Hiking and Discovery

Assalamualaikum and greetings dear Bits and Pieces readers,

Currently in Malaysia, mountain and hill hiking are becoming a fad. Facebookers elate when they find new hill hiking spots and people race to post their hiking adventures on Instagram. These did not go unnoticed. Both responsible and irresponsible hiking trip organisers mushroomed and more people get sucked into the euphoria.

The hiking "fad" isn't necessary a negative connotation, though. It actually presents another method of spending time aside from the typical activities of shopping, dining, gaming, clubbing, and watching Korean soap operas. It began to dawn on people that they can still have a blast and de-stress while sweating.

There are also those who went one step further and find hiking therapeutic. Somehow, the world made much more sense, serenity becomes less elusive, and God is all the more omnipresent. I would like to believe that I'm in this category.


1. Constant steep trail = Never ending trials
Mount Datuk in Rembau is the most popular place to hike for those who want to transition from hill hiking to mountain hiking. 80% of its trail involve steep and tiring ascends. I remember pushing myself hard, controlled my breathing, and asked hikers descending the mountain how long more until we reach the top.

One of a few set of stairs leading to the top of Mount Datuk

Raihan, a friend of mine, told me that this steep trail symbolises the never ending trials that we face in life. The capability to breath in oxygen always comes with responsibilities, hardship, anger, annoyance, misunderstanding, and sometimes, the urge to just kill one self. This is simply how ALLAH had designed life to be.

2. Effort, patience, and perseverance always pay off
Still, ALLAH had also decreed that those with effort, patience, and perseverance will pull through. If not in this world, the next.

Kutu Hill is NOT a hill; its a mountain. Situated in Kuala Kubu Bharu, it rises 200+ meters more than Mount Datuk. If Mount Datuk is tiring, Kutu Hill is grueling. My knee gave way and my brother literally had to carry me down for a short while. Its not that the Kutu Hill trail is steeper, but it's longer, wilder, and lonelier. In comparison to Mount Datuk, not many people hike here.

View from the top of Kutu Hill

The Kutu Hill trail reminds me of my PhD studies a bit; a long, winding, and lonely odyssey which has not yet end! To quote Linkin Park, "Uphill struggle, blood, sweat, and tears". Nevertheless, each time I reach the peak of the mountain (or hill) that I'm hiking on, it gives me optimism that I can finish it. This also applies to my ambition of becoming a novelist (despite not being able to fulfill promises to my readers)! 

3. Its the journey that matters

Although messy and unpredictable, its often the journey that matters. There's no meaning if we achieve success by cheating and manipulating. The journey should pain us so that we grow wiser and kinder.  

This hit me when I hiked Botak Hill in Puncak Alam. The top was completely bare like a bald head (hence the name Botak) but the trail was pleasant. We were greeted by ferns, huge boulders, and birds freely roaming the vast sky.

Botak Hill trail

4. Compassion and teamwork
I felt pain not at Botak Hill but at Batu Chondong Hill in Ulu Klang. I fell when I was climbing down a tree. My friend Aisyah, not me, was traumatised with the incident (not to worry, I'm fully recovered, alhamdulillah).

The tree that I fell from, Batu Chondong Hill trail

Truthfully, I did not felt pain when I fell. Maybe I was in a daze but I also like to think that it was because Azratee and Aisyah comforted me. They were willing to slow down to my injured pace and hold my hand as I descended. I, who tends to be secretive, came to terms to the fact that expressing can reduce emotional hurt. 

5. Learning is infinite
To be honest, Batu Chondong Hill trail was the fastest hike for me in comparison to Kutu Hill, Botak Hill, and Mount Datuk. My knee didn't hurt one bit! Indeed, with experience comes skill. But, falling down from a tree, teaches me that I must never feel over confident. I should always be humble, careful, and keep on learning to become better. 

Gasing Hill is an educational jungle set in bustling Petaling Jaya, my very first hiking trail as an adult. Hence the word "educational" absolutely hit home with me because I had learned my very first lesson there; hiking is therapeutic. I remember that I was almost near crazy trying to include waqf (Google it!) into my economic model.

Gasing Hill trail

6. History is a great teacher
History has always been close to my heart. I was the best student for history during PMR (a centralised exam for Form 3 students during my time) and History of Mathematics was my favourite subject during undergraduate studies. My first publish book (which I retracted, by the way) was inspired from that subject.

People always say that we should forget the past. That, in my opinion, is utterly wrong. We have to accept and learn from it because the past is an invaluable teacher. Events in the past, can help guide our thoughts, feelings, actions, and decision making. For instance from the Quran:

And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers. (Surah Al-Ankabut: 14)

This verse teaches us that even 950 years of effort can't change people's minds. It is really up to the individual themselves. Yet the Prophet Noah pressed on because he knows that ALLAH counts his effort; not whether he succeeds or not. As such, we should internalise these lessons that had occurred in the past when we read this verse. Not to mention, finance and economic, two out of many "professional" and "real" areas, still rely heavily on historical data for forecasting.

It is the reason of history that I attempted the Mount Berembun trans Telapak Buruk trail in Pantai twice. During the first try, I wasn't able to reach the World War-II B-24 Liberator air craft crash site. Still eager to see, I attempted the second time and made it to the site. Indeed, nobody can ever know how death may approach.

Remains of the aircraft on Telapak Buruk

 
7. Living reminders of God
It is hard to shake the awe that every hill and mountain hiking has to offer. The animals serve as a reminder that ALLAH is Al-Khaliq (The Creator) while the ruins elucidate ALLAH as Al-Mumeet (The Destroyer). The fruits and rushing water speak of ALLAH Al-Muqeet (The Feeder) while the view from the mountain top shouts ALLAH Al-Aliyy (The Most High). Easy trails echo ALLAH Ar-Raheem (The Merciful) while the arduous ones constantly whisper ALLAH Al-Hafiz (The Guarding One). When I rest and put my head on the bare ground in prayer, I can't help but hear ALLAH Al-Mujeeb (The Responding One). As I descend down the hill, got in my car, and head home, my heart sings ALLAH Al-Ahad (The One).

Broga Hill in Broga

A Horror Story

Assalamualaikum and greetings dear Bits and Pieces readers,

From my observation, there are two types of movies that Malaysians like to watch: horror and romantic. I myself loved to watch horror films when I was young. I dared myself to watch the most scary films and trained myself to be calm (I looked calm but inside I was terrified!) during the gripping suspense before the devil shows its face. I also love the ghost stories that my aunt used to tell me when I was small and to read the Malay magazine "Mastika" that had its fair share of people succumbed by black magic.

That was me when I was in primary and a few years into secondary school. But as I get a bit older, I realize that horror movies turned me into someone I was horrified of.

Credit to Comfreak

 
1. I feared and focused on the wrong things
For one, I became afraid to sleep at my grandparents' house when I was little just because the house looks quite shabby inside. It's pathetic of me not to spend more time with my grandmother (although I was always at her house after school, gobbling down my grandmother's delicious cookings). Now that the house has been renovated into a common city home, I really miss the historic-Malay-village-house facade; especially during Eid ul Fitri. It's true, "you only know a good thing till it's gone" (Kris Allen).

The worst part of it is, I learned and memorized certain chapters and verses of the Quran for the sole purpose of guarding myself from evil spirits. Why? Because I see religious people in movies recite the Quran to get rid of evil spirits! God, I am so sorry for being so shallow and narrow minded before!

Thanks to ALLAH, I come to embrace and understand that the Quran is more than that; it's a book that provokes human to think, it's a book that calms the heart, it's a book that brings glad tidings, and much much more. Bringing the point home, the Quran's purpose is much larger than getting rid of evil spirits.

2. I feared the evil supernatural entity more than I feared God
When I was in secondary school, I really love to go camping in the woods. I was a girl scout, you see. Whenever we set up tents, we were told (I won't give names) that we should ask permission from the spirits that live in the woods. We were told to behave.

I obeyed. Besides, that's what people in the movies do too. But wait, didn't ALLAH say in the Quran:

"HIS is the dominion of the heavens and earth. HE gives life and causes death, and HE is over all things competent". (Surah Al-Hadid: 2)

Yes, the woods belong to God so we should have asked permission from God. I should fear God, not the spirits! Plus do you know what kind of mentality that these movies taught me? That I need to behave only in the woods while elsewhere I can do whatever I want even if it's wrong. Stupid movies. Such a silly girl, I was.

3. I didn't gave much attention to good supernatural entity 
As a Muslim, it is mandatory to believe in the Six Pillars of Iman and the second pillar is to believe in the angels. I didn't realise that angels were also supernatural entities. I mean, I did believe in the angels when I was small (still do), but I didn't acquire more knowledge about them which I was supposed to! Why? Because I was too embroiled with the knowledge of the djinns (why don't you google that yourself) and how to avoid from being the victim of withcraft ! I still can't fathom why I want to know about the dark rather than the light. Oh I know why...it's because of the horror movies (And to be honest, because Malaysian children were made scared of evil spirits so we would behave)!

For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah...” (Surah Ar-Ra'd: 11) 

It is liberating to get personal with the above verse. It makes you feel privileged to have angels near you. I couldn't believe that I was terrified of the devil's slaves. I am so sorry, my Lord.

4. I was unable to appreciate the beauty of nature
In the Malay lore, there's this evil spirit called pontianak which is sort of like a woman vampire (of course there is no such thing as a pontianak, it is a major sin to believe in the existence of this creature). This creature likes to perch on tree branches to scan its victim; wearing all white, red eyes and long eerie black hair. Because of this, I didn't like to see huge trees at night for fear of meeting eyes with it. Again, this was a major defect I had. Let's read this beautiful verse from the Quran:

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 164)

It's a shame that I had averted my eyes from the signs of ALLAH. It was a total waste of my time for not using the intellect that ALLAH had bestowed to me...to us.


Were (Are) you a horror movie fan? Have (had) you experience the above horrors?

   

My Free Upcoming Novelette: Enlightened Writing

Assalamualaikum and greetings dear Bits and Pieces readers,

As was posted before, Letters to God tells of a woman named Sarah who is contemplating suicide. This very fact goes against all her moral fiber since she considers herself religious. However, she feels that the load on her shoulder is wearing her off. She feels that all the prayers that she had offered to God were for nothing.

The near epitome of this dilemma inside her is what I try to narrate in Letters to God. In my attempt to do this, I need to understand various concepts in Islam among others. This simultaneously help me as an author to grow spiritually.
              

1. The Names of ALLAH
Letters to God mostly centers on the Names of Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim and Al-Alim. Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, in crude translation, means the Most Beneficient and the Most Merciful. Meanwhile, Al-Alim means the All Knowing.

In her depression, Sarah struggles to understand these attributes of ALLAH. Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim mean that God always love her and never intend evil on her. Al-Alim on the other hand, should put her heart at ease safe in the fact that there's wisdom behind her situation, good or "bad". These Names show that God loves her deeply and that everything happens for a reason. Hence it is imperative that Sarah registers this should she want to rise up from depression.      

2. al-Qada' wa'l-Qadar (Divine Will and Decree)
I have to admit, I never really understood the concept of al Qada' wa'l-Qadar. I mean, if our destiny has already been planned for us, why should we try and pray to God for whatever we want in the first place? In Sarah's context, if she were meant to kill herself, why must she put a stop to this thought? Might as well go on with it.

The above arguments spell the need to research al-Qada' wa'l-Qadar. Thanks to ALLAH, I came across these videos: The Pen and the Tablet, Divine Decree, The Content Believer, and Altering Destiny.

According to the videos, ALLAH has instructed the Pen to write down every detail of our life in the Tablet; whether we will be successful or fail, have children or barren, died later or earlier, happy or miserable etc. But still, we can change our course of destiny by making do'a (pray). At the same time, know that that particular destiny has also been written already. In other words, the Tablet already contains that at which will happen if we make do'a and what happens if we do not. If we ponder this concept deeply, we can handle whatever live throws at us and come to terms with it.

Merging points 1 and point 2, it is imperative to try and pray; and whatever the end result is, good or "bad", Sarah should be contended with the decree of ALLAH. Therefore, this is another concept that Sarah has to understand before deciding to take her own life.

3. Humans as 'abd
'abd when translated roughly, means slaves; people that are abused, used, and given no wage. In the Quran however, 'abd are slaves that are loved, being taken care of, and rewarded according to their deeds. In other words, 'abd has a Master which is ALLAH and ALLAH loves, cares, and rewards us accordingly. On top of that, ALLAH is the creator of 'abd while slaves in human definition was not created by their master.

In her depression, Sarah has to acknowledge the fact that by being 'abd and the created, she does not have the right to rebel to God. She doesn't have the right to decide anything simply because she wasn't there when ALLAH created her. Instead, she needs to submit her logic, intellect and rationale to ALLAH; taking comfort in the attributes of Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, and Al-Alim (point 1). Concurrently, she can also make do'a to change her situation and be satisfied with whatever the result of her do'a is.


All in all, writing Letters to God (which I still am doing) is also an effort of mine to embody these three concepts in Islam. When my novelette is out (which I seriously don't know when), I feel that I've accomplished something; even if nobody wants to read it.

But still, aren't you a wee bit curious? Don't you want to know whether Sarah, being religious, truly understand these concepts? And if she does or doesn't, will that influence her decision about taking her own life?

Sunan - Nanggroe Sang Kembara by Ramlee Awang Murshid

Assalamualaikum and greetings dear Bits and Pieces readers!

I had spent my last weekend by reading this novel:

For those who follow my blog knows that books written by Ramlee Awang Murshid (RAM) is the only Malaysian book that I ever read.

Truth be told, this book was published months back but the worries and fear of embarking on a new phase of life (read PhD studies) had hindered me from purchasing it immediately.

This book narrates the life of Laksamana Sunan when he was still a young boy and a teenager. He is known as the "miracle boy" because he was still born; no cries, no movement, no nothing. But after minutes pass, he suddenly wailed like a normal baby.

Laksamana Sunan, or his real name Saifuddin, lives happily with his family at Kampung Punggor for a little over a decade. Then an unfaithful incident occurred; Orang Kaya Seman desired to be the chief of Punggor. He had set up a devious plan to overthrow Saifuddin's father who is the current chief. He remorselessly slandered Saifuddin and forced four other people, including his own daughter, to become false witnesses to implicate Saifuddin. As a result, Saifuddin was lashed with a cane in front of the villagers. Ashamed and felt betrayed by his own father, he ran away to Malacca. But misfortune still chased him; he was caught by pirates and sold as a slave at the port of Malacca, the very place he had hoped to find peace.

To understand why I love this novel, you must first know that this novel is a prologue to Sutera Bidadari, Cinta Sufi and other Laksamana Sunan series. In those series, Laksamana Sunan is already portrayed as a pious warrior, a perfect man to be precise. On the other hand, Sunan - Nanggroe Sang Kembara portrays his imperfect side, which is the person he is before he became a great warrior; much like Anakin Skywalker only he's the opposite.

I must say that I drank in this novel patiently, so as to really appreciate the hardships that Saifuddin went through. It is almost analogous with the PhD journey that I am currently in. Indeed, it is the hardships that make a person stronger and wiser.

Only one thing that disappoints me, RAM had left me hanging! There will be a continuation. So typical of him. Anyway, I award this novel 4.7/5