A Note For My Dear Sisters

I stumble upon this gorgeous ad while strolling on Facebook.

The prizes are quite delicious:
- 1 ticket to Being Me conference
- 1 OSM Goody Bag
- Photo of the message will be displayed at OSM’s Booth @ Being ME 2013

I have attended Being Me conference last year and it is so awesome that I never regret the money spent on the ticket. However, this new challenge tickles my creative intuition much more and I am so eager to send a note to my beautiful sisters out there to remind them that being a muslimah is one the most greatest gift ever created in this world.

After months of creative deprivation, I decided to take the chance and started painting.

Step one: purify the intention.

After joining tarbiyah, one of the huge life transformation that happen to me is that I always try to purify my intention before starting any work. This simple act do help in overcoming any worldly attachment associated with the act. For me, it does not matter whether I win the ticket or not, but I do hope the message can come across to a lot sisters out there.

My journey towards Islam indeed is so beautiful yet I want to share it to other people. The journey is not easy, but it s possible. The best part of it is we do not need to do it alone. I am here to help!

Step two:

Some strokes of colours on a blank page

Step three:

Water applied

Step four:

Brainstorming session

Step five:

Start doodling

Step 6:

Final touch up

Final product:

The picture sent to Owh So Muslim!

A Personal Note

After two weeks hiatus from blogging world, I decided to browse all the post that have been written for this blog so far. Alhamdulillah, there are more than 20 post and I think it is worthwhile to pause for a moment to reflect on the progress of this blog.

It is all begin with a modest art blog. Nowadays, I rarely blog about my artful creation because it is hard for me to make time for the art creation process itself. Then, the blog gradually transform into more random topics. I started to write about my business, my life stories and then develop my own blog project: The Young Daie Project.

If I were asked to describe the niche of this blog, it seems that I would have a hard time to pick up the best word to describe it. However, after a careful observation, I found out all the posts that have been written here convey the same essence: my burning and loving desire to tell stories of how a life of a muslimah should be.

There are reasons why I did not write any tazkirah or any other purely Islamic or haraki content. First, I think there are a lot of people that can do it better than me. Second, I just want to do things differently; rather than just pouring Islamic lectures or tazkirah or taujihat, I am here to tell the stories on how to implement all those Islamic principle in my life.

However, it does not mean that I am the perfect human being. I am just an ordinary people with my own weaknesses. Hence, I take the efforts of improving my shortcoming as a commitment through blogging. Meanwhile, I am hoping that I can encourage other people to do the same.

And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.” (41:33)

Currently, I have make peace with the current design of the blog. I resort to change the previous layout into the first layout of the blog as I think this is the layout that best represent me.

I also change the title of the blog from self-title to Teahouse; a name that currently have making peace with me as well. Why Teahouse? Well, I am hoping whenever my reader enter this blog, they have the same exact feeling as they entering a tea house or tea shop: relax, calming, soothing and inspiring.

Enough of the rants. I am hoping that I can blog more in the future and this tiny blog will be one of the visible efforts to seek His pleasure.

p/s: to all Malaysian, happy voting. This is the fiercest battle ever, but you need to keep calm in order  to make the best decision. I am hoping for major changes anyway.

The Young Daie Project: Hijabiz

I am definitely have goosebumps whenever I think of publishing my first guest post for The Young Daie Project as this is the first project for Teahouse blog. However, I am much more excited and blessed to share a story of a sister who has dedicated her life spreading da’wa for the sake of Allah.

She is one of my best friend; with whom I shared my laughter, joy and also my wildest dream. Her encouragement, motivation and love are very soothing. As I know her personally, I can see that her personality is the exact translation of all her posters which she has made; making her the perfect candidate for The Young Daie Project.

Enough of my introduction. I will let her story to captivate and inspire you.

Dear readers, meet Hijabiz.

1) Who were you before you become ‘The Young Daie’? What was your life perspective and worldview?

SubhanAllah, Young Daie, I believe there are a lot more brothers and sisters out there that deserve that title more than myself.  I am just a tiny servant of Allah; trying my best in spreading the words of Islam in any way possible.

Back then, I was just a typical Muslim teenages who were so indulge in this endless enjoyment of this temporary Dunya and my life is basically Dunya-centered. I see this Dunya as my ultimate goal. Being lost in this Dunya, I found myself being lost and I was unable to find the ultimate reasons towards anything that happened.

My perspective of life was, I would want to be the best human being for the sake of myself, to perform Salah, fast in the month of Ramadhan and perform Hajj. That was my view towards Islam. It is just centered around the five pillars of Islam while I realize not that, Islam is actually Ad-Deen, the way of life. My perspective towards life before I understand the true purpose of my existence was very narrow and Alhamdulillah, indeed I praise Allah again and again for showing me the straight path in this Dunya and Akhirah.

2) Was there any important moment before everything shifted? What happened?

I was once a Hijabi and due to my surrounding, influence of my friends, my indulgence in this Dunya, encourage me soon to leave my Hijab. For about two years, I decided to lead a life of endless enjoyment and being a non-hijabi. I am subjected to more freedom to do whatever I wish to, AstagfirullahAdheem.

A paradigm shift in my life was when, a question being asked to me by a friend, ‘What is going to happen to us when we die?’ As cliché as it may seems but that one particular question, make my heart stop beating for a moment, make my eyes stay awake for the whole night, make me unable to step outside my door as the one thing that I do not obey Allah was that, I leave what He asked me to do for the sake of this temporary Dunya? Is it worth it? I keep asking myself these questions and it left me with tears.

Soon, few days after that I decided to put on Hijab back and at that very moment, I must say, I felt alive back again and a girl with hijab is who I am. Not the girl without Hijab that lead a endless enjoyment of this Dunya. Thus, at that very moment, I have promised myself, to be a better Muslim than who I were yesterday.

3) Where are you now? What have you created? How you see yourself as a daie in the future? (It is time to share your dreams)

Alhamdulillah, I am more than bless to be given the chance to further my studies in Medical field in Dublin Ireland for 2.5 years and currently, I am in Penang, Malaysia for another 2.5 years to complete my degree InshaAllah Taala.

For the moment, again and again I must thank Allah for all the endless blessings that He shower upon me. The opportunity to be apart of Islamic Society back in university in Dublin and in college now, really nourish my Islamic understanding and knowledge. Thus allow me to take another step ahead in becoming a better Muslimah today than yesterday. Lesson from yesterday is what been gifted by Allah to help me go through tomorrow. Currently,  I am the founder for Hijabiz Tumblr, Facebook Page, WordPress and Webs.com Alhamdulillah.

How do I see myself as a daie in the future? An interesting question MashaAllah. First of all, I must say, the need to keep on renewing my intention again and again, to remind myself of doing the tiniest deeds or the biggest deeds is solely for Allah SWT and none other. Next, I would like to increase my knowledge in Islam and Quran in order to educate other brothers and sisters out there that is in search of Islam. I would also, would like to increase my effort to broaden Hijabiz branch in spreading Da’wa through online approach by encouraging young Dai’e out there to start writing their own article in educating Muslims out there about Islam.

To add on, I would also would like to organize Islamic conference, Islamic campaign for youngsters out there, conducting a regular Quranic Circle weekly, produce a book under Hijabiz and last but not least, the essence to enable myself to reach all these is to take care of my self Tarbiya and relationship with Allah SWT. Without these 2 core fundamentals, everything will be impossible. Before helping people out there to reach and understand Islam, I must understand it myself first.

4) What is your advice to anyone who wanted to contribute for Islam but still not brave enough to embrace their dream or still clueless on how to contribute?

SubhanAllah, I may not be the best person to answer this question. However, based on my tiny experience, I always practice this principle. For whatever that Allah presented upon me, I believe it is specially gifted for me and it must have have been presented to me to help me becoming a better Muslimah each day.

Every singly deed, as small as it may seems, it will never be small in the sight of Allah SWT. Therefore, do grab as many chance as been presented to you to do anything that you could to contribute to Islam. As simple as, sharing a facebook status or as huge as attending Islamic Camp. Keep doing. As you will never know which deed of yours that will grant you Jannah.

Learn from everyone around you, choose one specific mentor and learn from him or her. Remember that Allah has placed specific people in your life to teach you something. There is always a first time in anything, but trust me, if your intention is solely for Allah, He will guide you through InshaAllah Taala. If anyone of you out there that is interested in contributing to Islam through online da’wa, feel free to drop me a message at Hijabiz Facebook Page. Last but not least, remember the verse of Allah which always motivate me to do more and more,

 ’Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving’

[Surah Mulk Verse 2]

Jazakallahu Khayran Katheera

Barakallahu Feekum

Subhanallah, a very moving story. Jazakillahukhairan kathera sister for sharing our story with us. You can connect with Hijabiz through:

Website | Facebook | Blog | Tumblr

If you feel that this blog has benefit you is some way, feel free to share this post or like my FB page located at the sidebar. Hopefully, you will benefit more from there as well insyaAllah

The Young Daie Project

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

It is unusual for me to write two post in a day. Perhaps, this might due to not writing for a long time.

Enough for the introduction.

Today, I am blessed to announce a new project for Teahouse blog: The Young Daie Project.

At first glance, this project look like a blog series: a collection of inspiring stories of young caliphs who strive hard to call people towards Allah by maximising their own potential and talent, and know how to use the technology and social media to benefit others.

It is a blog series, but it is more like a movement.

A movement to call other Muslim youth to use any of their potential to perform their duty of calling people towards Allah.

You might know some of them and their works, but rarely the motivation (and dreams) behind it. As their stories has inspired me, I hope that they can inspired you too.

I am hoping to be a connector; to connect people to their innermost potential which soon to be unlocked. I hope that you will benefit from reading their stories and started creating your own.

Remember: the world needs your talent and gifts. It even want you to channel it for the benefit of the ummah.

Last, I hope Allah will accept my humble efforts of being a connector.

InsyaAllah, I will featured our first daie in this project soon

Share Their Stories

Do you want to feature any daie which has inspired you in this blog? Feel free to email me their stories at amalduta89@gmail.com

P/s: If you feel that my blog has benefit you in some way, feel free to Like my new Facebook page located at the sidebar. Hopefully you will benefit more from that page as well

Celebrate The Commitment Towards Your Body

Salam Jumuah Barakah

I am so happy to be able to write something in this space after so long I detached myself from online writing. I have just finished my end of block exam and I found out that I already miss everything from psychiatry rotation: the doctors, the wards and the patients. The rotation has thought me a lot of valuable lessons as you can read it here and here.

After the exam, I went hiking at Penang Hill with my awesome friends. Two hours of five kilometres hiking was definitely tiring but it does help me to renew my commitment of exercising 3 times per week, which has stopped for months due to lack of strong will

Celebrating the end, which is impossible if you have never started.

I care much about my physical well being as I regard my body as a trust that have been given to me by Allah. It means that if I do not take a good care of it, it shows how ungrateful I am towards the gift.

It is like giving a gift towards a person who never bother the value of it.

We tend to forget of how sacred our body are. Yet, we are not care much to stop ourselves from having a sedentary lifestyle which full of fast-food coupled with Internet-bound attitude. Wait till our body become weaker and diabetes start to rush in, then only we start to feel guilty for our headlessness.

”The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both.” [Muslim]

If you wanting to have a good life or do dakwah for a long time, do care about your health. If so it will become one of your precious your treasure in the future

Love From Inside The Ward 2

My journey into psychiatric world is about to come to an end, but to be honest, I am totally hooked with each steps of the journey. Each day seems to open up windows of opportunity: to know, to understand, and to love.

My perceptions towards psychiatry change day by day. At first, psychiatry seems foreign to me. It was like a invincible wall has been put up around it, making it so hard to be understood by common people. Truly, people are always afraid to things that they do not know. This is the reason why the psychiatric patients are always regarded as ‘aggressive’, ‘abnormal’, ‘abusive’ etc, yet they are not always so. Hence, knowledge is really needed to bring down the wall and remove the stigma that always revolve around these special people.

As I move along the path, I learn one core value about this type of patients. If you happen to learn psychiatry, you will now that the reason why some patient having the illness are not always biological in nature. There are also psychological part of it. It is not always that ‘something is really wrong’ about them. The ‘wrongs’ are sometimes could be found from their own surrounding and hence shaping their personality and their future coping skills.

Here are some examples that I have encountered. I once have heard a story about a bright student who has being sexually abused by her fellow dormates and develop bipolar one year after the incident. Furthermore, there are lot of patients that I have spoken to have develop depression due to unresolved conflicts in their house. There is a particular student develop anxiety after being pressured by her parents to perform well in academics. These kind of stories always make my heart feel unease and sometimes I cannot stop anger and frustration from slowly creep into my heart.

By knowing all the factors that could contribute to mental illness, it is much more easier for us to understand and removed all the judgements. For example, I am blessed to have a very loving and caring family. Hence, I would never understand how it is like to come from a dysfunctional family where irresponsibilities and hatred are all around. Other than that, sexual abuse is more than I am able to comprehend. However, for them, the damage is done and the marks are remain there while the culprits joyfully run away from all the damages that they have caused.

It seems that Allah has pick them up to undergo some bad circumstances, but I always believe that He has done His very best. It is not that He like to put some people into bad ordeal, but it is more a reflection of how some members in the society are failing to fulfil their duties towards others: to love, to be responsible, to care and to be kind. Yet, it is our job to fill up the vacuum.

Stay True To Yourself

I has got my feedback on my reflective assignments few days ago from my Irish professor. Alhamdulillah, the essay was well-received by him and he posted a very good feedback on it. If you read my last post which is the reflective assignment I submitted without any further changes, you will notice I ended up my essay by quoting a Quranic verses. The good part of it was, he noticed it!

‘I take it the quote at the end is a plea for cultural tolerance and inclusion – if so it is something much needed in the world!’

I regard the above feedback as a positive one. I believe, we view the world which we are in now through a specific kind of lens. The lens which we choose to put will determine the way we look up the world. As I regard myself as an devout Muslim, it is nearly impossible for me to take away my religion whenever I view the world from a specific point of view, even in psychiatry ward! Hence, when I am putting the quote at the end of my essay, it is not merely a random picking of Quranic verses, but for me, it is statement of belief. A statement that explain the things that I made of!

Even though I know my essay will be read by my non-Muslim professor, I want to stay committed to what I really believe in. Maybe it is first and the last Quranic verses that he read, but I am hoping this encounter can be a starting point for him to start noticing Islam as way of life and not merely consist a religious rituals of praying, fasting and hijab.

‘Staying true to yourself’ is the whole basic idea when I created badges for Laude Arts. I want those badges capture statements of belief, rather than just portray Islam in beautiful way. I regard those who bought the badges are committed to show who they are whenever they are putting the badges on their bag and hijab.

On the contrary, I was the one who has the confidence issue. Somehow, staying true to myself is a struggle. It is much easier to display my belief to people who shared the same views rather to a stranger. It was even a struggle to put my own badge on my bag! This internal conflict somehow create a sense of dualism in my heart, which was unsettled for quite some time.

Badges bought by our lovely customers. Clear messages

Yes, religion is personal issue but staying true to yourself is another matter. Confidence and bravery are not developed overnight. They need to nurtured from a small seed in order to become an enormous tree. Nowadays, I promised myself to stay true to what I am. I am both a slave and caliph; the one who strive in this world to seek His pleasure and His jannah. For me, this is enough to describe who am I.

p/s: I has just launched brand new Laude Arts blog. Go there to know what we offered and how to purchase them!

Love From Inside The Ward

Time: 1.50 am

Song: Ready To Love (Outlandish)

I used to have an extrovert friend who wanted to be a psychiatrist so badly but, her mother was not keen with the decision. Hoping that the daughter will change her mind, her mother asked: ‘Why do you want to treat somebody who has no future?’

This happen years ago while I am still an aspiring medical student. However, that question really implanted in my mind which I subconsciously agreed. Hence, psychiatrist was never be my choice of profession. There was even joke that said you can considered psychiatrist as your profession only if you contract Hep B during your medical training!

So, I regard psychiatry as another rotation that need to go through as part of my medical  training. However, I did not know that it can offers more than it seems to be. For the last 3 weeks, I have seen quite a number of patients; some are totally out of their mind like a lady that I have met today who claimed that she is an angel with 5 000 millions children. But most of them were just another human being as they were able to feel a spectrum of emotions ranging from happiness and elation to emptiness, sadness and hopelessness.

For other people, they might be just another mentally ill patients, but for me, they are the reflections of reality of society today. Most of them are badly treated when they are child, some were unloved and later found alcohol, drugs and cigarettes as their replacement of love that they never received. I have heard a case of a patient that previously being bullied as a student and develop anxiety disorder and depression later in life, even after he managed to obtain a phD. Yes, people can be that cruel.

I remembered visiting D-Home, a sanctuary for mentally ill patient, totally change my perception towards psychiatry forever. At that place, I have seen a beautiful interaction between patients with other fellow patients and care givers. We were having so much fun: dancing, singing, playing mahjong (I won one round ), laughing and eating.

As a medical student, I regard myself as an overachiever. In D-Home, I suddenly drop the medical student’s role and replace it with other role: a giver. I do not remember exactly the games that I played there but I remembered the warmth feeling when I try so hard to curve smile on their face, holding hands and talking. It wa a very beautiful feeling.

We were shown a a massive painting on the wall which I interpret it as light at the end of dark tunnel. I only know the significance of the painting after we met Irene, an enthusiastic D-Home trainer which later revealed herself as a patient with major depressive disorder. She look totally fine like just any other human being. The only thing that she said that really struck my heart was: ‘Do not deprive hope from mentally ill patient, as they have the chance to be cured just like me’. Her stories totally reflect the painting of light at the end of the tunnel! (You need to read her book to know her full story)

For the conclusion, the only barrier between the patients and society is the stigma that exist between them. I really hope that the wall can be bring down and they can be seen as another beautiful interaction between human and universe that need to be cared and loved, just like patients with diabetes, hypertension etc. I hope this writing can help you to change the way you look the mentally ill patients. For me they still fulfil this following Quranic verses:

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.

Hujurat: 13

(I wrote this for my reflective essay assignment. It should be 100 words long I know. But, you can never control the overflowing feelings that come over while writing it )

The Moment After I Lost My Phone…..

The medical school has already started and I am at the peak of adjustment period. The new rotation seems to offers more hectic schedule and exam anxiety. For the past few days, I became more industrious which I think is good to my academic achievement but I found out that I also has loss interest to do something which I usually love: blogging and painting. While writing this post, I have the sense of ‘guilty pleasure’ to remove books for a while in order to write something in this space.

Moving a week backward, the Brunei trip went so well except that I lost my 3-months old phone. I am not really sure how my phone went missing; either it was slipped out from my bag or someone pickpocket it from the bag. However, it was really a distressing moment for me and I hardly enjoyed any activities after I lost my phone. I have a mixed feeling angry, sad, scared (of my parents’ nagging of course) and emptiness. At the peak of the moment, I even wonder if I need to cry in order to relieve the stress.

My journal page which was written a day after I lost my phone. Flipping this page, makes me realize the power putting all the hopes to the One

Then, I took a pause button and reflect: ‘Do I really deserve to cry in the first place?’ I came to a realization; I am not the ultimate owner of the phone (even though I am using my money to buy it). The phone was borrowed to me by Him, and now it is time for Him to take it back. Hence, do I really deserve to cry if the ultimate Owner wants it back?

Indeed, it was a huge test for me, and I think some of us also have experienced it to some degree: losing a physical thing that become our source of attachment. Yet, He sent His sign in order to remind us who shall we pour our attachment to: to Him or to His created being.

“This worldly life, the dunya, is just like the ocean. And our hearts are the ships. We can use the ocean for our needs and as a means to get to our final destination. But the ocean is only that: a means. It is a means for seeking food of the sea. It is a means of travel. It is a means of seeking a higher purpose. But it is something which we only pass through, but never think to remain in. Imagine what would happen if the ocean became our end – rather than just a means.

Eventually we would drown.”

Yasmin Mogahed

Instead of feeling low and distress, I decided to look at the test from a different point of view. I learn to be grateful for having opportunity to experienced the latest advancement of human technology and stay more connected with my friends and family. Having such a great smartphone was really an awesome experience and I am blessed to be chosen of having it, even for short period of time.

I recall a story told by my friend. She drop her phone just before she went out of a taxi while travelling in UK (she was a resident in Dublin back then). Four months later, she received a call from a stranger informing that the phone was safe with him, and surprisingly the stranger took all the trouble posting the phone from UK to Ireland, even though my friend had already bought a new phone.

In Dublin, if one lost his phone in bus, he has 97% guarantee that he can have his phone back. There are many people in the bus that are honest enough to give the phone to the bus driver for safe return. Back in Dublin, I also never afraid to leave my iPad, or purse in lecture hall and go to musolla or lunch as I know nobody will steal it.

Yup, it is one big example shown by Western civilisation that worth to be followed at.

Ray of Lights

It has been so long since I drew Moon of Dreams. Tonight, I decided to try out a new style of painting. While I love colours, tonight artsy exercise required me to stick with only one colour: white, together with black cardboard background. The learning objective is to practise the different shades of white colour. Different shades would produce different effects on the painting. So, I started off with some minor practices.

Then, I took off with the first drawing attempt. I simply want to draw ray of light that would reflect my hope and desire.

The shade was not properly made and the love sign is buried inside the fancy ray

Disappointed, I log in to my Pinterest and resorted to sketching.

While I sketched wildly, sometime inside me clicking. I remember that there is a specific, special kind of light mentioned in the Scripture. The light is not just an ordinary light. It is light which is wanted, admired and needed by mankind together with the creatures of the World.

  “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.
The parable of His Light is a niche wherein is a lamp—
the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering star—
lit from a blessed olive tree,
neither eastern nor western,
whose oil almost lights up,
though fire should not touch it.
    Light upon light.
Allah guides to His Light whomever He wishes.
Allah draws parables for mankind,
and Allah has knowledge of all things.”

Ayat an-Nur (24:35), “Light upon light.”

Then, I began to draw in order to express my own interpretation of the verses. I remember the feeling while drawing it; sort of feeling longing together with serenity.

 

This is what I like most about painting. It always shows our deepest desire that linger inside our heart.