Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
I love today so much that I hope it will repeat in my daily life. It's a busy day but I have not been feeling like this for ages, not even during Alwaan. Woke up this morning quite late and get my slide presentation ready. After a quick brunch at 11am, I went straight to my faculty for the Lunch Time Seminar. I presented my paper and alhamdulillah got a few good feedbacks from the audience. I think my supervisor is quite please with my progress, alhamdulillah.
After the seminar, I started to help up with the seminar for this Friday - Kaleidoscope. It is a seminar organised by graduates for graduates. After finished doing all the certificates, name badges, abstracts compilation and updating the website, Valeska came and asked me why I didn't go to the Science Learning Research Group Meeting. Oh my God, I completely forgot about the meeting and when Valeska asked me that question, the meeting was just over. And so I sent an email to my supervisor to apologise for the absence and continued with the Kaleidoscope stuff until now. I've just finished everything and will be going home soon. I'm very hungry but I quite like today except forgetting the meeting. I met a lot of people, learned a few things, get both my academic and non-academic works done and alhamdulillah I feel great and thankful for the day that ALLAH has given to me.
I pray that ALLAH will except all my good deeds and forgive all my sins. Amin.
Wassalam.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Humanity
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Yesterday a brother sent out an email to everyone asking for help:
Immediately after that, a few brothers and sisters replied to his email telling him what to do, including contact RSPB, get help from the porter and also any vet (or student vet), also what to feed this little chick. The below is his reply after trying everything:
Still, a lot of email were sent out by brothers and sisters to offer some advice. So of it were really inappropriate, kind of making fun of this whole situation and I don't know why they would think eating it is a good idea! Anyway, at the end, he said:
It's a sad story, but what involved in this whole case is the sense of humanity shown to an animal, the creation of Al-Mighty ALLAH. Some brothers and sisters are kindly offering helps and advice, and even to console this brother. On the other hand, there are some brothers and sisters who made fun of this issue, it's a shame to say that they didn't even mind to send out emails to the whole list to show their jokes. And I'm talking about Muslims, Muslims who know that ALLAH creates everything and ALLAH is the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, where are all these attributes among the Muslims nowadays? Anyway, the reminder sent by this brother at the end is really touching. As I said before, behind everything there is always a great wisdom, and only for those who ponder about the signs and creations of ALLAH that will be amongst the guided ones.
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
Yesterday a brother sent out an email to everyone asking for help:
sorry for abusing the lists but i am in a bit of a crisis. a newborn chick dropped into my room. its raining outside and i havent seen any birds outside for some time, so i think its parents arent going to come anymore. it doesnt want to go outside and frankly i dont want it to either, because if its parents arent here, then its just going to die. im looking for any bird rescue organisation in cambridge, but in the meantime if anyone knows the professional way to go about this, please can you contact me. its really sweet and scared, and it can't fly at all. its desperately chirping for its mom i think. its perched n my hand and im writing onehanded. putting it in a box makes it very restless. please advise me on what to feed it in the meantime, he doesnt eat any moistened cereal. and it looks too delicate to chew on seeds. its perched on my fingers now and is very hungry. i am very worried id appreciate any advice.
Immediately after that, a few brothers and sisters replied to his email telling him what to do, including contact RSPB, get help from the porter and also any vet (or student vet), also what to feed this little chick. The below is his reply after trying everything:
ok i fund the bird website whichsays to leave it where it was, which is my room to start with. im scared if i leave it on my windowsill it might fall off, because it actually fell in on the edge between my windosill and room. it says the baby bird can fly and not to worry its parents will be around, but this chick cant fly it tries and keeps falling down. and its not letting go of my finger either which is problem. when i try to push it away it goes off into corners which is scary because thngs could fall on it.
Still, a lot of email were sent out by brothers and sisters to offer some advice. So of it were really inappropriate, kind of making fun of this whole situation and I don't know why they would think eating it is a good idea! Anyway, at the end, he said:
Assalaamualaikum
Thank you all for helping the chick, I tried the suggestions. I thought I'd let you know that sadly the chick has died due to my erronous decision. According to Rspb, Rspca, a vet and other websites, the best action to take was to leave it where it was, since it was more likely to be found by its parents and live than to be taken care of by humans and live. Though I was unsure about it, it seemed best to follow their advice. The sooner the better so that the parents would find it quickly. Since it kept scrambling out of the box, I kept it in a box right under my window on the ground, which was safer than the windowsill, and ok according to rspb. I planned to pick it up after 2 hours if its parents hadn't come by then. It was chirping for an hour or more continuously under my window, and then it stopped, so I went down to check on it, but could not find it anywhere. I could hear the same chirping though, and I hopefully thought it had found its nest nearby. A while ago I thought I'd do a search again to be sure, and unfortunately I found the chick had died beside the box.
It wasn't a pigeon, it may have been a starling chick. Its buried in great St Mary's Church grounds. It was really lively only this morning and clasping my finger and perching on my neighbour's head. I suppose if anyone wants to leave with a message from this experience to make it worth their time, I'm sure Mohamed Mashaal would remind us from this how fragile our lives are, that we are constantly in Allah's protection, and perhaps this was a sign from Allah to make us really appreciate the significance of Mohsin's orphan appeal. I'd tell you how stressful it is to be a parent for just one morning. Its kind of really strange and bitter, since I was actually reading about Ramsey island and voluntary work in bird reserves on the Rspb wesbite this morning when the chick happened to fall in.
Salaam.
It's a sad story, but what involved in this whole case is the sense of humanity shown to an animal, the creation of Al-Mighty ALLAH. Some brothers and sisters are kindly offering helps and advice, and even to console this brother. On the other hand, there are some brothers and sisters who made fun of this issue, it's a shame to say that they didn't even mind to send out emails to the whole list to show their jokes. And I'm talking about Muslims, Muslims who know that ALLAH creates everything and ALLAH is the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, where are all these attributes among the Muslims nowadays? Anyway, the reminder sent by this brother at the end is really touching. As I said before, behind everything there is always a great wisdom, and only for those who ponder about the signs and creations of ALLAH that will be amongst the guided ones.
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
At last...
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
After days and nights of transcribing the thinking-aloud protocols of all the 19 students that I've interviewed, today, finally, at last, I finished all the transcripts. There are in total 25 sessions of thinking-aloud protocols & interviews, with average length of 30 minutes each. It's about 13 hours of transcripts. Next, I'll have to revise all of them to find any error and to add in all the time line of each line (nearly each line). That might take about 1 week to do. Then, I will sit down and analyse it properly. I mean properly, in a library maybe where no one will disturb me. I pray that I'll sort out all of these before I go to Rihla. So, one month to go before I finish this essential part of my research.
As usual, please make du'a for me.
Wassalam.
p/s: it's quite warm here now in UK and it's only 22 degree today, I can't imagine when I go to Saudi in July, what kind of weather it will be and how will I feel at that time...
After days and nights of transcribing the thinking-aloud protocols of all the 19 students that I've interviewed, today, finally, at last, I finished all the transcripts. There are in total 25 sessions of thinking-aloud protocols & interviews, with average length of 30 minutes each. It's about 13 hours of transcripts. Next, I'll have to revise all of them to find any error and to add in all the time line of each line (nearly each line). That might take about 1 week to do. Then, I will sit down and analyse it properly. I mean properly, in a library maybe where no one will disturb me. I pray that I'll sort out all of these before I go to Rihla. So, one month to go before I finish this essential part of my research.
As usual, please make du'a for me.
Wassalam.
p/s: it's quite warm here now in UK and it's only 22 degree today, I can't imagine when I go to Saudi in July, what kind of weather it will be and how will I feel at that time...
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Look at these cows!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
This is a farm in Spain where all the milk cows are being treated much better than humans, believing that by doing so, the cows will produce better milk. Should this be the way how Muslim farmers treat their animals? As ALLAH is Merciful, how much have we done to appreciate HIS attribute?
Just a thought...
Wassalam.
This is a farm in Spain where all the milk cows are being treated much better than humans, believing that by doing so, the cows will produce better milk. Should this be the way how Muslim farmers treat their animals? As ALLAH is Merciful, how much have we done to appreciate HIS attribute?
Just a thought...
Wassalam.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
4 jabs in a roll!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Right, I have decided to go for this Rihla Trip inshaALLAH this July. There are 3 things that I'm most looking forward - Umrah, Ziarah to the Prophet (saw) and lectures by all these blessed & knowledgeable shuyukh. So what next?
After paying all the fees & flight tickets, I need to get all the documents ready - passport, visa application form, vaccination certificate, 4 passport sized photos & convert certificate. None is properly done yet. Passport is ready but need to make a copy for myself in case I need it in before I fly; application form is not filled in all properly yet and there is no photo attached yet; need to go and snap some passport sized photos; need to see the Imam to get a convert certificate; and finally one thing that is done is the vaccination certificate.
When I went to make an appointment with my GP yesterday to get a ACWY Meningitis Vaccination, I thought it's just going to be 1 jab. But this morning when I met the nurse, she said I need to take 4 jabs, not because I'm not healthy enough but because I've never been vaccinated before in Malaysia. She said I can take them one by one in separate days or 2 in a roll and come back again another day or take them all in a roll. So I decided to take 2 jabs and see what is going to happen to me. After the 2 little stings, I sat down and felt fine so then I asked for another 2 jabs on the same arm. She said it will affect the arm for a day after the injection, so it's better to just do it on one arm. So since I'm left-handed, I have to 'sacrify' my right arm, thinking that I won't be able to use the mouse today. But alhamdulillah, I'm fine now. The ACWY Vax is £52.50 cause it's not covered by the NHS but all the others are free so it works out to be £52.50 for 4 jabs, that's about £13.00 a jab, fair enough, don't feel too expensive for that one jab.
So, yay, got the vaccination certificate, next is the convert certificate and passport. Photos? Tomorrow maybe cause no hurry, I still got 2 weeks before the dateline.
Supervision at 3pm and a seminar at 4pm, then circle at 6.30pm. After that, is work, work, work and work! Alhamdulillah.
Wassalam.
Right, I have decided to go for this Rihla Trip inshaALLAH this July. There are 3 things that I'm most looking forward - Umrah, Ziarah to the Prophet (saw) and lectures by all these blessed & knowledgeable shuyukh. So what next?
After paying all the fees & flight tickets, I need to get all the documents ready - passport, visa application form, vaccination certificate, 4 passport sized photos & convert certificate. None is properly done yet. Passport is ready but need to make a copy for myself in case I need it in before I fly; application form is not filled in all properly yet and there is no photo attached yet; need to go and snap some passport sized photos; need to see the Imam to get a convert certificate; and finally one thing that is done is the vaccination certificate.
When I went to make an appointment with my GP yesterday to get a ACWY Meningitis Vaccination, I thought it's just going to be 1 jab. But this morning when I met the nurse, she said I need to take 4 jabs, not because I'm not healthy enough but because I've never been vaccinated before in Malaysia. She said I can take them one by one in separate days or 2 in a roll and come back again another day or take them all in a roll. So I decided to take 2 jabs and see what is going to happen to me. After the 2 little stings, I sat down and felt fine so then I asked for another 2 jabs on the same arm. She said it will affect the arm for a day after the injection, so it's better to just do it on one arm. So since I'm left-handed, I have to 'sacrify' my right arm, thinking that I won't be able to use the mouse today. But alhamdulillah, I'm fine now. The ACWY Vax is £52.50 cause it's not covered by the NHS but all the others are free so it works out to be £52.50 for 4 jabs, that's about £13.00 a jab, fair enough, don't feel too expensive for that one jab.
So, yay, got the vaccination certificate, next is the convert certificate and passport. Photos? Tomorrow maybe cause no hurry, I still got 2 weeks before the dateline.
Supervision at 3pm and a seminar at 4pm, then circle at 6.30pm. After that, is work, work, work and work! Alhamdulillah.
Wassalam.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Rabia's family visited Cambridge
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
ALLAH's plan is always the best plan and always has such a great wisdom behind every plan that he has written down for everyone of us. Al-Qadr, predestination is one of the beliefs in Islam. Believing that ALLAH is omnipotent and all-powerful, nothing is out of HIS control. Yesterday after the class in the mosque, I wasn't thinking of going anywhere until Samira asked me to go to some computer stores to look for a laptop for her. After visiting all the computer stores at Newmarket Road, I was going to go straight home. When I was passing through ASDA, I decided to go there for no reason. As I entered the store, someone grabbed me from behind and closed my eyes. I thought it's Samira but it's Rabia. Her family came from Birmingham to visit her and brought her to shop in ASDA. After the shopping, I went to her room and then we went to a walk to Grandchester. While her father and her 2 brothers were cycling, Rabia, her mum and I walked. It was a nice walk and we get to see a few interesting things. We met an Indonesian family and it turned out that the daughter is one of the students in the primary school I visited two days ago. We also saw this little boy 'cycling' a little bicycle without paddles. He is soooooo cute, mashaALLAH.
That's the boy with his paddleless bicycle, catching up her mum.
We didn't go to Grandchester at the end. On the way back to Rabia's room, we saw this poor dog which was locked in a house. It was looking out the window from the top floor, as if it is watching over the view. I hope the owner of the dog does bring it out once a day at least. It seems a very lonely dog.
Can you see the dog at the window?
As we walked passed the hosue, the dog came down and looked for us
A note about Rihla Trip: I've decided to go because my supervisor said I can't do anything at the end of this school term because the Year 11 will be having GCSE exams while the Year 10 will be having work experience. So I'm free to take holiday at that time. Today, I paid the flight and booked an appointment with my GP to get a ACWY Meningitus Vaccine Jab. If all are well, I'm off to visit ALLAH's house soon, inshaALLAH. Please make dua for me.
Wassalam.
ALLAH's plan is always the best plan and always has such a great wisdom behind every plan that he has written down for everyone of us. Al-Qadr, predestination is one of the beliefs in Islam. Believing that ALLAH is omnipotent and all-powerful, nothing is out of HIS control. Yesterday after the class in the mosque, I wasn't thinking of going anywhere until Samira asked me to go to some computer stores to look for a laptop for her. After visiting all the computer stores at Newmarket Road, I was going to go straight home. When I was passing through ASDA, I decided to go there for no reason. As I entered the store, someone grabbed me from behind and closed my eyes. I thought it's Samira but it's Rabia. Her family came from Birmingham to visit her and brought her to shop in ASDA. After the shopping, I went to her room and then we went to a walk to Grandchester. While her father and her 2 brothers were cycling, Rabia, her mum and I walked. It was a nice walk and we get to see a few interesting things. We met an Indonesian family and it turned out that the daughter is one of the students in the primary school I visited two days ago. We also saw this little boy 'cycling' a little bicycle without paddles. He is soooooo cute, mashaALLAH.
That's the boy with his paddleless bicycle, catching up her mum.
Can you see the dog at the window?
As we walked passed the hosue, the dog came down and looked for usWassalam.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The Grove Primary School
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Yesterday was such a busy day. After sorting out myself with my work, I went to The Grove Primary School in Arbury because the Religious Education (RE) teacher invited ISOC to come and help her to teach Islamic Studies to the children in her class. There are 26 cute little children in her class and they are all so curious about Islam as the teacher is a non-Muslim and there are only 3 children who are Muslims. A brother and I went to the school to tell them about Islam. Apparently the brother has his son in that class too. So they started to speak Urdu to each other in some occasions. Yes, they are from Pakistan.
We started the session with a little introduction about ourselves and then about the 5 pillars in Islam. Then the brother made adhan (caller to prayer) before we prayed 2 raka'ah of Dhuha prayer. He led the prayer where his son stood behind him, me and 2 other Muslim girls in the class stood behind and followed him. After that, the children started to ask questions about Islam. They are soooooo cute and funny yet very thoughtful. All sort of questions they asked about Islam. After that, we played some children nasheeds and ended the session by giving them snacks for the break. The brother bought all the snacks for the children and also chocolate for the teachers and staff. May ALLAH reward him for his generosity.
Then I went for jumaah, met the sisters. MashaALLAH, the congregation was big. We have 2 full lines of sisters whereas before this, there's only 1 line or the most, 1 and a half. Alhamdulillah many sisters are coming to pray jumaah now and so do the brothers. And the best part is all the sisters that came, they all can pray! No one sitting at the corner during the prayer. At 3pm, I went to the faculty and joined the discussion to improve the facility of the faculty focusing on the needs of the postgraduates. I requested for halal food to be provided by the canteen and also a multi-faith prayer room in the building. Other things like the improving the online information available for postgraduates and better link with other universities. The final resolution is to form a new association for students in the faculty. With that, then we can bring more improvement to the well-being of the students and also channel the energy of the students into one big organisation.
At 5pm, I attended to Night Slide where the pictures that I've taken for the Day Experience Research 2 days ago were being shown. We were having focus group discussion while the pictures were being shown. We were also being served with lots of food. The focus of the discussion is to know what kind of expectation of postgraduates would like from the ICT services in Cambridge, what type of environment will the students excel in their studies. It's quite interesting and I learned a lot from the method of their research by just being a participant.
At 7.30pm, after quickly printed out the picture of sister Sheridan and stuck it into a birthday card, I was with sister Farzana who was driving to Little Ouse near Ely to attend sister Sheridan's 50th birthday party. We got lost after 45 minutes of drive and we were in the middle of a big big farm but we met a kind man who showed us the way to the party place. Alhamdulillah, we reached there at about 8.30pm. As I went into the house to look for toilet to make wudu', I was kind of shivering because the 3-storey detached house is very very spooky! No kidding. It's owned by a scientist who lives in the middle of nowhere alone! Anyway, the party was nice and we went home like really late. I slept in the car while sister Farzana drove me home. I'm such a bad company...
On the way...
Beautiful countryside with river
An old bridge
The sun was setting
Alhamdulillah, a day full of excitement and now, I'll go back to work.
Wassalam.
Yesterday was such a busy day. After sorting out myself with my work, I went to The Grove Primary School in Arbury because the Religious Education (RE) teacher invited ISOC to come and help her to teach Islamic Studies to the children in her class. There are 26 cute little children in her class and they are all so curious about Islam as the teacher is a non-Muslim and there are only 3 children who are Muslims. A brother and I went to the school to tell them about Islam. Apparently the brother has his son in that class too. So they started to speak Urdu to each other in some occasions. Yes, they are from Pakistan.
We started the session with a little introduction about ourselves and then about the 5 pillars in Islam. Then the brother made adhan (caller to prayer) before we prayed 2 raka'ah of Dhuha prayer. He led the prayer where his son stood behind him, me and 2 other Muslim girls in the class stood behind and followed him. After that, the children started to ask questions about Islam. They are soooooo cute and funny yet very thoughtful. All sort of questions they asked about Islam. After that, we played some children nasheeds and ended the session by giving them snacks for the break. The brother bought all the snacks for the children and also chocolate for the teachers and staff. May ALLAH reward him for his generosity.
Then I went for jumaah, met the sisters. MashaALLAH, the congregation was big. We have 2 full lines of sisters whereas before this, there's only 1 line or the most, 1 and a half. Alhamdulillah many sisters are coming to pray jumaah now and so do the brothers. And the best part is all the sisters that came, they all can pray! No one sitting at the corner during the prayer. At 3pm, I went to the faculty and joined the discussion to improve the facility of the faculty focusing on the needs of the postgraduates. I requested for halal food to be provided by the canteen and also a multi-faith prayer room in the building. Other things like the improving the online information available for postgraduates and better link with other universities. The final resolution is to form a new association for students in the faculty. With that, then we can bring more improvement to the well-being of the students and also channel the energy of the students into one big organisation.
At 5pm, I attended to Night Slide where the pictures that I've taken for the Day Experience Research 2 days ago were being shown. We were having focus group discussion while the pictures were being shown. We were also being served with lots of food. The focus of the discussion is to know what kind of expectation of postgraduates would like from the ICT services in Cambridge, what type of environment will the students excel in their studies. It's quite interesting and I learned a lot from the method of their research by just being a participant.
At 7.30pm, after quickly printed out the picture of sister Sheridan and stuck it into a birthday card, I was with sister Farzana who was driving to Little Ouse near Ely to attend sister Sheridan's 50th birthday party. We got lost after 45 minutes of drive and we were in the middle of a big big farm but we met a kind man who showed us the way to the party place. Alhamdulillah, we reached there at about 8.30pm. As I went into the house to look for toilet to make wudu', I was kind of shivering because the 3-storey detached house is very very spooky! No kidding. It's owned by a scientist who lives in the middle of nowhere alone! Anyway, the party was nice and we went home like really late. I slept in the car while sister Farzana drove me home. I'm such a bad company...
On the way...
Beautiful countryside with river
An old bridge
The sun was settingWassalam.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Day Experience Research Method
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
I was involved in a study by the CARET or Centre for Applied Research for Educational Technologies to survey the use of Information and Communications Technologies or ICTs among the students in Cambridge. One of the method they use is Day Experience Research Method where each of the participant is provided by a notebook, a disposable camera and a voice recorder. I was asked to record down what I'm doing, where, when, what am I using and what do I feel at the moment that they send me a text message or SMS through my mobile phone. The time interval ranged from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. What they are interested is the ICTs stuff that I'm using, if I do. In total, they prompted me to do the recording for 10 times in 24 hours. In return, the gave me a gift card from Borders which I'm not sure how much the value is because I didn't have the time to check it out today! Too much things to do. I think Wednesday will always be a busy day for me, but alhamdulillah that's the time to learn. Like today, 2 seminars in a roll and I've realised that actually I'm not that so 'not doing enough' for my PhD. I was worried the whole time that if I have collected enough data for my study, enough students, etc. but after listening to my colleagues works, I realise that, we are about the same, alhamdulillah. What really matter is the way we are going to present the data in out thesis later on.
Yesterday, I sent some tokens of gift to the teacher and students involved in my research. I hope they will excel in their GCSE this year. Talking about GCSE, I'm taking one paper tomorrow in Islamic Studies. It's tomorrow morning and I'm still not quite prepared yet because I was busy sorting out the accommodation for a French girl. Alhamdulillah, that's sorted out. So, tonight, I'll be concentrating at the GCSE. Please make dua for us.
I also did manage to do lots yesterday because my bicycle was punctured! Sent to the workshop yesterday and when I was walking down to get my bicycle, I met some Malaysians and started talking to them. By the time I reached the workshop, it's close! Anyway, that was a good chat because I met my secondary school Principal! He is a non-Muslim and when I was in the school, I wasn't a Muslim yet, he is a little shocked to meet me but he has already heard the 'rumour' that I have converted a few years ago. I'm happy that he still recognised me though he has never been teaching me.
So, I think that's it for today, tomorrow will be a BIG day, I hope I don't end up doing worse than my students in the mosque. Dua, please, dua.
Wassalam.
I was involved in a study by the CARET or Centre for Applied Research for Educational Technologies to survey the use of Information and Communications Technologies or ICTs among the students in Cambridge. One of the method they use is Day Experience Research Method where each of the participant is provided by a notebook, a disposable camera and a voice recorder. I was asked to record down what I'm doing, where, when, what am I using and what do I feel at the moment that they send me a text message or SMS through my mobile phone. The time interval ranged from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. What they are interested is the ICTs stuff that I'm using, if I do. In total, they prompted me to do the recording for 10 times in 24 hours. In return, the gave me a gift card from Borders which I'm not sure how much the value is because I didn't have the time to check it out today! Too much things to do. I think Wednesday will always be a busy day for me, but alhamdulillah that's the time to learn. Like today, 2 seminars in a roll and I've realised that actually I'm not that so 'not doing enough' for my PhD. I was worried the whole time that if I have collected enough data for my study, enough students, etc. but after listening to my colleagues works, I realise that, we are about the same, alhamdulillah. What really matter is the way we are going to present the data in out thesis later on.
Yesterday, I sent some tokens of gift to the teacher and students involved in my research. I hope they will excel in their GCSE this year. Talking about GCSE, I'm taking one paper tomorrow in Islamic Studies. It's tomorrow morning and I'm still not quite prepared yet because I was busy sorting out the accommodation for a French girl. Alhamdulillah, that's sorted out. So, tonight, I'll be concentrating at the GCSE. Please make dua for us.
I also did manage to do lots yesterday because my bicycle was punctured! Sent to the workshop yesterday and when I was walking down to get my bicycle, I met some Malaysians and started talking to them. By the time I reached the workshop, it's close! Anyway, that was a good chat because I met my secondary school Principal! He is a non-Muslim and when I was in the school, I wasn't a Muslim yet, he is a little shocked to meet me but he has already heard the 'rumour' that I have converted a few years ago. I'm happy that he still recognised me though he has never been teaching me.
So, I think that's it for today, tomorrow will be a BIG day, I hope I don't end up doing worse than my students in the mosque. Dua, please, dua.
Wassalam.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
No more vegetarian chocolate from Masterfood
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
I knew it, I knew it, well before this news because I've never found any sign of vegetarian on the wrappers of Masterfood's products, which are like Mars, Snickers, Galaxy, Bounty, etc. I'm not shock to found the news on BBC. The problem is the whey powder that is extracted from animal rennet. Of course the animal is not slaughtered in Islamic way, so it can't be halal anyway, though according to the scholars of Hanafi school of fiqh believe that it's still permissible considering that blood doesn't flow through animal rennet, so there is no need to slaughter the animal in a halal way to get the rennet. However, the scholars ruled it as makruh because there is no guarantee if the rennet is not from pigs. Most of the other schools of thought, i.e. Shafi' believe that it's haram to take this type of rennet. So, no more chocolate from this company. My tip is: read the wrapper, if there is sign of 'suitable for vegetarian' and no alcoholic stuff, yup take it; but if there is no sign of 'suitable for vegetarian', look at the ingredients, if there is no whye powder and dodgy 'E' number, yup take it, but if there is, BE CAREFUL!
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
I knew it, I knew it, well before this news because I've never found any sign of vegetarian on the wrappers of Masterfood's products, which are like Mars, Snickers, Galaxy, Bounty, etc. I'm not shock to found the news on BBC. The problem is the whey powder that is extracted from animal rennet. Of course the animal is not slaughtered in Islamic way, so it can't be halal anyway, though according to the scholars of Hanafi school of fiqh believe that it's still permissible considering that blood doesn't flow through animal rennet, so there is no need to slaughter the animal in a halal way to get the rennet. However, the scholars ruled it as makruh because there is no guarantee if the rennet is not from pigs. Most of the other schools of thought, i.e. Shafi' believe that it's haram to take this type of rennet. So, no more chocolate from this company. My tip is: read the wrapper, if there is sign of 'suitable for vegetarian' and no alcoholic stuff, yup take it; but if there is no sign of 'suitable for vegetarian', look at the ingredients, if there is no whye powder and dodgy 'E' number, yup take it, but if there is, BE CAREFUL!
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Dr. Intan's Graduation!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Kak Intan has passed her PhD viva in December and last Saturday she came from Malaysia for her graduation in Cambridge. So nice to see her again. She is a lecturer now in Universiti Putra Malaysia and she just married to a great photographer. I pray that she will gian success in this World and the Hereafter. Amin. Can't wait for my own.
Marching from Hughes Hall to Senate House - loooooooong way
Rainbow that celebrated her graduation
Her husband and her mother were here too
Ok, gotta go to school now.
Wassalam.
Kak Intan has passed her PhD viva in December and last Saturday she came from Malaysia for her graduation in Cambridge. So nice to see her again. She is a lecturer now in Universiti Putra Malaysia and she just married to a great photographer. I pray that she will gian success in this World and the Hereafter. Amin. Can't wait for my own.
Marching from Hughes Hall to Senate House - loooooooong way
Rainbow that celebrated her graduation
Her husband and her mother were here tooOk, gotta go to school now.
Wassalam.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
In the school yesterday
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
So, I went to school again yesterday to collect more data but it wasn't as good as I've planned either. First, the camera is 'misbehaving' again. Died in the middle of an interview! Then, some students were misbehaving too! Some of them refused to be interviewed. Fair enough, it's their choice anyway, no one can force them. But blessed the teacher, he felt so embarrass by the students' behaviour. This was because in one of the classes that I visited, there were only 3 students who were presence. I must say, he is a very dedicated and patient teacher, for a male teacher.
Anyway, alhamdulillah I still managed to download all the important bits of the recording. Plus, the teacher kindly arranged another meeting for me with another class next Monday, which should be the last chance for me because after that, they will be having GCSE exams. I hope they will be doing very well in their exams.
During the visit in that school, I bumped into a few Muslim girls who are also the students in Cambridge Quranic Classes in the mosque. I gave salam to them but some of them seemed a bit startled to reply my salam. Some of them even started with 'Hello' to me. I don't know what is the reason and don't want to make any negative assumption, just pray that they hold Islam as their way of life wherever and whenever they are. I hope they just shocked to see me in their school.
And in the afternoon, yay, a circle by Mufti ibn Adam organised by FOSIS. The title is quite interesting - Overcoming Trials, Tests and Tribulations, mainly to attract all the undergraduates who are going to take their exams this term. The turn out was great for exam term, can see the picture below:
The speaker - Mufti ibn Adam
What I found really good about this talk is his explanation of Surah Sharh, verse number 5-6.
Wassalam.
So, I went to school again yesterday to collect more data but it wasn't as good as I've planned either. First, the camera is 'misbehaving' again. Died in the middle of an interview! Then, some students were misbehaving too! Some of them refused to be interviewed. Fair enough, it's their choice anyway, no one can force them. But blessed the teacher, he felt so embarrass by the students' behaviour. This was because in one of the classes that I visited, there were only 3 students who were presence. I must say, he is a very dedicated and patient teacher, for a male teacher.
Anyway, alhamdulillah I still managed to download all the important bits of the recording. Plus, the teacher kindly arranged another meeting for me with another class next Monday, which should be the last chance for me because after that, they will be having GCSE exams. I hope they will be doing very well in their exams.
During the visit in that school, I bumped into a few Muslim girls who are also the students in Cambridge Quranic Classes in the mosque. I gave salam to them but some of them seemed a bit startled to reply my salam. Some of them even started with 'Hello' to me. I don't know what is the reason and don't want to make any negative assumption, just pray that they hold Islam as their way of life wherever and whenever they are. I hope they just shocked to see me in their school.
And in the afternoon, yay, a circle by Mufti ibn Adam organised by FOSIS. The title is quite interesting - Overcoming Trials, Tests and Tribulations, mainly to attract all the undergraduates who are going to take their exams this term. The turn out was great for exam term, can see the picture below:
The speaker - Mufti ibn AdamWhat I found really good about this talk is his explanation of Surah Sharh, verse number 5-6.
According to Ibn Abbas (ra), these verses were revealed to comfort the Prophet Muhammad (saw) about his poverty and the hardships he faced. According to the Mufti, he said that al-'Usri (the hardship) is specifically just 1 problem and yusra (relief) is not specify to any solution. The hardship here is just one and it's repeated twice as just 1 problem in 2 different verses, but then, the relief, which is indefinite (no alif lam or lam ta'rif) means that they are different solutions in these separate verses. So, his conclusion is that, in one problem or hardship, ALLAH has prepared at least 2 different solutions or reliefs. SubhanALLAH, all the knowledge of the Heaven and the Earth is belong to ALLAH and HE alone knows the best translation of HIS words. I quite enjoyed the talk until the Q & A session where ISOC which is dominated by medics started questions concerning medical ethics in Islam. But alhamdulillah it's not a long Q & A session.
"Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief."
Wassalam.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Rainbow in the sky!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Yesterday when I was going from New Hall to Sophia's house, I saw this beautiful rainbow in the sky, subhanALLAH! So vivid and colourful. Most of the time the rainbow looked so blurred and you can hardly see it unless you really try to. But this time, it was just so amazingly clear in the sky.
It's not so clear from the town until I went to Parker's Piece
As if I can see where is the end of the rainbow
Maybe a pot of gold is there
This one was taken in Parker's Piece, it's double!
Yesterday when I was going from New Hall to Sophia's house, I saw this beautiful rainbow in the sky, subhanALLAH! So vivid and colourful. Most of the time the rainbow looked so blurred and you can hardly see it unless you really try to. But this time, it was just so amazingly clear in the sky.
It's not so clear from the town until I went to Parker's Piece
As if I can see where is the end of the rainbow
Maybe a pot of gold is there
This one was taken in Parker's Piece, it's double!It has been raining for the whole yesterday, from 4am! And according to the forecast, it will be rainy days throughout the whole week. The weather is getting a bit cold now. Kak Intan is coming to Cambridge this weekend for her graduation, hope the weather will be better by then.
Wassalam.
Wassalam.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Research disaster
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Finally, after waiting for nearly a month, I get to go to school to collect data for second round last Friday. Arrived early at the school because the bus is one hour each and preparing myself for the research. Guess what? I forgot to bring one important stuff to do my research! All the electrical components that I put next to the window in my room were still there! I knew I missed something this morning when I was waiting for the bus. Great! Now there's no time to go back to grab the things cause it will mean another 2 hours to go back and forth while my appointment with the school is in another half an hour. So, I went to the science lab and hoped that the technician can lend a hand but unfortunately it is the Science Technician Training Day! No one can touch anything in the lab. I was really upset thinking that what shall I tell my supervisor if I didn't manage to collect any data this time because he is very keen to know what I've got this time after I've presented my work last Wednesday.
Alhamdulillah the teacher came to help. He as the Head of Science, took all the components that I needed and let me do my research properly. Though there still remained some technical problems, I still managed to solve them to make sure that the research run smoothly. After videoing them, I met the teacher again and he said this should be my last visit to the school because the students will be concentrating in their exams. I thanked him whole-heartedly for his help all this while and rushed home praying that I will be able to catch-up with the Friday Prayer.
After the Friday Prayer, I tried to download the video but it turned out to be an error in the playback mode of the camera. Oh NO! If I can't playback the video, it would mean that the whole time and effort that I put in to do the research in the school will be nothing! I tried so many times yet it's still not working and there's no time to go back to my faculty where I borrowed the camera from and Monday is Bank Holiday, no technician is working until Tuesday. I won't be able to analyse the data before the next data collection on Wednesday in another school. I was sooooooooooooo down that day that I couldn't even bother to write a post until last night, I tried again to eject the tape. Alhamdulillahi rabbal 'alamin, it worked! And I managed to download the video though the camera showed some faults once in a while. Anyway, it's sorted, yay! So, have to go back to work now.
Wassalam.
p/s: Some nice pictures on the way to and back from the school which I'll never go back and visit again. May all the teachers and students achieve great success in their works and studies.
The school
Passed through big fields, can you see the yellow field there?
Taken the picture from the bus
Finally, after waiting for nearly a month, I get to go to school to collect data for second round last Friday. Arrived early at the school because the bus is one hour each and preparing myself for the research. Guess what? I forgot to bring one important stuff to do my research! All the electrical components that I put next to the window in my room were still there! I knew I missed something this morning when I was waiting for the bus. Great! Now there's no time to go back to grab the things cause it will mean another 2 hours to go back and forth while my appointment with the school is in another half an hour. So, I went to the science lab and hoped that the technician can lend a hand but unfortunately it is the Science Technician Training Day! No one can touch anything in the lab. I was really upset thinking that what shall I tell my supervisor if I didn't manage to collect any data this time because he is very keen to know what I've got this time after I've presented my work last Wednesday.
Alhamdulillah the teacher came to help. He as the Head of Science, took all the components that I needed and let me do my research properly. Though there still remained some technical problems, I still managed to solve them to make sure that the research run smoothly. After videoing them, I met the teacher again and he said this should be my last visit to the school because the students will be concentrating in their exams. I thanked him whole-heartedly for his help all this while and rushed home praying that I will be able to catch-up with the Friday Prayer.
After the Friday Prayer, I tried to download the video but it turned out to be an error in the playback mode of the camera. Oh NO! If I can't playback the video, it would mean that the whole time and effort that I put in to do the research in the school will be nothing! I tried so many times yet it's still not working and there's no time to go back to my faculty where I borrowed the camera from and Monday is Bank Holiday, no technician is working until Tuesday. I won't be able to analyse the data before the next data collection on Wednesday in another school. I was sooooooooooooo down that day that I couldn't even bother to write a post until last night, I tried again to eject the tape. Alhamdulillahi rabbal 'alamin, it worked! And I managed to download the video though the camera showed some faults once in a while. Anyway, it's sorted, yay! So, have to go back to work now.
Wassalam.
p/s: Some nice pictures on the way to and back from the school which I'll never go back and visit again. May all the teachers and students achieve great success in their works and studies.
The school
Passed through big fields, can you see the yellow field there?
Taken the picture from the bus
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Academia fun!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Yesterday was such an amazing day I would say. So much to do and so much to gain in just a day. After the circle on Imam al-Ghazali by Alia, I came to realise that I know how precious the time is and I know how much I have not learnt yet I have not done enough to do what I've known.
My brain is just too small to take everything, so only a few concentrated ideas can stick forever and become something that I can DO. Reading the verses of Qur'an above, I must have done a lot of sins for not doing what I've known, may ALLAH forgive me for that.
Come back to the point of this post. I meant to tell you how much I have done the whole yesterday. It was such a fruitful day. Woke up in the morning, went straight to the faculty, prepare a little bit of my presentation and went to the Psychology Education Research Group Meeting from 11am-1.00pm. One of my colleagues presented her findings. Very interesting and I learned a lot from the method of analysis that she used. Maybe it is applicable to my research.
After the meeting, I went to the Student Lunchtime Seminar where another 2 of my colleagues presented their works in an informal way to the members of faculty who are interested to come. As I'm the committee of this seminar, I took some pictures and help clearing up the refreshment. One of the presenters is a Palestinian Muslim girl who lives in Jordan. Her research is about dyslexia in Arabic language. Very interesting and I pray that the Jordanian students will benefit from her findings.
I went home after the seminar finished at 2.00pm, pray Dhurh, have lunch and amended the slideshow presentation of my research to be presented in the Learning Science Research Group Meeting at 4.00pm! I just rushed through my lunch and quickly added some important slides to the presentation. Alhamdulillah, I don't have to think about food because I still have some left over food given by Aunty Zohra. May ALLAH bless her for her generosity in giving me food regularly for FREE.
Alhamdulillah, my presentation went well but it lasted for about 2 hours. Felt like a viva. However, the inputs were very useful, especially all the critiques, comments, suggestions and questions that make me think what should I do next to make my research sounds more valid and useful for the educationists. By the time I got home, it's nearly 6.30pm and I quickly prepared myself for Asr, then have a little bit of dinner while reading the text for a talk for MOJOW this evening. MOJOW is the abbreviation for Muslim & Jewish Women. This is an inter-faith forum between Muslims and Jews. The title is conversion and I've not prepared much for it.
Quickly, before I go to pray maghrib in the prayer room, I went to my faculty to check my emails, in case there is any change of this event. By the time I arrived at the prayer room, it's already near maghrib and sadly no one was there except a brother who made the iqamah himself and led the prayer. May ALLAH accept his deeds. I cycled as fast as I can to Pembroke College as MOJOW was starting at 8.45pm. I'm glad that I reached there before anyone does because I can sit down and read some more before the talk begins.
The MOJOW went well alhamdulillah and I learned a lot of the Jewish tradition for conversion which seems very difficult and some Jews will never accept converts as Jew is inheritated from the mother only. This difference makes me feel so bless to become a Muslim. Though there are a few challenges but I'm still please to be a Muslim. This talk way passed my bedtime and I end up sleeping in my friend's room at 11.30pm.
The conclusion is, I like a day as such, so packed yet so much to gain. No doubt that I've learnt so much from just a day and done lot more than I can do in a day. Alhamdulillah, as the book of yesterday closed, I pray that ALLAH accept all my good deeds and give me the strength to remember what I've learnt and realised and more importantly may HE also gives me the opportunity to do what I've known and teach to others who need it. Amin.
Wassalam.
Yesterday was such an amazing day I would say. So much to do and so much to gain in just a day. After the circle on Imam al-Ghazali by Alia, I came to realise that I know how precious the time is and I know how much I have not learnt yet I have not done enough to do what I've known.
I know I shouldn't waste time doing aimless things without any good purposes, but I sometimes indulge myself with these. I don't have time to waste! PhD in another 18 months or less to go and there are still a lot of things to do for the Cambridge community, ISOC, faculty, friends, etc. Sometimes I wonder how do I find time to write this blog! This is ridiculous. But thinking of the benefits for myself and other in blogging, I decided this is not a waste of time. One thing that I realise about blogging is to help me to reflect. As many Muslim scholars have already pointed out the important of self-reflection, I think this is a good idea for me. As I wrote about myself, my study, my work, my problem, my... I LEARN. Whatever thing that I know seems informal will become a KNOWLEDGE when I wrote it down because through writing, I can organise my thought and come to a few conclusions that are useful for the future.
My brain is just too small to take everything, so only a few concentrated ideas can stick forever and become something that I can DO. Reading the verses of Qur'an above, I must have done a lot of sins for not doing what I've known, may ALLAH forgive me for that.
Come back to the point of this post. I meant to tell you how much I have done the whole yesterday. It was such a fruitful day. Woke up in the morning, went straight to the faculty, prepare a little bit of my presentation and went to the Psychology Education Research Group Meeting from 11am-1.00pm. One of my colleagues presented her findings. Very interesting and I learned a lot from the method of analysis that she used. Maybe it is applicable to my research.
After the meeting, I went to the Student Lunchtime Seminar where another 2 of my colleagues presented their works in an informal way to the members of faculty who are interested to come. As I'm the committee of this seminar, I took some pictures and help clearing up the refreshment. One of the presenters is a Palestinian Muslim girl who lives in Jordan. Her research is about dyslexia in Arabic language. Very interesting and I pray that the Jordanian students will benefit from her findings.
I went home after the seminar finished at 2.00pm, pray Dhurh, have lunch and amended the slideshow presentation of my research to be presented in the Learning Science Research Group Meeting at 4.00pm! I just rushed through my lunch and quickly added some important slides to the presentation. Alhamdulillah, I don't have to think about food because I still have some left over food given by Aunty Zohra. May ALLAH bless her for her generosity in giving me food regularly for FREE.
Alhamdulillah, my presentation went well but it lasted for about 2 hours. Felt like a viva. However, the inputs were very useful, especially all the critiques, comments, suggestions and questions that make me think what should I do next to make my research sounds more valid and useful for the educationists. By the time I got home, it's nearly 6.30pm and I quickly prepared myself for Asr, then have a little bit of dinner while reading the text for a talk for MOJOW this evening. MOJOW is the abbreviation for Muslim & Jewish Women. This is an inter-faith forum between Muslims and Jews. The title is conversion and I've not prepared much for it.
Quickly, before I go to pray maghrib in the prayer room, I went to my faculty to check my emails, in case there is any change of this event. By the time I arrived at the prayer room, it's already near maghrib and sadly no one was there except a brother who made the iqamah himself and led the prayer. May ALLAH accept his deeds. I cycled as fast as I can to Pembroke College as MOJOW was starting at 8.45pm. I'm glad that I reached there before anyone does because I can sit down and read some more before the talk begins.
The MOJOW went well alhamdulillah and I learned a lot of the Jewish tradition for conversion which seems very difficult and some Jews will never accept converts as Jew is inheritated from the mother only. This difference makes me feel so bless to become a Muslim. Though there are a few challenges but I'm still please to be a Muslim. This talk way passed my bedtime and I end up sleeping in my friend's room at 11.30pm.
The conclusion is, I like a day as such, so packed yet so much to gain. No doubt that I've learnt so much from just a day and done lot more than I can do in a day. Alhamdulillah, as the book of yesterday closed, I pray that ALLAH accept all my good deeds and give me the strength to remember what I've learnt and realised and more importantly may HE also gives me the opportunity to do what I've known and teach to others who need it. Amin.
Wassalam.
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