Let's Read the Quran

I blog hopped from Sue's blog to Marina M's blog and I found this. Something really good. Just read and follow through.

This is taken from Marina M's blog.


Peace!

We need your participation!

Campaign name: Let’s Read The Quran


On January 1st 2009, four friends Syed, Walski, Marina and Anas got together at Coffee-Bean Bangsar Village and decided to launch a campaign to encourage people to read and understand the Quran better.

This campaign is not only for Muslims, but also for our brothers and sisters who are Christians, Buddhists Hindus, Sikhs and those who believe in a God-Head but not so gung-ho about being in any brand of religion, too – come join us and share your ideas! You can join this campaign even if you are an atheist!

The goal of this campaign is to encourage people to read the Quran in the language they understand most and find in it areas of common values in our day-to-day living.

What is the Campaign all about?

Read the Quran in the language that you are familiar with.

When will the campaign start and end?

January 15th to February 14th (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

Where?

Participating blogs in the blogosphere.

Why?

So more people know what the Quran says and what the Quran does not say and to match it to what is really said in our daily lives.

Who?

Everyone who wants to – the more the merrier! If you have a Blog, Facebook, etc carry the logo/icon.

How?

- To join the campaign, place the accompanying logo/icon at your blog.
- Write or share short articles based on the Quranic text.
- Share what you find in the Quran with family and friends.
- Ask questions about the Quranic message
- Read the Quran – eg click here http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch or www.altafsir.com

Peace and Thanks,

Marina Mahathir, Rantings by MM, http://www.rantingsbymm.blogspot.com
Syed Akbar Ali, OutSyed the Box, http://www.syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com
Walski, myAsylum, http://www.asylum60.blogspot.com
and,
Anas Zubedy , http://www.letusaddvalue.blogspot.com

La-di-dah

After going through 6 school days, today seemed mundane and way too draggy. Other than the fact that my dearest went back to his house yesterday (boohoo) and my abah away to Muar the house is way too quiet, other than the sound of my cats meowing for mealtime. Read my favourite parts in Acheron and all of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga and preparing test paper for the upcoming test. Not forgetting that I was watching Johnny's countdown 2009 on youtube. Arashi was hosting - they're now 10!!! I'm so loving the medley



Yazer, a friend of mine from the teacher training college dropped by to invite my family and I to his wedding reception this 26th January. The reception at his wife's house clashed with my reception at hubby's place so we couldn't show up. Good news, his wife, Ina who was also my next door neighbour in college is 4 months pregnant. Congratulations!!!

Oh yeah, as of 14th of January, I'm an aunt!! Not that I'm not already an aunt - thanks to my cousins (and yes, even grand-aunt) this time, I'm an aunt because my sister in-law just gave birth to a beautiful daughter.

14th of January, not that hard of a birth date to remember since I could list some people I know & knew who was born on that same date

1. Yan, my schoolmate since primary school
2. Odah, my seatmate in secondary school
   
3. Miza, my classmate during the degree years
4. Raziq, my classmate in year 6 who passed away when he was 12 due to Leukemia.

See, not an easy date to forget.

Tomorrow, I have to drive up to see the ENT specialist in Hospital Sultanah Aminah (that's ear, nose and throat) for a follow up appointment for my sinusitis. Sighs. Just last month I had to go through too many x-ray sessions. A chect X-ray for my confirmation medical check up, 2 x-rays for my dental (twice because they did not manage to get the right tooth area the first time) and 3 for my skeletal views since they want to see how bad my sinusitis is. Bad I guess since the x-ray more or less looks like the one you can see in wikipedia. So if you're allergic to dust, be warned. You may not see it now but just watch out as time goes.

Well anyway, good thing is the Chinese New Year holiday is just few days away and I'm off to see my dearest again!!!!

My wedding

Okayla, as requested, ni lah die gambar gambar dari wedding. Sebenarnye gambar official tak dapat lagi sebab aku kat Seri Kembangan, tak sempat jumpa photographer lagi. Banyak lagi kat phone tapi well, aku upload ape yang ade ajelah eh :D

Ni gambar before nikah, lepas make-up.

Bergambar dgn Steve, my bro from U.S who flew all the way to my wedding. Thanks a bunch bro!!! Waktu ni dah selamat jadi isteri orang, hihi.

Bersanding di Pontian. Sorry takde close up, tunggu photographer nanti.

Waktu sanding kat Putrajaya, all decked out in purple, kecuali Osman yg takde baju purple, hehehe.

Yang budak kecik tukang bagi bunga telur tu cousin yg paling muda kitorang, Baby, adik pada pengapitku Dayah. Thanks for being my matron of honour. You did get the bouquet I threw, hehe

Okay, tu aje gambar yang ade ^_^ Untuk yang datang tu, terima kasih bebanyak. Yang tak dapat datang tu, thanks for your prayers and wishes.

A Walk in the Memory Lane

This entry is dedicated to the first batch of SMKAJB.

Korang mesti dah lama tak pergi sekolah kan? Beberapa minggu sebelum bulan puasa, aku ambik kesempatan pergi ikut Yan pergi rumah mak dia kat JB. And since semua tau yang mak dia pengetua sekolah tu sekarang n aku mengambil kesempatan untuk merayau-rayau di area sekolah.

Sungguhla aku envy tengok budak-budak seolah tu sekarang. Sekolah dah cantik, bangunan ada tambah lagi satu, wakaf pun dah bertambah.

Ingat tangga 'harapan' yang ni? Tangga dari kawasan dewan naik ke surau yang zaman dulu dah makan beberapa ramai mangsa sebab dulu tak ada railing langsung? Berapa ramai student (aku pun termasuk dalam korum tu) termasuk sekali dgn parents yang tergelincir jatuh sebab tangga tu curam gila? Sekarang sure dah tak seramai dulu yang jatuh sebab railing dah ada. Kalau jatuh jugak, tak tau la aku nak cakap apa.

Ingat lagi surau ni? Waktu kita bumbung tu tak ada. Yang ada cuma walkway aje. Waktu yang paling best aku ingat time kita, kalau hujan, instead of gunakan jalan belakang, semua main redah aje hujan sebab malas nak pusing jauh. Time tu semua lari aje dari tepi surau ke tempat berbumbung. Sekarang ni bukan setakat bumbung aje, kotak untuk pokok pun dah ada.

Cuba teka ni kat mana?

This, my dear ialah Aspuri kita. Time ni Aspuri kunci so aku cuma blh ambil gambar dari gate aje. Pokok yang ditanam time kita of course la dah besar sangat. Yang gambar belah atas tu la terletaknya bilik warden, Common Room yang dikasihi - tempat kita seludup pukul 3 pagi tengok MTV, hahaha.

Tengok, dah ada direktori lagi. Hebat tak hengat. Ingat lagi Study Room kat ground floor tempat kita lepak n buat homework dulu? SR tu dah ditukar jadi dorm. Dorm Iqlima dgn Masyitah dah turun kat ground floor. Yang lain masih lagi kekal kedudukan dia kecuali ada 2 dorm baru - dorm Hawa & Zulaikha. Maknanya makin ramai le student kat sini.

Ni pulak kat mana?

Kalau korang teka kat Dewan Makan, tepat sekali!!!!! Yang bahagian atas tu tempat kita dulu beratur ambil makanan. Tengok, siap ada cermin hitam tu. Yang bawah pulak bahagian belakang dewan yang dulu kosong. Dah convert jadi stage untuk formal dinner for teachers. Cuba korang tengok lampu tu. Time kita lampu perdarfluor biasa aje.

Tu gambar close up lampu dengan sinki. Dah tukar kaler dah. Renovate habis. Yang tak ubah cuma lantai dewan makan yang masih lagi melekit kat kaki, yuck! That never change, hahaha. Tapi aku tak gemar sangat cara susunan meja makan sekarang. Time dulu lagi senang sikit nak access.

Ada banyak lagi gambar sebenarnya tapi dalam banyak-banyak gambar, gambar ni lah yang buat aku terharu sangat sangat.

Korang abaikan arca hidup kat tengah tu. Ingat lagi mural ni? Inilah mural yang Isem, Rai, Nofie, Zai dgn Kherry buat waktu sekolah baru bukak dulu. Ada lagi mural ni, masih lagi dalam keadaan yang baik. Aku lupa tahun berapa derang buat ni... tahun 96 ke? Lepas kita abis PMR? Waktu tu kita semua masih lagi KTAMian. Hmm tapi Isem masuk waktu SMKAJB so maybe 97 atau 98 kot. Anyway, mural ni lah peninggalan first batch kat sekolah tu yang masih ada. Cikgu Nurizah masih lagi ada kat sekolah tu so maybe dia pun sengaja tinggalkan mural ni.

Untuk batch SMKAJB sekarang, maybe korang ade yang countdown nak abis sekolah. Mungkin ada rules yang pada korang tak masuk akal, ada cikgu yang korang tak suka tapi bila dah masuk u atau kerja nanti, rules yang pelik tu lah yang korang ingat sampai bila-bila and kawan-kawan yang korang dah kenal dalam masa 5 tahun tu lah jadi kawan yang korang still akan ingat sampai bila bila. Savour thy school time, love thy friends and respect thy teachers.

Untuk kengkawan aku, ingat lagi Pesta Denda time kita form 2 kat KTAM? Hahahaha.

Happy Anniversary!!!

It was our anniversary yesterday.

What anniversary?

18th August marks our first year of engagement and luckily enough I was around in Seri Kembangan with my beloved to celebrate it together.

A simple poem for my sayang:-

I don't know where to start at,
I'm not that good with words and rhyme,
I'm grateful for the day we met,
I love you til the end of time.

Thanks for last night and the lovely bouquet that you gave me. No words are enough to express my feelings. Love you bunch and bunch, Ayang.

November does not come soon enough.
*love and smooches*

On Wednesday

Last Wednesday, the state of Johor was on a one day holiday due to the 'Hol Almarhum' for the late Sultan of Johor. To all my kawan-kawan from KTAM and SMKAJB, a friend of ours suddenly - and I stress on the word suddenly there, gave me an SMS on Monday, asking if I would be free on that particular day. Well the word 'suddenly' is the main key here because we went out for a movie marathon along with a friend of mine from work - 'Made of Honour' (which we gladly saw with only 5 person total - us and a couple who were near to smooching but stopped because we were there) in the whole theater room) and Hancock on the Friday before that and she only knew that someone would send an engagement delegation on Saturday.

Who is the mystery girl?

Clue No. 1: Any ideas yet?

Clue No. 2 : Come on take a guess, hehe

Well, scroll down for the full face picture, hehehehe *drumroll*

Yan!!!!!!!!

Hehe, I'm proud to say we managed to buy some make-ups on Tuesday evening and I received the honour to 'do' her face. One thing about growing up together since primary school with her sister, a year younger than us who also went to the same school that we do and one of her brothers being my brother's schoolmate, we are kind of close and it was fun working on her, hahaha. Poor Yan that throughout the time, her brother and I was teasing her mercilessly about the make-up since she rarely wears any lipstick at all.

Other than that, a good news among my circle of friends, ahem,

Siti Faizah Hanim (chewah) aka Are_name gave birth to her first daughter on Thursday. Congratulations Anem and husband!!!
Woohooo!!!!

^_^

One day I was watching a TV programme - on which channel? I've forgotten but weirdly the commercials at that time was straight about babies - pregnant women, a family with houseful of kids and everything, babies here babies there (okay so maybe I was watching one of the learning channels). My lil bro was pointing it out that the whole commercial lines was so odd. I mean come on, the whole few minutes of commercials only on babies and pregnancies is rare.

Then I got a call from my sister in law saying...

I'M GONNA BE AN AUNT!!!!!!

Aunty Diah?

Cik Diah?

Mak Diah?

What is the name they call the third born kid? My siblings never had to use the name 'along', 'angah' and all that.

Hmmm.... I still have months to think what name I should use.

Anyway, alhamdulillah ^_^

p.s: I wonder where I can get that baby rattle and baby caps with pointy ears on it

Happy Mother's Day!!

Years ago when I was 16, I made a call to my mak from the hostel, asking her to open my drawers, to take out a specific white covered cassette and play it. On that year's Mother's Day. Honestly I did not know what to get her that year. Surprisingly she still remembers the song to this very day - even if she forgotten who sang it.

"Eh, ni lagu yang Diah suruh dengar la".

If you're wondering what song, this was it



HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO EVERY MOTHER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!

p.s: Selamat Pengantin Baru to Aidah and Azzireen

*Tuneless whistle*

Yeah, been so long since I've written and too many things happened in between.

Well there was Heath Ledger's demise, a demise of an unfortunate monkey who managed to get to the Parit Selangor's power generator, got electrocuted and managed to keep my home area without electricity from 4.30pm to 1am. That was just fine and dandy *snickers*.

It was this early February when our school held the yearly sports day since the zone level tournament was due at the end of the month or early march. This is the first time ever, and I mean EVER that I was placed in green house. Before this in primary and secondary school I was in yellow house. Of course, during primary school yellow house was the weakest but good thing that in secondary school yellow house was one of the leaders. So anyway as for the school's green house, they always say that green house is the closest to the grass. Meaning - always the last and the bottom.

For this year, since the new school building is constructed, the field is off limits so we have to make do with whatever we have. The green house held their training - by borrowing another school's field and we do get some 'good-natured' ribbing for our enthusiasm since we're the only team who did. The rest did theirs around and outside the school compound, along the road and wherever that may be.

Brought 3 pupils back home since we held the event at a secondary school nearby home, and it was way much convenient than having to go back and forth to school and fetch those kids. With the electricity off and my eyelids nearly shut, I was running out of ideas to keep the girls entertained. I asked them multiplication questions throughout the hours and finally I caved in as I was waiting for their answers. My mom was thoroughly delighted with the girls' presence and *gasp* told me that she would so like to have them back home >_>

So anyway, the next day. Green house went off for a good start. We got the first gold. Had to take the picture while we were still leading, hehehe.

Then our star long jumper was injured -_-* who also happened to be one of our relay runners. My hope went downhill from that point during the relay when we were the slowest for the 1st runner but perked up again as our 3rd and 4th runner managed to catch up with everyone. We won!!! For the relay la. I promised the girls for a treat at Skudai's McD if they got the first place. 2 did and 1 didn't. Treat time!!!




For all it's worth, we managed to climb a step to the 3rd placing which was great. There's always a next time ^_^

Star

On hiatus mode.

Exam is coming soon. Went to Cheratimg last weekend for seminar/revision. Learnt a lot.

Sighs......

well anyway, a momento from the raya celebration there

With friends - Linda and Za

Guess which hand belong o whom? hehe

Selamat Hari Raya '07

Greetings everyone and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Muslims around the world and to all Malaysians who celebrated regardless their age and race. The hari raya eve was quite eventful with the last minute sewing of tulang belut on my uncle's and cousin's baju melayu, last minute cooking of the raya delicacies and not forgetting my 6 year-old cousin, Baby, who by chance happened to curse her Bang Ngah with "SHIT MAN!!!".

So anyway, here's the family picture of the year.

Well, that was before my younger brother and I went for a 'Dragon Ball' pose of cantum badan, ngehehehe.

First day of raya, we went visiting relatives around Pontian. Not many elders left around and sadly many passed away as Ramadhan was approaching, Al-Fatihah. Went to visit my grandpa and grandma who were finally together at the old village cemetary - they were busy masak ketupat, hihi. On the second day my sayang came and visit ^_^ ureshii yo!!! As for today, my family and I are going to visit our relatives in Johor Bahru, other than 'visiting' Jusco Taman U. Well gotta get ready

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI!!!!!

Happy Birthday, to me ^_^

Uwah...
I dunno why but I don't like even numbers, huhuhu

I am now...
26

I prefer the number 25
21, 23, 27 oh well you know the drill
I like Odd, hehehe
Being odd, ngehehe
As if lah I could skip 26 :p

Thanks to those who wished me for my birthday - My mak who wished me yesterday, Fida, the first who wished me in the wee hours of morning - make that 12am huhu (I was dead to the world), my ayang (love you!!), my sister (F1 satu round!!!) my secondary school friends (I can't believe you guys still remember mine after all this year*gasp* love you guys!!!!) and my fellow studio slacker of FRSB UPM. Thanks a bunch!!

.....

You see, well first it was like this





Then ah, it was like this


But before that ah, it was like....
















this


^_^

3 weddings

I finally reached home on Friday evening, after a transit in Kajang and an early date in Serdang. The journey took longer because of the road patching along the north-south highway. My stomach was already rumbling in pain as I reached Pontian. Harahenta~~~~ *_*

So anyway the real YB trip started on Saturday for Anem's wedding. It was great. Many turned up, of course most are the same faces for wedding, hehehe - Abby, Sue Mail, Nini, Odah, Qis, Imah, Tut, Nofie and her 2 daughters, Ina Maz and husband, Yus, Zamose, Edda, Apau, Mat Nor, Iswan, Pumpkin, Abot, Azwad, Areng and some faces I knew but I forgot their names, sorry *_* Ina was with her husband and daughter - Normadiha. Too bad I did not mange to take her baby's picture.

Maleh nak bercerite panjang, here are some pictures from Anem's wedding.

From l to r: Edda, Imah, Nofie (blocked by Imah) Sue Mail, Farah (Nofie's firstborn) Cepot, Lin Malek, Qis, yours truly and Odah. The groom and bride posing behind.

Nofie's 2nd kid - Fika

Group pic (Areng shy-shy tak masuk gambar).

Second day, went out early in the morning to Edda's house in Sungai Telur. We planned to go together to Su-San's wedding in Kota Jaya since her house is just along the way from Kulai. After a short talk with her parents of we went to Along's house with Yus and Zamose, also in Kota Jaya to visit her and her baby, Zati. Kawaii deshou?


Then off we went to Su-san's house nearby. We were early of course since we want to have ample time to go to 2 weddings for the day - hers in Kota Tinggi and Syasya's in JB. Managed to meet up with Harlin, Nazrah and Malia.


Second stop for the day - Syasya's wedding in Taman Perling. I haven't seen her for years and all of us had to wait for the DJ's announcement since we don't want to attend the wrong place for the second time. We nearly went to the wrong house earlier so of course, second error is kind of freaky.

Ujai turned up for the wedding, with her husband and her son - yes we have a boy in the baby group. Here's the pic.

Ujai is working at Hospital Sultan Ismail, so if you want an MC you can ask her or her husband, hehehehe.

Okay done with my report with all the pics of friends and babies- as requested by Along *phew*

Happy Teacher's Day!!!

This is the first time in my life anyone wishes me 'Happy Teacher's Day!'
Woke up at 4am to do some assignment and as time gradually pass, suddenly

"Happy Teacher's Day, Kak Diah!!!"

No, no, no it's not the Hantu-penyikat-rambut who wished me that. It was my room-mate, Aie who wished me as she woke up. Got numerous messages and well wishes all around me afterwards. Huwaaaaa ureshi XD

XD XD XD

Blurry mind,
Vermilion eyes,
Night has gone,
Morning comes,
Confession of time,
Opening of mind,
We both said yes,
A new leaf has turned.

To say out loud,
I'm segan,
Not to say anything here,
Tak kena la pulak,
To jump here and there,
Nanti kena masuk Tanjung Rambutan,
To stay still and do nothing,
Sangatla tak kena.

What is tak kena?
Err...
Anou ...
Ahhh ...

Takde pape yang tak kena *fallsover*
Happy gila, ngehehe.

p.s: this is an example of nonsense poem - in honesty.
tapi what I wrote up there is partially nonsense and non-nonsense
I'm confusing myself again *_*

The Zombie Walks :p

Been a great Friday. Morning went off to the KL International Book Fair with Curx, with the original intent of looking for books relevant to my current English assignment. Found some and also bought a comic by our local artist. The graphic attracted my eyes, but the dialogue inside was kind of a drag and the bubble was kinda distracting. Something that can be improved, I'm sure.

After returning from the book fair, made my way to my cousin's house in Jln Klang Lama for her solemnization ceremony. Well, at this hour my head is basically occupied elsewhere so I'd better just paste some piccies I took from the ceremony.

Hantaran belah perempuan

Hantaran belah lelaki

Cucu Ra'ah

Anak Pahmi, anak Jun, anak Bedah & anak Din
P.s: Curx, the pic I've been telling you, hehehe

Selamat Pengantin Baru Za ^_^/

After much awaited, the time has finally come for a friend of mine to walk through the aisle. My room-mate, Za @ Aie @ Fareeza. Clad in pink - which made it hard for me to resist to tie up a bow on her head to make her resemble Hello Kitty ^_^;

Selamat Pengantin Baru
Za & Lan

Valentine

Behold, this topic might be sensitive to some.

Valentine's Day.

A day marked for lovers, rememberance of the other significant other. In short, its the day for lovers all to celebrate with. I know some of us were being taught that it's not approppriate for Muslim to celebrate it as from what I heard and from wht i received from the forwarded e-mails ages ago - to quote "The day Saint Valentine conquered the mosque in Cordova, Spain". I know some of us believe that. As for me, I found that there is no need for me to even care about it since it's not a must to celebrate it but it's basically everywhere. It's hard to ignore those special discounts on chocolates and special promotions for flowers. Though I have to admit that it kind of perked up my curiosity on the origin of the celebrated date.

What is wrong about celebrating our loved one?

What is wrong in celebrating Valentine's Day?

My father happens to be a loyal subscriber to the monthly magazine 'Al-Islam' and an article written about Valentine's Day caught my interest. I was glad that the columnist shared my point of view and he even did a research about the famous Saint Valentine who was said to taint the mosque in Cordova and 14th February was the date of his victory. Through his research in Al-Islam, he wrote that Saint Valentine was one of the pious knights during his time. And now the good part. Is that true?

From the magazine, the Valentine event occurred in 280 A.D, nearly 3 hundred years before our Prophet Muhammad S.A.W was born. Could anyone explain to me how could anyone conquer a mosque in Cordova, Spain in 280 before Islam even set foot there? Islam reached Spain in 711 and the mosque in Spain was built in 755. So is it possible for a dead man to conquer Spain?

I have my hefty dose of doubt too and I went to do my own research. He was right, the Valentine event was before the birth of Nabi Muhammad and at that time, it was common for anyone who was pious to be called 'Saint'. In history, it was said that Valentine was a martyr who was killed by Emperor Claudius II of the Roman Empire because of his stand with his faith in one god, as he was one of the followers of Nabi Isa. That was during the Roman's religion in polytheism which is the faith in believing more than one god such as Jupiter, Mars, Neptune etc. Before his death, he was asked to prove the existence of his God which he did by asking god's help to heal the daughter of his jailer's sight and hearing. He managed to heal her with Allah's help but his head was chopped off nevertheless. The story was told over and over but then it was not said in the original text of his famous letter before his death to the jailer's daughter whom he healed which ended with "With love, your Valentine."

If you guys want to backread the issue of Al-Islam, I forgot which issue was it but I know it was the January or February issue for the year... 2004 or 2005. And, by all means, you could even check the year when Valentine died. If you want it the easy way, you could just surf for the information.

Not that I want anyone to go on celebrating Valentine's day because of Valentine himself, but just take the day as a symbol for lovers cherished. Remembering the day that symbolize love, is fine but idolizing him to the extreme is not okay. We might as well commemorate the sacrifice of Sumayyah and her family and Mashitah, the pharaoh's daughter's hair-comber (I don't know if the term is right or not) and all the warriors who were tortured and died because of their faith in Allah, right? So, we celebrate love. It's a good reason anyway. People might forget their anniversaries (I know wives and girlfriends might guillotine their husbands or boyfriends for forgetting the date) but nearly everyone knows 14th February.

Hence, this is just my thoughts on Valentine's Day. Depend whether you want to believe what I believe or not. If you want to celebrate it, go on, if you don't want to, nevermind since its not a compulsory celebration an. To those who celebrates it with their loved ones - celebrate pun celebrate jugak, tapi ada batas jugak.

I would like to borrow the line from my room-mate Za @ Aie - "Anyday boleh jadi Valentine kalau kita nak. Valentine's Day is just a date."