Project 365

Welcome! This is my own 365 project of creating at least one post per day about the stuff that I learnt, achieved, and found, the stuff that made me happy, or the new thing I did every single day.

The project was started on 21 February 2010. It has stopped for few times but I am determined to continue!

This project is dedicated to myself. I want to feel grateful for every single thing I have. I want to be thankful for my own life. I just want to feel that I have enough.

Category: Quote

The False & The Truth

And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me. And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].

Al-Qur’an 2:41-42

Some people interpret Allah’s words in order to fit to a particular agenda. They would manipulate the texts and come up with false conclusions to achieve their notion. They do that because they are afraid of a certain elements of people, backlash, etc. They also do that in order to please some groups of people. It is clear that they are not afraid of Allah SWT, but instead, they fear for other people.

There are two extremes who contribute to the manipulation of our religion, i.e. the liberal extremes and the “angry” extremes. The liberal extremes try so hard to interpret Islam in every way they can to make the non-Muslims happy. They are not concerned about the fear towards Allah SWT, but they are more concerned about what the non-Muslims say about us. On the other hand, the angry extremes are those who are angry at the condition and the state of their Muslim brothers and sisters around the world. Their anger results in the interpretation of the Qur’an that justify their anger/actions. They would bring forward some verses of the Qur’an that can defend their actions and ignore others that say otherwise.

If the Qur’an is presented genuinely without compromise and those who explain it are not affected by any other fears except towards Allah SWT, there won’t be misunderstandings and the world would see our religion differently than today.

Taken from “Lessons & Reminders from Surah Baqarah” [YouTube] by Nouman Ali Khan

A Noble Man

None but a noble man treats women in an honorable manner, and none but an ignoble treats women disgracefully

— Tirmidhi

Keep that in mind, boys…

They’re in each other all along

The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere,
they’re in each other all along.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

🙂

Without Love

Without love, all worship is a burden, all dancing is a chore, all music is mere noise. All the rain of heaven may fall into the sea. Without love, not one drop could become a pearl.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Do You Love Me?

A lover asked his beloved,
Do you love yourself more
than you love me?

The beloved replied,
I have died to myself
and I live for you.

I’ve disappeared from myself
and my attributes.
I am present only for you.

I have forgotten all my learning,
but from knowing you
I have become a scholar.

I have lost all my strength,
but from your power
I am able.

If I love myself
I love you.
If I love you
I love myself.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

WOW! Just wow.

Random thought of the day: I’m going to put Rumi’s poetry on my wedding invitation card — if I ever get married! Hahahaha. I told ya, it’s a random thing.

The One

Now be silent. Let the One who creates words speak. He made the door, He made the lock, He also made the key.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

All we have to do is to find ways to reach for the key, right? 🙂

Before Going to Bed

Today’s reflection before going to bed…

If you want to go back to Indonesia for good, make sure you don’t find a job. You create a job.

— Mas Oki

This quote by a friend has stick to my mind ever since. And I’m still figuring it out how I’m going to do it. Too many things I want to do. Too little resources.

The Center

The Friend comes into my body
looking for the center,
unable to find it, draws a blade,
strikes anywhere.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

I’ve reached the point where I don’t care about you anymore. Just let me know when you’re done. So I can remind you to fix the mess. Then you can leave.

Let the beauty we love be what we do

Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Life

Life is like a river. There is no precharted way; there are no maps to be given to you which are to be followed.  Just be alive and alert, and then wheresoever life leads you go with full confidence in it. Allow it to lead you, don’t force it. Surrender to it and allow it to lead you towards the sea. Just be alert, that is all. While life leads you towards the sea just be alert so that you don’t miss anything.

— Osho

Turn the heater’s temperature to the max. Take medicine and a hot balm. Wrap myself under my thick blanket. Sleep.

Dear flu, please don’t be too harsh on me.