purpose of life

Have you ever thought about it?

The purpose of human life is something that too many people throughout history have been

challenged by. Possibly, some are struggling with understanding the purpose of life. Why are we here? What does it all mean?

Truly, it is something for us to ponder...

My dental care checklist

A must-read before going to bed! =)

I've set my hp alarm clock, put on my polka-dots pyjama, pat my favourite pillows and ready to dive into my cozy slumber-land...But hey wait, NO! I'm definitely not ready for bed yet. oopss I haven't done anything good to my teeth. I obviously know that a lot of things will happen in my oral cavity while I'm sleeping; reduced salivary flow will somehow give way to more bacteria accumulation which then leads to excessive damage to my teeth.

So here's my oral care checklist, let's check it out!

Did I eat right today?

Balanced diet helps our body (including our mouth) to stay healthy and build a strong system for our growth, health maintenance, defense against illness, body repair etc. As the old adage goes, you are what you eat! Thus, proper nutrition is important for good health! Limiting the amount of food and beverages that are high in sugar can greatly help to maintain good dental health. Let's eat more fruits and veggies! =)

Did I brush my teeth today?

When we brush our teeth properly, at least twice a day and 3 minutes per session, we are removing the plaque (the soft and sticky substance that accumulates on the teeth from the food debris and bacteria) that eventually causes cavities. We'll not only brushing our teeth but also massaging the gums. Hence, always go for the soft or extra soft bristle toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste to clean our teeth unless our dentist recommends another type for some specific purposes.

Did I floss today?

Flossing will remove plaque that stuck in between the teeth where the toothbrush can't reach. Removing plaque from our teeth will also helps to prevent gum disease. Make sure to adopt the correct technique of flossing as improper way will only cause further damage to our teeth and gums. It may take us quite a long time to stand in front of mirror for the first couple of times flossing but once we get the hang of it, we'll find it to be a relatively easy exercise.

Have I ever thought of using a mouthwash?

Actually, it is not necessary to use mouthwash if the basic maintenance of oral health like brushing and flossing has been done because these activities are good enough to keep our teeth and gum healthy. Nevertheless, mouthwash still can be used in conjunction to brushing and flossing as it is useful to keep freshen up our breathe and reduce the risk of having plaque.

Keeping our smile healthy and looking good is not the most difficult thing in the world after all. It just need some amount of dedication and love towards our own body (remember: mouth and teeth are parts of our body as well!). Ultimately, we have to take good care of our oral hygiene in order to keep our smile healthy! ^_^ and of course, in essence, cleanliness is an important part of Islam that aspires the health and strength of Muslims. The holy prophet (saw) has said: “Cleanliness is the sign of Imaan (faith)” and according to another riwayah, “Cleanliness is half of Imaan (faith)”.

Wallahu'alam.

Ok now I can really go to sleep in peace...

Goodnyte dear!

Don't eat your emotions

Have you ever find yourself in the middle of having a bar of chocolates or a bag of crisps and suddenly wonder how you got there? Do you still go to the kitchen and take the habit of opening the fridge even after you've already had your dinner? Or do you tend to crave for more food that you've already had a while ago? Oh no..this is serious!

"Emotional eating is eating to make ourselves feel better," says an expert.

Many of us eat not only when we're hungry but also when we're bored, restless, guilty, hopeless or lonely and we eat even more whenever we're stress and moody. We smother our feelings with food and believing that eating comforts us. Somehow it helps to take the mind off our feelings. True! I too sometimes indulge in the binge-eating when I feel so stressful. hohoh. Anyway, I believe all of us sometimes eat for emotional reasons. So now it made me think; are we really eat to live or we live to eat then.

Still looking for some more food, honey?

*dok ita food lagihh..hehe =P

who can't resist such delicious food?? I'll crave for more for sure..

Indeed, food is very easy to get these days, it's always there and instant! But..the downside of emotional eating will eventually triggers guilt because it usually involves too much quantity, bad food choices and feel lack of self-control leading to ill health, weight gain and thus generates more guilt and stress, and so the vicious cycle continues.

There are few tips to conquer emotional eating, here goes:

• Identify your triggers; is it really hunger or just anger? Emotional hunger usually comes suddenly and strongly whereas physical hunger appears slowly and increases gradually. (note to myself: emotional hunger can strike at anytime even just after a full meal, so please stop the habit of opening the fridge and looking for what's next to eat!)
• Be alert when you eat to prevent munching without realising (that's why don't eat in front of the telly/lappy dear me!)
• Seek out food which require longer chewing time (note: chewing can release tension while exploiting those mastication muscles and make your jaw stronger! haha the latter part is just for fun).
• Pick up a healthy snacking habit! (eg fruits, yogurt, cereals, peanuts etc)
• Brush your teeth once you're done eating (especially before going to bed) to signal to your mind that your stomach is full. It works for me really! =)

Oh yes, another important point is we must slowly train ourselves to differentiate between the emotional hunger and physical hunger. Hence, the awareness is crucial and should be the first step to change. So the journey towards better health begins! ^_^

Love your body and starts eating healthily!

Teka-teki

Suatu hari, Imam Al-Ghazali berkumpul dengan murid-muridnya lalu beliau bertanya..

Imam Ghazali = ” Apakah yang paling dekat dengan diri kita didunia ini?”
Murid 1 = ” Orang tua ”
Murid 2 = ” Guru
Murid 3 = ” Teman ”
Murid 4 = ” Kaum kerabat
Imam Ghazali = ” Semua jawapan itu benar. Tetapi yang paling dekat dengan kita ialah MATI. Sebab itu janji Allah bahwa setiap yang bernyawa pasti akan mati ( Surah Ali-Imran :185).”

Imam Ghazali = ” Apa yang paling jauh dari kita di dunia ini?”
Murid 1 = ” Negeri Cina ”
Murid 2 = ” Bulan”
Murid 3 = ” Matahari ”
Murid 4 = ” Bintang-bintang ”
Iman Ghazali = ” Semua jawapan itu benar. Tetapi yang paling benar adalah MASA LALU. Bagaimanapun kita, apapun kenderaan kita, tetap kita tidak akan dapat kembali ke masa yang lalu. Oleh sebab itu kita harus menjaga hari ini, hari esok dan hari-hari yang akan datang dengan perbuatan yang sesuai dengan ajaran Agama”.

Iman Ghazali = ” Apa yang paling besar didunia ini ?”
Murid 1 = ” Gunung ”
Murid 2 ” Matahari ”
Murid 3 = ” Bumi ”
Imam Ghazali = ” Semua jawapan itu benar, tapi yang besar sekali adalah HAWA NAFSU (Surah Al A’raf: 179). Maka kita harus hati-hati dengan nafsu kita,jangan sampai nafsu kita membawa ke neraka.”

Imam Ghazali = ” Apa yang paling berat didunia?”
Murid 1 = ” Baja”
Murid 2 = ” Besi”
Murid 3 = ” Gajah ”
Imam Ghazali = ” Semua itu benar, tapi yang paling berat adalah
MEMEGANG AMANAH (Surah Al-Azab : 72 ). Tumbuh-tumbuhan, binatang,gunung, dan malaikat semua tidak mampu ketika Allah SWT meminta mereka menjadi khalifah(pemimpin) di dunia ini. Tetapi manusia dengan sombongnya berebut-rebut menyanggupi permintaan Allah SWT sehingga banyak manusia masuk ke neraka kerana gagal memegang amanah”.

Imam Ghazali = ” Apa yang paling ringan di dunia ini ?”
Murid 1 = ” Kapas”
Murid 2 = ” Angin ”
Murid 3 = ” Debu ”
Murid 4 = ” Daun-daun”
Imam Ghazali = ” Semua jawaban kamu itu benar, tapi yang paling ringan sekali didunia ini adalah MENINGGALKAN SOLAT. Gara-gara pekerjaan kita atau urusan dunia, kita tinggalkan solat “

Imam Ghazali = ” Apa yang paling tajam sekali didunia ini?”
Murid- Murid dengan serentak menjawab = “Pedang ”
Imam Ghazali = ” Itu benar, tapi yang paling tajam sekali didunia ini adalah LIDAH MANUSIA. Kerana melalui lidah, manusia dengan mudahnya menyakiti hati dan melukai perasaan saudaranya sendiri “

Sedikit renungan semoga membuat kita akan selalu ingat kesalahan-kesalahan yang pernah kita lakukan, dan semoga dengan kesalahan itu kita akan belajar melakukan kebaikan.

Wallahu'alam.

a new me

I want to start afresh! If only life's so simple like when we're playing games, we want to restart from the beginning of the level 1 because we've messed up the game or we simply had a 'game over', or even when we typed something wrongly in pc we can simply click backspace to erase the word or sentences or just delete the whole paragraph.

Anyhow, all of the above would never be possible and it's just a fantasy. Let's be real now, face everything that's lie in front of us with more positive attitudes. Yes, we couldn't simply delete nor completely erase our bad memories but we can just let go and learn from it, then move forward and let peace enter our life.

Every single day presents us with an opportunity to start afresh again. Some may say it's just another boring day or even it is difficult to start all over again especially when you're feeling so down that you can no longer stand on your own feet and lose hope as if lots of bricks falling all over you that you can't run for your life. For me, it is always never too late to turn over a new leaf. Yesterday has gone and the entire past has gone. This is all there is - now! Today to be exact – this very moment. Time to make a start people! Say hello to the new you! =)

Frankly speaking, I have made a mess of my life. I'll turn over a new leaf and hope to do better insyaAllah from now on. Why now you ask me? And why so sudden? Is there any special occasion? Of course it's not my birthday today nor any of my family members and obviously the new year has gone by really fast. Perhaps this is because of my best friend's birthday..ahakss she must be proud then. Naahh..I'll tell you the real reason: I just want to start behaving in a better way insyaAllah. Lillahi ta'ala..may Allah help me insyaAllah. With the new spirit, new good habits, improved positive attitudes, new clothes (bought last weekend =P), new haircut, new styles; say hello to the new me! =) No more oversleeping and wasting time! haitt!

I found this cool mind map on the related topic which may help us to turn over a new leaf!

Why don't you turn over a new leaf and surprise everyone with your good characteristics? Try it! All the best! ^_^

to my best friend!

What can a friend do for me, and what must I do myself?

My Best Friend!

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears.

But I can listen to you, and together we will search for answers.

I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain, nor the future with its untold stories. But I can be there now when you need me to care.

I can't keep your feet from stumbling.

I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.

Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;

Yet I can share in your laughter.

Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;

I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.

I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship, from your values, even from me.

I can only pray for you, talk to you and wait for you.

I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,

But I can give you the room to change, room to grow, room to be yourself.

I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,

But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them back in place.

I can't tell you who you are.

I can only love you and be your friend!

May Allah bless you with happiness and success insyaAllah!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR BEST FRIEND! (u know who u are! ) ^_^

Forgive me when I whine...

O Allah..

The Most Merciful

The Most High

forgive me when I whine..

My dear brothers and sisters..

We must always count our blessings..

There are so many wonderful nikmahs we already had and we will be..

Be grateful and Allah will give you more insyaAllah..

Thanks Allah night and day! ^_^

A mukmin will never fail to worship Allah. Being grateful to Allah is strongly emphasised as an attribute in the Holy Qur’an. Allah, who promises to reward those who appreciate his favors, says, “We will reward the grateful.” In the Qur’an (3:145), furthermore, He, Sub’hanahu Wa ta’ala, assures his servants that gratefulness begets more favors. Allah says, “if you are grateful, I will surely increase you (in favor) Qur’an (14:7).

Prophet Mohammad would spend the whole night in worship and supplications to Allah so much that his feet would swell and bleed. Aisha asked him, messenger of Allah, why do you undertake so much hardship when all your previous and prospective sins have been forgiven by Almighty Allah? The prophet replied. “Shouldn’t I be a grateful servant to Allah?” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Subhanallah!

What about us??

... ... ...

Let's muhasabah..

Here's a link to a great talk by Syaikh Bilal Asad on the topic.

http://www.kalamullah.com/Bilal%20Assad/Forgive%20me%20when%20I%20whine.mp3

Forgive me when I whine by Zain Bikha

Today, upon a bus I saw a girl with golden hair,
And in my heart I wished that I was just as fair
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.
Oh Allah, Oh Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs to walk upon and the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy; met a boy who had such charm.
We talked, he seemed so happy, if I were late, it do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, 'Thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see,' he said, 'I'm blind.'
Oh Allah, Oh Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes to see the world and the world is mine.

Later that day on my way, I saw a boy with eyes of blue.
He watched the other children play; he did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said, 'Why don't you join the others, dear?'
He kept on looking straight ahead and then I knew he could not hear
Oh Allah, Oh Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears to hear the world and world is mine.

With legs to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know
Oh the world is mine

I stopped for a moment, just look how much I have
Everywhere, in all our lives, these are His signs

Oh Allah, Oh Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have been blessed indeed, and the world is mine
Oh Allah, Oh Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have been blessed indeed, and the world is mine

amigos para siempre

If you want to stay best friends, this is a recipe for success.

Friends For Life

by Angelica N. Brissett

We are Friends
I got your back
You got mine,
I'll help you out
Anytime!

To see you hurt
To see you cry
Makes me weep
And wanna die
And if you agree
To never fight
It wouldn't matter
Who’s wrong or right
If a broken heart
Needs a mend
I'll be right there
Till the end
If your cheeks are wet
From drops of tears
Don't worry
Let go of your fears
Hand in hand
Love is sent,
We'll be friends
Till the end!!!!

Andalucia en mi corazón

Alhamdulillah..praise be to Him for our jaulah 2010 to Andalucia went well.

6 days in Spain with our beautiful love stories in Andalucia and more understanding on islamic history behind it was priceless. Andalucia: un sitio imprescindible para visitar!~

Nuestro viaje comienza! ~Malaga --> Granada --> Cordoba --> Seville~

Me gustaría poder vivir aquí en este hermoso palacio.

Llovía en España por unos días. (Pic: Plaza de espana, Seville)

El arte islámico magnífica..Subhanallah!

El espectacular Alhambra de Granada.

faltan: patio de los leones (en los trabajos de restauración)

La esplendorosa ciudad de Medina Azzahara, Cordova.

Que nuestro ukhuwwah flores para siempre..insyaAllah.

Las naranjas están en todas partes en España!

we came..
we saw..
we explored..
we learned..
we shared..
we took the lesson..

May Allah bless us insyaAllah..

one thing to ponder:

“What's important is the patience. Why once Islam fell? It is because their faith to Allah has loosen. We must build faith inside us."

A Prayer For You, is a Prayer For Me

Adapted from a hadith per day keeps the syaitaan away.

Abud-Darda' (radi Allahu anhu) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) saying, "Whenever a Muslim supplicates for his (Muslim) brother in his absence, the angels say: `May the same be for you too'.'' [Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith makes it evident that one who prays for someone in his absence also stands to benefit from it because the angel appointed for the task of praying for those who pray for others will pray for him, saying, "O Allah! Grant him also the same which he has asked for others.''

Abud-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: `Ameen! May it be for you, too'.'' [Muslim]

Commentary: So the advantage of praying for the iman, safety, health, prosperity, or any good, for another Muslim, is that we have an angel make the same du'a for us. When a person thinks selfishly, they are selfish even in their prayers; why pray for someone instead of for ourselves only, why pray for a Muslim in some remote part of the world? This hadith provides incentive even for a selfish person to make du'a for all Muslim brothers and sisters.

so sweet isn't it? let's be caring and always pray for our parents, family, sahabahs and others insyaAllah may Allah help us in everything we do.

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And those who came after them say: `Our Rubb! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith.''' (59:10)

"And ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women''. (47:19)

"Our Rubb! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.'' (14: 41)

Yassir Fazaga – Self-Image Psychology:

http://www.halaltube.com/yassir-fazaga-self-image-psychology

New Year's Resolution

Adapted from a hadith per day keeps the syaitaan away.

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "Between a man and disbelief and paganism is the abandonment of Salat (prayer).'' [Muslim]

Also, Buraidah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of Salat. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever.'' [At-Tirmidhi]

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The covenant between us and them consists of the prayer: whoever leaves it has disbelieved.” [Tirmidhi]

Commentary: In other words, the distinguishing characteristic of a Muslim is his praying the five daily prayers (Salah) in their prescribed times.

If a policeman never shows up for duty, or a teacher never comes to class to teach, or a firefighter never shows up to put out a fire, can he/she still be called a policeman, teacher or firefighter? Then what about a Muslim who never shows up for the Salah?

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) told us that the deal confirming a person as a Muslim is his promise to pray. If the person stops praying, he has gone back on his promise and rebelled against Islam. It is up to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to decide his case.

This new year, make it your resolution to be strict in your salah and make it your priority to pray all the daily prayers. Today is 1/1/11, the beginning of a new year where people vow to change, so start it off right with being steadfast in being the best Muslim and performing your salah on time.

Abu Usamah – The Major Sins Series: 05 – Missing Salah/Prayer:http://www.halaltube.com/abu-usamah-the-major-sins-series-05-missing-salahprayer

Abdul Nasir Jangda – Salah in Focus:http://www.halaltube.com/abdul-nasir-jangda-salah-in-focus

Yaser Birjas – The Weight of Salah on The Day of Judgment:http://www.halaltube.com/yaser-birjas-the-weight-of-salah-on-the-day-of-judgement