Ribbons & Lace

Alhamdulilah! How great He Is! Not only did He give me the strength to finish all my Kadak prayers, He gave me more stamina so that I can do more! Subahan Allah! What can be more blessed that this gift?!

What has come over me these couple of months?! Mak Long & Su's mother noticed that I do not say f**k that often!

I have never been polyistic. I know that there can only be One. I know that my channel to communicate with Him is direct. What I didn't know what the "way" to speak to Him properly. One of the things that drew me to the catholic church was it's protocol and doctrine. No surprises. With it's pomp & pageantry during obligatory mass, it seemed welcome for a person like me who cannot sit through a charismatic, evangelistical service. Too much jumping, singing and well... hype. All talk. Nine out of ten times, I'd get irritated by these same people. Make no mistake, these are really some of the nicest people I know. But I do get irritated when there's no fixed format or when I can't see the real deal. Maybe it flew past me. I'm sometimes lost like that. No offence to anyone reading this. If I have done so, please read my previous two sentences again, so that I can confirm that you are a petty, fault-finding, humorless (obviously), balding, cross-dressing 79 year old (with the intelligence of a paper clip) who thinks that having a 52" waist is a huge turn-on for women/men. Ok... this proves I am only human!

Anyway, but I could never really know how to connect with Him. My mother never prayed in front of me, even though she's muslim. Even though the rest of her family are muslims, I was never really engaged into a religious discussion, or ever participated in anything Islamic. The closest thing, I guess, to that was sharing food in a huge metal plate after a certain prayer, where as a young boy, I was kindly excluded. That was it.

My real indoctrination was through Suraya, Insya Allah, my future wife (that if she doesn;t get bored of me. She has a reptuation for getting bored easily! Oh darling, did I tell you I love you today?!). Alhamdulilah! How can I ever thank you?! Insya Allah, I hope to prove myself!

There are so so many things that I need to be grateful for! I've received answers for questions that I've even thought of in the first place! Alhamdulilah! And... the Sunnat Hajat was the link I've been searching for all these times, struggling with the conflicts within myself. Subahan Allah!

I love doing the Sunnat Hajat! Alhamdulilah! What a wonderful prayer sequence it is! I get to talk to Him, I get to ask for stuff, and best of all, I KNOW that He is listening! Don't ask me how I know! Heard of the song "I got the Powa!" Well...

All I have to do is 2 Rakaats and I get to ask for anything I want! Alhamdulilah! I try, I try to ask for as many things as possible! And for the people I know... Insya Allah, my prayers will be answered! My prayers are usually for (not in order though):

1 - To accept our praise, thanksgivng & glory to Him! Insya Allah, our sincerity would suffice, for that is all that we can offer for Him!
2 - Me! *This is a lil' private.... don't mind if I keep what I ask to myself ya*
3 - All couples who are so determined to start a family based on His Word! Alhamdulilah! Su & me, Rosli & Sheeren, Loi & El, Lid & Nick, Fauz & her partner... and EVERYONE! Insya Allah!
4 - Our friends who have departed from us
5 - People with problems... most of us have problems ~ family, finances, worries and anxieties
6 - Friends whom we do not know who need Him so so badly!
7 - Friends whom we left out! *Just to be safe that everyone's covered ah!*
8 - Brothers & Sisters to be guided back to their Fitrah
9 - To guide our religious leaders! Alhamdulilah for them! To increase their strength so that His Word can be spread to more and more and more!!!
10 - For all of us to be good muslims so that we could all be reflections of Him in the way we live our lives! Insya Allah!

I try as best I can to pray my sunnat hajat daily! Alhamdulilah! At last count, I think I managed to do so ever since Su told me about it! Alhamdulilah! It's even better than having a cell phone connect directly to Him! With this, there's no chance of a "missed call"!!!

This evening's supper at Rosli's & Shereen's place was humbling enough from me to hear what our gracious host had to say.
*Warning Advisory: Wear Goggles to prevent your eyeballs from popping out of yer socket when you see their place. Don't believe them when they say it's simple. Ya right!*

Su & I were having a real great time looking through their wedding pictures. And I personally, not having witnessed a truly grand wedding, was very impressed. Instead, he told me he did not want to have it because it was more showy than anything. I somewhat agree it was showy, but not showy as in "Me partee is juicer than yar parti", but rather it was not as Islamic as he would like it. Alhamdulilah! You want to see sincerity, dial 1900-Roslimakesmeweep. All calls are charged at US$0.89 per minute. Remember, the more you call, the richer he gets! Alhamdulilah! By the way, ask his mom her age, Insya Allah if she's at their place. She'll blow you away as well!

Suddenly, Shakespeare's "Othello" comes to mind. Alhamdulilah! My brother, you tell me you are proud of me, I tell you it's the virtue of one's sincerity and fidelity through your Ehsan that is evident. I cannot be compared to you. And as a convert, Sheeren has done so well in all of the aspects of living the muslim way of life. Alhamdulilah! Praying, fasting! Alhamdulilah! Everyone has a choice! Buddha Guatama once said to his father when news of his begging for food reached the ears of the king, "O king, I am a mendicant - I am a monk. It is my duty to get alms from door to door. This is the duty of the Order. Why do you stop this ? The food that is obtained from alms is very pure".

You did have a choice even when you converted, not to follow the rules of the indoctrinated. You continue to inspire people like me. Alhamdulilah! We are all truly happy that you both are together! Insya Allah, all of us will still be good friends through the years to come!

How sincere can a person get? But understand that he the youngest of the lot, and therefore, very naturally, both he & Sheeren would be entitled to, and rightfully so, to such a gala. What he sees as a sin, albeit a far from mortal wound for many, he hopes that he would be forgiven. Alhamdulilah! And I thought what was more important was who paid for it! Shallow me. Insya Allah, dude, in ever the unlikely event you're not forgiven for this, I'll hack it out with you in "detention barracks" till the price's paid dude! I'll not let you do it alone! Insya Allah!

Can't say this is the longest entries I've ever had, but I can tell you I've learnt much today. Insya Allah, I will continue to learn!

jahwsl
0410
19th Nov 06'