Second match

That's the image of the first test match which the All Blacks won comfortably. I am looking forward to the second test match which will be this Saturday. I think it will be a great match with the skillful running of the All Blacks against the determination of the Lions to avoid another defeat that will render the final match a non event.

Six days of Shawal

This year, I started my six days of fasting in Shawal as early as the second day of Shawal. Its the earliest I have ever done so. By the fourth day of Shawal, that is today, I'm already on my third day of fasting. Three more days to go.  In sha Allah, I will complete them by the seventh of Shawal. The earliest possible time indeed. In Malaysia, the Eidul Fitri celebration is for one month. The only country in the world I think. There will be a series of open houses everywhere especially during weekends. When I was a working man, invitations abound. Now that I have retired, I think there will not be so many invitations. As well it might be as sometimes, there's so many invitations I have a hard time wanting to fulfill them all.

Own sweet time

The kids and the wife has just left for Malim Nawar to spend the next few days with close relatives there. That's where their great grandparents live. I choose not to go this time. First of all, I don't like the traffic on the highway that will sure be heavy. Secondly, at my age, I prefer to be at home and have my own sweet time. I don't have that very often these days, especially with the kids around. Its something I have accepted given the path I have chosen but every once in a while, its nice to have that own sweet time. They will be back in a few days, therefore its okay. Not too long or I will get bored.

Eidul Fitri

On Eidul Fitri the first business of the day was to lead the sunnah prayer and to read the khutbah at the nearby surau. Of course, breakfast was taken before everything else. After a month of fasting where breakfast became a non event, it felt a bit different having food in the stomach so early in the morning. The prayer and 'Khutbah' done, its followed by the usual 'salam' with the wife and children at home. After that, it depends. Most of the time, it will going to relatives and friends houses. That will be the order of the day. The visiting will usually take up the rest of the day. By the time we got back home, its already night.

HRP 2017

House to house takbir

Its been the tradition in this little village in Gombak where I'm staying. This is my third year doing it. Its fun and enjoyable. We will start after the Isya prayers and usually ends way pass midnight, depending on the number of houses we have to visit. Last night there were thirteen houses.

Salam Ramadhan karim

Improve all the time

This Raya, I will be leading the sunah prayer and giving the sermon in sha Allah. It will be the third time for me but the first time it will be for Eid al Fitri. Twice before, it was for Eid al Adha. I am looking forward to it and hope all goes well. Its been about three years since I became the imam at the surau where I frequent. That's a long time indeed. More than ten years ago, I was also the imam for a just built surau in USJ  but it was only for four months because I moved to Sg Buloh soon after. After that experienced, I never thought I will be an imam again but Allah has other ideas. That's how it has been since then. I try my best every time. I used to worry if I make mistakes but now, I know I am only human. I accept them but try to improve every time.

Way of life

Hari Raya is fast approaching. The 'balik kampung' phenomena is already in full blown. The highways leading out of KL have started to get clogged since yesterday afternoon. People are wanting to 'balik kampung' to celebrate Eidul Fitri with parents, families and close friends. In a few days, KL will be empty except for the foreigners who will thronged the tourist sites. I will be one of  them who will remain in KL. There's no kampung to return to. My parents are long gone. There's no where to go once they are no more around. Its sad but that's the way it is. Very soon it will be my turn. Then the turn of my children. Its the way of life.

So fast

Time passes by so quickly. I always thought it was only yesterday that I had last updated my blog but when I opened to update, I found that it is actually three or four days ago. Where has the few days gone to? What have I been doing? Why have I not been blogging? It happened every time. The days and time go so quickly they disappear into thin air just like that. It is more so now that I am not working! My time is not regular. My activities changes daily. There is no routine in my daily life. That's why sometime I missed a day, then two days, then three days. When I finally start blogging again, three days have passed.

Duit raya

Was at a bank yesterday afternoon to exchange for new money. When I got my queue number, there were twenty three people ahead of me. Even the clerk told me it will be a long wait. My first thought was better to go home and come another day. Then I thought, even if I go home, all I do is sleep. Might as well wait. Get it over and done with. After all, last week I was at a few banks but were told new money is not available yet. So wait I did. It was a good one hour before my turned came. Alas..... was told the five ringgit notes are recycled ones. The rest are okay. What to do? After waiting for so long, I just said I will take it. Sigh........

Hi

Hi

Live

Its raining outside. Been quite a long time since it rained. I thought of going out to buy some food for breaking of fast but looks like its a no go. The rain has been going on since noon. It stopped for a while but it came back again. Been watching a lot of live rugby matches lately on TV. Top rugby nations are going on tour everywhere. Scotland, Wales, France, the Lions etc. They are playing in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina. Meanwhile, the US open golf championship is also showing live on TV.  Then there's the tennis tournaments on grass while waiting for the big one at Wimbledon. Hmm.... for sports fan, there's a lot of hours to be spent in front of the small screen.

Sleeping time

The past one week, my sleeping time has changed dramatically. Try as I might, I just couldn't sleep come night time, the usual sleeping time. Twelve midnight, one, two, three in the morning and so on, my eyes still refused to shut or my brain refused to stop functioning. I cannot sleep, to put it simply. At four thirty, my alarm will ring for 'sahur'. That's it for the night. No more trying to sleep. I will have my food, then go to the surau for the morning prayer. When I get back home, its about half past six in the morning already. That's when I will feel sleepy. Usually by nine, I will be sleeping soundly i.e. if the children don't disturb me. Otherwise, it will drag on .....  Sigh.....

Ready for school

Morning woes

The problem with getting the kids ready to school is to be patient with their tantrums every morning after waking them up. From brushing their teeth, bathing, wearing their school uniforms till getting into the car, its a whole load of problem every morning. Not so much Akid as he is five years old already but Maisarah. She is really troublesome. Nothing gets done right. Its a struggle every morning. She is three and a half years old, that's why I guess. However, getting her to school is good as she learns a lot. She has friends, teachers, a learning environment, things to do etc.

Pasar ramadhan is missing

Went to Pantai Medical Bangsar yesterday for my regular supply of medicine. After that went to PJ section 14 wanting to get my hands to the very popular 'popia' which sells at the pasar ramadhan there. I was bracing for a long queue as has always been the case come ramadhan. However, when I got there yesterday, there was no queue in sight. From far away, I could see that even the pasar ramadhan was missing. Hmmm...... what happened? It must have moved but where? I have no idea at all. Disappointed, I decided to head straight for home.

Playtime

This is what they do everyday. Its all playtime and more playtime. Even Munirah is getting clever nowadays. She can hold her own against her brother and sister. Tomorrow it will be back to school for Akid and Maisarah. As for me, I'm still searching. In sha Allah one day I will find something meaningful to do.

That's life

At our surau, we do eight rakaat with a short break in between for a short tazkirah. Then we do the Witr three rakaat. Usually by ten or a bit past ten, the prayers will be completed. Even if for some reason we are running a bit late, it will not go beyond ten thirty. Some light refreshment are serve after the prayers but I don't usually take them. I head straight home, less than three minutes of walking. Very convenient. Once in the house, I will have to content with the children. I don't have time for myself. Normally, by 12 midnight, they will be fast asleep although there are times when it go past 2am. By the time they are asleep, I will be too tired to do anything except to sleep myself. My day will start again at 4.30am when the alarm sounds.

Stick to one

Yesterday was the fifteenth of Ramadhan. That means the half way mark is passed. So far this Ramadhan I have not prayed Tarawih at any other mosque or surau except the surau near my house. Earlier, I have some thoughts of wanting to go to other nearby mosques or surau but so far, have not done so. I guess its the because of the convenience. When there is a surau that is a short walking distance from my house, why should I go anywhere else? Along Jalan Gombak, there are many mosques within a few kilometres of each other. There's one at Batu 3. Another one at Batu 4 and another at Batu 5. They are all within 1 to 3 kilometres of my house. That's not counting the suraus yet. Maybe next year I might try these mosques during Ramadhan. There was a time, 2011 I think, when I moved around for my Tarawih prayers. That year, I went to 11 mosques including Masjidil Haram in Mekah.

Routine changed

My daily routine changed a bit during this Ramadhan. First of all, there is of course the 'sahur'. I'm up at half past four every morning in sha Allah. Then there's the Tarawih prayer after Isya. With just these two activities, my daily routine is already different from normal. It makes my sleeping time to waver. I get sleepy after the morning prayers which I don't normally do. After all, it's my most productive time. However, now my brain goes slow at this time such that I feel lethargic, worn out and sleepy. By nine in the morning, I cannot go on anymore. I need to rest or even sleep.

Rocky road ahead

The Trump presidency is turning out to be more like a joke to me. It seems that the Americans have elected a novice who knows or cares nothing about the office he is holding. A few months into his presidency, he is already facing a whole lot of problem, mostly out of his own doing. The Russian connection looks like to be the most serious of them all. The head of the FBI whom he sacked will be testifying to a select committee in a few hours time. The survival of this Presidency will depend very much on what he says and the evidence that will be presented. The road ahead will be rocky to say the least.

Fruits for breaking of fast

A typical day

Its the fasting month

Up till now, that is the tenth day of Ramadhan, I have not been to any 'Pasar Ramadhan'. Its been home cooked food all the way. I don't eat much so I don't crave for all those food that they sell at the 'Pasar Ramadhan'. The fact that I have not been to any of them also helped. If I were to go, I am sure I cannot resist the temptation. So many delicious food, different variety and make, the spread and aroma will make me go crazy. After almost a whole day of fasting, when the stomach is already feeling it, going to such places will only add to the temptation. In the end, you will buy all kind of food but more often than not, they will end up in the dustbin. What a waste! Remember, its the fasting month, not the feasting month.

Sigh

Its still early Ramadhan but the surau where I frequent for my Tarawih prayers is already facing the well known syndrome, 'hangat hangat tahi ayam'. After the usual first day crowd, it is getting lesser and lesser by the day. Its been three years since I frequent this surau but I remember last year or the year before last, it was not this bad. This year I think is the worse. So early in Ramadhan the congregation can't even fill two rows. Sigh....

Maisarah and Munirah

Who knows?

Today is already the sixth day of Ramadhan. Day in day out and soon it will be towards the last few days of Ramadhan.  This year for Hari Raya I have no plan to go anywhere or no plan yet. As usual the roads will get busy during that time. I don't want to get caught on a highway for hours on end. Better to stay at home. Still, I might change my mind at the last minute. Who knows?

Kids will always be kids

Kids will always have fun, anytime, anywhere. This time at a mosque in Senawang. They were running around with little regard to the sacred place nor the people having their prayers. I had a hard time telling them to stop or not to make too much noise.