My Source Of Motivation

Di zaman Nabi Allah Sulaiman berlaku satu peristiwa, apabila Nabi Allah Sulaiman nampak seekor semut melata di atas batu; lantas Nabi Allah Sulaiman merasa hairan bagaimana semut ini hendak hidup di atas batu yang kering di tengah-tengah padang pasir yang tandus.

Nabi Allah Sulaiman pun bertanya kepada semut: " Wahai semut apakah engkau yakin ada makanan cukup untuk kamu".

Semut pun menjawab: "Rezeki di tangan ALLAH, aku percaya rezeki di tangan ALLAH, aku yakin di atas batu kering di padang pasir yang tandus ini ada rezeki untuk ku".

Lantas Nabi Allah Sulaiman pun bertanya: " Wahai semut, berapa banyakkah engkau makan? Apakah yang engkau gemar makan? Dan banyak mana engkau makan dalam sebulan?"

Jawab semut: "Aku makan hanya sekadar sebiji gandum sebulan".

Nabi Allah Sulaiman pun mencadangkan: "Kalau kamu makan hanya sebiji gandum sebulan tak payah kamu melata di atas batu, aku boleh tolong".

Nabi Allah Sulaiman pun mengambil satu bekas, dia angkat semut itu dan dimasukkan ke dalam bekas; kemudian Nabi ambil gandum sebiji, dibubuh dalam bekas dan tutup bekas itu. Kemudian Nabi tinggal semut didalam bekas dengan sebiji gandum selama satu bulan.

Bila cukup satu bulan Nabi Allah Sulaiman lihat gandum sebiji tadi hanya dimakan setengah sahaja oleh semut, lantas Nabi Allah Sulaiman menemplak semut: "Kamu rupanya berbohong pada aku!. Bulan lalu kamu kata kamu makan sebiji gandum sebulan, ini sudah sebulan tapi kamu makan setengah".

Jawab semut: "Aku tidak berbohong, aku tidak berbohong, kalau aku ada di atas batu aku pasti makan apapun sehingga banyaknya sama seperti sebiji gandum sebulan, kerana makanan itu aku cari sendiri dan rezeki itu datangnya daripada Allah dan Allah tidak pernah lupa padaku. Tetapi bila kamu masukkan aku dalam bekas yang tertutup, rezeki aku bergantung pada kamu dan aku tak percaya kepada kamu, sebab itulah aku makan setengah sahaja supaya tahan dua bulan. Aku takut kamu lupa".

Itulah Iman Semut!!

IMAN MANUSIA??

Di zaman Imam Suffian, ada seorang hamba Allah yang kerjanya mengorek kubur orang mati. Kerja korek kubur orang mati bukan kerja orang ganjil. Bila ada orang mati, mayat terpaksa ditanam, oleh itu kubur perlu digali dulu. Tetapi yang ganjil mengenai hamba Allah ini ialah dia tidak gali kubur untuk tanam mayat.

Sebaliknya apabila orang mati sudah ditanam, waris sudah lama balik kerumah dan Munkar Nakir sudah menyoal, barulah penggali ini datang ke kubur untuk korek balik.

Dia nak tengok macam mana rupa mayat setelah di INTERVIEW oleh Munkar Nakir. Dia korek 1 kubur, 2 kubur, 3 kubur, 10 kubur, 50 kubur sampai 100 kubur. Lepas itu, penggali pergi kepada Imam Suffian dan bertanya kepadanya: "Ya Imam, kenapakah daripada 100kubur orang Islam yang aku gali, dua sahaja yang mana mayat di dalamnya masih berhadap kiblat. Yang 98 lagi sudah beralih ke belakang?".

Jawab Imam Suffian:" Diakhir zaman hanya 2 dari 100 umat Islam yang percaya rezeki itu di tangan Allah. 98 orang lagi tidak percaya bahawa rezeki di tangan Tuhan".

Itulah sebabnya apabila umat Islam tertekan dengan SOGOKAN duit yang banyak, biasanya, iman dia akan beralih. Nyatalah iman semut lebih kuat dari iman manusia.

Kata Saidina Ali kepada Kamil: "

"ILMU ITU LEBIH BAIK DARIPADA HARTA, ILMU MENJAGA ENGKAU DAN ENGKAU MENJAGA HARTA, ILMU MENJADI HAKIM, HARTA DIHAKIMKAN, HARTA BERKURANGAN APABILA DIBELANJAKAN DAN ILMU BERTAMBAH APABILA DIBELANJAKAN" .

Antara Orang-orang yang Didoakan oleh Malaikat

Assalamualaikum wbth,

My beloved friends,

There are so many things to do in life isn't ? There are too many ways to go, too many options to choose, too little time we have...

CAREER is a means for you to groom yourself and achieve your goals with satisfaction. It is a waste if we separate our career with others as we waste 8 prime hour a day, 5 days a week for 30 years! If you 'divorce' the career with others, it will mean that you only get back your prime 8 hours at age of 55. SO? Love your Career and align it to your goals along with all the other things you want to achieve.

How to start realigning the career to meets our goals?
Remember SMART, not RM2 'terowong' SMART.

How to create an action plan and monitor your progress towards achieving SMART goals?

1. I ask them to write their goal statement on a large sticky note.
2. I then give them smaller sticky notes and ask them, “What will it take to attain your goal?” They start to list off all of the tasks that they will need to do and each task is written on a sticky note. After they have a few of the top-of-mind tasks listed (in no particular order), I keep asking the questions “And what needs to be done to complete this task?” My objective input helps to make sure everything has been considered so partner with someone that can help you see the forest for the trees.
3. Once we have a complete list of all the tasks that need to be done, I ask them to set a deadline to achieve their goal.
4. I then ask them to commit to a goal achievement schedule for the next two months e.g. 2 hours on Monday evening, 2 hours on Thursday morning and 4 hours on Saturday.
5. We then use another colour of ink to mark the time it will take (in hours) to complete each task on a small sticky note.
6. The sticky notes are arranged in sequential order and are added to a spreadsheet. The column headings are: Task Type (broad category like meeting or phone call), Description, Time Estimate, Actual Time, Scheduled (date in the goal achievement schedule), Completed and Progress.
7. We then work through the plan together. I help them to get over any hurdles and learn from any time management mistakes i.e. over or under budgeting the time it takes to complete a task.
8. At the end of the process, I encourage my clients to celebrate achieving their goal. I believe this is a very important step in the process.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six "W" questions:

*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, "Get in shape." But a specific goal would say, "Join a health club and workout 3 days a week."

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as......How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable - When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.

You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.

Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress. A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.

Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.

T can also stand for Tangible - A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.

(^_^)

A Blog Post by Singapore 's Youngest Millionaire

By Adam Khoo In Money

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China).. I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is travelling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire.' He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self Made Millionaires'). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

The truth is that most self-made millionaires (not those lucky bast**ds who inherited or misappropriated money) are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster. Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky). I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur's Organization) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worths well over $5m, travelled economy class and some even drove Toyota's and Nissans (not Audis, Mercs, BMWs).

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation. Thank God my rich dad (oh no! I sound like Kiyosaki) foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.. Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what make ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see by companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life. What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this BLOG is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaningless.

There was a farmer who grew superior quality, award-winning corn in his farm. Each year, he entered his corn in the state fair where it won honors. & Prizes.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew his corn. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his friends & farmers...."How can you afford to share your best seed corn with others farmers when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" The
reporter asked. "Why sir,

The farmer replied, "Didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen grains from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my friends & farmers grow inferior, sub-standard & poor quality corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I have to grow good corn, I must help my farmers to grow good corns."

The farmer gave a superb insight into the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his friends & farmers corn also improves.
So it is in the other dimensions and areas of life!

Those who choose to be in harmony must help their colleagues & friends to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others live well. The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches...

Success does not happen in isolation; it is most often a participatory and collective process. So share the good practices, ideas and new knowledge with your family, friends, colleagues ,team members & all.

As they say: "Success breeds Success."

'' Everyone has beauty, but not everyone sees it........'' Do what you can, for whom you can, with what you have, and where you are !!!!!!!!!

Gaining weight is part of being pregnant (it took me quite a while to really acknowledge this bit of information). In fact, you are not supposed to go on any weight loss program, even for those who are over weight. Pregnancy is just not the time to lose weight! So I would really advise to those who want to lose weight, please do so before getting pregnant bcoz pregnancy is the time where you need to gain (quite a lot of) weight!


Now you do need to be careful of how much weight you gain during pregnancy. Too little or too much weight gain can be harmful to both you and your baby. So it's important to gain the right amount of weight to avoid pregnancy/labor complications. This table summarizes how much weight gain is recommended according to your pre-pregnancy weight:

1 pound = 0.45kg

(Source: MayoClinic.com)

Wondering where all the weight goes? Here's a Pregnancy Weight Gain Estimator tool you can try to see what your weight gain comprises of based on your height and pre-pregnancy weight. Let's see iza's:

(I've gained a total of 13 kg to date, btw!)

Regarding Herbalife, yes I am still consuming Herbalife but not for losing weight (I've been consuming it for 2 years now - wayyy before I was pregnant). Consuming Herbalife during pregnancy is for the nutrition benefits for both mommy and baby bcoz you need to increase your intake of protein, certain vitamins and minerals. Herbalife shake is loaded with protein especially - which is vital for the growth and development of baby, the placenta, aminiotic fluid and also increasing mommy's blood volume. Besides, Herbalife shake ensures that you don't gain excessive amount of weight, which must explains why I manage to stay within the recommended weight range even tho I eat a lot! I can finish up Subway's 1 foot sandwich for lunch, imagine that!

It is recommended for pregnant women to take 6 (small) meals a day.
Here's roughly how iza's daily meal plan looks like:

Breakfast : Herbalife shake
Lunch : Usually rice + lauk2
Mid afternoon snack : Bread/cereal (sometimes I skip this if I have heavy lunch. And I mean really HEAVY, like that foot-long Subway sandwich)
Dinner : Usually rice + lauk2
Midnight snack : Herbalife shake OR bread/cereal


*The gap in between each meal is on average 3 hours. I don't usually eat 6 meals a day tho, bcoz I wake up late! ;p


Extracted from BabyCenter.com a few months back...




Vitamin supplements are essential too and you need to take it without fail, especially folic acid (in the first few months of pregnancy), calcium and iron. I also take 2 cups of Third Trimester Tea a day just to prepare my body for whatever is needed.




It would be great if you could do a simple light exercise. But I don't really exercise tho. The only exercise I do is walking around the mall, 2-3 times a week. Oh, and going up and down the staircase everyday.


Remember, pregnancy is the time when your body demands nutrition the most. Whatever you eat goes directly to your baby. Getting enough nutrition ensures a healthy pregnancy weight gain! ;)

1. Start the day right. Yes, that means breakfast. Combine a whole grain with fruit, skim dairy, or soy milk, and even add some lean protein to the mix to sustain energy levels throughout the morning. Cooked oatmeal with yogurt and a banana or Lite Mueslix with soy milk and blueberries are good choices.

2. Have a mid-morning snack. Combine a protein and a carbohydrate. It is fine to be hungry mid-morning, so honor your hunger and give your body fuel when it is asking for it. Try yogurt with a peach, low fat string cheese with an apple, or cottage cheese and grapes.

3. Eat lunch on time. Don't push back lunch until you are ravenous. Instead, eat your mid-day fuel right on time to keep your blood glucose levels nice and steady.

4. Boost your mental energy. Nature's nutrition for the brain are omega-3 fatty acids. Add light tuna or salmon to your lunchtime food choices, in addition to walnuts, tofu, and canola oil. Healthy fat keep you feeling full for a longer period of time, so add small amounts to meals and snacks. Some good choices include avocado and almonds.

5. Start the day with moderate caffeine levels and keep caffeine intake modest. While it does increase mental energy, too much caffeine may lead to energy highs and then lows, and it can interferes with quality sleep.

6. Limit processed foods high in sugar. Avoid the office candy jar, treats, and vending machine whenever possible. Processed foods do not provide sustained energy and can result in low-energy moments during the day.

7. Consume foods high in folate. Higher levels of blood folate have been associated with faster and better thought processing. Good sources include lentils, chickpeas, black beans, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, and orange juice. Also important are vitamins B6, found in bananas and spinach, and B12, found in lean proteins and skim dairy products.

8. Have an afternoon snack. If dinner is late or if you have an evening workout scheduled, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat yogurt provide energizing carbohydrate.

9. Consume complex carbohydrates that contain fiber. The fiber allows the carbohydrates to be released more slowly, providing sustained energy. Opt for whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole grain cereals.

10. Stay hydrated. About two-thirds of our body is water, and dehydration can contribute to reduced energy levels. About 80% of the fluid we consume comes from the fluids we drink, and the other 20% comes from foods. Always drink when you are thirsty, and have water available during the day to hydrate regularly.

LEAN PROTEIN
To put it simply, protein takes a lot of effort for the body to break down and digest. A lot more than, say, fat. So while your body is working hard to process that protein, you're burning calories. HG tip -- eat fish! Chances are you're not getting enough of it. Not only is fish a fabulous source of lean protein, BUT many types are full of those Omega-3 fatty acids you're always hearing about. Beans are also a wonderful source of protein. And it's no secret how we feel about our friend the soybean. (Let's have a cheer for veggie patties and soy-meats!)

WHOLE GRAINS
Belly fat is not particularly cute on anyone (except maybe babies), so it's exciting news that whole grains can do a number on that stubborn flab around your midsection. One of the easiest ways to get whole grains into your diet? Oatmeal in the morning. Quaker's Simple Harvest Multigrain Hot Cereal is really good and just full of grains. Also, Kashi GoLean's Hot Cereal packs in 7 whole grains and a big 5 - 7g fiber! Mmmmm...

GRAPEFRUIT
Ever since you were a kid popping Flintstones Chewables, you've known that Vitamin C is good for you -- and that certainly hasn't changed. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant AND has been shown in studies to help burn fat. So, if you're looking for a snack, how's about a nice, juicy grapefruit? The theory is that grapefruit helps to lower insulin levels, which keeps you from being hungry all the time! We know it smacks of classic diet food, but those Ruby Reds are MIGHTY delicious! If it's too sour for you straight, sprinkle it with some no-calorie sweetener like Splenda or stevia.

GREEN TEA
Green tea is EVERYWHERE. It's been classified as a "superfood" as it's been linked to reduced rates of heart disease and cancer. And now it helps us lose weight too? Green tea has been shown to raise our metabolism, which is key in our battle with the bad stuff. Researchers also suspect that substances called polyphenols combined with caffeine are responsible for its fat-burning properties. If the hot murky stuff doesn't do it for you, try HG's Green Tea Crème Swappuccino! Only 75 calories and SO GOOD!

SPICY FOODS
You know how when you eat spicy foods, you sometimes start to sweat a little (ew)? That's because it's given a little kick to your heart rate. These little kicks will result in a temporary increase in your metabolism, which will help you burn fat a little easier for a bit. A quick hit with cayenne, red pepper flakes, or whatever hot sauce you fancy should do the trick and get your blood pumping. And these spices are practically calorie-free. Yes!

LIGHT DAIRY
Hey, dairy queens! Good news! It turns out that people who eat low-fat or fat-free dairy lose MORE weight than people who don't. Sure we mentioned protein before, but it bears bringing up again since the magical combo of calcium and protein seems to work wonders. We're WAY into yogurt, so we suggest picking up some Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt and mixing in your favorite fruits, sugar-free preserves... or whatever! Also, light string cheese is a GREAT little snack, with only around 50-60 calories and 2.5g fat a pop. Not bad for hard cheese, people.

WATER
Experts say it's important to drink lots of water if you're trying to burn fat Your body can't work effectively if it's dehydrated -- not only will you FEEL like you don't have any energy, but also your body really won't have what it needs to function and burn off fat. Keep that machine humming -- drink around 8 glasses of water a day!

CINNAMON
Sure this stuff tastes good -- that's why it's found in SO many things. But those chefs might not know that their sprinkling of cinnamon is helping the body process sugar more effectively and lower blood sugar levels. High blood sugar can lead to the body storing more fat, so maybe put together a little shaker of cinnamon and Splenda to sprinkle on your favorite foods! Then whip up some fat-burning cinnamon toast by using your new concoction on whole-wheat bread!

APPLES
An apple a day isn't going to keep the gym away, but it'll probably make your diet plan more effective. Word on the street is that the pectin contained in apples limits how much fat your cells can absorb. (SWEET!) Plus it's a naturally soluble fiber, which is always good. So next time you feel all snacky, grab whichever apple looks best to you (we love Fujis!).

Hungry for More?

source: Hungry Girl

Gabriel Walter was born in Kuching, Malaysia, in 1977. He received the B.S, M.S, and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, in 1998, 2001, and 2003, respectively. His doctoral advisor, Professor Nick Holonyak Jr., widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of the optoelectronic industry, is the inventor of the first practical Light Emitting Diode (LED) and visible laser, and is one of only 14 Americans to have won both the prestigious National Medal of Science (1990) and the National Medal of Technology (2002). Dr. Gabriel Walter is the 60^th and last student of Prof. Nick Holonyak.

Dr. Gabriel Walter is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and continues his research with Prof. Holonyak. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Electro Opto Systems Sdn. Bhd., an optoelectronic start-up company founded along with Prof. Nick Holonyak Jr. and Prof. Milton Feng, based in Melaka, Malaysia.

His research interest include III–V quantum-well and quantum-dot-coupled to quantum-well lasers and transistor lasers, and long-term radioisotope power sources. He co-developed the first quantum-dot-coupled-to-quantum-well lasers to demonstrate the first room temperature operation of single quantum dot layer laser at both the visible (600 to 670 nm) and infrared wavelengths (960 to 1100 nm). Along with Prof. N. Holonyak Jr., Prof. M. Feng and Researcher R. Chan, he invented the world’s first transistor laser. By incorporating quantum wells into the active region of a light-emitting transistor, they enhanced the electrical and optical properties, making possible stimulated emission and transistor laser operation and new opportunities in high-speed optoelectronics and integrated circuits.

For more: Prof Nick Holonyak, Inventors Hall of Fame, Nick Holonyak, Holonyak's Biodata, Holonyak's achievements & i luv this too;)

How many of you can name me the runner up in the 100 meters event, the 200 meters event and the 4 x 100 relay event, all of which Usain Bolt won or was part of the team that won?

I would think that 95% of you would not have been able to answer that question. So the first minor lesson in life is that nobody remembers the runner ups in life; We only remember the winner. And yet ironically the difference between the winner and the runner was in miniscule seconds as shown in the table below.

Source : http://results. beijing2008. cn/WRM/ENG/ Schedule/ AT.shtml

If we take the 100 meters for example, we find that the difference between the winner and the runner up was only 0.2 and yet the rewards that will be reaped by Usain Bolt will be at least a hundred fold more than Richard Thompson. Using the above only as a metaphor, what does it tell us?

It tells us that in life ‘A small performance improvement can make a huge difference in terms of rewards.’ As W. Clement Stone, the author and master motivator said, “There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference.” It means that if each and every one of us can improve by say 5% in our skills or behavior, then the rewards we will reap will be many, many fold. That improvement may make us the Usain Bolt in our department, our company, our industry etc. And the great thing is that there is no need for a quantum leap in terms of performance. Just a little at the right places!

So just go out there and make that little performance improvement. You certainly can!! Ultimately you will be glad that you did when the rewards start to rain down!!

“Ummiiii…. baliklah rumah!!!”, Saiful Islam menjerit di tingkap.

Hening tengah hari itu terganggu dengan jeritan anak sulung saya dari tingkap rumah kami di tingkat 11.

“Yop… jangan menjerit macam tu. Nanti orang marah”, saya menegah Saiful Islam dari perbuatannya.

“Ummi pergi mana?”, tanyanya kepada saya.

Tersentak hati saya.

Kalau dihitung jumlah hari, saya lebih banyak out station dan ghaib dari rumah berbanding Ummu Saif. Perginya saya juga ada kalanya jauh lebih lama. Jika saya mengisi jemputan program di luar negara, mahu sahaja lima hari ke seminggu saya tiada di rumah.

Tetapi mungkin ketiadaan bapa itu tidak seberat ketiadaan ibu. Naluri anak-anak…

Sudah masuk tiga malam Ummu Saif bekerja shif malam. Itulah mungkin punca anak-anak terasa kehilangannya. Walhal bukan tidak bertemu di kala siang.

‘KAUNSELING’

“Yop mari sini sekejap”, saya memanggilnya.

“Apa dia?”, tanya Saiful Islam.

“Yop ingat tak dulu Yop jatuh kerusi? Kepala Yop luka. Imad pun pernah sakit. Orang sakit pergi mana?”, saya mengingatkannya.

“Pergi hospital”, jawab Saiful Islam kepada saya.

“Siapa tolong orang sakit di hospital?”, saya menyambung soalan.

“Doktorlah. Macam Ummi”, balas anak saya ini.

“Betul! Hari ini ada orang sakit, ada orang jatuh kerusi, ada orang kena langgar kereta. Semuanya pergi hospital. Ummi tengah tolong orang sakit”, saya menyudahkan jawapan.

“Ooo!”, Saiful Islam memuncung.

MEMBENCI KESIBUKAN IBU BAPA

Kesibukan ibu bapa bekerja itu ada baik dan ada buruknya. Tekanan ekonomi mendesak kita untuk bekerja keras, suami dan isteri. Malah adakalanya, bukanlah disebabkan oleh dorongan ekonomi, tetapi kerana tanggungjawab yang terpikul di bahu.

Namun tanpa sedar, si anak mungkin membenci pekerjaan ibu bapanya. Pekerjaan yang mencuri ibu bapa dari kehidupan mereka.

Bukan sahaja pekerjaan, malah perjuangan.

Saya tidak terkejut, anak-anak pendakwah membenci dakwah dan wadah dakwah ibu bapa mereka, kerana melihat perjuangan itu sebagai punca mereka terabai.

Keadaan ini menjadi lebih ketara apabila ibu bapa dan anak-anak tidak berkongsi nilai yang sama. Apa yang dianggap berharga, penting dan berguna dalam perjuangan ibu bapa, tidak pernah dikongsi bersama anak-anak. Mungkin pemergian ibu atau bapa ke medan bakti, sama ada dakwah, atau pekerjaan biasa, dirumuskan secara mudah oleh anak-anak sebagai sibuk, sibuk dan sibuk.

TELADAN KISAH IBRAHIM DAN ISMAIL

Tetapi Nabi Ismail ‘alayhi al-salaam sebagai anak kepada seorang insan bernama Ibrahim ‘alayhi al-salaam, adalah di antara anak yang paling kerap dan lama ditinggalkan. Ayahandanya Ibrahim, bukan ‘out station’ sehari dua, malah bertahun-tahun lamanya. Sesekali pulang, Ibrahim tentu sahaja terlepas banyak hari, minggu, bulan malah tahun bersama-sama anaknya Ismail yang ditinggalkan di bumi Mekah.

Tetapi Ismail tidak pernah bermusuh dengan bapanya Ibrahim.

Lebih-lebih lagi, kepulangan Ibrahim pada suatu hari, membawa mesej yang maha berat. Mahu menyembelih anak kesayangan sendiri!

Apa kata Ismail?

Beliau (Ismail) menjawab: “Wahai ayah, jalankanlah apa yang diperintahkan kepadamu; insya Allah, ayah akan mendapati daku dari kalangan orang-orang yang sabar”. [Al-Shaafaat 37 : 102]

Saya ketiadaan formula untuk mengetahui apakah rahsia pendekatan yang digunakan oleh Hajar selaku watak utama yang mendidik Ismail sepemergian Ibrahim. Tetapi apa yang pasti ialah, mereka bertiga berkongsi nilai yang sama. Mereka sama anggapan terhadap apa yang berharga, berguna, bernilai dan berhak mendapatkan pengorbanan dalam hidup ini.

Maka salah satu intipati penting dalam didikan Hajar ketika membesarkan Ismail adalah pada menyuburkan nilai ini.

“Ayah keluar berjuang”, agaknya itulah kata Hajar kepada anaknya Ismail tatkala anak itu bertanyakan ayahnya.

Maka Ismail sentiasa melihat dirinya sebagai anak pejuang, dan Ibrahim pula adalah hero bagi Ismail kerana ayahnya itu seorang pejuang.

MEMUPUK, BUKAN MENGHASUT

Di sinilah peranan ibu dan bapa untuk tidak menjadi kanak-kanak di depan anak.

“Ayah kamu memang macam tu. Asyik kerja sahaja!”, kata si emak kepada anak yang bertanya.

“Mama kamu lebih pentingkan orang lain dari kita!”, ‘hasut’ si ayah kepada anak yang rindukan ibunya.

Apabila ayah atau ibu menghasut anak untuk turut marah, geram dan dendam kepada ibu dan ayahnya, ia adalah situasi yang lose-lose. Tiada siapa yang menang. Anak kecewa dengan ayah yang bekerja, di samping emak yang membenci ayah sama. Anak berduka dengan ibu yang bekerja, di samping ayah yang membenci ibunya.

Beritahulah sisi positif pekerjaan suami kepada si anak. Agar si anak melihat bapanya dengan pandangan yang tinggi. Jelaskan kepada anak, bahawa ibunya yang bekerja itu bukan sekadar bekerja, tetapi ada jasa dan bakti yang sedang diberi.

BERBALIK KEPADA DIRI

Tetapi semua itu berbalik semula kepada hukum alam, bahawa faaqid al-syai’ laa yu’theeh atau ’seseorang yang tidak memiliki sesuatu, tidak akan dapat memberikannya kepada orang lain’. Jika kita sendiri menganggap kerja tidak lebih dari sekadar cari duit, mana mungkin kita dapat memahamkan anak tentang nilai kerjaya kita bahawa ia lebih dari sekadar cari duit.

Jika kita sendiri melihat pekerjaan itu suatu perjuangan, amal bakti sebagai khalifah, mungkin si anak boleh berkongsi inspirasi yang sama.

Jangan sampai anak menawarkan wang untuk membeli masa anda untuknya!

ABU SAIF @ www.saifulislam.com
56000 Kuala Lumpur

March 25th, 2008 | by Abu Saif | 2,006 Views | Print This Post | Email this post |

“Yop, cepatlah pakai baju sekolah ni!”, saya meninggikan suara.

Terjejas juga mood pagi apabila kelam kabut menyiapkan anak-anak ke sekolah. Ummu Saif apatah lagi.

Menyiapkan makan pakai anak-anak. Menyiapkan makan pakai diri sendiri. Semuanya terkejar-kejar dengan hambatan masa dan kerja.

Itu pemandangan biasa di dalam mana-mana rumahtangga. Setiap pagi, ibu bapa kelam kabut menyiapkan anak-anak.

Selesai menghantar anak ke sekolah atau pusat jagaan harian, saya dan isteri sama-sama mengharungi lautan manusia dan kereta, menuju ke tempat kerja. Ummu Saif agak bertuah kerana rumah kami tidak jauh dari hospital tempat kerjanya.

Ada hari saya bekerja. Ada hari saya belajar. Menjadi pekerja dan pelajar dalam satu masa, sangat mencabar kesabaran diri. Ummu Saif juga begitu. Program Master Klinikal untuk menjadi doktor pakar ini sangat mencabar.

Bukan sahaja soal mengagihkan masa, tetapi juga kesegaran minda dan tubuh badan kerana syarahan boleh jadi leteran, jika kepala dan telinga mendengarnya dalam kepenatan.

Pulang ke rumah, keperluan makan minum anak-anak bersambung semula. Seperti hari-hari sebelumnya.

Memasak, mengemas rumah, memandikan anak-anak, solat, mengaji, kerja sekolah, gosok baju…. ahh, sudah tinggal nyawa-nyawa ikan sebelum mampu menyentuh buku pelajaran.

PENAT

”Ahh, penatnya kan Umi?”, saya menoleh kepada isteri.

Dia hanya tersenyum.

”Kenapa?”, saya bertanya.

”Salah ke senyum?”, tanya isteri saya.

”Bukanlah salah. Tetapi lain macam pula senyumnya!”, saya ketawa.

”Dulu abang… dulu Yang. Sekarang tinggal Abi dengan Umi”, kata isteri saya.

”Okay la tu. Atau kita nak tukar kepada Maknya dan Paknya?”, saya berseloroh.

Kami ketawa.

Tetapi dalam tawa, hati tetap berkata-kata.

Masa berlalu begitu pantas. Dari hari pertunangan melangkah ke jinjang perkahwinan, Belum puas berdua bercinta, rumah diseri dengan cahaya mata. Itu rezeki dari-Nya.

Anak satu… anak dua… anak tiga… begitulah kehidupan saya dan isteri berkembang, seiring dengan peredaran masa dan pertambahan usia.

Semasa baru berumahtangga, segalanya indah. Ia suatu peningkatan dan pencapaian dalam kehidupan. Keindahan itu berubah kepada suatu keadaan baru dengan ketibaan cahaya mata kurniaan Allah. Hanya Dia yang Tahu betapa hebatnya perasaan saya dan isteri semasa mendukung anak buat kali pertama.

”Kita kini bertiga!”, saya tersenyum.

Dari dua menjadi tiga, kemudian empat dan kini lima.

Ia suatu kebahagiaan. Sesuatu yang diimpikan oleh setiap insan yang melangkah ke alam perkahwinan.

Namun kadang-kadang kita terlupa.

Dalam sebuah rumahtangga itu bukan hanya ada Abi dan Umi, bukan hanya ada Paknya dan Maknya. Rumahtangga juga sentiasa ada dua insan yang masih seorang suami dan seorang isteri.

Kerana sibuk dengan rutin kehidupan seharian, kita tanpa sedar membiarkan identiti seorang suami dan isteri tenggelam.Suami melihat isteri sebagai ibu kepada anak-anak mereka. Isteri pula melihat suami sebagai ayah kepada cahaya mata tumpuan kasih dan cinta mereka. Pandangan suami dan pandangan isteri hilang tanpa sedar. Apa yang tinggal hanya pandangan ibu dan bapa melalui anak-anak yang memamah seluruh masa yang ada di dalam sebuah rumahtangga.

JEMU?

”Kenapa anta buat macam tu. Tak sayang isteri ke? Apa salah dia?”, saya bertanya kepada seorang rakan. Beliau memasang cinta kedua, di belakang isteri yang suatu ketika dahulu digila-gilakannya.

”Hmm.. entahlah!”, katanya lesu.

”Anta sudah tak sayangkan dia lagi ke?”, saya mencari kepastian.

”Tak juga. Tetapi… jemu barangkali!”, jawabnya dengan suara yang lemah.

Saya tergamam.

Alasannya senang sekali… isteri dan anak-anak yang sempurna itu tidak lagi mendatangkan bahagia, atas sebab yang mudah… JEMU.

”Hey… jemu anta kata? Habis dengan orang baru tu, anta tak akan jemu ke suatu hari nanti? Hari ini seronoklah, segala-galanya cinta. Tanggungjawab belum masuk dalam cerita”, saya panas hati.

Biar pun saya terganggu dengan kisah rakan yang seorang ini, tetapi saya sendiri mengambilnya sebagai peringatan.

Bahawa di dalam sebuah rumahtangga pasangan beranak tiga, ibu bapa dan anak-anak bukanlah segalanya. Selama mana sekali pun bahtera rumahtangga belayar, suami dan isteri tetap ada.

Jangan dibiarkan kehangatan itu padam oleh rutin harian yang demikian.

Hari ini, saya dan isteri mengambil cuti. Anak-anak tinggal di sekolah dan nursery hingga petang. Sepanjang hari ini, saya dan isteri keluar makan bersama, tanpa Saiful Islam, tanpa Naurah Sabihah dan tanpa Muhammad Imaduddin.

Semuanya kerana, dalam kehidupan kami sekeluarga masih ada suami dan isteri, dan hari ini adalah hari untuk kami berdua..

Kerana MASIH ADA CINTA…

ABU SAIF @ www.saifulislam.com
56000 Kuala Lumpur

Masjid Nabawi di Madinah

Madinah atau Madinah Al Munawwarah: مدينة رسول الله atau المدينه, (juga Madinat Rasul Allah, Madīnah an-Nabī) adalah kota utama di Arab Saudi. Merupakan kota yang ramai diziarahi atau dikunjungi oleh kaum Muslimin. Disana terdapat Masjid Nabawi yang memiliki pahala dan keutamaan bagi kaum Muslimin. Dalam Hadits, Nabi Muhammad SAW bersabda bahwa :

"Shalat di masjidku (Masjid Nabawi) memiliki pahala 1000x dan Shalat di Masjidil Haram (Mekkah) memiliki pahala 100000x"

Kota ini dewasa ini memiliki penduduk sekitar 600.000 jiwa. Bagi umat Muslim kota ini dianggap sebagai kota suci kedua. Pada zaman Nabi Muhammad SAW, kota ini menjadi pusat dakwah, pengajaran dan pemerintahan Islam. Dari kota ini Islam lalu menyebar ke seluruh jazirah Arabia dan lalu ke seluruh dunia.

Geografi

Lokasi kota Madinah pada Semenanjung Arab

Kota ini berjarak kurang lebih 600 km di sebelah Utara Kota Mekkah. Pada masa lalu memerlukan waktu cukup lama untuk mencapai Madinah (kurang lebih satu bulan) dengan menggunakan Unta. Sedangkan saat ini dapat ditempuh kurang lebih 6 jam melalui jalan bebas hambatan yang dibangun oleh pemerintah Arab Saudi. Pada masa kekuasaan Usmaniyah Turki, terdapat jalur kereta api yang menghubungkan Madinah dengan Amman (Yordania) serta Damaskus (Syria). yang merupakan bagian dari jalur kereta api Istambul (Turki)-Haifa (Israel) yang dikenal dengan nama Hejaz Railway. Kini jalur itu sudah tidak ada lagi dan stasiun kereta api Madinah dijadikan Museum. Jalur ini dahulu digunakan untuk kelancaran pengangkutan jamaah haji. Saat ini selain menggunakan jalan darat, kota Madinah dapat diakses melalui Udara dengan bandara berskala internasional yang terutama digunakan pada musim haji selain bandara king Abdul Aziz di Jeddah

Secara geografis, kota ini datar yang dikelilingi gunung dan bukit bukit serta beriklim gurun.

[sunting] Ekonomi

Dari sektor ekonomi, terdapat sektor pertanian dan perkebunan terlebih lebih perkebunan kurma yang sudah dikenal sejak masa lampau, peternakan selayaknya penduduk Arab serta perdagangan ditambah dengan sektor jasa terutama jasa pelayanan para peziarah diantaranya adalah usaha perhotelan dan penginapan.

[sunting] Pendidikan

Selain dikenal sebagai kota pusat perkembangan Islam. Madinah juga merupakan pusat dari pendidikan Islam sejak masa Nabi Muhammad SAW. Juga banyak ulama-ulama dan Cendekiawan Islam yang muncul dari Madinah diantaranya adalah Imam Malik. Saat ini di Madinah terdapat berbagai Jami'ah (Universitas) dan perguruan perguruan tinggi Islam lainnya.

[sunting] Sejarah

Kota Madinah pada masa sebelum perkembangan Islam dikenal dengan nama Yathsrib. Dikenal sebagai pusat perdagangan. Kemudian ketika Nabi Muhammad SAW hijrah dari Mekkah kota ini diganti namanya menjadi Madinah sebgai pusat perkembangan Islam sampai beliau wafat dan dimakamkan di sana. Selanjutnya kota ini menjadi pusat penerus Nabi Muhammad yang dikenal dengan pusat khalifah. Terdapat tiga Khalifah yang memerintah dari kota ini yakni Abu Bakar, Umar bin Khattab dan Utsman bin Affan. Pada masa Ali bin Abi Thalib pemerintahan dipindahkan ke Kufah di Irak karena terjadi gejolak politik akibat terbunuhnya khalifah Utsman oleh kaum pemberontak. Selanjutnya ketika kekuasaan beralih kepada bani Umayyah, maka pemerintahan dipindahkan ke Damaskus dan ketika pemerintahan berpindah kepada bani Abassiyah, pemerintahan dipindahkan ke kota Baghdad. Pada masa Nabi Muhammad SAW, penduduk kota Madinah adalah orang yang beragama Islam dan orang Yahudi yang dilindungi keberadaannya. Namun karena penghianatan yang dilakukan terhadap penduduk Madinah ketika perang Ahzab, maka kaum Yahudi diusir keluar Madinah.

Kini Madinah bersama kota suci Mekkah dibawah pelayanan pemerintah kerajaan Arab Saudi yang merupakan pelayan kedua kota suci.

Keutamaan Kota Madinah

Sebagai salah satu kota suci umat Islam, Madinah memiliki sejumlah keutamaan, yaitu :

• Tempat yang diprioritaskan penyebutan namanya dalam Al-qur'an.
• Yang menjadikan Madinah sebagai tanah haram (suci) adalah Allah SWT.
• Pengharaman pemburuan dan buruan di Madinah.
• Larangan memotong pohon-pohon, mencabutnya dan memungut barang yang tercecer.
• Pengharaman mengangkat senjata dan berperang didalamnya.
• Mengharamkan bid'ah dan hukuman bagi orang yang melakukannya.
• Allah SWT. memilih Madinah sebagai tempat hijrah Rasulullah SAW.
• Allah SWT. memilih Madinah sebagai tempat disemayamkannya jasad Rasulullah SAW.
• Madinah dibersihkan dari Syirik.
• Iman akan kembali ke Madinah
• Keberkahan di Madinah dilipatgandakan.
• Dajjal tidak boleh memasuki Madinah.
• Madinah tidak akan dimasuki oleh rasa gentar terhadap Dajjal.
• Madinah tidak akan dimasuki oleh wabah Ta'un.
• Perpindahan penyakit dari Madinah ke Juhfah.
• Larangan membunuh ular sebelum diberi peringatan selama 3 hari karena para jin disana banyak yang memeluk Islam dan mereka suka berubah bentuk menjadi binatang diantaranya ular.
• Anjuran untuk tinggal di Madinah.
• Anjuran agar meninggal di Madinah.
• Orang-orang kafir tidak boleh memasuki Madinah.
• Alim ulamanya lebih alim dari ulama selainnya.
• Tanahnya sebagai penyembuh (Syifa')
• Menakut-nakuti penduduk Madinah berarti menakut-nakuti Rasulullah SAW.
• Syafaat bagi siapa saja yang sabar atas cobaan di Madinah.
• Syetan putus asa untuk disembah di Madinah.
• Doa untuk Madinah sebagaimana doa Nabi Ibrahim untuk Mekkah.
• Para Malaikat menjaganya hingga Hari Kiamat
• Madinah bermandikan cahaya di hari kedatangan Rasulullah SAW.
• Hukuman bagi orang yang mendzalimi penduduk Madinah.

Keistimewaan Gunung Uhud

• Gunung Uhud mencintai Rasulullah SAW. dan begitu juga sebaliknya

Dari Anas bin Malik r.a, Rasulullah bersabda :

"Sesungguhnya Uhud adalah satu gunung yang mencintai kami dan kami juga mencintainya.""

(Disetujui oleh Al-Bukhari dan Muslim)

• Gunung Uhud berguncang ketika Rasulullah SAW. beserta para sahabat beliau ketika berdiri diatasnya

Dari Anas bin Malik r.a, Rasulullah mendaki gunung Uhud bersama dengan Abu Bakar r.a, Umar r.a dan Ustman r.a. Ketika itu gunung Uhud berguncang. Kemudian Rasulullah SAW. menghentakkan kakinya dan bersabda :

"Diamlah kamu wahai Uhud, karena sesungguhnya berada diatas kamu adalah seorang Nabi, seorang Siddiq dan dua orang syahid"

(Diriwayatkan oleh Bukhari)

• Gunung Uhud adalah salah satu dari gunung-gunung di Surga.

Keutamaan Wadi Al-'Aqiq

• Allah SWT. telah menjadikannya sebagai tempat yang penuh keberkahan.
• Rasulullah menyempatkan singgah di wadi ini dalam perjalanan pulang dari ibadah Haji.

Keutamaan Pemakaman Al-Baqi'

Area pemakaman Al-Baqi' adalah suatu area pemakaman para sahabat Nabi, Tabi'in, Tabi'ut tabi'in, dan para ulama serta orang saleh sesudahnya. Sering Nabi mengunjunginya pada waktu malam dan berdoa dan memohon ampunan untuk mereka yang dikebumikan di pemakaman ini

• Diantara doa beliau yang diajarkan kepada kita untuk Ahli al-Baqi' :

"Kesejahteraan keatas kamu wahai penghuni-penghuni Makam dari kalangan mukminin dan muslimin. Allah merahmati mereka yang terdahulu dan kemudian dari kalangan kami dan sesungguhnya kami dengan izin Allah akan mengikuti kamu"

"Kesejahteraan atas kamu tempat tinggal orang-orang yang beriman, dan telah datang pada kamu barang apa yang telah dijanjikan untukmu, kamu ditangguhkan hingga hari esok dan dengan izin Allah kami akan mengikuti kamu, wahai Allah, ampunilah penghuni-penghuni Baqi' Al-Gharqod"

• Jenazah yang dimakamkan di Baqi' akan dibangkitkan pertama di Padang Mahsyar
• 70.000 dari penghuni Baqi' dibangkitkan dan masuk Surga tanpa hisab

Keutamaan Masjid Nabawi

• Dianjurkan datang ke masjid Nabawi terlebih dahulu bagi musafir yang pulang bepergian
• Masjidnya diasaskan atas dasar taqwa
• Pahala shalat dilipatgandakan
• Pahala bagi orang yang shalat 40 raka'at di masjid Nabawi
• Tidak boleh meninggikan suara
• Keutamaan siapapun yang datang ke masjid Nabawi baik sebagai pengajar maupun pelajar
• Raudhah termasuk tempat yang mulia
• Mimbar berada diatas telaga Rasulullah SAW.
• Mimbar tempat Rasulullah SAW. berkhutbah berada dibawah pintu surga
• Tangisan dan rajukan batang tamar
• Tiang-tiang mimbar masjid menjadi tiang-tiang didalam surga
• Hukuman bagi siapa saja yang bersumpah palsu di mimbar