tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28187498266102334792024-03-13T08:15:18.588+05:00travelogue and other storiesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-36970435980802650072017-04-05T23:57:00.000+05:002017-04-06T00:09:13.704+05:00Before We Die<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "montserrat" , sans-serif; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;">يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِّنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ عَنِ الْآخِرَةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Surah ar-Rum, Verse 7</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ever so often our wandering minds get stuck at the thought of death. Sometimes, it is triggered by a demise of a loved one, other times by the constant bloodshed one sees happening in their surroundings, in the whole world wide, and sometimes out of pure desire to return to the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">asal, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">the reality from where we originated. As a Muslim, ideally, our lives should be so content and lived to the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">raza </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, that when the day to depart from this world comes, we are filled with joy and happiness, for it is the day to finally meet the Rabb of the universe, the Rabb of everything, the Rabb of our hearts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In pursuit of wanting a life that pleases Allah ta'ala, we are plagued by questions like 'what do I need to change?', 'where do I begin?', 'there is so much I have missed, how do I bring it all together?'. While I do wish and hope most of us have our faraidh (obligations) fulfilled, it is never too late to intend and make repudiation for our missed duties, bearing in mind that once we have made our effort, our sole trust and tawwaqul is on Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala: that He will accept it from us even though we were left behind due to our own shortcomings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As Muslims we owe certain duties to ourselves, other creation, and the Creator Himself. I have tried to compile the list of all those faraidh to the best of my ability so that it may aid you and I in making up for them. Remember, when we intend to do something good, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala admires it. And in the course of fulfilling our obligations, if death finds us, let us hope that we will not be clueless, and that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will forgive our shortcomings and indolence. You can take a print of this article or alternatively, if you can not memorize it all, just jot down a checklist. Fold it and keep it in your diary, put it up your notice board, paste is somewhere you can see it daily and remind yourself </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">—</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> just keep yourself aware that you are going to take a step to prepare for your death, your grave, your akhirah, and in sha Allah, your meeting with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Let's get started. Bismillah.</span><br />
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Here's how I have printed</div>
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and pasted charts for my qadha prayers</div>
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in my diary, helps me keep track.</div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Qadhae umri<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is a practice whereby we make up for our missed salaah. To do this, calculate salaahs of each day, week, month, or year you have missed. Remember to only calculate the fard salaah as well as witr of ‘isha prayers. The period to calculate starts from the time of attaining puberty. If you are not sure of how many salaahs you have missed, make an estimate to the best of your memory. Make a chart in a notebook or an excel sheet or use online spreadsheets. Mark the salaah off when you pray it’s qadha. The best and most consistent way to go about it is offering qadha of one prayer at a time before each daily salaah. Then you can take print of <a href="http://www.islamicposters.co.uk/posters/Aadhaab/Qadha%20e%20Umri%20Chart%20by%20Islamic%20Posters.jpg" target="_blank">this chart</a> and mark the prayers off that you have offered. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Make it easier for your younger ones by making them understand how important it is for us to fulfill our obligations.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Hajj</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you have been delaying your hajj even though had all the means to perform, make an intent right away. Allah ta'ala makes a way when you have the right intent. Rusoolullah ﷺ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">is reported to have said "A hajj that is free of all sins and flaws, it's only reward is Jannah and nothing but". Its a journey of love and attaining the closeness of Allah ta'ala and nothing in the world should prevent you from embarking on it. If you can not perform hajj yourself, appoint someone. If you could not perform a fardh hajj, make a will and write it down there. You can also perform Hajj-i Badal for a deceased and increase in there thawaab! </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is important to understand that if you are financially not sound enough to afford Hajj, it is not fardh upon you. Especially when in this day and age, Hajj is becoming more and more expensive owing to the inflation. You can still make intention for it, because Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala rewards for our intentions of good deed also! And in sha Allah, He will provide you with the means as well. If you can afford, however, start planning now for the upcoming Hajj. Save, plan, arrange expenditures for those you leave behind, learn and educate yourself on the rituals and do’s and don’t’s of Hajj </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">—</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> let your preparation speak for how eager you are to fulfill this blessed obligation.</span><br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Make up for your missed fasts (sawm)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The way to calculate missed fasts is the same as missed salaah. Start with the year you attained puberty (if puberty was not reached by the age of 15, then 15 will be the starting year of calculation). Multiply the number of years with thirty. Make a chart, mark off the ones you make qadha for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Apologize from everyone</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Begin with your parents. Earn their happiness. Mend ties with the ones you have broken. Seek everyone’s forgiveness who you know, who you have talked ill of, who you have hurt, or generally anyone you have interacted with because we never know which one of our act may end up in hurting another’s feelings. We don’t want to die with this burden. If you have talked ill of someone behind their back, you need not to tell it to them before seeking their forgiveness </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">—</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> but merely apologize, and intend to never do it again. A little remorse in our heart for the wrongs we have done can take us a long way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Wasiyah</span></b><b><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is the Islamic equivalent of a will. It does not have to be on a stamp paper or affidavit. A wasiyah should include what should be done to all the belongings you own. It is best to donate your things to people who are righteous because when they will make ibadah, you will too receive it’s reward. As per the Islamic law, you can only give away 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of your assets to charity, the remaining would go to your family or offsprings or spouse or needy relatives depending on what may be the case. This is not a comprehensive guide to making a will. In order to understand completely the structure of inheritance, always, always consult a scholar. Alternatively, you can start educating yourself from this authentic books including the Heavenly Ornaments by Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi (rahimahullah). It's Urdu version is called Behashti Zewar. You should also mention your missed faraidh in your will and regularly update it so that in case you die before you could make up for everything, someone can pay for expiation, also known as kaffarah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Pending zakaat</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just the way you calculated your prayers and fasts, calculate zakaat for each year in which you owned enough that renders you eligible for paying zakaat. It is best to get in touch with the Imam of your masjid to get the correct estimate, but if you have no one at your disposal, drop me an e-mail or message and I can guide you accordingly, in sha Allah.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The fiqh of death and burial<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have noticed too many a times that people tend to hush away the topic of death. In our deen, we strive our whole lives to prepare when it comes to us. Or so we should. You need to educate yourself on the rules and regulations related to death, the shroud and what it contains, how to give bath (ghusl) to the deceased, what scent to use, what scent not to use, who can give bath and who cannot, how is burial done. Even though at times of death, people call upon scholarly people to lead all these rituals but that is not an excuse for us to not educate ourselves. Once you have learnt the regulations, teach it to people around you. Because death indeed is a hard time for those left behind so the more people who are prepared for these rituals, the better. Arrange for contact details of ambulances, share them with your closed ones, also include a hospital or two. If graves and shrouds are bought in your locality, either keep enough money for them, so your family will not be troubled after you are gone, or arrange for them during your lifetime. Write it down in your will so it’s easy for your family or near ones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Add a portion of Qur'an to your daily routine</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">May Allah ta'ala save us all from the torment of grave, the humiliation of day of judgment, and from His anger itself. Remember Qur'an will stand ahead of us and save us from hardships after death, Allah willingly. It is the Kalaam of Allah ta'ala Himself. It has power. Lets make it our beacon of hope and guidance for when we will need it the most.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Understand Isaal-i Sawaab </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For those who have passed away before us, we can still add to their rewards by doing good, charitable things for them. We can start from praying for them, reciting Qur'an, spending on needy, giving charities, investing in masajid, paying for a child's madrissah fee, donating water facilities, investing in a well, and the list can go on and on. But remember, our best bet is to invest in the eeman of our children. Teach them and help them become better Muslims so when we are gone, they can help us attain maghfirah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you have pending debts, return them. Make an effort to return them. Also keep it updated in your wasiyah so in case we were not able to return it in our lifetime, our families can rid us of this burden. If people have given something to you as their amanah (trust), readily try to absolve yourself of this duty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Restore broken ties</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you are not on speaking terms with someone, mend your relations with them. Life is very unpredictable and we never know if we will be given a chance to forgive and to apologize. Let go of grudges. Cleanse your mind and soul and heart of any bitterness towards anyone. It is not worth it. For a world that is so temporary, it is not worth it. And Allah ta'ala loves the act of forgiving someone. Do it with the sole intention that if you forgave someone in this world, if you had the zarf to do it, Allah ta'ala will forgive you of all your shortcomings too! It comes in a hadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari "The true maintainer of kinship is not one who merely reciprocates. The true maintainer is the one who reconciles ties when they are severed."</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1EVDR5WBq4/WOU8IZpp8MI/AAAAAAAABoI/PB893QDGhKUJV67GEzDwbG5yo8M7L22ZQCLcB/s1600/17076723_1686149855010690_2710277840137355264_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1EVDR5WBq4/WOU8IZpp8MI/AAAAAAAABoI/PB893QDGhKUJV67GEzDwbG5yo8M7L22ZQCLcB/s200/17076723_1686149855010690_2710277840137355264_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Tawbahtun Nasuh</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As my Shaykh says "Make sachi pakki tawbah!". When we are truly embarrassed and we repent with the intention to not do it again and with the hope that Allah ta'ala will forgive us, it is when we have made our truthful repentance. We need to make it a permanent part of our du'as, and we also need to seek constantly to have the tawfeeq to make tawbah. May Allah ta'ala divide our rooh from our body when we are chanting kaalimah-i shahada.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Bonus!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Forty ahadith</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I will conclude with this hadith,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Whosoever memorises and preserves for my people forty hadith relating to the sunnah and he conveys it to them, on the Day of Judgment I shall be an intercessor or a witness for him". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Durood</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And another "The people who will be nearest to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who supplicate Allah more often for me".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In these times when the predictability of this life has come under a scrutiny, we should be on our toes to prepare for a life that will never end. We invest so much time on our bodies and faces but little do we care about our inner selves, our soul, our connection with Allah ta'ala. May Allah ta'ala make the day of our death the happiest day of our lives. Remember me in du'as while I am here and when I am gone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><i>If you feel I have missed onto something, please reach out to me and I will add it in the blog with credits to you. My blog post remains editable at all times so it can be rectified. Jazakumullah! If you need any kind of help pertaining to this post or any religious/fiqhi matter, I can be contacted at </i></span><i><a href="mailto:aeesha@rayyaninstitute.com" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">aeesha@rayyaninstitute.com</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">.</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-38422062543719600362016-10-11T16:49:00.002+05:002016-11-08T14:01:34.312+05:00Soaring through Malaysia: Part II: Langkawi Islands<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hi, guys. I am back at it again. If you haven’t already read
<a href="http://aeeshasheikh.blogspot.com/2016/04/soaring-through-malaysia-part-i.html" target="_blank">my first post</a>, well please do. I am going to take you through Langkawi in this one.
It’s a beautiful archipelago of a hundred and four islands in the gorgeous
Andaman Sea. It had been a while traveling back forth in the cities of Malaysia and we were stocked with all the fun we were
having but then we thought… why not take it one notch
up and travel all the way to some far off place. Our first option was Singapore and our second option was Langkawi. We chose the latter because we wanted to experience the solace of natural, scenic beauty, and not the hustle bustle of just another city. And so we did. Our next dilemma came in when we </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">had to decide if we should take the car halfway, then board a ferry and travel through the waters. But
then we wanted to cut short on our travel time so we instead booked a flight from Kuala Lumpur.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since I am writing from my memory, and it has been a while, I think the flight wasn't even an hour long. I was so excited to be there that the time literally flew by. Also, because I had my jaan, my bhanja to entertain me through the journey.<br /><br />We stayed at a local resort, the closest to Cenang beach, because it is one of the most beautiful. The first look inside the resort blew. my. mind. away!</span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The room wasn't bad either.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I am a part-time Batman.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Partly because of this huge balcony. I spent most time of my night here, as the waters changed their color from blue to black. It was an entirely different, unique kind of serenity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJJRMEi97Aw/V_zJ6tZnCcI/AAAAAAAABlA/-CZZqKskkZ0jlTVGrEUxO1nJm8BOZ-ODgCEw/s1600/IMG_1542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJJRMEi97Aw/V_zJ6tZnCcI/AAAAAAAABlA/-CZZqKskkZ0jlTVGrEUxO1nJm8BOZ-ODgCEw/s640/IMG_1542.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And guys, this was the view from the room:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8FzErOlFUyQ/V_zJcI7p4lI/AAAAAAAABkw/1nlcAOOBcWgl9lrtnQD7MCynJcHnxqsbACEw/s1600/IMG_1543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8FzErOlFUyQ/V_zJcI7p4lI/AAAAAAAABkw/1nlcAOOBcWgl9lrtnQD7MCynJcHnxqsbACEw/s640/IMG_1543.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because the resort has purchased this bit of sea and added it to their premises, so this was exclusive to us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh, and the dawns... those beautiful crimson dawns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9pr_QUkRIk/V_zNHJs0UHI/AAAAAAAABl0/GHStdJKtCWoliOFBBiMdlPnqeJ7hZASVACLcB/s1600/IMG_1604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9pr_QUkRIk/V_zNHJs0UHI/AAAAAAAABl0/GHStdJKtCWoliOFBBiMdlPnqeJ7hZASVACLcB/s640/IMG_1604.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ALSO. We had some of the finest food in Langkawi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8N54tgr0nNo/V_zNGEzuX_I/AAAAAAAABlw/9Xthf84Ybsc8YnqrnSarDRuv7XUc3N9dQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8N54tgr0nNo/V_zNGEzuX_I/AAAAAAAABlw/9Xthf84Ybsc8YnqrnSarDRuv7XUc3N9dQCLcB/s640/IMG_1605.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sB1_t9FTP60/V_zNgoiCOlI/AAAAAAAABmI/TsSJklD--cExDtjeo5PxhN90J5DWhW9CwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sB1_t9FTP60/V_zNgoiCOlI/AAAAAAAABmI/TsSJklD--cExDtjeo5PxhN90J5DWhW9CwCLcB/s640/IMG_1717.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway. The best part of staying there was OF COURSE, driving to the beach and getting rid of our shoes, and conquering our territories. Hah. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protip: This beach is empty around 9-11 in the morning, so if you want some private time and may be enjoy those water sports when its not crowded, this is your slot, we were there all through the day though because it was pointless to handle ourselves, ha.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_zKqliefRqQ/V_zNJ5G83zI/AAAAAAAABl4/3ViG7z5XjFkgPHsVzQWmc215fzEm0JWfACLcB/s1600/IMG_1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_zKqliefRqQ/V_zNJ5G83zI/AAAAAAAABl4/3ViG7z5XjFkgPHsVzQWmc215fzEm0JWfACLcB/s640/IMG_1627.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, a bit of me too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUFdZHNSGfY/V_zNhtX0K9I/AAAAAAAABmM/GW30dga1FS4eoSOrx5_goAvbELr7bcSqwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUFdZHNSGfY/V_zNhtX0K9I/AAAAAAAABmM/GW30dga1FS4eoSOrx5_goAvbELr7bcSqwCLcB/s640/IMG_1637.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GUYS, THE WATER IS SO CLEAR OVER THERE, THIS IS MY TOES SUBMERGED IN IT.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zEvNPVHNeug/V_zNVSTqABI/AAAAAAAABl8/yN3tJaQp2mwhmg5xFBybqXs7r1O4uRLkwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zEvNPVHNeug/V_zNVSTqABI/AAAAAAAABl8/yN3tJaQp2mwhmg5xFBybqXs7r1O4uRLkwCLcB/s640/IMG_1646.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fav pastime with my nephew!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LsBy3kKMSzE/V_zNWew-gWI/AAAAAAAABmA/58_Ec7_ItVIqONEPW7yywaHBF26ozwkXwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LsBy3kKMSzE/V_zNWew-gWI/AAAAAAAABmA/58_Ec7_ItVIqONEPW7yywaHBF26ozwkXwCLcB/s640/IMG_1715.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also drove a jet ski for the first time in my life. At 55.6 knots. Tell me if you have gotten any higher?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Back at the resort, I felt this ground floor deck was my spot. So breezy and cool and peaceful. I can't begin to describe. It felt like my mind was being cleansed of all the unwary thoughts, my soul was unwiring, and I felt I was inhaling a strange kind of happiness all through the time I was there.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OodG3RF4yvU/V_zNnuL27TI/AAAAAAAABmU/hTA-cCOez1I0y_N-GT7gz4JbA2OCQ7AEwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OodG3RF4yvU/V_zNnuL27TI/AAAAAAAABmU/hTA-cCOez1I0y_N-GT7gz4JbA2OCQ7AEwCLcB/s640/IMG_1736.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh langkawi, how I miss you!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O5Fv-_z4mqo/V_zNi2jX6_I/AAAAAAAABmQ/PBzjH9vLsqIxAjaC9EnWCrwCJEavCmUswCLcB/s1600/IMG_1744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O5Fv-_z4mqo/V_zNi2jX6_I/AAAAAAAABmQ/PBzjH9vLsqIxAjaC9EnWCrwCJEavCmUswCLcB/s640/IMG_1744.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andaman Sea... <3</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You want to be here. Trust me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll wrap up my Malaysia trip in my third and last post. I feel so nostalgic just pinning the photos up here. Can't wait to be there again. God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-5035144706402739882016-04-16T23:56:00.001+05:002016-11-08T14:00:38.087+05:00Soaring through Malaysia: Part I<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Only four months into 2016, and my wanderlust has consumed me already and taken me to a good many places. The preceding January, after getting done with half my post graduation course, I boarded a flight to Malaysia—the country where my sister moved to after her wedding—for a long, long trip. Well, at the outset, I had planned on just a month, but I took a visa extension, and I stayed there two months barely shy of a week. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was my first overseas tour where I was not accompanied by anyone. Oh, I can't begin to describe the kind of jitters it gave me to think I would have no one by my side. The thoughts of forgetting my passport back home, losing the tickets on port, misplacing my baggage</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">—basically making any and every kind of blunder kept plunging my brains until I was </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">sitting on my seat in the plane. I am going to have to break it to you that 'the crowd' on such flights corroborates that if you are a solo girl traveling, you will be looked at as if you don't belong there. Luckily, no one sat in my row. But the guy at the back, figured I was someone who belonged to the opposite gender so he banged on my seat a couple of times, called his </span></span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">janu</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (sweetheart), exchanged a few over-the-top romantic statements, then called his best bud, threw a couple of Punjabi slangs here and there, and resorted back to thwacking the back of my seat. I, in all my lady-like grace, wanted to avoid a scene so I took out my table, and sat with my head down. In a few minutes, a very stale, stingy smell was pushed in my nostrils, and I looked up to have this another awkward man, in the row ahead of mine, looking at me, grinning big exhibiting all his yellow teeth, terrorizing all the passengers with his greasy, oiled up hair. By this time, I had lost my temper but I went back to putting my head back on the table. We were in the air. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But you won't believe that after a few moments, someone actually patted on my head. God, could I believe this was happening? I shut my eyes tightly before I knew I would burst into rage, I raised my head all ready to fight when it dawned on me that it was this man in the uniform: all his hair were white, and he had this comforting but reserved smile on his face, standing next to the air hostess. Of course, I did not know what to say because who would have thought it was not 'the crowd' lurking after me, right? So, we exchanged a light conversation and they asked me if I was alone and getting bored and I nodded in affirmation, so they offered me to join them in the flight deck. Woah. I was flabbergasted. I grasped my handbag, gave a nasty look to 'the duo from the crowd' and dashed to the flight deck, trying very hard to keep my excitement down. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VaH9vT3hKiA/VxITiz3YhEI/AAAAAAAABXY/yx2TOVTJsE4lACSceeB3IPuX6e4kRVZ4wCK4B/s1600/IMG_9839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VaH9vT3hKiA/VxITiz3YhEI/AAAAAAAABXY/yx2TOVTJsE4lACSceeB3IPuX6e4kRVZ4wCK4B/s640/IMG_9839.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess we were crossing over Thailand</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The view from the flight deck windows was incredible. Nothing like what you see from other zones. The captain was so kind, and the co-pilot explained all the buttons and gears to me of which I did not understand a single thing! Oh boy.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And that's Phuket right there!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">For my meals and the landing, I was shifted to this area where other officials sat. It was so much fun talking and interacting with them. We were almost done preparing a case the airline was then stuck with. All laughs. And light-hearted pleasure.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within the first few days of my stay at my sister's place, we went to see a circus. Primarily because of my darling nephew, and two, I have never been to a circus before. It was not bad at all. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Majorly because my brother-in-law was chosen from amongst the people and called to the stage and that increased our involvement in the entire scene manifolds. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7hBw00kuDY/VxJ032ioY0I/AAAAAAAABX0/-cqp0kia3Lkqm4swYHhLU9NR0GgvVxjMQCK4B/s1600/1919059_1693286700940328_6674846081918450591_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7hBw00kuDY/VxJ032ioY0I/AAAAAAAABX0/-cqp0kia3Lkqm4swYHhLU9NR0GgvVxjMQCK4B/s640/1919059_1693286700940328_6674846081918450591_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from and by the Great British Circus</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hung out around the Setia City Mall on days I had no plans, with my sister and brother-in-law, and nephew. It's quite a mall, if you ask me. That's where I did most my shopping from. I think I will do a separate post on the things I bought. Just so you know where to tag along in case you are in Malaysia. Yay?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c_G0CLLjE3Y/VxJ1nv3y_-I/AAAAAAAABX8/UbIyLyrL7IstrpDgJP2MXxiCxWveOdCZACK4B/s1600/IMG_9971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c_G0CLLjE3Y/VxJ1nv3y_-I/AAAAAAAABX8/UbIyLyrL7IstrpDgJP2MXxiCxWveOdCZACK4B/s640/IMG_9971.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Mall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loves going to school. It's so weird</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, and guys. Malaysia's weather is mostly overcast, which means if you are an outdoorsy person, you are going to love it. Just remember to wear light and put up lots of sunblock because I came back with skin shade two tones darker. Pfft.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know much of Malaysia's tourist attractions are it's Masjids. So I went to see this beautiful house of Lord. It does have a name actually. It's called the Putra Mosque and as the name suggests, it is based in Putrajaya, located close by Putra Square. This was on an almost hour long drive from the township I was staying in. By the way, I regret not taking my camera along. Malaysia is a gorgeous country and my iPhone's camera didn't do much justice to it's scenic glory!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masjid Putra, forgive me, the sun was hiding away that day!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back at home, I was room partner with my nephew. He is such a funny guy, I tell you! Kept me all giggles. At such a young age, he has an impeccable sense of humor. Once he gets over his shy few minutes, he is going to make you roll on the floor due to uncontrollable fits of laughter. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's him. Ryan. Thanks iPhone! Hmmph</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have this uncanny love for trying out new dishes. So, I checked mussels off the list in this tour.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I took a few tours to Kuala Lumpur during my stay as well. It's pretty but I fell in love with Setia Alam more than Kuala Lumpur. Because Setia Alam is an urban city placed amid magnificent mountains and epic greenery. Kuala Lumpur on the other hand seemed to me like just another glittery, high-tech, fast paced city. Good for employment or studies but I do not think it's ideal if you're planning to move to Malaysia permanently. Here's a bad photo of myself as a proof that I was there! Ha.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guys, this is from the day I got my hair cut. I got a long bob. And the same day I got my ears pierced. Lots of achievements in one day. No jokes, okay? I have run away from the piercing shops so many times, it was a big, big thing I did that day. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There's a very nice bowling alley within the Setia City Mall. I went there a couple of times. I did not win a single time. Broke my nail. But came back with ton loads of happy memories. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I tried scallops from <a href="http://www.manhattanfishmarket.com/malaysia" target="_blank">The Manhattan Fish Market</a>, and they were not good at all. I can't particularly remember which branch it was. Somewhere in Subang Jaya? But we unanimously gave it a 1 out of 5. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't waste your money, guys</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later that day we went to <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/" target="_blank">Toys "R" Us</a> in Sunway Pyramid (which is a huge Egypt-themed mall) and I made some serious investments into getting these whip-smart games for my nephew. Another achievement from my M-trip is that I learned to play about a dozen variations of Dominoes, and this African game called Mancala, and a mathematical game called Playmind. Hell yeah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rest of us, the so-called grown ups with my nephew, we also made proud investment into these:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">BECAUSE WE WERE PREPARING FOR LANGKAWIIIIIIIII. That's supposed to be my next post. Wait for it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think I am tired working on this one post. It's also getting disturbingly long and boring for you guys? Oh, don't lie. I would just name it Part I until I hop onto the second one. It'll be fun, I promise you. Just stick along until I write again.
A.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-58019201673061367992011-07-31T20:10:00.004+05:002011-07-31T22:48:16.018+05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I once had a thousand desires, but in my one desire to know You, all else melted away.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-37697313002290224152011-03-17T15:42:00.002+05:002011-03-17T16:15:52.581+05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;">Qur’an breaks hard hearts and heals broken hearts. ♥</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818749826610233479.post-42506492125035628742010-03-02T06:46:00.002+05:002010-03-02T06:48:19.478+05:00Existence.<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">For in who's hand my life resides,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">bloodless, benumbed, my soul pleads,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">if there's a Being in heavens or above,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I crave to taste the existence within me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Gallant you are, </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">cowardly I feel,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">the agony not beyond the heart and soul,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I lust to allot with Thee.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">For once there is nay gone I glare,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">the present, the future are hollow to me,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">shivers of daylight when fall on that dermis,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">apperceive that you... are penetrating within.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I am enervated, I am exhausted,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I aviate away brisk,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I demand your omnipresence,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">after myself to be me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">blasphemic, realistic, agonistic, dogmatist, </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I yearn saying goodbye to this vanity dominating me,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">lend your hand, oh Lord, to me.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I crave to taste your existence within me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">08.10.'09</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">0845 hrs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Aeesha S.</span><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331277552710709950noreply@blogger.com0