Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

It's now Spring time which will be marked by the Harvesting New Year by Chinese brothers and sisters. I wish everyone who celebrate it in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, Korea and everywhere with Chinese diaspora community Happy Agricultural New Year 2012. I can't go home because of the pressure to finish up this thesis yet I am trying to find the design of the thesis. Quite tensed and sad but what can I do. I must try to finish the thesis as it has become apart of my responsibility to finish up whatever that I had begin.

Point of Culture

Nakhorn Sri Thammarat Coat of Arm, Southern Thailand Province 

About the culture of the Malaysian Northerners or Orang Kedah and how does it is related to Chinese New Year and why I also celebrate it. Orang Kedah generally refers to the citizen of the state of Kedah and it also includes those outside of the border of the state but speaking in the language and its dialects regardless ethnicity whether Malays, Hybrid Arabs, Arabs, Chinese, Indian, Siamese or etc. 

We actually have the traditional cycle of year called as Piama or Cycle of Agricultural Season. Not many Kedah youngsters know about this but I am aware about our differences from the rest of states in Malaysia because we preserve some points of our state's traditional culture as compared to other Kedah Malay compatriots. 

It is cognitive to Chinese zodiacs or calenders with some differences. Those zodiacs are called in different language which is different from Thai or Malay. Altogether there are 12 zodiacs just like the Chinese ones. Once upon a time, we also celebrate Agricultural New Year with the Sultan or King opening the water gate for paddy fields in the city and horse racing in the field. In case of respective non-Muslim King like in Thailand, there would also be Brahmin involvement and Buddhism rituals for blessings. The New Year in Southern area including Southern part of Yunnan with Dai ethnic begins with Songkrant festival around April like Indian New Year and not with the New Year as in Spring like Chinese brothers and sisters celebrate.

The zodiacs also represent our ancient states which collaborate with each others to protect themselves from foreign attacks. My state, the state of Kedah is represented in the coat of arm by the Merong or Dragon. Kelantan is represented by Khal or Tiger. And so on. This year is the year of Dragon which is also the same with Chinese calender. The coat of arm is not our state's coat of arm but belongs to Nakhorn Sri Thammarat of Thailand. It is a province in southern Thailand but it was also an ancient Malay dynasty in Siamese empire where it incorporates itself with another kingdom known as Sukhothai from the North since 12th C. Southern Thai area has a very long history since the first century which makes everything in our area being shared by each other and confusing.

The Zodiacs of Kedah Agricultural Year

Chuwat  Rat

Chalu Cow

Khan Tiger

Thoh Rabbit

Merong Dragon

Masing Snake

Mamea Horse

Mameh Goat

Wok Monkey

Raga Roaster

Chaw Dog

Gur Turtle

The year calculation is basically the same with Chinese zodiac year calculation. Usually Muslim farmers would use Arabic-Roman influenced monthly calender accompanied with this zodiac to check the season of paddy agricultural period. Buddhist would use Hindu-Buddhist influenced solar calender as well to count months with the zodiac for year calculation.

Once again, Happy Agricultural New Year and the Year of Dragon to Chinese brothers and sisters regardless what faith you are. We celebrate the same thing at this point. Take care and drive safely if you are returning home to celebrate it with family.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Aidul Adha 2011: Little Walk in the Campus

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Just the same places where I use to walk in my daily life while studying here. Since first degree until now. What can I say, feel bored walking in the same place but we appreciate what we have. Might be it is good for us or might be something torturing but at least we have something for our selves. Many students have affection to this place. I have no attachment to this place and I don't really develop friendship here so I don't feel any attachment : ) 

Mai kita jalan-jalan tempat biasa... hehehe

Crossing Bukit Gambir Road into the campus

Jalan Bukit Gambir, view from flyover

Welcome to the campus at Bukit Gambir gate

USM Stadium at Bukit Gambir gate

Students' Main Hall (DUP) from the pavement, just after rain pouring down

 Close up at DUP, this is the place we used to sit for examination during first degree time

View of Indah Kembara male hostel from a bus stand 

Prayer Hall of Masjid al-Malik Khalid, this is the only place that I missed in USM I cried here before Him pleading help to face this life : )

I have many memories with grandparents too. Sometimes we were left in our village in Perlis or our grandparents would look after us when they come over to visit us. I hate to stay in the village too when I was a child because we only could listen to radio and can't watch TV. Radio channel that I listened when I was in Perlis was broadcasting from Southern Thailand. Even the TV channel that I could only watch is Malaysian Radio and Television Channel 1 while other popular channel like TV3 can't be reached with short aerial. Most people in grandparents house are settlers from Southern Thailand and they speak in Thai at home although they are Malays. Small numbers of minority were settlers from southern states such as from Negeri Sembilan. Grandparents were settlers from Sanglang of Kedah state and we regard Perlis as a territory of Kedah Sultanate, haha.   

Besides, we can't make friend with village kids because they would mock us as kids from the city whom are viewed in generalization as bunch of arrogant kids. Some villagers (traditional) ones always looking down to us as ungodly people and deserve no respect so they talked to us in impolite manner. I hate to stay in the village too. My sisters always teasing me, they said you are unfriendly unlike us. They are female and when they bring their friend home, they do not have to worry as I am the only male among them beside my dad who is another.

I always think about others before I do anything for myself. Even when I wanted to give foods to a cat or a dog, I would first make sure that it is safe for the animal. If I bring my friends home, I am afraid that everyone would feel uncomfortable since our house is actually a small house, we are poor people. I had been to friends' houses and staying at their house which actually denotes that I make friends and contacts with people around. As an example, I had been to Alep house in Yan just after his dad passed away during our first year as a degree student. He was not even my course mates nor room mates and we are just hostel mates. I understood how it feels when losing someone we love because I love my grandparents though I had not acted as a filial grandson to the late grandpa due to some misunderstanding. I am still maintaining contact with Alep.

Sadly other friends including my ex-roommate Zaidi had lost from the reach because I don't think I have any significance in others' life. Once I think that I have no function in people life, I would get rid myself from them. Other than that, female and male are different in term of functions although we are both human-being. So, we can't take everyone as fitting others but as unique on their own. I regret that sisters at home, even mum has the thinking that everyone must be the same in function. When I say to them why don't you do man job if human function the same? They would rant saying: "It's like no men at home!" If, human are the same in function and ability, why not women be truck drivers, electricians, technicians, mechanics and etc? I will give my full support to women who involve themselves in these field rather than just talk but never walk their talk, LOL... 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Aidulfitri Mubarak 1432 H

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Aidulfitri Mubarak, congratulation for those who managed to control their desire in the school of Ramadan! Let us pray may our worship bein' accepted by the God and may our practices of charity and devotion to Him remain constant in the coming year, insyaallah...

Just coming home to the hostel from our beloved state, Kedah. Mum and dad could not stand celebrating raya in the city as all of the people return home to be with their family. Our grandparents had all passed away. I sometimes think that such a custom of balik raya or returning home to our hometown is not so important for me. However, it is important for mum and dad. This raya is a bit different. All of our family members return home, including sister who works in Saudi. Not just mum and dad.

I have to help third sister with her thesis proposal. She would be busy after returning to Saudi. So, she sent me earlier to my hostel as it is difficult to get internet connection while we are off towns. I can see many changes in our state after 2-3 years. New buildings, new roads, and others. Raya is a generic term for celebration in Malay. We just call any celebration as raya. It means great day. It is a custom for Malaysian to return home during Aidulfitri or Aiduladha spending their quality holiday time getting along with family.

1st of Syawwal

We prayed in Sultan Muzaffar Syah mosque in Sungai Petani. I managed to follow mum and dad to visit sister Faridah. She is one of dad's nieces from our first grandma. She had already moved from Malacca with her husband and children since few years ago to our elders' station in Pantai Johor. It's quite complicated since those elders practiced polygamy marriage and most of them married their maternal cousins for the sake of family bond and religious purpose. They only marry people of the same caste or race according to Shafi'ie madzhab of Yemen. But that was in the past. Now, that is not effective anymore since many had moved out of their elders' stations. 

We exchanged information about our family tree line with her and she speaks in the speed of a bullet. How funny she is, loll. I get to know her son and daughters but not all since some of them are away. I hope to get to know them all but that is just a dream. We live far away and we don't always get along out of the celebration. I wanted to know more about dad's family. Most of them aren't really religious since elders passed away earlier. So, they have no proper religious nor moral education. I believe they are nice people. All of the people around the world are nice. It's just environment and destiny that molded us to be what we are today. We went to grandma (dad's mum) grave at the nearby mosque and I saw the banner indicating they are going to enlarge the mosque and moving the graves there.

2nd Syawwal

We went to mum's cousin brother. His son who is about the same age with me is going to get married in November. I can't believe that he's going to get married while he has no proper job yet. Maybe that is his destiny and I pray that he could get suitable job soon. He's a nice guy, but I am not close to him too though when we were kids we used to play around together. He was also a schoolmate when I was in Soltan Ahmad Tajuddin Primary School spending about a year there as a primary school pupil in Jitra. We are adults now, of course things would be different and I don't really spend my time with our relatives. Most of us are nomads. We moved here and there for study purpose, making a living, and others.

We spend a night at their house before going to Thailand in the day after. Second sister never enter Thailand in her whole life so she insisted to go there and trying Thai authentic cuisines. I had already been there with third sister for her hidden marriage, hehehe. We have to pretend that we don't know about the place though we had already been there since her proper ceremony is not done yet. It's just a little cowboy town, called Baan Daannok Samnak Khan after the passport control with halal restaurants but the most popular halal restaurant there was closed since the lady owner went home until the end of the 6th Syawwal fasting. So we just randomly going to a Tabligh owner restaurant called Yahya. The most scary part for us is that we crossed the border without any passport or grant for the car. If anyone wanted to enter Thailand from Malaysia, make sure to bring the grant of the car. I would next time always bring my passport if I enter places near Thai border. Those in Thai border control of Kwan Mai Dam or Bukit Kayu Hitam are quite negotiable and polite compared to those counterparts at Singapore.

Then, they went to an alley buying cheap stuffs. We can easily get cheap stuffs which looks the same like original ones there. I didn't buy anything since I am a student. Spending must be discreetly controlled. We returned home to our side at night before 20:00 since the border will be closed at 24:00. Many cars at the border. People as far as Singapore went there to have fun. It includes fun in the 'other way.' 

3rd Syawwal

I just followed third sister to Sungai Petani to our old house there after we reached Jitra. Mum and dad still maintain that house for everyone who have the need to return north to be stationed there or loading stuffs. That's why they do not want to sell it. I stayed there a night with third sister and helping her with her thesis proposal. She only has two weeks to finish everything and her supervisor is so irresponsible. I didn't know that she was doing her thesis proposal, so I just treat her assignment as a mere report. I plan that I wanted to help her out today. She has to return to Kuala Lumpur getting her second supervisor opinion and she also has to prepare returning to Saudi. Her leave is almost done. Please help me, brethren passing by with your prayers may I finish helping out my sister with her thesis proposal and finishing my own thesis by time. Thank you.

I wish everyone well-being and spirit of devotion to Him. It does not matter what faith people are, I don't care. May we learn everything which could lead us to Him and may He helps us purifying our soul. I wish everyone especially my beloved compatriot سْلامَت مِثَمْبوت هارِي رايَ عيدُالفطرِي مَعَفْ ظاهِر باطِن!

Sealed with salawat an-nabi and prayers for peace, mercy, and love, amin!

Happy Chinese New Year 2011

安賽倆目阿來空!!!

這空間的時... 我向我們華人兄第姐妹大家恭祝一句...

新年快樂!!!

心想事成, 萬事如意...!!!

Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinese brothers and sisters. Although I am not a full blood Chinese and with Arab paternal lineage but I still consider myself as apart of Chinese civilization. I grew up alongside with Chinese environment surrounded me. It might be strange and might be unusual but that is what I am now.

No matter where we are, we still aware of our cultural root. We remember the traditional values taught by Confucius. Hahaha, my mom always remind us about Confucius even when we crossed the streets when I was a little kid. Allah has created us to know each other and to appreciate everyone as they are. 

This holiday is just a week, but Chinese New Year is about 15 days. I didn't get to tidy up my room, sticking some red papers  with good luck remarks like I did with my younger sister during Chinese New Years. I have a roommate whom I believe will not tolerate a different culture because he lives in a non-multicultural area. He might feel uncomfortable in a Chinese environment, lol.

Allah bless prophet Muhammad (saw) and his family and his companions, as Allah bless prophet Ibrahim (as) and his family. Keep us in peace, ya Allah to its due time. Sealed with love to brothers and sisters.

Happy 'Ashura!

Peace and salaam!

I had forgotten that today is 'Ashura day. Happy 'Ashura day to my friends whether they are Shi'ite or Sunni. Everyone celebrate the day with different ways but as long as we realize, we are one it is not my right to judge others.  They must have their own reasons.

I had forgotten to fast beginning from yesterday's evening. I do not know if it is good or not to begin my fast from tomorrow, but I hope it is not wrong because I am keen to follow the sunna of prophet (saw) : (

I still can't find the things that I am supposed to do for my coming proposal. O, G"d help me please! I know I am still sinful but please have mercy to me Your lowly servant.