Princess Turns 5. Happy Birthday Iman.

Our eldest daughter & second child, Dayangku Iman Aaliyah turns 5 today. Happy Birthday Sayang. 

Love, 

Babah, Mama, Abang Momat & Adik Asha.

Wudhuk zahir dan batin

I got this via email about physical and spiritual ablution. . . . very interesting read, although it is in Malay.

Seorang ahli ibadah bernama Isam Bin Yusuf, sangat warak dan khusyuk solatnya. Namun, dia selalu khuatir kalau-kalau ibadahnya kurang khusyuk dan selalu bertanya kepada orang yang dianggapnya lebih ibadahnya, demi untuk memperbaiki dirinya yang selalu dirasainya kurang khusyuk.

Pada suatu hari, Isam menghadiri majlis seorang abid bernama Hatim Al-Assam dan bertanya, "Wahai Aba Abdurrahman, bagaimanakah caranya tuan solat?"

Hatim berkata, "Apabila masuk waktu solat, aku berwudhuk zahir dan batin."

Isam bertanya, "Bagaimana wudhuk zahir dan batin itu? " 

Hatim berkata,"Wudhuk zahir sebagaimana biasa iaitu membasuh semua anggota wudhuk dengan air".  Sementara wudhuk batin ialah membasuh anggota dengan tujuh perkara :-

• Bertaubat
  
• Menyesali dosa yang telah dilakukan
  
• Tidak tergila-gilakan dunia
  
• Tidak mencari/mengharap pujian orang (riya ' )
  
• Tinggalkan sifat berbangga
  
• Tinggalkan sifat khianat dan menipu
  
• Meninggalkan sifat dengki."
  

Seterusnya Hatim berkata, "Kemudian aku pergi ke masjid, aku kemaskan semua anggotaku dan menghadap kiblat.

Aku berdiri dengan penuh kewaspadaan dan aku rasakan:

1. aku sedang berhadapan dengan Allah,
2. Syurga di sebelah kananku,
3. Neraka di sebelah kiriku,
4. Malaikat Maut berada di belakangku, dan
5. aku bayangkan pula aku seolah-olah berdiri di atas titian ' Siratal mustaqim ' dan menganggap bahawa solatku kali ini adalah solat terakhir bagiku, kemudian aku berniat dan bertakbir dengan baik."

"Setiap bacaan dan doa didalam solat, aku faham maknanya kemudian aku rukuk dan sujud dengan tawadhuk, aku bertasyahud dengan penuh pengharapan dan aku memberi salam dengan ikhlas. Beginilah aku bersolat selama 30 tahun."

Apabila Isam mendengar, menangislah dia kerana membayangkan ibadahnya yang kurang baik bila dibandingkan dengan Hatim.

Sabda Nabi, ilmu itu milik Tuhan, barang siapa menyebarkan ilmu demi kebaikan, InsyaAllah Tuhan akan menggandakan 10 kali kepadanya.

BSRC Photography Talk @ 12.09.08

The BSRC Photography Talk was held on Friday afternoon, 12 Sept 08 at the Serikandi Restaurant in Kuala Belait. The response was very good, with about 24 attendees comprising of BSRC photography section members as well as KB Photographers attending the talk by Tuan Hj Mohd Yusof, President of Brunei Photography Association.

The talk covered the three important basics about photography i.e. ISO/ASA, Aperture and Shutter Speed. Despite the apparent different levels of photography competencies among the attendees, the experiences shared by the veteran photographer were invaluable as he explained the importance of Aperture and Shutter speed settings during the days when ASA/ISO speed cannot be easily changed as can be done today using the DSLR settings.

Hj Mohd Yusof is currently the Head of the Audio Visual section in the Government's Information Department, under the Prime Minister's Office. He have been into photography since the early 70's, from black and white and colour films SLR, to medium format, to photoslides, to point & shoot digital and now to proper DSLR.

We also learned that flash photography is strictly not allowed in certain Royal functions as well as certain sensitive sports (snooker, pool), so it is important to use high ISO settings to overcome the lack of flash - this is where I have to admit the Nikons are way ahead with 25,600 vs Canon's 6,400 (heard the 50D can do 12,800).

The talk was concluded with presentation of the token of appreciation to Tuan Haji Yusof from Mohd Husini Bakar, BSRC Photography Section captain , followed by Group photo shot by BSRC non-official group photographer, Ichinoseworld. It was followed immediately with Sungkai.

Sungkai at the Serikandi restaurant is very reasonable, with 7 food/drink stations at $9 per head. What's more, if you come in 6, the 6th person will have it for free!

members chatting whilst waiting for the arrival of guests

BSRC Captain with Brunei Photography Association President

Canon 40D vs Nikon D200

RESERVED

Arabfamilies.com aka Shaikh Khalid greeting the guests

Mohd Husini introducing Mr President

Mohd Husini with the Introduction

Ms Treasurer Bibi Azlina

ISO/ASA scribbles

Aperture . . . remember the f/stops

Shallow DOF (Depth of Field)... shot taken with f/5.6

Some of the attendees

. . . and more

This is how Oakley glasses started heheheh

Toolpusher head on the lens

Thanks!

Toolpusher taking notes

Serikandi Banner

Tale of 3 daughters . . . oh no, its 2.

Grandpa Gembo returned from Surabaya last Tuesday and bought Princess and Asha talkungs, a 2 piece clothing covering the body (leaving just the face) to be worn for prayers.

Mrs G took these shots, and I didn't realise the "third" daughter . . .  heheheh apparently it was Momat fooling around. Oh btw, Momat haven't missed a day of fasting - good for him.

This is Asha

Princess & Asha

Now, who is this . . . at first I thought it was Princess but way too tall... only when he said something that I realised it was Momat

Asha fooling around

Asha again trying to figure out how to get her hands out