We are Family

Can Christians and Muslims co-exist on God's Earth? 

By right we should be able to, as among all the religions in the world, we are most closely bound together by blood and faith. We are sibling religions, and yet we have waged war amongst ourselves since the time of the Crusades, and still do until today, spilling precious blood for the glory of what we perceive our religions to be.

Yes, there is a time for war. However, there is a time for peace.

I was going through this blog that I recently discovered, and found a diamond in the rough. It would seem that I am not alone in my views. I repost the entry taken from here:

I congratulate the Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Harussani Zakaria as 2008’s recipient of the Tokoh Maal Hijrah. I would also like to thank him in making clear that Islam is tolerant towards the other faiths. 

As he quoted, “We do not condemn Jesus because he, too, is a prophet in Islam. Neither do we destroy the many temples and places of worship because our religion refrains us from doing so”.

The Mufti was probably echoing the following Quranic verse,

"(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah... Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause); - for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will)."(Quran 22:40)

It is important that we make things clear especially for the Muslim masses that the Quran has a very practical view about our Christian brothers. The Quran suggest that as like the Muslims, they are both good and bad Christians, a realistic view indeed. 

The Quran says,
"Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are portions that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration" (Quran 3:113) 

and 

"Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. "(Quran 5:82)

There is a need to help both sides understand each other better. I recommend the following books for the English speaking population.

To understand the philosophy of Islam, read Kalam Azad’s ‘The Opening Chapter of the Quran’. For a big picture of the Quranic worldview read Fazlur Rahman’s ‘Major Themes of the Quran’. If you want to read only one book about Christianity, I highly recommend Albert Nolan’s ‘Jesus Before Christianity’. 

In the longer run, best to read The Quran and The Bible for yourself and today, both are readily available on the net. 

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. (Quran 2 :62)

It is my sincere hope that one day we might be able to push past our differences, and finally live in peace. Real Peace.

Wallahualam

Awaken the Racer within

Photo credit here

There is something almost irresistable when a motorcyclist is faced with a red light.

He stops (if he loves life). Soon, one by one, his brethren start forming a line on both sides, each stopping as if held by the invisible shield of the red traffic lights. 

Each biker a stranger, on different bikes, from different walks of life. 

Each trying not to be seen looking at one another, though one does catch discreet glimpses at individual bikes, marveling at bigger and tougher bikes, and triumphing over the smaller, cheaper bikes.

Each pair of eyes fixed to the traffic lights ahead of them, not daring to miss a beat for fear that they would be left behind in the oncoming onslaught of heavy traffic behind them. Brothers in arms, for sixty seconds, until the changing of the light.

Soon there is an elecric quality of excitement buzzing in the air.

VROOM! VROOM! engines are revved mere seconds before the lights change to the all-powerful colour of the US currency.

5...

4..

3..

2..

1..

Wrench your accelerator, and feel your bike surge into the night.

Feel the all-empowering sense of satisfaction as you break away from the pack, leading the race that compels every motorist...

Eat my dust losers!

The Reason

It was with no little pleasure that I stepped once more into the granduer of JB's former number 1 spot for retail therapy - City Square. 

If I recall correctly I hadn't been there for more than an year and a half... Not because I was boycotting (the catchword of the day) anything there. There simply wasn't anything uniquely there that I couldn't find anywhere else. If I wanted to shop for basic daily goods and hang out at a mall that provided most of the things I need, I could go to IOI Mall which is a mere 5 minutes drive from my house. If I wanted to catch a movie, I could go for the full monty in Jusco Tebrau, where the screens are huge, the sound systems crazy, and 

the parking free with the ownership of a Jusco card (instead of the RM10++ which is usually charged for the timed parking in City Square). Basically there was no real need for me to brave the traffic and being stuck in the notorious traffic.

But, just for old time's sake, I figured why not...

Because finally, they had a new reason for me to go - JCo Donuts & Coffee... 

Ahhhhhhh...JCo... 

Where the donuts are fluffy and the fillings always brimming to the top... Where the smell of tantalises your tastebuds even when you stand in line for half an hour, just to get a glimpse of those heavenly round treats... Where the cream filling just oozes out from the side of your mouth at every bite, leaving you grinning, while the chocolate drips from your lips, and the cream wrecking your favourite tie...

You don't care...

Once you have a JCo donut (or a Big Apple donut), you will never be the same again... If some fine day,  someone says to you "Let's go to Dunkin Donuts", your answer will be: 

"Dunkin what?"...

Picture credit here

Disclaimer: JCo Donuts is in no way paying me to write this article, even though I have repeatedly banged on their doors.

Inspiration in half-light

It's been a sombre time in my house for the past week now - all because my wife had fallen sick... pity the poor girl. This meant that when I'd arrive home at night, dinner would be prepared, and then after that she would go for her prayers, and then straight away nod off. Overworked, underpaid, and sick... Pity her.

This also meant an extremely loooooong period of being by myself at home - pity me... :)

But yesterday was different. After dinner, I went up to my bedroom, switched on the air-cond, dimmed all the lights, and drew open the curtains to the splendour of the view of Gunung Pulai in the half-light.

It was beautiful... the light of the moon reflected off the surface of the rooftops and the palm trees of the golf course surrounding us... The streetlights eminating a warm glow to the streets below them, as if inviting the world to bask in their quiet radiance... Like smiles of familiar faces in a vast unknown sea of strangers.

I was at peace.

I picked up my guitar and arranged my fingers to chords that were second nature to the artist within me. I strummed the chords, one by one, and slowly but surely, a new melody emerged. 

I began to write a song.

Men, Women and GPS

Sometimes one wonders how our two species even co-exist on the same planet here on Earth (though I do not dispute that I cannot do without these heavenly creatures). I know that it's a cliche, but men and women really have different ways of communicating. In this post and in some other future posts I will try to decipher some of the wonderful and mysterious ways that women try to convey their messages with.

I think, one that remains a delightful mystery is the method of communication that I like to call the "Tone and Pitch GPS device". For some reason, I've noticed that many women that I've come into contact with have the abilty to transfer coded map information in the pitch and tone of their voices. It's a wonderfully mysterious device that I seem to have been born without... And oh how I wish I could own one. Allow me to illustrate:

During my sister's wedding recently, almost all my uncles and aunts attended, and of course, while they were in JB they managed to get in touch with their friends and some made arrangements to meet up. It was then that I was introduced to this one Datin who was a friend of my aunt. Delighted to see her old friend, she (the Datin) insisted that I drive my aunt over to her house when I had the time. I of course obliged, and like any good designated chauffer, I asked the wonderfully loudspoken Datin where her house was... 

Upon which she said "Oh, you know the Kempas road?"

Upon which I shook my head to indicate my polite ignorance.  

Upon which she said again, but in a slightly higher tone, tingling with the slightest twinge of a vibrato (which of course helped to send the coordinates) "You know, the Kempas road?"

Again, because of an absent decoder, I said "No...", but I did what any normal male would do - get my bearings and try to work from a common landmark. So I dutifully asked "OK, let's say if I were to approach the Pasir Gudang highway and go up the flyover, would that take me closer to your house?"

At first, I could see her pause for thought (about one and a half seconds I believe it was), as she tried to comprehend the concept of finding a common landmark.

"Erm.." She began, "When you reach the Pasir Gudang... erm... Flyover... you... erm..." 

I could see that it was all a bit too much for her, and I could see how distressed she was at how inept I was at reading her encoded GPS signals in the tone and pitch of her voice, so she gave me one final treat - a full frequency encoding through her most powerful tone and pitch modulators "OH YOU KNOW...THE KEMPAS ROAD? THE KEMPAS ROAD?" all the while smiling and nodding enthusiastically "THE KEMPAS ROAD???"

Of course raising her pitch and tone made me know the exact coordinates her house was at... If I was a woman that was...

But... Unfortunately my masculine body was not equipped to handle this kind of subtle communication. I did what any male would do, when trying to please a woman...

Feign understanding, nod, and smile.

The wisdom of House

"One day, One room"

A quotation by the doctor everyone just can't help but to like, dislike, and admire all at the same time - Dr Gregory House. 

Life is a series of rooms. When you enter a room, you will find someone there. This is the person who will share that part of your life with... Whether you choose to like him or her is irrelevant, and this does not only pertain to girlfriends, boyfriends, etc... This includes the best friend you had during childhood, the school bully in your teenage years, and even the old lady that sweeps your school grounds.

 

You don't choose who you share the room with. 

You merely spend a certain amount of time with them, before walking to the door, twisting its handle, and walking out... Where you will walk a few feet to the next room in line, and open the next door...

That is life.

Once we truly understand this do we realise our relationships with the thousands of people we all meet in our lifetime - Make the most of every room, and make the most of the people you share that room with. You may see them again... Or you may not...

One day, one room.