Bismillahirrahmanirahim

If I could choose again, I would take a year worth of break and just spend the time reading ad reading
But I cant, since I am not married to a rich cute soleh nice sweet gentlemanly muslimin as yet!
Anyway…

For the past few weeks, I have been amazed at the various ebooks online such that I feel like downloading everything -_- “
Books like,Taskiyatun Nafs, Al Muqaddimah, History of Islamic Philosophy, Education through Hasan Al-Banna eyes etc etc…masyaAllah, this is a new kind of drug. hehe.
And of course, books I found in the musollah! and books imported from Indonesia.
Ah..the treasury of books. I feel like buying everything.

Oh, you have got to read Malik Bennabi’s books! Simple thoughtful, insightful and lovely
I have a lot of pdf files I want to read but we are given 24 hours ( and I just spent the last 2 hours facebooking.. – _ -” )

Reading such books really refreshes my yearning for knowlegde and reknowned scholars are truly inspiring.
My hobby was reading, but it sort of faded into nothingness.
I read a lot of genres, romance, thriller,plays, poems, comics,manga, fantasy but the passion just sizzles out.

And suddenly, this hobby of reading just gain its momentum. Its such a heady mix really. I wanted to read into the late night yesterday, but my eyes were too tired.
Its only last night when I truly internalise the very first words Allah revealed to our beloved prophet s.a.w. ,” Read ” yes, after 23 years of existence.

At the same time, I also fear of Allah’s curse of those who have ilm but do not do anything with it.
I pray that, whatever I read from now on, it is able to raise my iman, lower my nafs, and improve this lowly self insyaAllah. At the same time, I am able to make good use of the knowlegde.
Tak sanggup untuk menanggung kermurkaan Rabbuku tercinta…

I realised that, the essence of knowledge is truly to improve one’s relationship with his Creator.
I guess, that is what is missing for the world’s framework of education. I mean, I am certain of it.
Like what one material I read explains, studying knowlegde detached from his Creator only seeks to destroy himself and its surroundings.

One such example, our climate change. Progress is right? but are we not destroying our surroundings?
Lets compare that with insans who are well aware of Him. Every method towards ‘modernity’ and ‘progress’ ( Interestingly and boldy defined as power and economic/materialistic advantages above others), will be laced with a sense of responsibility towards the all creation.

Local education ,if I may add, acts as a tool to equip our citizens to be economically more powerful as than the other. Sports hub, Bio-hub etc etc , are just a means of generating more income.
The ‘percieved’ modernity imposed to us from the west also shapes our focus. It is percieved in the west that arts, liberal arts, performing arts are trademarks of a first class nation ( perhaps, that,and plus casinos), and thus, a liberal arts university are in the works. But the nation has been working well for the past few decades without it havent we? There you go, we are just like the grass in the fields, bowing to every gust of the wind, following its very direction to where it blows.

Just to clear the air, I have nothing against the visual or performing arts. Just commenting on the overall situation of the world. But one can argue that all parts in the world are in the same situation.

Yes, definitely. In following the percieved definition of success and modernity, we also take after the not-so-glamorous baggage that comes with it, which is also conveniently censored by the media and governements. Things such as violence , teen pregnancy, teen abortion, divorce, drugs etc etc. And it is happening in the US, UK and in South east asia.

This is what out education has done to us. This is what we have been haggling after every single day, to reach out for the materialistic, power hungry and monetary avarice which the world defines as ‘modernity and progression’. And thus, its no surprise how our media and insurance companies turn out.
There is something definitely wrong with the current world order right now and we are all seemingly helpless, bearing the brunt of it.

When we are all on our deathbeds, well, lets not be too drastic shall we?
Lets just say, stranded in the hospital, do all of this matter? Being unable to move, when your meals are brought to your mouths, when there is a tube by your side to ‘evacuate’ your bowels, when all you can do is stare up to the ceiling daily?
What truly matters in the world actually?

The west have very much copied from the Islamic Golden Era, from its finest ettiquette, schools , technology, progress of thought, law inforcements, economic developments, trade, art, culture…nothing is wrong of course, Islam is for all.

But what they have done to take all this physical and tangible measures without its connection to Our Creator. And when that connection dissolves another being fills up that very same vaccuum and that is our nafs, our untrained nafs to bow down to the teachings of our Prophet s.a.w.
And the sad thing, us Muslims are carried away with the aggressiveness of the the world’s current culture.
And we are not fast enough or aware of the situation.

As such, people claim that malay and muslim are intertwined, but when it comes to media and entertainment, its interesting to note that the media people refer to the industry as , ” Seni Melayu” . hah, where is the Islam? and words such as ” Melayu Baru“. Not “Melayu/Islam baru“?
Truly, we are trapped in our own fitnahs and deceptions
And Suria is really getting thrashy these days. Uninteresting, Non-value adding, fake and a waste of time.
Well, some are ok I guess. haha.

It sometimes dumbfound me how we work, how some MMOs work, tackling social issues without giving heed or emphasing the need for upgraded relationship with Allah. Oh wells, I shall not sudzhon here.

err..ok, this post is running off – track. hahahaha.
Ok, back to reading

Alhamdulillah, I have rediscovered this hobby. And yes, I have tonnes to read.
InsyaAllah, I will dedicate slots per week to read more to improve myself as His Servant.

I feel that we can also do this as an MS; put aside 1.5 hours in SAC to read together and have some sharing.

I am certainly considering a husband who loves to read as well ! hehe.
IF I ever get married that is, we will buy a house and have one room for our prayers and reading.
Sofas, a small frigde to store fruits and drinks, air conditioned, carpeted…and half a day weekly for my husband and I to read peacefully. And when we have kids, we will do our reading and sharing there together. We will spend most of our time in the house in that room. Amin.

Ok, now to address the other word in this post’s title, Tarbiyah

I have identified certain areas which I need to read, and internalise, if Allah allows, memorise.

1. Maarifatullah
2. Maarifatul insan
3. Maarifatul rasul
4. Tamadun Islam
5. Seerah
6. Aklhaq
7. Taskiyatun Nafs, which I personally believe is very different from akhlaq
8. Tassawur
9. Islamic Philosohpy
10. Fiqh amali (personal)
11. Fiqh sosial
12. Maarifatul Quran , Sunnah and Hadith
13. Current affairs
14. Women affairs
15. Tools/Art of daawah
16. Adab
17. Zikrullah
18. Iman upgrade

Fiuh, I guess I dont have time to get married and have children. Hahahaha.
There is definitely more but I will stick to this list insyaAllah.

May everything which I read is accompanied by His Hidayah and Nur to brigthen my soul and dissolve the dark spots on my heart.

Lailahailallah, muhammadurrasulullah.