Faith & Religion

Ramadhan has come again and this is the month which most of muslim are waiting for. This is a special month for Prophet Muhammad's Ummah whereby all the good deeds will be rewarded with big rewards. I am also waiting for Ramadhan because it always be a special month for me. I don't know why but I am sure it is not because of the Ramadhan food bazaar. I always have some special feeling during this month, the feeling which I can't never feel it during other months.

I was once questioned about my own religion and faith. I was born in Muslim family and both of my parents are practicing Islam. Born as Muslim was not good enough for me and there were so many questions about this religion in my head. What if Islam is not the true religion? This is the kinda question that I have had in my mind.

One day I went back to my parent home in Kota Bharu and I found Quran with malay translations. I read few pages and try to understand the meanings, then suddenly I get amazed by how wonderful Quran explained about so many things. I asked my mom to bring home this Quran so that I can read them and understand the meanings. From there on, I started to read Quran daily and try to understand the meanings. The more I read, the more I start to believe in Islam and I found all the teachings in Quran is so relevant to us. Even though Quran aged 1400 years ago but the stuffs inside it is so relevant to our time. Quran tells me about history, all the scientific stuffs such as the development of human, universe and even an iron. Quran is so

I am an engineer who was taught to believe in scientific evidence and I found all this scientific evidences in Quran. I found one ayat in Quran which tells that if Allah wants to increase some one knowledge, he will give that person the understanding of Quran. I am totally conviced that Islam is the right religion and I am trying to practice Islam in totality. Islam has helped me to deal with the up and down of my life.

If any of you have doubt about your faith, please read Quran before you decide anything. Trust me Quran is the word of Allah. There is no God except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger.

Couplehood

I have been married for 7 years with my wife and we will be celebrating our anniversary soon. It feels like time was moving so fast. From just the two of us then we were blessed with one daughter, then another daughter came in the span of just 11 months. It wasn't easy for us to handle these two small daughters with both of us have no experience at all. Anyway, I never heard my wife complaint about these massive responsibility at all. It was something that I respect her so much and she fulfilled her responsibility pretty good. I don't think I can handle these two small daughters without being stress up and sure enough I will be totally clueless.

During that time, I was just a junior engineer working with Multinational oil and gas company. My salary wasn't attractive enough but it was just enough to cater for my family requirement. We had to cut on certain thing and sometimes we did argue about money. This argument had caused us some stress but along the way we managed to fix it somehow. One thing for sure is that I still crazy about her and still love her so much. No matter what happen between us, at the end of the day we will find ways to settle it and face our daily life as it came.

There is something about her that make me love her so much. I still can figure out what it is but there is something special about her. Maybe all the hard time that I have spent with her and sacrifices that she had made that teach me to appreciate her more. She still the one I want to grow older with and

Last year I was offered a new job with new company. The offer was really good that I couldn't resist and I decided to join them. This new job not only give me a financial freedom but it also means that my wife could resign from her previous work and stay at home. She can spend more time with my children and focus on develop them. She used to be a teacher with International School. I guessed she missed her school and students so much that she still keep telling me about them.

I still think that we are like an old couple who work hard to sustain their marriage and put their efforts to make sure their marriage can last. This marriage is not only for me and my wife but it is also for our children. We are not willing to ruin our marriage and our children just because of our ego.

Weekend Father..

Last weekend I had a chance to hang out with my two daughters after sending my wife to attend her course in KL. Since we were already in KL, I decided to bring my daughters to KLCC park, Petrosains and also to their favorite bookstore "Kinokuniya". I parked my car at Medan Tuanku and decided to take monorail to Raja Chulan station and walk all the way to KLCC. It was quite far to be honest but since my daughters were so excited about riding a train.Therefore I just act like I am OK even though I felt like fainted.

This is the first time I hang out with my two daughters in KL since we moved here for the past 1o months. Just the three of us and I decided to really spent quality time with them. I just followed what ever that they felt like doing. From KLCC park to Petrosains, then having a break at KLCC food court and continue with a tour to their favorite bookstore Kinokuniya. I let them choose which ever books that they like.

At the end of the day, we enjoyed our day out and I never felt so happy like this after so many months busy with adapting to my new life at new place and working environment. After all I thought being a father is actually such a great experience which you can't substitute with anything else. To see your children happy is worth all the effort and it is actually priceless. Sometimes I wonder why there are so many fathers out there who are too busy to even spend one day out with their children. Just you and your children and no rules. Just enjoy every single moment with them.

Fatherhood

I dream of being a great father like my own dad. He is a great father and I will always remember him as a great father. He is a great father because he loves his children unconditionally, sacrifice for them and never lost hope in his children. My dad didn't have a car or big house and all he has just a small house with one room. He is a great dad because even with his small income he can send all his children to university. I don't know how much he has to sacrifice but I am sure that I never heard he complaint about that. I don't know how he can handle all the stresses and financial challenges to grow up his children. I am amazed by his toughness and perseverance. I know I am nowhere near to his level. My father is getting old now but he is still strong and he never called his children once asking for money. He has his financial freedom even before I graduated from University and I am so proud of him. I am not sure how he manage his money but I am sure that he keep on telling me to get away from credit card and try to settle my loan as early as possible.

Now I am also a father to my three children. I understand that being a father is not as easy as what I think. My own father make it look so easy that I even thought it is an easy task. In reality it is not easy task. There are a lot of responsibilities that you have to carry as a father. You want to make sure your children get the best education, they grow up healthy and happy. Nowadays, I seldom see great father anymore. "Modern fathers" spent long hours in their office, come back home tired and stressful. They have very limited time to spend with their children, less conversation with their love one and bad listener. I don't want to be one of those kind of "modern father". I want to be a great father like my Dad.

I remembered my Dad told me that you have to treat your children like close friend when they are small. You have to play with them like you are one of them. Really enjoy what ever stuff that you do with them like your really enjoy it. When they grow up, you have to be their best friend and a good listener. Be their close friend like you are really their best buddy who they can share anything with you without any pre-assumption judgement. I want to be this type of father and I am doing all my best to be at that level.

For those who enjoy being a father, I suggest you to read a good book by Tony Parson entitled Man & Boy. This is a great book for all father out there.