It’s All In The Noose

It turned out to be an amusing morning. I woke up, read the news, watched the news and pondered about news. It’s been one heck of a week I think. But firstly, my heart goes out to the Samoans, who had just been hit by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. For a coastal area, such a catastrophe should have been catalysmic. Days ago, Manila was hit by severe floods and Indonesia was also hit by a natural disaster. Brings a sense of foreboding worry. For me, personally at least.

7.5 Reasons Why Being A Dad Is Great.

I’m a newly minted Dad.Well,not exactly new.I’m into my 5th semester.But I’ve realized certain points,I reckon can be taken by some,as a reason good enough to appreciate that new Life.

Reason 1 : Having people remark how your child looks like you.

This is a reason that my other half absolutely hates.But I always soothe her by saying that perhaps,the remark was just a casual and general observation.I always highlight that looks and physical appearances are temporary,and therefore does not mean much.Instead it’s things like her intelligence,wisdom,personality and so forth are the ones the child probably inherited.In all fairness,my son can have all the intrisic things that his mother have,but having people say that his eyes,smile and cuteness is like me,just makes my pants drop a bit.Besides,my child should look like me.Who else should he look like right?

Legends Of Islam (Part 1)

I’ve been thinking.

For over a month now,I’ve not been the least inspired to type in an entry.I’ve did actually.Typed two full paragraphs and I’ll press the “delete” button.That was how demoralized I was.Did not have the will to type my thoughts.

If you happen to be free,and not knowing what to do,can I kindly suggest to you a website?Seriously,all praises to Allah,for helping me stumble onto this gem of a site.

http://www.hoor-al-ayn.com/

Why is this website a gem?

As I am typing in this entry,my ears are plugged into an audio I had downloaded earlier in the day.The MP3 audio entitled Salahuddin Al Ayubbi.It’s a beautiful piece of audio.Two days ago,I had downloaded a piece speaking on the same historical figure.The MP3 was entitled Legends of Islam,Salahuddin Al Ayubbi.It was an hour lecture that was impactful in the way a man’s biography was told.I hate to admit this for fear of over dramatization,but I have to highlight this poignant piece of info.I choked and held back my tears whilst I was in the train to soccer,listening to the lecture.Hard for me to explain,but there was a series of narration in that lecture that made my head and heart swirl with a multitude of unexplained emotions.There was this intense feeling of embarrasment,shame and fear at the state of life I am living.Before I go on further,I have to just highlight a statement made by my brother in law that made the deepest sense.

“People give birth to children,and are already planning for their future,(eg education,wealth,status,marriage,social standings etc.)How many are actually planning a guaranteed place for their children in Jannah?How many parents have thought about it?”

It stucked me hard because,I am guilty as charged.Overly concerned with how my son,will cope with intellectual developments.Physical developments.Speech developments.All sorts of developments,except that of those that can ensure him a guided path.Shame on me,the father.

Anyway,back to the great warrior general,Salahuddin ra.As I heard the narration,I was mesmerized by his charisma,personality,wisdom,bravery and most of all his leadership.I strongly suggest that if you,the reader,is a man who aspires for a role model in life.A hero.Download the MP3.Insya Allah that hour long lecture will shed and illuminate a zeal and drive to be purposeful.

In a previous audio lecture I heard,there was a narration in which it was told of what really motivated Salahuddin to liberate the Holy Land of Jerusalem.It was a vivid poetic narration of how Salahuddin entered the city and read out a letter that he had received from a woman in the city.If I am not wrong,the lady had described herself as a mosque that had been molested by the hands of crusaders and she had called out to Salahuddin,the “destroyer of crucifixes and crosses” to help her.That plea of help,drove Salahuddin to claim back the lands of Jerusalem.It was a beautiful way to describe a majestic entrance.Just inexplicably beautiful.

There were narrations after narrations of his leadership and his charisma.His sworn enemies attested to how just he was as a leader.In fact,there were accounts that upon his death,the Jews within Jerusalem had sent out letters to their bretherens in other parts of the world,grieving the demise,of the best leader any nation could ever have.How many Muslim leaders today can claim to such honour?

I have a lot to write about this grand man.In fact,I will want to dedicate a research into the fundamentals of leadership from the biography of Salahuddin Al Ayubbi.And I will not stop there I guess.There’s Khalid Ibn Walid,Umar Al Khattab and so many others.And the best of all,the Prophet p.b.u.h.

Funny how,I’ve been looking for role models outside the context of Islam for so long,when there is a mine awaiting in the historical annals of Islam.

May Allah guide me on this fantastic journey of discovery…

…and please brothers and sisters,visit the website http://www.hoor-al-ayn.com/. There is a whole host of resources for every need and learning you want. Seriously.I’ve just erased 1GB of songs in my MP3 to put in all the lectures.And spread the info around to your loved ones.The message I share here,if replicated and practiced,even I will get the good deeds,insya Allah.salam!

ps:for therapeutic sessions at night when you need to be close to yourself and your Lord,perhaps you may wanna download the nasyeeds.Especially the ones from Palestine…

Respectfully Preaching

Let me just get some random thoughts of my head,whilst the lingering stench is still there.

1.Was having a makan session with Kai the other day,and he casually mentioned about a preacher he had heard earlier after his dawn prayers that Sunday.Kai used the term,”fundamentalist” in his casual description of this particular preacher.Was interested to know what could have drove this bro of mine to say such things.Apparently,this preacher had implied explicitly that the pursuit of all things material,ie,wealth and riches was something that should not be propagated.I understand from where Kai was coming from,on this issue,as it was akin to insinuating that collecting riches was perhaps sinful,if in accordance to this preacher’s warped view.

Tweet The Teats

I’m sure you’ve heard of that new song piece from Justin Timberlake. The one where he sang with Ciara, entitled, “Love Sex Magic”.3 intriguing words lined up in one title. What a great way to just mess that horny,adrenalin rush in each and one of us.I was just trying to reason out as to why the order of the words were placed in such a manner.Why not magic first,followed by sex and then love? That’s what a typical Playboy host will do.(ehem).Create the magic,and then in the mentioned order.But I guess,the producers for the song was spot on.People fall in love,then they do that thing they do and say it’s magic.I think.

I was on my way home,from office just now.Stopped at Lucky Plaza bust stop.As I was making my way to the subground tunnel to the MRT station, a client called.As I was engrossed answering her queries,I noticed a lady with biceps and big boobs coming down the stairs of Lucky Plaza.And when I say big,it’s big as in perhaps a 38 or something.I choked on my saliva,when I saw her.Why?Because,firstly,she was clearly a “he”.A tranny.It was wearing a low cut neck blouse that had its ample bosoms just wanting to spill over.And no,I had no reasons to get excited because,it’s nipples were just super erected,that it sure made Madonna’s cone shaped brasierre a farce.It was fake ugly as a sight.I literally stopped in my tracks just to recollect my fleeting sanity.The client at the other end was calling out for my attention,but I was just dumb speechless.It’s horrendous.There was no lov,sex or even magic with that “lady”.

Two Steps.One on the Ego,the other One Forward.

I’ve kept away from you,for quite a while have I not?So,did you miss me?Well,I did.But being bereft of inspiration can be a bane.Especially on someone like me.A Bruce Wayne underneath that cloak of a financial planner.Life is ironically boring when so many exciting things are happening.Like how my beloved Redbacks has to go through that upheaval of getting new players.It’s not so much about the movement of players,especially in this era of transfer dealings being ridiculously expounded.In  my social context however,it’s more of players moving to play in other teams.No qualms about it,because I am an advocate of human rights.Free to play,free to go.But it’s the manner at which some individuals hasten their departures,that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth,which have me nodding in agreement with my theory that our next generation have a lot to make up.Apart from one,it was disappointing that a major part of the leaving players lacked the balls to perhaps,just bid a word of farewell.I mean,it’s as good as entering someone’s house,dining and shitting there,and having the audacity to just walk out the gates.Of course,my theory of free to play,free to go applies.What am saying is that,a usual,unassuming human being usually has that thing called decency of manners.It’s a rhetorical statement if we pinpoint such things to parenting or education,cause I never liked to blame both.Cause as Arsene Wenger and Fergie said,”If you are good enough,you are old enough.”Which in their case,might be neither.But I don’t blame such individuals.Being tenacious and zealous young men,it just means that they need to express their talents and egos on a platform where they are not stifled or confined to the rigid standings of middle aged men.It just means that they see,their man management and creative streaks are best exploited at a level,where they can pat themselves in the back everytime on a job well done,without having the figments of advices of middle aged men who do not know what they are talking about,after playing football for the number of years these young men have lived.It’s regrettable,that somehow,the analogy of blowing bubble is apt for this context.For these young men,are blowing a bubble big enough for them to encapsulate themselves in.

Can You Book That Book For Me?

Yesterday evening was quite a day.And by that I mean,that I discovered a facet of myself.Was scheduled to have an appointment over at Funan at 1830.I reached City Hall at 1700,right after my session of public speaking coaching with the girls at CHIJ.Several things came to mind as to how I could spend that one and a half hour,but I decided to prioritize.Off I went to have my late lunch at Long John Silver,over at Capitol building.Settled for Golden Deal with two chickens,with coleslaw added.As time passes,I am inclined to believe that either my eyes are failing me,or the chicken that they serve these days are getting smaller.Anyway,it is in my personal opinion,that the coleslaw offered at LJS,happens to be the best in those served at fast food joints.Second best is Tenderbest’s.I plonked myself in one of the seats so that I could face the windows,and watch the world pass me by as I ate.Scores of minahs and mats walked past.Most of the minahs,were eye candy.Visual feast,because it seemed like that they wanted their family jewels to pop out of their tight clothings.Ample cleavages showcased by girls barely old enough,to buy cigarettes.I was pertubed,because I never had those kind of girls whilst I was in secondary.Finished my meal in a record time of 25 minutes,and headed straight out to the building next to Capitol.