With all the rave about Prince William and Catherine Middleton's, I think everyone's having dreams abut a fairytale wedding, albeit less grand than theirs.
I was listening to Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's lecture on the wedding of Fatimah, daughter of the Prophet s.a.w and Saiyidina Ali. MasyaAllah. Here was the wedding of the daughter of the ruler of the WHOLE of the Arabian Peninsula but you can't even imagine how simple it was. From the dowry to the feast to the decoration of the house.. Subhanallah..I guess we can all definitely take lessons from this. Though it was very simple, imagine the amount of barakah this marriage received. That should be what's important :)
On a side note, I cooked my first dish today! Success! Haha. I think, haven't actually tried it yet. But a very simple dish. Fried cabbage! Alhamdulillah
Yesterday I tried the seaweed shaker fries from macs for the first time also. My elder sis was telling me how doctors do not eat macs. Hahaha but she was craving for it so yup.
I listened to her interesting stories of her attachment at KK, watching babies being delivered. Helping out with the surgery. She said that in the operation theatre right, it's not necessarily all silent and stressful. Doctors talked about the General Elections while performing the surgery. Then there was this woman who taught the ringtone of the iPhone sms was the sound of her uterus. Hahaha
Exams are overrrr! And that marks the end to the best and worst semester I've had. Haha, worst because of all the workload and best because of all the sweet things that happened :) Alhamdulillah.. I survived!
Oh yesterday, during my physics paper, I was staring at it most of the time till my prof came over to ask if I was okay. And my friend was super nice! He came to check on me after the paper because he observed that I was staring at the paper most of the time during the exam. So sweet!
As much as I would love to leave engin, I would hate it too because of the few awesome friends I've made. They are really really nice people ah :)
This sem really made me reflect on the whole uni system in NUS. I think it's unfair because it serves to filter out the cream of the crop, the best of the lot. And that's why there's the bell curve. So those who go there are naturally smart people but the whole system just makes the less smart ones feel really dumb. And it doesn't build character at all. It just makes students strive to get the marks and not learn for the sake of learning. When I go for group consultations, some students will ask "If I do so and so, will I get the marks?" or "Will they deduct marks if I do so and so?" Firstly, I think it's disrespectful to the teacher and secondly, it just shows the kind of competition there is here. It's actually fun to understand concepts and get to know things you didnt know before. I like learning I realised and I don't know.. just rather demoralising when the environment doesn't encourage true learning.
I've grown a lot closer to Allah because of all the hardships I went through this sem and that's all that matters. I love my family and friends even more for all the encouragement they've given me. My sisters for always making me laugh with their antics. Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah..
Okay shall start on my reading list! So many books I wanna read! After-exams to do list also..Arrange GPac meeting, complete driving, learn to bake/cook etc etc.. 30th May is results day so shall enjoy before I have to face reality then. Will pray hard :)
No matter how many failures I face for driving tests, I will never ever regret taking up driving. Because it led me to something super special and wonderful :)
I was close to tears when I listened to this song and read about the story of this extraordinary woman and her family. I cannot even imagine the amount of emotional and physical pain she had to go through. Her iman is really masyaAllah. Subhanallah. This is telling me that the trials I'm facing now are nothing compared to the trials of the sahabahs then. Nothing. I feel so ashamed of myself now for complaining. It's not like I have to see my loved ones being tortured in the most inhumane way possible. It's not like I'm fighting for my life. Ya Allah, please forgive me. May Allah bless them and grant them Paradise in the hereafter. Ameen..
Looking at my exam schedule in the middle of the night got me all freaked out again. I'm lagging behind tremendously in my revision and I don't think I'll have enough time to ever catch up. Gotta think of the worst and brace myself for it...I wanna do well for my parents and meet the expectations of those who wants me to excel but I know I can't.
Oh Allah, grant me ease and understanding in my studies. Strengthen my heart so that I fear nothing but you Allah. Forgive me for all my sins. Ameen!
Khateeb al-Baghdaadee said, “It is fitting that he takes care in acquiring knowledge and that he should not take too much at one time. Rather, he should take a little at a time, such that he can bear it, memorize it and be able to understand it. Because Allaah says,
“And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is the Qur’aan not sent down to him all at once?’ Thus is it sent down in parts that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages.” (Suraah al-Furqaan:32)
I'm so disenchanted by the education system in NUS so much so that I told my younger sister that it's okay if she doesn't aspire to go there. If she decides to go to poly and pursue a course she likes there, by all means she should. Nothing beats doing something you like. Plus if she's doing jc just for the sake of us, she's gonna suffer in uni and no way would I want her to go through what I went through..
“The approval of Allah is the approval of the mother and father. The anger of Allah is the anger of the mother and father.” [Tirmidhi, Al-Birr (Virtue); 3]
Steps to Success on the Way to the Light of Knowledge from nursacredsciences.comowledge
When Imām al-Shāfiʿī complained to his teacher Wakīʿ of his difficulty in retaining knowledge, he was given profound advice that would become famous lines continuously echoed centuries later: “Abandon sin. For knowledge is a light. And the light of God is not granted to the disobedient.” Reflected in the wisdom of this luminary’s words, we find a common understanding possessed by the scholars of the Islamic tradition regarding the nature of learning. Namely, that knowledge is a divine gift whose acquisition is facilitated through meeting both spiritual conditions related to the heart as well as practical conditions such as consistency in study. In an Islamic tradition whose foundation was based on learning, there was generally not considered to be a dichotomy between secular and religious sciences. All of useful knowledge was regarded as sacred and its pursuit, an act of worship. Below is a summary of some of the practical steps which lead to success in the pursuit of knowledge based upon the wisdoms of our many great scholars, both past and present.
1) To maintain a consistent and continuous study schedule from the onset of one’s coursework. In addition it is essential to be vigilant about attending all of one’s classes and exerting one’s utmost effort in preparation for these classes. It is as the common saying goes, no gain is obtained without pain.
2) To organize one’s time and to take advantage of the early hours of the day to study, as it is the most productive time of the day due to its blessing. It is also important to strive to benefit from every moment of one’s time, for it is the capital of the seekers of knowledge.
The early men and women of righteousness, and those who later followed in their footsteps, were the most vigilant about ensuring that every moment of their time was devoted to good acts. It is related about ʿĀmir b. ʿAbd Qays who was one of the pious Successors (tābiʿīn al-zuhhād) that somebody once told him, “Converse with me.” He said, “Hold the sun (i.e. halt it and keep it from moving) so that I may converse with you. For, time is moving and passing and it never returns once it has gone. Once lost, it can never be replaced or made up because for each time period was what could have filled it with good works.”
3) To abstain from sins and disobedience. This has a profound impact on enhancing the intellect’s ability to understand and retain information. Whereas, sins, bad character, and acts of disobedience serve as obstacles to the mind’s ability to learn and absorb information.
This is what is meant in Imām al-Shāfiʿī’s famous lines:
I complained to Waki’ about my poor memory: “Give up your sins!” was his advice to me; “For knowledge is a light from Divinity, and the Light of God is veiled by iniquity!”
This is also indicative of another truth, namely, that when a seeker of knowledge sets on the path of learning, and remains consistent and sincere in his pursuit, God grants him a light that increases his power to resist falling into wrong doing and sins.
4) To have a good relationship with God and to maintain a strong connection with Him through acts of worship. Indeed, the time spent in worship is not time lost from one’s studies. It is in fact, both a source of energy and tranquility, as well as a form of discipline for the soul that invigorates one’s motivation to remain persistent with the long hours of study necessary to succeed. Through prayer and extra worship, students find a source of solace and rejuvenation of the spirit that facilitate their ability to learn and study.
5) To exert one’s utmost effort to keeping one’s parents content with them and to strive to please them. For this is indeed, one of the secrets of divinely granted success (tawfīq) and ease in one’s affairs.
6) To keep the house clean, tidy, and ritually pure (ṭāhir). Since, ritually pure and clean settings facilitate one’s ability to learn and retain information.
7) To perform all of one’s duties and obligations both within one’s household and elsewhere. This is because when one has fulfilled his responsibilities, he acquires a sense of serenity and stability. This in turn has a significant impact in facilitating one’s ability to concentrate on one’s studies. Whereas, an individual who has anxiety and stress as a result of not fulfilling their duties will predictably have a more difficult time in finding the peace of mind necessary to focus on one’s studies.
8 ) To avoid bad company and squandering one’s energy on frivolous affairs that waste one’s study time such as excessive talk and the like.
9) To respect one’s teachers and maintain proper courtesy with them, if one desires to attain his aspired goals.
10) To choose a field of study that is consistent with one’s interests, capabilities, and talents.
We have, as human beings, a storytelling problem. We're a bit too quick to come up with explanations for things we don't really have an explanation for.
I listened to her interesting stories of her attachment at KK, watching babies being delivered. Helping out with the surgery. She said that in the operation theatre right, it's not necessarily all silent and stressful. Doctors talked about the General Elections while performing the surgery. Then there was this woman who taught the ringtone of the iPhone sms was the sound of her uterus. Hahaha
O ALLAH,
Best friend, I miss you..
Thank you best friend for the motivation :)
anyone interested to come along? You are more than welcome to do so! :D
saw this pic and I thought it was sweet :)
Can I let go of everything right now? Ya Allah..
