Mumbai :The Convenient Siege?

Mumbai siege...who stands to benefit?


Deccan Mujahideen? Who?

Bruce Reidel, former CIA officer and Pakistan adviser to Obama (and previous three presidents)..."There's another place where I feel creative American diplomacy could be helpful." (refering to India and Pakistan's Kashmir dispute).

Yes. We know all about American creativity. Paving the way for the new Prez-elect?

Obama's Tough Talk on Pakistan

PlayCar December

Yes...I know it isn't time yet...but cannot tahan to reveal the centrefold for December 2008....

2009 Weismann GT MF5

"The latest to emerge from German sports car marque Wiesmann is news on the hand-built GT MF5 sports car.

Loosely based on the previous MF4 coupe, the new MF5 will feature a 500 hp BMW-sourced M5 V10 engine and seven-speed SMG gearbox to offer blistering performance - try 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and a top speed in excess of 300 km/h."

Love the curves and the modern interpretation of the British classics...nothing like the 50's and 60's...sigh. The rear looks better than last year...

Ok, I'm going to count how much is in the kids' piggy bank...I know that Maryam is a hoarder...probably has enough to buy me a Weismann (forget a wise man, those are extinct)...here I come, kids!

Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk.

At 3pm today, he left for the Haj with her.

I let him go with forgiveness so that he could be at ease fulfilling his obligation towards Him.

Despite all my words, he knows and He knows that they came from a deep hurt.

But I have forgiven him.

Because I know he is a mere man. A mere mortal who in his ignorance caused extreme hurt.

I don't want to hurt anymore or cause any more hurt...

So I let him go with an open heart in the hope that he will come home a better man, a better father, a better husband.

And I hope that I will be a better woman too.

Story from an email (with a message at the end)...

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still
in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and
wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car
was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of
the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess.

A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against
one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon
channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items
of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food
was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food
was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a
small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of
clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that
something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the
bath room door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap
and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a
heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the
bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled,
and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home
from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today?"

"Yes?" was his incredulous re-question.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

First time on plane...

Pic from an email...

Well, his belting definitely looks more secure than on the lap...heh heh....

I puked non-stop from KL to LA the first time I went to the US as a teen...combination of that overpowering MAS air freshener...ewww and motion sickness...

How would a lap belt be of any help when you nose dive from 35, 000 feet at 900 km/h...oh well...

Giant's Causeway

Place I'd like to show my kids...Giant's Causeway, Ireland...

The Giant's Causeway (or Irish: Clochán na bhFómharach)^[2] is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about two miles (3 km) north of the town of Bushmills. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, the Giant's Causeway was named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven and eight sides. The tallest are about 12 metres (36 ft) high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places.

The Giant's Causeway is today owned and managed by the National Trust and it is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland.

Am I a sucker?

I'm wondering...where is the line between feeling compassion for another human being and closing one eye, and just not bothering getting involved.

I can be a self-absorbed, moody, vile person sometimes (some may say most times), but I befriend and trust people easily and can't turn away from anyone in need whom I might have some capacity to help even if in a small way.

Someone said I take people at face value. (You are not the first...haha). Many a time it has gotten me in trouble, but my hindsight is as bad as my shortsightedness.

The worst slap in the face for my lack of judgment was when my marriage was destroyed by my misplaced compassion for someone I considered a good friend who later eloped with the father of my kids. (I remember her words clearly..."padan muka, sapa suruh sibuk"...when at the time she was begging me to talk to my cousin who dumped her..now we know why, eh?)

Sometimes I have even given my last ringgit or borrowed to help someone else in need. I don't do it for them to reciprocate, but it does "terdetik" in my heart that when I was in the same humiliating position (never know when the tables are turned...does happen), that they turned me away or slammed the door in my face.

Sometimes I guess things are clearcut and you have no choice but to help. Like that time I was driving through Keramat at morning rush hour, and saw a man splayed out by the pavement, in his KFC uniform. The cars on the other side were at a standstill but no one bothered to check. I had the instinct that he wasn't drunk, from the way he was lying. I stopped to check and sure enough, the young man was unconscious. He had dried foam around his lips. I waited until he woke up and asked him what happened. He looked confused, and didn't reply but walked unsteadily towards a nearby house, went in and went straight to his room.

I asked some young men who were his roommates what was wrong with him and where his family was, and they told me that he was a Sabahan, and he worked at the Setiawangsa KFC outlet. He had epileptic fits they said, and wasn't uncommon for him to pass out.

I left wondering, he was walking home from his evening shift at about 12am...and so had he been lying there the whole night?? And no one bothered to check what happened?

Maybe I am naive and he was on drugs? My instinct told me otherwise. But should I have left him there anyway?

And now these two homeless couple I thought were serious in needing a job and shelter, because they indicated as much when I asked why they were sleeping on the street.

Misnah left the home of the kind lady who took her in. Ah Huat wasn't as sweet as he pretended (?) to be. He came night and day, harrasing the lady and yelling at the top of his voice how ungrateful she was etc, etc.

Did he really care for Misnah or was he just a bloody pimp???

When pressed by the lady, Misnah kept quiet when asked if she was prostituting herself. And she wasn't as "clueless" as she seemed to be. I still think she is a bit off...though.

She is back at the same place this morning.

Back to bathing in full view of everyone, cleaning the sidewalks of the Cosway outlet she gets water for her washing from (maybe quite a few people are getting a cut here, when I thought they were being humane??).

Should I just leave her to prostitute herself for a few ringgit in full view of everyone?

Maybe I will try the Jemaah Islah wanita community service centre.

They seem to be doing a good job taking in and helping unwed, pregnant, runaway teens from all backgounds get back on track. They actually house, feed, clothe, reeducate and care for these teens who have been shunned by families and society until they give birth, so that babies won't end up in some dumpsite or longkang or shallow grave or be cut to pieces by the abortionist's scalpel. Many teens have gone back to rebuild their lives and continue their education, and these babies are placed with good foster parents or cared for properly by those who decide to keep their babies.

Are they encouraging teens to have premarital sex and get away with it? I think they are trying their best here, dealing with all the different angles of this problem. They also conduct sex education programmes (even in my daughter's Islamic school) which include awareness about puberty, the accompanying teenage angst and encouragement towards self-respect and abstinence.

Photo Stop

Photography in motion (Taken while driving 'cept for Gombak river shot...not recommended for faint hearted)

Sunset at Mum's place, Bangi Toll Plaza

Somewhere over the rainbow in Wangsa Maju

Mazwin's Dad's place by Sg Gombak B@W

Wangsa Link sunset (old one...)

Wangsa Maju Alps...morning glory

Traffic shots

Great balls of fire

Ah Huat...

Ooooo...itu Uncle Huat sudah jatuh cinta ke rupanya....cinta tiga segi? Wandering around Misnah's new home and mumbling how he tak lalu makan...

Sigh...

Life. And he stood there faithfully everyday making sure she ate...no wonder...I guess with his wife dead, he got lonely and Misnah gave him some sense of purpose...

But he was happy when I told him she would be off the streets.

Not only is love blind...so am I!

The Compassion of Uncle Ah Huat (THE MALACCAN WHO TRULY DESERVES A DATUKSHIP!!!)

(This story is a lesson for our politicians from all parties who are thinking only about their survival and fat, bloated, corrupt bellies. Learn from poor, selfless, UNCLE AH HUAT)

This is Misnah, the homeless lady (a Malaysian citizen) I wrote about here and here and here.

I hope she is doing ok. When we took her to a nice lady's house for the night, she looked quite worried about her companion, Bulat here. I drilled into YB Saari that the two had been together for 3 years now and they were each other's comfort and he must HELP THEM GET MARRIED, AND GET THE MAN A JOB! The man used to work as a security guard for many years until he lost his job. She sweeps the walkway where they sleep to earn the right to use the water pipe there for her washing. As she is a litte childlike, she bathes in full view of the ogling buggers (ie gatal males). She is 44. I learnt that she has 3 kids, all grown but she has no idea where they are.


This sweet old man is Uncle Ah Huat (he gave me his full name, but I forgot!).

He was hovering nearby when I came to check on Misnah earlier in the afternoon. He looked quite protective and asked me what I wanted. I asked him if he was also homeless. He said no, and then broke into a big smile and said, "awak datang itu hari ke?".

I said yes, I was trying to get help for the two. He said "orang UMNO ada datang, tapi dia mau bawak welfare, saya cakap ini adik kena pukul sana, jadi dia kasi 100 ringgit lepas itu pergi."

I asked who he was to them. He told me he was Malaccan, living in a flat in Wangsa Maju.

"Saya sudah lama kenal ini adik, dulu kecik-kecik dia jual kuih dekat rumah saya, tolong nenek."

"Lepas itu nenek dia mati, dia jadi tak betul, dia lari...saya jumpa dia sini."

" Saya kenal adik-beradik dia." (her family didn't want her, according to her)

"Saya hari-hari datang sini (jalan kaki, people...and Wangsa Maju Sek 2 is not dekat!!) bawa dia orang beras sama minyak (I can tell you from the way his clothes looked, he was not well off)."

"Saya tolong dia buat api tepi jalan, kasi dia masak...dia tak pandai."

" Saya dulu itu boy scout, jadi saya tau la buat api....saya sudah booking ini tempat untuk dia... hari-hari saya buat api dia boleh masak...kalau hujan saya tolong tutup atas."

His wife died two years ago. He wanted to take Misnah in, but his kids "bising sampai saya pening kepala, saya mau tolong dia orang pun susah".

I told him that the same night, I was coming with a local ADUN see about them And he was happy but he couldn't be there because "saya kena sembahyang ini malam, saya sudah janji bini sebelum mati, saya sembahyang untuk dia...macam orang Islam baca itu Koran la."

I asked him what was in the plastic bag he was carrying. "Ini sejadah saya beli untuk dia orang sembahyang. Saya simpan dekat saya punya rumah, takut kotor sini."

I wanted to cry at his his utmost kindness and concern. "Uncle masuk saja la Islam!"

"Bukan saya tak mau, tapi saya sudah janji bini saya mau sembahyang Cina untuk dia...macam mana?"

Uncle, you can rest now in your house. I hope Misnah and Bulat will be ok and spend the rest of their lives together in decent living conditions.

YB Saari, jangan lupa janji not to break them up!! He only wants a job, so he can kumpul duit and get married to her! (I think I must have told him one too many times...hahaha).

I have to go check on Misnah today, and Bulat...and also take Uncle Ah Huat to where Misnah is putting up for the moment (the house a wonderful singl, struggling mum, Nani), so that he knows she is safe!

Duit Longkang

I got my homeless people help and a place to sleep tonite (and saw politicians gaining some photo opportunities in the process, which made me smile cynically. But I guess that's business whichever side you are on, to be SEEN doing their jobs) but am left feeling depressed because I saw another man lugging around a big bag in the dark in the distance.I asked the soon-to-be not homeless man, "who is that"?

He said itu "orang duit longkang."

What is that?

He says,"dia cari duit dalam longkang" and scrubs them clean.Fallen coins washed up in the drains.

And where does HE sleep? "Mana-mana..."

The YB wasn't as proactive ("slow" sket...maybe I wanted him to run and get him? was that too much work? he had his workers with him! couldn't they go ask???) and I didn't have the strength to go after that one tonight.

How many of these struggling people are on out our streets, unnoticed, unhelped?

I'm going to bed.

WHERE CAN I BUY A GUN, PLEASE?

I'm dead serious. Illegally? I don't care. My acquaintance who is a Datuk carries one. Why shouldn't I have one? What makes HIS family special enough to protect and not mine??

This shortage of manpower problem in our forces has been festering for years, and not much has been done about it.

Low morale
Lack of professionalism
Low pay (maybe we can reroute ministers' holidays allowances and perks here?)
Bribery
Poor training
Lack of presence/visibility

Are just some of the other problems plaguing our forces. My beloved grandfather was a proud, heroic and dedicated policeman. He would have been saddened to see the state of our forces today.

Listening to horror stories about Mat Rempits over the radio this morning, raping, running over, killing and robbing people, I recall how they once terrorised Wangsa Maju neighborhoods, locking in occupants with their own chains and padlocks and smashing car windows and stealing stuff unhindered, as people were too terrified to do anything.

Deaths from snatch thefts continue to rise, kids' murders go unsolved, break-ins and horrific murders like the recent one in Shah Alam continue unabated.

Even my gated estate is not spared (yeah, I did my time in the usual dingy and leaky roofed, clapboard houses, ok?). My neighbour woke up to a knife at his throat, and both he and his wife were tied up and robbed. The Indon robbers even had the gall to ask for his daughter, who mercifully was spared by not coming home from college that weekend. They have never been found, even though the couple knew they were the same ones who renovated their house.

I formed a residents' association after that incident. The residents here are so kiasu they wouldn't even know if their neighbor died and decomposed. We urged residents to look out for each other. (some are idiots who still do not bother to learn their neighbor's names). We requested the cops to do intermittent patrols and guess what... "we were advised to make a small donation first". Bribe cops to do their jobs, eh?

Reading Musa Hassan's statement below adds to my concern for my kids' safety. Yes. I read all the necessary ayat, lock up the house and etc, but if the criminals are having a free reign nationwide and the cops are admitting their are severely understaffed, and crime is a daily affair in Wangsa Maju...wouldn't that give one sleepless nights? Should we blindly tawakkal before preparing ourselves?

With the cops literally peeing in their underwear from fear in Chow Kit and abandoning stations, does that make me feel like I could count on them?

And with Azeez the idiot giving recognition to the Rempits, they certainly have been emboldened further.

Is this the price of so-called progress?

Do our politicians even give a hoot about our woes? Or are they so well-protected by their posse of public-funded bodyguards and their gilded cages that they don't even know what reality is anymore?

HAS ANYTHING CHANGED AFTER MARCH 2008???? ARE THE PEOPLE STILL A PRIORITY?

NO. THEIR POLITICAL SURVIVAL IS.

I NEED A GUN TO PROTECT MY FAMILY.

DON'T TELL ME THAT'S ILLEGAL. THE STATE HAS FAILED IN ITS DUTY TO PROVIDE A REASONABLY SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT AND I HAVE MY KIDS TO THINK OF. OK?

I want a fighting chance to press the cold steel of a Widowmaker into the throat of an intruder before he has a chance to press the cold. sharp blade of a knife into mine.

From The Star: Police Short of Manpower to Fight Crime

Today (Nov 10, 2008)

THE country’s population increased by a whopping seven million the past 10 years while the strength of the Royal Malaysian Police Force remained the same at 95,000. Efforts are under way to recruit another 60,000 personnel over the next five years.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, who admitted that the crime rate has gone up, assured the public that the security of the country was very much under control.

Police records show that 209,559 cases were reported last year (772 cases per 100,000 population) and the figure is expected to remain almost the same this year.

“The crime rate has increased here because of social problems as well as the influx of illegals in the country,” Musa said, adding that the crime rate often increased during an economic slowdown.

“This is due to the fact that many people would be jobless and they turn to crime,” he said.

The IGP stressed that one of the main reasons for the rise in crime was the change in attitudes of youths who do not respect the elders to the extent of fighting with their parents, relatives and even more recently with teachers.

Over the past few months, newspapers have been highlighting gangsterism in schools while racial incidents are on the rise.

Musa has often stressed the need to rehabilitate society rather than focus on catching criminals and locking them up.

“It is society that breeds criminals, not the police,” he said.

A promise not kept

I promised this man and woman that I would help them get jobs and a proper home for amonth now...I haven't had the chance yet...I feel so bad tonight. They are still sleeping on the sidewalk in Wangsa Melawati. Talked to them twice. They worked before, lost their jobs, lost their homes...she actually ran away from home when she was young (couldn't get along with mak tiri or something)...and now unable to get proper jobs. He collects recyclable items and she cleans the front of the shophouse which is their "home" and get just enough to eat, I guess. I have asked a couple of people for help but haven't been able to get good responses...I will go and see Saari Sungib tomorrow. He was at my kid's tahfiz "graduation" and he said he would be happy to see to these people even if they weren't his "constituents".

RAHM "RAHMBO" ISRAEL EMANUEL...Pitbull Zionist Advisor

Commenter on a US blog :

"It will definitely take moral courage for the President-elect to sever himself from the shackles of the unConstitutional coup and even more so since he is surrounded (and seems to be surrounding himself) by acolytes loyal to the will of the unConstitutional coup. Is he courageous or faint-hearted?"

(Foreign interventionism and the federal reserve system is unconstitutional... interesting)

Emanuel Accepts Job as Obama's Chief of Staff (yes, Israel really is his middle name...)


Rahm was a civilian volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces during the 1991 Gulf War and was born a citizen due to his father's (dual) Israeli-U.S. citizenship. His father was a Jewish underground fighter...

The Belfast Telegraph:

The appointment of Rahm Emanuel triggered widespread interest in Israel, the native country of his former Jewish underground fighter father.

The older Emanuel, a paediatrician born in Jerusalem, was a member of Irgun, the hard-line militant group which fought for Jewish independence until 1948.

It was described as "terrorist" at the time by Britain. Mr Emanuel's appointment could reassure Israel that Mr Obama will continue America's close alliance.

The Ynet news service quoted Michael Kotzin, a leader of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, as saying Mr Emanuel is a frequent attender at Israel-related events.

He co-sponsored a Bill defending Israel against a world court advisory opinion in 2004 criticising the route of the military's separation barrier for cutting deep into the West Bank, and co-sponsored another Bill congratulating Israelis and Palestinians who work together for peace (yeah, meaning succumb).

If an inexperienced President is only as good as his advisors...then bad news for the Middle East (a place close to my heart)

The Jewish Lobby has backed a winner and has all systems in place...

At the end of the day, its still about the oil and the Middle East.

Suffer the (more) children under Obama? Pray for them even harder...

Rahm on Israel/Palestine:

"Emanuel has been described as a “strong Israel partisan” and a “convinced Zionist” and “prominent figure in the US Jewish lobby.” A strong supporter of AIPAC, he personally introduced fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama to the organization's directors during the 2008 presidential campaign. At a 2003 pro-Israel rally in Chicago, Emanuel told the marchers Israel was ready for peace but would not get there until Palestinians "turn away from the path of terror", according to the Chicago Tribune." (wonder why the Palestinians turn to so-called "terror", Rahmbo?)

Rahm on Iraq:

"On Iraq, Emanuel has steered clear of the withdraw-now crowd, preferring to criticize Bush for military failures since the 2003 invasion. "The war never had to turn out this way," he told me at one of his campaign stops. In January 2005, when asked by Meet the Press's Tim Russert whether he would have voted to authorize the war-"knowing that there are no weapons of mass destruction"-Emanuel answered yes. (He didn't take office until after the vote.) "I still believe that getting rid of Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do, okay?" he added."

Rahm on the future (pre-election):

"Mostly out of power for the past six years, the Democrats could use Emanuel's comeback instincts. So the match is a timely one. But what's driving Emanuel crazy right now is how little control he has over the party's future-or his own. "Can we get the right candidates?" he asks. "Yes, and we busted our balls recruiting and expanding the field. Can we raise the resources? Yes. Can we help on issues? Yes." But at the end of the day, he asks, "which way will the wind blow on Iraq? On energy prices? On the Middle East?"

Read The Pitbull Politician

"I will be reviewing the letter from President Ahmadinejad, and we will respond appropriately," he said, leaving open the question about whether he will reply. (how hard could it be to just say "thank you"...haha...) President Bush chose not to respond to a rambling 18-page letter he received from Ahmadinejad in 2006, but during the campaign Obama indicated he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders.

"Iran's development of a nuclear weapon, I believe, is unacceptable," Obama said yesterday. "And we have to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening."

(oh...same hawkish talk I hear? Arnie, I ain't no WEED! by the way...Israel has what...almost 130 NUCLEAR warheads? why is that acceptable?)

I love you, baby.

Hi Baby...I know we can't be together right now...and I know you want to be with me as much as I want to be with you...soon, ok...?

I know you contribute to global warming (and ok...smog)...but we will be discreet, I promise they won't find out...I'll take you out, top down...when the world is asleep...just you and me...and the wind...

Meanwhile...keep safe...and shiny...and hot.

I love you Mr Mercedes SLR McLaren 722...

Sigh.

KL MENJERIT

Dear Transport Minister YB Datuk Ong Tee Keat
and Environment Minister YB Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
and Entrepreneur Development YB Datuk Noh Omar (who issues taxi permits)...

would you please help us choking KLites?

could you maybe coordinate efforts between your good offices to improve our daily smog situation?

could you please look out the window as your driver drives you to the office in your plush official car each morning?

we IS CHOKIN' MAN!!!


Pictures taken by your concerned tigress (the same ole thing as early this year, no difference in air quality...worse lagi ade ler):





Shall we wait until we have to use gas masks?

Here are some helpful references for you dear Ministers:

TRANSIT KLANG VALLEY
a citizens' group which is advocating improvements to the transportation system, consisting of people who ACTUALLY USE THE DARN SYSTEM! and who have been pressing for the Public Transportation Commission to be set up so that the planners can get input from the public who actually have to suffer (use) public transport..so far, all their proposals have fallen on deaf ears...

CETDEM
also a non-profit organisation committed to improving environmental quality through the appropriate use of technology and sustainable development headed by the indefatigable Gurmit Singh.

Black Men Still Given The Worst Jobs

Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job

November 5, 2008 | Issue 44•45 The Onion

WASHINGTON—African-American man Barack Obama, 47, was given the least-desirable job in the entire country Tuesday when he was elected president of the United States of America. In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation's broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis. As part of his duties, the black man will have to spend four to eight years cleaning up the messes other people left behind. The job comes with such intense scrutiny and so certain a guarantee of failure that only one other person even bothered applying for it. Said scholar and activist Mark L. Denton, "It just goes to show you that, in this country, a black man still can't catch a break."

Ha ha ha...

A letter for the Muslim Yogis...and a crash course in TAWHEED

Solat a good alternative to yoga
(letter to the Star)

Wikipedia refers to yoga as traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India; to the goal achieved by those disciplines; and to one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy.

It is intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the Indian religions. The influence of yoga is also visible in Buddhism.

Practising yoga won’t cause a Muslim to deviate and become a Hindu but copying or adding elements which are clearly from other religions is not acceptable in Islam. The reminder was given in Surah Al Kafirun.

By practising the act which is endorsed by the Hindu and Buddhism religions, one indirectly permits these religions although the faith in the heart remains unchanged.

Muslims who feel offended need to take this issue seriously. (in my words, use your brain! I don't practice QiGong anymore because of the gray area regarding chi energy...see below for more)

In Islam, there are so many healthy activities well known to be good for the health, physically and mentally.

One such activity is Solat, which is to be performed five times a day. Solat dictates a sequence of movements which is good for the body.

There are some health benefits in performing the prayer as it has been proven to increase concentration and refine memory, provide a calming effect and regulate stress, and make the body healthy and active.

Studies have shown that the act of sujud, or prostrating, in solat, encourages blood circulation to several nerves in the brain which do not receive regular blood flow in normal positions. The hearts and spines of pious Muslims are healthy as they receive constant stimulation.

So why look far for such stuff for a healthy lifestyle when you can find alternatives so close to you?

TENGKU AZLAN SULAIMAN,
Sri Kembangan

chi (ch'i or qi)

Ch'i or qi (pronounced "chee" and henceforth spelled "chi") is the Chinese word used to describe "the natural energy of the Universe." This energy, though called "natural," is spiritual or supernatural, and is part of a metaphysical, not an empirical, belief system. New Agers often refer to this energy as subtle energy. Chi is thought to permeate all things, including the human body. Such metaphysical systems are generally referred to as types of vitalism. One of the key concepts related to chi is the concept of harmony. Trouble, whether in the universe or in the body, is a function of disharmony, of things being out of balance and in need of restoration to equilibrium.

Would the concept of universal energy be against the Islamic faith and the concept of Tawheed? Some form of energy does exist as found by scientific research, but what are the actual precepts behind chi? That is what we need to clear up for Muslims. It is totally fine for non-muslims to continue practising it, it is their choice. But for a Muslim, he/she has to be very careful not to associate anyone/anything with Allah. That is the basics of Tawheed.

The problem with these Muslim apologists is simply ignorance (or better still, bodoh sombong). Most of us are born Muslims and take for granted that we know everything by virtue of birth without needing to study our Islam deeper. And no thanks too, to the bandwagon of pluralism, the distorted use of muhibbah, to the secular schooling system, our secular lives and our worship of all things western and foreign, because that is what we allow/choose for ourselves to be exposed to, and that is what ultimately takes root in our hearts instead of Him and His Words.

And so...this is why we have Muslim yogis threatening our fatwa council with lawsuits for DEFAMATION ...read here!

What is Tawheed?
Source: Invitation to Islaam Newsletter [islaam.ca]	Published: 1st May 1997

It is true that tawheed is simply the oneness of Allaah, yet at the same time it is something which is so vividly explained in our religion, that it is a life long quest for knowledge. - Invitation to Islam Newsletter

The word Tawheed has by the grace of Allah, become a word which is well known amongst the Muslims of today. But do we really know the reality of this word?

'What is tawheed?' you ask any Muslim 'Is it the oneness of Allaah?' he would reply 'What's that?' You ask again. 'I'm not too sure' he would say. This is the kind of scenario which the Muslims are involved in, and what a sad state of affairs it is when we cannot even explain the basics of our religion to those around us.

Some of us are so dedicated to completing our studies, that we engross ourselves in the textbooks for hours. Others of us love the western culture and lifestyle so much, that we can mimic and relay the words of non-Muslims to such an extent that we even start to quote chapter and verse from the latest Hollywood blockbuster! Yet upon being asked 'What is Tawheed? ' our tongues fall silent.

The cure for ignorance is knowledge, and in order to cure ourselves we have to take time-out to learn about this beautiful religion, even if it means reading articles such as this!

It is true that tawheed is simply the oneness of Allaah, yet at the same time it is something which is so vividly explained in our religion, that it is a life long quest for knowledge. The detailed nature of tawheed is something which unfortunately, is not known by the majority of the Muslims and this is why you find many Muslims saying that Christianity and Judaism, like Islam, are monotheistic [1] religions. Yet if these Muslims were to truly learn about Islam they would discover that religions such as Christianity and Judaism are forms of idol-worship, which are far from being similar to Islam.

The Reality of Tawheed

Linguistically the word tawheed means unification (to make something one). However Islamically it is in reference to Allaah being singled out alone, in all that is particular to him. The opposite of tawheed is 'Shirk' which is to associate partners with Allaah by giving that which belongs to him, to others. [2]

Traditionally tawheed has been divided into three categories which help us to understand why Allaah alone deserves to be singled out for worship. The division of tawheed into these three categories was something which was not done by the prophet of Allaah (saws) or any of his companions. So is this something new that has been introduced into the religion (bid'ah [3])? The answer to this is no, because we find that the basis of these three categories are to be found in the verses of the Qur'aan, hadeeth [authenticated reports] of the prophet (saws) and the statements of his companions.

The necessity for dividing up tawheed into three categories first came about during the early days of Islam. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam spread like wildfire and before long the empires of Africa, Byzantium, Persia and India all fell under Muslim rule. Many people from these areas became Muslims. However some of these converts to Islam also carried with them some of their old pagan beliefs. This caused much confusion amongst people, and the simple belief of Islam which the people had accepted, started to become clouded. The task of opposing these new thoughts and ideas which were becoming prevalent, fell upon the shoulders of the Muslim scholars, who rose to meet this challenge intellectually. Amongst the first people to divide tawheed into three categories was the famous scholar of Iraq, Abu Haneefah. [4]

Before mentioning what these three categories are, it has to be stressed that the concept of tawheed is in no way similar to the Christian concept of trinity except the fact that they both begin with the letter 'T'!! The division of tawheed does not divide Allaah up into three separate parts (as does trinity), but rather it helps us to understand as to how our Creator is unique and alone in being singled out for worship and reverence. Unfortunately there are some Christians today[5] who seem to forget this fact and continue to spread lies about the meaning of the tawheed of Allaah.

The Unity of Allah's Lordship

This first category of tawheed is known as tawheedur-ruboobiyyah or the unity of Allah's lordship. Through this we understand that it is Allah who alone created the universe which is why one of his divine names is Al-Khaliq (the Creator). Through this we know that it is Allaah alone who controls the universe and allows things to happen. This is why Allaah refers to himself in the Qur'aan as AI-Malik (The Owner of the universe). Hence when something happens, it only happens with the permission of Allaah:

"And no calamity strikes except with the permission of Allaah" (Qur'an, 64:11)

The prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) further elaborated on this concept of Allah's control over the universe by saying: "Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together in order to do something to help you they would only be able to do something for you which Allaah had already written for you. Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allaah had already written to happen to you." [7]

We know that another name, which Allah chooses to call himself by, is Ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer). It is Allaah who provides us with our food, shelter, clothing, families and friends. When our crops seem to be dying and there is not a cloud in sight, it is Allaah who sends down His rain from the skies and sustains us.

"Allaah created all things and He is the agent upon which all things depend" (Qur'an, 39:62)

From this you would expect that people would turn back to Allah for good or bad fortune. However this is not the case. Today we find people relying on all kinds of good luck charms[9], which they believe will bring them good fortune and ward off evil.

Unfortunately, this selfish act of turning away from the favours of Allah has hit the Muslims hard, we find in many of our societies that the Muslims believe in all kinds of superstitions and good luck charms such as the Tawees (amulet). These practices have absolutely no basis whatsoever in Islam, but rather the prophet (saws) warned us by saying: "Whosoever brings something new into Islam, something which does not belong to it, will have it rejected".[10]

The Unity of Allaah's names and Attributes

This category of tawheed is known as Tawheed-al-Asma Wa-Siffaat or the unity of Allaah's name and attributes. Allaah says in the Qur'aan:

"Allaah there is no god but be. To Him belong the most beautiful names" (Qur'an, 20:8)

This category of tawheed helps us to understand who our Creator is through His Names and Attributes. Through His Names and Attributes we know that Allah is far beyond our imagination and bears no resemblance to human beings. In fact it is this principle which makes Islam unique from all the other religions on the face of this earth. Allaah says in the Qur'aan:

"There is nothing like Him and He hears and sees all things" (Qur'an, 42:11)

It is in this verse that a distinction is made between those who truly worship their Creator and those who worship the creation. The most prominent example of this is that of the Christians. They claim that Jesus was God, this negates the Tawheed of Allaah's Names and Attributes because it degrades the Creator (whom the Christians say was Jesus) to the level of human beings and gives Him those weaknesses which humans possess. It is known from the bible that Jesus ate, drank, felt tired, slept and did all the things which normal humans do. So how is it right for the Christians to say that god lowered himself to the level of humans? As Muslims we say 'Allaah is above such imperfection' (subhan Allaah) and rather it is us weak humans who need to turn to this perfect lord and Creator.

The Unity of Allaah's Worship

This part of tawheed is known as tawheed-al-Ibadah or the unity of Allaah's worship. It is this aspect of tawheed which it could be said is the most important. It is through this that we learn how to worship our Creator alone. Allaah is not the kind of god who does not respond or hear your calls. He is not the kind of god who needs some sort of middleman to take our prayers up to Him. Rather Allaah says:

"And your lord said : Call on me and I will answer you" (Qur'an, 40:60)

There is nothing to prevent a person from calling directly upon Allah and asking for His help and forgiveness. Unfortunately this is violated by most of mankind who believe that other men can intercede for them and even grant them forgiveness because of their apparent special status! An example of this is the Catholic religion which holds that the celibate priests are more purer then normal people. This allows for them to then hear the confessions of people's sins and subsequently grant them forgiveness. It is this kind of behaviour which takes a person away from the worship of Allah to the worship of man.

As Muslims we too should be careful of this, because it seems that many of our brothers and sisters are indulging in this kind of evil and are not even aware of it. How many Muslims are there today who call upon others besides Allah? We find that in countries such as Pakistan and India there are millions of Muslims who go to the graves of 'saints' and ask them for children, wealth, fame and more sadly, forgiveness. What makes this more ironic is the fact that many of these Muslims pray five times a day, and in every rakat (unit) of their prayer they say the following to their Creator:

"You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek help from" (Qur'an, 1:4)

Learning about the tawheed of Allaah is the most important thing for the whole of humanity. For if we learn how to trust and worship our Creator with sincerity, then -and only then- will we escape from the slavery and captivity of this life. By worshipping Allaah alone does a man achieve true peace and success. This is the reason why when the adhaan[15] is called, the muezzin[16] says "Haya alal Falaa" (come to success). And we ask Allaah to make us amongst those who go to this success. Ameen

Footnotes:

1 Monotheistic - The belief in one God
2 The topic of Shirk will be dealt with in the next issue, InshAllaah
3 Bida - The Arabic word for innovation (something new broughtinto the religion)
4 Abu Haneefah an-Nu'man ibn Thabit was born in Kufah (Iraq) in the year 700 CE. He made his living as a cloth merchant, but devoted his entire life to studying and teaching Islam. His refusal to he appointed the judge of Kufah resulted in him being imprisoned and incurring punishment. He died in the year 767 CE in prison. His rulings and reasoning became the basis of the Hanafite school of Islamic law.
5 One of these Christians is a man by the name of Joseph Smith. Smith is on a continuous crusade against Islam and is a regular preacher in Hyde Park (London). A debate between Smith and Abdur-Raheem Green, entitled "The Sources of Islam" shows the fallacy of Smith's lies against Islam.
6 Surah At-Taghaabun 64:11
7 At-Tirmidhee
8 Surah Az-Zurnar 39:62
9 Such as four-leaf clovers, rabbits paws and horseshoes.
10 Bukhari ( Eng. Trans Vol .3 pp 535 No. 861 ) and Muslim Eng Trans Vol. 3 pp 931 No 4266
11 Surah Ta-Ha 20:8
12 Surah As-Shura 42:11
13 Surah Ghaffir 40:60
14 Surah Fatiha 1:4
15 The call to prayer
16 The one who calls to prayer

A Surreal Sunset Over Wangsamas...

I am a HERO!

My angel Maryam gave me this heart shaped card last night (one of her and Sakinah's countless lovely cards and drawings I keep in my big box).

This one touched me so much because of what she said...I am her HERO.

Maryam dearest, you and Sakinah have ALWAYS been mine.

You both are beautiful inside and out, warm, so wise, so emphatic, so patient, so funny, so loving, so kind to others and animals and even plants and trees...and you are my heart, my soul and my life.

There is nothing more that I love than lying in bed at night with the both of you asleep in each crook of my arms and breathing in that distinct baby smell that still remains in your hair. I gently kiss your soft, sweet lips each night as you dream, pray for you, regret the words that come out in times of anger and hope for His Mercy and Forgiveness, caress your soft cheeks and smooth your brows, trace the outline of your lovely faces, pull you close and wish that the peacefulness of that moment would never end.

That is something she can never have.

And may God help us all...(I never trust men with red lips...hmmm but mine didn't have them...oh well)

Najib wins Umno president post uncontested
By SHAHANAAZ HABIB and NURBAITI HAMDAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is on track to becoming the nation’s sixth prime minister after he won the Umno presidency unopposed, receiving his 133rd nomination from the Cameron Highlands division on Sunday.

Among the divisions that nominated him on Sunday were Teluk Kemang, Tawau, Ayer Hitam, Tanjung Malim, Batu Kawan, Segamat, Sekijang, Tampin, Kuala Pilah, Balik Pulau, Kapar, Indera Mahkota and Bentong.

A candidate needs 58 of the 191 nominations to be eligible to contest. By passing the 133 mark, he has denied any interested candidate the possibility of contesting because the person would not be able to secure the required 58 nominations.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who received his first nomination for the presidency on Saturday from his own Gua Musang division, has been left out in the cold.

He was the only candidate who wanted to take Najib on for the presidency.

Najib garnered another four nominations giving him a total of 137 by 6pm.

Another nine divisions are meeting Sunday.

Najib will be officially assuming his seat in March during the Umno general assembly.

The current Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi decided not to defend his post and to pass over his mantle to his deputy.

By convention, the Umno president becomes Malaysia’s Prime Minister.

The "Muslim Apologists" and Yoga Fatwa

I knew the Muslim apologists would start hopping up and down the moment the fatwas on Yoga and tomboys came out. The likes of Marina and Zainah.

A wonderfully succinct answer to these people came from Bergen, whose comment from MM's (apologist) Rantings I am reprinting without his permission here for the sake of imparting knowledge:

Bergen Commented:

1 . Members of the Majlis Fatwa are selected from scholars of various disciplines of Islamic knowledge such as Hadith, Qur'an, Fiqh, Usuluddin etc.

2. Fatwas are not issued for fun.

3. A Fatwa is needed for issues where its halal or haram is not directly mentioned in the Qur'an.

4. A Fatwa is the interpretation based on the knowledge and understanding of an issue in a particular time, and place. So a Fatwa can change as an issue is better understood by way of research, or sudden inspiration. Since our life evolves around new things, we will certainly need Fatwas from time to time.

5. A Fatwa is a way out for those who do not wish to push the limit of 'harus' to the maximum. He or she prefers to remain safe from 'syubhah' or associating themselves with something that is close to being haram.

e.g: Majlis Fatwa has issued a decision on cigarette. It's haram based on medical reasons of the day and statistics i.e people who smoke are more prone to getting cancer compared with those who don't. So if you smoke it's like you're subjecting your body to getting cancer, which is close to suicide, which is haram.

If you wish to smoke, it's all right because Qur'an doesn't mention anything about smoking. As far as Qur'an is concerned you can smoke the whole cigarettes in the ciggy factory if you want. And you can still argue with God that since it's not mentioned in the Qur'an you figure it's all right to smoke.

But for those who wish be closer to Allah - they may chose not to smoke based on this Fatwa.

(Not a big deal - the choice is yours)

Members of Majlis Fatwa is made up of liberal-minded individuals with exceptional intelligence that Allah has given them. They have more open discussions than what you have accused them of here. They've had discussions with M. Nasir on lyrics, music and such. They've had discussion with gays and homosexuals. They don't have to tell you about this.

A Fatwa (yet to be issued) on Yoga is in the process of being discussed. You can bet your left ear that by the time they're done with it, they will have understood Yoga better than the most senior Yogi the bear.

The Majlis Fatwa, like the rest of Majlis Fatwa in other Islamic countries, have issued thousands of Fatwas for matters you may consider trivial, but a big deal to those who want to be close to Allah and do not wish to commit 'syubhah'.

That's what Islam is about. It's about obtaining the 'redha' from Allah because you know everything you do here, will be questioned in the hereafter.

Of course, a great many Muslims do not really think that the hereafter is a big deal and so it doesn't really matter to them whether or not Allah 'redha' for all their actions here.

One of the signs that you don't care all that much about Allah is when you feel uncomfortable with the sound of people reading the Qur'an. Or people talking about Qur'an. Instead you make it your mission to point all the 'flaws' in the Qur'an so that you have this thing in your heart whispering; if Qur'an is perfect, then how come Allah has imposed so much rules on women like tudung.

And you have this doubt in your heart that Qur'an is not the ultimate truth, which is why you don't read it every day. Besides you don't speak Arabic. Since you're the type who understand what you read, you figure there's no point in reading the Qur'an. But you forget, people have read Qur'an for more than a thousand years and a great many of them don't understand a word what it means but yet, they find it beautiful.

This blows your mind away. Which is why you figure; I'm a Muslim but I'm a thinking Muslim. Which why you figure you don't need HIDAYAH.

It's just a Fatwa. Not a big deal. You may choose to follow. You may choose not to follow. You may choose to make Yoga your way of life because it is just a form of exercise. Or you may choose to sing songs in a church because you figure, it's just a song.

Each will answer before Allah our action. There's no force in Islam.

I say:

Anything to come out of the mouths of Muslim scholars or not in tune with the "nafsu" of the muslim "liberals" (whatever that means) is instantly shot down and our ulamas belittled.

Why do they bother being Muslims then? Islam is a total way of life and we cannot simply adopt practices for the sake of assimilation and for the sake of being "accepted" or "acceptable" in the eyes of the westerners/non-muslims simply because they cannot accept what is ordained by Allah and what is required of us as Muslims in order to protect the purity of our faith, ie: Aqeedah.

People like Marina and Zainah Anwar are mere apologists who seem to feel ashamed that their religion is not acceptable to the "liberal" minded ie: who prefer to use they much prided on logic rather than the Wisdom of Allah.

Intellect is a blessing from Allah, but oftentimes it clouds the heart. Faith in itself is not something that can be explained by logic, because we are worshipping the Unseen (Ghaib) as in the earlier part of al Baqarah.

I may not be a good Muslim sometimes, BUT I WILL NOT ARGUE WITH THE TRUTH and the findings of the learned ulama who do not simply issue fatwas for "fun" as Bergen said.

And funny thing, my non-muslim friends can accept me as I am and I do not have to apologize to them for my beliefs! No problems there at all!

Allah says..."to you your religion and unto me mine". Mutual respect, yes...So I hope that the non-muslims will also respect our ulamas fatwas. The comments of Marina's blog (which she seems so happy to get) blasting Islam and our learned scholars really upset me. Maybe she should join the Sky Kingdom. They accept all...Muslims, Hindus, Christians...no apologies!

Why don't we all try this Senaman Melayu Tua instead? Or is it too kampung for us? Even the Mat Sallehs are catching on.

PlayCar November Issue

November Centrefold...
The Ford GT 40...
(Who needs a man...)


Performance:
0 - 60 mph [secs] 3.3
0 - 100 mph [secs] 7.4
1/4 mile [secs at mph] 11.2 at 131.2
Top Speed [mph] 200
Lateral acceleration [g] 0.99

Engine:
Supercharged V8; aluminum block and heads

Valvetrain

DOHC 4-valve / cyl.

Displacement [cc]

5409

Bore & Stroke [mm]

90.2 x 105.8

Compression Ratio

8.4:1

Redline [rpm]

6500

Nice rear, boy...sigh.

PLEASE DONATE FOR THE ORPHANS

Dari Blog Cakapaje : Hostel Ravaged By Fire

The Metro tabloid on October 24, 2008, reported a hostel ravaged by fire causing 2 fatalities, children of the age of 4 and 6. The hostel, apart from housing 51 orphans, was also the shelter for 9 low-income families, including a single mother with 9 children.

Late Monday afternoon, several representatives of Kelab Kami Prihatin, accompanied YB Doctor Lo'lo' who, as the Chairman of the Lajnah Kebajikan dan Kemasyarakatan PAS Pusat, visited the scene in hope of meeting the orphans and the families involved. The group was met by an Ustaz Riduan, the manager of another hostel nearby, and was informed that while the orphans are temporarily placed in a home in Rawang, the families mentioned above are given shelter in his hostel for the time being. The YB Doctor and the group were then brought into the ruins of the hostel building and were told of the horrible incident of the night.

In the confusion that surely must have taken place that night, the 2 children are believed to be on one of the upper floors of the 4storey wooden building. The fire (causes of which are still unknown), swept through the building where the upper floors soon collapsed. Along with the thick smoke which was asphyxiating, the residents fled the building. It was only then when the father realised that his son was trapped in the building. Though he tried to rush back into the building in a bid to save his son, the fire and smoke stopped him. We were then told of the heart-wrenching part where the father could not do anything but watched his son engulfed by the flames.

The YB Doctor was then taken to a site a few lots away where stood several metal cabins and perhaps, an unused public hall but one which had no walls, only cemented floor and a roof. These, would most probably be the stay for the families as well as the orphans for a long duration, until a permanent housing can be found. Even then, there is a just need to provide air-condition for the metal cabins which otherwise without, would be like living in an oven with the hot sun above. The YB Doctor will try to seek the assistance of the local authorities, DBKL, to provide financial aid towards this, and at the same time, several units of the PPR which all local authorities normally reserve for emergency use.


Kelab Kami Prihatin, would like to make an appeal to kind-hearted Malaysians to provide financial and in-kind aid to the families and orphans above. The contact persons telephone number for KKP as well as the account number is as below. Whether monetary aid or in-kind, please do inform the ladies. May Allah s.w.t. bless and reward you for your generousity.

Kami Prihatin, Bank Islam: 12113010026150 (see top left panel).
Raja Rozita (Treasurer) 019 357 5057
Siti Aishah: 019 343 6804