,

from a beautiful dream?


were all those good night wishes,

and dearly words of consoling,

are all lies,

are those all merely illusion?


how easy it was to start

and how easier it was to end.

eyes didn't tell,

and even mouth didn't speak.

but the truth is I know it all.

what is happening now,

and what is in your mind.

perhaps I should wait?

perhaps I should cry

when I utter your name out

of my prayer?


:)

let this just be another phase

phase where two humans met,

they separate due to fate,

and we'll both go in our own way.

Silence

My expertise is by being silent. Stay silent as a mouse. I still remember one fine day, I visited my beloved Mak Teh who was admitted in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang. It was before I even came to India for studying purpose. 

Mak Teh was at a chronic stage of Diabetes Mellitus. She refused to take her medications on the exact schedule and I was really worried, I mean still am. I miss the strong Mak Teh. Who could drive us (my siblings, cousins and all her nieces and nephews) for a trip to Kuala Lumpur or to the beach. But of course, now she couldn't do all that. The last time she drove me was to my college in Puncak Alam, during asasi years, together with my friends. We stayed at her house overnight just because to attend our grand gala. She stopped by at one stall (my Makcu's stall) which was selling Cakoi. 

Oh..those time! I surely miss. While visiting my Mak Teh, I was really sad seeing her all weak. Even now, I thank God that she's still alive. But seeing her with her edematous lower extremities hurts me to bits and pieces. She couldn't walk properly and often seeing tired. That day at the hospital, mom told her I got my place for medicine. But she rather looks unhappy and asked: "How can you be a doctor? You can't even speak to people?"

Oh yes. Even in the family, I am not the kind of person who speaks. Who sings or who dances. Timid as I am, I tried to show the other side of me in university, in college, because I believe this is the place where I could be what I want to be. I was wrong.

I was completely wrong because for Godsake, I don't even know the basic style how to talk. Yes, talking to people (of course, not to a wall that is), I seriously do not master the art of talking to people. I hit my target badly and unsuccessfully. I spoke out my ideas in a wrong turn, that sometimes, my frankness kills me. Because to talk, not only confidence that matters, but style as well. Style determines whether we could successfully hit our target audiences. I surely do not have that.

For third year, I suddenly realize I not only do not have the style to talk, but I also lose my confidence to go in front and voice out my ideas. I simply do not think this is the consequence for a month plus hiatus from college but I myself develop some kind of fear. Fear for being banned, fear for what people thinks. Many kinds of fear. And for this fear, I feel is rather not fun to stay here anymore. 

My truthfulness, my frankness also fired me back because I accidentally hurt a one elderly's heart. I didn't realized until one day I ventilated how that elderly was wrong to me, that I be frank with her. I was completely wrong. I hit the wrong target. I didn't use my soft skill, because yes, I do not have strong solid soft skill. I never will. 

Even to some friends, I always talk to, I feel insecure. Until I don't find the solution, that I decided to remain silent. Silent is gold like old saying goes, so yeah perhaps this is better. To keep quite. 

Quran Challenge and Rumah Islam

Assalamualaikum peeps:)

If you got the opportunity to study abroad, PLEASE GO!

I mean seriously, I found my first tarbiyah in USMKLE. In India. The one who leads me through are two darling naqibah, sisters who are of just one year older. 

Still, after two years joining this sitting where we called them usrah or family, I am not yet strong or strengthens. I see a lot of my friends, one of them who also got her tarbiyah in India, but now, wow, becoming a leader in this so called 'Path' towards becoming a better muslimah.

This year, before returning home, I got to stay in RI. It stands for RUMAH ISLAM. Friends who are studying in Bangalore called it White House. Rumah Islam accommodates 13 daie's. 13 forth year IMS' medical students; and one 2nd year student. 

I never stayed in RI because you know, often the trip to Bangalore or the transit was meant to be a joyous one. Joyous to me here means, not restricted to any rules. By staying in RI, I always have this mindset that all these sisters would keep preaching me whatsoever and wont let me have a joyous stay.

The clique I was following to this time transit to Bangalore was of different persons. One of them had already got married just yesterday. Barakallah :D and she is a good friend from asasi sains UiTM who Allah had made her heart clear of what she wanna be. A pure daie. 

After we arrived at that RI, it happened that the sister I wanna meet wasn't there. I was so frustrated, almost call for a leave and stay at another friend's house in Gokula. It was still Ramadan. And to my surprise, that very afternoon, these MSU girls in bangalore, mostly hold a MABIT together with iftar. My other friends, was so eager to join MABIT and I was like ERRRR.

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Because I knew if I didn't follow these friends, I'd be left out and all the sisters in the RI also had their own MABIT; so yeah. 

We arrived late for MABIT that night, but still were welcomed. It was an unfamiliar house we stepped into; the venue of that MABIT. Every girls were wearing white. Usually the opted to wear white because probably it seems more delightful and pure that way? hahaha.

After tarawih, and some night supper, the MABIT started. It was seriously, and amazingly fun. With almost 30 girls under one roof; it enlightened the spirit to sprint for more ibadah. We took turn to wake up for tahajud and tadarus. All our phones and watches were being taken away. But seriously, that's how it works to train our inner self. Get away from dunya. 

Later that morning, we had our mass Subuh prayer, recited the Math'urat then some game called QURAN CHALLENGE. 

It was my first time playing Quran Challenge. The purpose was to test how much of the Quran do we know after 3 weeks of Ramadan. 

Two groups were divided. One group be the Jahilliyah and another is the Taqwa. Jahilliyah must stop or interrupt the taqwa. 

I was astonished at how these friends in Bangalore are so good at the Quran Challenge. Because the mastermind will call out for one person from the Taqwa group. She will be given only the name of one surah from the Quran. She must know the highlight of that particular surah. Go to her Taqwa members and tell them the highlight of that surah without mentioning what the surah is. Technical clue must not be given. Her Taqwa's members must say out loud what the surah is. While the person tries to tell her members about the highlight, the Jahiliyyah members must try to pull her to be in Jahiliyyah by making her giving up. Some of us even tried to push them to sleep back with us. 

Seriously, the game was hard. To read and recite the Quran is easy. But to remember every detail of the Surah is hard. Well, that morning was really an avalanche to me, how I was bad at getting the highlight of the each surah and I must improve. No excuses.

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Being abroad, there's always RI. I know there are also RI or rumah Islam elsewhere in Malaysia; but I still see that the concept is being much appreciated abroad. RI is a home where you can stay, and eat, and the sisters/murobbi will make sure your Salat, your ibadah are well taken care of. I spent two nights there, and it was easy for me to wake up for tahajjud and tadarus. Simply beautiful, as if we had our life schedule nicely planned and constructed; in a syariat way of course. 

The sisters of White House RI Bangalore are darlings now. They eagerly cooked for Iftar when I was there. We ate in a Zuhud kind of way, in a dulang! Because their food is prepared in a zuhud kind of manner too. So that no wastage is present! How cool is that :D

MABIT, Malam Bina Iman Taqwa is indeed beautiful. Other than the chance to strengthen and to renew the spirit as to return to motherland Malaysia, we got to bond with our friends in MSU Bangalore. Ukhwah is then built. Another cool thing right :D 

>>P/S: because dad once said; when a person goes abroad to study; he or she can either be too good in her or his dakwah and deen or the opposite of that. It is us who chose the path when Allah showed us the light :)>>

Vogue?

One fine day my brother went a bit friendly and started to share a story. It was a story told by his chem lecturer in college. It goes like this:

A man went into 7 eleven. He looked at the magazine rack but couldn't find the one he wanted to buy.

He then asked the casher,

"Hey, are there any VOGUEEEE here? (with a pronunciation GUUUUU) 

"VOGUUUU? Sorry sir, no VOGUUUU here. But we have VOGUE magazine. (pronunciation with silent U and E).

The man exclaimed: "Well that's what I am looking for lah! VOGUUUU" 

The casher replied: "OH! It is called VOGUE not VOGUUUU" 

The man who became irritated :

"OK! I don't want to ARGGG with you now. Let me pay that!" 

The casher could just laughed and said : "Well it's ARGUE sir" 

"WHATEVERR!" and the man dashed away.

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Everyone in the car laughed. Because if VOGUE is pronounced with silent U and E, the man thought so does ARGUE.

Suddenly, among the midst of laughter, Mom asked:

"What kind of car is ARGG??"

hahahah

p/s: if no comprehende....ignore this :p

Realiti USMKLE: For Freshie on VISA application

Alhamdulillah and congratulations to all our future juniors who are already confirmed with MARA for the sponsorship. We welcomed you the world full of surprises. HAHAHA.

So before you guys come to India, a visa is a compulsory 'ticket' to allow you to enter this country full of magic. 

I don't know how about you guys, but during my time, the ONLINE VISA APPLICATION form was obtained from the same page as the website where you guys applied for USMKLE. 

You just fill up the form till it complete, then print it....and one thing you have to go to the Indian Visa Center to get your visa ready. Oh, please bring along your original USMKLE offer letter as well as your passport. And while putting your signature to any documents during the application process at the center, make sure all your signature are of the similar pattern. Just don't be that kelam kabut. Do things one at a time :)

You must sign up for the STUDENT VISA. The fees is about RM 301 during my time. I would put the link to the Malaysia's Indian Visa Center for you to do all the work. There are maybe some things changed for these past 2 years. 

INDIAN VISA CENTRE IN MALAYSIA 

And for those who are not in Kuala Lumpur area, here is the link to the addresses in some other cities for the center. Collection for the VISA is usually a week after you go and make one, so yeah, be patient :)

INDIAN VISA CENTRE ADDRESSES