ramblings of a sleepy person

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

But then what is freedom?

I was watching Zeitgeist: Federal Reserve on YouTube.
It sounds believable, but how true it is, I'm not sure. Anyone can cook up a conspiracy theory.
But there are a few points in the movie that do make me think.

But every movie has a message it wants to reach its audience.
Like any other movie, Zeitgeist's movies (Federal Reserve, 9/11, addendum) are to introduce a new idea by bringing down "false" or "oppressive" systems. This include the economic system, religious beliefs, the current social structure, etc etc. It highlights why the world is in the state that it is. But ultimately, it's just proposing another system. Basically I think it's just creating another "religion".

But really, the movies are quite worth watching, because it makes me more firm with Islam as my way of life. Islam is where freedom is not enslaving yourself to anything except the Creator. No human has the right to enslave you. No system has the right to enslave you.

If you think the current economical system is enslaving you, if you think you live your life working to death for money, then try to understand the banking system. Then you will understand why Islam forbids usuary, because through it, it creates a web of debt that enslaves you economically. You will also understand why zakat is highly stressed in the Quran.

If you think your mind is enslaved by the media, then you will understand why Allah repeatedly spoke of the Al-Mala' in the Quran. Who are the al-Mala'? People who control what you see, what information you receive, your way of thinking. That is also why Allah reminds us again and again to stay away from things that are "lagha". Things that are distracting and brings little benefit. But this world of hedonisme (entertainment) takes us deeper and deeper into a world of wants and desires. Movies, songs, tv shows and dramas decide what love should be, how we should react, how we should think, what "class" is, what "cool" and "uncool" is. We're drowned in wanting things that we think we should have, that we forget to think about other things in life that really matter.

At the same time, Islam is flexible. No one can be forced into this religion. And everyone should respect each other's differences, be it differences in religion, skin colour, opinions, whatever.

And you can create any system to use in economy, politics, education, etc...give it names if u want, as long as it abides to Islamic principles. U want to use kapitalisme? then go ahead, use it, AS LONG AS it abides to Islamic principles.If it doesn't oppress, it doesn't enslave, it doesn't benefit only certain people, then yeah, go ahead use it. You want to use what the Venus Project propose? Then go ahead as long as it abides by Islamic principles (Obviously deciding whether something abides by sharia law is not as simple as I have put it in this paragraph. But I hope you understand what I mean. A way of doing things is not haram just because it was not initiated by Muslims and has no Islamic terms in it)

There's so many other things I could write on this topic. But at the moment, I just feel like wanting to find a land, tanam padi, and ternak lembu because this world seems like such a mess sometimes.

But then, there is no more land to find. huhu. So i might as well do something useful. Like study for tomorrow la kan.

Let Go

Sometimes, just sometimes, you wish you can go back on your decision.
But most of the time, it's too late to do so.



Sometimes you wish you had done this instead of that.

And u keep thinking of what you could have done and what could have been that you're stuck in the past, and fail to see what's going on in the present.

So sometimes, letting go is better than regretting and dwelling. It's like hanging on monkey bars, you have to let go to move forward.






Letting go doesn't mean quitting. It just means you're accepting that some things just cannot be, no matter how much you want it to be. And sometimes, by letting go, you can see whether something is worth holding on to anyway.

But letting go isn't easy ey?

Nope, not easy.

But definitely possible. As long as you don't dwell.

Happy Abah's Day

Sent message: " Dearest abah, happy fathers' day! Thank u for being a superb dad :) "

Inbox: "Thank you for being a superb daughter. Love abah"

Auww. See Abah, I don't need another man in my life. You're enough to make any girl happy. Okla, you and Hisyam ^_^

an old pic when hisyam was still a boy. hehe

Everyone wants to believe they're the victims instead of the oppressors.
That's why a story can come in different packages.

Sabar jela.apa lagi boleh dibuat?

Too Close

Setting: Lab
Cast: Me and my supervisor, Dr Bateman (bukan batman ok)
Supporting casts: microscope and slides with liver tissue on them

Me:"I can't see anything on the slide"

Dr Bateman: "Let me see"
"Hmm..you can't see because you're too close. Reduce the magnification"

Me: "Ahha..Now I can see what's going on much clearer"

You know when you want to get to know something or someone, you would do anything you can to come close. But sometimes, the closer you are to something, the harder it is to see it. When you're too close, you can't see at all.

So sometimes, you've gotta take a step back to see the bigger picture.

The problem is, when you're too close, it's hard to take a step back.
Until someone comes and pulls you away a bit to give some perspective.

It's like being in love.
You're so drowned in that lovey-dovey feeling, nothing else matters.
So close to the one you love, that you fail to see the flaws.
Everything is perfect.
No matter what anyone says, you think you can fly.

Until,
he cheats on you.

That's when you take a step back.
And saw the real picture.

It's also like being born a Muslim.
Because you're born in this religion, you feel you've known it from back to back.
You're so close to it, you'd never think you won't see clearly in it.

But then you start reading all these things on the internet.
About whether God exists.
About why Islam was so volatile.
About why Islam forces you to do this and that.

And then you start questioning this religion with the new things you just found out.
Why do I have to pray?
Why do I have to fast?
Why do I have to wear a hijab?

But then because you think you're so close to Islam all your life, you think you know everything about it.
So you seek answers to the questions above from resources other than Islamic resources.
You listen to what atheists have to say.
You listen to what Christians have to say.
You listen to what everybody else have to say, EXCEPT Islam.

So of course you will get answers that bring you further away.

So, sometimes, when you're confused, it's good to take a step back, and start from the basics.
Read the Quran from cover to cover.
Renew your syahadah, and understand what it really means.
Being born a Muslim does not guarantee that what you learn from your secularized school is truly Islam.

So calm down, and seek answers from the right places.

And then you will come close again, with a new perspective.
InshaAllah

Allah will show the way to those who are sincere in searching for Him.
But only those who are sincere.

It's ok to be confused.
We're humans. We forget.
That's why we need reminders.
That's why we need to continue to learn about this deen.
To constantly be surrounded by people who can remind us.

It's unfair to say that God has not shown us the way when we have turned down offers to join Islamic circles.
It's unfair to say that God has not shown us the way when we would rather watch a movie than go to an Islamic talk.
It's unfair to say God has not shown us the way when our hearts are never present in our prayers.
It's unfair to say God has not shown us the way when we smirk at people doing da'wah, calling them goody-two-shoes, judgemental and "jaga tepi kain orang".

God shows us signs every day.
Either we choose to see it, or not.

Shine

Deaf and Mute Girl:"Why am I different from others?"

Man: "Why do you have to be like the others?"

Dare to be different.

The woman in my life.

Got an SMS from mak today which read "Hantar le SMS kat abah: rest day 4 me 2morow"

Baiklah mak, saya redha menyertai konspirasi Hari Ibu mu.

Ye, esok merupakan hari ibu.
Dengan sepenuh jiwa raga, saya meyakini bahawa hari ibu hanyalah satu propaganda untuk tujuan meningkatkan barang jualan (abah yang kata - mungkin kerana abah tidak akan memahami sampai bila-bila logik di sebalik membeli bunga hidup yang akan mati dalam beberapa hari untuk dihadiahkan kepada mak. baik beli bunga plastik kata abah. kekal selama-lamanya.)

Sepatutnya kan, saya rasa hari ibu sepatutnya jatuh pada hari anak itu dilahirkan.
Daripada membeli kek untuk diri sendiri, kemudian panggil kawan-kawan untuk bawak hadiah dan menyanyikan lagu happy birthday untukku, baiklah mengenang jasa ibu yang berhempas pulas mengeluarkan saya dari perutnya.

Kerana sesungguhnya saya tidak buat apa-apa untuk melahirkan diri sendiri. Mak yang buat semua kerja. Maka apakah hak saya untuk sambut diri saya sendiri pada tarikh yang saya tidak berbuat apa-apa kecuali menambah populasi bumi.

Namun begitu, oleh kerana sudah menjadi kelaziman kita menyambut tarikh lahir kita dengan meraikan diri sendiri, maka Hari Ibu telah pun jatuh pada hari Ahad dalam salah satu hujung minggu Mei setiap tahun (mengikut US style)

Oleh kerana esok merupakan Ahad kedua bulan Mei tahun 2009, maka saya ingin mengambil peluang ini untuk mengucapkan selamat hari ibu kepada ibuku yang terchenta iaitu, Mak.

I love you with all my heart (believe it or not, I have never said these words to my mother in person. Sori mak, anak mak ada masalah ekspresi diri secara lisan. Siapa punya genes la tu kan..ehem ehem. ps: clue - a) mak b)abah c) dua-dua di atas)

Though there are many things that I can do to make you happy, I only pray to God that I never make you sad.

Walaupun tangan mak yang menghayun buaian belum lagi menggoncangkan dunia, you still rocked my world! So I'm glad that when Allah decided who's hands will raise me, He picked yours :)

Happy Mothers' Day!