Strangers to Friends

"Why did you do all this for me?" he asked.

"I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you."

"You have been my friend," replied Charlotte.

"That in itself is a tremendous thing."

-E.B. White

Having friends is one of the important elements in life. Here are several ways, I believe, can turn strangers to friends for this life and the next.

1) Smile a sincere smile
It is that simple. A smile goes a long way. Ever heard of this phrase before, 'A smile can turn someone else's day a bit brighter', and it's true, it does. A smile is a message saying you are someone approachable, you are being friendly. To add an extra point to that, it is Rasullullah SAW sunnah. So smile a lot but not creepily.

2) Show you really care
In general, people like knowing that someone is caring for them. It makes them feel special and appreciated. So, show that you care and not just making friendly conversation. Listen to their words, which bring me to next point.

3) Be a good listener

Sometimes, people don't need comfort words. They just need to let out what is inside their hearts.

4) Know your audience
Find out their hobbies and interests, then talk about it with them. If you share the same hobbies that's a bonus point. If not, then show that you are open to new things. Ask them to explain, people shine brighter when they talk about something they love.

5) Have a good sense of humor
This doesn't mean you have to crack jokes all the time. Even laughing at someone else's jokes is considered to have a good sense of humor, but not too much and don't do it forcefully. That would just kill the whole thing.

6) Watch your words
The things we say to others, they stay. Though people forget after period of times, the feelings remain. Trust me! So, be extra careful.

7) Small gifts
It shows your appreciation toward others. Be it just a sentence of saying, 'I am glad I have you as my friend,' or cook something nice to share with them at lunch. It doesn't have to be something expensive.

8) Admit your mistakes
We are all human. We make mistakes at times, admit your mistakes if you know you are wrong. Saying sorry doesn't low your standards, in fact it shows how mature and intelligent you are. In addition to that, it even raises your status in the eyes of Allah.

9) Choose your close friends wisely
It has been proven that close friends have greater influence to ourselves. They are our own reflections. Be with those who bring out the best of you and stay with you when you are having your bad days. So, choose your close friends wisely BUT don't be picky.

10) Don't judge/ be open-minded
People can sense it if they are being judged. The so-called sixth sense, it does exist and EVERYONE has it, regardless of its strength. Not everyone has the same background as us. Some may have it rough and some may have it smooth. So, be open minded and don't judge too quickly. The fact that they are still breathing another day is a sign of ALLAH's love for them. So, one way to strengthen our love for ALLAH is show mercy to His creations. Remember, ALLAH won't have mercy to those who don't have mercy towards His creations.

11) Make du'a (pray)
Make du'a for your friends. People pray for themselves and for their beloved ones but often they forget about their friends. Make du'a, it does give a different impact. You will see that your friends will love you even more and care so much for you. Make du'a for them, because when it is your turn to return back to ALLAH, these friends of yours will be the Jema'ah for your Jenazah prayer.

'May ALLAH love and forgive my friends, show endless mercy to them and may all of us reunite back in the highest level of His Jannah.'

Allah-lah yang akan menjadi suara si hamba

Bertubi-tubi dugaan yang diberikan pada si hamba, menandakan betapa dalamnya cinta Yang Esa, agar hambaNya bersih dari segala dosa, menguatkan lagi imaan di dada.

Betapa luasnya hikmah yang terkandung pada setiap yang terjadi, mengajar erti sebenar kesabaran, juga memberi kesedaran bahawasanya kehidupan dunya ini hanyalah pinjaman.

Di saat rebah, akan terserlah juga siapa teman yang sebenar, setia menjadi sahabat di sisi, menemani saat-saat sukar yang diharungi.

Mungkin juga Allah ingin si hamba sedar, hanya pada si Pencipta selayaknya tempat bergantung harapan, kerana hubungan dengannya tidak akan pernah menyakiti apatah lagi melukakan, kerana kesempurnaan hanya milikNya, Tuhan sekalian alam.

Mungkin sebab itu juga, Rasulullah SAW berpesan, 'berkata baiklah kamu atau diam', kerana setiap jiwa mempunyai kisah tersendiri, jalan cerita kehidupan yang penuh cabaran. Perbezaannya sangat ketara, namun destinasi tetap sama, menuju keredhaanNya.

Maka, benda yang remeh di mata kita, mungkin tidak remeh pada jiwa yang merasa. Maka berkata baiklah ataupun diam, berlaku baiklah pada setiap insan, kerana senyuman dan kegembiraan yang terserlah pada wajah si teman, mentafsirkan jiwanya yang sedang berjuang dalam diam, cuba untuk meraih kembali kekuatan yang dirasakan hilang.

Ingatlah, wahai setiap jiwa yang mempunyai akal dan hati, janganlah pernah menyakiti dengan lidah yang penuh berduri. Diamnya jiwa yang merasa, jangan disalahertikan sebagai kekalahan atau kelemahan.

Kerana diamnya jiwa yang merasa, Allah-lah yang akan menjadi suara si hamba.

Allah, Tuhan yang menggenggam masa depan kita, di sini dan di akhirat sana.

Memories of you and me

All that is left are memories now. Memories of you and me. They are like broken tapes in my head, playing and rewinding over and over again.

Like the times when we balik kampong, and I was the only one sleeping at your room and you woke me up for Fajr by turning up the tv volume.

Or when we had our dates to pasar and gerai on my last summer break, you taught me how to negotiate for lower prices.

Or the times when I secretly watched you pray because I love doing so. You never missed your prayers. You would always be in your wudu’ even before the waqt and you would walk calmly to prayer room and waited for the Azaan.

Or the small little things like every time after meals, you would want cold water. A glass of cold water, not hot or warm (or you wouldn’t drink the whole of it), it must be a full glass of cold water. Or the times when I was amazed that you remembered my name even though I only met you on summer breaks for the past couple of years.

Or the heart-breaking news of you being hospitalised early this week. I felt it, in my heart, I felt it but I shook the feeling away. Later that day, when I was alone in my room, I prayed to Allah for you and your health, and that Allah would give only the best for you. And when ‘Aameen’, there was a fragrance of smell, like someone passed by.

I felt it, when I was leaving you last summer,

I felt it, when I kissed your hand and your forehead,

I felt it, when I hugged you and I apologised for everything,

I felt it, when you said not to be sad,

I felt it that it was the last time, for you and me.

I love you so much and I miss you terribly. I really do.

Rest well now nini boy. You have been the best for all of us.

Rest well now. Iqa sayang nini.

Al-Fatihah

Amanlah engkau di sana wahai saudara

Setiap yang bernyawa,

pasti akan kembali padaNya.

Masih bersisa,

pemergianmu membawa keinsafan pada jiwa,

bertambah imaan di dada,

bahawasanya janji Allah itu pasti.

Indahnya,

engkau pergi dalam keadaan bahagia,

tenang raut wajahmu kembali pada Pencipta,

Allah... Untungnya dirimu...

Mendapat husnul khatimah yang diidamkan para syuhada...

Masih terasa..

Masih ada jiwa yang merintih hiba akan pemergianmu,

masih ada hati yang sakit menanggung rindu,

mungkin kerana itu jiwa ku juga sayu,

kerana mereka yang merindukanmu

adalah mereka yang punya cinta dan kasih ku.

Namun,

perpisahan ini bukanlah untuk selamanya,

semoga kita semua akan berkumpul di bawah naunganNya,

suatu hari nanti,

bergelak ketawa di syurga milikNya.

Amanlah engkau di sana wahai saudara,

kami bakal mengikuti jejak langkahmu,

semoga kami juga beroleh keuntungan seperti dirimu.

Amanlah engkau di sana wahai saudara,

doa dan ingatan kami sentiasa bersamamu.

Al-Fatihah

Bersabar dan berbahagialah

Wahai sahabat,

bersabar dan berbahagialah.

Sesungguhnya masih jauh lagi perjuanganmu,

untuk menegakkan Islam dan kebenaran yang mutlak.

Janji Allah itu pasti,

kemenangan pasti akan berpihak kepada mujahidin dan mujahidat,

namun mungkin belum tiba masanya lagi,

tetapi perhatikanlah sekelilingmu,

semakin ramai saudara yang berhijrah melangkah menuju Allah.

Semakin berkembang,

Islam semakin berkembang.

Allah amat mendambakan dirimu untuk memasuki JannahNya,

maka Dia taburkan pelbagai dugaan dan rintangan dalam hidupmu,

memberi peluang untukmu terus berjuang di medan perang,

menegakkan agama Allah yang hak, ya'ni Islam.

Bukankah Allah itu Yang Maha Berkuasa?

Setiap yang terjadi dengan izin dan kehendakNya jua?

Bersabar dan berbahagialah duhai sahabat,

kerana dalam berjuta hambaNya,

Yang Esa memilihmu untuk terus berdakwah mengikuti jejak kekasihNya yang mulia,

Muhammad Rasul kita.

Bersabar dan berbahagialah duhai sahabat,

Allah bersamamu di setiap langkah dan nafasmu,

doaku mengiringi perjuanganmu,

teruslah mara ke hadapan demi Islam yang satu.

Tak kenal maka tak cinta

A famous quote. A true-fact famous quote.

You see, saying that you are a muslim, implies that you are not just saying the syahadah with your tongue but actually admit it and believe it with your heart and soul that,

'Allah is the ONLY GOD, no one deserves and has the right to be worshiped except Allah, and Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His true messenger.'

True, alhamdulillah! May you and I always be in the right path, Siratal Mustaqeem.

But.. but.. do you know Allah by heart? Do you know who Rasulullah SAW is? Ask yourself this,

Do I really know my Creator and His habeeb?

If you do, my brothers and sisters, you won't choose any other human beings to be your role model in this life. Not celebrities, not designers, not any athletes who are able to break the world's records set by the human themselves. I mean, the celebrities become famous because of their fans, designers become well-known because people buy their products. What if, (and this does happen in real world), what if the famous singers lose their fans, or customers just stop buying the goods designed by these so-called famous people? That is it. Gone.

Rasulullah SAW is the most famous person in the world! Always has and forever will be!

One example: His name is mentioned in every solat yes? In every solat, in every du'a because a person's du'a will be hanging in between the sky and the earth if it is not ended with selawat to Rasulullah SAW. And so, every moment all the muslim from different parts of the world pray constantly to Allah, constantly due to the different timezones, hence different waqt (time) of the daily solat. Every single moment, the name of Muhammad is mentioned! I mean, name any celebrities whose name is mentioned every second? None.

He is the one who deserves to be our role model, the one we look up to, he, Muhammad SAW. He loves us so dearly, he has not met us but he loves us so dearly.

Rasulullah SAW said: 'I am terribly longing for the day where I will finally meet my Ikhwan (brothers)'.

Sahabah said: 'Ya Rasulullah, aren't we your brothers?'

Rasulullah SAW shook his head while smiling and replied: 'No, you are my companions but not my brothers. My brothers are the ones who has not yet seen me, but loves me more than his children and parents.'

Then a tear rolled down his cheek and he said: 'I really miss them.'

(HR Muslim)

Subhanallah.... The love Rasulullah has for us. Are we one of the lucky ones? Are we one of the Ikhwan that Rasulullah meant? Don't you want to be that person? Somehow, it is a big deal when your name is mentioned in the radio. Like, you have answered a quiz and you won, or you requested for a song, or even made a brief greetings for someone and so the DJ mentioned your name, and when he did, it would surely make your day to an extent that even the salt tastes like sugar.

But this, the most noble person that ever lived in this world, mentioned your name, no effect at all, not to your heart, not to your soul. Is this normal? It can't be, it shouldn't be.

So, what are the ways to deepen and strengthen our love for Rasulullah SAW? Look back into the history of Islam. The things that Rasulullah SAW has done for this Ummah, the heroes of Islam. Who is Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq? Saidina 'Umar, 'Uthman wa 'Ali? Who is 'Abdurrahman bin 'Auf? Why does Allah refer Khaleed bin Al-Waleed as Saifullah (the sword of Allah)? What were the achievements made by Sa'ad bin Abi-Waqqas due to his unbeatable ability in archery?

Look at the men of Islam nowadays, the youngsters are too attached to technologies, games, women. Why am I focusing on men? Because,

[4:34] ((الرِّ‌جَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ))

Do you know what kind of man Abu Bakar is? The best companion of Rasulullah? He was the only sahabah mentioned in Al-Quran by Allah Ta'ala, in surah Al-Lail, Allah referred to him as Atqa. He was known as Al-'Atiq because of his handsome look and his generosity. He was thin that, 'Aisyah the mother of believers narrates, he was so thin that the trouser would not remain around his waist. He was so thin that his eyes were sunk in. They say that Abu Bakar was the weakest in body, BUT when it comes to the commands of Allah, HE WAS THE STRONGEST! subhanallah... subhanallah... subhanallah...

This kind of man that deserves to be elevated as our role model. The heroes in Islam. But nowadays, people are made as role models just because they have good looks. Seriously? Like, seriously? If that is the case, then compare them with Muhammad!

Do you know how handsome Rasulullah is?

Jabir RA said that,

'I saw the Prophet SAW on the night of the full moon.

And I looked at the face of the Prophet SAW and I looked at the full moon.

And I looked at the face of the Prophet SAW and I looked at the full moon.

And I looked at the face of the Prophet SAW and I looked at the full moon.

And I swear by Allah that the face of Rasulullah SAW is more radiant and more beautiful than the full moon."

Tell this story to the children every night and every day, not put them in front of the television and let them watch the Disney Cinderella, Little Mermaids channel giving them false hopes and fantasies that are not true, with the talking animals and overrated princes.

Tell them the true love story of Zulaikha and Yusuf AS. By Allah, Yusuf AS is a very handsome man. Zulaikha was the wife of Al-Aziz, she was an honourable woman and she fell in love with Yusuf who was a slave. The news spread around that she was infatuated with this slave and so other honourable women started saying, 'How can she fall in love with him?'

So she gathered all these women, invited them to her house, gave them an apple and asked them to cut it. While they were cutting the apple, she asked Yusuf AS to walk past.

Rasulullah SAW said, ''Yusuf AS was given HALF of the BEAUTY OF HUMANITY.''

And when Yusuf AS walked past, they were amazed by his beauty, they were so immersed in his beauty that they cut through their fingers and they did not feel the pain.

'Aisyah RA mentions:

''If the women of Zulaikha had seen my Muhammad, they WOULD HAVE CUT THROUGH THEIR HEARTS and felt NO pain.'' La haula wala quwwata illa billah

Oh Allah, please let us meet Rasulullah SAW in our dreams at nights, for we really miss him Ya Allah.... We miss him so much.... so much....

Allahumma Salli 'Ala Saidina Muhammad wa 'Ala Aali Muhammad

Ask your Imaan!

Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang,

Assalamu'alaikum wbt :) May you are in the best state of imaan.

Take a moment. Forget about the world, forget about your families, your friends, the money you have in your bank account or wherever you put it. Forget everything that relates to the world. Just take a deep breath and calm down.

Just calm down, close your eyes if you need to.... then open them when you are ready...

Read the following texts with your heart, ponder them upon yourself, hayati dan dalami maknanya.

What do you search for in this life? What is the reason for your existence here, in this world? Is it just to study? To prepare yourself for a better future? But... what if the future does not turn out the way you want it to be? Better yet, what if.... what if.... death comes first before your dreams come true... I mean, lets face it, all of us, our names are on the waiting list of Izrael, angel of death. When the time comes, everything around you means nothing anymore. Nothing can help you, no one can help you. No one except Allah, no one except all the good deeds that you have done, just for the sake of Allah.

Death will come to you..

TO YOU!

The question is, are you ready? Have you done enough good deeds that when it's time for you to return back to Him, He will be very pleased with you?

It's true that nobody is perfect. Nobody will ever be perfect because perfection is only He and only His. That's the thing, Allah does not ask you to be perfect. He knows you are just a normal human being, there are times where you slip and make mistakes, intentionally or accidentally make sins, big or small, (but may Allah protect us all from these), but the weird thing is that even so, knowing this, still refuse to make du'a, asking for His mercy and forgiveness. Is this not embarrassing? Are you not ashamed of Allah?

It's like, a stranger comes up to you and gives you 100 dollars just because he feels like it. Try imagining this. Everyday, he gives you 100dollars. Won't you at least say 'thank you' as a sign of appreciation? At least initially you would show your gratitude. Over time, however, because this has become too normal for you, you would take the 100dollars and walks away without saying anything. Am I wrong? Really? Okay then, answer this. How many times a day do you actually say Alhamdulillah SINCERELY to Allah for giving you another day to live? For giving you a perfect health? For giving you the strength to survive in this world? The countless blessings in your life. Not just say the word, but actually mean it through your actions.

With regards of all this, all that He wants in return is? Is? Your devotion to Him. That's all. Your love and your devotion.

How? Understand the meaning of 'life in hereafter'. Understand it with your heart. Yes, you believe it exists, but how strong is your belief? With this belief, you will see this life as nothing but a ticket to heaven. That is how you should see it. You will appreciate each moment and spend them wisely. Everything you do is for the sake of Allah and His mercy, because you hope that one fine day, you will see Him, meet Him, The Almighty.

Ask yourself, how close are you to Allah? How well do you know your religion? Are you a muslim by name or by heart?

It's never too late to ask for forgiveness from Allah. After all, He is The Most Loving, Most Forgiving and all praises is only to Allah 'Azza Wajalla.

May we all be rewarded with His Jannah Firdausi.

(segala kekurangan datang daripada diri saya sendiri dan kebaikan itu hanya datang daripada Allah semata.)

Fi amanillah :)