Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Alhamdulillah, we managed to organise two farewell parties today to ensure that I can most of the sisters, if not all of them, before I leave the UK. Thank to all the aunties in the Cambridge community who put their time, effort and money in providing us with delicious food for the parties. Thanks to all the sisters who came, helped in preparing and cleaning and who kindly gave me gifts. I really, really have had some great time today, but regret that I couldn't spend more time with each of the sister.
There are also sisters who came all the way from London for this party. May ALLAH reward all the sisters who participated and helped in this cause. Really, really appreciate them all.
I will miss all of them as they have been a part of my life in Cambridge for more than 3 years. It was a bit of a hactic day today but alhamdulillah, everything went well and the food is way more than enough that all the sisters later packed some home for their lunches and dinners for the next 1-2 days.
Also, there are some non-muslim friends who came and wish me good luck. They are some special friends of mine. One of them is among my first Jewish friend who is mashaALLAH very pious and modest person. Really pray that ALLAH will guide her.
Can't believe it's my farewell already. InshaALLAH I'll come back again. If not, may ALLAH meet us once again in the Paradise, amin.
Wassalam.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A pass with minor corrections
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, thumma alhamdulillah. Nothing more that I can say about today's viva. Out of my expectation, really. Before I go on, let me thanks everyone who has given me your kind supports and encouraging words throughout my PhD journey. For you that make dua for me, inshaALLAH the Angels must have made dua for you as well. Passing my PhD with minor corrections means that I need to complete some minor corrections, hand it to my internal examiner and he will check on behalf of both the examiners, endorse it and then I can submit the hard-binding thesis. That's it! This will probably take two weeks, then I will go back to Malaysia, for good.
The viva took one and a half hour. It was quite relax and I really enjoyed it because the examiners were very kind, supportive and funny too. I think I laughed a lot during the viva and they didn't ask me any mean questions, most of them were to clarify things, create some kind of argument, debates and discussions, and to help me think deeply about my findings. At one point of the viva, the two examiners started to have some kind of dispute. They were debating with each other over a concept and I was like sitting there watching them arguing. Then we talked about sports and other stuff as well during the viva. So really, it's not stressed at all and I had had some great time.
After that viva session, I went out of the room and they were having discussion about my results before they called me and my supervisor in to inform us the result. Alhamdulillah, they really like my thesis and research. The only problem is that I need to be more confident and braver in claiming my research findings. So, most of the corrections suggested are to help strengthen my thesis. I am very happy to have such encouraging and supportive examiners.
Alhamdulillah.
Wassalam.
Viva!
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
InshaALLAH my viva will be in half an hour. I'm sitting here waiting to be called to the viva room. Basically, my examiners are here. They were having lunch with my supervisor and the PhD course manager, as usual procedure of the viva. After the lunch, the two examiners will sit together and exchange each other reports for discussion if they both have come to the same result for my PhD. If there is a substantive difference, a longer time will be needed to discuss over it, if not, I will be called in at 2.30pm today. There are basically 7 outcomes of a viva:
1. Pass without correction
2. Pass with minor corrections
3. Pass with major corrections
4. Review and resubmit
5. Resubmit and viva
6. Approve for a Master Degree
7. Fail
Please make dua.
Wassalam.
InshaALLAH my viva will be in half an hour. I'm sitting here waiting to be called to the viva room. Basically, my examiners are here. They were having lunch with my supervisor and the PhD course manager, as usual procedure of the viva. After the lunch, the two examiners will sit together and exchange each other reports for discussion if they both have come to the same result for my PhD. If there is a substantive difference, a longer time will be needed to discuss over it, if not, I will be called in at 2.30pm today. There are basically 7 outcomes of a viva:
1. Pass without correction
2. Pass with minor corrections
3. Pass with major corrections
4. Review and resubmit
5. Resubmit and viva
6. Approve for a Master Degree
7. Fail
Please make dua.
Wassalam.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
The UK celebrates Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday in Lent (around April) but Malaysia celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May (following the US?) which is this Sunday. In fact, every country has its own different date for the Mother's Day. Almost every month there is a Mother's Day somewhere in the world. Practically saying, shouldn't it be a Mother's Day everyday? Well, no harm in celebrating such a day specifically once a year as long as it is not taken as a holy day that is associate with ritual or religious practice and not celebrated in a lavish fashion.
I actually don't really celebrate Mother's Day anymore since 9 years ago. Mother's Day is to honour a mum when she is alive, what can we do when she is no more on this Earth? Of course, one can still pray, but can I? (see previous post). Mother's Day is not in my diary but today as I was checking facebook, I came across a piece of note written by a friend. It's not something new but it's something that I have long forgotten.
A boy gave his mum a 'bill' stating that:
1. Helping mum to buy a bottle of ketchup from the shop - £2.00
2. Helping mum to look after her baby daughter - £5.00 per hour
3. Helping mum to turn on the kettle - £1.00
4. Helping mum with the laundry - £3.00
5. Helping mum to carry her shopping - £3.50
Total payment for today - £14.50
He gave his mum the 'bill' and the mum smiled. She then turned over the sheet of paper and wrote:
1. 9-month pregnancy carrying you - FREE
2. Sleepless nights looking after you - FREE
3. Breast-feeding you - FREE
4. Changing your nappies - FREE
5. Put you to sleep every night - FREE
Total payment of my love to you - absolutely FREE
Upon reading that, tears started to roll down from the boy's cheeks.
Happy Mother's Day! Tell her you love her everyday before she can't hear it anymore. Give her your warmest hug before she is not there for you anymore. Surely the Paradise is on mother's feet.
Wassalam.
Happy Mother's Day! Tell her you love her everyday before she can't hear it anymore. Give her your warmest hug before she is not there for you anymore. Surely the Paradise is on mother's feet.
Wassalam.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Conversion
Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,
In less than 2 weeks, two friends finally took the shahadah and chose the path of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) towards ALLAH. Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, ALLAHUakbar. I know them for quite a while and they have been consistently following the practice of Islam and joining ISOC activities. Both of them wanted Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad to be the witness of their conversion and had the blessing of Friday to come into this blessed religion, the way of life that ALLAH says in the Qur'an:
Talking about Christianity, yesterday I went to a dialogue between Christian and Muslim. I came because I really want to ask a Christian scholar the concept of Trinity because I honestly am very confused about it and have tried to ask friends to explain it to me, but I am still very confused. After the explanation by this Syrian Christian, I became more confused because during the explanation, he said that this doctrine is not written in the Bible or the text of the Apostles of Jesus but it's a product of the Christian Theologians (a few centuries later?). And during the explanation, he kept attacking Islamic concept which has no relevance to the concept of Trinity, such as the concept of eternity of the words of ALLAH (which is not something crucial to the creed of the muslims, the important concept is tawhid - oneness of God). Anyway, the more he explained, the more I'm confused and I can understand why more and more Christian friends either choose to be less practising or become muslims. This paragraph by no way to talk down Christianity, it might be just my incapability to understand the concept of Trinity and out of ignorance of Christianity that I said so.
Another concept of original sins and salvation on the Day of Judgement by just believing in the crucifixion of Prophet Jesus also doesn't seem appealing for me. A new born baby is so pure and sinless, how can the merciful God set sins on the baby before even he/she can survive by him/herself? How can sins be a kind of inheritance from our forefather? If salvation is guaranteed to all who believe in the sacrifice of Prophet Jesus on the cross, why are the Christians taught to ask for repentance, more so during the services in churches? Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. We earn our own rewards and sins, no one else can be accountable for other's action.
Anyway, I have more doubts about these few concepts in Christianity after attending the talk. I pray that ALLAH will guide me to the straight path, as well as all those sincere people who only wish for good for themselves and others.
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
p/s: sincere apology if there is anyone felt offended with this post, I have no intention to insult any followers of certain doctrines, it's just that I couldn't accept it after openly research and discuss about it.
In less than 2 weeks, two friends finally took the shahadah and chose the path of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) towards ALLAH. Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, ALLAHUakbar. I know them for quite a while and they have been consistently following the practice of Islam and joining ISOC activities. Both of them wanted Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad to be the witness of their conversion and had the blessing of Friday to come into this blessed religion, the way of life that ALLAH says in the Qur'an:
Surely the religion with ALLAH is Islam...The first sister took the shahadah at Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad's house with the presence of her mum. I feel so good to know that her mum actually blesses her decision even she is not inclined to Islam, yet. InshaALLAH, one day she will receive guidance from ALLAH with the prayer of her daughter. With this, the community of reverts in Cambridge is getting bigger. The good news is that, there is at least one conversion every year took place in Cambridge. This year we have two and hopefully more in the future. And these new sisters were Christians before this.~ The Holy Qur'an, Surah Ali Imran (Chapter 3, The Family of Imran), verse 19.
Talking about Christianity, yesterday I went to a dialogue between Christian and Muslim. I came because I really want to ask a Christian scholar the concept of Trinity because I honestly am very confused about it and have tried to ask friends to explain it to me, but I am still very confused. After the explanation by this Syrian Christian, I became more confused because during the explanation, he said that this doctrine is not written in the Bible or the text of the Apostles of Jesus but it's a product of the Christian Theologians (a few centuries later?). And during the explanation, he kept attacking Islamic concept which has no relevance to the concept of Trinity, such as the concept of eternity of the words of ALLAH (which is not something crucial to the creed of the muslims, the important concept is tawhid - oneness of God). Anyway, the more he explained, the more I'm confused and I can understand why more and more Christian friends either choose to be less practising or become muslims. This paragraph by no way to talk down Christianity, it might be just my incapability to understand the concept of Trinity and out of ignorance of Christianity that I said so.
Another concept of original sins and salvation on the Day of Judgement by just believing in the crucifixion of Prophet Jesus also doesn't seem appealing for me. A new born baby is so pure and sinless, how can the merciful God set sins on the baby before even he/she can survive by him/herself? How can sins be a kind of inheritance from our forefather? If salvation is guaranteed to all who believe in the sacrifice of Prophet Jesus on the cross, why are the Christians taught to ask for repentance, more so during the services in churches? Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. We earn our own rewards and sins, no one else can be accountable for other's action.
Anyway, I have more doubts about these few concepts in Christianity after attending the talk. I pray that ALLAH will guide me to the straight path, as well as all those sincere people who only wish for good for themselves and others.
ALLAHU'alam.
Wassalam.
p/s: sincere apology if there is anyone felt offended with this post, I have no intention to insult any followers of certain doctrines, it's just that I couldn't accept it after openly research and discuss about it.
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