The Concept of Mind

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Introduction

This concept is actually familiar to me since I was a little child. I was exposed to both Islamic and Hindu-Buddhist way of thinking. It is not only about the thinking but also cultural traits and practices. Basically, I am not the kind of young people who only live a life for the sake of living. Both of the religions are of my experience as a confused boy who has nobody to be his companions, lack of love either of family or friends and most of the times secluding his self from crowds pondering about what happens around. I am so sorry if I do not do a writing like a so-called "salaf" Muslim but I could assure everyone that my religious practices are strictly orthodox and I never talk like this in front of people because I only talk according to people's level of thought. I respect the salaf al-saleh teachers and I also respect the tabi'in generations. I keep all of their books and remarks besides trying to practice them too.   

Most Muslim who discussed about philosophies always talk about Greco-Roman philosophies as what I heard in the discussion broadcasted in Malaysian Islamic Understanding Institute (IKIM) radio with someone who was involved with the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC). I would like brothers and sisters to know, there were Buddhist Greeks as well as Eastern Asian Buddhists due to the existence of Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria since before the Christ era. They propagated Buddhism teachings and philosophies as far as Alexandria or Iskandariyya in Egypt. I am not talking about Islam or Muslim yet till now.

Buddhism always talk about human personal experience which is framed in the pancha skandhas or five aggregates term. Then there are three marks of existence known as dukkho (unsatisfactoriness), anittiya (impermanence) and anattman (non-self). The chattwari ariya sattiyani or the four noble truth which discussed about what is meant by dukkho? Where does dukkho come from? There is a way that dukkho could be banished through the knowledge about the theory of pratitschasamudpad or dependent arising. They could be found in the atthangiko ariya margg or the eight noble path proposed by Siddhartha Gautama which are subbed into three categories which are the panna (wisdom), sila (ethics and morality) and smathi (concentration). In order to banish negative effects around the environment, Buddhism basically emphasizes mind training to perform our life where it is like we change polluted water with the clean and clear one through flushing it or flowing it with the clean one. The concept of self is connected to the mind and acts.

The positive or negative effects toward the environment which is known as the space partly comes from the mind activities of beings or creatures. Many people says that Buddhist do not believe in the metaphysical matters. It is a wrong assumption. Buddhists have three pitakas or baskets of teaching. The first one deals with the actions, meditation, breath handling and mindfulness of body. The second one, talks about disciplines. While the third and the last one deals with metaphysics and philosophies. The third basket was also taught to "angels" by Siddartha Gautama when he reached the enlightenment. The enlightened Gautama never talks about the Supreme Power as it was important for him at his time to correct the moral and attitude of the people around him. People already know about the Highest Self yet they behave like people who knows Him not. Those are just the basis.

There are many things to be learned before commenting and only if we are Buddhists ourselves. But I always encounter some fellow Muslims who talk like they know everything about other religions and views, but in reality they just check the facts at the surface. They never experience anything as per being an "infidel" or being rejected by their own community thus having to find their own way to return through His Mercy, hehe.

Islamic Concept of Mind

Now when we talk about the mind in Islam, human is deemed to be higher and special as compared to other creatures. What makes human special? They have choices in their life and it comes from their mind and thoughts. With mind, man could find knowledge and it leads human toward the better. It helps man to distinguish between evil and goodness. Deviation and annihilation is due to that man-kind did not using their faculties of mind for good purposes. So, a positive mind which is used for positive concerns would escalate a human to a noble position. But when the mind is wrongfully used for vices and evil, man-kind would fall into disdain and destructed. 

Our noble Quran mentions so many times about mind. It mentions that with mind, human could think about the creations of the God, learn about them, finding knowledge and strengthen the faith to Him. Through the guidance of the noble scripture, human who thinks could sort out the sciences in the creations of the God throughout the space. 

The God the Highest mentions through the tongue of our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w which means: "And from the dates and grapes, you made them sweetened drinks and legal sustenance. Indeed, in those are the signs for the people who possess mind". - Surat al-Nahl 16: 67

When man-kind using his mind toward evil and vices, he would fall into the destruction and tormented with bitterness from the God. The God mentions through our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w which means: "And when you call them toward the prayers, but they mock it and teasing it. It is due to that, they are the people with no mind". - Surat al-Maa'ida 5:58

Through faculties of mind, man-kind could search for the guidance and "truth". Thus, choosing the better one while leaving behind evil matters. Although man-kind posses mind and intelligence besides using them for daily affairs yet the result of their thoughts do not always in accordance to the real objective or achieving the aimed goal. 

Only prophets and His messengers are protected in their speeches and thoughts. They are protected from errors and deviation of the truth whether in the earthly life or in the matter of hereafter. For example, prophet Muhammad s.a.w was actually threatened by the God that His angel would strangle him if he distort the message that the God ordered him to articulate and not even to think about it. So he talks only according to the revelation of the God. Normal man-kind would commit errors in their thinking, speeches, in their decision or in the execution of their acts. That is due to the weakness of their mind and the lack of knowledge.     

The God says which means: "... and you are not given the knowledge except a little of it". - Surat al-Israa' 17:85  

For example, if a man looks at the thick black cloud up the sky, he would be thinking or expecting that the rain would soon be pouring down. But that is just an assumption of his mind based on his analysis to the factor of the black cloud. It is just a hypothesis. Sometimes the result would be true and sometimes it would be wrong. It is due to that sometimes, there are black clouds in the sky but rain are not falling down to the earth.

Islam prohibits man-kind to think with the mind which is not followed by the the Creed and the Guidance. It also prohibits the thought according to one's desire. Example for the people who think in the manner that is prohibited by the "Divine Way" are the Sophists. They evaluate good and evil based only on the senses and mind. They only used rhetoric and philosophy to explain or framing the affairs and matters around them. "Ordinary" human senses and mind are limited and bound to weaknesses. Their senses and mind could not reach metaphysics and supernatural realm.         

The difference and the higher position of man-kind as compared to other creatures in the Earth for example, the genies or the animals is their faculties of mind granted by the God to them. They could think and ponder deeper than other beings. In Buddhism, the highest incarnation of beings to achieve "final blast" into the "new world" is also in the form of a human. Not in the form of angel nor any other form. 

Humans were trusted by the God to be the administrators in the earthly realm, to prosper the Earth and holding the responsibility to keep His commandments but to avoid His prohibitions. Says the God which means: "And when your Lord said to the angels, indeed I made in the Earth the successors. The angels said: 'Are You creating in the Earth those who would commit destruction in it and those who would spill the blood while we are glorifying You with the praises for You and sanctifying You. The God says, I know the things that you do not know!" - Surat al-Baqarat 2:30 

My Further Comments

Well, if it is related to philosophies or other regional cultural traits. I am not really good in Greeks' sciences. I live in South East Asia though my ancestors were the Arabs and they were also stationed in Indian sub-continent. When I was schooled in the madrasa, it was at the border states of Malaysia and Thailand. And I was and still is an adventurous soul. I love to travel around and listening to religious teachings. 

Because I had no close friends nor companions as I am a very choosy person in making friends... I went to Buddhist monasteries and making friends there. I also make friends with the environment around which also include other creatures that some people would call them as the ghosts, hehe. I learned Sanskrit and Pali from around besides Arabic at our school because the school is a religious school. 

Language is actually the most basic tool for sciences and technology. This is what those who always talk about branches of sciences do not understand. They just understood that mathematics and those sciences such as the basic biology, astrology, chemistry or physics as at the core matters which makes me laughing my a*ss when I began to realize about the facts of life, LOL...  Anyway those sciences are categorized by Imam al-Ghazali rahimahullah as pseudo-sciences. He also learned philosophies and the rhetoric where he encountered Ismaili Shia Muslims in Central Asia who were also of Mu'tazila schools of theology.

The words such as caliph and others could be founded in cognitive with other ancient languages such as Sanskrit. For example, I would translate caliph as chakravarttin in Sanskrit where it means the ideal universal ruler. Other than that, I found that most Malay writers or translators of the logic text books for Usooluddin students always placing the Arabic terms on the place where it is not necessary. People in South East Asia also talk about Roman or Greek but Sanskrit or Pali also houses a large corpus of sciences like those of Greek.

The Eastern philosophies and sciences also deal with human mental states, environment and psychology which the Western were lacking. While South East Asian languages for example Malay or Cambodian also absorbed large amounts of Sanskrit terminologies. Is this about class because Sanskrit is not the language of the European Union or because the so-called brainy Jew, Einstein lives in Germany? Or because most of "Muslim scholars" in  the Middle East or Central Asia during the Middle Ages era reading Greek of Latin books so we have to just copy-paste their ideas to be like them?

Why can't we be ourselves? Are we lack of confidence in our selves that determines us to copy-paste other and thinking that we are intelligent with good head? Just a food of thought anyway, hahaha....

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

Is Kafir Really Means Infidel?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This morning I had read some questions and statements about Islam and Muslim by people who hate Islam or religion. They are sometimes annoying, like childish little girls or budak jambu perasan macho (boys who thinks that they're smart good looking guys with bunch of friends around) in American schools seeking attention for something which is "temporary," pooorah! They don't hate Muslim (human), but they hate Islam (the God), hehehe. 

The God actually does not need this kind of people. Nobody needs their filthy blood to be spilled on mother earth. So, every time when they talk about "apostates" or "infidels" must be killed, I found that it as annoying because it does not reflect the 'real' situation or perhaps they wanted to die and asking some "terrorists" to kill them? Sick people... I would just recommend them to get a life, do something better with our life. I had been a Buddhist and an Atheist for some times and I hated Islam because of bad experiences with Muslims too. Nobody actually had killed me. I am alive and typing this post. There are many people turning to other faith in this world either from Islam to other faith or being ones without faith or from other faith to Islam. So, what's the big fuss about it? We want to believe anything, just go on. Do we have to let the whole world know what is inside our heart? What if people know? We feel proud because we could be in line with the mainstream and showing off on how advance we are like the "mainstream" when we criticize other faith?

This post is a bit of translation and we don't simply translate words because the words of different languages match to each other. In political science, we have conceptualization. Those people who talk nonsense are just insulting their own intelligence as human-being. People like Cicero the orator, also doing some interpretation while delivering speeches.

In most Eastern traditions of philosophies for example Buddhism, these people are considered as beasts because they do not talk like human. This is according to what had been proposed in Panchasil or the Five Principle Precepts to be human-being. This discourse about Panchasil was given by lord Buddha Gautama to Naga Muchalinda who took human form to be a monk (human) but since he was not a human-being, lord Buddha advised him to stick to Five Principle Precepts for him to be "incarnated" into a human-being in the future and he could perform monasticism "in the real meaning."

What is in Panchasil???

1. Not to take life (killing, murder)    

2. Not to take what is not given (jealousy, hijacking, stealing, robbing)

3. No to false speech and fact distortion (lying, cheating, slandering)

4. Avoid from using senses falsely (norms and morality of sexual conduct according to monastic law, usage of mind)

5. Avoid intoxicants stuffs (liquor, crack, caffeine)

Many "scholars" about Islam as a hideous thing with bias childish criticism, and bashing in the internet had fallen into the stage of beasts though this principle is Buddhism by basis. It has no religious connotation because beasts need 'no religion.' This is what I am trying to tell some Muslim brothers and sisters when we talk about people of other faith or about anything. We try to avoid distorting facts. We just talk about whatever we know but stay silent on whatever that we are not sure. In the West, people love to act scholar though they are not by fact 'wise.' They articulate and talk as if they know everything though their brain is empty of the issue that they are talking about. People also distort facts through the name of "Rules and Regulation." Unfortunately, this is how the world is "dominated" and "shaped" by them while the real Dominion is the One with Mercy and Love : ) 

Now back to the topic, when we translate things, there are actually many principles that we need to adhere. We even possess translation and interpretation theories and science. It mentions that translation could not be a "real" rendition of a text but simply to bring the message from a language to another for the different audience. As to say, there are many misunderstandings about this Quranic word which sounds like كافر kafir (pl. kuffaar). It is often translated into English as infidel. Infidel is a Latin word based from Roman Catholicism terminology. Latin is a liturgy language for Roman Catholics and technically Roman Catholicism is a sect of Christians' religion. It's not Muslims' ritual language because we use Quraiysh Arabic in most of rituals like salat. Even some of us recite supplications after salat in Arabic and not in native tongues. 

As per my understanding for the word kafir in this way to return to Him, it means that a creature is an ingrate toward Him. Ingrate in this context of word means someone who has no gratitude to the Creator, Who gives and generates Life. The Arabic word kafir is a noun which shows the act of the subject from the past tense verb كفر kafar.

What does كفر  kafar means in Arabic? 

It has three basic meanings...

I. غطاه closed, covered from comprehending their selves and the God

II. انكره refusing to respect the God 

III. ضد امن against security (those who spread lies, slander, and harming human-society or creatures)

From this word, another word which is derived from kafir sounds like is كفارة kaffarah. It means the breaking of commandment and covenant. It also refer to sentence or fine for sins and crimes committed by a creature. Deeper meaning, it means the sentence to cancel the act of breaking the commandment and covenant. Commandment and covenant is the contract between a soul and the God. This is how the word being developed in Arabic. It's not simply substituting word for word like a person who does not go to school. This problem happened because many of Islamic texts was translated by Westerners. Translation could also be influenced by the ideology and tendency of a certain translator. 

Terminologically, the word kafir means a person who does not believe, have no confidence and denies the God as the One who Creates the Universe, who Sustains the Universe, and who Gives life to the death. It refers to people who are hidden and covered to the Revelation and the seal of prophethood, Muhammad s.a.w as a messenger of the God to the nations of era near Resurrection. 

Then only this word is generally translated into English as infidel where it has been taken into substitution for the word in eastern part of the world. Another word for this in English used to translate this particular word is disbeliever because translators trying to avoid Roman Catholicism connotations and the method of understanding the word is different. For me, I would use the word ingrate to translate the word into English.

E.g of the usage of this word is such in the term of كُفُرْنِعْمَةْ kufur ni'mah. It means someone who refuse to admit the grace of the God the Most Highest to him or to her. Basically it means ingratitude, ones without politeness and of no manner. These kind of people do not co-exist well with the nature and causing troubles for the universe. This كُفُرْ kufur word is synonymous to kafir but it does not make a Muslim person an infidel from his or her faith to the God the Most Highest and His messenger to the universe, Muhammad s.a.w or leading to what is called as apostasy. This term is used to refer to ingratitude which brings not one from the boundary of the basic six pillars of faith and five pillars Islam.

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

Mind Perception Game

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Tuk Janggut's body hanged upside down after being exhibited around the capital of Kelantan Sultanate, Kota Bharu. Source Pic: Bodleian Library, Oxford University, UK. 

This is actually an excerpt from a lecture. Yesterday afternoon I didn't get to listen to the lecture in the radio on the first part. This lecture has three parts. For this second part too, unfortunately I didn't get to jot down nor listen almost all of the lecture but only some part at the end because I went for lunch. I missed almost all of the lecture except for few points. 

Oh, yeah... Yesterday I remembered I accompanied a junior who is five years older than me to Bukit Jambul getting a new printer for him. He fast for syawwal optional fasting yesterday and that was his last day. I just helped him to carry his printer since he only has a motorcycle. It's difficult to bring a box with a printer where we have to maintain the position of the ink tank. He didn't tell me in the beginning nor giving me some expectation that he really need somebody help to carry his new printer. I am so upset with this kind of attitude as I don't mind to help. I had learned patience during pilgrimage and furthermore he was fasting. Let everything go, just assume we please the God by helping a brother. We will feel at peace, amin!

This lecture was delivered by Ustad Ahmad Shukri at the Sultanah Bahiyah Polytechnic in Kulim district. Interestingly this lecture was integrated with national history studies for students. I think it is useful for my mini thesis too although indirectly so I better keep it here so I could review it besides reading other reminders to myself. We have to be creative and using everything that we have to carry our tasks. This is what I tried to tell some Tablighi brothers regarding their outing for da'awa. What had been proposed by their syeikh is a method, but that does not mean it could not be appropriated according to situation while retaining its context. I don't know how they understood it, perhaps they are young kids and I won't talk much if I feel that there is no necessity. Anyway I just say goodbye to everyone in this institution, I need to quickly finish my thesis. 

I don't want to be known nor remembered but only wishing for prayers to be saved and forgiven by the God through brotherhood and sisterhood spirit. If our path crossed, then we will meet again. If not, we still will meet but in the hereafter. Everybody is bound to it. Anyway, I just hope to see the God Glorious appearance. I don't think anybody care about each other in this world anymore so in the hereafter I only hope to see the God and hoping He is not angry with me but only His pleasure. 

From the portion of the ustad speech, he said that our states in Malaysia was colonized for more than 500 years. Malaysia history is quite complicated too as it was not a unified nation like today but consists of different sultanates or city-states with their own histories which could only be understood if we strand them one by one. It also applies to other new countries as well. Beginning with Portuguese conquest in 1515 in Malacca Sultanate. Malacca now is a state without any sultan but only a governor appointed by Federal government. And then the Dutch came to the Fort of Malacca replacing the Catholic Portuguese. Later, English came in from Britain into almost all of the states in Malayan Peninsula through trade company called the British East Indies Company but later getting the power to rule by subduing sultanates through their political chess. All of the states in Malaysia today getting their independence for about 53 years, it is only 10% of independence. We also have the issue about whether 'Malaysia' was colonized or not? This was raised through a statement by a professor in a higher education institution in Malaysia and polemics come too. My lecturer asked me questions too and I am lazy to answer this as I hate to be involved with this political matter, arghh.  

Ustad said, we must learn from history as we learn from mistakes of people who came before us. So, what I would like to say is that, try to reflect this... Whether we learn from what had been told to us about previous nations and people like the 'Aad, the Thamud, the Children of Israel, the Pharaoh who had tortured the children of Israel in Egypt? Or we just know how to curse people without watching our words, our attitude is no better than those people that we curse with our tongue? We must remember our tongue will be our witness in the hereafter. Everything will talk, we have no chance to lie though He knows everything. 

As for example, there is a figure who is a native in Kelantan Sultanate called Tuk Janggut. Kelantan Sultanate now is a state in eastern coast of Malaysia bordering Patani province of Southern Thailand. Tuk Janggut was brutally murdered by British administration in Kelantan. His real name is Hajji Muhammad Hassan bin Munas. He opposed British officer for the tax suddenly imposed on the land while before those officers came, people could live their simple life. 

Now, those who mumbled about Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and other immigrants in Britain as apart of immigration issue think back and don't just talk like a pile of bovine defecates. How do everyone think British behaved when they came to other people land imposing Common Law on people who practices Syariah laws? Wasn't it the same like those 'barbaric' Pakistanis and Bangladeshis who wanted to turn Britain into a Britishstan and trying to turn European women into ghosts in 'dark' hijab or burka jail?

The point is, why British and English 'suddenly' came to other people lands and later trying to seize other people lands if the concept of land is a possession of human by British and European nation-state concept? This question sounds more to Liberal thinking which is the idea that Europeans trying to impose that they are holding this idea. Before that, there was a treaty called the Anglo-Siamese Treaty, where Britain and the Kingdom of Siam had ratified in London in 9th of July 1909 where they had 'exchanged' sultanates of Malay natives without their consent for the Franco-British rivalry. Those countries were with native administrations and civilized even earlier than Europe. And another point is that, if British Isles and Europe in general were so civilized, they should just do business around Europe and Europeans do not have to roam like parasites to Asia, Africa, America, and Australasia plat. I believe if there were internet and immigration in the antiquities perhaps, we would also see many rambles about how these barbaric Europeans had come to other people place and behave so uncivilized. This is how some of European ingrates talk... So, Asia and other continents should also have their own standard of civilization. Don't just nod to people. Human proclaim themselves better than others are arrogant bunch of people. It has nothing to do with the teaching of Christ and a disgrace to the noble 'son' of the God, Jesus Christ. I hate politics but we can't run from it, especially when I have to think about Europe while I am not a European. Even if European nations offered me nationality, I would just say thanks. I don't need it, I love my beautiful state and sultanate although it has no snow, infamous nor having any pine tree.

How was Tuk Janggut being respected after being murdered? His body was hung upside down by British administration authority in 1915 after he died in a battle in a place called Kampong Pupoh. The body was exhibited for a week in order to give lessons to people who go against British. His house was burnt down. Now Britain is a country in EU. EU prohibited death sentence right and human rights. So, was that a civilized act?     

So, as to say, from the act of hanging the dead body of a person who go against imperial rule and exhibiting it to public, there lies the modus operandi of the West. They are trying to scare away people and letting them do anything they want. They would use all sort of chances and opportunities that they have. This is out of the lecture, I had read about late Hassan al-Banna, he was also suddenly being killed through leaders of his country, Egypt. He was just a plain person, he never try to gain any followers but people wanted to follow him. So, was that his fault for threatening others who were afraid their 'idols' or 'comfort' would be taken away from them? 

In 2003, the United States attacked Iraq. I did not agree with the late Saddam Hussein who also had massacred Kurdish minority brothers and sisters but last time wasn't he a puppet of the US? The US didn't actually attacked Iraq, but using Iraqi themselves. This is a global issue, I guess in International Studies many speculations would come up too. I hate to read or to listen all of this, but where should we go? This earth is only one, inhabited by human and other creatures since thousands, millions, whoever knows years ago. There are also pictures of prisoners being tied with wires, tortured, and others according to today's trend. It is to scare people not to go against imperial countries. Why need to dominate others or being so aggressive to maintain power? Only aggressive people are capable to survive? Where is the God? How does the children of Israel survived when they were oppressed by the Egyptian Pharaoh? Were they using force like the West? They don't even have any power nor force instead they had to run crossing the Red Sea to the Land of Cana'an.

In Malaysia, there are also historical events like 13th of May 1969. Last time my colleague when I worked a contract job had threatened Chinese speaker workers with this silly event just because of their jealousy regarding salary. This is what happened when people with SPM (O-Level) being appointed to hold an office and being called as 'officer.' There is MAGERAN (National Movement Council) after the 13th of May event. The five Rukun Negara had been forgotten. Today, people are playing mind perception game.

What is mind perception game? Mind perception game for example, there is a situation where it is close to an exam. Students in exam listened to rumors that there is ghost in the library so everyone do not go to the library to study or getting books for their examination. Weird too that in girl boarding school in Malaysia, we would encounter incidents like hysteria when it is near examination season... hahahahahaha, a classic example.

So, how is it teenagers? How could youngsters gain their maturity? Is it by getting girlfriend, boyfriend? Is it by losing virginity to a silly young man who thinks only with his knucklehead just to indicate that a girl is not a girl anymore? Teenagers should listen to both mainstream and alternative news. Later think and bring them into consideration. For example the constitution like the article 153. A special situation in Malaysia where we are of multiracial community. Before Malayan Peninsula ministering its path toward independence, the British had said that should any chaos or fight happened in the peninsula, they would reconsider again the independence. It shows that Britain were imposing multiculturalism on a new country which were its protectorate kingdoms. But now, we heard that British are also expressing dissatisfaction on those immigrant communities from South Asia with the notion that they are going to turn Britain into a Muslim country, lolll. You can ask people to be multicultural but you are afraid of your own policy. This is what I am trying to figure out in my mini thesis, and you know what, you people are making me dizzy with your inconsistencies. Tobat tak lapaq dah ngaji benda-benda ni semua, buat sakit kepala saja.

Ustad said, certain issue is being played according to certain perception for example by foreigners. So, children consider it. As for the constitution article 153, it states the rights of Malay natives in their states, other natives of non-Malay ethnicity and non-Malay ethnics being guaranteed protection by the Yang Dipertuan Agong. Article 3 (1) subbed under article 153 in the Malaysia constitution states that Islam is an official religion in the Federation of Malaysia but other religions could also been practiced by others in any part of the Federation. When people playing the perception game, they would only take half of the statement and playing it with their own perception. Hence, it is important for everybody to rationally think and not trapped in blind emotion.  

Students now could easily get access on these materials such as constitution and various of history books from book stores. It's not like students have to think a lot but it is enough to equip one selves with some knowledge. Take important notes for daily life. During the time of Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, there was an urge for human capital where citizen must acquire higher education, and students must be equipped with morality. Say no to war for idols, no to enmity. Respect Allah 'Azza wa Jalla and the noble messenger of Allah, prophet Muhammad s.a.w.    

Lecture was adapted from the program produced by Hasmah Bahari, important points by Ustad Ahmad Shukri, part II. Wishing that it benefits everyone for Allah's pleasure, amin!

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

Sahur in Hostel Ramadan 12th

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Hahaha, it's quite fun having sahur (predawn-meal) alone. No one to see on how I eat whether I eat like a sungkur tak pernah makan setahun or in polite sopan santun cover manner. Without we realize time working so fast and it is now 12th of Ramadan. Just wake up every morning at 4:30 and having some vegetarian meals such as wholemeal bread, pickled mixed vegetables, ghee and some hua nan tsai (green mustards) in the can. These kind of food reminds me when I was a follower of lord Buddha teaching. Perhaps, his teaching was also influenced by Ahimsa philosophy. I refused meat too last time though it is not a must for a Buddhist. Raya Haji takut lah banyak sembelih daging (Eiduladha was a nightmare), lol.

Green mustard. Simply long time not taking any vegetables asyik makan ayam ja.

These food are classified as pure unadulterated kind of food which they called as sattawah. However I believe I have some ginger, onion, lime and lehsun (garlic) in my pickled vegetable because it tastes pungent and sharp. So, it's not really pure lacto-vegetarian meal as there are stimulator. Some ginger, onion, or garlic are good to drive out blockage in our nose however it is less good than sattawah. This is not sunnah prescribed food but some of it might be in coincidence the same. This classification is made by Brahmins and Yogis of ancient India. They are good in traditional medicinal food and herbs. Their medical tradition had spread as far as Persia in the West and South East Asia in the East.

 

 Garlic, it is good for consumption if we have cholesterol or hypertension problem.

For drink I had some tea mixed with some fresh milk and honey. I can't keep food long here as I have no fridge so it is quite difficult for me to store fresh stuffs. It would be wasting if I have to throw foods away after they become rotten once they're due while only having some of it. So, we have to think for solution to get some balanced nutrients and in the same time minimizing wasting through some budget that we have. I listed down all of the yogic prescribed food in the paper wherever I could recall and checking the price at the market before buying stuffs. Make sure we plan everything. Maybe our plan would not be according to what we planned but at least make some plans to get along with the budget. It is better than nothing. 

Fresh ginger is good to clear up mucus that blocking our nose but it is a stimulant. We can see some strict Chinese Buddhist adhering to vegetarianism and some Orthodox Hindus avoid ginger too.

Perhaps I need to consider getting some powder milk too. Fresh milk is expensive. A small box of fresh milk might cost around RM1.70. Medium size fresh milk say of Dutch Lady brand would cost me around Rm3.30. How could we maintain our nutrients balanced in the same time with minimum budget yah?

Left to right: pickled cucumber, pickled mixed vegetables, honey, windmill gheeblend, and dutch lady fresh milk for both pre-dawn meal and breaking the fast.

 Roti Gardenia, wholemeal to counter the effect of ghee. Who knows we might be caught with heart disease because ghee has some cholesterol in a tablespoon, rich in vitamins like vitamin A and D, helps in vitamin and minerals absorption. Too much of vitamin A is not good for liver. Tu ada tanda halal Jakim, tak kuasa lah nak periksa tanda halal tu kat benda-benda remeh begini. Tiap-tiap tahun pun nak kena perbaharui licence or certification here. Cara yang baik nak mencekik duit dari orang perseorangan n organizations. 

So, this is how some of us 'local' Malaysian students spending in food and beverage especially when we have no support from loaning institution such as PTPTN or getting scholarship from MARA or JPA. If not all but at least some people could know what we're going through in the midst of chosen students studying abroad could get benefits like traveling allowances to release tense and others although their difficulties would be in another form. Nak makan pun kena berkira dengan diri sendiri. When I was a 9 years old little kid, I had almost died starving too when we moved back to Kedah. We had no food, no money, clumsy situation after suddenly moving in to new place and this country is not an under-developed country but the lack of nutrient problem is everywhere.

It's not easy to attain all of those fussy financial help, even zakat. I don't take zakat and would never take it. I am talking on the behalf of other students who really need them. I don't take food at the mosque too in order to give way for others who need them more than myself. I still can survive with minimum consumption of food. What pusat zakat could do is to come down and talking with students or individuals, checking on whether these people really need help or assistance, and not to comfortably rear their ass in their airconditioned office. It is the responsibility and trust from brothers and sisters when orang pusat zakat and religious departments take the job, bukan makan gaji buta and relying on the subsidy sahaja. If everyone could be considerate, compassionate, considering that every soul has their rights before Allah and helping each other, at least the issue such as riddah (apostacy) or feast at the Methodist church could be avoided. There is of no use to blame those Protestants nor commenting on how weak is some people's faith. It is very easy to judge people and living in denial, orang Kedah kata mulut ringan jah wok kluaq kata-kata macam taik lembu selepok. Non-Muslim NGOs are quite active in social work. I noticed that Tzu Chi Buddhist Association is also active.
 

As for expenditure, not all of local students are using money without checking on the capacity because most of us are poor. Some who take post-graduate have to leave their job because of full time classes not only by research and it is not easy to deal with the schedule wherever we are not certain with something. It creates unstable situation where most people could not understand and putting these people into the same situation like them. Not all people are fortunate. We could ask people to learn about happy life all we want to forget the problem or for them not to bother our comfortable life but we can't run from the fact that we are sharing the air and earth with everyone. What would we do if we are in other people's situation? That is the question that we need to ask to ourselves when we talk about others.

Undeniably there are many irresponsible students out there who spend money as it is easy for them to get. I always mumbling at my sisters especially those who love to waste their money for unnecessary things and buying expensive things while there are also cheaper alternatives for that. Allah forgive us our false speech, forgive us our sins in thought and acts. Scripture time, self reflection time...

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