In the name of Allah

A new page, a new beginning. I hope it leads to a good ending. I know I’ve been moving from danchan to sodeeq and previously on blogspot, I just have to. Life needs to get going and small obstacles shouldn’t be the reason you’re delaying or stopping.

* I will continue to post Malay poems on blogspot though, happy reading!

Coconut Delight

I’ve been trying on some recipes these few weeks, as if i’ve got nothing to do . From the previously successful ‘kuih ketayap’ to the challenging currypuff , I even ventured into making ‘cendol’ which erm has ye to reach a happy ending. Isk, I did that for my anniversary using all ‘means’ and it end up in the dustbin! Allahumma yassir. Nevertheless, I knew what went wrong if I’m about to try it again.

Been ‘thinking’ of Coconut Candy (Candy Kelapa) lately. I remembered having them most of the time in the fridge – made by Mama herself but she can’t recall the recipe now it has been so long since she last made them. Anyway, when I was making ‘inti kelapa’ for ‘kuih ketayap’ last time, I noticed a recipe at the back of East End’s Desiccated Coconut pack – Coconut Delight. I thought it’ll be great to try, even if it won’t equal the Malay Coconut Candy, I should at least feel delighted by its taste … well, the name says so ey?

The trial was successful and I should say it tastes just like coconut candy but the texture is a bit soft and moist. There’s a ‘missing’ taste an dI don’t know what. For now, this is the recipe copied from the pack. Help yourselves folks!

 COCONUT DELIGHT

 200ml/7 fl oz milk

50g/2 oz East End margarine

375g/13 0z sugar

350g/12 oz East End Desiccated Coconut

1 teaspoon ground East End Green Cardamoms 

Lightly grease a medium size shalow baking pan or sheet. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and margarine to the boil over a medium heat. Stir in the sugar, desiccated coconut and cardamom, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until the coconut becomes thick and glazed. Remove from the heat and pour into the baking pan. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

 

* I didn’t use all East End’s products except for the desiccated coconut. In fact, I used butter instead of margarine and exchange ground cardamoms with vanilla essence because I simply know abuhandzalah and the little boy won’t like it. Any other ideas?

Today

Time really flies, and life has changed so much, but alhamdulillah for everything, I’m always smiling. Fidaa’ wakes up with a smile, Handzalah wakes up with a cry. But ummi and abi will laugh at both entertainers who start our days with joy. It’s three years together now and I’m all grateful for everything I have and do not.

Alhamdulillah for this ni’mah, alhamdulillah for this love. The journey is still far and there’s a lot to learn too.
A lot to improve and bitter moments to chew. But may Allah give us courage, wisdom and strength for we only love because of You. Never feel weak or unimportant, never grieve for our shortcomings for there’s space for lessons and improvement. Never say never to the challenges ahead as I’m always here with you, for you. To walk those challenging steps, through times good and bad. Just don’t look back until we reach His hubb! Uhibbukfillah. Salam ulangtahun dan terima kasih,
pada semua, untuk segala-galanya.

that day in January 2007 …

I receive a note from beloved father. And how I wish, I could hug him and tell him
“I LOVE YOU FOREVER!”This is Papa. I glanced at the photo of my grandson. How I feel to be with him in times of need. Eyes of marbles and lips with amplified meanings, looking with anxieties……my goodness tears on my cheeks, remembering those good old days taking him for a stroll to far away places. Complacent in his buggy unaware of the journey, whether it is cold, hot or windy. Soccer is his favourite and he knows where and when to get started. He is a left footer and dribles like a six footer. When the day gets dark it is time to get back. Once again he is in the driver’s seat. Home we go through the Commons and the uncommon, sometimes breaking the speed limit of FURZEDOWN ROAD and passing the NO ENTRY ROAD. Passerbyes with curiosity will have all the smiles, looking at this cutie already in his dreams of the far away places and his Chaffeur of Minangkabau origin. Alhamdulillah, home at last, waiting with garlands of curry aroma are his Opaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah and Umi. Unfortunately…. he is still in his dreams .

To Nurin Mazaya, we are proud of you as a wife and mother. Keep it up. We love you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

18th January 2007

this lil’ boy

This little boy has turned two

this little boy knows how to play with you.
This little boy loves to sing and dance,
disappears when you call him at a glance!

This little boy loves you very much
he hugs and kisses you,
laughs and smiles a lot
but his tantrums test your patience
oho, it makes you feel bad
driving you mad; Oh ALlah, grant us patience he’s just a kid and that’s that

This little boy loves sweets,
and sweetness is everything he has
when you drop a tear
or whenever he senses something bad
and aha, he’s that sensitive sensory device
one just like abi has!

This little boy has just turned two
… but ummi feels like he’s growing so fast
and soon he’ll say bye-bye to you.
But time flies and changes lives
for good; if you search for the truth
for blessings; if you love because He tells you to

This little boy is my precious little gem
Oh, ALlah give him courage
grant him wisdom,
let him apprehend
that he’s here because of You
in a journey returning to You.
Let not him fall, let not him stall,
in his quest of finding You.
Let him crawl,
let him walk,
let him run
to and with You.

ummi, k-eW
2nd May 2005, Furzedown Road

bismillah …

alhamdulillah, all praise be to Allah who sent us the Book as guidance and the reason of success in this world and the hereafter.

dearest friends, thank you for stopping by for a read. the so called writer has been “out of reach” for a while due to a dead phone line and a laptop falling ill recently.

alhamdulillah everything’s normal again. and with the new member in the family, there’s so many stories to be told and so many precious ni’mah to ponder upon, the writer will be posting new entries soon InshaAllah. thank you for your patience and loyalty – here’s a little gift for everyone – Fidaa’, our little sweetheart born on 15th January 2007.

please make du’a for everyone, may Allah forgive us and grant us patience and peace to live and understand His blessings …

p/s: credit to hana for the nice pics and memories in bath

tetamu nan teristimewa!

I’ve been waiting to write this entry, but, thinking that having a pic with it will be absolutely better than just words to describe has resulted the delay. ‘Ala kulli haal, can’t wait, no more … I don’t want to forget and I don’t want to procrastinate, not only the little time I have left but also the precious memories that I’ve had!

Did I tell you (my dear friends), I’ve had a few special guests last year? My 6th sibling, Ijlal a.k.a UI came just before the beginning of winter, and later on my beloved parents and youngest bro Zak during the summer … they were like angels sent to lift up my spirit, offering a helping hand. All three of us were delighted with their stay, Alhamdulillah and MashaALlah. We haven’t left Malaysia that long yet are blessed with the chance to go home when Abah was terribly sick and having family around before and after our journey back home to look after Abah whom was hospitalised for more than a month …

But that was at the end of 2005 till 2006. This year began with another blessing. My favourite mu’allim, a very close family friend and our all time murabbi was invited for a winter program by a Malaysian groups of students here in the UK. I was informed about his coming by KakLong, but I can’t seem to find a way to get his contact number even until the very day he came. I even asked my family back home to contact him in advance so that i can see him when he arrives, but ALlah Knows Best it was just not meant to be. A friend reminded me about a schoolmate somewhere here in the UK, telling me that he might be seeing him. I was relieved and quickly sent an SMS telling him to at least send him my Salam and invitation to our little home in S’oton.

Sadly, the text message didn’t receive a reply until one day KakLong’s lil sister in Dublin told me that he was in S’oton and will be travelling around the South! Again, quickly, tried asking some students if they know that he’s around but I was too late. The moment my questions were answered he has already left S’oton and I don’t think I’ll get to see him, ever!

Frustrated. I can’t even remember the last time I met him. He didn’t even had the chance to attend our walimah for reasons unavoidable and I’ve never seen him since then. I have so many questions to ask and most of all, I just need to see him!

I keep telling myself that it’s ok, tak ada rezeki and I’ve tried. But Allah Knows how happy I was knowing he’s here and how it turned into negative feelings not having the chance to at last (I thought) meet him with my new little family, husband and son. Allah, Allah, Allah.

But ALlah Most Gracious listens how, and knows why and He granted my wish when I least expect it!

Talking to my mother near New Year’s eve, I told her that I didn’t get to talk to him nor meet him and I think he’s back in Malaysia already.

Later that week, at last, an SMS from my dear schoolmate came asking my contact number for another junior of mine. I thought it was just another Alumni thingy but I was so surprised, soon after my husband replied the message a call came in and seconds after I was talking to Mu’allim Muhaimin! Subhanallah, my heart was jumping and … err whatever that’s applicable – he said he’s coming to visit me tomorrow if it’s okay with us. OF COURSE! (Nah, cemburu tak kalian?!)

And on the morning of Thursday, 4th January 2007, we had our first special guest/visitor from home that didn’t only remind me of home but the place and the people I’ve known for so long … the people I call friends and teachers, the place I really felt like “home” and the memories I’ve always treasured all my life …
* may Allah bless him for his kindness towards me and family. Cikgu pula yang cari dan ziarah anak murid!

Mu’allim Muhaimin was not only a teacher and none of my mua’llims nor mu’allimats were … they are murabbis, they aren’t my parents but they are people so dear and close to my heart for what they’ve instilled in my soul for more than a decade. Hira’ was also no mere memory to me, it was a blessing of a lifetime! I am what I am, partly because of them and partly because of my family (other than my current life-educating processes and experiences). The place that reminds me of Allah and the beauty of Islam in both, ideals and practice. We had an Islamic bi’ah/environment I’ve yet to re-discover anywhere. It wasn’t perfect but enough to teach me and enlighten me with a mission and vision that guides my lifetime journey.

One thing about Mu’allim Muhaimin himself; in Hira’ we were taught to give salam especially to teachers whenever we pass by anyone of them, but this mu’allim of mine has always challenged us the other way round … he’ll be the one giving salam first when we are struggling to find the chance to greet him before he does! Teringat beria-ia sengaja kami tunggu dekat koridor kelas yang dua tiga meter je dari bilik Mu’allimun sebelum Mu’allim lalu, macam main aci, nak cuba beri salam dulu! I’m not sure whether we’ve ever “won” that game though .

That’s why these people are special. They have great knowledge yet a very humble character. They treated us like children, or at least someone close to them, not just like a student -I don’t know whom- but I just have to teach- till they pass in class like many no-teaching-passion teachers are nowadays .

I remembered the day I was asked whether I want to go to Hira’ (for primary) or another school, I simply said Hira’, not knowing why but I believed it was His plans for me. I enjoyed 9 official years there as a student and “child” along with my female siblings. I’m not sure what they think or feel about it now, but I’ll say I have no regrets being part of the system though we had to learn in harsh conditions and hardly being recognized by government institutions nor anywhere else. Whenever I’m there it feels like, “I don’t wanna grow up I’m a Hira’ kid” (quote:Toys R Us).

I left Hira’ with a heavy heart, always finding a way to get back. Alhamdulillah, we manage to establish an Alumni where I did get a chance to work for and enjoy reunions with the people I’ve always cherished and loved.

Hira’ is still very much alive and expanding. It has been growing since those sweet old days with new branches in Jeram and Shah Alam. We have a big family of Hira’ians now. I’m not sure if my teachers could still remember me but I remembered the last time I called Jeram’s office to enquire about something when I was in the university, the staff requested my name and I said I was a student but I don’t think you’ll know me. Citing my name, he quickly told the others it’s me and I heard somebody said; “Siapa tak kenal “me”?!”. Huhu, nasib baik tak balas, “Encik bergurau ke ni?”. ‘Ala kulli haal, that’s what I call “home” err other than these “homes” of mine-lah of course!

Friends? They were too many to mention. Of various batches and ages. We’re still in touch though many of us are already parents to children and even figures in our own fields and paths. Alhamdulillah. These are the people that need no ice breaking when they meet. They might be separated for years but their hearts are like flowers in the spring, blooming with glory whenever the sun touches them with its soft light, flourishing the earth in the slightly cosy breeze. Err … I’m waiting for the moment to meet them again, SOON, hopefully inshaALlah

Well, I do miss those days, NOT to say that I’m not happy with what I have now, Alhamdulillah I am blessed with a great companion and a lovely child, MashaAllah. Just like the blessings of being a part of the Sevenlords. I just hope one day I can share this bliss and happiness of mine with my friends, as I would love to share my fond memories of yesterday with others with my little family now.

Sometimes, you just want to be “where everybody knows your name …” . (quote : Cheers).

Jazakumullah khairal jazaa’ …

… and yearning for another beautiful history tommorrow