Light years

Assalamualaikum w.r.t.

Quite a while I have not posted anything in the blog. Went to PTS raya gathering this afternoon (15/10/2009), and got a dose of adrenalin to write something. I have hyperlinked the blog to 'NASA Image of the Day' and today's image, taken from NASA's Swift satellite, is of a galaxy, known as M31 in the constellation Andromeda, which is the largest and closest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way.

This image of M31 merges 330 individual images taken by Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope showing a region 200,000 light-years wide and 100,000 light-years high (100 arcminutes by 50 arcminutes).

A light year is the distance of light travelling in a year. The speed of light travelling in a vacuum is 299,792,458 metres per second or approximately 300,000 km per second or 1,080,000,000km per hour.

The Andromeda galaxy is 2,500,000 light years from our milky way, so getting there has a lot of zeros in the kilometer. That is only getting there, to tour the galaxy from left to right, top to bottom, masyaAllah, it is quite mind boggling. Compare it with distances that we are familiar with like from KL to JB about 400km, KL to KB about 600km. Phew... not comparable. All I can say is, subhanallah wallahu akbar.

How much do you love Islam?

Assalamualaikum w.r.t.



My heart saddens on reading the latest decision by the government on matters pertaining to 'revertion' of faith to Islam. Read the article below extracted from Utusan Malaysia 24/4/2009.



'IPOH 24 April - Mufti Perak, Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria berkata, sebarang keputusan membabitkan agama Islam sepatutnya dibincangkan dengan Majlis Mufti-Mufti Malaysia terlebih dahulu.


Sambil menyatakan dukacitanya dengan keputusan Kabinet berkaitan isu anutan anak-anak apabila ibu atau bapa mereka menukar agama, beliau berkata, jika keputusan itu dikekalkan, ia menimbulkan kekeliruan kerana bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam.


''Dalam agama Islam, mana-mana bapa atau ibu bukan Islam memeluk Islam, anak mereka dengan sendirinya menganut Islam kecuali jika anak itu berumur lebih 15 tahun,'' katanya di sini hari ini.
Beliau mengulas keputusan Kabinet berhubung isu pertikaian agama anak-anak apabila ibu atau bapa memeluk agama lain.


Semalam, Kabinet memutuskan bahawa anak kepada pasangan yang menukar agama yang masih di bawah umur hendaklah dibesarkan mengikut agama asal ibu bapa mereka semasa melangsungkan perkahwinan.


Keputusan itu merujuk kepada mana-mana pasangan yang memeluk Islam harus menyelesaikan isu berkaitan perceraian dan penjagaan anak-anak di mahkamah sivil dan bukannya Mahkamah Syariah.
Harussani berkata, agama Islam tidak seharusnya dikorbankan hanya kerana mahu memuaskan kehendak pihak-pihak tertentu.


''Jangan korbankan agama, akidah dan kepercayaan kita untuk hanya melayan atau menyenangkan orang lain dalam perkara ini,'' katanya.


Dalam pada itu, Harussani memberitahu, banyak pihak meminta kerajaan negeri membantah penganjuran program Jom Heboh di pangkalan Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) Lumut mulai esok.


Bagaimanapun, katanya, program berkenaan dibuat oleh TLDM dan tidak melalui kerajaan negeri.
''Saya tidak bersetuju dengan sebarang program berbentuk hiburan yang melalaikan,'' katanya.
Pada 2004, Majlis Mufti-Mufti Malaysia memutuskan bahawa konsert Jom Heboh adalah haram kerana ia melalaikan dan menggalakkan maksiat di kalangan anak muda.'



Our Prophet (pbuh) was made to endure mortal sufferings by Allah the Almighty so that his love towards work of dakwah never diminishes. The Prophet (pbuh) coached the Companions to follow suit in propogating islamic teachings and to defend the faith with all they have.

We now read how Islam as the religion of the federation and muslims are holding authority, yet sympathy to the 'reverts' could have been more assuring. This episode saddens one's heart and the fear of not being able to answer Allah's query is beginning to grip like a boa constricter tightening around it's prey. There is no power greater than Allah's, there is no greater planner and executioner save Him, and one can only make doa to shower His guidance on to those who are sincere and steadfast in faith. Amin ..... and how much doyou love Islam?

Assalamualaikum w.r.t

The Gaza episode has long gone from the Malaysian press spotlight. The struggle continues even though many news suppression, local and abroad, are being carried out. Read this article posted today by a group of volunteers for a programme they called 'Viva Palestina', please follow the link below:

Gaza or bust (Viva Palestina update)
Yvonne Ridley, Former Taliban Captive, Convert to Islam - Wednesday, 08 April 2009

© Yvonne Ridley, Former Taliban Captive, Convert to Islam

Is this true?

I took the liberty of quoting this article from The Malaysian Insider site. Read and reflect....its excellent for brain stimuli.

Selangor prepared to take legal action against hikes in water tariffs
By Neville Spykerman
SHAH ALAM, March 31 — Selangor is prepared to go to the court to challenge any decision to increase water tariffs in the state.
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the proposed increase in tariffs is unjustified because of the poor performance of the water concessionaire and the state will take it to court as a last resort.
Khalid said the state would first try arbitration, as provided for in the agreement, should higher tariffs be approved.
“The company has breached conditions in the agreement including reducing non-revenue water and any decision to increase tariffs is untenable.”
Khalid said the matter has been brought to the attention of the Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Water together with a request for the concessionaire agreement to be terminated.
“No decisive action has been taken by the minister but there are indications Syabas will be allowed to be the licensee under a new restructuring plan, which is beyond the comprehension of the state government.”
Khalid added the decision goes against consumer interests and the original intention of restructuring the water industries in Malaysia.
Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) is requesting a 31 per cent price hike under the concession agreement and a decision will be made by the Cabinet tomorrow.
Any increase may jeopardise the 20 cubic meters of free water currently enjoyed by consumers in Selangor.
The state government has been at loggerheads with the federal government over the restructuring of the water industries in Selangor.

Life and it's teachings

Assalamualaikum w.r.t.

Its been some time since my last posting. Running short of breadth because too many tasks needed to be completed, many deadlines that had lapsed.... aaargh....trying to keep my cool and composure. One thing for sure, the priority list must to be reviewed.

I want to share a book that I bought last Saturday from MPH wangsamaju (haven't finish reading it though). The title is 'Life is an open secret: you, me and we' by Zabrina A. Bakar. It contains 18 stories of life experiences and I must say initially it did not catch my attention. The cover is coloured pink (missy look) but after going through first few pages, the appreciation pages, I was impressed.

Her readers are varied and coming from around the globe. This is her second book and there was this review by Yvonne Ridley.....yes.....the Yvonne Ridley (don't know who she is?). She is a journalist and a writer.....the one that was held captive by the talibans.

I haven't gone further than page 22, but the stories that I've read are down to earth stories and the lessons learned are like jewels waiting to be picked up and for you to display as your ornaments.

InsyaAllah, I will continue with this commentary in the coming posts ......hope Allah bestow on me the health and strength to record my thoughts..... amin.