Truest Self.

For one thing, I love reading people's writings. Not those which are in response to another person. Writings; like letters or blog posts. Or Facebook statuses. Letters are my personal favourite. Especially when it comes from special people. Because they're sort of like monologues. 

And I feel that all that really reflects the person's feelings. Because it's not a form of forced speech. No pressure from anyone, no feelings of impulse self-protection or anything. So I believe that reading a person's thoughts in the form of his or her own writing, is the basis of understanding a person. Their actions comes next, but still, in the heat of the action the person will still have thoughts in their minds - which no one will ever know of, unless expressed.

A person is most vulnerable when he is alone. That is the time when he lets himself free, because he knows whatever he thinks and whatever intentions he has is between him and his creator. No boundaries, no barriers. 

Maybe Allah takes it that our duaa after prayers are like letters to Him. No one lies in their duaa. It is always full of hopefulness, and faith in His promises. There's always this fuzzy feeling in the heart right after we make duaa. And due to His mercy when you come to Him showing how you're struggling with the load on your back, He comes back to you with His bountiful, most delicate favors. 

It's amazing, how bonds are created just by a string of words. How simple words, when put together, are beautiful as it is. But at times not all meaningful words come from the heart. Sometimes it comes from the mind, and it doesn't really tug your feelings. It doesn't take a poet to know how to express. It just takes you to be yourself.

I think we should all have time to ourselves, to mend what is wrong and to realize the gems that we have in our lives all these while, and to tell the people that matter how we appreciate them. Better now, while we all have the chance to =)

Feeling the Love in the Air.

Of late, every now and then I keep being pleasantly surprised with the news of my juniors getting married. Come every weekend, there's bound to be either wedding or engagement photos in my Facebook and Instagram account. It's normal to see my seniors getting married, because the social norm was that people get married at, say, 26 years old at average, I guess. So when I see young faces as the bride and groom, it's a beautiful change. And I'd be the one happily scrolling through those albums with a few of my friends, chirping and gushing like old aunties at Pasar Geylang having a gathering over chendol. Just give the first post on Facebook a few hours, and there's bound to be a conversation started in one of my Whatsapp groups, with my friends sending the latest wedding photos for everyone to see. My friends are the #1 tabloid journalists, I tell you. Haha ;p

It's really wonderful that society is becoming more open to accepting young marriages, and more amazing that the couples who choose to embrace that phase of life are totally up for it. They must've done a whole lot of thorough thinking and gone through a whole lot of discussions with their elders before making this big decision. I honestly salute them for that, because it is definitely not an easy feat, and following the Prophet's way is the definite right way. Sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam. 

Once upon a time society generally looked at every single young marriage with a sneering look, sometimes throwing terribly negative comments like, "Dah terlanjur lah tu" or "Belajar tak nak, sebab tu kahwin"... and so on, and so forth. Well, people who say stuff like this still exist, but lest you feel angry, I'm glad to say that they're close to extinction. With people being more aware of Islamic teachings, our society is turning into a happy, celebrating and congratulating bunch of people, alhamdulillah.

It's interesting how this so-called 'trend' started and developed. The old yardstick for a person ready for marriage used to be age - as it symbolized maturity, and income stability. But nowadays that yardstick has been replaced, and society has turned into one which is more acceptable to young marriages, resulting to us seeing young ones tying the knot even whilst one, or both are still studying. Why, you ask? Well probably because of...

- A better understanding of the Prophet's sunnah, that to hasten good things given the capability to do so is encouraged for all Muslims.

- Society's affluence (alhamdulillaaah murah rezeki!), with parents not minding spending their own money for their children's weddings. 

And the whole hype about love is aggravated even amongst young ones who have not even reached puberty with the increase in 'Islamic' love novels/dramas/movies, promoting 'halal relationships' and the sweetness of young marriages. It's a good move, yes, but it's partly worrying too because there is so much more than what is being projected in media. 

I'm not going to elaborate each point more than I've stated, if not this post will be a write-up fit for a thesis =)

At the end of the day, these marriages happen and the people involved are the bride and groom, their family, friends... and then there's you. The witness to all these joyful events. There can be a million possibilities of what you may be feeling. Happiness. Excitement. Joy. Let's put them in Category A. And then there are opposites to all those feelings. Envy. Hopelessness. Emptiness. I'm going to put them in Category B.


If you fall into Category A, then alhamdulillaaah three claps and a cookie for you! Islam encourages us being happy for others and when a joy is shared, happiness is spread, and when happiness is spread... ok you get the drift, hehe. May Allah reward you for your smallest and littlest action, even if it's as small as a micro molecule. InsyaAllah.

But if you fall into Category B, or feel the slightest hint of those kind of feelings, then I would guess that you are most probably an unmarried person. Be it whether you are already in a relationship or you have not yet found the perfect partner. It's perfectly fine, and it's normal. But let's not drown ourselves in sorrow. Just because you're not married yet doesn't mean you have to lock yourself in a car when it's raining and cry while listening to the saddest song ever created. We can shift our attention to something else, life won't turn out that bad after all. 

It is always during our bad days that we forget about our dreams and passion. Yes, from time to time there is that tugging feeling yearning to love and be loved, but do not entertain it. Recall all the things you are passionate about. Revive all the goals and dreams you once had. Slowly make the steps to make it happen. Make yourself busy. Increase your knowledge. Try out a new recipe. Catch up with friends. Read books about the sahabah, about the wives of the Prophet, and how the Prophet managed his family. Be inspired, and find ways to be better than who you are today. Work on your spiritual and intellectual self. Keep your heart enlightened with His promises; that He always plans out the best for His servants.

We pursue for love, for it is truly a beautiful gift from Him. Yet we must bear in mind that nothing in this world lasts. It is the nature of man to be attached to something, but if love is what you choose to be attached to, then what happens when the knot you tied for yourself is unraveled? 

ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين وجعلنا للمتقين إماما

واجعلنا مقيمي الصلاة ومن ذرياتنا ربنا وتقبل الدعاء!

May Allah grant us all happiness here and in the hereafter, and gather us all with our beloved in the most blessed union, amiin. =)

  

2014

Bismillah. 

It's 2014, and all praises to Him for the uncountable blessings; for being able to see and breathe a new day is such a gift. Alhamdulillah.

Looking back at my posts, it's been slightly more than a year since I wrote in my last entry. I nearly forgot how it feels like to be writing, and for some sort of reason typing out my thoughts feels weirdly... pleasant. Again, another blessing. Alhamdulillah.

So what caused the hiatus was the rather hectic year I had. Things were jotted down in my journal though, so I have like, snippets of my thoughts which crossed my mind at the heat of the moment. It's a hodgepodge of stuff, some sparked from my daily observations, while some others... well let's just say that it, um, popped up. Out of nowhere. 

I miss writing freely without having to think that someone's going to grade or examine them, or that I have to craft a decent answer to a certain question posed. Writing, in a way, allows me to develop myself to be who I am.

I've got a number of ideas I'm itching to write about, so stay put!

InsyaAllah I will be here, Like Always. =)