charity

Obligatory charity for the sake of God is due from every single part of your body, even from every root of your hair. in fact, charity is due for every instant of your life.

Charity of the eye means looking with consideration and averting your gaze from desires and things similar to them.

Charity of the ear means listening to the best of sounds, such as wisdom, the Quran, and the benefits of faith contained in warnings, and good counsel, and by avoiding lies, slander and similar things

Charity of tongue means to give good advice, to awaken those who are heedless, and to give abundant glorification and remembrance and other, similar things.

Charity of hand means spending money on others, to be generous with God's blessing to you, to use your hand to write down knowledge and information by means which others will benefit in obedience to God, and to restrain your hand from evil.

Charity of the foot means to hasten to carry one's duty to God by visiting virtuous people, attending assemblies of remembrance, putting things right between people, maintaining ties of kinship, engaging in jihad (inner struggle), and doing things that will make your heart sound and your faith correct.
- Al-Sadiq
Essential Sufism, James fadiman & Robert Frager

I thought i should share this, as well as a constant reminder to myself. insya Allah.

i was once here

Today I am in such a shape
that i can't differentiate
the load from the donkey
i am in such shape today
that i don't know which is the thorn
and which is the rose

My Love put me in this shape today
i don't know who is the lover
or who is the beloved

Yesterday drunkenness led me
to the door of the Love
but today i can't find
the door or the house

Last year i had two wings
fear and hope
today i don't know of wings
don't know how to fly
don't know of my lost fears

-Rumi

Reaching out to teens

Some ways to reach out and teach teens without yelling...hehehe

Ring a bell or blow a whistle. Start a noisemaker collection so you can vary sounds.

Choose a hand signal with the children that they can all remember and agree to honor. When it is noisy, make the hand signal and wait for all the children to follow.

Praise attentive behavior: “I like the way Jane is ready to listen” and “Joe is ready to listen, too - thank you” until they all quiet down.

Throw a small, soft ball to the first child who pays attention who then throws it back to you. Only toss it to children who are paying attention and just until it is quiet.

Talk VERY softly so they must strain to listen.

Flash the lights on and off a few times.

While talking, stand next to the chatterboxes. Lightly touch their arm or shoulder if they start to talk.

Start a physical routine such as a clapping sequence or a sequence where they touch their heads, shoulders, noses, etc. Stop when everyone has joined the sequence.

Play a “freeze” game. Whenever you say “freeze” they must stop and freeze in place without talking. You can then give your directions and “thaw” them.

Pick out one positive code word, such as “focus”, and use it as needed.

taken from Shelley Murdock, M.Ed., Community and Youth Development Advisor(ucdavis.edu)

game plan relearn

Here are some ways you can get what you want at work (game plan tactics):

* Schedule a meeting and ask. Make sure you bring concrete facts, lists, and reasons why you should get what you want. Make lists, charts, trackers, etc. Be organized and professional.

* Ask your boss if they need help with anything. Always be willing to help no matter how menial the task is. This shows your boss you care, you will eventually turn into the person they lean on when they need something, and in turn, you will be more worthy of getting what you want.

* If its a new project or responsibility you want, make suggestions. Say this new project gets brought up in a meeting. Share your insights. If the person working on the project already mentions something about it, try to work in the line " Oh, let me know if you help with that..."

* Always show gratitude and always show interest and excitement. Whenever you do get new responsibilities, or someone gives you feedback, help, etc. Never forget to be super thankful, and always say things like " I am so excited to help you with [insert not so fabulous project here]" People respond better to those who are always positive.

Warnings and Tips:

* Be persistent, but don't be annoying.

* If you are just starting out in a position or career, do not ask for too much too soon, you need to put your time in.

* Don't walk around feeling jipped because you deserve x,y, and z. If you want to keep your job, you need to realize that you are disposable, replaceable, and someone is always waiting to snatch your job up if you screw it up.

* Be patient. You may not be getting what you want because your boss doesn't think you deserve it yet, so, work harder.

taken from http://hubpages.com/hub/howtogetwhatyouwantatwork

The fisherman

A story @ Qisas.com

leaving you a moment to read and have a thought on it. whichever way you want to interpret it. my reflection, well can't hate hardwork and having a career if they can bring happiness in life in the most simplest way.
__________________________________________________

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”

The investment banker then asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

The fisherman said, “With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The investment banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and busy life.”

The investment banker scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to a big town and eventually to the the city where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise.”

The fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the investment banker replied, “15 to 20 years.”

“But what then?” asked the fisherman.

The investment banker laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions?…Then what?”

The investment banker said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings and spend time with your family.”

Leadership (Part 3) - Dynamics of a class

Classroom should

• Allow for flexible groups
• Foster the students' responsibility for their own learning
• Provide a mechanism for students to get help when the teacher is busy with other students
• Provide ongoing learning activities
• Display assignment/project schedules, scoring rubrics, general procedure

Instruction should

• Be less teacher lecture and more investigation and group sharing
• Be less whole group and more small group or individual
• Be aimed at different learning styles
• Allow for a variety of responses
• Allow for conference time between student and teacher

Assignments should

• Vary in content, based on student need
• Vary in difficulty, based on student readiness
• Allow for choice based on student interests and strengths
• Vary in time allocation
• Vary to reflect student goals
• Contain directions that are clear and direct enough for student and parents to understand

To reflect ongoing assessment and evaluation, records should

• Include a writer's notebook and portfolio for each student
• Include interest surveys
• Document readiness for curriculum learning expectations
• Record individual goal setting
• Record achievement of goals
• Allow for scoring one assignment with differing scoring rubrics and for scoring a variety of assignments on the same topic

Despite having this knowledge, how do keep or retain this dynamics while conducting classes? its either we're on the right track although not realising there's a theory behind it, or we are not sure whether we're on the right track or not. Got to act consistent :))
Extracted from "leadership for differentiating schools and classrooms"

acknowledge your success

You can build your confidence by acknowledging your successes for each step along the way to trying to achieve a goal. The self-congratulations will build and re-enforce your confidence along the way to feeling like a champion.
http://www.school-for-champions.com/excellence/confwbt.htm#10

....but not up to the point that you're showing off.

anyway...was just thinking...i thought i had so many dreams. but by doing the job i'm in now, does that mean i have to forego the dreams i had? i thought i was going to do something for my alma mater, i thought i was going to visit the place often, i thought i was going to be a person who likes attending talks and suchs, heh, i thought i was going to be a volunteer at orphanages. i thought i was going to be a regular at hC? whatever happened to those?

or would it be justifiable to say - let's concentrate one thing at a time?

gain confidence in 5 steps

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend you’ve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. You’ll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of ‘flow’. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, you’ll feel competent and capable. It’s a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you don’t have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something you’ve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesn’t have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

You’ll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

It’s been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

You’ll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, you’ve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If you’ve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything you’ve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my driver’s test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Gain-Confidence-and-Boost-Self-Esteem-in-5-Simple-Steps&id=152685

Leadership (Part 2)

This would be the part which i believe is utmost important, especially for me, looking at the transition that i'm going through. everything which i must learn to be.

Leadership requires a person with vision and the capacity to extend it to others.

• Articulates a vision based on moral and professional purpose.
• Inspires others to think along with her.
• Listens to the ideas of others and incorporates them into the vision as appropriate.
• Gains acceptance for the vision.
• Teaches followers.
• Helps others.
• Focuses on maintaining a sense of direction over an extended period of time.
• Is an active participant in the change process, accepting responsibility for outcomes rather than merely assigning responsibility to others.

Administration = management role

• Make plans to ensure abstract visions for change become concrete.
• Taking care of budgets, schedules, access to materials and knowledge, and organization of other resources necessary for change.
• Working with teachers and administrators to determine their needs and responding effectively and efficiently.
• Assess the process.
  

Lessons in leadership and differentiation (Part 1)

Taken from the book "Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms" by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan

What is differentiation?

It refers to a teacher's reacting responsively to a learner's needs. Understanding the students' needs to express humor, or work with a group, or have additional teaching on a particular skill and many other needs (esp looking at the many learning styles which students have). The whole idea of differentiation is to maximise students' understanding and individual success and gradually applying the knowledge to their life.

The book listed out many principles that eventually builds up on the concept of differentiation and apparently, it's not just lessons, but involved the teachers (in attitudes and teaching methods) and even the supporting education staff and the environment (public/parents) which can be directly/ indirectly involved. All in the name of providing the best education for students!

(i) Student Characteristics for which teachers can differentiate

Students' Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile

(ii) Characteristics of High-Quality Curriculum and Instruction

- Is clearly focused on the essential understandings and skills of the discipline that a professional would value.

- Is mentally and affectively engaging to learners.

- Is joyful- or at least satisfying.

- Provides choices.

- Is clear in expectations.

- Allows meaningful collaboration.

- Is focused on products that matter to students.

- Connects with students' lives and world (isn't this what aL.I.V.E. is all about?:))

- Is fresh and surprising.

- Seems real to the student.

- Is coherent (organized, unified, sensible) to the student.

- Is rich, deals with profound ideas.

- Stretches the students.

- Calls on students to use what they learn in interesting and important ways.

- Involves the students in setting goals for their learning and assessing progress toward those goals.

5 great teaching techniques

here's five teaching techniques taken from 2think2learn video clip. found this in youtube anyway. good as a reminder to me and for others :))

1. Always have a genuine purpose behind the lessons you are delivering.

2. Make sure the material is engaging and interactive.

3. Allow students opportunity to direct their own learning.

4. Mistakes are an integral part of the learning process.

5. Humour releases tension - so use it often!

alive teaching

i really like this teaching technique. i hope one day i can do something like this in my classes. it's so lively and engaging and i believe the students will enjoy the lesson and perhaps, learn and remember more!!



i'm so going to learn this! :)

state of mind

i was asked by a young buddhist friend from a recent workshop, about Yoga.
of course this part of the world was knocked with the issue of yoga being haram-ed in the neighbouring country.

oh no, i am not going to give some academic opinions with hujahs and dalils, well, not yet. but one thing came across my mind.

quite simply yoga is a religious ritual for religions like hindu and some buddhist practices, and when included with mantras and the recitings, of surety, it will affect the state of a muslim's faith.

but at the same time, yoga has been 'new-aged' and most yoga practices only involved body movement and the state of mind and inner peace. most yoga practitioners will not identify themselves as hindus, because of their take that yoga is a practical exercise, aid and not a religious ritual. but this of course, in western perspectives, who have found good in some religious ritual, although wanting to avoid being affiliated to a religion, causes yoga to be 'neutralized'. so what makes yoga yoga?

if you are to be in a sitting position, breathing properly, and putting your mind in a clear form, would that be yoga? or is it JUST a relaxing practice? is it just a state of mind? if you're sitting, closing your eyes, trying to relax your mind, however reciting the zikrs instead, will that be a form of *bhakti yoga* on its own? the concept is quite similar doesn't it? so why not just do zikr? you get your rest, inner peace + some afterworld rewards.

i think it's just a sensationalied term. y-o-g-a stripped of its hinduist origins. sounds chim right? when actually it's just a state of mind, a form of meditation. but how do you actually separate the physical movement from the spiritual essence of yoga? is there a point where you can say, ok i'm doing this yoga thing up to this, beyond that it'll be syirk. would you know that border point? and really it's very much vague what yoga really is without going through its process. just like sufi being vague and confusing to most because of not experiencing it. but that's another story altogether.

i have always respected yoga practice as a special hindu ritual, and thus never thought of taking it up. leave the hindus alone!

look at it this way. solat without the spiritual essence. so any person can do solat just to gain some inner peace and tranquil state. that wouldn't be solat you say right? it's just any form of 'exercise'. but how can you do the solat acts without the readings and being in a state of mind you need to be, the state of faith you are in.. it'll be null.

so yoga without the readings and being in a state of mind you need to be and seek even, then it wouldn't be yoga. it will only be yoga if you put in faith in doing it and there's bound to be some reads/mantra you read through even if it's only "oummmm" which by the way, refers to hindus' concept of god. yoga comes in a whole package if you haven't notice already. no matter how agnostic or atheist yoga practitioners are, they are, well, in a state of belief to the ritual. the whole paganistic nature and surroundings elements that go with it.

so, to do or not to do? i'll just stick to my inter-faith respect towards it but at the point of conflicting my aqidah, i don't risk it.

changing glass castle

i just finished reading the book The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and i loved it. it gives a very different non-stereotypical portrayal of a family who have very educated and talented parents (stereotypically it would be big house, academics career, and glossy looking smart children)who chose to go against the norm and live like wanderers, adventurous and vagabond, moving from one place to another.

really, i can't stop reading it, and at almost every page, i would be expressing "what??!!" "seriously??" "what kind of a parent is this??" "what the toots?" and "WOW!" but it has nothing to do with violence or psychological disorder, or "My name is Dave"-like stories. it's just that the Walls parents (yes its based on real life story) have a different way of teaching their four children, imparting values from a different angle. for example, letting insects and pests practically breed in their rickety house because you don't have the right to kill or destroy other living beings. despite the noble values the parents taught them, and the education they gave from home (the Walls children are geniuses) it's the standard of living which is almost ridiculous. the children eating from leftovers or surviving on margarine or corn for whole days on end, being on a hunger strike because their father is away looking for gold and mother unable to keep a teaching job because of her eccentric nature of teaching.

but i envy the children much because of their independence and smartness, up to the point that they tried ways and took up menial jobs(paper runs, babysitting! when they themselves need babysitting! collecting tins and bottles) from the age of as young as five just to get a morsel of food. and the thing is they don't rebel and indulge in gangsterism/drinking/drugs/friends' bad influence. they just don't. and that's what amazes me. of course, being children, and eventually teens, they build their own perspectives on things, but they didn't blame their parents. they very much love their parents still and instead, in whatever it is they were doing, their agenda would be to make less burden for their parents. and yes the parents had their own flaws.

because, if it's in some community, oklah, my community. it would be a totally different story right? give the same scenario and you get different reactions. of course, i'm not generalising, but in most cases.

just this week, we got a whole list of thumbnail pics on BH of youths involved in physical conflict. and for what?

it's been quite some time since we heard of a group of boys caught for a fight. and we thought things are getting better? i don't think so.

despite the activities and everything else people are doing, problems like this arises. last week, in my discovering coversation circle session, we had to picture ourselves in 2025.

the picture which most of us had would be technologically-inspired infrastructure and wealth and whatnots. but we share one concern (despite adhering to different religions), the human touch and religion. where would religion fit in with all the rush to obtain material wealth? it's a hedonistic materialistic world. (wow, such a long time since last i used that word was in an Islamic Contemporary Issues Exam)and it's a scary world. looking at the state of world now, all right let's not go global yet. just look at the current community we are living in. just two months ago, during Ramadhan, me and few other blogger friends were lamenting on the ignorance and insignificant understanding of Ramadhan by the mainstream.
(why do i even start calling them 'mainstream'? so who's going 'indie' then?)

and being a pre-sociologist, i have to admit, i'm scared of change.

while talking about marriage and weddings (http://invoke.sg) an acquaintance put it rightly so "question here is have we start that seismic shift or are still caught up in academic debates?"

talk is cheap. but are we ready for change? i say not. until the X generation make way to the Y, sociologically speaking.

most people have these academic dreams of a glass castle, but made of what?
by the standard of living when you're in an economic -driven country, or the quality of living, when we're investing on an afterlife castle?

sidang burung

si*dang bu*rung was a theatric (i don't think you can find this term in the dict) performance, an attempt to adapt for Fariduddin Attar's Conference of the Birds. in malay, directed by sa-ni hus-sin and playwright by is-a kam-ari.

everytime i went to the library, i will come across a version of Attar's translated Conference of the birds but i have never took the effort to even read it and now i wish i had! because only then would i know where the flaws would be. not that i'm coming to a theatre to rant out comments. but then i would be more critical and not blindly accepting the whole performance....

...because even a person like me, amateur to the arts line, could sense that the actors and actresses of the play might not even understand what they are reciting~ but i'm sure they have done their research. and kesidang burungan, being an originally a sufistic literature, is spiritualistic and mystic, i believe it's a poem of love to the Lord.
and Attar, being a sufi, must have gone through many stages to obtain even an idea, a slight image of Him. and i'm afraid the actors and actresses don't really get that. they're just, well, acting. there's only one actor whom i think understand the spiritualistic process of Attar's.

kesidang burungan quite briefly:
a hoopoe bird aka hudhud desires to search for the king of kings known as Simurgh all the way from across the lands, seas and mountains. and he urged other kinds of birds, like the merak, the parrot, merbuk, even a duck and rooster, bat and a rajawali, and many others, i suppose to follow him on this quest. but all these birds had their own reasons but it turned out they all followed him through highs and lows.

now they have reached the gates of a Qaf mountain, believed to be the abode of Simurgh. out of millions who have followed them all the way, many have failed and left only thirty of the birds who have strived on. the gatekeeper of the abode welcomed them. the birds asked to see Simurgh. however, the answer given by the gatekeeper was simurgh refers to themselves. for simurgh means 30 in persian. and they are only searching for themselves.

well you know what? i'm going to look for Attar's Conference of the Birds and read!

anyway, i hate the costumes worn by the actors/resses. i don't think the expressions given by them suits the lines. and i almost thought a Hindu song was played! but it turned out to be a Persian song named Simurgh. (that's only because i ASKED THE DIRECTOR, read: sa-ni hus-sin)

however, i think kesidang burungan is a huge step in the Malay arts. a performance which wanted to bring meaning. i'm sure the play didn't start out to be portrayed as Islamic. and people might get confused. but i guess it will somehow open up people's minds, especially the mainstream people, the play is not too difficult to understand if you do away with the details and the original work of Attar. the physical movement, the little humours, the brief songs and musics, it will be stamped to the mainstream's minds, and tell them: Look! there is this sufistic islamic artwork known as the Conference of the birds, full of meaning and wise teachings, which you can apply to your life, read it and realise it. your love is for God.

well, i can say, i enjoyed ke-sidang burung-an and it has opened up my mind and create a critical channel in my thinking system. we definitely should have more of this genre in the arts scene.

Salam

Note: an article written by self which came out in aL.I.V.E. E-News http://alive.sg/alive-news.html

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Masud: We used to say the greeting, name and greet each other in the prayer. Allah's Apostle heard it and said:--

"Say, 'At-tahiyyatu lil-lahi was-salawatu wat-taiyibatu . Assalamu 'Alaika aiyuha-n-Nabiyu wa-rahmatu-l-lahi wa-barakatuhu. _ Assalamu alaina wa-'ala 'ibadi-l-lahi as-salihin.. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa-l-lah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abdu hu wa Rasuluh.

(All the compliments are for Allah and all the prayers and all the good things (are for Allah). Peace be on you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings (are on you). And peace be on us and on the good (pious) worshipers of Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Apostle.) So, when you have said this, then you have surely sent the greetings to every good (pious) worship per of Allah, whether he be in the Heaven or on the Earth”. (Sahih Bukhari, Book #22, Hadith #294)

The beautiful unique greeting Muslims have, regardless of their race or language, saying the salam is an instant identity, the first greeting which, with immediate effect, will connect Muslims around the globe. Don't you agree? It is also an expression of love, and care towards our fellow Muslims, praying for peace for one another. However, is saying salam becoming a 'forced' habit, something we say out of obligation? Do we greet one another with a real sense of love towards our fellow Muslims?

Good habits start from home they say, thus, the habit of giving salam can be internalized right from home sweet home.

In Kids aL.I.V.E., one of the first good habits introduced to them is the habit of giving salam. Apart from it as a social greeting, what is more interesting is, the children are taught to say their salam as a form of expression for love!

How many times have we given salam among the members of the family? Other than giving the salam while entering the house, are there occurrences in the house when parents and children give their salam?

Hmm… “Good morning, dear!” “Good night Mom, Good night Dad!” “Hello bro, what are you doing?”
Sound familiar? These are greetings we seem to have adopted in our daily life. Let’s substitute them by them the salam.

“Assalamualaikum, dear!”
“Good night Mom, Dad, Assalamualaikum!”
“Assalamualaikum little brother, what are you doing?”

Saying peace to one another, as an expression of love tightens the family bond. A small gesture can change the world.

Parents and children, let’s once in awhile, give salam to one another, better still, make it a family habit! Believe me, home will be a very sweet home, full of love and care….and prayers for peace everyday!
Masya Allah!

murabbi

the ignorant me have always thought teaching is...well, teaching. you have a book to teach, read to class, explain here and there, give the students homework and grade it...after which, they will go through exams and if they study, they'll get good grades and move on.

but that's on the superficial level of teaching. after a year and a few months of teaching Teens and Youth a.L.I.V.E., i have realised how so much more teaching is.

i have taken up this teaching at a mosque madrasah rather unplanned. i really wasn't planning to teach when i graduated. but after substituting an ustazah a number of times, the teaching vibes has caught on me.

Paulo Coelho mentioned in his novel The Alchemist how sometimes the world conspires to let us achieve a dream. it was not my dream to be teaching, but somehow the circumstances have paved me towards education. i have been surrounded by people who are in the education line, whether religious or academic, meeting people who have the passion and the talent to teach, who have dedicated their brain and energy for the development of our children, intellectually, emotionally and utmost, spiritually. i'm inspired alright. and with the exposure and the little readings i did in due course, i realise teaching is a whole system that revolves the world. you're nowhere without knowledge they say, now who's to get that knowledge if no one's teaching?!

just as the Prophet seeking knowledge and receiving them direct from the Lord, and the Qur'an mentioned the name Rabb. it means: teach, nurture, educate. and for me, i have been searching myself. teaching, i believe, regardless of what subject, is almost holy. and to teach, means to make MYSELF better, because i'm not just any working person, but i'm a teacher. a trainer nonetheless, as how i would prefer to be known informally. still. the mechanisms of teaching starts from within myself.

and the Lord, being a Nurturer Himself, has paved the way. well, for one thing i have a personal mentor who's helped along the way. and quite recent, i had the fortune to attend a closed session with an experienced and knowledgeable Muslim educationist. Dr Dawood Al-Hidabi.

if i could summarise the whole discussion, it would be The Heart. teaching is from the heart. and there's the spiritual element to that.

how does teaching comes from the heart? well, IKHLAS is one. and two, the realisation that trasmitting knowledge is, to develop them intellectually, and utter 'shaping' of the whole being of the students. is not easy, man. i've always known that in order to teach, there must be something in me which is almost perfect. of course being mere human = imperfection, but if we're on that strive, we're almost there. and thus, Dr Dawood has given a list of what being a teacher means:

-> a murabbi = shaping personalities. also meaning, the teacher as a good example.
-> a counsellor = competent in giving advices and lending a shoulder, as well as, a helping hand
-> a researcher = aware of what's going on in the surrounding
-> a leader = an agent of change

these, i should cultivate within myself.

I had 4 pages of my journal filled with notes from the discussion but there's only 4 things which young trainers/teachers need to remember. while teaching is not just about syllabus and knowledge, it's also building meaningful relationships with the students. only with this relationship will knowledge be truly transmitted through example. and to be able to create a companionship with the students, here's the phases the teacher-student relationship needs to go through.

1. Admire - there may be something which is truly unique to the teacher that allows the students to admire her/him
2. Trust - when there's a level of trust built, knowing that there's someone a student could turn to without risking being embarrassed. and i guess a sense of respect towards the students' needs
3. Love - after much time, love can be developed through knowing one another and much communication
4. Obedience - and this is when whatever the teacher says or teaches, there won't be much trouble for the students to listen to us, because of the trust and love, they know we, the trainers/teachers are here for them.

and since then i've been having ths list in mind, almost like a mantra for me to teach. i'd be building up these 4 'hearts' to motivate myself and know that i've been in this line, not only by choice, but chosen to.
May Allah bless this effort.

conversion

conversion
spiritual awakening
education
Murabbi
prayers
faith
human

I was born a Muslim.
By choice I am a Muslim.
But I'm a revert.
A revert to my faith.
Islam.

magnificence

My soul is brightened by a light in my heart
When I praised God of mankind
And my soul is cheered up and the tears were flowing
Oh God! guide my heart to reason

In the tranquility of the night I pray during worshiping
While the black darkness is all around me
Oh Kind! Oh Most Merciful! Oh Most Forbearing!
Oh Kind! Your gifts are endless
Oh All-Hearing! Oh Answerer! Oh Most Magnificent!
Oh Creator of the strong predatory animals!

Guide me
Guide me to truth,
God I depend on your guidance today
Oh God of the universe! you are my aid
You are the refuge of man in the afterworld
Here I am, God, asking your forgiveness
Forgive me and grant me my wish

-Ahmad Bukhatir

not a victor

my ramadhan is leaving
leaving with a slow goodbye
leaving with a heart longing
for ramadhan to stay
stay, stay a bit longer

if only time is in my hands
would i turn them back all over again
a servant at a losing end
a servant at a losing end

my syawal is only grief
grieving with a sad welcome
grieving with a heart longing
for syawal to come
come, come a bit later

but time is not in my hands
there is no turning them back all over again
a servant at a yearning still
a servant at a yearning still

have i lost this ramadhan?
shall i yearn for syawal?
and when ramadhan meets syawal
i am no victor.

forgive me Lord