Happy belated new year 1431H

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

UK was a great trip and the graduation went well alhamdulillah. After I was back in Malaysia, there were just too much things to catch up with because the week after my arrival back in Malaysia is the beginning of the new semester. I was given three new subjects and I have taken some times in Cambridge to look for some materials. Yet, when I came back, it wasn't preparing for the lectures that I was assigned to do but other administrative stuff like quality assurance, accreditation, auditing, bla, bla, bla. It actually wasted like a week of my time while combating with the awful jet lag (I literally sat on my office chair and started to snor away in that upright sitting position without any support!).

Anyway, this is the end of the second week of the new semester, so things have begun to get a bit more stable. And it was Christmas holiday yesterday, so took a bit of time off and remembered that I still have a blog to update, after leaving it behind my mind for a long time.

A brief reflection of my visit to the UK. GREAT! No other words can describe it. Though I didn't get to meet everyone I want to but I have met more people than I would have ever imagined in a very short visit. Alhamdulillah. Really appreciate those friends who kindly let me stay at theirs, use their space, eat their food, take their time, etc. May ALLAH reward them abundantly and may they make all these halal for me.

Taking on new subjects is a big challenge for a new lecturer like me. More so, if it is a master subject because I have to prepare for 42 hour of intellectual and academical lectures for the level of a master degree. I have to prepare and deliver more than what I know and read. This can only mean that I won't be able to sleep the night that I am preparing the lecture because I feel like doing an assignment that dues every week! And there are four assignments (four subjects this semester - two undergraduate's and two postgraduate's) with four different datelines every week! Do you still want to be a lecturer?

Anyway, as time passes, we are now already in the new year of 1431H. So, happy belated new year! Today is 9th Muharram and tomorrow is 10th Muharram or the Ashura Day. Don't forget to fast today (if not, take the 11th) and tomorrow because the Prophet Muhammad (saw) had asked us to do so though it is not compulsory. Why 9th or 11th? Well, the explanation should start with why 10th?

10th of Muharram in the Abrahamic faith has a significant history. It is on this day that ALLAH saved Prophet Musa or Moses (as) and his people (most of them are what we known today as the Jews or actually they are the children of Prophet Ya'akub or Jacob (as) or the Israelites). So, when the muslims immigrated to Madinah from Makkah, they saw that many Jews fasted on this day to remember the day that their ancestors were saved. This marks the day they called Yom Kippur - which literally means the day of attonment. The Jews fast for 25 hours on this day. When this news came to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), he said that the muslims are more deserving to fast on this day because Musa is more deserving to the muslims than the Jews.

And it was actually made compulsory to fast on this day before the commandment of obligatory fast for the muslims in the month of Ramadhan in the year 624. So the fast on this day is highly recommended although not compulsory. Later, the Jews started to mock the muslims for following them to fast on the day of Ashura, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) made the determination by saying "inshaALLAH" that he will fast another day together with the day of Ashura in the coming year to differentiate the fast of the muslims from the Jews. But ALLAH took his life away before he met the next Muharram. So, fasting on 9th or 11th of Muharram is recommended as well because it is like a will of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) to his ummah.

If this doesn't get you to want to do some voluntary fast, what about this hadith:

Muslim reported from Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said , "The best of fasts after the month of Ramadan are in the Month of Allah, which you call Muharram. And the best of prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer." [Muslim, 1163]

So, it is good to fast anyway in this month. Pick any days that you are convenient to do so. Only that Ashura Day has more signficance than the other days in this month:

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fasting the day of `Ashura' (is of great merits), I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year”(Muslim)

It is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him and his father) that he was asked about fasting the Day of `Ashura [10<sup>th</sup> of Muharram]. He said, "I did not see the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fast a day while more avid to seek its virtue than this day, (meaning the Day of `Ashura)." [Bukhari (2006), and Muslim (1132)]

It has been reported from Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As (Allah be pleased with him), that "Whoever fasts `Ashura it is as if he has fasted the entire year. And whoever gives charity this day it is like the charity of an entire year."

So, happy new year and may your fast be accepted by ALLAH, that your fast is counted as like fasting for an entire year and all you sins of the previous year will be expiated. Amin.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

No Way Through

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

This is quite a powerful short video:

Ctrl.Alt.Shift Film Competition Winner: No Way Through.

Wassalam.

Kursus Kepimpinan Pensyarah Muda 1/09

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I have attended a great course over the past week or less. It is a course designed for young lecturers from government universities across the country. So far, there are 20 such universities in Malaysia and each of them have to nominate 5 lecturers below 35 years old to attend the course. I was hesitated to attend because previously the course was held at BTN, which is like in the remote area of nowhere and the training was like semi-military, living in a big dome with poor facilities and so on.

However, this time, for the first time, the course was organised at INTAN, a venue that usually is used for executive government servants like the school principals, professors, senior officers, etc. We were lucky to be placed here where we each were given a room with another room-mate. The room is en-suite and air-conditioned. Really, we have no complain on the accommodation and food here. The facilitators were very friendly, supportive and helpful. Not like the BTN's facilitators that are trained to pressure the participants.

There were a few sessions of talks by various senior government officers from the departments of anti-corruption, national security, diplomat, protocols, islamic affairs and leadership training. We also had a few physical training in groups and daily exercises. The most exciting part is the adventure in the jungle where we did some hiking, crossed some rivers and walked into two caves with the water level went up to 6 feet deep and filled with lime stones. There is also no examination for this course. I really enjoyed it and would like to recommend it to other young lecturers who have not attended this course before.

The most valuable experience in this course is the friendships built throughout the course with all the young lecturers across the country. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other, exchange opinions and update each other about stuff happening around the country. Even a facebook group is set up for all the participants in this course.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Faculty's Family Day

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

For the past two days, I stayed at a resort about an hour away from my house for our faculty's family day. I didn't expect that much from this event because I thought that it really is a waste of time, energy and money. All I can see from an event like this is just to strengthen the bonds between the members of the faculty. We work at the same place everyday and probably see each other like nearly everyday. Although there are more than 150 of us in a faculty, both academic and administrative staffs, it's not like I don't know them. Of course, not that close, that's why I thought that the ultimate goal for a family day like this is to make the relationships between us closer.

Anyway, it was a packed event. We started on Saturday morning with telematch. Before that, I have arranged a few other female staffs to go there in my car to save money and environment! It was a pleasant journey. After the fun of telematch, we went for bowling. This was my second time and my first time was like 8 years ago. I have never been a good bowler and I obviously sent the ball into the gutter a few times and hit a strike randomly, I think that has nothing to do with my skill.

We checked in a big villa together with another 10 bacheloresses (or more precise, single ladies). It was fun staying with just girls because in other 14 villas, each room was occupied by a family, so it's like 5 families in a villa, not that fun. Anyway, in the afternoon, it's the Quality Day of the faculty - a formal function to celebrate the success of the faculty in various fields of academia and non-academic matters. In the evening, it's the Eid Dinner (though it's the end of Shawal, people still are celebrating Eid in Malaysia - it's a month of celebration here, funny Malaysians. Also, Saturday was Deepavali Day or Diwali). I really enjoyed the night cause those in my table were a bunch of happy young tutors and lecturers. We had a big roasted whole sheep! This is the first time I saw a big roast sheep on the table.

The next morning, we played futsal while the guys played netball. My team won the match and now my body is aching and soar all over, after like a few good month not having any proper exercise. On the way back, we dropped by a fishing village to buy fresh crabs. When we arrived, the fisherman just brought in two baskets of freshly-off-the-boat sea crabs. Later, we dropped by Nando's for lunch before we headed back.

This Wednesday until next Monday, I'll be at Sungai Petani, Kedah for a boring and purposeless (or for useless purpose) training - BTN - basically to make you more patriotic to the country by going for a week of camping. It's really a stupid idea, a product of the governing party who think that people can be brain-washed and fixed in just a few days of camping, who think that people will not vote for them if they don't play racial issues, who think that by not voting them means that they don't love the country, who think that they are the only legitimate party to govern this country and plunge the money of the people of this land. Really, I think I just want to fail this camp (yes, they test you at the end) and they can tell my employer about my performance there, so they will never want to send me to this kind of camp anymore. See, by sending me means that I represent this institution. If I failed, and this camp has nothing to do with my job as a lecturer, they will not want the name of UTM shamed. Why not just fail it?

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Cambridge, here I come!

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I can't wait to tell everyone that I'm coming to the UK between 24th November 2009 and 5th December 2009. The apparent purpose is for my graduation on 28th, but the hidden agenda is to see all my lovely sisters in the UK. Miss them all and hope to see them soon. I don't know how to arrange my schedule, but here it is, a very tentative one:

24th - arriving at Heathrow, stay at Dina's
25th - visiting Imperial sisters!
25th evening - travel to Cambridge, stay at Fatima's
26th - Arafah Day - fasting in Cambridge, go to TJ's house in the evening for dhikr
27th - Eid Day! Pray at Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall as usual, meet all the sisters in the community!
28th - Graduation Day
28th evening - travel to Birmingham
29th - 30th - in Birmingham, visiting
30th evening - to Oxford
1st - Back to Cambridge for a research group meeting
2nd - 3rd - chill in Cambridge
4th - 5th - London, want to see Rihla sisters!
5th - off I fly back to Malaysia.

Not sure if it will work. I just hope that I get to see as many sisters as possible. The graduation is not important, it's seeing the sisters, those who have always been there supporting me, directly or indirectly, throughout my study in Cambridge. The graduation is not for me, but for them. May ALLAH increase them in their rank, deeds, rewards and mercy.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

I'm a Chinese Malaysian Muslim... get it? - Part II

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I can't believe that I have to write this same topic for Part II because just as I went to register as a voter (yes, only now that I register!), the officer at the post office reproduce a confirmation sheet using the information from my Identification Card where she put race as Malay for me and asked me to sign the sheet. I explained to her that I am not a Malay. She said, is it not written in my Identification Card. We checked and there was no such information on it, only my religion - Islam - on it. Clearly, from my very long name, there is no way that she can't believe that I'm a Chinese, especially with my surname 'Phang' on it. Then she said, but your name is a Malay name. I was like - NEVER MIND. I signed it anyway, since the queue behind me was quite long. I was going to say, that is an Arabic name, even your name is an Arabic name, only it is written in English letters.

Is it that difficult to understand the difference between race and religion?

Probably I'm expecting too much.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

I'm a Chinese Malaysian Muslim... get it?

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I have always been reminded that culture can be apart of religion (a way of life) as long as it doesn't contradict with Islamic law. Malaysia is a very funny country, you see. Some people have skewed perception and definition about religion, culture, race, nationality, etc. Just take the Constitution of Malaysia for a start (no intention to insult this man-made constitution):

Article 160 defines a Malay as a Malaysian citizen born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. As a result, Malay citizens who convert out of Islam are no longer considered Malay under the law. Hence, the Bumiputra privileges afforded to Malays under Article 153 of the Constitution, the New Economic Policy (NEP), etc. are forfeit for such converts. Likewise, a non-Malay Malaysian who converts to Islam can lay claim to Bumiputra privileges, provided he meets the other conditions.

(From Wikipedia)

Can you see the whole mixture of race (Malay), nationality (Malaysian), religion (Islam) and culture (Malay)? Is there no Malay Malaysian who is a Christian and follows Malay culture? Is there no Indian Malaysian who is a Muslim and follows Malay culture? Is there no Chinese Malaysian who is a Muslim and follows Malay culture? Is there no Chinese Malaysian who is a Muslim and follows Chinese culture?

The first category is those that the Malay Muslims would like to punish, for example, Lina Joy. The second category is the Mamak who open 24-hour restaurants all over Malaysia and are mainly populated in Penang and Selangor. The third category is the Baba and Nyonya who we can find in Melaka. All these three categories of Malaysians speak Malay as their habitual speech. Now, I'm the last category.

My parents are Malaysians and I am born in Malaysia. My grandparents are from China. They are not Muslims. My mother tongue is Mandarin and so my habitual language is Mandarin or to be specific the dialect of Hakka (Hakka is not a language). I learned Mandarin first at kindergarten and primary school, then in Year 2, I started to learn Malay, then in Year 3, English - all in the KBSM syllabus. I have never learned and accepted Malay as my way of life simply because it is too alien for me. I only have 2 Malay classmates throughout my time in primary and secondary schools, and we were never close.

So, who am I? I'm a Chinese Malaysian who is a Muslim and speaks Mandarin as my habitual language. According to the Constitution of Malaysia, I am not a Malay, not in a million year. To put it logically, how can one change his/her own ethnicity or race? If you are born a Malay, you are a Malay for the rest of your life. If you are born an Arab, you are an Arab for the rest of your life. You can't convert from Malay to Arab, can you?

For sure, you can convert from a Buddhist to Muslim. That is me. I change my religion (a way of life) but I don't change my origin. Some people take it seriously about their origin and be proud of it. If you want to promote Islam as the best way of life given by ALLAH to mankind through the teaching and examples of the Messanger, Prophet Muhammad (saw), you can't advertise it as:

convert to Islam = becoming a Malay

If you put that equation in advertising Islam to non-Muslims who are (majority) non-Malays in Malaysia, you are just going to get backfire. That is why it is so difficult to find a non-Muslim family accept their child's conversion to Islam in Malaysia, because you are telling them that they are losing their own child and become a Malay! What a great idea!

Many Chinese in Malaysia don't have a problem for their children to convert to Christianity because it is not associated with any particular race. Buddhist is also associated with Chinese in Malaysia. That's why you can hardly find a Malay or an Iban converted to Buddhism.

On top of all these arguments, why do we need to take races so seriously? Did the Prophet (saw) not remind us that there is no one race which is more superior or inferior than other races in his last khutbah (sermon)? ...No Arabs are more superior than the non-Arabs and no non-Arabs are more superior than the Arabs...

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Outstation

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

It was a busy week. With only 3 weeks left before the final exams and a close to this semester (14 weeks!), everything was packed right at the end of the semester. I have to finish the trainee teachers supervisions who were placed far from UTM. It is in Muar, about 2 hour drive from UTM. I used to drove there in the morning and came back late in the afternoon. But seeing that I need to finish the supervision and many of the classes are scheduled at 7.30am, I decided to stay at Muar for 2 nights.

I have been at Muar and stayed there before but that was at my friend's house while I was doing the same thing like now. But then my friend was still living and working in Muar. Now that she has moved to somewhere at Gelang Patah, I don't seem to have any choice but stay at a hotel. It wasn't a pleasant thing for a single woman to stay at a hotel by herself! That was what I have been avoiding but since I had to supervise classes at 7.30am, meaning that if I had to drive from UTM, I will have to start my journey at 5am, which is one hour before Fajr! So, no because it is worse to travel alone at night and stop at any random R & R to pray Fajr.

After surveying with my colleagues who have been staying at Muar for a few times, they recommended Muar Traders Hotel is the best for me because of the location, safety of parking and convenient in looking for food and stuff. When I walked into the hotel, a staff member asked me if I'm a school student! You see, people working in the hotel always think that a young woman (looks young) only stay at a hotel because she has a sugar daddy or what. I had to prove that I'm a government officer to avoid such a fitnah.

Anyway, other than that unpleasant first impression, it was not a too bad experience staying there. The utmost reason is that it has free wireless service inside every room! Alhamdulillah, I still can work while away from my office and chat with friends. The view from my room was quite nice because the hotel is just next to the Muar River. I came back every evening after the supervision and bought some food for dinner. After that, I didn't go out until 7am to the school again.




On 30th September, it was raining and I was driving in the busy town. A car in front of me was reversing from the side street (where it is illegal to park cars) and I had to brake but I didn't make such an abrupt brake, it was a slow brake. And then a loud bang behind me, I didn't feel anything so just moved on as usual. When I looked at my back mirror, I saw a motorcycle and a girl on the street. I stopped my car and parked it aside and quickly walked to the motorcycle. She was sitting on the street with her helmet still attached on her head but the motorcycle's side mirror was broken and the battery was sticking out of the body. I quickly helped her to get up while 2 passer-bys offered to help as well. They picked up her motorcycle and parked it in a building's ally way. I tried to talk to her by asking her name but she was too dizzy or shocked maybe to reply. I asked if any part of her body was hurting, she said her shoulder. So I offered to bring her to the hospital.

While in the car, I asked her name and age. She was only 19 years old and so I asked her to phone her elder brother or sister or father. She refused, maybe too scared, so I drove her to a clinic but they advised us to go to a government hospital. Upon hearing that, she asked me just dropped her at her work place not far from the place of accident. I insisted to go to the hospital and asked her to phone her father. She said she was fine and her shoulder was not hurting anymore. I insisted to bring her to the hospital but she refused and so she phoned her father but he didn't pick up the phone. I asked if her motorcycle is insured, she replied no. So upon her request I sent her to her work place where her father can come and pick her up later.

I didn't take her contact number because I don't think it is a good idea to ask her to pay for my car. According to the law, if you hit a vehicle in front of you, it is your fault even though you may say that the vehicle in front of you made the mistake first. It happened to me once when a lorry came out of no where from a junction and the car in front of me made a sudden brake, I hit it right at the back and I was the one who had to pay. Anyway, in this case, I had to let her go because her motorcycle was in a bad shape and there was no insurance coverage for that, and she is only 19 years old.

There was a significant damage on the body of the back of my 3-month old car. I think that must be where her head hit. That's why she was so shocked. Alhamdulillah, no one was injured in this little accident and I hope she fixed her motorcycle. I travelled back to UTM again on Thursday afternoon in time to prepare for my Eid Open House - a tradition that many muslims in Malaysia do for a whole month of Shawal - which was scheduled on Friday. More than 150 guests (colleagues and students) were invited not just as a celebration for Eid but also to give thank on my PhD completion. Not much were prepared, only normal Malay Eid food like rice, ketupat, beef rendang, lodeh (lontong), nut sambal, watermelon and sirap juice, and of course kuih raya.

Eid Mubarak - still.

Wassalam.

Eid with my sisters

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I've never imagined that spending Eid with my sisters who are non-muslims could be as great as the last week. I have 5 other siblings but only one of my sisters stayed near me. She is married and is now a Maths teacher at a secondary school near my work place. My youngest sister who is now 20 years old has just started her university at UKM near Kuala Lumpur. She decided to spend her semester break of a week at Johor to visit both of us. Plus, during Eid season, there is literally no one at any universities in Malaysia except those who can't go home or have no where to go.

She arrived on the eve of Eid and we went to have my last iftar at my foster family at Johor Bahru. The next day, both of my sisters came to visit me and we had some great time eating together after Eid prayer. We then went to visit a few houses until they were tired of the similar Malay Eid food. The next day, I started my Shawwal sunnah fast and they came visit me after lunch at my office where we all get to go online together since they each has a laptop and I have three internet lines in my office - actually one whole hub but only three wires.

We were deciding on going to the UK, trying to discuss it, after countless times, and ended up only me going to my graduation by myself. At the last hour before iftar, they started to play "Bejeweled Blitz" on facebook, trying to top the leader board. I played along with them. It was fun fighting to go on top of each other. Then we went to have iftar together - roti canai and teh tarik. This is actually my first time taking these two partner food together after coming back to Malaysia.

We did quite the similar the next day. They also took some photos in my office while I was working. Then we played "Bejeweled Blitz" again and had iftar. The next day was actually a working day and my sisters came again. I really enjoyed their company. Then we went home, I cooked for everyone and my youngest sister stayed at my house. On Friday, we did the similar and at the evening, we had iftar together and they bought me two moon cakes since it's going to be the Moon Cake or Lantern Festival two weeks after Eid. This is our tradition and it has nothing to do with religion, just a Chinese tradition, as far as I know. It is the time when family members sit together enjoying moon cakes and traditional Chinese tea while gazing at the moon and kids playing lanterns.

We didn't meet on Saturday because they went to a Chinese friend's wedding. The next day, I picked them to have breakfast together before I sent my youngest sister to the coach station. I actually, for the first time, felt that I'm going to miss her when her coach was leaving the platform.

Alhamdulillah, it was a nice week with my sisters. Hopefully one day, we will perform Eid prayer next to each other.

Wassalam.

Eid Mubarak!

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Taqabbalallahu wa minna wa minkum - a line that you said to congratulate muslims who have fasted the month of Ramadhan on Eid Day. Eid Mubarak, may your deeds in this holy month be accepted by ALLAH and rewarded. May ALLAH forgive all our sins, shower us with mercy and blessing, and free all of us from the Hell Fire.

We celebrated Eid in Malaysia on 20th September 2009. My sisters came to visit me and we had quite a nice day together going around town to visit people and eat a lot of traditional Eid food.

This is my first Eid after leaving the UK. I just realise that every Eid in the UK I don't miss anyone in Malaysia but now that I am in Malaysia, I am actually missing badly all my friends and aunties in the UK! Somehow they are closer to my hearts than people around me in Malaysia. Have I changed?

Anyway, wherever you are, my friends, my sisters, I wish you a very happy Eid and may we meet again soon.

Wassalam.

Academic Discussion - Report

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

On Ayien's request, here is the result of the discussion:

Attendance: 60++ (some who came late didn't sign the attendance), including the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International Affairs) of UTM

The report is in Malay and I'm sorry for not being able to provide a translation of the report. However, the conclusion is that Malay Language should be used as the main language for teaching and learning at the university but English Language should be improved to enhance student learning and to prepare them for their future endeavour, either in their career or further study.

Wassalam.

p/s: the report below could be looked better in .pdf format but I don't know how to upload it here or attach it here.

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Laporan ringkas hasil perbincangan “Diskusi Khas: Implikasi Pemansuhan PPSMI Terhadap P & P di IPTA” pada 9hb September 2009 di Dewan Senat, UTM Skudai.

Diskusi ini dihadiri oleh lebih kurang 60 orang staf akademik, staf sokongan dan pelajar yang berminat tentang isu ini. Turut hadir dalam diskusi ini adalah Yang Berbahagia Prof. Ir. Dr. Mohd. Azraai bin Kassim, Timbalan Naib Canselor (Akademik & Antarabangsa) dan Prof. Dr. Mohd Salleh bin Abu, Dekan Fakulti Pendidikan. Diskusi dimulakan tepat pada jam 2.20pm dengan ucapan aluan Pengerusi Majlis, Prof. Madya Aziz bin Nordin, pensyarah Fakulti Pendidikan dan diikuti oleh ucap utama oleh Prof. Dr. Noor Azlan bin Ahmad Zanzali, Ketua Jabatan Pendidikan Sains & Matematik, Fakulti Pendidikan berkaitan hasil kajian pelaksanaan PPSMI di 160 sekolah di seluruh negara yang dianjurkan oleh Pembina. Menerusi kajian yang menggunakan kaedah tinjauan interaktif, didapati tahap penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris (BI) dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran (P & P) di sekolah adalah pada tahap yang rendah khususnya di sekolah-sekolah luar bandar (Pembina, 2009). Kini isu pengajaran dan pembelajaran sains dan matematik bukan lagi tertumpu kepada pengajaran untuk meningkatkan kemahiran BI tetapi apakah bahasa yang
paling sesuai atau kaedah P & P yang paling efektif untuk menyampaikan ilmu sains, matematik dan teknologi.

Pada jam 3.00pm, Diskusi I yang bertajuk “Pro dan Kon Pemansuhan PPSMI” dimulakan oleh Prof. Madya Dr. Md. Nor bin Bakar, pensyarah Fakulti Pendidikan. Ini diikuti oleh Diskusi II yang bertajuk “Arah Tuju P & P di UTM” pada jam 3.45pm yang diketuai oleh Prof. Madya Dr. Mohammad Yusof bin Arshad, pensyarah Fakulti Pendidikan. Akhirnya, program ini ditutup dengan Sesi Pergulungan yang ringkas oleh Prof. Dr. Noor Azlan bin Ahmad Zanzali. Berikut merupakan ringkasan daripada perbincangan yang dibahagikan mengikut kategori.

1. Kebanyakan peserta bersetuju bahawa Bahasa Melayu (BM) dan Bahasa Inggeris (BI) adalah penting untuk pengajaran dan pembelajaran dalam sains, matematik dan teknologi:

Mendaulatkan Bahasa Melayu dan pada masa yang sama Bahasa Inggeris dipentingkan

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Termizi bin Ramli (FS)

BI perlu dikuasai tetapi BM perlu menjadi asas kepada kita dalam mendapatkan ilmu

Prof. Madya Ainullotfi bin Abdul Latif (FKM)

BM penting untuk negara, tetapi BI tidak boleh diabaikan

En. Johari bin Hassan (FP)

Graduan UTM diharap dapat menguasai kedua-dua BM dan BI serta ilmu sains dan teknologi. BM didaulatkan tetapi BI juga dikuasai pelajar.

Prof. Dr. Noor Azlan bin Ahamd Zanzali (FP)

2. Kebanyakan peserta bersetuju dengan penggunaan dwibahasa dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran di UTM:

Penggunaan dwibahasa – BM bahasa rasmi, BI digunakan juga dalam P & P bila perlu

Prof. Madya Ainullotfi bin Abdul Latif (FKM)

40:60 BI:BM untuk semua mata pelajaran termasuk pengajian Islam, BM 100% adalah ditolak.

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Termizi bin Ramli (FS)

Mengajar sebahagian dalam BM dan BI

En. Hassan bin Hushin (FP)

3. Tetapi ada yang mencadangkan BI sepenuhnya:

Subjek sains & teknologi 100% dalam BI – IPT ke atas (Tingkatan 3 ke bawah gunakan BM manakala Tingkatan 4 ke atas mula gunakan BI untuk mata pelajaran sains tulen dan matematik)

Prof. Madya Dr. Seth bin Sulaiman (FP)

4. Ada juga yang berpendapat bahawa P & P mestilah dalam BM:

BM adalah bahasa perpaduan dan termaktub dalam Perlembagaan penggunaannya dalam sistem pendidikan di Malaysia.

En. Kassim bin Thukiman (FPPSM)

5. Jadual 1 menunjukkan sebab-sebab bagi perbezaan pendapat di atas.

Jadual 1: Sebab-sebab bagi perbezaan pendapat tentang penggunaan bahasa dalam P & P di UTM

Bantahan ke atas penggunaan BI sepenuhnya
• Termaktub dalam Perlembagaan penggunaan BM dalam sistem pendidikan Negara (En. Kassim)
• Tujuan pendidikan dan bahasa kebangsaan adalah untuk perpaduan, jadi BM adalah medium untuk mencapai perpaduan (En. Kassim)
• Ahli politik menggunakan BM (En. Kassim)
• Kemasukan pelajar ke IPTA khususnya UTM yang berasaskan S & T akan dikuasai oleh mereka yang mahir BI dan biasanya bukan dari kalangan Melayu – buktinya adalah UTM sebelum 1973 hanya terdapat 10% pelajar Melayu tetapi menjadi 90% pada tahun 1974 apabila dasar bahasa ditukar (En. Kassim & Prof. Termizi)
• Aliran sains tulen akan dikuasai pelajar yang pandai BI manakala aliran sastera akan dipenuhi pelajar Melayu yang lemah BI (Prof. Termizi)
• Wujud ‘simpton malu bertanya’ di kalangan pelajar dalam P & P BI, pelajar tidak faham apa yang diajar dan tidak tahu apa yang hendak ditanya (Ismail, pelajar)
• BM lebih mudah difahami, kenapa perlu ditukar ke BI sedangkan pembelajaran S & T melibatkan otak kiri manakala bahasa otak kanan (Ismail, pelajar)
• Akan wujud jurang yang lebih jauh antara pelajar bandar dan luar bandar, pelajar aliran sains tulen dan sastera (Prof. Termizi)
• Bimbang BM akan pupus (Prof. Termizi)
• Akta IPTA tidak menyebut penggunaan BI di IPTA (En. Hassan)

BM & BI
• Win-win situation (Prof. Termizi)
• BM perlu dimartabatkan manakala BI perlu dikuasai (Prof. Termizi, PM Ainul, En. Hassan, En. Johari)
• Dilaksanakan secara bertahap-tahap (Prof. Termizi)
• Pelajar tetap boleh mencapai kecemerlangan di luar negara walaupun diajar dalam BM (PM Ainul)
• Perbendaharaan kata BM bagi bidang aeronautik telah dibina selama 20 tahun (PM Ainul)
• Belajar dalam BM dan berfikir dalam BI (PM Ainul)
• Bimbang BM akan pupus sekiranya menggunakan BI 100% di IPT (Prof. Termizi)
• BI perlu dikuasai, jati diri negara sendiri juga perlu dipertahankan (Prof. Termizi)
• BM terbukti berjaya dalam ilmu sains & teknologi (Prof. Termizi)
• BM digunakan bukan kerana tidak pandai BI (Prof. Termizi)
• Pelajar sukar memahami dalam BI sahaja (Prof. Termizi, En. Hassan)
• 70% pelajar UTM Tahun 1 mendapat MUET Band 1 sahaja (En. Hassan)
• Negara Scandinavian boleh dijadikan contoh untuk Malaysia (PM Ainul)
• Iceland mempertahankan bahasanya (Prof. Termizi)

Sokongan ke atas pengguanaan BI sepenuhnya
• UTM bergerak ke arah pengantarabangsaan dan pengaruh BI dalam ilmu S & T tidak dapat ditolak (PM Dr. Seth)
• Kertas kerja Impact Factor yang tinggi adalah dalam BI, maka pelajar dan pensyarah perlu menguasai BI untuk penerbitan (PM Dr. Seth)
• Bahan-bahan ilmiah terkini online dalam BI, kecuali kita dapat meningkatkan aktiviti penterjemahan dengan pantas, kita tidak dapat kejar ilmu terkini seperti mana Jepun yang mampu menghasilkan penterjemahan ilmu terkini dalam masa 2 minggu ke dalam Bahasa Jepun (PM Dr. Seth)
• Bahasa hanyalah kod, yang penting adalah ilmu. Ilmu sekarang banyak menggunakan kod dalam bentuk BI (PM Dr. Seth)
• Hanya mata pelajaran sains & teknologi dalam BI manakala yang lain kekal dalam BM (PM Dr. Seth)
• Setuju pasca ijazah diajar dalam BI (En. Hassan)
• Perlu melihat keperluan semasa (PM Dr. Baharin)

6. Pengalaman mengajar dalam BM dan BI:

Pelajar mengalami masalah pemahaman konsep dalam BI.

Prof. Madya Ainullotfi bin Abdul Latif (FKM)

Pengajaran Fizik sukar sampai kepada pelajar dalam BI

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Termizi bin Ramli (FS)

Dalam kelas Tahun 1, bagi pelajar SPI (Kursus Pendidikan Pengajian Islam), pensyarah lebih menggunakan BM; tetapi bagi pelajar SPL (Kursus Pendidikan TESL) pensyarah menggunakan BI. Guru-guru pelatih di sekolah melaksanakan PPSMI tetapi pelajar tidak faham pengajaran guru pelatih dan memaksa guru pelatih menggunakan BM.

En. Johari bin Hassan (FP)

Pelajar mengalami kesukaran belajar falsafah dalam BM tetapi lagi sukar dalam BI

En. Hassan bin Hushin (FP)

7. Isu bahan pengajaran dan pembelajaran:

Tiada bahan dalam BM kalau tidak mula mengetengahkan penggunaan BM dalam pembelajaran sains & teknologi.

En. Johari bin Hassan (FP)

Perlu cepat menterjemahkan bahan ilmiah terkini ke dalam BM.

Prof. Madya Dr. Seth bin Sulaiman (FP)

8. Isu Pengantarabangsaan:

UTM menuju pengantarabangsaan, oleh itu, BI harus menjadi medium dalam kuliah.

Prof. Madya Dr. Seth bin Sulaiman (FP)

UTM mengambil pensyarah antarabangsa

Prof. Madya Dr. Mohammad Yusof bin Arshad (FP)

Pelajar antarabangsa pun perlu berbahasa Melayu.

En. Hassan bin Hushin (FP)

Pelajar asing menggunakan kamus elektronik dalam kuliah

En. Johari bin Hassan (FP)

Pelajar antarabangsa bukan isu kerana pelajar antarabangsa kebanyakannya pasca ijazah. UTM tidak perlu ubah bahasa demi sebilangan kecil pelajar antarabangsa keran UTM perlu memberikan keutamaan kepada pelajar sendiri bukan pelajar antarabangsa khususnya di peringkat pra ijazah. Oleh itu, tidak wujud isu pensyarah perlu menggunakan BI di dalam kuliah kerana isu pengantarabangsaan.

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Termizi bin Ramli (FS)

9. Isu-isu lain:

Ada yang berpendapat bahawa isunya bukanlah bahasa yang digunakan tetapi bagaimana bahasa tersebut digunakan untuk mengajar. Isunya bukan bahasa tetapi strategi bahasa digunakan kerana guru tidak diajar kaedah mengajar menggunakan BI dan kadang kala pelajar tidak tahu guru sedang membetulkan bahasanya dan memberikan maklumat yang tidak benar kepada pelajar, contohnya perkataan ‘Okay’ sering menimbulkan salah faham.

Pn. Azian binti Abd Aziz @ Ahmad (FPPSM)

12 tahun persekolahan tidak dapat menguasai BI tetapi kursus 3-6 bulan BI ke luar negara mampu menguasai BI. Ini menunjukkan bahawa kurikulum BI di sekolah tidak sesuai untuk membantu pelajar menguasai BI – KPM perlu meneliti isu ini.

Prof. Madya Dr. Baharin bin Abu (FP)

Cadangan:

a. Wujudkan dua sistem:
UTM boleh mewujudkan dua dasar:
1. menggunakan BM sebagai asas, pelajar antarabangsa perlu belajar BM
2. Pelajar boleh graduate apabila cukup kredit seperti di US

Prof. Madya Dr. Baharin bin Abu (FP)

b. Polisi bahasa
Akta IPTA tidak menyebut penggunaan BI di IPTA.

En. Hassan bin Hushin (FP)

IPTA tidak mempunyai polisi bahasa yang jelas. kajian akademik diperlukan sebelum dasar bahasa ditetapkan, gunakan diskusi ini untuk membuat kajian.

Prof. Madya Dr. Md. Nor bin Bakar

c. Kajian akademik & diskusi lanjutan
Analisis semua isu yang dibangkitkan dan bahan ilmiah yang ada dengan rasional dan saintifik.

Prof. Madya Ainullotfi bin Abdul Latif (FKM)

Mencadangkan siri diskusi ke setiap fakulti – Road Show untuk mendapatkan pandangan yang lebih menyeluruh melibatkan pentadbir dan pelajar dalam diskusi ini.

En. Hassan bin Hushin (FP)

Academic Discussion

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Today, I'll be organising a special discussion or rather an academic colloquium that involves all the academic staff at UTM. It is a simple organisation but the topic is a very hot one.

See, Malaysian started to teach Science & Mathematics at schools using English in 2003 in the hope that the students' English will be improved since most of the science and mathematics learning materials online and worldwide are in English. This implicated the teaching and learning from the lowest to the highest educational institution. Now that the government has called it off because it is not helping the learning of Science and Mathematics, plus the English is not improving as well (according to some studies), so what is UTM suppose to do now?

This is why the discussion is organised and will be documented rather than all these academicians keep bringing it up through the emailing list. Surely no actions will be taken when people just randomly throw out their ideas on emailing list.

I don't know how many people will turn up today but I hope it is a successful one - that the objectives of the programme is achieved.

Wassalam.

NVivo

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

We are now having a short course on the use of NVivo - a software or tool to analyse qualitative data. I have learnt this when I was in Cambridge but that was like 3 years ago and at that time, the NVivo was still in version 5. Now it's version 8 and a lot have changed, plus a lot have been forgotten.

I did my PhD qualitatively but I did not use NVivo to analyse my qualitative data because I prefer analysing my data manually. Indeed it is adequate only that I need a big space to have all my data stuck up on the wall for me to refer.

It's quite a fun course cause there are not just me but also colleaugues. The facilitators are also our colleauges, a pair of husband and wife. Sitting next to me now is their daughter. She is ill hence not going to school. Instead, she is now searching for games online to play with me. We are going to play some games now. While waiting for her to download the game, I blog.

The one thing that I like about NVivo 8 is the Chart Wizard. It can produce a chart easily using the wizard. Sounds like Excel? Yes, but on top of that, the NVivo chart can be made in a 3-D format and it's very easy to read the data from the chart by just rolling over the mouse cursor on the part that we want to read. The photos below are just an example but it's not that clear. You can actually turn the chart 360 degrees wherever you like.

Anathor feature in NVivo that attracts quite a lot of people is model making. For example the model bottom.

That's far for today. The class has started.


Wassalam.

A postcard

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

A pleasant surprise that I received this morning though I sort of expecting it but then when my friend came back from Egypt I still didn't receive this, I have forgotten about it. Earlier on, she was in Egypt and asked me for my postal address, so I knew what could it be and she likes postcards as well. Later, when I've learned that she has arrived back in the UK, so I did not expect anything from Egypt.

Anyway, I received this postcard in a rather unexpected manner. The postcard was in some else's pigeonhole at my faculty and it dropped right in front of me when my colleague took all her mails out of her pigeonhole. If you can see how the stamps and the written name and address in the below picture, you will not be surprised to realise why I did not get the postcard in my pigeonhole.


But alhamdulillah it arrived and I'm so glad to read it. Yes, I miss her so much, more than words and thoughts can explain, only my heart and the Creator of my heart know.

For all my friends, even a little thing like an email, chat, facebook wall or message, text, phone call, postcard, dua that they made, salam that they sent, etc. really excite me. I wish I can do the same to all my friends as well.

Wassalam.

Acceptance

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Ya ALLAH, expand my chest, widen my heart, open my mind and let me accept all of Your creations, be they good or bad in my eyes, either I like them or not, for I am only Your timid humble little servant who has no right to judge Your perfect creations. Ya ALLAH, take my nafs al-amarah away from me, shower me Your tawfiq and guidance, lead me to my fitrah, align my every move, thought and intention to the way of Your Beloved (saw). You love to forgive, please pardon my sins and have mercy on me, for I bear witness that there is no other god than You, the only one that is worth to be worshipped, and Prophet Muhammad (saw) is Your Messenger, our leader. I submit my whole life to You and leave all my affairs in You. Innaka anta at-Tawwabu ar-Rahim.

Inna solati, wa nusuki, wa mahyaya, wa mamati, lillahi rabbilalamin.

Wassalam.

Mercy - Forgiveness - Freedom

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

1st - 10th of Ramadhan - Mercy

O ALLAH we seek Your love, and the love of those who love You, and any action that reaches Your love. O Allah we seek Your love, O ALLAH make us from the close loved ones, O ALLAH make us from Your close loved. O ALLAH make our reverence to You as though we see You, and make us from the close loved. O ALLAH we seek Your love, and the love of those who love You, and any action that reaches Your love – O The Most Beneficent, O The Most Compassionate.

11th - 20th of Ramadhan - Forgiveness

O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You. [The best dua for repentance]

O ALLAH, You are the One who pardons greatly and loves to pardon, so pardon me. [same dua for Laylatul-Qadr]

21st - 30th of Ramadhan - Freedom from Hell Fire

O ALLAH! We ask You to be pleased with us, reward us with the Paradise and we seek Your refuge from Your anger and the punishment of the Fire.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Blackout

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Two weeks ago, there was a notice circulated around UTM that there will be disruption of electricity starting midnight until 7am this morning. Everyone was prepared for it and announcement has been made all over the whole campus. Two weeks ago, when I read the notice I phone the person in-charged to inquire further so that I can plan what actions can be made from our college to prevent unwanted incidents like break-in, theft, etc. because this is a female-only college. The officer explained that at midnight, the electricity will be cut off from the power station for maintenance and UTM will generate its own electricity and supply it stage by stage to the whole campus. He offered to supply the first generation of electricity to our college to answer my worry. Alhamdulillah.

That is what the officer has promised and alhamdulillah, he delivered his promise. There was actually no electricity disruption at all the whole night at our college. The rest of the campus didn't have any electricity for a short while. Really have to thank the officer for his kind co-operation. I slept before midnight and woke up for suhur. The light is still on, alhamdulillah. A simple test of blackout can actually teach everyone a lesson to be thankful of what we have. InshaALLAH a month of fasting will teach us a lesson to be thankful of what we have our dining table everyday.

Wassalam.

International students

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Last night, after the terawih, one of our assistant fellow called for a meeting with all the international students at the college. There are basically 20-ish of them. Some have just moved here at the beginning of this semester and some have been here for at least 2 semesters. The point of the meeting is to let them know the rules and regulations of the college because at most of the time, all the announcements and booklets are in Malay. They don't really know what is happening in the college. They only live here because they have no choice. The worst is that they are paying more than the local students but aren't getting extra facilities.

There are a few from Iran and Turkey and one each from Sri Lanka, Iraq, Bangladesh and China. They are all muslim students who are doing various kinds of degree. While we were discussing the rules and regulations, they raised complains and issues that we cannot answered them. So we had to call the Principal (who is supposed to come to the meeting) to answer their questions. Alhamdulillah, they get to make their complains to the Principal and I really hope that the Principal is not just giving empty promises to them but to try and improve their situation here.

Finally, we appointed a representative among them and informed them the facilities that they can actually asked from the college if they want to organise some kind of activities among themselves. Hopefully this will increase their participation at the college and take away some benefits or sweet memories from this college.

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair of a) male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of ALLAH is (one who is) the most righteous of you...

~ The Holy Qur'an, Surah al-Hujurat
(Chapter 49, The Room) verse 13

Wassalam.

Stomach ache

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I don't know what I have eaten that causes such stomach ache today and a few visits to the toilet today. This Ramadhan, besides suhur, I had my iftar either at the mosque or the prayer room with the sisters. We all eat in a big round tray. That is what Malaysian muslims perceive as Islamic eating in jemaah. I hope so.

Anyway, if we ate together, the same tray and the same food, we all should be having stomach ache unless it is the suhur food. I don't know cause I haven't seen the sisters yet today. They didn't turn up for fajr prayer at the prayer room this morning. I hope they are not having severe stomach ache that they couldn't make it to the fajr prayer. I had some biscuits (individually packed) and chocolate drink for suhur this morning. These shouldn't cause any food problem. I feel like food poisoning today. Hopefully, all the stuff is flushed out of my body system.

Hmm... what is iftar for today?

Wassalam.

A call from abroad

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Alhamdulillah, thankfully there are still friends from the UK who remember me :D. This morning she called me. Actually and technically it is 12.30am. If someone from abroad called my mobile using a phone card, it will appear as 'Unknown' on my mobile. I think I must have been deeply asleep. I went to bed around 11pm and read a few pages of a book written by Muhammad Asad - The Road to Mecca - which is given by a sister during my farewell, before I closed my eyes. The last thing I remember that I have read was when Muhammad Asad talked to an old Palestinian Arab man about why he has to pray with certain kinds of movements.

I woke up and picked up the phone. A very familiar voice but I couldn't recall maybe cause I was still confused. I finally realised who she is and I was fully conscious to talk to her. She was smiling and laughing over the other end of the phone... I miss it. Then she apologised when she realised that I was asleep before that. I really wanted to talk to her but she preferred me to sleep so she hung up. I felt like a dream and went back to sleep when I realised the time was midnight. I felt like I have been sleeping for a few hours already.

This is not the first time she called me and every time she called, I learn something new from her about myself. She doesn't let me call her. UK is 7 hours later than Malaysian time. At 12.00am here, it is 5.00pm there. It is quite difficult to find the right time to talk to each other especially in this month. I have a daily schedule - 6.30pm I'll be at the college, helping the students to prepare for iftar and waiting for maghrib. This will continue until the end of terawih which is around 10pm. I might do something after that and usually go to bed at 11pm. I wake up at 4.45am and stay awake most of the time until I go to work around 7.30am then finish work around 6.00pm. Whereas in the UK, the fajr time is around 4.30am (which is 11.30am in Malaysia) and maghrib is 8.30pm (which is around 3.30am here in Malaysia). It must be tough for them in this month. It is not a big problem to fast for a long period of time in the day but the struggle to wake up at night for suhur. By the time they finish praying terawih (in the UK it is usually 20 rakaah), it must be around 11.30pm or near midnight and then they have to wake up for suhur say around 3.30am. The most one can get to sleep at night is 3 hours or so. In the next ten years, this kind of pattern will persist. The worst is when Ramadhan fall in June which has the longest days of the year. Imagine maghrib at 9.30pm and fajr at 2.30am. Say isha' is at 10.30pm, by the time terawih finishes, it must be over midnight and suhur time is around 1.30am. Might as well just not sleep!

Anyway, if ALLAH has created such an orbiting of the sun and moon, and the rules for men to observe their obligatory worships, there must be ways to overcome everything or that ALLAH alone will give strength to those who struggle on HIS path. Ultimately, it is ALLAH who has created humans and HE alone knows what is the best for HIS creations and to what limit humans can go as far.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Blood Donation

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Blood donation in Ramadhan - sounds odd? It is actually happening here at UTM, my workplace. Yesterday and today there is a blood donation session at the mosque. Of course, it is at night time after isha' prayer - 9.00pm-11.00pm. You don't release blood when you are fasting. Anyway, it was well received.

I went there last night after terawih prayer. The queue for registration was quite long. Alhamdulillah it's not too long of a wait. My blood count was at a good level for donation but my blood pressure initially was quite low when measured using an electronic device. When a manual machine was used, my blood pressure was at a normal level. Maybe they need to calibrate the electronic one. After fasting for 4 days, alhamdulillah, I still maintain my normal body weight. There are a few criteria for blood donation in Malaysia beside the blood count, being healthy and has the minimum body weight of 45 kg. One has to have at least 5 hours sleep before the donation, not donating because one wants to check if he/she is HIV positive and a woman donor cannot donate if she is in between 7 days before her normal period and 7 days after that.

In Malaysia, this is my third blood donation since 2005. The nurse was surprise that there was a big gap between my last donation in Malaysia and now. I explained to her my time in the UK and was going to ask if I can convert the several times of donation in the UK to be counted here but didn't. Felt like I was asking for rewards if I requested that. Basically, to encourage people donate blood, the Ministry of Health has promised certain medical benefits for the frequency of donation. For example getting free Hepatitis B immune injection after 2 times of donation.

After I have passed all the tests, the nurse gave me a packed meal (didn't expect that) - for suhur - and I waited for an empty bed. There were only six beds and I think that they did not expect such a good turn out at the blood donation session. I think cause this is a month for generosity, even donating blood is considered as a form of sadaqah, especially for poor students who can't afford to give sadaqah in the form of money. Moreover, giving blood can save life and in the Qur'an ALLAH says saving a life is like saving the whole humanity (Chapter 5, verse 32).

Finally, there was an empty bed for those who prefer to be jabbed at the right hand (I'm left-handed). The first thing the nurse did was jabbing my vein for needle insertion with a local anesthetic. I asked what was that injection for and she immediately showed me a very big needle. Unlike my experience in the UK, there is no such anesthetic jab prior to the needle because the needle was relatively smaller than the one here. This one was somehow bigger than my vein.

It didn't take long to get 300 ml of blood from me but it took a very long time for the blood to stop. Usually 3-5 minute of pressurising the cut area is enough to stop the blood, but after 3 times, mine was still bleeding. It took probably half an hour to stop. I have never experienced such a problem when I donated blood in the UK. Could it be the size of the needle?

While I was sitting there folding my arm to stop the bleeding, a reporter came and started to ask me for details. He was surprise that I am an academic staff because usually, those who come for blood donation are either students or non-academic staff. I was equally surprise to know that academic staff aren't keen to give blood or they might just go straight to the hospital to donate blood rather than waiting for a campaign like this?

By the time I got home, it was near to midnight. I pray that ALLAH accept my deed and may this little that I gave can bring happiness for anyone who receives it.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.

Ramadhan Karim

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Ramadhan Karim. May you get the best out of this holy month.

Thought I have entered a new phase of my life, I should start a new blog. I don't actually have much time to write but I miss writing this a lot from my previous blog. I hope to maintain this a much as I can.

I miss my friends in the UK very much. Not just that they are my friends, but sisters who care for me and share all my ups and downs together while I was alone there. My life would not be as colourful and fulfilling without all these sisters who are always there. Now that I am in Malaysia, I miss them not because I want to have the same life again in the UK. I miss them because they are people who meant a lot for me. It is worthy to always remember them and I pray that this friendship or rather this sisterhood will stay as long as I can keep it. Every time I remember them, I make dua for them. Every time I miss them, I tell myself, I should miss ALLAH and Prophet Muhammad (saw) more. These sisters always remind me of ALLAH. I miss them because of ALLAH.

This blog is named 'Knowledge is light' from a famous poem written by Imam ash-Shafi'i (ra) who was one of the four main Imams in the Fiqh schools of thought. When he was a student, he complained to his teacher - Waki' Ibn al-Jarrah that he had poor memory. His teacher told him to leave disobedience in order to attain good memory in his study. In the poem it says:

I complained to Waki's about my poor memories
So he advised me to abandon disobedience, and he said
Know that knowledge is light
And the light of ALLAH is not bestowed upon a disobedient

Here is a song about this poem:



Again, Ramadhan Karim. May ALLAH accept all our fasts, good deeds, repentance and prayers. Please keep me in your prayer.

ALLAHU'alam.

Wassalam.