Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Among the SIGNS

The Signs of the End
I remember, as a child, tagging along or rather being dragged along. My mom would always drag us along with her whenever she went to listen to religious sermons. Either at a neighbour's hose or at the local “pondok”. Us being my brother, my sisters and me. The pondok was run by a well know Tok Guru. Haji Wan Leh. Another pondok was under a certain Pak Sheikh. I cannot remember his name. I went to the latter's school for Koran lessons and recitals.
What I am about to write here is the stories I heard from the Hajjah who gave lessons from our neighbours house. The stories about the end of days, the signs that shall appear to show that it is coming soon.
I remember her saying that in the coming days, people would go around naked. My young mind would just imagine how it would be like. Also she told us about how, in the end days,, mosquitoes would be the size of a chicken. And that there would be appearing, stranger and weirder things and occurrences. My body would shiver imagining a chicken size mosquito gunning for me. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaarrgghhHHH!!!!!!
Now when I reminisce about those days as a kid, I begin to see the true nature of her stories. I shall begin with the naked people. Ustazs and religious people would just say that, that refers to the way people dresses these days. But I beg to differ. I say no, that's not the case. People do go around naked literally. One can find them on specially designated nude beaches in some countries. One can also find them at nudist camps or clubs in most western nations. Not that I find it wrong. Its just their way of relaxing. They have their rules and principles. Period.
Next comes the stories about chicken size mosquitoes. This one I believe has been lost in the translation. Lets us look at what has beset us at the present time. We have dengue, malaria and a whole lot of mosquito bearing diseases. Next we see in the news is the bird flu virus. A chicken sized mosquito would just as well killed you as well as a dengue fever carrying mosquito.
One story that remember is from school lessons by an Ustaz. That was in secondary school. Sultan Abdul Hamid College to be exact. He said, in the days of end, you'd see Gunung Keriang flying by. Once, while on one of my trips back to my home town, I'd find that the landscape has change. As I strain myself to remember, I would recall the words of my Ustaz. But there's no hill or mountain flying by. Just that a hill has gone missing! Then another and another as the drive make it's way along my journey home. The hills and mountains didn't fly, but they moved. Not by themselves, but by man. That is besides the point, which is the prophecies, turned out to be true after all.
Strange things have been appearing in the news frequently. This are all brushed aside as freaks of nature, ignoring the prophecies of yore foretelling their appearances. Of course I can't back up my say here with any hard factual books or proof of ever there were any writings regarding all of the above. Of course there are books out there with these stories and lessons, just that I only got them through word of mouth.
They, being just part of my childhood. My growing up. Guess its up to you to make up your mind in this regard.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Blame somebody syndrome

That is the dilemma facing many of our people, read Malay.
I get sick hearing this blame game every morning over breakfast at my regular watering hole.
Once, I was observing three 4 year olds chatting, kids chat. Its like a cat talking to a duck and a chicken. As usual, one gets cranky. So I just went “harrumph!”. A father was nearby. I heard him say, “ I’ve got to lookout over my daughter. There’s no telling. She might just strike out.” What that father did not realize is, he’s the one who shape his little girl’s actions. I did not say anything, knowing his temper. This fellow went on about his neighbours. Not the household kind but at his workplace which he got along with his present neighbours. How they all will get into trouble when DBKL starts collecting rental and how undeveloped his neighbours are! Bla bla bla.
That reminds me of a few Malay proverbs. The English equivalent is ; when there’s a will, there is a way. “Like a toad under a coconut shell” is a direct translation from its original language. Or, “don’t walk like a crab, said father crab”.
What they forgot are some tenets of Islamic doctrines. Such as obey your leaders. Respect others or others opinion, knowing your subject and different terminology and interpretations by different scholars. Among other things, obviously they rank among the know not and learn not, ignorant! Ignorance is the bane of the Malays. Poor memory bank is another. One should not blame others when one does not lift a finger to change one’s predicament. Or if one stop one’s endeavour upon stumbling on the way.
Besides, there the bigger picture that we should look at. If you say the frame is our border, then read no further. What I’m saying is out there, beyond our region even! It’s the international situation. Who are pulling the strings there? Causing havoc all over the entire world with their political and economic maneuverings. Threats are subtly made, almost unsaid. Even with Obama, America is still ruled by the Jewish Lobby. so there.. Until and unless the world or muslims truly unite.. then forget about trying to make a change. period.