In You

Of new beginnings, and treasured past,

Of present hopes, and an uncertain future,

Unto You I laid rest my concerns,

and from You I shall gather my strength.

For what is upon me I know not, 

and what has befallen me are now tales I hold close.

'Tis in You my faith rests, and in this 'light' I shall blossom again;

For You are the Great, and none can deny that.

                                     .Warda.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. 

To starting afresh.

Alive

then, she began to breathe, and live, and every moment took her to a place where goodbyes were hard to come by. she was in love, but not in love with someone or something, she was in love with her life. and for the first time, in a long time, everything was inspiring.

r.m. drake

Salaam *smiles*

It has definitely been a long time since I last pen my thoughts in this rusty dear old blog of mine. Just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and breathing *Alhamdulillah*. That I've grown into (what I hope) a much more matured, better person. That everything that I have in my life now is the outcome of decisions made (both good + bad) in the past two years of my life.

And so far, I could not have been happier and more at peace with myself and the life that I've led. *Alhamdulillah* 

I've missed writing. Words has and will always be, a therapeutic way for me to express my emotions. Here's to hoping that I'll be more consistent in sharing my thoughts in this blog.

Till then, toujours l'amour 

-WSJ-

.Be Good to Yourself.

Salaam.

Hey 'stranger'. 

It's been a long while hasn't it? And waddya know..? The year's about to end... :)

The below post is something that I've drafted awhile back..was going through my old posts and saw this. Didn't have the energy to write a new post (though I know I've been silent for aeons now..*smile apologetically*), so decided to re-edit the ol' post below and publish it. Didn't change much though..

Hope life's been treating you good, and you've all been blessed with good health, loads of love and happiness and of course bucketful of sunshine! *ameeeeeen*

Enjoy.

*****

Maya Angelou once said,

"If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone to be good to me?"

When I was youngER, I used to be a people pleaser (I think I still have that habit, but not as bad as before..heheh). Not knowing how to say 'No' became a constant battle in my life. I was afraid that had I said 'No' (especially to the people I love) whenever people asked me for help, no one would want to be around me. Much worse, I was scared if no one would like me anymore...

But slowly, as I grew older and became more matured (ye ke? hikhik) and 'experienced' life a little bit more, I realized that those who loved me wouldn't put me into that position in the first place. And that they'd appreciate my honesty if I had to tell them that I can't help them out due to unavoidable reasons.

Lol. Then again, when I really really think about it though, it seriously is not that big of a deal isn't it? Saying 'No'. I was the one who made it hard on myself because I was afraid. Well folks, I'm not anymore cause over the years, I've learned that saying 'No' is not a crime... :)

********

That said, being good to yourself is not just about saying 'No' when it's necessary. It's also about taking good care of yourself - emotionally, mentally and spiritually. All these elements are important so that one can feel 'whole'. It's not enough just knowing the essentials to make you feel good. But it's also important that you practice those essentials so that you can actually FEEL good. :)

Among some of the essentials that I consider necessary in order to feel good and be good to yourself are:
1) You have to accept who you are and who you're not. Mitch Albom said, "Accept who you are, and revel in it!"
We're not all born with superstar looks or supermodel heights, but that doesn't mean we can't have superstar personalities kan? Fair or dark, beautiful or ugly - trust me, beauty fades in the long run but good attitude/personalities insyaAllah would lasts. So try to work on your attitude/personality instead. We're all not perfect human beings, and sometimes we do slip up. The things we said we wouldn't do earlier, might be just the things that we'll end up doing later but everything happens for a reason. So chins up, and move on! Be a better person than you were a day before. In order to be truly happy, you need to accept your flaws and strengths accordingly. When you're able to do that, insyaAllah you'd be more at ease and at peace with life, and yes, yourself too.


A good quote by Steve Maraboli,

"It is important that we forgive ourselves for making mistakes. We need to learn from our errors and move on.."

2) Kindness is an investment.
Be kind. To yourself, to your parents, to strangers. To EVERYONE! They say when you make others happy, you'd be happier too.

A sincere smile, a generous warm hug and a kind word could just about make someone's day. Sometimes, it really does take that little effort to lift someone's spirit. But most of us are oblivious of that fact cause we're too busy making a living.. *shrugs* sad but true :)

I love a good quote *lol* so here's another one of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou, 

"I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel..."

Clearly, being kind to others is one of the greatest investment one can make - it's a natural mood booster. The happiness that radiates from the person that you just helped (whether intentionally or not) will make YOU happier, and feel good about yourself. So you see, that's why I said kindness is an investment.

Helping others *sincerely of course* would assist in the betterment process of oneself.It'll teach one to be selfless and not only think about the happiness of themselves, but of others too. 

*****

Well, that's all from me folks! Not too sure if the above post will be of help, but I certainly hope that in some ways it did - if not to all of you, then to some at the very least :)

Oh btw, a loooooooooooooot of things have happened within the past few months:

1) I just came back from my Euro-trip with mi familia and boy, lemme tell you - I didn't wanna come back, but oh well, reality beckons!

Snapshots of us atop the London Eye

View of the London Eye while we were queuing

At Edinburgh Castle

At Musee du Louvre

Before I bid my solemn farewell to thee, please remember this quote by Desmond Tutu,

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.."

Salaam sayang loves, and good night!

Till we meet again, though I can't actually say when :b

Much love,

.ME.

Valuable Guidelines in a Muslim's Life

Assalamualaikum & Salaam sayang :)

It's Friday today, and Alhamdulillah it also means that the weekend's almost here! *hehee*

A long weekend with my loved ones..no Monday blues, 4 days to sleep in or stay up for as long as I want. Oh, what a joy! *ignore the dramatization pleeease!*

Anywho, I was surfing online when I came across the below tips here, gave it a read and find it useful. They say, 'sharing is caring' right? So that's what I'm doing :)

Valuable Guidelines in a Muslim’s life :

1. Start off each day with ‘adhkaar al-istiyqaadh’ (waking up supplications), thanking Allah for waking up in good shape.

2. Put Allah first in your life.

3. Broaden your horizons- learn 5 New verses from the Quran, travel to pray Fajr in the mosque to brighten your day, take up a booklet having adhkaar-alsabaah (morning supplications) and read them.

4. Pray Salaat Al-dhuhaa (after sunrise)

5. If someone says something mean to you, just shrug it off and dismiss it in a friendly, laidback manner, and pray that Allah shall forgive them.

6. When you get angry, remember Allah, and how short and worthless life is to waste in being Angry.

7. Remember that you can never have too many friends, but you can have few quality friends that help you fulfill the purpose of your creation (i.e live for Allah.)

8. When you’re happy, try to share your happiness with others thank Allah for that, and pray for its continuation.

9. When something bad or embarrassing happens to you, just think that it could always be worse, remember the reward of patience, and thank Allah that it’s not worse than it is.

10. Do something extra of goodness once in a while, like feeding a poor person, or caressing an orphan’s head.

11. Never stop believing that you can win Allah’s love and thus work for it. Then you can win the love of Allah’s slaves.

12. Spend some time thinking of Allah’s amazing creation.

13. Always love those who love Allah unconditionally. This way you will ensure that you live for Him, love for Him.

14. Find the righteous ways to express yourself, and if you think that what you are about to say shall cause no benefit, maintain silence

15. Every now and then, give yourself a break. play sports, give time to your family, friends, but always remember Allah and know that He is watching you.

16. Pray for blessing to come to your enemies, and pray Allah to guide them to the right path.

17. Hug your parents, kiss their hands and heads and always obey but stop at Allah’s orders.

18. Smile to everyone, for your smile makes a big difference to them and you are rewarded.

19. Forgive, forget and smile.

20. Tears are not for women only…tears are for all human beings with feelings remaining in them. Don’t restrain your tears when remembering Allah.

21. When people criticize your actions and effort, revise your actions and see if they please Allah or not. If they do, then ignore and remember how the prophet and the Sahaba were criticized, made fun of and even physically harmed, so have patience.

22. Read the Quran daily and try to have a schedule for completing it every month (or as much as you could) as long as you open the Quran daily, and read with observing not just passing your eyes through the words.

23. Don’t let popularity go to your head, for it never lasts and you may lose from it more than gain.

24. Never look down on anybody, for they may be better than you in Allah’s eyes.

25. And finally pray to Allah alone for the reward.

Hope you find the above tips useful, insyaAllah. May we be blessed with a beautiful and loving weekend, insyaAllah. Have a great weekend loves!

Much love,

ME

Salaam. ♥

More heartbreaks equals to one step closer to your right jar of Nutella

Assalamualaikum & Salaam sayang :)

"Love can't be forced nor planned. It'll happen if it's meant to be, irregardless of the distance, the time or the situation. But what is certain; love can definitely be worked upon. It needs to be 'watered' with patience, faith and lots of prayers..."

Warda S.Jaffar

Lumrah manusia to want someone to love and be loved in return, isn't it? So it's not something out of the norm to 'risk' yourself and 'go out there' to find someone who would 'fit' your idea of 'love'.

Unfortunately, love is not something that you can wished for and immediately get. If it was that easy, my, then everyone would not suffer and Facebook won't be 'flooded' with statuses/quotes on heartbreaks and how 'love hurts'. *shrugs*

Sometimes, I really do wished love was simple though. I wished sometimes men would really put themselves in our shoes before 'pursuing' us women. That they would first think, "Okay, I would not want other men to treat my sister/daughter 'that' way - so I shouldn't treat 'her' (the person he's dating/seeing) that way too.."

But as always, it's easier said than done...right?

And for the men's benefit, it's not fair to put all the blame on them too. As far as *some of them* they are concerned, they're putting themselves 'out there' too, they're risking their 'hearts' to find someone to love too.

Plus, as I've mentioned above - 'love can't be forced nor planned..it'll happen if it's meant to be...'

Heartbreaks sucks. It does. But as hard as it may be, everytime you go through a difficult situation especially one that involves feelings you've to be strong and know there MUST be a bigger and better plan for you.

Abah shared 'this' with me the other day, that no one in this world would escape their own share of heartbreaks and hardships - each and everyone of us would have to face their obstacles in their own way, and in their own time. Everyone would be tested with different challenges, but point is - none of us would go through a purely simple life. The 'winner' of these tests would be the one who doesn't lose faith in GOD, always persevered and never lose hope. :)

I know sometimes it's difficult for you (and me both) to really accept the fact that you have to be strong when undergoing a difficult obstacle, especially when it involves matters of the heart. But surely, GOD didn't put you on earth to only let you suffer. Surely all those tests that HE 'gave' you would ultimately lead to a happy ending, one that even you might have not expected. I'm certain that HE has a better plan for you. Everyone have their own purpose in life. I'm sure you do too...but as they say, 'patience is a virtue'...so patient you must be.

And when you're hurt and suffering, don't forget to treasure those that love and cares for you. Just because one person doesn't love you, that doesn't mean you should forget those who do. "Don't let those who hurt you tear you down. Let those who loves you fix you up!" :))

To those of you who are hurting, below is an excerpt or a statement that I've been meaning to share with you for a very long time but never got a chance to. I found it off the net, in tumblr to be exact. Hope it'll cheer you up! :))

"Look at it this way. You want a big ol' perfect jar of Nutella, right? Every guy that comes along that captures your heart and sadly breaks it, well he's just one tiny ingredient. I'm sure it took the Nutella guy a bunch of times until he finally got it just perfect. Each slob that breaks your heart is adding to your bowl of what you don't need/want and it gives you a better view of what you do want/need. More heartbreaks equals to one step closer to your right jar of Nutella. Take that one thing you liked about those guys and throw it in your bowl of your "Mr. Right Nutella". You'll know when it's time to mix it all up and pack it and spread it on a cracker!"

:) of course life doesn't work that way, that you can just select one thing that you liked and then try to find a guy/girl who fits your description of 'love'. But as mentioned above, "..more heartbreaks equals to one step closer to your right jar of Nutella.." so hopefully, once you've gone through all the 'wrongs', you'll be one step closer to your "Mr. Right"..

What doesn't kill you make you stronger, right? :) I hope in some way, this post has helped motivated/cheered you up. And I pray that GOD would ease your path in finding someone who loves you and appreciates you the way you should be loved & be appreciated, insyaAllah. Ameen.


Much love,
ME


Salaam ♥

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. ♥

Life has never been easy, and it never will be I'm afraid... :)

Some people are luckier than most. They get everything they want and hoped for, and everything comes easy for them. But the things that they achieved, and the happiness that they portrayed might be deceiving. Some people have all the wealth in the world, yet they can't seem to stop looking for more. They are never satisfied and is always on the search for something that would make them 'whole'. How sad is that...?

It's easier said than done, but the trick to 'having more' is to actually always be grateful for everything that you have and everything that you don't.. :)

Mind you, when I talked about being grateful - I am not only referring to the material wealth..things that money can buy, nope. Not only that. But I was also referring to the little things. Things that we sometimes overlook and take for granted, perhaps unintentionally.

Tell me how many of you (me included of course) am always grateful that each day we are given a chance to start afresh, to breathe in the air, or to be able to kiss and hug our loved ones as much as we want to..? 

When we start to appreciate all these little things, insyaAllah only then would we be able to 'receive' more blessings from HIM. :)

So my loves, start being grateful for the little things and pray hard for the bigger ones..but don't be sad if you are not rewarded immediately with whatever it is that you prayed for - GOD is the BEST listener, HE is also the BEST planner. Surely HE would not leave you empty-handed...perhaps the wish that you prayed for is not good for you, and HE is only taking HIS time to reward you with a BETTER 'gift' :)

Don't envy those that have everything, but envy those who has nothing and is still appreciating and enjoying life..try to remember, life isn't only about getting what you want - it's also about loving what you have and appreciating how those things define you..

"He who has none has Allah, and he who has Allah has everything..."

Sh. Navaid Aziz



Below is something I found off the net, and I'd like to share it with you :)

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

When you're sad and feeling low, do spare some time to listen to Guy Sebastian's song; "Don't Worry, Be Happy". We've all experienced situations that are mentioned in this song, but "If you only think of things that you haven't got, You could have it all and still never have enough.."

So loves - stay strong, have faith & always remember that everytime you are facing an obstacle that's too much to bear, "This too shall pass..." :)

Much love,

ME


Salaam ♥

First Man In My Life: You'll never forget your first love ♥

Assalamualaikum & Salaam Sayang :)

It has certainly been a loooooong time since I've last updated this humble blog of mine. As usual, a lot of things have happened from then and now.

Dear beautiful readers, I started this entry not knowing what to write about, but one thought kept coming back to me - that I love my Abah. And that, one day - he's not going to be the only man in my life. In honest truth, that thought somewhat saddens me...

Abah & I, we have a beautiful connection. My Umi, she's the strong one. She's resilient and she's definitely my inspiration. She gives and gives, and even if she has nothing left to give, she'll think of something TO give. A mother's unconditional love, no other such love would prove to be more beautiful than that, aside from HIS love that is :) So always respect and love your mother at all times, okay? She's not perfect but neither are we. In fact, no one is kan? So accept her flaws and forgive her if she ever hurt you *bet it wasn't intentional*, because I'm sure that all she wants is the best for her children...

Anywho..sorry for going off-course, I get distracted sometimes..hee; okay, so back to our topic: my Abah.

Abah never fails to let his daughters know that he loves us. And he's a workaholic, yet, he always finds time for us. While other fathers occasionally take some time off to meet up with their friends and catch up (and there is NOTHING wrong with that, cause everyone needs some time off once in awhile), Abah would instead spend all his time with us. *I'm so blessed to have you as my father, Abah!*

I guessed what I'm trying to say in this post is that, though Abah may not be the main man in my life once I'm married - he'll always be my first love. How can he not be? He's the first man that dedicated all his time for me, the first man who is always there for me - no excuses, the first man who showed me what love is, and the first man who 'showed' me my worth. Apart from that, indirectly - he also showed me that I deserve to be treated right and loved by a man who knows my worth. "Never settle for less", he says.

Growing up, there are times when I didn't understand why he'd say "No" to things/requests that I felt were harmless. But now that I've matured, I understood that what he was trying to do is to protect me. Protect his little girl's worth. :)

Well Abah. I love you. And thank you for putting up with me for the past 25-26 years. I know I'll never be able to repay what you've done for me. What I can instead do, is to try my best to be the daughter that you would always be proud off, and pray to HIM to bless both you and Umi with health, happiness and love always.

They said you'll never forget your first love...I know I certainly won't :')

*Daddy's little girl for life*

Love always,

Your little girl

Much love,
ME


Salaam ♥

"Labaik allahuma labaik...." ♥

Assalamualaikum & salaam sayang :)


It's been awhile hasn't it? October came & ended in a blink of an eye. And now November has graced us with it's presence and Alhamdulillah, if you're reading this - it means Allah loves you & you're given the opportunity to still live in this wonderful creation of his, that is the dunya... :)

I hope all of you are well. Alhamdulillah for me, October was a month of celebrations. There are a lot of things that I'd like to share with you, but I guess it is suffice to say that I've been utterly blessed to be given the opportunity to experience a lot of wonderful 'happenings' last month.. :)

* * * * *

Having said that, us Muslims would celebrate Eid ul-Adha on Sunday, November 6th 2011 (Malaysia). Talking about it bring back lots of fond memories of my late grandparents and I when we went to perform our umrah about a decade ago! It was so surreal, and I know I am blessed because I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the holy land and perform my prayers directly in front of the Ka'aba...SubhanAllah...

And I remember repeating the phrase below over & over again while performing my tawaf around the Ka'aba;

"Labaik allahuma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik, Innal hamda wann'imat laka wal mulk, la sharika lak"

which means...

"I stand up for YOUR service, O GOD! I stand up! I stand up! There is no partner with YOU! I stand up for YOUR service! Verily YOURS is the praise, the beneficence, and the dominion! There is no partner with YOU"

It was a beautiful and memorable experience that I will personally treasure for the rest of my life; and given the opportunity, I would love to go to Mecca & Medina again. People from all over the world, young and old, regardless of their gender, race and color are united as one in the holy place of Mecca. There, you are at peace. Your sole purpose of being there amongst others is to pray to HIM, to seek HIM, to purify yourself of all of your past sins and to seek for HIS forgiveness.

As we are in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, and it is the month where Muslims all around the world would gather in Mecca to perform their Hajj, I found an interesting article on TUMBLR which I'd like to share with all of you. Below is the article that could provide us, me included a little bit more info about Hajj and it's importance.

Source: Tumblr

Each year in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world begin observing activities associated with the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Hajj is one of the “five pillars” of the Islamic faith. Hajj activities take place during six days (8th-13th) of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah. Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. It is also a form of worship that involves the entire being: body, mind and soul.

What does the Qur’an say about Hajj?

In the Qur’an, God says: “Thus We settled Abraham at the site of the House (the Ka’aba) [saying]: ‘Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My house for those who walk around it, and those who stand there (praying), and those who bow down on their knees in worship. Proclaim the pilgrimage among mankind: they will come to you on foot and on every lean (beast of burden); Let them come from every deep ravine, to bear witness to the advantages they have, and to mention God’s name on appointed days…” Chapter 22, verses 26-28

What do Muslims believe they gain from Hajj?

The main benefit of Hajj for many people is the sense of purification, repentance and spiritual renewal it instills. The rituals of the Hajj entail great wisdom and excellent lessons, the most important of which is a manifestation of humility to God The Almighty. This is because the pilgrim leaves a life of luxury and adornment to wear the clothes of Ihraam (two pieces of unsewn white cloth), declaring his dire need for his Lord. In this journey, he frees himself from the worldly life and its occupations that divert him from God The Almighty and to receive forgiveness and mercy from his Lord.

In Hajj, all differences and distinctions vanish i.e. the differences of wealth and poverty, race and color, and the differences of tongues and languages. The gathering unifies all humans, making it full of goodness, blessings, mutual consultation, advice and cooperation in righteousness and support. During the Hajj, people cooperate in righteousness and piety, advise each other to adhere to the truth and patience and take care of the interests of the Ummah. The sublime aim behind such a great conference and gathering is to link worldly goals to heavenly ones. Hajj leads to precious memories which instill in souls the spirit of endless and complete servitude and submission to the commands of God The Almighty.

Why does Hajj begin on a different day each year?

Because Dhul-Hijjah is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year.

Why do Muslims sacrifice a lamb or other animal during the festival of Eid ul-Adha?

The sacrifice commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son, identified in Islam as Ishmael, at God’s request. This is not a blood offering. In the Quran God states: “Neither their meat nor their blood ever reaches God, but heedfulness on your part does reach Him.” (Chapter 22, verse 37) The meat is distributed to relatives and to the needy.

Is Hajj an obligation on all Muslims?

Yes, but only for those who are physically and financially able to make the trip.

What are the most visually striking aspects of Hajj?

All pilgrims must do tawaf, or circling the Ka’aba. This obligation creates a stunning scene as thousands of people circle the building at all times of the day and night. Also, the standing at Arafah on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah presents a scene in which several million people all dressed alike and with the same intention to worship God, gather on a barren plain.

Before I end this entry of mine, I'd like to send my best wishes to all the Muslims who would be celebrating Eid ul-Adha. May this celebration bring us joy, happiness, peace, love and most of all harmony & unity amongst ourselves. May Allah bless all of you and your loved ones, insyaAllah. Love more and hate less, please. :)

p.s. Below is the video that I'm currently listening to; makes me feel as if I'm in Mecca doing my tawaf around the Ka'aba....

Much love,
ME


Salaam ♥

"What Makes You Different, Makes You Beautiful" ♥

Assalamualaikum & Salaam sayang loves ♥ :))


How are you today? Have you been good? I surely hope so..I hope you've been blessed by HIM with lots of laughter and love over the past few weeks, cause I have and if I were to be frank, I have enjoyed every minute of it! *Alhamdulillah!*

Partly because I've been attending loads of weddings over the past few weeks. And I love weddings, they make me HAAAAAPPY! Nothing excites me more than seeing a beautiful and loving couple walk down the 'aisle' towards their dais/pelamin... *sigh* and I can get pretty emotional too when I watch the wedding videos they played at the receptions..cause it's just so..darn beautiful...

* * * * *

Anyways, this post is definitely NOT about weddings. Hehee..it's about embracing your uniqueness and differences. Everyone's born different, no one person is the same. Each one of us have different personalities. And maybe, some are born more beautiful (physically) than others; but there are also some who are just as beautiful on the outside due to their awesome personalities... :)

So no one is really at loss here; but of course, society tells you differently..they judged us (both you and me) based on our appearances. There's a phrase that says, "Don't judge a book by it's cover" - but certainly, that's exactly what we're all guilty off (yup, this includes both you and me too unfortunately)..hmmm..

It's quite sad really when we think about it. Someone not given a chance just because how she looks/acts may be a bit different than most. We need to try to be less judgmental of others, that's for sure. What we've all known for years is that no one is perfect; hence, that should make us realize that we're in no position to judge others just because they're a tad different. Everyone should be given a fair chance to be 'liked/appreciated/loved' even IF they ARE a bit different. After all, everyone's beautiful in their own way...kan? :)

Always put this thought in your mind, that the most precious thing in the world is you, yourself. Because style is often imitated, and trend always changes - but there won't be another you. Cause you're irreplaceable.. :)

Alritey then, before I end this post - lemme share with you a song that I love from the infamous boyband the "Backstreet Boys"..hope that all of you sweethearts would be blessed with more love and laughter from now onwards. And may Allah bless all of you and your loved ones always! *insyaAllah* :)

Always appreciate the beauty that is you ♥

Much love,
-Me-

Salaam ♥

I've Learned.... ♥

Assalamualaikum & Salaam sayang ♥ :)

"As I’ve grown, I’ve learned several things. Life is full of disappointments and people you trusted will sooner or later let you down. I’ve learned that often those you love will love someone else and there’s only one way to fall; fast and hard. I’ve learned that out of thousands of smiles, it takes one to touch your heart. I’ve found that words can be deceiving, but the truth always lies in a person’s eyes. I’ve learned that everything can change in the blink of an eye and tears often come without invitation. I’ve learned crying can make us stronger and there is never too much love to go around. I’ve learned that prejudice helps no one and that weapons don’t hurt people, people hurt people. I’ve learned sticks and stones may leave cuts and bruises but harsh words leave scars. I’ve found that every time you give someone a piece of your heart, it’s a piece that you will never get back. I’ve learned the past is meant to be put behind us and we can’t dwell on regrets, for what’s done is done. I’ve learned that trusting yourself is the first step and that forgiving is remembering that helps your own heart more then theirs. I’ve found that family isn’t always blood and everyone is someone’s hero. I’ve learned life is unexpected and that God can do anything. I’ve learned some things aren’t meant to be understood and that only time heals. I’ve found that imagination is our greatest gift and that we are meant to dream for a reason. I’ve learned it is never too late to fall in love and that being ‘beautiful’ is all on the inside. Mistakes are our best teachers and everything happens for a reason. Only then can you live life to it’s full and true potential."


I found the above excerpt(?) in Tumblr; and I couldn't have describe what I've learned so far in this short 25 years of mine better than the author. But if I may add; I've also discovered that through all the heartbreaks, the pain and the obstacles that I've gone through - having faith in HIM and yourself is the first step in moving on and getting better.

I've learned that happiness doesn't always have to be a big box wrapped in a beautiful gift wrap with a bow on top; for essentially, happiness is how WE define it to be. Apart from that, I've also learned that 'fate' is a powerful thing, and that when GOD says YES, nobody in the world can say NO. And above all else, I've learned that all the tests/obstacles HE 'gave' us sometimes can be the greatest form of blessing for ultimately, HE is the GREATEST and obviously, HE knows BEST... ♥


Much love,
-Me-

Salaam ♥

.FRIENDS.

Assalamualaikum & salaam sayang ♥ :)


Hope all of you are well..I came across this post in Tumblr and couldn't resist sharing it with all of you. As a matter of fact, I actually wrote a post similar to this 2 years ago - sharing my thoughts about what constitutes a 'good friend'...

"What defines a best friend? What are the requirements to be a good best friend? How many hours a week does it entail? Stupid questions that have no answers. A best friend is not defined by how many times they talk on the phone, or how many hours they hang out together. It is not defined by how many sleepovers they gossip at, or how many inside jokes they have. There are no requirements or laws that state that a good best friend must hang out with them every weekend, or tell each other every little detail. A best friend is a matter of opinion. It is the person who has been there for you through everything, not just through the fun things, or the little things. It is the person that you call when you are at your absolute worst, it is the person who saves you when you didn’t even notice that you needed saving, mostly it is the person who accepts you for who you are, and the person that you are becoming.."

There are a looooot of opinions and thoughts shared on what makes a friend --> a 'good/best friend'...personally I think in any form of relationship, there should always be give and take; plenty of forgiveness and yes, patience too. None of us are perfect, hence, we need to make allowances once in awhile for the imperfection that our friends (and that includes ours too) have..with that in mind, always try to surround yourself with friends that can motivate/inspire you to be a better person. And try to be the person that can motivate/inspire someone else too; because ultimately the intention of being in a relationship is to make each of you happier, wiser and grow into more beautiful people than you were before *insyaAllah* :)

That said, when you befriend someone, always have this in mind; 'Don't set certain expectations/requirements that he/she should have', and 'Accept them for who they are and who they're not'.

I listed all of the above because when you start having certain expectations or requirements in your relationship/friendship, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Us humans, we're not perfect. We sometimes make promises that we can't keep. We sometimes lie to keep others happy. Setting expectations/requirements evidently restricts your relationship/friendship with someone from 'growing'.

Neither friendship nor relationship can be control. It's not something that you can maneuver. It's an invisible bond that is bind by chemistry. It's either you have 'it' or you don't. Trust, patience, loyalty then comes next after you've realized that he/she understands you and can be someone that you can rely on. Some friends in fact understands you better than others.

Some friends are so easy to talk to, you can tell them aaaaall of your secrets, while others may be the kind of friends that you avoid from sharing too much details with. Doesn't make them less of a friend, though, don't you think?

Ultimately to me, what matters in a relationship/friendship is the fulfillment that you get from having someone that you can call a friend and rely on. The joy of having a companion that will not only share all your laughters, but your pain too. And last but not least, berkawan biar ikhlas. When you have good intentions, InsyaAllah your friendship will always be protected by HIM from conflict, turmoil and misunderstandings. Ameen.

Much love,
-Me-

Salaam ♥

p.s. Excuse my way of writing in the previous post if you may; it was a personal one as you can see and I was just explaining things the way I see it at the moment. Prolly not my best post, but it was just me expressing my two cents on an 'issue' that I felt was getting out-of-hand... :)

Words

Salaam :)


How many of you have said something hurtful and then regret it a second later? *raises hand* I have...plenty of times, to be frank.. *hmmm*


There's a quote that states;

"If your foot slips, you can always recover your balance. But when your tongue slips, you can never recover your words.."

Human's emotions are fragile; when one lacks patience and are deeply hurt - one uses his/her words to inflict pain on others (whether intentionally/unintentionally); if only to make himself/herself feel better. How long do you think he/her would feel better though? Talking from experience, only a millisecond. Then regrets starts creeping in and before I knew it, I'd be consumed with guilt.. *not.a.good.feeling.to.have* (-_-)"

Pain inflicted from words hurts a lot more than a cut from a knife; for you can see the scars created by the physical wound - but the scars that you can't see...? Those usually hurts the most and takes the longest time to heal. How do I know? Cause hey, I've been a 'victim' before too. And trust me, it hurts. A LOT.

Surprising isn't it? How powerful these simple words could be? It could motivate/inspire a person OR it could hurt and saddens them to the point where it could all spiral out of control and lead them to depression. Apart from that, wrong usage of words could also ruin relationships with others; whether it's with your friends, your spouse or even with your family members..

So how do we change this 'disease'? How could we make sure that the words we use don't inflict pain on others, but instead use them to inspire/motivate/make others happy?

I guess first, you gotta understand how powerful these words are. And how much responsibility you have in ensuring that whatever words that comes out from your mouth are well-thought out and is said only with the best of intentions.. :)

Hehee, sounds hard ek? Maybe; lol. But nothing worth having comes easy in life.. :) And if you value the relationships you have with your friends, your spouse and your family; then it would be worth it to start 'practicing' now. Besides, you may not realize it - but in all honesty, the words that you speak indirectly shows what kind of a person you are. Whether you're someone who is kind, honest and honorable OR it could be the total opposite.

Furthermore, I'm sure at some point in our lives, we've all been a 'victim' of this 'disease'; so we would surely know how hurtful it could be when someone said hurtful words to us. So if you understand how painful those words could be, then I'm sure we could all try not to inflict the same pain on others. We learn from experience kan? So we should not repeat those situations just to make ourselves feel better. No revenge is necessary in this world; after all, HE knows BEST. Let HIM decide the 'punishment' that those who hurt us deserves. And for all you know, perhaps they've repented and seek forgiveness from HIM. If HE, the Al-Mighty can forgive them, then why not us...?

So the next time you're about to speak, think. Would the words you speak out be of value to the other party, or would it instead hurt them and subsequently ruined your relationship with him/her. Think. THINK! :)


An Arabic proverb states;

"Open your mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence.."

So think my loves; memanglah tidak mudah nak jadik orang yang baik. But if we do all those hurtful things to others when we clearly know how hurtful it is; then unfortunately, we're just the same like them. Like the people who has hurt us. And so the hurtful cycle repeats. They hurt us, we hurt others..then the others hurt 'others'..and on and on the list goes on...it's not exactly a cycle that one should be a part of, to be honest... :)

We could break the hurtful chain by being the bigger person. When we are hurt, and though we might be tempted to use hurtful words on the other party, try to contain your anger by saying zikr to Allah. Take long deep breaths and just walk away. Walk away, so that you could control your anger/hurt and refrain yourself from saying those words...patience is a virtue. And HE, HE loves those who are patient... :)

"Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient)..." (3:146)

And below is a du'a that we could all insyaAllah benefit from;

Du'a:

"Allahumma musarrifal-qulubi, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta 'atika"

O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience... [Ameen]

Besides, if you think about it - what goes around will always come around. The words you speak today could be the words you eat tomorrow. So you should always try to make them sweet! ;)

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Before I end this quite lengthy post of mine, I'd like to leave all you sweethearts with this powerful quote;

"Words can be very powerful. Why not use them to lift someone up today rather than knock them down.." :)

Have a good good Wednesday dear ones, if you're wearing pink today, you could go to Baskin Robbins and treat yourself to some delicious ice-cream...! ;)



Much love,
-Me-


Salaam ♥

Eid-ul Fitr 2011 ♥

Salaam sayang to all :)


Ramadhan is long gone, but there are some parts of me that still misses it. The breaking fast with my loved ones, the fact that we would go to the mosques in our telekungs to perform the Terawikhs..the fact that it is the month that one should go all out to make du'a to HIM so that HE can ease our burdens, and lessen our sins..I now call it "THE MONTH"..and I hope Allah would grant all of us; you and me both, long lives so that we can aaaaaaall welcome another Ramadhan *insyaAllah* Ameen... :)

Anyways, as you lovely readers out there know..we're now in the month of Syawal! I hope it's not too late for me to wish all of you 'Salam Eid-ul Fitr'. Hope you've had a blessed and wonderful wonderful Eid celebration with all your loved ones *insyaAllah*

To me personally, Raya is not about the 'green packets' and fireworks alone; but it's about seeking forgiveness for the mistakes that you have made in the past and spending time with precious people that you hold close to your heart. So that said, I would like to take this opportunity to seek forgiveness from all of you, andai terkasar bahasa atau tersinggung mana-mana pihak. Salah dan silap harap maafkan ye?

**In all honesty, I didn't start this blog to garner followers but as of late, I've noticed that I've gained quite a number of new readers. I write based on experience and sometimes just for the fun of it. Hence, I hope that in some ways - I've managed to inspire (?) or motivate (?) some if not all of you to be a better and more positive person. If you have any experiences or insights that you would like to share with me, you are more than welcome to write to me at warda_sjaffar@hotmail.com.**

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Salam Eid-ul Fitr dari kami sekeluarga. Moga Allah memberkati kita semua dengan kebahagiaan sempena perayaan yang mulia ini, insyaAllah ♥ :))

First day of Raya; celebrated at Abah's eldest sister's house. It was a simple yet beautiful gathering. A loud and noisy one too *just the way I like it* ;)

We went back to Umi's hometown in Singapore the 2nd day of Raya. It was fun visiting my mum's aunties' and uncles'; as we only get to see them about once a year during Eid. Below are some of the pictures taken during our short trip there:

My sisters & yours truly at the Singapore Airport *my cousin & his friend 'kidnapped' us to celebrate my birthday there* :)

The mosque at Arab Street

One of the beautiful mosques in Singapore :)

One of the shopping malls in Singapore; ION Orchard. The architecture of the building is superb! :)

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Birthday flowers from him. They were gorgeous! :)

Celebrated my belated birthday dinner at La Risata, Medan Damansara. A place worth going to! :)

My birthday was on September 1st. I'm now officially 25 years young *hee* I couldn't be more blessed to be able to celebrate Eid and my birthday all in the same week with people that I love and truly treasure in my life. No words could describe how thankful I am of these blessings Ya Allah! And I pray that you would bless them all with much love and happiness, insyaAllah!

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We've about 3 weeks of Eid left; I hope we would all be blessed with more happiness, joy and laughter in this blessed month of Syawal *insyaAllah* And here's a friendly reminder; to those of you who would like to gain more pahala in this beautiful month (it's not compulsory) - let's puasa enam together owkay? It should be done within the month of Syawal, do it continuously or do it alternately - just so long as it's in the month of Syawal. I have yet started doing it myself, but am hoping to start fasting soon *insyaAllah* :)


Alritey then, guess that's all from me for now. May today, tomorrow and insyaAllah the following days would be beautiful for both you and I, Ameen... :)


Much love,
-Me-

Salaam ♥