Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Dato' Ishak Baharom: Pulang ke Rahmatullah

Salam to all.

Its a sad day today.
A very good man and very knowledgeable and pious man is now no more with us.

A friend text me just now,mentioning that Dato'Ishak Baharom, the ex-Mufti of Selangor had passed on to meet his Creator.

Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un.

"Ya ALLAH Ya Rabb. Kau ampunilah segala salah dan silap ALLAHyarham Dato' yang telah Kau panggil ke alam barzah dan ampunilah juga kami hamba-hamba Mu yang masih di dunia yang fana ini. Kau cucurilah segala rahmatMu ke atas beliau dan kami. Kau permudahkan urusan janazah beliau dan urusan alam kubur serta urusan akhirat nanti.Kau masukkan lah Dato'Ishak sebagai hambaMU yang beroleh syafaat dari NabiMu,Muhammad s.a.w.
Kami telah menjadi saksi Ya ALLAH, hambaMu Ishak Baharom telah membela agama Islam walau dia telah di keji dan di caci atas pembelaan itu.

Ya ALLAH, kau kekalkanlah hidayah kepada kami dan kukuhkan iman kami pada waktu-waktu yang genting begini."

Semoga ahli keluarga Allahyarham Dato' redha dan bersabar dengan pemergian Dato'.

Al-Fatihah.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Amazing Sanborn

David Sanborn. My favourite alto saxaphonist. Again Abdul Hamed Samad's review and the then radio Ibukota introduced his music to me. Till this day, Sanborn is the best alto sax cats as far as I'm concern. Kenny G? Yelch!!

Here I offer you to listen to the melancholic The Dream and the funky SLAM.

Sanborn!Sanborn!Sanborn!





The Dream- David Sanborn






SLAM- David Sanborn


Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi roji'un.

Peguam Christopher Fernando(Aris Rizal Fernando Abdullah) telah pulang ke Rahmatullah semalam di IJN.

Semoga roh beliau di cucuri rahmat dan di permudahkan segala urusan beliau di alam Barzakh dan di Mahsyar nanti.
Semoga segala salah dan silap beliau dan kita di ampuni ALLAH Azza Wa Jalla. Ameen Ya Rabb.

Takziah untuk isteri beliau Puan Maria Kamaruddin dan dua anak perempuan beliau Rina dan Marissa dengan harapan mereka akan tabah dan bersabar menghadapi dugaan ini.

Al-Fatihan.

Story in the Star.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Mankey

Tanah Lot,Bali
2006
(before 2nd bombing)

Salam to all.


I got this in my e-mail. Its a simple one ,very plain but with deep meaning.

Critics might say its good literature with high artistic value but you can't trust critics,right?

And what constitutes good literature and high artistic values beats me.I mean a good read is a good read.If you understand what the writer is trying to convey and you're entertainted while reading it,thats good enough to me. Its very subjective. You might like reading Batman comics which many critics would say thats a very artistic comic.But I like reading Doraemon with its lousy BM or English translation like we normaly see in our stupid box and silverscreen. The American might say Doraemon is trash!But hey, the Japs might have a different opinion about Doraemon you know.


Europeans will say Wagner is very artistic but you ask Wak Karlos Suntono, he'll say Wagner's music made him sleepy, but give him Inul's number anytime of the day and Wak Karlos Suntono will 'gerudi' Wagner out of the hall.


And not only the e-mail content is artistic it is also at a genius level with mathematics symbols thrown in. Its like Hemingway combined with Einstein to produce a masterpiece.


So,lets see what we have here:


Human = eat + sleep + work + enjoy
Donkey = eat + sleep
Therefore, Human = Donkey + work + enjoy
If Human - enjoy = Donkey + work


In other words, Human that don't know how to enjoy = Donkey that work!


Now, isn't that something guys?

I don't know about you, but I sure am no donkey.

But I do know lots of human who just eat and sleep. Its uncultured to call them donkeys, so I'll call them Mankey( not to be mistaken with monkeys which without doubt many human are acting like them monkeys)


Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Hari Asyura(10 Muharram): Jom Puasa sunat.

Asalamu'alaikum to all,

Pada hari Sabtu ini 10 Muharram 1429(bersamaan 19 Januari 2008) ialah Hari 'Aashuraa' .
Kita umat Islam di anjurkan melakukan puasa sunat Asshuraa pada hari tersebut.

Pengenalan :

Ia hari kesepuluh dari bulan Muharram setiap tahun.

Sempena :

Mensyukuri Allah Ta'ala yang telah menyelamatkan Nabi Muusa
'alayhissalam dan kaumnya daripada Fir'aun Mesir pada zamannya.
(berdasar hadith riwayat Bukhori)

Kelebihannya:

Nabi sallAllah 'alayhi wa sallam bersabda :
Aku berharap agar Allah mengampunkan dosa pada tahun yang sebelumnya
bagi orang yang berpuasa pada hari tersebut.
[Riwayat Muslim]

Martabat-martabat puasa 'Aashuraa':

Yang paling sempurna: Berpuasa juga hari sebelum dan selepasnya(9,10 dan 11 Muharram)

Kedua: Berpuasa hari ke-9 dan 10 sahaja( hadith riwayat Muslim dan di syarah oleh An-Nawawi , serta riwayat Bukhori di syarah oleh Ibn Hajar dalam Fathul Bari))

Ketiga: Berpuasa hari ke-10 Muharram sahaja

Antara Bid'ah Hari 'Aashuraa':

Buat bubur 'Aashuraa' dengan kefahaman dan dasar yang salah.

Penjelasan lanjut sila pi kat sini.
Penerangan Dr MAZA di sini.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Selamat Hari Lahir ke 17 Hafiz


Bismillahirahmanirrahim.

Segala puji-pujian hanya kepada ALLAH tuhan sekelian alam serta selawat dan salam ke atas Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.,keuraga, shabat-sahabat serta pengikut-pengikut baginda.

Pujian bagi ALLAH yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang yang telah memberi lanjutan usia serta nikmat-nikmat yang tanpanya akan musnahlah insan dan nikmat iman yang tanpanya akan lebih musnahlah insan sepanjang masa .

Hafiz,
Selamat harilahir yang ke 17 ayah ucapkan.





Hafiz,
Ayah doakan Hafiz akan menjadi hambaALLAH yang bertakwa dan menjunjungi sunah-sunnah Rasulullah s.a.w.

Ayah doakan Hafiz berjaya dalam hidup tanpa menyanggahi larangan-larangan ALLAH.
Ayah doakan agar Hafiz akan menjadi mukmin yang akan membela agamanya jika di hina Rasulnya.

Ayah doakan Hafiz tidak menjadi insan zalim yang menzalimi dan menindas insan lain untuk mencapai sebarang cita-cita atau kejayaan.


Father n son,

Luxor temple

Ayah doakan Hafiz menjadi anak dan cucu yang soleh kepada mama,atok,nenek dan Tok Hawa.

Ambillah pengajaran dan sempadan dari tanah Misri yang baru kita lalui.Jauhi ciri-ciri sifat Fir'aun dan Haman.

Hafiz n mama
Renaissance Alexandria
Dec 2007

Permintaan ayah cuma satu, jika ayahdan mama sudah tiada, doa-doakan agar ALLAH mengampunkan ayah dan mama dan ALLAH permudahkan urusan kubur dan akhirat kami.

Selamat hari lahir anak ku.

Ayah
Melaka 14 Januari 2008


Alexandria beach


Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Jejak al-Misr 7: TheSteinberger Nile Palace

Trio in VOK(infront Ramses III tomb)
foto tomb gatekeeper
BQ



From the Colossi of Memnon, our driver took us back to the east bank into Luxor city.It was about 4.00pm. Muhammad al-Gharbawi picked up the microphone and knocked his fingers over it,making the thud!Thud! sound over the PA system.

Muhammad: Okay,everyone listen to me,listen to me.Okay,all can hear me?

Some responded by a low "yeahhh..." but most are exhausted and trying to get a nap for the next 20 minutes ride into the city.

Muhammad: Okay everbody, we are now going to our hotel,our hotel. Its called the Steinberger Nile Palace and its a 5 star hotel. This is what we are going to do,okay! Now listen to me,listen to me. When we reached the hotel, the porters will carry your lugages from the bus to the lobby. You will wait in the lobby and identify your luggages. And then, Angel and I will give you your room keys. After you get the room keys, write your room number on the tag that we will give you,write your room number okay.Then the porter will bring your bags to your room.
Now remember, its up to you if you want t tip the porters Because the tip is included in your accomodation already. But if you want to give its up to you,its up to you. Understand?

He got some mumbling responses from our tired souls.

As we neared the Steinberger,Angel reminded us again: "Okay PARLO group! Remember what Muhammad said just now. Wait for your bags at the lobby and Muhammad and me will check-in and give you the keys. After you got your rooms, take a rest. We will go for dinner at 6.00 pm. We will have our dinner outside,not at the hotel.

Finally we arrived at the Steinberger Nile Palace hotel, its west side facing the Nile and its eat side facing the Khalid El-Walid street.

Steinberger Nile Palace,Luxor
tokasid
BQ



At the hotel's sidewalk most of us gathered there,watching the porters take our luggages into the lobby. And I wonder why we stood there watching? Was it bcoz we are worried that our luggage might be mishandled? Or might get lost from the bus into the lobby(which was less that 20 metres away)? Or was it bcoz we don't trust the porters?For me,I just wanna make sure my luggages did get out of the bus' belly.

Inside the lobby(which is not big but nicely done and you have to pass through a body scanner) some sat on the provided sofa but most had to stand. While Angel and Muhammad was busy at the counter, we took a peek at whats available in the Steinberger. The courtyard is big and dotted with tables and chairs. Right in the middle is a small but attractive fountain.As you go west there are steps leading to the restaurants and bars and the western block of the hotel rooms.


Steiberger's courtyard
tokasid BQ


Steinberger: you can go here and there
tokasid BQ



Courtyard : pre-dawn
Hafiz N73



After 20 minutes or so, Angel and Muhammad asked us to gather for our keys. We got room 414, on the east side,facing the Khalid El_Walid street.

Angel: Okay!All have your keys now,right? You can go to your rooms now. The porters will carry your bags,but if you want to take it on you own,its up to you. My room will be 215.215. If there is anything you want or any problem at all,call my room. I will check with you all afterward,okay. And remember, be down here by 5.45pm because we will take the same bus again for our dinner.

Most were eager to be in the rooms. Some have had distended bladders for an hour or so.
We were given an extra bed for Hafiz, but since the room is spacious enough the 3 single beds doesn't hindred our movements. We asked for a sejadah and got the kiblat's bearing. I was informed that maghrib will be at 5.10pm( now this will sure cause a lot of headache to me). We managed to do our solat jamak and qasar for Zuhr and Asr'. My wife was exhausted at lie down(and fell asleep,as usual).Hafiz was busy with his new N73( he bought it 2 days before our trip).
I headed for my favourite place in any hotel,the balcony.Our room is on the 4th floor and the balcony overlooked the main street,Khalid El-Walid St.With a packof Gudang Garam,an ashtray, a Kuka Kula(Coca Cla) and Dean Koontz's Watchers I enjoyed my late noon on the balcony. The street was busy as most of the Luxorians are rushing home in cars, minivan taxis, horse carriages and some on donkeycarts! As a rule, honking was everywhere.Pet pot tit tit they honked each other. And the rhythmic clac!cluc! sounds of the horses' hooves make it like music.

They sky was brightly blue with spots of dense clouds decorating it. As dusk sets in, the visual changes that I witnessed was amazing. From the brightly blue sky it got into darker shades of blue and yellosh to orangish and different range of red before blackness takes over the sky. With it the clouds too produced a spectacular transformation. Its as if you are watching an art piece being drawn on canvas and conpleted within 15 minutes.

Steinberger Room 414
Hafiz N73

Steinberger's balcony: Luxor skylines
tokasid BQ


By 5.45 pm we went down to the lobby.The bus was there. Muhammad was having a fag with the bus driver.Everyone was eager for dinner,our first proper meal in Egypt.
Muhammad explained to us that he had chosen a restaurant which serves Egyptian food. The ride was about 15 minutes and finally we were at the Kebab Land, Big Boss restaurant.
Looking at the signboard: Big Boss restaurant. Ard al-Kebab, Kebab Land , Egyptian Test.
Certain things came to mind. I wondered if the owner is a fan of Bruce Lee's the Big Boss. Or maybe the boss is big(body size or any of his appendages for that matter). but it was the last line that made me curious. Egyptian Test.

Now what could that mean? We are here to test some Egyptian food or are we here to taste Egyptian food? But realizing that this spelling mistakes are worse in our country( be it in singboards,buntings or subtitles), I assumed it could mean Egyptian taste.

The restaurant was a small one which could 40 ppl at a time. Dinner came in courses( and all our set meals during the trip came in courses). The food was fantastic.

Kebab Land: Egyptian Test(shouldn't it be Taste?)
Hafiz N73

Food: the taste of Egyptian Test in Kebab Land
tokasid BQ



Kebab Land's landscape
Hafiz N73

On our way back to the Steinberger, Muhammad briefed us of our programme for tomorrow.
Muhammad:" Okay everbody! How was dinner? Good? Okay, tomorrow, wake-upcall will be at 4.30 am, 4.30 am okay. Be at the lobby by 5.30am. Bring down all your luggages.Don't leave anything behind. We are checking out at 6.00am.
Tomorrow morning we are going to Aswan and we must be with the convoy by 6.30am.if we are late we will miss the first convoy and will have to wait the next convoy at 11.00am.
We will have our breakfast on the bus.The hotel will prepare packed breakfast for us,okay! Understand everybody?

By 8.00pm we were in our room. Mrs TA was tired and sleepy but managed to watch TV( they have many channels too with recent movies and series). Hafiz...what else but his new gadget ,the N73. As usual, the balcony is mine. The street was still bustling with life. I slept at 2.00am that night( and that jumpstarted my recent episode of insomnia)



Next: I will skip the journey to Aswan,but will tell about Karnak and Luxor Temples(which we visited after we returned to Luxor on the cruise). Once I finished with Luxor I will write about Aswan and the cruise.


Peek-a-boo: the beautifully crafted crstal in Aswan:
Crystals..reasons for ladies to go Egypt
tokasid BQ



Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Friday, January 4, 2008

Jejak al-Misr 6: Alabaster of al-Aqsar(Luxor)

Abu Shanab Pharoah of Alabaster
tokasid BQ


"Ahlan wa sahlan!Welcome!Welcome!",we were greeted by an elderly Egyptian man wearing a galabaiya and white serban.

"Come,come closer here",he waved his hands prompting us to gather around him into a shed.

"Closer,closer so you hear me clear. I am Abu Shanab, pharoah of alabaster.",he told us,introducing himself." Now,I tell you how to make alabaster. I make no. 1 alabaster1", he claimed.

"Now listen carefully what I tell you. Behind here, my workers do alabaster" he pointed to few of his workers who were holding some instruments and few pieces of limestone rocks. They were smiling shyly to us. Their eyes downward whenever someone wanted to take their photos.


Abu Shanab briefing us
tokasid BQ


Abu Shanab continued with his explaination on how things are made.From pieces of stone until a vase or bust or anything is produced. He showed us the simple instruments they use in his 'factory'(like our IKS/SMI)

After about 10 minutes, he invited us into his exhibition hall/shop for a drink, hibiscus juice and to look at the products( hoping we will buy something).

Inside the shop, there were carvings of various objects and subject of varying sizes and colors.
There are bust of King Tut, bust of Nefertiti(Akhenaten's queen. Akhenaten was label as the heretic pharoah for he practised monotheistic belief), figures of Anubis, vases, ashtrays,lampshades and others.

Everything looks so beautifully crafted. Abu Shanab cajoled us to buy his products but I guess all of us were tired of the long flight and the visit to Valley of the Kings. Nobody bought anything from Abu Shanab. He thanked us for coming . We thanked him for his hospitality and kindness.

We then boarded our bus and headed for Colossiof Memnon( see part 3)


Traditional instruments in Alabaster factory
tokasid BQ




Abu Shanab's workers giving a demo
tokasid BQ




Abu Shanab's exhibition hall
tokasid
BQ



Final products of Alabaster
Hafiz N73


Bust of Nefertiti
tokasid BQ


Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Jejak al-Misr 5: You think I'm elusive?

Salam to all.

These past few days had been hectic.Reasons?
1- Hafiz going back to school, so some shopping here and there.
2-Hunting for books.We received a letter from school that he didn't get the buku pinjaman. So, we started hunting for books in Melaka.Manage to get 3 books. There rest we got it from Czip Lee in Kajang. Still short of 4 books.
3-Lazy.Hah3.

Anyway,before I continue with the travl proper, I present two pjotos which Tokasid was in.
So, am not elusive after all,right?



Hey,Fir'aun! Mana hidong hang?
foto Hafiz N73



Me and Mrs TA at Aswan High Dam
foto Hafiz N73


Okay..puas hati??



Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa