139 posts tagged “mobile”

Today I visited Kinokuniya at KLCC, having to attend kursus the next day. This is the place I hate to come knowing that I might not be able to control myself. I am right. I ended up with 5 books instead of one.

For quite sometimes I had the intention of buying Stephen Hawking's famed book; A brief History of Time. As you might know this is not the type of book you can get at any bookshop. It is a book for enthusiasts, a book of science, physics told in common language. That is what I was informed by the many book reviews I have read on this book.

Stephen Hawking is the living Einstein. What is amazing about this man is that he is an OKU, a disabled person with motor nueron disability and practically living on wheel chair. His conditioned worsened from University days to practically incapable of any phyisical acivity including speech. However there in UK, it seems people appreciate rare talent. His disablity prevented him from exploring the physical world, so he is reduced to researchs in theoretical physics.

When his speech became incomphrehensible, a computer specialist develop a speech analyser that works on menu driven word search that get signal from head tilt, eye movement and other small movements to generate sentences to enable him to function and communicate. Latter it was fitted to his wheel chair. From it he could manage 15 words a minute. And yet he wrote books and journals and one of the best physicist in the world. This OKU took Einstein world to another dimension, when others could hardly comphrehend Einstein. And I have just bought this book of his.

Back to my story. Physic have always fascinate me. It was the subject I could envision, unlike chemistry which is beyond my logic. I can see the working in my mind's eye. When my children could not get along with physics, I could not understand it. How can they not love this subject that explains the working of the universe. How can they not be intrigue by this subject? Incredulous.

One of the best book on this that I have read is The Dancing Wu Li Masters. This book equate Zen to Physics; two diametrically opposed school of thinking. While Zen dwelved on the opposing philosophy, seeing opposites as one whole truth, physics relies heavily on the physical world that could be touch, experiment, measured and derive a conclusion from. It develop from the theory of atom to Plank's probability theory to Einstein Relatity and Time-space warp. That was the height of physics as we know it. Hawkings I heard expanded where Einstein left off. Where? That's what I want to find out.

However as browse through the Science Section, more eyes popping and mind boggling ideas were put into books. There's a book called Parallel World by Michio Kaku. OMG, is this physics or Hollywood? Soon we might hail Steven Spielberg as the next Physicist aftee Einstein and Prof Hawkings. Anyone who have watch The One starring Jet Li would know what I mean. And this scientist hailed as one of the gurus of modern physic is WRITING A PHYSICS Book on this.. Unbelievable, totally unbelievable. And I bought this book too!!!!!!!!

Now I'm rediscovering my passion for physics. It seems physics is now provoking the remote possibilities of probable truth. If Max Planck's theory is applicable here, probable possibility is truth waiting to be discovered. If the past trend can be based on, the more discoveries are made the nearer it is to the Words of God, the more the 'mutasyabihat' verses that we believe as faith requires take a more definitive shape. I'm just thrill, just trill at the possibilities..

Subuh was serene but celebrative on this morning of Eid 2009. The chanting of takbir glorifying Allah The Great (superlatives have no meaning here because He has no comparison) permeated the atmosphere. Jubilant feeling of completing the one month fasting stint filled the air. At home, the women folk were busy making last preparation for the Eid Feast.

My mind was made up. Today I'll visit and clear up my father's grave. Last year was most embarassing when I zikir at the wrong grave because of the almost similiar recognition sign; the large tombstones of river rock. I'll not make the same mistake; that was my resolve. And I will ask forgiveness for him, honour him, love him and be a caring son I never was when he was alive.

After the Subuh Solat I picked up a tikar and cangkul and made my way there in pitch black surrounding preceeding sunrise. I parked my car next to a wakaf near the surau I used to come with daddy for Eid Solat. I could still see Lebai Hj Salleh the local 'alim in my mind's eyes. He was a short frail figure in baju Melayu and pelikat with ketayap lebik on his head wrapped in simple white serban. Daddy honoured him.

After giving salam to the denizen of the graveyard, In semi darkness I made my way to where daddy laid rested, treading carefully across the graveyard, mindful of the graves tombstones, evading whatever is visible. Nearing the spot I heard a soft zikir chanting at nearby graveyard. Another sat some 20m away absorbed in his own zikir.

Noting the now familiar big reddish tombstones of a grave covered in creepers, I put down the tikar IN gave and started clearing the creepers, remembering daddy's admonition not the let the grave sunk less our rezeki will be bereft of baraqah. Having a cangkul made the work so much easier. I carefully dug around and heap upon his grave, levelling and forming a semi cylindrical hump with my barehand, clearing away the creepers and grass at the same time. With the grave in reasonable state, I put down the comfortable tikar and sat gingerly down.

By that time the darkness was disappearing and light emerging, enough to read the Yaasin (though I left mine in the car). Behind me noises started to be heard as more and more caring sons came to pay respect to their deceased parent. I am happy to be one of them. Ignoring, except noting at my periphereal vision, I defocussed my eyes, disperse all my tense, merge with the surrounding and start my devotion.

Without the Yaasin, I just read the Ayat-ayat Lazim and normal zikir. Images of him caring in his way, smiling his darkened cigarettes tainted teeth and kopiah lembik on his head, looking tender with his yellowish seasoned eyes, giving and always giving, never tired of saying his love for us (directed to other people but within our hearing is his way of declaring his love for us) flashes in my mind's vision. Tears flow unchecked at this memory and the zikir tone hightened in flow with the rising and ebbing emotion created by the memory.

As the graveyard now turned brightly lit by the rising sun, the sound of zikir surrounding me also picked up as a sizeable group have now formed, each in their own zikir for the deceased. I raised my hands, bowed my head and started glorifying Allah, quoting His various attributes notably related to His Rahman, Ghafur, Rahim, Merciful and asked forgiveness of all my sins and that of my father. As much as my father love us, let Allah love so much more, how much he had cared for us, let Allah care for him more, let the Mercy of Allah be on my father and prevent his from the azab of the qubr, the an Nar and make his accountability at the Mizan be a simple one..

That much I can do for him, after all the strained communication between us; not that he lacked it but the dos and donts atmosphere of our upbringing prevents a more affectionate two way comunication between father and son. After that I felt a lump in my heart dissappearing and I felt more light headed and hearted. Noman was there, Daling was there too. After short polite exchange we parted, each having the Eid prayer to rush to..

Hatiku diulit sayu
Mengenang Ramadhan yang akan berlalu
Belum puas aku melepas rindu
Dalam dakapan mu yang begitu syahdu
Ramadhan keramat bersiap untuk berlalu
Dalam aku masih terlalu merindu

Mendakap rindu di Masjid Muhammadi
Umpama berada di Masjid Nabawi
Terasa baginda Nabi berada di sisi
Membisikkan kata ummati, ummati
Masjid medan juang pendokong Islami
Termasuk ulamak bernama Tok Kenali
Di sini aku bersujud bertangis sepuas hati
Mengarap Belas dan Redha Ilahi
Semoga segala amal di bulan ini
Walau cacat dan kurang berisi
Masih dapat diterima Ilahi

Ternampak aku Siratul Mustaqeen
Terhampar menggamit pencinta Ramadhan
Di bawahnya yang dalam terbentang Jahannam
Menyambar membakar golongan Dholleen
Yang angkuh lalai persiakan Ramadhan

Sayu aku nak lepaskan berlalu
Satelah sebulan bercanda syahdu
Namun meneruskan hidup itu perlu
Berkat amalan sebulan yang kan berlalu
Pasrah redhalah aku dengan ketentuanmu
Akan ku iringi ku lambai hingga ke pintu
Semoga di tahun2 hadapan kita kan bertemu

Every year except for past few years we made it apoint to come to KL for shopping at shopping malls here and also the stalls along Jalan Masjid India. Ramadhan is coming to its end and we have yet to make this trip. Last 2 weeks we went back to KB because of extended weekends. Next week is already at the brink of Hari Raya. So it has to be this week if we still want to maintain the tradition.

So last night after tarawih, I asked IN if she'd like to come to KL. I remember the good atmosphere of Tarawih at Masjid Kg Baru and would like to join the jamaah. So here we come, departing Kuantan at 10.30am and arriving at KL International Hotel at 2.00pm. My daughter Nana on learning of our trip immediately follow suit from UTP Tronoh Perak.

We left the hotel at 4.00pm. Jalan TAR was packed to the hilt. So we just walked all the way to Jalan Masjid India. I remembered the Medina Restaurant in front of the Masjid however it was closed. It was 5.30pm and In said why not we enjoy Insaf's Nasi Beriyani. Though I thought it too early we walked there only to learn that it was already FULLY BOOKED at 5.45pm. Now we start to feel desperate!!! In said why not we buy some packet and eat at Small House Food Court. So we bought 2 packet.... At cut throat price of Rm12.00 per pack!!!! I usually bought Taj Nasi Beriyani at Kuantan; second to none, at Rm6.50, already expensive. Rm12.00 is real cut throat..

So we made our way to the Small House. At 6.00pm half the tables were already occupied. This is the atmosphere of iftar here. So we waited patiently at the table. I use this time to write this entry with my trusted Nokia E90. It is already battle scarred and the inner screen have lost the screen luminosity but the functionality remains.

Now is 6.45pm. 25mins to go. My teh tarik have arrived. I prepared to wash my hands. Suddenly there was a shout and people sitting at one section of the Food Court near the stalls were rushing out and shrieking, eyes looking at the stall direction. It seemed like there's a fight or somebody running amok. I prepared myself mentally for what was to come. Peeping into the direction I saw fire from the kitchen of the stall selling Western Food. The owner was frantically trying trying to dose the raging fire from the stove. Shrieks upon shrieks of the nearby people mostly ladies, leaving their tables and others further away franctically pulling their tables to safer zone make it sounds like a war zone. I wonder how those in actual war zone like Palestinians, Afghans, Iraqis and others spend their life daily with real threat of real bombs and live bullets a daily reality....

Then some smart thinking guy next stall started to use the fire extinguisher, followed by the other stall's worker. With the fumes people again pulled their tables to safer place. Their nearest tables just left their food abandoned; their iftar forgone. After that only the shopping mall's attendants came rushing to the place and one pulled the fire fighting hose reel to douse the remaining fire.

My table was just next to the chaos zone and I did my best to maintain cool and stay the ground. After all my Rm12 Insaf's Nasi Beriyani is yet to be savored with other supplementary foods. It would be a sheer waste to abandon it and spoiled my traditional KL Iftar. When 'all ashes' have settled, people maintain their table warily, waiting for the time for breaking of fast. It seemed a lifetime before the sound of adzan was heard and after the sunnat doa was said by daughter Izzah, we start to savor the Iftar treat. It was a memorable Iftar for the memory of the chaos that preceed it. The Rm12 Beriyani was good and the chicken tasty, but I would put the price at Rm7 as reasonable. But thinking of the Full House at 5.45pm, maybe others felt no qualm about it. Then we fetched our car at Sogo and it time for Tarawih at Kg Baru.. a long Tarawih ending at 10.30pm. I missed some rakaats to look for mineral water and to soothe my aching limbs.. Am I getting old???

This week we'll have additional day to our weekend because of the Nuzul Qur'an which falls on monday 7th Sept. My wife was still remembering the joy of iftar and sahur in Kota Bharu and make the decision to come back for another weekend.

So I planned the trip such that I manage to have iftar somewhere at/after Kuala Berang so that we will be in time for Tarawih at DS Idris Jusoh's Masjid Hadhari at Jertih Terengganu. From there is only 1 hr to Kota Bharu. So we set-off at about 4.00pm from Indera Mahkota Kuantan (I have to curi some office time to do that). We took the Jerangau-Jabor road across the FELDA area, a monotonous landcape of oil palm plantation most of the way. The road is quite okey and we cut short all those traffic lights (50+) along the Terengganu coastal road which practically choked the traffic flow of long distance commuters.

Terengganu it seemed is trying to convert the main road from 'rural' to 'urban' status which give priorities to local traffic over long distance traffic. Hence any significant junction is fitted with traffic light in preference to other means of traffic flow regulation to coordinate the flow of the crossing roads. It gives you the insight of Ganu people mode of thinking; narrow minded with concern only of local interest over national agenda (can be seen in the Mercedes purchase for State cars over Perdana within a short period after appointment of the new MB; as if this is an opposition state). Any investment must benefit Ganu citizen only. Others are only fringes to be address in passing.

You dont see many Ganu leaders having width of vision and global in attitudes. DS Idris Jusoh is one exception, but then he is a special breed of Ganu citizen with distinctly different dialect borrowed from its Northern neighbour. He also was educated at 7 universities, that's what he told me in one of his unofficial coffee cup pep talk where he talk of his vision in small circle. I found that so effective. He talked of a new breed of Ganu citizen with GLOKAL (DS Najib's term) vision and competency with al Quran at the root of their mental development and rooted in their conscience. This generation of Ulul Al Bab he said would burst through the roofs of mental limitation and light up the sky. He was very happy with the development of the youngs khatam Quran at pre school. Next target will be hafiz before secondary school. Well... That was before he was displaced after winning very significantly in an election which saw 5 states fall to the opposition, including stalwarts like Selangor and Perak.

Ironic isnt it? After being the vanguard of Pak Lah's Hadhari program that saw ONLY Terengganu actively marching on and when the fruits of hard labor on the verge of success after a short 1 term tenure that saw the normally laggard and easy going Ganu leaders pushed to uncomfortable marching pace and winning the election comfortably in a very strong PAS influenced state, he was casted aside. Now the pace came crumbling down to old comfort zone level and the political scenario in a mess....

Well, forgive my digression. I tend to get a bit emotional thinking of this very energetic and charismatic Ganu leader not duly defended by the one he served (late PM)after such convincing election performance and Hadhari program's fruition to success. Tapi bak kata orang tua-tua, mereka ini tidak akan sia-sia, jatuh di laut menjadi pulau, jatuh di darat menjadi gunong. Let's hope those will not deter him but rather strenghten and gives him the invaluable Malaysian political lesson and that he will come back as per the iconic words of Arnold Swarzeneger in his films; I'LL COME BACK!!!.

Well... I drive non stop (except for short asr prayer on the way.... short because of qasar..) and arrived at Sg Tong at around 6.50pm; 1/2 hr before iftar. There we stop at a local restaurant. It was drizzling. Many tables were already
occupied by traveller's like us, breaking for iftar. So we lined up and took the food (it was self serving) for 3. That cost us Rm24.50 including drinks....though not cheap it was also not too expensive.

Then we moved on and arrived at the Masjid Hadhari at 8.30pm, in time for Isyak and Tarawih. It was a grand mosque, benefitting the title Hadhari; supposing to be iconic under Pak Lah's administration and with further programs to justify the name. Now only the name remains as the new MB is not keen to pursue DSIJ's program. In fact he seemed so keen to erase whatever memory the State have of his predecessor. Sayang... Sayang seribu kali sayang.. This Ulul alBab program is the best program ever devised to realised Pak Lah's rhetoric on Human Capital, solidly based on al Quran. It has 3 characteristic; Quranic, Encyclopedic, Ijtihadic. Quranic because al Quran is the foundation (khatam at preschool, hafiz before secondary). Encyclopedic referred to the vast knowledge, mastery of all current knowledge. Ijtihadic is able to break new grounds and discover new horizon including abilty to solve problems. Now, is there any other program more concise and visionary than this in a country having Islam Hadhari as it's philosophy????? And DSIJ having casted out is alone in bringing it to MARA where he now heads, when it should be National Agenda!!!!

So far for Pak Lah's support for loyalties. I remember how Mahathir sent his general Sanusi Junid to Kedah to subsequently take over as MB. When the State UMNO played dumb, they were told in no uncertain term that DS Sanusi was to be MB and no ifs or buts about it. He got his wish because made it absolutely clear. Loyalty is rewarded, disloyalty incarcerated. That is Mahathir's maxim. Maybe Pak Lah is not trained as a surgeon to do what Mahathir did; the trademark of a surgeon - precision and decisiveness.

The Masjid was well lighted. Though the area is quite congested being the site of old Jertih Mosque, they managed to maximise the available space. Parking is around the mosque and outside. A modest shop is available insidethe mosque compound selling drinks and light foods. The toilets are at separate buildings. Walking on stone tiled footpath, I entered the mosque through the end entrance (side entrance is also possible). On right and left are ablution facilities. From it is an OKU ramp as well as steps to ground floor. The prayer hall is upstairs at level 1. Apart from the stairs, an 11 person lift is also provided. I assumed it must be to fascilite OKU.

I took the lift because the imam was already on second rakaat. The main hall was very spacious and nicely decorated akin to the Masjid Nabawi without being extravagant; just enough to justify its name as The Masjid Hadhari. The mosque was less than a quarter full. The imam leading the prayer was young tahfiz as is normal nowadays in Ramadhan. Air cond air came from the coumns and give a cooling comfortable presence. The muslimah section was cordoned off with decorated partitions and set side by side to muslimin except for the top 4-5 saffs which are full length for muslimin. It was a nice experience and after 8th rakaat we stopped to continue our journey. On the way a compulsory stop was made for some pencolek and drink... We arrived at 11.00pm.

I saw this at mosque next to Pasar Siti Khadijah. This is the first time I saw such Quran and someone reading it. It was amazing how he uses his fingers as eyesight to read it. What is more astounding is how he corrected his reading; backtracking with his fingers just as we do with full vision.

Yesterday evening, after coming back from KL, I learned that a confirmation of Kursus that I had applied almost a month ago arrive; requiring me to register at PNB Park the next day at 8.00am. Biting back my agitation, I look at the positive side. This is a Leadership course titled High Impact Leadership conducted by Dato' Dr Sheikh Omar Abd Rahman. The course title promises a great deal. Let's see if it delivers.. I'm waiting for it to start..

When I took this shot little did I mean it to look this way. However, looking at its dark atmosphere and a single point of light from the navel, the image of Harry Porter searching darkened corridors with a wizard stick come to mind.. Hello Mr Porter..

On a table at a Mamak Restaurant