Prophet Yunus (Jonah) a.s. And A Mother In Labour

... I knew the man was lonely and depressed and needed someone in his life. So, I began to 'witness' to him about the Lord. I read to him out of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. I shared the story of the prophet Jonah who had been sent by the Lord to call his people to the correct way. Jonah had left his people and escaped by boat to leave his city and head out to sea. A storm came up and the ship almost capsized and the people on board threw Jonah over the side of the ship. A whale came up to the surface and grabbed Jonah, swallowed him and then went down to the bottom of the sea, where he stayed for 3 days and 3 nights. Yet because of God's Mercy, He caused the whale to rise to the surface and then spit Jonah out to return back home safely to his city of Nineveh. And the idea was that we can't really run away from our problems because we always know what we have done. And what is more, God also always knows what we have done...

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That is what was read in the previous post two days ago, of preacher Yusuf Estes, who was preaching Christianity to a Catholic Priest.

Prophet Yunus (Jonah) alaihis salam, also known as Dhan-Nun, was sent to Nineveh, in the region of Mosul, who were idolaters.
He was to teach them the worship of ALLAH.
The people disliked His interference in their way of worship, and they rejected Him.
They argued, "We and our forefathers have worshipped these gods for many years and no harm has come to us."
He tried hard to convince His people of their foolishness in idol worship and of the Goodness of ALLAH's laws, but they ignored Him.
He warned them that if they kept on with their foolishness, ALLAH's punishment would soon follow.
He reminded them that tormenting punishment would dawn on them in three days if they did not repent.

Instead of fearing ALLAH, they told Yunus a.s. that they were not afraid of His threats,
"Let it happen," they told Him.
Disheartened, Yunus a.s. said, "In that case, I will leave you to your misery!"
So saying, He left Nineveh, fearing that ALLAH's anger would soon follow.

Hardly had Yunus a.s. left the city, the skies began to change its colour.
The skies were overcast with black cloud, strong dark smoke smoking, and it was descending, until their city was covered in it, making their roofs black.
The punishment was right above their heads- when they saw that they knew for sure that the promised destruction was true.
The people of Nineveh were filled with fear by the sight that looked as if they were set to be on fire.
They recalled the destruction of the people of 'Ad, Thamud and Noah a.s.
Was theirs to be a similar fate?

They looked for their Prophet Yunus a.s., but failed to find Him.
Slowly faith seeped into their hearts.

With wives, children, livestock, and dressed in sackcloth, they all gathered on the mountain and started to beseech ALLAH for HIS Mercy and Forgiveness.
The mountains echoed with their cries.
It was a momentous hour, filled with sincere repentance.
They set apart each mother from her son, humans and animals too, so that each one longed for the other.
They humbled themselves towards GOD.
They said they believe in what the message their Prophet a.s. had brought to them. 

"Why was there not a single township (among those We warned), which believed,- so its faith should have profited it,- except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the penalty of ignominy in the life of the present, and permitted them to enjoy (their life) for a while." - Surah Yunus 98

So Their LORD had Mercy on them, and Answered their call, and Lifted from them the punishment, after they humbled themselves.
ALLAH removed His wrath and Showered HIS Blessings upon them once again.
When the threatening storm was lifted, they prayed for the return of their Prophet Yunus a.s. so that he could guide them.

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Meanwhile, Yunus a.s. had boarded a small ship in the company of other passengers.
When night came, the sea suddenly changed.
A horrible storm blew, wild waves tossed the ship and sweeping over the deck, as if it were going to split the ship into pieces.
The chief crewman asked the crew to lighten the ship's heavy load.
They threw their baggage overboard, but this was not enough.

Their safety lay in reducing the weight further, so they decided among themselves to lighten their load by removing at least one person.
They will make lots with all travellers' names.
The one whose name is drawn, will be thrown into the sea.

The lot was drawn and "Yunus a.s." appeared.
The people on board the ship knew Him as the most honourable among them.
Therefore, they decided to draw a second and third lot.
Still, His name was drawn.

Prophet Yunus a.s. realised that ALLAH's Hand was in all this, for He had abandoned His mission without HIS consent.
Yunus a.s was then thrown into the dark, furious sea.
He kept mentioning ALLAH's name as He went into the raging sea and disappeared beneath the huge waves, and was swallowed by a whale (?), into its stomach.

He was in three kinds of darkness, the darkness of the animal's stomach, the night, and of the bottom of the sea.
Prophet Yunus a.s. was alert when He found He could move.
He knew that he was alive but imprisoned.

"And [remember] Him of the great fish – when He went off in wrath, thinking that WE had no power over Him! But then He cried out in the deep darkness [of His distress]: “none has the right to be worshipped but YOU (O ALLAH), Glorified (and Exalted) be YOU (above all that evil they associate with YOU), Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.”

And so WE responded unto Him and delivered Him from [His] distress: for thus do WE deliver all who have faith." - Surah Anbiya' 87 - 88

Prophet Yunus a.s.'s heart was moved by remembering ALLAH.
He continuously saying:

لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
 
“None has the right to be worshipped but YOU (O ALLAH), Glorified (and Exalted) be YOU (above all that evil they associate with YOU), Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.”

All the creatures that lived in the sea, animals and plants, heard the voice of Yunus a.s. praying, heard the celebration of ALLAH's Praises.
All these creatures began to celebrate the Praises of ALLAH in their turn, each in its own way and in its own language.

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Prophet Yunus a.s. continued praying to ALLAH, repeating this invocation.
ALLAH Almighty Knew His sincere repentance and Heard His invocation, and the whale was commanded to surface and eject the Prophet onto an island.
His body was inflamed because of the acids inside the animal's stomach.
He was ill, but endured all pain and continued to repeat his invocation to ALLAH.




لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“None has the right to be worshipped but YOU (O ALLAH), Glorified (and Exalted) be YOU (above all that evil they associate with YOU), Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.”

Almighty ALLAH caused a vine to grow to considerable length over Him for protection.
Then HE Exalted, caused the Prophet to recover and Forgave Him.
ALLAH told Yunus a.s. that if it had not been for His praying to HIM, the Prophet would have stayed in the whale's stomach till the Day of Judgment. 

"And, verily, Jonah was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship, he agreed to cast lots and he was among the losers, Then a big fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify ALLAH, he would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick and We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand people or even more, and they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while." - Surah As Saffaat 39-148

Gradually Yunus a.s. regained His strength and found His way to His hometown, Nineveh.
He was pleasantly surprised to notice the entire population welcome Him.
The change was there in His people.
They had believe in ALLAH.
Together they pray, thanking their Merciful LORD.

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It was in the 80s, 7.35pm, Maghrib time.
After a brief check, I was asked to move to the labour ward.
Then a nurse entered the room I was in.
Then, I was all alone, by myself, in the delivery room.

She asked, "Pernah dengar do'a Nabi Yunus?"
"Pernah," I said.
"Tau do'anya?" She asked again.
"Tau." I said.
She asked me to recite, and said, "Amalkan do'a tu. Jangan berenti. Terus baca."

"InsyaALLAH."

A short while later, doctor with his team were made busy.
I delivered a Baby Girl at 7.55pm.

Other mothers in the checking room were full of surprise...
I was already home by 9.30am the next day.

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After many years passed, My Late Father, who was visiting me then, said,

"Engkau tinggal tempat orang. Bapak nak pesan engkau satu barang. Pernah dengar do'a Nabi Yunus. Tau do'anya?"

"Tau." I said.
"Jangan berenti. Terus amalkan." He advised.

"Dulu pun pernah ada orang pesan."

"Sapa?" He was surprised.

"Nurse kat hospital." 

Then He was silent, and I did not probe further.

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لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“None has the right to be worshipped but YOU (O ALLAH), Glorified (and Exalted) be YOU (above all that evil they associate with YOU), Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.” 

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Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. had said that if one recites the prayer, GOD would definitely respond to him or her. 

The prayer in the Holy Qur'an is well known, and is often invoked in time of distress.

Prophet Yunus a.s. found himself in a difficult situation; and our existence on earth is not any better

His dark night is of no different to our unknown future,

His stormy sea akin to the instability in our lives, and 

The huge whale that swallowed Him is the vast lowly desires of our souls.

We are in deep darkness, often feeling insecure.

More often, we can make no sense of what is going on around us, yet we often forget THE CREATOR of heavens and earth.

Our lowly soul can, at any time, engulf us in danger. 

The deep anxieties, the yearnings in us, of our inner self, Only THE CREATOR and the Sustainer of All Things is able to answer them.

HE is our Source of hope, the refuge of us, human beings.

Set the right of mind for effective prayer, like Prophet Yunus a.s. realised, only the Disposer of All Things could be His rescuer.
HE is the ONE and ONLY who has Power over or souls and our future.
Every thing is under HIS Control.

لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“None has the right to be worshipped but You (O ALLAH), Glorified (and Exalted) be YOU (above all that evil they associate with YOU), Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.”

       

Yusuf Estes: Get Involved And Share

Yusuf Estes was born in January 1, 1944 in Ohio, into an Anglo-Saxon Protestant family.

His family owned several musical instrument companies including the Estes Piano and Organ Company.
From 1962 to 1990, his career was in the music industry, entertainment, marketing, working as a music instructor and music minister.
He produced and directed live entertainment programs in the United States from the mid 1960s until his last endeavour for cable TV in Florida, entitled 'Estes Music Jamboree'.

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Yusuf Estes, a former Catholic Priest, left Christianity in the early 1990s after being involved in a business collaboration with an Egyptian named Muhammad.
The Texas businessman came to Islam while trying to preach Christianity to the Egyptian.

Here is the story of his conversion.

Following his conversion in 1991 at 47-years old, he pursued Arabic language and Quranic studies in Egypt, Morocco and Turkey.

Islamic Missionary Centre In Houston, Texas.

Yusuf Estes, now a former National Muslim Chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons, as well as a Delegate to the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders held in September 2000. He is actively involved in Islamic missionary work in the United States, and often features as guest lecturer and keynote speaker at various Islamic events, as well as frequently appearing on various Islamic satellite TV channels.

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From 2004, Estes regularly appeared on the Islam Channel, a UK-based, free-to-air English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel.
UK government figures state that 59% of Muslims watch the channel regularly above any other Muslim Channel.
It broadcasts across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
It is soon to commence broadcasting in North America.

Estes appeared on Peace TV too.
Referred as an "edutainment channel", the Islamic satellite television network broadcasting globally 24/7 from Dubai - Another English language and telecasted free-to-air.
Since January 21, 2006, it has been telecasted to more than 150 countries around the world, including in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and North America.
It's sister channel (Peace TV Urdu) was launched in 2009, dedicated to the Urdu-speaking viewers around the world.

Estes can be seen on Huda TV too. Another 24/7 Islamic channels broadcasting in many countries around the globe, via satellite and via the website Watch Islam TV Channels.

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One of the first thing to strike Yusuf Estes since coming into the religion, was the lack of proper presentation of Islam in the English language.
He quickly decided the best type of 'business' for him 'to work for the Next Life' - It is by showing others the beautiful and logical reality that is true Islam.

For this reason, he dedicated himself to producing the very best in Islamic presentations, videos and websites – for all people of all ages. Guide US TV, first American Islamic Channel is the most important project he had been blessed to work on.
He wished to put Islam in every household on earth - Work to make a real, positive difference.
GOD willing, Ameen.
He also set up websites directed toward English speaking Muslim youth which include www.TubeIslam.com, a Muslim video sharing site, and www.ChatIslam.com, a Muslim Chatroom, and for young children www.WorldPreschool.com, Preschool Learning.

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Since his own entrance into the religion and becoming a chaplain to the Muslims throughout the country and around the world, he encountered many more individuals who were leaders, teachers and scholars, who learned about 'the religion of peace' and entered into it - The reason is always, people are sincerely seeking the truth and are willing to put their different prejudices and biases out of their minds and begin to ask GOD for HIS Guidance in their lives.

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I'm linking you to Darul Arqam, a Converts' Association of Singapore for Yusuf Estes's talk on "Get Involved And Share", when he was in Singapore, last year.

He mentioned of people wanting to get to know Islam, but the followers are projected to rather focus on the "anger management" issues.
In the end, the only people who speaks for Islam are mostly from non-Muslims scholars of the Western scholarly tradition.
GOD Willing, there is change in the approach to some outstanding issues in Singapore which needs greater attention by Muslims, and ALLAH Knows Best.

He carries an important message which Muslim could play a part to reach out their faith to others, so that they could understand the true faith.
It is a different matter of their response.

But with the many distortions and misunderstanding portrayed both by non-Muslims and Muslims too, the need to understand and the knowledge of Islamic teachings, how it should be portrayed, both in practise and in delivering the message, is vital.

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Here, he appeared on Catholic TV on his conversion.

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Sheikh Yusuf Estes (link to his website) suggests the seeker of truth do the following NINE STEPS to purification of the heart:

1-Clean - your mind, your heart and soul - remove all prejudices and biases. 

2-Thank GOD - for what you have - every moment of every day. 

3-Read - a good translation of the meaning of the Noble Quran in a.language.that.they.can.understand.best.

4-Reflect - on the meanings and consider the bounties of GOD. 

5-Seek - Forgiveness from GOD and Learn to Forgive others.

6-Ask - in your heart for Guidance from Above.

7-Open - your heart and mind. 

8-Continue - to do this up for a few months. And be regular in it. 

9-Avoid - the poison of evil while your heart is opening for the "rebirth of your soul." 

Remember - CLEAN; THANK; READ; REFLECT - Then SEEK, and you shall find. 

ASK, and it shall be given. 

KNOCK, and.it.shall be opened.

Then CONTINUE and AVOID.

The rest is between you and THE ALMIGHTY LORD of the Universe.

If you truly seek HIM, then HE already Knows it and HE will deal with each of us according to our hearts.

Source: Articles Base - September 25, 2010

Convey The Message In Language They Understand

Millions Of Expats Don't Understand A Word Of Friday Sermon
by Mariam Nihal

JEDDAH: Muslim expatriates in the Kingdom say there are no mosques that deliver Friday sermons (khutbah) in their languages.

"The whole point of a sermon is to understand and spread the word of Allah, but it seems no one cares enough to delve into the matter. People repeat verses or utter 'Ameen' without understanding what is being said. It has become a formality that they just want to get over with. That is not the purpose or way of preaching Islam," Indian expatriate Hannah told Arab News.
The khutbah is used to preach about Islamic issues during Friday prayer. The expatriate population in Saudi Arabia was 8.4 million as of August 2010, compared to 18.7 million Saudis, according to General Statistics Department of the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
“Most expatriates do not understand or speak Arabic. No one thinks about these 8.4 million people who are hampered by language barriers. We all want to learn about Islam, the difference is no one wants to walk that extra mile and help us to connect with society,” Indian expatriate Hussein told Arab News.
“At the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), mosques used to be full of knowledgeable and meaningful debates about Islam. The purpose of the khutbah is defeated because most of us do not understand a word but we go (to the mosque) because we are obliged to.”
Other countries in the Middle East where Arabic is the first language have mosques that deliver Friday sermons in English. Shaista, a Pakistani national, said: "When I lived in Dubai, our whole family and children would make it a ritual duty to go to the mosque where the khutbah was delivered in English every Friday. It was enlightening and taught us so much more about Islam."
Middle Eastern society experienced profound changes in the 19th century due to the impact of European expansion. In time, ideas about politics changed as technology advanced and a diverse culture was introduced. Mixed marriages and foreign minds began to infiltrate Arab society.
Bangladeshis, Indians, Indonesians, Pakistanis, Filipinos and Africans started to make their presence felt in the labor force. However, Arabic is not the first language of any of these nationalities. English is a common second language spoken by nurses, assistants and salesmen in contrast to Arabic.
“Society should cater to others’ needs and instill a sense of unity at the mosque, as the purpose of religion is to come together to share the same beliefs and follow them. It is unfair to hear talk about equality and brotherhood at the khutbah when none of the brothers cares to ensure his expatriate brothers even understand what is being said. Islam is not limited to one language,” said Mohammed, a Filipino.
Lubna, a local Saudi said: “We all know the best way to preach Islam is through compassionate dialogue. If the Arabic khutbah has been going on for centuries, we must adapt it to our culture so our Muslim brothers and sisters in the country can also follow the message of Islam.”
Young male expatriates told Arab News most of them do not understand the khutbah but nevertheless attend the Friday prayer because it is an Islamic duty.
“Even though we don’t understand a word, I make sure I go to listen to the khutbah because it’s obligatory and I do not want to miss out on the rewards from Allah. There is no choice. If there was a choice of a few mosques where they deliver the khutbah in Urdu, then it would be up to us to go,” Indian expatriate Faisal said.
Saira, an Indian expatriate, said: “We have a lot of non-Muslim friends who would be interested in listening to the words of Islam. However, they are rather stumped by the fact that we do not have access to a sermon in our language and I wish we had a few mosques specifically for us so even if women hear the sermons at home through loudspeakers, they will gather so much more knowledge and wisdom about."

Source: Arab News - February 5, 2011

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SPEECH BY HJ MOHD ALAMI MUSA
PRESIDENT MUIS
AT THE MOSQUE COUNCIL MEETING
SAT, 16 MAY 2009
AT AL-MAWADDAH MOSQUE

The Singapore Muslim community is generally homogeneous.  Nearly all of them are from the “Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah” (Sunni) school of thought.  A majority of them embrace the Shafi’e School of Law. Therefore, they share many things in common from the theological and jurisprudential perspectives. This has in many ways contributed to the unity of our local Muslim community in leading their Islamic life.  This spirit of unity is further reinforced as the majority of Muslims share a common language and culture, as they are Malays.
2 Singapore has positioned itself to be a talent magnet in the world.  In other words, Singapore strives to make itself attractive to individuals with the knowledge, expertise and capital to come to our shores to work, operate businesses and eventually make Singapore their home.  Besides these new resident Singaporeans, there is a sizeable force of transient foreign workers who are now contributing to Singapore in several ways, namely, in the construction industry or the domestic work sectors.  There are now about one million of them in Singapore.
3 The local Muslim community is also seeing more foreign Muslims in their midst today.  They attend prayers in our mosques and they participate in our religious events.  We must make them feel welcomed.
4 I am pleased to say that our mosques have been very open to welcoming foreign Muslims who work and reside in Singapore.  In fact, a number of mosques are providing useful services or forging collaborations with them.  Mosques like Khadijah and Hj Mohd Salleh (Geylang) allow religious classes to be conducted in the Bangladeshi language for construction workers.  The Mujahidin and Sultan mosques conduct skills-based training programmes for Indonesian domestic workers.  These are some examples of how mosques in Singapore serve the needs of foreign Muslims in Singapore.
5 I am also glad that a few mosques are forging links with foreign Muslim communities in Singapore.  Assyakirin mosque is working together in cultural programmes with the Turkish community in Singapore (through the Turkish Cultural Centre) while Al-Falah mosque has links and will be working with the Pakistani community (through the Singapore Pakistani Association).  Other mosques will be linking up with other foreign Muslim communities in due course.
6 These are deliberate efforts by our mosques to reach out to foreign Muslim groups through serving them and networking with them.  In this way, we hope that the foreign Muslims will “feel at home” in our mosques and our local Muslims will be at ease with them and embrace the new “jemaah” (congregation).
7 Our mosques are for all Muslims to worship in, regardless of their race or country of origin.  Alhamdulillah, this has always been the mindset of the local Muslim community.  They are open to accept Muslims from other countries.  This is not the situation in many other countries.  That is why mosques in these countries are built and run according to nationalities. This has caused disunity within the larger Muslim community in these countries.  We must avoid this. We must preserve the unity of our local Muslim community, even as there are more non-Singaporean Muslims in our midst.
8 To achieve this, there is a need for our local Muslims to embrace diversity and make it work to our advantage.  This is part of the Islamic ethos.  Muslims see differences and diversity as “hikmah”.  We must therefore be prepared to gradually embrace this diversity and become stronger.
9 Our mosques have shown the way in this. I am glad that more mosques (which have many non-Malays as their jemaah) are now delivering the khutbah (sermon) in English, once a month.  The use of English makes us more inclusive as this is the language well understood by people from all races and nationalities.  Nevertheless, our mosques are mindful of the reality that there are still a large number of the local jemaah, especially the senior citizens, who may not understand English. Hence, Malay is still the main language used in our mosques. Even if English is used, the approach that we recommend to mosques is a balanced approach. This entails a translation of the khutbah in Malay to be flashed on the screen.  Alternatively, a summary of the khutbah in Malay can be delivered in the second part of the sermon.  Furthermore, if the khutbah is in Malay, a translation of it in English can be flashed on the screen or a summary of it in English can be delivered in the second part of the sermon.  Finally, I like to also encourage our mosques to start offering religious classes in English or even other languages if there is a demand for them.
10 In summary, while our mosques must continue to serve the needs of a predominantly Malay jemaah, they must start to find ways to accommodate the new foreign Muslims, whose number is growing steadily over time.  Our mosques must remain open and inclusive so that the unity of Muslims in Singapore, regardless of where they come from, can be preserved.
Thank you.

Source: Singapore Islamic Religious Council

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Some Mosques Using English More 
by Diana Othman

ALTHOUGH Malay is still the dominant language of instruction in Singapore's mosques, English is increasingly being used in Friday prayer sermons and religious classes at some mosques. According to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), about 30 per cent of the 69 mosques in Singapore are currently giving sermons in English.
Although the number of mosques using English dropped from 28 in 2007 to 22 last year, there has been a 10 per cent increase in the frequency of English sermons delivered at the 22 mosques.
A significant increase in the number of English-speaking Muslims is behind the change, said Muis.
When The Straits Times checked with four mosques, they said they had either increased the number of sermons, religious classes and programmes in English, or were planning to introduce them this year.
Al-Falah mosque in Orchard Road now holds sermons in English every other week compared to just once a month when it first started doing so in 2003.
Its head for Islamic learning and social development, Ustaz Mohd Yusri Yubhi Md Yusoff, said mosque-goers are the main reason behind this decision.
'First of all, we look at our congregation who are mainly office workers from town, Muslim expats, medical tourists and Muslim converts... They are more comfortable speaking in English, and so we have to tailor to their needs,' he explained.
Among those attending the Al-Falah mosque are those from Britain, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Pakistan, as well as locals such as Indian Muslims and Chinese converts.
Ustaz Yusri added that 'spreading the word in English' meant that the mosque could reach out to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike to educate them about Islam. All of its religious classes, including Quran readings, are also conducted in English.
From next month, the An-Nahdhah mosque in Bishan will hold a number of religious classes on fiqh - Islamic jurisprudence - in English.
The mosque will also give seminars on Islam in conjunction with Muis' Harmony Centre in English. They will be open to visitors of all religions and ethnicity.
Conducted for the first time, the lessons will be delivered in Malay, as well as in English, in separate classes.
Ustaz Leyaket Ali, 32, imam executive of An-Nahdhah, said the mosque is introducing classes in English due to the growing significance of the language here.
'Looking at how it is in Singapore now, English has become an everyday language, for example, when we write documents at work or have telephone conversations and also in schools,' he said.
Ustaz Leyaket said that in this way, the mosque would be able to reach out to more people, especially young people who prefer communicating in English.
Last year, An-Nahdhah also began delivering sermons in English once a month, and there are plans to make this more frequent if the response is good.
The management of Al-Khair mosque in Choa Chu Kang is currently discussing plans to introduce Arabic language classes taught in English on top of its other weekly religious classes for children and adults, already delivered in English.
The chairman of Abdul Gafoor mosque, Mr Rabi Ahmad, said they hope to introduce classes in basic Islamic jurisprudence and theology for youth in English towards the end of the year.
Mr Jahongirbek Burhonov, 26, a customer support staff member at Bloomberg, has been taking classes in reading the Quran and Arabic at Al-Falah for over six months. Originally from Uzbekistan, Mr Burhonov said he can better understand the classes in English.
Madam Azizah Syed Sulaiman, 37, a sales manager, speaks English and Tamil, so she is glad there are religious classes in English.
'I am able to understand my lessons better this way as I don't speak Malay,' she said. 

Source: The Straits Times - January 29, 2009

The Crime - Assault By None Other Than The ...

Woman Identifies Five Cops In Assault Case

PETALING JAYA: A pregnant store owner has identified five officers as being among her assailants.  Chow Soo Meng, 36, a mother of two who is eight months’ pregnant, picked out the five among 11 policemen in an identification parade at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters here yesterday.  She also identified one of them as the person who had slapped her and taken RM20,000 from her.  However, Chow said a female police officer who was also responsible for the missing cash was not in the line-up.  Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng who accompanied Chow urged police to do a thorough investigation.  “We have asked the Selangor police to take over the investigations which is being conducted by the Petaling Jaya police now,” he added.  According to Chow, at least 10 men and a woman who claimed to be policemen tried to enter her convenience shop at Jalan Perkhidmatan, Kampung Baru Sungai Buloh, at about 6.30pm on Monday.  Chow claimed that when she refused to let them in as they did not show any identification, the group cut the grill, barged in and handcuffed her.  “They refused to let me know what offence I had committed but instead slapped me twice,” she said, adding that the men then took several cartons of cigarettes, liquor, cell phone SIM cards and RM20,000 from her handbag.  She also alleged that they removed the CCTV system from her shop.  OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed later said his officers went to the shop to investigate claims that drugs were being sold there.  ACP Arjunaidi denied his men had stolen money from the woman but had instead seized RM15,900 as part of the investigations.  He said the money was in police custody and they were investigating if it was proceeds from ill-gotten gains.  “We will investigate her claims that she was slapped. If there is truth to her allegations, I will take action against those responsible,” he said.

Source: The Star - Sunday, February 6, 2011

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Chia Buang Hing - Picture: Malaysian Insider 

34-year old Chia Buang Hing, a frame-maker, is just an ordinary Malaysian citizen.

On December 18, about an hour to midnight, he drove his wife's car with an expired road tax.
Chia's nightmare of being repeatedly beaten, his life threatened, relieved of RM13,000 and his business threatened with ruin began as he was driving from his house in Tropicana to Kota Damansara, where traffic police had set up roadblocks.
Having spotted the expired road tax, one of the police officers asked for his driver's licence and identification card.

At the stop, Chia claimed police officers had noticed a stack of RM50 notes totalling RM7,000, sticking out of his pocket as he was producing his driver’s licence.
The officer demanded that he hand them over.
He refused, and insisted he be issued with a summons.

But as the officer kept asking for the money, Chia warned that he would lodge a report.

Chia said he was carrying a total of RM18,000 that he had collected from his three frame-making shops that night, with RM10,000 in his pockets and RM8,000 in the car.
For refusing to bribe the police, the alleged assaults then began.

Chia tried to take the officer's picture with his mobile phone, but he was repeatedly punched by him and two other officers.
One of them handcuffed him and he screamed for help, but he was shoved inside a police car and beaten again.
There were several witnesses to the act, including a security guard and a friend of his who was in another car.

Chia was beaten at various points from the time he was pulled over until he was brought to the Kota Damansara police station.
He was outside a toilet at the station and seven officers kicked and stepped on him until he vomited blood and sustained injuries on his face.

Then, one police officer took the RM7,000 from his front pocket and RM3,000 from his back pocket and they threw it on the floor.
The officer became angry when he demanded the money be returned and he threw the remainder he was holding into the toilet and hit him again.

At about 3am the following morning, he was threatened by an officer that drugs would be injected into his bloodstream.
He was later assaulted again, by as many as five officers at once, at the police station and on an empty plot of land he could not identify.

Chia was beaten up until he vomited blood.
One thing he managed to do, was to leave his bloodied fingerprints in many parts of the police station that he had been dragged to. (Most of the bloodstains had been removed, but there were some under a table, behind a mirror and under a cupboard, which were photographed by police).

Only when they saw that he was barely surviving, as he had vomited blood and white foams were trickling out of his mouth, then they took him to Sungai Buloh Hospital.

By then, it was already 7am.
Chia was taken to the Petaling Jaya magistrate's court, about 10am, for a remand order against him.
He informed the magistrate of his ordeal but he was ignored.
The magistrate ordered him to be remanded by police until December 22 on suspicion of possession of drugs and weapons.
He was once again beaten outside the courthouse.

The police had wanted Chia to report that his injuries had been sustained in a traffic accident.
When he refused, they threatened to plant a blood-stained machete and drugs in his car and get him locked up for a long time.
The father of two was detained for five days.

******

Selangor police chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah had said that initial investigations by the task force indicated that the reason for Chia’s detention is for suspected possession of heroin and a parang in his car.
However, Chia vehemently denied of possessing the weapon and drug in his car.

Chia is currently out on police bail.
He also denied that he was allowed to meet his family and lawyers.
He claimed that the police had not informed him that he could lodge a police report while under detention.

During that period, he was taken to a officer at narcotics department in the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
Since there was no case against him, the men who abused him were called up.
The officer at the narcotics department advised him to lodge a report and allowed him to contact his family.

He was then released on police bail and RM5,000 was returned to him.

******

After almost a month since Chia was allegedly held and beaten by about a dozen cops, he was supposed to report himself to the Narcotics Department of the Petaling Jaya district headquarters to find out the status of his case.
However, once he was there, no one attended to him.
He was told by a desk officer to return on January 21.

Chia now has more questions than answers.
* Why only five policemen were charged in court when he had reported 11 attackers?
- Mohd Azwan Hassan, Norzali Rosle, Ahmad Saifullah Osman, Alizulhafiz Abdul Ghafar are accused of voluntarily causing hurt to Chia in the Kota Damansara police station between 12.30am and 3am on Dec 19.
- Mohd Azwan and Norzali, who are under suspension, were similar accused of voluntarily causing hurt to Chia at Jalan PJU 3/15, Persiaran Tropicana, Kota Damansara between 11.30pm on Dec 18 and 12.30am on Dec 19.
- Lance Corporal Mahadi Adam was charged with committing the offence at the Kota Damansara police station between 12.30am and 3am on Dec 19.
- All of them pleaded not guilty in the same court.

* Why were the five released without bail?
- Deputy Public Prosecutor Amirah Mohamed Yusoff sought bail of RM3,000 for each of the policemen.
Counsel Suraj Singh, representing Norzali, and counsel Ahmad Zaharil Muhaiyar, representing Ahmad Saifullah, Alizulhafiz and Mahadi, objected by saying that there was no provision in the law to impose bail for summons offences.
Magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Nik Azlan dismissed the prosecution's application for bail and set February 14 for mention of the case.

* Why was it that he could not get his car back despite him asking the police numerous times?

* Why did he has to pay for the towing of his car?
(Chia claimed the cops who rode with him in the patrol car had told him to pay the tow truck attendants for towing his car from Kota Damansara to the police station).

* Why did the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) in his case gave 'special treatment' to the five cops by taking them out of the courtroom via a different route, where the media couldn't see them?

****** 

Chia Buang Hing hoped the policemen involved would not be given preferential treatment by the DPP at the next case mention.
He was not informed of the day the five were charged in court, nor given details of the charges until a few days later.
He felt the police are not thoroughly investigating his report on the cops who had threatened to plant drugs and a parang in his car.

Because the police are tight-lipped about his case, Chia now lives in fear although he is considered lucky to be alive.

All because he refused to bribe the police officers, he is now scared as everyone is telling him that he will be charged, although he did not carry any illegal stuff in his car.
He wants to clear his name and he could not wait for the nightmare to end.

Chia hope God will help him in telling the truth.
Hard for him to find others believing in him after the alleged police brutality.
All he wants is justice to be done and his money back.

Chia would rather die than be defamed by the police. 

When Siblings Madly Fall For Each Other

It was in the late 70s or early 80s.
Susan, who was engaged to be married, suddenly fled with Beng, her old flame.
They were said off to California to register their union as husband and wife, away from parents and family members.
That was what as being told by Tan, her then-current fiance.

Tan was desperately looking for her everywhere, and dropped by at our working place, hoping that Susan showed up at work.
But she had been absent for more than a week.
She did no call up and during that time, there was no other way to contact her, unless to her house.

Wedding was less than two weeks away but Tan did not rejoice his big day although staff knew he was more madly in love with Susan, way much more than her feeling for him.

******

Being an only child, Susan was showered with immense love from her parents and from Beng, her first love, when he appeared into her life.
After two years of courtship, Beng brought Susan home to meet his parents who had moved to Telok Blangah too.
When the parents from both sides met for marriage discussion, that was the time when history unfolds itself.
It was tragic for Beng to know that Susan is his blood sister that he deeply loves as his true lover.
He packed up, headed to one of the Middle Eastern country to work.

Susan was born in Pulau Blakang Mati into a very big family of thirteen siblings.
She was given away as a newborn, to a childless couple in Telok Blangah, not far from Pulau Blakang Mati, which is now renamed Sentosa Island.

She used to get everything she wanted from her adoptive parents, but unfateful event took its turn.
She lost what she needed - the man of her life.
It took Susan three years to heal.

She then met Tan, the eldest son of a successful entrepreneur.
They were engaged after a year of knowing each other.
Tan knew her background.
He tried hard to make her forgetting the past, up to the point of what we see, as spoiling her.
He showered her with at least two boutique dresses each month, and other female stuff.
He present himself every night to send her home, or she would threw a rage.
He caved into her demands.
But what irked us most, was when Susan pride herself to easily fool and henpecked Tan.
She was convinced of her right to domineering his social life.

We felt sorry for Tan to make himself easily pushed around by Susan.
But no matter how bad we feel for him, maybe he had his valid reason to let himself to be in the situation.

Beng returned to Singapore after being informed of his sister's wedding.
It was close to five-years since he last met Susan, and assumed everything will turn out fine.

But during those time in the Middle East, he could find no girls to heal his bruised heart.
And when Susan knew of his return, she went up to him, wanting him to continue where he punctuated their love-life...

*** Some Changes Made

******

Forbidden Love Of The Brother And Sister

Had it stopped at an appropriate point, the story of Patrick Stuebing and Susan Karolewski could have been poignant and moving.
Separated by adoption in their native East Germany, the siblings met for the first time in 2000 when Patrick tracked down his birth mother and the younger sister he had never met.
If their mother, Ana Marie, were alive today, however, she would, in all likelihood, be wishing her estranged son had never found his way home.
Because for the past seven years, brother and sister have been lovers. In that time they have had four children together - two of whom are mentally and physically disabled and all of whom are now in care.
And despite the fact that 29-year-old Stuebing, an unemployed locksmith, has already served two jail sentences for committing incest with his sister, now aged 22, the couple defiantly refuse to give each other up.
The disturbing story of their twisted relationship emerged this week as the pair announced plans to take their case to Germany's highest legal body, the Constitutional Court, in a bid to legalise their shocking union.
Astonishingly, they are doing so despite the fact that two of their children can barely walk or talk. Experts believe that such birth defects are caused by inbreeding.
But in a case that could have ramifications across Europe, and which has been presented by liberal sympathisers as a romantic battle against oppression, the pair argue that they are being denied the right to sexual freedom.
"We do not feel guilty about what has happened between us," they announced in a statement. "We want the law which makes incest a crime to be abolished."
To most people, this would seem to be an open and shut case. And yet, because Germany's laws on incest were introduced by the Nazis, they are an easy target for Left-wing groups who can conveniently argue that they are nothing more than an extension of the Third Reich's Aryan racial hygiene laws.
Such groups argue that the laws should be overturned in favour of freedom of choice and sexual determination. Or, as the couple's lawyer, Endrik Wilhelm, puts it: "Everyone should be able to do what he wants as long as it doesn't harm others."
But many say the practice of incest does harm others. Children born as a result of incest are at an increased risk of developing severe mental and physical disabilities. Incest laws are seen as a deterrent and help prevent children being born with the disabilities that result from genetic defects and inbreeding.
Back in Germany, the story has provoked moral and scientific outrage.
"When siblings have a child together, there is only a 50 per cent chance that it will be healthy when it is born," Jurgen Kunze, professor of human genetics at Berlin's Charite hospital, told one newspaper.
German newspapers mockingly call them the "forbidden lovers of the Fatherland" but, clutching each other on the sofa at their home in the small village of Grossdalzig near Leipzig, the pair insist they couldn't help themselves.
"We didn't know each other in childhood," says Susan. "It's not the same for us. We fell in love as adults and our love is real. There is nothing we could do about it. We were both attracted to each other and then nature took over from us. It was that simple. What else could we do? We followed our instincts and our hearts."
In fact, as the Mail has discovered, the details of the relationship make uncomfortable reading. Stuebing was the third of eight children born into a poor, uneducated, dysfunctional family. His violent father, now dead, attacked him with a knife when he was three and he was made a ward of court and then adopted. Susan was born into the same unhappy family - on the same day her parents' divorce was finalised.
Her childhood was unspeakably deprived. Her chain-smoking, unemployed mother often left her at home alone, or entertained lovers while she was there. Poorly educated and barely able to write, even today, Susan remembers being unloved and a burden to her mother.
Six other brothers and sisters, some of whom were born with disabilities, died in childhood. One was run over and killed age seven.
Another mentally handicapped sister died age eight. Susan was close to one of her disabled brothers, Andre, but he died in the same year as her mother.
When Stuebing was 18 he decided to find his biological parents. Four years later he tracked down his mother and discovered Susan. He moved in, and, astonishingly, Ana Marie allowed him to share her young daughter's bedroom.
"We both stayed up late into the night to talk to each other about our hopes and dreams," he says.
Six months later, Ana Marie died of a heart attack. Susan was relying more and more on her brother. It is not hard to see how she might have confused such dependency on her brother with love as she struggled to cope without her mother.
In her own words: "Trust grew into a different type of love when our mother died six months later."
Taking into account her lack of education, it is perhaps not surprising. She left school at 15 with no formal qualifications. A reporter who visited her at her home spoke of her obsessive nail biting and the simple way in which she spoke.
The bond appeared to develop out of dependency on Susan's part and perhaps a need to be respected and in charge on Stuebing's.
He says: "I became head of the family and I had to protect my sister. She is very sensitive but we helped each other during this very difficult period and eventually that relationship became physical."
Despite already having experienced a normal relationship with a woman, he insists: "We didn't even know we were doing anything wrong when we started sleeping together. We didn't think about using a condom. We didn't know it was illegal to sleep together.
"Our mother would not have approved, but the only ones who should judge us now is us."
In October 2001, aged just 16, Susan gave birth to a baby boy, Erik. He was taken into care and now - aged five and living with foster parents in Potsdam - can hardly walk or speak properly.
Sarah, now four, was born in 2003 and suffers similar disabilities. She was also taken into care, as was Nancy, nearly three, who appears to be normal. Sophia, now two, was born while Stuebing was in prison.
Under the care of German social services, Susan tried to hide the pregnancy by wearing baggy clothes. She gave birth alone in the bath. Stuebing has since been sterilised in the mistaken belief that if he has no more children with his sister, he will evade jail. And yet both are apparently in denial about their children's disabilities, despite expert opinion.
"Two of our children are disabled," says Stuebing. "But that is not necessarily anything to do with the fact that we are siblings. There are other disabled people in our family. We had six brothers and sisters who did not survive in some cases because they were disabled."
The pair were tried for incest in 2002. The district court in Leipzig heard how from January 2001 until August 2001, Stuebing "had sexual intercourse with his sister 16 times. Only at the beginning did the accused bother using condoms".
Stuebing received a year's suspended jail term after being found guilty on all counts. Susan, then 17, was treated as a juvenile and placed into the care of youth services.
But after the birth of two more children, the court was not so lenient. Stuebing was eventually sentenced to ten months in prison.
They found themselves in court again in 2005 on account of their other daughters and Stuebing was sentenced to two and a half years for re-committing incest.
When he was taken to jail, a tearful Susan told German newspapers she could not live without him. Stuebing threatened to commit suicide. Yet while the brother was locked up, the sister conceived a fifth child by another man.
Even so, upon Stuebing's release, she gushed to German reporters: "I'm so happy Patrick is here and that I have him again. I need him."
Stuebing in turn told the cameras: "I am doing well. I will always be there for Susan and the children."
They have been living together, but he has one year and five months of his sentence still open, and as he is openly back with his sister, he will be jailed again and again unless he can overturn German law.
"We are challenging this law because we do not want to be separated ever again," he says from the two-bedroom council flat where they live with Susan's latest child and a dog called Tyson.
Incredibly, the couple even argue that they might not have had so many children if the first hadn't been taken away. Stuebing says: "The younger children might not have been born had they not taken the first one from us. We just want to make sure that we don't lose everything again."
He and his sister visit their son Erik in care. He adds: "When you see your child being looked after by someone else when they should be with you, that's hard for any parent to bear. So if he is handicapped, well, that is all the more reason we should be able to look after him."
They also talk about wanting their oldest daughter Sarah back with them, but are happy for the others to remain with foster parents. "It would all be too much and we do not have enough room," says Susan, adding with unwitting irony. "We want to do what is best for them."
It is clear she is still utterly dependent on her brother. At home, she likes to read teenage magazines and watch Germany's version of Big Brother.
"When I go to the shops in the village, all the little boys call me rude names," she says. "But I can bear it all as long as Patrick is with me."
Stuebing admits he underwent a vasectomy in the hope it would mean he could live with his sister without fear of further prosecution.
"There is no reason for them to jail me now," he says. "I do not want to go back to jail and I know we will never voluntarily leave each other. If anyone doubts our love they should just see we will not be kept apart."
Few people would see this as a compelling argument to keep him out of prison. But while incest is one of the few remaining sexual taboos, in legal terms, at least, Europe remains divided. France's incest laws were abolished in 1810 by Napoleon. It is also not illegal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal or Turkey.
But in Britain, incest remains forbidden. The law was extended in 2002 to cover not just blood relatives but also step parents and children and cases of adoption.
If ever there was an argument for retaining incest laws, the story of Patrick Stuebing and his sister Susan Karolewski is surely it.
It is almost inevitable that when Germany's highest court decides on this case in around six weeks time, it will uphold its incest laws and send Stuebing back to jail.
It is a prospect Susan is distraught about. "We want our children back to raise them as a proper family," she says. "We love each other," she adds naively. "Surely that is all that matters?"
In the end, of course, the unfortunate children who have resulted from this twisted union matter far more. Whatever happens, they will have to live with the stigma of their parentage for the rest of their lives.

Source: Dailymail - March 1, 2007

The Other World - My Late Father's Presence

"Mak tak pernah tengok muka Bapak engkau cantik macam tadi." 

"Bapak kita memang cantik, Mak." My Elder Sister replied.

Our Late Father is indeed spiritually beautiful.
He is often present when My Mother recites Her 'wirid'.

My Eldest Sister, whom My Late Father stayed with, during His last days, used to call Me to inform of the glow on Our Late Father's face, especially on Fridays.
So, not only was My Late Younger Sister was present yesterday, there was My Late Father too.

******

I saw only straight row of trees that was planted in the middle of the big road along Bedok Reservoir.

Why was I seeing only trees?

Where are the cars?

After a while, a big bus passed through the deserted road...

It was a casket bus.

My Father's body was inside...

Immediately I called My Eldest Sister to inform Her what I had just seen in my dream.
Our Father will pass away during most people are out spending their long holiday.
I feared nobody will be around to send Him off.
I requested Her to pray hard that Our Father will be properly being sent off.

It was few months before His final days.
He passed away of old age, not of any sickness.
I received the news at 10am on Friday, the second day of 'Eidul Fitr, 2005.

Thank GOD, there is no better days for Him to meet YOU then the day that YOU had chosen for Him.

Thanking My Eldest Sister too, for Her endless day and night prayers.

While I preferred Qur'an reading to have direct communication with HIM, My Eldest Sister finds solace on Her praying carpet.
My Dhuha, if any, is only two raka'at compared to Her, twelve.
My closure prayer, Witir, is only one raka'at that invited scolding from Her.
I devise My own lazy and shortcut ways to get HIS attention.
But nevertheless, My Eldest Sister would turn to Me for things that doubted Her.

******

While I was performing my 'tawaf' around the Ka'abah, My Late Father came to Me.

"Assalaamu 'Alaikum,"

"Eh, Bapak. Bapak buat apa kat sini?" I did not reply His salam.

Too shock to see Him appeared from nowhere during My circumambulation round the Ka'abah.

"Bapak ada kerja sikit lagi ni. Ada tujuh..."

Then I was suddenly awake.

******

I had just finish the first ritual at the jamrahs.
It was My first night in Mina when He approached Me.
I was in the midst of answering the call of Prophet Ibrahim 'alaihis salam to perform Haj on GOD's instruction.

It worried Me as He did not finish His sentence.
It had been seventy days since He passed away, and 'things' are still at work.
But, by just voicing out my worry, usually things will straighten themselves, GOD willing.

"Seven, seventy, seven hundred, seven thousand, which number will justify the lingering doubt?" My Eldest Sister asked when I called to inform Her of my dream. 

"Seven hundred." I said as straight away I remembered,

"The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of ALLAH is like a seed (of grain) which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. 

And ALLAH multiplies (HIS reward) for whom HE wills. And ALLAH is all-Encompassing and Knowing." - Surah Al-Baqarah 261. 

Upon my return from the Haj, My Eldest Sister told me she had made a sadaqah of S$700 in My Late Father's name. 
My Elder Sister 'saw', although My Late Father had almost nil contribution of His possession, He was then sitting on a big chair among prominent men who shared their knowledge and wealth in Singapore during their living days. 

"And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with ALLAH. 
But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of ALLAH - those are the multipliers." - Surah Ar-Rum 39.  

Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives, ALLAH s.w.t. adds to his respect. 

And the one who shows humility, ALLAH s.w.t. elevates him in the estimation of the people. - Hadith narrated by Muslim.              

My Sisters, The Departed, And Rabi'ul Awwal

When everybody had left for their journey home across The Causeway, 'My Younger Sister' wanted to stay behind.

She was then invited to a house by an 'ustaz' who was teaching Qur'an recitation to a group of youngsters.

The house belong to one noble lady who, during her lifetime, had taught Qur'an recitation too.

I had blogged about her earlier.

She accepted the death sentence passed to her, 'on behalf' of her husband.

Her husband was the real culprit.

Anyway, she passed away due to illness.

******

Curious to know, I searched for a head scarf and managed to get one which My Elder Sister gave me when she returned from Palestine in the 90s.

She went to Palestine with My Younger Sister's family.

I did not go as My Family members, except Me, are Malaysians.
But I am determined that GOD willing, Palestine is in my list.

******

When I woke up, I heard myself reciting the last word of one of the Qur'an verse  which means 'The Great News'.
Quickly I called My Elder Sister that tomorrow, 'Maulid' is to be recited at my house as Rabi'ul Awwal has begun.

My Younger Sister never fail to celebrate Rabi'ul Awwal.
She would present herself at Madrasah AlMa'arif every night.
Even when She was home all by Herself, She would open the Berzanji book and recite the 'Maulid' while remain in standing position.

My Younger Sister knew everybody will be at My place tomorrow. 
Although She has left us eight years now, She is still part of The Family.

******

My Elder Sister was speechless.
Just an hour earlier, She had just called up Masjid Rahimabi at Kebun Limau Singapore, for 'waqaf' in My Younger Sister's name.

And at the same time, My Younger Sister appeared in My dream.
So that is 'The Great News'?

Never mind, My YoungYounger Sister had left Us since 2003.
But she knows what is going around.

And, this is not the first time 'such a dream' appeared whenever a deed, no matter how small it is, like just the above S$100 'waqaf' is done in Her name.
She would often appear, as and when, to inform of 'Her latest development'.

******

During Her stay in Singapore General Hospital, We would recite The Qur'an for Her to go to sleep.
She asked to be discharged from the hospital because chemotherapy to Her, is more painful then the cancer She had.

A day before She passed away, She asked My Eldest Sister to bath Her with Zamzam water before Her body went through the final cleansing with ordinary tap water.
Did She knew She was to die the next day?
But She is a person who is 'deaf' of any negative surrounding and 'mute' to talk about others.

Did She already see The Angel Of Death around?
I can only guess as I was at Her house when a man I knew not, went to see Her, and told us not to block the doorway as Malaikat Maut was already around.

The decision to have payer for Her body at nearby Masjid Alkaff was aborted as Her house was packed with family members, well wishers and her Pre-U students who were all eager to join the praying session.

When the prayer had just been ended, a man whom Her Husband knew not, appeared at the door, asking the body to be brought down to Masjid Alkaff the soonest possible, as many of 'his people' were waiting at the mosque to pray for Her...