MARCH TAKES ITS STRIDES

Just as fast like lightening, the months rolled on and we are already in the third month of the year. The speed or otherwise is measured by our achievements in what we have managed to do or otherwise. Naturally at our passage in time, it would not be fair to claim any records, but suffice to know that we have not been dormant but striving to do what should be done, necessarily for the home, family and community.    

One thing for sure, my intimation with 'Kotastar' seems to register the lowest contribution. Is it then an indication of slowness or inclination towards other matters or issues? Nonetheless the efforts must be strengthened otherwise one sure inhibition will die a natural death and the quest for writing and recording will ceased. More so the chance to contact with others in the cyber space.

Be that as it may be, perhaps a retrospect of the past weeks would help to pacify the reasons for the lack lustre. 

12/02/2014 The long shadow and the dry season that hit the country recently coincides with the harvesting season in Kedah..Sadly at other places the dry and rainless climatic condition scourged some of the padi planting zones in the Kedah. Some places in the country even reported a very cool low temperature with Mt Kinabalu recording a freezing one.

In loving memory of her father my wife has named the old house as Cafe & Dewan Arshad AlBanjari recognizing the family connection with Matapura of Banjarmasin.

08/02/2014 An old house has been renovated and the interior now as seen below allows for meetings and private dinner or lunch to be held here. The restaurant proper is just close by. The picture below shows the interior and a meeting in progress.

 

24/02/2014 Restaurant Citarasa TT Gajah ready to welcome guests for lunch.  YB Dato Ismail Sabri Yaakob Menteri Pertanian dan Asas Tani and MADA officers came for lunch after their tour of Pendang district hit by the drought.

 

YB Menteri and group at lunch in the restaurant.

1/3/2014 Pricinct 16 Putrajaya Community members held the Annual Dinner at Dewan Bankuet Marina Putrajaya Presinct 5 Putrajaya. Permintaan untuk ahli menggenakan pakain  'Arabian Night'  mendapat sambutan. Kesempatan berada di Putrajaya kami hadir dimajlis ini.

                       

  Presint 16 Jawatankuasa Persatuan Penduduk 'Super Link Presint 16'

                       

Kanak-kanak menyertai 'musical chair'. Dua orang cucu turut mengambil bahagian .                                       

Wah! Saudara juru acara majlis dengan pakaiannya. Tak hairanlah beliau di pilih sebagai Johan berpakaian ala Arabia.

                        

Sdr M Kassim , seorang lagi ahli dan juga jiran kami di Presinct 16

 Our grandson braved himself to enter "Ketegori keluarga' and won himself a price.

The community at Presinct 16 Putrajaya has always been active and gets strong support from the members. Activities held throughout the year had a good following and the annual function brought the community together.

Crowning what seems a lack lustre month arrived on 03/03/ 2014. This would naturally makes March and the following months dotted with activities, particularly attending to the new arrival. Happily and on record we could say that we have enough members ( grand children) to set up a rugby team if girls can be included. I could be the master coach and with still three reserves standing by. Another grandson comes into the family and delivery was at Hospital Colombia Asia. Wow! Can you expect the South American country to have its hospital here in Selangor? Yet that's what it is called. 

03/03/ 2014 In the morning as we moved to the railway station at Putrajaya, I caught this morning sun as it moved through the branches signaling that haze that over - casted the sky especially in Selangor was clearing. ( As the traffic on the road gets heavier each day the ERL connecting Putrajaya and KL Central serves the commuters and senior citizens get their good share of discounted tickets )  

Never realizing that in the evening a much brighter signal was to come via the telephone. Only a few hours later, he is able to give a smile to the world as the pix shows.

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Maybe I am justified that February has been a bad contribution month in relation to my submission to Kotastar.blogspot.

    

A NEIGHBOURLY AFFAIR ESPECIALLY IN THE MONTH OF RABIULAWAL

RIGHTLY AND IN RESPECT OF RABIULAWAL the third month of Hijrah 1433, the particular subject becomes an urgent reminder to us. We are made aware of our duties to our neighbors religiously , ethically and culturally and in respect of its adherence we may be satisfied and proud that there is a continuing sense or responsibility and commitment. Is it so?

Taking the following as obligations to Muslims, we must search its true applications in the current dimensions. 

Prophet Muhammad SAW on the rights of the neighbor said,

" It is to help him if he asks your help, to lend him if he asks to borrow from you to satisfy his needs if he becomes poor, to console him if he is visited by an affliction, to congratulate him if he is met with good fortune, to visit him if he became ill, to attend his funeral if he dies, not to make your home higher than his without his consent less you deny him the breeze, to offer him fruits when you buy some or to take it to your home secretly if you do not do that, nor to send out your children with it so as not to upset his children,no to bother him by the tempting smell of your food unless you send him some"     

Truly the neighbour holds a specific station in Islam. Islam encourages Muslim to treat their neighbors in a gentle way that reflects the true and genuine spirit of Islam as exemplified in its tolerant aspect especially with people of other faiths."  Consider this .

" O Messenger of Allah, I have two neighbours. To whom shall I sent my gifts?" asked Ayesha the Prophet's wife .Prophet Muhammad said " To the one whose gate is close to you.' 

 It helps because we have many  as defined  "Your neighbour is 4o houses ahead of you and 40 houses at your back, 40 houses to your left and 40 houses to your right'  That already makes a total of 160 good friends around us.

I am struck by the above subject by incidents and happenings that came to light in the last few days. Yes not even a week back yet. Hj Md Arshad, my father- in- law succumbed to his long illness on 29th Safar 1433 and was laid to rest on the same day. In those moments and hours of sadness and consoling to the family as the body lies for visitation by families and friends, none more comforting than to see friends, kins and neighbours descending on the home to pay their last respect and offer prayers as they saw him for the last time. More so when hundreds were at the mosque to offer 'solat jenazah' before he is laid to rest and the 'talkin' read.


He lived to the ripe age of 85, a week before his 86th birthday, a respected personality in the community, religious and forthright and never shunned to help and contribute. Yet he was humble, a non scholar as primary schooling was not even his forte yet he rose in life, a  self -made carpenter and later a partner in a company that went to be listed on the board. A giant of a man who left much to be admired and followed. A father with seven sons and daughters, plus the in laws, forty-one grand children and nine great grand children.None so much richer with the blessings of Allah SWT.

A close door neighbour also came visiting a few days later. They had earlier conveyed condolences personally by phone and in their busy schedules saw necessary to call personally.They are our next door neighbour, whose gate is  closest to ours as the fence are shared too. They and many others called to share their sadness while offering strength and consoling to my mother-in-law and the family.Theirs is a relationship that has stretched more than fifty years.  



Yes truly our neighbours, friends and families become the token of our existence, our shared comradeship and our love and respect for one another. The linkages and enduring strength comes in moments when we most needed and hoped for. Truly it is a lesson in life.

   Tun Siti Hasmah offering her condolences to the daughter of Al Marhum Hj Md Arshad

      Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the neighbour being welcomed by the son and grand son of AlMarhum Hj Md Arshad

Kisses and warmth sealed the visitation

     The family is grateful for the visit from our neighbor

In his busy and tight schedule our visitor like others who called earlier honour the spirit of friendship and neighbourliness as exemplified in the quotes above

         The grandchildren now learning  more of their late grandfather

     The family at the graveside before the 'talkin' was read

The 'doa' offered on the first three nights at the home with our neighbours and friends attending.

       Al Marhum Hj Md Arshad with the wife. Both on the wheel chair while in his last umrah in 2008. Even when on the sick bed lately he expressed the hope of fulfilling the umrah again with the family. On many occasion he brought joy to friends and family by sponsoring their visits to the holy land for 'umrah'

                                    ALFATIHAH

AN AUSPICIOUS DAY AND ANOTHER ESTEEM BIRTHDATE TO NOTE

Saturday, 14 November 2009/26 Zulkaedah 1430. It was dinner at Restoran Sari Ratu, Subang Parade on Friday night for the family including the expecting mother Djasriza. We were all there except Abu Bakar Sidqi who was late in returning home. Over a wide spread choice of Minang dishes which included 'kentang teri, ayam gulai, sayur kalian, gado-gado, ayam special, asam pedas ratu, bergedel, sambal merah dan sambal hijau' plus the ordered drinks, all six adults and two children savored the serving with relish. Not surprisingly all serving plates were left empty except the sambal. The restaurant was one of several in the city serving Minang cooking minus the normal Minang serving of all dishes laid on the table and charging you for those taken only. I suppose it would be fine when you have a large table to take in all the plates of dishes. Not when it comes with 3' X 3' only or smaller table size.

There was still time to spare before the doors of Subang Parade shut for the evening, for the group to head to the lower ground floor at Parkson's. They bought fruits and especially oranges being deemed necessary for those having sore throats and fever. Extra vitamin C would help. My wife and I were in the state of wanting that extra lift having down with fever and flu. Fruits of course were delights for all as well.

It was near to ten thirty at night when we filed into the Honda Odyssey and headed home for USJ. I guessed everyone must have retired before midnight including Abu Bakar Sidqi who missed the diner serving but got back from College soon after we arrived home. Reeling from the discomfort of a fever and flu that has taken me twice to see the doctor with subsequence doses of antibiotic etc, I must have dozed off early too only hearing the daughter excusing the mother to go off early as usual early in the morning. This was the usual every morning farewell exercise. Only I was mistaken to find out later that it happened about 4.00 am in the morning. Djasriza and Idzfan took leave to proceed to the nearest hospital. The 'stalk' was on its way. I guess we were too 'tired' to realize the urgency and did not follow them. More ever their two young children were at home too and someone has to care for them.

Only after breakfast, did I realize where both of them have gone. Not hearing further from them by 11.00 am, my wife and son decided to go to the hospital as well. Bless them for on checking with Abu Bakar Sidqi later we were assured that a baby boy has been delivered; both mother and baby reportedly well.

Now at 1.55 pm at the point of typing this note, glancing out I see my wife entering the front gate and soon the story will pour out. For sure we have added into the family another grandchild making a total of sweet sixteen of the younger group and how grander a 'dato' can you be?

Either by coincidence or Providence, we are in town as we were when Djasriza gave birth the last time to Idzlaila. Following this of course, we will see the normal observations of religious and traditional customs. He has not been named yet. Still his elder brother, six year old Danish has proclaimed him 'Adam' and promising in his boyish manner 'Abang sentiasa di- sisimu' (I will be with you all time). How brotherly can you get! Incidentally both the sister and the new born were delivered at the same SunWay Hospital Petaling Jaya.

Signing off 2.00 pm