After the Friday prayer I bumped into Haji Fauzi and he invited for a trip down south to Johore Baharu. He asked me to convince his elder brother Pak Long Mustapa to join as well. Pak Long would come along provided I was in the entourage. The idea was, Haji Fauzi wanted to meet his long lost converted Siamese friend at Plaza Angsana at JB. They last met in 2004. We brought along spare clothing in case we would put up a night in JB.
At 1500 hours we started the journey down south. Fikri was at the wheel; Pak Long and I were enjoying the reclining mid seat as well as the scenery along the way. I too had also a mission – since I was making a trip to JB, my neighbor Haji Adenan asked me to deliver some documents to someone there. The person in JB would contact me upon my arrival. We made two short stop over at Senawang and Simpang Renggam rest area for refreshment and prayer.
We arrived at Plaza Angsana JB at 1915 hrs, met the contact person and the documents delivered. My job was done. Ustaz Ali Yatim, Haji Fauzi friend was eagerly and excitedly waiting for our arrival. After the formal greetings we sat down for business discussion of Ustaz Ali business operation and he kindly took us for a tour the package that he was demonstrating at the Plaza. We then adjourned to New York Hotel for shower and for the evening solat. We were on the 21st. floor and we had a panoramic view of JB by night and Woodland Singapore across the Straits.
At about 2130 hours we went back to Plaza Angsana and Ustaz Ali Yatim made a personal demonstration on Haji Fauzi and Pak Long Mustapa. It was all about the treatment of the eyes. Since I had undergone cataract operations I dare not try the eyes cleansing medication. However Ustaz Ali complimented with goodies of samples.
We decided not to stay a night at JB and with the aid of Pak Long Mustapa navigator hand phone we managed to find our way out from JB and hit the Plus North South Highway. In the mid 70s I frequent JB when I was working at Pasir Gudang but the JB that I knew of was very much different from the present JB. Now, new buildings and township had sprouted everywhere. I lost all my landmarks and beyond recognition. Skudai was just a small outskirt town then but now it is already part of JB. Along the highway we stopped at Macap rest area for dinner cum supper. The place is superbly clean and air condition. It should be as it is normally the first stopping area for Singaporeans and we should portray our Malaysian image.
It was a smooth cruising journey home and the weather was very good. The last stop was at Seremban rest area for Pak Long to fire his smoking pipe. We arrived at Port Klang at the wee of morning at 0330 hours. It was a good break for me, seeing and learning something new. Off late I have been mentally disturbed domestically and politically. The impromptu trip occupied my humble soul physically and mentally temporarily.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Jews vs Muslims in Jerusalem.
I came across the following article written by Jeremy Sharon of guardian.co.uk. I think he must be Jewish.
Quote:
The Temple Mount, or Al-Haram Al-Sharif to Muslims, must rank as one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. The sporadic riots of the past month at the site are therefore particularly alarming, as such incidents have the potential to ignite much wider unrest.
For that reason, it would seem to be in everyone's interest to reduce as far as possible tensions and friction at the Temple Mount to an absolute minimum. But the statements and actions of a number of Muslim clerics based in Israel, Palestinian politicians and even foreign governments have only inflamed and exacerbated an already explosive situation.
Of even greater concern is the underlying sentiment behind the recent riots, protests, declarations and denunciations. Whether or not "Jewish extremists" went up to the Temple Mount (and they did not) and irrespective of whether or not they planned to, the violent and vitriolic response to these rumors is indicative of a fundamental lack of tolerance for the religious beliefs of the Jewish people.
And the incitement has been widespread, coming from both political and religious sectors. The Islamic Movement in Israel, in particular, has made strenuous efforts to inform its flock that Jewish groups were planning to "desecrate", "storm" or otherwise "endanger" the Al-Aqsa mosque and arranged buses for worshippers to come and "protect" the site.
Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch and one of the principal provocateurs, declared to a crowd, "We'll liberate Al-Aqsa with blood and fire" and stated that Israel was seeking to build a synagogue on the al-Aqsa mosque. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told a meeting of foreign ambassadors that the riots were due to "an assault by extremist religious settlers on the Temple Mount compound". The Syrian foreign ministry decided to stir the pot too, stating "[Damascus] believes the Israeli security forces' invasion of Al-Aqsa was part of Israel's scheme to Judaise Jerusalem and destroy the mosque."
Not one shred of evidence has been presented to back up any of these accusations, the reason being that there simply is none.
Such baseless incitement over one of the most sensitive places of worship in the world is incredibly irresponsible. The destabilising effect of this agitation undermines whatever small amount of trust there may be between Israeli and Palestinian interlocutors. Additionally, it further inflames wider Arab and Muslim opinion, which is similarly deleterious to the project of tolerance and coexistence in the region. Inventing wild myths about Jewish designs on Muslim holy places can only harm any prospects for the normalisation of ties between Israel and its Arab and Muslim neighbours.
Aside from the agitation is the disturbing notion that Jews seeking to visit, or even pray at, their holiest place of worship (the Temple Mount and not merely the Western Wall) should be seen as provocation, desecration or in any other way unacceptable. Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are an indelible part of the Jewish national consciousness. The very term for the movement to re-establish the Jewish national home, Zionism, derives from a synonym for Jerusalem, Zion. Every day, three times a day, Jews all over the world turn towards Jerusalem and pray for it to be restored to its former glory; they have done so for nearly 2,000 years. That Jews are actually banned by the Israeli government from praying on the Temple Mount is a quite astounding concession to the demands of the Islamic waqf that administers it.
But preventing Jews from praying at the Temple Mount is not the only goal. A far more insidious campaign is afoot, one that rewrites history by arguing that there never was any Jewish temple at the site, thereby seeking to delegitimise any connection that Israel and the Jewish people may have to it, and by extension, the land as a whole. In a region in thrall to an epidemic of conspiracy theories, the irrefutable archaeological and historical evidence attesting to the Second Temple alone is sadly deemed insufficient.
The failure to acknowledge the connection the Jewish people have to Jerusalem is symptomatic of a problem which goes to the heart of the political conflict; that the Palestinian body politic has never reconciled itself to the fact that the Jewish people have deep-rooted historical ties to the land and are not simply foreign invaders who wandered in a few decades ago.
However politically expedient, Palestinian and Muslim leaders must desist from the incitement against Israel and the delegitimisation of the Jewish people's connection to the land, if there is ever to be any political accommodation between the two sides. If the Palestinian public never appreciates the depth of feeling Jews have for their holy places and their historical homeland, then the state of Israel, within any borders, will forever be illegitimate in the eyes of the Palestinians and will remain a target for eventual removal. Such an attitude poses a tremendous obstacle to the future prospects of peace between the two peoples.
Unquote:
The intifada started when Ariel Sharon went to Al-Haram Al-Shariff compound or the Temple Mount to the Jews. Where is Ariel Sharon? Is he dead or alive? The Jews are planning to reinstall their Temple on the site where Al-Haram Al Shariff Mosque is now. Removing this Mosque by the Jews would be a disaster to the whole Muslim population and the aftermath would be religious conflict or war. Removing (or destructing) Al Haram Al Shariff Mosque would also involve Al Aqsa Mosque the third holiest Mosque to the Muslims. To start with, all Muslim countries in the Middle East must be weakened. 9/11 was planned so that the Jews and the West have the passport to destroy Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran is on the way. That is why the West is so afraid about Iran having nuclear arsenals. When all these Muslim countries are in rubble, militarily powerless, the populations disarray, the Jews would start destroying the Al-Haram Al-Shariff and the Al Aqsa Mosque. By then, the Muslims would be powerless and perhaps less resistance. The Jews with the help of the Christians would reconstruct their Temple on the same spot where Al Haram Al Shariff stands now.
Insyaalah……it would not happen, at least not during my lifetime. I must agree that such an attitude of planning to reconstruct a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount poses a tremendous obstacles to the future prospects of peace between the Jews and the Palestinians, read as Muslims.
I seek for world peace. I am sadden with the destruction of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Quote:
The Temple Mount, or Al-Haram Al-Sharif to Muslims, must rank as one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. The sporadic riots of the past month at the site are therefore particularly alarming, as such incidents have the potential to ignite much wider unrest.
For that reason, it would seem to be in everyone's interest to reduce as far as possible tensions and friction at the Temple Mount to an absolute minimum. But the statements and actions of a number of Muslim clerics based in Israel, Palestinian politicians and even foreign governments have only inflamed and exacerbated an already explosive situation.
Of even greater concern is the underlying sentiment behind the recent riots, protests, declarations and denunciations. Whether or not "Jewish extremists" went up to the Temple Mount (and they did not) and irrespective of whether or not they planned to, the violent and vitriolic response to these rumors is indicative of a fundamental lack of tolerance for the religious beliefs of the Jewish people.
And the incitement has been widespread, coming from both political and religious sectors. The Islamic Movement in Israel, in particular, has made strenuous efforts to inform its flock that Jewish groups were planning to "desecrate", "storm" or otherwise "endanger" the Al-Aqsa mosque and arranged buses for worshippers to come and "protect" the site.
Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch and one of the principal provocateurs, declared to a crowd, "We'll liberate Al-Aqsa with blood and fire" and stated that Israel was seeking to build a synagogue on the al-Aqsa mosque. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told a meeting of foreign ambassadors that the riots were due to "an assault by extremist religious settlers on the Temple Mount compound". The Syrian foreign ministry decided to stir the pot too, stating "[Damascus] believes the Israeli security forces' invasion of Al-Aqsa was part of Israel's scheme to Judaise Jerusalem and destroy the mosque."
Not one shred of evidence has been presented to back up any of these accusations, the reason being that there simply is none.
Such baseless incitement over one of the most sensitive places of worship in the world is incredibly irresponsible. The destabilising effect of this agitation undermines whatever small amount of trust there may be between Israeli and Palestinian interlocutors. Additionally, it further inflames wider Arab and Muslim opinion, which is similarly deleterious to the project of tolerance and coexistence in the region. Inventing wild myths about Jewish designs on Muslim holy places can only harm any prospects for the normalisation of ties between Israel and its Arab and Muslim neighbours.
Aside from the agitation is the disturbing notion that Jews seeking to visit, or even pray at, their holiest place of worship (the Temple Mount and not merely the Western Wall) should be seen as provocation, desecration or in any other way unacceptable. Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are an indelible part of the Jewish national consciousness. The very term for the movement to re-establish the Jewish national home, Zionism, derives from a synonym for Jerusalem, Zion. Every day, three times a day, Jews all over the world turn towards Jerusalem and pray for it to be restored to its former glory; they have done so for nearly 2,000 years. That Jews are actually banned by the Israeli government from praying on the Temple Mount is a quite astounding concession to the demands of the Islamic waqf that administers it.
But preventing Jews from praying at the Temple Mount is not the only goal. A far more insidious campaign is afoot, one that rewrites history by arguing that there never was any Jewish temple at the site, thereby seeking to delegitimise any connection that Israel and the Jewish people may have to it, and by extension, the land as a whole. In a region in thrall to an epidemic of conspiracy theories, the irrefutable archaeological and historical evidence attesting to the Second Temple alone is sadly deemed insufficient.
The failure to acknowledge the connection the Jewish people have to Jerusalem is symptomatic of a problem which goes to the heart of the political conflict; that the Palestinian body politic has never reconciled itself to the fact that the Jewish people have deep-rooted historical ties to the land and are not simply foreign invaders who wandered in a few decades ago.
However politically expedient, Palestinian and Muslim leaders must desist from the incitement against Israel and the delegitimisation of the Jewish people's connection to the land, if there is ever to be any political accommodation between the two sides. If the Palestinian public never appreciates the depth of feeling Jews have for their holy places and their historical homeland, then the state of Israel, within any borders, will forever be illegitimate in the eyes of the Palestinians and will remain a target for eventual removal. Such an attitude poses a tremendous obstacle to the future prospects of peace between the two peoples.
Unquote:
The intifada started when Ariel Sharon went to Al-Haram Al-Shariff compound or the Temple Mount to the Jews. Where is Ariel Sharon? Is he dead or alive? The Jews are planning to reinstall their Temple on the site where Al-Haram Al Shariff Mosque is now. Removing this Mosque by the Jews would be a disaster to the whole Muslim population and the aftermath would be religious conflict or war. Removing (or destructing) Al Haram Al Shariff Mosque would also involve Al Aqsa Mosque the third holiest Mosque to the Muslims. To start with, all Muslim countries in the Middle East must be weakened. 9/11 was planned so that the Jews and the West have the passport to destroy Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran is on the way. That is why the West is so afraid about Iran having nuclear arsenals. When all these Muslim countries are in rubble, militarily powerless, the populations disarray, the Jews would start destroying the Al-Haram Al-Shariff and the Al Aqsa Mosque. By then, the Muslims would be powerless and perhaps less resistance. The Jews with the help of the Christians would reconstruct their Temple on the same spot where Al Haram Al Shariff stands now.
Insyaalah……it would not happen, at least not during my lifetime. I must agree that such an attitude of planning to reconstruct a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount poses a tremendous obstacles to the future prospects of peace between the Jews and the Palestinians, read as Muslims.
I seek for world peace. I am sadden with the destruction of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The weekend.
Last Saturday morning the clique met Ali Termizi house at 1000 hours. The “akad nikah” ceremony was slightly delayed as the bridegroom was caught in a traffic jam. The Kadhi was right on schedule. It was a solemn ceremony where Ali Termizi himself performed the “akad nikah”, lost his macho and was closed to tears. I know and I understand it wasn’t easy to carry the task for giving away the daughter in marriage. The Marhaban group recited the selawat nabi and marhaban. When all was perfectly done, Imam Khairuddin performed the doa selamat and we adjourned for buffet lunch. We were requested to be present for the night function of the “berinai”.
After zohor and asar respectively, I declined an invitation by Mat Nor Katim and Datok Shaari as I wanted to avoid too much food. The lunch at Ali Termizi house was quite heavy.
After Isyakh, as promised the clique met again at Ali Termizi house. Barbequed lamb was the main menu and that was something that I must avoid. However, I just took few small cuts to satisfy the host. It was tasty and overcoming the temptation I helped myself to more having in mind I would take the crestor before bedtime. (Crestor is my prescribed cholesterol control pill). Wahab and Haji Nazri took on the mike at the karaoke set but Ali Termizi sent his son instead, as his proxy. I was safe as I was in my jubah and kopiah Turki. There was laughter, anticipation and excitement when Imam Khairuddin unwinds his serban. There was no way he would do it as it would be on the front page of Sinar Harian the next day.
Back home, MU was playing Blackburn late. I stayed awake watching the game and MU won with only 2 goals. Prior to that I was in time watching Liverpool got clobbered by Fulham by 3-1. Liverpool ended up playing with nine men as two were red carded. The fate of Rafael Benitez during the coming days would be interesting to follow.
Sunday – the program was the “khatam koraan” at 1000 hours. I absconded as I slept late. Sabirin called and together we attended Ali Termizi main function at 1230 hours. The weather was very accommodating and I met several faces from Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang who had long retired. I met Capt Anis and asked about his handicap. He told me, two? We all laughed when Capt Anis commented about Ali Termizi game. Ali can play well and start good but cannot last long. The Marhaban group was busy assisting Ali Termizi ushering the guests. Ali Termizi showed me his VVIP guest, but how come the VVIP was serving himself at the buffet? Both of us laughed. The VVIP was the most controversial specimen in the Kampong. There were few that came to the wrong house as there was another similar wedding function down the road.
The rest of the afternoon was solely recuperating. I had overdosed myself with food for the past two days. After Isyakh there was another invitation by Haji Shahabudin who would be going for Haj. I went home straight from the Mosque and watch the new Astro channels that I just got.
Next weekend there is another invitation in store, all the way from Port Dickson. No specific plan yet and Mak Itam would be disappointed if I did not turn up. Mak Itam was the Bachelor Mess Cleaner when I was a bachelor boy in Port Dickson. Her granddaughter is getting married and I know the bride parents. It is rather difficult not to attend as the bride’s father himself conveyed the invitation with a salam from Mak Itam.
After zohor and asar respectively, I declined an invitation by Mat Nor Katim and Datok Shaari as I wanted to avoid too much food. The lunch at Ali Termizi house was quite heavy.
After Isyakh, as promised the clique met again at Ali Termizi house. Barbequed lamb was the main menu and that was something that I must avoid. However, I just took few small cuts to satisfy the host. It was tasty and overcoming the temptation I helped myself to more having in mind I would take the crestor before bedtime. (Crestor is my prescribed cholesterol control pill). Wahab and Haji Nazri took on the mike at the karaoke set but Ali Termizi sent his son instead, as his proxy. I was safe as I was in my jubah and kopiah Turki. There was laughter, anticipation and excitement when Imam Khairuddin unwinds his serban. There was no way he would do it as it would be on the front page of Sinar Harian the next day.
Back home, MU was playing Blackburn late. I stayed awake watching the game and MU won with only 2 goals. Prior to that I was in time watching Liverpool got clobbered by Fulham by 3-1. Liverpool ended up playing with nine men as two were red carded. The fate of Rafael Benitez during the coming days would be interesting to follow.
Sunday – the program was the “khatam koraan” at 1000 hours. I absconded as I slept late. Sabirin called and together we attended Ali Termizi main function at 1230 hours. The weather was very accommodating and I met several faces from Lembaga Pelabuhan Klang who had long retired. I met Capt Anis and asked about his handicap. He told me, two? We all laughed when Capt Anis commented about Ali Termizi game. Ali can play well and start good but cannot last long. The Marhaban group was busy assisting Ali Termizi ushering the guests. Ali Termizi showed me his VVIP guest, but how come the VVIP was serving himself at the buffet? Both of us laughed. The VVIP was the most controversial specimen in the Kampong. There were few that came to the wrong house as there was another similar wedding function down the road.
The rest of the afternoon was solely recuperating. I had overdosed myself with food for the past two days. After Isyakh there was another invitation by Haji Shahabudin who would be going for Haj. I went home straight from the Mosque and watch the new Astro channels that I just got.
Next weekend there is another invitation in store, all the way from Port Dickson. No specific plan yet and Mak Itam would be disappointed if I did not turn up. Mak Itam was the Bachelor Mess Cleaner when I was a bachelor boy in Port Dickson. Her granddaughter is getting married and I know the bride parents. It is rather difficult not to attend as the bride’s father himself conveyed the invitation with a salam from Mak Itam.
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