Morocco’s Barrier Ball

The 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup is coming to its zenith. With the final just around the corner, pitting the world’s best footballers and football teams for the grandest prize in football. The World Cup. While the tournament held every 4 years, is where the football heads and curious minds gather, it is the host which has caught the most attention. A tournament of many firsts that is overshadowed by controversies at least in the western media narrative. A first for an Arab and Islamic nation to host, a first Arab-African nation to reach the semis, a first family-friendly World Cup with high emphasis on moral values and also a first World Cup that England fans make it through with no arrest. Hooligans were a thing of the past. This is largely contributed by Qatar’s firmness to hold onto its roots, culture and belief.

Morroco football team in pictures demonstrating the Islamic values.

As the world and most neutral fans rallied behind the Moroccan team’s gallant progression into the latter stages, fate would have it that they were stopped by the French team at the final hurdle. Fate also had it that Morocco had gone through the same route as were in past history. A route via Spain and Portugal to face off with France.

The Colonised Effect

With the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, it sparked mixed reaction across the spectrum. Some mourn the loss of an enigmatic Queen, others happy at the end of the symbol of tyranny. To note, although the current monarch many not hold the ultimate power or say on the country’s politics as it once used to, the Queen has never apologised nor regretted the actions done under her name.

It is difficult to fathom, that the people whose land were colonised and stripped of its wealth, whose forefathers killed for wanting to be free in the land of their ancestors, then suddenly the generations of today, look up to the head of the coloniser with awe and mourn at their leader’s death. Are we truly free? Or these mindset, still longed to be ruled by a foreign entity? Or are they the benefactors of the colonisation of hundred of years, repaying with loyalty and showing gratitute?

This year marks the 65th Independence Day for Malaysia. Freedom for 65 years of self-rule from the last foreign coloniser. Many nations across the globe have similar stories and timelines. Independence wasn’t achieved by luck or handed back to us on a plate, but rather with tears, blood and even with the lives of our ancestors. Therefore, their struggle and sacrifices then, we as the free-generation needs to remember.But are we really fully independent?

Japan’s Nuance : Tokyo vs Osaka Divide

Modern Japan is one of the most mono-ethnic countries in the world today. It is common misconception that the culture and people’s unision are also in sync. However, the land of the rising sun, has also been home to many unique deep-rooted culture, people and values.

The geographical spawn of Japan, is a unique one in the world somewhat similar to the British Isles. Isolated yet connected to the main continent. The Japanese home islands are an archipelago just off the Korean peninsular and the Asian mainland. Despite this, it has a massive impact on history and culture. This is examplified by the two main contrast of Kansai and Kanto region.

Tokyo vs Osaka Divide

The Two Abrahams – Priority of Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a world renowned framework for sociology and motivational theory in psychology. Its being taught in clasess, in business management and also training centres. It depicts what sort of motivation and effort and its direct relation with human behaviour.

It comprises of a three-tier category of human needs (can be classified into 5 rungs), most commonly shown within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are:

Olympics 2020 : The Japanese Way

It was quite an unusual atmosphere inside the stadium. There was no usual bustle and commotion of fans celebration within, but rather was met with protests outside of it. Such is in today’s world, the Olympics is a global event that reaches far and wide. When the global viewers tuned in to witness Tokyo’s opening ceremony, some were left quite confused or puzzled at the abstract performance but not least towards the order of the participating nations parade. Whilst the former, can be talked about separately on the unique way the Japanese view and communicate its humor, on the latter, should have been more straightforward one might think.

Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

The past Olympics in memory, has always introduced the participating nations via the English Alphabetical order. One would normally expect to see the likes of Argentina one of the firsts, Ireland somewhere in the middle, Uruguay or Yemen towards the end. What transpired, caused some frets to the forehead and the mind to boggle.

#Tokyo2020 parade nation order Me: oh easy it’s alphabetical… Me: oh wait must be by number of athletes per country.. Me: oh wait what? Me: …

Tweet

The Precious Haya’

In these trying times of where everywhere we turn, everywhere we go, messages through ads, TVs, internet sites as well as magazines tells us that showing the beauty and freedom of rights is the new way of life. Whilst preserving to the ways of Islam is a backward step that we should avoid. This is a trap full of lies that we Muslims should thread with caution.

“Every religion has a distinct call. For Islam it is Haya’.” [Ibn Majah].

 

Haya’ (Shyness) is a quality that we today have lost. It is not only for women but also for men.

 

Narrated by Abu Huraira (ra): The Prophet said, “Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya is a part of faith.” (Bukhari)

We often find that shyness, humility and bashfulness is frowned upon by our society as a weakness or a lack of confidence when, In fact these are quality of a dignified upright human being, who is conscious of their actions and their responsibilities in life.

Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “Indeed haya (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well.” (Baihaqi)

Long before human neither knew how to fly nor learnt how to communicate with others around the world. But as times goes by, humans learn to do all sorts of advance stuffs, but worryingly we have lost the essential part of being human. This narration is not just about the patience of Moses nor it is highlighting about the kindness of Moses and the weakness of women. It is also not merely about the preparation that Moses has to go through to become a future prophet then. What is it about then?

Remember Ramadhan?

A cool breeze swept across the face. Bright lights illuminate the beautiful dome. Starry dots scattered across the dark sky. It was squashed by a loud voice that beckoned in the distance ringing around the dome. A voice urging us to pray. I sat there, in the middle of the UKM Mosque. Looking sideways and backwards. As if searching for someone. I waited and waited. He didn’t come. A dear friend of mine was supposed to be meeting me here tonight. And suddenly I remembered that he couldn’t be here. Not now. I smirked and laughed by myself. Half-cursing him. He’ll only be back tomorrow I remembered.

A thought gathered pace inside me. This was the same spot that I sat to meet up with friends at the mosque. It’s been 11 years I think. I don’t know why but we usually tend to meet up at this very same spot without even discussing about it beforehand. Memories were carved here.

I pondered, Ramadhans had always been dear to me. Trials and tribulations followed by success and happiness. And it always had a major impact on me as person and how I see life. But the early memories always stick the most.

Year after year pass by and we seldom notice nor care about how it had pass us by. We treat is as routine time and again. There are many things associated with Ramadan. Grown-ups treat it differently with that of a kid. As a kid, fasting was something that is considered an achievement that would make you be in the league of grown-ups. Did we know why were fasting then? No. Did we understand the significance of the month? The Tarawih prayers? No. But fasting was something you want to do as a child. It was thrilling to say the least. Childhood memories. We all had them. Yours might be the same as mine or may be totally different, but here are some to share.

Ghurabaa’

The companions of Rasulullah (saw), the Tabiin and the Tabi Tabiin. Those men and women who were around the Prophet, who surrounded, who supported, who followed, who listened, who obeyed, who loved, who sacrificed for the messenger of Allah saw. They were the strangers then.

Abu Hurairah RA, he said: Rasulullah SAW said: “Islam was strange when it began and will one day be strange again; Blessed are the ghuraba’ (those strange people)”. [H.R.Muslim]

Who are the strangers in our time? We are the strangers insyaAllah.

The Elusive Answer

Spring is in the Air! Beamed the promotion posters. It falls on the Golden Week holidays. Golden Week in Japan usually consists of a week of holidays. Fast approaching my final year here, I prepared to make the journey again. The last journey perhaps. Questions often asked to me, why do I make those long journeys again and again to learn about my religion? It is worth it?

No matter where we come from, what languages we speak or what color our skin is, we are all unique in special ways. We all share the same desire and hunger to succeed and most importantly to love and to be loved. Many have argued that love is only a feeling and cannot bring wealth or success but deep inside, we all know that love is the greatest motivation that a person can have. But where or what is the true meaning of love?

Winter Life Lesson

Hokkaido and the northern part of Japan woke up to bitterly cold temperatures and heavy snow showers. As the “BIG FREEZE” continued to keep an icy grip on the northern part of this world, we generally struggle to cope with the changes in climate. As the winter tightens its grip, the smiles turn into frowns. Frozen lakes, burst pipes, blocked roads and head high snow makes life far more difficult than it already is. At first, it was welcomed with joy, but it quickly turns in problems. But if you think it’s been cold, count your blessings that we can still afford to keep ourselves warm at night.