InshaAllah

If you dont' believe in yourself, nobody else will.

Yes, you can.

InshaAllah.

Bushido

Foto-foto dari negara matahari terbit menunjukkan kepada kita sikap rakyat negara itu. Walaupun diasak dengan bencana dan musibah, disiplin tetap dijaga.

Gambar-gambar manusia beratur panjang-panjang untuk mendapatkan bekalan dan membeli barang keperluan sebagai bukti. Jelas di dada-dada akhbar.

Agaknya perkara yang samakah boleh berlaku di Malaysia?

Kalau teringatkan kes duit syiling dan beras bertabur di atas lebuh raya dulu - rasanya tidak.

Dan kita mengaku kita orang Islam.

Dan kita mengaku kita orang berakhlak =)








Lagu ini menarik. Tahniah Aizat Amdan.




.... yang mengingatkan bahawa aku dah lama tak balik rumah.

Re-thinking

I didn't choose to do medicine to please anyone.

I didn't practice medicine to please anyone.

Long live life!

Seorang Guru Tua.

Guruku yang baik,
Masih lagi mengajar,
Sedang aku kini sudah besar,
Dulu wajahnya muda,
Kini rambut memutih kepala,
Ada anak-anak muridnya,
Kini memegang jawatan tinggi,
Tidak kurang pula,
Bergelar usahawan berjaya.

Guruku yang baik,
Masih di situ,
Masih memandu kereta lama,
Masih menuju sekolah yang sama,
Tiada kelihatan jemu,
Dari air mukanya,
Tiada kedengaran bosan,
Dari suara bibirnya,
Dia gigih menggenggam,
Tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan.

Guruku yang baik,
Dia masih di situ,
Berdiri sebagai guru,
Menabur jasa-jasa,
Dialah pendidik bangsa!




Seorang Guru Tua
Goenawan Mahmood, 1987.
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

Khair

Esok bermula satu hari baru. Telah berhenti masa rehat.

Mohon petunjukNya, mohon kekekuatanNya, mohon keredhaanNya.




Khair, insha-Allah, khair..

Qutb

Rindu kamera! Rindu pada badannya yang hitam berkulat, pada lensanya yang pendek kemetot dan juga pada bunyi shutter-nya yang begitu mengasyikkan. Apakan daya, seperti juga manusia, kamera datang dan pergi. Rosak. Duit pun tak mari-mari untuk aku cari ganti. Tapi, rasanya, kalau ada yang baru pun, aku tak boleh namakannya pengganti.

Kamera Nikon D40x tentunya bukan antara wish-list fotografer-fotografer sekarang, tapi what-the-heck, kamera itu telah banyak berjasa padaku. Ke gunung sudah, ke laut sudah, ke hutan sudah, ke kenduri kahwin sudah, ke Australia, Indonesia, Jepun, Thailand sudah, apa lagi yang aku nak? Badannya yang ringan dan fungsi yang tidak begitu kompleks membuatkan dia adalah sahabat kembara yang sejati.

Oh, aku belum beri nama padanya. Baiklah, namanya adalah Qutb.

Rest in peace, buddy. Lest I forget.

Saudara Badrul Sani

kita sibuk

Terima kasih sahabat, kerana sungguhpun secara tidak lansung, engkau telah menggesa aku untuk menulis, walaupun sepatah dua.

Kasihan pada penulis novel Interlok yang kini jadi sensasi, Datuk Abdullah Hussain. Kasihan kerana dia adalah mangsa keadaan.

Pelik juga, kerana jarang, di Malaysia, sasterawan diberi publisiti hangat sampai sedemikian rupa.

Pelik juga, kerana jarang, di Malaysia, sebuah buku diberi kritikan padu sampai sebegitu rupa.

Sebab, secara purata, rakyat kita yang berjumlah 28 juta ini sebenarnya tak gemar membaca pun.

*Satu muka surat pada 1997, dua muka surat pada 2002, dan dua naskah buku pada 2005.

Memalukan! Entah apa yang kita sibukkan agaknya.



*kajian profil membaca di Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (PNM) Sumber: Arkib Utusan Malaysia

Merci, Mercy!

Johor made a highlight in 2007 when the state was hit by a sudden, mysterious, statewide flood. It is interesting to note that, if we take monsoon season in this country into account (because it is when the amount of rainfall is greatest) Johor is not among one of those 'typical' places which are likely to be affected by flood.

But it did happen. Why?

Well, I don't know. I don't know how to speculate. What I know is that it could happen again.

Up to this writing, some parts of Johor were already under-water, perhaps due to the unceasing and massive rainfall for the past 3 or 4 days. Areas around Johor Bahru like Kulai and Ulu Tiram were all affected, though not as bad as some areas in Segamat.

Even though the magnitude of the flood is not that menacing as compared to 2007, issues like hygiene and food are still very much reverberate with the same intensity. Why? Probably because the number of families that needs to be relocated is pretty much the same, hence the same amount of victims involved.

I went to Ulu Tiram last night under the banner of MERCY Malaysia, an international humanitarian aid organization, to distribute some health goods and stuff related to personal and basic hygiene. In some areas, in addition, we need to set up mobile clinics. We were organized under several teams and were given specific flood centre to attend to.

In my opinion, food is not really a problem, but hygiene is. The condition of the flood centres are really bad. Taking into account that most of its temporary inhabitants were children, senior citizens and expectant mothers, the gravity of the problem could easily multiplied into a dangerous level. Clean water is a scarcity and waterborne diseases are rampant. And these problems will continue to create nuisance even long after the flood has subsided.

Fortunately, the help is prompt this time. An army of volunteers as well as government sector 'flood' in those areas almost immediately, with various kind of aids and goods. It is good and also heart-warming to see that these people stayed up the night just to make sure that the victims are properly taken care of.

Seeing this thing reminds me that maybe there are still some amount of altruism left, albeit a small one, in this so-called modernizing society. That's right, love and compassion towards others are what we really need these days, even though it is harder to get by, day by day.

On a different note, the team is still organizing a mission tomorrow to an indigenous - Orang Asli - settlement in Kahang. I was told that the place is not accessible now by road. They had to arrange for a boat or two to get there with the Jabatan Hal-Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA). They need two teams at least for this particular mission; one team comprised of a medical team and another for huminatarian aid. I was told to be on stand-by tomorrow, and if I join them, that means I won't be home for Chinese New Year holidays. Sorry mom! (as if she reads this)

I need to get back to sleep. May Allah S.W.T forgive us for what we have done and bless us with good life.


"Nothing is stronger than the heart of a volunteer." Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, April 18, 1942.

Seekor burung pipit di syurga

Kematian itu suatu yang memilukan, tetapi tidak ada yang lebih memilukan daripada menyaksikan kematian.

Petang tadi, sewaktu sedang menyapu sampah, aku ternampak seekor burung pipit kecil di atas lantai di halaman rumah.

Kakinya terkuit-kuit, kepaknya bergetar-getar dan paruhnya seolah-olah tercungap-cungap. Ada kesan luka yang besar di bahagian leher dan bawah kepaknya.

Barangkali baru lepas bergaduh, atau dicederakan oleh makhluk pemangsa.

Aku usiknya sedikit, tapi burung itu hanya membalas lemah.

Untuk seketika, aku frust. Aku tidak tahu apa yang perlu dibuat. Ilmu perubatanku terlalu kerdil untuk membantu makhluk Tuhan ini.

.... Air!

Aku tadahkan semangkuk air dan bantu ia minum. Tubuh kecilnya aku pegang dan suakan paruhnya ke dalam air.

Tubuh kecilnya terkuit sedikit dan perlahan-lahan paruhnya terkapuk menghirup air. Lemah!

Alangkah sayunya..

Tapi, ia tidak lama. Hanya beberapa minit kemudian, sekujur tubuh itu berhenti bergerak. Mati.

Aku tanam jasadnya di halaman rumah.

Saat aku tabur kembali pasir ke dalam liang lahad, aku teringat bahawa yang hidup pasti mati.

Yang pintar, kata Ar-Rasul, adalah manusia yang sentiasa mengingati mati*.

Tapi, yang 'sentiasa' itulah, yang selalu benar aku lupakan.

Selamat tinggal burung, titipkan salamku pada manusia-manusia yang bahagia dan berjaya di alam sana.

Khabarkan pada mereka, aku ingin bersama mereka.

*hadis riwayat ibn Majah daripada ibn Umar radiallahu anhum

Dreaming

I have always wondered at how do humans make decision.

A decision is made when we have, or appear to have, more than one choice. Usually, we use few factors to help us to decide.

But, factors can only influence. Religion, moral values, certain philosophies, economy, intellectuality or rationality etc. can only, at best, highlight why a certain choice is far more superior than the other one.

At the end of the corridor, it is not them who made the choice. Who, then, is?

Here's a question. Do we really make a decision while we are dreaming? Is there an active role for the dreamer to make a choice of, say, A instead of B? Or does anyone remember solving any mathematical equation in their dream?

In short, is there any thinking process involved in the realm of dreams?

For, as far as I could remember, dreams are likely to be described as narratives; the dreamer is just there to play the prescribed act.

Therefore, does our subconscious mind made those decisions all this while?

What does subconscious state of mind has to do, if any, with our 'true self' - the soul. Are they the same thing?

Does the choice we made in our dream shows who we really are?

I don't have all the answers. Yet. But, anyhow, here is my verdict.

We do make decision in our dream. We don't really realize it simply because we know exactly what to decide in any given dream-circumstances.

No matter how many options we have, we always knew exactly what to choose and precisely what to do. It is as clear as and as simple as choosing between drinking water or eating sand for a lost and thirsty bedouin.

When the choice is crystal clear, perhaps we don't realize we are actively making one, at all.

Why it is not like that, then, when we are awake?

Or, if you like the expansive version, why do we tend to ignore the subconscious voice while making decision in our day-to-day life?

I believe that if we could somehow reactivate our subconscious mind during our conscious state, then perhaps most of those difficult decision we have to make may not seem so difficult afterall.

Who or what controls this subconscious mind? Where does it come from? Where would it return to?

Perhaps Imam al-Ghazali rhm has something to offer.

According to him "man is formed of a body and a heart- and by the heart I mean the essence of man's spirit which is the seat of knowledge of God" (McCarthy 1980).

I think it is time for me to do some soul-searching. I have a strange feeling that the direction of my quest would behave something like a centripetal force.

To the centre - and to the whole universe!

*yawns* Good night.



* Are we human, or are we dancers? The Killers -Human








Ref:

1. McCarthy, R. J.. Freedom and Fulfillment: An Annotated Translation of Al-Ghazzali's al-Munqidh min al-Dalal and Other Relevant Works of al-Ghazzali. Boston: Twayne Publishers 1980

Papan di Sitiawan

Kalau roboh Kota Melaka,
Papan di Jawa hamba dirikan,
Kalau sungguh Islam bertakhta,
Jiwa raga hamba turutkan!





Moh le kite!

http://www.kemm1511.net

Kerana itu

Kalau bukan kerana itu,
Barangkali Rasulullah (S.A.W) tak perlu berdarah dihumbani batu,

Kalau bukan kerana itu,
Barangkali Sumaiyyah tak perlu menanggung seksa sembilu,

Kalau bukan kerana itu,
Barangkali Muhajirin tak perlu bersusah ke negeri baru,

Kalau bukan kerana itu,
Barangkali pemuda Badar kecut melihat musuh nan seribu,

Kalau bukan kerana itu,
Barangkali alam Melayu akan kekal beku dan layu,

Ya Tuhanku, apakah itu?
Daku tak lagi tahu.

.

Those that I fight I do not hate
Those that I guard I do not love



William Butler Yeats

made, not born

Mungkin dah terlambat untuk mengucapkan selamat tahun baru. Tapi, sebetulnya, tahun ini aku sendiri agak terlambat untuk menetapkan beberapa gol yang perlu dicapai sebelum 1 Januari 2012 nanti.

Biar banyak manapun senarai gol atau objektif, kebanyakannya boleh dihimpun di bawah payung 'pencapaian'.

Bila memperihalkan soal pencapaian, dua unsur yang tak dapat nak dipisahkan ialah usaha dan bakat.

Sebab, tentunya, pencapaian adalah benda yang lazimnya luar dari jangkauan kita, atau setidak-tidaknya benda yang kita tak biasa dapat atau buat sehari-hari.

Justeru, sumbangan dari usaha yang gigih dan bakat atau nasib memang sangat-sangat dituntut.

Jika 1 Januari diambil kira sebagai tarikh penggenap untuk umur seseorang, maka setelah 24 tahun aku hidup, aku merasakan aku ini tidak ada bakat. Langsung.

Aku adalah manusia yang percaya pada jumlah keringat yang menitik, tulang yang patah, air mata yang berdarah dalam usaha mencapai sesuatu.

....Oookay, mungkin tidaklah sedramatik itu, tapi ideanya begitulah.

Hasil kajian seorang profesor psikologi, Prof. K. Anders Ericsson dari Florida State University baru-baru ini sangat menggamit perhatian untuk ditekuni.

Beliau mengkaji berapa banyakkah peratusan kemahiran itu lahir dari bakat semula jadi dan dari bakat yang diasah.

Umum mengetahui jawapannya.

Yang menarik untuk direnungi ialah usaha yang bagaimanakah diperlukan untuk mengasah kemahiran supaya lebih menyinar?

Katanya, ia menuntut sebuah program latih tubi yang lebih dari sekadar ulangan demi ulangan.

Ada tiga elemen utama:

• setting specific goals
• obtaining immediate feedbacks
• concentrating as much on technique as on outcome

Would it works? Aku rasa ya. Aku cuba tahun ini. Moga-moga tercapai.

Dan untuk para pembaca, selamat mengejar cita-cita anda.

Jika tidak kita, siapa lagi.

Jika tidak sekarang, bila lagi.

the enemy within

Boredom, not hard work, is the real enemy.

Dr. Andrew Smith, British Medical Journal.

Masjid

Nota untuk bank harimau,

Banyaknya lagi duit kena simpan. Sempat ke hujung tahun ni?

Merak

Peacock is one fascinating bird. So much so that the government of Nepal had hailed its status as the national protected and sacred bird. So, if you hunt that animal, it is by the Nepalese law an offense.

The beautiful one is the male bird. During the mating season, the male bird would flare its magnificent tail to attract the female bird. The one with the more beautiful tail would stands a higher chance of securing a successful courtship.

That is the case of peacock.

But, we're not that different, are we?

hanya angka semata

Keluarga adalah nukleus semesta. Noktah.

Aku rindukan keluarga yang bahagia dan berfungsi.

Mungkinkah tahun baru ini bakal menjanjikan mimpi-mimpi yang palsu lagi?

Ah, pergi jahanam!

Listen to my heart

Dear all,

I passed my final exam.

All praise to Allah S.W.T.





























My heart actually sings:

HOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!