Kautsar Abd Rahman

Today we went for a fitting at this tailor kakniim sent her vow ceremony (nikah), reception and reception on her husband’s side’s costumes. My sister wants simple style for all her clothes, and true enough, it was simply beautiful. BUT. The tailors, although they make lovely cuttings, cannot make lovely FIT. We ended up having to refit a bit of the shoulders, to nip in a bit of a waist, to entirely hitch up few hemlines and grip the sleeves to make it narrower! Dude, we’re paying you a lot to get it perfect, the least you can do is make it fit! Hopefully, when all the editting is done, it will look perfect. Right now, it looks beautiful, but a little hasty. I know it will end up pretty. So, not too worried about it.

And, because she’s a bride-cum-designer, we had to go around KL at night looking for..homeless people. Yes, we went cruising at night to Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Pudu, Petaling Street and Hang Tuah to find out whether the site she’s chosen for her project of homeless people would actually materialise if it were to happen. Site research.

One, Datuk Shahrizat once mentioned that KL has virtually no homelessness problem. And, in the light of this, I could safely say that it was indeed HARD to find any homeless people around, and we surveyed and went through rough streets and in the end, found a couple of ‘hot hub’ for homeless people, and only a couple of them at each place. In total, I dare say, we saw no more than 10 of them. Virtually no homeless people around.

It sounds great, doesn’t it? That KL, at least, is able to cope with homelessness.

Well, there is a shadow lurking behind this great find. Most of the homeless people are carried off by officers by the truckload to welfare centers. But there were interviews conducted with the people living int he welfare center who said that life behind the wall ain’t so pretty. They are treated like ‘swine’ – mishandled and given crappy food. One could argue that, well, at least you get food and shelter. But according to some of them, they would rather live on the street and begged or gather bits and bobs to eat some ‘nasi campur’ than being institutionalized. Plus, freedom is a high price to pay.

I guess, in term of tourism and general public safety, one could argue that it is better for the government to take this action. I agree, to a certain extent, of course. The safety part of it. Because being homeless means you are vulnerable to threats of gangsters and bullies although one could never guarantee this does not happen inside the institution itself.

It is pleasing to the eyes, especially for tourists, to not witness homelessness. ‘Berat mata memandang, berat lagi bahu yang memikul’.By institutionalizing homelessness, we get to get rid of the ‘berat mata menadang’ part – but is it fair? Being institutionalized and robbed of liberty is a serious matter. I am sure there are those who’d rather have that routine security but can we guarantee the same for all of them? They are not criminals, although may deem to be so as they are vulnerable to poverty and desperate situation thus can easily turn violent to overcome hardship.

I feel quite unsure about this. I guess, if it could be assured and guaranteed that they are being treated well inside the welfare centers, that’ll be kind of cool. Like, they can get in and out at anytime or the centers find jobs for them – the kind of things that gives a person a chance at self development and long term personal financial aid in term of jobs. I’m sure there are such things that are being programmed but we just don’t know?

And do we care?

ps: We found an awesome tailor/rent/ready made boutique that is soooo cool – modern twist of traditional clothings but very elegant with A-class workmanship. And the beadings they do is WOW.

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sooo saaaaaaaaadddddddd…

This is a story of the power of prayers.

It had been a disease of my heart to have doubt in the power of prayers. My mother always say, in whatever situation, when encountered by a difficult person or upon hearing of evil deeds of a person, pray that Allah SWT will give him hidayah. Light that will seek to uncover the truth to his own eyes.

But, I kept thinking, can you imagine, a zionist converting into Islam? Or someone who has been slaying Islam suddenly profess his love for Allah?  I know the story of Khalid Al-Walid, a hero of the Quraysh clan against Rasulullah’ SAW’s uprising Islam who afterwards become the biggest asset of the Muslim army but it seemed unlikely that would happen in this modern time and age. Or so I thought.

This is a story of Daniel Streich. A Swiss politician who was against Islam, that he studied Quran through out his lifetime just so he can slander it. Little did he or anyone knows that it brings him closer to Allah. He was a strong leader in his political party in Switzerland with the main aim to ban minarets in Switzerland. He got it, by slight majority, the vote was with the ban. But, instead of rejoicing it, he proclaimed his belief for Allah and for Islam. He felt the guilt, the shame and the regret that he even desires to start laying foundation for the fifth mosque in Switzerland!

Alhamdulillah syukur. It is a feeling so beautiful. God works miracles in the most unexpected of ways. It is truly magic. I will never, ever, ever again have any skepticism to the power God has over His creation, and the power of Doa’ we have.

It is like finding a new weapon. Now, we can all pray for the non-believers especially those who attacks Islam with accusations and slanders to be given Hidayah – so they may uncover Truth and be as pure as a newborn again.

Ya Allah, may their hatred to Islam be the path that leads them to the knowledge of Truth. May their doubt for you be the discovery of what You truly are – for You are Most Gracious, Most Giving, Most Forgiving and Most Loving.

Have mercy on your humble slaves, for we are all trying to find our way.

Read this article about Daniel Streich :

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/30-Jan-2010/Swiss-antagonist-of-minarets-embraces-Islam

The last few days as got to be one stride of life that I would never want to forget.

London was hit by snow so heavily in December that, again, as in previous year, London literally stop in its track, unprepared. 50,000 people were stuck in King’s Cross St. Pancras after Eurostar couldn’t handle “the fluffy French snow” that messed up the technical transition of temperature between the Channel and sub-zero temperature outside. Lots of tears, accusation and chaos. Friends were exasperated as more bad news mean flights, trains and holiday plans got cancelled. Would be worse for students, obviously on limited finance, being stuck at their holiday destination, unable to reach home than students who cannot go on holidays. That being said, imagine the money spent on accommodation and the expectation of a good winter break!

It is weird how something as pristine and beautiful as fluffy ice front he sky could cause so much disruption. Cars skid, lorries are not allowed to move and traffic jam like sardines in can. Surprisingly, the bad weather didn’t deter the spirit of consumerism to buy buy BUY in Oxford Street. Shops and food stores across the country have never experienced record sale rise in previous years. The crowd was crazy! Haha, I should know, I was there tugging at size tags hoping to catch the last size 6 or 8 on the clothes rail. The sale is quite good. But I shall wait for boxing day. Winter means full long sleeved dress and shirts – good stuff for me to wear with my tudung in Malaysia.

The third chaos would be our Family Night In two nights ago. The snow is falling down, the living room warm, and the boys came over for a game of Cranium. Imar, Emir, Muhsin, Ozz and Afiq versus me, Feera, Aisyah, Shaz and Hidayah. It was then we knew how competitive Ozz is – he HUMS with such earnest effort, you could die laughing.  And how screwed up Shaz’s perception of horse’s gallop, and how the guys could almost commit suicide for not being able to guess George Best. Or the colour of ‘Button A’ in the old Nintendo console. Geez. The game was a tight one – encore worthy.

It was all like the rush of wind that screams in your ears amidst crystalline beauty of white snow.

there are charity shops out there with vintage bags and excellent bargains. for some charity or other, you never really know anymore. so long as theres good buy and its for good cause, surely thats the best deal you can get. or so i thought.

went to bayswater. a warehouse of a charity shop along the busy road. shop was huge and spacey, not enough item to fill them in. a sort of bare granite feel to it. ROMANIA CHARITY FUND. and the people mending the shop are two ladies, which i personally find a tad horrible.

i wanted to ask, for whom is this charity for?

i got the answer right away.

a group of romanian ladies walked in. with babies. long drabby skirts, shabby scarves tied on their heads. one of them pushing a pram. hushed and excitement to wander through the shop. hushed whispers, squeling over bright pink skirt and a brown cord one.

busily roaming the aisle of clothes and coats, trying it out against their bodies, with eyes so lovely a hazel green hue and skin like porcelain lightly coloured with pink warmth.

the shop people were eyeing them with daggers. one of them even had hostility and somewhat fear in her eyes. a pathetic look as if scared of the poor people. shifting uneasily, staring rudely, obviously unwelcoming.

if there is one place young girls, who are beggars by the street could even find any decent clothes, it would be the charity shop. CHARITY shop. and here, they are unwelcomed as if they are in PRADA. it is ridiculous.

eventually the girls left, after long minutes of baby crying heavily which further invite cold stare from the salesperson.

i looked through belts. a woman, who looks like shes new and had that pathetic look in her eyes tried to talk to me. her senior called out to her : its okay, they are all gone now.

and suddenly it striked me. they didnt leave voluntarily. they were asked to leave! the woman at the counter thought the pathetic saleslady was trying to talk me into leaving too!

for one thing, i was wearing my scarf and had on my green contact lenses. though definitely not as lovely as the romanian girls, of course.

i asked her. what is the charity for.

we give the money to the poor people of romania. the women and children, especially.

which one? the one far away, or the one right in from of your own eyes?

she said, the one with no help in romania..these romanian people here, they take on the benefit. there is nothing we can do to help them. her eyes looking with most unsatisfying burden at the door.

i walked away. she called out, are you romanian?

coldly, no.

i clenched my teeth. upset and ashamed.

she never met any soul like Monica. May God one day show her.

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. (We want change.)

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics…they will only grow louder and more dissonant ……….. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea:

Yes We Can

-beautiful speech by of Obama. Would it be as legendary as Martin Lurther King’s Mountaintop Speech?

..and the whole world smiles.

a conversation between azzam tamimi and a malaysian student.

azzam : Are you from Malaysia? Which part of Malaysia are you from?

malaysian guy : Oh, I am from Kelantan.

azzam : Kelantan? Nik Aziz! I know him very well. I sent a student there to study with him. I’ve been there.

malaysian guy : Oh! really?

azzam : Nik Aziz reminds me of Saidina Umar Al-Khattab.

azzam tamimi is an active palestinian activist who speaks with such passion, he raise goosebumps everytime he speaks of his country. He wants to RETURN.