Monday, January 3, 2011

War On The Dream Stealer !!!!!!

The Dream Stealer

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.

“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’

“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’

“The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’

“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.

He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”

Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.” When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”

“Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.”

Author: Jack Canfield from a Chicken Soup for the Soul book but I don't know which one. If anyone knows, could you please email me? Thank you. Dr. Moffat)

Friday, December 17, 2010

From Homeless to Harvard


This is a story of a homeless girl who strive her best to enter Harvard. Living on the streets in US, she learned how to hunt for her and her family next meal, plot the next bus route and help choose a secure place to sleep — survival skills she applied with passion to her education.She attended 12 schools in 12 years; lived out of garbage bags among pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers.


She understandably is reluctant to criticize her mother even though the woman packed up and left with Khadija's sister when she was in the 11th grade..Here is the true story of Khadijah Williams



I have not prepared for college or life in the traditional manner. For almost all of my life, I have never had a place to call home. I have questioned why I have to struggle so hard to succeed while others do not have to question whether they will go to college. However, there is one thing I have never questioned: my education. My life and circumstances have given me life skills, that in turn, have helped make me into the driven and passionate student I am today.

I have lived in many types of shelters and motels throughout my life, and as a result, I have learned to be flexible, independent, resourceful, and driven in achieving my goals. Whenever I am hungry, I know where to find food. Whenever I am depressed and stressed, I know exactly where to go to calm down. I tune out the prostitutes who try to sway me towards their way of thinking and ignore the drug addict's plea to try just one drug. I have learned how to tune out the patronizing pimp that snorts, "You ain't college bound. You live in Skid Row!" I have learned not to show fear when I am walking home late at night, and I have learned how to remain alive with almost no money. By moving around and experiencing so much, I have learned to adapt to many different situations, go after and accomplish my goals, and most importantly, thrive.

Interestingly enough, my difficult life encouraged my passion for learning. The refuge I sought when I was at my most depressed was school. School was free, it was amazing, and it stimulated the intellectually curious side of me. I began to love school. However, shelters were temporary, and as a result, the schools I went to were temporary as well. In kindergarten, I did not notice too much. I simply learned my ABCs and found happiness in school. However, by the time I reached elementary school, I figured out that my way of life had messed with the thing I loved the most. I could not let that happen. One moment in third grade defined my path today.

I am 9 years old and a few years behind in school. I am supposed to be in fourth grade, but moving around has left me behind. One day, my teacher comes up to me in the beginning of my third grade year and says, "Young lady, you have got to learn your times tables or you cannot pass on to fourth grade!" I am very upset. I cannot flunk third grade. So what do I do? I go to the library and check out 4th Grade Adventures, a computer game, and stay at the library every day after school. That year, I tested in the 97th percentile in math and 94th in English. My test scores placed me in the 99th percentile overall, and since then, I have been considered gifted. I cannot let homelessness stop me from learning. This attitude has followed me to today.

After this moment in third grade, I realized that if I wanted to continue learning, I would have to teach myself, make sure that I did not fall behind, and learn to adapt to the whims of wherever I would live. Therefore, this is what I did and have been doing for all of my life. After this experience, I skipped two more grades and I finally was in the 10th grade, my right grade, when I had another dilemma. I was 35 credits, a whole year behind in high school. I remembered how my mom and I researched food banks by asking other homeless people where to eat. Therefore, I knew that if I wanted to become a smart, successful scholar, I should talk to other smart people. I asked questions and learned that I could catch up credit wise by taking community college courses. When I signed up for my first set of classes, however, I had to move again. Thank goodness, I learned patience a long time ago.

This patience enabled me to find local community colleges in my new place of residence—Los Angeles. Then, I found Upward Bound. I lacked the requirements to join the program: two letters of recommendation, a middle school transcript, and a current school of attendance. I could not show Upward Bound my gaps in my education. I remembered a conversation I had with a pimp to get him to leave me alone, so I used the same logical frame of mind to explain to Upward Bound why I would be a great fit for the program. "Look, I moved around too much to have a transcript, but I skipped from 8th to 10th grade, and I have earned a 3.85 G.P.A.. I want to go to college, and I will take on any challenge to get there." The pimp was driven away, and Upward Bound accepted my application.

As I fill out my college applications to Harvard, Williams and Amherst, my dream schools, I am thankful for what I have been through. Being homeless has given me the skills I need to succeed on the pathway towards my higher education pursuits and life-long goals. My experiences have made me a dedicated student both inside and outside of the classroom. I do not let anything stop me from achieving my goals. Hearing such negativity where I have lived has enabled me to focus on my goals and remain optimistic, even when faced with grave adversity. Having to depend on myself for food has enabled me to take charge of my education. I have learned to be resourceful and diligent and I am confident in saying that I am a very self-motivated and determined individual that will stop at nothing to receive an education. When I go to college, I know that this acquired knowledge and skills will enable me to succeed in whatever I do.



source

Monday, December 6, 2010

Law Kana Baynana



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Munajat Lailatul Qadr



Tiada duka yang abadi didunia
Tiada sepi merantaimu selamanya
Malam ‘kan berakhir, hari ‘kan berganti
Takdir hidup ‘kan dijalani

Tangis dan tawa nyanyian yang mengiring
Hati yang rindukan cinta dijalan-Mu
Namun ku percaya hati meyakini
Semua akan indah pada akhirnya

Andai bisa ku mengulang
Waktu hilang dan terbuang
Andai bisa perbaiki segala yang terjadi
Tapi waktu tak berhenti
Tapi detik tak kembali
Harap ampunkan hamba-Mu ini

Waktu berputar rebulan dan matahari
Bunga yang mekar akan layu akan mati
Malam ‘kan berakhir, hari ‘kan berganti
Takdir hidup ‘kan dijalani

Andai bisa ku mengulang
Waktu hilang dan terbuang
Andai bisa perbaiki segala yang terjadi
Tapi waktu tak berhenti
Tapi detik tak kembali
Harap ampunkan hamba-Mu ini

Andai bisa ku mengulang
Waktu hilang dan terbuang
Andai bisa perbaiki segala yang terjadi
Tapi waktu tak berhenti
Tapi detik tak kembali
Harap ampunkan hamba-Mu ini
Harap ampunkan hamba-Mu ini


Thursday, August 26, 2010

Busana Muslimah: Di mana Islamnya?

Ustaz Hasrizal
ABU SAIF @ www.saifulislam.com


Bagaimanakah tatacara melabel sesuatu sebagai Islamik (HALAL)?

Apakah ada garis ukurnya, atau bergantung kepada intepretasi bebas masing-masing?

Ketika masyarakat berdepan dengan pelbagai ancaman ajaran sesat yang lazimnya berpaksikan sesuatu yang ritual, mistik dan terpencil daripada kehidupan massa, kita juga sedang mendepani kekeliruan-kekeliruan yang berada di dalam arus perdana. Sesuatu yang jarang dilihat sebagai ‘ajaran sesat’, tetapi cukup banyak memesongkan manusia daripada landasan hidayah.

Itulah BUSANA MUSLIMAH.
LANDSKAP 1990′AN

“Mak Fatih di Turki, purdahnya bukan sehelai kain tambahan yang menutup muka. Tetapi tudung yang dipakai, digenggam dengan tangan di bahagian hidung. Semua perempuan pakai seluar besar,” saya berbual dengan ibu tentang cara berpakaian wanita Anatolia yang saya lihat.

“Nak kenal mahasiswi Turki senang sahaja. Ramai di kalangan mereka suka memakai tudung dengan sanggul tinggi,” saya bersembang dengan rakan-rakan di Jordan.

“Bukan sanggul tinggi itu, bonggol unta yang Nabi sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam laknat dalam hadith tu ke?” tanya rakan saya.

“Betul dah tu. Tak apa, kita buang sanggul tu, kita ambil tudungnya sahaja. Buat hadiah. Bukan senang nak dapat tudung sutera Turki di Malaysia” saya menokok perbincangan.

Kelana saya ke pelbagai negara umat Islam di era 90′an, memperkenalkan saya kepada pelbagai bentuk pakaian yang disesuaikan dengan budaya, persekitaran dan keperluan, namun masih mengekalkan prinsip-prinsip asas berpakaian menurut Islam. Pelbagai bentuk seluar, abaya, tudung, malah pelbagai bentuk niqab, kesemuanya membentuk satu kesediaan pada diri saya untuk lebih dinamik dalam mendefinisikan apa itu fesyen dan seluas manakah ruang yang disediakan oleh Islam untuk ia berkembang.

Ketika itu, segala-galanya masih asing daripada masyarakat kita.

Baju kurung, masih kekal dengan potongan baju kurung yang biasa.

Tudung juga tidak banyak jenis.

Malah berpurdah masih asing dan pantas dikaitkan dengan Jemaah al-Arqam.

Saya juga boleh rancak bercerita tentang pengalaman saya di negara Arab kerana jarang-jarang sekali muka Arab ditemui di jalanan ibu kota negara. Malah Malaysia hampir-hampir tidak termasuk di dalam destinasi pelancongan warga negara Arab yang ketika itu masih berkiblatkan Eropah untuk percutian mereka.

LANDSKAP SEMASA

Hari ini, komunikasi, teknologi maklumat dan mobilisasi manusia mengalami perubahan yang besar. Globalisasi menghimpunkan manusia yang pelbagai di sebuah perkampungan antarabangsa. Masyarakat kita semakin terdedah dengan pelbagai bentuk budaya dan ekspresi diri termasuklah fesyen. Pelbagai idea datang untuk mengembangkan cara berpakaian kita, khususnya untuk wanita Muslimah.

Industri fesyen semasa berkembang maju. Ia sesuatu yang boleh dihargai pada sudut-sudut positifnya.

Baguslah begitu.

Dahulu kala, wanita yang berhijrah itu mendefinisikan HIJRAH bukan sekadar pada memakai tudung, tetapi terus kepada mengubah keseluruhan penampilan diri dan gaya hidup. Imej perubahan diri Hajjah Wan Chik Daud, Siti Fairuz, Rahimah Rahim juga Noorkumalasari, memperlihatkan hijrah itu benar-benar suatu hijrah.

Namun kini, dengan perkembangan fesyen yang begitu dinamik, HIJRAH boleh berlaku dalam format yang lebih mudah. Ia tidak menjadi satu revolusi ke atas diri, namun sekadar mengenakan tudung atau meletakkan sesuatu di atas kepala yang dianggap sebagai simbol perubahan diri. Semakin lama, ia semakin berkembang. Malah perkembangan fesyen alternatif ini sudah sampai kepada berjaya menganjurkan pertunjukan fesyen di peringkat nasional, serantau dan antarabangsa. Antaranya adalah Fashion Show Busana Muslim 2010 di MIDF HALL, di ibu kota Kuala Lumpur tidak lama dulu.

PENTAKRIFAN



“…Dan janganlah kamu mendedahkan diri seperti yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang Jahiliyah zaman dahulu…” [al-Ahzaab 33: 33]

Sejauh manakah pakaian itu boleh diterima sebagai Busana Muslimah?

Bagaimana dengan batas-batas Aurat?

Bagaimana dengan sifat bersederhana dan MALU yang menjadi tunjang ekspresi diri pada berpakaian itu?

Perkembangan semasa, memperlihatkan, apa yang dilabelkan sebagai Busana Muslimah itu, bukan lagi sekadar Tabarruj Jahiliah malah sudah menjadi al-Kaasiaat al-‘Aariyaat seperti yang diungkapkan oleh Nabi sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam yang bermaksud SEPARUH TELANJANG, atau BERPAKAIAN TAPI BERTELANJANG.

Daripada Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu beliau berkata, Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam telah bersabda, “Dua kelompok daripada penghuni Neraka yang aku tidak pernah melihatnya (semasa hidupku): Kaum yang memiliki cambuk seperti ekor lembu dan mereka melibas-libas orang dengannya. Yang kedua adalah wanita yang akan telanjang walaupun mereka sedang berpakaian, perempuan ini berjalan sambil berlenggang lenggok dan sanggol rambutnya seumpama bonggol unta. Dan perempuan yang sebegini keadaannya tidak akan mencium bau syurga. Ketahuilah bau syurga sudah boleh diciumi dari jarak begini dan begini. “[Hadith riwayat Muslim]

Fesyen yang membiarkan leher keluar, telinga keluar, dada terdedah, jenis kain lembut yang rapat membalut tubuh dengan bentuk yang menonjol, semua itu diterima sebagai sebahagian daripada kriteria BUSANA MUSLIMAH. Malah tahun 2010 menyaksikan berleluasanya pemakaian tudung dengan bonggol yang sangat menonjol di bahagian atas kepala, sama ada oleh rambut sendiri yang panjang, atau dengan sanggul palsu yang dijual di kedai HIJAB?

Sekadar meletakkan sesuatu di atas kepala, atau melabuhkan top hingga ke bawah ala-ala jubah atau abaya, jadilah ia BUSANA MUSLIMAH!

Di manakah Islamnya?

Pakaian ini diberikan kepada artis-artis yang mungkin di hatinya memang mahu membuat perubahan diri. Saya tidak berada di posisi untuk menilai niat di hati sesama insan. Tetapi niat yang baik itu ditemukan dengan solusi yang sangat jauh daripada Islam. Apatah lagi, dengan status pemakainya sebagai ikon masyarakat (jika masih mahu mengikonkan artis), ia menjadi ikutan. Lalu berleluasalah segalanya.

Tidak sampai ke suku ketiga tahun 2010, penyelewengan cara berpakaian menurut Islam semakin menjadi-jadi.

Jika kalian yang tidak pernah bertudung, mula bertudung dengan fesyen sebegini, mungkin sukar untuk menghayati perubahannya. Namun bagi kalian yang dahulunya berpakaian secara sederhana tetapi mula memperagakan fesyen seperti ini, tanyalah secara jujur ke dalam hati, adakah kalian semakin malu di hadapan Allah atau semakin berani dan bijak mencipta justifikasi?

Islam menyediakan ruang yang secukupnya untuk seorang wanita Muslimah dan lelaki Muslim yang belum menutup aurat untuk segera mencari kekuatan berbuat demikian. Tetapi menyambut kejayaan membuat perubahan dengan menghantar mereka ke daerah Busana Muslimah yang sangat bercanggah dengan Islam ini, ia adalah suatu kesesiaan yang mengundang penyesalan.

BEBAS

“Inilah kata-kata orang agama. Semua salah” ulasan yang muncul.

“Semua itu hanya Male Chauvinism. Semua perbuatan orang perempuan mahu dikawalnya” tegas seorang yang lain.

Sesungguhnya kata-kata seperti itu sangat jauh dari kalam terbitan IMAN.

Islam memuliakan kaum lelaki dan perempuan, pada TAQWA, iaitu kualiti diri berkaitan dengan ilmu, bakat, Akhlaq, keupayaan diri dan jauh sekali daripada memperhambakan diri kepada mengejar usaha mengisi makna CANTIK yang tidak pernah berakhir itu. Sesungguhnya CANTIK itu adalah satu bentuk perhambaan wanita yang menyeronokkan (lagi menguntungkan).

Jika demikianlah komen-komen yang timbul tatkala saranan ini datang, ketahuilah anda sememangnya bebas berpakaian sesuka hati anda dan kita tidak akan mengganggu kebebasan individu yang dibanggakan itu. Namun sebaik sahaja pakaian jelek itu kalian nisbahkan kepada Islam, kami bangkit menentangnya.

Kami cemburu dengan agama kami.

BUSANA MUSLIMAH yang tidak mematuhi Islam seperti itu adalah penghinaan kepada Syariat Allah.

Dan tidaklah harus bagi orang-orang yang beriman, lelaki dan perempuan – apabila Allah dan Rasul-Nya menetapkan keputusan mengenai sesuatu perkara – (tidaklah harus mereka) mempunyai hak memilih ketetapan sendiri mengenai urusan mereka. Dan sesiapa yang tidak taat kepada hukum Allah dan Rasul-Nya maka sesungguhnya ia telah sesat dengan kesesatan yang jelas nyata. [al-Ahzaab 33: 36]

FULL STOP!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Ya Allah, Please don't Let Me Be Misunderstood




People, do you understand me now,
If sometimes I feel a little mad
Don't you know no one alive can always be an angel
When things go wrong I seem a little sad
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh Lord,
please don't let me be misunderstood
You know sometimes,
I'm so carefree With a joy that's hard to hide
Sometimes seems that all I have is worry
And then you're bound to see my other side
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood If I seem edgy,
I want you to know That I never mean to take it out on you
Life has its problems and I get more Than my share
But that's one thing I never mean to do
I don't mean it People, don't you know
I'm only human Don't you know I have faults like anyone
But sometimes I find myself alone regretting
Some little thing; some foolish thing That I have done,
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood
Don't let me be misunderstood
I'm just someone whose intentions are good
Don't let me be misunderstood,
Don't let me be misunderstood