One in Two New Graduates are Jobless or Underemployed

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

WASHINGTON (AP) — The college class of 2012 is in for a rude welcome to the world of work. A weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed in positions that don't fully use their skills and knowledge.

Young adults with bachelor's degrees are increasingly scraping by in lower-wage jobs — waiter or waitress, bartender, retail clerk or receptionist, for example — and that's confounding their hopes a degree would pay off despite higher tuition and mounting student loans.

An analysis of government data conducted for The Associated Press lays bare the highly uneven prospects for holders of bachelor's degrees.

Opportunities for college graduates vary widely. While there's strong demand in science, education and health fields, arts and humanities flounder. Median wages for those with bachelor's degrees are down from 2000, hit by technological changes that are eliminating midlevel jobs such as bank tellers. Most future job openings are projected to be in lower-skilled positions such as home health aides, who can provide personalized attention as the U.S. population ages.

Taking underemployment into consideration, the job prospects for bachelor's degree holders fell last year to the lowest level in more than a decade.

"I don't even know what I'm looking for," says Michael Bledsoe, who described months of fruitless job searches as he served customers at a Seattle coffeehouse. The 23-year-old graduated in 2010 with a creative writing degree.

Initially hopeful that his college education would create opportunities, Bledsoe languished for three months before finally taking a job as a barista, a position he has held for the last two years. In the beginning he sent three or four resumes day. But, Bledsoe said, employers questioned his lack of experience or the practical worth of his major. Now he sends a resume once every two weeks or so.

Bledsoe, currently making just above minimum wage, says he got financial help from his parents to help pay off student loans. He is now mulling whether to go to graduate school, seeing few other options to advance his career. "There is not much out there, it seems," he said.

His situation highlights a widening but little-discussed labor problem. Perhaps more than ever, the choices that young adults make earlier in life — level of schooling, academic field and training, where to attend college, how to pay for it — are having long-lasting financial impact.

"You can make more money on average if you go to college, but it's not true for everybody," says Harvard economist Richard Freeman, noting the growing risk of a debt bubble with total U.S. student loan debt surpassing $1 trillion. "If you're not sure what you're going to be doing, it probably bodes well to take some job, if you can get one, and get a sense first of what you want from college."

Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University who analyzed the numbers, said many people with a bachelor's degree face a double whammy of rising tuition and poor job outcomes. "Simply put, we're failing kids coming out of college," he said, emphasizing that when it comes to jobs, a college major can make all the difference. "We're going to need a lot better job growth and connections to the labor market, otherwise college debt will grow."

By region, the Mountain West was most likely to have young college graduates jobless or underemployed — roughly 3 in 5. It was followed by the more rural southeastern U.S., including Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. The Pacific region, including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, also was high on the list.

On the other end of the scale, the southern U.S., anchored by Texas, was most likely to have young college graduates in higher-skill jobs.

The figures are based on an analysis of 2011 Current Population Survey data by Northeastern University researchers and supplemented with material from Paul Harrington, an economist at Drexel University, and the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington think tank. They rely on Labor Department assessments of the level of education required to do the job in 900-plus U.S. occupations, which were used to calculate the shares of young adults with bachelor's degrees who were "underemployed."

About 1.5 million, or 53.6 percent, of bachelor's degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years. In 2000, the share was at a low of 41 percent, before the dot-com bust erased job gains for college graduates in the telecommunications and IT fields.

Out of the 1.5 million who languished in the job market, about half were underemployed, an increase from the previous year.

Broken down by occupation, young college graduates were heavily represented in jobs that require a high school diploma or less.

In the last year, they were more likely to be employed as waiters, waitresses, bartenders and food-service helpers than as engineers, physicists, chemists and mathematicians combined (100,000 versus 90,000). There were more working in office-related jobs such as receptionist or payroll clerk than in all computer professional jobs (163,000 versus 100,000). More also were employed as cashiers, retail clerks and customer representatives than engineers (125,000 versus 80,000).

According to government projections released last month, only three of the 30 occupations with the largest projected number of job openings by 2020 will require a bachelor's degree or higher to fill the position — teachers, college professors and accountants. Most job openings are in professions such as retail sales, fast food and truck driving,  jobs which aren't easily replaced by computers.

College graduates who majored in zoology, anthropology, philosophy, art history and humanities were among the least likely to find jobs appropriate to their education level; those with nursing, teaching, accounting or computer science degrees were among the most likely.

In Nevada, where unemployment is the highest in the nation, Class of 2012 college seniors recently expressed feelings ranging from anxiety and fear to cautious optimism about what lies ahead.

With the state's economy languishing in an extended housing bust, a lot of young graduates have shown up at job placement centers in tears. Many have been squeezed out of jobs by more experienced workers, job counselors said, and are now having to explain to prospective employers the time gaps in their resumes.

"It's kind of scary," said Cameron Bawden, 22, who is graduating from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in December with a business degree. His family has warned him for years about the job market, so he has been building his resume by working part time on the Las Vegas Strip as a food runner and doing a marketing internship with a local airline.

Bawden said his friends who have graduated are either unemployed or working along the Vegas Strip in service jobs that don't require degrees. "There are so few jobs and it's a small city," he said. "It's all about who you know."

Any job gains are going mostly to workers at the top and bottom of the wage scale, at the expense of middle-income jobs commonly held by bachelor's degree holders. By some studies, up to 95 percent of positions lost during the economic recovery occurred in middle-income occupations such as bank tellers, the type of job not expected to return in a more high-tech age.

David Neumark, an economist at the University of California-Irvine, said a bachelor's degree can have benefits that aren't fully reflected in the government's labor data. He said even for lower-skilled jobs such as waitress or cashier, employers tend to value bachelor's degree-holders more highly than high-school graduates, paying them more for the same work and offering promotions.

In addition, U.S. workers increasingly may need to consider their position in a global economy, where they must compete with educated foreign-born residents for jobs. Longer-term government projections also may fail to consider "degree inflation," a growing ubiquity of bachelor's degrees that could make them more commonplace in lower-wage jobs but inadequate for higher-wage ones.

That future may be now for Kelman Edwards Jr., 24, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., who is waiting to see the returns on his college education.

After earning a biology degree last May, the only job he could find was as a construction worker for five months before he quit to focus on finding a job in his academic field. He applied for positions in laboratories but was told they were looking for people with specialized certifications.

"I thought that me having a biology degree was a gold ticket for me getting into places, but every other job wants you to have previous history in the field," he said. Edwards, who has about $5,500 in student debt, recently met with a career counselor at Middle Tennessee State University. The counselor's main advice: Pursue further education.

"Everyone is always telling you, 'Go to college,'" Edwards said. "But when you graduate, it's kind of an empty cliff."

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Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Seattle; Travis Loller in Nashville, Tenn.; Cristina Silva in Las Vegas; and Sandra Chereb in Carson City, Nev., contributed to this report (Yahoo News).

P.S: This is what teachers in schools should talk about when talking to pupils and students. Don't just telling about going to university and people could get away with it. Man, this is just the same situation most of us here facing too. It's just a waste for me taking national study loan and now stuck in postgraduate, leaving behind my Lord. I should just continue working or applying to be absorbed into government service or simply working in factories as operator just after I finished my O-Level or A-Level around 2003-2005. I guess it's a global phenomenon and s.t.f up those who simply get good jobs or position out there after they graduated. They are just fortunate because the "time" and etc was just siding with them and now telling people to do this and that!!!! Dear young graduating brothers and sisters out there, I am just reminding you people to be prepared. I'm not trying to put you people down, but trying to be a good brother to all of you. If I am trying to put people down I would simply laugh at people who are unfortunate but I can't since I am also among those who are unfortunate, lol. This is the fact of the world. May the justice rise up, may the Truth rise up, amin! 

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

Three Die due to Starvation

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I can't help but to feel sad when reading this news published in the Guardian. Click on the title to access the news Family of Three Die from Apparent Starvation. It happens in Japan which is a highly developed nation. I went to Japan for a ziyarah before I studied as an undergraduate student in Penang and before I was registered as a pilgrim to holy Mecca. I also went to few Buddhist temples there because I respect those few gurus from Japan, hehe. I indeed found many people living in the boxes in Amanuma park near Tokyo. 

We found that we have similarities in term of culture and customs with the Japanese though I don't like what imperial Japanese army did to our brothers in Islam in Nanjing during the world war. That's not the fault of all Japanese brothers and sisters but it happened during the war. I love brothers and sisters in faith in China, I mean our Hui brothers. They are also our mirror because I consider some of them as hybrid Arabs or hybrid Hebrews of China, counterparts to us of Indian and Persian descents. I also love Japanese brothers and sisters.   

I Personally Think

I think that perhaps the Japanese family think it is not a good attitude to burden others so they would rather die in starvation. I watched few Japanese animations and they also portray the same thing as the real life that we read in the current news.

Childhood Starving Experience

I have the same experience with malnutrition too when I was a young little child. I understood how it feel. We had to move here and there like nomads since dad had to shift work place as he was a reporter.

When there was a need for him to shift and being sent by editorial, he had to shift. When I first arrived in Kedah state around 90's, we can't find suitable place to live. I was with second and little sisters. We arrived earlier than parents and we were starving. I think I could compare how I looked like, just like those bony Somalian kids lying on the earth due to starvation. We just temporarily stayed in an old house in Taman Hijrah near the Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin primary school in Jitra before parents arrived in the next days. We know nobody while parents were still in Kuala Lumpur dealing with some unsettled matters in the city. Not even one of our Muslim Malay relatives in Kedah came and helped us because they never care about us. My second sister cooked something as she found a stove and some gas in the old house.

When I tried to return to our paternal heritage, I wish that no relatives of mine feel offended because we are already foreigners for them. I try to make myself fluent in Arabic dialect and Urdu again since I returned from Holy Mecca. Siap pinjam books from library lagi to learn how to read and write in Perso-Arabic Urdu script, hehehe. so next time my beloved Tablighi brothers may come and perform their da'awat to me in Urdu. Just kidding lar, people can speak in any language to me as long as I can understand them but I can't guarantee I will reply in the same language, hehe. I will spare some special foods and drinks for brothers or sisters and honoring them with carpet as it is our custom to respect our athithi (guest) like angels : )  

Some Japanese Culture

I found that Japanese brothers and sisters also have the same attitude of respecting gifts or help from people around them although they have quite high dignity. As for me, I feel shy to ask help or assistance and I feel I will burden people. So, when people come and offering help to me without I ask them, I feel so grateful. Perhaps I would also put their shoes on my head due to my gratitude to their assistance. When I was a Buddhist, I also did the same and even until now I put heavy emphasize on dignity. I recited kathas whether in my mental or with my lips to respect and blessing the soul of those who helped me according to my previous belief. If I am still a Buddhist right now perhaps I would make altar for gifts from brothers and sisters and worship them together with Buddha images because brothers and sisters had already burdened themselves for me, lol. But now I am not doing so because it is not according to the Creed of the Quran and Sunnah teachings. I just put gifts from friends or brothers and sisters with my prayer books and Quran. Then I will only recite the Quranic verse and salawat to bless brothers and sisters as a sign that I respect their gifts.

Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

In Malaysia we also have the same departments which deals with unfortunate people just like in Japan or anywhere around the world. But sometimes they could not properly function because the social workers could not reach them or perhaps because of bureaucracy in getting the assistance for the unfortunate. So, first of all nobody is to be blamed. Non-governmental organizations could be more active perhaps as they are the non-state actors which could transcend boundaries. We should make social visit as apart of our habit and if Muslim brothers wanted to perform da'awa, this is also one of your opportunity to spread His mercy to the world regardless to Muslim or non-Muslim. It is not like we intrude people's privacy when we visit people's house or trying to burden people. I also think like that but somehow I believe that we need to slightly change our perception in the mind. We visit people because we care and we must learn the manner of dealing with our hosts as to make our interaction more pleasant especially to the hosts. 

A Visit by Buddhist Association

Yesterday, I was visited by two Malaysian Chinese kids. I believe they are from Buddhist association. I asked them whether they are the student from this university? They said... They are not from this university but they visited me and greeted me while I was on my way to the toilet to clean my teeth because they are also searching for people. We had few chat in front of my door. They asked me whether I am a Buddhist by faith and they wanted to find Buddhist students to invite them for their activities.

So I know that they are from Chinese Buddhist association. Then I answered that I am a Muslim but if they wanted to find their brothers perhaps those in the room at the front wing are Buddhists (not all Chinese are Buddhist. Please don't generalize Chinese with a single religion. Buddhism is a foreign religion for them. Their folk religion is Taoism and ancestral worship according to Chinese rites. They might also worship a 'Malay' guardian spirit according to the land where they live or they could be people without religion). One room which was my previous room is inhabited by two Malaysian Chinese postgraduate juniors. I never talk with those who stay in my previous room because I have no reason to talk with them but we use to nod our heads when seeing each other. 

I feel bad because I didn't expect that they would come and visit me and I didn't invite them in. They just thought that I am a Chinese national though I don't know celah mana that I look like a Chinese national. I just told them I am a Thai national though I could just admit that I am a Malaysian because I don't want to further talk about the difference in our slang or raising curiosity to people. I don't know how northern is my Chinese sounds but I think it is a standard Chinese and I use many terms which are the same like our Chinese compatriots while talking.

At least if I said that I am a Thai, they would think that I am a Northern Thai because many Thais from Northern and Central part of Thailand could also converse in Chinese whether in Mandarin, Teochew, or Cantonese. I am also waiting for Tabligh Jama'at brothers here to visit me since I noticed their presence in the musalla of our hostel, but they never visit me except before I feel so sad after I knew that few Tabligh students didn't inform me about their problems that made them disappear when others jotting me down for three days outing in their center. I had also invited few of them to come to my room to listen to them because I don't sit in the crowd or mingle with many people. I don't talk when there are so many people around because I am a loyal friend. I only interact with only one person and not with many people at one time. I prefer to do everything in a low-profile including when I listen to teachings, I love to listen it without being acknowledged by many people. Our method of da'awat usually involves hikmah (wisdom) and prayers which are also practiced by some of our Shi'a Muslim brothers. We try to pray a lot to the Lord and we also encourage people around us to also pray for each other by providing them with prayer books or just showing them the way to pray to the Lord. We don't talk much but we try to walk the Lord's command and in the same time we hope that the Lord would protect everyone from evil traits and characteristics.

Urm, I think bygones should be bygones. I don't feel anything except sad and just thinking perhaps I am not worth to be their brother in faith :'( I realize that I am filthy, sinful for being a kafir (infidel) unlike those who are confident with their religion, I am not a pure Malay, irreligious in my appearance, still in the process of learning about the Lord, and I am not a good student since I was a little child until now. So, siapa lah saya ini. Saya sedari akan kekhilafan diri ini, fakir harta tiada, rupa tiada, tiada berguna, apa pun tiada. Saya hanya ada saya punya Allah dan saya punya hati sahaja. 

Condolence

I feel very sad for this family and I believe many cases like this happens everywhere around the world not only in Japan or in Malaysia. I had a very nice experience in Japan and they treated me nicely though sometimes we had to communicate only with writing. That is the benefit of traditional Chinese characters where everybody within the cultural sphere could understand them though we pronounce things differently as the ideograms are the same, hahaha.

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

Feeling Bad

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I read the news since yesterday and I noticed this news about this young man who tried to fled his country after his statements posted in Twitter. This is why I hate to post anything in social network site and internet. It could be manipulated by politicians and monarchs. He actually reminds me to my self before I repent. I learned that he was not a secular person but graduated from Islamic studies school of King Abdul Aziz University. And he is always alone or a loner without any friend. It is very challenging to be a loner. We have to face three general enemies. Our own evil self, satan, and people around who do not understand us.

First of all, I do not support his statement about noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w. But we should also never portray fake "love" to prophet Muhammad s.a.w while our akhlak (morality) is not as noble as him. Perhaps the young man was so depressed until he posted something like that. We do not know what is his problem so we should hold for a moment any perception or judgement in view to him. In this matter, as for me, rather than punishing him. He should first being investigated in accompaniment with psychologist and brought to see religious teachers to talk. Surely, religious teacher must have mercy and compassionate toward people. Treating people with love and never insult people though people insulted them. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w had also faced persecutions when he ''insulted' idolatry in his society before he gained support through Allah's Mercy. He was also insulted and injured because he was stoned in Tayf while calling people to worship Allah alone. What he did to those who stoned him?

I read about many people who are "religious" but deflected from the Path instead of reading news about reverts to Islam. For example a Tabligh Jama'at member in Egypt for 20 years, Eng. Bahaa el-Din Hussein al-Akkad, who converted to Coptic Orthodox Church. It happened in 2005 when he was arrested by secret agents of his country and I do not know what happened to him now (Compass Directnews). In 18th C, a member of Naqshabandi Tariqa known as Sheikh Ahmed Barzany from Iraq-Kurdestan had also converted to Oriental Orthodox Christianity during the Revolution. I checked in the wiki to make sure those are the names and they are the same names. I also found about other "apostates" such as the person who shot Pope John Paul II and he also converted to RC when he was arrested. Ironically, you hate a person so much, but later you love him including his religion. That's why elderly always say: "Don't love a person (human and creature) so much because who knows that he would be your enemy in the future. Don't hate people so much, perhaps he would be the one you would love so much in the future."

What I would like to emphasize here is that, we should never be proud with the Mercy of Allah but always pray may He retain our soul and spirit in His Path, the Path of our father, Abraham a.s. Instead of checking of revert news to Islam, why not also check what happened to those in Islam reverted to other faiths or simply becoming agnostic? Later, syok sendiri and staying in comfort zone while others reverting. This is not about others but about our selves. Try check what are these people who go to other faiths problems and issues? Ask them, personally talk with them. I had also experienced this and I don't know what will happen in the future because the ultimate test in the living world is at the deathbed. Certainly people have problem, do people care to know about their problem but only to punish others? 

As for me, I just pray for the young man to be forgiven and blessed with His Compassionate Mercy of Guidance. I pray that the young man would be forgiven by the Saudi court. Islam is the religion of the poor. Many of the early revert to Islam during the period of Muhammad s.a.w early prophethood in holy Mecca were slaves and servants, those who were oppressed. We are those who were oppressed by idolater leaders, governments, environment around and we must be patient with His tests. This world is the test for us.

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

Misconception About Islam

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

FoxPorn News from Thrash Can Mind of Porn Crazed Media Developer. Hot babe anyone? LOL

I just came back from a talk held at USM Dewan Kuliah A which began at 21:00 pm. I did noticed the fliers and posters of the talk but I had forgotten it. I am actually trying to observe Saturday holy day which is an individual custom but it is not as strict as our Israelite brethren (the Ahli Kitab) where they are attached to Rabbinical Halachic Law. I just follow the basic ones to respect the God and prophets of the God in which we remember the God, learn about scriptures, Quran and other religious texts more excessively today and it begins since after I return from Friday Assembly prayers every week. We are not being 'the slave of the day,' but servants and slaves of the True God. We love and must only devote ourselves to Him with all of our heart : ) 

There were three brothers whom are from Indonesia and from China invited me to join them when I had some drink at the canteen but I had to help Azren with his trust to return his friends' steamboat pan. As he had already asked me for a favor and I agree since he is my brother and friend, so I just help him. Further the girl is also a nice and polite girl so I don't mind to help. The title of the talk was on 'Misconception about Islam by non-Muslim' audience delivered by brother Lim Jooi Soon and the talk was organized by Hidayah Center, Pulau Pinang.

Urmm, not much being discussed in the talk. I don't think that those issues are new issues because we only hear the same lame-ass things in this world since whoever knows. I'm sorry with my rude English, I'm not really a polite person in term of speech but this is how I write or think, haha. That's why some naughty kids actually could mingle around with me, we have some similarities in this term of hostility in speech which is inherited from our great teachers of Hollywood.

The talk basically talks about the misconception among non-Muslims on Islam but the audiences there were mostly Muslims including minority of foreign students. So, questions asked by them only related to Islamic or Arabic names, polygamy, women issues, the concept of divinity, about the image of Islam and others. 

What concern me more actually is about medias, as medias today are not doing anything because of community work or society but only for their own capitalist pockets. So, anything that they think would stir controversy for more rating such as the late al-Awlaki issue banging prostitutes before returning to Islam becomes their head news and without feeling exhausted trying to relate it to the hadith of 72 naked girls at the river in paradise for terrorists (they brand Muslims as terrorists). I don't really believe the news, I'm sorry for being a racist for a moment only to racist bigots, you Caucasians are liars, snakes, and manipulators since antiquities. Suka hati mak bapak lu saja la weii...! 

I don't really believe medias, rumors, or hear says especially bullshits from the US medias such as CNN or FoxPorn News. Even medias in our country or other countries in South East Asia never succeed making me as an individual to right away believe them just after I experienced few things in this life. I believe British news are more transparent though they have both left and right wings medias but as always, people involved with 'academic' field do not always rely on medias but also in individual researches, experiencing around, comparative studies, individual interviews, and others and yet it still could not cover all of things and could be bias. We realize this fact and people who believe in medias are just churning whatever given to them since they could only think with the brain in their big fat ass.

Usually people who totally believe and take everything shown in medias are people who are lazy to analyze matters. They just read anything at the surface and listen to hearsay in which it could be modified, adapted, added, and others since they are the most laziest creatures in the earth. They don't finish their education and never been educated well by their parents. I do not know whether family values is highly appreciated in the US or Western World but what I can see from hundreds of movies made by Americans regardless whether they are Christian bigots who hates everything in this world except for themselves, Secular Jews who don't follow Rabbinical Halachic law, I could see American values.        

The equalization of Islam to Terrorism is a huge ignorance and those who keep telling everyone about that lies are bunch of liars who need attention since they are trying to get people away from the True God who teaches people to esteem high morality, divine civilization and misleading people with the notion and "proves" that they had manipulated with their slanders. When they are doing these, people especially in Asia could only think of that they are rednecks who had no jobs to do other than to hate others and always paranoid that everyone is trying to oppose them since they are the ones who bang chicks and asses. Who ever would first think about that are the ones who do that kind of attitude. They are afraid of that they could not randomly sleep with girls, guys, tasting girls' virgin because that is their popular culture which could also spread diseases to others if not being handled well with proper contraceptives. In the simplest word, stop thinking that people in the other side of the world are the same with you people either in the manner of thoughts or lifestyle! Stop analyzing people according to your low mentality level. Those lesbo or gay connotations, or sexual attribution cultures as expression of dirty minds all came from you people in the West. You are those who only think about dirty things when people come into contact with you. You people introduced World War I and yet trying to divert it to others as those who commit aggression. Don't you people feel any shame?? People who have no shame are people who have no faith. Why should America put the notion of "God bless America" if you behave like people who have no one to depend to? In this case God? Bless it with yourselves. Sure everyone must love their country, it is their home but when we are only full of ourselves, it sure make people around feel nauseated.

In the East, people do not think about genitals each and every hour. That is why we have philosophers like Buddha Gautama, Mahavira, Confucius, Lao Tze, and others who also influenced the world and Western Civilization was only based from Greek and Roman civilizations. Greeks had also been influenced by Buddhism during Hellenistic period and it is an Eastern philosophy. Greeks were also great in manipulating people mind with their speeches.  

What I feel the most annoying is that some Protestant Christian proselytizers never help to curb this kind of ignorance but they burn it more. Is this what Jesus Christ had taught? I hate to talk evil things when it is related to Jesus Christ as I esteem he highly just like other teachers. Is Jesus Christ taught us to slander others though we do not agree with them? I have mingled more with non-Muslim friends compared to people of my own religion, for example brother Martin who was my colleague during working in the airport. He is a Catholic Christian and I never influence him to be a Muslim at all! I could also talk with him without slandering Jesus Christ or teachings he is following with evil thoughts. Before we had meals together, I myself reminded him to recite prayers according to his religious way. I had nice experience with brother Martin and we rest together in musalla discussing many interesting things including about his concern that he was not yet married while he was already 32 at that time. He was also afraid that he would pollute the musalla but I assure him to come in and joining me. I will answer those who ask him if they question him. But so far nobody talk badly to him instead treated him nicely.

I had asked our brother from China and he is amazed with Ahmad Deedat. I didn't want to offend him with my opinion so I just keep my mouth shut. I actually know about Ahmad Deedat, Zakir Naik, and others. The brother is still a young kid though he is taller and bigger than me. I just consider him as my xiao didi (little brother). I also have little sisters and most of time I also talk in normal tone with them with the omission of philosophies, hahaha.

It is not wrong to admire Ahmad Deedat. He is actually a good orator and he deserves recognition though he never ask for that. I believe he is very sincere in his devotion to the God and our faith : ) I prefer not to use the way where the late Ahmad Deedat, may Allah be merciful to him, had used in encountering these kind of people. We need to observe environment and what kind of people we are talking with first then only we could figure out what method or approach is suitable to be used. We do not have to be hostile if the environment and people around are not hostile to us. I am also keeping a King James Bible and Apocryphal texts in my room. I memorized few Psalmers (Zabur) of David in Arabic such as those of repentance to the God. In fact, I can recite it again to proselytizers and translating them to English or Malay and praying for them to be forgiven by the God for being offensive to others : )

However, after I watched FoxPorn News, I could only think that those who were blasted by Ahmad Deedat deserved that. Why he became like that and began to question Bible? In Islam we were actually forbidden to debate or point out about others' doctrine except that in the glorious Quran talking in such manner since it is a Revelation which means it is the Word of the God which flows through Muhammad s.a.w tongue. We only talk whatever is revealed to us and not going beyond the revelation. Ahmad Deedat became so fierce because those arrogant Catholic students in South Africa had ridiculed his teacher which is Muhammad s.a.w. Surprisingly, those evangelists were trained and taught to do so.

Now, we come back to Jesus Christ as a noble figure... How does he taught regarding the manner to deal with others? Leave out the divinity of Jesus Christ arguments because this matter is not lay persons job to think of but take his moral teachings to our consideration... Is there any evidence in New Testament about morality which could enlighten us 'infidels' who will be condemned for not being baptized in certain church or we simply want others to be a non-Muslim by leaving their religion to satisfy ourselves. It shows that we are successful in converting others to our religion? Is it a pride when we can convert someone into our ideology? So that we can boast around in Youtube this person that person had leave Islam or Christianity had founded truth... Others will be doomed... I seriously recommend them to read only some excerpts of honorable Imam al-Ghazali books about diseases of heart. Or if those Christians feel that it would threaten their faith and dogmatic believe, then read epistles in New Testaments. I am sure many things that we can learn in those epistles regarding moralities. I had also listened about Buddha Sakyamuni intercourse and his disciples. How it talks that converting someone into our way is nothing to be proud or to tell to the world : )

I had asked those Muslim students from Indonesia and China whether they had been to churches? Maybe they wanted to see anything inside. They just keep their silence, and response quite coldly, hehehe. I don't believe that those from Indonesia or China could be closed since they might be more open than us. Our country is more conservative than their countries especially those in Malaysian Peninsula. Perhaps they have to be stricter because of their environment surrounded by many influences. I actually could be their guide or helping them to show which place if they wanted to visit. I had been to churches and temples. I don't have to be a Christian to know what Christianity talks about. Christianity never attract me at all, hahahahaha. Proselytizer could walk off from me. No matter how you talk, I do not feel attracted to your religion or faith when you only know how to offend others. 

When I was a young kid, I didn't really follow anyone or anything based from mainstream or popularity. I was a kid who was always curious and I never care about what people wanted to think about me. Sometimes it creates problem to me within a traditional and conservative society. I always question myself at certain time. I was also rebellious where I refused to be a Muslim due to misconception while my family is traditionally Muslim by origin. Only after I analyze Islam, that I know what it is... I don't have to wait for missionaries or teachers to come close to me because I was also educated in Islamic religious schools. Further, if the God wants to Guide us, He will Guide us with His Mercy. Those who are not Guided are actually distressed people. They are out of His Mercy. Poor and sad though they think their life is so popular, mainstream, and lively. 

In the end, witnessing and observing something in a closer proximity is better than just listening to something or watching it from afar. If we watch snow in the TV, we know that it is cold but we do not know how does the snowy environment makes us feel like being in the original place with snow : )

P.S: I don't know whether the late Anwar al-Awalki had banged prostitute or not. And he had done nothing wrong to me, my beloved state nor my country. I just pray for the God to forgive his soul and place his soul with the righteous if he really is a righteous person. Shameless FoxPorn News does not have to defame a dead person with sexual charges. He will be exposed to everyone if he did something wrong during the Resurrection. Only if the hereafter and the God exist (for them). We despise violence in either way whether by the aggressive West or by Muslims who misunderstood the God teachings of Mercy and Love to the universe : )         

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

Recap: In the Way to Hualampong Station

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

continue...

I personally think that it is always good to follow sunnah (but betel leaves is not mentioned anywhere in hadiths nor Quran at least till what I am reading right now). However we must also trying to adapt with the situation. We are out of our boundary so it is better to be careful in our attitude and it's worth to comply within local customs or being polite. The samseng Thai attendant (not uncle Sumant) had asked the ticket again from the Tabligh guy and the Tabligh showing it with sign language that his ticket had already been checked. 

Then the attendant asked me what was that guy saying. I just said, I don't know him and I don't understand what he is saying. He's not my country man. That guy then asked the Tabligh guy to give 100 bhat (RM10) to him or he would report him to the police. Then the guy refused and showed him the ticket. The samseng attendant showed his wai (sembah) and left to another coach. I guess, he might be teasing the Tabligh guy. Maybe dia menyampah ke tengok orang tu macam berlagak, jeling-jeling orang. I felt annoyed too with that Bangladeshi guy's sharp glance.

Around 20:15 Thai time, we arrived at Hadyaai Junction and the Tabligh guy went down at this point. At 20:27, uncle Sumant wearing his white uniform began to help passengers opening up the bed. My bed was the lower bed beside Thai old lady.

I decided to sleep earlier because nothing to see in the dark. I had informed mum about the trip when we stopped at Perlis but she didn't believe me, hehehee. However, when she heard that I am telling her in serious tone only she believes me. Just want to get her blessing and want her to know where I am so it would be easy for them to track me if I have problem in Thailand. 

I just heard a news about a guy who was a Malaysian student in Japan found dead in Pattaya after stopping for a while in Bangkok. I checked the news at Suvarnabhumi airport free internet facility and suddenly I felt creepy because that guy was found dead a week before I went up to Bangkok. Pattaya is not a good place, avoid the area if possible and don't show that we are not local when we are in Thailand. 

Spaniard girl, Celia who was my classmate went there for Pattaya to see pingpong played by ladies' private part. Malu nak sebut benda ni lah but that is among the ways on how they attract tourists to the area. We would spontaneously call it as lo'laq (indecent) if we hear this. Many foreigners were found dead there too before our compatriot who was the student in a Japan university was found dead there.

Thailand have many other decent places to visit so just visit good areas there. Always establish good relation with people around and don't take taxis or bus when you are alone. I prefer to walk in a crowded area when I am alone. I would like to express my condolence to his family and friends, and prayer for the soul of the victim, Mr. Muhammad Syafiq Abu Rani who was found dead in Pattaya. He is just the same age like me. May Allah bless his soul, and clears his matter in the world and hereafter.

Back to the train, around 4:00 in the morning of 26th, I woke up and performed Fajr prayer on my bed. Just performing in seating posture and they have curtain so nobody can see my ritual, quite a relieve. Then I saw sun rises from the window, and we another few hours to reach Bangkok. 

It would be so boring if we don't talk with anyone so I decided to walk around the coach with other passengers. I talked with a couple from Mauritius but the husband is a French. They also thought that I am a Thai and asking me to translate something to a lady selling the food in the train because they had some misunderstanding regarding food ordering. Then, they gave me some tips to access Laos, but I am not intending to go further North East yet. Maybe after I visit Bangkok and Southern Thai provinces several times that I would try to visit other neighboring Indo-Chinese countries. 

I carefully ate some breads and canned drink which cost me RM5!!! Bought them at Padang Besar passport control center. The guy who sold the stuffs is a local Perlisian. Very 'expensive' for breads that we always buy in groceries. I guess that, it is not even an airport! Sampai hati noh angpa kapak orang sniri!!! Roti nam kupang ja jadi seringgit, apa punya meniaga la nih dok kapak pala orang??????!!!!  

to be continued...

Pray for brethren in Somalia....

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!!!

Here is a site about the news there. I don't know what else to say when I see all of these.... We don't know how to help them or have no capability to meddle in helping them as brothers in soul, but at least please help these brethren with prayers for faith, success, and peace in their way to see Him.

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

News about Death

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Just received a sad news our grand-aunt had passed away today. I had also declined the internship after revising my schedule regarding my thesis because I afraid that I would have to see my supervisor every week. I would find a part-time job near my hostel so that I could survive. Why not being confident to Allah????! 

And I should also stop comparing myself to others! I am different and others are different. I should only humble my knees down to Allah and not to fellow creatures. Sometimes I could sense that I behave like infidels again but just could not help it because Buddhism influence was so great in myself. Really have to be careful with my evil side. That is why we are always in sin but we are not away from His glorious mercy. He is Merciful!

This evening to I had heard another news about death from Amir, my ex-colleague. His maternal grandfather passed away. As a fellow muslim I would just send my condolence to his mum. Never have the chance to see his mum but from his stories about his family, I can get to know his mum. His mum must be a nice person. He felt stuffed in his chest because death is not always easy thing especially when we have to attend the funeral and we are alone since we might also seeing long-distance relatives who we aren't really familiar and that makes us uncomfortable while feeling down with ourselves. I can't talk detail about this because we have guests here so I need to respect other guests. But as to say, I only have Amir as a friend. He is the only surviving friend that I have and I feel sorry for him because he is also a reflect of myself. A reflect of myself who feels down. For me each time I feel disgusted with environment around, I would pray that the judge (Isa al-Masih) would return and bringing peace for sometimes before the destruction : (

Got to travel north again becos I have to see my supervisor this Wednesday and on this way we would also stop by at Bandar Baru near Parit Buntar to witness the funeral. It is to remind ourselves that we would leave this deceiving "pretty" world. I'm actually listening to poems about death in arabic while jotting this down. Tried to download Quran recitation from few important suras that I wanted to memorize badly. I must have this determination to memorize Quran. 

I would punish and never forgive myself if I don't get to follow the guidelines set!!!!!! Now, He is giving me the time to repent and seeking knowledge. I am glad no Tabligh kids around in the hostel so I could freely roam without being seen to mosque and meeting syeikhs in the USM mosque. I wanted to memorize Hanbali fiqh kitaabs badly but I need living teachers to help me here. It is not Mecca and I regret that, maybe I should cry my pathetic self to the syeikhs too. 

We can't avoid death. It is a must for everyone who breath and alive. It is the sunnah of the life. Thus I pray may all the souls of the faithfuls being forgiven by Allah. Please have mercy to our souls o Allah! You are the most Merciful and the Forgiver to everyone. We could only seek Your Mercy as we have no one except You. Indeed we are for Allah and indeed to Him we would return. Sealed with prayers for peace and love.

Apostacy News

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Throughout current issues that we had followed these few years, we could see many riddah (apostacy) cases happened in Malaysia. Last few years, we heard about an old folk Malay lady from Perlis died as a Buddhist. She had been a Buddhist since she was kidnapped to Thailand by a Thai man.

When she returned home, she was already married to a Buddhist man. Her children were initiated as Buddhists in Thai Buddhist Monastery and she remains non-committal to Islamic faith although being urged to return by her family member. Ironically the lady was a native from the village of my brother in law in Panggas Village but buried in Kok Khlang. These villages are the village with Thai speaking people. They can speak in both Malay and Thai because of the bordering situation with Southern Thailand province of Satun and Songkhla.

Other previous news was about a Malay lady converted to Christianity called Lina Joy and she is now living in unknown place in Sabah. I am not really sure if she won the case to retain her status as Malay but being a Christian because in Malaysia, Malay and Islam is incorporated as an inseparable identity by the Constitution. Sometimes I feel like Malay is a religion rather than a national identity inspired by the identification of nation-state of European countries concept.

As for me, I am comfortable with myself as a Muslim and a Bumiputera of Kedah state in Malaysia without having to steal others' ethnicity identity to be a life member of a political party. I did not get any scholarship or aid from the stolen identity. Instead it had made me astray from the path of Allah when I thought that my ancestors were native Buddhist and Hindus when I have problem to befit into the society during my childhood time. People do not accept me because I do not really look like a Malay and did not behave like one. The matter of racial identity is not a big deal, Allah is more important for now and for ever. 

The recent one that I heard is yesterday in Malaysian National News (BERNAMA) where a 19 years old Malay boy admitted that he had changed his faith to Christianity. He had already attended Christian mass in the church and rituals since early December 2010.

The boy was detained and ordered by the judge of Syari’ah Court to be referred to the mosque in his learning institution for 6 months. He must report his attendance to the mosque every week to the religious office and supervised by the Imaam of the mosque at his Learning Institution in Terengganu. The proceeding for the boy case is done by the Deputy Syari’ie Prosecutor, Mr. Mohd Zaini Sulaiman according to Section 102(3) Islamic Religious Council Enactment and Kelantanese Malay Customs 1994 after the boy was detained in remand in Pangkalan Chepa once being refered by his family to the state religious office. The boy had appealed to the Court not to place him in the ‘Aqidah Rehabilitation Center in Kuala Kubu Baru because he is still a student.   

I had been thinking alone in my room about ‘aqidah issue in the past few weeks and this news suddenly popped out like yesterday and discussing about it through my intercourse with those respective kids in the Jama’at-e-Tabligh.

I actually do not think that we should blame anyone whether the boy or the missionaries in this issue. I personally believe that parents should first know their responsibility to bring up their children together into remembering Allah and following the sunnah or the tradition of rasulullah (saw).

This is what happened when parents neglected their children. Even in a religious family, if the parents do not care about their children and just focusing on their own rituals and ‘ibadah, the same thing would also happen. This issue of ‘aqidah is actually more to the issue of identity. Through my personal experience observing, people who are known as Malays had been very stern in protecting their identity with Islam as the shield of the duniaa benefits. For me, when looking through this angle, it just reflects the surface and not from the inner that would beaming outward. It is not about the acceptance of Allah and His messenger as the source of guidance in their life. But the superficial protection of their worldly benefits which they believe could protect them. Now I am wondering, in this matter, where is our pure Tawheed (monotheism only to Allah)?  

It is undeniably important to have our identity or at least know about our background. I also feel comfortable after I know what I am now although with few hardships contacting people of the first villages and consulting elders in family assembly where they are so fond to be known as 'Malays.' Compared to before when I was a boy who has a crisis in his identity, I do not really care about political matters now. It is normal for kids because kids do not really understand what happens around them. Everything in our life is inter-connected to each other. We could not have anything in separate.

As for parental issue, Islam had taught us since the very beginning before a person should get married he or she must acquire themselves with parental knowledge and the responsibility that they have to bear when getting married. It is not only about channeling the lust and passion through a legal relationship between a man and a woman.

It is about responsibility to the soul that would be issued by a married couple. What would the future child (soul) be when they are born? Are they going to be a good sons or daughters? Obedient to the God and the teachings transmitted through Muhammad (s.a.w)? Are they going to be obedient toward their parents and respecting them? How would the parents or the married couple behave? I had seen many couples registering for the marriage seminar conducted at mosque and other licensed institutions but what do they cultivate from that few hours or perhaps few days seminars?

All of these came from the education that the child or soul received since their souls were to be sent by Allah to the womb of their mother to the age where they achieve their maturity. Of course guidance comes from Allah and it is Allah’s right to choose whom He wants to be guided and leaves behind who He does not want to be guided but imaan is also acquired through efforts as what had been decreed. Efforts to implant imaan in the heart of children are not a short term process but it takes such a long time and patience.

The issue of imaan and ihsaan do not only being the concern for the riddah (apostacy) case. But it is also being a concern when we see our youngsters behave in front of us. Last mid night I went to a mamak restaurant near my hostel to have my supper and dinner. I could see young kids, I suppose that they are Malays and Malays must be Muslim, they were kissing each other in front of people in the restaurant in front of others without any shame. I guess they are just around 15 years old or might be older from their feature and appearance. Also from the jargon and the way they talk to each other. When we see this, what is the implication of ihsaan in an individual and society? 

So, how do we measure our imaan (faith) my beloved brothers and sisters in faith? Is it from the identification of our race? Our ethnicity? Our identity card that stated our religious identity as Muslim and from our Islamic sound names? Or in side of our heart?

If the boy who admits himself as a Christian was detained and later being left behind after six months without any support and care from his parents, siblings, and friends, what will happen to him although he does not attend church meetings anymore? When we are going to die, will Allah look at our identity card, or look at whether we are Malays or not to determine what is our ‘real’ imaan? Will Allah check all of these in our documents? Or will Allah check it with our imaan and 'amaal? I began to understand this when I compare it with what I had heard from the Tabligh lectures and the tasawwuf kitaab. Also making cross check with basic faith. Before this I did not understand all of these although I learned about this in Islamic Education in schools be it primary education or secondary.

As what I had already analyzed and still going through it without feeling tired of it, the religion or deen is based from three basic things. Imaan, ‘Ibadah, and Ihsaan. Ihsaan is related to our behavior and attitude in front of God. These three basic things are inseparable elements of religion. From these three, the Syariah (Way) and the Ummah (Nation) are developed, my dear brothers and sisters.

I am not sure whether I put my points clear because I am not good in words but I am trying to brought this issue as an advice for every one of us who believes in Allah and His messenger (s.a.w). It includes myself without exception and may we be saved from His torments because we do not know how terrible His torments are when we lie to Him. When we try to cheat Him by saying that we have the faith to Him with our dirty lips while we behave a munafiq (hypocrite) and performing differently from what we had proclaimed, na’uzubillahu min dzaalik (may He prevents it)…

I am so afraid of myself ya Allah please save me, save my brothers and my sisters that I love so much. Brothers and sisters in faith are important than my own soul :’(

Brothers and sisters let us chant the kalimah syahadah everytime. It is not a sin to chant it everywhere in our heart. It is not only to be chanted once when a muallaf reverting to Islam and then being left behind. If it is not important after being known as a Muslim then, Allah would not prescribe us the five times obligatory daily prayers where the syahadah (faith proclamation) is included in two tasyahuds (proclamation) of each prayers except the Fajr prayer with only one tasyahud. We always take this matter easy.

Syahadah is very important and the first pillar in the five pillars of Islam. It is the key for syafa'at (salvation). It is related to the first and second pillars of the pillars of Imaan. When we leave obligatory salaat (prayers), then are we really a Muslim in that day? This is also a warning to myself. God would surely torment me with full torments in hell each time I miss my salaat :’((((((((((

Ya Allah my Lord, we seek Your protection from the torment of qubr (in grave), we seek your protection the jahannam (hell). Allah my Lord we seek protection from the slander of the life and death. Allah we seek protection from the slander of the al-Masih Dajjal. Allah my Lord we seek protection from the root of sins and the maghram (debt). O Allah please do not deflect our heart after You had guide us. Bless us with Your boundless Grace. Indeed You are the Greatest Grantor, aaminn!!!!        

Flood in Northern Malaysia, November 2010

Peace,

I had heard news about the flood that happened in Northern Malaysian states especially our Kedah state, Perlis, and also Southern Thailand. The victims of flood that died in Kedah till now is 4 persons while in Thailand I guess around 100 or maybe more.

Rain pours down for more than 3 days and I also think that Thailand has to open up the gate of their dam in South Thai to ease the consequence of flood in Thailand. It makes southern states, I mean northern Malaysian states being affected by the flood earlier because flood usually happens in December and not  in November.

I remember that the worst one happens around ten years ago, we have to celebrate Eid Mobarak in flood at my grandparents house with snakes swimming near our feet and faeces floating around. But this one is even worse.

I had talked with my friend and my ex-colleague during my bachelor degree who lives in Jitra of the Kubang Pasu district this evening. He told me that their food stocks are almost done and they can't buy anything from the shops since they are all closed. I am worried that they would get starved and disease would spread out due to the flood. Our beloved state's economy might facing downturn too.

In the Kedah Lanie blog, I had get some information that few Madrasas are sunken too. Poor religious studies students.  The worst one is in the Ma'ahad Tarbiyya Islamiah Derang in Pokok Sena, Alor Setar in our state's capital. For more information or to assist them, please contact Ustaz Abu Khair at 6-019-56228611 or Ustaz Qamaruddin Qassim at 6-019-5228455 or at 6-019-4782708. I am also worried about those religious studies students in Baling, Sik, and Kuala Nerang districts not to forget, those in South Thai.

 

I guess this is among the tests from Him on everyone in the states. Hope that He grants everyone with faithful strength, patience and taqwa to go through this test.