INTJ: My personality type.. Keeping this for future references..

INTJs are analytical problem-solvers, eager to improve systems and processes with their innovative ideas. They have a talent for seeing possibilities for improvement, whether at work, at home, or in themselves.
INTJs have a hunger for knowledge and strive to constantly increase their competence; they are often perfectionists with extremely high standards of performance for themselves and others. They tend to have a keen interest in self-improvement and are lifelong learners, always looking to add to their base of information and awareness.
INTJs live in a world of abstraction and theory, and may sometimes be absentminded in their preoccupation with concepts. Often intellectual, they enjoy analysis and complex problem-solving, and are much less comfortable with the illogical and unpredictable nature of other people and their emotions. They may not want to bother with people who they do not perceive to be their intellectual equals.
INTJs are perceptive about systems and strategy, and often understand the world as a chess board to be navigated. They want to understand how systems work, and how events proceed: the INTJ often has a unique ability to foresee logical outcomes. They enjoy applying themselves to a project or idea in depth, and putting in concentrated effort to achieve their goals.

INTJ in the Population
INTJ is the third rarest type in the population, and the rarest type among women (with ENTJ). INTJs make up:
•2% of the general population
•3% of men
•1% of women

Popular Hobbies
Popular hobbies for the INTJ include reading, cultural events, taking classes, appreciating art, computers and video games, and independent sports such as swimming, backpacking, or running marathons.

Famous INTJs
Famous INTJs include Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Dwight Eisenhower, Alan Greenspan, Ulysses S. Grant, Stephen Hawking, John Maynard Keynes, Ayn Rand, Isaac Asimov, Lewis Carroll, Cormac McCarthy, and Sir Isaac Newton.

Interesting facts about the INTJ:
•On personality trait measures, score as Discreet, Industrious, Logical, Deliberate, Self-Confident, and Methodical
•Among types least likely to suffer heart disease and cardiac problems
•Least likely of all the types to believe in a higher spiritual power
•One of two types with highest college GPA
•Among types with highest income
•Personal values include Achievement
•Of all types, least likely to state that they value Home/family, Financial security, Relationships & friendships, and Community service
•Overrepresented among MBA students and female small business owners
•Commonly found in scientific or technical fields, computer occupations, and legal professions

Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person. ~ Waleed Basyouni

When the Internet was rife with stories of how impossible it is to earn $7k as a taxi driver in Singapore, I got reminded of a kind Malay taxi driver with whom I had encountered more than 10 years ago.
This was the time when Arwah Mak was still alive and had to be sent to the private dialysis centre in Bedok very early in the morning (We had to reach there by 7.30am in the morning!), 3 times a week. Ayah worked at night and he will fetch her after work and I was tasked to send her to the centre in the morning before going to work. I remembered that I was on my first job after graduation at that time, and I was always late since I had to travel from Bedok to Ayer Rajah.

Anyway, it was quite a challenge at that time as she was always light headed and weak. Buses and MRT were totally out of the question as I cannot risk her falling. So we had to rely on taxis for transportation.
Life was rather pitiful for me back then. Before Arwah Mak can start on her dialysis, we had to fork out around $100 for each session; this was before she was accepted for NKF subsidies. My parents never expected me to pay for it, but I insisted to pay whenever possible, even for the taxi fares. As a result, I was always broke, heh.

One faithful morning, it was just a few days before payday and I was really struggling financially, to the point that I had to skip lunches and relied on the free drinks and biscuits in the company pantry. :p~ We met a pleasant Malay taxi driver who was friendly and chatty. We talked about general stuffs, which I cannot remember and once we reached the centre, he immediately saw that I was sending Arwah Mak for dialysis and told us that the ride was on him. Free of charge.

I almost cried. :’)

I do not know if it was because of the lack of nutrition / sleep (I had to OT till late at night to earn extra $$), or the kindness shown by him. We have lived in an uncaring meritocratic society for so long, where selfishness is rewarded and being kind is shown as a weakness, it is very rare to meet such a person in Singapore. They do exist, but are extremely uncommon.

He shooed us (gently of course, because I was quite adamant in paying the fare) and gave me a kind smile. And I have been kicking myself ever since for forgetting to take note of his license plate. I wasn’t able to repay his kindness, but I have been trying my best to pay it forward. Always paying it forward.. :)

Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person. ~   Waleed Basyouni

She's 5!!

My one and only child, Alysha Nadya, is now 5 years old. Please bear with me while I record her achievements in here, to ail my failing memory. I noticed that other people are recalling things that she had previously did or went through but I cannot, for the life of me, remember any of it.

Me – “She had chicken pox before she was 1? Really? I don’t think so. You must have mistaken.”

People – “Yes she did. I remember she had small rashes forming on her body. She had fever and all.”

Me – “Chicken POX?? Are you kidding me? That’s a major illness. I would have remembered that! I didn’t remember any trip to the doctor for this? No scars at all.”

People – “Yeah, you forgot. You didn’t bring her to the doctor. She got well on her own because it was a small episode.”

Me – “Wow. Just wow.” -_____-

She is now able to read books suitable for level 1 readers, speak out her mind clearly, understand simple arithmetic and helping me out in simple household chores. She is able to spell out simple words just by listening to how it is pronounced.

She can bathe and settle her toilet businesses on her own, but she still needs reminders to flush and wash her hands.

Her bubbly personality can be off the chart / bouncing off the wall at home or familiar places, but still remain reserve when around strangers. That’s good.. Stranger danger..

She’s funny, witty and so full of life. Her favourite line, “Please Ibu, can I play with you?” Never fail to make me feel guilty.

She’s generous when it comes to younger kids, like sharing toys and letting them have their way most of the time. Occasionally, I caught her looking helpless when younger kids snatched stuffs out of her hand or beat her, it breaks my heart but I always go to her and complimented her on the way she handled the situations.

Older kids usually love to indulge her, which leads to her bullying them. I always put a stop to that behaviour when I found out. I don’t want her to grow up being a brat or a bully.

She sleeps in her own bed, only crash our bed when she is sick, able to feed herself (but lazy), still drinks from the milk bottle (which I threatened will post the video of her doing it in FaceBook if she still doesn’t stop, jokingly of course), loves Mr Bean, Adventure Time, Tom and Jerry Show, Regular Show, Pink Panther, SpongeBob Squarepants, The Roadrunner show, Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go!

She has her own computer which she will use to play educational and fun interactive games on the Internet. Sometimes, she used it to watch her favorite cartoons on YouTube. Or doodles on Microsoft Paints.

A few months ago, she created her own book with a few pieces of A4 papers, folded into half and scotch taped together. She drew the front cover and her book follows the Arabic style, which opens and starts from the back, like the Quran. LoL~

She made a great effort to write some random letters and draw images to illustrate the story. As such, every time she opens the book to read the story out loud to me, it changes every single time. That’s the beauty of it. The readers of her book have to made things up as they go along. And when it’s my turn to read her book, she will patiently listen to how I creatively wove the story to fit the images and scribbles. Priceless moments.

About writing, now and then she gets confused and writes her letters from right to left. I supposed it is because she is schooled in a Madrasah Kindergarten which teaches Arabic words to kids.

Speaking of Madrasah, the positive aspect of it is that they teach kids about Islamic values; Akhlaq, learn the basic Doas and easy Surahs apart from the normal academic ones.

Health wise, she has bouts of bronchitis every couple of months. Usually when she is down with the normal illness such as cold, flu or viral infections, the bronchitis will hitch a ride on them. She has to rely on the ventolin spray to keep it under control, only when it is necessary. No worries though, the kind doctor and other experienced parents told me that she will outgrow it when she is older. Insyallah. Other than that, she’s pretty healthy and active, Alhamdulillah. Had to be coerced to eat her vegetables, which is normal for kids her age. She loves fruits of any kind and prefers fish and chicken over other types of meat.

Kissy Kissy my busyuk mashem!

Dear Alysha,
When I feel weary from my daily grind at work, one of the things that can perk me up are the memories of kissing you, smelling your hair.. sometimes they smell fruity fresh but most of the times, they are 'mashem'.. I can't get enough of that and these are the things that kept me going.. day after day.
Thank you for being in my life and making it sweeter.. I love you so much!

I love you the world..

Dear Alysha.. my sweet little daughter who is almost 5 years old..
One of the sweetest moment we had was last week when you replied to my usual 'I love you's with 'I love you, too'..
Me: I love you more..
You: I love you more and more..
Me: I love you most!
You: I love you the world..
Awww.. that's it. No words can describe my feelings at that moment. Ayah, who was feeling a tad jealous has asked you, 'How about me? No love for Ayah?' And you just smile cheekily and said 'Yes, I love u too Ayah..'
I love you both so much!

Is it true?

Is it true that only the good will die young? The bad will go on living a very long life, cursed to see their loved ones perish one by one. To get weaker and helpless as you get older. The younger generation looking at you with their eyes full of pity as you lay there soiling your diapers, can't even feed yourself, can't even communicate coherently. And by then, you will be begging for sweet merciful death, for that eternal peace, only to be denied time and time again, as this will be your punishment in life for being bad.

Iqra'

Just the other day, a friend of mine commented that she's amazed at the kinda stuffs that I read.
E.g. While waiting for the my huge ass report to generate, I'll glanced over my smartphone to continue reading about the current news in Singapore. Or was googling (Google is my BFF) some random stuffs to add on to my over-worked brain. Whenever I hit something good, I usually search for a share button to add to my Facebook wall.. haha.. I am Miss Smarty-pants. At least I don't quote trivias while with friends.
She was amazed because she told me that she won't be able to read such long 'boring' stuffs, unless it is celebrity gossips or beauty magazines with lots of pictures.
Anyway, my addiction to books started while I was in primary school and now, my dream was to have my own mini library in the house with all my favorite authors like Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, JRR Tolkien, Anne Rice.. and many many more..
And Alysha already has her own section with her own favorites.. :D

In Islam, the word Iqra' is a command to Read! The first revelation to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, was "Read, in the name of thy Lord who created, man from a clot. Read, for your Lord is most Generous, who teaches by means of the pen, teaches man what they know not," (al-'Alaq: 1-5)
This is what I love about Islam.. How else can you seek knowledge other than reading?

So go forth and start picking something up to read.

To pierce or not to pierce..

Being a parent means making decisions for your kids when they are too young to make it themselves.

Alysha is gonna be 4 next year, which means that for the past 4 years, we have been asked, countless of times on why we have not pierced her ears.

On the first week of her life on planet Earth, she had already received gold earrings as a gift. Sort of a welcome gift.. OF PAIN! LoL~

Ok, the ultimate reason we have been putting it off is because, as some of you already know, she went through traumatic experience twice. Both sides of her thighs were burnt by hot iron and a few months later, her chest was scalded by hot soup. These nasty incidents left 3 scars on her skin, which serves as a reminder to me of the ordeal that she had went through. Every single time I bathe and clothe her, these scars just scream at my failure as a mother to protect her from harm. Allah has presented her to me, free from defects, not even a single mole on her skin. But now when she is under my care... Tsk tsk tsk Ayu.. 

And now that her birthday is looming again, we are bracing ourselves for these questions.

'She'll look like a girl'

'She'll look prettier'

Seriously people, stop insulting my child with these reasonings. She's perfect the way she is now.

Just keeping this for future references.. :)

 

Q. What about testimonials? Can’t personal experience demonstrate what works?

A. “Testimonials” are personal accounts of someone’s experiences with a therapy. They are generally subjective: “I felt better,” “I had more energy,” “I wasn’t as nauseated,” “The pain went away,” and so on. Testimonials are inherently selective. People are much more likely to talk about their “amazing cure” than about something that didn’t work for them. The proponents of “alternative” methods can, of course, pick which testimonials they use. For example, let’s suppose that if 100 people are sick, 50 of them will recover on their own even if they do nothing. So, if all 100 people use a certain therapy, half will get better even if the treatment doesn’t do anything. These people could say “I took therapy X and my disease went away!” This would be completely honest, even though the therapy had done nothing for them. So, testimonials are useless for judging treatment effectiveness. For all we know, those giving the testimonial might be the only people who felt better. Or, suppose that of 100 patients trying a therapy, 10 experienced no change, 85 felt worse, and 5 felt better. The five who improved could quite honestly say that they felt better, even though nearly everyone who tried the remedy stayed the same or got worse!

Tanpa dirimu aku merasa hilang..

Dedicated to the loves of my life.. Azmi & Alysha..

Aku ingin menjadi mimpi indah dalam tidurmu
Aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yg mungkin bisa kau rindu
Karena langkah merapuh tanpa dirimu
Oh karena hati tlah letih

Aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yg selalu bisa kau sentuh
Aku ingin kau tahu bahwa ku selalu memujamu
Tanpamu sepinya waktu merantai hati
Oh bayangmu seakan-akan

Kau seperti nyanyian dalam hatiku
Yang memanggil rinduku padamu
Seperti udara yg kuhela kau selalu ada
Hanya dirimu yg bisa membuatku tenang
Tanpa dirimu aku merasa hilang
Dan sepi, dan sepi

Selalu ada, kau selalu ada
Selalu ada, kau selalu ada

Islam is AWESOME!

Ermm hello..

Hehehehe.. It's been so long since I last post anything here.
Again, so many things had happened in my life. In the last hours of 2010, I have decided that it's time to move on and not dwell on it. Pfft.. Like real. Maybe I'll just blog about it some other time. ;p~
Some of you may know me as an avid reader. To me, there's nothing I love most than to just curl up in bed and spend it reading a good book. Ok ok.. I also love spending time with my family.. and.. I love food.. and sleeping.. and doing nothing.. and playing games..

Fine.. Reading is one of my most favouritest thing to do.. OK?

Anyway, in the office, when there's nothing to do.. I love to surf the web for something to read. It makes me look like I am busy researching work-related stuffs. Especially when I grimaced my face while reading something gross.

At this moment, my favourite haunt is Cracked.com. --> http://www.cracked.com/
In the untrained eye, at first glance, it may appear tacky and sort of obscene. But as I dived further, I found out that it is really informative, in a funny-sarcastic-inyourface kinda way. I am addicted to it.

Here is one of the articles that I had just read and I am dying to share it with you guys.

5 Ridiculous Things You Probably Believe About Islam

Warning: Ok, I know there are a lot of 'F' words in there. Sorry. :)

Excerpt from the article :

Muhammad laid out some pretty progressive rules of warfare, and medieval Muslims out-niced the Christians in battle by a landslide.

Especially since Muhammad personally issued "a distinct code of conduct among
Islamic warriors" that included:

No killing of women, children or innocents
-- these might include hermits, monks or other religious leaders who were deemed
noncombatants;

No wanton killing of livestock or other animals;

No burning or destruction of trees and orchards; and

No destruction of wells.

Here's another one. (Ok, I had to censor some bit, coz it's my blog and I said so.. Guess which one was it? Kids, if you would like to know, click on that link above to read the whole thing.)

And historically, they have a hell of a track record. Science and math as we know it wouldn't even exist without Islam. The Islamic Golden Age caused a revolution in virtually every field of human thought, during which they freaking invented algebra -- and advanced everything from geography and exploration to the arts, architecture, philosophy, urban development, medicine and health.

A good reminder for me..

Western Teenage Girl

This is an insightful and personal account of why a Western teenage girl would reject the ‘wonders’ of fashion, and want to cover herself in the hijab (veil).

I probably do not fit into the preconceived notion of a “rebel”. I have no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their first thought usually is something along the lines of “oppressed female”. The brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress usually have questions like: “Do your parents make you wear that?” or “Don’t you find that really unfair?”

A while back, a couple of girls in Montreal were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make for such a controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring an Uzi machine gun underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear a hijab. And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment. When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof. Compare this to life in today’s society: We are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this?

Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer to cars. Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in today’s society are liberated. What kind of freedom can there be when a woman cannot walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being “checked out”? When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between me and those who would exploit me.

I am first and foremost a human being, one of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines, you can instantly find out what kind of body image is “in” or “out” . And if you have the “wrong” body type, well, then, you’re just going to change it, aren’t you? After all, there is no way you can be overweight and still be beautiful. Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her early 20s, taller, slimmer, and more attractive than average, and dressed in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated like this? Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mould. She is being coerced into selling herself, into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls sticking their fingers down their throats to vomit and overweight adolescents hanging themselves.

When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I made this decision of my own free will. I like the fact that I am taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact that I don’t give anyone anything to look at and that I have released myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit females. My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that. I am also able to say no comfortably when people ask me if I feel as if my sexuality is being repressed. I have taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose / gain weight or trying to find the exact lipstick shade that will go with my skin colour. I have made choices about what my priorities are and these are not among them.

So next time you see me, don’t look at me sympathetically. I am not under duress or a male-worshiping female captive from those barbarous Arab deserts. I’ve been liberated!

By Sultana Yusufali (a 17-year-old high school student)

Published in Toronto Star Young People’s Press

Copied frm
http://islam4parents.com/2008/09/western-teenage-girl/#more-114

Hey lil sister~

It's almost 12am now. I tried going to sleep, tossing around on my bed but my head was so full of.. stuffs.. I used to keep a blog to let things out of my chest once in a while. It's just my way to clear out my thoughts.
It's my little psycho-therapy to keep myself sane, because you know what? Once you typed out your problems, it just seems trivial and nonsensical. You don't even have to publish it, just stringing it into sentences and arranging them in little paragraphs can make things look orderly and manageable.
It's so rare nowadays for me to be able to sit down at home to type out my innermost thoughts and feelings. There are always things to do, games to play, books to read and I just get so exhausted, the only thing I want to do is to shut my brain and watch tv. Or just lay on my bed. Sigh.. I can't seem to keep myself awake after 1am too. Gosh.. I'm really getting old.

A couple of months ago, I came across my lil sister's blog and it shocked me beyond words..
There was this post, it was dedicated to me.. It was so sweet and I was so flattered.. Heh.
But there are also others.. Well, let's just say that I was glad she cancelled her blog. And I can also read her Facebook even though she put it as private. Don't ask me how. It's a trade secret~

My sweet little sister. She's the youngest and the fairest. You know how in the fairy tales, the last prince or princess was always the prettiest or the handsomest or the fairest blah blah blah.. Errmm.. Yeah.. That kinda happen in our family. Bleah~ Must be due to some diluted royal blood in us or something. Hehehe..

Anyway, the reason for tossing and turning this evening was because I kept remembering the time I consoled my lil sister when she dropped Abg Ngah's camera. I can't remember when but I think she was very young. You see, Abg Ngah lend his camera to her and told her to really take care of it. And Abg Ngah can be kinda uptight when it comes to the wellbeing of his property. I am a bit vague when it comes to what made it fall but I was probably involved in it. The camera dropped, I laughed evilly, picked it up and shake it. There was some weird rattling sound and I was just about to say, 'Padan muka!' (Serves you right!) when I saw the look on her face.
Oh man.. She looked so crushed and so scared, my sisterly love just welled up. I hugged her and told her that it's ok, everything will be alright. I promised her that I won't tell Abg Ngah and I will help her to cover it up. Hehehe.. You see, the lies I was willing to tell because I just couldn't bear seeing her so scared and hurt.

All those years flown by. We have grown apart, went our separate ways. Only talking when necessary.
It was years later when I hugged her again. This time was when Arwah Mak passed away. While I was being consoled by my hubby, in the midst of my tears and sadness, I saw the same little girl that I used to hug and console her. Her face looked so crushed and scared, her whole life has just came crashing down.
I know her life will never be the same again and I had to do something to save her. At that time, she was about to start on her nursing course in NYP. If she has the same problem I had with Ayah when I was her age, I can't let her be. So I talked to hubby, Alhamdulillah, he gave me the green light to ask her to stay with us. At least she can concentrate on her studies and her school is nearer to my home. She really just need to concentrate on her studies. Nothing else.

So it hurt me really bad when people started asking me, why don't I let her stay with Ayah? Or 'Why let Ayah stay alone?'. I have reasons for doing things the way it is. There is really no need for outsiders to come and question our decisions. It's already hard enough as it is, please don't come and make it even harder.

Now she's here for more than a year. We are back to square one again. Hubby asked me the other day, why can't I just talk to her. I was stumped. Ermm.. I am really bad at conversations (really really bad.. think 'really long uncomfortable silences'). Especially with her. All the time when I start to open my mouth to talk, I'll end up being so tense and it's so awkward. Sigh.
I just wish that she will open up more with us, you know, like the way she is with her friends. I guess I am guilty too, all the uncomfortable silences that we have. But one thing for sure, although I don't show it, I do love her.. very much. I just want her to know that every action that I do now, is because I care for her and also for her own good. Try not to hate us so much. :)

Ya Allah, please guide her to the right path and protect her from harm.

I seriously need to go for a vacation!!!!!!!!!!

My work is so stressful now that I just got promoted (twice in less than 2 months!!) in NCS. I get to lead an awesome team of 12 people and I am now handling government projects, one of them will probably cause me sleepless nights.
I get to train newbies, go for onsite meetings, interview candidates.. etc etc..

I can't divulge further details as these are all classified information. Signed the Official Secret Act and all that.. ;p Hehehe.. Sound mysterious, no? LoL~ I love new challenges!

I am just waiting for my assistant to return from his 3-week reservist, and then I can finally go for my break.. Question now is.. WHERE TO GO? I have Jetstar vouchers that I have to utilise within 3 months. Hmm.. Decision decision..

Why I don't believe in ghosts..

Most people close to me will know that I am scared to watch scary movies. Normally I'll try to avoid it as much as I can, but it's Azmi's favourite kinda movie. So sometimes, I have no choice. ;p

I will probably just watch it in a small screen or with most of my face being hidden behind something soft like my hubby's hand or a cushion. It's degrading, but I really don't care.

And then after that, I will probably have nightmares and sleepless nights because of that stupid movie.

But..

In real life, I know that ghosts doesn't exist. Yeah, in Islam, there's no such thing as a soul of a person getting revenge on his murderer. It is even impermissible to believe in such a thing. Because, when a person passed away, he will enter a different world known as Alam Al-Barzakh, preparing to account for all his deeds. It's a place in transition before the coming of the Day of Reckoning.. jeng jeng jeng..
So it will be hard to believe that the soul have time to take revenge or settle his unfinished business.

So there.. I've said it. Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters, it is now up to you to stop this nonsense. I have had enough of listening to true ghost stories based on your own encounter or friend's friend's brother-in-law's sister's experience.

I am not finished yet....

In Islam, there exist the realm of the unseen. This is the place where jinn, creations of Allah, live in a world parallel to us.

Regarding the jinn’s origin, it is mentioned that:

“Indeed, We have created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We have
created the jinn before that from the smokeless flame of the fire.” [Al Hijr
15:26-27]

Like ourselves, Allah has created and has required the jinn to worship Him.

“I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Al Dhariyat 51:56]

However, jinn do possess some powers and abilities that distinguish them from us, which include taking on a different physical form, like that of a human, for instance. Some jinn, like us, abuse the powers and capabilities given to them by Allah. One of the several ways that these jinn manipulate their powers is through visions.

Some people possess abilities to see them. Some, like me, goes on with our daily activities, blissfully unaware of their existence. Even if they are in the same room. Those who can see them may be convinced that this vision are real and are indeed the souls of the departed, trying to tell us something. And this is exactly what the jinn is trying to do: lead us astray – from our beliefs and the truth.

So how to we deal with this creation of Allah?

It is recommended that we recite the Holy Quran regularly in our homes and keep ourselves clean. The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Indeed, the shaytan flees from the house in which Surah Al Baqarah is recited.” [Tirmidhi]

“Cover your utensils and tie your water skins, close your doors, and keep your children close to you at night, as the jinn spread out at such times.” [Bukhari]

Of course not all jinn are naughty and mischievous in nature. There also exist those whom we call, jinn Islam. Because just like us, jinn will also be held accountable for their deeds on the Day of Judgment.

My next blog topic will be about dreams.. Insyallah..

Alysha's hair

We spent countless months.. agonizing over the fate of her hair.
We wondered.. will it ever grow?
We shield our baby from mean and cruel comments about her hair.. Sigh..

And when it does grow, it was well worth it!
Her hair was perfect! It looks like Mak Busu's hair when she was a baby, with her dark golden curls..
It has little springs in there, that just reminds me of her bubbly personality.
It's fine and delicate.. it's shiny and smells so good..

That's Alysha Nadya.. My baby and my life..

* 3 blog posts in a day! Hehehe.. *

Alysha Nadya at 27 months..

Alysha has been such a joy to play with and talk to nowadays.
Sometimes we have no idea what she is blabbering about and will just make things up on our own.
Hehehe..

Having her has changed my life tremendously. When I was childless, you can say that I was fearless and full of nonsense. But now, I see life so full of danger and difficulties.
It is such a huge challenge, trying to balance things up so that she will grow up to be a smart and independent being!
Like, you can't help feeling protective and running to smother her with hugs and kisses for every little thing that she encounters. Or knowing when to stand my ground and not let her have that little snack before her dinner.
Being a mother, oooh.. it can make me tear out my hair in frustration! On one side, am I being a bad mother for letting her learn that it hurts if she place her hands near the hot mug OR should I stop her from touching the hot mug?

I am trying my best to be a good mother. It's really hard.. I want to give her the best clothes and expensive branded stuffs but I know that she will just wear it for a couple of months and all will just go to waste.
Anyway, my parents didn't indulge us in branded goods when we were young. And we grew up a-OK. We let Alysha wear hand me downs clothes because it helps us save loads of $$. To tell you the truth, the branded stuffs that Alysha has was gifts from other people! Yikes! Double-income parents NOT buying branded items? Are you kidding me? LoL~ Yeah, we just buy normal clothes for her. She's gorgeous, she looks perfect just wearing a $10 dress.. and yeah.. we are cheapskate parents.

I rather invest on books, toys and educational videos for her. I rather that we plant this feeling of being simple & sensible instead of hungering for these unnecessary branded goods, unless, of course if it is worth your $$. I hope we are doing it right, though.
You see, when it comes to children, buying them clothes that they are going to outgrow in 2 months are just not worth it. It's not like adults, where $200 shoes is going to last for yeaaaaaars..

Take me for example, the only branded bag that I have was from hubby. It was a wedding gift, 4 years ago. A wallet that was also a gift is still being used. A little worn out, but it's going to be good for a couple more years. I hope.

Yes, I am a little boring. I tried to jump into the branded bandwagon, but the sensible person in me just hate spending $400 for a bag that look like the $40 counterfeit one at pasar malam.

We may look for branded names in electronic gadgets, but to spend $200 with a huge brand plastered on my shirt, bleah.. What? I am spending $$ to advertise for you?
*roll eyes*

Random~

We keep hitting speedbumps.. one after another.. Sigh..
Well, the road to success is never easy..
Insyallah, we are going to make it.

I just remembered something that someone said.. loooong time ago.

A good and honorable man would never let his mom, daughter, sister, girlfriend or wife wear slutty, revealing clothes.

Food for thought, eh?

Meoooooooow~

Just a few days ago..

Ibu: What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Alysha: *full of confidence* CAT!
Ibu trying to hold in her laughter..

Ibu: So what does cat eat?
Alysha: Bread..
Ibu: Where does cat lives?
Alysha: Trees..
I guess it's because she saw a few stray cats lounging near the trees when we go visit Atok's house at Kallang.

Hehehehe.. Cute..

Life is so unpredictable..

Life is so unpredictable.. One moment you are sad, then another moment you are bouncing off the walls with happiness.
One day you are down with love and then the next day you are on cloud nine. Or when you feel so exhausted from work that all you want to do is just to shutdown, but the moment you see your daughter's face, you decided that you are not that tired after all.
Another good example is when you feel so full of hope and inspired by the goodness of this particular human this week, and then when you read about other monsters that existed in the world, you just feel so homicidal.
Life is just funny that way and sometimes, I can't help but laugh along with it or cry at the helplessness of it all..
Last year, Allah tested me with so many things. I lost Arwah mak, my good health and my job. Things just got from bad to worst because I indulged myself in self-pity.
Alhamdullilah.. Things got better for me this year. Whatever that doesn't kill me, will just make me stronger. What is life without challenges, eh?