"Omg the Alien is SO bitchy! Whatever lah, we're still having SO much fun, even more fun then if she came along! Soooo not gonna invite her anymore!" -flips hair-

Haha. Serves me right, since it's the second time i missed an organised outing at the very last min with em. The first, being Claire's birthday party of course.

Anyway, i find it super poor thing, that daddies are always forgotten (at least in my case). I make a big hoohaa over Mum's bday and Mommies' Day, but it always escapes my mind until the eleventh hour, when it comes to Dad's bday or Daddies' Day.

Poor daddy struggles to make sure we have food on the table, that we have nice clothes, handphone lines which has never been cut off, lights in the house, warm water to soak in (darn me the spoilt brat) etc. And in doing so, he never gets to spend much time with us since his work hours are from 7am to 11pm.

So i decided, hell, daddy deserves much more love and attention then he gets right now. So imma make him a card for the first time ever, along with the cake the siblings and I bought

So imma start work now, since he comes home in an hour or so. Good night dearies! 

But on a more serious note, i'm just a puny blogger as compared to Uncle Sha, Ah Boi, Luthien or Ridjal etc*, so to really get good entries, go read their blogs! I swear its 10 times more addictive as compared to mine. As for me, however, once i'm done with my As, i will resume blogging with barrage of pictures and perhaps, it'll be even better as i'll have more free time

The thing is, blogging over at blogspot takes up around 1 – 2 hrs of my time everyday. The editing of the pictures, the going through grammar, the making everything reading friendly etc. And this 2 hours does not take into account the other 1 hour poured into bloghopping So, you can see why i need to take this break. Hope you guys understand, yes?

Aight then, i just came back home from school Wanna take my long bath and then go straight to bed after that. Very tired la, had to digest all that happened in the Da Vinci Code movie just now. Haha..

Neh ni neh ni poo poo! I watched it already, i bet you haven't! And it costs me only $6 somemore It's ok la, and yes, i did read the book aeons ago, but have totally forgotten most parts, thus the need to really watch and understand all that's happening throughout the movie. 

*To get to their blogs as well as other good reads, head over to chapterxtwo.blogspot and check the links under favourites.

Goodnight  

Was quite irritated that this china girl sitting in front of me had workings all over her paper, while mine was either clean, or full of random squiggles. Teehee. Oh well, at least i now know which topics i'm weak in See, i was right about doing the best you can, so at least some fruit will bear out of it. Hoho!

Aaaanyway, this morning, i was woken up at 6:15 am by something knocking on my window. Ok the story is like this..

Usually right, i will wake up at 545am when the brother knocks on my door after he bathes. But since today his school's having a holiday, he did not knock on my door la (since he no need to wake up) and apparently the parents too forgot to wake me up. Then suddenly i was woken up by this loud thumping from my window.

At first, i was quite scared uh. haha. Who wouldnt? Covering myself with the blanket, i managed to check the clock, and it was already 615! So i quickly got up, and in my drowsy state, said thanks to the thing which knocked my window. Hahaha..  

Ok pointless story. Just found it cool that i was woken up by something knocking on my window  

Right. So whats the big issue, you ask? Well the big issue here, is that i have made bold the word "was" in the above paragraph. I was getting all As. Now (present tense), i'm getting Ds and Es. That, is the big issue. Haha..

Well, after thinking that even if i were to flop the whole thing (sorry JJC-ians!), i should at least fall with grace! I shall put up a fight! Hohoho.. So i did what any decent person who has to fight a battle tomorrow, but has not done any preparations as of yesterday

I skipped school, and spent the entire day at home pouring over my Economics TYS like some mad woman! That's right! I've been doing work from 11am to 7pm, with random 15 minutes break in between for prayers, food and toilet/stoning breaks. Hows that for mugging?! Wakakkaka..

Well so i have quantity But as for the quality part im not so sure, since i was rushing to complete all 15 units, which equates to over 200 pages of MCQs. Mata juling oooo. But nevermind la, at least even if tomorrow i do flop, i know i did my best and have put in all my effort Fyi, i'm starting again at 8pm, to complete the remaining 3 units. Macam nerd eh? Haha..

Anyway, i think i've come up with a pretty decent strategy for my mid-year common tests held next month. Since my Economics and Malay Lit grades are still salvagable, i shall concentrate fully on this two subjects, and not even touch History Hohoh! I'm not gonna attend the history exam! Thank God. That's a huge burden off my shoulders. I hate history la. No matter what, always fail. Soooo forget it. Hehe.

Well hopefully by doing this, i can pull up my Econs & Mly grades up to Bs. That's much nicer then my current grade of Ds. Hoho.. K i wanna pray Maghrib and grab some bites, before the clock strikes 8. Ciao!

PS. Faddy your grasp on Market Structures SUCK lah. Go revise it on Friday with Peah! 

 Hello WordPress, long ramblings and singlish!

hohohoho… Anyway, i went to visit my cousin Abang Az, whose wifey just gave birth to a healthy child (3.36 kg woooh). A baby girl by the name of Aleia Shaakirah to be exact. Sweet name ey?

Anyway looking at the wonders of procreation, i almost cried la. Subhanallah. All the little babies. Sigh~ My turn's gonna be soooo far away. haaha.. But yeap, i want babies. The wide proud smile of the new parents confirmed this thought ive been having. Anyway DUH i want a legal baby, not those "Alamak aku ade baby?" kinda baby. haha..

And did you know that most mothers (at least Muslim ones) WANT to feel the pain of natural child birth. The cousin-in-law was quite upset that she had to go under the knife instead of being au-naturelle. Something about the pahala, and the feeling of you worked hard for the baby, i think

"I'm so tired."

"Tired of what?"

"Of all these people judging me."

"Who judged you?"

"Like that woman, every time I sit with her, she tells me to wear hijab."

"Oh, hijab and music! The mother of all topics!"

"Yeah! I listen to music without hijab…haha!"

"Maybe she was just giving you advice."

"I don't need her advice. I know my religion. Can`t she mind her own business?"

"Maybe you misunderstood. She was just being nice."

"Keeping out of my business, that would be nice…"

"But it's her duty to encourage you do to good."

"Trust me. That was no encouragement. And what do you mean `good` ?"

"Well, wearing hijab, that would be a good thing to do."

"Says who?"

"It's in the Qur'an, isn't it?"

"Yes. She did quote me something."

"She said Surah Nur, and other places of the Qur'an?"

"Yes, but it's not a big sin anyway. Helping people and praying is moreimportant."

"True. But big things start with small things."

"That's a good point, but what you wear is not important. What's important is to have a good healthy heart."

"What you wear is not important?"

"That's what I said."

"Then why do you spend an hour every morning fixing up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You spend money on cosmetics, not to mention all the time you spend on fixing your hair and low-carb dieting."

"So?"

"So, your appearance IS important."

"No. I said wearing hijab is not an important thing in religion."

"If it's not an important thing in religion, why is it mentioned in the HolyQur'an?"

"You know I can't follow all that's in Qur'an."

"You mean God tells you something to do, you disobey and then it's OK?"

"Yes. God is forgiving."

"God is forgiving to those who repent and do not repeat their mistakes."

"Says who?"

"Says the same book that tells you to cover."

"But I don't like hijab, it limits my freedom."

"But the lotions, lipsticks, mascara and other cosmetics set you free?! What`s your definition of freedom anyway?"

"Freedom is in doing whatever you like to do."

"No. Freedom is in doing the right thing, not in doing whatever we wish to do."

"Look! I've seen so many people who don't wear hijab and are nice people, and so many who wear hijab and are bad people."

"So what? There are people who are nice to you but are alcoholic. Should we all be alcoholics? You made a stupid point."

"I don't want to be an extremist or a fanatic. I'm OK the way I am without hijab."

"Then you are a secular fanatic. An extremist in disobeying God."

"You don't get it, if I wear hijab, who would marry me?!"

"So all these people with hijab never get married?!"

"Okay! What if I get married and my husband doesn't like it? And wants me to remove it?"

"What if your husband wants you to go out with him on a bank robbery?!"

"That's irrelevant, bank robbery is a crime."

"Disobeying your Creator is not a crime?"

"But then who would hire me?"

"A company that respects people for who they are."

"Not after 9-11"

"Yes. After 9-11. Don't you know about Hanan who just got into med school?
And the other one, what was her name, the girl who always wore a white hijab…ummm…"

"Yasmeen?"

"Yes. Yasmeen. She just finished her MBA and is now interning for GE."

"Why do you reduce religion to a piece of cloth anyway?"

"Why do you reduce womanhood to high heals and lipstick colors?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"In fact, I did. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth. It is obeying God in a difficult environment. It is courage, faith in action, and true womanhood. But your short sleeves, tight pants…"

"That's called `fashion`, you live in a cave or something? First of all, hijab was founded by men who wanted to control women."

"Really? I did not know men could control women by hijab."

"Yes. That's what it is."

"What about the women who fight their husbands to wear hijab? And women in France who are forced to remove their hijab by men? What do you say about that?"

"Well, that's different."

"What difference? The woman who asked you to wear hijab…she was a woman, right?"

"Right, but…"

"But fashions that are designed and promoted by male-dominated corporations, set you free? Men have no control on exposing women and using them as a commodity?! Give me a break!"

"Wait, let me finish, I was saying…"

"Saying what? You think that men control women by hijab?"

"Yes."

"Specifically how?"

"By telling women how and what to wear, dummy!"

"Doesn't TV, magazines and movies tell you what to wear, and how to be `attractive'?"

"Of course, it's fashion."

"Isn't that control? Pressuring you to wear what they want you to wear?"

[Silence]

"Not just controlling you, but also controlling the market."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are told to look skinny and anorexic like that woman on the cover of the magazine, by men who design those magazines and sell those products."

"I don't get it. What does hijab have to do with products."

"It has everything to do with that. Don't you see? Hijab is a threat to consumerism, women who spend billions of dollars to look skinny and live by standards of fashion designed by men…and then here is Islam, saying trash all that nonsense and focus on your soul, not on your looks, and do not worry what men think of your looks."

"Like I don't have to buy hijab? Isn't hijab a product?"

"Yes, it is. It is a product that sets you free from male-dominated consumerism."

"Stop lecturing me! I WILL NOT WEAR HIJAB! It is awkward, outdated, and totally not suitable for this society … Moreover, I am only 20 and too young to wear hijab!"
"Fine. Say that to your Lord, when you face Him on Judgment Day."

"Fine."

"Fine."

[Silence]

"Shut up and I don't want to hear more about hijab niqab schmijab Punjab!"

[Silence]

She stared at the mirror, tired of arguing with herself all this time.

Successful enough, she managed to shut the voices in her head, with her own opinions triumphant in victory on the matter, and a final modern decision accepted by the society – but rejected by the Faith:

"Yes!" – to curls on the hair – "No!" – to hijab!

[End]

Kinda makes you think, doesn't it? 

• The violence in Islam, or rather, the violence that Muslims seem to potray.

Apparently according to him, he couldn't understand why there was so much violence in Islam. Yes, he says he knows about the whole issue that Islam in itself is not a violent religion, but the extremist Muslims were the ones who induce that violence. However, he highlighted the fact that these extremists quote from the Quran and therefore, in a way (however small that way is), there must be something in the religion which sparked off the violent nature in these people.

• The lack of sincerity he felt when he was taught in religious schools.

He adds on, that since he was young, his parents packed him off to study in religious (Muslim) institutions to study during weekends, a norm for Muslim kids la. He elaborated that throughout the education process, he felt that the religious teachers were not "sincere", so to speak, in their teachings. For example, they would enter classes late and deliver their knowledge in a slipshod manner. Furthermore, for reasons unknown to man, kids who go for weekend institutions are usually the Mats and Minahs, going only for the sake of going, therefore hampering the whole teaching-learning process.

• Islam puts women at second place, below men.

He highlights the muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where women are subjected to laws which leave them with very little rights. Examples would be the countless honour killings (murdering of women suspected by her family members of having relations with men outside of the family) which are sort of "condoned" by the government.

• Christianity seems to be a more "peaceful" and loving religion.

He felt that he "connected" with the preachings, with the people in his Church and that it seems to be a more tender religion. Islam, according to him, is kinda scary, with its focus on "Oh dont go against God, you'll go to hell" approach while Christianity seems to focus on "Jesus loves you", which is a more warm approach.

These were just a few of the reasons which he told me just now uh. I can't seem to place the rest, so please forgive me. As a Muslim, i'm bound to be prejudiced and biased in listening to his viewpoints but however, i didn't go all "EH YOU MUNAFIK!" on him, cuz if i did that, then that would mean i'd have lost a couple of friends already.

Yeah, its true. Many Muslim teenagers have been converting into Christianity whether we like it or not, and to those that i personally know their reasons were singing along the same tune of this guy (or girl) who just opened up to me.

As for myself, i still am a Muslim and i want to die one (insyaallah). I believe in the one and only Allah, and i pray that i will stick to this path till the end of time (and even in the afterlife).

But if there's a couple of things that i would agree with him about, it is the way Islam is taught, be it through a child's upbringing, or even in institutions.

I somehow grew up being taught to fear God. I would pray, doa, read the Quran etcetra all because i feared God and i didn't want to visit hellfire. The more i grew up, i realise that fear, in the end, can be gotten rid off. And so for a while, i lived without the existance of God.

Then when i got older and more mature, it suddenly struck me that i should look at God in another way, i would love Him instead of fearing Him. Because love lasts and fear doesn't. And in the end, if you love someone, you would do all to gain His love therefore naturally, prayers etc will be done.

This is how Islam should be taught, in my opinion. Parents should stop saying "Go Pray! If not you'll sin and feel the wrath of hellfire!" and instead, embed the seed of love for God in the child, so that the child will naturally want to seek God's love by performing his prayers etc.

As for the Institution bit (Madrasahs), i just dont get why some religious teachers dont make an effort in really teaching Islam. Throughout my religious education at this Madrasah XX, the teachers often come in late and teach with monotonous tones. When the Mats and Minahs made alot of noise or something, he would just ignore them and this whole cycle makes it uninteresting for me to go to Madrasahs, as i felt that they were useless.

Afterall, almost everything they teach, i've already been educated about by my parents. Perhaps then, the religious teachers should go for a course or something and revamp their way in spreading the teachings of Islam. They should make it a more interactive nature, with discussions and whatnot, and show LIFE when they're teaching. This way, kids will listen, and hopefully, understand Islam, love the religion and thus, love God.

And i guess if parents AND teachers educate a child this way, we'll have less people having warped ideas of Islam and we'll all be a peace loving bunch, wont we?

Basically that's what i was thinking about the entire day uh. Been wanting to get it off my chest for sometime.. This has been some long (not to mention directionless) rambling, and if you're still reading up till this point, i apologise for taking your time

Anyway, just curious, what are your views on Muslims converting into other religions?