Coretan Hidup

Very meaningful paragraphs from La-Tahzan. Just wanna share them with you guys here as they can be good reminder for us to be a grateful servant to Allah swt and also a grateful person to the people around us especially our parents.

So be at peace if you are requited with ungratefulness for the good you have done. Rejoice in your knowledge that you will be rewarded from the One who has unlimited treasurers at His disposal.

This is not to say that you should refrain from performing acts of kindness towards others: the point is that you should be mentally prepared for ingratitude.

Perform acts of charity seeking Allah’s pleasure, because with this attitude you will assuredly be successful. The ungrateful person cannot really harm you: praise Allah that the person is transgressor and that you are the obedient servant. Also, remember that the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives.

We only feed you for Allah’s sake; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks [76:9]

Many people are shocked at the nature of ingratitude in others, as though they had never come across this verse and others like it:

And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that touched him; thus that which they do is made fair-seeming to the extravagant.[10:12]

Hence do not be in a state of agitation if you give someone a pen as a gift and he uses it to satirize you, or if you give someone a walking stick to learn upon and he strikes you with it. As I pointed out earlier, most human beings are ungrateful to their Lord, so what treatment should you or I expect?

Sebelum memulakan pembacaan buku ini, aku membuat sedikit ‘google’an untuk mengenali penulisnya dengan lebih dalam. Alhamdulillah, terjumpa video ini.

Agak panjang, tapi tak rugi meluangkan satu jam menonton dan mendengar pandangan dari tokoh muslimah dari Amerika utara ini.

Antara yang disentuh oleh beliau:

1-Latar belakang dan sejarah pengislaman beliau.

2-Tentang ISNA.

3-Wanita dan kepimpinan.

4-Peranan khas muslim di Amerika Syarikat.

5-Prejudis/diskriminasi terhadap muslim.

6-Peranan media dalam membentuk imej muslim.

7-Penggunaan nama ‘Allah’ di kalangan muslim dan kristian.

8-Larangan menggambarkan Allah swt dan Nabi Muhammad dalam bentuk fizikal seperti patung atau lukisan.

9-Bagaimana menangani perbezaan pendapat(contoh yg diberi adalah melihat anak bulan).

10-Sufism.

In Malaysia, the hike in gas prices is one of the main issues frequently used by the opposition parties to bash the government. They promise voters with reduction of gas prices around 20-30 cents. Well, I don’t mean to discuss about whether the price of gas at gas stations should be reduced or not. But, what I notice is the difference in the way we handle the gas price issue in Malaysia.

Here, since the system is different and the control of the gas price is not in the hands of the government, the way American politicians approach this issue also different. They don’t make easy promise like Malaysian politicians do. Promise that gas prices will fall by 30 cents if they were in power. Promise that they will make use of Petronas’s windfall profits to subsidize the gas prices we pay at gas stations.

But, what American politicians promise is energy independence that eventually will help reduce the demand of gasoline in many sectors and bring down gas prices. Though it is a long-term action, I do believe that energy independence should be our first option. Making a simple promise to reduce gas prices once come to power might help politicians in gaining wide support. But, economically, it’s not gonna help us solve the hike in ‘real’ gas prices in the future. To Malaysian politicians, enough with all the gimmicks. Let’s really solve the problem by working towards energy independence.

Above is part of Madeleine Albright’s speech which I attended yesterday in Room 1010 of Neil Armstrong Engineering Hall. Her visit to Purdue is part of Hillary Clinton’s campaign series in Lafayette. Here, Hillary’s camp has managed to organize 4 series of meetings(Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton & Madeleine Albright) while Obama’s camp only 2(Barack Obama & Caroline Kannedy). Let’s wait for the outcome of their campaigns this Tuesday.

I was lucky to get a chance to join this session since my Arabic exam was held late in the evening of the same day. No more intersection this time.

After receiving a great applause from the audience, she started her speech by greeting the audience and Purdue University with 3-4 brief sentences. Then, she abruptly introduced the subject of foreign policy by describing the situation of our world today as ‘mess and disorganize’. According to her, there are 5 umbrella issues regarding foreign policy which are very important in this coming election.

Here are 4 of the issues which I managed to jot down:

1) Fighting terrorists without creating more of them.

2) Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

3) Restoring democracy(America can’t impose, but support).

4) Globalization (can’t be stopped, but could be managed).

Last but not least, there are some sub-issues which are equally important encompassing Iran, Iraq & its refugees, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Africa. According to her, the next president has to be someone who can deal with all these with ‘high confidence’, not just ‘certain’.

That’s all..

Malas nak tulis banyak.

Sekian Wasalllam.

Nak dijadikan cerita, semalam aku ke satu Town Hall Meting anjuran kem Hillary Clinton. Sudah pasti Hillary Clinton yang datang. Oleh kerana tersilap membaca email, aku datang awal (jam 3.00). Sedangkan pintu masuk sebebnarnya hanya akan dibuka pada 3:30 hingga 5:30. Dan Hillary Clinton hanya akan berucap paling awal jam 5:30.

Walaugaimanapun, aku mengambil keputusan untuk masuk sahaja ke Rielhe Plaza walaupun aku tahu aku mungkin tak berpeluang mendengar beliau berucap memandangkan final exam DEQ aku berada dalam interval ucapan beliau. Tak berani aku mengambil risiko keluar di celah-celah kesesakan orang ramai. Jam 4:00 aku berjaya masuk ke Rielhe Plaza. Jam 5:00 aku mengambil keputusan untuk beransur setelah puas melihat gelagat orang ramai membuat persiapan untuk menganjurkan satu Town Hall Meeting.

Berikut adalah sedikit gambar yang aku ambil selama 2 jam aku disana.

Buat pertama kali aku menonton rakaman perbahasan Parlimen kali ini, aku mengeluh melihat gelagat yang tak ubah seperti sebelum PRU-12. Tak pelik jika Utusan melaporkan bahawa pelajar-pelajar sekolah  menengah terkejut dengan gelagat ahli-ahli Parlimen. Baca di sini. Ini baru hari pertama. Hari-hari seterusnya entah macam mana.

Untuk pemimpin-pemimpin kami yang selalu  berkelakuan tidak sepatutnya di Parlimen, dengarlah rayuan saya ini. Tolonglah ubah sikap YB yang kurang manis itu. Itu semua bukan budaya kita. Malu la sikit pada kami orang muda ni. Tolonglah tunjuk contoh yang baik sikit untuk kami.

Jarang berita sebegini keluar di media. Tapi aku amat suka jika ianya lebih kerap disiarkan agar menjadi ikutan pada rakyat biasa terutamanya mereka yang menjadi penyokong kuat sesebuah parti politik. Kerana bagi aku yang jadi masalah adalah pabila pengikut dalam parti politik yang terlalu taksub dan bemusuhan sesama mereka yang berlainan parti. Sedangkan pemimpin-pemimpin mereka di atas hanya berbeza dari segi ideologi sahaja.

Ini dia petikan dari HarakahDaily mengenai suasana di hari pertama perbahasan di Parlimen.

Sementara itu, suasana di luar Dewan Rakyat juga tidak kurang meriahnya, ramai yang tertumpu kepada skrin-skrin televisyen yang disediakan di Lobi Parlimen untuk mendengar perbahasan yang pastinya hangat dan membuatkan jantung sentiasa bergerak laju.

Kelihatan beberapa Ahli Parlimen keluar masuk dewan, dan ada juga yang sempat menjengah Kafeteria bagi membasahkan tekak menikmati sarapan pagi dalam suasana yang agak sibuk.

Antara yang kelihatan di Kafeteria ialah, Timbalan Presiden PAS, Ustaz Nasharudin Mat Isa yang duduk bersama bekas Ahli Parlimen BN Ketereh, Dato’ Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad.

Seketika ternampak kelibat Presiden PAS yang keluar dari Dewan Rakyat dan terserempak dengan Presiden MIC, Dato’ Seri S.Samy Vellu.Mereka bersalaman sambil jurugambar dari pelbagai media tidak henti-henti mengambil gambar mereka berdua.

Spontan dari mulut Samy menanyakan khabar kepada Presiden PAS, dan mereka kelihatan cukup mesra tanpa sebarang rasa prejudis walaupun dalam politik mereka bermusuh.

Presiden PAS seterusnya diberi laluan oleh Samy untuk ditemuramah wartawan-wartawan yang sememangnya menanti ulasan Presiden PAS itu mengenai beberapa isu yang sedang melanda negara hari ini terutamanya isu Melayu dan Islam.

Guan Eng: Politicians should learn from doctors
PENANG: Politicians should learn a thing or two from doctors, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He said doctors saved everyone’s life regardless of where they came from.

“They don’t ask which political party you are from before they treat you,” he said in his speech at the Malaysian Medical Association (Penang Branch) 25th Anniversary Dinner and Dance on Saturday. Lim said that the time for politicking was over as the election was over and it was time for everyone to work together to serve the people.

“In the past few days, my appointment of someone from across the political divide has created a controversy that has had the entire Federal Government’s top leadership pointing their guns at the Penang state government,” Lim said, citing the issue of the appointment of former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon to posts in two state economic development agencies.

“I believe that if we serve the public, our highest calling is the people and not only the party we represent. The new state government is willing to accept anyone regardless of race, religion, gender or political affiliation as long as they are eager to serve.

“If we can cut across the political divide, we can create a more inclusive and united society that allows everyone to prosper and participate,” Lim said.

A video that plays some of the inspiring excerpts from Obama’s famous speech at the 2004 DNC in Boston.

If you notice, Obama also touches on the concept of unity in his speech. A unity called ‘One America’. It’s kind of like what Ustaz Has writes here. Let me quote the most interesting part in his article.

Tetapi busuk-busuk Eropah, biar pun dengan ideologi yang pelbagai, mereka mampu bertolak ansur dengan sentimen masing-masing terhadap sempadan negara. Mereka mampu membentuk Kesatuan Eropah. Kita yang Muslim dengan satu Tuhan, satu Rasul, satu Kitab dan satu Syariat itu, mampukah satu itu menghasilkan Kesatuan?

And this one is a quote from the speech. I’m just trying to reflect it with what we have in Malaysia.

That is the true genius of America, a faith — a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted — at least most of the time.

Definitely, we don’t have most of the freedoms mentioned in the paragraph. I keep on dreaming that one day Malaysians will enjoy such freedom.

Btw, do you think Obama’s speech is a mere rhetoric?